20 Oppn leaders flay Centre, blame it for Parl disruption and for other peoples' woes

Following today's virtual meeting of the opposition leaders chaired by the Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, leaders of 20 opposition parties have released a joint statement.

Hyderabad: Following today's virtual meeting of the opposition leaders chaired by the Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, leaders of 20 opposition parties have released a joint statement. The opposition parties' joint statement strongly condemns the Central government and disruption of the monsoon session of Parliament, refusing to discuss or answer the illegal usage of the Pegasus military spyware to conduct unauthorized surveillance, repeal of the three anti-farmer laws, mismanagement of Covid-19 pandemic, runaway inflation, price rise and spiralling unemployment.

The statement also mentions the unprecedented scenes where MPs, including women, were injured by the Marshalls deployed to disrupt opposition protests. The opposition also criticised the government to clear several legislations through the din of the disruption. The destruction of the economy is accompanied by a mega loot of our National assets; large-scale privatization of the Public Sector, including banks and financial services; the privatization of our mineral resources and public utilities to benefit the cronies of the Prime Minister. This will be strongly resisted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day address also came under criticism from the opposition. The joint statement released today mentions that PM Modi's speech did not focus on a single issue concerning people's miseries. The speech was full of rhetoric, empty slogans and disinformation.

The undersigned of the joint statement released by the 20 opposition parties have further raised 11 demands from the Centre.

1. Marshall and augment all vaccine production capabilities in India, procure vaccines globally and speed up the free universal mass vaccination drive immediately; provide adequate compensation for those who lost their lives due to Covid; proceed to vastly expand the public health care system.
2. Central Government must implement free cash transfers of Rs.7,500 per month to all families outside the income tax bracket. Distribute free food kits containing all essential commodities of daily consumption to all the needy.
3. Withdraw unprecedented hikes in Central Excise duties on Petroleum & Diesel, reduce prices of Cooking Gas and essential commodities, particularly Cooking Oil and control galloping inflation.
4. Repeal the three anti-Agriculture Laws and compulsorily guarantee MSP to farmers.
5. Stop and reverse the unbridled privatisation of the public sector; repeal the labour codes which dilute the rights of the labour and the working class. Restore the rights of the working people to protest and for wage bargaining.
6. Implement monetary stimulus packages for the revival of MSMEs, not provision of loans. Increase public investments to build our economic and social infrastructure generating jobs and boosting domestic demand. Fill up the vacancies in government jobs.
7. Vastly enlarge MGNREGA with an increasing guarantee for 200 days with at least doubling of wages. Legislate an urban employment guarantee programme on similar lines.
8. Prioritise the vaccination of teachers, staff and students to ensure early re-opening of educational institutions.
9. Hold immediate Supreme Court-monitored judicial enquiry into the use of Pegasus Spyware for surveillance of people. High-level investigation into the Rafale deal – the cancellation of the earlier order and placing of a new order at a higher cost.
10. Release all political prisoners, including those under draconian UAPA in the Bhima Koregaon case and anti-CAA protests. Stop using other draconian laws like sedition/NSA to violate the democratic rights and civil liberties of the people. Release all media personnel detained for exercising their fundamental right of freedom of expression.
11. Release all political prisoners in J&K. Restore full statehood including J&K cadre of central services. Conduct a free and fair election at the earliest.

The undersigned parties have also decided to jointly organise protests across the country from September 20 to 30. The respective state units of the opposition parties will decide the protest plans keeping in mind the ongoing Covid-19 situation in states.