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Shimla: CPI(M) Politburo member Brinda Karat today said both UPA and NDA were incapable of protecting people's interests and there is a need to look for a joint front beyond these two combinations which would be based on programmes and policies.
Karat who was here to preside over the National Conference of SFI said "a third front is the need of the hour as neither Modi and NDA, nor Rahul and UPA can solve problems faced by the country and protect people's interests."
Rubbishing claims of development in Gujarat under Narendra Modi, Karat said "Gujarat is known for cold-blooded murder and killing of innocent people in fake encounters and its pro-corporate model of development can't be replicated in other parts of the country as situations differ from place to place".
Talking to reporters, Karat claimed malnutrition in Gujarat was even worse than in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and high drop out rate in schools belie Gujarat government's claims and added, there was no difference in policies of UPA and NDA.
Responding to a question on forging a Third Front Brinda Karat said, Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav has already indicated that it would be formed only after the elections.
Karat criticised the UPA regime for failing to introduce the Lokpal Bill in the Parliament despite recommendations of the Select Committee and even for granting autonomy to premier investigating agency CBI, the Supreme Court had to intervene.
She asked the UPA government to bring a bill for ensuring autonomy of CBI so that it can work freely without any outside influence or control.
Reiterating CPI(M)'s stand on FDI, she said the party would continue to oppose any move to allow FDI in retail, insurance sector, pension and banking as it was not in the interest of the nation.
Karat accused the Congress regime in Himachal Pradesh of following the previous BJP government in welcoming real estate projects in the state at the cost of environment and ecology.
"The disaster in Uttarakhand should serve as a warning to Himachal and it should refrain from allowing major hydro-power projects mindlessly as these damage the fragile hill ecology," she said.
"Reckless digging, cutting of hills, blasting and tunnelling in Uttarakhand contributed to the catastrophe, which teaches us that we should not tinker with the sensitive hill environment and ecology", Karat said.
