Voices of Protest: Left-Wing Parties Slam Budget 2025-26 as Anti-People

New Delhi: On February 20, 2024, six left-wing parties staged a large protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, voicing strong opposition to the Union Budget for 2025-26. The protesters criticised the budget for being "anti-worker, anti-farmer, anti-student, and anti-poor." They argued that it ignored the basic needs of the Indian population and failed to address critical issues like unemployment, declining wages, and economic inequality.

Vikram Singh, Central Committee member of the CPI(M) and Joint Secretary of the All India Agricultural Workers’ Union(AIAWU), condemned the Modi government's budget, claiming it would worsen the economic conditions of millions of Indians. He pointed out that while the Economic Survey highlighted the dire state of India's labor force and falling incomes, the government’s budget did not address these concerns. Instead of focusing on the demand deficiency caused by widespread unemployment, the government proposed tax cuts for high-income groups and further cuts in public expenditure.

Vikram emphasized that the Modi government’s approach would deepen economic inequality. Instead of increasing taxes on the rich and large corporations to fund public investment and create jobs, the government was opting to reduce spending, benefiting only the wealthy. He also criticized the proposals to allow 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the insurance sector and privatise the power sector, which, he argued, would only further enrich the rich.

The protest also saw addresses from prominent leaders, including Rama Krishna Panda of the Communist Party of India (CPI), Ravi Rai, State Secretary of Communist Party of India -(Marxist-Leninist) Liberation (CPI-ML), Manvendra Pratap Singh of the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), and Birju Naik of the Communist Ghadar Party of India (CGPI). The protest gathering was organised by Anurag Saxena, State Secretary of the CPI(M), and Dinesh Varshney, CPI State Council Secretary.

The protesters pledged to intensify the fight against unemployment, inflation, and the growing crisis faced by farmers, as well as the privatization and looting of public resources, calling for a fairer, more inclusive economic policy to address the struggles of India’s working class.