: The Communist Party of India on Friday demanded the withdrawal of the proposed Land Acquisition Bill as it was anti-farmer in nature.
At its 23{+r}{+d}State conference here, the CPI’s State unit passed a resolution stating that the proposed changes did not include provisions of making mandatory farmers’ consent for industrial corridors, public-private partnership, housing and defence-related projects.
If Parliament passed the Bill, it would lead to a situation where farmers would be forced to part with their land. Therefore, the government must withdraw the Bill, the resolution said.
The party urged the Centre to stop the measures of Karnataka to build dams across the Cauvery.
It also urged the State government to move the apex court for the constitution of the Cauvery Management Board and Water Regulation Committee.
The party wanted the Central Industrial Security Force to take over the security of the Mullai Periyar dam and urged the Tamil Nadu government to take up works at the Baby Dam and initiate efforts to raise the water level to 152 feet.
An other resolution that the party passed at the conference called for action against persons instigating violence against Dalits.
‘Rahul’s absence dereliction of duty’
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi not attending Parliament is nothing short of dereliction of duty, Communist Party of India leader Gurudas Dasgupta said.
“Any responsible leader, as per the oath taken, should attend Parliament. That he [Rahul] has not attended is dereliction of duty,” he said while addressing reporters at the conference, which is being held from February 25 to 28.
On the economic survey tabled by the government on Friday, he said it was an attempt at painting a rosy picture. But in reality unemployment was on the rise and agriculture production was low. Inflation too had gone up with no appreciable improvement in the economic situation.
The railway budget was flimsy as there was no new announcement on new trains. Fares were not reduced though the diesel prices had fallen and there were no measures to improve passenger safety. o Steps to improve the running of trains on time were also not taken.
And, it was very unlikely that the Railway Ministry would get investments from the private sector. It may not go beyond investment in railway catering, he said.
It would be best to describe the government as a combination of corporate power and communal forces. This could be seen from the extent of government secrets being sold to corporate companies. The nexus went deeper than the lower level employees. People in the top were involved and they should be punished, Mr. Dasgupta demanded.
CPI national secretary D. Raja said that if the rosy picture the government presented to the people through the economic survey was true, it should reflect in Saturday’s budget.
