CPI(M) plea for extending ceasefire with ULFA

New Delhi, Sep 25 (UNI) Expressing its displeasure over the Government's decision to end its six-week-old truce with the ULFA, the CPI(M) today asked the Centre to extend the ceasefire for achieving a lasting peace in the trouble-torn Assam.

The Left party also disagreed with the Government view that peace had not been established as the violence continued unabated.

The Congress-led coalition UPA coalition had called off its six-week-long truce with the ULFA yesterday and directed the Army to launch a massive operation against the outfit.

Addressing media persons on the second day of the three-day party Central Committee meeting, CPi(M) Politbureau member Sitaram Yechury said the 85-member committee, besides taking up the organisational review, was also deliberating on its poll strategy for the coming assembly polls, Special Economic Zones (SEZ) and their impact, among other things.

Party General Secretary Prakash Karat, senior leaders Brinda Karat, M K Pandhe, Floor leaders in the Lok Sabha Basudev Acharya and Salim Mohammad besides Chief Ministers Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee (West Bengal) and V S Achuthanandan (Kerala) are attending the meeting.

Regarding the assembly polls, Mr Yechury said his party would make all efforts to ensure that the secular votes were not split as had happened in the case of Bihar in February. The central leadership would finalise the strategy for Uttar Pradesh polls in consultation with the state units.

When reminded that the CPI had decided to side with Mr V P Singh's Jan Morcha in the state, the CPI(M) leader stressed that his party was of the view that Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav's Samajwadi Party had been in the forefront against the communal forces.

"Mr Jaswant Singh talked about the US mole in the PMO...but what happened in the end?" he asked.

He said the Government should also look into "the revelations made by Gen. Musharaff...but let the book first come out." On the Government's move for setting up more SEZs in different parts of the country, Mr Yechury said, "our biggest objection is that in such zones the trade union activity is banned and gross violation of labour laws take place." The CPI(M) leader said the Constitution must be amended to ensure that no agricultural land was acquired for the purpose, besides job guarantees to the farmers whose land was acquired, 52 per cent more than the market land price should be given to the farmers.

On the continuing farmers suicide in Vidarbha and other areas, he said a mere economic package would not do. "it is true that the Prime Minister announced a Rs 4750 crore package during his Vidarbha visit, but what the farmers need is immediate loans by the nationalised banks and Minimum Support Price (MSP) for agricultural produce.

UNI