HOMAGE TO COMRADE Subhash Chakrabarti

Comrade Subhas Chakrabarti was a popular leader who served the Party with dedication. His death is a loss for the Party and the working class movement in West Bengal.

Press Release

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) expresses deep grief at the passing away of Comrade Subhas Chakrabarti, member of the West Bengal State Secretariat, trade union leader and minister in the Left Front Government. Subhas Chakrabarti began his political activities from his school days when he joined the student movement in the late fifties. He was the all India General Secretary of the Students Federation of India between 1977 and 1979. He became a member of the West Bengal State Committee of the CPI(M) in 1971. During the period of semi-fascist terror in West Bengal, Subhas Chakrabarti boldly faced the attacks and organised the student and youth movement. Later he began working on the trade union front and he was till the end the Vice-President of the state CITU. Comrade Subhas Chakrabarti was a popular leader who served the Party with dedication. His death is a loss for the Party and the working class movement in West Bengal. The Polit Bureau conveys its heartfelt condolences to his wife, son and other members of the family.

REMEMBERING COMRADE SURJEET

Prakash Karat

IT is a year since Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet died on August 1, 2008. With this came to an end an eventful life that made a big contribution to the Communist movement in the country.

Surjeet belonged to a generation in the Communist Party whose political activities spanned both the pre-independence period of the struggle against British imperialism and the subsequent post-independence era. His membership in the Congress party, the Congress Socialist Party and the Communist Party reflected his evolving political and ideological outlook.

His early work in organising the peasantry was motivated by the dual goal of drawing in the peasantry into the fight against imperialism and to spearhead the struggle against feudalism. His lifelong association with the peasant movement was based on the understanding that the tasks of the democratic revolution were not completed with independence in 1947.

The early experience of the tumultuous anti-imperialist movement in Punjab and the subsequent communal strife and division shaped his outlook in two areas -- firstly he developed an uncompromising stand against communalism. He was unwavering in his belief that communalism if it succeeds will spell the destruction of India as a modern secular State. Secondly, more than anybody else he understood the importance of national unity in the context of imperialism trying to break up and subvert big multinational states. He fought against all forms of communalism and the divisive separatist movements. This stemmed from his basic Marxist outlook that saw these forces as disruptive of the unity of the working class.

Surjeet made a valuable contribution in the struggle for establishing and defending the basic principles of Marxism-Leninism disavowing revisionist and sectarian positions. As the leader of the CPI(M) with the widest experience of the international communist movement, he played a key role in the period when the Soviet Union was dismantled and the setbacks to socialism occured. As general secretary, he steered the Party through a difficult period. He constantly stressed the need to creatively apply Marxism-Leninism to Indian conditions and not mechanically copy the model of other countries. Comrade Surjeet was a master tactician. He was the most skilled in creating opportunities by which political-tactical line of the Party could be advanced.

This skill was seen in the period when the Left sought to build an anti-Congress unity without compromising with the BJP in the period between 1987 and 1991 and later when a unity of secular parties had to be built against the BJP and the communal danger without allying with the Congress. If the idea of a third force in Indian politics against the Congress and the BJP emerged as a possibility in the late 1980’s and efforts were made to translate it into a viable proposition, much of the credit for this goes to the tireless and skillfull endeavours of Surjeet.

Surjeet was imbued with the spirit of internationalism. His firm commitment to fight imperialism and defend socialism never wavered even when an adverse situation developed in the early 1990s. Surjeet was the prime mover of the campaign to organise solidarity with Vietnam, Cuba and Palestine on different occasions.

What stood out in the life of Harkishan Singh Surjeet was his devotion and commitment to the Communist Party. He would expend all his energies and time to implement and make success all the Party's decisions. His only concern was how to develop the Party and advance the cause of the democratic revolution and socialism.

We deeply miss his presence at this juncture when the Party has to face many challenges. But we should be fortified in our resolve by the example he has set and the legacy he has left behind for us.
(Peoples Democracy)

CPI(M) candidate file papers for Cumbum

The CPI(M) candidate and party’s district secretary K. Rajappan (65) of Bodi, submitted two nomination papers.
Four corner contest

In the absence of AIADMK, MDMK and PMK, major political parties that have decided to boycott the bypoll, the constituency will witness a four corner contest. (It was a three corner contest in 2006 Assembly poll.)

