There is little clarity on the ground situation at the twin Greater Noida villages of Bhatta and Parsaul, where farmers have been protesting the land acquisition along the Yamuna Expressway for over two weeks now. A visit by Rahul Gandhi, which involved some engaging theatrics, has only added to the misinformation. An AIDWA (All India Democratic Women's Association delegation visited Bhatta-Parsaul villages in Greater Noida on May 19, to study the the unfortunate turn of events on May 7 that led to the deaths of two farmers (one from each village) and 2 constables of the PAC.

They found that there is clear evidence of Police brutality and repression in the two villages and that the entire episode reveals that the UP government has precipitated matters in due to its adamant and highhanded approach towards land acquisition. Given below are findings of the AIDWA team, comprising Sudha Sundararaman (General Secretary), T. N. Seema (Rajya Sabha MP), Ashalata (Secretary), Albeena Shakil (CEC Member), Asha Yadav (Secretary, Noida) and Lata Singh (Activist Noida), local leaders of the All India Kisan Sabha accompanied the delegation, namely, Uday Veer Singh Mallik, Kunwar Pal Singh Mallik, Chander Pal Singh and Gyanender Singh, as well as CITU leader of Noida Gangeshwar and Com. Bhati- a respected leader of that area.

PRESS RELEASE

We met several victims of violence and interacted with the women of the area. The delegation also interacted briefly with the SDM of the adjoining district who was visiting Bhatta village. Our findings are as follows:

