NAWANSHEHAR: The Punjab CPM  secretary Balwant Singh Wednesday traced the genesis of increasing 'dera culture' in the state to the failure of political leadership to resolve the problems faced by the common man especially one hailing from the poor sections of the society.

Singh who was addressing the media persons in connection with the 6th national-level conference of All India Khet Mazdoor Union being held here from June 3 to 5, said that due to utter poverty and usually disrespect shown to them in the traditional temples and gurudwaras dominated by affluent sections, people from poor sections could be seen thronging the deras and such other religious places to seek solutions to their day-to-days hardships. He said that there was a dire need to build a people-oriented movement in the country to put an end to such practices.

Their three-day conference would be an effort in this direction, said the CPM leader who talked of intensifying their struggle till cultivable land was made available to the tillers in the country.

The Central Committee Member of CPM Charan Singh Virdi said that the Conference would also dwell on the issues related to ensuring reasonable wages for the farm workers and the need to enact an All India Comprehensive Act to protect these wages in the country. The communist leaders stressed the need to curb non-plan expenditure and to generate more revenue by increasing taxes on items like liquor and other non-productive investments, besides recovering dues worth thousands of crores from the industrialists.