CPI(M) protests against police lathi-charge on agitators in Udupi

Hundreds took to the streets of Karnataka State on Friday to protest against the police lathi-charge in Udupi where 15 workers of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) were critically injured and more than 300 were arrested while they were protesting against the practice of ‘made snana’ and ‘pankti bheda’ on Thursday.

The protest, organised by the CPI(M) in the state capital of Bangalore, saw about 300 protesters demanding that the BJP government, headed by Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, step down as it had not taken any steps to stop the two practices. Effigies of the Chief Minister were also burnt.

Nidumamadi Channamalla Swami of Nidumamadi Math, who was at the protest, said, “These are evil practices and I personally do not believe in them or encourage them.”

The protest was held in association with the Centre of Indian Trade Unions, Students Federation of India, Democratic Youth Federation of India and Janwadi Mahila Sanghatana.

CPI(M) Bangalore district committee secretary K. Prakash said the police should withdraw all charges against the workers and punish those who disrupted the peaceful protest on Thursday.

CPIM Dharwad District committee held a protest on Friday and submitted a memorandum addressed to Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar urging him to release the party workers who were arrested in Udupi, and withdraw cases filed against them. The memorandum said that the workers were protesting peacefully against regressive practices such as ‘Made Snana’ and ‘Pankti Bedha’ at the Krishna temple in Udupi, but the police came down upon them and dispersed them. Senior party members Raghavendra Ayi, B.I. Ilager and Gangadhar Ambiger led the protest.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) Kolar District committee staged a demonstration in front of the Gandhi statue at Robertsonpet in Kolar Gold Field. 

Communist Party of India (Marxist) Udupi District Committe protested near the Service Bus Stand in Udupi. Addressing the protestors, CPI(M) leader K.S. Lakshmi said the police had not behaved in an impartial manner on December 27. They had behaved like sponsored agents of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government. The CPI(M) would take up the matter of the high-handed police behaviour with the National Human Rights Commission, she said. 

Ms. Lakshmi said that Viswesha Tirtha Swamiji of Pejawar Math had visited the Dalit colonies in different parts of the State. “When he can visit Dalit colonies, he can allow Dalits to sit with Brahmins and have meals in his math,” she said. Vittal Poojary, CPI(M) leader, said the CPI(M) workers had not violated any law, yet they had been caned. Some CPI(M) workers had been beaten up mercilessly by the police. The windshield of the two buses had not been damaged by the CPI(M) workers. The police must withdraw the cases slapped against the CPI(M) leaders and workers, he said. 

Balakrishna Shetty, CPI(M) leader, said the police had arrested 182 persons after the lathi-charge on December 27 and they had been produced before the magistrate at 1 a.m. on December 28. “The CPI(M) will continue its struggle against made snana and pankti bheda till they are abolished,” he said. CPI(M) leaders P. Vishwanath Rai, Vidyaraj, Dogu Suvarna, Venkatesh Koni, and Pushpa Mallar were present. The protest was held amidst tight police security. In fact, there were more policemen than protesters, a fact acknowledged by a CPI(M) leader. 

CPI(M) Dakshin Kannada District Committee  staged a protest in front of the DC office in Mangalore.  Addressing the protesters CPI(M) district  secretary B Madhava, said that many leaders from various states had come to take part in the protest against the Made Madesnana and pankti bedha rituals.

Addressing the protesters Sunil Kumar Bajal said that the Pejavar Swamiji came out with a modified version of Madesnana, which is Ede Snana. To impress the Pejavar Swami and Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat, minister Kota Srinivas Poojary is supporting Made Madesnana rituals. When we were protesting the police assaulted us and arrested us. He demanded that the government take action against all the police officers who were involved in the assault and suspend them immediately. Made Madesnana is an insult to 6 crores people in the state and this inhuman ritual should be banned, he said. 

Further he said that Pejavar Swamiji agreed that the Ede Snana is his suggestion, which is a modified version of Made Madesnana. This is all created by the BJP government which is unstable due to internal clashes in the party. We will fight for justice, in the past CPI(M) has fought for justice and won our fight. Such a practice should not be allowed by the State government. Made Madesnana and pankti bedha should be banned, CPI(M) will fight till the end, arresting our activists or the lathi-charge will not make us change our minds from fighting against such rituals, he opined. 
Vasanth Acharya also spoke on the occasion. Suresh Bajal delivered the vote of thanks.

