EXPOSING the Jhoot-Phoot and Loot (lies-schism and loot) governance of the BJP and aiming to bring a change on the basis of pro-people policies, the CPI(M) has started a state-wide campaign.  From July 20 to August 21, mass meetings will be held in 69 villages and towns of the state. Two teams have been formed under the leadership of Surender Malik and Inderjeet Singh to participate in these meetings.

Meetings are being held at the branch level to ensure that not just Party members but even sympathizers are activated during this campaign. The campaign material in the form of folders and posters has been distributed from the state committee. Even door to door campaigns and street meetings are held for the success of the larger meetings.

The common people are gripped in deep crisis. Various sections of the society including kisans, workers, and employees and so on are on the streets on the demands of employment and food. In the villages, electricity and drinking water is a big problem. Public education and health is getting ruined. In the name of Aadhaar, many people are ousted from the ration and pension facilities. There are efforts to hand over the public transport to private hands. Kisans and agricultural workers are under the burden of debt. Law and order situation has collapsed. The slogan of Beti Padao –Beti Bachao is ridiculed by the government itself. The largest number of crimes are taking place against girls, women, dalits, minorities and poor.

ANGER AGAINST BJP’S BETRAYAL

The crisis in agriculture and unemployment has further worsened the conditions of the common man. The condition of the people living in villages has further deteriorated with drastic cut in MNREGA budget. The promises made by the state and central governments, like implementing Swaminathan Commission report and providing more than 1.5 times the cost price to the farmers, bringing back the black money and remitting each bank account with Rs 15 lakh etc.,  have all fallen on the ground. People consider the non-implementing of the promises as a big betrayal. There is exploitation of the youth, especially in the jobs being provided. Instead of regular employment, the form adopted is either contractual, daily wage, apprenticeship, saksham etc.

There is widespread resentment against these policies of the government and in the last 3-4 months many organisations have organised struggles and movements against such attacks. These include ASHA workers strike, anganwadi workers strike, urban local body employees strike and health mission employees strike. There have been movements of mid-day meal workers, construction workers, rural sanitation workers, transport employees, electricity employees, teachers, clerks and other sections of the working population. In the urban areas, owners of land plots are being charged exorbitantly for the land and the people are protesting against such loot. Now, the people are realising that the BJP is using ‘reservation’, ‘cow protection’, ‘jingoism’ etc.,  to divide them, so that it can remain in power .

ALTERNATE POLICIES OF THE LEFT

The people are fed up with the present crisis. The BJP came to power in Haryana because of the policies of the Congress party. There is infighting in the Congress. Another important regional party, the INLD, does not raise pro-people issues, rather it is confined to raising voice on issues like the SYL canal. In such a political situation, the CPI(M) is going to the people on the following issues:

Implement the recommendations of Swaminathan Commission; implement Land Acquisition Act of 2013. The land acquired in the past and not in use should be returned to the kisans; the agricultural labour should be provided with legal safeguards irrespective of the fact whether one is working on contract or on a part of land; agricultural worker attaining the age of 60 should be given a pension of Rs 5000 per month. A comprehensive law for them should be enacted; insurance for crop and livestock should be provided; promote co-operatives at production and consumer stages.  Also ensure that the companies and middlemen who play with the prices are restrained; aadhaar card should not be made mandatory; strengthen the ration system and provide ration cards to all the poor; fill the vacant posts in government departments. Fill the regular posts with regular employees. Provide equal wage for equal work and declare a minimum wage of Rs 18,000; provide regular employment for the unemployed youth, failing which a subsistence allowance should be provided. Stop the exploitation of temporary and contract workers; provide subsistence allowance for the differently-abled and implement the ‘differently abled’ law of 2016; instead of privatising the public sector departments, strengthen them; provide quality education for all and also ensure that health facilities reach everyone; provide housing for all the beneficiaries and withdraw the enforced illegally enhanced pricing by HUDA; stop the spendthrift expenditure of all the welfare board money including that of workers welfare board and ensure that every pie is utilised for the workers benefit; revoke the changes in labour laws and implement them with strictness; bring an ordinance or an act, to set aside the provision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on the interests of the employees; stop all forms of untouchability. Provide full safety and security to minorities. Set aside the provision of the changes in the SC/ST Atrocity Act and ensure that the people arrested during the April 2 Bharat Bandh are released; fill the backlog of reserved posts in government services; bring in comprehensive policy to ensure that the crime against women and girls is stopped and ensure that the female foeticide is strictly checked; stop the misuse of religion and caste in politics and governance; stop misuse of government machinery and lavish style of governance; implement merit and work transparently for recruitment in boards and service commissions; stop the money and muscle power in politics and implement proportional representation for legislature. Stop the electoral bonds through which the capitalists support the political parties; remove the criteria of educational qualification and other anti-people provisions for panchayat elections.