THUNDERBOLT

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Stop US Surveillance : CPIM

The recent exposure in the media of the US National Security Agency (NSA) mining internet and telephone data for intelligence purposes violates the sovereignty of nations and the privacy of individuals who use such internet services. The media revelations indicate that major telecom companies such as Verizon, AT&T and internet companies such as Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Apple and Facebook have, in effect, become tools of the US government under the PRISM project. They also intercept cable lines for this purpose.

It is significant that India is a major target of such intelligence gathering. It is the fifth largest target of such snooping, even ahead of countries such as China and Russia. The US official defense, including President Obama’s own response, is that the NSA was spying only on “foreigners”; no US citizens’s privacy was violated and no US laws were broken; and this was being done in the US national interest.

It is now clear that the current control of internet and its global governance under a US Department of Commerce contract means that the US government controls the internet. With the increase of internet’s importance to global communications, the dangers of such untrammeled control for other countries and the rights of its citizens are now clear. India must immediately protest on such violation of its citizen’s rights and violation of its sovereignty.

Not only should the government of India protest against the intrusive intelligence gathering by the US with the help of companies such as Microsoft, Google, Yahoo and Facebook etc, but India should also join hands with other countries to make these companies accountable to people who use their services across the globe. India must also press for an immediate initiative to democratize internet governance and ensure that the US intelligence agencies do not override the sovereignty of countries and the rights of individuals.

The state has turned into a place of anarchy LF won’t let Panchayat Election a farce : Biman Basu

The state government and its police administration and State Election Commission too have completely failed to do everything what they earlier promised to the Honourable Court to follow the order of holding fair and peaceful Panchayat election in the state. The state has in turn transformed into a place of anarchy, where no law and order prevails in the state, said the Left Front Chairman Biman Basu while addressing the press.

While questioning the role of the Governor in such a disastrous situation Biman Basu said that what should be the role of a Governor in such a situation? He should not remain silent and inactive. The Left Front would submit deputation claiming an active role from his end. The Left Front delegation will also meet Chairman, State Election Commission too. We will further organize sit-in agitation, said Biman Basu.

Reiterating the law and order situation in the state Biman Basu said that the state government does not perform it duty to maintain the situation peaceful. This won’t be tolerated anyway. Trinamool Congress and their government are doing mockery to the democratic situation in the state. The Left Front at this point will fight for democracy.

While detailing about the nomination filing situation in the state Biman Basu said that in many areas the opposition parties could not file nominations. In many areas the threatening continues after filing nominations. The bike force of Trinamool Congress is giving pressures to withdraw nominations. This seriously harms participatory democratic forms what was a major contribution of Left front government. Voters are now being allowed to participate in election process. Trinamool Congress is a non-democratic party and they do not allow democracy to prevail in the state.

On the brutal rape and murder of the College student in Barasat Biman Basu said that in the regime of a woman Chief Minister the state is witnessing regular such atrocities against women. The government remains silent and ignorant too. He also sharply criticized how the journalists were beaten and molested by Trinamool Congress in Barackpore.

The Left Front allies unanimously decided not to let the panchayat election a mockery to the democracy. We will fight together to restore democracy.

