VS opposes truck with communal parties

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, MAY 20. The Left Democratic Front convener, Mr. V. S. Achuthanandan, has stated categorically that there is no question of the CPI(M) allying with communal parties.

Participating in a Meet-the-Press programme organised by the Press Club here today to mark the fourth anniversary of the LDF Government, Mr. Achuthanandan said there was no change in his stand on the issue.

Other leaders of the CPI(M), at national and State levels, also had clarified this during their interactions with the media. Under the present circumstances, it would be most inadvisable to go in for an alliance with any party with religious moorings. The need of the hour was to uphold the principles of secularism, he added.

He refused to comment on the Chief Minister, Mr. E. K. Nayanar's statement that the discussions on allying with the Muslim League were inconclusive. Asked why the LDF should not take on board UDF constituents which were unhappy with the way the Opposition Front functioned, he retorted that such a decision would result in the LDF becoming a Front of disenchanted parties. ``It would be better if the black sheep remained there,'' he quipped.

He did not think that there was need for a leadership change in the LDF government now. He felt the senior Congress(I) leader, Mr. K. Karunakaran's demand for a leadership change in the Opposition was an indirect admission of the popular support the LDF Government now enjoyed. Such issues can wait till the next elections, he said.

Mr. Achuthanandan rejected the suggestion that the Chief Minister and some of his Cabinet colleagues were going about making announcements without prior approval of the LDF leadership. Referring to the specific instance of the Chief Minister's statement that he would implement the Kerala People's Police Scheme (KPPS) regardless of the opposition to it, the LDF convener said the statement could only have been an emotional response to the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. A. K. Antony's assertion that the Opposition would not allow the scheme to be implemented.

On the Education Minister, Mr. P. J. Joseph's statement that Plus Two courses would be sanctioned to 250 schools when no such decision had been taken by the LDF committee, he said a final decision on the matter would be taken by the LDF sub-committee, scheduled to meet on May 23. He was confident that the Education Minister would ultimately go by the decision of the LDF committee.

Asked whether his statement that sale of illicit liquor was rampant in toddy shops in the State was not an indictment of those who controlled the Excise Department, he said it would be wrong to say so. He had only meant that illicit brew was being sold as toddy in different parts of the State and that the excise officials should be prepared to check such tendencies.

Mr. Achuthanandan said revoking of the arrack ban was not on the LDF's agenda now. The CPI(M) and the LDF did not believe that the liquor menace could be checked through arrack ban. Even the former Prime Minister, Mr. Morarji Desai, had failed in his efforts to enforce prohibition in Gujarat. The 1987-'91 LDF Government, in which Mr. T. K. Ramakrishnan was the Excise Minister, had supplied arrack in packets. No mishaps had occurred at the time, he pointed out.

Commenting on the meeting between the Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Mr. O. Rajagopal, and the SNDP Yogam general secretary, Mr. Vellappally Natesan, he said there was little doubt that Mr. Natesan had little faith in the teachings of Sree Narayana Guru. The SNDP Yogam general secretary was in constant touch with the BJP leader who had mysteriously surfaced at Mr. Natesan's house shortly after Income Tax authorities had raided his place. Neither Mr. Natesan nor Mr. Rajagopal had so far replied to the questions he had raised then, Mr. Achuthanandan added.

Mr. Achuthanandan claimed that the Government had done exceedingly well in decentralisation of powers to the grassroots and achieved considerable success in weeding out corruption. He listed the strengthening of the public distribution system, augmentation of the State's power generation capabilities and avoidance of communal clashes as some major achievements of the LDF Government during the last four years. He, however, admitted that much more remained to be done.

The anti-reclamation stir by farm workers of Kuttanad, he said, had helped focus attention on the rampant paddy field conversion and the crisis in the farm sector. Experts of the Kerala Agricultural University had conducted an in-depth study into the issue and come up with concrete proposals for improving paddy cultivation. The scheme drawn up on the basis of their recommendation had proved to be a success when implemented in Palakkad. It would now be extended to 20 panchayats in Palakkad and some panchayats in Kuttanad area, he said.

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