November 23, 2014
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CPI(M) to Intensify Struggle against Anti-People Policies of UDF in Kerala

N S Sajith

THE CPI(M) Kerala state committee has decided to intensify the struggle against the UDF government’s anti-people measures by rallying more and more people. The Party would also intervene in the agriculture sector with a modern and timely developmental outlook, CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan said in a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram on November 17. The Party will launch a massive protest against the government’s move to scuttle the Kudumbashree, a female-oriented, community-based, poverty reduction project. It is facing a huge threat as the government has been showing reluctance to provide sufficient loans from the banks to run the programmes. Due to the government's apathy, the women, the beneficiaries of Kudumbashree, are compelled to take loans from private financiers. The EMS housing project which was efficiently implemented by the erstwhile LDF government is also being crushed. As many as 59,000 houses being built under the project are still incomplete. The CPI(M) is planning to rally all beneficiaries of the EMS housing project against the government’s hostile attitude. Several complaints were raised against the BPL list, but the government is reluctant to address them. The government should take proper measures to correct the anomalies in BPL beneficiaries list and requests submitted for corrections in the list should be taken care of, Vijayan said. The CPI(M) leader said well-known decentralisation projects are also being throttled by this government. Legislation has been made to form a town and country planning project which is meant to neutralise the decentralisation programmes and a department has been formed to reduce the powers of local self governments. In spite of planning board's objection, the government is adamant in implementing town and country planning project. The Party has also decided to organise an all-India campaign from December 8 to December 14 in a concerted manner. It decided to make Communal Amity Day observation on December 6 a huge success. Vijayan said along with all these protest programmes, the Party will intervene in agriculture sector as it involves in the social movements like palliative care and clean kerala drive. Strong measures will be taken by the Party to make the state self sufficient in vegetable production. Renewal of Bar Licence: Bribe Charges Jolt UDF Govt SOON after the Kerala High Court stayed the decision to close down all bars except those in Five-Star facilities in the state, charges by several bar owners that they had bribed ministers for renewal of licences have created an unprecedented ruckus in the UDF government. Allegations made by the bar owners through TV channel discussions suggest that several ministers were involved in the exchange of crores of rupees regarding the formation of liquor policy. Dr Biju Ramesh, the owner of a chain of bars and working president of Bar Owners Association, alleged that he handed over Rs 1 crore to finance minister K M Mani. He adamantly confirmed that he had handed over the money at Mani’s residence at Pala. Any agency can make an investigation and I could submit all documents. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, whom he met in connection with this, knows everything, he claimed and said “If I fail to prove my allegation I will commit suicide.” Meanwhile, government chief whip P C George said that Rs 15 crore have been collected from owners of 418 bars which have already been closed and someone should reveal what happened to the rest of the money. This huge amount was given to the ministers as bribe to renew the bar license. These two statements dragged the ruling UDF into trouble. Way back in March, a section of media including Deshabhimani reported that a bribery of Rs 25 crore involved in the deal between bar owners and UDF leaders including ministers. This news has also been justified by the new development. More bar owners have come forward to reveal that lakhs and lakhs of money were collected from them to bribe the leaders and ministers. This shows that more than Rs 25 crore has been paid as bribe. As soon as the allegation was raised by Biju Ramesh, the finance minister and Kerala Congress (M) leader K M Mani claimed that he can smell a conspiracy behind this. “If there is any plan to intimidate me, I will reveal more facts on this,” he said! On query whether the chief minister has involved in hatching the conspiracy, he said that a strong investigation is needed to find out schemers. A Kerala Congress (M) meeting demanded a thorough investigation into the new allegations. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy today claimed that he never met Biju Ramesh regarding the issue of renewal of bar license. Pinarayi’s response: CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan has demanded a thorough inquiry into the whole corrupt practices in the issue of bar license renewal. The investigation should not be confined to the fact that whether Mani had received the money or not. The chief minister’s involvement should also be investigated. Excise minister K Babu’s role should also be probed, he said in a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram. No one sees any wonder in these allegations as many stories on this were already floating in the corridors of power. The allegation regarding the pay-off of Rs 15 crore is just the tip of the ice berg. Many ministers in the cabinet are bar owners or partners. They always keep the bar owners in good humour, he said. (END)