Red flag is fluttering and can never be brought down in West Bengal : Call of the CPIM West Bengal State Conference

The Communist Party of India-Marxist 23rd state conference re-elected Comrade Biman Bose as the secretary on the concluding day of the state conference on sunday. A state Committee of 83 members has been elected from the conference.25 resolutions have been passed from the conference. 175 delegates have been elected for the 20th Congress of C.P.I.(M), to be held in Kozhikode, Kerala in April 2012. Comrade Nirupam Sen has been elected as the treasurer of the Party State Committee.The control commission, consisting 4 members, has been elected from the conference.

The biggest highlight of the concluding day of the conference was the mammoth rally carried out by party members and sympathisers in the Brigade Parade ground in Kolkota. This is for the first time after the Left front government was voted out, that the party has arranged this rally. The participation of more than 10 lakh people itself came as a shock to the medias and corporates who have "written off" CPIM from WB state politics.

Wave after wave of crimson troops flooded the heart of Kolkata. For all those who were intimidated, attacked, forged, raped, evicted and vandalized under the autocratic ruling of the Trinamool Congress led coalition government, it was the day for reclaiming their lost independence. The reign of terror across Bengal districts for last nine months of the new government received a big bash by the red brigade . Every living being that still crawls, creeps even after the rule of terror converged into the Brigade Parade ground.

This Brigade rally was important for being the first one after the historic 34 years of the Left Front government discontinued. 13th May 2011 is already in the hallmark as this day not only marks the end of a lengthy pro-people government, it started the decline of democratic rights of common people in West Bengal. The last nine months were all haunted with political murders, infant’s death, farmers’ suicide, unleashing attack on students and college campuses etc.  Every red-clad youth of this state avowed their protest against the TMC-led state government .

Massive rallies of farmers, agricultural labourers and working people emerging from all across the state attended the Brigade with full confidence to recapture the lost democratic rights and to set forth a new political journey. The 23rd state conference of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) concluded on 18th February with the call for intensive class struggle and mass movements in the state. Strengthening mass base among poorer class of people with class ideology; removing all predicaments and organizational inertness were the prime call of the 23rd conference. The scheduled proceeding of the open session started from sharp 1 P.M. when the newly elected state secretary Biman Basu commenced his presidential address.

 

Basu's life-size picture, alongside that of former party general secretary H.K.S. Surjeet, adorned the stage in the open session at the Brigade Parade ground, that brought the curtains down on the CPI-M's 23rd state conference.

Two prominent CPI-M leaders began their speeches by remembering Basu and the role he played in consolidating the party in the state and also guiding it in national politics.

"This is the first (state) conference when comrade Jyoti Basu is not with us. During earlier conferences he used to give directions and guide us. We will always remember the path he has shown us and follow his guidance," party general secretary Prakash Karat told the rally at the sprawling ground, where the late leader had addressed big crowds dozens of times during his long political career.Karat's comments drew loud applause from the lakhs of party supporters who shouted in unison 'comrade Jyoti Basu amar rahe'. Referring to the large assembly of people, CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat said: “The message being sent across the country and the world by this sea of humanity that has converged here today is that the red flag is fluttering and can never be brought down in West Bengal.”

  

Claiming that the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in the State had never before been able to rally people together in such large numbers on the scale it did here on Sunday, the former Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee told a massive congregation that the very size of the gathering “proves that we are standing on firm ground and from which they [those in power now] have not been able to evict us.”

He was speaking at the open session that marked the conclusion of the 23rdState Conference of the CPI(M).

This was the first public rally to be organised by the party at the Brigade Parade ground since the Trinamool Congress-led government assumed power in the State in May 2011.

Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Surya Kanta Mishrasaid: “The Chief Minister, I understand, is at home; I only hope she is watching it [the rally] on the television. I kindly request her not to switch off the set.”

Her government, Dr. Mishra said, “is trying to silence the CPI(M) both inside and outside the Assembly, but never would it be able to silence so many lakhs of people [gathered at the rally].”

 “We [CPI(M)] are here because you [the people] are there.” he added.

CPIM West Bengal State Conference begins

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 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.

