ROURKELA: Launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Tuesday termed the BJP-led government at the Centre as anti-farmer. Addressing a public meeting at the RDD ground in Bonai sub-division of Sundargarh district, Yechury said due to constant pressure from the protesting farmers, the BJP was forced to withdraw the farm laws.
“Modi has no sympathy for farmers. Nearly 750 farmers were martyred during the protests against the three laws,” he claimed. The CPI (M) leader was here to inaugurate the party’s 22nd State conference at Bartoli near Rourkela.
Yechuri further alleged that when the country is facing the Covid-19 crisis, the BJP government is trying to take political mileage from the vaccination drive. Crores of rupees were looted under the PM CARES Fund with no audit and transparency, he claimed.
“It was the efforts of the CPI(M) during the UPA-I rule that land rights of tribal and other traditional forest dwellers were assured and the Right To Information Act passed. Only the Left party can protect the interest of farmers and working class,” he said.
Flaying the Centre’s policies of disinvestment and labour law reforms, Yechury alleged that around 3.5 crore people lost jobs during the pandemic, but the Union government did nothing for them. Among others, CPI (M) Politburo member Suryakanta Mishra, State secretary Ali Kishore Patnaik, secretariat members Janardan Pati and Bishnu Mohanty and Bonai MLA Laxman Munda were present. Sources said the three-day conference would deliberate on the political scenario in Odisha, chalk out the party’s strategy for next three years and elect new State office bearers.