Congress and BJP stand for interests of Big Business, not people: Prakash Karat

Sikar, 4th May: Prakash Karat, General Secretary of the CPI (M) attended a massive public meeting at Sikar, Rajasthan in support of the CPI (M) candidate, Amra Ram. Leaders of NCP, JD (S) and CPI also participated along with the CPI (M) MLAs, Pawan Duggal and Bemaram. The state secretary of the CPI (M), Vasudev was also present.

Sikar Lok Sabha constituency comprises of eight assembly segments and the CPI (M) had contested six of them in the last assembly elections, and got 1.9 lakh votes altogether. The present candidate Amra Ram won from Dattaramgarh assembly seat while Bema Ram won the Dhod seat. This election, Amra Ram is contesting Sikar seat against Congress and BJP candidates.

Speaking at the public meeting, Prakash Karat said that the country has witnessed bankruptcy of the polices pursued by the BJP led six year rule and the subsequent five year rule of the Congress led UPA government at the centre. Today, both their fronts are in disarray. Because, the ten party alliance constituting the third alternative has posed a formidable opposition and is gaining strength. This alternative will be able to provide a real and viable alternative at the centre.

In 2004, the Left had supported the Congress led UPA to keep the BJP out of power, on the basis of the common minimum programme. The Congress went against its commitment and pursued polices which were in the interests of big business and monopoly capital outfits. The rich have got richer, evident in the fact that four of the top ten richest people in the world are Indians, while the vast majority’s conditions of living has deteriorated. The Congress led government has refused to implement the decisions of the Swaminathan Commission recommendations, which asked the government to provide debt relief and credit at cheaper interest rates to farmers. Provision of debt relief and cheaper credit to farmers is one of our major demands in this election as well. The UPA government has failed to tackle price rise. We are against any targeting of public distribution system and we stand strongly by our demand for a universal PDS.

In this election, both the Congress and the BJP are not addressing the question of loss of jobs of about 25 lakh people in the country due to the global economic crisis. Even the NREGA was brought and implemented due to consistent pressure mounted by the Left parties. It is the Left, which opposed foreign direct investment in banking and insurance sector, which minimized the damage to economy due to the current recession.

The BJP is no different. It should not be allowed to come to power. In states, where the Left and third front partners have come together, the BJP will not be able to win. Now, frightened by the prospects of the third front, both the BJP and the Congress are attacking us saying that we will not be able to form government. But they have forgotten that together, they did not manage to get more than fifty percent of votes in the last Lok Sabla elections. They will not get it this time as well. On the other hand, there is nothing called the UPA now and the allies of the Congress are fighting it in many states.

Introducing the CPI (M) candidate, Amra Ram Prakash Karat said that he is a man of the people. The people of Rajasthan identify with him. He has been a consistent fighter for the real concerns of the people, as witnessed during the struggles for water from the Indira Gandhi canal and against electricity fare hike in the state. He appealed to the people of Sikar to elect Amra Ram as their representative and strengthen the Left and its third alternative in the coming elections.