CPI(ML) urges Left parties to stand against SEZ policy

Patna, Apr 20 (UNI) CPI(ML) general secretary Deepankar Bhattacharya today urged the Left parties to unite against the Centre's Special Economic Zone(SEZ) policy.

Addressing a seminar on 'SEZ, development and issues of democracy' here today, Mr Bhattcharya exhorted the members of the left parties to introspect whether SEZ would really help in industrialistaion.

Mr Bhattacharya futher said it was the need of the hour to prevent the acquisition of farmer's land by capitalist forces in the name of development, adding that thousands of farmers would be affected with creation of SEZs.

Thousand acres of fertile lands were being acquired for SEZs, leading to displacement of poor farmers and their protection was the basic principle of Left parties, he added.

Mr Bhattacharya also lambasted the West Bengal government for its stand on SEZ and said the ruling CPM had deviated from its ''vision and ideology, ''the basis on which it came to power in 1977.'' He also added that the CPM government had ''surrendered'' before the capitalists forces like Tata, which was provided a vast area of fertile land on a 90 year lease in Singur to set up an automobile industry.

He claimed the Tatas would pay Rs one crore per annum to the government for the lease and 20 crores annually during the concluding 20 years of the lease period.

All these rebates offered to Tata were more that what the area would get from it in the form of development and employment, he alleged.

Mr Bhattacharya also demanded scrapping of the SEZ policy to protect the interests of farmers and labourers.

Addressing the seminar, state secretary of CPI Badri Narain Lal said the Centre had always cited the model of SEZ in China to defend its policy, China had approved only six SEZs while the Centre had cleared proposals of 300 SEZs despite protests across the country.

UNI