UPA’s faulty economic policies causing misery to the common man

The United Progressive Alliance Government’s anti-people and faulty economic policies are the main reason for the problems faced by the people even in getting their basic needs met, general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Prakash Karat said on Friday.

At a public meeting organised in Tiruppur (Tamilnadu) to mark the centenary year of the first general secretary of the party, P. Sundaraiah, Mr. Karat said illiteracy, unemployment and lack of healthcare, the battle against which remained on top of the agenda of the first general secretary, continued to haunt people even today. Exploitation of the suppressed classes continued in newer manifestations.

“First, the people should understand the economic policies and its adverse impact on them. Theyshould realise that the CPI (M) alone had policies that would help them overcome the hardships caused by the UPA and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) regimes. He urged the people to support the trade unions’ general strike on February 21 and 22 against the economic policies.

Taking on the UPA Government for its decision to allow Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in retail, Mr. Karat said this would wipe out employment opportunities in retail for four crore people. Referring to the representation of the hosiery industry on the 12.36 per cent Central Excise duty on knitwear, Mr. Karat said the NDA introduced the duty and CPI (M) made the UPA regime withdraw it in 2004. But, it has comeback. The CPI (M) would oppose this in the ensuing Budget session. Mr. Karat urged the Centre and the State Governments to exempt diesel from excise duty and sales tax to reduce the burden on the industries at least till the power situation improved in the State. Referring to the gang-rape of a girl in New Delhi, he sought the immediate passage of the bill to curb crimes against women.

CPIM Tamil Nadu State Unit Secretary G. Ramakrishnan, PB Member K Varadarajan, Central Committee Member U. Vasuki and others leaders spoke on the ocassion.

Tragic Death of Gangrape Victim

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

 

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) expresses its deep sorrow at the tragic death of the brave young woman who had been a victim of brutal gangrape on a moving bus  in the heart of the capital.  It extends its heartfelt condolences to her family. It calls upon the government to extend all possible help now and in the future to them. It is even more tragic that had the government and the police done its duty the horrific incident could have been avoided.  The PB of the CPI(M) demands the most stringent punishment  to the accused criminals.

 

This is not an isolated incident. Sexual assault cases are the fastest increasing crimes in India. It is essential for the government at the Centre and the states to put into place long pending required measures to prevent violence against women which have been demanded by women’s organizations and Left parties and which the government has failed to accept and implement. Such measures should include steps to ensure security, easy access to time-bound justice, punishment to officials for non-implementation, referring all pending cases to fast track courts and reformed and stringent laws against sexual assault.

Unwarranted & Derogatory Remarks by Anisur Rahman

Biman Basu, Secretary of CPI(M), West Bengal State Committee has issued the following statement:

 

In a public meeting, held on 26^th December in North Dinajpur Anisur Rahman, a CPI(M) MLA made some unwarranted and derogatory remarks while mentioning the issue of compensation to rape victims in West Bengal. His comment is against the political culture of our Party. Our Party does not approve such comments made by Anisur Rahman. He has already apologized for his comments and he should be cautious in the future against making any such unwarranted comment.

SFI in forefront of movement against retrograde religious practices in Udupi

Press Release of SFI CEC

SFI activists along with the activists of the broader left democratic movement today stormed into the Car Street of the Udupi Srikrishnamatha temple at Udupi, protesting against the caste discrimination in the food which is served in the temple and the retrograde practice of ‘Made Snana’. There were violent clashes between the police and the protesters, in which several protesters were injured in the lathicharge. Along with 300 other protesters, 40 SFI activists were also detained by the police; including Comrade Hulli Umesh, CEC member of SFI.

‘Made Snana’ is a discriminatory and irrational practice in which persons belonging to lower castes roll over the plantain leaves containing the leftovers of the food served to the Brahmins. Facing wide criticism, the priests replaced it with ‘Ede Snana’, in which the plantain leaves contain the food given as Prasad in the temple. While the name is changed, the logic of caste based discrimination remains central to the practice. Baseless argument is being given in support of these practices, that it is a part of the Tuluva and Dravidian Culture. 

SFI rejects this logic and vows to continue to participate in movements against such retrograde and discriminatory religious practices in the days to come. CEC salutes the Karnataka state committee for playing a leading role in the ongoing agitation in Udupi.

