CPI promises approaching Centre on amending Article 356

Chennai, Apr 10 (UNI) The Communist Party of India (CPI) has promised to go all out to make the right to strike a fundamental right and will urge the Centre to amend Article 356 of the Constitution to prevent misuse of the provision for dismissing the elected state governments.

Releasing the Party's manifesto for the May 8 Assembly polls at a public meeting here last evening, CPI Tamil Nadu unit President D Pandian and the party would take all efforts to hike statutory minimum bonus to 12 per cent, safeguard the interests of the Government employees and teachers, and eliminate consolidated pay and contract systems.

Stating that democracy, social justice and secularism were affected during the five-year AIADMK rule, he said the CPI would urge the Centre to incorporate necessary amendments to Article 356 of the Constitution to ensure that the provision was not misused for dismissing elected State Governments.

Mr Pandian said the CPI would also take up with the Centre implementation of the recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission on Centre-State relations.

Promising to free the State's economy from the clutches of World Bank, he said the party would raise its voice to provide 50 per cent of the total tax collection by the Centre to the State.

He also promised that the party would work to achieve a permanent solution to the inter-state problems like Cauvery waters issue, Mullaiperiyar and Palar dam disputes.

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