ON March 28, the CPI(M) released its election manifesto for the 17th Lok Sabha in the country. The Manifesto was released by Sitaram Yechury, general secretary of the Party along with Polit Bureau members Prakash Karat, S R Pillai, Brinda Karat, Hannan Mollah, Nilotpal Basu and Subhashini Ali.
While placing the manifesto Sitaram said that probably for the first time in the electoral history of the country or probably of the world , an audio version of the manifesto is also being released for the advantage of the most marginalised and disadvantaged sections.
Describing the present election as one of the most crucial ones in independent India, he said the future of the country is at stake. The very foundation of the secular democratic republic as enshrined in the constitution is at risk. For this reason the electorate must defeat the BJP government. Explaining the three slogans (a) defeat BJP alliance, (b) increase strength of CPI(M) and Left and (c) ensure that a secular government is formed, he said this can only be done by maximisation of the pooling of anti-BJP votes.
The manifesto has focused on the impending economic burdens that continue to be mounted on the people during the Modi rule. To reverse this direction, there must be an alternative trajectory of economic policies. While explaining on the alternative paradigm of economic policies , Sitaram suggested that there is no dearth of resources in the country. He said if the current loot of our resources through crony capitalism and corruption scams like the Rafale deal are plugged, then enough resources are available for providing every citizen in our country with education, quality health care, employment and a decent livelihood.
Some of the highlights of such an alternative policy platform which the CPI(M) is pledged to implement are as:
To protect the secular principle of our constitution; enforce farmers right to sell their produce at a MSP which is at least 50 per cent higher than the total cost of production; statutory minimum wage of Rs 18,000 per month; universal PDS; right to free health care; one-third reservation for women in parliament and state legislatures; right to work as a constitutional right; old age pension at Rs 6,000; reservation in jobs and education in private sector for SCs and STs; digital rights and recognize digital infrastructure as public infrastructure; passing the rights of transgender persons bill ; reform the electoral system by introducing proportional representation with partial list system.
While answering a question from the press, Sitaram said that the position of the CPI(M) has been vindicated on the electoral bonds. He said even the ECI has taken a similar stance in the Supreme Court. He termed the electoral bonds legalised political corruption.
