Central team to West Bengal : Assault on Federal Structure

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

The decision of the Central Government to send a Central team to West Bengal bypassing the state government is an assault on the federal structure mandated by the Constitution. It is unfortunate and regrettable that the Central government should succumb to the unreasonable and politically motivated demand of the Trinamool Congress for sending a team.

The politically motivated demand by the Trinamool Congress is against the spirit of the Constitution and amounts to a gross interference in the affairs of the state government. It further contravenes several judgments of the Supreme Court on this question.

The Trinamool Congress in collaboration with Maoists is creating a law and order situation in West Bengal by murdering CPI(M) and Left cadres and blame the Left Front government to cover up its nefarious activities.

The Polit Bureau appeals to all the democratic forces and the people to oppose the move of the Central government and the Trinamool Congress which violates the spirit of the Indian Constitution.

Food Security Act will create food insecurity: Prakash Karat

Bangalore: The proposed Food Security Bill by the Centre will only add to the existing food insecurity rather than improve access to food, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat has said.

Speaking at a mammoth rally organised by the Left parties here on Wednesday, he pointed out that the Bill had proposed giving rice or wheat at Rs. 3 a kg, while seven States in the country were already giving it at Rs. 2 a kg. He blamed the “Centre’s skewed policies” of allowing forward trading in essential commodities as the root cause of spiralling food prices.

The policies being pursued by the Centre were disastrous, he warned, even as agrarian crisis was deepening and food grain production plummeting.

The government had failed to see food as a fundamental human right even as India is home to the largest number of hungry and malnutrition people, he said. Hoping to sustain high growth even as price rise is eroding the lives of people was ridiculous, he added.

One of the principle demands put forth by the Left parties was universalising of the Public Distribution System.

Mining

Speaking on mining, Mr. Karat came down heavily on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for extending an invitation to foreign firms to invest in mining in India even as “illegal plundering and looting of mineral resources by India private companies” was on in full swing.

Mr. Karat said that the National Mineral and Mining Policy should be altered so that the mining sector was strictly regulated and ore used domestically. “Allowing short-term plunder” like at Bellary would exhaust all ore deposits within the next 30 years, he warned.

(courtesy : the hindu)

On Liberhan Commission Report

Press Statement

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

The Liberhan Commission which took 17 long years to complete its inquiry into the demolition of the Babri Masjid has made a clear and sharp indictment of the RSS, the BJP and other constituents of the sangh parivar. Several top BJP leaders have been named as being responsible for the crime committed. The report demolishes the defence put out by the BJP that it was a spontaneous movement which went out of control and lays bare the meticulous planning which went into the demolition. It shows the utter disregard for the Indian constitution by the BJP and the sangh parivar.

However the report fails to pinpoint the failure of the Central Government to take action at the appropriate time to prevent such a crime. In fact, as is well known, in spite of the repeated requests made by senior political leaders in the secular opposition at that time and the unanimous resolution of the National Integration Council asking the Narsimha Rao Government to take all measures to protect the Babri Masjid, it showed itself to be weak and vacillating in the face of the communal offensive. By giving a virtual clean chit to the then Central Government, the Commission has laid itself open to the charge of a political bias.

The nation now wants to know what action the Central Government is going to take. The Action Taken Report placed by the Government on the basis of some of the Commission’s recommendations is weak and inadequate. It displays a lack of political will to bring those responsible to justice. In the past also those who have been indicted by Commissions for communal violence have got off scot free as in the case of the Sri Krishna Commission report. It is incumbent on the Central Government to prosecute, within a timebound framework, all those named and to expedite the proceedings of the cases currently in the courts. The sangh parivar and its constituents far from showing any repentance are making efforts to use the report to once again rouse communal passions. People of this country will no doubt reject such sectarian politics.

Orissa State furthering interests of big firms: Left parties

BHUBANESWAR: Senior leaders of three major Left parties – Communist Party of India(Marxist), Communist Party of India, and Forward Bloc – on Tuesday lambasted the Naveen Patnaik Government for allegedly furthering the interest of big companies and neglecting the cause of the farmers of the State.

The leaders also blamed the United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre for its faulty agriculture policy and anti-farmer approach of Orissa government which were forcing farmers commit suicides.

The rally jointly organised by the three parties was addressed by CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat, CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan, and West Bengal Minister and Forward Bloc leader Naren Dey.

