Land rights, a critical factor in the empowerment of Dalits: Brinda Karat

A critical factor in the disempowerment and disenfranchisement of the Dalit community is their economic condition of not owning assets and the status of women is also directly linked to the land, said Brinda Karat, Politburo member, Communist Party of India (Marxist).

Delivering the special address at the ‘Dalit Women’s Right to Land’ a state-level conference held here on Wednesday, she said that there is a shameful spectacle happening in what is called as the temple of democracy - the Parliament - where one of the arms of affirmative action of reservation in promotion of jobs is being stalled through some sort of “match-fixing”, where certain members raise protests to stall proceedings.

“This means that the ruling elite and their political representatives want Dalits to be relegated down the social ladder and remain bonded in social and economic terms to do menial jobs. We condemn that attitude and demand that the Bill be passed without any impasse”, said Ms. Karat.

The veteran Marxist leader opined that there is a big lacuna in the legal framework where there is no reservation in promotion in government jobs. It was because of the struggles and demands of Dalits across the nation that the present government had to bring a constitutional amendment to ensure promotion among Dalits.

Pro-capitalist and neo-liberal policies are eliminating even the basic minimum rights secured by Dalits, there is no reservation in private jobs but government jobs are being privatized every day and if this continues jobs for oppressed remain unguaranteed. Private companies need to be coerced and forced to provide reservation, she added.

Pointing out that the present caste system not only undermines the idea of equality but is antithetical to the concept of Indian democracy, she said that it was not the benevolence of the state but the militant struggles of Dalits and other likeminded parties that resulted in abolition of practices of untouchability to a certain extent.

At a time when livelihood opportunities are dwindling we need to concentrate on land rights and Dalits, however under the neoliberal framework, the critical issue of land reforms and land distribution have been pushed to a corner. Land belonging to Dalits are being confiscated for Special Economic Zones and other transnational corporations.

Vested interests do not want the Dalits to own land and other assets as it would affect their production process where they will not be able to find labourers at cheap cost.Citing the case of West Bengal, she said that when land reforms were implemented, 50 per cent of 13 lakh acres of land were given to Dalit families, out of which 37.5 per cent were given to either Dalit women or as joint ownership of pattas. Because of the right to land, women in Bengal were able to defy the patriarchal norms and boundaries and were able to enter public and political spheres.

Seven-time MLA, A. S. Ponnammal, was felicitated with an award, she in her speech said that women should be encouraged to enter politics and shared her political experience and recollected some memorable moments in her career. A. Kathir, executive director, Evidence, spoke about the objective of the conference where he mentioned how the Panchami lands meant for Dalits were still eluding them for almost a century.

C. Chellappan, former member, National SC/ST Commission and Advocate Ezhil Carolin, Dalit women activist also spoke.

(Courtesy : The Hindu)

CPI (M) to picket Wal-Mart office in Chennai

Alleging that retail giant Wal-Mart had plans to enter Tamil Nadu through the backdoor, CPI (M) State secretary G. Ramakrishnan said on Wednesday that his party would picket the Wal-Mart office in Anna Nagar on December 26. In a statement here, he said there were reports that Wal-Mart was constructing a one-lakh sq ft commercial complex at Pallikuppam in Tirurverkadu and opening an office in Anna Nagar.

A resolution adopted at the State secretariat meeting of the party strongly condemned the moves of Wal-Mart and wanted the State government, which had expressed its opposition to foreign direct investment in the retail trade, to take steps to prevent the entry of multi-national retail players. Mr. Ramakrishnan said that Wal-Mart had already approached retail traders for supply of goods and its entry would destroy retail trade in Tamil Nadu

(Source: The Hindu)

Condemns Attack on CPI(M) MLAs

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) strongly condemns the physical attacks against CPI(M) and Left Front MLAs within the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. As a result of this shocking violence by some Trinamool Congress legislators, two CPI(M) MLAs - Gouranga Chatterjee and Debolina Hembram - were injured and had to be hospitalized.

Instead of taking action against those MLAs of the ruling party who launched an unprovoked assault, three CPI(M) MLAs have been suspended from the House for the rest of the session. The root cause of the trouble is the TMC’s intolerance towards the functioning of the Opposition in the Assembly. All democratic norms and legislative procedures are violated.

