Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (DV)
Mangalore, Apr 8: "In Indian politics we are fighting to bring urgent and necessary issues of working class to the centre of political debates. We are challenging the UPA, the most corrupt government since Independence. We are fighting the elections against the communal Hindutva forces like RSS, BJP and its Parivar," said Brinda Karat, politburo member of CPI (M).
She was campaigning for Yadhav Shetty, CPI (M) Lok Sabha candidate from Dakshina Kannada at a public meet at Town Hall here on Tuesday April 8.
Attacking the BJP and the Congress, Brinda Karat said, "We believe in the future of India. A government should ensure good future to the common people by ensuring democracy. Today, Indian politics is in a tragic state because of the government which is in power. The opposition party in the parliament has never brought to the fore the fundamental issues concerning the people. BJP and Congress are in an unholy alliance. Their leaders' faces, party flags and symbols are different but their hearts are the same. Their hearts beat only for the corporates. They want power to serve the corporates."
She further said, "Look at their manifestos - there is no difference between them. Both parties pledge committment to reforming labour laws. Reformation of labour laws does not mean just higher wages or increase in dearness allowance; soon that may also be withdrawn. That is the model followed by BJP and Congress. Congress approves FDI in all sectors, and so also BJP except in retail sector. They (BJP) follow the same policy as Congress. Even in agriculture sector they want FDI. What will the condition of farmers be if they are made to compete with big companies? Though several farmers have suffered and died, these shameless parties want FDI in agriculture. The language of both the parties is the same."
Attacking BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, Karat said, "Our politics is dominated by the corporate money. What is Narendra Modi? Who is he? He is a creation of the RSS - not the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh but 'Rashtriya Sarvanash Samiti'. He is also creation of the corporates.
"Advertisements of the BJP and the Congress are also appeasing the corporates. Congress and BJP allow them to get away when they do not pay tax. Theirs is a corporate appeasement policy," she alleged.
"There is no Modi wave in Karnataka because it inducted Yeddyurappa who was expelled and joined hand with the Bellary brothers who looted wealth. BJP state president also inducted Pramod Muthalik who is a number one criminal. There are protected under Modi's shade."
She further said, "We can understand what 'tax terror' is as used by the BJP in its manifesto. We understand terrorism - it is an attack on innocents. In five years Rs 25 lac crore of tax concession was made to the corporates. This money could have been provided for the education of children and to provide food to every household. We will reverse this in our manifesto. Presently, the rich have grown richer, while the poor have become poorer."
She also attack the government on the issue of inflation and said, "Earlier women used to have tears in their eyes when they cut onions but now have tears just by looking at onions in a nearby grocery store. They (government) are discriminating between the APL and the BPL. The Supreme Court had clearly said that every widow and disabled person should get food grains under Anthodhaya scheme. But foodgrains are eaten by rats in godowns instead of being given to poor people. There is high malnutrition rate in Gujarat. We will demand the government to provide 35 kg of rice for Rs 2 as a universal right."
Referring to Sowjanya rape and murder case, Karat said, "There is no security for women. Three women get harassed every hour. Sowjanya was brutally raped and murdered, and a mentally ill person was arrested to protect the actual culprits. Leaders of these political parties never go to the police station with the victim but they are there to protect the accused. This is criminalization of politics. There is no freedom for love; adult women are not allowed to make a choice on their own. This is the culture of criminalizing love. What is Indian democracy? There is no safety for citizens, and no right to chose one’s partner."
On the alleged harassment of corporator Pratibha Kulai recently, she said, "Congress failed to defend its corporator when she was attacked by the BJP activists. It is Modi’s agenda to go to peaceful areas and create riots. Modi wants to spread the Hindutva agenda in the mask of development.
"Congress is an army without soldiers. There is a commander but no solider. Congress has reached its expiry date," she said.
On this occasion K R Shreyan, candidate Yadhav Shetty, G N Nagaraj, K Shankar, P Sanjeeva and others were present.