SFI won student union elections in Rajasthan

Central executive committee congratulates Rajasthan state committee for encouraging victory in student union elections in Rajasthan held on 23^rd August, 2014. This victory of SFI is more significant when state government has used all his machinery and power to tilt the results in favour of ABVP.

One of the important results is of S. K. College Sikar, the historical strong hold of SFI. On the lines of earlier elections all anti SFI forces were united here against SFI and used all kinds of tools but yet again students gave their mandate to struggles of SFI. In S. K. College Suresh Kumar Dhaka won the president post with 2491 votes by a margin of 287votes, meanwhile Mahender is elected as vice president, Yogesh kumar as general secretary and dropti verma as joint secratary, with margins of above 600votes. SFI also won full panel in Government Girls college Sikar

SFI contested student union elections for the first time in Dr. Sampuranand Ayurvedic University, Jodhpur and won the full panel. Same thing was repeated in Barmer Government College where SFI became victorious. SFCI won most of the colleges in districts like Jhunjhunu, Shri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh and alwar. But after winning election president of student union is brutally attacked by BJP goons and attacks are also there at his home.

SFI lost the post of president post by mere 62 votes in Jodhpur University where heavy irregularities were witnessed. University authority was working under the directions of BJP government and SFI candidate was defeated using unfair means by the nexus of BJP and university authorities. Even after repeated protests recounting is not done giving an example of dictatorial attitude of university authorities.  Initially SFI presidential candidate was declared winner but then BJP leaders entered the counting place and result was changed after which no plea is being considered.

Corruptions of authorities become more apparent in view of huge margin of victory by SFI candidate Roshni Vishnoi for the post of general secretary. Central committee demand independent enquiry of corruption in student union elections in jodhpur university (Jai Narayan Vyas University).

These are the first student union elections after general parliament elections and these results conveys a clear message that so called Modi wave is over and student community as not with ideology of BJP because ABVP’s elections campaign was centered around Modi’s wave. It is important to note here that in Rajasthan state government is of BJP.

We also thanks to student community of Rajasthan for their support and pledge to carry forward their struggle for a better education policy.

HORRIFIC TORTURE, GANG RAPE AND MURDER OF CPIM WOMAN COMRADE

The atrocities of the TMC in Bengal on CPIM workers reached a new low when TMC workers committed the most horrific violence against COMRADE G.GIRI a 47 year old woman comrade in Sunia village in Contai East Midnapur She was dragged out of her home, badly beaten, stripped,paraded in the village, gangraped and then murdered.

A group of about 15 TMC goons turned up at the victim's house on Sunday morning, led by Debashis Bhunia, who is a Karmadhaksha of Deshapran Block, as well as Block Yuva President of the Trinamool. They demanded that she bring her husband and son back to the village otherwise she has to pay a penalty of Rs 15 lakh.

Her husband Byomkesh Giri is a Local Committee member of the party who was forced to leave his home along with his son in 2011 after the Assembly elections. Her son was unable to sit for the last HS examination.She had to stay on because of her job as an ICDS worker.
When she expressed her inability to pay the fine, they committed these atrocities.

At the call of the CPIM protest rallies were held all over the State.Party State Committee members and State AIDWA office bearers Minati Ghosh and Rekha Goswami rushed to the village.They found the villagers terror stricken. Women with tears in their eyes with folded hands told the leaders that they were too scared to say what they had seen as they would also be attacked.

A road block was held till the police assured the protesters of swift action.
However there are reports that the police is trying to cover up the actual incidents and manufacturing their own version. Organize Join Protests Against this Horrific Attack.

CPI(M) PUNJAB STATE COMMITTEE CHALKS OUT STRUGGLES AND CAMPAIGNS FOR BURNING DEMANDS OF THE PEOPLE

Com. Charan Singh Virdi, Secretary, Punjab State Committee, CPI(M) has issued the following statement to the press here today :

The State Committee of Communist Party Of India ( Marxist ) met here in State Headquarters of the party from August 12-14, 2014 presided over by Comrade Ranvir Singh virk.

Comrades S. R. Pillai , Polit Bureau Member and Nilotpal Basu , Central Secretariat Member made report on International and National situation and other decisions of the Central Committee.
 

