March against price rise on March 12: Prakash Karat

The general secretary of Communist Party of India (Marxist) Prakash Karat has said his party would organize a mass march to New Delhi in association with other Left parties on March 12 to protest against the unprecedented rise in prices and the wrong policies of the Central government.

Inaugurating the birth centenary celebrations of veteran Communist leader late E.M.S. Namboodiripad at Pattambi near here on Sunday, Mr. Karat said the Centre has given a tax concession of Rs.80,000 crore to the corporate sector in the Budget which represents just five per cent of the country’s population.

Instead of giving tax concessions to the corporate sector, the Government should tax them to mobilize funds for taking up welfare measures for the poor sections of the society, the CPI (M) general secretary said.

He asked the Central government and private sector companies to lift the ban on recruitment of employees.

He said the government should implement land reforms and distribute land to all landless agriculture workers and other poor sections of people.

He said Left parties have an alternative economic policy which is against surrendering the country’s interests to the U.S. and other imperialist forces.

He said that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatheeya Janata Party (BJP) are trying to create communal division to further their political interest. Some from the minority communities are playing into the hands of militant organizations, he said.

The meeting was presided over by CPI(M) district secretary P. Unni. It was addressed by A. Vijayaraghavan, M.B. Rajesh (both MPs), M. Chandran, MLA, C.T. Krishnan, former MLA, among others.

(Courtesy : The Hindu)

Charter of Demands of SFI adopted in Convention on Education

ALL INDIA CONVENTION ON EDUCATION - JNU, NEW DELHI- 20-21 FEBRUARY 2010

CHARTER OF DEMANDS

COMBAT COMMERCIALISATION AND CENTRALISATION OF EDUCATION!

EDUCATION IS A RIGHT; NOT A PRIVILEGE!!

GENERAL DEMANDS

v Increase public spending on education to 6% of GDP and 10% of Central Budget.

v No to centralisation of education; Protect the rights of States in education.

v Reverse commercialisation of education; No to FDI in higher education; Bring all private institutions (school/college/professional) under social control.

v Ensure reservation for deprived sections (SCs, STs, OBCs, minorities and economically deprived sections) in public and private educational institutions.

v Ensure democratic rights of students; Hold students’ union elections in all educational institutions.

UNIVERSITY AND HIGHER EDUCATION

v Expand public funded universities and colleges; Ensure adequate hostels, libraries, laboratories and other infrastructure in all educational institutions.

v Provide sufficient funds to State universities; No to fee hikes and user charges for students.

v Withdraw NCHER Bill and Foreign Education Provider’s Bill; No to private universities; Stop commercialisation of educational institutions through NAAC.

v Modernize and democratize higher educational institutions through student participation in decision-making; Upgrade the examination system to reduce students’ workload and enhance transparency; No to centralisation and homogenization of curriculum and syllabi.

v Promote public funded research; Provide scholarship and adequate facilities to all research scholars. Provide Merit Cum Means scholarships to all students.

v Fulfill SC/ST and OBC quota in all educational institutions; Fully implement 54% seat increase.

v Implement recommendations of Sachar Committee and Ranganath Mishra Commission to ensure minorities’ access to higher education.

v Prevent gender discrimination in educational institutions; Promote gender-sensitive curriculum; Provide special scholarship to girl students; Constitute elected anti-sexual harassment committees in all educational institutions.

v Hold students’ union elections in all Universities and Colleges.

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

v Collect 5% Cess from corporates to finance expansion of state funded professional educational and training institutions; Expand professional PG courses (BTech/MTech, MCA, MBBS, MD etc.) in the public sector.

v Enact Central legislation for controlling and regulating fee structure, syllabus and admission procedure in private institutions; Ensure 50% Free Seats for students from financially weak background in all private institutions.

v Delegate power to regulate private institutions to public authorities; Ensure transparency in decision making and accountability in all private institutions through mandatory Governing Councils with adequate representation of students, teachers and non-teaching employees.

v Apply stringent criteria regarding quality of teachers and infrastructure before sanctioning affiliation for private professional institutions; Ensure timely updating of syllabi.

v Ensure the democratic rights of the students in all professional educational institutions; Streamline the process of internal assessment to prevent victimization; Form Student Faculty Committees to address academic grievances of students.

v Set up anti-ragging institutions with student participation in all professional educational institutions.

v Encourage Medical students to serve in rural areas to improve rural health services.

v Upgrade ITI and other vocational institutions.

