JOIN the struggles of CPI(M) in order to build a modern India, Party general secretary Sitaram Yechury told at a public rally in Rajahmundry on December 12, organised on the occasion of the extended meeting of the Andhra Pradesh state committee. The rally was held at the historic Subrahmanya Maidan and it was presided over by CPI(M) East Godavari district committee secretary D Seshu Babji. Yechury exposed the hollowness of Narendra Modi’s promise of achhe din made during the 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign and said the NDA government has failed miserably on all fronts. It has failed to control rising prices and bring back black money stashed abroad. Despite falling prices of crude oil in the international market, the Modi government has hiked the prices of petroleum products on nine occasions, Yechury said. Modi’s frequent visits to various countries have failed to fetch any benefit to the people of this country, except to Ambanis, Adani and the super rich. Referring to media reports that an MoU was signed to privatise four major airports of the country during Modi’s recent visit to Singapore, Yechury said the central government was interested in just opening up various sectors to the private players. The CPI(M) general secretary said the Modi government has contempt for democratic traditions as was reflected on umpteen occasions including issuing of the ordinance on land acquisition for three times and easing regulation for foreign direct investment (FDI) in 15 sectors to bypass the cabinet approval. He said economic indices of our country are in precarious situation as major institutions are not in a position to produce up to their productive capacity. After the Modi government assumed office, suicides of farmers went up by 29 percent and the prime minister did not utter even a single word to prevent these suicides, Yechury stressed. The Modi government did not implement its electoral promise of enhancing MSP of various crops, though the agriculture sector was in deep crisis. The Sangh Parivar, fully backed by the ruling establishment, has been trying to polarise the society on communal lines and it poses severe threat to the secular fabric of our country, Yechury cautioned. The communal and chauvinistic policies being pursued by the Modi government have to be fought in order to safeguard the inclusiveness and plurality of our country, he said. The return of awards by scientists, artists, and prominent people was lampooned by the Modi government and BJP as “farce”, by brandishing all of them as supporters of Left, he said, condemning the attempts to muzzle dissent. Bihar elections checkmated the communal politics of BJP and its president Amit Shah had to eat a humble pie for his statement that crackers will be burst in Pakistan if BJP lost the assembly elections. Addressing the huge gathering, Yechury said the Modi government has been meting out injustice to lakhs of scheme workers like anganwadi and ASHA, ex-servicemen on the ‘one rank, one pension’ issue as its main agenda is to placate the insatiable hunger of the super rich. The recklessness with which the Modi government dealt with the land bill received wide rebuke and it was forced to not issue the ordinance for fourth time after its earlier attempts were foiled. He said the Modi dispensation has advised state governments to implement land acquisition policies without rehabilitation and resettlement package, enunciated in the Land Bill of 2013. That is why the Andhra Pradesh government is in a tearing hurry to acquire 33,000 acres land, most of which is fertile and supports three-crop cycle a year, to build a capital in Amaravati. Instead of reducing prices of all essential commodities, the centre is resorting to levy new taxes like swachh bharat cess, skill development tax, which will further impose burdens on the people. The wealthiest are being doled out Rs 5 lakh crore tax sops where as the bottom people are being bombarded with enormous burdens, he said. He exuded confidence that the sickle and hammer, representing peasants and workers under Red Flag, will halt the onslaught of these anti-people policies of the Modi government like the way Lava and Kusa stopped the white horse unleashed by Lord Rama during Aswamedha Yaagam. Yechury asserted that the Indian youth have the ability to change the country and they must be provided with suitable education, training so as to make them excel in various fields. He appealed to the people to join the growing struggles of Left and democratic forces so as to bring necessary changes in the policies of our country. CPI(M) Andhra Pradesh state secretary P Madhu lambasted the TDP government in the state for its anti-farmer and anti-poor policies. In the guise of industrialisation of the state, Chandrababu Naidu is handing over precious natural resources of the state to multi-national companies and industrialists, he said. He condemned the actions of TDP cadres who assaulted unemployed teachers for ventilating their demands for selection. The new excise policy unveiled by the TDP government will facilitate liquor mafia, who are playing with the lives of innocent people. Madhu said the state government is hell bent on arresting cadres of CPI(M) illegally on flimsy grounds and dared Chandrababu Naidu to arrest him. AP state committee member Gaffoor questioned the silence of TDP on the issue of special status to the state. M Babu Rao criticised the Chandrababu Naidu government for its indecent haste to go for bauxite mining in the agency areas flouting the guidelines of the Environment and Tribal Welfare Boards. D Seshu Babji narrated as to how sand mafia in East Godavari district is ruling the roost with the support of government functionaries. He satirically exposed the hollowness in building smart cities and cautioned people not to fall prey to the publicity stunt. East Godavari district secretariat member T Arun, while proposing vote of thanks, explained at length the corruption that took place in the holding of pushkarams and in allotment of sites to the poor. He criticised the suppressive measures initiated against the Left movement in the state as well as in the district by the Chandrababu Naidu government.