CPI(M) leader questions PM's silence on charges against Swaraj

: CPI(M) has questioned the 'continued silence' of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on charges against External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in the Lalitgate issue even as there have been rising demands to drop her.
K Balakrishnan, MLA, also CPI-M's central committee member, said the country was witnessed scams and corruption on a wider scale during the previous Congress led UPA rule.
The 10 year rule by Congress at the Centre had only helped capitalists while the poor and weaker sections were left high and dry. The globalisation and liberalisation policy had pushed the country deeper poverty, he said.
Balakrishna was addressing a seminar organised jointly by the Left parties here yesterday, where they formulated a declaration for alternative polices.

He alleged that the BJP led NDA rule under Narendra Modi is staging only a drama and the Prime Minister is preoccupied with going abroad most of the time.
The CPI leader said the AINRC rule here was also taking the people for a ride by doling out false promises. In the run up to the Lok Sabha polls, the party had assured people that the Modi led government would concede the pleas of Puducherry for statehood and that the Union Territory would get copious funds from the Centre.

AINRC was backed by BJP at the parliamentary polls last year and successfully contested the election.

Balakrishan sought to know if the Centre had done anything for the UT though more than a year had rolled by. He also criticised the Modi government for slashing subsidies and for winding up several institutions like Planning Commission.
The steep decline in allocation of funds for various socially relevant welfare measures like MGNREGA which aims at 100 days work for rural poor labourers was also hitting the villagers. Farmers suicides continued in the country, he said.
He claimed only the Left parties are firm in objecting to amendments sought to be made by NDA in the Land Acquisition Bill. Parties like DMK and AIADMK in Tamil Nadu were only seeking to gain political mileage through their reaction to the amendments, he alleged.

Only alternative policies of the Left parties and support to them would bring the common man relief, he said and asked people to cooperate for successful conduct of the Sep 2 general strike to protest the Centre's 'anti labour' and 'anti farmer' policies.