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.