The Polit Bureau protests this assault on democracy. It calls for the revocation of the suspensions of the three MLAs. The rights of the Opposition in the Assembly should be protected and democratic norms observed.

Land Struggle to start in Kerala from January 2013

The CPI(M) Kerala state committe will start the land struggle (Bhoo Samaram) and occupy government land in illegal possession of individuals from the 1st of January 2013. The party is of the view that The government should take over all lease-expired properties in the State and distribute it among landless tribal people and those in the economically weaker sections of society.  Large tracts of government land were in illegal possession and there was large-scale encroachment on government land. Such land should be taken back by the government. The government was trying to amend the paddy and wetland conservation law to help the ‘land mafia’ in the State. There were also moves to amend the Kerala Land Utilisation Act to help the conversion of paddy and other agriculture land. The land ceiling law should be applied to huge tracts of and bought by the ‘land mafia’ in recent times.

With These demands the agricultural organisations, KSKTU (Kerala State Karshaka Thozhilali Union) AIKS (All India Kisan Sabha) PKS (Scheduled Caste and Tribe Development organisation) are going on the war path from the New Year day of 2013 onwards. 

Two Jathas proclaiming the demands of the struggle was inaugurated from the two ends of Kerala. CPIM General Secretary Com. Prakash Karat Inaugurated the South zone jatha from Neyyatinkara in Trivandrum District, while the North Zone jatha was inaugurated by CPIM P B Member Com. S Ramachandran Pillai from Kasargod District. The south zone jatha is led by CPIM CC Member com. E P Jayarajan and the North Zone jatha is led by CC member Com A Vijayaragahavan. 

CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat while inaugurating the jatha alleged that attempts were on in the country to sabotage land reforms legislation under the cover of industrial requirements. "An attempt is on by the Centre and state governments to sabotage land reforms by handing over agriculture lands to corporates and such monopolies should be resisted," he said. Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura were the only three states where land reforms had been implemented and this was mainly due to the governments run by Left parties, Karat said.

The CPI(M) leader lambasted the Congress led UDF government in the state, saying it was trying to weaken the land reform act in the state with its decision to allow five per cent of Plantation land for other purposes. 'The decision will have serious adverse consequences. With this government decision, nearly 1000 acres would reach the hands of real estate groups," he alleged. In Kerala, land was scarce, but the number of landless people were more, he said. The possibility of poor landless people getting land would become difficult with government's new land policy, he said.

Karat also urged people to oppose UDF government's move to dilute the legislation for protection and conservation of water bodies and paddy fields brought by the previous LDF government. The UDF government planned to bring amendments to allow conversion and filling of paddy fields, he alleged.

“The United Democratic Front, whenever it comes to power, tries to scuttle the Act to delay the identification of surplus land for swift and effective rehabilitation of hundreds of landless families in the State. The present dispensation is continuing the same policy,” S. Ramachandran Pillai, Polit Bureau member of the party, alleged while inaugurating the north-zone leg of its land protection march at Kumbla in Kasargod. He said the party would intensify its agitation for rehabilitation of the landless people in the State.

The march, led by the party Central Committee member A. Vijayaraghavan, will join the south-zone leg from Neyyattinkara in Ernakulam on December 23, culminating in a public function expressing solidarity with the landless people in the State.

CPI(M) demands probe into land deals around Chamundi Hills

Members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Mysore district committee, staged a protest in Mysore on Monday urging the State government to order a probe into land deals involving more than 2,000 acres in and around Chamundi Hills.

The 1951 agreement between the erstwhile Mysore royal family and the Government of India should be scrapped as the land in contention belonged to the State, they said.

‘Issue title deeds’

The protesters criticised the district administration for remaining “silent” on issuing title deeds to farmers who had been cultivating ‘bagair hukum’, ‘gomala’, ‘gundutopu’, forest and revenue land for over 40 years. They demanded that the government initiate the process of issuing title deeds.