More than 2,50,000 farmers had committed suicide in the country during the past on decade due to the anti-farmer policies being pursued by the successive government, Mr. Karat said.

Price rise

The leaders also criticised the State government for handing over large patches of agricultural land to big companies such as Vedanta and Posco-India.

As regards the multi-crore mining scam, the leaders demanded that the Central Bureau of Investigation be handed over the cases pertaining to the scam for investigation. All those involved in the looting of the State’s rich mineral resources should be brought to book, they said.

The leaders also came down heavily on both the Centre and the State government for their failure to curb price rise.

They further criticised the State government for it failure to ensure proper functioning of the public distribution system. All poor families should be issued below poverty line cards, they demanded.

The State level leaders of the three parties who addressed the rally demanded for revival of the Lift Irrigation Corporation to help the farmers. They also demanded land rights for the landless tribals and poor families.

Koothuparamba Martyrs Day

History Belongs to them, they were the FLAMES of Revolutions. They were the CRUSADERS against - Injustice, They fought against inequality incessantly. They rebelled the brutality of so called omnipotent powers that be. They sacrificed everything for the downtrodden and oppressed, And to tried to redeem them. They negates Autocracy, Feudalism Imperialism, Fanaticism and Inhumanity that came and to come. They will eternally remain in the golden pages of History. Everything else will be wiped off to oblivion SPARTACUS is the epitome for all those who fought against human servitude. Revolutionary scientific pioneers can be named by a single term GALILEO. Blood that shed at the streets of CHICAGO is the Symbol of Unconquered minds of the workers and peasants the world over.

Koothuparamba' is a symbol of historical struggle by the youth and students. It was a struggle against the imperialist policies and globalization propaganda of the government of Kerala. The incident happened on 25th November 1994 when the people gathered on the streets of Koothuparamba to protest against the privatization and commoditization of education. Police fired against the unarmed youth and students. Five brave and daring youths were shot dead in the police firing. Comrades K.K. Rajeevan, Madhu, Shibulal, Babu and Roshan have become the five stars of our movement against privatisation and commercialisation of education.

Orissa :Three Left parties criticise Naveen

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Convention to be held on farmer suicides

Revival of Lift Irrigation Corporation demanded

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BHUBANESWAR: The three major Left parties of the State on Friday came down heavily on the Naveen Patnaik Government and blamed it for the spate in farmers’ suicides in the State.

The three parties – Communist Party of India(Marxist), Communist Party of India, and Forward Bloc – also criticised the State government for going soft on those involved in the multi-crore illegal mining scam.

They announced that a State level convention will be held in the city on November 24 on the issues of farmer suicides, mining scam, drought and price rise.

Among the senior leaders who were scheduled to address the rally include CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat, CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan and Forward Bloc leader and West Bengal Minister Naren Dey. The leaders of the three parties said that the measures that the State government had announced after the farmers started committing suicide after suffering crop loss due to a bad monsoon and pest attack were not sufficient help the farmers.

The leaders who addressed the presspersons were CPI State Committee Secretary Dibakar Nayak, CPI(M) State Committee Member Santosh Das, and State Secretary of Forward Bloc Santosh Mitra.

They demanded that the State government immediately revive the Lift Irrigation Corporation that had been closed several years ago to increase the irrigation cover. About 12,000 of the total 15,000 lift irrigation points that existed in the State wee lying defunct, they informed.

The leaders also criticised the announcement of the State government that a large number of ponds would be established on agricultural land to help farmers irrigate their crops. “How will the scheme help when there was little rain,” they queried.

They further blamed the government for the decline in agricultural productivity in the State. The agricultural production had decreased with the government allowing the plunder of the mineral resources in the name of industrialisation, they said.

Courtesy : The Hindu

Socialism is the way forward

Mr. Yechury suggested that the time was ripe for international communist movements to intensify popular struggles and launch an offensive against the rule of capitalists.

Disputing the current approach in handling the international financial crisis and terming it as a typical capitalist solution, an international meeting of communist parties and workers on Friday advocated that socialism is the only way forward in the long run.

While tracing the genesis of the economic crisis, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury said it was neither the result of greed of some individuals nor an aberration but inherent to the dynamics of the capitalist system that is based on human exploitation.

