CPI(M) Punjab State Conference

The three day State Conference of CPI (M) Punjab state committee was held at a village Jandiala Manjki (Jalandhar) from 15 to 18th January 2015.   

 

Massive Rally

On the opening day, a massive rally was held with people from all over Punjab converging at the village. The rally was addressed by Prakash Karat, General Secretary, S.Ramachandran Pillai, Member, Polit Bureau, Nilotpal Basu and Joginder Sharma, members of the Central Secretariat addressed the rally in addition to State Secretary, Charan Singh Virdi , and State Secretariat Members Raghunath Singh and Vijay Misra. Earlier Gurchetan Singh Bassi, Chairman , Reception Committee welcomed the leaders and people who came from all over Punjab to the attend  rally. 

While addressing the rally Karat said that much publicized “Acche Din” of Narendra Modi have not come  for the masses of the country but for the corporate houses of India and foreign big companies. The capital of tycoon Gautam Adani has increased by Rs.25,000 crores in seven months. During these seven months nine ordinances including FDI in Insurance sector amending labour laws, amendment to land acquisition act etc. have been issued because the BJP is unable to face the Parliament. The BJP is claiming that they have got absolute majority and support of the people of the India whereas they got just 31% votes of the people, he said. Commenting on the visit of President Obama on the Republic Day, he said that it is a sad day for us that a person who has taken away the sovereignty of many a countries will be our guest on such a pious day.

He lambasted the BJP for following the dictates of RSS, which is spreading communalism all over the country and trying to establish the Hindu Raj at the cost of the minorities. He expressed his great concern over forceful religious conversion.

He declared that CPI(M ) is preparing for a serious struggle against the anti-people, anti-workers, anti-peasant policies of the Modi Goverment. He said that the valiant strike by 7 lakh workers of Coal India is an example for the working class of the whole country. Apprehending big attacks on workers and farmers, Com.Karat called upon the working people to unite to face these attacks.

Gurmit Singh Dhadda, Secretary Reception Committee thanked the leaders, guests and people for making the rally a grand success.

Inauguration

Later, Com. Gurchetan Singh Bassi, Chairman Reception Committee welcomed the central leaders, state leaders and delegates to the historic land of freedom fighters, Gadhri Babas and martyrs. Com. Praksh Karat, inaugurated the Conference in the Com. Sarwan Singh Cheema Hall at Com. Harkishan Singh Surjit Nagar. Analysing the international situation, Com. Karat said that the European nations have still not recovered from the economic and financial crisis of 2008 and the working people are under attack through wage cuts, job cuts and withdrawal of many social expenditures through austerity measures. He alleged that US led NATO attacks on Iraq and Libya have replaced secular governments by Islamic Fundamentalists, and the same situation is being created in Syria. He expressed serious concern over the increasingly offensive posture of US imperialism, especially vis a vis China. Com. Karat said that in Latin American countries left forces are getting strengthened and have rejected the neo-liberal policies.

Commenting on the national situation, Com. Karat  said that after the formation of Modi lead BJP Govt. the working people are under twin attacks – right wing economic attack of corporate sector and attack of Hindutava by RSS and its affiliates. He said that economic policies are being implemented through ordinances. He expressed serious concern over the way in which RSS is penetrating in Education, Arts & Culture and other departments. He condemned the Hidutava, fundamentalist forces for dividing the society in the name of Love Jihad, Gau hatya, forcible religious conversion and targeting of Bangla Deshi immigrants.

Com. Karat emphasised that CPI (M) has the primary responsibility to organise struggles against both the attacks stressing that parties like the Congress and regional parties cannot do it.

A Presidium consisting of Comrades Vijay Misra, Gurchetan Singh Bassi, Bhoop Chand Channo, Gurmesh Singh and Rajinder Kaur Chohka conducted the proceedings.  Com. Ram Singh Noorpuri placed a resolution paying homage to martyrs. The delegates observed two minutes silence to pay tributes to the departed leaders. 

