CPI (M) activist in Khamman hacked to death by Congress

The brutal murder of a CPI (M) activist by congress goons at Pandillapalli in Chintakani mandal in Khammam District (andhra Pradesh) on Sunday triggered widespread protests by the CPI (M) cadres in the district on Monday.

The CPI (M) district committee has said the incident as a “political murder” by the Congress party cadres and called for district wide protests against the “political killings” on Tuesday.

In the first incident of post-panchayat poll violence, Alavala Srinivasa Rao, 36, an advocate and a key functionary of the CPI (M), was allegedly killed by suspected political opponents a day after the second phase of panchayat elections.

Srinivasa Rao was waylaid and brutally attacked with sticks by more than 12 persons at Pandillapalli on Sunday when he was returning to Khammam after visiting his relative’s house. He succumbed to the critical injuries at a hospital in Khammam on Sunday midnight. The incident prompted the authorities to clamp prohibitory orders at the politically sensitive Pandillapalli on Monday.

Vehemently denouncing the murder, the CPI (M) cadres led by the party district secretary P. Sudarshan took out a rally in Pandillapalli on Monday. Addressing the protesters, Com Sudarshan alleged that the Congress party cadres brutally killed Srinivasa Rao as per a well hatched conspiracy.

All India Kisan Sabha 33rd National Conference

The 33rd national conference of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) was held in Cuddalore, Tamilnadu, from 24th to 27th July. with a stirring call to the peasantry of the country to unitedly fight back the process of corporatisation of agriculture deliberately unleashed by the UPA government. It also pledged to strive to build a powerful united kisan movement against the anti-farmer neo-liberal policies of the government.

The 33rd conference proceedings began at Comrade Harksihan Singh Surjeet Nagar with the ceremony of handing over of Red flag and memorial torches brought from different parts of Tamilnadu. The AIKS Red flag, brought from Thenpari in Thanjavur district where the first unit of Kisan Sabha was formed in the state, was handed over to AIKS general secretary K Varadharajan by AIKS state leader G Veeraiayan. The Venmani martyrs memorial torch commemorating the martyrdom of 44 dalit agricultural labourers torched to death by landlords in Kilvenmani village in 1968, was handed over to leader of opposition in Bengal assembly Dr Surjya Kanta Mishra by Kisan leader and CPI(M) MLA R Ramamurthy. Similarly, other torches were handed over to AIKS leaders Bajuban Reyang, E P Jayarajan and Noorul Huda.

Later, veteran Marxist leader and freedom fighter N Sankaraiah, who worked as president and general secretary of the AIKS in the past, hoisted the AIKS flag amidst shouts of 'Veera Vanakkam! Veera Vanakkam!' (Red Salute, Red Salute!) by delegates and volunteers. With Safdar Hashmi troupe rendering revolutionary songs, the delegates marched past the martyrs column paying homage to the countless martyr comrades from the past and the present. The backdrop of the stage in the conference hall – rechristened  as Venmani Martyrs Hall – was a tribute to the glorious struggles of peasants and agricultural workers in 1940 in East Thanjavur. The hut in which the martyrs were burnt by the landlords was recreated with paintings depicting the flames.

Delivering his presidential address, AIKS president S Ramachandran Pillai said the free market policies being implemented for nearly three decades have increased the pace of disappearance of the peasant agriculture while establishing the domination of large-scale agri-business corporations. Landlessness is growing at a faster pace as can be seen from the following figure. The percentage of landless households in the rural areas in 1992 was 22 per cent while today it has reached 41 per cent. He charged that the central government policies are deliberately aimed at making agriculture unviable so that the small peasants sell their lands and thus facilitate corporatisation of agriculture.

In this context he cited how the costs of all agricultural inputs have spiralled out of control, especially seeds which are now under the total control of profit-hungry private companies. The government's bad intention is made further clear by its  stout refusal to increase the minimum support price as suggested by Dr M S Swaminathan Commission. Coupled with this is the free entry of highly subsidised agri imports due to various free trade agreements the Indian government is entering into.

