Yechury urges Naxalites to join democratic politics

Samastipur, May 4 (UNI) Senior CPI(M) leader and polit bureau member Sitaram Yechury today exhorted Naxalites to give up violence and come into democratic politics of the country.

Mr Yechury told UNI that the Naxalites should learn from Maoists in Nepal, who have endorsed the democratic politics of that country and given up violence. He said Nepal was the stronghold of Maoists acitivities in South Asia and it would be free from the menace after they were duly recognised by the people through an electoral verdict.

Expressing concern over the increasing incidents of ruckus and bedlam in the Lok Sabha, Mr Yechury justified the decision of Speaker Somnath Chatterjee to refer the matter to the privileges committee. ''Framing of laws and keeping vigil on the functioning of the government are the two main responsibilities of the House and it should be discharged with diligence and without any hiccups,'' he noted.

Responding to a query on a possible chance of the Lok Sabha election before its due date, Mr Yechury said it was for the UPA government to decide.

Taking potshots at US President George W Bush for his comments on Indians, holding them responsible for the food crisis in the world, the CPI(M) leader said ''Mr Bush is resorting to blame game only to hide the failure of his own government. It is ironical that 20 per cent of the agro-produce in the US was spent on generating energy and not for the consumption by humans,'' he added.

Mr Yechury called upon the developing nations to force the US to change its policies that have created a global food crisis, particularly in the third world countries.

''The prime objective of the Left parties is to keep the saffron brigade away from power at the Centre and it was the main reason for their support to the UPA government,'' he said, adding that the Left had called for nationwide agitation on May 15 to protest the rising prices of essential comodities.

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