Dalits separated by wall at colony

A 20-metre-long and 10-feet-high brick wall of near two decades old here separates 200 Dalit families from others.The wall, called by them as the ‘untouchable wall of Salem' is separating Raman colony where they, all Arunthathiyars, are living from VOC Nagar located on the other side of wall where many, a majority of them caste Hindus, are residing. The wall, running parallel to a drainage channel along Gandhi Mahan Street, has shut an easy access to main road on the other side.

The Dalits allege that the controversial wall was constructed some two decades back by a private person ‘to prevent the overflowing drainage waters from the adjoining colony to enter into his land.' “We are told that the wall was erected on both patta and porombok lands for which we need a resurvey,” demand Dalit youths who have taken up the issue with support from Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI).

They allege that their children have to take a circuitous route to reach the main road to go to schools.“The sick and elderly are suffering the worst. It is constructed on poromboke land,” said Pon Saravanan, urban secretary, DYFI. Many vouchsafe the same. As the sewage water gets stagnated, the entire area is stinking with scores of pigs roaming freely. 

M. P. Kandasamy, a 70-year-old Dalit, said that the wall has been put up for about 20 years. “It should be demolished and a way for us must be opened,” he insisted, while 40- year old Devakani said Salem Corporation had taken no steps so far to improve the colony's sanitary conditions. “We are boxed in with wall on one side and pools of sewers on other side,” she claimed. 

But those who are living in VOC Nagar on the other side of wall said they had purchased plots and constructed houses after spending their hard-earned money. “We are here to live peacefully in a good and hygienic environment and we are against any discrimination. We have not constructed the wall,” said a resident. A majority of them have moved in recently there. 

Salem Tahsildar D. Kumaresan told The Hindu that he was asked to conduct an enquiry into the claims on the disputed wall.“I will visit the spot tomorrow and after surveying it, I will submit a report. Many claimed that the wall could have been constructed on both private and porombok lands. I have called for land records and accordingly we will act,” he said.

(Courtesy : R. Ilangovan, The Hindu)

CPIM Dharna for effective anti-corruption laws in Jammu Kashmir

State Secretary of Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Member of Assembly from Kulgam, Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami on Wednesday demanded framing of effective laws for weeding out corruption and to break what he termed the politician-bureaucrat nexus in the state.

“State Accountability Commission is a dead organization. It is headless and defunct for the past few years. Our demand is that government should make the body functional at an earliest to take on corruption. Our vigilance (commission) doesn’t have the courage to lay hands on big sharks,” he said addressing a protest rally of CPI (M) here against corruption and inflation.

The leader demanded a Lokpal-type legislation in Jammu and Kashmir for curbing the menace.
Castigating government for “failing to curb corruption”, Tarigami said, “Tall promises about taking action against the corrupt politicians and bureaucrats and tax evaders by the authorities have proven hoax.” “I want to ask the State government what happened to the promises made by them in and outside Assembly about taking on the corrupt officials,” he questioned.
Tarigami also appealed the political parties, civil society groups and intellectuals in the state to wage a united fight over both the issues.

About the campaign, he said, “This is the part of the nationwide campaign of the Left parties against price rise and corruption.” Tarigami urged India and Pakistan to continue dialogue process for the resolution of Kashmir issue. “I appeal India and Pakistan to stop fighting with each other and do justice with Kashmiris. We don’t want peace of a graveyard, but we seek its restoration with dignity,” Tarigami said. The CPI (M) leader said Kashmiris hail the firm stand of both the countries to carry forward the dialogue process after Mumbai blasts.

“It was heartening to see that the peace process was not derailed in the wake of blasts and we hope that they will go ahead with the same spirit,” he said. Tarigami urged State Government to amend the Public Safety Act – which allows two-year detention without trial.
“To make the law more humane, the government should bring an amendment in the upcoming session of state legislature,” he said.

General Secretary of Kissan Tehreek, Ghulam Nabi Malik, while expressing concern over inflation said the price hike on petrol, diesel and cooking gas has severely affected the life of common man. “We wouldn’t sit as mute spectator and will raise our voice against the hike,” he said.

