ON the occasion of the 14th Andhra Pradesh state conference of the CITU, a massive rally was held in the city of Vijayawada on June 26, 2016. Thousands of workers from various parts of AP marched in the rally, with 10,000 Red Shirt volunteers in the forefront. The rally crossed the thoroughfares of Vijayawada City from Tummalapalli Kalakshetram to BRTS Road and culminated in a public meeting which was addressed by Manik Sarkar, chief minister of Tripura and Polit Bureau member of CPI(M), A K Padmanabhan, CITU president, B V Raghavulu, former general secretary of Andhra Pradesh CITU and Polit Bureau member of CPI(M), Hemalatha, CITU secretary and M A Gafoor, general secretary of Andhra Pradesh unit of CITU. Addressing the public meeting, Manik Sarkar said that the Modi government has been relentlessly attacking the rights of workers, peasants, tribals while at the same time it is trying to divide the working class through its communal politics. The working class needs to repulse these attacks by forging unity, he exhorted. The Modi government has been resorting to change in labour laws for the sake of corporates. Hence, in this background workers and toiling masses have to mobilise people by putting before them a different alternative, he remarked. This would be possible only through the joint struggles waged and led by the CITU, he underlined. Manik Sarkar noted that the central government has been doling out lakhs of crores of rupees as incentives to billionaires and multi-billionaires. In the last budget itself, Rs 5 lakh crores has been given as tax incentives to the rich classes, he remarked. The BJP government led by Narendra Modi has thrown to winds its electoral assurance of bringing back black money into our country from foreign shores. But what we see is that it has been shielding corrupt and tax evaders. One cabinet minister and three chief ministers are steeped in corruption charges. Still, the Modi government is not opening its mouth on these issues, he lambasted. Thousands of crores of rupees worth scams are coming to light and the deafening silence of the prime minister is objectionable, Manik Sarkar criticised. Modi government is mindlessly pursuing discredited neo-liberal policies and the recent union budget is a stark example to it, he said. Allocations to rural development, water resources, sanitation, education, health, electricity, women and child welfare schemes have been reduced drastically. The crucial sectors like, defence, insurance, banking, higher education, health and railways are sought to be handed over on a golden platter to private and multinational corporations. 100 percent FDI is being allowed in crucial and strategic sectors like defence, which will jeopardise the security situation in our country, Manik Sarkar cautioned. The common people are not accepting the policies of Modi government and the huge success of the general strike on September 2, 2015 is a reflection of the same. The working class of this country is bracing itself for another frontal counterattack on the pernicious policies of Modi government by way of strike action on September 2, 2016, in order to force the government to change its policies, he said. There is no political difference between the Congress and the TDP as both the parties are offering support to rich sections and corrupt politicians. In fact there is no difference between TDP and BJP also and TDP is following the foot prints of the BJP in the state, Manik Sarkar opined. The TDP government in the state has not been opposing the anti-people and anti-labour policies of BJP government at the centre, Manik Sarkar analysed. Small and medium scale industries are being closed down in our country and exports and imports are being hit thereby causing layoffs of workers in big number. Presently there are 20 crores of unemployed youth in the age group of 18 to 30 years and every year another one crore gets added to this number, he lamented. BJP had promised to create two crore jobs annually in their electoral promise, but they are going ahead with abolishing 40 lakh vacant posts in the country, he said. The future of youth has become questionable due to the mindless policies of Modi government and in order to divert the growing dissatisfaction towards them, BJP is intentionally raking up communal issues to divide the workers and toiling sections. BJP has been fully supporting the activities of its sister organisations like the VHP, Bajrang Dal to advance the Hindutva agenda as envisaged by the RSS, he pointed out. The moment the BJP came into power, it increased raising communal issues in the society through its actions and the reports of thousands of attacks on minorities across the country is a testimonial fact to this. He hoped that the CITU conference will lay the path for the strengthening of forces that are fighting for the cause of the common people and toiling masses. B V Raghavulu reminded that, as the exploiters from Britain were driven out of the country, there is a dire need to drive the present exploiters also at the earliest. The chief minister of AP says there are no funds to pay the wages of the anganwadi, Asha and mid day meal workers but he has funds to pay Rs12 crores to Singapore consultancy as fees. With repression having become the order the day, it is time to see that the CM is shown the taste of our committed struggle, he said. Hemalatha said the CM and the PM are running around for capital. But one natural question that arises is what this capital could do without workers. The government has no intention to pay Rs 6,000 as wages to the scheme workers and claims that these workers are engaged in public service. But without any hesitation, the government has come forward to give enormous pay hike to the legislators, who are also in public service. She also warned that the day the working class understands the gameplan behind the increasing cost of essential commodities, the declining real wages and its lenience to the rich, the government will be brought down, which no force can stop. M A Gaffoor said bonded labour is a crime in this country. It is the chief minister who should be booked under this Act and elaborated the back ground of this. A K Padmanabhan said the anger of the working class, peasants and all sections is already reaching its bounds against the rising prices and the repression unleashed by the central and state governments. In West Bengal, there is an unprecedented terror unleashed against the workers belonging to the CITU. Against this, there will be a nationwide protest on June 28. The general strike on September 2, 2016 should go as a stern warning to both the governments and good sense should prevail upon them to care for the working class and the common people or face their wrath, he said. The state conference was held from June 26-29. S Punyavathi, president of Andhra Pradesh CITU presided over the inaugural meeting in which A K Padmanabhan, M A Gaffoor, Boddu Nageswara Rao, MLC and chairman of reception committee participated. The conference unanimously elected the following team of office bearers along with a 149-member state council comprising of 99-member state committee. President: Ch Narsinga Rao Vice Presidents (8): S Punyavathi, V Umamaheswara Rao, P Ajay Kumar, P Roja, K Swarupa Rani, P Radha Krishna, G Baby Rani, Kandarapu Murali. General Secretary: M A Gafoor Secretaries (8): K Umamaheswara rao, K Dhana Lakshmi, K Subbaravamma, R V Narasimha Rao, M Jaggu Naidu, N Ch Srinivas, DNVD Prasad, M Balakasi Treasurer: A V Nageswara Rao