COVID

P.B. Communique

In the current situation when at least  an additional 150 million people have been rendered unemployed during the lock down period adding to the overall huge numbers of the unemployed. A vast section of our people have lost all means of livelihood. The heart rending experiences of hungry migrant workers on the roads marching back home has shown the depths of huger that a sizeable section of our people are suffering today. The PB decided that protests against these conditions must be organised all across the country. These protests will scrupulously observe the regulations and restrictions prevailing in each area maintaining physical distancing,  wearing protective masks etc.

Meeting of Opposition Parties

CPI(M) General Secretary, Sitaram Yechury, will participate in the meeting of opposition parties being held tomorrow at 3.00 p.m. through video conferencing. He will be placing the following issues, for consideration of opposition parties, to be jointly raised for immediate implementation by the central government:

Economic Steps in Current Period

The Indian economy was already in the grip of a severe slowdown, bordering on recession, with largescale fall in production, job loss, agrarian distress and a steep rise in unemployment on the eve of the outbreak of the Covid pandemic. With this lockdown the situation has worsened and the misery of the people has grown exponentially.

Disciplinary Action on IRS Officers

The Polit Bureau demands that the government  rescind disciplinary actions against the IRS officers forthwith. It must  initiate steps for a free and transparent discourse on the revival of the economy. The PB also unambiguously expresses its resolve to resist moves to unilaterally burden the poor and the working people for shouldering  the Covid impact, while the super rich continue to loot and amass greater wealth.

On Media Reports on ICMR

The Polit Bureau calls upon the central government to urgently  initiate action on these recommendations to protect the lives of the citizens from the ravages of the pathogen and address the livelihood  imperatives particularly to prevent hunger and malnutrition deaths.

Remedy Flaws in Ordinance

However, the ordinance issued by the President of India has certain serious flaws. Section 3 (c) and 3 (d) together violate the principle of common law accepted and followed by all countries in the world including the criminal law jurisprudence in India on the vital issue of presumption of innocence until proven guilty. These two sections together overturn this principle on its head. This is open to gross misuse, harassment and targeting.