Due to such policies, the peasants, agricultural workers and the commonpeople of the country are experiencing the adverse impacts. Over 3 lakh farmes have committed suicide and they are still continuing with two peasants resorting to this step in every one hour. There is growing unemployment and MNREGA has failed to address this problem. The number of hungry is increasing and as per Global Hunger Index prepared by the World Bank, India stands at a dismal 67th rank out of 79 countries. Our position in terms of underweight children is much worse – 128th rank out of 129 with Timor Leste alone behind us! Pillai traced such a dire situation to the deliberate choice of policies by the UPA-II government.

Allowing FDI into retail sector would adversely affect the interests of small and medium producers, consumers and traders. It will, he said, also affect our food security due to changes in cropping pattern, which will be dictated by the MNCs. Manmohan Singh government's talk of second green revolution is nothing but unbridled promotion of corporatisation of agriculture by such measures. In such a scenario, the AIKS calls for greater unity among the Left peasant and agricultural workers organisations to fight for alternative policies for agricultural development. Such policies would be centred around the interests of agricultural workers and poor and middle peasants who constitute the overwhelming majority among the peasantry. Pillai said AIKS will also rally other democratic peasant organisations in this struggle even as it continues to build united struggles with the working class and other toiling masses.

AIKS general secretary Atul Kumar Anjan in his fraternal speech said that unless agriculture sector is put in order the entire economy of the country will not recover from the crisis it is experiencing. Despite such a cruciality of the sector, the UPA-II government is bent on pushing it into greater crisis. He condemned the government's refusal to discuss the recommendations of Dr M S Swaminathan Commission although they were submitted in 2006. He reciprocated the need for joint, united struggles of kisans like the ones being waged by the working class. Only through such united movements can the scenario in rual India be changed, he felt.

N Sankaraiah in his brief speech gave a call to reject both Congress and BJP which pursue similar policies and project an alternative based on struggles around people's issues. Praising the comrades of Bengal for the heroic battle they are waging against the monstruous attacks by Trinamool Congress goons, Sankaraiah said one way of supporting Bengal comrades is by expanding the Party in other parts of the country.

AIKS joint secretary N K Shukla placed the condolence resolution in which tributes were paid to Jyoti Basu, Samar Mukherjee, M K Pandhe, Ramnarayan Goswami, N Varadarajan as also to scores of comrades martyred in Bengal.

Reception Committee president K Balakrishna delivered welcome address. A Resolution moved by AIKS joint secretary Vijoo Krishnan opposing government's decision to allow FDI into agriculture was unanimously adopted by the conference.

  Com. Amra Ram          Com. Hannan Molla      Com. Krishna Prasad

Kisan Sabha through resolutiondemanded at least 200 days of work per year to rural people under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) and a wage of Rs 300 per day.

".. AIKS demands the provision of at least 200 days of work per adult worker for every rural household at a wage of not less than Rs 300 per day through the MNREGS," one of the six resolutions passed at its four-day all India conference .

It also demanded that the scheme be extended to urban areas suitably. "This conference also calls upon all its units to take up problems related to MNREGA implementation and organise workers against efforts to dilute its provisions."

The conference also pressed for a "meaningful debate" in the Parliament on the proposed Food Security Bill and necessary amendments to address various concerns.

It urged that the system of universal PDS be put in place and entitlements restored to seven kg per capita per month, with a minimum of 35 kg per household per month.

Another resolution expressed concerns at the non implementation of the Forest Rights Act in most states in the country and sought remedial action.

"All the land that is in the possession of and being actually cultivated by Adivasis and other traditional forest dwellers be vested in their names."

Other resolutions resisted corporatisation of agriculture and to protect peasantry, demanded substantial increase in public investment in agriculture, expansion and strengthening of extension and research services and prompt procurement at remunerative prices. 

 

The 33rd all India conference of AIKS came to a successful conclusion with the unanimous election of new leadership. Kisan leader from Rajasthan and veteran of many successful farmer struggles, Amra Ram, has been elected as the new President of All India Kisan Sabha by the 33rd conference. Senior leader Hannan Mollah has been elected as new General Secretary by the newly elected 146 members of All India Kisan Coucil (AIKC) at their first meeting.  The conference elected the following new vice-presidents – S.Ramachandran Pillai, K.Varadha Rajan, Madan Ghosh, Malla Reddy, Abdul Rezzack Mollah and K. Balakrishnan; seven joint secretaries and one finance secretary Com. P Krishna Prasad. The meeting also elected 62 Central Kisan Committee (CKC) members and 14 office bearers.

