CPI releases Lok Sabha election manifesto, promises to scrap CAA

NEW DELHI: The Communist Party of India (CPI) released its manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections on Saturday, promising to scrap the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, remove the 50 per cent cap on reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs, and enhance the daily wage under MGNREGA to Rs 700. The Left party called for the defeat of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to save secular democracy.

It said the 10-year BJP rule has proven to be a disaster for the country.

If elected to power, the CPI promised to scrap the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, remove the 50 per cent cap on reservations, conduct a caste census, introduce taxation measures such as wealth tax and inheritance tax, increase corporate tax, introduce reservation in the private sector, and raise the daily wage under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) Rs 700.

"General elections for the 18th Lok Sabha are going to be very crucial and critical for our secular democratic republic, its future and to our constitutional ethos," the CPI manifesto stated.

After releasing the manifesto, CPI general secretary D Raja said, "The elections are very critical for the country and its future. (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi's rule has been disastrous for the country."

"The Constitution is under attack. BJP being political army of RSS is trying to change the Constitution and ultimately replace it," he alleged.

The Left party said if voted to power, it will introduce measures to address the growing inequality.

The CPI also said it aims to bring central investigative agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under the purview of Parliament, and added it will "intensify its struggle for the abolition of Governor's Office to strengthen federalism by removing Union's interference."

"Elected governments in states should be empowered to take major policy decisions...," the manifesto stated.

The CPI said it will continue to fight politically and legally to remove the "arbitrary" cap of 50 per cent on reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs, and implement women's reservation immediately by removing the clause relating to delimitation and census.

The party promised increasing the available work days under the MGNREGA to 200 in a calendar year as well as introducing an Urban Employment Guarantee Act and social security for gig-workers.

"When the new government is formed, our party will play its role to raise people's issues," Raja said.