Forward Bloc opposes Central stand on SEZ

Kolkata, Apr 6 (UNI) Strongly condemning the Centre's alleged "unilateral decision" to allow several new Special Economic Zone (SEZ) projects to come up after 'slight modifications,' All India Forward Bloc(AIFB)today demanded immediate revision of the whole issue.

Alleging that the SEZ would basically designed to benefit the multi- national companies and big Indian corporate houses, AIFB All India general secretary Debabrata Banerjee, MP, in a statement here said that the UPA government's decision would immensly damage the causes of millions of poor farmers and affect the country's food security.

"We are concerned that the Union government did not care to consult either with the people's representatives or with major political parties to arrive at a consensus on such a vital issue," Mr Banerjee said and regretted that even the memorandum submitted by four Left parties to the Empowered Group of Ministers(EGOM) was not taken into consideration before taking any final decision.

Moreover, he said, the EGOM did not address many other vital issues like allowing considerable tax exemptions or waiving the compulsions in labour laws."The mere compensation package cannot justify the 5,000 hectares upper ceiling for the SEZ", the AIFB general secretary said and demanded an immediate revision of the SEZ act in the coming session of Parliament and the suspension of its implementation till a positive and consensus outcome was achieved.

The party also planned to observe April 21 as the anti-SEZ day all over the country by organising mass rallies, street corner meetings and other forms of demonstrations, Mr Banerjee said.

UNI