The latest issue of People’s Democracy has an article on the Left victory in the Haldia Municipal Corporation, focusing on the significance of the victory in an area where the CPM was in an uncomfortable position after the Nandigram police firing. “The people of Haldia came boldly out, ignored the opposition campaign and threats, voted for the CPI(M) and the Left Front, and attached their stamp of approval to the developmental perspective of the Left Front and the Left Front government”. The article goes on to say, “there was the mahajot or grand alliance between the Trinamul Congress and the Pradesh Congress. The election campaign by the opposition was pure threat and aggression. An ambience of terror was carefully created; pre-planned to send the ugly message to the populace of Haldia that any vote for the CPI(M) and the Left Front would bring disaster to the concerned voters, even to the locality they lived in”. NREGA and FM People’s Democracy has published the text of a letter written by party politburo member Brinda Karat to Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, after visiting the villages which fall in his constituency in Tamil Nadu about the implementation of the rural jobs programme.She writes: “In sum, the following problems need to be addressed: (i) easier availability of funds through a backup amount at the district level; (ii) revision of work norms to ensure a minimum wage particularly since it is fixed on the assumption that men are doing the earth digging process when in the case of Sivaganga it is mainly women; (iii) provision of implements; (iv) provision of water and employment of water carrier on each site as part of waged work under NREGA; (v) provision of crèche facilities and employment of a child carer under NREGA; (vi) employment of more technical assistants with better service conditions.” Is UPA deaf?An article points out the government’s shortcomings in the area of education: “Though UPA government has increased its spending on education, lot more needs to be done and done immediately. The eagerness and speed that the government is showing to implement policies beneficial to the rich is not shown in implementing the policies benefiting the poor and the needy. Unless the government urgently indulges in a course correction immediately and does something substantial for the aam aadmi it too will meet the same fate as of its predecessor. People of our country are mature enough to realise that mere change of slogans do not work but what is expected is concrete work. Already vast sections of the masses are on the streets expressing their discontent. It is up to the government to heed to their demands or remain deaf at its own peril.” Compiled by Jayanth Jacob
