Centre's festival scheme is election bonanza, says CPI

Communist Party of India (CPI) slammed the special festival advance scheme terming it as an election bonanza. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman earlier in the day announced measures of Rs 73,000 crore to stimulate consumer spending before the end of this Financial Year in the fight against COVID-19.

New Delhi: After Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced special festival advance scheme on Monday the Communist Party of India (CPI) termed it as an election bonanza.

"This is an election bonanza. Keeping in mind the Bihar election, the government is trying to hoodwink the people with financial packages," said CPI MP Binoy Viswam in an exclusive interview to ETV Bharat in New Delhi.

He said that this government which is hesitant to pay the arrears of the DA of employees, trying to sell the PSU all across the country, trying to privatise everything, "how can we believe this government all of a sudden came to the rescue of workers and employees."

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman earlier in the day announced measures of Rs 73,000 crore to stimulate consumer spending before the end of this Financial Year in the fight against Covid19. The minister also announced to give cash payment in lieu of one LTC during 2018-21.

Sitaraman also announced that all central government employees can now get an interest free advance of Rs 10,000 to be spent by March 31, 2021, on the choice of the festival of employees.

"This is only a gimmick of paperwork. The government asks the people to go to the bank and the bank will pay...the poor wait for days and months to get over the illusions," said Viswam.

Meanwhile, referring to an issue where leaders from different political parties especially Congress keep leaving the party just to join BJP, Viswam said that Congress needs to make a serious introspection.

"It shows the condition of Congress. How pitiable the party today is! It should seriously make introspection and try to rediscover Nehru and Gandhi philosophy," he said.

Viswam was referring to the joining of cine star turned Congress leader Khusboo to the BJP.

He said that Gandhian philosophy and Nehruvian concept of future India-all those values and concepts need to be recaptured by the Congress. "Until and unless they introspect, this kind of casualties will keep happening," said Viswam.

Significantly, CPI and other Left parties have come together with Congress to fight Bihar election under the umbrella of grand alliance lead by RJD.

Viswam also hailed that Congress took an initiative to give a fight against the BJP in Bihar. "The party should come with all like-minded parties to make the difference," said Viswam.

Read: Girl from MP escapes from man who offered 'help'