SFI CEC Press Statement

Press Release

The Central Executive Committee meeting of Students’ Federation of India, held at New Delhi on 20^th and 21^st December, 2009 has taken up the following decisions.

20^th January, 2009 to be observed as West Bengal Solidarity Day:There has been an unprecedented attack on the organisation in West Bengal All the anti SFI forces have entered into a grand alliance against us. Physical and ideological attacks are on the rise with every passing day. In this time period a number of students have been killed by the Maoists TMC combine. There are attempts to capture elected students Unions by force. During this time period, braving all sorts of obstacles SFI has been victorious in 121 college and university union elections out of the 184 Students Union elections held till day. The combined opposition of all shades has won in 63 colleges. To stand in solidarity with the comrades of Bengal, who are everyday fighting for maintaining the democratic peaceful environment of the educational campuses there SFI will observe 20^th of January 2010, as West Bengal Solidarity Day throughout the country.

29^th January, 2010 to be observed as a Campaign Day regarding Price Rise and Food Security: Campaign regarding the realities behind the enormous price rise, the question of food security will be taken up in the campuses. The issue of mid day meals and about the quality of food in the student hostels will also be taken up. January 29, 2010 will be observed as a campaign day in this regard.

Combat Centralisation and Commercialisation; Observe Badge Day on 16^th February: The Congress led UPA 2 government is on the lines of implementing commercialisation and centralisation in the education sector in a big way. Various initiatives in this regard have been taken up by them. Ongoing campaign in the campuses in this regard in the campuses will be intensified in this period. An all India Badge day vowing to Combat Centralisation and Commercialisation will be observed on February 16, 2010 throughout the country.

All India Convention on Education: As a response to the proposed changes and the new challenges in the education sector an All India Convention on Education involving the leadership of the organisation will be organised on 22^nd and 23^rd February 2010 at New Delhi. Delegates from all over the country will be participating in the convention. The convention will deliberate on issues of school, college and university and professional education.

Uphold the undying legacy of our Martyrs: In this period three of our leading comrades have been brutally killed by the reactionary and fundamentalist forces. In Kerala, SFI Trissur District Secretariat member Comrade A B Bijesh has been killed by the NDF fundamentalists. In West Midnapore district of Bengal SFI Jhargram Rural Zonal Committee member Comrade Avijit Mahato and Salboni Zonal Committee member Comrade Tilak Tudu have been killed by the Maoist-TMC combine. SFI dips its flag in memory of the great fighters and vows to carry forward their undying legacies.

With you in our hearts, Comrades,

We build, we think, we breathe, we live and we fight.

Released by,

PK Biju, MP Ritabrata Banerjee

President General Secretary

On Copenhagen Agreement

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

The Copenhagen Climate Conference has ended without meeting its goal of a legally binding agreement for the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. Without a treaty committing the rich and industrialized countries to deep emission cuts, the lives and well-being of hundreds of millions of people, especially in the developing world, have been put at risk. This will most adversely affect people in South Asia, large parts of Africa, least developed countries and island nations that could be entirely submerged under rising sea-levels. People all over the world had been hoping that the Conference would chart out a clear course to save humanity and the planet from runaway global warming and climate change. This has not been happened. The political leaders who gathered in Copenhagen have failed their people by not delivering an effective and equitable climate change agreement.

Such an agreement in Copenhagen was made impossible by the positions and tactics of the US and other developed countries. From the first day to the last at Copenhagen, the US and its allies tried their utmost to kill the Kyoto Protocol itself, negate the cornerstone principle of differentiation between the industrialized and developing countries, and pressurize the developing countries to take on the major burden of reducing global emissions. Their inability to achieve these aims was due to the stiff and united resistance put up by the developing countries, a resistance which was one of the few positives in Copenhagen.

Major developing countries such as the BASIC bloc of China, India, Brazil and South Africa, as well as Mexico and Indonesia, voluntarily announced reductions in emissions growth rates in the interests of humanity, going far beyond their obligations under the Kyoto Protocol. However, the US, EU and other developed countries did not budge an inch from the low emission cuts they had declared before Copenhagen. A leaked draft UN Report has revealed that pledges made by large developing countries will contribute more to emission reductions than the low commitments of the US and other developed nations.

The CPI(M) had warned the Indian Government that unilateral concessions, before the negotiations, and without conditional linkages to deep cuts by developed countries, would not yield results. This is indeed what has happened.

