An Emphatic Victory for TNUEF’s Direct Action Programme

Ganesh (Peoples Democracy)

 IN a customary way, the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front (TNUEF) conducts direct action programmes on September 30, the death anniversary day of Comrade B Srinivasa Rao, whose tireless work against untouchability and atrocities on dalits in erstwhile Thanjavur has left indelible mark.

Although the struggle against untouchability in the state goes on almost 24x7, there is an emotional touch to this direct action programme since it is attached to this great leader’s name. TNUEF takes inspiration from the past achievements that were gained by the Left movement under the leadership of Comrade B Srinivasa Rao. In fact, his unfinished agenda is being carried forward further by the TNUEF.

This year, the direct action programme was planned in seven places. Prior to this, field surveys were undertaken at the state level. Last time, the survey was conducted in 2007. Several struggles were undertaken based on the reports of that survey. In its last meeting, the state committee of the TNUEF had decided to conduct a fresh survey to analyse the latest scenario. The work of compiling these survey reports is underway. Meanwhile, some of the untouchability practices that have come out from this survey were earmarked for direct action programme.

Hundred Years Dream Comes True in Erode

IN Erode district, Ezhumathur village, for more than 100 years, dalits were not allowed to enter the Chathiswaran Temple. This was revealed during the field survey that was done by the TNUEF. As part of the direct action programme, the TNUEF had announced that dalit people will go to the temple and worship under the leadership of P Sampath, TNUEF president, K Thangavel, MLA, N Amirtham, state president of AIDWA and others.

Sensing the mood among the people and the firmness of the TNUEF, the dDistrict administration was forced to call for talks. The talks were held on September 28. The TNUEF insisted during the talks that not just the entry into the temple, the community hall that is being occupied should also be available for dalits. The administration had to concede the demands. On the same day, at 5.30 PM, dalit people from Kootapalli, Sivananda Colony, Selvan Nagar, Anna Nagar, Ponvizha Nagar and other villages walked into the temple and worshipped.

During this temple entry, K Durairaj, CPI(M) state committee member, P Mari Muthu, CPI(M) district secretary, M Annadurai, TNUEF district president, PP Palani Samy, TNUEF district secretary and others took part.  The dalit people thanked the TNUEF and the CPI(M) for having enabled the dream since hundred years to come true.

Successful Temple Entry in Tiruvannamalai

IN Tiruvannamalai district, Kalasapakkam Panchayat Union, Siruvallur village, dalits were not allowed into Narayana Perumal Temple. Also, in this village, two tumbler system in the tea stalls, denial of road to cremation ground etc existed.  As planned, the direct action programme was conducted on September 30. Hundreds of dalit people led by K Balakrishnan, MLA, K Samuel Raj, TNUEF general secretary, R Velmurugan, DYFI state secretary, had proceeded towards the temple. The casteist elements had assembled on the road that leads to the temple. 

The district administration and the police that intervened, told the leaders and the dalits that there is no denial of entry into the temple. But the leaders insisted that the people should be taken into the temple immediately. With the leaders and the people standing firm, the entry was allowed.  The seventy-year old untouchability practice was put to an end.

Right to Enter the Own Land in Dindigul

IN Dindigul district, Oddanchanthiram town, Kudalingapuram, pattas were given to 48 dalit Arunthathiyar families, 32 years back. Though the land was measured as per the area allotted to them, it was not handed over to them. Years gone, the value of the land ran into crores of rupees. Repeated petitioning by the people did not settle the issue. Hence, they decided to undertake a direct action programme under the leadership of the TNUEF. The Front has also announced that this programme would be part of the direct action day programmes that will be conducted on September 30.

The talks that were arranged prior to the action day did not yield any result. On 30th, more than a thousand people took part in the rally and the siege. It was led by  P Sampath, R Jayaraman, TNUEF treasurer, K Bala Bharathi, MLA, N Pandi, CPI(M) district secretary, K Chinna Karuppan, TNUEF district president, M R Muthu Samy, TNUEF district secretary and others. The administration held talks with the leaders and agreed to hand over the land to the dalit Arunthathiyars.