The state government and its police administration and State Election Commission too have completely failed to do everything what they earlier promised to the Honourable Court to follow the order of holding fair and peaceful Panchayat election in the state. The state has in turn transformed into a place of anarchy, where no law and order prevails in the state, said the Left Front Chairman Biman Basu while addressing the press.
While questioning the role of the Governor in such a disastrous situation Biman Basu said that what should be the role of a Governor in such a situation? He should not remain silent and inactive. The Left Front would submit deputation claiming an active role from his end. The Left Front delegation will also meet Chairman, State Election Commission too. We will further organize sit-in agitation, said Biman Basu.
Reiterating the law and order situation in the state Biman Basu said that the state government does not perform it duty to maintain the situation peaceful. This won’t be tolerated anyway. Trinamool Congress and their government are doing mockery to the democratic situation in the state. The Left Front at this point will fight for democracy.
While detailing about the nomination filing situation in the state Biman Basu said that in many areas the opposition parties could not file nominations. In many areas the threatening continues after filing nominations. The bike force of Trinamool Congress is giving pressures to withdraw nominations. This seriously harms participatory democratic forms what was a major contribution of Left front government. Voters are now being allowed to participate in election process. Trinamool Congress is a non-democratic party and they do not allow democracy to prevail in the state.
On the brutal rape and murder of the College student in Barasat Biman Basu said that in the regime of a woman Chief Minister the state is witnessing regular such atrocities against women. The government remains silent and ignorant too. He also sharply criticized how the journalists were beaten and molested by Trinamool Congress in Barackpore.
The Left Front allies unanimously decided not to let the panchayat election a mockery to the democracy. We will fight together to restore democracy. - See more at: http://www.cpimwb.org.in/current_topic_details.php?topic_id=400#sthash.VgbWf16h.dpuf

Friday, June 7, 2013

One more Untouchability wall demolished in Tamil Nadu on the intervention of TNUEF

A temple and a wall built on the road to a Dalit colony in Dharmapuri District six months ago was demolished by municipal authorities on Thursday. These structures were constructed on the road between Ambedkar Colony of the Dalits and Gandhi Nagar where caste-Hindus resided.

Officials said in September last year, M. Kanchana of Ambedkar Colony lodged a complaint with the Dharmapuri Municipality that caste-Hindus of Gandhi Nagar had constructed a wall 10 years ago to block the way to her colony, forcing the Dalits to take a circuitous route to their colony. While they continued to endure this, the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front (TNUEF) began in 2009 a series of protests to have the wall removed. But, there was no solution.

A. Kumar, district convener of the TNUEF told that the organisation had held many agitations, including one on March 14 this year, to demand the demolition of the temple and the wall. It had also represented to District Collector and Superintendent of Police for action.

Ms. Kanchana submitted a petition to the municipality on September 13, last year, seeking demolition of the wall. Meanwhile, the residents of Gandhi Nagar constructed the temple on the road.

Officials said that after verifying the land records, they found that the temple and the wall were built to block the path. The wall and the temple were demolished on Thursday morning. This was carried out in three hours, in the face of protest from the residents of Gandhi Nagar, A. Gurusamy, Commissioner (in-charge) of Dharmapuri Municipality said. Police were posted at the spot to prevent violence.

When asked why the civic body took eight months since the submission of petition to demolish the wall, Mr. Gurusamy said two rounds of talks with residents of both colonies were held to find an amicable solution. When the municipality saw that those who built the temple and the wall were not willing to remove these, it decided to demolish the structures.

Kisan Rally in Haryana

Leaders of All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) today made a scathing attack over the ruinous policies pursued by both Central and state governments while holding these responsible for indebtedness of the peasantry. A member of the Central Kisan Council of the AIKS Hannan Mollah a former MP revealed that one farmer was compelled to commit suicide every half an hour in India owing to the fact that farming was no longer a viable and sustainable profession. Addressing a large rally of the farmers on the occasion of three day state conference of Haryana Kisan Sabha he asked the farmers and agriculture workers to unite and launch struggles in order to reverse retrograde policies.

AIKS national Vice- President Amra Ram, MLA (Rajasthan) accused the Congress governments of Haryana and Rajasthan of fraudulently taking away farmers prime lands and handing these lands over to Robert Vadra for appeasement of Smt. Sonia Gandhi. He held both Congress and BJP for following similar economic policies. Jatinder Chaudhary a minister in the Tripura government highlighted the achievements of CPI(M) led Left Front government by stating that land was distributed to all landless, power was given free for tube wells, education was imparted free to all upto college level and total literacy has been achieved by the state. He said that their government was never making propaganda of these achievements unlike Bhupinder Hooda government claiming the state as number one though the farmers were deprived of subsidies in fertilizers, seeds, pesticides ets.

