Agartala: The BJP has betrayed the people during its three years in power at the Centre and totally failed to fulfil its electoral promises, CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said here on Monday.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader also wondered what all the celebrations planned by the BJP-led central government on completion of its three years in power were about, and added that it was rather a “celebration of failure and betrayal”.
“They (BJP) have failed to fulfil every single promise they made to the people before the 2014 general elections,” he told the media here.
The CPI-M leader said the Bharatiya Janata Party had promised to generate two crore new jobs every year.
“No new jobs have, however, been provided; (on the other hand) thousands of people are losing their existing jobs,” he said.
He said the country’s information technology sector is expected to lose one lakh jobs this year.
“On the industrial front, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced ‘Make in India’, ‘Startup India’, ‘Digital India’ and many more things. But no significant investment has been made in the last three years,” Yechury said.
“What celebration they (BJP) want to hold on May 26 (on the completion of three years of the Modi government)? This must be a celebration of failure and betrayal.”
Yechury also accused the government of anti-farmer steps. “The government promised to increase the minimum support price of crops but that was not done.”
The Left leader said that according to government figures, 12,000 to 16,000 farmers committed suicide every year since 2014.
He visited the Tripura capital on Monday while on way to address a public rally at Belonia in southern Tripura.
The National Democratic Alliance government will hold a programme in Guwahati in Assam on May 26 to mark its three years in office at the Centre.
Yechury also flayed the Centre on the Jammu and Kashmir issue, saying “its Kashmir policy has proved to be an “utter failure”.
Yechury accused the government of betraying Parliament, the country and its people by not fulfilling its own assurance.
“The BJP-led government backtracked on its promise held out to an all-party delegation that visited the violence-hit state in September last year.”
“The Centre said it will implement confidence-building measures and start a political dialogue with all stakeholders, did nothing in the last six months, leading to the situation turning from bad to worse,” the CPI-M leader said.
Yechury said cow vigilantes, anti-Romeo squads and others indulging in moral policing in Uttar Pradesh were members of private armies raised by the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
“These private armies are taking laws in their hands. In the name of protecting laws, they are killing Dalits and members of the minority community. They are terrorising the people. We demand an immediate ban on all these private armies.”
On the July presidential election, Yechury said the CPI-M wants a secular, democratic and neutral personality for the highest constitutional post in the country.
“Discussions among various opposition parties are on. The issue is likely to be finalised next week.”