SCHOOL EDUCATION

v Ensure access to quality school education for all; No to different quality schools for elites and poor.

v Amend the Right to Education Act to ensure adequate Central Government funding and the emergence of a Common Neighbourhood School System; Fully implement 25% reservation for poor children from neighbourhood for all private schools

v Immediately fulfill all the vacancies in teaching and non-teaching posts; Ensure 1:30 teacher-student ratio.

v Make mid-day meals till 12^th standard compulsory for all government schools; Set up permanent mechanism by appointing a cook, helper and the necessary staff to cook the mid-day meals in schools.

v Expand public schools in backward areas, especially tribal and minority dominated areas; Expand infrastructure in government schools to improve sanitation (especially girls’ toilets), classrooms, study materials and drinking water facilities.

v Strictly regulate school curriculum to ensure scientific, secular, democratic and socially relevant syllabi in all States; Curb the activities of communal organisations in school education

UNION BUDGET 2010 Massive Price rise - Negative Growth rate in Agriculture Sector : SFI

The Union Budget 2010 comes in  a context when entire country is reeling under the impact of a massive price rise and has witnessed a negative growth rate in the agricutlure sector. Urgent steps should have been taken to curb price rise and provide relief to the common people. The budget presented by the government completely betrays these concerns.

The budget also shows the insensitive attitude of the government towards addressing the problems in the education sector. The education sector in India is marked by a dearth of funds with more than 90% of our population in the relevant age group not having access to education. The promised spending of  6% of GDP has been conviniently ignored by the UPA this year as well. There is only a small increase of Rs 5000 crores for primary education sector in the country. This is way below the required amont to fulfill the promises made in the Right to Education Act. MHRD’s own estimates have put the required spending for Right to Education in the Eleventh Plan at Rs 1.73 lakh crores. This gives an annual requirement of Rs 34,600 crores per year as oposed to the total Rs 22000 crores announced in the budget. As far as higher education is concerned the Revised Estimates for 2009-10 suggest that the allocation to higher education sector was only Rs 14389 crores in place of the original allocation of Rs 15429 crores made in the 2009-10 budget. This shows the deceitful role of the government in spending more money on the higher education sector. Also this year there has been a meagre increase of only Rs 1461 crores compared to the 2009-10 budget. This exposes the empty rhetoric in the tall claims being made by the HRD minister to expand the number of universities and other higher educational institutions in the country. To put it simply this budget has completely failed the expectations and needs of the student community in the country.

While the government has not announced any concrete steps to control price rise especially that of essential commodities (the President’s address terming it as inevitable), the budget proposals plan to make it even worse for the common people. There is a direct attempt to drive inflation even higher by proposing a hike in the prices of petrol and diesel by announcing a 5% increase in customs duty on crude petroleum along with a Re. 1 per litre increase in central excise duty on petrol and diesel. This will amount to an increase of Rs 2.50 per liter in petrol and diesel prices.

There is also a flawed approach in the budget which seeks to control the fiscal deficit by taxing the poor more and the rich less. Direct tax exemptions have been doled out to the rich classes with reduction in direct tax rates for high income earners along with real estate developers, hoteliers etc which will lead to a revenue loss of Rs 26000 crores. This comes in the backdrop of a Rs 80000 crore tax exemption given to corporates last year. At the same time the government plans to raise Rs 60000 crores from levying indirect taxes.

