New Delhi, Aug 9 (IANS): CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Wednesday said in the Rajya Sabha that the neo-liberal economic policies that are impoverishing people should "quit India".

Speaking in the upper house of Parliament, the leader said: "If there is anything that must quit India on the 75th anniversary of the 'Quit India' movement, it's these neo-liberal economic policies that are impoverishing the people, it's this communalism that is dividing my people."

When he was interrupted by BJP leaders, Yechury said: "It's the honourable Prime Minister who said that communalism should quit India, and I'm talking about that communalism. I'm saying, are we doing anything to make it quit?"

Yechury said the current economic policies are increasing unemployment, poverty, and the divide between rich and the poor.

"In 2014, 49 per cent of the GDP was held by one per cent of the population in India, and now 58.4 per cent of GDP is in the hands of one per cent of the population. Is this the India of the dreams of 1947 when we became independent?" Yechury asked.

Yechury said "We have to create a movement forward for protecting the secular democratic republic of India and not for creating a Hindu Pakistan in India.

"What should be the resolve? It shouldn't be just recalling the memories of the past. It's good, but the question is: Are we going to move forward or are we going to look backwards."