1. Agitation against inadequate compensation: The farmers of Bhatta-Parsaul have been on a prolonged agitation demanding better compensation for their land. The agitators include both those whose lands have been acquired as well as those whose lands are set to be acquired in the coming days. While some farmers have received part or full payment for their land, we met no one who was satisfied with the compensation. Most wanted an arrangement wherein they could have a stake in the escalating land value. The farmers were demanding a transparent declaration of land use by the government since many felt betrayed that the land that was ostensibly acquired for industrial purposes was now in the hands of real estate developers.
2. Firing on 7th May: While the months old agitation by farmers was largely peaceful, there was no serious effort to resolve their demands by the administration. The exact sequence of events that led to the firing could not be ascertained, but it is clear that the adamant approach of the government played a big role in the unfortunate turn of events. The firing started between 1.30 to 2 pm on 7th May at the Dharna site near the Aata Chakki in Bhatta and continued till nearly 7 pm. Police brutality and highhandedness through forced entry into homes continued for the next 3 days. It is clear that rather than establishing the rule of law, the Police and the administration took law into their own hands.
3. Plight of families of killed farmers: We met Shmt. Omwati, widow of Shri Rajpal, from Bhatta village, who was killed on the 7th. He is survived by three school going sons and a married daughter. The family is living in debt incurred during the daughter’s marriage. Shmt. Omwati complained that the administration did not allow the family to bring back his body to the village and her son was compelled to perform the last rites away from his family and home. Shri. Rajbeer from Parsaul village was also killed on the same day in Police firing but we could not reach his family.
4. Villagers shot or injured: We met Shmt. Raghubir Udayveer whose son Daljeet is injured and hospitalized. Senior citizen Narender Singh was shot in his right leg on the 7th but was finding himself at a loss to return to the hospital for treatment in the absence of male members in the village to escort him. 85 years old Tej Singh Sarma was beaten with rifle butts, his 15 year old grandson was arrested and beaten up in police custody for 3 days. School teacher Navratan Sharma’s leg was fractured. Brick worker Prempal, son of Lakkhi Chandan suffered a broken shoulder but no medical aid has reached him. School teacher Navratan Sharma’s leg was fractured. The son and daughter-in-law of Shmt. Nirmala were hospitalized with bullet injuries. 70 years old Kela Devi’s grandson Kapil was in hospital with bullet injuries. Bhirender Singh, son of Ikram Singh suffered multiple fractures in his hands and legs. Both the legs and one hand of schoolteacher Bijender were broken. Suresh, a medical shop owner, suffered from broken fingers and rib. Praveen was injured on his head and suffered a cut wound in his stomach.
5. Jailed: To our knowledge a total of 28 people have been jailed from the two villages, 23 from Bhatta and another 5 from Parsal. We found women members of their families to be in extreme distress.
6. Terrorized Villagers: The Police chased agitating farmers into the villages and forced their entry into homes in Bhatta on the 7thand in Parsaul for the next three days. Victims reported that police stormed the village in thousands, ( one eye witness put the number at 5000) broke open doors, jumped walls, and resorted to a full scale attack on the villagers. We found evidence of large scale looting and damage to property. Most male household members have left their homes, leaving behind women. Only a handful have returned. The male household members of Jameela, a senior citizen, had not returned home. The Police looted the foodgrain in her house. She was asking for food since she was too afraid to go out to work. All villagers, irrespective of whether they were landowners or not, were targeted during these raids. We found most women to be still terrorized. While many men were injured at the dharna site, a large number was also injured during these raids. Many women also hid outside the village in farms for a day or two.
7. Damage to property: The Police inevitably damaged all modes of travel like motorcycles and cars during these raids. Even tractors and wooden carts were not spared. We found broken doors and broken household goods in many homes. The shop of Vinod Sharma was looted and his car damaged. Money was snatched from Shmt. Kanta Devi. Ranbeera and her mentally challenged son were beaten and the car and motorcycle in their home damaged. The household furniture and small shop of 55 years old widow Shmt. Munni was damaged. The hay stacks in Mukut Lal’s house were set on fire. The car, tractor and water pump of Shmt. Durga Sharma was damaged. 20 sacks of wheat were also destroyed. 2 motorcycles, 1 TV, 1 fridge, 1 cooler, 1 inverter, 1 Dish, and furniture were damaged in the home of Shmt. Dayawati. The motorcycle in the house of Shmt. Anita Choudhary was damaged. 2 motorcycles in the house of Shri Bhopal were damaged and an attempt was made to set them on fire. The motorcycle in the house of deceased farmer Late Shri Rajpal was damaged.
8. Violence Against Women: No women police were part of the village raids. It is clear that the Police went on a rampage in the villages. Inevitably the Police encountered women in homes and without exception all women complained about filthy abuses and physical assault. Among them, 18 years old Neha Sharma’s hand was fractured. Her mother Shmt. Kanti Devi was also hospitalized till yesterday with injuries. Shmt. Munni, a widowed woman was beaten in her private parts. We found several women with minor cuts and bruises on their bodies. Many were traumatized by the events, mentally and physically. AIDWA strongly condemns this barbaric assault perpetrated by the UP police in the villages of Bhatta and Parsaul. The kind of violence unleashed against women is abhorrent and must be dealt with firmly. However, no incident of rape was reported by the families we met.

This entire sordid episode reveals that the UP government has precipitated matters in Bhatta-Parsaul due to its adamant and highhanded approach towards land acquisition. There is clear evidence of Police brutality and repression in the two villages. Women have faced the brunt of Police brutality and are extremely terrorized. They are in distress about male household members who are injured, jailed or have left the villages fearing police attacks. We found them to be extremely intimidated about heavy police presence in the area and found one instance where even yesterday the Police knocked at a door at midnight. Efforts must be made to restore normalcy in the villages without delay. Medical and other facilities must be provided to the injured. Police presence must be phased off. The threats and intimidation by the Police and administration must stop so that people can return to their homes. Food must be provided to needy villagers. Adequate compensation must be paid to the villagers for loss of life and property. While the law must take its own course in the case of all killed, including the 2 PAC constables, the effort to take revenge upon all villagers must be discarded without delay. The investigation must keep in view the entire context of administrative highhandedness. The UP government must shed its highhanded attitude on land acquisition and must announce a meaningful dialogue with the agitating farmers. The Union government must amend that Land Acquisition Act without delay, which is at the root of the entire unfortunate turn of events. Representatives of the Congress Party must refrain from seeking to divert attention from this pertinent issue by making sensational claims and allegations. The Land Acquisition Act must be amended in a manner that makes consent of farmers essential for land acquisition and provides adequate monetary compensation, with a gender sensitive perspective. This must be combined with a stake for the land losers in the appreciated future value of land along with other livelihood options.

