FOUR Left parties have intensified their struggle against the callous and adamant attitude of the Akali Dal-BJP coalition government in Punjab towards the just demands of the people of the state like withdrawal of property tax levied in urban areas and the Black Act (Punjab Prevention of Damage to Public and Private Property Act, 2014). The Left parties -- CPI(M), CPI, CPM-Punjab, CPI(ML) Liberation -- organised state-level jatha from October 25 to 30, and warned the Badal-led government to face more massive struggles if it failed to meet the just and legitimate demands of the people of Punjab. The demands included withdrawal of the Punjab Prevention of Damage to Public and Private Property Act, 2014 and property tax levied on urban properties; controlling price rise and strengthening the Public Distribution System; ending mafia raj in trade of intoxicants, sand, gravels, transport, cable and land mafia; raising the limit of old age and widow pension to Rs 3,000 per month; curbing growing atrocities against women; and fixing minimum rates of wages at Rs 15,000 per month for unskilled workers as per the recommendations of 14th and 15th Labour Conferences. The Left parties also demanded that 10 marla plots be allotted to every homeless person and Rs 3 lakh be granted for construction of a house and unemployed youths be given jobs or unemployment allowance; vacant posts in government departments be filled in. The parties asked the state government to resist dilution of MNREGA and expand it to urban areas and make it a permanent scheme; to fix minimum support price for agricultural produce as per the Swaminathan Commission recommendations and ensure procurement of the entire produce at MSP; and stop the central government from diluting the Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation Act. The Left parties also demanded that all toll plazas be removed from all the roads in Punjab.