(Courtesy : WWW.cpimwb.org)

CPI (M) Kerala State Conference Concludes

Underlining the invincibility of CPI (M) in Kerala a red ocean of people descended on the Capital city on February 10th. Around 3 lakh people,  from Thiruvananthapuram district, marched in a massive rally marking the successful conclusion of 20th state conference of the CPI (M). 25000 red volunteers also marched through the two major roads of the city and converged at E Balanandan Nagar (Chandrasekhran Nair Stadium) also displayed the discipline and indomitable strength of the Communist movement.

The Political - Organisational report presented by the state secretary was unanimously adopted by the conference. The conference unanimously elected 85s member new state committee. The new state committee re-elected Politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan as state secretary. Oppositon leader and Central Committee member V S Achuthanandan proposed Pinarayi’s name and state secretariat member T Shivadasa Menon seconded the proposal. 

The party proposed to launch a massive mass education programme as part of its campaign against social ills such as alcoholism, superstitions, and various evil practices.

Credential Committee Report

Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan at 89 years and P K Chandranandan at 88 were the senior-most delegates and K Rafeeq, 24, from Wayand the youngest delegate at the 20 the state conference of the CPI(M)

Of the 556 delegates who represented 3,70,000 party members from across the state, 343 representatives had undergone rigorous imprisonment. V S Achuthanandan and M M Lawrence spent the most number of days in jail. Lawrence spent five years and ten months, while Achuthanandan was behind the bars for five years and six months. Party secretary Pinarayi Vijayan went to jail during the Emergency period and he spent 18 months in jail.
Out of the delegates, 53 were women. 

T V Anitha from Ernakulam and Rajeena, Malappuram, were the youngest. Some 246 of them are degree holders, and 122 of them passed intermediate, higher secondary or various diploma courses. While 457 are full-time party workers, 364 representatives became party members through student-youth movements.

 

New State Committee

There are 12 new faces on the reconstituted CPI(M) State committee, which has 10 women members. The members of the State committee are Comrades V.S. Achuthanandan, Pinarayi Vijayan, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Paloli Mohammed Kutty, A. Vijayaraghavan, M.A. Baby, P. Karunakaran, Vaikom Viswan, P.K. Gurudasan, P.K. Sreemathy, E.P. Jayarajan, T.M. Thomas Isaac, M.C. Josephine, T. Sivadasa Menon, V.V. Dakshinamoorthy, A.K. Balan, M.V. Govindan, Anathalavattom Anandan, K. Kunhiraman, A.K. Narayanan, K.P. Satheesh Chandran, P. Jayarajan, M.V. Jayarajan, K.P. Sahadevan, K.K. Ragesh, K.K. Shylaja Teacher, P.A. Mohammed, C.K. Saseendran, Elamaram Kareem, N.K. Radha, T.P. Ramakrishnan, P. Sathi Devi, K. Ummer Master, P.K. Sainaba, T.K. Hamsa, P. Sreeramakrishnan, M. Chandran, P. Unni, C.T. Krishnan, Baby John, K. Radhakrishnan, K. Chandran Pillai, C.M. Dinesh Mani, K.N. Ravindranath, S. Sharma, K.M. Sudhakaran, M.M. Lawrence, P. Rajiv. M.M. Mony, K.K. Jayachandran, K.J. Thomas, V.R. Bhaskaran, K. Ananthagopan, R. Unnikrishna Pillai, P.K. Chandranandan, G. Sudhakaran, C.K. Sadasivan, C.S. Sujatha, M.K. Bhaskaran, K. Rajagopal, P. Rajendran, J. Mercykutty Amma, K.N. Balagopal, B. Raghavan, K. Varadarajan, S. Rajendran, M. Vijayakumar, Pirappancode Murali, Anavur Nagappan, Kadakampally Surendran, T.N. Seema, C.P. Narayanan, T.V. Rajesh, James Mathew, A. Pradeep Kumar, P.P. Vasudevan, C.K. Rajendran, A.C. Moideen, N.R. Balan, C.N. Mohanan, K.P. Mary, P.K. Biju, C.B. Chandrababu, and Koliyakkode Krishnan Nair.

Capital City Turned into Red Sea

The main thoroughfares of the State capital were draped in red for hours as a parade of 25,000 red volunteers and five different rallies by around 3 lakhs of of Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] activists and sympathisers weaved their way through the length and breadth of the city to mark the conclusion of the 20th CPI(M) State conference  on Friday.

