Kolkata, april 12: Taking cue from Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, CPM Politburo member Sitaram Yechury said that instead of engaging into a verbal duel with the Centre, everyone should unitedly take a stand against the Maoists —which has become a national problem.
“This is not the time for tu tu mein mein. This is not the time for quarrel. The Maoists are a big threat to the country and we all must unitedly take a stand against them. We must save the country. If any party supports the Maoists, it will harm the country,” Yechury said at the sidelines of convention of Left teachers’ organisation in Kolkata.
Taking a dig at Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, Yechury alleged that the Trinamool Congress chief is bringing the Maoists in Bengal and supporting them to oust the Left. He added that supporting the Maoists will only increase the problem and called for addressing the grievances of the tribals.
“We have told the Prime Minister that one of his Cabinet ministers is helping the Maoists. He did not answer. He cannot answer for the sake of alliance politics. Why are there so many contradictions?” said Yechury.
He said the teachers are under attack and Maoists are killing them in front of the students. “During the 70’s, the Left Front faced a challenge in Bengal. Now, there is a bigger challenge,” he said.
Asked about the upcoming municipal polls, Yechury said the Left will fare well in the elections. Regarding the Foreign University Bill, Yechury said that his party will oppose it in Parliament.
CPM wants scope of RTE expandedThe CPM has said the scope of Right to Education Act be expanded to cover children below 6 to 18 years of age and not just those between 6 and 14 years as stipulated in the Act.
It also asked the Centre to bear the full financial burden of enforcing the law. Speaking at a convention of teachers’ here, CPM Politburo member Sitaram Yechury said the provision of Central assistance to the tune of 55 per cent and the state’s contribution of 45 per cent should also be changed so that bear 100 per cent of the funding to implement the law.He also said the CPM would resist Centre’s “attempts” to privatise education.
—–PTI