CPIM demands fresh elections to Karnataka Assembly

CPI(M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury on Saturday sought fresh elections to the Legislative Assembly in the State even as he launched an all out attack against the ruling BJP government dubbing it as “an empire of corruption.”

Speaking after inaugurating CPI(M)’s “Throw out BJP, save democracy,” awareness campaign in Bangalore, Yechury called for a people’s movement against what he called “political immorality” and against siphoning of funds for personal gain by politicians. He said the BJP government only had a technical majority in the Assembly following the disqualification of 11 rebels. “Elementary norms of democracy mandate that a Government should enjoy majority of the full House. Fresh elections need to be held to restore democratic principles in the State,” he said. The CPI(M) leader alleged the State Government was indulging in “shoddy deals” and “unethical practices” to stay in power.

Dangerous precedent
He charged that the ruling BJP in the State had set a dangerous precedent of distorting people’s will and mandate by money power. The BJP, he alleged, was manipulating the system for personal gains. Three ministers in the State had to quit following charges of corruption. Charges of favouritism had also been made against Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, Yechury alleged. At the Centre, the Congress government had been found neck deep in a slew of scams. The 2G telecom scam had caused losses to the exchequer to the tune of Rs 1.73 lakh crore, he said and pointed out that same amount was sufficient to provide total food security to every family in the country or ensuring a school in every village. Later, speaking to reporters, he said the allegation made by former chief of the RSS K S Sudarshan against Congress President Sonia Gandhi were unacceptable.
(Courtesy : Deccan Herald)

Drop Raja from the Cabinet Immediately

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) demands that the Prime Minister immediately drop the Minister of Communication and Information Technology, Shri A. Raja. With increasing evidence of the scam tumbling out and the CAG Report itself reportedly estimating a loss of Rs. 1,76,000 crores, there is no way that this issue can be pushed under the carpet. The Supreme Court Bench itself had observed adversely on the failure of the CBI to question the Minister. It was implicit that his continuation in the Council of Ministers is impacting the progress of the investigations. Today’s press reports actually confirm this as a meeting was `arranged’ between CBI’s investigating officers and Shri Raja’s Counsel. There is also a report that the former DoT Secretary has now publicly claimed that the Minister had allegedly tried to force him to agree to the course of allocating 2G spectrum which he refused. And subsequently, the Minister ensured the course he had chosen which has resulted in this mega scam.

In the light of all these, the CPI(M) is of the firm opinion that the continuation of the Minister has become untenable. Since he has categorically refused to quit voluntarily, the Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) demands that the Prime Minister act urgently.

CPIM Himachal State Committee to hold rally on Dalit rights in Shimla

The Himachal Pradesh state committee of CPI (M) will hold a mass rally on Dalit rights’ issue on November 15 in Shimla. This will perhaps be the first-ever rally of any political party on the issue of social discrimination in the state.

CPIM  conducted a survey in the state to access different forms of social discrimination being practiced in the state covering more than 35,000 houses in over 1,000 panchayats. The party found that different forms of discrimination ranging from cultural, economic, lingual, religious and even aesthetic are prevalent in the state.

“After Punjab, the state has the second largest ratio of scheduled castes population (24.7%). Nearly 70% of Dalit households either own no land or very less land. They live in abject poverty with their strength even according to government estimates reaching over 40% below poverty line. 97.86% Dalit kisans are either small or marginal in their capacity. Their education status is also quite dismal with just 0.53% having industrial education, 5% up to secondary and just 2% graduates. 15% have completed matric,” the survey states.

CPIM has decided to submit a memorandum to the government to seek implementation of land reforms and land for the poor; implementation of 85th constitutional amendment in letter and spirit; special plan for Dalit households and villages with respect to infrastructure development; tap water supply for every Dalit house; steps to deal with unsociability; and reservation in private sector.

(Source : Himvani)

AIDWA conferece concludes with a mass rally

The Ninth National Conference of the All-India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) came to a close on Friday with the election of 101 Central Executive Committee members from among the delegates. 

In keeping with the three-term policy for office-bearers, Subhashini Ali was relieved from the post of president and Shyamoli Gupta from West Bengal was elected in her place. Sudha Sundararaman will continue as general secretary for another three-year term. 