Although the city received summer showers twice during the day, the rain did not play spoilsport. Shortly after 3 p.m., the parade by the red volunteers began from the Manaveeyam Veedhi and Manjalikulam followed by rallies from Chakka; Swati Tirunal Music College, Thycaud; Vellayambalam; Overbridge; and Kuravankonam under an overcast sky.

The march through the main roads to the Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium, named for the event after the late trade union leader and CPIM P B member Comrade E. Balanandan, turned into a show of strength. It took almost three hours for the red volunteers hailing from the district trivandrum district alone to march to the venue. Around 6.15 p.m., CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat and State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan received the Guard of Honour from the Red volunteers parade by moving in an open jeep.

Women constituted a sizeable proportion of the huge turnout in the rally, which assembled area committee wise and marched through one side of the road. It was decided by the organizing committee to make participation of 1 lakh women, but the actual number was beyond expectations.  Band troupes, ‘panchavadyam,' ‘chenda,' Theyyam, Thira, and folk art performers lent a festive touch to the rally. Besides women bearing decorated umbrellas and portraits of CPI(M) stalwarts, Bhangra dance and panchavadyam presented by an all-women troupe were the cynosure of all eyes.

Right from the morning, the arterial M.G. Road seemed to have donned a red cloak, as activists wielding red flags started making their way to the starting points of the rallies in small groups on foot and in vehicles. Many wore red and white caps emblazoned with the party's symbol.

Addressing the huge rally, Prakash Karat said that Left front is the lone force which oppose the anti people measures and corruption in the country. People of India find the Left as the only way out to oppose these evils. CPI (M) will take initiative to form the alternative with the help of secular and democratic forces.

Three year of UPA has increased the price rise and joblessness. Anti people neo liberal measures have led thousands of farmers to suicide. In Andhrapradesh 160 farmers have committed suicide in the month of January. In Kerala, farmers’ suicide returned and 31 farmers committed suicide after Oommen Chandy came in to power. In west Bengal 31 farmers have committed suicide after im Mamta regim. For the last 34 years it this phenomenon was unheard of.

Politburo members Brinda Karat, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan also spoke in the function. Organising committee general convenor Kadakampalli Surendran welcomed the crowd.

CPIM Kerala State Conference Begins

The 20th  Kerala State conference of the Communist Party of India Marxist began on Tuesday 7th at the Harkishan Singh Surjeet Nagar (AKG Memorial Hall)  making the capital city, Thiruvananthapuram to a virtual sea of red. 565 delegates representing the 3.70 lakh party members in the State is attending the conference. The delegates' session would continue till Friday and conclude with the election of a new State committee.

The delegates session of the conference, was inaugurated by CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat. Earlier senior party leader and Central Committee member Com. V S Achuthanandan, hoisted the red flag to mark the proceedings of the conference. Delegates and leaders escorted by the red volunteers paid floral tribute to martyrs who laid down their life for the cause of the people. The area was reverberated with thunderous slogans. party PB members, Com Varadarajan, Brinda Karat, S Ramachandran Pillai are attending the conference.

Flag Hoisted at the Public Meeting Venue

Yesterday The Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium in the State capital reverberated with slogans and the skies were lit up with fireworks as the flag of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] rose skyward as a prelude to the 20th State conference of the party .

Hundreds of CPI(M) workers and fellow-travellers shouted slogans shortly after conference organising committee chairman M. Vijayakumar hoisted the flag at the stadium, which was dressed up in red for the big moment. Flags and festoons filled the stadium, which got filled to a large extent well before the flag, flag mast, and torch reached there around 6 p.m.

The party flag was brought to the stadium from Kayyur, the land of legendary struggles in Malabar, by a jatha led by party Central committee member E.P. Jayarajan, and the flag mast from Vayalar, another scene of popular upheaval during the pre-independence days in Travancore, by another jatha led by CPI(M) Central committee member M.A. Baby.

The conference torch was brought by a team of runners led by party State committee member Anavur Nagappan from the memorial of the late Kattayikkonam V. Sreedhar in the suburbs of the capital.

Several senior CPI(M) leaders, including party State secretariat members P.K. Gurudasan and Anathalavattom Anandan and Left Democratic Front convener Vaikom Viswan, were present at the stadium to witness the hoisting of the flag.

