Sunday, October 14, 2012

CPIM CC Press Communiqué

 
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi from October 12 to 14, 2012. It has issued the following statement:
 
Onslaught on People’s Interests
 
The UPA government has undertaken a series of measures which are meant to appease foreign finance capital and big business on the one hand and to squeeze the people and burden them with steps to increase price rise and cut subsidies on the other.
 
The decision to allow FDI in multi-brand retail, the disinvestment in profitable public sector enterprises and the efforts to increase FDI in the insurance sector and privatize pension funds are all meant to profit foreign capital and big corporates.
 
The sharp hike in diesel by Rs. 5 per litre has stoked inflation and in such a situation the limitation in subsidized gas cylinders is a serious attack on the budgets of ordinary families.
 
The Manmohan Singh government has increased the price of subsidized gas cylinders by Rs. 11.40 and the price of urea by Rs. 50 per tonne in recent days. These callous measures will only further increase the burdens on the people. The UPA government is not  bothered with the food inflation rate which has crossed 10 per cent.
 
The Central Committee noted the growing political isolation of the UPA government. The withdrawal of the TMC from the government, even the partners of the UPA government differing with the anti-people measures adopted – all go to show that the Manmohan Singh government has no mandate to push through such reforms. The September 20 all India protest and hartal showed the discontent and fighting mood of the people. The Central Committee resolved to intensify the movements and struggles in defence of people’s livelihood and to mobilize the people against high level corruption.
 
Intensified Struggles
 
The Central Committee endorsed the decision of the Left parties to conduct conventions against FDI in multi-brand retail in state capitals and major cities in the month of November. The CPI(M) will resolutely oppose the opening of foreign supermarkets and will build up a broadbased movement to stop Walmart and other foreign supermarket chains entering India.
 
The Central Committee also decided to intensify the movement for food security and against price rise. From the second half of November and the whole month of December, Party units at all levels will take up the task of enlisting people who have no BPL cards and ensuring that they get the cards, conduct struggles for adequate supply of foodgrains through the PDS and campaign for an effective food security law. Along with this, the Party will conduct the struggle against the limitation in gas cylinders and the rise in fertilizer prices for farmers, increase in electricity rates etc.
 
Massive Corruption
 
The recent period has seen the UPA government and the Congress leadership being engulfed in corruption scandals one after the other. There is no sector in which corruption and loot of resources is not going on.
 
Coal Block Scandal
 
The Central Committee reiterated that a high level enquiry should be conducted on the allocation of captive coal blocks. The largescale misuse and corrupt practices which have been exposed by the CAG report has to be comprehensively enquired into. Since the Prime Minister was looking after this ministry, the role of the PMO should also be probed. Those found responsible for the irregularities and malpractices should be prosecuted; allocations made to the private companies should be cancelled and steps taken to recover the loss of revenue.
 
Other Cases
 
The CPI(M) demands that nothing should be done to undermine the nationalized coal industry. The captive coal mining route should not be used as a backdoor method of privatisation. Instead of competitive bidding for captive coal blocks, the alternate route should be that such allocations for private steel and power producers should be made through the nodal agency of Coal India Ltd and the mining should be undertaken by the CIL and its subsidiaries and coal supplied to the private power and steel producers through fuel supply agreements.
 
The Central Committee demanded that action be taken on the basis of the CAG reports on the Sasan ultra mega power project and the Delhi International Airport Ltd. In both cases windfall profits have been made by illegal allotments and benefits.
 
The Central Committee demanded that enquiry should be conducted by the relevant authorities into the business dealings of Robert Vadra. His companies and its links with the giant real estate company DLF and the nexus with the Haryana government should be probed and action taken if there is any wrongdoing.
 
Situation in Assam
 
The Central Committee expressed its deep concern at the ethnic clashes which took place in the Bodo Territorial Autonomous District areas. Even two and a half months after the clashes nearly two lakh people are living in relief camps, the bulk of them Muslims. All steps should be taken to see that people can return to their homes and lands and the state should ensure their safety and security. The Central Committee condemned the efforts of certain extremist forces to communalise the whole situation in Assam.
 