Hundreds of CPI (M) cadres marched from TRC ground to Press Enclave Lal Chowk shouting slogans like “expose the corrupt officials” demanding immediate steps to curb inflation and to end corruption at the bureaucratic and political level.
(Courtesy : Greater Kashmir)

Reject US Demand on Civil Nuclear Liability

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

The United States continues to exercise pressure on the Indian government to dilute the Civil Nuclear Liability law which was adopted by parliament. This has become evident from the statement made by US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, in Delhi asking India to engage with the International Atomic Energy Agency to ensure that the nuclear liability law “fully conforms” with the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage (CSC). The CSC does not provide for suppliers’ liability in the event of a nuclear accident.

The Indian government should reject this suggestion. The IAEA is only a depository for the Convention and cannot judge a law passed by parliament.

The UPA government has been vacillating and seeking to accommodate the US concerns which are primarily the interests of its nuclear industry. The Civil Nuclear Liability Act was passed in parliament after compelling the government to accept section 17(b) which provides for foreign suppliers liability. This national law should prevail over any international convention.

The Civil Nuclear Liability Act has not yet been notified and come into force, even though nearly a year has passed since its adoption by parliament. Nor the rules under the Act have been placed before parliament. The UPA government should explain why this has not been done.

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) demands that the UPA government firmly adhere to the law as established with regard to nuclear liability of foreign suppliers. This is all the more necessary after the Fukushima disaster. Instead of the private company which operates the reactors or the foreign suppliers, billions of dollars are being spent by the Japanese government after the nuclear accident to clean-up and rehabilitate those affected.

West Bengal Left Front to organize march to Assembly and Lok Sabha in August

The Left Front has decided to organize a march to the State Assembly and stage a mass demonstration in front of the Lok Sabha on August 10 and 25 respectively to protect democratic rights and in protest against State-sponsored terrorism in West Bengal. The Front chairman Biman Basu said the Left Front at its last meeting on July 18 took a decision to let the Left and democratic minded people all over the country know about the new edition of terror that had been added to the already existent State-sponsored terror programme in West Bengal under Trinamool-Congress rule.

The new government headed by Mamata Banerjee has taken the side of landlords indulging in large scale eviction of bargadars and patta-holders with the help of Trinamool activists in rural Bengal. Now the government has launched fresh attack by not allowing the Left Front-governed panchayats to function freely. The pradhans of various Front-governed panchayat bodies are being threatened by Trinamool Congress cadres since the declaration of the Assembly election results in May. They are dictating the pradhans. A section of block development officers are hands-in-glove with the ruling party workers.

Left parties kept in dark about Darjeeling agreement : Strong Opposition Against inclusion of Terai and Dooars in new set-up

The Left parties in West Bengal have been kept in dark about the content of the tripartite agreement paving the way for the formation of Goorkhaland Territorial Administration. The agreement is going to be signed at Pintel village near Sukna in Darjeeling on July 18.

Surya Kanta Mishra, Leader of the Opposition, is surprised to know that he has been invited to be present at the time of signing of the agreement at a time when he is unaware of the content of the agreement. The agreement GTA will be signed between the State and Central governments and the GorkhaMuktiMorcha. Expressing concern over signing of the July 18 agreement Mishra said the CPI(M) and other Left Front parties were from the beginning opposed to the demand both of the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) and of the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) for a separate State in Darjeeling. “What we wanted is more autonomous status of the existing Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) and its real democratic functioning,” he said.

Mishra said aiming at this talks started between the Central and State governments and the GJM during the Left Front regime. The talks yielded towards positive result and it was admitted by the Centre. The then Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya also convened an all-party meeting although the Trinamool Congress did not participate in the meeting. At the meeting a draft memorandum of agreement was also adopted.