No FDI in Multi-Brand Retail

The Polit Bureau strongly opposes any move to allow FDI in multi-brand retail trade as suggested by the Inter-Ministerial Group on Inflation headed by the Chief Economic Advisor.

Having utterly failed to curb the relentless increase in prices of essential commodities, the move is to utilize that very failure to push for more concessions to multinational companies like Walmart. The specious arguments put forward that entry of MNC retail giants like Walmart will enhance efficiency of the supply chain and bring down the trading margins belie international experience which shows that any State regulation of these giant retailers are always rendered ineffective. In fact, MNCs will enjoy much greater monopoly power over both farmers and consumers and will manipulate prices to their benefit while at the same time, the livelihood of millions of small unorganized retailers will be virtually wiped out.

This is yet another instance of pro-MNC neo-liberal framework which will badly affect the Indian people. It is shocking that the Group of Ministers has refused to accept the Supreme Court direction to strengthen the public distribution system and distribute foodgrains to the people which is also one of the ways of controlling market prices. It is to be noted that the Inter-Ministerial Group has not suggested any meaningful step to curb food inflation, like enhancing agricultural productivity or stepping up public investment in storage and transportation. Options like strengthening the PDS and banning future trade in essential commodities are also being ignored.

The CPI(M) calls upon other political parties and organisations to protest against this retrograde move.

CPI(M) activists court arrest during ‘jail bharo' in Orissa

CPI (M) activists were taken to jail during the ‘jail bharo' movement of the party held in the Berhampur city in Orissa on Saturday. It was the third and final day of ‘jail bharo' movement of the party in Ganjam, the home district of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to protest against anti-people and anti-labour policies of both the State and Central governments.

The leaders who got themselves jailed included the State secretariat member of the CPI (M) Ali Kishore Patnaik, city secretary of the party Basant Nanda, district committee members Aswini Sahu and Narasingha Sahu. During similar agitations 36 CPI (M) members had jailed themselves in Bhanjanagar and 64 party activists had been jailed in Chatrapur during past two days.

According to the decision none of the arrested persons would try for their bail.

Around 1,000 CPI (M) activists including women took out a rally in the city that started from Sahid Laxman Nayak community hall and culminated at local sub-collector's office.

There they preferred to break law and courted arrest. But at the request of the administration and the police the number of persons to be arrested and taken to jail was reduced, said Mr. Patnaik.

According to Mr. Patnaik respective sub-collectors in Bhanjanagar and Chatrapur had also made similar requests.

“It proves that such peaceful ‘satyagraha and jail bharo' which were weapon against Britishers before independence can now also be used to pressurise any government,” Mr. Patnaik said.

If such ‘jail bharo' movement continues and people come out in large numbers to go to jail then it will surely become a headache for the government, he added.

Before being transported to Berhampur circle jail, Mr. Patnaik said with the success of this recent movement it has been decided to hold similar ‘jail bharo' agitations in all blocks and tehsil headquarters of the district against wrong policies of the government.

(Courtesy : The hindu)

CITU demands immediate stopping of politically sponsored violence against CITU unions in West Bengal

The CITU Secretariat meeting held on 26-27 May 2011 at New Delhi expressed grave concern over the continuous violence and atrocities engineered by the hoodlums of Trinamool Congress and Congress on the trade unions and other mass organizations in different parts of West Bengal in the aftermath of the Assembly elections-result. Since May 13, already twelve were killed including two with a child burnt alive, which demonstrates extreme barbarism in the process of politically sponsored violence by the ruling regime.

