The
Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi
from September 10 to 12, 2014. It has issued the following statement:
J&K Floods
The
Polit Bureau expressed its deep concern at the severe and widespread
floods which have affected Jammu & Kashmir. The floods have resulted
in the loss of hundreds of lives, widespread destruction of property
and displacement of lakhs of people from their homes.
Much
more needs to be done. The army and the paramilitary forces have been
working round the clock. The state administration has been unable to
cope with the situation. Even now, after relief and rescue efforts,
thousands are marooned, there is acute shortage of food and essential
commodities and breakdown in communications. The Central Government must
step up the relief and rescue operations through various agencies.
The Polit Bureau reiterated the call already given to its Party units to collect money for the relief and rehabilitation work.
Modi Government’s Decisions
The
Polit Bureau strongly criticized the decision of the Modi Government to
wind up the Planning Commission. This decision is in conformity with
the neo-liberal view that there is no need for planning in a
market-oriented economy. The end of the Planning Commission symbolizes
the dominance of finance capital-corporate interests over the economy.
The
Polit Bureau strongly opposed the decision of the government to go in
for large scale disinvestment of shares in Coal India, NHPC and ONGC.
Through this offloading of shares, the government expects to realize Rs.
44,000 crores. This will be the single largest disinvestment of shares
ever. The Modi Government is embarking on this massive disinvestment not
only to raise funds to bridge its fiscal deficit but to fulfill its
ideological commitment against the public sector.
The Polit Bureau calls upon all democratic forces to unitedly resist this attack on the public sector.
Tribal Rights on Land
The
CPI(M) strongly protests against the moves by the Government to
sabotage and subvert the rights of tribal people guaranteed under the
constitutional and legal framework. Taken together the provisions of the
Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, the Forest Rights
Act and PESAA provide a certain amount of protection against corporate
land grab of tribal land. For example no project can be implemented on
tribal land in Fifth Schedule areas without the consent of the tribal
gram sabha. This right was upheld by the Supreme Court of India in the
Vedanta case. The Modi Government wants to take away this right. Since
it will require amendments to the law, there are efforts to dabble with
the Rules to make this utterly illegal and unjust action possible.
Already in the name of linear projects, the rights were diluted by the
then UPA Government. Now the Modi Government wants to take this
blatantly anti-tribal step further.
Further, the
Environment Ministry has given environmental clearances for 240 of the
325 projects which were awaiting clearance. This will involve diversion
of 7122 hectares of forest land for the projects in coal, mining, power
etc. Here too, the rights of the tribal people are involved.
The
CPI(M) will work along with tribal organizations to organize mass
movements to protect tribal rights on these and related issues.
Communal Campaign
The
Polit Bureau condemned the BJP-RSS communal campaign in Uttar Pradesh.
The spurious issue of “love jihad” is being used by the Hindutva forces
to cause communal tensions and polarization. In the campaign for the
bye-elections in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP MP Adithyanath has been using
inflammatory communal propaganda.
This comes in
the wake of the statements by the RSS Chief, Mohan Bhagwat, that all
Hindustanis should be called Hindus and that the identity of Indians is
Hindutva.
The UP state government should initiate
firm action against those indulging in communal hate speech and creating
communal tensions. The Election Commission should have acted promptly
in prohibiting Adithyanath from making speeches during the election
campaign. It has confined the action to directing the administration to
file a FIR against him.
Trinamul-Chit Fund Nexus
The
CBI investigation into the Saradha chit fund scam is uncovering the
nexus between the Trinamul Congress leadership and the chit fund owner.
The involvement of the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and other key
leaders of the Trinamul Congress are coming into focus. The state
government is making brazen efforts to protect the guilty and to hamper
the investigations. The Supreme Court directed CBI investigation should
proceed without hindrance so that all those involved in this criminal
nexus are pinpointed and held accountable. In the meantime, the Central
agencies should step in and ensure that the properties and assets of the
Saradha group of companies are confiscated and used to compensate lakhs
of victims of the scam. Government funds should not be spent for this
purpose.
Political Review
The
Polit Bureau conducted an in-depth review of the political-tactical
line which the Party has been pursuing. A review report will be placed
in the next Central Committee meeting. This is a preparatory step
towards preparing the Draft Political Resolution for the Party Congress
to be held next year.
Party Congress
It has been decided to hold the 21st Congress of the Party at Vishakhapatnam from April 14 to 19, 2015.
