A massive Chetawani (warning) rally held today at Ludhiana at the call of the CPI, CPI(M), CPM Punjab and CPI(ML) Liberation warned the Akali-BJP Badal government to accept the demands charter or be ready to face mass struggles. The rally was held demanding the scrapping of draconian black law ‘Prevention Of damage to Public And Private Property Bill 2014’ passed by the Punjab assembly and on the 14 point Demand Charter containing burning problems and just demands of the people. The rally was addressed by CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat, veteran CPI(M) leader A. B. Bardhan and CPI(ML)-Liberaton General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya besides various leaders of these parties from Punjab.
Leader after leader took the Modi led central government to task for accelerating the implementation of the neo-Liberal economic policies. They castigated the BJP government for diluting the MGNREGA scheme, moves to curb the meagre subsidies to poor people and debt ridden peasantry, opening more and more sectors for FDI, amending labour laws favouring employers. They also expressed serious concern over the efforts at communalising education.
The policies of the Badal led Akali-BJP government also drew flak. Leaders from Punjab demanded a minimum of Rs 3000 as old age/widow pension, strengthening the Public Distribution System, Rs 15 thousand as minimum wage, suitable steps to improve deteriorating law and order situation etc. They accused that the Badal government of failing to curb the illegal activities of sand, gravel, transport and cable mafias. They termed the claims of the Punjab government as hollow as it has bitterly failed to curb the drug & narcotics mafia and take any action against police officers, bureaucrats and politicians patronising the drug mafia.