Untouchability Gate Demolished in Ooty

IN Ooty (Niligiris), Coonoor, Gandhipuram, the dalit Arunthathiyars were denied entry through the common road. A private company had put up a gate to block the way. The TNUEF saw it as an untouchability practice. Many demonstrations were held to draw the attention of the administration. They kept repeating the promises that were never fulfilled. Hence, a decision was taken to go for direct action programme under the leadership of the TNUEF and the CPI(M).

On September 30, the dalit Arunthiyars led by P Dilli Babu, MLA, U K Sivagnanam, TNUEF state secretary, R Badri, CPI(M) district secretary,  L Thiyagarajan, CITU district secretary and others proceeded towards the untouchability gate. Talks were held for four hours and no decision was forthcoming. The leaders saw it as a delaying tactic. They had informed the administration that they would demolish the gate themselves.

With this, the administration had no other alternative except to demolish the gate. Finally, the gate was broken in front of jubilant dalit people who were denied entry for the last 50 years.

“First time” hair cuts and tea in Thanjavur

IT was for the first time that dalit people could get a hair cut and tea in their village. In Thanjavur district, Orathanadu, Echankottai village, two tumbler system and denial of haircut existed for many years. Dalits had to go miles away for having a hair cut. Separate tumblers have kept them discriminated for years together. The announcement of direct action programme led by Nagai Mali, MLA, had put the administration on alert.

Timely intervention by the administration had helped to put an end to the untouchability practice. It was decided that the dalit people will be served in the common tumblers and will have hair cuts at the local saloons on September 29. Enthusiastic local dalits led by Ganesh, TNUEF state secretary,  J Rajmohan, SFI state secretary,  G Neelamegam, CPI(M) district secretary, Abhi Mannan, TNUEF district president, Chinnai Pandian, TNUEF district secretary, proceeded  to the saloons and the tea stalls at 12 PM.

Tehsildar and local police had played a vital role in bringing some non-dalits to take part in the event. They made it sure that dalits had hair cuts in two saloons in that area. This was the first time that dalits had hair cut in those saloons. Also, they were served with tea in all the three tea stalls. These actions have put an end to the vicious untouchability practices in that area.

Hair Dressing in Madurai

IN Madurai district, Vadipatti town panchayat, dalits were not allowed to have hair cut in the saloons. This was also revealed during the survey conducted by the TNUEF in August. The TNUEF had listed out the saloons that were refusing cut hair for dalits and handed over to the district administration. Sensing that the administration is hesitating to act, it was decided to conduct direct action programme under the leadership of P Shanmugam, AIKS state secretary, on September 30. 

Talks were held by the administration with the Hair Dressers Association and finally the Association had to agree to the demands of the dalits. The leaders and the dalit people were firm in having hair cut on September 30. But the administration said that this would be done on September 29 itself. They also assured that the untouchability practice would be put to an end with this.

On September 20, dalit people under the leadership of M Thangaraj, TNUEF state secretary, S K Ponnuthai, TNUEF state secretary, C Ramakrishnan, CPI(M) district secretary, D Chellakannu, Boominathan, N P Ramesh Kannan, district leaders of the TNUEF, Thamizhalan, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi’s state assistant secretary, Viduthalai Veeran, state  joint general secretary, Athi Thamizhar Peravai and others, went to the saloons. In all the three saloons, hair cut was done to dalits.

Successful Bath by Dalits in Virudhunagar

THIS was the first victory in the direct action programme. In Virudhunagar district, V Muthulingapuram, the dalit Arunthathiyars were denied permission to take bath in the common water tank. Here, 70 Arunthathiyar families are residing. The petitions to the administration yielded no result. Hence, the decision for direct action programme led by A Lazar, MLA.  There were other issues also like, denial of path to the cremation ground, non-filling up of drinking water tank, making the dalit students to clean the toilets in the school etc.

The water tank was built in 2011-12.  When the Arunthathiyar youth tried to take bath, the casteist elements resisted them. During another attempt, they made the tank empty by releasing out the water. The announcement that the direct action will be held on September 30 had unnerved the district administration.  They came forward for the talks.

