Tuesday, December 13 2005 16:11 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M) Polit Bureau today (Dec 13, 2005) discussed several contentious issues to be raised with the Government including airport modernisation and reduction in the EPF interest rate, while opposing the privatisation of the pension fund or investing it in the stock market.

Describing pension as the only statutory social security benefit available to the working people, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said the pension fund should not be privatised or invested in the stock market. "Government should have control over this statutory benefit". Veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu, when asked to comment on the pension issue, said 'we do not accept' the government stand.

Replying to questions on issues discussed at the day-long Polit Bureau meeting, Yechury said legislations like those to grant tribals the rights over forest land, problems of the small scale industry and to set up the pension fund regulatory authority would also be discussed at the three-day meet of the Central Committee beginning tomorrow.

Asked to comment on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement that government would throw open Kolkata and Chennai airports' modernisation process through the public-private mode, Yechury asked, "where is the proposal? Let them complete this (modernisation of Delhi and Mumbai airports) first, then we will see".

To the same question, West Bengal Chief Minister and Polit Bureau member Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee just said, "I have spoken to the Prime Minister" on modernising the Kolkata airport. He did not elaborate on this.

Regarding the ongoing deliberations at the WTO meeting in Hong Kong, Yechury said the developed countries paid as high as 280 per cent subsidy to the agriculture sector and wanted the developing ones to curtail their subsidy levels. "This should be opposed".

He also opposed any move to introduce FDI in the retail sector.

To a question on right to strike in the IT sector, the CPI(M) leader said it was "not a homogenous sector. It is not only BPOs or the call centres. This is a new phenomenon and we have to hold in-depth discussions".

He said a report on the IT sector has been prepared and would be put up for discussion at the Central Committee meeting tomorrow.

On the role of the Election Commission in the ensuing assembly elections in West Bengal, Yechury said he was confident that the EC would play a positive role in ensuring free and fair polls and take steps to increase people's participation in the democratic process.

Besides these issues, the Central Committee would also review the prevailing political situation in the country and the party's organisational matters, including the progress in its planned expansion in certain identified states in the Hindi belt.