Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of unveiling policies targeted at looting India's natural resources and changing the basics of Indian economy, the CPI-M Thursday scoffed at his pet Swachh Bharat project, saying unless poverty was removed, the country could not be cleaned.
Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Prakash Karat asked the people to rally against the "neo-liberal and communal offensive" and said his party would go all out to challenge the "right wing offensive".
"The entire party should resolve to counter the right wing offensive in the country," Karat said addressing an event celebrating the 50th anniversary of the seventh party Congress of the undivided CPI, which led to the emergence of the CPI-M.
"The policies unveiled by Modi are aimed at changing the basics of the Indian economy and looting the country's natural resources. People should rally against the neo-liberal and communal offensive," he said.
Karat dismissed reports of sharp differences between party politburo members, blaming the "bourgeoisie media of misrepresenting matters".
"The bourgeoisie media is trying to misrepresent, to twist matters to belittle our serious political discussion as mere tussles and rifts in the party," he said.
Dubbing Modi a "demagogue", CPI-M politburo member and former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said the prime minister was going around the country asking people to sweep the streets.
"Should I take it that the prime minister doesn't know unless poverty was alleviated, and people's basic needs are addressed, the country cannot be cleaned?" Bhattacharjee asked.
"The previous prime minister, Manmohan Singh, seldom spoke. The present one only speaks. He is a mere demagogue," he said.
