CORPSE OF DALIT BURIED IN DISPUTED BURIAL GROUND DESPITE POLICE RESISTANCE IN SORISPURAM under the leadership of TNEUF

P.Esakkimuthu,Dist.Convener,TNUEF,Tuticorin

The burial ground in the enjoyment of dalit People of Sorispuram in Tuticorin District (TN) for more than 6 decades was all of a sudden denied on the ground that it located in a patta land of a private party. The dalit people under the banner of TN Untouchability Eradication front (TNUEF) undertook different form of struggle but in vain. A picketing of Collectorate on 5.7.10 was declared. In the meantime one Sri nainar of age 85 died of sickness all of a sudden.

The villagers led by TNUEF leaders P.Esakkimuthu ( District Convener), K P.Perumal (District Secretary of AIKS) K.S.Arjunan (Town Secretary of CPI(M) and Sankarasubbu (AIKS), Marimuthu (Town Secretary of DYFI) Vai.Balu (CITU), took the corpse in procession to the disputed burial ground. The RDO and Police denied permission to enter into the burial ground. The processionist with the corpse,however, managed to enter into the burial ground by breaking the fence and the stone pillars, dig the ground and buried the corpse despite the police snatched the crowbar and spades used for digging the burial ground. Thus the dead body was buried and a memorial stone was laid near the buried place. The police force was all of a sudden withdrawn from the scene.

After the burial was over, P.Esakkimuthu, K.S.Arjunan and K.P.Perumal addressed the gathering stressing the need to rally behind the TNUEF to protect the rights of the dalits. It is thus again established that the abrogated burial ground can be restored with the unity and struggle of the dalit people under the banner of TNUEF despite fence, stonepillars and Police

Prakash Karat to lauch the campaign "Hidden dangers of the Bhopal gas disaster"

CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat launch a nation-wide campaign on 'Hidden dangers of the Bhopal gas disaster' on July 2 from Bhopal city

The campaign will focus on the laxity of the Congress regime and the US double standards which have messed up the lives of lakhs of people here.

During his stay in Bhopal, Karat will also take part in a meeting, to be attended by CPI leader Atul Kumar Anjan and others, to discuss issues related to the disaster.
(PTI)

Karnataka Government flouted SC direction: SFI

Students' Federation of India (SFI) has said that the Supreme Court had directed about five years ago that a committee be formed at the district level, headed by the Deputy Commissioner, to stop private and aided institutions from collecting donations or school development fees. However, this had not been done in any district.

Talking to presspersons N. Anantha Naika, secretary of the State unit of SFI, and K.L. Bhat, district convener of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), said that the Supreme Court had given a direction in 2005 to form the committees with MLAs, parents, student leaders and principals of all colleges. It had directed that such committees meet periodically, particularly during the beginning of the academic year, to ensure that parents were not exploited.

SFI planned to move Supreme Court against the district administration. Mr. Naika said that many institutions collected huge sums from parents as donation. The stigma attached to government colleges that coaching there was average prompted most parents to admit their children in private institutions, he said.

Fee increase
SFI criticised the Government for increasing admission fees for first and second year PU by about 40 per cent. Earlier, the fees for first PU was Rs. 1,265, which has been increased to Rs. 1,815. The second PU fees has been increased to Rs. 2,130 from Rs. 1,490.

It condemned the Government for increasing the bus pass rate by Rs. 100 saying that the Transport Minister had promised about three months ago that he would not effect an increase for another three years. SFI had organised a State-level educational conference at Devangare on June 25 and 26, and over 400 student delegates and education experts from various parts of the State will take part in it.

(Courtesy : The Hindu)

All India Agricultural Workers Union National Conference From July 17

Tiruchi, in Tamil Nadu state will host the 7th All India Confernce of All India Agricultural Workers union. The conference will be start on July 17th  and will conclude on 19th. As part of this conference hectic campaign is being conducted throughout Tamil Nadu. Village assemblies, Public meetings and seminars are being conducted.AIAWU All India Vice President Com. Hannan Mullah is leading the campaign at the moment.