The budget also exposes the renewed neo-liberal thrust of the UPA government with increased emphasis on disinvestment and fiscal prudence. Rs 40000 crores worth of disincestment programme has been announced by the Finance Minister. There is also talk about further deregularizing the financial sector by issuing banking licenses to private players and Non Banking Financial Companies to operate in the banking  sector. The dangers of a unregulated banking sector have become clearly evident after the financial crisis in the world economy. Yet blinded by its neo-liberal dogma the UPA is pursuing the path of financial deregularization when everyone else is doing the opposite. The budget also talks about opening up retail trade which can have disasterous implications for livlihoods of millions of people.

It is also shocking that food subsidy has been reduced by over Rs. 400 crore despite the commitment to enact a food security legislation. Fertiliser subsidy has also been cut by a whopping Rs. 3000 crore from what was spent last year. These moves to reduce subsidies in the name of targetting come at a time when inflation is galloping and agricultural output growth has become negative. The anti-people approach of the Government in reducing subsidies was laid bare in the Economic survey, which has prescribed the dismantling of the PDS and initiating a “coupon system” for food and fertilisers. The government’s antipathy towards the rural areas can also be seen in stganation in Central Plan outlays for agriculture, irrigation and rural development in real terms. 

Apart from its pro-rich bias and the increased neo-liberal thrust this budget also seeks to undermine the federal structure of our country, where states have not been allocated the rightful 50% share in sharable central taxes. There is also a squeeze in central assistance in real terms.

The SFI believes that the misplaced priorities and the pro-rich bias which mark this budget are going to add salt to the wounds of the common people, who are already having a tough time making their ends meet today. In the eudcation sector also in the absence of any increase in spending more assaults of commercialisation and privatization are bound to follow.

We appeal to the student community to unite against this anti-people and anti-student budget and wage a militant struggle demanding an increased spening in education as well as fighting against all anti people measures, especially those which seek to make the inflationary situation even worse.

ANTI PEOPLE INFLATIONARY BUDGET BY AN INSENSITIVE GOVERNMENT : CITU

 

CITU denounces the tone and tenor of the anti-people and pro-rich General Budget 2010 -11 presented by the Finance Minister today. The Budget is a cynical and insensitive response of a corporate-captive government to the woes of common people, hit by an unprecedented price rise of essential commodities specially the food items. While the sensex is up in immediate response to the budget, the CITU warns that the budget is bound to re-fuel the inflationary expectations along with inflation.

CITU deplores the governments’ single point perverted agenda to reduce subsidy instead of bringing down the price level. Its pro-rich bias is clear in its tax proposal wherein a revenue loss of Rs. 26,000 crore in direct taxes mostly on account of concessions to big corporates, has been more than absorbed through extraction of more than 60,000 crore through indirect tax imposed from the common people. Governments’ insensitivity becomes glaringly clear when non-withstanding the decline in agriculture production it has chosen this time hiking the prices of fertilizers across the board i.e. increasing the price of urea by an administrative pricing before the budget and then increasing the prices of potassic and phosphatic fertilisers through Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) policy w.e.f April, 2010. The NBS is only going to push the profits of fertilizer manufactures/importers and lead to higher cost of production of all agriculture products.

The hypocritical anti-poor intent of the government is reflected in its decision to re-introduce import duty on both crude oil and petroleum products as well as to increase the excise duty on diesel and petrol by Rs. 1 per litre. Impact of both will be an hopping increase in petrol & diesel prices by around Rs. 2.60 per litre which will have a cascading effect on the present inflation. This is Coupled with its hidden agenda to deregulate the pricing of petroleum products under the cover of Parikh Committee recommendations. CITU re-iterates that the recommendation of Parliamentary Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas on Pricing of Petroleum Products to eliminate import duty on crude oil and to reduce of excise duty on petroleum products cannot be brushed aside by the government of the day. CITU notes the proposed cess of Rs. 50 per tonne on coal will not only increase the price of coal but also the price of electricity which is another major input for agriculture. With increase in price of agriculture inputs like fertilizer, diesel and fuel, the food security of the country is being put in jeopardy while the budget talks about a food security bill.

