The Central
Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi on
May 11 & 12, 2013. It took stock of the international and national
situation and has issued the following statement:
Resignation of Two Ministers
The
Central Committee noted that the Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal
and the Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, were finally forced to resign after
the Prime Minister and the Congress party resisted this demand while the
parliament session was on. This has exposed the hypocrisy of the
Congress which has blamed the opposition for the disruption of the
parliamentary proceedings since the wrong-doing of the ministers became
known.
Prime Minister’s Role
The
episode of the two ministers highlights how corruption has become
endemic in this government and how efforts are made to cover it up. The
Prime Minister and the Prime Minister’s Office cannot escape
responsibility for these affairs, since during the coal block
allocations, the Prime Minister was directly looking after the coal
ministry. A Joint Secretary of the PMO was involved in the discussions
to change the status report of the CBI to the Supreme Court. The Prime
Minister’s image has been tarnished as he is presiding over such a
corrupt regime. The Prime Minister has to come out and explain his role
and that of his office in both the coal block allocation case and in the
2G spectrum matter.
Harmful Economic Policies
The
Central Committee noted that there is a general squeeze on expenditure
in the Union Budget and cuts in subsidies on petroleum products &
fertilizers and negligible increase in the food subsidy. This will add
to the burdens on the people in the form of rising prices and cut in
entitlements.
The Central Committee strongly criticized
the partial decontrol of sugar which will lead to an increase in sugar
prices both in the PDS and open market and affect the interests of
sugarcane growers.
The Central Committee strongly opposed
the move to increase the prices of natural gas based on the
recommendations of the Rengarajan Committee.
Food Security &
Land Acquisition Bills
The
Central Committee discussed the proposed Food Security Bill and the
Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill which the
government wants adopted in Parliament. The CPI(M) reiterates that the
Food Security law should provide for universal public distribution
system. It should provide for 35 kg of foodgrains for each family (of
five persons) at not more than Rs. 2 per kg.
The Land
Acquisition Bill has a number of flawed clauses. The major flaw is that
it exempts 13 laws from the purview of the Bill. These include the
Indian Railways Act, National Highways Act, Land Acquisition (Mines) Act
etc under which the bulk of the land acquisition takes place. The Left
parties want a number of amendments to be made to the existing Bill.
The UPA government should not consider promulgating ordinances on the
two Bills since they are major legislations and require thorough debate
and scrutiny in Parliament.
Stop India-EU FTA
The
Central Committee demanded that the government not proceed with the
Indo-EU Free Trade Agreement which is being negotiated. The agreement
will have negative impact on virtually every area of economic activity,
including agriculture, industry and services. For instance, the impact
of subsidized dairy imports from the EU can jeopardize the livelihood of
millions of farmers and milk cooperatives.
The Central
Committee demanded that the government not conclude the negotiations.
It should wait for the report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee,
hold public consultations with all affected groups and conduct a
parliamentary debate on the issue.
Strict Regulation Required
The
Central Committee noted with dismay that lakhs of people have lost
their savings and livelihood in the collapse of the Saradha group of
companies. The Trinamul Congress has been closely working with this
group of companies and using its media for its political purposes.
The
Saradha episode also highlights the wrong policies of the Central
Government. It has cut the interest rates for small savings deposits and
also eliminated or reduced the commissions for agents of various
savings and insurance schemes. This is helping chit fund companies to
lure the people. The Central Committee called for a new law to govern
the non-banking financial companies and chit funds and an effective
regulatory mechanism, which does not exist at present.
Modi & BJP
The
Central Committee noted that fresh evidence has surfaced about the role
of Narendra Modi as Chief Minister during the Gujarat pogroms in 2002.
The SIT material made available shows how the police were prevented from
taking action against mobs who were out to commit the communal carnage.
The Central Committee demanded that on the basis of this evidence,
fresh charges be formulated against Narendra Modi and he should not
continue in the post of Chief Minister.
The so-called
Gujarat model which the BJP government under Modi has followed has led
to growing deprivation and a fall in human development index. 48 per
cent of the children of Gujarat are malnourished; its literacy rate has
slumped from fifth to seventh position for children between 6 to 14
years. The state has slipped from 10th to 11th position between 2000 and 2008 according to the latest Human Development Report.
The
Central Committee noted that the BJP has been routed in the Karnataka
assembly election. This is a consequence of the rank corruption, the
nexus with the mining mafia and misrule of the BJP state government.