The State Committee reviewing the political situation in the state has concluded that the Akali-BJP coalition government of Shri Parkash Singh Badal is continuing on its anti people path with added cruelty . It has got passed the draconian bill – named “ The Punjab prevention of damage to public and private property bill -2014 “, which scuttles the fundamental rights guaranteed to the people in Article 19 of our constitution. Its budget for the year 2014-15 is totally adhoc , non developmental and anti people.
 

Shiromani Akali Dal ( Badal ) has precipitated the issue of formation of separate Gurdwara Committee in Haryana to divert and digress the attention of the people from misdeeds and and anti people policies of the Akali-BJP government in the state. All sections of people are fed up with the policies of the government . Government employees, peasants, unemployed youth, trained teachers khet mazdoor , anganwadi workers and transport workers are agitating for settlement of their demands.
 

The state committee concretised the campaigns and struggles programme of various calls given by the central committee. It has been decided to conduct struggles against FDI in railways, insurance, defence production and against disinvestment of public sector shares. The state committee has also decided to launch a struggle against dilution of labour laws by the Modi led NDA government. The party will take up a political and idealogical campaign against the offensive of the Hindutava forces and all forms of communalism and the efforts to communalise the education system and text books. Party will will make efforts to rally all democratic and secular forces against the Hindutava forces and communalists of all other hues. The party will launch struggles against price rise of essential commodities, demanding universalisation of the PDS ( Public D istribution System ) and curb on futures trading in food items and essential commoditie
 

The state committee called upon its various units to spare no effort for making the state level joint programme of four left parties against the draconian law passed by the Punjab Assembly and other burning demands of the people. All the units have been directed to hold joint protest demonstrations all over Punjab from 2-5 September, 2014. 

The state committee passed a resolution condemning Israel for attack on Gaza in which 1300 innocent people including women and children have died. The committee noted with concern the departure of NDA government from established pro Palestine Indian foreign policy. It appealed to all democratic and peace loving forces to support the Palestinian cause.
 

The state committee has decided to hold its state conference from 23-25 January, 2015 in run up to the All India 21st Party Congress being held at Visakhapatnam ( Andhra Pradesh ) in April, 2015.

West Bengal Left Front observes National Integration-Unity-Communal Harmony Day commemorating 68th Independence Day

The Sovereignty, Secularity, National Integration and Democracy as proclaimed in the Constitution of India are now in crisis. Time has come to combat the increasing threat to jeopardize the constitutional proclamations. Left Front in such a situation avows to fight against such concerted move with all its strength. West Bengal State Left Front Committee has observed National Integration-Unity-Communal Harmony Day on 15th August throughout the state to commemorate 68th Independence Day of the country. The day was marked by organizing “Human Chain” programme in every possible corner of the state with common people from all spheres of life joining hands from 11.00 to 11.30 in the morning. Left Front Chairman and CPI(M) State Secretary Biman Basu along with other leaders of Left Front joined the programme in Siliguri, North Bengal. The day was duly marked by different such gatherings addressed by the Left Front leaderships. 

Earlier Left Front had decided to organize Human Chain in every locality of each district. While talking on this issue Left Fornt Chairman and CPI(M) State Secretary Biman Basu said that 'news of communal crisis and communal violence are meanwhile increasingly coming from different parts of the country. The country hovers toward communal crisis. Violence and killing are spreading steadfast in the country. The Army Patrol is continuing in different parts of the country but the problem remains persistent. Left Front for that reason has decided to organize Human Chain programme to observe communal harmony day'.

In one such gathering held in Central Kolkata at the Entally Market area the leader of opposition and CPI(M) Politbureau member Surya Kanta Mishra warned about the different attitudes and notions that are being shown by the rulers who are at the helm of the Nation and in the State. He stated that 'not Congress, it was the Leftists, who had called for Complete Independence. It was the Leftists, who still have the strength and political will to safeguard and protect the essence of the Tri-Colour flag that holds the prestige of India. Constitution declares India to be a Sovereign, Democratic, Republic. In its 42nd amendment it has been added to be a Secular and Socialist Country. It is indeed saddening that the path India has taken vouches to move its inclination far from these declarations. Instead of Socialism we are moving in the direction of the Rightist. The economic independence of the Country is now at stake. It is being dictated by the imperialist rulers of other Countries. America is directly dictating the policies that India is supposed to acquire. For this reason the Minister of the Petroleum Department is being changed frequently. India has earlier announced to acquire gas at a cheap rate from Iran via Pakistan but the diktat of America is setting new terms to block the aspiration of India because it knows that India will then move ahead in acquiring self reliant independence and will not have to adhere to dictum of dollars to. The rulers at the centre are now moving ahead to surrender to USA'.