Similar tokenism as well as crude joke is presented in budget through an allocation of only Rs. 1000 crore for social security of 47 crore unorganised sector workers. The budget sppech by the finance minister did not miss to mention about the restrictive conditionality of “below-poverty-line” in this respect which itself excludes 90 per cent of the unorganized sector workers from the purview of such social security benefit. Similarly budget totally ignores the plight of 1.4 million anganwadi workers and need for universalisation of the ICDS scheme by way of making meager increase of Rs 538 crore in allocation compared to revised estimate of last year. 

CITU regrets to note that the budget does not include a single proposal submitted jointly by all the trade unions during the pre-budget discussion while most of the suggestions given by the corporate houses have found place in the budget including the continuity of the stimulus package for them announced in the wake of global recession. CITU charges the Finance Minister of misleading the Parliament by stating that the ownership has been expanded through the Governments’ disinvestment programme of PSUs, knowingly fully well that in the case of NTPC and REC the retail investors participation was nominal and SBI and LIC had to subscribe the shares. The declaration in the budget that the government will mobilize Rs. 25,000 crore through disinvestment of PSUs during the current year is totally illogical as the PSUs had a reserve surplus of Rs. 5,35,840 crore on 31.03.2009. As a matter of fact during the year 2008-09 the reserve and surplus has increased by more than Rs. 50,000 crore a part of which could have been utilized for new investment and job creation.

CITU strongly denounces total lack of any positive steps in this budget to reduce the price rise, to create and protect employment and to insure social security of millions of workforce and calls upon the working class to oppose the anti-people budget through the Satyagraha Programme on 5th March 2010.

All India Federation of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers on Budget 2010-11

The Union Finance Minister Sri Pranab Mukherjee has increased the allocation for ICDS by a meager Rs.538 crores. This is grossly inadequate in view of the fact that today only around 42% of the children below 6 years of age are covered by ICDS and as per the directive of the Supreme Court, the scheme is to be universalised by 2012. The UPA government has assured the Supreme Court that it will universalise ICDS, ‘with quality’ by 2012. This budget shows the callous attitude of this government towards the most important programme for the overall development of the children below 6 years, who constitute more than 15% of our population.

In 11th Five Year Plan, the revised plan outlay for ICDS is Rs. 72, 877.52 crores. But including this fourth budget under the 11th Plan, the total budgetary allocations made by the government, till now is only Rs. 26,998 crores, which is nearly one third. This is highly condemnable. The decision to implement the World Bank proposed changes in ICDS will result in the dismantling of the ICDS.

This budget is shockingly insensitive to the plight of the anganwadi workers, who work far below than even half the minimum wages and helpers who work below than one third the minimum wages, in most parts of the country. No Allocation has been made either to increase the honorarium of the anganwadi workers and helpers or to provide them any social security. The Prime Minister had promised some social security and pension provisions to the anganwadi workers and helpers to a delegation of our Federation in 2006. Even after four years no measure is taken by the government in this regard.

The only mention of ICDS in the budget is limited “ICDS platform is being expanded for effective implementation of the Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Adolescent Girls” thus increasing the workload. The All India Federation of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers strongly condemns the negligent attitude of the Congress led UPA government in allotting adequate funds to the ICDS, particularly the anganwadi employees. We call upon all the anganwadi employees in the country to join in thousands in the ‘Mahapadav” in last week of April in Delhi for, social security benefits, increase in honorarium to minimum wages and regularisation.

Land agitation will intensify: CPIM

The State secretary of Communist Party of India (Marxist) Kerala state committee,Pinarayi Vijayan has said that the land agitation launched under the aegis of Adivasi Kshema Samithi, a tribal organisation of CPI (M), for the landless tribal people in Wayanad district, will intensify with the support of all the working class organisations in the state.

Inaugurating a land agitation solidarity convention here on Saturday, Mr.Pinarayi assured his party’s full support to the cause.

Mr. Pinarayi said that the agitation started by the AKS in the district was not an encroachment on the private land but it was a struggle of the tribal people for claiming their rights over the land which had been illegally possessed by the wealthy land owners.