The conference unanimously resolved to intensify the resistance to the neo-liberal growth model, strengthen struggles for a universal public distribution system and for the rights of the organised and unorganised sector, resist the privatisation of education, health, and social security, and prevent exploitation of women through SHGs. It called upon the organisation to strengthen the campaign against all forms of conservatism and defend the rights of young people to choose their partners, and combat the communal and fundamentalist offensive. 

Com. Shaymili Gupta             Com Sudha Sundarraman

Particular emphasis was laid in defence of the Left women's movement in West Bengal. It called upon AIDWA units to “effectively counter the vicious anti-Left offensive being unleashed by the ruling classes, particularly in West Bengal by the Maoist-Trinamool Congress combine.” The organisation has pledged to take up, in the coming three years, “specific forms of oppression being faced by Dalit, Minority and Adivasi women, on a priority basis, and focus on the problems of the youth and single women.” 

In addition, it will “build an effective campaign against multiple forms of violence against women and girl children, intensify actions against sex-selective abortions and dowry, as part of a larger mass movement to counter the combined impact of patriarchy and growing consumerism, work for recognition of matrimonial property rights and other legal rights.” It resolved to intervene against commercialised media and the marketisation of rituals and religiosity, and create cultural alternatives to strengthen the secular and democratic fabric of India.

 At a public meeting held at Ghanta Ghar in Kanpur, which the local Bharatiya Janata Party unit tried to stop allegedly with the help of police, AIDWA vice-president Brinda Karat called for a fight against the policies of neo-liberalism as followed by the United Progressive Alliance led by Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi. “If a family works for three days in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme they would be considered to be above the official poverty line, and hence could not access the provisions of the proposed Food Security Act. On the other hand, the salaries of Members of Parliament have been increased ten-fold.”

Ms. Subhashini Ali, former AIDWA President, pointed out that despite a Dalit woman being Chief Minister in Uttar Pradesh and prevailing government rules, Shanti, a Dalit cook in a primary school, was removed owing to upper caste pressure. AIDWA took up the issue and ensured that she was reinstated.

Need to regulate microfinance institutions: AIDWA

Among the several resolutions passed on Thursday by the 9th conference of the All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) in Kanpur, one of the most important ones was on the need to regulate microfinance institutions (MFIs), which are exercising an iron grip on poor women debtors in several States of the country.

The resolution drew attention to the “spate of suicides as a result of the harassment and strong-arm tactics employed by commercial and profit-oriented corporate MFIs for loan recovery.” Taking advantage of the failure of banks to meet the credit needs of the poor, “This new breed of moneylenders is luring women to form Self Help Groups, and then charging them exorbitant rates of interest — as high as 48-60 percent…Whatever little collectivism has been generated by the SHGs has been systematically destroyed in the process.”

It highlights the situation in Andhra Pradesh, where “32 MFIs are reported to have given loans worth Rs. 25,000 crore to 40 per cent of the poor women in the State. Unable to meet their forcible demands for loan recovery, more than a hundred people have committed suicide in the last three months.” The ordinance promulgated by the Government of Andhra Pradesh is an eye-wash as it does not put a cap on the interest rates that MFIs can charge.

The resolution calls for an immediate Central law to cap interest rates charged by MFIs, and to regulate their operations; to file criminal cases against MFIs engaged in extortionist practices; to cap interest rates from banks to SHGs at four per cent and cap loans given by MFIs to not more than two per cent above the banks interest rates to MFIs; and to expand cheap credit facilities through direct banking to SHGs.

“From the village money-lender to the corporate money-lender” — is how Taposhi Praharaj, Vice-President of the Orissa unit of AIDWA, described the credit situation in her State. The AIDWA unit in Orissa surveyed 600 SHGs in 12 districts of the State, including those that have taken government loans; those that have taken loans from government and MFIs; and those that borrowed only from MFIs. The last category accounts for 70 per cent of the SHGs surveyed.