A complete failure in Copenhagen has been averted with the face-saving text of a “Copenhagen Accord” with the promise of a legally binding agreement in 2010. The Accord was crafted in the closing hours of the Conference by the US, the BASIC countries and 22 other developed and developing countries from different continents and groupings. Though the Accord has no legal status and would not bind countries, it at least provides some way of keeping future negotiations going along the current twin tracks. Without this, the failure of the Conference could have meant the collapse of the Climate Treaty and the Kyoto framework.

However, this Accord is extremely weak in terms of the deep and immediate emission cuts by developed countries that are required to tackle climate change. It is deeply ambiguous with several loopholes and the possibility of different interpretations, particularly with regard to emission cuts by developing countries, and fund and technology transfers.India should therefore ensure that in future negotiations, the red lines committed by the government in Parliament are adhered to. India must also press for deep and immediate emission cuts by the US and other developed countries and work with other developing countries to ensure sustainable development and equitable terms in any final Treaty.

CPI(M) Appeals for Restraint and Unity among People

INTERVIEW WITH B V RAGHAVULU
(CPIM Andhra Pradesh State Secretary and Polit Bureau Member)

The ruling classes of our country and the imperialists increasingly feel that break up of large states into smaller ones would facilitate their nationwide loot of resources and are therefore encouraging the process, felt B V Raghavulu, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and secretary of Andhra Pradesh state committee. Holding the Congress party fully responsible for the present explosive situation in the state, he appealed to the people not to get provoked and maintain unity.

Below are the excerpts from the interview given by the CPI(M) leader to N S Arjun in Hyderabad on December 11, 2009:

Que: How do you view the present developments in the state?

The issue of division of the state has been brought to the forefront once again. After the central government announced its intention to begin the process of formation of separate Telangana state following TRS chief's hunger strike, a counter-movement for united state has begun in other regions. The largescale resignations of MLAs belonging to Congress, TDP, Praja Rajyam and few MPs has pushed the state into a political crisis. The state assembly proceedings have come to grinding halt leaving no scope for discussing the pressing problems of the common people or the loot of mineral wealth by Bellary Reddy brothers. The entire atmosphere in the state has deteriorated today, leading to a critical situation. There is an atmosphere of growing divisions among people belonging to different regions.

Que: Who do you think is responsible for such a state of affairs?

The responsibility lies fully with the Congress. It has since the beginning been playing around with the unity of the state. The long standing opportunistic stance of Congress has resulted in a situation today where with each passing day the urge for the division of the state is growing firmly in Telangana. The Congress never took any steps to remove the backwardness of the region and all its promises made in this regard for electoral gains have been thrown into dustbin. The formation of Regional Boards to oversee development, the implementation of G.O. 610 to protect jobs in the region etc were all neglected by successive Congress governments. The present decision of the Congress is height of its opportunism. On the one hand it announced its intention and the very next day it is giving different signals. But in the process it has very much complicated the situation.

Que: What is the stand of the CPI(M) on this issue in light of recent developments?

The undivided Communist Party and later the CPI(M) have from the beginning stood for a united state not only here but at the all India level in favour of linguistic states. It remains committed to that stand even today and we have conveyed the same to the Pranab Mukherjee committee formed by the earlier UPA government. In fact, CPI(M) is the only party in the state which has stood consistently on its principled position. All other parties, including some Left parties, have changed their stance opportunistically and today there is an absurd situation where these parties units are adopting opposing positions in different regions. The CPI(M) stand is also driven from the understanding that only when the toiling masses are united, they can protect their interests.

Que: The CPI(M) principle of linguistic states is being attacked citing the case of existence of numerous Hindi-speaking states in the country.

There is an important difference here. The linguistic states formed here emerged as part of the freedom movement against British imperialism. There were huge struggles led by both Congress and Communists for formation of linguistic states, which resulted first in Andhra Pradesh and later Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka etc. There were no such movements in the princely states in the North. These states were formed mainly on administrative basis. So it is wrong to equate both.

Que: Home Minister P Chidambaram has justified the centre's decision on Telangana citing the example of USA which has 50 states despite having only one-third of our population. The industry bodies CII and ASSOCHAM have also welcomed the move. Is there a design behind this decision?

