New Delhi, April 13
Coming out strongly in support of the reservation for Other Backward Classes in educational institutions, the CPM, supporting outside ally of the UPA government, today accused the Election Commission of applying double standards on the reservation issue.

“The Election Commission’s query to the government to explain how this does not violate the code of conduct is, thus, not merely unsustainable but is also yet another instance of applying double standards,” the CPM said.

In a strongly-worded editorial in the forthcoming issue of party’s mouthpiece, People’s Democracy, said, “If the follow-up action of a Constitutional Amendment by the Parliament is to be questioned as liable to influence voters, then do not the ongoing rath yatras of Advani and Rajnath Singh, which are rousing communal passions by stridently raising the issue of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya also influence the voters?”

“On this, however, the Election Commission chooses to remain silent!” the editorial by the party’s politburo member and Rajya Sabha member Sitaram Yechury said.

It, however, said, “Instead of being caught in the crossfire of fratricide, let us all work towards expanding and strengthening our education system to ensure higher levels of quantity, quality and equity.”