AIDWA PRESS RELEASE ON THE CRIMINAL LAW AMENDMENT BILL, 2013

AIDWA notes with disappointment that the Criminal Law Amendment Bill, 2013 passed by the UPA Government in the Lok Sabha today to amend the rape laws has not taken into consideration the objections and issues that have been repeatedly raised by AIDWA and other women's organizations. We reiterate that the opportunity to provide comprehensive justice for women who have been subjected to sexual violence should not be lost, and call for their inclusion even at this stage. Some of the objections to the Bill are as under:

• Despite comprehensive suggestions made by the Verma Committee in the laws relating to sexual assaults the bill does not change patriarchal and anti-women provisions like Sections 354 and S509 of the archaic Indian Penal Code relating to molestation and “eve teasing” .These only punish assaults and gestures which “outrage the modesty of a woman” and are demeaning and insulting to woman.

• Further, the Bill retains the marital rape exception and states that sexual intercourse or sexual acts with a wife is not rape. This is against the provisions of the Indian Constitution which considers women as equal human beings who have a right to live with dignity and be free from violence within and outside marriage. The government is however not willing to recognize and punish sexual violence within the marriage. The Verma Committee report had pointed out that this exception “stems from an outdated notion of marriage which regarded wives as no more than the property of their husbands….”.

• Apart from this, while the proposed Government Bill of 2010 had added that if rape is committed by a person in a position of social, economic and political dominance this would be considered an aggravated form of offence, the present Bill completely dilutes this suggestion and removes the words “social, economic and political” from Clause (k) under Section 376(2) of the IPC. This clause was meant to address rape which is often committed with impunity by those in positions of power on women from the most vulnerable sections of our society. Rapes by higher caste men on Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe women should be considered an aggravated form of rape.

• AIDWA and other national women’s organisations had pointed out that young boys who are in a consensual relationship with a young girl who may be between 16 and 18 years of age must be protected from the criminal consequences of statutory rape. The social reality is that there are many instances of consensual sexual activity between girls who may be between the ages of 16 and 18 and boys who may be the same age or slightly older and it would lead to injustice if these young boys were prosecuted for rape. It had therefore suggested that such consensual activity should be exempted from the purview of statutory rape provided the accused person was not more than five years older. However, this suggestion has not been inserted in the law.

Apart from this AIDWA had demanded that command responsibility must be recognized as recommended in the Verma Committee Report and made other suggestions regarding the non inclusion of death penalty in the Bill and other procedural changes which have not been inserted. AIDWA therefore demands that these changes should be incorporated in the final Act and the Bill passed in the current session of parliament to ensure substantial justice for women.

On Sri Lankan Tamils Issue

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

Though four years have passed since the end of the hostilities between the Sri Lankan army and the LTTE, no meaningful steps have been taken to address the issues of atrocities committed during the last phase of the war. Enough evidence exists about war crimes against innocent civilians. The UN Human Rights Council had adopted a resolution in March 2012 asking the Sri Lankan government to implement the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission. Since then, there has been no progress in the matter.

At the UN Human Rights Council meeting, the Government of India should take the stand that the Sri Lankan government should agree to a high level, credible and independent enquiry on the allegations of war crimes committed during the last phase of the civil war.

It is also a matter of concern that the Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa has declared that no autonomy will be given to the Tamil-speaking areas. By this, he has gone back from his own stand that something more than the 13th amendment to the Constitution can be provided in terms of devolution of power to the Tamil-speaking region. The Government of India should take up this matter and press upon the Sri Lankan government to arrive at a political settlement so that adequate power is devolved to the Tamil-speaking areas.

XV Congress of the Communist Party of Russian Federation

Our Goal is the Victory of Socialism

Sitaram Yechury

135 fraternal delegates from 91 fraternal parties attended the 15th Congress of the Communist Party of Russian Federation (CPRF), held on February 23-24. It began amidst great enthusiasm and a high level of optimism markedly different from that seen in the recent past. The significantly improved showing of the CPRF in the last elections in the Duma (parliament), and its growing role in giving meaningful inputs to issues on national agenda, are to a large extent responsible for this justifiable feel of a sense of pride in being a communist in today's Russia. During the last two decades, the Communists in Russia have gone through many trials and tribulations. Against all odds and repression, they managed to reorganise themselves initially as an underground force and fought the way to acquire the status of a legitimate political party in post Soviet Russia. Since then, they have seen many an ebb and tide in their activities and acceptance by the people. Over the years, through sheer hard work and a public display of steadfast commitment to the Russian nation and increased prosperity of its people, they have today emerged as the second largest political force and a recognised parliamentary opposition in the country.