As part of concluding ceremony, a huge farmers rally of around 2 lakh people as carried out. The public meeting was held at Manjakuppam grounds and was inaugurated by Com. Manik Sarkar, Tripura CM.  

Jharkhand: Unprovoked Firing on Protesters

Hundreds of people participated in a demonstration in front of the Hazaribagh Commissioner’s office on July 26 demanding a probe by a sitting judge of the High Court to enquire into the firing on peaceful protesters in Chatti-Bariyatu in Hazaribagh on July 23, which had led to the death of a protester and injuries to a few others.

The unarmed villagers were protesting against forcible construction of a shed on their land without their consent. Negotiations were going on between the peasants and the management of the NTPC which was interested in acquiring the land. As the NTPC management had not agreed to provide adequate compensation for the multi-crop land to the peasants and guarantee rehabilitation and resettlement including employment, no settlement was arrived at.

The multi-crop land is the economic base of the whole area producing paddy, wheat, pulses and different cash crops including vegetables which are sent to different markets of the industrial district of Hazaribagh.

Two Coal-Blocks were allocated to the NTPC on January 25, 2006. But as no work started within the stipulated period, the allocation was cancelled on June 14, 2011.

Further, environment and forest clearance for the Chatti-Bariyatu and Keredari Coal block which had been allocated to NTPC in January 2013, were issued only recently. The area covered by the said two Coal-Blocks of Keredari and Chatti-Bariyatu areas are about 1400 Acres including multi-crop land of six villages.

The land, in question, where the construction was taking place leading to protests is part of the de-allocated coal block.

A joint team of the CPI(M) & CPI visited Chatti-Bariyatu in Hazaribagh on July 25. The team consisting of CPI (M) State Secretary Gopikant Bakshi, Member of State Secretariat Prakash Viplav, Secretary Hazaribagh district committee Ganesh Kumar Verma, Shahikant, Sanjay Prasad, Rambilash Singh {all of CPI (M)} and Mahendra Pathak from the CPI met the wife and members of the deceased Keshar Mahto  and the families of those injured. They also met the injured villagers admitted to the Sadar Hospital.

Speaking to the delegation, villagers revealed how the management of the central public sector undertaking, NTPC, connived with contractors and the police. The police action against peaceful protesters was unwarranted. The firing took place in broad daylight without any provocation from the side of the villagers. There was no warning whatsoever. The police chased the villagers nearly half a kilometer away from the construction site and opened fire indiscriminately.

The intent of the police becomes clear when one looks at the injuries. The deceased Keshar Mahto had gun short injuries on his head and belly. Ramesh Mahto was shot at on the right jaw while Makhan Mahato suffered a bullet injury on the knee. Two critically injured villagers, Nanu Mahto and  Rahul Mahto have been admitted to the Government hospital in Ranchi, the state capital.

The CPI(M) has demanded an enquiry by a sitting judge of the High Court, proper punishment for those responsible for the firing, Rs. 20 Lakh as compensation to the family of the deceased and adequate compensation and proper treatment for those who have suffered injuries. It has also demanded a restriction on acquirement of the land of villagers until proper policies for acquisition   of land is finalized by the Central government. Protests were organized in different parts of the state on July 24.

Rajasthan: Alternate Policy Platform : Rajasthan Loktantric Morcha Convention

 

A convention of the recently formed Rajasthan Loktantric Morcha consisting of the CPI(M), CPI, Samajwadi Party, Janata Dal (Secular) and Janata Da (United) was held on July 21,2013 in Jaipur.

The Alternative Policy Resolution adopted at the convention demands land-reforms, granting of special status to the state, new mining policy to protect the interests of the tribals, sub-plan for the SC-ST, protection of minorities, prevention of atrocities on women, extending social security to peasants, agricultural labourers and artisans, improving the provision of irrigation, drinking water and electricity, protecting the pastoral communities and rights of workers, expansion of MNREGA and putting a stop to increasing privatisation of education and health.

 

The convention also called for strengthening the Rajsthan Loktantric Morcha, for the ouster of the Congress from power and to keep the BJP away from power.

