The Modi government has rolled a red carpet to corporate houses, while taxing the common man, CPI(M) State secretariat member Ch. Narasinga Rao and CPI State assistant secretary J.V. Satyanarayana Murthy told the gathering at a protest organised by the Left parties here on Wednesday.

The protest was staged as part of the call given by the Left parties for nationwide agitation against the ‘anti-labour and pro-rich policies’ of the BJP government.

‘Loss of livelihood’

The CPI and CPI(M) leaders led a rally and staged a rasta roko at the busy Maddilapalem junction.

They said that the economy of the nation was thrown into a crisis and during the second term of the Modi government, 20 lakh people had lost their jobs in the automobile industry alone. The Centre had changed the age-old labour laws to benefit the managements, they alleged.

The Centre had disregarded the warning of the Communist parties that the currency note ban and GST would have an adverse impact on the economy.

They alleged that the merger of banks was done to favour investors and the privatisation of public sector companies was throwing employees out of their jobs.

Economic slowdown

The economic slowdown has created the worst-ever crisis, so far.

The Centre has neglected the fact that industrial growth could take place only by increasing the purchasing power of the people. They said it was unfair on the part of the government to book ‘sedition’ cases against those questioning the actions of the government.

The Centre had done injustice to A.P. by failing to accord ‘special status’. The leaders of the Left parties found fault with the State government for failing to question the Centre on non-sanction of the funds promised to the State.

CPI(M) leaders B. Ganga Rao, R.K.S.V. Kumar, V. Krishna Rao, K.S. Kumar, Gourish, Kumari and CPI leaders J.D. Naidu, Padala Govind and Manmadha Rao were among those who took part in the protest.