But the present Trinamool government, said Leader of the Opposition Mishra, without discussing the issue either in the Assembly or at any all-party meeting had initiated bipartite talks ignoring the consistence of the earlier tripartite meetings. “The content of the agreement going to be signed on July 18 between the State government and the GJM was neither made known to the people nor to us. We have to know from media sources that some additional Mouzas in Teraqi and Dooars are going to brought under the new administrative set up called Gorkhaland Territorial Administration against which we have strong opposition. Besides, we want debate and discussion about the name of the proposed administrative set up in the State Assembly,” Mishra said.

Meanwhile, a total bandh was observed in Siliguri in Darjeeling district on July 15 against the adoption of the name Gorkhaland in the agreement and proposed move to include a few “mouzas” of Terai and Dooars in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration. The bandh was also observed in many areas in Jalpaiguri district. Left Front on behalf of the Darjeeling District Committee appealed to the people not to participate in the bandh as because such a bandh would encourage a section of disruptive elements. The bandh was called by AdivasiBikashParishad and Bangla and Bangla Vasa Bachao Committee.

Left parties kick soff anti-corruption campaign in Manipur

The state units of several Left parties have launched a week-long democratic movement against corruption and other social ills in Manipur. The stir will be carried out in a phased manner at all district headquarters of the state.

On Friday, activists of the CPI, CPI (M), Forward Bloc and RSP kicked off the first phase of the movement at Aribam Mandhop in the Singjamei area of Imphal. During the campaign, the parties will call for adoption of an effective Lokpal Bill legislation, a national judicial commission to curb corruption in the judiciary and action against corruption by big businessmen in connivance with politicians.

L Thoiren Singh, the assistant secretary of Manipur state council of CPI , said the campaign will seek implementation of electoral reforms, checking use of money in elections, unearthing of black money and bringing back illegal money stashed abroad.

CPI(M), CPC to promote stronger India-China relations

Anantha Krishnan (The Hindu)

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of China have agreed to strengthen exchanges and to work together to promote the development of India-China relations, officials from both parties have said.

Sitaram Yechury, member of the Polit Bureau of the CPI(M), held talks with senior CPC officials, including China's top diplomat and State Councilor Dai Bingguo here on Thursday.

Mr. Dai told Mr. Yechury China wanted to increase mutual trust with India and take forward bilateral ties “from a long-term strategic standpoint”, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

Bilateral relationship had maintained “a good momentum of development and faces unprecedented advancement opportunities,” added Mr. Dai, who is also a member of the CPC's Central Committee and is China's highest-ranked official on foreign policy issues.

The Chinese diplomat said as the “two biggest emerging and developing countries”, India and China needed to strengthen communication and cooperation and help promote “the overall competitiveness and influence of developing countries”.

In recent years, the CPC has pushed forward party-to-party exchanges with Indian political parties from across the political spectrum, inviting officials from the Congress and more recently, hosting BJP president Nitin Gadkari in January.

The CPC, however, has particularly close historical ties with the CPI(M). Mr. Yechury said the CPI(M) “valued its traditional friendship with the CPC” and was ready to expand exchanges “to promote a sound and stable development of India-China relations”.

“The Communist Party of India hopes to play a positive role in maintaining the good development of bilateral relations and help further ties between the two sides,” Xinhua quoted Mr. Yechury as saying.

Left to campaign against Corruption in Haryana

CPI(M) and CPI will undertake a weeklong special drive against corruption all over Haryana from July 15, 2011. In a joint press release CPI(M) state secretary Inderjit Singh and his CPI counterpart Raghubir Chaudhary have announced that corruption scandals of the UPA-2 as well as those flourishing under Congress government in Haryana will be highlighted with the demand to its effective curb through tough measures including enactment of an effective Lok Pal legislation.

Units of both Left parties have already chalked out the campaign mode involving distribution of handbills and pamphlets, street corner meetings, picketing government offices etc. exposing the unholy alliance of ruling class politicians, corporate sector and the bureaucracy which was working overtime to facilitate the loot of public money and natural resources.

