The 23rd State Conference of Communist Party of India (Marxist) commenced at Kolkata today by hoisting the red flag of the Party and offering floral tributes to the martyrs who have sacrificed their lives to carry forward the ideology of the Party. The red flag of the Party was hoisted by Com. Prakash Karat, General Secretary of the Party. The Politburo members including the General Secretary of the Party Com. Prakash Karat, West Bengal State Secretary Com. Biman Basu, Com. Sitaram Yechury, Com. K Vardarajan, Com. Buddhadev Bhattacharya, Com. Brinda Karat, Com. Md. Amin and Com. Nirupam Sen offered floral tribute to the martyrs on the martyrs’ column. The other delegates also paid their homage to the martyrs by offering flowers.
The conference is being held at Comrade Jyoti Basu Nagar (Kolkata) and Comrade Harkishen Singh Surjeet Manch (Pramod Dasgupta Bhawan). To conduct the proceedings of the conference, the following comrades were elected in the Presidium: Com. Binoy Konar, Com. Bonani Biswas, Com. Md. Selim, Com. Rupchand Murmu and Com. Dinesh Dakua.
At the beginning of the delegate session condolence resolution was moved in the memory of Comrade Jyoti Basu, Comrade Harkishen Singh Surjeet, Comrade M.K Pandhe three politburo members of the Party, Com. Subhash Chakraborty, Secretariat member of West Bengal CPI(M), who died after the last State Conference. The condolence resolution also remembered all great personalities from politics, arts, literature and sports who passed away since the last state conference was held. A martyrs’ resolution was also moved at the conference, remembering the sacrifices of all those who were martyred while keeping high the banner of the party and Marxism-Leninism.
Com. Biman Basu, secretary of the State Committee of CPI(M) placed the political-organizational report in the conference. While placing the report, Com. Basu mentioned that since the last conference till April 2011, 506 comrades were martyred and since the new government came to power, in May 2011, 56 more comrades have been martyred. These comrades were martyred because they were fighting to keep up the red flag of the party. The party has to live up to the sacrifices of these comrades. The party has to rectify the mistakes and emerge as an ideologically and politically strong party with an increased mass base amongst the poor people. Com. Basu also pointed out that the policies pursued by the state government are no different from the policies pursued by the central government, which are basically anti-people policies. In the coming days, the party has to struggle and mobilize people against these anti-people policies propagated by both the central and state governments.
The conference is being held at Comrade Jyoti Basu Nagar (Kolkata) and Comrade Harkishen Singh Surjeet Manch (Pramod Dasgupta Bhawan). To conduct the proceedings of the conference, the following comrades were elected in the Presidium: Com. Binoy Konar, Com. Bonani Biswas, Com. Md. Selim, Com. Rupchand Murmu and Com. Dinesh Dakua.
At the beginning of the delegate session condolence resolution was moved in the memory of Comrade Jyoti Basu, Comrade Harkishen Singh Surjeet, Comrade M.K Pandhe three politburo members of the Party, Com. Subhash Chakraborty, Secretariat member of West Bengal CPI(M), who died after the last State Conference. The condolence resolution also remembered all great personalities from politics, arts, literature and sports who passed away since the last state conference was held. A martyrs’ resolution was also moved at the conference, remembering the sacrifices of all those who were martyred while keeping high the banner of the party and Marxism-Leninism.
Com. Biman Basu, secretary of the State Committee of CPI(M) placed the political-organizational report in the conference. While placing the report, Com. Basu mentioned that since the last conference till April 2011, 506 comrades were martyred and since the new government came to power, in May 2011, 56 more comrades have been martyred. These comrades were martyred because they were fighting to keep up the red flag of the party. The party has to live up to the sacrifices of these comrades. The party has to rectify the mistakes and emerge as an ideologically and politically strong party with an increased mass base amongst the poor people. Com. Basu also pointed out that the policies pursued by the state government are no different from the policies pursued by the central government, which are basically anti-people policies. In the coming days, the party has to struggle and mobilize people against these anti-people policies propagated by both the central and state governments.
The General Secretary of the party, Prakash Karat delivered the inaugural speech in the conference. In the course of his speech he made the following salient points:
On International Issues
He analyzed the international situation prevalent at the current juncture and stated that capitalism is in a deep crisis. In order to come out of the crisis, capitalism is trying to put more burden on the common working people through the imposition of austerity measures. Simultaneously, imperialism is becoming more aggressive in its efforts to emerge from this crisis. Imperialism, led by the US continues to further the ‘Washington Consensus’. However, in the aftermath of this crisis, the economic policies of neo-liberalism and the Washington Consensus are being questioned by the people. People, across the nations, have risen up in protest against the anti-people policies imposed by neo-liberalism.
He discussed the differing nature of the anti-imperialist movements, the spontaneous ‘Occupy Wall Street’ protests in 1500+ cities around the world, the experiences of the left-democratic governments of Latin America executing an independent, sustained pro-people policy framework and the increasing success of China. While the US and other developed western capitalist powers are on the wane economically, China continues to grow as an economic power. He however cautioned that in spite of the crisis, the US continues to maintain the hegemony of its imperialistic economic ideology over the globe. He also cautioned about the current US policy of hijacking people’s uprisings for its own designs, as seen in Libya, Egypt, etc.
