Brinda Karat slams BJP for projecting Advani as PM

Jamshedpur, Dec 14 (UNI) CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and Rajya Sabha MP Brinda Karat today trained guns against the BJP for projecting Leader of Opposition Lal Krishna Advani as the party's Prime Ministerial candidate and termed him "power hungry".

Addressing a party rally at Adityapur in neigbouring Seraikella-Kharsawan district, Ms Karat rediculed the BJP's stand to grab power in a hurry.

She said, '' Delhi Bari Door Hai, Itni Jaldi Maat Karo'' (Delhi is far away,don't hurry).

Ms Karat also charged the BJP and the RSS with dividing the poor in the name of religion.

She also criticised the BJP for adopting dual policy in the BJP-ruled states.

'' On one hand the BJP is supporting the liberalisation policy, on the other the party is indulging in religion to divide people, '' she said.

Ms Karat, who came here to attend the party's three-day third state convention, also criticised the Centre's economic policy, based on open market system.

She said the liberalisation policy did more harm than good which was helping the rich become richer, while the poor were becoming poorer.

'' Liberalisation policy Vikash nahi Vinash hai, '' she said.

The veteran CPI(M) leader also flayed Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram, who said Indian economy was improving and the country was in fourth position in the world as far as the richest people were concerned.

'' But on the development front, India is in 128th position in the world and out of hundred crore people, the daily earning of 83 crore people is below Rs 20, '' she pointed out.

Expressing concern over the condition of tribals in the country, Ms Karat said about 2.5 thousand adivais died in a year due to starvation.

Criticising the rationing system in the country, Ms Karat said, '' Public distribution system is in pathetic condition. '' She demanded red card for each family belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL).

She also criticised the functioning of the Jharkhand government, saying the name of the state should be "Lootkhand" and said a handful of people had been enjoying the benefit of creation of new state, while funds were not being utilised for the development purpose.

About the situaion in Nadigram, the Communist leader blamed the Trinamool Congress and SUCI for tarnishing the image of the CPI(M) and said Ms Mamata Banerjee's party was instigating violence in the area with the help of Maoists.

She said the West Bengal Government had always supported the sentiment of the people and decided to revert its decision to set Chemical hub and SEZ.

UNI