CPM stages dharna against Modi govt's economic policies

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Friday launched a sit-in-protest against the BJP-led NDA government’s neglect of issues of price rise and unemployment at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Speaking about the programme to reporters, KM Tiwary, the secretary of the party’s Delhi Committee said, “On account of economic policies taken by the NDA government, price level is shooting up. But instead of trying to contain the menace, the Prime Minister is busy travelling across the globe.” [caption id=“attachment_2881822” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Narendra Modi. Getty Images[/caption] He further said that the Prime Minister has made no effort to answer the question raised by the people. “Whenever question is raised on people’s issues, answers come from RSS leaders and workers. But they are the representatives of blackmarketeers. In such a situation, how can we expect price rise to be contained?” he asked. He further said that the protest will be extended to every nook and corner of the country. On Saturday, the party will hold meetings in neighbourhoods to ensure an “awakening” among the people about the issues. Friday’s protest was in pursuance of the CPM’s central committees’ call to launch nationwide protest against price rise and unemployment. The party has declared its support to the nationwide strike called by trade unions on 2 September to demand that contractual employment be abolished. Tiwary further said that this protest will be against the present regime’s attempts to make labour laws ineffective. “The country has witnessed rampant increase in contractual jobs during the last two years. Be it in public or private sector, permanent posts have been abolished to create contractual posts,” he said. “Labour laws become ineffective in contractual agreements of employment. The employee hardly gets any social security benefits out of such agreements,” he said. He further added that the contractual terms of employment not only results in deprivation of the employee’s rightful benefits but also devalues education. “In this type of employment even highly educated workers are provided with meager salary,” he explained. “Not only private sector employers, but also central government agencies are now following this anti-labour rule,” said Pushpinder Grewal, a party leader participating in the protest. He also said that the government is decreasing number of posts in various government agencies. “A post is abolished soon after an employee retires. The person who is appointed in his place, infact works without a post — a situation that ensures that he never gets a permanent employment,” he added. The nationwide strike to be organised on 2 September will be observed by employees of both the government and private sectors.