Modi’s policies vicious attack on rights of working people: Karat

VISAKHAPATNAM: CPM general secretary Prakash Karat on Tuesday came down strongly on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pro-rich policies and accused his government of succumbing to pressure from the United States of America to open up India's economy further to foreign capital and dilute patent and intellectual property rights.

Speaking at the inauguration of the party's 21st national conference here in the city, Karat said Modi's foreign policy was strategically designed to align India with USA's goals. Accusing the PM of implementing neo-liberal policies, he said that within a short span of 10 months, the Modi government had taken more steps to transfer the country's resources like land and mineral wealth to corporates and MNCs than any other previous government.

"Modi's pro-big business and pro-rich policies are a vicious attack on the working people and their rights. Farmers across the country are distressed due to fall in prices of produce, increasing input costs and lack of public investment in agriculture and irrigation and unseasonal rains have led to more suicides. The Union budget reduced corporate tax by 5% and abolished wealth tax. Gautam Adani has increased his wealth by Rs 25,000 crore in the span of one year between 2013 and 2014," he said.

Talking about the resurgence of right wing forces during the Modi regime and urging left parties to unite to stave off this threat, he said Modi government has paved the way for Hindutva forces to propagate their communal agenda and RSS was now dictating terms on everything from education to research, culture and foreign policy apart from running a vicious campaign against minorities.

Pointing out that the BJP government was a political extension of the RSS and a joint enterprise of the RSS and BJP, in which the parent partner held a majority stake, he alleged that BJP won the elections propelled by the twin forces of big corporate and the exertions of the RSS. "Hindutva reactionary and patriarchal values are trying to subordinate women and impose social and dress codes to prevent their access to public life and public spaces," he said.

Addressing nearly 1,000 delegates from different parts of the country, Karat said the conference was being held at a time when a plethora of challenges face political parties and it was important for leftist forces to unite. Stating that CPM committees in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh were supporting tribals affected by the Polavaram project, he said it was vital to build and expand the independent strength of the CPM and left parties and steps would be taken to establish mass organizations.

The six-day national conference was inaugurated with the hoisting of the red flag by senior leader Mohammed Ameen at Kalavani auditorium at the Port Stadium here on Tuesday.

CPI national general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy said people though the BJP was the only alternative after 10 years of UPA rule but their hopes were crushed within one year of the saffron party coming to power. He urged left parties to infuse confidence among the people and enhance the morale of cadres.

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