[Marxistindia] March 12 - Left parties rally in Delhi

[news from the cpi(m)]

                                                        February 8, 2010


Press Release 



                 March 12 : Left Parties Rally in Delhi


The Left parties – the CPI(M), CPI, AIFB and RSP – have decided to hold
an All India Rally at the Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on March 12, 2010. 


The rally is being held to highlight the urgent problems faced by the
people and to spell out the Left parties' demands to solve the problems.
They are: 


      * Halt the price rise of food items and essential commodities;
        

Strengthen the Public Distribution System and take measures to help
farmers to produce more foodgrains.


      * Implement land reform measures and protect the land of the
        peasants and the tribal people.
        


      * Provide jobs for all; take urgent measures to curb unemployment.
        


      * End the violence against the Left in West Bengal by the
        TMC-Maoist combine; defend democratic rights. 
        


The detailed measures proposed by the Left parties to solve these
problems are enclosed. 


The rally will give a call for action in order to realise these demands.
The Left parties appeal to all sections of the people to make the rally
a big success. 



Sd/-


(Prakash Karat) (A. B. Bardhan)

General Secretary, CPI(M) General Secretary, CPI




(Debabrata Biswas) (T. J. Chandrachoodan)

General Secretary, AIFB General Secretary, RSP


Demands for March 12 Rally

Stop Price Rise

      * Scrap targeting and make PDS universal and effective; delink PDS
        entitlements from bogus Planning Commission poverty estimates;
        guarantee through legislation, adequate and cheap food grains,
        pulses, sugar and cooking oil.
        
      * Ban futures trading and speculation in all food articles.
        
      * Cut customs and excise duties on oil and reduce retail prices of
        petrol and diesel
        
      * Initiate a nationwide crackdown on hoarders and black-marketers;
        Strengthen disclosure norms for private foodgrain stocks in
        godowns and warehouses 
        


Expand employment and protect livelihoods!


      * Enact urban employment guarantee legislation with equal wages
        and rights for women 
        
      * Remove existing general ban on recruitment and fill existing
        vacancies in SC/ST/ and quotas for disabled in Government
        services and Public Sector. 
        
      * Review and revise National Rural Employment Guarantee Act to
        increase workdays and wages. Enact Urban Employment Guarantee
        Act.
        
      * Stop retrenchment of workers in the name of recession
        


Protect and expand land rights of the poor!


      * Implement comprehensive redistributive land reforms; stop
        reversal of land reforms and relaxation of ceilings 
        
      * Assign government barren and waste lands to the poor; stop
        transfer of this land to corporate sector 
        
      * Provide homeless/landless/ small and marginal farmer household
        homestead land and a house in a time bound manner 
        
      * Amend the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 and enact a Rehabilitation
        and Resettlement Bill in order to minimize displacement, ensure
        adequate compensation; profit share, livelihood security 
        


In solidarity with West Bengal


      * Fight Against the TMC-Maoist collaboration in West Bengal and
        the violence unleashed by them against Left cadre and
        sympathizers. 
        


      * Defend democracy, end violence