ADB faces leftist rage in Kerala
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_1961000/1961868.stm Kerala is considered a leftist stronghold
By Venkitesh Ramakrishnan [BBC reporter in Kochi]
Left wing activists went on a wild attack in the southern Indian state of Kerala damaging the central office of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in the state capital Trivandrum.
The attack was carried out on Tuesday by Porattam - a group considered close to the left-wing Maoist Communist Centre.
The action followed a state government decision to accept "stringent" conditions set by the ADB for a loan.
The group says the loan conditions will destroy Kerala's economy which is on the verge of bankruptcy.
Rampage
About 10 activists of Porattam entered the ADB office posing as visitors.
As soon as they were in, the activists threatened staff members saying they were carrying bombs.
The government is fighting a financial crisis
The group then rampaged through the office damaging computers and destroying files. Some activists also threw used engine oil over work stations.
Office walls were sprayed with graffiti saying Kerala was being turned into another Argentina and asking the ADB to quit India.
The attack went on for half-an-hour before the police could reach the seventh floor office.
Financial crisis
The ADB loan is crucial for Kerala which is on the brink of bankruptcy.
Two months ago the government exceeded its overdraft limit and said it might default on its loan repayments.
Nearly 500,000 state workers went on a month-long strike when the state government tried to introduce austerity measures.
Several left-wing groups in the state have opposed loans and credits from international financial institutions.
Porattam, one of these groups, says international loans compromise the state's economic sovereignty.
The group has carried out similar attacks in the past.
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