Paradip, Nov. 28: The CPI today reiterated its opposition to the proposed Posco steel venture, billed as the country’s largest foreign direct investment, accusing the Odisha government of serving corporate interests.

“People’s fight against the South Korean steelmaker would go on regardless of the repressive government measures. The party continues to oppose the project tooth and nail. It stands solidly behind the people, who have launched the six-year-long resistance movement against the project,” CPI national general secretary A.B. Bardhan said while participating at the four-day state conference of the party in Paradip.

The political resolution, adopted later today, pledged the party’s unflinching support to the anti-Posco movement under the stewardship of the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti. The CPI conference also adopted a resolution against the steel project and sought its relocation from the thickly populated agriculture and green belt region near Paradip.

In a related development, the CPI delegates, led by Bardhan and politburo member D. Raja, visited the project villages to express solidarity with local people.

The visit is being seen as a move to provide the much-needed impetus to the samiti, which suffered a setback last week following the arrest of its chief Abhaya Sahu.

“To crush the movement, Sahu was arrested on false charges. It’s an arbitrary measure by the state government to trample down a democratic anti-land displacement movement. The arrest has made people more determined to vigorously fight for their land and livelihood,” said Bardhan.

“To serve the corporate interest, the Odisha government had put Sahu in jail in the past as well. But, the movement was fought with renewed vigour then. The government should pay regards to people’s sentiments and shift the project elsewhere. We are informed that barren lands are available in plenty in places near the site,” he said.

Bardhan criticised the UPA government for price rise and inaction in the issue relating to black money being stashed in foreign banks.

Talking about the FDI in retail sector, the communist leader said, the decision of the central govt would jeopardise the livelihood of at least five crore small traders and their families.

The CPI will extend support to the bandh call being given by small traders on December 1 against the retail sector being opened for FDI.

The CPI convention today adopted resolutions demanding the scraping of FDI in multi-brand retail trade, immediate arrest of price rise, universalisation of public distribution system and a hike in minimum wages in skilled and unskilled labour sector.