Bhubaneswar, Oct 15: CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury Monday said the "faulty" policies of the BJP-led central government had pushed the Indian economy to its "worst ever crisis" and were also behind the recent spate of agrarian movements across the country.

The industry and agriculture sectors were the "worst victims of the faulty economic policies", he said, adding that the Communist Party of India (Marxist) supported the farmers' agitation.

"The recent agrarian movements across the country took place due to the faulty policies and the farmers are the worst victims," Yechury said, while claiming that farmer suicides had increased as they did not get an adequate price for their produce and therefore, could not repay their loans.

He said the policies of the government had pushed the country's economy to its "worst ever crisis" and the farmers were faced with a low growth rate and a minus wholesale price index (WPI).

The growth rate in the agriculture sector had reduced to 2.5 per cent from 5 per cent in 2013-14, while the WPI had witnessed a negative growth, the Left leader said, adding, "The WPI in 2013-14 was 11 points. Now, it is minus 4 -- it has fallen from the base."

There was a "massive" farmers' agitation in September and other such protests will also be held, he said.

"This kisan movement is going to increase and our party has decided to extend full support to all such struggles," Yechury added.

Lashing out at the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre, he said the economy of the country had crumbled in the last three years.

"The price of petrol and diesel, which was reduced by the BJP government a month ago, has gone up again," Yechury added.

He also alleged that there was a bid to cover up the official figure on unemployment.

"What is worst is that Parliament's Estimates Committee took up the issue, because the government was silent on the level of employment for two-three years. But the BJP members in the committee are preventing its chairman, M M Joshi, from presenting the report in Parliament," Yechury said, claiming that this showed how the government was concealing truth.

"Therefore, our party has decided to support the youth march to Parliament on November 3," he said.

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Bengaluru (PTI): Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar claimed on Friday that Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in a murder case, has become a victim of a BJP conspiracy because he was growing politically in the north Karnataka region.

Stating that he has faith in Kulkarni and believes he has done nothing wrong, he said the former minister will fight the case legally by filing an appeal.

A Bengaluru court on Friday sentenced Kulkarni and fifteen others to life imprisonment in the BJP leader Yogeshgouda Goudar murder case.

On Wednesday, Santhosh Gajanan Bhat, Judge of the Special Court for cases involving elected representatives, convicted Kulkarni and others under various IPC sections, including criminal conspiracy and murder.

“I respect the court. But there was a big conspiracy in this case. When the police were about to file a B-report, the CBI was given the case to harass him (Kulkarni). Vinay Kulkarni has become a victim of a BJP conspiracy as he was growing politically in north Karnataka,” Shivakumar said.

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, he said Kulkarni has several legal options.

“I have spoken to his family. He swore on God and told me that he had not done anything wrong. I still have faith in him. I feel that he has not done anything wrong. He has an opportunity to file an appeal,” he said, adding that he stands with Kulkarni’s family and supporters and believes he will get justice.

The case pertains to the killing of Goudar, a BJP zilla panchayat member, in Dharwad on June 15, 2016. Kulkarni was a minister at the time. Hired assailants allegedly attacked and hacked Goudar to death in his gym in Saptapur, Dharwad.

Following demands from Goudar’s family and others, the then-BJP government transferred the case to the CBI in 2019.

Veteran BJP leader and former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, under whose tenure the case was handed over to the CBI, told reporters in Chikkamagaluru, “I said what I needed to say when the crime happened, and what I said—that the guilty should be punished and justice should be served—has proven true.”

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, BJP leader and MLC C T Ravi, reacting to the court order, said, “Justice delayed, but not denied.”