Kolkata: The Left parties won't allow the privatisation of any airport and will launch a campaign against the proposed hike in fuel prices, said CPI (M) General Secretary Prakash Karat on Sunday.
"The AAI (Airports Authority of India) is fully competent and has the resources to modernise all airports. We are going to insist that the government stick to its commitments to the UPA-Left co-ordination committee," said Karat after the party's two-day Politburo meeting in Kolkata
The CPI (M) had asked the Centre to explain why it did not modernise the Delhi and Mumbai airports with AAI's reserve fund of Rs 3,000 crore but was told that this would be needed for other airports.
"We don't accept this. The Government should not sideline AAI, which is a profit-making public sector enterprise."
Karat denied that West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee had written to Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel for modernising the Kolkata airport on the lines of Delhi and Mumbai.
The CPI (M) will start a joint nationwide movement with other secular parties against the proposed hike in prices of petroleum products.
The movement will be planned at a meeting with other Left parties in Delhi on June 1.
"We will talk to all political parties to launch a powerful countrywide movement against the proposed rise in prices of petroleum products, which would have a cascading effect on the prices of all essentials," said Karat.
"We are contacting all the parties and are confident that they would join us."
Karat said Left parties support the 27 per cent quota for OBC's and have requested medical students to stop protests because the HRD ministry has promised to increase seats in an year.
"The Politburo's appealed to all those sections of students agitating against the reservation to consider this proposal or scheme by the government which has been backed by all these parties as the most equitable and balanced solution to the issue of introduction of reservation for the OBCs," he said.
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