Date:29/06/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/06/29/stories/2007062955151400.htm

National

Support to Shekhawat shows “utter bankruptcy” of the Opposition: Brinda

Special Correspondent

Vice-President post must be given to
non-Congress party
Failure to rectify policy lapses will cost Government dear

— Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.

Empowering grass roots: Brinda Karat, Rajya Sabha Member and CPI(M) leader, at a conference organised by the All-India Democratic Women’s Association in Bangalore on Thursday.

BANGALORE: “Independent of political ethics and independent of political honesty” is how Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP Brinda Karat described the Opposition support for independent Presidential candidate Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.

Speaking to reporters here on Thursday, Ms. Karat said support for a candidate whose Government in Rajasthan was dismissed for spreading communalism showed the “utter bankruptcy” of the Opposition. “How can they support a candidate who has been right through with the RSS?”

On the claim made by the UPA-Left Presidential nominee, Pratibha Patil, that she experienced “divine premonitions,” she said such views “should remain in the personal realm and should not influence public office.”

The CPI(M) was of the view that the post of Vice-President should be given to a party other than the Congress as the post of President had been given to it.

Expressing dissatisfaction over some policies of the UPA Government, Ms. Karat said the CPI(M) would launch a nationwide campaign on key policy issues. In August, the party would picket Central Government offices for a day to express its resentment over such policies.

Policy corrections were required to provide food security to people and table the Women’s Reservation Bill in the coming Parliament session. Fundamental changes were needed in the draft bill on the unorganised sector. The CPI(M) would oppose the Microfinance Bill as it would damage the self-help group movement and allow banks to go back on their social responsibility. The Bill would also pave the way for an increase in interest rates, which would be detrimental to the interests of SHGs.

She termed such policies “echo of the India Shining campaign taken up by the then NDA Government.

The UPA Government was distancing itself from the people, she said, and cautioned that any failure to rectify the policy lapses would cost it dear.