While battling through the immediate conditions in the country, the CPRF has been increasingly rallying a large number of people around its agenda of building a better Russia, which they never hesitate to add, is the prerequisite for the re-emergence of socialism in their country. This effort of the CPRF, it must be noted, has come in the background of a severe anti-communist propaganda that is sweeping across Europe, particularly in the countries of former socialist Eastern Europe. In many of these countries there are efforts to ban the communist parties, their affiliate organisations and deny them the universal and basic human rights and liberties. All across Europe, the effort is to legitimise the equation of communism with fascism, decrying both as being anti-human. In contrast, in Russia today, Joseph Stalin and the leadership that he provided to the Soviet Red Army and the Soviet people in the mighty victory against fascism is recollected with immense pride and accomplishment. Stalin today has emerged as one of the most powerful and popular figure in the country's history. To carry a portrait or a badge of Stalin in Moscow today has become synonymous with supreme patriotism and the commitment for the creation of a better Russia.

The discussions during the Congress reflected this national milieu. The accompanied high level of enthusiasm and optimism was all the more refreshing as a large number of youth not only participated in the discussion but were elected to the central committee and more importantly to the highest authority of the CPRF, it Presidium. The 15th Congress elected 180 members to the CC and 116 alternate members to the CC through a secret ballot. The CPRF can no longer be called a party of the retired or of the nostalgic. It has now assumed the character of the party of the future. However, how this will be translated into reality was the issue on which a large part of the discussions concentrated upon.

The Congress adopted a rather longish report presented by the Chairman of the Central committee Gennady Zyuganov who has been subsequently re-elected as the Chairman by the 15th Congress. For the first time after the dismantling of the USSR and the formation of the CPRF, this report was subjected to a pre-Congress party discussion in all party units and was thoroughly discussed in the Congress. In that sense the CPRF has now emerged as a truly organised communist party with grassroot level units and intermediate level committees leading up to the central committee and the party Congress. Following the demolition of the Soviet Union, in an atmosphere of widespread disillusionment and repression unleashed against communists, a band of committed communists around Comrade Zyuganov worked tireless braving all attacks to re-build the communist party. This 15th Congress, in a sense signalled a fair degree of success in achieving this as a consequence of the work done by this committed group of communists.

For the first time since the demise of the Soviet Union, the Russian communists received not inconsiderable media attention. The CPRF's programme for the rejuvenation of Russia as a powerful industrial nation is receiving largescale support. It must be noted that in the last two decades since the Soviet Union ceased to exist, there has not been a single megawatt of power generation that has been added. Likewise, the entire infrastructure from public transport to heating, so necessary for Russian winter, etc, remains the same as it was during the last days of the Soviet Union. This in itself is a telling testimony of the superiority of socialism. The CPRF's members of parliament today head many parliamentary committees that are mandated to lay down plans and proposals for the industrial resurgence of Russia. All in all, this 15th Congress marked a qualitatively positive shift in the position and role of the communists in contemporary Russia. In the immediate Russian context, the Congress put out a programme for the rejuvenation of the country under the slogan 'Russia demands a change'.

The Congress discussed various possibilities that currently Russia is pregnant with. Comrade Zyuganov's report describes this in the following: “There may be different outcomes to the current crisis for Russia. Below are some of the scenarios:

- the establishment of a repressive, openly dictatorial regime by oligarchic capital and still greater oppression of the masses;

- accelerated processes of disintegration of Russia with the participation of external forces;

- left-wing-patriotic forces coming to power by peaceful means through bourgeois-democratic procedures;

- a social revolution as a result of a nationwide crisis that breaks out regardless of the wishes of social classes, parties and leaders.