During the talks, under the insistence of the TNUEF leaders, the district administration had to agree for all the demands regarding the untouchability practices. On September 21, the dalit Arunthathiyars took bath in the common water tank. C Murugesan, TNUEF district president, S Gnana Guru, TNUEF district secretary, M C Pandian, CPI(M) area committee secretary, along with the leaders of various organisations took part in this.

In the direct action programme that was conducted across the state, leaders and activists of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, Athi Thamizhar Peravai, CITU, DYFI, SFI, AIDWA, AIKS, AIAWU, AIIEA have taken part in the talks and direct action programmes. The state committee of the TNUEF has congratulated and appreciated the achievements and the efforts put in by all. These events will have its echo in many parts of the state. Also, the momentum gained by this emphatic victory, will also be intensified further.

Ensure Punishment to the Criminal Elements Who Indulged in Sexual Harassment, Ragging and Intimidation of Girl Students in Pondicherry University!

The Central Executive Committee of the Students’ Federation of India strongly condemns the instances of sexual harassment, ragging and intimidation of girl students in Pondicherry University (PU) and the violence let loose against students who supported the girls.

The students of the University conducted a massive protest on Tuesday (1 October) night against the aforesaid criminal acts in the campus. Some girl students had filed a complaint against ragging and threat of rape by a group of senior students. The Kalapet police has filed an FIR against the aggressor under IPC sections 506(II) and 509. The students who supported the girl students in filing the complaint were under threat for the past few days,
and on Tuesday morning, a gang of hooligans manhandled them. They threatened that they would cut off the legs of those students who stood with the girl students if the assailants are suspended from the University because of the complaint filed by the girl students. The gang also brutally beat up one of the students; his tooth was broken and he had to be admitted in JIPMER, Pondicherry.

The security personnel of the University remained mute spectators throughout even as the gang unleashed violence. When the girl complainant approached the Vice-Chancellor with her grievance, she was discouraged from filing the complaint – the VC’s prime “concern” was that the “reputation” of the institution would be spoiled. Such insensitivity of the University authorities has been one of the prime causes for the continuance of instances of
sexual harassment in the campus. Following recent incidents, the students are under constant fear of being attacked at any moment. Ever since she filed the complaint, the girl student who was harassed has been continuously subjected to intimidation and threatened that she wouldn’t be allowed to complete her course of
study in the University.

Even more shockingly, the attempts to intimidate her are being led by a faculty member of the Department of Physical Education. There are also attempts to divert attention from the matter by fabricating false cases against the students who helped the girls in filing the complaint against the attacker. The protest on Tuesday night saw massive participation of girl students and others. The students demanded that the University must take steps on an urgent basis to stop ragging, sexual harassment and goonda raj in
the campus, and that the University must set up a Gender Sensitisation Committee Against Sexual Harassment (GSCASH) to address complaints of sexual harassment in the University.

The CEC of SFI demands that Pondicherry University must promptly take steps to ensure the safety and security of girl students in the campus and that the culprits in the case must be given exemplary punishment. We demand that a GSCASH be set up in the University immediately as the students have been demanding. It is appalling that sixteen years after the Supreme Court (in its Vishaka judgement of 1997) laid down binding directives regarding the formation of committees to deal with cases of sexual harassment, and in spite of the recently passed law against sexual harassment in workplaces, GSCASH has not been formed even in most central Universities. SFI demands that GSCASH should be constituted in all Universities and colleges in the country in order to effectively address cases of sexual harassment in campuses and to sensitise students on gender issues. The incidents in PU should serve to underscore the need for intensifying our struggle against ragging in campuses across the country and to establish GSCASH in all campuses.

SFI condemns attack on Himachal Pradesh University Students union office by RSS goons

Central Executive committee of the Students’ federation of India condemns the attack by RSS-ABVP on the student’s union office of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), Shimla yesterday, yet again showing the values which they represent. 7 students, including elected vice-president of the students’ union (SCA), Gopal Singh and the secretary of the SFI HPU unit, Hoshiyar singh and state joint secretary, Vivek Rana have been critically injured in this attack. Among these 7 students, 5 are state committee members of SFI. Armed with khukri and iron rods, RSS-ABVP lumpens attacked the union office around 8:30 a.m. yesterday and indiscriminately started attacking whosoever was present there. All the students are now admitted in IGMC hospital, Shimla and particularly Comrade Gopal continues to be in a very critical condition, with serious head injuries and deep cuts on both his hands.