Tripura Election
The
Central Committee warmly congratulated the CPI(M) and the Tripura Left
Front for its superb success in the assembly elections and the formation
of the 7th Left Front government in the state.
Panchayat Elections in West Bengal
The
Mamata Banerjee government has been trying to sabotage the holding of
panchayat elections by refusing to heed the recommendations of the State
Election Commission. The High Court verdict has unambiguously endorsed
the stand of the State Election Commission for a three phase poll and
the deployment of central paramilitary forces. Yet, the TMC is seeking
to further delay the holding of the elections by going in appeal against
this verdict. The Central Committee demanded that the panchayat
elections be held within the scheduled time on the basis of the norms
set out by the State Election Commission.
The Central
Committee condemned the widespread attacks and violence against the
CPI(M) and the Left Front in West Bengal which was unleashed on the
pretext of an untoward incident, during the protest on the custodial
death of Sudipta Gupta, in Delhi. The Central Committee demanded an end
to such attacks and the State Government should discharge its
responsibilities to maintain peace and law and order.
Abolition of Death Penalty
The
Central Committee discussed a note presented by the Polit Bureau on the
abolition of the death penalty. The Central Committee decided that the
Party will advocate the abolition of the death penalty. In India, the
death penalty, as it is in practice is arbitrarily implemented. It is
inhuman and after execution irreversible. Instead of capital punishment,
the Party wants in the “rarest of rare” cases and most heinous crimes,
life imprisonment to be extended for the entire life of the person
convicted with no scope for remission.
Sajjan Kumar Case
The
Central Committee noted that there has been a miscarriage of justice in
the acquittal of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in a murder case during
the anti-Sikh violence in Delhi in 1984. Of the six accused in the
case, five have been convicted by the court and Sajjan Kumar has been
acquitted.
The Central Committee demanded that there
should be an appeal made against the acquittal. Further, a Special
Investigation Team should be constituted to investigate and prosecute
Sajjan Kumar in another anti-Sikh riot case.
Kerala
The
Central Committee noted that rifts have developed within the UDF in
Kerala and the government is failing to tackle the urgent problems
facing the people and the state. It is important at this juncture that
the Party provide a united leadership so that the Party and the LDF can
make significant advances.
A Commission of the Polit
Bureau has been constituted to look into certain organisational matters
which have been referred to the Central Committee. The six-member
Commission consists of Prakash Karat, S Ramachandran Pillai, Sitaram
Yechury, Nirupam Sen, B V Raghavulu and A K Padmanabhan.
The Central Committee approved the disciplinary action taken by the state committee against four Party members in Kerala.
On Neighbouring Countries
The
Central Committee extended its support and solidarity for the secular
and democratic forces in Bangladesh who are conducting a big struggle
against the rightwing fundamentalist forces in the country. The Central
Committee expressed its deep shock at the tragedy due to the collapse of
a building housing garment factories in which a thousand workers have
died. The Bangladesh government should immediately take steps to close
sweat shops, for ensuring the safety of working conditions, provision of
adequate wages and social security for the lakhs of garment workers in
the country.
The Central Committee welcomed the resolution
of the issue on the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, between India and
China. Both countries are committed to maintain peace and tranquility
on the India-China border and have set up a mechanism which is working
to resolve whatever issues and disputes that arise. The forthcoming
visit of the Chinese Premier should help improve relations.
The
Central Committee strongly disapproved the obdurate stand taken by the
President of Sri Lanka who is going back on the commitment to arrive at a
political settlement on the Tamil issue wherein devolution of powers to
the Tamil areas were assured.
The Central Committee
welcomed the holding of parliament elections in Pakistan which is going
to result in the formation of a new government. These elections were
held in the face of extremist and terrorist attacks. The people have
ensured for the first time a democratic transition from a civilian
government, which completed its term.
Picketing Programme
The Central Committee reviewed the Sangharsh Sandesh jathas
undertaken by the Party in March. It discussed the preparations for the
countrywide programme which is to take place in the second half of this
month. The picketing is to be done on the issues of: Right to Land and
House-sites; Curb Price Rise and Right to Food; Right to Education and
Health; Right to Employment; Ensure Social Justice; End Corruption;
farmers issues and FDI in retail trade. It called upon all Party units
to make the mass picketing programme a success.