Our party will do everything to make our programme one for the salvation of the country so that Russia’s pivot to the left be consolidated by the formation of a government of popular trust.” The Congress drew up specific plans for the transformation of Russia through accelerated development into economic growth; for Russia, that will put an end to poverty and social degradation through a change in State priorities; for a cultural upsurge that will be an indispensable condition for the revival of Russia and for a Russia with strengthened national security that will have a new foreign and defence policy.

Reiterating its commitment to proletarian internationalism based on its commitment to revolutionary ideology of Marxism-Leninism, the report concludes by stating: “World development is dialectical. With the strengthening of the forces of progress and socialism new threats to the modern world are growing. Another aspect of dialectics is that the counter-offensive of imperialism is fraught with colossal danger, but at the same time it reveals its true nature and thus contributes to the growth of revolutionary struggles.

The world is experiencing massive economic, social, political and cultural changes. These changes will have far-reaching consequences. Their outcome would depend on the actions of the entire front of the forces that oppose imperialism. Individual states and their ability to unite in pursuit of common goals will play a part. The degree of mobilisation of peoples to struggle for their sovereignty and independence will be important. The struggle of the working class and other proletarian strata for their rights will be highly significant. The balance of forces that will take shape as a result of all this will determine the future of mankind.

New vistas are opening up for the champions of socialism. The complex and contradictory situation demands from us, Communists, a profound theoretical analysis, energetic practical actions and an unerring approach to choosing the forms and methods of struggle.

The CPRF has developed and presented to society a comprehensive programme for taking Russia out of the crisis. It reflects the interests of the absolute majority of citizens. Increased support for the party in elections held in recent years means that the voters trust our position. The future activities of the CPRF will be connected with propaganda and popularisation of our programme in attempting to rally the broad masses to support it. The masses must take a conscious, persistent and creative role in the building of a new society. Following that rule, the CPRF is helping the country’s workers to understand the need for replacing capitalism and encourages them to self-organise and join class struggle.

Capitalism is dangerous. Humanity’s need to get rid of it is becoming ever more urgent. “Socialism or barbarism” – this is an increasingly stark choice.

We Communists have no right to lose that battle. Our policy is the policy of the majority. Our goal is the victory of Socialism.

(Peoples Democracy)

Left parties picket Government Offices in Andhra Pradesh against power tariff hike

Activists of the Left parties, CPIM, CPI, CPI ML, CPI ML New Democracy laid a siege to the government offices in every mandals of Andhra Pradesh against the electricity tarrif hike. Activists protest against imposition of additional Rs 720 crore Fuel Surcharge Adjustment Charges (FSAC) for second quarter of this fiscal. The leaders said the people would teach a lesson to Congress party for its anti-people policies, alleging that the Congress government had failed in all sectors.

The government was increasing power tariff and imposing surcharge at will to cover up its failure to secure adequate gas and coal to generate sufficient power, they alleged. The Congress government would incur people’s wrath in the next general elections as it was throwing a heavy burden on the people, without exploring avenues to generate power using thermal, solar, wind, hydel or gas resources, they warned. The people, farmers and industries were hard hit by the prolonged power cuts in the State, they said.

Protest Against Wal-Mart in Haryana

Even a suspicion of Wal-mart trying to gain a backdoor entry into retail trade was enough for people here to come out in protest against US multinational retail giant. Hundreds of workers of CPI(M) and mass organisations such as AIDWA, CITU, SFI and DYFI demonstrated in front of Kisan Mart being inaugurated by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda raising slogans "No To Wal-Mart". Only after police arrested around 75 protesters led by AIDWA Vice-President Jagmati Sangwan, did the chief minister able to hastily inaugurate the same mall. It is reported that Hooda government has already committed to give an entire floor in the sprawling Mall to Bharati-Walmart.

Later, addressing a public meeting here at Sriram Rangshala, in connection with the Northern Jatha of CPI(M)'s Sangharsh Sandesh Brinda Karat, Member CPI(M) Polit Bureau congratulated the anti-Wal-Mart protesters. She also warned the UPA government that it may have succeeded in manipulating a majority for it's resolution on FDI in retail, it should not be under illusion that now Wal-Mart can enter India. “People of India won't allow that and the Left along with other trade organisations will resist any such attempts on the streets.

