Communist Party of India call to make August 6 strike a success

Trivandrum, India, Aug. 4 2002 (INS News) -- The Kerala State unit secretariat of Communist Party of India (Maxist) has appealed to all sections of the people to join the State-wide strike called by nine trade unions on August 6 to protest against various policies of the United Democratic Front Government of Kerala State.

In a statement,CPI(M) alleged that the Kerala State Government was implementing the India Government's "anti-people and anti-labour policies".

The CPI(M) charged the State Government with trying to hastily dispose the public sector units for getting the proposed aid of Asian Development Bank.

Increasing the power tariff, the Government has pushed the entire State into a deep crisis. Lakhs of people working in the traditional sectors have lost their jobs owing to the new policy, according to the statement. The CPI(M) also alleged that the Government was planning to surrender the crucial sectors like water supply, education and health sectors to the private sector.

The Kerala State Government announced that dies non would be applicable to the Government employees participating in the general strike. Leave would be sanctioned to the State Government employees only on certain special cases, the official press release said.

-- Binu Raveendranath in Trivandrum, India
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