CPI not for ties with Panthic Morcha

By our Staff Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, AUG. 7. The Communist Party of India (CPI) has ruled out any possibility of forging an electoral alliance with the newly-formed Panthic Morcha, a conglomerate of Akali factions opposed to the one headed by the Chief Minister, Mr. Parkash Singh Badal. The decision was taken at a meeting of the executive of the party's Punjab unit.

Disclosing this while talking to presspersons here this morning, the Secretary of the party's State Council, Dr. Joginder Dayal, said the CPI could have no electoral understanding with any party which had a communal agenda. In response to a question, he identified BJP and all shades of the Akali Dal as communal forces.

Dr. Dayal said that his party was committed to a joint front of the leftist, secular and democratic forces to defeat the ``most reactionary, communal and pro-imperialism forces'' represented by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

He said that while the left front was united, options were open for an alliance with the Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

He appreciated the stand adopted by the Punjab unit of CPI (M) in expressing willingness to align with the Congress to prevent the SAD-BJP alliance from retaining power.

While accusing Mr. Badal for using the ``communal card'' in the politics of the State he expressed fears that the Panthic Morcha would contribute to deterioration of the situation. He said that while the Panthic Morcha had openly rejected it, Mr. Badal's party had also thrown the ``Moga Declaration'' for Punjabi unity into the dustbin.

Dr. Dayal was highly critical of Mr. Badal meeting the Prime Minister in Delhi on Monday to discuss ``Sikh Issues'' instead of taking up the long pending demands of Punjab. He said that the Chief Minister preferred to maintain a stoic silence on a serious issue like that of the saffronisation of the education system, while the governments of nine States had opposed to accept the new curriculum of the NCERT.

Expressing concern over the deterioration of law and order situation, Dr. Dayal pointed towards inaction on the part of the government even after a court had sentenced an Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) to life term in a murder case. He also highlighted the situation in the Punjabi University at Patiala, where the Vice-Chancellor and the teachers had gone to the extent of accusing each other of conspiracy for physical liquidation. He also detailed the criminalisation of politics as well as undermining the democratic processes and institutions by the present government.

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