"The effects of agrarian crisis are most severe on agricultural labourers and have to be counted with immediate effect. Not only do they not have land today; even the land for housesite is being diverted to other uses. Also, there is a decline in the number of workdays available in agriculture, which is their only means of livelihood. In 1991 they could get 100 days of work a year on a farm; today they get work for only 57 days or less while their number has grown from 7.4 crore to 10.7 crores in the same period. They do not have alternative employment. As a result, rural unemployment has grown from 5.3 to 9.3 per cent. Many were forced to migrate; 27.3 per cent of the migrants were cultivators and 28.2 per cent were agricultural labour, according to the government’s own figures. This has led to the wages of agricultural workers either remaining stagnant or falling over the last decade or so. Although the AIAWU has taken up wage struggle in most states consistently, notably in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu, Tripura and Punjab, we should not lose sight of their need in the coming days" he said while speaking at a meeting in Didugal organised as part of the campaing. " The conference will chart out the struggles against the anti-farmers policy of the UPA Government" he added

PB on GoM recommendations

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

GoM Recommendations: Not Good Enough

The Group of Ministers constituted to look into the measures to be taken on the Bhopal gas leak accident has finalized its recommendations. Some of the steps suggested such as the curative petition against the order of the Supreme Court of March 1997, the restarting of the unit of the Indian Council of Medical Research and the takeover of the Bhopal Memorial Hospital Trust are welcome.

However, there are two serious problems regarding the recommendations. Firstly, the compensation package offered is based on flawed estimation of deaths and injuries and the amount of compensation offered remains meager. Secondly, there is no serious effort to make the Dow Chemical Company, which took over the Union Carbide, liable for the damages and compensation. The entire expenses for the remediation and environmental clean up at the Bhopal factory site should be borne by the Dow Chemical Company.

The Dow Chemical has invested and set-up a number of enterprises in India. It is on record that the Indian government has promoted such investments. Surely, the government can take a firm stand asking the Dow Chemical to pay up, failing which the company can be blacklisted and measures taken against it. It is not enough to pursue the long pending case in a court in Madhya Pradesh.

In view of the vital issues of providing justice and adequate compensation to the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy and the implementation of the "polluter pays principle" in full, the government should call a meeting of all political parties and representatives of the gas victims to discuss the recommendations of the GoM before the Union Cabinet takes a decision.

Prakash Karat to PM on GoM recommendations

Prakash Karat, General Secretary of CPI(M) has written to Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister on the recommendations of the GoM on the Bhopal gas accident. We are herewith releasing the text of the letter.

Dear Dr. Manmohan Singhji,

It has been reported that the Group of Ministers set-up on the Bhopal gas accident has finalized a set of recommendations. It has also been reported that you have called a Cabinet meeting on June 25 to discuss the report of the GoM.

While appreciating your intention to take a speedy decision on the various matters concerning payment of enhanced compensation, medical treatment and the clean up measures to be taken at the site of the plant, I would request you to consider the following.

Since providing justice and adequate compensation for the victims of the gas tragedy has dragged on for 26 years, it is important that the views of the large number of people affected should be taken into account. Further, there are questions about who is liable for the damages and the remediation measures to be undertaken.

In view of this, I would request you to call a meeting of all political parties along with the representatives of the organizations of gas victims where the recommendations made by the GoM can be discussed.

It would be better if the Union Cabinet takes a final decision on the recommendations of the GoM after such a meeting.

With warm regards,

Yours sincerely

Sd/-

(Prakash Karat)

General Secretary

Celebrations of 33 years of Left front Rule in West Bengal

Buddhadeb: only alternative to our govt. will be anarchy'

The alternative to the Left Front government in West Bengal will only be complete anarchy, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said here on Monday on the occasion of completion of 33 years of the Front in power.

“In the year ahead, we shall have to proceed on a path of struggle. We must unite and participate in this struggle and overcome the obstacles before us,” he said at a function organised by the Left Front. “What is this change being demanded by the Opposition parties?” Mr. Bhattacharjee said, asserting that “the kind of change being sought will result in anarchy.”

Achievements

Listing the Left Front's achievements over the past 33 years in land reforms, attracting investment for industry, in education and empowerment through local governance, he asked a packed audience at the Netaji Indoor stadium: “Will all this be changed? Will West Bengal be witness to only Singurs where investment will be turned away?”

The Left Front has a definitive policy on maters related to land distribution, panchayats, industry, education and health, but the Opposition “has no alternative policy on offer.” Not that the Left Front was not aware of its failings. It was not complacent. Rather, it was capable of soul searching when it committed mistakes in the course of implementing its agenda, he said. “On the issue of land acquisition, we have become very alert. If there is any doubt or fear related to land acquisition, we have become alert to it,” he said.

