CPI (M) gearing up for Extended Central Committee Meeting

The parties that have come to power at the Centre and in the states mainly because of the votes of the poor have forgotten them and were favouring the land mafia, Communist Party of India (Marxist) central committee member P. Madhu alleged here on Tuesday.

Flagging off a bicycle rally taken out from Kaleswara Rao market centre to publicise the party's national meeting to be held in the city from August 7, Mr. Madhu said that the Central and State governments had become mere puppets in the hands of the ‘mining mafia'. Several mining scams were brought to light recently and the important among them was the one in which son-in-law of former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy allegedly occupied lakhs of acres of land for mining purpose.

As this was confirmed by none other than Chief Minister K. Rosaiah, “what stronger evidence is needed?” Mr. Madhu asked.

He alleged that the leaders in the State were too busy making money and had totally forgotten the needs of the people.

Hundreds of party activists and sympathisers participated in the rally that passed below One Town low bridge and reached Durgapuram, touching Police Control Room, Krishnalanka police station, Satyam hotel, Krishnalanka feeder road, Nallagate centre, Ranigarithota, Labbipet and Nimmathota centre.

Political solution

Mr. Madhu said all the problems the people were facing and an alternative political solution would be discussed at the party's national conference.

Over 400 delegates from all over the country will come to the city to attend the conference.

Senior leaders of the party and chief ministers of West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura would attend a public meeting that would be held at Swaraj Maidan on August 10, he said.

SFI south Indian Study camp at Mysore from July 31

To come up with effective strategies given the changing socio-economic and political scenario, the Students Federation of India (SFI) has organised a four-day study camp for SFI activists from four Southern States in the city, said H.R. Naveen Kumar, SFI Karnataka State President, at a press conference .

Around 400 SFI activists are expected to attend the camp which will commence on July 31 and conclude on Aug 3.

Naveen Kumar said that CPI(M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury will deliver the inaugural address of the ‘Open Session’ of the camp at Dasara Exhibition Grounds at 12 noon on July 31. Before the Open Session, SFI activists will take out a procession near the Town Hall at 11 am.

Naveen Kumar said that the formal study camp which will commence on the morning of August 1 at Nanjaraja Bahadur Choultry will be inaugurated by former SFI National Secretary, Nilotpal Basu, in the presence of former SFI President and Member of Parliament P.K. Biju. The open discussion on “State of the present education system” on the evening of Aug. 1 will be inaugurated by Mayor Sandesh Swamy. Thomas Joseph, Principal Secretary, Kerala’s Department of Higher Education, will deliver the keynote address, followed by a talk by Nilotpal Basu on “Emerging challenges before the students movement.” Kerala Finance Minister T.M Thomas Isaac will speak on “Reforms in Higher Education under the United Progressive Alliance II.”

Noted historian K.N. Panikkar will speak on “Capitalism, culture and media” in the morning session on Aug. 2 and in the evening session, Ritabrato Banerjee, SFI, All India Sectretary will speak on “SFI programme and organisation.”

Cultural programmes will be presented by the representatives of the four States along with a special programme by noted theatre activist H.Janardhan (Janni). The valedictory address will be delivered by T M Thomas Isaac, focussing on “The politics of globalization.” L. Jagannath, District Secretary, CPI (M), will be the chief guest and Shivadasan, National Secretary, SFI, will preside.

According to Naveen Kumar, theatre personality C. Basavalingaiah, journalist Rajashekara Koti, writer Prof. Shivaramu Kadanakuppe, former MLA Sriram Reddy, SFI State Secretary N. Anantha Nayak will be attending the study camp.