The resignation of the Janata Dal party leaders did not influence the CPI (M), he said.

Mr. Pinarayi said the tribal people claimed their right on the land by erecting huts as it was deserved for them and the land owner who possessed the land illegally was not ready to hand over the land to them.

The policy of the CPI (M) and the LDF government was to support the poor and working class people for their fair rights and protect the rights of the common people. No body had the right to posses the illegal property and the directives of the Kerala High Court also clarified it, he added.

When the first Communist party ministry in Kerala was trying to implement the Land Tenancy Act in the state, many affluent land owners tried to keep the excess land in their possession but the law was implemented only after the strong intervention of the people under the aegis of the Left parties.

Mr. Pinarayi said the allegations of the UDF leaders that the LDF government did not provide the land to the tribal people were baseless. Mr. Pinarayi claimed that a lot of policies had been successfully implemented by the LDF government for the welfare of the tribal people.

(Courtesy : The Hindu)

FEB 27 : CHANDRA SEKHAR AZAD MARTYRDOM DAY

(1906-1931)

Union Budget 2010: Pro-Rich and Anti-People

 

The Polit Bureau of the CPI (M) calls for the withdrawal of the indirect tax proposals which will fuel inflation and adversely affect the people. The increase in petrol and diesel prices to the tune of over Rs. 2.50 per litre must be summarily rescinded. The cuts in food and fertiliser subsidy also need to be reversed. The Polit Bureau calls upon all its Party units to launch protest actions against the anti-people proposals of the Budget.                           

Press Statement

The Union Budget 2010 presented by the UPA Government will neither stimulate growth nor bring down inflation. The Budget is premised upon a flawed strategy to meet the budget deficit by increasing indirect taxes across the board, especially on diesel and petrol, which will hit the common people, primarily the poorer sections. In contrast, direct taxes on the affluent sections have been reduced. This anti-people strategy will further fuel inflation in the backdrop of an already high food inflation rate of 20%.

As per the Finance Minister’s own estimates, there will be a revenue loss of Rs. 26000 crore in 2010-11 due to the direct tax concessions doled out to high-income earners as well as real estate developers, hoteliers and other commercial establishments. This comes in the backdrop of nearly Rs. 80000 crore tax concessions to corporates in 2009-10. In contrast, the Finance Minister has proposed to raise an additional Rs. 60000 crore in indirect taxes over the last year. The most objectionable aspect of the increase in indirect taxes has come in the form of a 5% increase in customs duty on crude petroleum along with a Re. 1 per litre increase in central excise duty on petrol and diesel. Raising the prices of diesel and petrol will further fuel all round inflation in the economy.

On the expenditure side, while there is a 15% increase in Central Plan expenditure, the increase in Central Assistance for the States is merely 8%, which implies a squeeze in real terms (the nominal GDP growth rate is 12.2%). The Budget also incorporates the recommendations of the 13^th Finance Commission for only 32% share of the States in sharable central taxes against the demand to allocate 50%. On elementary education the paltry increase of Rs. 5000 crore falls far short of the requirement of universalizing the Right to Education. The Central Plan outlays for agriculture, irrigation and rural development shows stagnation in real terms, reflecting the Government’s waning commitment towards the rural population.

It is also shocking that food subsidy has been reduced by over Rs. 400 crore despite the commitment to enact a food security legislation. Fertiliser subsidy has also been cut by a whopping Rs. 3000 crore from what was spent last year. These moves to reduce subsidies in the name of targetting comes at a time when inflation is galloping and agricultural output growth has become negative. The anti-people approach of the Government in reducing subsidies was laid bare in the Economic survey, which has prescribed the dismantling of the PDS and initiating a “coupon system” for food and fertilisers.

