UPA govt drifting,has no control over inflation,corruption:CPI

Madurai, Feb 18 (PTI) Criticising Prime Minister ManmohanSingh''s remarks on having to tolerate a great deal incoalition politics, CPI today said the UPA government was"drifting" and had no control over inflation and corrruption.

"The Prime Minister''s interview to TV (editors) yesterdayhas only confirmed that the Government is drifting and has nocontrol over inflation and corruption. If he thinks acoalition partner is responsible for the 2G spectrum scam, whyis Congress again having an alliance with DMK," CPI nationalsecretary D Raja told reporters here.

Pointing to reports that 2G spectrum allocation hadhelped big corporate houses earn billions of rupees whichotherwise should have gone to the government treasury, he saidpeople would not agree with the view that the allocation hadreduced the cost of mobile calls.

He wondered what explanation the Prime Minister wouldgive for handing over S-Band Spectrum to Devas Multimedia byISRO, which is under his direct control.

"Annulling of the deal is not the answer to the wrongalready done," he said.

Raja said though a resolution was passed in Parliament tocontrol inflation, no steps have been taken by the governmentto rein it in.

Describing the Congress-DMK alliance as a "sinking ship",he said it was ironical that PMK had joined this alliance,given that its leader Dr S Ramadoss had once criticised DMK''for doing nothing but opening state-controlled liquor shops.''

The CPI leader said it was high time that the IndianGovernment reviewed the 1974 Katchativu agreement with SriLanka, when the island ceded to that country, to get it backand ensure that Indian fishermen are able to earn theirlivelihood in a safe environment.

If necessary, the issue of attacks on fishermen by theLankan Navy should be taken up with International forums asSri Lanka had signed many conventions, Raja said.

He alleged that neither the Centre nor the Tamil Nadugovernment seemed to be worried about the condition of Tamilsin the island nation and no steps had been taken by the Uniongovernment to ensure their proper rehabilitation or providingthem power under a federal set up.

Raja expressed confidence that the Election Commissionwould take effective steps to stop the alleged distribution ofmoney to voters in Tamil Nadu in the run up to the Assemblypolls due in May.

The CPI leader was also confident that the ongoing seatsharing talks with AIADMK would be completed smoothly.