Eastern Jatha Reaches Delhi

After traversing nearly 2650 kilometers, Eastern Jatha of the Sangharsh Sandesh, completed its journey when it reached Delhi on Thursday evening. This jatha, led by CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat started from Kolkata on 1st March. On its way, the Jatha crossed West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, through numerous towns and villages, addressing thousands of people, calling upon them to unite for the fight for alternative policies.

The Jatha spent 2 days in West Bengal, 2 days in Jharkhand, 5 days in Bihar and 4 days in UP. On its way, 33 public meetings were held – 8 in West Bengal, 5 in Jharkhand, 14 in Bihar, 6 in UP. Many roadside smaller meetings too were held. In more than 125 places jatha was received by people, raising slogans and garlanding leaders. One of the most important feature was many organisations submitted memorandums and people brought their problems to the notice of the leaders.

People from all walks of the society were present in the meetings. While steel and coal workers received Jatha in Raniganj and Durgpur in West Bengal, the last point of such felicitation was Ferozabad in UP, where glass workers, bangle makers were present. Peasants and agricultural workers were of course the majority in these gatherings. ASHA and scheme workers in their uniforms were enthusiastic in almost every area, as they have found in CPI(M) their only friend among all political parties.
 

Etawah

On Thursday, there was one public meeting in Etawah. The peasants of Etawah are fighting a grim battle against forcible land acquisition for a dedicated freight corridor of railways. Nearly 500 acres of land will be acquired, the notification for which has been issued. Peasants are offered very low compensation. CPI(M) is in the forefront demanding justice for the peasants. Already many forms of resistance movements have been organised. Peasants from this area came to attend the meeting in Kachari – the district court area. Lawyers gathered in good numbers in the meeting and welcomed the leaders. It was also reported to CPI(M) leaders that despite being the home district of Mulayam singh Yadav and his chief minister son, in Etawah hundreds of people, particularly from minorities do not have even a ration card. Many muslim women came to the meeting and submitted their grievances in writing.

Prakash Karat, while addressing the rally, said until and unless a powerful movement for alternative policies could be built, there would be no change in the lives of the poor and dispossessed.

Jatha in Delhi
The Jatha was received in Mayur Vihar by the Delhi state committee of the CPI (M). Prakash Karat addressed the gathering. After that, a convoy of vehicles accompanied the Jatha to the party Central Committee headquarters, AKG Bhavan. AK Padmanabhan, Polit Bureau member, Basudeb Acharia, Tapan Sen and Hari Singh Kang, members of the central committee led the members of the CC units in welcoming the leaders at the AKG Bhavan.

CPI(M) Khammam District Committee plans ‘chalo Hyderabad’

The CPI (M) Khammam district committee will organise a ‘chalo Hyderabad’ programme on March 16 to mount pressure on the State government allocate Rs 10,000 crore in the ensuing State budget for speedy completion of all the pending irrigation projects in the district. The party had earlier organised a 14-day long “Saagu Neeti Sadhana Maha Padayatra” involving 1000 party cadres in the district in October last year to press the demand.

Talking to mediapersons on Tuesday, CPI (M) district committee secretary P Sudarshan Rao, said the ‘Chalo Hyderabad’ programme had been planned to mount pressure on the government to earmark Rs 10,000 crore in the State budget for completing the irrigation projects including the Rajiv Sagar (Dummugudem) and Indira Sagar (Rudramkota) lift irrigation schemes. The present regime headed by Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy had finalised the tenders for Polavarm project in the dead of the night in a hasty manner, he alleged lamenting that the government was turning a blind eye towards execution of several long-pending and need-based irrigation projects such as Rajiv Sagar. The unabated suicides by the farmers were a clear pointer to the gravity of the irrigation woes of the peasants, he said stressing the need for expeditious completion of the irrigation projects in the district to find a lasting solution to the multitude of problems confronted by the farmers.

The party would stage a demonstration at the dharna chowk in the State capital on Saturday in pursuit of the demand. CPI (M) State secretary B V Raghavulu, central committee member T Veerabhadram, party floor leader in the Assembly J Ranga Reddy and a host of other senior party leaders besides the participants of the last year’s “Maha Padayatra” would take part in the dharna.