The survey found that MFIs had penetrated deep into villages and towns. While on paper, the rate of interest is a flat 10 per cent, the interest charged is on the entire principal through the repayment period, with cuts made from the principal amount under several heads — such as processing fee, bank charges, agreement charges, membership charges and so on. “The compounded interest is never less than 52 per cent, and we found that on the last 10 rupee instalment, the interest is 525 percent!”

Measures of recovery are harsh. Agents operate through the head of the SHG the debtor belongs to, and take away her every possession. “Bilashini Behra from Bhubaneshwar took loans from three MFIs, each successive one to pay the previous. She committed suicide because she could ultimately not repay,” said Ms. Praharaj.

“The Central government, with the view that this can attract Foreign Direct Investment, has moved a Bill on MFIs,” said Rajya Sabha MP Brinda Karat. “There is no cap on interest, so that women's savings can be taken control of, destroying the autonomy of SHGs. In fact, when I met the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister with an AIDWA delegation, he categorically told me that he had instructions from the Centre that there should be no cap on interest rates.”

(Courtesy : The Hindu)

Muslim women face multiple discrimination: AIDWA

A book on Muslim women being released at the ninth AIDWA
conference in Kanpur on Wednesday.

“The triple talaq is a sword hanging over the heads of married Muslim women,” said Sehba Farooqui, secretary of the Delhi State Unit of the All India Democratic Women's Association, in her introduction to the resolution on the practice of triple talaq passed by the 9th national conference of the organisation on Wednesday. “A minor disagreement can result in talaq.”

Drawing attention to a case where a wife was recently divorced by triple talaq through an online Skype chat, the resolution highlighted the “iniquity and absurdness” of a practice that is affecting thousands of Muslim women in the country today. The Darul-Uloom-Deoband upheld the husband's right and issued a fatwa against the wife.

The AIDWA resolution argues that not only is the practice of triple talaq discriminatory and unjust towards the wife and thus against constitutional principles, it is also contrary to Islam.

“Triple talaq said in one sitting is a part of one interpretation of the Koran. Actually, the Koran proscribes it,” argues Ms. Farooqui. “There is another interpretation that talaq should be given over the three-month period, and we are urging that this pro-woman option be exercised.”

Triple talaq, according to the resolution, has been proscribed or limited in a number of countries across the world, for example in Pakistan, Indonesia, Iraq, Turkey and Tunisia, and that it is only in India that Muslim men have untrammeled freedom to pronounce triple talaq.

AIDWA sent a representation against the practice signed by 20,000 Muslim women to the central government and the Muslim Personal Law Board, but this was ignored.

The occasion was also marked by the release of a book entitled ‘Muslim Women: AIDWA's Interventions and Struggles,' a collection of articles, reports and documents on the many levels of discrimination faced by Muslim women: in the personal sphere, as victims of communalism and terrorism, and as a section deprived of basic rights of citizenship.

For AIDWA, however, the issue of fighting for citizenship rights – for fair wages, jobs, access to civic amenities (including the public distribution system), is an area of immediate priority, said Ms. Farooqui. “In Delhi, for example, Muslim women are concentrated in exploitative home-based industries working on piece rates, where they earn between Rs.1000 and Rs. 1200 a month. They cannot afford to lose their jobs when their men are out of work, but here we have fought for provident fund provisions for such women.”

The contrasts in the status of Muslim women across the country is vividly illustrated by the experiences of Tajwar Sultana, an activist who lives and works in the crowded bylanes of the Jama Masjid area of Old Delhi, and 35-year-old Parveen Akhtar from West Tripura, who is an elected member of the Zilla Parishad. “There is absolutely no practice of triple talaq in my State,” said Ms. Akhtar with a laugh, adding that Muslim women have come forward significantly into the political space. “In the Ashabadi Panchayat of Baksanagar block of the nine members, eight are Muslim and one Hindu. The State government has introduced many schemes for Muslim women.”

(Courtesy : The Hindu)

AIDWA must defend Left, democratic women's movement: Brinda Karat

The biggest challenge before the women's movement in India today comes from vested interests that try to “separate the movement from its politics, disarm it and prevent it from questioning the status quo and the inequalities of our society,” Rajya Sabha member and the former general secretary of the All-India Democratic Women's Association, Brinda Karat, has said.

