A Thunderbolt from the sky..A thunderbolt that could make change.A Thunderbolt that will tear apart the black clouds of imperialism and communalism that had covered India.Yes change is inevitable..Change will Come..
Communist Party of India (Marxist) plans to intensify the agitation against the steep hike in property tax by Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation. Addressing a public meeting, the party State Secretary B.V. Raghavulu on Friday said while people were reeling under severe hardship due to price rise and several other taxes, the GVMC chose to increase the property tax between 100 per cent and 1,000 per cent.Demanding immediate withdrawal of the notified tax hike, he promised to be with people of in fighting for their right. Terming the letter of Member of Parliament Kishore Chandra Deo to Union Minister for Mining as a well-rehearsed strategy of the Congress Government, Mr. Raghavulu took strong objection to the permission given to the construction of a port at Nakkapalli to export Bauxite mined in Sapparla, Ananthagiri, Chintapalli and Araku.
Tribals of Visakhapatnam district were being cheated as even an alumina plant was being permitted at Makavarapalem, which showed the scant respect for the welfare of the native people and the environmental protection. Criticising the Congress for destabilising the Left Government with constant attack on some pretext or other with the help of Trinamul Congress in West Bengal, he took exception to alleged coming together of Congress, Trinamul Congress to fight the Left parties in the forthcoming polls. CPI (M) district secretary Ch. Narasinga Rao and Steel Plant Division secretary D.Ch. Venkateswara Rao participated in the public meeting.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) Karur district committee has urged the Central Government not to allow unrestricted export of cotton stating that such a measure would affect the fortunes of the textile manufacturing industry that provides employment to thousands of skilled, unskilled and semi-skilled labourers.
A resolution to that effect was passed at the party district executive committee meeting here recently. Party district secretary G. Rathinavelu said that the textile sector was suffering immensely due to the misplaced policies of the Central government. Yarn prices have been going up steadily and every possible step to bring down the price should be taken immediately.
It was in these circumstances that The Central government has come up with a plan to resume banned cotton export and that has upset the textile industry a lot. The cotton year starts from October 1and lasts till September 30. The best quality cotton arrives at the head of the season and if exports were to be allowed then the best quality would be exported to competing countries depriving our textile industry of precious raw material.
Expecting price rise in the cotton yarn sector, there has been a forced and artificial scarcity of yarn . Hence the Centre should take steps to ensure availability of enough quantity of cotton for the local textile units by banning cotton exports altogether and reining in the price of yarn, a resolution demanded.
Through another resolution the party called upon the district police administration to take immediate steps to curb the incidents of crimes especially in the bus stand area. Anti-social activities including organizing kangaroo courts, usury and money collection from small roadside traders terrorizing the public and others should be put to an end.
The district administration and the district police should take immediate steps to curb the menace, Mr. Rathinavelu observed.
Those who participated included State Executive member K. Thangavel, party district unit office-bearers G. Balachandran, P. Ilakkuvan, J. Annakamatchi, K. Sakthivel and M. Jyothi Basu also spoke.
The 13th State conference of Democratic Youth Federation of India, Tamil Nadu committee will be held at Coimbatore from september 24-27, 2010. The Conference will conclude on 27th September with a huge youth rally of 1 lakh participation. Comrade Sitharam Yechury will inaugurate the conference. 5000 White volenteers will participate in the rally. The decision was taken at a meeting of the state committe of DYFI which held its meeting at Tiruchi on this Thursday and Friday. The committe also dismmissed the claims of the Tamil Nadu government's claim that only 2% of the population is unemployed.
In its two-day meeting held over 1-2 September at the Muzaffar Ahmad Bhavan in Kolkata, the Bengal state committee of the CPI (M) called upon every worker, and upon the leadership to bring to reality the ambience that calls for a positive change in the political scene of Bengal today. No sacrifices should be shunned, no activities pro-people, especially pro-poor, slackened, and the forces of anarchy out to destroy the carefully-nurtured democratic environment of Bengal must be deal a hard blow of defeat, taking the masses of the people into close confidence.