(Source : The Hindu)

Eastern Jatha in Lucknow

Eastern Jatha reached Lucknow today crossing more than 275 kilometers through central Uttar Pradesh. The journey started from Varanasi, where a big public meeting was held last night. The meeting took place in Kacchibagh area, commonly known as Bunkers’ area. It is here the artistry of famed Benarasi saris have flourished. Both handloom and powerloom weaving are being done here in almost every other house. Weavers, numbering almost 50,000 in Varanasi, are facing multi-dimensional crisis for last few years. The problem is more acute for the handloom weavers, who, by the way earned their skills through generations. Benarasi saris had to be made with intricacy and needs long hours to complete one. Handloom weavers are facing challenges from powerlooms, while in the later, workers or the actual weavers are not paid their fair share.

Weavers have formed their organization and are fighting a difficult battle for survival of the trade and their own demands. CPI(M) has strong influence among Bunkers which was reflected in the meeting on Monday evening which went on for hours. Mostly from the minorities, the weavers gathered and listened to CPI(M) leaders explaining how centre’s policies were ruining the livelihood of the people.

On Tuesday, jatha on its way was warmly received in three places in Jaunpur district. At the entrance of the district, a street corner meeting was addressed by Prakash Karat. In Jaunpur town, an unscheduled meeting had to be conducted as people were eagerly waiting with enthusiasm.

The public meeting in Sultanpur was not only quite a large one, but reverberated with enthusiasm. Peasants and agricultural workers from nearby villages attended the meeting. Most notably, students and youth participated in good numbers. Students' front is active in Sultanpur town and in the district. Many teenagers, with both red flag and flag of the student front came to listen to the leaders. They continued slogan shouting as long as the rally continued. Dalits and minorities were present in good numbers.

By evening the Jatha reached Lucknow. A public meeting was held in the field adjacent to CPI(M) state office on Vidhansabha Marg. As soon as the Jatha reached the border of Lucknow city, poor women virtually blocked the bus and garlanded leaders. In the public meeting, student and youth front activists raised slogans and sang songs with gusto.

South & West Jatha Merge in Bhopal

The Southern Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha which began its journey on February 24 from Kanyakumari and traversed through Tamilnadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra reached Bhopal on Tuesday evening. Simultaneously, the Western Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha that began its journey from Mumbai on March 08 reached Bhopal after covering Maharashtra. Both these jathas merged at a public meeting organised by the CPI(M) Madhya Pradesh state committee at Neelam Park in Bhopal. Now, one jatha will continue its journey to Delhi from tomorrow. 

CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and leader of Southern jatha S Ramachandran Pillai, addressing the gathering said there is no magic or mantra to achieve the most important and genuine demands of the people placed in this jatha programme. The only option is to conduct militant struggles and for this the people must unite overcoming all attempts to divide them on religious, regional and caste lines. He said these struggles must be waged in a consistent and continuous manner to achieve the demands relating to food, housing, wages, social justice etc. 

CPI(M) central secretariat member and Western jatha member Nilotpal Basu in his speech lambasted the UPA-II government for favouring corporates and neglecting the genuine demands of the common people. He explained the purpose of jatha programme and called upon people to join in large numbers the March 19 rally in Delhi. 

CPI(M) Polit Bureau member M A Baby, CPI(M) central secretariat member V Sreenivasa Rao, both members of Southern Jatha and CPI(M) central committee member Md Salim and CPI(M) Maharashtra state secretariat member Mariam Dhawale, both members of Western Jatha were also present. CPI(M) Madhya Pradesh unit state secretary Badal Saroj spoke in the meeting.

Earlier, the Western Jatha had an impressive meeting in Sihor town, around 40 km away from Bhopal. More than 80 per cent of participants were women, mostly agricultural workers and various scheme workers. They connected to the speeches made by jatha leaders. 

In the morning at a 'Meet the Press' held at Indore Press Club, Nilotpal Basu and Md Salim highlighted the danger of communal forces to the nation. Indore, which has been a hotbed for Hindu fundamentalist forces with most of the conspirators of Hindutva terror group coming from here, the CPI(M) leaders pointed out that internal security can be ensured when all citizens are made to live in harmony and security. Just buying up arms would not help, said Salim in reply to a question. And those who talk a lot about internal security, it is in their areas only where people are made to feel more insecure due to divisive policies.