This attack comes barely a day after our brave, young 18-year old Comrade Sajin Shahul succumbed to similar attack by the communal forces of reaction in Kerala. At a time, when throughout the country attempts are being made to step up the communal polarization, SFI is steadfastly resisting every such attempts and that’s why SFI activists are facing the brunt of such attacks. At a time when attempts are being made to re-write the history and ruin the future, we resolve to remain true to our tradition- the tradition of unflinching and uncompromising struggle for the secular values.

Condemn the Murder of SFI Activist by RSS-ABVP Goons in Kerala!

 The Central Executive committee of the Students’ Federation of India salutes the brave martyr Comrade Sajin Shahul, who succumbed today to injuries he sustained in an attack by RSS-ABVP goons in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Com. Sajin was a student of Government ITI, Dhanuvachapuram, Thiruvananthapuram, and was in the forefront of the fight against communal-fascist forces. The fatal attack occurred on 29 August, when RSS-ABVP thugs attacked his institute and threw bombs at SFI activists. Com. Sajin, who was only 18 years old, suffered serious head injuries and was on ventilator for a month until he passed away today in the morning.

Violent attacks by Sanghi goons are nothing new to our campuses; it was only one year ago – on 26th September 2012 – that another SFI activist, Com. Rohit, was brutally murdered by ABVP hooligans in Himachal Pradesh for having stopped them from harassing a girl student of his college. In Kerala, where the SFI has fought a determined and uncompromising battle against communalism in campuses, its activists have been the targets of Hindutva terrorists for a long time now. Thousands of SFI activists have bravely faced such attacks in various parts of the country, and many, like comrades Sajin and Rohit, have had to put their lives on the line in the course of this protracted struggle.
SFI dips its banner in honour of our valiant comrade and pledges to continue the fight to fulfill his unfinished tasks. The CEC of SFI appeals to the student community to rise up in protest against the dastardly murder of Com. Sajin, and calls for an All India Protest Day on 3 October 2013 (Thursday) to be observed all across the campuses and units of the country in militant solidarity with our struggle against communal-fascism.

CPIM on Electoral Reforms

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

 

The CPI(M) has been advocating comprehensive electoral reforms but these important issues have not been placed by the Government before Parliament so far.

 

The Supreme Court judgment to include a “No Vote” on the ballot is only a minor aspect of the issue of reforms. These matters are being dealt with in a piecemeal way by the judiciary when what is required is comprehensive electoral reforms including the issue of proportional representation, urgent steps to curb money and muscle power, which must be discussed and adopted by Parliament.

CPIM Note to NIC meeting

1. Rising Communal Incidents

This meeting of the National Integration Council is being held in the background of rising number of communal incidents and violence in the recent months which is a matter of serious concern.  In the past few weeks, there has been communal violence occurring in Kishtwar in Jammu & Kashmir; in Nawada and Betiah in Bihar; and a major outbreak of violence in Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh where more than 40 people have been killed.  These have occurred after a series of communal incidents in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh in the past one year. 

What accounts for the worsening of the communal situation in the recent period?  These are not spontaneous outbreaks but part of a planned effort and designed by certain communal-political forces.

The causes for the communal violence are the same as in the past – religious processions moving through mixed areas and provocations taking place; allegations of harassment of young women belonging to a particular community by persons of another community; inflammatory propaganda  which leads to a climate of mistrust and any incident  can spark off a wider conflict.  But what is more disturbing is that riots are sought to be spread in the rural areas as it happened in Muzaffarnagar.  In all such riots, it is the minority community which ultimately bears the brunt of the violence in terms of deaths and destruction of property.

Certain organisations and political parties espousing communal ideology, are indulging in communal propaganda to build up tensions and to utilize any incident to incite communal violence.

