Basu Urges Uf To Include Non-Bjp, Non-Cong Parties

West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu yesterday suggested that the United Front (UF) steering committee consider inclusion of all anti-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and anti-Congress political parties to strengthen the front.

It is needless to count days of the UF government, and instead, we should strive for implementing the plans and programmes of the Deve Gowda government, Basu said while inaugurating a new building complex of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) mouthpiece, Ganashakti here.

The CPI (M) politburo member, who embroiled himself in controversy by his statement on the partys historical blunder in not joining the UF government at the Centre, however, preferred not to touch upon the issue, but said we should be open to criticism. Basu said that the 13 parties associated in the UF government should cement their relationships to make the first coalition government at the Centre stable and strong.Terming the role of both the Congress and the BJP as anti-people, he said that they should be isolated. He also criticised the Congress for seeking to derive electoral benefit by aligning with the religious fundamentalist forces.

Turning to the absence of morality in politics, Basu asserted that the CPI (M) had been an exception in this regard and that his party had been totally against cashing in on religious issues like the BJP.

The Chief Minister said that the Prime Minister had called a meeting of the Chief Ministers in Delhi on January 16 to discuss the final draft of the ninth plan.

Basu said that he would suggest to the Planning Commission against succumbing to the pressure of the multinationals and try to do something positive for the poor and socially oppressed people which would go a long way in improving the social order.

Party general secretary H S Surjeet said that Marxism was still relevant in contemporary society and the need for the party organs were all the more important to keep people informed about the viewpoints of Marxism.

He said that the party organs were doing quite well and appreciated the work done by the vernacular daily which passed an eventful 30 years.

Editor of the daily, Anil Biswas, who is also a member of the partys central committee, expressed concern at the erosion of moral values in the mass media and called for disseminating correct and objective news coverage to give the readers proper information.