New Delhi: The CPI(M) on Thursday proposed stoppage of mass surveillance, statutory minimum wage of not less than Rs 18,000 per month and curbing monopolies over telecom and internet service platforms in its manifesto for the coming Lok Sabha elections.
This is the first time when the Left party has mentioned digital rights of citizens in its manifesto. It said it would recognise digital infrastructure as public infrastructure and stop mass surveillance by state agencies under Section 69 of the IT Act.
“There should be clear provisions and judicial supervision of any surveillance that violates citizens privacy. Enact data privacy laws that protect the people against appropriation/misuse of users private data for commercial use,” said CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury while releasing the manifesto along with Polit Bureau members Brinda Karat, Prakash Karat and Nilotpal Basu.
He said the party would curb monopoly of some telecom majors.
In the declaration, the party also proposed alternative policy platform under which it called for protection of the secular principle and democratic rights enshrined in the Constitution and enforcement of farmers’ right to sell their produce at minimum support price.
“Our main aim is to defeat the BJP, increase the strength of the CPI(M) and the Left in Parliament and form an alternative secular government,” Yechury said.
Yechury said there was a need to reform the electoral system by introducing proportional representation with partial list system. (PTI)