As per the figures supplied by the Home Ministry, this year, from January to September, there have been 497 communal incidents in the country which have killed 107 people and injured 1,697.

The forthcoming 2014 Lok Sabha elections seem to be a catalyst for communal activities. It can be easily identified who seeks to gain out of such communal polarization.

2.  Measures to Tackle Communal Disturbances

Therefore, in order to curb communal violence, it is necessary to first identify such political-communal elements and organisations and take preventive measures to curb their activities and propaganda.  The laws concerning the prohibition of communal propaganda, incitement to hatred etc. should be applied.

The role of the administration in taking such precautionary measures cannot be overemphasized. It is also essential to see that the administration and the police act promptly and impartially to curb violence and to book the offenders. 

The Prevention of Communal Violence Bill  should be enacted into law without further delay.  The law should focus only on communal violence and not broaden itself to other forms of conflicts and violence.  Further, the legislation should be in keeping with the federal principle wherein the state governments have the primary responsibility for maintenance of law and order and policing. 

The espousal of communal ideology through the educational system and textbooks which promote communal and anti-secular ideas exist in some states – these need to be dealt with.

We have seen the use of social media and networking sites to promote inflammatory communal propaganda. Just as in the case of other forms of communal propaganda, measures should be taken to prohibit such  content and take action against those who upload such content. In this connection, the clause in the Information Technology Act, Section 66 A, should be suitably modified, so that this clause is not misused to  suppress views and dissenting opinion.

Above all, it is important that  the problem of communal violence is not seen merely as an administrative law and order problem.  Given the history of communal politics in India, it is primarily a political issue and it must be dealt with politically.  This requires a firm adherence to the secular principle and the need to combat communal ideology and politics, whatever their source and origin. 

There is another matter which concerns communal harmony and involves having an equitable approach to the minorities.  Communalism promotes extremist activities such as terrorist violence.  While it is necessary to fight and curb terrorism whichever its source, there has to be care to see that no single community is targeted.  Unfortunately, experience shows that in the name of fighting terrorism often  innocent Muslim youth are targeted.  There have been a number of cases where young Muslims have been arrested and implicated in false cases and kept for prolonged periods in jail.  There are many cases where these youth have been eventually acquitted and the judiciary has passed strictures on the way they have been booked on false or flimsy evidence.

Such a biased approach on the part of the police and security agencies is causing alienation and anger among the community.

It is imperative that such a  discriminatory approach is given up.  The State has responsibility to compensate and help the rehabilitation of such youth.  There should be accountability and action taken against the police and security authorities who are responsible for such travesty of justice.

3.  Safety and Security of Women

Sexual offences and attacks on women and children have assumed alarming proportions. Even as incidents of rape, gangrape, acid throwing on young women, child sexual abuse have increased, the conviction rate in cases of crimes against women, remains dismal. The utter failure and lack of political will to put in place a system which ensures the certainly of punishment encourages such criminality. Stringent action must be taken against all those whether in the police or other investigation agencies who sabotage the law. Fast track courts for such cases and time bound justice are an urgent necessity.

Even though a new law has been put in place as a result of public outrage following the brutal Delhi gang rape, it is yet to be implemented properly and in any case is not sufficient as it does not cover all the recommendations made by the Verma Committee. For example, the horrendous killings of young couples in the name of honour continues. There is urgent need for a separate law against such so-called honour killings. It is unfortunate that such a law has not been taken up as some state governments do not feel it necessary to go against retrograde so-called traditions and social conventions for narrow political considerations.

Communal and fundamentalist forces in all communities seek to impose their patriarchal values on women restricting and violating their rights. Often sexual attacks and harassment of women are given a communal colour and used by communal organizations to rouse passions and hatred against the other community. It is necessary to take strong action against such elements.

It is deeply regrettable that the number of cases of men in high places whether in politics, in the sphere of self-proclaimed “god men” and so on have often utilized that power to harass women. The crime must be considered as an aggravated sexual crime and action taken accordingly. No double standards of leniency in applying the law against such individuals should be attempted.

