Accord spl status to H-K region without delay: CPM leader

The Centre should not take away the power of the State

 CPM State Secretariat Member G N Nagaraj has urged the Union government to accord special status to Hyderabad-Karnataka region, by passing the Constitution amendment bill in the ongoing winter session of the Parliament.

Speaking to presspersons here on Monday, he said that the BJP and the Congress should not become a stumbling block for the development of the Hyderabad-Karnataka region.

Both the parties should overcome their differences and work towards the welfare of the people of the backward region.

As per the current bill, the Governor is the authorised person for granting funds and overseeing its implementation, which is similar to the status given to the Vidarbha region in Maharashtra. However, the Centre should amend the laws further, by not taking away the power of the State government.

The Hyderabad-Karnataka Development Authority should rest in the hands of the State and development work should be implemented through the State government, he said.

FDI in retail sector

Opposing FDI in retail sector, Nagaraj said that the FDI retail sector was announced without getting approval in both Houses of Parliament. “In fact, many within the UPA are opposed to the FDI in retail sector. Only the Congress and the NCP had supported the Bill.”

Owing to pressure from the USA, the UPA government wants to implement FDI in retail sector in India.

 As the USA is reeling under recession, they want to sell their products in India, he alleged. “If the Prime Minister had belief in the democratic principles, then he should have withdrawn the Bill.  The CPM is set to insist on voting on a resolution opposing FDI in multi-brand retail,” he added. FDI in retail sector will increase unemployment in the country.

The Centre’s move to directly pay beneficiaries the subsidies that it bestows under a range of schemes will have its impact on the economy of the country.

He said, “prices of essential commodities will increase drastically. Now, the government can intervene in the price of the essential commodities through PDS. Paying the beneficiaries directly is an unscientific move.

The government should drop the proposal immediately, to benefit the poor and middleclass.”

The CPM will collect five crore signatures on the Food Security Bill to be submitted to the President of India shortly.

Nagaraj said that casteism is on rise and the political parties are using the caste as vote bank politics. The misuse of caste should be stopped at any cost.

Arrest flayed

Flaying the arrest of journalist Naveen Soorinje in connection with the homestay attack, he said the police have violated the rules. The incident clearly indicates that the police are puppets in the hands of the Sangh Parivar in Dakshina Kannada.