Stop being callous, Comrades tell govt

NEW DELHI: The Left on Friday retaliated against the PMO���s charge of politicising inflation, saying it was yet another instance of ruthless buck-passing by the government. ���The price rice is a result of faulty policies and dithering by the government,��� said Left leaders.

Infuriated by the PMO���s statement, issued soon after the PM���s meeting with the Left leaders, the CPM said the PMO was politicising the issue. The statement, which asked political parties to eschew politicising the misery of the people and not to indulge in ���scare mongering���, was dubbed as ���unfortunate��� and ���insulting���.

The Left, which was taken aback by the statement, raised the anti-government pitch over the price rise issue. ���While the hardships of the people cannot be exploited, we have to take measures. We are telling the government to stop being callous,��� CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury said.

He said though the PMO's statement did not mention that it will consider the Left's demands, the Prime Minister had given this assurance during the meeting. Mr Yechury also said it was the duty of political parties to raise people's issues. "If it means not to raise people's issues, we cannot take such an irresponsible step being a political party", he said.