FOUR LEFT PARTIES’ MASSIVE RALLY AND MARCH TO PUNJAB ASSEMBLY
A massive Rally was organised by Four Left Parties CPI, CPI(M), CPM Punjab & CPI(ML) Liberation at Dussehra Grounds, Phase-8, Mohali, just on the outskirts of Chandigarh, today to protest against the anti-people policies of the Badal led Akali-BJP government in Punjab and Modi led NDA government at the centre.
Thousands of peasants, agricultural workers, women, youth, students, MGNREGA workers & unorganised workers participated in the rally from all over Punjab. The people reached Mohali through various modes of transport with red flags fluttering across every vehicles. The protesters marched to the venue holding red banners and raising slogans against the state and central governments and in favour of the demands of the 15 points Demand Charter of the left parties containing burning demands of the people.
The rally was addressed by State Secretaries of the four Left Parties – Comrades Hardev Arshi ( CPI), Charan Singh Virdi, ( CPI(M), ) Mangat Ram Pasla, (CPM Punjab) & Gurmit Singh Bakhtpura ( CPI(ML) Liberation ). Com. Arshi criticised the lackadaisical attitude of the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal towards the 15 points Demand Charter though he assured sympathetic action on some demands in the meeting held with left parties on 9th February, 2015. He came down heavily on the government for its failure to put a noose on sand, transport, drug and cable mafias.
Com. Virdi condemned the Modi led Central government for bringing in anti-peasant Land Acquisition Bill in the Parliament which will ruin the peasantry. He further stated that the Akali Dal stands exposed before the people as they voted in favour of the Land Acquisition Bill. Com. Virdi demanded immediate withdrawal of the anti peasantry bill, scrapping of the draconian ‘Punjab Prevention of Damage to Public and Private Property Bill, 2014’, implementation of Swaminathan committee recommendations for fixing Minnimum Support Price ( MSP ) of agricultural produce 50% above the cost of production and immediate payment of arrears of MGNREGA workers.
Com. Mangat Ram Pasla expressed his anguish over the state of affairs in Punjab where all sections of people are on the roads, be it employees who are paid salaries for months together, trained ETT teachers, computer teachers, unemployed youth, students reeling under costly education and health facilities beyond the reach of common man. He said that tall claims of Mr Badal during Lok Sabha elections that Modi will bring development and prosperity to Punjab through loads of central funds, have been exposed as the centre has refused to give any financial package to Punjab.
Com. Gurmeet Singh Bakhtpura demanded 10 marla plots for homeless people, Rs 3000 as old age/widow pension, unemployment allowance for unemployed youth, round the year work for MGNREGA workers and Rs 15 thousand as minimum wage for industrial workers.
On conclusion of the Rally, the participants marched in procession towards Punjab Assembly waving red flags and raising antigovernment slogans. They were raising slogans in favour the demands contained in the 15 points Demand Charter.
The procession was stopped by the police on the entry point to Chandigarh in Sector- 51. A Memorandum addressed to the Speaker, Punjab Assembly for forwarding it to the government was handed over to the representative of the Speaker. The leaders thanked the participants in the rally and procession and called upon them to prepare for a long drawn bigger action after the Rabi harvest.
A representative of the Speaker, Punjab Assembly came to the dharna site and took the memorandum and addressed the gathering assuring that the Memorandum will be forwarded to the government with recommendation for early settlement of the issues.
Comrades Raghunath Singh, Vijay Misra, Bant Brar, Bhagwant Singh Samao, Dr Satnam Singh and other state leaders also addressed the rally.