Accusing the Central government of having failed in combating the Covid-19 pandemic, the CPM staged a protest in front of the deputy commissioner’s office in Mangaluru on Tuesday.
The lockdown has affected the daily wage labourers and working class, they said.
The protesters urged the government to transfer Rs 7,500 per month for a period of six months to all families outside the income-tax paying bracket.
Other demands include the distribution of free foodgrains for six months and the expansion of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to guarantee 200 days of employment with enhanced wages.
After staging the protest, the protesters submitted a memorandum, with their demands to the Central government through the deputy commissioner.
The protesters maintained social distancing and wore masks as a precautionary measure to check the spread of Covid-19.