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The Harkishan Singh Surjeet ChatHARKISHAN SINGH SURJEET (Tue Jan 14 20:17:01 1997 IST):
Balagopal: We did not discuss Jyoti Basu's statement. Because
we had made a statement the same day reiterating the position of the party.
Adhering to the decision taken by the central committee in May. We did
discuss the political situation in the country. Certain achievements of the government. Such
as improve relations with China. Solution of the Ganga waters issue with Bangladesh. Improvement of
Centre-state relations. Where there is no interference in the state now and all the states are
being treated equally in relation to financial allocation. When the 9th plan was being
discussed, it is for the first time that no state grumbled. We did show concern about the
economic situation, particularly the price rise that too of food grains and flour. And demanded
from the government immediate steps to organise the PDS so that the price rise can be neutralised. We
did criticise the government on disinvestment of the PSUs and privatisation of insurance and the invitation to
MNCs which is also being criticised by FICCI and ASSOCHAM which demand that the shares of the
foreign company should not be allowed to be more than 40%. We have demanded from the govt that those
parts of the Common Minimum Programme which benefits the common man should be given priority and
implemented. Such as PDS, agriculture labour legislation, land reforms, reservation for women, Lok Pal bill,
electoral reform and 6% investment in education and 6% in health and that too primary health etc. We also have
given a call to observe one week from February 7 onwards in protest against the price rise by holding meetings
and demonstrations in the country. sanjay (Tue Jan 14 20:18:13 1997 IST):
good evening, mr surjeet. you have hinted at the possibility of general elections in 1997. What do you know that the rest of us don't? Would you share it with us? Jimmy Olsen (Tue Jan 14 20:19:01 1997 IST):
Mr Singh: What do you have to say about the observation made by West Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu that the CPM made the historical political blunder by not joining the UF to lead it ??? HARKISHAN SINGH SURJEET (Tue Jan 14 20:19:32 1997 IST):
Jimmy: The point must be understood that the UF consists of 12 parties. It came into existence in a
peculiar situation after the elections. There is a divergence of opinion on some important questions though there
is a general agreement on many. We have the right to criticise. But being part of the UF we cannot vote against the
Budget as a whole. Sadasivam Balagopal (Tue Jan 14 20:19:45 1997 IST):
Thank you, Sir, for your elaborate response.
I believe the UF steering committee meets
tomorrow to discuss the Budget. What
will you Mr Chidambaram? Do you feel Mr
Chidambaram is too enamoured of the
reforms to really care about your opposition?
Jimmy Olsen (Tue Jan 14 20:20:27 1997 IST):
Mr Singh: Do you favour entry of foreign media in the country ? Sadasivam Balagopal (Tue Jan 14 20:21:47 1997 IST):
Mr Surjeet, do you believe the centrist parties and Left parties need to widen their agenda? I don't think an
anti-BJP agenda will be sufficient to defeat that party at the hustings the next time. Ryan D'Mello (Tue Jan 14 20:22:03 1997 IST):
Mr Surjeet, I am a student of politics at the LSE.
I have read with great admiration about your efforts in keeping
the United Front together. Were there many
moments in these last six months when it seemed
that the Front was on the verge of
collapse? How have 13 parties been able to work together?
HARKISHAN SINGH SURJEET (Tue Jan 14 20:22:12 1997 IST):
Ryan: That situation has not arisen so far where one can visualise a collapse. Because there is no
change in the corelation of forces in the country and the position of various poitical forces like the BJP
and the Congress which can influence the change. india mog (Tue Jan 14 20:22:50 1997 IST):
Mr. Singh : 50 years since the colonials left, & the
sarkar still functions like an oppressor. What has your
party done about this now that you are in power? Ryan D'Mello (Tue Jan 14 20:23:44 1997 IST):
What about Punjab? Your party has joined
three other parties in an alliance
to defeat the Akali-BJP combine. How
realistic are your chances?
Do you believe the troubles of the
eighties will return if the Akalis come to power
or will the BJP act as a brake on those aspirations? subrato (Tue Jan 14 20:24:50 1997 IST):
Mr. Surjeet, what is the future of CPI-M beyond the cosy settlements of W.Bengal and Kerala? How long do you think that you will be able to play a role in national politics without a real national base? Jimmy Olsen (Tue Jan 14 20:25:10 1997 IST):
Mr Singh: Do you think that militants are resurfacing again in Punjab? Will they affect the ensuing assembly elections? Lois Lane (Tue Jan 14 20:25:24 1997 IST):
hi everyne..