Delivering the inaugural address to the ninth all-India conference of AIDWA that opened here on Tuesday, she called upon the organisation to defend the Left and democratic women's movement in West Bengal, which became the target of attack by vested interests led by the Maoist-Trinamool Congress alliance. “By weakening the Left in Bengal, they seek to dismantle the Left ideology in India as a whole.”

In keeping alive the rich traditions and legacy of the women's movement that was born in the struggle against colonialism, Ms. Karat called upon the delegates to turn a “more intense gaze” at the structures and instruments that kept a vast majority of women in conditions of poverty.

Referring to the reports of suicides by self-help group members in Andhra Pradesh, she said microfinance institutions had become “instruments to loot women” through usury, as nationalised banks had significantly moved away from social banking. She said that the organisation must be sensitive to the aspirations of young women in the burgeoning middle class who were impacted by popular culture and television and draw them into the movement for equality as they were often victims of violence and exploitation.

Sea Change

In her presidential address, Subhashini Ali, while recalling the long historic association the city of Kanpur has with the struggle for Independence, said that since the last conference was held in 2007, the country had witnessed a “sea change.” In the new scenario, in which the ruling classes were attacking the livelihoods and standards of living of the poor, women and children were the worst affected.

“The government and the ruling classes are happy when the visiting U.S. President, Barack Obama, gives them a good conduct certificate by telling them that India is showing the way to the rest of the world. The reality is, as studies have shown, that India has the most number of hungry people in the world, a country where thousands of women commit suicide because they cannot face hunger, where foodgrains rot in storage facilities while people go hungry.”

She said AIDWA must take forward its legacy of anti-imperialist struggle to mobilise women in these times of globalisation.

Earlier, Captain Lakshmi Sahgal, a living symbol of the anti-colonial struggle and the fight for women's emancipation, unfurled the AIDWA flag to begin the conference, amid slogans pledging to carry forward the struggle for women's equality. Floral tributes were paid to martyrs who laid down their lives in the struggle for equality, democracy and emancipation. Doves were released to mark the occasion.

(Courtesy : The Hindu)

Greek Regional and municipal elections: Significant increase for the Communist Party

Statement published by Communist party of Greece

• Nationwide the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) came close to 11%
• The KKE was the only party which saw an increase in its percentage of the vote (+3.3%) and in actual votes (+75,000) in relation to last year’s parliamentary elections (2009)

On the 7^th of November the first round of the regional and municipal elections was held, which took place after the administrative reforms which merged the 1300 municipalities to form 325 and the 52 counties to form 13 regions,. This was the result of the merger of local government bodies, which was enforced by the “Kallikratis” plan,approved by the social democratic parliamentary majority, which aside from the merger of the municipalities into fewer and larger units and the replacement of the prefectures by regions, will lead to new and deep anti-people changes.

The KKE took part in the elections with the lists of “People’s Rally”, because in Greece the direct participation of parties in local elections is forbidden. “People’s Rally” participated in the elections of all the 13 regions of our country, and in 260 municipalities which cover all the major urban centres and the majority of the country. There were thousands of candidates on the lists of “People’s Rally”, which were headed by well-known cadre of the KKE, of the All-workers Militant Front (PAME), The All Farmers’ Militant Rally (PASY), The Greek Anti-monopoly Rally of the Self-employed (PASEBE), the Students’ Struggle Front (MAS), The Women’s Organization of Greece (OGE), the Greek Committee for International Détente and Peace (EEDYE) etc.

These elections took on an intensely political character, taking into consideration that they came after a period of tough and large-scale class struggles against the anti-people measures which the social democratic government of PASOK, together with the EU and the IMF, imposed on the people. Struggles in which the KKE was at the forefront and which were led by the class-oriented labour-trade union movement, PAME.