He appealed to the people to be careful about the various policies being taken by the Central government to disturb the National Harmony. He said that 'now the call of the government is for the proclamation of Hindustan. It is frequently being said that India is to be known by Hindustan. It is a country of the Hindus. The National Integration of the Country is thus confronting destruction. So the Left Political Strength has to unite to give a sustaining fight against it. The occasion was marked by the important presence of different Left Front leaders like CPI State Secretary Manju Kumar Majumder, RSP leader Kshiti Goswami, Forward Block leader Hafiz Alam Sairani etc.

Central Committee Communiqué

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi from August 8 to 10, 2014. It has issued the following statement:

 

Modi Government

 

The two and a half months period of the Narendra Modi government has confirmed that it will not only pursue the same neo-liberal  policies as the previous UPA government, but it will  do so more vigorously.

 

The Union Budget and the Railway Budget were characterized by a heightened push for privatization, greater FDI and more concessions to big business.  49 per cent FDI in defence production  and insurance; FDI in railway infrastructure; greater opportunities for big capital to profit at the expense of public resources through PPP and tax adjustments to benefit foreign  institutional investors and the upper classes.

 

Accompanying these measures is the unstated squeeze on public expenditure.  The allocation for MGNREGA shows no increase, there is steep cut in fuel subsidy and no real increase in expenditure on health and education. 

 

The Central Committee expressed its strong opposition to the FDI cap in insurance being increased from 26 to 49 per cent.  It called upon all opposition parties to oppose the move.  The Party will extend full support to the struggle to stop the FDI increase in the insurance sector. 

 

Labour Law Changes

 

The BJP government is proposing to bring changes in the labour laws.  Already the BJP state government in Rajasthan has got certain changes made in the labour laws through the legislative assembly.  It must be emphasized that the changes being proposed are not in the interests of the workers but of the employers and the capitalists.  For instance, the amendment to the Industrial Disputes Act raises the limit of workers in an enterprise from 100 to 300 where government permission would be  required for retrenchment of workers.  By this, the government wants to facilitate the removal of workers from their jobs.

 

The Central Committee called for a strong movement to oppose the dilution to the labour laws.  All the trade unions and the Left and democratic parties should jointly oppose this move.

 

Land Acquisition Act Changes

 

It is reported that the government will be proposing changes in The Right To Fair Compensation And Transparency In Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation & Resettlement Act which was adopted in 2013.  The efforts to dilute the Land Acquisition And Rehabilitation Act  is being done at the behest of industry.  Among the changes proposed are bringing down the consent required to 50 per cent of the land owners instead of 80 per cent and this being made applicable for PPP projects.  The changes proposed will be detrimental to the interests of  land owners and those dependent on land. 

 

Communal Incidents

 

The Central Committee expressed its deep concern at the  rising number of communal incidents across the country.  After the Lok Sabha elections, communal clashes have taken place in a number of states such as Gujarat, Karnataka, Haryana and Maharashtra. The largest number of incidents have occurred in Uttar Pradesh.  The BJP and the RSS are trying to utilise the communal tensions and incidents for their political interests.  This was seen in the way they tried to fan tensions and escalate trouble in Moradabad district. Instances of attacks on women are given a communal slant.

 

The mood of triumphalism after the BJP victory has led to such communal incidents often targeting the minority community. It is also a fallout of the intense communal campaign conducted during the elections.  The Central Committee noted that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and other Hindutva outfits are  stepping up their activities.  With the BJP coming to power at the Centre, efforts are being made to re-write textbooks and to introduce the communal content in the educational system. 

 

The Central Committee decided that the Party should step up its political and ideological work to counter the influence and activities of the communal forces.  It will cooperate with other secular and democratic forces to counter the communal offensive. 