 

The resolution presented by Samajwadi Party leader Pt. Ram Kishan Sharma was jointly prepared by the CPI(M), CPI, SP and the JD(S). The JD(U) gave its consent to the resolution by participating in the convention. Prior to this convention, state level activists of the four parties had already held a meeting in which the decision to build an anti-Congress, anti-BJP front of the Left, democratic and secular forces was taken.

 

This convention was the next step towards building a non-Congress, non-BJP front based on alternative policies. It was also decided to expand the front by including other parties and prominent intellectuals who agree with the Alternate Policy Resolution.

 

800 activists from various districts  of the state participated in the convention, by CPI(M) Central Committee member and MLA Amra Ram, CPI's state secretary Tara Singh Siddu, SP president Pt. Ram Kishan Sharma and JD(U) President Arjun Detha.

 

CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat, CPI leader A.B.Bardhan, JD(S) General Secretary Danish Ali, minister in UP government and SP leader Ram Sakal Gujar, JD(U) General Secretary Javed Raza, CPI(M) Central Committee Member, Hannan Mollah and CPI Central Secretariat member Atul Kumar Anjan addressed the convention.

 

Speaking at the convention CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat slammed the Congress government in the state led by Ashok Gehlot for not doing anything to prevent the incidents of communal violence in the state during the last five years. She said, “There have been 55, big and small, incidents of communal violence during the  Congress rule. We know that the RSS and the BJP had a hand in these incidents…it is their politics…they want to divide people to promote their politics…but what was the Chief Minister doing? What was Congress doing?”

 

Brinda also castigated BJP state president Vasundhara Raje for staying out of the state for the last four and half years and resurfacing recently only to seek votes.  “Being in the opposition, Ms.Vasundhara Raje did not raise a single issue in the assembly…now she has woken up at the time of elections and claims to bring Suraaj.” But during her Suraaj, there were not one, not two but a 100 instances of lathicharge and firing at farmers and workers of Rajsthan,” she said.

 

CPI(M) State Secretary and Central Committee Member, Vasudev deliverd the concluding speech.

 

Bengal Panchayat Elections Rigged

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

 

 

Rigged Panchayat Elections in West Bengal

 

The three-tier panchayat elections in West Bengal which have just concluded, has led to an unprecedented situation. The entire election has been marred by widespread attacks, intimidation and rigging. Thousands of candidates were prevented from filing nominations. In many places opposition candidates were prevented from conducting their election campaign among the people; the polling process was vitiated by widespread rigging, prevention of people casting their votes and violence against opposition candidates, their polling agents and supporters.

 

The run-up to the panchayat election saw determined efforts by the Trinamool Congress government to subvert the polling process itself. It required the State Election Commission going to the High Court and eventually the Supreme Court to get a decision to have a five-phase polling (against the wishes of the state government) and the direction to deploy central police forces along with the state police.

 

Despite these verdicts, the TMC government did everything to undermine these decisions. The Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself declared that central police forces need not be deployed. Shockingly, ministers in the government publicly threatened the State Election Commissioner and warned her of dire consequences. Defying the court order, the central police forces were not deployed at the polling stations with a few exceptions.

 

In the run-up to the elections, there were widespread attacks on the Left Front and the opposition. Around six thousand CPI(M) and Left Front candidates were physically prevented from filing their nominations. This led to a situation wherein for the Zilla Parishads in Hooghly, out of the total of 50 seats, the Left Front could not file candidates in 10 seats. In 6191 seats in the three-tier panchayats, TMC candidates were declared elected unopposed.

 

During the campaign, TMC ministers and leaders made the most provocative speeches inciting violence against all opponents. No action was taken against them. All through the campaign Left Front and Congress candidates were attacked, their campaigners including women beaten up and injured.

 

During the polling which began on July 11 and concluded on July 25 what was witnessed was a state-sponsored rigging of the elections by the TMC. In all the districts put together, a total of 4470 booths were completely or partially captured. For instance, in Burdwan district 909 booths, 750 in West Midnapur, 429 in South 24 Parganas and 400 booths in Coochbehar were captured. (See Annexure I).

