CHENNAI: CPI state secretary M Veerapandian said on Tuesday that the three Left parties in the State will organise a series of regional meetings across Tamil Nadu to take their joint declaration on people's issues to the grassroots, culminating in a massive workers' rally in Tiruchy on March 23.
Speaking at the release of the joint declaration by the CPI, CPM and CPI (ML) Liberation here, Veerapandian said the document focused on the demands of workers, farmers, agricultural labourers, women, students, minorities, tribal communities, fishermen, small and micro entrepreneurs, government employees and other marginalised sections. The Left parties released a 13-page joint declaration at the event, seeking to put workers' and marginalised people's concerns at the forefront.
He said the Left parties would organise public meetings in several districts in the coming months and engage directly with people to build pressure on the state government to address their concerns.
CPM state secretary P Shanmugam said the declaration outlined alternative policy solutions to problems confronting the State.
He said the party would hold regional-level seminars in Madurai, Coimbatore and Tiruvarur in December, followed by meetings in Cuddalore, Villupuram and Salem in January. The parties would use the next four months to take their political and economic agenda to the people.
He said the next course of agitation to press the demands and mobilise workers would be announced at the March 23 rally in Tiruchy.
Assessing the TVK government's six-month performance, Shanmugam said there were both positives and negatives. He welcomed the implementation of some election promises, including free bus travel for women, the Thaimaaman Thanga Modhiram scheme, waiver of cooperative farm loans and an increase of Rs 6 per litre in the procurement price of milk.
However, he said the government needed to pay greater attention to law and order, pointing to the killing of around 11 people on Deepavali day, including a police officer. Such incidents had created fear among the public, he said, urging the government to ensure a safe environment.
He also called for a corruption-free administration, saying allegations of bribery continued to surface across departments, as reflected in periodic arrests by the DVAC.
Shanmugam said the government should take action against anyone found involved in corruption, regardless of political position, but that action must be based on evidence and documents rather than political vendetta.
He said the Left parties' decision to support the TVK government remained unchanged, but they would also continue criticising its policies and functioning.
On allegations against ruling party functionaries, including the Deputy Speaker and the Kallakurichi MLA, Shanmugam said the incidents had brought considerable disrepute to the government and the party. He demanded immediate action against those facing allegations, irrespective of their positions.
Veerapandian criticised the Chief Minister for not taking a clear stand on the alleged deletion of 13 crore voters' names from electoral rolls, describing it as an attack on democracy. He said the CM should publicly condemn the development and demand accountability.
On Vaiko’s remarks on allies criticising the TVK government, Shanmugam said it was MDMK's political approach, but the Left parties would continue to openly welcome decisions that benefited people and criticise those that went against their interests. "If Vaiko expects us to adopt the political approach of the MDMK, it is his mistake. It is inappropriate for senior leaders to question why we are raising people's issues instead of addressing the issues themselves," he said.
Meanwhile, CPI (ML) Liberation representative Pazha Asaithambi said political and public debates in the State had largely been shaped by the interests of wealthy and influential sections, while the concerns of the majority remained sidelined. He said the 13-page joint declaration sought to change this by placing workers' and the marginalised's concerns at the centre.