Thiruvananthapuram, Friday, October 02, 2009: Inaugurating the human chain protesting against the free trade agreement signed between New Delhi and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), CPM general secretary, Prakash Karat said that the center has ruined all the democratic liberties by signing the ASEAN deal.

The center had signed the deal discordantly without the consent of state government. The pact would affect the farmers and grass root level in each state rebuked Prakash Karat.

CPM State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan pointed out that the Prime Minister had failed to keep his word. The sale of the commodities attained through the pact would be hindered in India, Pinarayi added. He also criticized that the not even a single meeting have been held to study the impacts of the pact in the country.

Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan blamed that the center has neglected the concerns of the state over ASEAN. The pact would ruin agriculture and fishery sector in the country, Minister pointed out. He also warned that the human chain is the initial step and more agitation would be put in place against the pact.