He said that while the capitalist world is mired in a severe economic crisis with high sovereign debts and deficits, China continues to generate a huge surplus every year, which the capitalist world now seek to aid its rescue. India too, is facing a relentless assault by these imperialistic forces. The party needs to focus on getting the masses to participate in this agitation against imperialism.
On National Issues
The results of the last few elections, Prakash Karat agreed, have weakened the left’s capability to intervene to some extent. In this situation the party has to increase its independent functioning to move ahead. Movements have to be built up raising the demands of the vast masses of the people who are being adversely affected by neo-liberal policies. At the same time, movements need to be built upon on local issues. Emphasis should be laid on building movements of the unorganized sector workers and the rural poor. Secondly, the left and democratic forces should be strengthened. This should not be taken merely as a propagandist slogan. In order to materialize this, the left parties, left forces and left minded people should be unified. The democratic forces should be rallied. Thirdly, in the current situation, issue based movements have to be built up against the Congress and BJP rallying other bourgeois regional parties. This will not become the Third Alternative immediately.
On West Bengal
Prakash Karat noted the immense gains of the 34- year Left Front government and said that the current dispensation, led by reactionary forces are on the path of reversing all the gains made by the people. Their attempt at destroying the economic and social infrastructure created by the left is clear and that while West Bengal has been an oasis of social stability and peace in the ‘identity-politics’ ridden India, the forces of reaction are attempting to nurture the divisive forces by encouraging identity politics, as is clear in their bonhomie with the separatist forces in the hills, Maoists, etc. He observed that the Bengal government has unleashed a campaign of political terror to mortally wound the party’s organization across the state. However, the people of Bengal are increasingly getting resentful of the government’s policies and the party needs to commit itself to provide leadership to the people’s movements.
Prakash Karat observed that the West Bengal party has to go back to establishing a close relationship with the people and severe steps have to be taken to deter any unwanted trends in the party. It is through this rectification process that a stronger party will be built. The current government will continue escalating the miseries of the people and the party has to build a movement along with the people, patiently. The West Bengal Party, honed through great sacrifice, struggles and loss of lives will succeed, he said emphatically.
On International Issues
He analyzed the international situation prevalent at the current juncture and stated that capitalism is in a deep crisis. In order to come out of the crisis, capitalism is trying to put more burden on the common working people through the imposition of austerity measures. Simultaneously, imperialism is becoming more aggressive in its efforts to emerge from this crisis. Imperialism, led by the US continues to further the ‘Washington Consensus’. However, in the aftermath of this crisis, the economic policies of neo-liberalism and the Washington Consensus are being questioned by the people. People, across the nations, have risen up in protest against the anti-people policies imposed by neo-liberalism.
He discussed the differing nature of the anti-imperialist movements, the spontaneous ‘Occupy Wall Street’ protests in 1500+ cities around the world, the experiences of the left-democratic governments of Latin America executing an independent, sustained pro-people policy framework and the increasing success of China. While the US and other developed western capitalist powers are on the wane economically, China continues to grow as an economic power. He however cautioned that in spite of the crisis, the US continues to maintain the hegemony of its imperialistic economic ideology over the globe. He also cautioned about the current US policy of hijacking people’s uprisings for its own designs, as seen in Libya, Egypt, etc.
He said that while the capitalist world is mired in a severe economic crisis with high sovereign debts and deficits, China continues to generate a huge surplus every year, which the capitalist world now seek to aid its rescue. India too, is facing a relentless assault by these imperialistic forces. The party needs to focus on getting the masses to participate in this agitation against imperialism.
On National Issues
The results of the last few elections, Prakash Karat agreed, have weakened the left’s capability to intervene to some extent. In this situation the party has to increase its independent functioning to move ahead. Movements have to be built up raising the demands of the vast masses of the people who are being adversely affected by neo-liberal policies. At the same time, movements need to be built upon on local issues. Emphasis should be laid on building movements of the unorganized sector workers and the rural poor. Secondly, the left and democratic forces should be strengthened. This should not be taken merely as a propagandist slogan. In order to materialize this, the left parties, left forces and left minded people should be unified. The democratic forces should be rallied. Thirdly, in the current situation, issue based movements have to be built up against the Congress and BJP rallying other bourgeois regional parties. This will not become the Third Alternative immediately.
On West Bengal
Prakash Karat noted the immense gains of the 34- year Left Front government and said that the current dispensation, led by reactionary forces are on the path of reversing all the gains made by the people. Their attempt at destroying the economic and social infrastructure created by the left is clear and that while West Bengal has been an oasis of social stability and peace in the ‘identity-politics’ ridden India, the forces of reaction are attempting to nurture the divisive forces by encouraging identity politics, as is clear in their bonhomie with the separatist forces in the hills, Maoists, etc. He observed that the Bengal government has unleashed a campaign of political terror to mortally wound the party’s organization across the state. However, the people of Bengal are increasingly getting resentful of the government’s policies and the party needs to commit itself to provide leadership to the people’s movements.
Prakash Karat observed that the West Bengal party has to go back to establishing a close relationship with the people and severe steps have to be taken to deter any unwanted trends in the party. It is through this rectification process that a stronger party will be built. The current government will continue escalating the miseries of the people and the party has to build a movement along with the people, patiently. The West Bengal Party, honed through great sacrifice, struggles and loss of lives will succeed, he said emphatically.
(Courtesy : WWW.cpimwb.org)
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