Centre, UP govt anti-farmer: Karat

Kanpur, Sep 1 (UNI) After Former Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) today accused the central and Uttar Pradesh governments of being responsible for 'anti-farmer' activities.

''The practice of acquisition of farmers' land must be stopped immediately,'' CPM general secretary Prakash Karat told mediapersons here.

He stated the government was only interested in providing profit to big industrialists, while being apathetic to the plight of poor farmers.

''The acquisition of 25,000 acres of land in Haryana will only strengthen this tradition....the issue is also hot in Maharashtra and UP,'' Mr Prakash alleged.

He said instead of blindly imitating USA, PM Manmohan Singh should follow an independent foreign policy. ''Otherwise, our foreign policy would become become a 'slave' of the US.'' Expressing concern over inflation, the top left leader said the government should control high prices of diesel and petrol.

On CPM's plans in the forthcoming UP Vidhan Sabha elections, he said it would be decided at a party meeting.

UNI NAR-ATI VS DKB DB2032