CPI congress also passed a resolution demanding continuation of Amaravati as the single capital city of Andhra Pradesh.
Published Oct 18, 2022 | 10:37 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 18, 2022 | 10:37 PM
Kids take part in a rally organised by the CPI in Vijayawada (CPI/FB Page)
The 24th National Congress of the Communist Party of India (CPI) concluded in Vijayawada on Tuesday, 18 October, with a clarion call to oppose the BJP-led Centre’s policies that have given rise to “unprecedented and aggravated inequality among the people and concentration of wealth in the hands of the few”.
The party congress also saw the election of members to key bodies of the party — the National Council, National Secretariat and National Executive — as well as the re-election of Rajya Sabha member D Raja as CPI general secretary.
“We have been fighting the neo-liberal policies since it was ushered in India way back in 1991. The effect of Liberalisation, Privatisation and Globalisation gave rise to unprecedented and aggravated inequality among the people and concentration of wealth in the hands of the few,” said the party resolution.
“In the past more than eight years since the BJP-led (Narendra) Modi government came to power, there has been an increased pace in the reforms agenda,” it added.
The resolution noted that the country’s GDP has been shrinking since 2016 due to the ill-effects of demonetisation and the introduction of GST in 2017. The lockdown during Covid pandemic in 2020 had accentuated the crisis on economic front, the party said.
The government was a just a spectator when crores of migrant workers walked back to their homes with their families and children, the CPI leaders said at the meeting.
Noting that Covid had exposed the country’s poor healthcare system, the party said: “It was estimated by WHO that in India more than 47 lakh people died due to Corona, 10 times more than the official figures released by the Government of India. However, the budgetary allocation is just about two percent for healthcare.
“This is despite the fact that nearly six-and-half crore people are pushed below the poverty line due to expenses incurred on health.”
“India is ranked 133 in the Human Development Index and is in107th position in the Global Hunger Index, much below neighbouring countries, including Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. On the other hand, concessions have been doled out to corporates,” said the CPI’s resolution.
The CPI also passed a resolution demanding continuation of Amaravati as the single capital city of Andhra Pradesh instead of the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government’s three-capitals plan.
“The central government is not concerned about the construction of the Amaravati capital, though foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who carried Gangajal with him for the foundation ceremony.
“In this circumstances, the CPI demands that both the central and state governments should take the responsibility and start building the capital of Amaravati.
“This congress condemns the negative approach of the present state government and demands to change its stand of building three capitals which is creating unnecessary regional feelings among people,” said the resolution.
CPI also passed another resolution demanding immediate withdrawal of Centre’s decision to privatise the Vizag Steel Plant.