Hello MR SINGH! HARKISHAN SINGH SURJEET (Tue Jan 14 20:25:26 1997 IST):
Swaminathan: I think you must give credit to this government for
exposing corruption during the period of the existence of this government.
The CBI has played a big role. Even those files which were seemed to be closed to
cover up corruption have been opened and the former prime minister and more than
20 of his colleagues have been chargesheeted in corruption cases. Even in the states ruled by the ruling
party like Bihar, the CBI is unhesitantly pursuing to expose the corruption. You must give credit to
this government for its performance in this respect. Swaminathan (Tue Jan 14 20:25:27 1997 IST):
Com. Surjeet, recently the UF government trying to clip the
wings of CBI and other agencies. Are you bringing up these
issues in the steering committee ? Why do the govt going
for this ? Ahmed Hussain (Tue Jan 14 20:25:39 1997 IST):
Comrade, if an election is held this year, what
are the issues that will dominate it? The BJP has
reiterated its belief in Hindutva this week,
so will it again be a contest between
faith and secularism? Don't you think the
failure of a colaition will encourage
coters to vote for the BJP and its
claim of strong governance? Madhavankutty Pillai (Tue Jan 14 20:25:58 1997 IST):
Why are the CPM unions in Mumbai so ineffective? Why has it so run down in the last 30 years?
Ryan D'Mello (Tue Jan 14 20:27:14 1997 IST):
Will your party withdraw support to the UF if
it enters into an arrangement with the
Congress as is being hinted in some
Indian newspapers? Don't you think it is
better to have such an arrangement rather than allow
an election and the BJP to come to power? Madhavankutty Pillai (Tue Jan 14 20:29:05 1997 IST):
Are the foreign insurance companies in or out? How far would you go to oppose it? sanjay (Tue Jan 14 20:30:12 1997 IST):
Mr Surjeet, what is your party's stand on foreign equity participation in the aviation sector? A S Siali (Tue Jan 14 20:30:15 1997 IST):
Surjeetsinhji, why was the Left unable to exploit
the forces of social chane in North India? Is this
not an admission that caste is a more potent
force in India than Communism? HARKISHAN SINGH SURJEET (Tue Jan 14 20:30:25 1997 IST):
Tareek: It is necessary to keep the BJP out of power because it is necessary to
defend national unity. The BJP advocates a concept of state based on Hindutva.
India is a country which we call unity in diversity. People having different religious beliefs,
different languages, different culture, different heritage live in this country. If communal politics is
allowed to have its way national unity gets disrupted and as a consequence it poses a threat to
the country's unity. In this country more than 160 million people belong to the minorities.
The co-operation of the Congress to this government does not mean that we have given up our
opposition to the Congress. In fact in the states where we are strong like, Bengal, Tripura and Kerala
our direct confrontation is with the Congress whose policies have created the present situation. Madhavankutty Pillai (Tue Jan 14 20:31:23 1997 IST):
Why are the CPM unions in Mumbai so ineffective? Why has it so run down in the last
30 years? Swaminathan (Tue Jan 14 20:31:37 1997 IST):
Com Surjeet, I do agree with you that the govt is exposing the
corruption. But the govt is not trying to put an
end to this. Why ? Sadasivam Balagopal (Tue Jan 14 20:32:11 1997 IST):
Mr Surjeet, when Nripen Chakravarty
criticised Jyotibabu, he was expelled from
your party despite his awesome achievements. Now
that Jyotibabu has also spoken out of line,
why is the Politburo keepin mum? Is this because
Jyotibabu is a hard taret and Nripenbabu was a
soft one? Tareek (Tue Jan 14 20:33:32 1997 IST):
How would communism answer the problems facing the nation? After all, every other country which was once a communist bastion - except maybe China and Cuba - have rejected it totally as a form of governance. What makes you think it will work here? subrato (Tue Jan 14 20:34:47 1997 IST):
Mr. Surjeet, if one looks beyond the heat & dust raised by CPI-M rhetoric and checks the bottomline, it really appears that we are looking at another tiny Congress-I, although more organized.The party seems to be extra-zealous about analysis, commenting, reacting rather than building a new path for it's own. For the past 20 years, CPI-M has consistently denied their earlier stances and came closer to centrist Congress line. What is the future of CPI-M brand? Ryan D'Mello (Tue Jan 14 20:35:44 1997 IST):
What about Punjab? Your party has joined
three other parties in an alliance
to defeat the Akali-BJP combine. How
realistic are your chances?
Do you believe the troubles of the
eighties will return if the Akalis come to power
or will the BJP act as a brake on those aspirations?
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