CPIM protest against caste discrimination in Udupi Sreekrishna Temple

On the call of the CPIM Karnataka State Committee protest was organised on 27th December against the Made Snana and discrimination over serving food to the devotess at Sri Krishna Temple in Udupi, Karnataka. After the 3 days of walk from Mangalore to Udupi the CPIM Comrades organised the public meet at Ajjarkad Ground near Udupi Sri Krishna Temple. The public meeting was inaugrated by Com.Sriram Reddy, CPIM state Secretary. Com. B.Madav, Maruti Manpade, VJK Nayar, GN Nagaraj, Nityananda Swamy, Prasanna Kumar and several other State Committee members addressed the cadres and gathered people on issue. 

Later the huge protestors rally marched towards the Sri Krishna Temple and P B Member Comrade M A Baby  addressed the gathering. The protestors were on their march towards Car Street and then on to Sri Krishna Temple, when they were stopped by the police near Sanskrit College.  

The policeman suddenly began lathicharging the protestors, where many of the Comrades got injured and admitted to the Hospital and Hundreds of people got arrested.

The activists were protesting against the discrimination of devotees while serving food at Kukke Subramanya and Sri Krishna temples and also the madesnana ritual in which people, mostly Dalits roll over plantain leaves on which Brahmins have partaken meals.In both these temples, brahmins and non-brahmins are served food separately.

Earlier a padayatra was flagged off in Mangalore by the Religious Head of Nidumamidi Mahasamsthana Math, Bangalore Shree Veerabhadra Channamalla Swamiji on December 24.

Dakshin Kannada District Secretary of CPI(M) B Madhava, Sunil Kumar Bajal, Muneer Katipalla, K Shanker, Vasanth Acharya, Srirama Reddy and more than 3,000 CPI(M) members participated in the padayatra. 

Before the flag off of the padayatra in Mangalore, the CPI(M) members staged a protest against the inhuman act of Made Madesnana in front of the DC office. Shree Veerabhadra Channamalla Swamiji said that the Made Madesnana is nothing but discrimination of lower caste by the upper caste. There is a belief that if anyone roll over the left overs one will be cured from skin diseases. There is also a belief that prayers will be answered, and childless couples will be blessed with children. Opposing such beliefs the Swamiji had said that there is absolutely no cure for any skin diseases but chances are very high to be infected with skin disease if anyone rolls over the leftovers. 

A vehicle rally was also conducted as part of the agitation. A vehicle jatha from Byndoor to Kundapur to create awareness against ‘Made Snana’ and discrimination in mass feeding on Monday December 24. Speaking after flagging off the jatha, CPI (M) district secretary K Shankar said that the discrimination in mass feeding along with caste discrimination has been highly followed in Udupi Shree Krishna Mutt. 

(Photos Courtesy : Dajjiworld, Mangalorean)

CPIM - CPI cadres picket Wallmart office in Chennai

CPI(M) Tamil Nadu unit secretary G Ramakrishnan  and hundreds of Left supporters  were  held on 26th December for trying to lay siege to a proposed Walmart office in chennai. Around 750 CPI and CPI (M) workers were taken into custody following an altercation between cops and the agitators.

CPI(M) state secretary G. Ramakrishnan, CPI state secretary D. Pandian, CPI(M) legislature party leader A. Soundararajan, party whip K. Balakrishnan and many senior leaders participated in the protest.

Com Ramakrishnan said Walmart was trying to enter Tamil Nadu on the pretext of supplying goods to retailers and it had already started enrolling members. Ramakrishnan alleged that Walmart was in the process of setting  up a complex near Chennai besides a marketing office in the city  and pressed upon Centre and State government to act against it. “Ultimately it will capture the market in a big way and small traders will be in peril. We will not rest till Walmart is expelled from Tamil Nadu,” he said.

D. Pandian said the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre was responsible for the present situation. CPI (M) and CPI had staged the protest as part of the Left parties'  decision to oppose FDI in multi-brand retail, which was approved  by the Manmohan Singh-led cabinet recently, and endorsed by the Parliament.

SFI call to Observe 24th December as Black Day throughout the country

 The outrage against the gang rape and brutal torture of a medical student in Delhi has lead to a wave of protests which refuses to die down, even after shameless Police repression as seen yesterday in Raisina Hills. These protests unlike a coherent demand reflect the outpour of people from various sections action the continuous rise in the crimes against women throughout the Country.

While the anger refuses to die down, Delhi Police and the state government are shamelessly patting their own backs over the fact that they have been able to arrest all the culprits. The root of the matter on the other hand lies in the systematic failure of the state and the law enforcing authorities in providing safe public spaces for Women, who are everyday challenging the patriarchal setup. Since last 3-4 days, the protests have intensified not only in the capital, but throughout the country. The response of SFI’s All India Protest day was also overwhelming across the country.