 

In many booths, polling agents of the CPI(M) and the Left Front were driven out after which stamping of ballot papers took place. In fact all opponents of the ruling party faced a similar situation in many areas. In many areas from the morning itself people were not allowed to leave their homes in the villages to go to the polling booths to vote. Hundreds of Left Front supporters and workers of other opposition parties were injured in attacks when they attempted to go for polling. Many of them have suffered serious injuries and have been hospitalized. Even some candidates to the three tier Zilla Parishad, Panchayat Samiti and Gram Panchayat were not allowed to vote in many places. Even two Members of Parliament, Mahendra Roy in Jalpaiguri district and Nripen Roy in Coochbehar district were prevented from voting.

 

The state police which was stationed at the polling booths refused to intervene when attacks took place of workers and voters of the Left Front. In many instances, the police lathicharged or arrested those who were resisting the attacks or asserted their right to vote. In a planned manner, the central police forces were not deployed in many of the hypersensitive and sensitive booths.

 

Despite the orders of the State Election Commission and the High Court directive motorcycle gangs were not stopped and were allowed to move freely to terrorise the opposition and the voters. Even on the day of polling these gangs threatened people from going to polling booths.

 

The violence during the election campaign and during the polling has led to the deaths of 24 CPI(M) workers and supporters. (See Annexure II).

 

At no time has such a brazen attack and perversion of the democratic process of elections taken place in West Bengal or in the entire country.

 

The results of such a rigged election can only be a distorted one.

 

 

Annexure – I

 

 

Booths Captured
Phase	District	No. of Booths
I	Paschim Medinipur	750
	Purulia	0
	Bankura	34
II	Hooghly	731
	Purba Medinipur	241
	Bardhaman	909
III	North 24 Parganas	311
	South 24 Parganas	429
	Howrah	291
IV	Malda	99
	Murshidabad	19
	Nadia	97
	Birbhum	140
V	Coochbehar	400
	Jalpaiguri	0
	Uttar Dinajpur	0
	Dakshin Dinajpur	19
	Total	4470

 

N.B.: Over and above the figure of captured booths mentioned in the list, a good number of booths were partially captured.

 

In some cases, voters were not allowed to enter the booth or after two/three hours of polling the Left parties’ polling agents were driven out from the polling station and TMC people stamped on the ballot paper indiscriminately.

 

In certain centres, after complaints were lodged with the State Election Commission or District Panchayat Election Officer, police intervention took place and polling resumed at the polling Centre.

 

 

Annexure – II

 

List of Left Front Workers Killed Between June 3 and July 25, 2013

Sl. No	Date	Name	District	Party
	3-Jun-13	Golam Mostafa	Murshidabad	CPI(M)
	7-Jun-13	Subhas Mondal (55)	Dakshin 24 Pargana	CPI(M)
	9-Jun-13	Dilip Sarkar	Bardhaman	CPI(M)
	9-Jun-13	Madan Saren (48)	Bardhaman	CPI(M)
	13-Jun-13	Kalimuddin Sarkar	Maldaha	CPI(M)
	14-Jun-13	Bhaskar Majumder (53)	Birbhum	CPI(M)
	21-Jun-13	Debsaran Ghosh (44)	Murshidabad	CPI(M)
	21-Jun-13	Amar Ghosh  (44)	Murshidabad	CPI(M)
	25-Jun-13	Ramjiban Khamri (65)	Paschim Medinipur	CPI(M)
	28-Jun-13	Akbar Ali (23)	Maldaha	CPI(M)
	1-Jul-13	Ankhiranjan Mondal	Uttar 24 Pgs.	CPI(M)
	3-Jul-13	Siatul Sardar (37)	Murshidabad	CPI(M)
	4-Jul-13	Md Eklakh	Hooghly	CPI(M)
	13-Jul-13	Naosad Sekh (33)	Murshidabad	CPI(M)
	15-Jul-13	Sk. Hasmat (40)	Bardhaman	CPI(M)
	19-Jul-13	Motherbox Malllick	Uttar 24 Pgs.	CPI(M)
	22-Jul-13	Khabiruddin Sekh	Nadia	CPI(M)
	22-Jul-13	Ashim Bagdi (25)	Birbhum	CPI(M)
	22-Jul-13	Jamir Sekh (40)	Birbhum	CPI(M)
	22-Jul-13	Kafiulla Sekh (45)	Birbhum	CPI(M)
	23-Jul-13	Billal Mondal (35)	Murshidabad	CPI(M)
	23-Jul-13	Fatik Sekh  (36)	Murshidabad	CPI(M)
	24-Jul-13	Humaun Mir (32)	Birbhum	CPI(M)
	25-Jul-13	Ajiz Ahmed (60)	Uttar Dinajpur	CPI(M)

