Communist Party of India (CPI) State secretary K. Ramakrishna has alleged that the economy of the nation has taken a plunge in the last eight years of the Narendra Modi government.
The CPI leader inaugurated the 24th CPI District Mahasabha at Gajuwaka here on Monday.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Ramakrishna said that the common people were bearing the brunt of the spiralling prices of essential commodities under the BJP government. The steep hike in the prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas was financially crippling the poor and middle class people. The government was keen on handing over the PSUs to the corporate groups as part of which the attempts to hand over the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant(VSP) were being intensified, he alleged.
He decried the nonchalance of the Centre towards the agitation, which was being continued for the past 515 days by VSP workers. He said the decision on privatisation of VSP was part of a large plan to privatise the PSUs. He alleged that the BJP government, which was creating problems for the poor and middle classes, has no right to rule the nation.
Mr. Ramakrishna also alleged that the Jagan Mohan Reddy government in Andhra Pradesh was toeing the line of the BJP government and taxing the people. The introduction of several welfare schemes was emptying the coffers of the State. Instead of implementing total prohibition in the State as promised in the past, the State government has increased the liquor prices, he said.
Earlier, CPI leader Allu Babu Rao hoisted the party flag. Party leaders P. Chandrasekhar, U, Nagaraju and Pilla Surya Padma presided over the Mahasabha.
CPI State assistant secretary J.V. Satyanarayana Murthy, AITUC State general secretary G. Obulesu, president Ravindranath, AITUC national vice-president D. Adinarayana, State executive member A.J. Stalin and district secretary M. Pydiraju were among those who participated.
