Civil society groups pledge support to INDIA bloc in elections

Representatives of over 50 civil society organisations and 18 small parties not a part of the INDIA bloc met here on Friday, pledging support to candidates of the opposition grouping in the upcoming state and Lok Sabha polls.

At ‘Jeetega INDIA: National Convention for Democracy, Secularism and Social Justice’, organised by Bharat Jodo Abhiyan (BJA) and Confederation of Indian Communists and Democratic Socialists, Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav said they will focus on 100-150 seats where the Opposition candidates have been losing with narrow margins, and help in augmenting votes for them.

Yadav said representatives from over 20 states attended the convention held Friday.

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A resolution passed by the convention said,”The idea of India on which our Republic is founded faces an unprecedented assault today”. It has further said that hate speeches, hate campaigns and propaganda have ensured the dismantling of a secular state and the reduction of minorities to second class citizens.

The Convention also pointed to the economic recession and increase in unemployment and inflation, alleging that the BJP has in the meantime favoured its corporate “cronies’’ as like Adani.