The Finance Minister has announced a Rs. 40000 crore disinvestment programme for 2010-11, following Rs 25000 crore disinvestment earnings in 2009-10. This has been justified in the Budget speech as “unlocking” the value of the CPSEs. However, the latest Public Enterprises Survey 2008-09 clearly shows that the market capitalization of all listed CPSEs taken together fell by 27.41% between 31^st March 2008 and 31^st March 2009. The Finance Minister is therefore resorting to a specious defence of disinvestment, which is solely meant to appease the stock market speculators. The announcement that the RBI will issue bank licenses to more private sector players including non-bank finance companies reflect its intent towards further liberalisation of the financial sector.

The Polit Bureau of the CPI (M) calls for the withdrawal of the indirect tax proposals which will fuel inflation and adversely affect the people. The increase in petrol and diesel prices to the tune of over Rs. 2.50 per litre must be summarily rescinded. The cuts in food and fertiliser subsidy also need to be reversed. The Polit Bureau calls upon all its Party units to launch protest actions against the anti-people proposals of the Budget.           

Tragic Death of W R Varadarajan : Prakash Karat

THE death by suicide of W R Varadrajan has shocked the entire party and a wide circle of trade union workers and supporters. WRV, as he was popularly known, was a talented trade union leader who was one of the all-India secretaries of the CITU. He was till the February Central Committee meeting a member of the Central Committee and a member of the Tamilnadu state committee. He served as a member of the state legislature for a term and was a good speaker and writer.

In the February meeting, based on the recommendation of the Tamilnadu state committee, disciplinary action was taken against WRV by the Central Committee. This resulted in his being removed from the elected positions he held in the Central Committee and the state committee. It was after this that WRV committed suicide, presumably on the night of February 11. There is a great deal of sadness within the party and amongst all of us who had worked with him, at this tragic end of a comrade who had so many qualities and who had made an important contribution to the development of the party in Tamilnadu and to the trade union movement.

It is natural that the manner of his death should raise a number of questions within the party and outside. Unfortunately, a section of the media is utilising this tragic event to launch an attack on the CPI(M) by purveying half-truths, distorting facts and by indulging in baseless speculation. The Polit Bureau felt that it is necessary to place the facts and explain how and why the disciplinary action was taken against WRV.

The Tamilnadu state committee received a complaint from a woman against WRV of alleged sexual harassment. This was in September 2009. As per the procedure in the party, since it involved a member of the state committee, the state committee decided to set up a three-member committee to enquire into the matter. The three members, who are all state committee members, included a member of the Central Committee, who was the convener and another member belonging to the state secretariat.

After the enquiry, the report of the committee was placed before the Tamilnadu state committee on November 25, 2009 for its consideration. The secretariat, on the basis of the enquiry report’s findings, recommended action against WRV. As is the practice, WRV as a member of the state committee, against whom the charges were leveled, was given an opportunity to explain his position to the state committee. After the discussion, the Tamilnadu state committee endorsed the enquiry committee’s findings and proposed that WRV be removed from all elected positions.

Since WRV was also a member of a higher committee, the Central Committee, the Tamilnadu state committee could not take the decision but sent its findings and recommendations for action to the Central Committee as per the provisions of the party.

The matter was taken up for consideration by the Central Committee at its meeting held from February 4 to 6, 2010 at Kolkata. The Tamilnadu state committee’s report and resolution and all materials pertaining to the case were circulated to the Central Committee members along with the letter sent by WRV defending his position. (Excerpts of the letter of WRV have been published in some newspapers)

When the matter was taken up for consideration, WRV was given the opportunity to defend his stand. After a two-hour discussion, the Central Committee decided to uphold the Tamilnadu state committee’s recommendation for disciplinary action. None of the 74 members of the Central Committee present opposed the action being taken. Five members recorded their abstention during the vote.

WRV responded to this by saying that he would submit to the decision of the Central Committee and that he would also exercise his right to appeal to the Central Control Commission.

The above narration of the course adopted in the disciplinary action against WRV is well known to the party members. But it is being spelt out to clear misconceptions which have been purveyed by some motivated reports in the media.

