CPI to vote against pension, banking, labour bills

New Delhi, July 23 (UNI) The CPI today warned the Manmohan Singh government to refrain from bringing in the Pension Regulatory Authority, the banking and labour law reforms bills saying that it will vote against these if the necessity arose during the Monsoon Session of Parliament commencing tomorrow.

''We will vote against all these bills.... The pension bill is aimed at ushering in market driven fund.. the labour reforms are to allow 'hire and fire' and the banking Regulatory Act is aimed at handing over the banks to private hands,'' CPI Floor leader in the Lok Sabha and veteran Communist Gurudas Dasgupta said. The CPI has 10 members in the Lok Sabha.

''The failure of the Government to condemn Israeli aggression of Lebanon is a matter of national shame, similarly the attitude towards Israeli aggression and terrorism on Palestine is reprehensible. The Government and nation must stand by the victims of Israeli terrorism,'' the CPI said.

''The refusal of the Prime Minister to meet the Foreign Minister of Cuba is extremely unfortunate. Of late there is a move to appease the Bush administration. CPI demands that all international treaties are placed before the Parliament for approval. CPI suggests that there should be a full-fledged Cabinet Minister to look after the foreign affairs.'' At a press conference on the eve of the month-long session, the CPI leader, who is also the AITUC general secretary also wanted the government to explain to the nation why the intelligence agencies failed to check terrorism, deepening agrarian crisis, the slow down in industrial production, food security and violation of labour laws among other things.

He also appealed to the main oppostion to ensure that it should refrain from indulging in intermittent hold-ups and the gherao of the Presiding officer is not repeated. ''During the last seven session since the UPA came into power we have lost as many as 162 hours because of these interruptions.'' CPI Deputy Floor leader in the Lok Sabha C K Chandrappan, party Chief Whip Ajay Chakravarty and the party newly-elected four Rajya Sabha MPs were also present at the press conference.

The CPI leaders also asked the Manmohan Singh government to take immediate steps so that the long pending legislations- the Women's Reservation Bill, Unorganised Workers Bill,2004, Tribals Bill are passed in the coming session itself.

Taking a serious view of the government's move to amend the Right to Information Act, the CPI leaders said the party would oppose any move to curtail the citizens right to know.

The government will also be asked to inform the people on steps to extend the national Rural Employment Scheme to all the 600 districts, they said adding that they would also raise the issues relating to negative impact of economic reforms, spiralling price rise, continued suicides by farmers despite Dr Manmohan Singh's personal visit to Vidharba region and "the right turn" in the government foreign policy.

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