Mumbai, Aug 9 (IANS): On the 79th anniversary of the historic 'Quit India Movement' being celebrated all over the country, the Nationalist Congress Party, Left parties and thousands of farmers gave a 'Modi Sarkar Hatao, Desh Bachao' call, here on Monday.

State NCP President and Water Resources Minister Jayant Patil, Mumbai party President and Minister Nawab Malik and others visited the martyrs' memorial at the August Kranti Maidan in south Mumbai and paid homage to those who sacrificed their lives for the country's Independence.

"On August 9, 1942, Mahatma Gandhi gave the clarion call to the British rulers to 'Quit India', which was finally overthrown after five years. Today, the present government at the Centre is attempting to strangle democracy, and freedom of expressions by the use of Pegasus," Patil said.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) State President and Water Resources Minister Jayant Patil expressed confidence that the country would not survive without unity to preserve democracy and uphold the Constitution of India.

In the same August Revolution, the slogan 'Leave India' was chanted to overthrow the tyrannical rule of the British and the British were repatriated by adopting the path of non-violence. Even today, the government of the country is trying to strangle democracy. Jayant Patil also said that freedom of expression is being hammered by bringing things like Pegasus.

He expressed confidence that just as the people had heeded the slogan of unity by Mahatma Gandhi, even now the country will remain united to save the country and the Constitution.

Thousands of Left party workers and farmers staged demonstrations across Maharashtra and rest of India with a call for 'Modi Sarkar Hatao, Corporate Loot Band Karo, Desh Bachao', said All India Kisan Sabha President Dr Ashok Dhawale.

They included AIKS, CITU, AIAWU, AIDWA, DYFI, SFI and various other mass and grassroots organisations in different districts in the state which recalled the sacrifices of the martyrs of the Indian Independence movement.

Waving banners and posters the protesters raised anti-BJP slogans and reiterated the long-pending demands of repeal of the 3 contentious Farm Laws, 4 Labour Laws, withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bills, sought a Central law to guarantee MSP, end to privatization of the public sector by selling off the country's assets to corporates, controlling the prices of gas, diesel and petrol, curbing the runaway inflation, etc.