POSITIVE SIGN The state unit let it be known in clear and in ringing tones that there was a positive sign of protest amongst the masses to defeat the forces of deviationism and reaction in the political arena. This must be kept firm in mind and contact with the masses made, as before, a continuous and ever-widening political-organisational drive. In the long and meaningful discussion sessions, the members of the state committee were at one in noting that during the month-long August campaign on issues touching the lives and livelihoods of the people, especially the poor, the effort to reach out to the masses with the Party’s political campaign along with the need to resolve the emergent problems troubling the daily lives of the people, the rise in process of common commodities taking the prime of place as did the issue of anarchy and counter-democratic ploys of the enemies, has had its effect in more and more popular participation in the CPI (M)-led movements and struggles. The increase in the mass participation in the programmes set up and going by the mass organisations is another pointer in this vigorous direction. It was duly noted by the state leadership that more than in the recent past, the taking enthusiastic part in the party-led programmes of campaign-movements from amongst the poor and from the backward classes of every community has visibly increased and the trend continues to display long-term prospects of the right kind. REBUILD THE RANKS
The section or sections of the people that had been even marginally alienated from the acts and activities of the Party have chosen emphatically to rejoin the ranks and regroup for mass struggles to have a politically meaningful significance. This process is also seen as a welcome development amongst those people who not as such vote for the party or the left. The state committee members made an especial mention of the situation in the jangal mahal. The state unit noted the militant nature of protest and resistance of the masses that are now quite infuriated against the anti-people and anti-poor acts of commission perpetrated on them by the so-called, self-styled ‘Maoists.’ People in massive numbers have taken to the streets in the jangal mahals widest areas across the districts of Midnapore west, and Bankura to frustrate the anti-people and anti-poor designs of the revisionists and the reactionary elements. The pro-people and pro-poor initiatives of the state LF government have continued to receive as in the past the fullest support from amongst the people. A POLITICAL TASK OF IMPORTANCE In conclusion, Biman Basu, state secretary of the CPI (M) said that the assignment of importance to be pursued with dedication comprised the political task of bringing back to the Party ranks those of the Party workers, supporters and sympathisers who had chosen to break ranks with the Party for some acts of the Party that had irritated them into doing what they have done. The attitude of resistance is a gaining ground amongst the masses, as Biman Basu did not fail to draw emergent attention of the state leadership of the Bengal CPI (M). The hired goons of the enemy must be countered by maintaining and deepening an enduring contact with the masses, all the while, all the way. The party and the people shall advance by defeating the machinations of the forces of anarchy and mayhem. Top make this aim fructify, the intensity of the campaign-movement must be sharpened and widened in the days, months, and years to come. Biman Basu also took note of the need to ensure that the working and the works of the Panchayats were organised successfully, again taking the masses into confidence. He also underscored the need to increase the Party initiative and Party monitoring in the concerned sectors. Biman Basu said that while going in full tilt for making a success out of pro-people developmental work and undertaking the correct political initiative, the massive corruption and assorted crimes against the people perpetrated by the opposition- run Panchayats, Panchayat Samities and Zillah Parishads, the masses must be mobilised and mass deputations submitted everywhere, at every functional level. JATHAS ACROSS BENGAL The Bengal CPI (M) also said that a wide and deep programme of jathas under the aegis of the Bengal Left Front would be organised in the villages as well as the urban stretches between the last week of September until the first week of October, based on the emergent needs of issues touching the lives and livelihoods of the masses. It was iterated that a detailed plan was drawn up at the recent past meetings of the district LF and the party committees at the appropriate levels must make it a task to ensure that the programme was carried through and properly implemented in a planned manner. The jatha programme would comprise some basic issues. These include the issues that affect the lives and livelihoods of the people adversely. The other important point was the drafting of demand charters to be placed appropriately with the union government and the LF government here in Bengal. The Bengal LF workers must reach out to the people in this regard. The jathas’ success depended on the panning that has to be taken up beforehand by drawing up and implementing a detailed programme of smaller baithak meetings and street-corner meetings in the rural and urban areas. The LF workers must meet the people at the household level to speak to them and to listen to their problems and woes, to guide them and the lead them. The Trinamul Congress and indeed the entire spectrum of the opposition in Bengal have taken up the onerous task of undertaking a lie campaign against the Party, the LF and the LF government. There should no lacunae anywhere to place before the masses the facts of the situation explaining and elaborating on the political campaign of the Party and the LF.
CPI-M will contest in 30 of the 243 Assembly seats in Bihar where the party has forged an alliance with Left parties CPI and CPI-ML (Liberation). The party's state committee took this decision at a meeting this morning, CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat said today.
