'Vikalp Lao Desh Bachao'
Impressive Meeting in Ludhiana
The hosiery capital of country, Ludhiana, gave a rousing welcome to Northern Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha today. The jatha led by CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat was received at the entrance of the city by large number of youth. Later on this group on motorcycles led jatha up to Chatar Singh park where thousands of industrial workers, rural labour and middle class people had assembled for a large public meeting. Guruchetan Singh, CPI(M) state committee member and son of legendary leader of Party, Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet, presided over the meeting.
Addressing the rally Brinda Karat called for a policy-based alternative. She said "Vikalp lao Desh bachao" (Alternative is a must for saving the country." Dealing with various crises facing Punjab today she said “Punjab is facing a health energy caused by pollution of soil, water and air leading to explosion of cancer on largescale."
Before beginning of public meeting, Brinda Karat honoured a MGNREGA labourer Manjeet Kaur, also member of All India Agricultural Workers Union (AIAWU) and CPI(M). Ms Kaur is one of three women labourers invited for a Seminar on MGNREGA at Delhi addressed by PM. In the seminar she raised AIAWU's demand for 200 days work in a year and Rs 300 as daily wage. Hero Cycle and BSNL contract labour unions handed memorandums of their demands to Jatha leaders.
After night stay at Jalandhar, the jatha reached Ludhiana this afternoon. Last evening, a well attended public meeting in front of DC office was addressed by jatha leaders. The meeting began by condoling the death of 12 school going children of the city in a horrifying road accident yestrday.
Addressing the rally Brinda Karat emphasised the anti-people character of policies of UPA government. At the same time rejecting BJP's claims of presenting alternative, she underlined that CPI(M)' s Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha programme is meant to project a real alternative based on policies. The meeting was also addressed by CPI(M) central secretariat member Hannan Mollah and central committee member Inderjit Singh besides leaders of Punjab state committee. Hoshiarpur district unit of AIDWA presented Brinda Karat a purse of Rs 11,000 for Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha.