The land mafia had entered politics in the district and had a hand in the distribution of sites by the Mysore Urban Development Authority, they charged. The CID probe ordered by the government was dismissed as “eyewash”.

The workers drew the attention of the government to “large-scale irregularities” in land purchase by the Karnataka Housing Board for developing a housing complex at Gungaral Chatra area and surrounding villages in Mysore taluk. This case too should be handed over to the CBI or the Lokayukta, they demanded.

(Courtesy : The Hindu)

Backward classes students to get own hostels in Vizakhapatnam after SFI Struggle

Students belonging to the backward classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Visakhapatnam will soon have hostels of their own, a team of district officials assured protesting students at a rally conducted by the Student Federation of India (SFI)  on the 6th Decemeber.

Thirty-eight activists of the SFI, who were on fast for the last five days in front of the Collectorate here demanding that the government solve the problems relating to hostels and other issues, called off their protest following an assurance from district officials that the issues that could be solved at the district level would be addressed to immediately. 

The officials, including additional joint collector Narasinga Rao and deputy director BC welfare department Srinivasa Rao, said the DRO had been asked to identify land for the construction of the buildings. About 5,000 students from over 31 hostels have been agitating over issues pertaining to the upkeep and running of the hostels for the last couple of days.

L Satyavathi, an inmate of BC Hostel at Isukathota and SFI activist, said that inmates have been suffering over the past one year due to the indifference of the authorities. "Out of about 31 hostels spread across the city, 19 are set up in rented buildings. The welfare department has not paid the rent for the past one year and the owners, instead of dealing with the authorities concerned, have been threatening to evict us. At times they also cut power and water supply to harass us," she said.

Member of Legislative Council from the Graduate Constituency, North Coastal AP, MVS Sarma, alleged that the government was aware of the situation but was deliberately not doing anything to resolve it. "In reality they want to phase out the hostels and hand them over to the private sector. To get the attention of the government, the students had to take up an agitation," said Sarma. Apart from the building issue, the students said they have been facing scores of other problems. Most of the hostels are supposed to be managed by students. Earlier each of the student was being paid a paltry sum of Rs 520 per month to cover their expenses for breakfast, lunch, dinner and other things like laundry and stationary. Due to the meager amount doled out, students said over the last six months they were often forced to skip their breakfast and cut down on eggs and plantains, which were supposed to be provided at least three days a week. "There were days when we did not even have sufficient rice to cook and had to depend on starch," said Ganga Rao of SFI.

The authorities have now enhanced the amount to Rs 1050, but no one knows from when it will be implemented, said Satyavathi. "Even Rs 1050 is very low compared to the rising prices," said Sarma.

The hostels, be it for girls or boys, do not have adequate bathrooms. One bathroom has to be shared by at least 25 inmates. The windows and doors are broken and the security aspect has been completely ignored. There is also no running water and facility for safe drinking water is missing in most of the hostels. It may be recalled that a year ago there were two deaths due to water borne diseases.

However, the additional joint collector said on Wednesday that the concerned departments such as BC welfare and SC and ST welfare would take up the pending issues on a war footing. "We would not only focus on constructing our own new buildings but also take up repairs and maintenance and provide filtered and treated water facility to all hostels," said the additional joint collector.n While the authorities have agreed to almost all the demands, we will have to wait and watch to see whether it will translate into action or if it is just a ploy to quell the agitation, said CPM district secretary Ch. Narasinga Rao.

 

Among the students who went on fast were SFI State vice-president Jagan and city secretary Chinnari.

 

CPI(M) city secretary B. Ganga Rao, district secretary of UTF Y.A.R.K. Prasad, and DYFI leader B.A. Naidu expressed their solidarity with the students.

 

CPI(M) lay siege to Vijayawada sub collector’s office

The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) has laid a siege to Sub Collector’s Office in Vijayawada on 10th December to draw the attention of the State Government on problems faced by the people in the city. 

The people in large numbers turned out near the Sub Collector’s office on Monday. The police took nearly 200 people into custody as soon as they reached the dharna spot. The police shifted the agitators, including CPI(M) leaders, to Suryaraopeta and Governorpeta police stations. 