The ruling classes increasingly feel that having strong states is an hinderance to their ongoing loot of national wealth. The imperialists and the foreign MNCs also feel that smaller states would facilitate their entry and their loot of natural resources. In fact, they are encouraging this process worldwide. The BJP is also actively seeking splintering of states because it feels that it can effectively take its communal agenda forward in smaller states. This is one aspect. The other aspect is that during the time of crisis when the condition of people deteriorates by each passing day, the ruling classes always bring to fore various emotional issues to divert people's attention from the real problems. They keep stoking the flames without resolving those issues. The Congress party is doing the same now in the state. The Congress government's failure is glaring in the way the prices of food items and commodities have soared; the cuts made in the welfare schemes; the fall in revenues; halting of work on irrigation projects etc. To deflect the anger of people against the state government, it is using the emotive issue of separate statehood.

Que: But arguments are made about smaller states resulting in better development, better administration, improvement of job opportunities etc.

If one sees the experience historically or even if one takes the recent experience of smaller states, it is clear that this argument is not correct. There is no case that merited the division of the state. In the capitalist path of development, particularly post-neo liberal reforms, there has been intensification of uneven development in the country. Profit is the only criteria for the movement of capital. With the role of the State being constricted, the possibilities of development of neglected areas is receding further. All the political parties which opportunistically try to use this uneven development for political gains, actually support these neo-liberal policies. Only by fighting against these policies can there be development of such backward regions.

Que: What is your appeal to the people of the state?

When bitter divisive passions intensify, the people stand to lose even if the state is united or divided. The workers, employees, students of one region are not enemies of these sections in the other regions. It is the ruling classes and their policies that we should unitedly be fighting against. To fight against the pressing problems facing the people requires such unity. I appeal to the people not to submit to passions and maintain restraint.

(Peoples Democracy)

Congress is Responsibile for Such Serious Situation in Andhra Pradesh: CPI(M)

The Andhra Pradesh state committee of the CPI(M) met on December 15 in Hyderabad under the presidentship of G Nagaiah. Party state secretary B V Raghavulu released to the media the following resolution adopted by the state committee on the current developments in the state.

THE situation in the state has become tense in the last 15 days following the agitations for separate Telangana state in the beginning and now for united state. Normal life of people has come to a standstill. Certain forces are, in a planned manner, provoking regional chauvinism among people. With nearly half of the legislators tendering their resignations, the government has got the assembly adjourned sine die in order to tide over the difficult situation. Congress party and the central government are mainly responsible for creation of such a serious situation in the state. The Congress governments have never taken any concrete measures to develop the backward areas of Telangana and other regions. They never implemented the agreements and promises made in this regard. The failures of these governments in making the regional boards function; in implementing the 610 G.O; in building projects in backward areas; in giving special package for development of Telangana region etc have made the situation complicated. The opportunistic stance of main opposition parties like TDP and Praja Rajyam on this issue have also further complicated the situation. The state committee of the CPI(M) requests the central leadership of the Congress party and the UPA government to at least now respond to the situation and hold talks with all sections at the state and central level in order to restore normal situation in the state.

The CPI(M) is opposed to the suggestions being made for imposing of President's rule in the state to tackle the political crisis. Getting the MLAs to take back their resignations and restoring of government is a more correct option.

The state assembly has been adjourned sine die without discussing any problems facing the people of the state. No business could be transacted in the seven days it met due to the agitations by members. There was no scope to even mention the issues facing the people. With the administration also coming to a halt, there is a confusing situation as for taking up people's problems. The prices are skyrocketing; the people are facing hardships due to drought and floods; there is no solution to the problems facing the farmers; the government employees are unhappy over the pay revision commission recommendations; temporary government employees are not being paid salaries for the last few months; with funds stopped for Indiramma houses and mid-day meal scheme, things are coming to a standstill; rice has not been allotted for new ration card holders. Scholarships to students have not been disbursed; attacks are continuing against dalits and tribals. The people are vexed and helpless with the problems facing them. The state committee of the CPI(M) calls on the government to become active in solving these problems. It should hold the state assembly session as soon as possible.

The CPI(M) is opposed to division of existing states right from the beginning. It wants the Andhra Pradesh state to remain as one. It demands the central government to hold talks at state and central level without any delay. It appeals to the people of the state to safeguard peace, amity and brotherhood among them.

CPI(M) seeks all-party meet

HYDERABAD: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has demanded that the government convene a meeting of all political parties to discuss the situation arising out of the agitations launched for and against bifurcation of the State and evolve measures to restore normalcy in the State.