AIDWA all India Vice-President Jagmati Sangwan called upon the women to stand up and launch social movements unitedly with struggling farmers against female foeticide, alcoholism, violence against women, casteism and other social evils. CPI(M) state secretary Inderjit Singh asked the gathering to grasp the challenge posed to the livelihood and dignity of toilig masses and strive to alter the policies of neo-liberalism which have benefited only the selected vested interests and MNCs.

Others addressing the Kisan rally were Harpal Singh ex- MLA, Phool Singh Sheokand and Pradeep Singh, general secretary, President and Treasurer of AIKS Haryana. They asked where the jobs promised as a result of setting up of SEZs in lieu of huge amounts of lands acquired by the companies who were now being allowed to change the land use through corrupt practices at the official level.
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President and Treasurer of AIKS Haryana. They asked where the jobs promised as a result of setting up of SEZs in lieu of huge amounts of lands acquired by the companies who were now being allowed to change the land use through corrupt practices at the official level.

Trinamool Wins in Howrah, Lost Total Votes of 157,714; Disillusionment is the ‘Real’ Mandate

Left Front Achieves 4.85% Vote Increase compared to 2011 Assembly Elections

Howrah Lok Sabha by-election has shown a clear disillusionment with the ruling Trinamool Congress that resulted in a massive slide in Trinamool vote bank. The margin of 184,000 votes in 2011 election in all seven constituencies has gone down to just 27,000 votes. This proves a major setback of Trinamool Congress and their vote bank in Howrah.
This time in Howrah Lok Sabha constituency the total vote cast was 954,381 out of the total voters of more than 14 lakhs. Out of the total votes cast Trinamool candidate got 426,381 votes and Left Front candidate Sreedip Bhattacharya got 399,422. The Congress candidate bagged 96,743. BJP has withdrawn their candidate for an untold alliance with the ruling party. The margin however comes down to just 26,965 votes whereas in the last assembly election in all seven assembly segments the total margin was 184,679. The difference of margin Trinamool congress lost is 157,714.
The Left Front candidate Sreedip Bhattacharya has considered the election result quite positive and optimistic for Left Front in the coming days. ‘In the last assembly election we lost in all seven constituencies by heavy margins. But this time not only the margin comes down, the total votes in favour of Left Front have increased considerably. We have won in two constituencies also. This definitely has ensured our moral victory.
The BJP state President Rahul Sinha in a press meet has overtly confessed that Trinamool Congress has won due to the withdrawal of BJP candidate. It was not possible for Trinamool Congress to win the Lok Sabha seat without support of their voters.
This time the most important aspect of this by-election is the increase of Left Front vote. In 2011 the percentage of vote in all seven constituencies Left front bagged was 37%. But this year the favoured vote has increased up to 41.85%. The clear increase is 4.85%.
Biman Basu
People of Howrah have experienced incessant lying, false promises, and fancied concept of development in the last two years. People have already experienced the ‘so called change’ not at all beneficial for their lives, said Left Front Chairman and CPI(M) state secretary Biman Basu.
Trinamool Congress has won the seat by intimidating common voters, attacking opposition workers. The election was accomplished amid massive terror in different areas of the constituency. Left Front agents were not allowed to sit in the booths. They would not have won the election if they did not intimidate voters for seven days before election. He however congratulated the people of Howrah for casting their votes amid such a terror crisis.
People have witnessed in last two years the performance of Trinamool Congress. People of this state are now feeling deceived of the so called ‘change’.

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

On Central Information Commission order

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) cannot accept the order of the Central Information Commission that political parties are to be treated as “public authorities” and brought under the purview of the Right to Information Act. This decision is based on a fundamental misconception about the role of political parties in a parliamentary democracy.

The CIC order states that “six national parties are substantially financed by the Central Government and therefore they are held to be public authorities under the Act”. This is untrue because the bulk of the funding and finances for the parties do not come from the government or any State institution. In fact, the CPI(M) does not even accept funds from the corporates which is legally permissible.

