CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat visited the Hudhud-hit areas of Visakhapatnam on November 2 and demanded that the central government declare the cyclone as a ‘National Calamity’ and extend 100 percent compensation to all the affected families. During his visit to Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (RINL), the biggest heavy industry in Andhra Pradesh, which was severely hit by Cyclone Hudhud, Karat addressed a gathering of workers and met the plant’s Director of Personnel G B S Prasad. He was accompanied by Andhra Pradesh state committee secretary P Madhu, secretariat member, Ch Narasingarao and other leaders of the Party. Addressing the workers, Karat said the NDA government at the Centre should drop the disinvestment plan for the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. There is no need to dilute the government equity in RINL and the corporate entity of VSP. The plant has recently expanded its capacity from three million tonnes to 6.3 million tonnes, with an investment of Rs 12,300 crore mobilised from internal finances. During his meeting with Prasad, the CPI(M) general secretary said he saw no reason to hand over RINL on a silver plaque to the corporate. The plant is making profits and paying huge revenue to the governments as taxes, dividends, etc. The disinvestment is anti-national and the CPI(M) is committed to fight with all its strength the NDA government’s move. He said a probe should be ordered to ascertain why the plant was shut down after it was hit by the cyclone. After the steel plant, Karat visited several areas devastated by the cyclone. He went around the Kancharpalem area and met people who have lost their houses in the natural calamity. He also inaugurated a CPI(M)-organised programme to plant saplings at Kancharpalem. At a huge gathering of cyclone victims, Karat said, “I am extremely sorry to know that many of you have lost your houses but your names have not been included in the list of names of victims by the government.” He promised that the Party will extend all necessary help and fight with the government for inclusion of the names of all genuine victims and for adequate compensation. Karat criticised the government for not taking up rehabilitation measures on priority. Those who lost their houses and those whose houses have been partially damaged need immediate government support, he said. He demanded that the government declare Cyclone Hudhud as ‘National Calamity’ and extend cent percent compensation to all the affected families. Later in the day, Karat visited Kalavani port auditorium, the proposed venue of the 21st Party Congress of the CPI(M), and addressed a large meeting of Party members at Kalabharati auditorium. He expressed his sympathy with the people of Visakhapatnam city which was ravaged by cyclone and promised that the Party will stand by the people and extend full support and fight with the government for full compensation for the affected families. Speaking on the recent political developments, he said the right wing BJP is not only pursuing the neo-liberal policies with vigour to satisfy the corporate forces that helped Narendra Modi win the elections, but is also communalising the democratic fabric of our great nation with its Hindutva agenda. It is evident in these five months’ rule of the NDA. The Modi government has proposed to disinvest government equity in public sector enterprises to the tune of Rs 43,000 crore at one stroke. It has increased FDI limit in railways, defence production and insurance. It has given freehand to the RSS to intervene in the education system. It has been working to dilute the MGNREGA by limiting it to the most backward districts of the country. Not only the MGNREGA but the majority welfare measures are under attack and being diluted in a way or other, he said. To facilitate the corporate forces, the NDA government is pursuing policies to remove or dilute the Forest Rights Act and allow the MNCs to occupy the tribal areas for mining. The BJP which has reaped yields by its communal agenda in Uttar Pradesh is trying to implement the same in all other states, Karat said. In the BJP-ruled states, the minorities and women are facing severe threats. The women are instructed to wear traditional dresses and are told what jobs they should do and that they are not allowed to move freely. To fight all these, the Party organisation must be strengthened and widened to build strong Left and Democratic Front, he stressed. He also expressed satisfaction with the preparations for the Party Congress.