Sitaram Yechury to flag off CPI(M) campaign on August 22

A State-level campaign by the Communist Party of India (Marxist)  Tamil Nadu State Committee to press for a 12-point charter of demands will be flagged off from here by Sitaram Yechury, Polit Bureau member, on August 22.

Unveiling the programme-of-action on the proposed campaign, K. Balakrishnan, president, Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam, told reporters here on Sunday that over 500 committees would be formed across district. The week-long campaign up to August 30 would be marked primarily by padayatras and public meetings.

He criticised the State government for its ‘passive' stand on the Cauvery issue. “The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award remained unenforceable in view of the Karnataka government approaching the Supreme Court.”

Moving the Supreme Court to override the Tribunal award was the ultra-vires of the constitution, Mr. Balakrishnan said and added that pliancy of the State had only emboldened the Karnataka government. The party also called upon the Chief Minister to provide pattas for those residing on and cultivating temple lands as the vast majority lived on temple lands without pattas.

Reiterating the party's opposition to setting up of thermal power plants on cultivable lands in the district, Mr. Balakrishnan also called for compensation for Kuruvai loss.

According to him, a compensation of Rs.10,000 per acre for a farmer and Rs.5000 per family engaged in agricultural labour should be provided.

(Courtesy : The Hindu)

Somnath Chatterjee's False Assertions

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

 

Shri Somnath Chatterjee has made a number of false assertions in his forthcoming book, excerpts of which have been published in the media. It is totally wrong to say that five members of the Polit Bureau decided to expel him the day after the trust vote session of the Lok Sabha was held.

 

The decision to take disciplinary action against Somnath Chatterjee was taken at a full Polit Bureau meeting held on July 19, 2008. The Polit Bureau decided to convey to Somnath Chatterjee once more, the decision that he should forthwith resign from the Speakership and not preside over the Lok Sabha session on the trust vote. The Polit Bureau concluded that if he refused to do so he should be expelled from the Party as it would amount to helping the Congress-led government. The Central Committee of the Party which met on July 20 was apprised of the situation and it authorized the Polit Bureau to take disciplinary action against Somnath Chatterjee if he violated the decision.

 

Somnath Chatterjee had earlier in a letter to the Party dated July  9, 2008 agreed to abide by the decision of the Party and resign from the post of Speakership. He later backed out from this commitment to abide by the Party decision.

 

It is unfortunate that Chatterjee has sought to draw Comrade Jyoti Basu’s name into this matter when he is no more.

 

All the other views expressed by him are just post-facto justifications of a person who defected to the ruling establishment.