During the discussion on the Manipur budget in Lok Sabha, CPIML Member of Parliament Raja Ram Singh strongly denounced the Prime Minister’s silence on the violence and suffering of people in Manipur. He said that that policies that divide people based on region or language for political gain might be temporarily beneficial for power but are ultimately detrimental to national unity, integrity, and constitutional states. The ruling party and its government must reflect on this.
Raja Ram Singh further noted “You should not move towards a policy that escalates ethnic violence and fuels insurgency in the Northeast. I am saying this because an incident that hasn't been discussed in this House is the clash between the Assam and Mizoram police forces, in which five Assam police personnel were killed. It felt like two countries were firing at each other, despite both states being ruled by the BJP.
He also raised the issue of making agriculture profitable. He said that farming is in crisis, and farmers are drowning in debt, still driven to suicide. Tenant farmers do not receive the benefits of the PM-Kisan scheme, even though they manage 70% of the farming.
During the discussion Raja Ram Singh said “pay attention to the farmers. Do not be deceitful. Implement the Swaminathan Commission's recommendation of MSP as C2 + 50%. Guarantee the price as per the total cost. The population is growing, and we are now the most populous country in the world. Farmland is shrinking. Protect cultivable land. Acquisition is happening at the market rate for various projects, but farmers are not receiving fair compensation.”
Stop the Corporate Favouritism
CPI(ML) MP Raja Ram Singh delivered a scathing critique government’s policy of rampant ‘ease of doing business’ at the cost of workers’ rights during the discussion on the Bills of Lading Bill, 2024, in the Lok Sabha He said that the government is using legislative reforms to favour private corporations while neglecting workers' rights and national interests.
Raja Ram highlighted that the Bill, which replaces a law dating back to 1857, is being pushed under the guise of modernisation but, in reality, deepens corporate control over shipping and trade. “As privatisation has been promoted in railways and various sectors, private companies have been given more preference through this Bill,” he added.
He cited the example of how large corporations purchased land in African countries to produce pulses, which were then shipped to India. “This type of deal has been made more convenient through this Bill. I want to say that this is not fair,” he added.
CPIML MP condemned the erosion of workers' rights in the shipping industry, where regular jobs are being replaced with contract labour. “They are being paid very low, while they do regular work,” he stated. “There is no discussion in the Bill on the living conditions of the people working on ships, the labourers, and why regular recruitment is being abolished today.”
He also raised concerns about port privatisation, recalling the attempted handover of the government-run Paradip port in Odisha to a private company, which was only halted after intense public protest. He warned of the dangers of unchecked private control, pointing to drug smuggling through private ports, especially in Gujarat. “We are constantly hearing the story of Gujarat and how drugs are coming on a large scale at private ports, some are being seized, and others are going to other parts of the country, which is deteriorating the health of the youth of our country,” he said.
The CPI(ML) MP demanded that these critical issues be addressed in the Bill, emphasising the need to protect workers, public resources, and the nation's well-being. “All these aspects should be discussed in this Bill,” Raja asserted, vowing that the fight for workers and public accountability would continue both inside and outside Parliament.
