People's Democracy

MASSIVE JANAPAKSHA RALLY IN FATEHABAD, HARYANA

CPI(M) Campaign To Focus On People�s Livelihood Issues

THE Janapaksha rally organised by the CPI(M) Haryana state committee in Fatehabad on February 15, 2009 was a huge success with thousands of agricultural labourers, farmers, workers from the unorganised sector and a sizeable section of women attending the rally. The main purpose of the Janapaksha rally was to project the real issues of the deprived sections in view of the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing the massive meeting CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat said that it was the CPI(M) which was concentrating its campaign on the vital issues of land, employment and food security all over the country as these livelihood issues were of central concern for the masses. Explaining the role of the Left parties during four and half years of extending support to the UPA government from outside, he recalled that they have fought inside parliament as well on the streets so that common people could get some relief. It was only due to the role of Left that banking and insurance sector could not be privatised and were saved from bankruptcy contrary to the collapse of financial institutions in US and other development countries.

He reminded of the hurdles put forth in the enactment of legislations like NREGA and granting forest land rights to the tribals. Karat referred to the steps taken by the LDF government in Kerala that has curbed the incidence of farmer suicides. He asked as to why the Haryana government should not abolish the colonial legislation regarding the auction of land of indebted farmers. It is to be mentioned here that the Kisan Sabha in Haryana is fighting for the past few years for the abrogation of provision of auctioning of farmers� land in case of default in repayment of loans.

The people heard with rapt attention when Prakash Karat questioned the legitimacy of nuclear power which was too costly to be afforded by common people. He claimed that Indian people would never allow this country to be subjugated to the hegemonic design of US imperialism. The CPI(M) was committed to defending the sovereignty, secularism and democratic rights of the working class and other sections of people. He asked the people to remain vigilant against BJP which was desperately indulging in dividing the people on communal basis.

Karat expressed the confidence that the third front was bound to emerge after the Lok Sabha polls as polarisation of political forces would take place which would keep both the combinations led by the Congress and the BJP at bay. The third front would occupy the centre stage with crucial role of the Left parties. He appealed to the people to work for the success of the CPI(M) candidate in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections from Sirsa (R) constituency, of which Fatehabad district too was a part.

CPI(M) central secretariat member Nilotpal Basu explained how large number of people were losing their jobs in the wake of unprecedented global financial crisis. More than 10 million were likely to be out of jobs during the current year only and yet it was not an issue for the parties like Congress and BJP. He accused the BJP of shamelessly raking up emotive issues during every election. He claimed that it was the CPI(M) and the Left that always remained vigilant to see that interests of workers, peasants, women, students and youth, shopkeepers and small industrialists were taken care of when the policies were being formulated.

Basu stressed the need to bring about a pro-people shift in the basic policies. He said the question was not merely who forms the next government but whether the future government would act on the basic problems of the people or not. Commenting on the development of roads in Haryana he told that better roads and over-bridges were necessary but this alone did not mean holistic development as long as the state continued to remain still very backward in socio-cultural arena and people were deprived of social security through rule of law.

Explaining the motive of the Janapaksha rally state committee secretary Inder jit Singh appealed to the people to see for themselves the difference between policies and conduct of CPI(M) and the ruling class parties. He reminded that barring the CPI(M) and Left, no other parties in Haryana were raising issues concerning the livelihood of the downtrodden masses. He exhorted the people to assert themselves as actors in politics rather than remaining mere spectators and leaving the crucial field of politics for the free play by anti- people leaders. He underlined the necessity of conducting social reform movements along with economic struggles as the retrograde social practices of female foeticide, dowry, purdah custom, wasteful expenditure in marriages, untouchability etc still prevailed in the state. He warned that illegal Khap panchayats were being made more and more strong by the forces of status quo. These Kangaroo courts were interfering in the personal matters of the people like choice of marriage etc and issuing fatwas. Others who addressed the rally included CPI(M) leaders Surender Malik, Jagmati, Harpal, Krishan Swarup, Phool Singh and Ramkumar Bahbalpuria.