Some of the main results and the political assessment of the KKE

Regions (arranged in order of the percentage of the KKE from the highest to the lowest)	KKE (votes)	KKE (%)
Northern Aegean	16,877	15.74
Ionian Islands	17,266	15.30
Attiki	202,612	14.43
Thessaly	57,831	13,10
Western Greece	43,399	11.14
Central Greece	35,909	10.87
Central Macedonia	88,631	9.08
Southern Aegean	15,401	9.04
Western Macedonia	15,851	8.22
Eastern Macedonia and Thrace	27,852	7.74
Peloponnese	25,660	6.80
Crete	22,843	6.93
Nationwide result	588,898	10.85%

It should be taken into account that just 1 year ago; in the parliamentary elections the KKE had received 517,154 votes, 7.54%, while 4 years ago in the local election of 2006, the overall result of its election lists in the 52 counties was 479,812 votes and 7.22%.

The KKE specifically notes that

• there was an increase of +3.3 (+75,000 votes) in relation with the parliamentary elections of 2009
• There was an increase of +3.6 (110,000 votes) in relation with the prefecture elections of 2006.

The KKE had 40 councilors elected to the regional councils and over 500 municipal councillors. In two municipalities (Ikaria and Petroupolis) the candidates of the KKE got through to the second round of the elections. In some municipalities (e.g. Ilion, Korydallos) the candidates who were supported by the KKE came second, but the first-placed candidate got over 50% of the vote, so there will be no second round.

The Central Committee of the KKE met on the 8^th of November 2010 to discuss the following issue “The first assessment of the results of the first round of the elections for the local state organs at a regional and municipal level”. The CC will elaborate these first conclusions after the second round of the elections, It will give them to the party organizations for discussion, to its friends, supporters, allies and as widely as possible, so that the final conclusions can be formed.

1/Concerning the strengthening of the KKE

As was noted in its statement, the CC of the KKE mentions that“The results of the first round the lists, which were supported nationwide by the KKE with the title “People’s Rally”, were shown clearly to be an upcoming force winning thousands of new votes, and thus the it has been recognized that the Party is the only party which increased its votes and percentage. With the data which has been gathered so far, in comparison with the parliamentary elections of 2009, there has been an increase of 75,000 votes. Nearly 11%, a 3.3% increase. The CC is of the opinion that regardless of the votes, the number of people who have a positive opinion of the positions and assessments of the KKE , who are interested to learn about the our alternative political proposal, who recognize the militant political role and contribution of the party, has increased”.

At the same time, the CC of the KKE “thanks and salutes all those men and women who for the first time voted for the lists which were supported by the KKE, who withstood the various intimidating dilemmas, the provocative blackmailing and the various independent lists which were supported by the ruling class. This important increase in votes gives us new responsibilities and duties. We understand that necessity for us to meet the challenge of organizing the struggle and rallying the people and the workers, to express the discontent and appetite for struggle of wider popular masses which appreciate our role and contribution, while at the same time having their own views on various matters”.

The CC of the KKE considers that “ the increase of the strength in the local elections has a certain dynamism, signals a new path for the rallying of wider popular forces against the polices which have led to a deterioration of the life of the people, have contributed to the sharpening of the crisis and have led to the putting together of the barbaric Memorandum which will continue during the crisis as well as during the recovery, which when it arrives will be anemic and will be followed by a new wave of crises. The current for antimonopoly and anti-imperialist rallying has strengthened, the alternative proposal for a solution which has people’s power, the people’s economy as its goal has gained ground.

2/ The other political forces

The fact that no other political force increased its votes, apart from the KKE, is a significant political fact

• The electoral influence of the governing social democratic PASOK from 43.92%, which it had in the elections of 2009, was reduced to 34.67% (a fall of about 10%, the loss of over 1 million votes)
• The opposition conservative ND received 32.82% (about 1% less in relation to last year’s result and the loss of around half a million votes).
• • The opportunist current (SYN/SYRIZA) is undergoing an ideological-political crisis, and during the previous period showed its unreliability, collaborating with in various municipalities with the social democrats of PASOK and supporting choices of the PASOK government, received 4.5%, when in last year’s elections received 4.6% and lost about 50,000 votes in comparison to last year’s elections.
• The nationalist and anticommunist party LAOS received 4% (about 1.5% and 150000 votes less than in 2009). It should be noted that in three regions where this party did not have its own candidate it supported ND and in one region PASOK.
• The “Ecologists” received 2.9%, a small increase in comparison to 2009, but it did lose actual votes (20,000 less).