They were locked up at the police stations till afternoon. The agitators staged a dharna at the Governorpeta police station against the arrests. The CPI(M) leaders, earlier, addressing the gathering, said that the commonman was not in a position to bear the burden being levied by the government under the garb of surcharges, and cap on subsidised LPG cylinders. The AICC president Sonia Gandhi has announced that 9 subsidised cylinders would be supplied in Congress ruled states, but the State Government is averse to it. 

The people were at the receiving end due to inefficiency of the Government, they said. The fuel adjustment surcharge was a burden of Rs.16,000-crore on the people. The people were at the receiving end due to the nepotism in the Government and its policies on the power sector. The policies were benefiting the private companies like GMR, and the Lanco owned by Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal. 

The Government was stealing from the people to giving to corporate companies, the said. Rao said that the Government imposed a burden of Rs.20,000 crore on the people in last two years. The people went broke because of the new takes and hike in old one, user charges etc. The people should teach a befitting lesson to the Government, they said, adding, the Government would fall if it did not withdraw the surcharges.The CPI(M) Central Committee member Paturu Ramaiah, city secretary Ch. Babu Rao and others were present

CPIM Polit Bureau Communique

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi on December 6 and 7, 2012. It has issued the following statement:

FDI in Retail Trade

The decision of the UPA government to allow foreign supermarket chains in the multi-brand retail trade has met with widespread opposition from all sections of the people throughout the country. In Parliament, after refusing to accept a debate and vote on the issue, the government had to finally accede to the demand. The debate in both Houses of Parliament revealed that an overwhelming number of political parties representing a clear majority of the MPs are not in favour of allowing FDI in retail trade. This reflects the views of the majority of the people of the country.

However, despite this opposition, the government was able to maneouvre to get the motion against FDI in retail trade defeated. This was possible due to the opportunism of the Samajwadi Party and the dubious position adopted by the Bahujan Samaj Party. Both these parties spoke out against FDI in retail trade but acted in a manner to help the government succeed.

The strong opposition registered in Parliament and the actual minority status of the government on the issue should be utilized to intensify the struggle against the entry of Walmart and other supermarket chains into India. The Polit Bureau resolved to continue the campaign to mobilize public opinion to prevent the entry of the foreign supermarket chains.

Cash Transfer Scheme

The Polit Bureau reiterates its strong opposition to the move to implement the cash transfer scheme to replace the public goods like foodgrains through public distribution system and fertilizers. In a period of high inflation, cash transfers to replace subsidized goods is meant to actually cut subsidies since the cash to be transferred will not cover the increased costs of the same amount of subsidized foodgrains or fertilizers. Cash, instead of foodgrains, can also be end up for other consumption needs and result in increasing malnutrition and hunger. Having cash transfers in place of foodgrains will end up dismantling the public distribution system and procurement from farmers.

Regarding the linking of MNREGA wages to the Aadhar card, bio-metric identification for manual workers has a high 20 per cent margin of error as fingerprints of such workers change. The linking of MNREGA enrollment to Aadhar card holders will restrict the universality of the scheme. Moreover, the Bill proposed for the Unique Identification Number (UID) has not yet been passed by Parliament, but the government is going ahead with such far-reaching measures.

As far as scholarship, pensions etc are concerned, most of these schemes are already cash transfer schemes through bank accounts. The amount and also the coverage of these schemes should be increased and linked to the price index.

Communal Violence

The Polit Bureau noted with concern the outbreak of communal violence in Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh on October 24. The trouble started during the procession of the Durga puja idols for immersion. In a pre-planned manner, the minority community came under attack. 42 shops belonging to Muslims were burnt down. Attacks took place in two other sub-divisions of the district the same evening. This was not a communal riot but a planned attack on the Muslim community. The role of the Hindutva outfits has emerged. Faizabad is the twin town of Ayodhya which saw no communal violence even at the height of the Ram temple movement and the demolition of the Babri Masjid.

There have been a number of communal incidents in Uttar Pradesh in the recent months. The Samajwadi Party government has to take these communal incidents seriously. The Polit Bureau wants the state government to take firm measures to curb the activities of the communal forces.