Last date for nominations today

The last date for filing nominations is Wednesday.

Scrutiny of nominations will take place on July 30 and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is August 1.

Counting process on August 21

Polling will be on August 18 and counting of votes will be taken upon August 21.

(Courtesy : The Hindu)

Mudigonda Martyrs Day observed

‘Stormy days ahead for country’

MUDIGIONDA (Khammam dist): Stormy days are ahead in the country as the government is likely to opt for bigger doses of privatisation to offset the impact of fiscal deficit for the current year, according to Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and CPI (M) politburo member on Tuesday.

Addressing a rally of the party organised here to mark the second anniversary of Mudigonda police firing that left seven of the partymen killed, he said the fiscal deficit was in the order of about Rs. 25,000 crore and the government was left with no other option but to sell the shares in the public sector undertakings. Privatisation would cost over one crore jobs.

If the indications given by the Rajasekhara Reddy government during the budget session, a much more serious situation could prevail in Andhra Pradesh. Cooperative farming sought to be introduced by the government would prove to be counter productive. It would pave the way for corporatisation of land.

Coming down heavily on the Congress for its policies and priorities, he said it had become a party of the profitmakers, black marketers, monopoly institutions. Over 77 per cent of the people of the country could not earn at least Rs. 20 a day.

The kin of a CPI(M) activist martyred in the Mudigonda police firing two years ago, seeking blessings from Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar in Khammam on Tuesday

Over 50 per cent of women suffer from anaemia while over 26 to 18 crores of the youth were without employment. He said that the land reforms would only the way out to help improve the economy in the country.

He paid floral tributes to the partymen martyred in the land struggle at Mudigionda. CPI (M) state Secretary, B. V. Raghavulu and the party Central Committe member, Thammineni Veerabhadram were among those who spoke.

(courtesy : The Hindu)

CPIM candidates for Tamil Nadu assembly bye election

K Rajappan V Perumal

CPIM candidates for Tamil Nadu assembly bye election has been announced. CPI and CPIM has jointly taken the decision to contest 2 seats each out of the 5 seats that is going to the bye election on August. The CPI(M) is contesting Thondamuthur and Cumbum while CPI in Bargur and Srivaikuntam. The Fifth constituency , Ilayankudi seat will be allotted to a "friendly ally", the parties sources said. The CPIM candidates has been announced. The party’s Theni district secretary and state committee member K Rajappan (64) is the candidate for Cumbum constituency. Rajappan, hailing from Seeppalakottai village, completed his PUC at Haji Karutha Rawthar College in Uthamapalayam.He became the member of CPM way back in 1968 and is presently functioning as the district secretary of the party.When Theni was part of Madurai district, district committee secretary of the party and the state secretary of farmers union. IN Thondamuthur constituency the candidate is V Perumal (49), a resident of Periyanaickenpalayam, entered into politics as the member of Democratic Youth Front of India (DYFI), in 1979. He has been a full-time activist of the party from 1989.Presently, he holds the positions of CITU Coimbatore District Engineering Union secretary and the district executive committee member of the party. He is also the state committee member of the State Untouchability Abolition Front. AIDMK, PMK and MDMK had decided to boycott the polls.

Call for Protest Actions Against Price Rise

The Left Parties, the CPI(M), CPI, AIFB and RSP have issued the following statement:

The increase in the prices of essential commodities particularly of food items has become unbearable for the people. The prices of all pulses (dal) have shot up to such an extent, with some varieties priced between Rs. 80 and 100 per kg, that the common people cannot afford them any more. The prices of edible oil, vegetables, rice, wheat and other food items have also been increasing without respite.

The price rise has also been fuelled by the callous decision of the UPA government to increase the prices of petrol and diesel. The prospects of drought in many states due to deficient monsoon will further put pressure on the prices of food items.

The Left parties have decided to jointly conduct an anti-price rise agitation to demand that the government take immediate and effective steps to curb price rise of essential commodities.

The Left parties are instructing their party units to jointly conduct the agitation in the states to mobilise the people against price rise. The major demands are:

1. Provide dal and edible oil at subsidised rates through the public distribution system.

2. Revamp the public distribution system by expanding the BPL category and restore the allocation for the APL categories as an interim measure towards universalisation of PDS.