One of the concerns of the CIC seems to be transparency of the funding and finances of political parties. At present according to the law all political parties are required to submit their accounts to the Income Tax department and the Election Commission. Already under the RTI, the statement of accounts and the finances of the parties are accessible to anyone from the Election Commission. Any more details of the financing of the Party can be sought for and has to be given. The CPI(M) has from the outset taken the stand that the financial statements and accounts of a party should be publicly available.

But this does not mean that a political party has to be treated as a public authority. This will interfere with and hamper the functioning of a political party. A political party is a voluntary association of citizens who believe in the ideology, programme and leadership of the party. That party is accountable to its membership. To apply the Right to Information Act and demand access to the internal deliberations of the party whether it be on policy matters, organisational decisions or selection of candidates will constitute a serious infringement of the inner-party functioning, confidentiality of discussions and undermine the political party system itself. Opponents of a political party can utilise the RTI as an instrument to destabilise a party.

Given the serious implications of this order of the CIC for the political party system and parliamentary democracy, the matter should be discussed by the Government with all political parties so that suitable steps can be taken to preserve the integrity and the role of political parties in a democratic political system.

AIDWA PAYS HOMAGE TO DR. VINA MAZUMDAR.

From India News Network (INN)

New Delhi, May 30: AIDWA deeply mourns the passing away of Dr. Vina Mazumdar, our beloved Vinadi on May 30th, 2013.Vinadi was a symbol of much that was of value and worthy of emulation in the generation to which she belonged. A generation of many ‘firsts’ for women like her – a generation born in colonial India that lived through the halcyon days of the freedom movement and grew to adulthood in free India; a generation that breathed and lived on the words and deeds of Rabindranath Tagore, the revolutionaries of Bengal and Punjab, Mahatma Gandhi, dedicated teachers and family elders who had newly imbibed the joys of education and enlightenment. It was a generation fired with the desire to serve a newly independent nation using all the tools that a modern education could provide. Above all, Vinadi, represented the first generation of Indian women who had not only accessed the hitherto forbidden delights of all that a first class education in an Indian metropolis and a foreign university could provide, but also enjoyed the freedom to enter into a profession, determined to make a difference and leave a mark.

Very soon, she became an educationist who trained young minds to think and question wherever she went. She herself always remained open to new sources of knowledge, always aware of what she did not know but also unflinching in her clear-headed commitment to a socialist vision of emancipation. In 1971, she was appointed Member Secretary of the Committee to study the Status of Women in India set up by the Government. This was another turning point in her eventful life. The work of the Committee that went around the country listening to women in villages, cities in towns who belonged to every strata and class and what they heard brought home the unequal status of the mass of Indian women for whom little had changed and for whom Independence was a word that mocked their own reality. Always a crusader for social change, Vinadi focused on the struggle for womens’ equality once the work of the Commission had been completed. As she herself has said, she became, more than ever ‘activist and critic, academic and mobiliser, publicist and propogandist’. Along with colleagues like Lotika Sarkar, she founded the Center for Women’s Development Studies and dedicated the rest of her life to providing a unique bridge between womens’ movements, of which she was an important participant, and womens’ studies, of which she was a pioneer.

AIDWA is proud of the close relationship we shared with Vinadi. She inaugurated the first and founding conference of the organization in l981 in Madras and remained a source of inspiration, advice and unbounding love and affection.

Today we salute the memory of a great woman, a great academic, a great path breaker and a great comrade without whom the womens movement will be much the poorer. A line from Rabindranath Tagore was very dear to her – “The wonder of it all makes me sing”. A life like Vinadi’s has brought much wondrous music into the lives of innumerable women in so many corners of our country.

AIDWA mourns her passing and offers heartfelt condolences to all her children and grandchildren, so many of whom are treading the paths down which she was among the first to venture.

CPI(M) dharna to press their demands in Manipur

CPI (M) Manipur State Committee staged a demonstration raising 10 demands in front of FCI Godown of Imphal West on 30th May. Besides the members, the protest was participated by sympathisers, workers and students. According to State Secretary of the party’s CPI (M) committee, they are calling for among others the execution of land reforms policies and distribution of free lands to landless people.