 

 

Violence against Women

 

The Central Committee expressed its deep concern at the continuing cases of sexual violence against women and children.  The shocking case of gangrape of a child in a Bangalore school and the instances of gangrapes in Uttar Pradesh points to the utter failure of the police and the government to put in place standard procedures to ensure the quick arrest and prosecution of the accused. 

 

The Central Committee condemned the insensitive and objectionable public pronouncements of some politicians in positions of power such as two ministers of the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh who blamed the victims.  The highly condemnable statement of the Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Pal who threatened to send his men to rape CPI(M) women deserve immediate  prosecution of the culprit and suspension from Parliament.  Instead, the shameless TMC state government of West Bengal is spending public money to defend the accused  appealing against the High Court verdict to file an FIR against him. It is high time that Parliament and state assemblies adopt a code of conduct for  their members regarding derogative statements about women, the violation of which will invite punishment. 

 

Israeli Aggression in Gaza

 

The Central Committee condemned in the strongest terms the brutal Israeli attack on Gaza which has lasted for over a month.  1,869 people were killed in the aerial and ground attack.  The fact that 429 children were killed makes this attack a war crime.  Not only should Israel stop resorting to such violence, but it should lift the blockade and  siege of the Gaza strip which is illegal and against all humanitarian norms.

 

The Central Committee strongly criticized the BJP government for refusing to categorically condemn the Israeli aggression when it was raised in Parliament. 

 

BRICS Meeting

 

The Central Committee welcomed the decision of the BRICS Summit in Fortaleza, Brazil to set-up a New Development Bank and a Contingent Reserve Arrangement.  As India is a founding partner of the Bank, the Modi government should adopt such policies which will help the Bank and the CRA to function in a manner which will be in the interests of the developing countries eschewing the approach adopted by the IMF and the World Bank. 

 

 

50^th Anniversary of the Foundation of CPI(M)

 

The Central Committee  decided to observe the 50^th anniversary of the  foundation of the CPI(M) which falls in November this year.  A month-long campaign will be observed to popularize the ideology and Programme of the Party.

 

Call for Campaign

 

The Central Committee called upon the entire Party to conduct a campaign on the following issues: (i) against FDI in railways, insurance and defence production; (ii) against disinvestment in public sector shares; and (iii) against dilution of labour laws.

 

The party will take up a political and ideological campaign against the offensive of the Hindutva forces and all forms of communalism and the efforts to communalise the education system and text books. All secular and democratic forces should be mobilized for this purpose.

 

The party will mobilize people for the full implementation of the MGNREGA programme and to oppose any curtailment of the scheme. The Party will launch struggles against price rise of essential commodities; demanding universalisation of the PDS and curb on futures trading in food items and essential commodities. The Party will work to widen and strengthen Left unity and work for the emergence of a broad Left platform to fight against neo-liberal policies, communalism and imperialism.

 

Party Congress

 

The Central Committee decided to hold the 21^st Congress of the Party in Vishakapatnam, Andhra Pradesh in April 2015. 

 

The Central Committee decided on the timetable to hold the Party conferences at all levels in the run-up to the Congress.

Mid-Day Meal Workers March to Parliament

SCORES of Mid-Day Meal workers held a march to parliament on August 5, in support of their demands including immediate implementation of the declared increase of Rs 1,000 in honorarium and regularisation of jobs of nearly 26 lakh such workers with provision for pension.

Nearly 5,000 Mid-Day Meal workers from across the country, under the aegis of the CITU-affiliated All India Coordination Committee of Mid-Day Meal Workers (AICCMDMW), gathered at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi for the march. Later, a delegation, led by CITU general secretary and Rajya Sabha MP, Tapan Sen and AICCMDMW convener A R Sindhu, submitted a memorandum to human resources development minister Smriti Irani, who assured the delegation that she will look into the matter positively.

Nearly 26 lakh Mid-Day Meal workers are not recognised as workers and are paid a pittance of Rs 1,000 a month and that too only for ten months in a year. They are not provided any social security. The government is not ready to implement the 45^th Indian Labour Conference recommendations that the Mid-Day Meal workers be recognised as workers, paid minimum wages and social security including pension.