AIAWU Opposing roping-in of MNREGA workers for Railway Works

The All India Agricultural Workers Union notes with grave concern the attempt of the UPA-II government to truncate and render the MNREGA legislation irrelevant and tailor it to the anti-worker policies of the Manmohan Singh government which relies extensively on contractors to loot workers and machines to render them unemployed.  Already attempts have been made to obscure the public property creating character of the legislation by allowing MNREGA workers to work for individual landowners in “public interest.” Later there was an attempt to confound the MNREGA workers with the construction workers’ contributory fund. Now there is an attempt to dilute the contractor and machine exclusion from MNREGA by using its workers in Nandurbar in Maharashtra for Railway work, which is specialized and non-manual work and utilizes both contractors and machines.

We demand the government stop playing with the MNREGA, increase the daily wage rate to Rs 300/- per day to meet the government fueled price rise, give a minimum of 250 days work a year to make this legislation meaningful and honour its commitment to pay wages on time and unemployment relief as demanded by law if work is not given. Nothing less will do. The AIAWU is determined to ensure the implementation of the law without dilution or hindrance . And it will resist all attempts to do so.

CPIM Press Communiqué

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) held a meeting on July 20, 2013 at New Delhi. It has issued the following statement:

Food Security Ordinance

By using the most undemocratic route of an ordinance for the Food Security Bill, the UPA Government wants to impose its writ on Parliament.

The ordinance, as the Bill before it, legalises the targeted system by automatically excluding 50 per cent of urban population and 25 per cent of rural population from its ambit at a time when in many States the coverage of the population is near universal. The present 35kgs entitlement to BPL families will now be cut down by 10 kgs to just 25 kgs for a five member family and even less if the family is smaller. This is punishment for a State like Kerala, where the family size may be three or four and therefore the entitlement will be only 15 kgs to 20 kgs. The CPI(M) had demanded that the minimum should be 35 kgs per household and increased if there are more members but the Government has preferred to cut down on existing entitlements. This is food insecurity not security.

The Bill is highly centralized and gives all powers to the Centre and all responsibilities including a substantial share of the financial responsibility to the States. The ordinance ordains that the entire process of identification of beneficiaries according to guidelines yet to be issued by the Central Government has to be completed within 180 days. This has been done without any consultation with the States. The ordinance, in a mischievous addition, gives the Central Government the right to introduce cash schemes instead of food in the Rules as and when it decides, in other words to impose its anti-people scheme even if the State Governments oppose it.

The CPI(M) will move concrete amendments to the Bill to make it universal  with a  minimum entitlement of 35 kgs at maximum two rupees a kg (rice and wheat) and move for deletion of all the centralizing clauses and make it mandatory to consult State Governments on all issues of cost sharing. It will also move for deletion of the clauses in relation to cash transfers and linkages with AADHAR.

Harmful Economic Measures

The Polit Bureau sharply criticized the measures being adopted by the UPA government in order to tackle the deteriorating economic situation in the country. The UPA government is bent upon increasing the reliance on foreign capital as shown by the recent announcement to increase the FDI level in various sectors.

The decision to double the price of natural gas from April 2014 is a blatant move to enrich the Reliance company. This price increase should be rescinded.

The Polit Bureau condemned the repeated increase in the price of petrol. In the last six weeks, petrol prices have been increased four times totaling Rs. 6.50 per litre. This has only further fuelled price rise and hiked up the retail inflation rate.

Modi’s Vitriolic Campaign

The Polit Bureau condemned the communal overtones in the speeches and remarks made by BJP leader Narendra Modi. This has exposed the pretence that his “development agenda” is the main plank for the forthcoming Lok Sabha election campaign.

The CPI(M) demands that the role of Narendra Modi as the Chief Minister of Gujarat during the communal violence against the minorities in 2002 be properly investigated including the false encounters and necessary action be initiated.

J & K Atrocity

The Polit Bureau expressed its deep concern at the recurring incidents of excesses by security forces in Jammu & Kashmir. The latest instance is the firing by BSF personnel on protesters in Ramban district in which four people were killed and many injured.