Com. Charan Singh Virdi, State Secretary presented the report of activities of the party since the last conference.  Analysing the situation in the state, he said that the Punjab government is in serious economic crisis with a debt of more than Rs 1,33,00 crores. He said that employees are not getting their salaries on time. Describing the agriculture sector position, he said that 63% people in Punjab live in the villages but agriculture in Punjab is in serious crisis. The share of agriculture sector is declining in the state GDP. Unemployment is increasing and in 2011 it was estimate that 4.5 lakh educated youth were unemployed which included doctors, engineers, and persons with B.Ed, M.Ed, MCA and even Ph.D qualifications. He explained that transport, sand & gravel and cable TV are under the control of mafias patronised by the ruling alliance. The drug mafia is operating with connivance of ruling party politicians, police and  civil administration. Drug addiction has acquired gigantic proportions. Commenting on the industrial sector, Com. Virdi said that during 2011-12, the development rate was 2.38% while at the national level it was 8.49%. Regarding service sector, he said that it has expanded during the last few years. He stressed that attacks on dalits and women are on the rise.

Explaining about the organisation, Com. Virdi said that there is virtual stagnation in the party. The membership of youth and women is very low. Though we have very good percentage of dalit members but it is not reflected in the leadership.  He self critically admitted in the report that the tasks chalked out in the 20th conference could not be satisfactorily implemented .

On 16th January, 2015 the delegates discussed the report presented by the State Secretary. 54 delegates participated in the discussion which continued till 20.30 hours.  The delegates appreciated the self criticism by the leadership in the report on some issues. They criticised the slow progress on the tasks set out in the 20th State conference held at Sangrur. Delegates wanted special attention on enrolling youth and women into the party and stressed the need for struggles on local issues to expand the mass base. Many delegates emphasised the need for political education. Some delegates complained the lack of coordination among the leadership. The delegates criticised the seat adjustment during assembly elections. Many delegates appreciated the coming together of 4 Left Parties in Punjab and the joint campaigns conducted which culminated in the historic 28th November, 2014 rally at Ludhiana.
 

Com Nilotpal Basu, Central Secretariat Member & Co-Incharge Punjab intervened during the debate on the report.  He explained the danger of communalism unleashed by RSS and its affiliates and its impact on the unity of the society.  He cautioned the delegates to be vigilant of the danger and be prepared to fight it out to maintain  the unity of the working class. Com Basu told the house that in Punjab the component of young people in the Party is very low and the number of women party members is negligible. He called upon the delegates to bring more and more youth and women to the party.
 

On 17th January, 2015 Com. Virdi replied to the debate on the report, accepting many suggestions given by the delegates.The report was unanimously adopted the by the house.
The conference unanimously adopted resolutions on: 1)Current Political Situation In Punjab 2) Agricultural Workers 3) Industrial workers, and 4)the Crisis in Agriculture &Condition of Peasantry in Punjab.
 

 Comrade R. L. Moudgil presented the credential report to the house. A total of 173 delegates including 2 foreign fraternal delegates, 33 state committee members and 20 observers participated in the conference.Thus the total strength was 226. The senior most delegate was Comrade Bhagat Singh, aged 86 years  from Hoshiarpur district. He joined the party in 1948. The youngest delegate was Comrade Harinder Singh Bajwa aged 22 years from Sangrur District. Among the delegates 12 were women.
 

 The house unanimously elected a 37-member state committee for the next term  and  12 delegates for  the 21st  Party Congress scheduled to be held at Visakhapatnam from April 14-19, 2015.  The State Committee members in their meeting unanimously re-elected Comrade Charan Singh Virdi as State Secretary.
 

Comrade S. R. Pillai, Polit Bureau Member and incharge of Punjab state committee delivered a very impressive, motivational and educative concluding speech. He congratulated the delegates for unanimously electing  the state committee and delegates for 21st Party Congress. He said that having listened to the discussion on the report, the Central Committee will help the state in overcoming the organisational problems. He explained that the holding of the Party Congress is a most democratic process in our party.  Each and every party member will be asked to give his/her views on the Draft Political Resolution and Political-Tactical Line to be presented in the Party Congress. He informed that an Organisational Plenum, like the Salkia Plenum, will be held shortly after the Party Congress. He also informed that the Political-Tactical Line adopted at the 1978 Jalandhar Congress will be reviewed and finalised in the Party Congress.  He called upon the delegates to study the changes that have taken place in Punjab in different spheres whether it is agriculture  sector, urban sector, dalit, women, agricultural worker and industrial  sector. He asked the Punjab party to prepare their strategy and plan of action and struggles according to the new situation. He expressed the hope that the Punjab Party will march forward unitedly and will come good on the expectations of working people. a