June 9, 2014
Press Communiqué
The
Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New
Delhi on June 7 & 8, 2014. It has issued the following statement:
Review of Lok Sabha Election
The
Central Committee discussed and adopted a review report of the Lok
Sabha election. The Central Committee conducted an in-depth discussion
which critically assessed the poor performance of the Party. The Polit
Bureau and the Central leadership took the primary responsibility for
the failure to expand the independent strength and the decline in the
mass base of the Party which was reflected in the election results.
The
Central Committee discussed the review of the election results in West
Bengal where the Party and the Left Front have suffered a serious
reverse. The Central Committee discussed the political and
organisational steps to be taken so that the Party in West Bengal can
reorient its work and forge close links with the people. The Party will
take the lead in taking up the issues of the working people and conduct
struggles and movements. Immediate steps should be taken to protect the
Party cadres and supporters who are facing continuous attacks.
The
Central Committee congratulated the Tripura State Committee for the
unprecedented victory. The Party and the Left Front polled 64.4 per cent
of the vote, winning the two seats with huge margins.
The
Central Committee decided to review the political line and the
organisational functioning in order to take corrective measures. The
Party will go to the people, forge close links with the masses and will
ceaselessly conduct struggles and movements to defend the livelihood
interests of the people, secularism and democratic rights. The Central
Committee is united in its resolve to face the challenges arising out of
the new political situation in the country.
Trinamul Violence Condemned
The
Central Committee condemned the continuing violence and attacks on its
cadres and Left supporters by the Trinamul Congress in West Bengal. Ten
CPI(M) members and supporters were killed during the election campaign
and in the post-poll violence. The Central Committee called upon the
Party and the Left forces to conduct solidarity campaigns all over the
country in defence of democracy and against the violence in West Bengal.
New Government
With
the Narendra Modi government taking office, the people are expecting
that the acute problems they are facing will be addressed such as price
rise, unemployment, agrarian distress and increasing crimes against
women.
However, the BJP-led government seems more
interested in raising issues which are divisive. The talk of abrogating
Article 370 of the Constitution by a minister has caused serious
apprehensions. This can only lead to more alienation amongst the people
in Kashmir. Nothing should be done that will undermine the special
status accorded to Jammu & Kashmir which is a solemn commitment to
the people at the time of the state’s accession to the Indian Union.
Moves
are afoot to increase FDI entry into defence production and other
sectors like insurance. The CPI(M) is opposed to such steps. There are
also moves to grant environmental clearance to a large number of
projects in the mining and power sectors which have serious implications
for the environment and the rights of the tribal people in these areas.
The Modi government should desist from taking such steps without taking
into account the environmental factors and the rights of the tribal and
local people.
Spate of Communal Incidents
Ever
since the polling for the Lok Sabha elections ended and the new
government assumed office there have been more than a dozen communal
incidents across the country. Communal clashes have been reported from
Gujarat, Maharashtra, UP, Karnataka and other places. There has been the
brutal killing of a young Muslim IT professional by men belonging to
the Hindu Rashtra Sena in Pune. It seems the mood of triumphalism has
led to communal incidents often targeting the minority community. The
Central Committee strongly condemned such attacks and resolved to work
to protect the minority community while countering all forms of
communalism.
Increasing Crimes Against Women
It
is a matter of deep concern that sexual assaults against women and
children continue to increase raising questions as to whether India is a
country safe for its women. The lack of political will to take the
necessary measures to curb assaults on women has been exemplified by the
spate of horrific cases of rape and murder of the victims in Uttar
Pradesh such as in Badaun. The state Government has failed to curb
lawlessness including in its own police force. On the contrary
statements by top leaders of the Samajwadi Party trivialize the crime of
rape and encourage the callousness of the police and officials in
dealing with such cases.
There have also been a
big increase in cases of sexual assault in Rajasthan including in the
Chief Minister’s own constituency where victims have been denied
justice. The shocking statements by the Home Ministers in BJP led Madhya
Pradesh and Chattisgarh display utter insensitivity and raise questions
whether victims of sexual assault in these States can ever hope for
justice. There is no respite from the growing attacks on women in West
Bengal.
The Central Committee demanded that the
state governments concerned take firm and effective action in all such
cases and send out a message that such crimes will not be tolerated.