In Hyderabad, the issue of extending the construction around the temple illegally constructed adjacent to the Charminar has led to communal tensions. The Muslim community and the secular forces have opposed the efforts to build up the temple which did not exist there till the 1960s. The state government should intervene firmly to check the communal forces from utilizing the “temple” issue.

Five Crore Signatures

The Polit Bureau called upon all its Party units to undertake the mass signature campaign on food security and for a universal public distribution system. The Left parties have given a call for the collection of five crore signatures by the end of January 2013. The Party units should organize a door to door campaign to collect these signatures.

All India Jathas

The Polit Bureau decided that the Party would organize all India jathas to project a national alternative. The Left platform on food, land and house sites, employment, education, health and the fight against corruption will be propagated. Jathas led by all-India leaders will cover the whole country in March 2013 and they will culminate in a mass rally at Delhi. The details of these jathas will be finalized at the Central Committee meeting to be held in Kolkata in January 2013.

West Bengal Demands Immediate Food Security Legislation

West Bengal Left Front Committee has launched a huge statewide signature campaign as a part of the nationwide campaign ensuring the demand for 35 kg rice at the cost of Rs.2 per kg for every household beyond APL or BPL delimitation. The historic signature campaign would thus fulfill the slogan of Food for All. So the demand affirms no distinction between APL and BPL, the government has to ensure Food for All. Every signature therefore would ensure a step forward to fulfill the demand throughout 19 districts of the state. While inaugurating the signature campaign Left Front Chairman Biman Basu at Entally market area said that food grains are getting rotten in government stores, gobbled by rats. But people still starve to death in this country. This is no way acceptable. To ensure Food Security the Left Front would ensure 5 crores signature in the whole country in which the 19 districts of West Bengal would ensure 1.5 crores signatures. ‘We would reach every household with the demand of Food Security for all, interact with them. People would give their signature to ensure food for millions of lives. We are trying to convince the Prime Minister the actual food situation of the country, said Biman Basu. CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, veteran Left Front leader Ashok Ghosh, and other Left Front leaders initiated the signature campaign programme. While speaking on how the UPA government has not fulfilled the promise they once assured to the people of India, the leader of opposition Surya Kanta Misra said that ‘the Presidential speech of the first session after the UPA-II government came in power assured the promulgation of Food Security Act within first 100 days of the government. Time has gone by from 2009 to 2012, but that 100 days never returned’. Biman Basu also said in this context that ‘it was a long standing demand of the Left Front that the country must implement Food Security Act to prevent starvation and death. Although the bill is prepared and tabled but the act is yet to be promulgated’. Misra while criticizing the UPA government said that ‘the government spares no time to ensure food security for its own people whereas it takes no time to implement FDI in retail sector. It takes a minute to hike the price of Petrol, Diesel and Cooking Gas’. The signature campaign programme in its inaugural day has however witnessed people’s spontaneous participation. From leaders of different parties to the dignitaries of different field of excellence to the common mass the campaign marked its success and promise to succeed the month long programme. The important signatories were Ashok Ghosh, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Biman Basu, Manjukumar Majumder, Kshiti Goswami, Surya Kanta Misra, Rabin Deb, Raghunath Kushari, Avik dutta, Pratim Chatterjee, Manoj Bhattacharya, Subhas Roy, shaibal Chatterjee, Jayanta Roy, Shayamsri Das, former Vice Chancellor Pabitra Sarkar, Shubhankar Chakraborty, Ashok Nath Basu, Dilip Basu, Malini Bhattacharya, litterateur Abul Bashar, film director Tarun Majumdar etc.

CPI(M) protest in Khamman demanding houses for poor

A protest demonstration by the CPI (M) cadres in pursuit of their demand for allotment of house sites to all the shelterless poor in the town into the office of the Revenue Divisional Officer on Monday. Mild tension prevailed at the entrance of the RDO’s office when the police stopped the protesters from venturing into the building.

Later, the agitated CPI (M) cadres staged a protest demonstration in front of the office denouncing the alleged apathetic attitude of the government towards fulfilling the housing needs of thousands of hapless poor of the town. The leaders of the party's frontal organisations also participated in the demonstration.