TN: 'Modi's Guarantee to People was Hunger, Poverty and Bulldozer'
S V Venugopalan
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"PRIME Minister Modi had declared (about corruption), 'na khaunga na khane dunga' ( neither would I eat, nor would I allow anybody else to eat), but the electoral bonds reveal that his party is the greatest eater of corporate funding ever heard of, said Brinda Karat, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member. They claimed to wipe out corruption and it is now clear that they lied to the nation and cheated the people of the country by taking more than half of the total sale of electoral bonds.
Delivering the special address at the public meeting organised by the Central Chennai district committee of CPI(M) on March 15 at MMDA Colony, on ‘Rights of the states & rights of women’ , she said that the ruling dispensation at the centre used the ED, IT, CBI and all such agencies to threaten the companies and collect huge funds.
She highlighted that recent rulings by the Supreme Court have revealed the extent of subversion of parliamentary democracy by the BJP. She emphasized that the close ties between big corporations and the BJP have been laid bare. It has been disclosed that major mining and construction companies have made substantial donations through these bonds to the BJP, receiving significant contracts and favours from policymakers in return. For instance, a construction firm in Maharashtra, which contributed Rs 940 crores, secured a contract valued at Rs 14,000 crores. In another case, no action was taken against the company which was responsible for Uttarakhand mine disaster, where 41 workers were trapped, as it had donated huge money to the BJP. While this is the case, Vakil Hassan, the heroic rat miner who saved the lives of all 41 workers along with his team, was not rewarded in any manner for his bravery. Instead, the Delhi Development Authority demolished his house.
Modi, day in and day out, talks about ‘Modi guarantee’, through his Party's election broadcasts, but the real guarantee goes to the big corporates while his guarantee to poor people is only hunger, poverty and bulldozer, Brinda said.
She addressed the massive gathering, emphasizing that the upcoming Lok Sabha elections are not ordinary; they will determine the future of the country and its democratic principles. She warned against the grave threat posed to the constitution by the ruling forces, stressing the imperative to save the country. The Modi government's assault on states’ rights aims to dismantle the federalism enshrined in the constitution. Governors are being used to further BJP's political agenda by interfering in non-BJP elected governments' legislative processes. She applauded the DMK government in Tamil Nadu for consistently upholding the fighting spirit in defense of federalism. She thanked chief minister MK Stalin, who sent a solidarity message to Pinarayi Vijayan, chief minister of Kerala, during the Kerala government dharna in Delhi, where the voice against the attack on federalism was raised. She was pleased to note that both the DMK government in Tamil Nadu and the LDF government in Kerala have unequivocally stated their refusal to implement the CAA in their respective states. She underscored the urgent need to defend democracy, secularism, and social justice.
28 lakh crores have been picked from the pocket of the people of the country through excise taxes and other taxes on petroleum products. Indirect taxes are all going up whereas corporate taxes are coming down. During the 10-year Modi rule, 3,12,000 daily wage workers and migrant workers have committed suicides as per a report and it means that on an average, 95 workers have been forced to end their life by the misrule of the BJP. They lecture about patriotism but their desh bhakti means pro-corporate rule, which punishes the youth, women and poor of the country, Brinda stated. Farmers are fighting for minimum support prices, in Delhi. What is Modi's guarantee to farmers? The government used the drones to fire tear gas shells and rubber bullets on the fighting farmers.
On the issue of women's rights, Brinda pointed out the glaring disparity between Modi's rhetoric on ‘Nari Shakti’ (women empowerment) and the alarming rise in crimes against women. Incidents of rape have surged by 28 per cent, with an average of 88 women being raped daily and thousands dying from dowry-related violence annually. She criticised the BJP, RSS, and affiliated organisations for their complicity in protecting criminals, citing cases like Bilkis Bano, Hathras victims and the women wrestlers as examples.
Brinda also criticised the Modi government's handling of the Women's Reservation Bill, accusing them of manipulating its passage to delay its implementation for another decade, thereby undermining women's representation in parliament, making it far below among the other South Asian nations. This is a fraud on the people, she said.
Brinda highlighted that the BJP government follows Manuwadi ideology and archaic Brahmanical beliefs, which is responsible for the lack of safety for women in India. She urged the people to defeat the Modi government decisively in all 39 constituencies in Tamil Nadu and the lone seat in Puducherry.
Earlier, the district committee successfully completed the election fund quota set by the state committee. Brinda commended the district committee for their efforts in collecting a significant amount from ordinary people, reflecting their trust and support to the Party. She expressed appreciation for the tireless work of Party cadres who tirelessly collected funds door-to-door, in shops, offices, and desks, thanking every donor.
The evening was filled with enthusiasm as hundreds of Party members and the general public gathered at the venue. Brinda acknowledged the significant presence of workers, especially women who attended the meeting after fulfilling their family responsibilities.
The meeting was chaired by G Selva, secretary of the Central Chennai district committee. Chitrarasu, secretary of the West Chennai district committee of the DMK, also addressed the gathering. Mahendra Kumar, secretary of CPI(M) Anna Nagar area committee, extended a warm welcome to all attendees.
BJP government is run by the Manuwadi ideology and the old Brahmanical ideas and that is why, women are not safe in India, Brinda pointed out. She called upon the people to defeat the Modi government and ensure their total rout in all the 39 constituencies in Tamil Nadu and the lone seat in Puducherry.
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