The Central Committee reiterated that the right of people belonging to different states and regions to go for work and residence in other parts of the country must be protected.  Regional chauvinism and divisive forces who seek to disrupt the unity of the people should be firmly combated.
 
 
Increase in Crimes against Women
 
The Central Committee expressed its deep concern of the increase in the crimes against women which according to the NCRB figures for 2011 is as high as 2.28 lakh registered cases. Rape is the fastest growing crime in India and shockingly, sexual assaults on children under the age of 14 were as high as 10 per cent of the 24,000 cases registered in 2011. The dismal record of convictions shows that 75 per cent of the rape accused walk free, encouraging criminals to commit this heinous crime. The recent incidents in Haryana and West Bengal where those in power have sought to brush aside the increasing sexual assault cases as “a conspiracy against the Government” add insult to injury, demean rape victims and are condemnable.
 
In protest against increasing cases of sexual assault and crimes against women the CPI(M) will observe a day of national protest on October 30. The Party will campaign to mobilize public opinion against the attacks on women and young girls. The Party will demand the passage of the Bill pending with the Government against Sexual Assault; Accountability procedures and punishment to police officials guilty of delaying filing of FIR, medical examination; ensuring time-bound framework for rape cases through Fast Track Courts.
 
Prosecution of Minority Youth
 
The Central Committee deplored the continuing harassment and targeting of Muslim youth who are being arrested in cases connected with terrorism charges. Many instances have occurred of arrest of innocent youth and their being in jail for long period and finally being acquitted by the courts. The State investigative and intelligence agencies have displayed a bias in targeting Muslim youth. Steps have to be taken to step such biased investigations and procedures. The Central Committee decided to campaign for the protection of the democratic rights and civil liberties of the minority community in all such cases.
 
Assembly Elections
 
The Central Committee discussed the Party’s participation in the Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat Assembly elections. It approved the decision on the seats to be contested in these two states.
 
Support to Joint Trade Union Call
 
The Central Committee supported the call of the Central trade unions for the movement against the anti-working class policies of the government and for the protection of the rights of workers. The Central trade unions have given a call for a two-day strike on February 20-21, 2013. The Central Committee directed all its Party units to work for the success of the strike and to campaign for the success of the protest action among the working class and mobilize other sections of the working people to join the strike call. 

CPIM CC Resolution on Comrade V. S. Achuthanandan’s Stand on Kudankulam Nuclear Plant


The Central Committee reiterates the approach of the Party on the use of nuclear power for civilian purposes. The Political Resolution adopted by the 20th Congress of the Party has opposed the setting up of  nuclear parks with imported nuclear reactors which are a consequence of the Indo-US nuclear deal. These are not viable on technical and economic grounds and also from the point of view of safety.
 
In the case of the Kudankulam reactors, the resolution has made an exception as the agreement for these reactors were signed two decades before the Indo-US nuclear deal, at a time when the US and other western countries had imposed sanctions on India. Since then, two reactors from Russia have already  been constructed at considerable cost and they are at the final stage before commissioning. However, the resolution has stressed that given the local people’s apprehensions about their safety and livelihood after the Fukushima accident in Japan, these concerns should be met. There should be an independent safety audit and necessary safety measures must be put in place before the reactors are commissioned.
 
Such an independent safety review has not been conducted. In the meantime, the people protesting at Kudankulam have been subjected to police repression and a large number of cases have been foisted against them. The Party has condemned the repression and demanded that the cases of sedition and other charges be withdrawn.
 
Com. V.S. Achuthanandan has taken a position contrary to this stand. He has also criticized the Party’s position on Kudankulam as explained by the General Secretary. The Central Committee rejects his views. It censures him for his refusal to abide by the stand which was worked out at the Party Congress. The Central Committee directs Com. V.S. Achuthanandan to adopt the stand taken by the Party.