Reports of physical assaults on the leaders, activists and even members of trade unions and other organizations, severely injuring many, and forcing the workers to leave CITU and join TMC led trade unions are pouring in every day. The preliminary reports contain information of incidents involving violent capturing of CITU affiliated union offices by armed TMC goons in different parts of the state; tearing off CITU flags, posters, placards, festoons, banners etc; ransacking of CITU offices etc. In many places, the employers also joined the armed TMC goons in intimidating and forcing to leave the CITU union.

Apart from incidents at various locations in Kolkata involving CITU trade unions in industries including Taxi and Auto Rickshow operators, Street Vendors, districts like Howrah, both the 24-Parganas, Bardhaman, Birbhum, Coochbehar also witnessed continuous violence, hurling of bombs in the office, extortion of huge money from the common workers and residents at gun-point.

The Secretariat of CITU condemns such vindictive and barbarous atrocities and violence on the workers and common people perpetrated by the ruling TMC-Congress led regime keeping the law and order authority a silent onlooker to such grievous and continuing incidents of arsons, physical assaults, loot, extortions and killings.

CITU demands upon the State Govt to out a stop to such continuing politically sponsored violence and atrocities on trade unions, workers and common people throughout the state.

CITU also appeals to all trade unions irrespective of affiliations to raise their voice against such politically sponsored violence on trade unions and mass organization with is designed to empower the employers and capitalists to benefit from terrorizing and weakening the workers’ organizations. Continuity of such politically sponsored violence is also an assault on democratic set up putting the peoples’ interests into jeopardy.

CITU Secretariat calls upon all its affiliated unions, state committees and industrial federations to unleash a countrywide campaign against the politically-sponsored violence on trade unions, workers and common people in West Bengal and observe a “Campaign-cum-Protest Week” on 6th to 11th June 2011 through public-meetings, issuing pamphlets in thousands detailing the barbarous atrocities on the workers and people in West Bengal, rallies, processions etc all over the country.

Surjya Kanta Mishra elected Opposition Leader in West Bengal Assembly

CPIM Central Committee Member and Former Health Minister Surjya Kanta Mishra was elected Leader of the Opposition in the new West Bengal Assembly on Friday. Surjya Kanta Mishra is elected from Narayangarh in Paschim Medinipur district. Making the announcement, Biman Bose, the Chairman of the State Left Front Committee, also said that the Left will not be nominating anyone for the post of Speaker whose election will be held on May 30.

Subhas Naskar, former Irrigation Minister of Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) , will be the new Deputy Leader of the Opposition. Bishwanath Karak, an All India Forward Bloc MLA from Goghat in Hooghly district, will be the Left's Chief Whip.

Com. BimanBose also announced that the Left Front will be observing State-wide protests on May 31. “We shall protest against the anti-people policies of the Centre including the increase in prices of petroleum products and fertilisers and reductions in subsidies as well as escalating prices of essential commodities. We shall also protest against the death of supporters and party workers who have been killed in the days after the results of the Assembly elections were announced,” Mr. Bose said.

CPI(M) activists begin ‘jail bharo' movement in Orissa

The CPI (M) activists started three-day long ‘satyagraha' and ‘jail bharo' movement from Thursday in Ganjam, the home district of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

On Thursday CPI (M) activists courted arrest in Bhanjanagar. During the next two days similar ‘satyagraha' and ‘jail bharo' movements would be held in other two sub-divisional headquarters of the district, Chatrapur and Berhampur.

The CPI (M) has taken up this agitation to protest against ‘anti-people and anti-labour policies' of the State as well as Central government.

Around 500 CPI (M) activists from Digapahandi, Aska, Bhanjanagar, Sorada, Belaguntha and Shergarh blocks had gathered up for the agitation in Bhanjanagar. They included over 200 women. All had come over to court arrest with the promise that they would not try for their release. They took out a rally from Biju Patnaik square and marched up to the office of the sub-collector. They were led by leaders of the party such as Basudev Gouda, Nilamani Guru, Kailash Sadangi, Gopal Panigrahy and Laxman Padhi .

The rally culminated in a public meeting which was addressed by the State secretariat member of the party Ali Kishore Patnaik along with other leaders. Mr. Patnaik said through this peaceful mean of protest they wanted to open the eyes of the legislators and the government who forget the plight of the downtrodden.