The HRD ministry declared as early in May 2013 that the remuneration of the Mid-Day Meal workers will be enhanced by Rs 1,000 per month. Despite repeated promises, this was not implemented by the UPA government. The minister for HRD of the new NDA government also promised, during a meeting in July, that this enhancement would be implemented early but this year’s union budget has neglected the workers as well as the scheme. “It is unfortunate that the union budget 2014-15 did not reflect either aspirations of the Mid-Day Meal Workers or the need for infrastructure, quality and management needs of the scheme,” the AICCMDMW said in its memorandum to the HRD minister.

The AICCMDMW’s demands include immediate implementation of the declared increase of Rs 1,000 in honorarium with effect from April 1, 2013; Implementation of the 45^th Indian Labour Conference recommendations – regularistion, minimum wages and pension; Payment of remuneration for all 12 months through ‘zero balance bank account’; And 180 days’ paid maternity wages. The workers also asked the government to stop privatisation of Mid-Day Meal Scheme by handing over to corporate NGOs and to ensure safety of Mid-Day Meal workers and provide medical insurance.

 Mid-Day Meal workers from several states including Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Telengana, UP, Uttarakhand and West Bengal participated in the march.

The march was inaugurated by CITU president A K Padmanabhan at Jantar Mantar. He called upon the workers to intensify their struggles to change the policies of the government. CITU general secretary Tapan Sen assured the gathering that CITU would take forward the struggle of Mid-Day Meal workers. Sen called upon the workers to expose the politics behind the policies and mobilise people against it. CPI(M) MPs P Karunakaran and P K Sreemati assured the gathering that the struggle inside parliament by the Left parties will echo the struggle outside parliament by the working class. Student Federation of India (SFI) president V Sivadasn and All India Democratic Women Association (AIDWA) president Sudha Sundararaman also expressed solidarity to the struggle of the Mid-Day Meal workers. Leaders from different states also addressed the gathering.

The workers marching towards parliament were stopped by police on Parliament Street. The workers warned the government against intensified agitations during the winter session of parliament if their demands were not met at the earliest.

Maharastra: Election Campaign Launched

The Maharashtra State Committee of the Party launched its election campaign with a mass rally at Solapur on August 6, 2014. Attended by nearly 3,000 people, predominantly youth, the enthusiastic participants came from all over Solapur city and also from the adjoining rural areas. Most of them were working class youth and came from varied backgrounds.

 

Addressing the rally, CPI(M) Central Secretariat Member, Nilotpal Basu, observed that policies pursued by the Modi Government were no different from those of the previous Congress-led UPA regime. With the increase in railway passenger fares, freight charges, diesel and petrol, and all other essential commodities, people were realizing that there was little difference between the Narendra Modi and Manmohan Singh regimes.

 

On top of all this was the conscious pursuit of the communal agenda after the assumption to power by the BJP. However, he said the big difference this time was that their communalization drive had the full support of the corporate lobby. He called upon the people to understand all these challenges and to work vigorously to ensure the victory of the CPI(M) in this election.

 

CPI(M) State Secretary Dr Ashok Dhawale said that the Congress regimes in both centre and state did nothing to ensure minimum  living wages and social security to the lakhs of unorganized workers of Solapur and Maharashtra.  Corruption in Maharashtra has also increased by leaps and bounds, as seen in the Adarsh Society scam, the irrigation scam, the co-operative sector scam and so on, in all of which not only Congress-NCP but also Shiv Sena-BJP leaders were involved, he pointed out.

 

Recalling the dastardly murder in Pune of a young It professional Mohsin Shaikh who hailed from Solapur, and the shocking incident of Shiv Sena MPs force-feeding a fasting Muslim employee of the Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi, he called on the rally to fight communalism of all types and to defend secularism and communal harmony.

