Kerala comrades get Ford aid to hone skills

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Ironic as it might sound, some top functionaries and MPs of the CPI(M) are literally spoon-fed by an agency aided by a top American entity - the Ford Foundation!

The Kochi resident editor of CPI-M mouthpiece Deshabhimani, P Rajeev, and his comrade from West Bengal, Moinul Hassan, both members of the Rayja Sabha, are getting regular inputs to improve their parliamentary skills from the Delhi-based PRS Legislative Research.

Floated with US-based Ford Foundation grant in 2005, PRS is currently supported by Ford Foundation and Google Foundation, among others, according to its website.

By agreeing to accept the inputs, both seem to have shown scant regard for the anti-US tirade and the warnings by the CPI-M on the dangers posed by NGOs in shaping public policy in the country.

Rajeev is getting research assistance from PRS under the 'Legislative Assistance for Members of Parliament Fellowship' programme through 24-year-old Svetha Venkatram, a graduate of Lady Shri Ram College of the University of Delhi.

“I extend my gratitude for PRS for providing a legislative assistant to me. She has provided tremendous support to me for preparing supplementary questions, calling attention motions and special mentions.

Also, she took the initiative in suggesting matters that would be interesting to my parliamentary work,” Hassan has been quoted

Hassan has been quoted as saying, on the PRS website. Getting NGO-assisted research inputs may look innocuous for members of other political parties.

But, not for the CPI-M which constantly warns all and sundry about the dangers posed by the NGOs and the ‘illusions’ of parliamentary politics.

The draft ideological document for the 20th congress of the party reiterated the need for being on the guard against illusions of parliamentary politics.