Popular Front to hold massive reach-out programmes; criticize Union Budget 2018, communal politics

Imphal, Feb 6: Popular Front of India is organising a national level movement by holding week long reach –out campaign to mark its 11th Anniversary. The organization is observing February 17 as Popular Front Day under the slogan “We with People; People with Us”.
A statement of the organization said the preceding 6 days will be observed as PR week in which wide variety of programmes will take place across the country for conveying the message of the organization to maximum number of people.  The campaign include public gatherings, flag hoisting at unit level, unity marchers by volunteers, social service activities and social media campaign. On the 11th of February units will undertake house visit all over India and have interactions with the households for introducing the organization.
Budget 2018: claims don’t match realities
“A resolution adopted by the meeting stated that Modi government has failed in fulfilling a single one of the numerous promises it had made to the people. It has brought economic disasters to the country with absurd exercises like note ban and demonetization.The claims about 2018 budget don’t match with the realities of the country. It serves interest of the rich and adds further difficulties to vast majority of poor Indians.  With announcement of various schemes for health care, agriculture and rural development, the budget is being celebrated as a pro-poor and pro-farmers.  But the insufficient allocations to the schemes prove that those are mere populist announcements of little substance. It should also be mentioned that there is no any announcement of loan waivers while farmers still continue to suffer to pay off their loans. Instead of measures for strengthening public health care system on which the poor mostly depend, the budget declares health insurance schemes. It will only cater to the insurance companies and private hospitals.  Instead of increasing direct taxation to the tiny percentage of ultra-rich, the budget has cut down corporate taxes. Meanwhile it announces additional indirect taxes, which will have direct effect on common people. The cut down in the allocation for education is also a sinister trend. There has been a steady decline in budget allocation for education since Modi government has assumed power. It is a clear sign that government is withdrawing from education giving way for more privatization in the sector.”
Kasganj: SanghPariwar playing riot politics again
“The meeting pointed out that Kasganj violence and subsequent police harassment of innocent Muslims youths show that Sangh Pariwar is once again playing riot politics in the state with an eye on 2019 election. Reports are emerging from multiple sources that Sangh Pariwar goons wantonly unleashed attack on Muslim youths who were preparing to celebrate Republic Day. Shockingly, there are CCTV footages that show police, instead of stopping the violence,joining the criminals to attack Muslims. According to a fact finding report published by a team led by SR Darapuri two Masjids and 30 shops, all belonging to Muslims, were burned, while no Hindu houses or temples were laid hand on. Police is selectively arresting innocent Muslims. Muslims who had fled the area are reluctant to come back out of fear of police harassment. BJP has time and again proved that the party is incapable of winning elections without creating communal polarization in the country and more particularly in Uttar Pradesh. Now, despite being in power both at Centre and in the state, Sangh Pariwar has nothing to present to people to improve their quality of life. With a government that is busy providing ambulances for cows while children continue to die from oxygen shortage at hospitals, people are desperate. An easy way for BJP govt. is diverting people’s anger towards minorities. The meeting opined that recent Gujarath assembly and by-election results in various states proved that people would opt for harmony and development over communal fanaticism and violence.”
The meeting was presided over by Chairman E. Abubacker and was attended by General Secretary, M Muhammed Ali Jinnah, Vice Chairman O.M.A. Salam, National Executive Council members Anis Ahmed, E.M Abdurahman, Abdul Wahid Sait, A. S. Ismail, P. Koya, K.M Shareef etc.