Mr. Yechury suggested that the time was ripe for international communist movements to intensify popular struggles and launch an offensive against the rule of capitalists.

“This period has also seen the rising resistance to such growing imperialist hegemonic efforts. But it must be noted that much of the struggles launched by the working class and the exploited sections have essentially been defensive in nature… Resistance in the nature of mounting the assault on the rule of capital is yet to take a decisive shape. From this meeting a powerful call must go to all contingents of the international communist movement to intensify popular struggles to mount this assault on the rule of capital… Socialism is the only way…” he said.

Global crisis

On his part, the leader of the Communist Party of China delegation, Ai Ping felt that while many people blame the global financial crisis in the U.S. on speculation or on excessive lending, the crisis is no different from others in history which were caused by the inherent contradiction of capitalism.

New attacks and reordering the world for profit maximisation under the dictates of international finance capital, Mr. Yechury said defines neo-liberalism and how the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank imposed structural conditionalities while disbursing loans ensured compliance to neo-liberal reforms.

He said in the absence of a powerful political alternative, capitalism will emerge from this crisis but at the expense of further intensifying exploitation and through the process of accumulation through encroachment.

Mr. Ping informed delegates from 49 countries and 55 parties how China adjusted its macroeconomic policy, increased government spending to boost domestic demand and improve peoples’ lives which saw its GDP grow by 7.7 per cent this year.

In his address, CPI secretary Pallab Sengupta felt the most powerful peoples’ movement in the world today was aimed against the capitalist system for a world of social and economic justice and socialism.

Interestingly, vice chair of the Communist Party of the United States Scott Marshall narrated how the financial crisis was affecting the working class in his country. He said at a time when economists were declaring the recession was over, the U.S. was still losing around 2 lakh jobs. He saw fresh signs of labour solidarity and saw the election of President Barack Obama as opening the door for a new fight for economic justice, peace and equality.

The three-day meeting will conclude on Sunday with a public meeting where a declaration will be adopted.

Courtesy : The Hindu

11th International Meeting of the Communist and Workers Parties - 1st day

Press Release 1st Day

New Delhi: November 20, 2009

Intensify popular struggles and expand solidarities in the wake of current world capitalist crisis. This seems to be main direction emerging from discussions on the inaugural day of the 11th International Meeting of the Communist and Workers Parties, being jointly hosted by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of India.

In the brief inaugural session, CPI(M) Polit Bureau Member and head of International Department of the Party, Sitaram Yechury presented the main theme of the meeting, 'The International Capitalist Crisis, the workers and people's struggle, the alternatives and the role of the communist and working class movement'. CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat and CPI general secretary A B Bardhan were also present along with scores of other leaders from the Cps of the world.

The delegate session began at 12:15 a.m. Discussion began with countries of American continents. In pre-lunch session Oscar Martinez Cordoves (C P Cuba), Jose Reinaldo Carvalho ( C P doB), Patricio Echegaray ( C P Argentina), Antonio Pavel (C P Mexico) and Scott Marshll (C P USA) addressed the session. Manzurul Ahsan Khan (C P Bangladesh) also addressed the delegates.

All speakers from parties of Latin American countries underlined that for the progressive forces and processes in their region, the coming to power of Obama in USA does not indicate any favourable change. It represents only new and more intelligent tactic of Empire to stall the march of progressive forces in the region. They underlined various steps taken by US under Obama to strengthen forces of reaction in the region. The coup d'etat in Honduras was repeatedly mentioned in this context.

Cuban representative specifically debunked this media created impression that Obama administration has begun dismantling the half century old criminal blockade against Cuba. He underlined that Obama has powers but no political will to change US imperial methods. Scott Marshal of CP USA said that Obama's victory in the election was an outcome of the struggle to defeat the reactionary right regime of Bush. He also underlined the significance of largest US trade union organisation, AFL-CIO, rediscovering its working class roots, as represented by its 2009 convention.

CP Bangladesh representative underlined the fact that imperialism encouraged and supported fundamentalist and reactionary forces in their country, including the two year long military supported dictatorial rule, that working class and people of Bangladesh had to defeat to restore democracy in the country.

International meeting is to continue it's discussion in the evening session which would see Manik Sarkar speaking on behalf of CPI(M) and S Sudhakar Reddy of CPI, Ai Ping of Communist Party of China and Pak Gyong Son of Workers Party of Korea among others.