Left leaders have stated that the neo-liberal policies in vogue since early 90s have proved to be fountainhead of corruption as evident in the scale and amount of loot in the mega-corruption scandals exposed during recent years. They have alleged that corruption was rampant in Haryana from top to bottom though land acquisition for builders, arbitrary system for change of land use, lavish misuse of Red Cross funds ,MGNREGS ,bribes in jobs etc. The policy of public- private-partnership was being made a conduit to transfer public resources in the private hands. The recent episode of unceremonious ousting of a Haryana Minister and a Chief Parliamentary Secretary following allegations of bribes for government jobs followed by the sensational murder of two complaining cousins was mere the tip of an iceberg of corruption in the state, the Left leaders allege.

Haroa is still bleeding

Haroa in North 24 parganas is bleeding. In a bid to drive away poor farmers from their land and prevent them from cultivation organized attacks have been resorted to by landlords with the help of Trinamool land-grabbers and police. While the situation in Haroa is explosive the trend is similar everywhere in rural Bengal with landlords engaging Trinamool goons against bargadars or sharecroppers who achieved immense benefit through land reforms programme during the three decades of Left Front government. The bargadars were recorded getting hereditary right to cultivate land of landowners and among pattadars khas or government land were distributed for cultivation.

Now, emboldened by the installation of the Trinamool government organized attacks are being mounted on them by landlords with the help of Trinamool goons under the protection of police. Massive eviction of poor peasants is taking place everywhere in rural Bengal.

Most heinous attack has taken place at Haroa in North 24-parganas. A wide area is virtually under siege after Assembly elections. In the first week of July a massive eviction drive took place in which 7063 bighas ( one bigha is nearly one-third of an acre) of land have been snatched away from nearly 10,ooo peasants, mostly bargadars and patta-holders.

On July 9, when evicted peasants assembled at a place called Gazitala in Haroa to resist forcible eviction Trinamool land-grabbers armed with deadly weapons attacked them from different direction. Thereafter, they swooped down upon nearby villages, forced peasants to stop work in fields, posted Trinamool flags , destroyed cultivation and burnt makeshift shelters of peasants, locally known as ‘ala ghar.’ In Tentulia, nearly 12,00 bighas were taken over. In the face of stiff resistance, police arrived in the spot and opened fire injuring six peasants.

Aided by the police Trinamool land-grabbers has already in organized armed operations evicted more than 20,000 poor peasants, mostly bargadars and patta-holders in different districts of West Bengal. While in Haroa at Barasat in north 24-parganas alone recorded an eviction figure of more than 10,000,in West Midnapore and Birbhum the number of sharecroppers and patta-holders evicted are more than 3000 each. The reports of eviction are also available from Bankura and Hooghly.The Trinamool activists have been in many places engaged by Jotedars and Zamindars whose lands are used be cultivated by bargadars. Now with the help of Trinamool goons they are trying to evict the bargadars or sharecroppers.

CPI(M) will make a turnaround: Buddhadeb

Former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today said his party, the CPI(M) will make a turnaround. "We must bring change in state politics. We are prepared to fight against all odds. It will be absolutely wrong, if the new government thinks it will be able to dominate us. We will make a turnaround," Bhattacharjee said.

He said that the party was keeping watch on developments in the Darjeeling hills and junglemahal and other areas and would react at an appropriate time. Thousands of party workers were rendered homeless after the declaration of election results following violence by the ruling Trinamool Congress, he alleged at a rally to protest violence against party workers and the hike in price of diesel, kerosene and LPG.

He blamed the Mamata Banerjee government for failure to contain the violence against party workers despite repeated requests. Demanding that party offices 'captured' by Trinamool Congress be returned, he alleged, "Trinamool Congress workers are doing this in connivance with the police.

"Even share-croppers and patta-holders are not allowed to cultivate their land by ruling party workers." Criticising the increase in prices of petroleum products, Bhattacharjee said that this had resulted in hike in prices of all essential commodities.

"Despite our protests, the Centre remains indifferent and no steps have been taken," he said.