India' federal system of governance under threat from Modi

Claiming that India's federal system of governance is under "threat" from the Narendra Modi dispensation, CPI(M) today called upon Odisha Chief Minister and BJD President Naveen Patnaik to take a clear stand on the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.
"As the Centre abolished the Planning Commission and set up Niti Ayog, the states are forced to get funds at the mercy of the ministries, more particularly from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). This is against the original federal structure of India," CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury told reporters here.
Stating that the abolition of the Planning Commission led to economic power being centralised with the PMO, Yechury said transfer of resources to the states has been affected though the Centre has started a propaganda that flow of funds has increased.

"The ground reality is totally different as the states are getting less central share. This is because the Centre has slashed the ratio of direct tax which was being distributed among the states. On the other hand, it (Centre) increased the indirect tax which directly went to the central government coffer," Yechury pointed out.
As the people of Odisha also suffer due to less flow of funds from the Centre, the CPI(M) appealed to the Chief Minister to take a clear position in this regard.
With no provision of the National Development Council (NDC), where the chief ministers were making demands for the welfare of their states and with abolition of Planning Commission, now the states will have to go to the PMO with "begging bowl," Yechury said.

Asked about the alleged CBI threat to the state

government regarding the chit fund scam in Odisha, Yechury said, "Naveen Babu should fight it out. He should take a stand for the benefit of the people of the state and not for any political consideration."
"Unless Naveen Babu clears doubt over the CBI threat with regard to the chit fund, the public impression will remain that the state government compromised with the Centre," Yechury said.
Yechury, however, accused the BJP led government of misusing the CBI, and termed the investigating agency as "B-CBI" (BJP-CBI).
Earlier Yechury had dubbed CBI as 'Congress Investigation Bureau' during the previous UPA government.

The CPI(M) General Secretary announced a country wide protest to be launched against the economic policy and communal agenda of the BJP government at the Centre soon.
"Efforts are being made to strengthen Left forces and present a democratic alternative before the people," Yechury said adding that after nearly two years of the elections, the BJP led government has "failed to fulfil" even a single poll promise.
There has been decline in agriculture, manufacturing and all other sectors, he said adding, "the country is in the process of a slide down."
BJP was, however, busy with its communal polarisation programme, he alleged.

CPI(M) state Secretary Ali Kishore Patnaik said that the party will stage protest meetings all over the state over local issues including the bungling in NFSA ration card distribution on February 8.
"A rally will be held at Bhubaneswar on March 12 against the failures of the state government," he said.