Administration in the State had come to a standstill for almost three weeks and Ministers were not concerned about the functioning their respective departments.

‘Irresponsible’

People’s problems have gone to the backburner following the agitations launched across the State on emotive issues, CPI (M) State secretary B.V. Raghavulu said. He alleged that the ruling Congress was adopting an “irresponsible attitude” in dealing with the agitations and had failed to come up with concrete measures to bring down the tensions prevailing in the State.

The government is considering the ongoing agitations as “internal differences” in the Congress and was, therefore, confined to holding consultations with different groups.

Mr. Raghavulu expressed concern over the efforts of “forces” that are trying to fuel differences among people of different regions while anti-social elements are taking advantage of the situation and indulging in attacks on public and private properties.

(The Hindu)

CPI (M) team completes padayatra : Kurnool, Andra Pradesh

Ex-MLA and others undertake eight-day tour of 51 flood-affected villages in Kurnool district

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Team visits every river bank village along the Tungabhadra and interacts with victims

Comprehensive package demanded for the victims on a par with project oustees

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CPI(M) leader and former MLA M.A. Gafoor urged the government to emulate the Karnataka government in implementing the relief package for flood affected people in the State. The CPI (M) padayatra team led by former MLA M.A. Gafoor returned here after an eight-day tour of 51 villages covering a distance of 250 km.

Overnight stay

The team visited every river bank village along Tungabhadra river and interacted with the victims and stayed in the villages during nights.

Mr. Gafoor explained that their padayatra started with observation at Agasanur on Andhra Pradesh and Karanataka border where the Karnataka government sanctioned an amount of Rs. 35,000 for every household, temporary shed for every affected family with lock and key provision, borewell for every 100 families and Rs. 1.15 lakh for every house.

The Karnataka government engaged NGOs to build the housing units for the victims for speedy completion. On the other hand, the relief allotment in AP villages had gone into the hands of village feudals who stocked all materials in their houses and allotted houses at their will.

He demanded a comprehensive package for the victims on a par with project oustees, and a compensation of Rs 10,000 for each acre of cropped area. He said the AP government had grossly failure to provide succor to the victims.

Waiver of loans

Also, he urged the government to waive loans of farmers, self-help group members, and artisans. Mr. Gafoor urged the government to construction a larger dam across Tungabhadra at Agasanur downstream of RDS anicut to supply water to RDS canal as well as control floods in future. A reservoir with a larger capacity would moderate the flood in the river.

Protest planned

The CPI(M) planned to picket the Collectorate on December 18 pressing for proper relief package for flood victims. CPI(M) State secretary B.V. Raghavulu would also participate in the protest.

Other members who participated padayatra along with Mr. Gafoor were J.N.Seshaiah, Ramanjaneyulu, P.S. Radhakrishna and B. Prabhakar.

CPI (M) for more financial devolution to local bodies

CHENNAI: Reiterating its demand for more financial devolution to local bodies, the State unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Saturday said allocation of 30 per cent of the State’s revenue to them was necessary to build infrastructure.

A resolution adopted at the special conference of the leaders of the local bodies organised by the party said the current allocation was 9.5 per cent and the expected increase of 0.5 per cent was totally inadequate.

Another resolution stressed the need for recruiting more employees to commensurate with the workload and development of the local bodies.

Pointing out that a major portion of the funds is used to meet the salaries of local body employees, the conference said many local bodies were not able to meet the expenditure. The conference also urged the State government to adopt direct election to the posts of municipal chairman, town panchayat president and panchayat union chairman, arguing that direct election alone would ensure fair and free elections.

Earlier, inaugurating the conference, Thomas Issac, Finance Minister of Kerala, argued that that the federal structure of India was not sufficient. Democratic decentralisation was the only way that would ensure the direct participation of the people in the administration.

“Democratic decentralisation is a vital piece in the administrative structure. It has many benefits, because local people alone know what they want and someone sitting in Chennai cannot decide what the people living in Kanyakumari want,” he said.

CPI(M) State secretary N. Varadarajan called upon his partymen representing the local bodies to become role models by functioning effectively for the cause of people.

“Your functioning should make the voters feel proud about their choice. Such a feeling alone would be a treasure for the party. It is not only good for the party but also for the country,” he said.