The other demands included provision of 35 kg of rice to each household at a rate of Rs two per kg, rectification of the wrong insertions in APL and BPL families, restriction of wrongful trading in food items and other essential items, prohibition to entry of private parties in health and education sectors, augmentation in budget for health and education and implementation of Right to Education Act.

With regards to opening of more employment opportunities, the CPI (M) has called for enticing more private investment and lifting of ban on recruitment of state employees and immediate filling up of existing posts including htose of ST, SC and OBC, and calculation of minimum wages based on price indexes. The demonstration further called for repeal of AFSPA and other draconian laws, regulation of extortion and abduction cases along the national highways connected to Manipur and free access to movement of freight trucks and passenger buses there and establishment of a highway protection force. The left party further reiterated the demands for reservation of seats for women at both the Parliament and State Assemblies.

Saturday, June 1, 2013

CPIM activists courted arrest in Rajastan as part of National Campaign

Jaipur Collectorate

CPIM activists courted arrests across Rajastan on Friday as part of its pan India protests from May 15 to 31 on public issues like FDI, inflation and corruption in government functioning.

The protest in Jaipur was led by party general secretary Prakash Karat, who addressed a public gathering at the Collectorate Circle, before courting arrest with hundreds of party comrades.

"Our protests will continue till the government brings in land reforms, checks price rise, distributes land lease deeds to the homeless and provides 35kg wheat at the rate of Re 1 per kg under the public distribution system (PDS)," Karat said.

Hanumangarh

Shikkar

Sreeganganagar

Udaipur

The CPI(M) leader also said party's demand was to provide 35kg wheat under the PDS, but the UPA-II was adamant at giving only 25kg wheat at the rate of Re 1. He claimed that the Union government's policies were aimed at benefiting the capitalists at the cost of the common man. The government has failed to ensure jobs for the urban youths unlike the rural poor getting employment under the MGNREGS, he added.

Left Front defies Kolkata police ban

Challenging the police, which has banned law violation programmes in the city, the Left Front defied the directive here on Friday with its leaders courting arrest in support of their various demands. They later asserted that in the future they would organise such programmes without seeking the permission of the police.

Though security arrangements for the programme at Rani Rashmoni Avenue in the heart of the city were elaborate, not seen in the recent times, and the venue hemmed in with barricades put up by the police, there was no untoward incident as was anticipated by the administration. Besides deploying thousands of police personnel, water cannons were stationed nearby and a crane atop which the police kept a watch on developments below.

Soon after a rally preceding the law violation programme, senior Left Front leaders and their supporters tried to breach the barricade. But before they could break through, the police announced that all were being taken into custody. A judicial magistrate present there granted unconditional bail to those arrested moments later.

Senior Left Front leaders, including its chairperson Biman Bose and leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Surya Kanta Mishra, however, refused to leave the venue and held a sit-in demonstration for about an hour. They dispersed after announcing that they would continue organising law violation programmes without informing the authorities.

“Look how much force has been deployed there. I have never seen a deployment,” Mr. Bose said, adding that the posting of so many police personnel at the spot could not have been done unless one has lost one’s mind.

“Where in the world is there such a rule stipulating that the Opposition will not be allowed to participate in law violation programmes?” he asked.

Speaking at the public rally, Mr. Mishra alleged that the State government was violating existing laws and Constitutional provisions on a daily basis.

“The number of times you will violate laws, we will organise such law violations programmes. Your violation of laws and our protests will continue,” he said, referring to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Probe into death

The programme was meant to highlight, among other issues, the Left Front’s demand for a judicial probe into the death of SFI leader Sudipta Gupta early last month and a court-monitored probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the Saradha Group scam.

The city police had after a meeting with major political parties in the State on May 25 had announced its decision to ban law violation programme, stating that it does not have the required infrastructure to tackle such events.

(courtesy : The Hindu)