A convention of the recently formed Rajasthan Loktantric Morcha
consisting of the CPI(M), CPI, Samajwadi Party, Janata Dal (Secular) and
Janata Da (United) was held on July 21,2013 in Jaipur.
The Alternative Policy Resolution adopted at the convention demands land-reforms, granting of special status to the state, new mining policy to protect the interests of the tribals, sub-plan for the SC-ST, protection of minorities, prevention of atrocities on women, extending social security to peasants, agricultural labourers and artisans, improving the provision of irrigation, drinking water and electricity, protecting the pastoral communities and rights of workers, expansion of MNREGA and putting a stop to increasing privatisation of education and health.
The convention also called for
strengthening the Rajsthan Loktantric Morcha, for the ouster of the
Congress from power and to keep the BJP away from power.
The resolution presented by Samajwadi Party leader Pt. Ram Kishan
Sharma was jointly prepared by the CPI(M), CPI, SP and the JD(S). The
JD(U) gave its consent to the resolution by participating in the
convention. Prior to this convention, state level activists of the four
parties had already held a meeting in which the decision to build an
anti-Congress, anti-BJP front of the Left, democratic and secular forces
was taken.
This convention was the next step
towards building a non-Congress, non-BJP front based on alternative
policies. It was also decided to expand the front by including other
parties and prominent intellectuals who agree with the Alternate Policy
Resolution.
800 activists from various districts
of the state participated in the convention, by CPI(M) Central Committee
member and MLA Amra Ram, CPI's state secretary Tara Singh Siddu, SP
president Pt. Ram Kishan Sharma and JD(U) President Arjun Detha.
CPI(M)
Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat, CPI leader A.B.Bardhan, JD(S) General
Secretary Danish Ali, minister in UP government and SP leader Ram Sakal
Gujar, JD(U) General Secretary Javed Raza, CPI(M) Central Committee
Member, Hannan Mollah and CPI Central Secretariat member Atul Kumar
Anjan addressed the convention.
Speaking at the
convention CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat slammed the Congress
government in the state led by Ashok Gehlot for not doing anything to
prevent the incidents of communal violence in the state during the last
five years. She said, “There have been 55, big and small, incidents of
communal violence during the Congress rule. We know that the RSS and
the BJP had a hand in these incidents…it is their politics…they want to
divide people to promote their politics…but what was the Chief Minister
doing? What was Congress doing?”
Brinda also
castigated BJP state president Vasundhara Raje for staying out of the
state for the last four and half years and resurfacing recently only to
seek votes. “Being in the opposition, Ms.Vasundhara Raje did not raise a
single issue in the assembly…now she has woken up at the time of
elections and claims to bring Suraaj.” But during her Suraaj, there were
not one, not two but a 100 instances of lathicharge and firing at
farmers and workers of Rajsthan,” she said.
CPI(M) State Secretary and Central Committee Member, Vasudev deliverd the concluding speech.