Communist Party of India calls for intensification of “Badlaav Zaroori Hai” campaign

The meetings also evaluated the nationwide mass-contact campaign conducted in August and the rally held at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on 1 September.

The CPI leadership described the campaign as a significant political intervention reflecting growing public dissatisfaction with the Modi government. According to the National Council, frustration is increasing among various sections of society, particularly young people and students, over issues including the economy, unemployment, education, healthcare, social security and rising prices. The Party argued that the campaign had succeeded in bringing together different social groups around a common demand for political change.

The CPI reported that its Padayatras and other mass-contact activities carried the campaign to towns and villages across India. The campaign culminated in a rally at Ramlila Maidan, which the Party said mobilised more than 80,000 people. The National Council described the event as the largest mobilisation by a Left party in the Indian capital in several decades.

The Council also condemned what it described as attempts by the BJP authorities to obstruct participation in the rally, including the cancellation of pre-booked trains from Kerala and Tamil Nadu and the placing of CPI activists under house arrest in parts of Uttar Pradesh. The CPI argued that these measures reflected concern within the ruling establishment about growing popular opposition.

The Party also highlighted its publication and outreach campaigns, as well as its use of social media to expand the reach of the mobilisation. The National Council concluded that the scale of the rally demonstrated continuing public support for the CPI's political programme and justified the further expansion of the “Badlaav Zaroori Hai” campaign.

Planned Programme of Action

The CPI leadership decided to intensify the campaign through a series of nationwide activities.

On 2 October, Gandhi Jayanti, the Party will observe Communal Harmony Day, focusing on opposition to communal polarisation and the defence of India's secular and social fabric.

On 7 November, the CPI will observe Revolution Day, highlighting the role of communists in revolutionary and liberation struggles internationally and in India's freedom struggle. The initiative will particularly seek to promote the historical and political legacy of the communist movement among younger generations.

The most significant planned mobilisation will be a nationwide Jail Bharo Aandolan, or mass court-arrest campaign, to be held from 1 to 3 December 2026. The CPI has set a target of mobilising at least 500,000 people to participate. The campaign will focus on issues affecting workers, farmers, youth, students and women and will demand fundamental political and policy changes.

National Council Resolutions

The National Council also adopted resolutions on two national issues.

First, it demanded the withdrawal of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, arguing that the legislation centralises control over mineral resources and undermines the rights of mineral-rich states, including Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The CPI maintained that India's mineral wealth should be used in the interests of the population rather than transferred to corporate interests.

Second, the Council expressed concern over the severe floods in Assam, particularly in Upper Assam. It noted reports that more than 1,000 villages had been affected and that over 100 people had died. The CPI demanded that the Union government declare the floods a national disaster and provide a special package for emergency relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction.