Targeting the Narendra Modi government for a 45-year high in unemployment figures, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) in its manifesto, released on Thursday in Delhi, said the “right to work” should be enshrined in the Constitution and there should be a provision of allowance for those without jobs.
The party’s campaign song too captures the party’s accusation with lyrics that say “ Aab ki baar, Modi Berozgar ” that roughly translates into “this time, Modi should be unemployed”.
“To build a better India, we need a radical shift in the policy direction,” party General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said. He was flanked by other Polit Bureau members including Prakash Karat, Brinda Karat, S. Ramachandran Pillai, Nilotpal Basu and Hannan Mollah.
The manifesto essentially revolves around a three point agenda — defeat the BJP alliance, increase the strength of CPI(M) & Left, and ensure a secular government.
The party that has helmed many farm movements in the last five years has promised in its manifesto that minimum support price should be 50% higher than the total cost of production.
“There should be a law to make it compulsory for the governments to purchase the produce at MSP,” Mr. Yechury said.
The manifesto also promises a long standing demand of the trade unions that the statutory minimum wage should be fixed not less than ₹18,000 per month.
Following the PM Kisan Yojana income support scheme launched by Narendra Modi government earlier this year, and the NYAY scheme of the Congress that offers ₹72,000 annually for the poorest families, the CPI(M) has proposed a ₹6,000 per month old age pension for all citizens.
The party has promised a host of measures to defend democratic rights including working towards repealing laws such as the Sedition Law, Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), National Security Act (NSA) and defamation law.
The party that had demanded entirely stalling the Aadhaar exercise in its 2014 manifesto, has demanded in this edition that use of Aadhaar and biometrics for all social welfare measures be scrapped.
The party has also proposed that bulk surveillance by State agencies under section 69 should be stopped. “There should be clear provisions and judicial supervision of any surveillance that violates citizen’s privacy,” Mr. Yechury added.
The party has for the first time taken note of the transgender rights and the manifesto promises that it will work towards passing the “Rights of Transgender Persons Bill, 2014” which is pending in Parliament. It also promised to bring in a comprehensive anti-discriminatory bill to protect LGBT (Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgenders) community.