Asked whether his party would opt for an alliance with the RJD as in the past, Karat said "the situation at that time was quite different." "Now the Left parties are trying to consolidate their strength and representation in the state Assembly," he said.
To an another question, Karat said his party was making efforts to strengthen and expand its base in Hindi heartland. The details of the constituencies and candidates will be announced after holding consultations with allies, Karat said, adding price rise, unemployment, backwardness and poverty would be the electoral issues of the party. "We will highlight anti-people and faulty policies of the state and central governments responsible for the price rise and other problems facing the people," he said. Referring to the Supreme Court's recent verdict, Karat said the apex court had made it clear that foodgrains rotting in FCI godowns should be distributed among the poor. "Instead of wasting foodgrains, the party believes it will be better to distribute the foodgrains to people facing severe drought in Bihar, Orissa and West Bengal," he said
"The neo liberal policies of UPA II government is adding more burden to the common man in the country" said Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami, CPIM Jammu Kashmir State Secretary at a protest rally in Jammu organised by different trade unions as part of All India Strike on Tuesday against unprecedented price rise and rampant violation of labour laws. The rally started from Press Club and culminated at Indira Chowk. Protesters were holding banners, placards and raising slogans against the repressive economic policies implemented by the State and Central Governments.
M.Y Tarigami said that the prices of the essential commodities like food items have raisen disproportionately putting common man, working class and low-income group to grave hardships. “Neo-liberal economic policies implemented by the successive Central Governments since 90’s have created havoc for the vast sections of our population and the net result of these policies is sheer accumulation of wealth in few hands thereby denying any viable and sustainable sources of livelihood for common man”, he asserted. He said that tall claims of ‘India Shining’ and the cry of ‘GDP Growth’ cannot hide this reality that majority of our population still remains unnourished. He emphasised for implementation of Universalisation of Public Distribution System (PDS) instead of existing targeted PDS which denies availability of ration items to majority of our population. Government should provide ration items (rice/wheat) at Rs.2 per Kg. to consumers, he demanded.
Tarigami criticised the proposed Food Security Legislation in its present form which proposes 25 Kgs of food grains (rice/wheat) to BPL and Antodaya card holders i.e. a cut of 10 Kgs from existing 35 Kgs per family at Rs.3 per Kg. Under this proposed legislation not only APL subsidy is eliminated but even APL category will be cancelled and no food grains will be allocated under APL category and the net result will be withdrawing Rs.4,000 crore of food subsidy when the demand has been for more subsidy on food items. He reiterated his demand that buffer food stocks be purchased and made available to the common man especially rural and urban poor by minimising unnecessary expenditure.
“Ever-increasing army of unemployed persons is an area of serious concern for all of us and government should evolve some concrete mechanism to provide meaningful employment avenues to the youth whose number is estimated to have swallowed over five lakh”, Tarigami asserted. “Recently Prime Minister had announced formation of a committee under Dr. C Rangarajan, former Governor RBI, to explore and suggest measures for creating job avenues for the unemployed youth of the State which is not sufficient. What is required is immediate initiation of some concrete measures to create confidence among the youth of the State?” Tarigami said. Tarigami reiterated that ASHA workers in-spite of playing a very significant role in providing basic health services to the poor sections of the society particularly people belonging to far flung, neglected and backward areas, their condition is pathetic, pitiable and miserable in absence of minimum monthly wages and demanded that they may be provided monthly wages regularly.
He appealed to leaders of trade unions and mass organisations to come together to fight these repressive and anti-working class economic policies of the State and Central Governments. General Secretary CITU Comrades Om Prakash, State Treasurer CITU Sham Prasad Kesar, President INTUC Shiv Kumar Sharma, General Secretary INTUC Raghubir Singh, President AITUC Comrade N. K Dogra, Vice President AITUC Balkar Singh, President NZGIEU Daleep Kaul, General Secretary NZEIA Pawan Gupta and Joint Secretary NZEIA Ramesh Chander also addressed the rally. They exhorted to fight unitedly for reversal of neo-liberal economic policies pursued by the UPA Government. (courtesy : statetimes)
The National Aviation Company of India Ltd (NACIL) has decided to restore the cancelled 300 Air India Express (AIE) flights from Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode and Mangalore airports to five Gulf destinations. The airline had announced cancellation of the Air India Express flights from September 7 to October end to Sharjah, Dubai, Abudhabi, Muscat and Kuwait citing shortage of cabin crew and tough regulations of the DGCA following the Mangalore air crash.
