Dislodging Modi regime inevitable to save democracy, says Yechury

Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury demanded that the Modi govt at the Centre immediately alter its policies that extended subsidies and tax benefits to big corporates

Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Saturday demanded that the Narendra Modi government at the Centre immediately alter its policies that extended subsidies and tax benefits to big corporates, and also recover the huge loans granted to them.

Addressing a public meeting marking the culmination of the 10-day-long 'Desa Rakshana Bheri' that the CPI(M) organised across the country, the party general secretary said the Modi regime had destroyed both the Constitution and the nation's economy in the last eight years of its rule.

"If you don't do that (change the policies), we will dethrone you and bring in a new people-friendly government," Yechury warned as he called upon secular, democratic parties to join hands to bring down the Modi regime.

"A staggering sum of Rs 11 lakh crore given as loans to mega corporates, who are Modi's friends, have been written off. On top of it, Rs 2 lakh crore was extended as tax benefits to them. This is an atrocious loot of public money," Yechury lashed out.

He pointed out that businessman Gautam Adani was at the 330th position in the world before Modi became Prime Minister but now has risen to become the second richest in the world.

Only five-six business tycoons became multi-billionaires under Modi's rule while 42 per cent of youth in the 20-25 age group remained unemployed, Yechury asserted.

He claimed over 11,000 youth died by suicide across the country as they could not secure jobs, even as lakhs of posts in the government remained vacant.

"All the money that is doled out to the corporates in different forms should be recollected and utilised for people's welfare. It will also ease the unemployment problem, the former Rajya Sabha member said.

Yechury also lamented that secularism was under threat in all BJP-ruled states. Laws were being changed to attack the minorities. Atrocities on women and Dalits were on the rise.

"BJP has not won all states, yet it has grabbed power through covert means. It is buying legislators and, if that is not possible, threatening them using Enforcement Directorate, CBI or other agencies," he alleged.

Voices against Modi's rule were being stifled through false cases and arrests. It was the responsibility of all to protect democracy and secularism of the country at this juncture, he further said.

"It is inevitable to dislodge Modi. It is the CPI(M)'s objective and we will continue the fight across the country. While strengthening the Left unity, others ready to protect secularism and democracy should be taken together for forging a secular alternative (to the BJP)," Yechury said.

CPI(M) Andhra Pradesh unit secretary V Srinivasa Rao and other leaders attended the meeting.