Andhra Pradesh: BJP imposing taxes on people and granting concessions to corporates: Brinda Karat

The CPI(M) leader also accuses the saffron party of trying to drive a wedge between people of various faiths

CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat addressing a public meeting in Puttaparthi on Friday. | Photo Credit: R.V.S. PRASAD

Criticising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its “religious intolerance” and for “creating a divide among people of various faiths,” Communist Party of India (Marxist) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat, at a public meeting here on Friday, blamed the Narendra Modi government at the Centre for “burdening the common man with high level of taxes.”

As a part of the countrywide ‘Desh Rakshana Bheri’, Ms. Brinda Karat highlighted the emblem of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations, which she said “is a perfect blend and combination of different religious symbols,” and opined that such amity was the need of the hour.

Referring to the liberalisation policy and “boost to the corporate culture,” she alleged that the Central government had turned into a “pickpocket” as it was siphoning off the hard-earned money of the people by burdening them with a large amount of taxes.

Fuel prices

The petrol and diesel prices had gone up by ₹28 and ₹22 per litre since the BJP government came to power, Ms. Brinda Karat said, and pointed out that the Centre had mobilised ₹4 lakh crore by such means. She took objection to the levying of GST even on essential commodities such as milk, cereals, and pulses, and at the same time reducing the corporate tax.

The corporates had benefitted by ₹2 lakh crore by way of concessions. Another ₹10 lakh crore worth of corporate loans were written off, she said.

Unemployment

While the Central government had promised to create two lakh jobs every year, there were 10 lakh jobs vacant in the public sector units, resulting in 11,000 unemployed youth committing suicide, the CPI(M) leader said.

When the revenues / income of the common man had reduced drastically, the wealth of the corporate companies increased enormously, she observed.

Lepakshi lands

About the Lepakshi Knowledge Hub lands, she said, as per the land acquisition laws, if an industry was not set up within 10 years, the land should be returned to the original owner.

The government was trying to give away large tracts of land to the Adani Group for a power project in Anantapur district, she said.

CPI(M) district secretary Imtiyaz and Anantapur secretary V. Rambhupal, and State secretariat member V. Venkateswarlu attended the public meeting.