Review law, says CPI

The 19th congress of the CPI today passed a resolution asking the government to "carefully re-examine" the provisions of the Patents (Third) Amendment Bill as the amended law could cause a rise in the prices of essential and life-saving drugs.

The congress also proposed in its resolution that the government amend the Act further, if necessary, to ensure that the poor and the middle-class had access to healthcare at a minimum cost.

"The amended Patents Act has not provided for an adequate mechanism to prevent spiralling of prices of medicines," said CPI spokesman Shameem Faizee.

The congress also passed five other political resolutions, including one on the decision of the US to supply F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan and India.

The resolution on F-16s stated that the US had decided on the arms sale at a time when relations between India and Pakistan were normalising.

"It is nothing short of a vile attempt to sabotage the process of peace, push India and Pakistan back to the path of confrontation and revive the atmosphere of Cold War," said a statement released by the party on the resolutions passed today.

The resolution calls on the government to reject the US offer outright.

Two resolutions were passed on northeast affairs. Of these, one has urged the government to begin a process of negotiations with the ULFA in Assam so that a certain degree of peace can return to the state, as has happened in Manipur after talks with the NSCN(IM).

The other resolution relates to keeping the territorial boundaries of the north-eastern states intact. The CPI congress has asked the government in another resolution to enact a law ensuring minimum wage and security benefits to workers in the unorganised and agriculture sectors.

The last resolution relates to the situation in India's neighbourhood. The congress condemned "King Gyanendra's attack on democracy in Nepal" and expressed full support to the people of the Himalayan kingdom in their struggle for restoring democracy.

More resolutions are expected on the economic policies of the United Progressive Alliance government and on the need for improving elementary education.