The Central government has failed to implement the measures which are required to remove the repressive security apparatus affecting the people, which include a reduction in the deployment of the army and security forces and the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from most parts of the state.  

Brazen Attack in West Bengal

The panchayat elections in West Bengal is witnessing a brazen and massive attack on democracy. Till now three phases of the panchayat elections have been held. These polls have been marred by large-scale booth capturing, false voting, blockade of villages and violent attacks on opposition candidates and their polling agents. Hundreds of booths were captured in West Midnapore, Bankura, Burdwan, Hooghly, East Midnapore and North & South 24 Parganas. In Burdwan district alone 890 booths were fully or partially captured and the polling rigged. The state police have remained bystanders or connived in the rigging efforts. The central police forces were not deployed at the polling stations in violation of the High Court and Supreme Court orders.

Even before the polling, around six thousand Left Front candidates were not allowed to file nominations. So far 19 CPI(M) and Left Front members and supporters have been killed.

What is being witnessed in West Bengal is an outright attack on democracy and democratic rights. The ruling Trinamul Congress is threatening the State Election Commission and making open calls to incite violence against the opposition.

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) strongly condemns this violence and terror campaign launched by the Trinamul Congress.

Save Democracy Campaign

The Polit Bureau decided to call for a countrywide campaign to “Save Democracy and to Defeat the Violence and Terror in West Bengal”. All Party units will conduct this campaign on August 7, 2013. This campaign will inform the people about the murder of democracy in West Bengal and mobilize support to demand a halt to the violence and terror. The Polit Bureau appealed to all democratic forces in the country to condemn the TMC’s violent campaign to suppress the Left Front and the opposition in West Bengal.

Kerala CM Should Resign

The solar panel scam in Kerala is not an ordinary case of fraud and cheating.  The involvement of some of the staff in the Chief Minister’s office with the scamsters has come out; one of whom has been arrested.  The links of the Chief Minister Oommen Chandy with this affair have also surfaced.  The LDF has demanded the resignation of the Chief Minister and holding of a judicial enquiry in the light of this exposure. 

The Polit Bureau condemned the brutal police repression unleashed against the protests.  It endorsed the demand for Chief Minister’s resignation and supported the call for an indefinite struggle to achieve this demand.  

Successful Strike

The Polit Bureau congratulated the workers of the Neyveli Lignite Corporation in Tamilnadu for their successful 13-day united strike.  As a result of this struggle and the stand taken by the AIADMK government, the 5 per cent disinvestment of shares will not take place and the shares will be transferred to public sector undertakings of the state government.

CC Meeting

The Polit Bureau decided to hold the next meeting of the Central Committee on August 17 and 18, 2013 at New Delhi.

Farewell to Samar Mukherjee

Thousands of people bid farewell to legendary Communist leader Comrade Samar Mukherjee in Kolkata. He was the oldest member of CPI(M) in the whole country. His hundredth birthday was celebrated in November, 2012.

Comrade Samar Mukherjee breathed his last in a private hospital in Kolkata where he was admitted. He used to stay in Party commune.

Comrade Mukherjee’s body was taken to Howrah, his native place and principal area of his political activity for decades. He also represented Howrah loksabha constituency for three terms. From the district Party office, Comrade Mukherjee’s body was brought to UCRC ( the organization for refugees which he was the foremost leader for seven decades) office in Kolkata and then to CITU West Bengal state office.

Comrade Samarda’s body was brought to CPI(M) state office at around 5-15PM. Thousands of people already stood in line outside the Party office to pay homage to him. Polit Bureau members Biman Basu, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Nirupam Sen, Brinda Karat, MA Baby, veteran leaders Benoy Konar, Md. Amin  paid floral tributes to him. CPI(M) central committee members, state committee members and leaders of mass organizations paid their respect. Left Front leaders, including Forward Block leader Ashoke Ghosh, CPI state secretary Manjukumar Majumdar paid their last respect.

A funeral rally started from Party office with leaders in the front. Thousands followed , chanting the Internationale.  Comrade Mukherjee’s body was donated to NRS Medical College and Hospital for scientific research. - See more at: http://www.cpimwb.org.in/current_topic_details.php?topic_id=433#sthash.WEUNa6ge.dpuf