Congress to expose ''double face'' of CPM

Kochi, Apr 21 (UNI) Launching a scathing attack on the ''Stalinist'' policies adopted by the Left Front governments in Kerala and West Bengal, Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh today said the Congress should expose the ''double face'' of the CPI(M).

Inaugurating a seminar on 'Role of Judiciary and Media in Democracy,' organised by the District Congress Committee here, Mr Ramesh said not withstanding the fact that the Left parties were supporting the UPA government at the Centre, the Congress should expose the ''double face'' of the CPM.

Citing the violence at Nandigram in West Bengal, Mr Ramesh said the suppression of the farmers' agitation against acquisition of their land for setting up a Special Economic Zone there clearly demonstrated the CPM's methods of tackling opposition.

Accusing the Left Front government of ''hiding the truth of Nandigram,'' the Congress leader said while the official toll was 14, in reality the figure would be in ''triple digits.'' ''The CPM has adopted the Maoist and Stalinist methods of handling opposition and used the government machinery to suppress the agitation in Nandigram. The Congress should be ready to expose the double face of the CPM leaders, who talk in big ideological terms but suppress democratic movements,'' he added.

Stating that the same attitude was visible in Kerala also, Mr Ramesh said frequent criticism of the judiciary by the Marxist leaders would weaken the judiciary and the democracy.

Alleging that the Left Front government was deliberately opposing judicial verdicts in Kerala, Mr Ramesh said the Congress should be ready to challenge this.

Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly Oommen Chandy said instead of taking recourse to higher courts of appeal, the CPM cadres come out on the streets to demonstrate against courts and judges. This was not a healthy trend.

Lauding the UPA Government for bringing the Right to Information Act, Mr Chandy said this would go a long way to strengthen democracy.

Former Kerala High Court judge K Narayana Kurup, senior state Congress leader M A Shahnawaz and DCC president V J Paulose, were among those present at the function.

UNI