Carry Forward the legacy of Glorious Telengana Armed Struggle : Clarion Call by CPIM Andhra Pradesh State Conference

Those who had claimed that CPI(M) had been cut to size in Khammam district post 2009 elections were in for a rude shock. A sea of humanity descended on the town, drenching it in red. Around 1.5 lakh people, mainly from Khammam district, marched in a massive rally marking the successful conclusion of 23rd state conference of the Party on 4th February 2012.

Tribals of the district, attired in traditional gear, displaying their bows and arrows and dancing to the drum beats, were an attractive sight. Also attracting everyone's attention were hundreds of red shirt volunteers displaying their martial arts skills. Workers, agricultural labour, women, youth, employees formed the bulk of rallyists.

Three rallies from different parts of the town converged at the public meeting venue, Sardar Patel stadium, rechristened Jyoti Basu Nagar. The rally from Naya Bazar was led by newly re-elected state secretary B V Raghavulu, Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury and Central Committee member Thammineni Veerabhadram. They traveled to the meeting venue atop an open top jeep waving to the crowds en route. Around 40 per cent of the audience had to listen to the speeches sitting on the roads as the entire stadium was filled up with crowds.

The conference unanimously elected 81 members in new state committee. The new state committee re-elected B V Raghavulu as Party state secretary. A 15-member secretariat was also elected. The members of the State secretariat are comrades P. Ramaiah, T. Veerabhadram, P. Madhu, S. Punyavathi, M.A. Gafoor, V. Krishnaiah, Y. Venkateswara Rao, Ch. Narasinga Rao, S.Veeraiah, S. Malla Reddy, Ch. Sitaramulu, G. Nagaiah, Midiam Babu Rao, and C. Ramulu.

The conference also constituted a three-member State control commission headed by B. R.Tulasi Rao. Five senior leaders, including noted freedom fighter Mallu Swarajyam, were appointed special invitees.

More than 700 delegates from all over the State participated in the deliberations during the three-day conference and adopted over 40 resolutions on issues concerning farmers, labourers, women, Schedules Castes and Scheduled Tribes besides other vulnerable sections of society.

CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat inaugurated the public meeting and said that the Party in Andhra Pradesh has been leading many militant struggles concerning various sections of people – farmers, dalits, workers, urban poor, land struggle etc braving repression. He mentioned about the martyrs of Mudigonda in this district and said that the Party has decided to take the same path of militant struggles all over the country. “We have decided to work towards building a Left and democratic alternative to the bourgeois parties all of who pursue neo-liberal policies.” He appealed to the people of AP to participate in the struggles to be launched by CPI(M) in large numbers. He expressed confidence that CPI(M) will emerge as a key force in the state in the coming period.

So nervous was the ruling regime about the turnout and the public meeting that the police removed the mike speakers kept some distance away from the venue so that common people can hear the speeches. They also ordered the local cable televisions to stop the live coverage of the rally and public meeting. Reacting to this Raghavulu told the public that this shows how fearful the government is about the voice of CPI(M) and warned that no amount of repression will suppress the voice of the people. He said the CPI(M) struggles in the coming period will show the government the power of the people. He lambasted the Congress party for ruining the state with its internal bickerings and careless attitude to the issue of division of state. 

He assured the gathering that CPI(M) will do everything to bring people's issues on to the agenda of politics in the state. Com B.V. Raghavulu said the party would undertake Jalasadhana Yatra and various other broad-based mass movements to mount pressure on the government to complete the pending irrigation projects and come to the rescue of farmers, labourers, and other poor sections of society. “We have discussed threadbare the multitude of problems confronted by a vast majority of the population under the present regime and evolved appropriate course of action to spearhead agitations for their cause,” he said, adding that the party would work towards bringing the Left, democratic, and seculars forces onto a single platform to wage relentless struggles against the proposed move of the State government to increase the power tariff. We would also undertake land struggles by drawing inspiration from the Mudigonda martyrs to ensure lands and houses for the poor, he said, and asserted that the party would make the ensuing all-India bandh called by all major trade unions on April 28 a grand success.

CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury took a dig at Manmohan Singh government saying that they may in near future need to hold their cabinet meetings in Tihar jail. He said that home minister P Chidambaram had cancelled all his appointments for the day and anxiously waited to know whether Supreme Court would send him also to Tihar. Luckily for him, the court gave an order that spared him. 

Thammineni Veerabhadram said that the gathering was much larger than what was expected. He asked the Congress leaders not to panic and resort to such repressive measures as to cut TV coverage.

