New Delhi, July 23 (IANS) The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Friday demanded that the nuclear liability bill should ‘not be proceeded with in parliament’.
CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat told reporters here that the ‘bill does not protect the interests of the Indian people nor assure their lives and safety’.
Giving details of the three-day meeting of the central committee of the party, which concluded here Friday, Karat said the bill excluded foreign firms from reasonable liability in case of a mishap. ‘This is a dangerous step, especially in the light of the Bhopal gas tragedy,’ he said.
The nuclear liability bill, which was scheduled to be introduced in March, is now under the consideration of a standing committee of parliament.
The party has decided to mobilise public opinion against the entry of foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail trade, Karat said. He said the issuance of a discussion paper on the multi-brand retail trade to FDI by the commerce ministry was the ‘first step towards allowing multinational companies’.
Karat said the Left parties will raise the issue of hike in petroleum products. The central committee demanded that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government rescind these increases and call off the deregulation of the petrol pricing.
