CPI (M) chief demands Telangana, Karnataka roll back labour reforms

Hyderabad" M A Baby, General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), has criticised the Congress governments in Karnataka and Telangana for moving towards the implementation of new labour codes. While condemning these states, he praised the Left government in Kerala for its refusal to enforce the mandates. He demanded that both the Telangana and Karnataka administrations immediately withdraw their notifications related to these new laws to protect the interests of the working class.

Referring to the nationwide strike held on 12 February, which he claimed saw participation from 25 to 30 crore people, Baby announced that the party will stage a massive dharna at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on 24 March. The protest is directed against what he termed the Narendra Modi government’s anti-people, anti-labour, and anti-farmer policies. Speaking at the party state office in Hyderabad, he also criticised the central government’s free trade agreement with the United States, claiming it threatens national economic sovereignty. He questioned oil import decisions and described current economic policies as market-driven and harmful.

Baby further accused the government of weakening MGNREGA by underfunding the scheme and shifting 40 per cent of the financial burden to states. He called the plan to extend workdays to 125 without sufficient funds misleading. Additionally, he criticised the Electricity Amendment Act and the proposed Universities Bill, stating they would harm farmers, hospitals, and schools.

State Secretary John Wesley urged the Telangana government to honour its election promises, including allocating 20 per cent of the state budget to education.