The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)
held its meeting in Kolkata from January 17 to 19, 2013. It has issued
the following statement:
Syrian Conflict
The Central Committee expressed its deep concern at the continuing
armed conflict in Syria. For the last one and a half years, a concerted
effort is being made to effect a regime change in Syria with rebel
groups getting arms and supplies from outside. The threat of the
Islamist forces dominating the rebel forces is growing. The United
States, the NATO and the Gulf states are fuelling a civil war which has
already led to the death of 60,000 people and more than half a million
refugees who have fled to the neighbouring countries. The solution to
the conflict can only be decided by the Syrian people free from external
intervention.
The Central Committee condemned the efforts of the United States
and the NATO powers to impose their will by backing the armed rebels.
The United Nations and the countries of the region should work for a
politically negotiated settlement by all concerned forces in Syria.
New Burdens on the People
The Central Committee discussed the new burdens imposed on the
people by the UPA government. The price rise of essential commodities
continues to be relentless. The Consumer Price Index inflation rate has
gone up from 9.5 per cent in October 2012 to 10.56 per cent in December
2012. There is no respite in the price rise of wheat, rice, pulses and
other food items.
It is at this juncture that the UPA government has announced steps
to deregulate the price of diesel. This will lead to the continuous rise
in the price of diesel which will affect transportation and fuel
inflation. Farmers will be badly hit. Such deregulation will allow oil
companies to raise prices to match international levels. These are much
higher than domestic cost of production permitting the oil companies to
reap windfall profits at the expense of imposing unprecedented burdens
on the people.
Even before the railway budget has been presented, the UPA
government has increased the railway passenger fares across the board.
The government has announced a National Pharmaceutical Pricing Policy
that will effectively nullify the drug pricing control regime and allow
the MNC and big pharmaceutical companies to continue to reap big
profits. The Rangarajan committee’s recommendation for the total
decontrol of the sugar industry, if implemented, is going to adversely
affect the sugarcane farmers and have a cascading effect on the price of
sugar for the PDS beneficiaries.
The Central Committee called upon its Party units to intensify the
struggles against price-rise and the anti-people policies of the UPA
government.
Cash Transfer Scheme
The Central Committee strongly opposes the move to extend the Cash
Transfer Scheme to replace subsidized foodgrains, fertilizers, cooking
gas and kerosene. In a period of high inflation, cash transfer to
replace subsidized goods is meant to actually cut subsidies since the
cash to be transferred will not cover the increased cost of the same
amount of subsidized foodgrains or fertilizers. Cash transfer in place
of foodgrains would end up dismantling the public distribution system.
It will lead to increasing malnutrition and hunger in the country. It is
illegal for the UPA government to link the various welfare schemes
including MNREGA to the Aadhar-UID scheme. The Bill proposed for the UID
has not been passed by parliament. In fact the Standing Committee has
rejected the Bill and called for its redrafting.
Violence Against Women
The Central Committee expressed its indignation and condemnation of
the alarming increase of sexual assaults on women. The horrific
gangrape and murder of a 23 year old paramedical student in Delhi
brought this widespread violence to the fore. The protests which have
arisen triggered by this tragic incident has also raised issues of the
subordinate status of women, the deep-rooted patriarchal attitude
towards women and girls and the denial of their rights as equal
citizens.
The CPI(M) has already submitted a memorandum to the Verma
Committee suggesting various measures including life imprisonment for
cases of rape and rigorous life imprisonment with no remission for cases
of aggravated sexual assault like gangrape and sexual assaults
children.
In this connection, the Central Committee condemned the sexist and
anti-women comments from a range of public figures including political
leaders and so-called spiritual leaders. The Central Committee strongly
rejected the demeaning views expressed by the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat
and the reactionary views of Asaram, the so-called spiritual leader.
The Central Committee called upon the Party and the democratic mass
organizations to take the lead to intervene promptly wherever women are
subjected to violence and sexual assaults and to take the lead to fight
patriarchal notions and male chauvinism in all spheres of society.
West Bengal:
Deteriorating Conditions
The Central Committee condemned the continuing attacks and violence
against the CPI(M) and the Left Front cadres. Since the assembly
elections in May 2011, 85 members and supporters of the CPI(M) have been
killed. The latest illustration is the assault on Abdur Razak Mollah,
former minister and senior leader of the Party. Following this assault,
people going to a protest rally were also attacked with three people
suffering bullet injuries and many vehicles set ablaze.
The Chief Minister and the TMC government are encouraging these
attacks keeping in view the forthcoming panchayat elections. The Central
Committee strongly demanded an end to such violence and intimidation
and peaceful conditions be established for the holding of the panchayat
elections in a free and fair manner.
The Central Committee expressed its serious concern at the
deteriorating economic and living conditions of the people in West
Bengal. The non-payment of salaries and pensions to state transport
employees is causing distress and has led to the suicide of five
employees and pensioners. Nine workers of closed tea gardens have died
due to malnutrition. The strong-arm tactics and intimidation by the TMC
men have led to companies being forced to leave West Bengal as in the
Haldia port. Crimes against women and extortions are growing. The
politics of the TMC and the approach of the state governments are giving
a fillip to the communal forces.
The Central Committee heard a report on the activities and the
movements conducted by the CPI(M) and the Left Front. The Central
Committee extended its full support and solidarity to the Party and the
Left Front in West Bengal in tackling the current situation.
Assam Situation
The Central Committee noted that even after six months of the
ethnic clashes in the BTAD area in Assam, large number of people are
still living in refugee camps. There are concerted efforts to thwart the
return of the refugees belonging to the Muslim community to their homes
and villages.
The Central Committee demanded that the state government take
immediate measures for the return of all those living in the camps to
their homes and their full rehabilitation.
Jharkhand
With the collapse of the BJP-JMM coalition government in Jharkhand,
President’s rule has been imposed. The CPI(M) demands the dissolution
of the assembly and the holding of fresh elections without delay.
Mass Signature Campaign
The Central Committee exhorted all its Party units to complete the
mass signature campaign on food security and for a universal public
distribution system being conducted by the Left Parties. The good
response to the signature campaign indicates that more than five crore
signatures will be collected. These will be submitted to the Prime
Minister when the budget session of parliament begins in February.
All India Jathas
The Central Committee finalized the programme of the all India
jathas to be conduced by the Party. These jathas which will traverse the
length and breadth of the country will propagate the Party’s stand on
various major issues affecting the people and the alternative policies
of the Left. The issues of food security and price rise; land and house
sites; employment; education and health; and the fight against
corruption will be focused in these jathas.
The four jathas will be from Kanyakumari to Delhi led by
Ramachandran Pillai; Kolkata to Delhi led by Prakash Karat; Mumbai to
Delhi led by Sitaram Yechury; and Amritsar to Delhi led by Brinda Karat.
Jathas to link up with the main jathas will be conducted from Srinagar,
Guwahati, Parlakhemundi (Orissa), Ahmedabad and other centres.
The jathas which will begin from February 25 and the first week of
March will culminate in a mass rally in Delhi on March 19, 2013.
