New Delhi: The CPI-M on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the government, accusing it of following policies that favour the rich and were also leading to high inflation.
Addressing a 'Sangharsh Sandesh Rally' at Ram Lila Maidan in New Delhi, Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Prakash Karat said his party would hold protests and resort to picketing at various levels in support of people's demands from May 15 to 31.
He said the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) follows neo-liberal policies and the Bharatiya Janata Party was no different. There was a need to present alternative policies before the people, he added.
"Today, the Congress-led UPA government at the centre is implementing policies which favour big businessmen, foreign capital and the rich. The resources and minerals of our country are being gifted either cheap or free to big industrialists," Karat said, adding that these policies were pushing up inflation.
Karat said the prices of petrol and diesel have been raised and fertiliser subsidy for farmers has been curbed. In the past 18 years ever since the liberal policies have been implemented, 2.90 lakh farmers have committed suicide, he claimed.
Karat charged that while subsidies were being cut, the rich were being given tax rebates in the budget. He alleged that government policies are being framed under US pressure and said that FDI in retail would hurt small traders.
"Till the time we don't remove the UPA government, we can't change its policies," Karat said.
"But is the BJP an alternative of the Congress? The BJP's economic policy is same as that of the Congress," he said and added that "both the Congress and the BJP are corrupt".
"There is a need for a new alternative," he said.
He said the alternative policies should be in favour of landless farmers, where the rich are taxed to provide food security, employment, education and health.
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