Drop Raja from the Cabinet Immediately

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) demands that the Prime Minister immediately drop the Minister of Communication and Information Technology, Shri A. Raja. With increasing evidence of the scam tumbling out and the CAG Report itself reportedly estimating a loss of Rs. 1,76,000 crores, there is no way that this issue can be pushed under the carpet. The Supreme Court Bench itself had observed adversely on the failure of the CBI to question the Minister. It was implicit that his continuation in the Council of Ministers is impacting the progress of the investigations. Today’s press reports actually confirm this as a meeting was `arranged’ between CBI’s investigating officers and Shri Raja’s Counsel. There is also a report that the former DoT Secretary has now publicly claimed that the Minister had allegedly tried to force him to agree to the course of allocating 2G spectrum which he refused. And subsequently, the Minister ensured the course he had chosen which has resulted in this mega scam.

In the light of all these, the CPI(M) is of the firm opinion that the continuation of the Minister has become untenable. Since he has categorically refused to quit voluntarily, the Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) demands that the Prime Minister act urgently.

CPIM Himachal State Committee to hold rally on Dalit rights in Shimla

The Himachal Pradesh state committee of CPI (M) will hold a mass rally on Dalit rights’ issue on November 15 in Shimla. This will perhaps be the first-ever rally of any political party on the issue of social discrimination in the state.

CPIM  conducted a survey in the state to access different forms of social discrimination being practiced in the state covering more than 35,000 houses in over 1,000 panchayats. The party found that different forms of discrimination ranging from cultural, economic, lingual, religious and even aesthetic are prevalent in the state.

“After Punjab, the state has the second largest ratio of scheduled castes population (24.7%). Nearly 70% of Dalit households either own no land or very less land. They live in abject poverty with their strength even according to government estimates reaching over 40% below poverty line. 97.86% Dalit kisans are either small or marginal in their capacity. Their education status is also quite dismal with just 0.53% having industrial education, 5% up to secondary and just 2% graduates. 15% have completed matric,” the survey states.

CPIM has decided to submit a memorandum to the government to seek implementation of land reforms and land for the poor; implementation of 85th constitutional amendment in letter and spirit; special plan for Dalit households and villages with respect to infrastructure development; tap water supply for every Dalit house; steps to deal with unsociability; and reservation in private sector.

(Source : Himvani)

AIDWA conferece concludes with a mass rally

The Ninth National Conference of the All-India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) came to a close on Friday with the election of 101 Central Executive Committee members from among the delegates. 

In keeping with the three-term policy for office-bearers, Subhashini Ali was relieved from the post of president and Shyamoli Gupta from West Bengal was elected in her place. Sudha Sundararaman will continue as general secretary for another three-year term. 

The conference unanimously resolved to intensify the resistance to the neo-liberal growth model, strengthen struggles for a universal public distribution system and for the rights of the organised and unorganised sector, resist the privatisation of education, health, and social security, and prevent exploitation of women through SHGs. It called upon the organisation to strengthen the campaign against all forms of conservatism and defend the rights of young people to choose their partners, and combat the communal and fundamentalist offensive. 

Com. Shaymili Gupta             Com Sudha Sundarraman

Particular emphasis was laid in defence of the Left women's movement in West Bengal. It called upon AIDWA units to “effectively counter the vicious anti-Left offensive being unleashed by the ruling classes, particularly in West Bengal by the Maoist-Trinamool Congress combine.” The organisation has pledged to take up, in the coming three years, “specific forms of oppression being faced by Dalit, Minority and Adivasi women, on a priority basis, and focus on the problems of the youth and single women.” 

In addition, it will “build an effective campaign against multiple forms of violence against women and girl children, intensify actions against sex-selective abortions and dowry, as part of a larger mass movement to counter the combined impact of patriarchy and growing consumerism, work for recognition of matrimonial property rights and other legal rights.” It resolved to intervene against commercialised media and the marketisation of rituals and religiosity, and create cultural alternatives to strengthen the secular and democratic fabric of India.

 At a public meeting held at Ghanta Ghar in Kanpur, which the local Bharatiya Janata Party unit tried to stop allegedly with the help of police, AIDWA vice-president Brinda Karat called for a fight against the policies of neo-liberalism as followed by the United Progressive Alliance led by Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi. “If a family works for three days in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme they would be considered to be above the official poverty line, and hence could not access the provisions of the proposed Food Security Act. On the other hand, the salaries of Members of Parliament have been increased ten-fold.”

Ms. Subhashini Ali, former AIDWA President, pointed out that despite a Dalit woman being Chief Minister in Uttar Pradesh and prevailing government rules, Shanti, a Dalit cook in a primary school, was removed owing to upper caste pressure. AIDWA took up the issue and ensured that she was reinstated.