HYDERABAD: CPI on Friday described as "regressive" the government's move to restructure Planning Commission and rechristen it as "Neeti Ayog" and demanded revival of the socialist-era body.
"Budget allocations are going to be made as per the thoughts of Prime Minister's advisory council. As it is, funds are getting centralised in the hands of the Centre. The rights of states are getting shrunk," CPI General Secretary S Sudhakar Reddy said.
"If Planning Commission ceases to exist, then chief ministers will have to plead with the Prime Minister's Office, which would be very damaging," he said.
"Plan allocations and non-plan allocations used to happen in a scientific manner in the past. I don't say that everything is 100 per cent fine. There were certain weaknesses in the Planning Commission, but you never set the house on fire simply because there are rats in the house," he told reporters.
It is a baseless allegation to say that the Planning Commission is unable to respond appropriately to new realities and systems which have emerged over the years, he said.
Observing that Planning Commission plays an important role in developing countries, he said it took decisions with a long-term perspective after the country attained independence.
Referring to reported observations of an international organisation that economic disparities have risen in the country, he said that the Planning Commission should now try to bridge that gap.
"Power is again going to be centralised in the hands of the Centre and Prime Minister. This is a dangerous thing. We feel that it is dangerous to cancel this (Planning Commission) through an executive decision, without discussing it in Parliament. We demand that there should be re-thinking on this and the Planning Commission be revived," he said.
Slamming the BJP and the NDA government for right-wing outfits praising Nathuram Godse, Reddy alleged that the ruling party did not condemn such comments.
The Prime Minister, whose technical team tweets about various issues, maintains "a golden silence" on all these issues, he alleged.
He said that the Prime Minister spent a lot of time promoting investments and claimed that Modi did not deliberate enough on price rise, farmer suicides and loans for the poor.
The ruling BJP is moving on a path which helps corporates and crorepatis, he alleged.
Talking about religious conversions, he alleged that the BJP is trying to portray that opposition parties are opposed to the majority community.
Taking exception to Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's praise for the Nizam of Hyderabad, he wondered how could the Nizam, who supported Razakars and oppressed people, be praised on the grounds that he had built hospitals.
"How did the Nizam become very rich when the people are poor," Reddy said.