As the CC of the KKE underlined in its statement that “PASOK suffered a significant reduction in its forces, while ND could not convince the Greek people that it constitutes a pro-people opposition to the government, despite its maneuvering in order to promote an alleged anti-memorandum character. The condemnation of PASOK is clear and unquestionable, despite the fact that it used in the pre-election period “alternate” lists in certain instances, in order to “steal” votes, to hide its decline, utilizing at the same time the old slanders concerning a united anti-pasok front of all the political forces of the opposition”. In addition the CC of the KKE “calls on those who wished to express their opposition to ND and PASOK by voting for other lists to think hard because this vote does not provide the political solution, since the oppositional rhetoric of these parties does not touch the center of the strategy of the main parties but certain aspects and tactics which they use. The actual contradiction in the economy, in society more generally, is that between the monopolies, the interests of capital on the one side and the working people on the other.

3/ Important qualitative characteristics of the results

Municipality	KKE
Athens	13.73%
Thessalonica	9.50%
Piraeus	14.79%
Patras	16.42%
Irakleio	12.13%
Larisa	13.68%
Volos	15.23%
Peristeri	12.52%
Kallithea	18.40%
Corfu	26.90%
Nikaia-Renti	18.38%
Lesvos	13.25%
Keratsini-Drapetsona	19.36%
Aigaleo	16.90%
Glyfada	9.56%
Ilioupoli	13.33%
Nea Smyrni	10.63%
Halandri	15.00%
Ilion-Kamatero	20.16%
Zografou	12.83%

The significant support which the KKE received not only nationwide but especially in major urban centres, where the working class of Greece lives and works, is of interest. Something which constitutes an especially important element for the KKE, the party of the working class.

The KKE received a significant increase invotes in large municipalities where large numbers of workers and popular strata reside (See the table above).It is of particular importance that we note the increase in the significant electoral influence of the KKE in Attiki (14.4% from 10.2%), which includes the capital Athens, Piraeus, as well as the industrial zones around the capital. In the Attiki area 4 million people reside and work. In 67 municipalities in Greece (out of the 260 where “People’s Rally” participated) the KKE received more than 11% of the vote.

The CC of the KKE notes in its statement that “the increase in votes and percentage of the KKE contains important qualitative elements; the increase was larger on average in the major urban centres and in the large regions. The basic element of this increase was in the popular and working class neighbourhoods, in areas where farmers and small businessmen have intense problems, in areas where there are even better preconditions for the the socio-political front of the working class in alliance with the self-employed and the small-medium farmers to be shaped and to acquire solid foundations.

4/The phenomenon of abstention

Over the past decades Greece has had a high level of voters’ participation compared to other European countries. Nevertheless, the participation in this battle only reached 61% (compared to 71% in 2009). We should also take into account that the election catalogues have not been updated while others assess that 15-20% of the voters have died and no one has erased them from the election catalogues.

The increased abstention compared to the elections in 2009 has given rise to various political analyses and interpretations. In this respect the CC assesses that “a large part of the abstention was evident especially in Attica and in the municipality of Athens reflects the people’s indignation and the condemnation of the policies of PASOK and ND while it has a relatively more significant political character compared to the corresponding phenomenon in the elections for the European Parliament. It reflects positive developments, which are still in progress, towards the liberation of people from the bourgeois parties and the logic of the management of the crisis of the system.

In addition, this abstention reflects to a significant extent the condemnation of and the aversion to the blackmailing and the intimidation of the government over the last period.

The CC assesses that a part of the abstention, especially among the youth and masses that have not participated in the struggles, results from the impact of the systematic propaganda and the slander of the organised struggle, the class struggle, from the multifaceted propagation of individualism and the pursuit of individual solutions to the acute problems.

The KKE will do everything in its power to contribute so as the people understand that abstention does not exert any pressure on the anti-people anti-labour policies. On the contrary, it reduces the possibilities that exist today, namely to move faster towards the reversal of the negative correlation of forces which is mainly based on the power of PASOK and ND. The KKE calls on the workers to take an active part in the struggle against the monopolies, against imperialism and struggle with KKE in a people’s radical front that struggles against the dominant policies in a direction of counterattack, rupture and overthrow. In addition, so that the people understand that the support for the other parties of the opposition does not contribute to the strengthening of the people’s radical front that struggles against the dominant policies firmly and consistently without wavering and diversionary maneuvers.