3. Scrap the increase in the prices of petrol and diesel.

4. Prohibit futures trading in all food related items.

TAMIL NADU - CPI and CPI (M) to contest two seats each in the by-elections

JOINT MOVES: (From left) R. Nallakannu, CPI leader;
D. Pandian, CPI State secretary;
and N. Varadarajan, CPI (M) State secretary,
addressing presspersons in Tiruchi on Friday.

TIRUCHI: The CPI and the CPI (M) on Friday decided to contest the by-elections to the Assembly, taking two seats each and leaving one to a “friendly” party, even as they requested the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam to reconsider its decision to boycott the polls.

The CPI will shortly announce its candidates for the Bargur and Srivaikundam constituencies and the CPI (M) for Thondamuthur and Cumbum.

In case the “friendly” party backs out, one of the two parties will contest the Ilayangudi seat, according to the leaders of the parties. Both parties were prepared for talks on the seats if the AIADMK decides to contest the polls.

Addressing presspersons at the end of the State Committee meetings of their parties, the State secretaries of the CPI and the CPI (M), D. Pandian and N. Varadarajan, maintained that their decision to contest the polls would not cause any problem for the non-Congress, non-BJP alliance in the State.

Though the reasons cited by the AIADMK – misuse of power and perpetration of rowdyism by the ruling party to ensure victory in the parliamentary elections – for boycotting the polls still persists, “we reckon that the situation must be countered politically,” Mr. Varadarajan said.

Mr. Pandian pointed out that boycotting elections would mean letting those misusing democracy go scot-free.

(the Hindu)

Mangalore: Unfair action on date-barred nutritious food packets - DYFI

The district unit of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) has alleged that the Women and Child Welfare Department has failed to take action against a top official involved in the supply of date-barred nutritious food packets to poor pregnant women.

Muneer Katipalla, president of the district unit of the DYFI, told presspersons that the department was soft on its Deputy Director in Mangalore, A. Shakuntala, but had suspended Bantwal Child Development Project Officer Usmaan. Mr. Katipalla said that the department should have punished Ms. Shakuntala, not just her subordinates. The district unit of the DYFI exposed the supply of food packets that had crossed the expiry date in May.

Condemning the action taken against Mr. Usmaan, who received his suspension letter last Wednesday, Mr. Katipalla said that it was stated in the letter that Mr. Usman was being suspended for purchasing excess food and not for supplying the date-barred food to anganwadi centres. The suspension of the official was based on a report submitted to higher officials by Ms. Shakuntala.

The report spoke only about the food purchased in March and not April, he said and added that the CDPOs were asked to purchase the food for April in advance , as there was no budget allocation for April. Mr. Usmaan, who complied with this, was made a scapegoat in the scam, Mr. Katipalla said.

(Courtesy : The Hindu)

CPIM CC Statements

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) which met in New Delhi on July 11 and 12, 2009 has issued the following statement:


G-8 Restrictions on Nuclear Technology

The G-8 decision that the will not transfer full Enrichment and Reprocessing (ENR) technologies to non-NPT countries would mean that India will not get full civilian nuclear cooperation as claimed by the UPA government. The CPI(M) had made clear that the Nuclear Suppliers Group's waiver was neither “clean” nor “unconditional” as was being claimed then. Behind the so-called “clean” waiver stands the Hyde Act and its provisions. Other G8 countries have also now fallen in line with the Hyde Act. The same conditions are being finalised in the NSG and India had already agreed at the time of the waiver that it will abide by all such future changes.

The country needs to know what the Government intends to do about this denial of ENR technologies by G8. Is it that it was fully aware that ENR ban was on the anvil and the so-called charade of “clean exemption” in the NSG was conducted to hoodwink the people? What does it now intend to do about buying reactors from countries who have declared that they will continue with the current discriminatory regime? This is particularly important as the US State Department officials are now asking that India identify sites for the 10,000 MW of reactors it has committed to buy from US sources. With this ban in place, any move in this direction will seriously jeopardise India's future energy security.

The Government of India should come clean on these issues pending which India should enter at best only fuel supply contracts and not agree to buying of imported reactors from countries who are a part of this restrictive technology regime.