What are the misconceptions and half-truths being purveyed? It is alleged that WRV was driven out of the party. WRV was not expelled from the party. A disciplinary action involving removal from elected positions would mean that he would be placed in a suitable party committee. In this case, the Tamilnadu state secretariat had discussed on February 12 that he should be co-opted in the South Chennai district committee and, given his capacity, he should work on the trade union front. The purpose of this specific disciplinary action, which does not entail either suspension or expulsion from membership, was to enable WRV to continue to work in the party and contribute according to his capabilities. There are innumerable instances of party leaders and cadres who have faced disciplinary action and then worked and corrected their errors and assumed higher responsibilities in the party.

The attempt therefore to portray the disciplinary action as a “hounding to death” a party leader is not only baseless but seeks to use the tragic event to malign the party and its leadership. If the party had not taken cognisance of the complaint and the concerned woman had gone public with her charges, the same media quarters would have gone to town attacking the CPI(M) for ignoring a sexual harassment charge against one of its leaders.

The party has been accused of either being “opaque,” for not explaining the reasons for the action, or, contrarily, of having “publicly shamed” WRV. Since WRV had not been removed from the party, the Central Committee did not make the charges against him public. This was because WRV was expected to continue to hold positions in the party and discharge his responsibilities. The CPI(M) does not believe in “publicly shaming” its cadres. The effort in the case of WRV was to help him to correct his lapses and continue working for the party.

The episode has also been used to denigrate the party’s organisational principle of democratic centralism. The case of WRV has been cited as an instance of “centralism” and “authoritarian” action. In fact, the procedures cited above in the disciplinary action prove the contrary. It is the state committee, under which he was directly working, which enquired and initiated the action. The higher committee, the Central Committee, came into the picture only when the state committee requested action. The democratic procedure is also underlined by the fact that no arbitrary actions are taken on discipline. There is a proper enquiry and the comrade concerned is allowed to present his or her case and be personally heard by the committee.

The other effort being made is to link the action against WRV with the rectification campaign launched by the party. The matter concerning WRV had no connection whatsoever with the rectification campaign. In fact, the complaint was lodged before the Central Committee had adopted the rectification campaign decision. The rectification campaign is meant to pinpoint wrong trends in the party and correct them. It is not about initiating disciplinary action against individual members.

A Communist Party’s organisation gives utmost priority to its cadres, especially those who have devoted their full time and life for the work of the party. Whenever comrades err in their judgment, or commit mistakes, the party looks at the entire contribution of the comrades concerned and disciplinary action is taken as a method to correct them. It is only as a last resort that a severe action like expulsion is taken. In the case of WRV, the party expected him to overcome his problem and make his full contribution to the party and the movement. It is a matter of regret that this was not what happened.

Rail Budget 2010: Total Gimmickry

The Railway Budget presented in Parliament today exposed a sharp deterioration in the performance of the Indian Railways. Far from containing any vision for the future of the Indian Railways, the Budget speech has sought to conceal gross failures through misleading announcements and gimmicks aimed at the forthcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal

Railway Budget 2010: Total Gimmickry

The Railway Budget presented in Parliament today exposed a sharp deterioration in the performance of the Indian Railways. Far from containing any vision for the future of the Indian Railways, the Budget speech has sought to conceal gross failures through misleading announcements and gimmicks aimed at the forthcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal.

Over 120 railway accidents have taken place so far during this financial year. In this backdrop it is inexplicable how the allocations for the Railway Safety Fund has been cut by Rs. 579 crore from last year. Moreover, the Minister has strangely tried to shift the blame for railway accidents on to rail rokos and natural disasters! This shows the Minister’s distorted perspective on the crucial aspect of railway safety.

As per the Railway Ministry’s own estimates, over 1.7 lakhs Railway posts were lying vacant in 2009, out of which nearly 90000 were posts related to railway safety. The Minister has kept completely silent on filling up these vacancies, which can provide job opportunities to the youth.

