Anwarul Hoda / Patna
The CPI-ML (Liberation), on Wednesday, launched “Save Democracy Save India” campaign with a huge rally at historic Gandhi Maidan Patna.
Thousands of comrades and their supporter carrying red flags amidst slogans like “Lal Salaam” gravitated at the sprawling Gandhi Maidan.
About 2,000 delegates from different parts of the country also attended the rally.
Two leaders from Bangladesh – Bazlur Rashid Firoz general secretary of Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal and Saiful Haque general secretary Biplavi Workers Party – were present at the dais. Samuel Wainright of Socialist Alliance Australia was also on the dais.
Addressing the rally the national general secretary of the CPI-ML Dipankar Bhattacharya, while quoting the Oxfam report 2022 released on January 23, said the title was “Survival of The Richest”. It is in fact the “Festival of The Richest”.
“Inequality that grew alarmingly during the pandemic and is reinforced constantly by the regressive taxation pattern in the neo-liberal era where poor are taxed heavily while the rich get away with paying very little taxes,” he said, adding there is a conspiracy to make bordering regions of Bihar ( Kishanganj) and North Bengal as union territories. BJP wants to rule by proxy in these non-BJP states by invoking its UT status, he said.
“The Modi Government boasts of launching the world’s longest river cruise from Varanasi to Dibrugarh where passengers are assured ultimate luxury for 51 days by paying 300 dollars per head per day,” Dipankar said. In the context of India, the India story of the global report should actually be rechristened’ Festival of The Richest’, party supremo said.
The party chief spoke at length about the rising unemployment, poverty, communal frenzy, economic inequality, attack on freedom of press, IT raids on BBC offices and on Adani affairs.
The inaugural function of the 11th national congress of the party would be held on Thursday here at SK Memorial hall in which several left leaders including of CPI CPM Forward Bloc Lal Nishan Party would be participating.
On February 17, the congress would be dedicated to international affairs where they will discuss the current scenario of the external affairs.
On February 18, all the representatives of the Opposition parties including CM Nitish Kumar, Deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi, Congress leader Salman Khurshid and many more would be participating in the “Loktantra Bachao Desh Bachao” convention.
The ruling seven-party alliance partner has already given a call for a massive rally at bordering Purnia on February 25. This would be the show of strength of opposition parties in the bordering 4 districts- Purnia Araria Katihar and Kishanganj.