Impact of Deficit Monsoon

The Central Committee expressed serious concern about the prospect of a drought-like situation due to the delayed and deficient monsoon. So far, the delayed monsoon has led to to a big drop in the acreage for cultivation of various crops. The intensity of the crisis is evident by the fact that in Punjab and Haryana there is a shortfall of 8.17 lakh hectares in paddy transplantation.

The response of the government has been tardy and shows disregard for the plight of millions of farmers and agricultural workers. The government has to recognise that a drought is possible and take urgent remedial measures to help the peasantry. The Minimum Support Price (MSP) for kharif crops have not yet been announced and the delay will lead to distress sales.

The Central Committee demands that the government come out with a comprehensive response to meet the emerging serous situation.

Campaign on Food Security

The Central Committee decided to take up the issue of BPL and APL categories in the public distribution system. In view of the government's decision to enact a food security law, the CC authorised the Party Centre to formulate the issue so that no section of the people are excluded from the public distribution system and the provision of food security.

Plight of Tamil Civilians in Sri Lanka

The Central Committee expressed its serious concern about the three lakh Tamil population who were displaced from their homes during the last phase of the conflict in Sri Lanka. The armed conflict initiated by the LTTE has ended. But in the last phase around 7,000 Tamil civilians died and lakhs rendered homeless.

These displaced people have been living in camps set up by the administration. These camps did not have adequate facilities and are not intended for a prolonged stay.

Unfortunately, the Sri Lankan government is not taking steps to speedily return and rehabilitate the civilian population in their homes. This is leading to discontent and the resultant alienation amongst the people will not help to bring normalcy and peace.

The main step to be taken after the decades of conflict and violence is to ensure that there is a lasting political solution to the Tamil question. Despite the assurances being given by the Sri Lankan President, the process of working out a political solution has not made much progress. The Central Committee is of the firm opinion that this is the right time to work out the provision of genuine autonomy for the Tamil-speaking areas within the framework of a united Sri Lanka. The Government of India should step up its diplomatic and political efforts with the Sri Lankan government in this regard.

On Economic Survey 2008-09

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) issued the following statement:

The Economic Survey tabled by the Finance Minister in Parliament today suggests a policy direction, which is inimical to the national interest.

The survey brings out the adverse impact of the global economic crisis. It admits that the overall growth rate has fallen to 6.7 per cent in 2008-2009. In particular, the fall in agricultural growth rate by 3.3 per cent and that of manufacturing by 5.8 per cent is alarming. It also admits that per capita consumption has seen a sharp decline from 6.9 per cent in 2007-2008 to 1.4 percent in 2008-2009, reflecting a big squeeze in the purchasing power of the people.

But what are the prescriptions? At a time when the world is reverting back to various forms of regulation of the financial sector, the Economic Survey suggests opening up of crucial sectors of the economy to FDI and deregulation of the financial sector in the name of “revisiting economic reforms”. This includes FDI in insurance, banking, defence and even in the sensitive retail trade sector, which will directly hit the livelihood of crores of families. It also proposes to mobilize as much as Rs. 25,000 crores per year from sale of PSU shares. In contrast the Economic Survey fails to make any assessment, leave alone suggest measures to address, the human dimensions of the economic slowdown such as huge job losses, growing unemployment and declining incomes. Clearly the economic policy establishment has failed to draw any lessons form the global financial meltdown.

This becomes even more apparent when the Survey discusses such an important issue as rising prices of essential commodities and food security. It actually proposes a reduction in food subsidy for PDS outlets and introduce the failed system of food coupons. It also suggests further cuts in subsidies for gas cylinders suggesting it should be limited to only six to eight cylinders per family per year.

On the other hand the Survey is generous in its suggestions to give further tax concessions to corporates by doing away with several taxes such as FBT, STT, CTT etc. Thus it wants to shift the focus of revenue mobilization away from tax mobilization to selling off public sector assets. At a time when countries across the world are moving away from fiscal fundamentalism, a completely irrational proposal to introduce a new version of the FRBM Act with a zero fiscal deficit target is also contained in the survey.

Many of the proposals made in the survey, which are inimical to the interests of the people and the country were part of the UPA reform agenda for the last five years, which could be to a certain extent prevented by the interventions of the Left Parties. Any attempt by the UPA Government to revive the discredited neoliberal agenda of subsidy cuts, financial liberalization, disinvestments and privatization would be met with stiff resistance.