The Left Front stands for the future of workers, farmers, youth and women of the State, he said and appealed to the people to unite in the fight against the challenges that West Bengal faced.

Senior leaders of all constituents of the Left Front who were present on the occasion reiterated the need for unity among the Left parties. Several agencies were channelling money into West Bengal to ensure the defeat of Communist forces here and create a divide among the poor, cautioned Biman Bose, chairman of the State's Left Front Committee.

(Courtesy : The Hindu, Ganasakthi)

SFI Study Camp at Mysore from July 28

Students Federation of India, South Indian study camp will be held from July 28 to July 31 at Najaraja Bahdoor Hall, Mysore. Crisis in Educational field especially in this era of Globalisation and commercialisation of education will be the main theme of this study camp. CPIM Polite Bureau  member Com. Sitharam Yechury wil inaugurate the camp. Noted Journalist N Ram, Kerala Education Minister M A Baby, CPIM Karnataka State Secretary Com. V J K Nair, SFI All India President Com P K Biju M P will take classes in various sessions. Around 400 delegates from Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu will participate in this camp.

Evolve concrete steps at Tamil meet: CPI (M)

The State unit of the CPI (M) has urged the State government to evolve concrete measures at the World Classical Tamil Conference, including a policy decision to give priority in employment to those who have studied in the Tamil medium.

In a statement here, the party's State secretary G. Ramakrishnan said Tamils had witnessed a lot of conferences and festivals in the name of language in the past. What was required today was a constructive action plan. “It should break all hurdles in the path of development of the language.”

The CPI (M) leader said the conference should insist that all the 23 languages listed in the Eighth Schedule be made official languages of the Central government.

“Steps should be taken to ensure that Members of Parliament and Ministers speak in Tamil. Efforts should also be taken to translate their speech for others. It is possible in the era of science,” Mr. Ramakrishnan said. He also urged the State Government to come out with cheaper editions of classics in Tamil literature for the benefit of younger generation.

CPI(M) expressed grave concern over deteriorating law and order in Punjab

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) Punjab State Committee  expressed grave concern on the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. Poor people and women are feeling insecure. According to the resolution passed by  the CPIM Punjab state committee meeting, Incidents of looting, dacoities, Heroine smuggling, fake currency, illegal arms and explosive material and activities of extremist organizations are daily on the increase.  Polit Bureau Member Comrade S Ramachandran Pillai  and  Central Secretariat Member Comrade Nilotpal Basu made report on Central Committee decisions particularly in respect to National Situation and Rectification campaign of the party in the state committee. Comrade Charan Singh Virdi, Secretary Punjab State Committee of CPI(M), placed the report of the activities conducted.

The State Committee resolution while expressing concern over economic and law and order situation in Punjab said that Land mafia with patronage and connivance of ruling politicians is on a land grabbing spree of urban and rural lands and is working with impunity.  CPI(M) in its resolution said that its ugliest example is attack on Abaadkars of Talwandi Nau Abaad Sidhwan Bet District Ludhiana. Land mafia with the help of Naib tehsildar, BDO and SHO and his police and armed goons on May 29, attacked the Abaadkars for grabbing 33 Acres of land which was reclaimed cultivated and occupied since 45 years by these Abaadkars. In this illegal and high handed action one and half dozen Abaadkars who valiantly resisted this illegal operation were injured 6 of them seriously.

The State Committee demanded of the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to make his Civil and Police administration responsive to the woes of the people and make their honour, life and property secure. The State Committee also urged upon all the peace loving, secular and pro-people political forces and personalities to build the public opinion against the gross neglect of the Akali-BJP Government in respect to law and order in the State The State demanded of the Chief Minister Punjab to immediately revamp the Public Distribution System and ensure supply of 14 essential commodities at subsidised rates to the poor who are groaning under back breaking prices of essential commodities.

The State Committee rejected the MSP of paddy announced by the Centre Government and demanded that MSP of Paddy should be enhanced to Rs. 1350 per quintal. The State Committee conducted midterm review of the implementation of organizational tasks and also adopted the rectification document of the State Secretariat.

The State Committee planned a campaign for raising Rs. 40 lakh for Comrade Surjeet Bhawan building being constructed at New Delhi in which Central Party School will be housed. The State Committee elected 6 delegates for extended Central Committee meeting being held at Vijayawada on 7-10 August 2010. The State Committee approved the readmission of comrades Chand Singh Chopra and Sukhdev Singh Bari into the Party.