The “State government could all of a sudden hike salary and perks of MLAs to around Rs. 60,000 per month but it is yet to take any decision to hike minimum daily wage of menial workers who are overburdened by inflation despite repeated demands,” he said.

After the public meeting all these agitators courted arrest. The police took all of them into custody.

The “police and administration were in a fix regarding where to house all the arrested persons who included a large number of women. So, most of the agitators including all women were freed in the afternoon. But 36 leaders of the party from the six blocks were decided to be sent to Bhanjanagar jail,” Mr. Patnaik said.

These persons have decided not to make any effort for their release through bail. It may be noted that in April the State secretary of the party Janardan Pati had led a similar ‘jail bharo' movement held in Bhubaneswar. Mr Pati had spent more than a week in jail.

(Source The Hindu)

VS Achuthanandan elected floor leader of CPIM in Kerala

The CPI(M) Legislature Party has elected former Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan as its floor leader paving the way for his choice as the Leader of the Opposition in the 13th Kerala assembly.

The CPI(M) Legislature Party, which met on Wednesday, also elected Kodiyeri Balakrishnan the deputy leader, M.A. Baby the party whip and A.K. Balan the legislature party secretary. The decision was announced by CPIM state secretary Com. Pinarayi Vijayan while briefing the press on the deliberations of the CPIM state committe.

CPI(M) demands 61 % quota for weaker sections in Andhra pradesh local bodies

The CPI (M) has demanded that the government continue 61 per cent reservation for weaker sections in the elections to the local bodies. The 61 per cent quota was implemented in the past three elections and efforts should be made to continue it in the forthcoming elections too by putting pressure on the Centre.

Speaking to reporters on the lines of the party's State secreteriate meeting on Monday, CPI (M) State secretary B.V. Raghavulu said the State government should emulate the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu governments which implemented reservations in excess of 50 per cent for the BCs. Expressing concern over the problems faced by different sections, he criticised the government for not resuming its work after the by-elections in Kadapa district. AICC general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad's visit to the State failed to activate the administrative machinery as the ruling party continued to be busy settling its internal squabbles. The Congress also failed to evolve an amicable resolution to the demand for and against bifurcation of the State.

Mr. Raghavulu expressed concern over the reports on the constitution of the second States Reorganisation Commission claiming it would result in “unnecessary complications”. The CPI (M) was firmly against the second SRC as it would give scope for demands for separate States across the country. “Where is the need for a new committee when the government has constituted Srikrishna Committee which submitted its report in time?” he asked.

(Source : The Hindu)

Motor Strike total in Kerala

The dawn-to-dusk motor transport strike called by the joint action council of transport workers to protest against the hike in petrol price hit normal life in Kerala on Friday. The city and its suburbs wore a deserted look, as public and private vehicles stayed off the road. Only a few two-wheelers and private cars were seen on the roads. No public mode of transport was available including the services operated by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and the private buses. Various trade unions staged protest marches through out the state.

Purulia Case and Terrorism : Shoddy Handling

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

The production of an expired warrant of arrest for Kim Davy in the extradition case in a Danish court has exposed the casual way in which the CBI is dealing this vital case.   The shoddy manner in which the CBI is handling the extradition case of the prime accused Niels Holck alias Kim Davy only strengthens the apprehension that some high level authorities have something to hide regarding the Purulia Arms Drop. 

Despite Kim Davy’s revelation recently of how he escaped from India, the CBI has not investigated the role of the persons named by him. The CPI(M) reiterates its demand that a judicial enquiry be conducted into the entire affair of the Purulia arms drop.

The mistakes made in the list of wanted persons for terrorist activities living in Pakistan, prepared by the Central government has shown up the concerned authorities and the Home Ministry in a poor light and compromised India’s position in the matter.   The Government should take action against those responsible for this bungling. It has to reassure the country that security requirements will not be handled in such a cavalier fashion.