Left-Front poll manifesto calls for saving democracy, ending corruption
Kolkata: Just a day before the first phase of Lok Sabha elections begins in Bengal, Left Front has revealed its manifesto, calling for a secular government at the Centre while urging people of the state to defeat both BJP and Trinamool Congress (TMC) to save India’s democracy and West Bengal from corruption, respectively.
The manifesto, released by Left Front chairman Biman Bose on Thursday, highlights four main demands. Firstly, defeat the BJP to save India’s Constitution and democracy. Secondly, defeat TMC to save Bengal from corruption. Thirdly, the need for a secular government at the Centre and fourthly, vote for Left Front candidates to raise the voice of the grassroots in the Parliament.
The Left Front manifesto asserted that the 18th Lok Sabha elections will determine whether the people of India will at all have any fundamental rights in coming days and hence electorates need to decide through their votes. It highlighted how the BJP is allegedly steamrolling Bills in the Parliament without any discussion while the voice of the Opposition is silenced. Laws such as UAPA, PMLA and NSA are strengthened and Central probe agencies are being used to wipe off Opposition from the country by toppling state governments.
The manifesto attacked the BJP for allegedly trying to do away with the Indian Constitution and destroy secularism, besides handing over assets of the country in the hands of selected corporate groups. It highlighted the plight of farmers where their income has reduced while budgetary allocation for agriculture is witnessing a considerable reduction. Issues of price hike, attack on tribal population were pointed out. On corruption, the Left trained its guns both at the BJP and TMC. It was alleged that the electoral bond has exposed corruption and how corporates were used to fund BJP a whopping Rs 8,252 crore. In Bengal, TMC received Rs 1,700 crore through such bonds. It stated how several Trinamool leaders have been arrested in cases relating to teacher recruitment scam, ration scam, municipal scam, coal and cattle smuggling etc. It accused TMC of encouraging dole politics while failing to create employment, forcing residents to move out of state for jobs.
