CPM Delhi launches hunger strike to protest AAP govt’s failure to fulfil promises

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) Delhi Committee has been on a hunger strike near ITO metro station since Tuesday morning, to protest the Delhi government’s alleged negligence towards the issues related to the poor in its recent budget.

“The AAP government in a complete U-turn from its promises made during the election, neglected the issues related to the working class and Dalits,” said Pushpinder Grewal a member of the central committee.

The Aam Aadmi Party, in its election manifesto promised regularisation of contractual labourers with jobs of a permanent nature. It also promised to implement of minimum wage laws in the state.

“Contrary to its promises, a number of contractual jobs have increased in the government sector and business owners have been allowed to contractualise jobs, during the party’s regime,” he added.

“Even the labour department of the state has been made toothless, by keeping a number of posts vital for implementing the labour laws vacant” he further explains.

In a leaflet published by the party to publicise its protest campaign, the CPM also accused the Delhi government of neglecting issues related to Dalits living in the city-state.

“This budget has no separate allocation meant for the Dalits,” said the leaflet.

“As per the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan, the government should have allocated Rs 7,400 crores separately for the 16.72 percent Dalit population of Delhi. Instead, the government has allocatd Rs 1,381 crore clubbing Dalits, Muslims and Other Backward Classes into one category — thus depriving them of their rights,” it said.

The party also accused the Kejriwal government of deterring implementation of the Food Security Mission.

“In a recent circular, the government has ordered that the Fair Price Shops will not open in the absence of Circle Inspectors. By this order, the government has ensured that no Fair Price Shop opens in time, since there are only 70 Circle Inspectors whereas the total number of Fair Price Shops is 2,530,” said the leaflet.

The party raised a series of issues related to the poor. The party also alleges that during its one-and-a-half-year rule in Delhi, the Aam Admi Party has failed to prove itself to be different from Congress and BJP, the parties it fought tooth and nail in the election.

Party leaders said that the protest programme begun on Tuesday will involve six to seven persons everyday, who will continue the hunger strike till Thursday.