VIJAYAWADA: Asserting that only with Red Flag (Left parties), India has a hope for future, CPI general secretary D Raja said they have a big challenge before them -- to overthrow the oppressive regime of Narendra Modi at the Centre in the 2024 elections. “It is time for all the Left, secular and anti-BJP forces to come together to defeat Modi in the next elections,” he asserted.
Addressing a well-turned-out rain curtailed public meeting in Vijayawada on Friday to mark the 24th National Congress of CPI, Raja said the Left parties and other secular forces should rise up to the challenge to overthrow Modi regime and his monolithic illiberal agenda.
“Our country has a great diversity and composite culture, but the Modi government with its monolithic and illiberal policies wants to suppress and oppress people. It cannot be allowed and tolerated. On behalf of all of you and people of the country, I challenge Modi and RSS-BJP combine. They cannot rule this country forever. In the coming elections, we will see BJP is defeated, Modi is thrown out of power and the country is saved,” he averred.
“Now, the hope lies with youngsters sporting red shirts and carrying the red flag. Future is bright in their hands,” he emphasised, setting the agenda for the CPI conference, which is scheduled to commence on Saturday.
Pointing out at the massive turnout for the rally of Red Shirts in Vijayawada, which is hosting the CPI Congress for the third time after 47 years, Raja said the Communist movement in the city is still vibrant. Describing the overwhelming response to the rally in the city, he termed it a great beginning for the CPI Congress.
Raja asserted that the Red Flag will not allow such repression and oppression of democracy and secularism. It will rise to the challenge before it. “Modi says minimum government and today, there is no government and a minimum Parliament, which is on the verge of death,” he deplored.
Presiding over the meeting, CPI national secretary K Narayana said the Modi government is anti-democratic and to defeat it, all secular forces should join hands. “We will discuss this at length during next four days of the CPI Congress,” Narayana said.
Taking potshots at the ruling YSRC in Andhra Pradesh, Narayana said when there is a need for regional parties to go against the oppressive Modi government, the one in AP is having a living-in relation with the BJP regime.
“Our agenda is clear to fight against the land, liquor and other mafias. The Modi government, which is pro-corporate, has elevated people like Adani from a smuggler to a billionaire,” he charged.
Earlier in the day, an impressive march by Red Shirts was taken out from Meesala Rajeswara Rao Bridge on BRTS Road to Makineni Basava Punnaiah Stadium, the venue named after Comrade Chandra Rajeswara Rao.