CPIM Andhra Pradesh State Conference begins

The 23rd state conference of the CPI(M) Andhra Pradesh state committee ahead of the 20th Party Congress began on Thursday (2nd February) in Khammam, Bhakta Ramdas Kala Kshetram, rechristened Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet Nagar. The Conference began with the hoisting of Party Flag by  Freedom fighter Parsa Satyanarayana. Com. Prakash Karat, CPIM General Secretary inaugurated the conference and delivered the inaugural address to a packed gathering . Over 750 delegates and observers  along with scores of prominent citizens and well wishers of the Party formed the gathering.

Strengthen the Party to Fight the Onslaught of Neo-Liberalism : Prakash Karat

CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat stated while inaugurating the conference that CPI(M) will devote all its efforts in the coming period to strengthen itself because the need of the hour is a stronger Left in the country to fight back the onslaught of neo-liberal policies and to prevent communal forces from gaining ground. Towards this end it will take initiative to unite all Left forces and also rally all democratic and secular forces on people's issues.

Prakash Karat began his address by paying homage to the martyrs of Telangana armed struggle, many of whom were from Khammam district also. He said unlike non-Communist parties, CPI(M) conducts its affairs most democratically. “In our Party there is no 'high command' sitting in New Delhi issuing diktats. Our conferences upto the lowest levels discuss all issues democratically and chalk out their activity”, he said.

Karat lambasted the UPA government for focussing only on growth and refusing to see the all round deprivation of the masses. He said two decades of neo-liberal policies have increased growth but the benefits of that growth went only to a miniscule section of population. A shameless record of this government has been the consistently high double digit inflation rate for 38 months. People's lives are being attacked in the form of massive price rise and massive corruption. There is increased rural distress which is reflected in growing number of farmer suicides in many states of the country. In Andhra Pradesh in the month of January this year, a total of 160 farmers committed suicide, said Karat and held the central and state governments' policies responsible for this state of affairs. In Bengal also, ever since Trinamool Congress assumed power, the procurement machinery in the state has collapsed and indebtedness increased leading to number of suicides in the state, which was unheard of during the 34 years of Left Front rule.

Karat felt that it was because the CPI(M) and the Left had been consistently fighting against the government's neo-liberal policies and colloboration with imperialism, it has been targeted in Bengal where over 450 comrades were martyred. 177 of these comrades were murdered  by 'Maoists'. He said Trinamool Congress used 'Maoists' to weaken the CPI(M) and once that was achieved, it has started targeting them. “The 'Maoists' who keep claiming they were the most revolutionary force have actually played the most anti-revolutionary role in Bengal” charged Karat. He however noted that there is increased resistance in Bengal by farmers and other toiling sections against the anarchy of TMC rule. Karat concluded by saying that in the coming period the resistance against neo-liberal policies and imperialism is going to intensify.

CPI secretary K Narayana in his address said that only the Left parties had the moral right to fight against corruption because they have never been tainted by it. He said there is enough space for both the Left parties to expand instead of jostling in the same places. He expressed the willingness of his party to carry on a united fight against these anti-people policies.

CPI(M) state secretary and Polit Bureau member B V Raghavulu said that the 23rd state conference of the party will discuss on how to bring back the issues of people on to the political agenda of the state, which is reeling under political crisis. The issue of Telangana is deliberately being kept burning while the Congress bigwigs in Delhi keep watching the drama. He charged the Congress of playing with the future of the state. He felt the main opposition party in the state, the Telugu Desam, has also lost credibility due to its opportunistic stance on this issue. In such a situation it is the responsibility of the Left to bring the people's issues on to the political agenda. He said the true strength of Left parties must not be weighed in terms of seats or in terms of the coverage they get in media. It must be assessed in terms of the struggles it wages.

CPI(M) Polit Bureau members Brinda Karat and Sitaram Yechury are attending the conference that will conclude with a massive public meeting on February 4.

CPIM 20th Party Congress Draft Political Resolution released

The draft political resolution to be placed for the forthcoming 20th Party congress of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) was released on Saturday at the Party headquarters in Delhi. The resolution will be  debated within all ranks of the CPI(M). Each and every party member can send amendments to the resolution till March 15th. The draft would be finally adopted at the party congress to be held in Kozhikode from April 4-9.  Com Prakash Karat, General Secretary of CPIM said while releasing the resolution, the central focus now would be on strengthening the party and stepping up its independent role. The resolution focus on building Left unity and project a Left and democratic alternative to counter the Congress and the BJP. CPIM P B Members Com. Sitharam Yechury and Com. K Varadarajan was also present during the ocassion.