Southern and Western Jatha enters Madhya Pradesh

On the fourth day after flag off, the Western Jatha entered Madhya Pradesh state on the afternoon of Monday, March 11 through Bharwani district bordering Maharashtra. The jatha was received at the border point by Party comrades from Madhya Pradesh state committee. Maharashtra state secretary Ashok Dhawale and AIKS state secretary Kisan Gujar accompanied the jatha till the border, from where they returned back. 

After the first meeting in Rajnagar in Bharwani district of Madhya Pradesh, again a tribal region, the jatha moved on to Mhow, the birthplace of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. After paying tributes to Ambedkar at the statue erected near his ancestral home, Yechury addressed the public meeting. He started by saying that one of the main intentions of the jatha is to underline the need for struggles to resolve the basic contradiction pointed out by Babasaheb Ambedkar when he presented the draft of Indian Constitution to the Constituent Assembly. Ambedkar had warned that unless socio-economic inequalities, where one man does not possess one value, are not removed, our political structure, where one man has one vote, will be blown asunder. Yechury said today socio-economic inequalities are growing at a fast pace in the country. He called for intensifying struggles against the neo-liberal economic policies that are the root cause of such growing inequality.

Earlier in the morning, the jatha's Maharashtra leg of the journey concluded with an impressive public meeting in Prakasha village in the tribal dominated Nandurbar district with over 4000 tribals attending it. As was recurrent through out this leg, tribal women dominated in numbers. The jatha was received few kilometres from Prakasha by a contingent of around 100 red volunteer motorcyclists.

As the convoy reached the venue, it was greeted by a large group of tribal men and women with traditional music and dance. The rhythmic beat from two huge drums, accompanied with howling sounds of the youth and the gracious steps of women, both old and young, charged the atmosphere. Yechury, Nilotpal Basu, Mohd Salim, Mariam Dhawale and Ashol Dhawale walked with the sloganeering crowd for around a kilometre to reach the venue. The leaders were given traditional tribal headgear before the start of the meeting. Yechury called upon the gathering to come and join the March 19 public meeting in Delhi which would give a clarion call for struggles to better the lives of common masses. Others also addressed the gathering.

At a press conference at the government rest house in Nandurbar town, Yechury said there is growing pressure from below within political parties that were pursuing neo-liberal economic policies to change course. He cited the case of Samajwadi party that had protested on the streets against FDI in retail but supported the government in parliament on the same issue. He said the struggles outside would help in forcing such parties leadership to change course.

The fourth day of jatha concludes with a public meeting in the night in Indore city.

Nagpur welcomed the Southern Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha with receptions at different points in the city on March 10. The first reception was at Khapri where the workers from Central Institute of Cotton Research, students, youth and women welcomed the Jatha. There were two other receptions in the city and comrades led the way in bikes. The Jatha vehicle was taken through the crowded streets of Nagpur to a hall meeting at the Shikshak Sahakari Bhavan. The meeting was addressed by the Jatha leaders. Over 500 people from all sections of society attended the hall meeting. Notably leaders of other Left and Democratic Parties like CPI, Forward Bloc, All India Bolshevik Party and the Republican Party of India also attended the meeting.

On 11th March the Jatha left early for Madhya Pradesh and travelled over 350 kilometres. The Jatha was received at Sosar on the Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh border by comrades. There were meetings at 3 places today, at Chhindwara, Kareli and Ghadwara in Narasinghpur District. At Kareli, the Jatha members marched for about a kilometre through the market place with slogan shouting comrades accompanying them. A press conference was held at Kareli. At Ghadarwara comrades were waiting despite the 4 hour delay in the arrival of the Jatha. M.A.Baby and Ramnarayan Kuraria Secretary, Madhya Pradesh Kisan Sabha addressed the gathering.

On the 12th of March the day began with a reception and meeting at Saalichowka in Narassinghpur District. Comrades received the Jatha with slogans and the beating of the “Dhol”. A meeting was held which was addressed by S.Ramachandran Pillai, Ramnarayan Kuraria and Salil Shukla CITU leader.