CPI(M) warns Centre on budget

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, FEB. 12. The CPI (M) on Monday warned the Centre against using the Gujarat earthquake devastation as an excuse to try and set right, in the coming budget, the financial and fiscal mess that the country had got into during the past one year.

The party's warning came at a press conference where its politburo member, Mr. Sitaram Yechury, disapproved the levy of two per cent surcharge on income tax and corporate tax payers when it should have tried to recover the legitimate dues of over Rs. 62,000 crores from income and corporate taxes and excise and custom duties. This amount was three times the estimated damage due to the earthquake in Gujarat, he said.

Recalling the assurance of the Prime Minister to set up an all- party committee to oversee the relief operations in Gujarat, Mr. Yechury said it was a week since the announcement was made, but no committee had been set up.

The idea of setting up a committee was to prevent any partiality in the distribution of relief to the people. There were reports that certain organisations were trying to take up relief activity and cornering everything.

This was unfortunate, Mr. Yechury said and demanded that the Prime Minister fulfill his assurance on constitution of a committee to oversee relief activities. Unless this was done it would be difficult to take up effective relief and the rehabilitation works as the assessment of damage was changing frequently.

Mr. Yechury also said people should know the amount of relief or money that had been received. For instance, the International President of Lions Club had announced Rs. 17 crores and the World Bank and ADB Rs. 7,000 crores. How much money was required and how much was being received would not be known unless a committee was set up, Mr. Yechuri added.

Bengal polls

The CPI (M) was in a "win- win" situation in West Bengal in the coming elections to the Assembly whether the Mahajot, the grand alliance led by the Trinamul Congress, comes into being or not, Mr. Yechury said.

He said the electoral prospects of his party were good and expressed confidence that the Left Front would create a record of sorts by securing a sixth term in office.

On what would be the impact if Mahajot became a reality, Mr. Yechury said politically it would be a good situation for the party as there would be sharp polarisation resulting in reactionaries and communal forces being on one side which would keep the minorities and the left on the other.

However, Mr. Yechury felt that Mahajot was not possible as long as the Trinamul Congress associated itself with the BJP.

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