People's Democracy

 Big Demonstration At Lucknow

A BIG demonstration under the leadership of the CPI(M) was recently held at the district headquarters of Lucknow against the pro-imperialist economic policies of the central government and against communalism. Organised as part of a nationwide campaign, the protestors demanded restoration of the right to strike, passage of the women’s reservation bill in parliament, revocation of the plan to dismantle the Hyder Canal and eradication of corruption in the construction of check dams.

The activists assembled at Parivartan Chowk and then marched through the streets of Lucknow before holding a demonstration at the district headquarters, raising slogans in support of their demands. More than a thousand participated in the protest.

Addressing a public rally organised in the district court premises, trade union leader Ghulam Rasool said lakhs of factories have closed down because of the pro-imperialist  economic policies of the BJP led government and the number of unemployed has shot to over 20 crore. He demanded enactment of a central legislation to implement the minimum wages law. Madhu Garg, state president of the Janwadi Mahila Samiti, said the communal forces playing havoc with life in the state. She charged them with inciting communal polarisation by twisiting facts, as was evident from the ASI report, and said this has pushed more fundamental and pressing issues such as unemployment, starvation and illiteracy into the background. Other speakers opposed the dismantling of hutments on the banks of Hyder canal. Veteran communist leader Suresh Chand Srivastava presided over the rally. A memorandum was then handed over to the collector to be forwarded to the prime minister.