The Railway’s operating ratio (the ratio of total working expenses to the earnings – a higher ratio implies deterioration), which was 90.5% in 2008-09 has risen to 94.7% in 2009-10. Such a sharp deterioration in just one year reflects the gross mismanagement of Railway affairs by the Minister. Gross Traffic Receipts in 2009-10 have fallen short of the budgeted estimate by Rs. 63 crore. Moreover, plan investment in Railways also fell short of the budgeted target of 2009-10 by Rs. 497 crore. This clearly shows that the Railway Minister has not been able to implement the tall promises that she made in the last Budget. In this context the grandiose announcements of projects ranging from hospitals and diagnostic centres, sports academies and musuems ring a trifle hollow.

By the Railway Minister's own admission, many of her project announcements were made without the sanction of the Planning Commission. Their implementation therefore is highly suspect. This is further borne out by the fact that for 2010-11, plan investment in Railways is budgeted to increase by only Rs. 1142 crore, which amounts to a drastic fall in plan investment in real terms. While the Railway Minister has made tall claims on laying 1000 kms of new railway lines, it is shocking that the actual plan allocations for gauge conversion, doubling of railway lines and new rolling stock like wagons and carriages have been cut in nominal terms. This squeeze in public investment in the Railways is accompanied by an unprecedented thrust towards privatisation in all areas in the name of PPP: from modernisation of railway stations; new railway lines; freight and passenger corridors; locomotive, wagon and container manufacturing; rail axle factory; parking complexes and bottling plants. This wholesale privatisation programme for the Railways, opening up the entire sector for private profiteering, will be inimical to national interest. It appears as if the entire decision-making in the Railway Ministry has been handed over to the corporate sector.

The Polit Bureau of the CPI (M) calls upon the people to protest against these proposals, which are neither in the interest of the Railways nor in the interests of providing relief and better travel and communication facilities.

Workers bid tearful adieu to Comrade WR Varadarajan

Senior CPI-M leader W R Varadarajan, given a tearful adieu by party workers. Sixty-four-year-old Varadarajan's body was cremated in an electric crematorium in the city.
The body was taken out in procession before it was cremated at the Kannamapet crematorium.

Senior party leaders, trade union leaders, leaders of various political parties and thousands of CPI(M) cadres paid their homage to WRV at the party headquarters, where his body was kept.

Earlier in the day, party leaders received the body from the Government Royapettah Hospital and took it to WRV’s residence in Anna Nagar.

State secretary of the party G. Ramakrishnan said the wish of WRV — that his body should be donated for medical research — could not be fulfilled as it was not in a good condition.

“Twelve days have elapsed since it was fished out from the lake,” he said, explaining that the body would be cremated as per the wish of his family members.

Later, addressing a funeral meeting at the crematorium, Mr. N Varadarajan CC member of CPIM said the party accorded various positions to WRV, in recognition of his talent and contribution, and he also lived up to the expectations.

Recalling his association with WRV, senior party leader N. Sankaraiah said strengthening the party in Tamil Nadu on a par with the party organisation in Left-ruling States alone would be a great tribute to the late leader.

Polit Bureau member K. Varadarajan said enemies who waited for an occasion to settle scores with the party used the death of WRV to achieve their goal.

CITU general secretary and WRV’s associate in trade union movement A. Soundararajan said when unions held talks with managements represented by highly qualified persons, WRV effectively argued the views of the workers.

Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Tuesday hailed W.R. Varada Rajan for his constructive approach in debates of the Assembly.

In a statement, Mr. Karunanidhi recalled that when Mr.Varada Rajan represented the Villivakkam Assembly constituency (from 1989-91), he (Mr. Karunanidhi) had always looked to constructive suggestions from the CPI (M) leader, who did not cause disappointment to his expectations and fail to bring to the government’s notice issues that deserved follow-up.

Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, Chennai Mayor M. Subramanian, senior CPI leader R. Nallakannu, AITUC leader A.R.S Mani, MDMK general secretary Vaiko, Viduthalai Chiruthaikal Katchi leader Thol Thirumavalavan, AIADMK leader O. Panneerselvam, D. Jayakumar and K.A. Sengottaiyan and vice-chairman of the State planning commission M. Naganathan were among those who paid their homage.

(Photos : Gavaskar Theekathir)