Opinion The front

Having called for the formation of a political alternative based on policies,the CPM has argued that the situation is ripe

July 10, 2013 12:05 AM IST First published on: Jul 10, 2013 at 12:05 AM IST

The front

Having called for the formation of a political alternative based on policies,the CPM has argued that the situation is ripe for its creation because of widening inequality. The government today admits that the recent economic slowdown has resulted in the worst slump of the Indian economy in recent years. The consequent contraction of manufacturing and industry and,hence,of employment,is mounting miseries on an already languishing majority of Indian people suffering under the dual impact of rising prices and subsidy cuts, an editorial in Peoples Democracy says. It further claims that rather than addressing peoples problems,the UPA government is preparing for further reforms,which will benefit corporations. Instead of bailing out the people,the government is bailing out capital both foreign and domestic by giving greater concessions and,hence,greater opportunities for profit maximisation, it notes.

Pricing problems

Focusing on the recent increase in the price of natural gas,the CPIs New Age accuses the UPA government of mismanaging national assets. It alleges that the government,which outwardly defends the interests of the aam aadmi,is,in reality,a government of,for and by corporate houses. The latest policy move in this regard is the disastrous decision on June 27 to double the gas price… ignoring all apprehensions,reservations and opposition from both within the ruling alliance and outside, an article in the weekly says. The article emphasises that four Union cabinet ministers opposed the decision. In the cabinet meeting,some ministers are even said to have pointed out that gas production from the KG-D6 block had been consistently falling and asked why no action was being taken to arrest that fall, the article stated. It alleges that the government neglected the negative impact of the decision on the power and fertiliser sectors. The article also criticises the government for allowing oil companies to increase the prices of petrol and diesel.

Encountering trouble

The CPI(ML)s weekly ML Update discusses the Ishrat Jahan fake encounter case. It asserts that the chargesheet filed by the CBI in the case is a belated and insufficient step. The killing,it says,was staged to fit the script of the FIR that was prepared prior to the killing. There are also leads to suggest that Gujarat Home Minister Amit Shah (today the BJPs campaign in-charge in UP) and the chief minister,Narendra Modi,gave a green signal for the killing. Testimonies of Gujarat cops to the CBI,including a sting operation by one of the cops,reveals the involvement of Gujarats seniormost police officials,as well as senior officers of the Intelligence Bureau (IB),those known to be very close to Amit Shah and Narendra Modi,it argues. An editorial in the weekly argues that Ishrats case is not the only one of its kind. The fact is that a series of encounters in Gujarat of Sohrabuddin,Kauser Bi and Tulsiram Prajapati,of Sadiq Jamal,of Samir Khan now established as fake by investigating agencies,all played out to a certain political script, it notes. The same team of Gujarat cops led by D.G. Vanzara is implicated in all these killings,which were all aimed at promoting the myth of Modi as the target of terrorist attacks by Muslims. The question of who ordered all these killings that benefitted Modi politically,and that were carried out by Gujarats top cops needs an answer,it further says. The article also questioned the UPA government,alleging that it also seems interested in a coverup due to the possible involvement of some IB officers.