The Haryana State Committee of the CPI(M) has decided to hold state wide protests on September 13 against the BJP government’s move to deprive large sections of marginalised people from contesting the panchayat elections. The two day meeting of the state committee took the decision to lodge a strong protest against the attack on democracy and social justice.
The state committee also expressed serious concern over the ruthless manner in which the rights under the Indian Constitution have been trampled upon by imposing illegal and draconian conditionalities of educational qualifications for contesting panchayat elections. It observed that this will deprive large number of people belong to dalit, women, minority and poorer sections.
It may be noted that out of the total population, 56 percent are general category men, 71 percent of scheduled caste men, 72 percent of general category women and 83 percent of scheduled caste women of over 21 year age. All of them have been excluded from contesting the elections.
While the CPI(M) will be contesting the elections on its symbol, the other major national parties like the BJP are escaping from their accountability by not contesting elections on their party symbols.
The State committee has also demanded a proper survey of the actual loss to crops of cotton, guar etc. due to white fly and drought. It has also demanded that work be provided under the Mnrega in a big way to minimise the loss of livelihood of peasantry and agriculture workers.
Through another resolution the state committee has accused the BJP and other casteist forces for indulging in caste polarization by pitting one community against the other on reservation issue. The Party has reiterated its considered stand that all communities must continue to have their present share of reservations while poorest sections of the general category communities should also be provided some share of reservation by amending the constitution in order to enhance the 50 per cent limit.
The State committee has criticized enhancement of power rates through the back door and thus putting further burden on already suffering consumers.