Socialism, the only alternative to global financial crisis: Yechury

Suggesting it is time for all international communist movements to intensify popular struggles and launch an offensive against the rule of capital, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury said socialist way should be the alternate in meet the global financial crisis.

``This period has also seen the rising resistance to such growing imperialist hegemonic efforts. But it must be noted that much of the struggles launched by the working class and the exploited sections have essentially been defensive in nature…Resistance in the nature of mounting the assault on the rule of capital is yet to take a decisive shape. From this meeting a powerful call must go to all contingents of the international communist movement to intensify popular struggles to mount this assault on the rule of capital…Socialism is the only way…’’ Mr. Yechury said.

The CPI (M) MP and Polit Bureau member said this at the inaugural session of the 11the International Meeting of the Communist and Workers’ Parties’’ being attended by 55 delegates from 49 countries, and 55 parties. The meeting being held for the first time in India is co-hosted by the CPI and the CPI (M).

Remarking on the timing of the meet, he said, the ``capitalist’’ crisis that affected the world is neither the result of greed of some individuals nor an aberration but inherit to the dynamics of capitalist system that is based on human exploitation.

Forces of world socialism suffered reversal since the collapse of the Soviet Union and East European countries allowing imperialism to consolidate its hegemony in all sphere, he said noting that the growing resistance in parts of the world is yet to develop to the desired levels.

New attacks and reordering the world for profit maximisation under the dictates of international finance capital, Mr. Yechury said defines neo-liberalism. The first way is to have policies removing restrictions on the movement of goods and capital across border with trade liberalisation displacing domestic producers.

The second route is consolidating capital accumulation through deflationary policies by limiting government expenditure in the name of fiscal discipline, rolling back of State sector globally, that allows opening up of new areas for private accumulation.

``The structural conditionalities imposed by the International Monetary Fund and separately by the World Bank while disbursing loans ensured compliance to neo-liberal reforms’’, he said.

Mr. Yechury said in the absence of a powerful political alternative, capitalism will emerge from this crisis but at the expense of further intensifying exploitation and through the process of accumulation through encroachment.

While the current crisis would be overcome, he predicted a major systemic crisis for the world capitalism was in the offing and cautioned that the USA will try to thwart it by transferring the burdens. This would be done by intensifying exploitation through accompanying political and military might.

In his address, the CPI sectary Pallab Sengupta felt today the most powerful peoples’ movement in the world was aimed against the capitalist system for a world of social and economic justice and socialism.

Courtesy : The hindu

Action sought against those hoarding essential commodities

Secretary of the State unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxists) V.J.K. Nair said here on Wednesday that the Government should ban forward trading in essential commodities to control price rise.

Addressing a joint conference of CPI (M) and Communist Party of India (CPI) workers on Price rise and food security at the Town Hall, he said that if the Government did not stop forward trading, prices of essential commodities would go beyond the reach of common man.

Mr. Nair said that people were finding it difficult to buy foodgrains owing to price rise. On the other hand, farmers were not getting any profit in spite of prices of foodgrains being high in the market. This indicated that middlemen were the actual beneficiaries, he said.

He alleged that multinational companies (MNCs) were making an all-out effort to control the Indian market and promote commercial crops. Mr. Nair said that the Government should take stringent action against those hoarding essential commodities.

He claimed that daily income of 70 per cent of the people in the country was not more than Rs. 20. In such a condition, it would be difficult to achieve economic stability, Mr. Nair added.

H. Vasantha Rai, member of the State committee of the CPI, said that the economic policy being implemented in the country was only making rich people richer and the poor poorer. It was a market-driven policy. Arjun Sengupta, chairman of National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganised Sector, in his report on social security, submitted to the Union Government, had stated that economic developments taken place in the country since the Independence had benefited only 30 per cent of the population. This indicated the direction on which the Indian economy was moving, he said.

He said that 35 lakh people had applied for 20,000 clerical posts in a nationalised bank recently. This showed the extent of unemployment in the country.

B. Madhava, president of the Dakshina Kannada unit of the CPI (M) said that the Government should address the nutrition problem being faced by workers in the country.

P. Sanjeeva, secretary of the district unit of the CPI, and K.R. Shreyan, State secretariat member of the CPI, were present
(Courtesy : The Hindu)