The decision had been taken in view of the sentiments expressed by the Chief Minister, V. S. Achuthanandan, and others following the decision to cancel the flights of the budget carrier. The cancellations had also led to widespread protest by the DYFI. DYFI organised protest marches to all AI offices in Kerala and warned of further agitation if the authorities doesn't correct the wrong decision. (Courtesy : The Hindu)
Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) lead a protest rally to Air India's office at Lalbaugh in Mangalore on Wednesday, protesting against insurers paying a meagre settlement to the families of the victims of Air India Express accident of May 22.
DYFI demanded the intervention of Union civil aviation ministry in this issue to restrain the Air India Management and the insurance representatives in unduly influencing the victims' families. The protest demonstration was inaugurated by CPIM central committee member Com. P Karunakaran. Addressing the protestors, he said that the irony is that most of the people traveled by the ill-fated plane belong to middle/low income group and majority of them were the only bread winners for their families living in India.Though the Union Civil Aviation Minister Mr Praful Patel and Air India management had announced an interim compensation of Rs 10 lakhs each to the family of the deceased. Further the Union minister declared that the family of deceased would get a final compensation up to Rs 76 lakhs each. But now the officials have decided to give the compensation based on the income of the deceased, which means the insurance companies have to pay only a little amount as compensation as most of the families are from low income group which is injustice, he added.
DYFI Kerala state secretary Com TV Rajesh spoke on the occassion, said the recent activities of AI management and the insurance consortium was disappointing, `alleging' that the insurers with knowledge and connivance of the AI Management have approached the families of the victims and are negotiating a meagre settlement. He claimed that they are persuading the victims to accept a settlement which is based on the income of the deceased, which means the insurance companies have to pay only a little amount as compensation as most of the families are from a low income group.
Rajesh said the irony is that most of the people travelled by the ill-fated plane belonged to middle/low income group and majority of them were the only breadwinners for their families living in India. He further claimed that the Article 21 of Montreal Convention eliminates all arbitrary limits on air carrier liability with respect to accident victims. The carrier may avoid liability for the full amount of damages only if it proves that it was not negligent or that a third party was solely responsible for the damages.
As a further benefit for accident victims, Article 21 holds carriers strictly liable for the first 100,000 SDR (approximately Rs 70 lakh) of proven damages for each passenger, i.e., the carrier may not avoid liability for this amount, even if the accident was caused without any fault or negligence of the carrier.
He said the issue of classifying passengers according to the position and income for assessing the compensation cannot be applied in an international flight because an international flight will have passengers of different nationalities, working in different countries. The difference in currency value in each country will be a hindrance for any assessment made on the value of the income, quoting an example of how a driver working in Dubai earns Rs 70,000 per month in Dubai and a clerk in India who earns only Rs 8,000 per month, hence compensation should be paid according to incomes. "The insurance authorities cannot claim that the clerk in India would get a low compensation as his salary in India is less," he said. Rajesh said this act of AI and the insurance consortium are illegal and against the law.
The DYFI has demanded for the intervention of Union civil aviation ministry in this issue to restrain AI management and the insurance representatives in unduly influencing the innocent victims who are already in a state of mental depression for the loss of their beloved ones. Rajesh said the Union civil aviation ministry should also ensure that the dependents of the victims are adequately compensated.
CPIM leader Com B Madhava also spoke on the occassion.
Activists of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) on Monday took out marches to Air India booking offices at Kochi, Kozhikode, Kannur and Thiruvananthapuram protesting against the cancellation of various services of the Air India Express to the gulf from Kerala.
In Kozhikode, about 150 DYFI activists took out a protest march from Muthalakkulam maidan in the city to Air India office. The march was inaugurated by T.V. Rajesh, State Secretary of DYFI. He said that Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi’s silence on the issue brings to life the petty political games of the Congress party in the State, who worked on a hidden agenda to degrade the achievements of the State Government, which were acknowledged even by the Central Government. Had the Minister acted on time, the NRKs would not have suffered. In Thiruvananthapuram CPI M district secretary Kadakampally Surendran inaugurated the march to the office of Air India Express at Vellayambalam.