5/The new responsibilities of the KKE in light of the developments

Furthermore, the statement of the CC of the KKE states that “the CC reaffirms that KKE will rise to meet its increased responsibilities, that it will fight so as to overcome the shortcomings which were identified in its activity. It will focus on the rise of the militant spirit of the people, on the participation of masses and young people in the struggle; it will make new efforts to rally the people and to form the alliance of the working class with the self-employed, the poor farmers, the youth and women.

The working people will face a new wave of anti-labour, anti-people measures, a new wave of authoritarian measures as the crisis will intensify both in Greece as well as in Europe. They will face the joint management in the Aegean Sea, which has already been planned, the intensification of the intra-imperialist contradictions in the region.

In view of these developments we will seek to create a stronger radical people’s current capable of hindering the worst measures and pave the way for the alternative political proposal which is necessary for the people and the country.

The rallying of popular forces against the policies of PASOK and ND, against the barbarity of the Memorandum, against the choices of the IMF and the EU that pursue a memorandum (the measures of which are not temporary) must extend also to the second round. No support for the lists of PASOK and ND in the municipalities and regions where they take part in the second round of the elections. PASOK and ND are neither able nor willing to change. Consequently, the liberation from the two parties is the best and most effective step in order to pave the way for positive developments for the people’s lives. The second round of the local elections must signal a new beginning for the reorganization of the movement, for the counterattack.

The CC recommends blank or spoiled ballots in the instances where representatives of other political forces or allegedly independent forces that support the ruling policies with their political line and their stance and hinder the radicalization of the people, participate in the second round.

The record of these forces and their cadres in the organs of prefectures and municipalities hitherto shows that they are not willing to disobey and resist the anti-people choices of the Kallikratis reform no matter if they appear as independent or “rebel” candidates.

6/Demonstrations on the 15^th of November

At the same time notes that “the next step for the people must be its participation on the 15^th of November in the extremely important demonstrations which have been called by the KKE so that the opposition of the great majority of the people to the memorandum can be displayed, and with the slogan that burden of the crisis should be paid for by the guilty, the monopolies and the plutocracy and not the working people.

The CC salutes the tireless efforts of the members, supporters and friends of the Party as well as of the members and friends of KNE so that the voice, the assessments, positions and proposals of the KKE could reach wider working class and popular masses, so that the people’s militancy, the will to resist and the struggle for the future could be expressed at the ballot box. We must continue struggling in the same militant and tireless spirit for the liberation of the popular masses from the dilemmas of PASOK and ND in view of the second round of the local elections, for the success of the mass rallies against the troika in Athens and Thessalonica.

The CC calls on the hundreds of regional and municipal councilors to be at the side of the people who suffer, to struggle for the workers’ and people’s problems along with the mass organizations, the militants in the workplaces and the neighbourhoods.

AIDWA Ninth All India Conference begins in Kanpur

AIDWA ninth All India conference began in Kanpur on Noveber 9th. The proceedings of the conference began with the flag hoisting by Captain Lakshmi, on of the towering figures of national liberation struggle and womens movement. The conference hall is named after Comrade Ahalya Ranganekar. After the flag hoisting ceremony, the delegates paid respects to the martyrs. The delegate session of the conference was inaugurated by Com. Brinda Karat. AIDWA national president, Com. Subhashini Ali presided over the function. 6 women fighters who have contributed to the growth of womens movement in India were greeted. Com Phulora Mandal who fought against maoist atrocities in East Medinapure(WB), Com Santhi, adivasi leader of land struggle in andhra, Com Mukesh (Haryana), Com Ponnuthay (Madurai), Com Parvi Akthar (Tripura), Com Lalith Devi (Alahabad) were honoured by the conference.
In the afternoon session, Com. Sudha Sundharraman, General Secretary placed the organisational report for period of last 3 years. Discussions on the report will continue on the second day. The conference which is to be held for the first time in a Hindi speaking state will conclude with a mass rally on Friday.