 

CPI(M) candidate for the Solapur seat, Narsayya Adam, said that both the Congress-NCP combine and the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance had made a mess of Solapur city and district. He said that it is only alternative policies propounded by the Left and secular forces that can save Maharashtra. He called upon the rally to reject the communal forces and the anti-people policies of both the Congress and BJP regimes and to ensure the victory of the Left forces. The rally was presided over by veteran Party leader Allahbaksh Patel

Left parties convention in Punjab

LEFT PARTIES WILL ORGANISE PROTEST DHARNAS AT DISTRICT LEVEL FROM 2ND SEPTEMBER TO 5TH SEPTEMBER, 2014

Four Left parties of Punjab- the CPI, CPI(M), CPM Punjab and CPI(ML) Liberation organized a big convention in Deshbhagat Yadgaar Hall here today. More than 2000 people participated in the convention. A large number of workers had to remain outside the hall as it was packed to capacity. The Convention demanded immediate withdrawal of the draconian ‘ Punjab prevention of damage to public and private property bill-2014 ‘ passed by the Punjab assembly. Through another resolution the convention decided a phased programme of struggle for settlement of burning genuine demands of the people. It was declared that as a first phase of struggle , district level protest dharnas will be organized from 2-5 September, 2014 all over Punjab. 

Coms. Charan Singh Virdi, Raghunath Singh, Vijay Misra, from CPI(M), Coms Dr Joginder Dyal, Hardev Arsi, Harbhajan Singh from CPI, Coms Harkanwal Singh, Mangat Ram Pasla, from CPM Punjab Coms. Gurmit Singh Bakhtupura and Ruldu Singh from CPI ( ML ) Liberation addressed the convention.

They speakers said that the Modi led NDA government is pursuing the anti people and pro MNCs and foreign finance capital neo- liberal policies initiated by the UPA government more enthusiastically. They also cautioned the workers that it is for the first time that a pro Hindutava idealogy party has secured absolute majority in Lok Sabha and they have already started implementng divisive and sectarian agenda of the RSS. The speakers said that the Akali-BJP coalition government in Punjab is a partner of the Central government and is pursuing the same policies. They condemned the anti people policies of the Punjab government which have resulted in sharp price rise and unemployment. Mafia aided and abetted by the government is controlling transport, cable TV, sand and gravel in Punjab. The leaders of ruling coalition are grabbing public land from village level to city level. They said that drug mafia has shelter and patronage of politicians , police and civil administration. 

The convention demanded Rs 3000 as minimum old age and widow pension, Rs 15000 minimum wage for unskilled workers, implementation of Swaminathan recommendations, unemployment allowance removal of toll plazas, cheap education and health services within the reach of common people etc etc. The convention expressed serious concern over rising atrocities against women and dalits in the state. 

The convention was presided over by Comrades Ranbir virk, Jagrup Singh, Kulwant Singh Sandhu and Sukhdev Singh Bhagokawan.

Left Front Announces Human Chain Programme on 15th August in West Bengal

'Already convicted for criminalizing and intimidating public statement the Trinamool MP Tapas Pal is neither a state minister nor a Government official; but why then the State Government spending public money is advocating for such a person in High Court?', asked the Left Front Chairman Biman Basu. The Trinamool Government has however already spent more than 11crores of Rupees last year just giving fees to advocates. Lion's share of this money has been spent for cases like deferring Panchayat Election and to anyhow prevent CBI enquiry on Saradha Scam.

While addressing the press after Left Front meeting at Mujaffar Ahmed Bhavan Thursday, Biman Basu said that the Trinamool Government is running for their own interest hooting out public interest of the state. The Government has merged into the Trinamool Congress Party. The Government is advocating for such a person who has publicly threatened to CPI(M) workers, supporters to kill them brutally by cutting throat; to rape innocent women by their partymen. On the other hand they are arresting those innocent people who are trying to raise voice against such anarchy.

Human Chain Programme on 15th August

Left Front will observe National Integration-Unity-Communal Harmony Day on 15th August throughout the state. Left Front has decided to organize Human Chain in every locality of each district. While talking on this issue Biman Basu said that 'news of communal crisis and communal violence are meanwhile coming from different parts of the country. The country hovers toward communal crisis. Violence and killing are spreading steadfast in the country. The Army Patrol is continuing in different parts of the country but the problem remains persistent. Left Front for that reason has decided to organize Human Chain programme to observe communal harmony day'.

The Human Chain programme will be commencing between 11 to 11-30am and continue 10 minutes duration. Biman Basu has appealed to all progressive people to participate in the Human Chain programme.