Date:26/07/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/07/26/stories/2007072652640100.htm

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UDF to back stir by minority communities

Special Correspondent

Thiruvananthapuram: The United Democratic Front (UDF) on Wednesday protested against what it termed the CPI(M) leadership’s attempts to gain control over the education and cooperative sectors.

The UDF high power committee that met here decided to support agitations by minority communities to protect their rights guaranteed by the Constitution and through various judicial verdicts.

Addressing a press conference after the meeting, UDF convener P.P. Thankachan said the moves to empower local bodies to control the functioning of schools had created apprehension among minority communities. Local Administration Minister Paloli Mohammed Kutty’s statement in the Assembly was not conclusive enough and suggested that the matter was still open.

The UDF appointed a sub-committee to formulate its approach towards the CPI(M) initiatives to gain control over the cooperative bodies in time for the proposed Cooperative Congress the Government plans to organise to discuss issues related to the sector. The meeting protested against the CPI(M)’s moves to open education institutions, libraries and welfare societies in the cooperative sector and the Government’s moves to disband cooperative bodies controlled by the UDF.

“Quota for mobilising funds for these cooperative bodies had been earmarked at the district level,” Mr. Thankachan said.

The UDF also decided to organise a campaign on five main issues leading to an agitation in August. These include the CPI (M)-mafia links and the new modes of corruption, the problems in the education sector, the Munnar-mafia links, attempts to suppress criticism, be it from political leaders, media, religious leaders or judges, and law and order issues.

It demanded an inquiry into the Kerala Mineral and Metals Ltd.’s deal with a Russian arms manufacturer “bypassing” global tender procedures.

It also protested against Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac’s move to bring an amendment to remove 24 life- saving drugs from Schedule I and including it in Schedule III of the Value Added Tax regime attracting four per cent tax.