Today morning when the SFI, along with other leftist mass organizations were having an agitation programme in Delhi, there were brutal lathi-charge and tear gas firing, by the police on the rally, without any sort of intimidation. Several protesters got severely injured, including Comrade Sunand, member of the central executive committee of SFI.

SFI strongly condemns this atrocious measure taken by the police and calls out for a Nationwide Black Day tomorrow (Monday, 24.12.12) in all campuses across the country an a week long agitation campaign against violence on women.

Malicious Forces are Now Outperforming in West Bengal : Surja Kanta Mishra

 

CPI (M) Polit Bureau member Surja Kanta Mishra addressing a huge rally at Raina, Burdwan said that the farthest extent of terror unleashed by the ruling party would inevitably fall short in the continuous struggle of social transformation and the victory of the common people. He supplemented that even those who issued massive attacks on the people on their way to join the rally won’t be able to change the inexorable victory of people, the forces at war with democracy are destined to face defeat in the struggle of social transformation. This is the first CPI (M) rally at the south Damodar region in the last 18 months as the new ruling order had banned any opposition forces to undergo any sort of political or democratic activity.

Surja Kanta Mishra said that the malicious forces are now outperforming in this state, because of that its not only Raina or Burdwan, even the elected MLA’s are not safe in the assembly house, and it is the whole state under attack. The elected representatives of Raina were not allowed to interact with the people due to the extent of terror installed by the ruling party said the leader. He further said that the Honbl Speaker of the Assembly is never ready to permit any adjourning proposal raised by the opposition, be it the case of Cheat-Funds or else, opposition MLAs like Gouranga Chatterji and Devlina Hembram are getting attacked inside the highest house of law making in the state, the Assembly house. He also said that even TMC’s veteran leader and MLA Sovandeb Chattopadhyay had got assaulted by TMC supporters. He emphasized that when a leader of the ruling party is not anymore secured in this state then the supporter and workers of the opposition party will definitely be under threat and so is it. He said that the ruling party is an organization of no principle at all, the ‘rainbow’ alliance they had created to make the progressive forces face defeat is already a lost saga. The TMC supremo had done away with her allied forces in the first 18 months only, now she is on to ransacking her own party, but the unfortunate truth is that it is the state which is getting bound to face the tale of distress every now and then. The ruling party is accounted for clashes in themselves on daily basis, collecting of extortion money is one of the routine job of the workers of the ruling party said Mishra. The leader of the opposition in the state assembly Surja Kanta Mishra have asked that how many times a Kolkata bound farmer from Burdwan intending to sale his crops has to pay extortion money to the ruling party workers. He said that with the situation in which the government is not buying any harvest directly from the peasant and with a upper limit of selling 30 bags of harvest only they are getting entitled with a token which is yet to be paid in real money and the peasant having sold his harvest has no other way but to wait further to get paid by the government of ‘change’ or to commit suicide; as the hardest of truth is that 59 distressed peasants had committed suicide in the Burdwan district only in last 18 months. He asked everyone in the gathering to point out such an incident in the 34 years regime of the Left Front governments. Now with the TMC government in action, the workers, the peasants and everyone else in this state are not living in prosperity, like the British Empire; the whole state is forced to enter into an age of anarchy, with the situation aroused in this state it is the responsibility of the leftist and progressive forces to observe harmony said the leader. He spoke about the incidents recently occurring in various schools of the state, there are people who are following the tradition of self-certification started by the CM, and now students are annoyed to the fact that teachers will be evaluating their progress. Taking on the point of promised ‘flood’ of industrialization the leader of the opposition asked whether there is any real investment done in the industrial sector and he confidently stated that the CM knows the art of destruction only and her regime would end being one of its kind in the history of parliamentary democracy. Then he called upon the progressive people that they have to win the confidence of 95 percent of common and working people, even if there is a part of working people who are in support with the anarchist ruling party; it is their responsibility to forward support even to those people too.

Tens of thousands of people gathered at Raina to make the rally a huge one in spite of being repeatedly threatened and attacked. The number of people who were hindered to join this rally was even larger. More over there was forced power cuts in some places to make people unable to watch the telecast of the Raina rally. Along with Surja Kanta Mishra, the CPI (M) Burdwan District committee secretary Amal Halder and Abdur Rejjak Mondal, the leader of district AIKS and prominent district leadership was present in this rally. At the end of the day from Raina, it was all popular rejection to the age of anarchy in this state.