At the same time the inequalities in terms of access to employment, equal wages. guaranteed social security, rights in land and other assets, make women dependent and therefore more vulnerable to violence. It is necessary to ensure a framework of economic policies which enable women to attain economic independence, particularly for the poorer sections of women, dalits and adivasis who are the most vulnerable targets of sexual violence.

Women’s rights to an environment free of sexual violence must be grounded as a fundamental and constitutional right accorded to women on the basis of gender equality. The right of women to live in a society free of sexual violence must be grounded as a fundamental and constitutional right accorded to women on the basis of the principle of equality. These principles must form part of the upbringing and education of our young people and be reflected in educational syllabi at all levels.

4.  Welfare of SCs/STs

There has to be allocation of budgetary resources for the development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in proportion to their population. However, the Planning Commission guidelines in this respect has remained only on paper.  The experience is that the funds of the Tribal Sub-Plan and the SC Special Component Plan are diverted for other purposes or are not fully utilised and lapse.

To prevent this happening, legislation should be passed to ensure mandatory implementation of the Sub-Plan and Special Component Plan for STs and SCs respectively.  The Government of India should bring such legislation expeditiously in Parliament for adoption

Massive Rigging by TMC in Election to 12 Municipalities: CPI (M) Demands Total Re-poll in Burdwan and Chakdah Municipality

Election to 12 municipalities in West Bengal was marred with massive rigging and violence in the hands of the goons of the ruling party with the administrative machinery and police remaining as mere spectators. 8lakhs 46thousand 366 voters were to cast their votes in 244 wards of 12 municipalities on Saturday the 21st of September, 2013. What turned out eventually as voting started from 7a.m in the morning was a picture of farcical democracy with TMC vandals taking hold of the booths by forcefully throwing out the agents of the Left parties in vast areas, particularly in Burdwan, Chakdah and Panihati municipality. Voters other than TMC supporters were barred from casting their votes by force or by terror. As time passed by voting took the shape of utter show of rigging and violence by the TMC in areas especially that of Burdwan and Chakdah in Nadia district. In Panihati, North 24 Parganas, there was massive violence with even the State Election Commissioner Meera Pandey heckled by TMC.

With the election becoming a farce because of the rigging by TMC, CPI(M) and Left Front withdrew all agents and candidates and boycotted the election in Burdwan. The Left Front will not participate in the counting process. In Burdwan, the election agents of the Left Front were simply thrown out of the polling booths by the TMC while police and administration remained mere spectators. Even within the polling booth, the TMC goons were standing in front of the voting machines and openly dictating the people to vote for the TMC. On the face of such mass scale booth capture, the CPI(M) and Left Front decided to boycott the elections. In Chakdah, the situation was similar to that of Burdwan, where most of the booths were captured in the morning. The election became a farce and the CPI(M) and Left Front decided to boycott the election.

Politburo member of CPI(M) Nirupam Sen alleged that what happened on Saturday is a repetition of the happenings of the 70’s. Opposition leader Surjya Kanta Mishra said that TMC resorted to all sorts of malpractices in Burdwan, Chakdah and Panihati Municipality. Genuine voters were barred from casting their votes. Polling agents were thrown out of the booths. The workers were mercilessly beaten up. There are endless complains. Total re-poll has been demanded in Burdwan and Chakdah.

In Panihati, re-poll has been demanded by the Left Front in 23 Wards out of 35. The Election Commissioner herself when she was visiting the booths in Panihati was heckled and forcibly barred from performing her duties by TMC goons. When one of the local people came forward to lodge a complaint to the election commissioner, his house was ransacked by the TMC people and her eight month old child was taken by force from his wife’s lap and simply thrown to the ground. In all 80 people have been injured in Panihati. In Habra 13 people were injured. In 2 booths voting machines were broken with revolver.