For the full text of the Draft Political Resolution

http://www.cpim.org/documents/2012-20Cong-Draft-Pol-Res.pdf 

CPI(M) protests against ‘pankti bheda' in Uduppi Krishna temple

Nearly 3,000 members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) from different parts of the State held a public meeting and later took out a rally against “pankti bheda” (different seating arrangements for Brahmins and non-Brahmins during meals) and “jati bheda” (caste discrimination) at the Sri Krishna Math/Temple, here on Thursday.

They took out a rally from the Martyr's Memorial at Ajjarkad. The rally passed through the main streets of the town such as Taluk Office Road, Court Road, Kavi Muddana Road and Head Post Office and reached the S.M.S.P. Sanskrit College, where they were stopped by the police. The police arrested them and later released them.

Earlier, speaking at the public meeting, State secretary of the CPI(M) and former MLA G.V. Srirama Reddy said that practices such as “made snana” (where members of lower castes roll over plantain leaves containing the leftovers of Brahmins after their meals) and “pankti bheda” only showed that caste system existed in society. The statement of Higher Education Minister V.S. Acharya that skin diseases could be cured by “made snana” was the height of stupidity and superstition. “If that is so why should not Brahmins roll over the leaves? Why not close all the dermatology clinics in the State? It is shocking that Dr. Acharya, a trained physician, should be saying such things,” he said.

The statement of Vishwesha Tirtha Swamiji of Pejawar Math that people were participating in “made snana” on their own and it was not forced on them, was baffling. CPI (M) leader G.N. Nagaraj said that “pankti bheda” was being followed to keep the working classes segregated. The Pejawar seer had said that though he was against “pankti bheda”, the orthodox Brahmins were for it and he could not do anything about it. This only reinforced the caste system.

The seer's other statement that he would choose “shastras” (religious texts) over the Constitution was uncalled for, he said.

(Courtesy : The Hindu)

CPIM Kerala State Conference Signature Film released

The Signature film for the upcoming CPIM Kerala State Conference to be held in the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram was released on Thursday. The Film of 40 seconds which depicts the signatures of communist stalwarts is directed by noted award winning film director Lenin Rajendran. The film will be broadcasted in TV channels and Cinema Theatres in Kerala. Inscriptions and signatures of Karl Marx, Engles, Lenin, P Krishna Pillai, EMS, AKG are shown in the film which develops into the spirit of communism. The Film was released by noted filmmaker Shaji N Karun. Reception committee Chairman Com. M Vijayakumar, Convernor Com. Kadakampally Surendran were present on the occassion.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcVyZ2BobnU

CPIM Kannur District Conferene

CPIM Kannur District Conference was held in the town of Payyannur from 14th to 16th of January 2012. This was the last of the 14 District conferences in Kerala.

The District conference was opened by party State secretary Com. Pinarayi Vijayan. 375 delegates representing 43,433 party members in the district and 42 party district committee members attended the delegates' session of the conference. The party's political and organisational activities and agitations spearheaded by it since the last district conference was evaluated. The delegates paid floral tributes to 14 activists who laid down their life in attacks by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Popular Front of India in four years.

Comrade P. Jayarajan has been re-elected district secretary. A 45-member district committee was elected unanimously by the delegates at the conference. The newly elected committee includes six new members. The new members are P. Balan and P.V. Gopinath, area committee secretaries of Pinarayi and Sreekantapuram respectively; P.V. Krishnan, Centre of Indian Trade Unions; K. Leela, All-India Democratic Women's Association; V. Shivadasan, Students Federation of India; and A.N. Shamseer (Democratic Youth Federation of India).

A red volunteer march was held here in the evening to mark the conclusion of the district conference. Lakhs of party workers thronged the street to reach the public meeting venue.  Party State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, Polit Bureau member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Central committee members E.P. Jayarajan and P.K. Sreemathi, Kasaragod MP P. Karunakaran led the procession.
Leader of the Opposition Comrade V.S. Achuthanandan inaugurated the public function to mark the end of the three-day meet.