Outcome of Obama Visit

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

The outcome of the visit of President Obama of the United States is to further strengthen India's strategic alliance with the United States. The Joint Statement issued after the visit indicates that the main agenda was to prise open the Indian market for the business and commercial interests of the United States and its efforts to draw India into a closer security and military relationship.

In the backdrop of the deep recession and high unemployment afflicting its economy, the US is desperately trying to reduce imports and increase its exports worldwide. The framework for economic cooperation contained in the joint statement reflects this agenda.

In the name of promoting food security and raising agricultural productivity, what is being pushed is the agenda of opening up Indian agriculture and retail trade for the profiteering of American MNCs like Wal-Mart and Monsanto. This will be detrimental to the interests of the crores of small and marginal farmers and unorganised retailers in India. The passage of the Seed Bill, which promotes the interests of the multinational seed companies and compromises the seed rights of Indian farmers, is high on the Indian government’s agenda. The way is being paved for the opening up of India’s financial and higher education sector for American companies. All this is being pursued at the behest of the U.S.-India CEO Forum.

The approach of the UPA government is also evident. Instead of emphasizing that India’s priority is for lifting the vast mass of people out of poverty, hunger and disease and in that context framing India’s relations with the United States, the Congress-led government has catered to the US business and strategic interests, by accepting the self-congratulatory approach that Obama recognizes India as a world power.

What this means is spelt out in the joint statement -- a close defence and security relationship which will involve also buying US weaponary on a large scale; falling in step with the United States’ deceptive and self-serving talk of human rights, democracy and on nuclear non-proliferation. All these are a continuation and reiteration of the Manmohan Singh-Bush joint statements of 2005 and 2006. India agrees to comply with the sanctions on Iran but will keep silent on Israel and its nuclear arsenal. India is told to behave “responsibly” with regard to exporting democracy and human rights interventions by the United States. Given this one-sided interpretation, there can be no mention of the human rights of the Palestinians in Gaza, or the illegal embargo on Cuba, or the slaughter of Iraqi civilians under the military occupation for the past seven years.

India can become a permanent member of the Security Council when the United Nations structure is democratized on the basis of its independent role and influence in world affairs. Endorsement by the United States should not amount to toeing its strategic interests. The joint statement implies that India’s two year term in the Council will be a probationary period as far as the United States is concerned.

The commitment to buy weapons from the United States comes after the End Use Agreement was signed in 2009. India will not benefit from such arms purchases. By the agreement we cannot modify the weapons systems nor produce spare parts and will have to allow annual inspections.

The UPA government has to explain whether the lifting of restrictions on access to dual use technology for certain Indian entities comes alongwith new conditions such as the purchase of arms and steps for tying closer the armed forces of the two countries through agreements on the anvil.

The “Afpak” policy of the US which has been endorsed in the joint statement will not resolve the problem in Afghanistan. That requires a multilateral approach. While talk of cooperation in fighting terrorism is there, the Indian side has obviously not insisted on bringing Headley to book.

The reference to the WTO’s Doha round conceals the incompatible agenda of the United States which wants to open up the markets of the developing countries while continuing to massively subsidise its own agriculture.

The Joint statement refers to India signing and ratifying the Convention on Supplementary Compensation. This is with regard to the issue of civil nuclear liability. The Indian parliament has enacted a law in which foreign suppliers can be made liable for damages in the case of a nuclear accident. The UPA government’s decision to join the Convention on Supplementary Compensation cannot circumvent the national law.

On the global climate negotiations, the US clearly has nothing to offer and the joint statement is therefore unsurprisingly confined to general remarks and platitudes. The reference to the Copenhagen Accord is misleading, when the entire world is aware that President Obama is in no position to guarantee even the minimal voluntary commitment that the US has made under the Accord.

It is unfortunate that the Mahmohan Singh government has not even raised the issue of justice for the victims of the Bhopal Gas leak which is an important matter in India-US relations.

Notwithstanding the fulsome praise for the one-sided and unequal relations with the United States in the corporate media, the real interests of the people of India are not served by such a relationship. What is required is a Indo-US relationship which is based on equality and mutual interest.