The democratic processes in West Bengal are under severe attack since the TMC came to power. Large-scale violence and rigging was witnessed across the state during the Panchayat elections. The TMC in the most undemocratic manner forced CPI(M) councilors to vote in favour of TMC thereby gaining control over Haldia Municipality. This same legacy continued today, with the TMC forcefully trying to capture the municipalities through rigging and violence

BJP, RSS working on communal agenda: Brinda Karat

CPI (M) Politburo member Brinda Karat said that the elevation of Narendra Modi as Prime Ministerial candidate of Bharatiya Janata Party had only energised the communal agenda of the BJP and also brought the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh agenda into the forefront. “It is the RSS which decided on the Modi’s candidature. Both the BJP and RSS are assiduously working on communal agenda subsequent to the Muzaffarnagar violence in Uttar Pradesh,” she added.

Ms. Karat was talking to reporters ahead of the public function the CPI (M) organised here on Thursday to commemorate the centenary year celebrations of Jyoti Basu.

On the coming Lok Sabha polls, Ms. Karat said that time had come for creation of a political platform with alternative policies other than that of the pro-corporate policies followed by Congress and BJP.

On Tamil Nadu, she expressed the hope of carrying forward the understanding her party had with AIADMK in the recent elections. “The AIADMK government here has adopted good stance in many matters including when the Neyveli Lignite Corporation issue came up and also on food security, among others,” she opined. Ms. Karat blamed the United Progressive Alliance Government for the widening of Current Account Deficit and the subsequent economic issued that cropped up.

She was also critical of allowing Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) where the country’s economy was robust such as retail trade and insurance sector. Ms. Karat accused the UPA government of trying to dilute Nuclear Liability Bill and further criticised the Food Security Bill in its current form alleging that it would affect the States like Tamil Nadu where the coverage of public distribution system were good. CPIM Central Committee Member U Vasuki, State secreteriat Member Thangavel MLA, Thiruppur District Secretary K Kamaraj were also present.

(Source : The Hindu)

AIDWA demands special legislation to address honour crimes

AIDWA condemns the heinous murder of a young couple in Rohtak for having married of their own choice. It demands speedy investigation and stringent punishment of the guilty.
The AIDWA also demands expedition of implementation of special legislation to address honour crimes.

We enclose herewith the Press Statement of Haryana state unit of AIDWA in this regard.


All India Democratic Womens’ Association (AIDWA) has expressed deep shock and anguish over a barbaric case of honour killing in village Garnawathi of Rohtak district. In a press release issued by Haryana state committee of Janawadi Mahila Samiti Wednesday’s heinous crime is a shame on the face of civil society.

The level of cruelty displayed in this shameful crime has stirred the conscience of all right thinking individuals. According to AIDWA state secretary Savita such barbaric crimes continue unabated and reminding of medieval period. Haryana alone has recorded dozens of honour killing incidents but nothing has been done to curb such crimes against humanity.
It is ironical that the state government and mainstream politics continue to be silent spectators due to which no strong signal goes to the perpetrators of such crimes. AIDWA had long been striving for enactment of separate legislation against honour killings. A memorandum with over a lakh signature was submitted to the union Law minister few months back and draft legislation too was submitted with the ministry. But the same was not be placed before parliaments owing to opposition by Haryana government and other regressive forces like khaps who are active in North Western region.

AIDWA demands immediate enactment of this law. It appeals all sections of people to raise their voice against such barbarity and launch united campaign. AIDWA also strongly exhorts the elders to ponder over the concept of family honour and raise questions as to what honour was being saved by killing our own children.
AIDWA demands immediate arrest of all accused in Wednesday’s episode and award exemplary punishment.

No Dilution of Liability Law

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

 

The effort of the Manmohan Singh government to dilute the Civil Liability Nuclear Act to exempt US suppliers of reactors from the liability clause will be an illegal attempt to bypass the law passed by parliament. The opinion given by the Attorney General is an interpretation of the law which does not hold. Even if under Section 17(a) of the Act, there is no right to recourse written into the contract, 17(b) provides for the right to recourse if the accident is caused by faulty material or equipment provided by the supplier. Hence, irrespective of the written contract, the right to recourse and the liability of the supplier will apply if there is supply of faulty material or equipment.

 

It is evident that the UPA government is succumbing to the pressure of the US administration to safeguard their companies’ interests. But this cannot be at the expense of the interests of the country and the safety and security of Indian citizens.