CPI(M)’s State secretariat member G. Ramakrishnan, Noor Mohamed and local body representatives elected on behalf of the party participated in the conference.

(Photo : Gavaskar Theekathir)

Accelerating Inflation in Food Articles

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

Accelerating Inflation in Food Articles

The Polit Bureau of the CPI (M) expresses its deep concern at the galloping food price inflation (WPI), which crossed 19% in the week ending 28^th November. The inflation rate stood at 15.5% in mid-November and 13.3% at the end of October. It is clear that there is accelerating inflation in food articles with the prices of vegetables (particularly potatoes and onions), pulses and cereals witnessing the steepest climb. Over 50 paisa in every rupee spent by an average Indian per day is spent on food and over 60% of India’s population spends less than Rs. 20 per head per day. The intense suffering of the masses in the face of galloping food prices cannot be overemphasized.

India is the only major developing economy in the world where prices are rising. In the backdrop of the global recession, food and fuel prices have been falling across all countries. This exposes the failure and callousness of the Congress led Government.

The galloping food prices are primarily being caused by the corporates and big traders, who are utilising shortages for hoarding and reckless profiteering. The Government has lost control over food prices due to the pursuit of free market policies. The CPI (M) demands that the UPA Government take the following immediate steps in order to reign in food price inflation:

• The Government, in coordination with the State Governments, must launch a countrywide crackdown against hoarding and black-marketing. All private traders of food articles must disclose their stocks and release surplus stocks.
• Futures trading in all food articles must be immediately banned.
• The Government must release cereal stocks through the PDS by increasing the rice and wheat quotas for the States. The Food Security legislation should be tabled without any further delay.
• The Government must supply sugar, pulses and edible oils through PDS outlets at cheap rates.

The CPI (M) will intensify the struggle against price rise till the UPA Government initiates these steps in the coming days.

Statehood no solution to development: Yechury

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Thursday criticised the Centre’s move on Telangana, stating the criterion of language as the basis for reorganisation of States should not be diluted.

Creation of a separate State was not a solution to address the problem of development, CPI(M) Parliamentary Party leader Sitaram Yechury told a press conference here. Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand were cases in point.

What was required was planning and budgetary support. Development had to be worked out and resources made available for it.

Criticising the Congress’ handling of the Telangana issue, Mr. Yechury said the statehood demand was over four decades old and most of the time it was that party which held power both in Andhra Pradesh and at the Centre.

The creation of smaller States would also affect the federal structure. For, with fewer MPs, such States would make less impact. When all 42 MPs from Andhra Pradesh stood up as a group in the Lok Sabha, they would get greater attention, while the impact would get diluted when there is a division, the CPI(M) leader pointed out.

Conceding a separate Telangana would give rise to similar demands from other regions, be it Harit Pradesh, Gorkhaland or Vidarbha.

(The Hindu)

Demonstration over rising prices in Himachal Pradesh

Shimla: Holding UPA government policies responsible for incessant rise in prices of essential commodities, CPI(M) today held a protest demonstration in the capital where it was demanded to bring out food items from futures contracts in the commodity market and make PDS access for everybody.

Addressing a rally after culmination of a protest march through the Lower Bazar, Nilotpal Basu, said that price rise because of the central government policies had reached alarming proportions. “Food was getting out of reach of the poorest of the poor and nutrition levels of many others were falling drastically,” said Basu. He said that a NSSO sample survey showed that more than 80 crore people were living on a Rs 20 day wage.

He said that a major reason for the price rise was the central government policy to allow futures contracts trading of essential food items.

Rakesh Singha state secretary CPI(M) made a connect between price rise and squeezing of the Public distribution system. “The PDS is being targeted so that the common people are deprived of this opportunity and are forced to fall to the open market ration,” he said. Three successive crop failures resulting in a loss of nearly Rs 1200 crore had left the people very vulnerable and neither the state nor the central government were providing relief, he added.

Ridiculing the state governments sops of declaring 3 extra holidays for women in the state on Bhaiya Dooj, Karva Chauth and Raksha Bandhan, Falma Chauhan state committee member, said “extra holidays do not compensate for access to lesser food on the table which was hurting women the most.”

She further said that the state government had ruined the health services in the state as the Rogi Kalyan Samitis had become instruments for fleecing poor patients. “It is actually is a blatant step towards privatizing healthcare,” she remarked.

(Courtesy : Myhimachal. com)