Left parties – CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML), AIFB and RSP – have issued the following statement on February 4, 2020.THE Left parties will conduct a nationwide protest against the wide range of anti-people policies contained in this year’s budget which will further squeeze the livelihood conditions of the vast majority of our people. The Modi government has destroyed the Indian economy, imposing unprecedented burdens on the people.

KERALA is facing a harsh discriminatory approach from the BJP-led government at the centre. Because of this prejudiced attitude of the centre, Kerala is experiencing a serious financial crisis. The Modi government seems determined to thwart the LDF government’s development agenda by strangulating its finances.Centre-state relations are structured in an asymmetrical fashion. The centre has all the major powers to raise resources while the states are required to undertake development and social welfare expenditure that far exceed their revenue generating capacities.

ON January 30, on the martyrdom day of Mahatma Gandhi a human chain was supposed to be held from Rajghat to Rajghat in Delhi forming a full circle. The plan was to hold the chain from Rajghat, Lal Qila, Jama Masjid, Delhi Gate, Golcha, Shanti Van, Kodiya Pul and back to Rajghat. The call was given by JEJAA, ‘Hum Bhaathke Log’ and ‘Aman Biradhari’.

THE budget figures these days mean very little. The difference between what the budget provides and what actually happens does not come to light even after a time-lag of two years, while earlier two years were the limit. And knowing this, the government provides figures in the budget which are extravagant and hence meaningless, but look pretty. What is remarkable about the 2020-21 budget however is that notwithstanding massive liberties taken with figures, this budget still has been so non-descript that hardly anyone outside of government has had a kind word to say about it.

THE finance minister presented the union budget 2020-2021 in the context of the growing attacks by the Hindu right on the peaceful protests in Jamia Millia Islamia and Shaheen Bagh against the CAA-NRC-NPR. Both these developments need to be seen in the context of the desperate attempts by the BJP and its fringe organisations to polarise the upcoming Delhi elections and hide the economic mess that has been created by the NDA government in the last six years.