CPI(M)'s Prakash Karat criticises UPA for failure to control price rise

CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat today accused the central government of serving the interest of big business houses and the corporate sector leading to price rise.

Karat told reporters here that non-universalisation of the public distribution system (PDS) and the government's failure to ban forward trading was leading to spiralling prices of food items.

With the prices of petrol being deregulated, the cost of petrol had been hiked seven times in as many months, the CPI(M) leader said.

He said a joint movement by non-Congress non-NDA parties is being held against price rise from February 3, which would culminate in a mass rally in Delhi on February 9.

Referring to alleged corruptions and scandals, including the 2G spectrum scam, during the tenure of the UPA government, Karat said his party will stick to its demand for a JPC in the budget session of Parliament, where it would raise the multi-crore rupee scam as mentioned in comptroller and auditor general report.

He said the 'black money' in Swiss and other foreign banks is illegal and even being linked to criminal activity. "This is simply not a question of avoiding double taxation by different countries as argued by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee. The illegal money should be recovered".