Central Committee Communique

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi from May 5 to 7, 2010. It has issued the following statement:

 

The Central Committee reviewed the movement against the price rise of food items and essential commodities. There was an impressive mobilization for the March 12 rally by the Left parties which gave a call for the April 8 picketting and court arrest programme against price rise, for land, employment and against the attacks on the CPI(M) and the Left in West Bengal. According to the reports, 20 lakh people participated in these programmes.

 

The thirteen parties call for a countrywide hartal against price rise was a big success with a total shut down in many states.

 

The cut motions moved in the Lok Sabha by the opposition parties on the day of the hartal was to protest against the budget provisions which fuel price rise. The Central Committee condemned the UPA government for refusing to reverse the increase in customs duty on crude oil and excise duty of petrol and diesel announced in the Union Budget.

 

The Central Committee decided that the movement against price rise should continue. For this, the Left parties should meet and chalk out the next course of action.

 

The Central Committee noted that the Budget session of parliament was marked by the outbreak of large scale corruption cases and scandals which are the outcome of the big business-politics nexus. The IPL affair has led to the first resignation of a minister from the UPA government, accused of malpractice; the IPL involves illegal money flowing in through the Mauritius route and other tax havens, the use of benami companies and large scale evasion of taxes. The Central Government has refused to institute a Joint Parliamentary Committee to enquire into the whole matter.

 

The 2G Spectrum contracts given out in 2008 saw the involvement of the Telecom minister, A Raja in large scale corruption. The CBI investigation which included telephone tapping has confirmed the wrong doing of the minister. The Central Committee demanded the removal of A Raja from the ministership and a thorough probe into the telecom scam. The illegal mining activities of the Reddy brothers of Bellary such as the Obulapuram mining project has had the protection of both the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh and the BJP government in Karnataka. Thousands of crores of rupees are being made though such illegal mining activities.

 

The arrest of the chief of the Medical Council of India, Dr. Ketan Desai, for accepting a bribe of Rs. 2 crores shows the rot which exists in such regulatory bodies. Earlier, similar corruption was unearthed in the AICTE. The corrupt practices in the MCI have polluted the medical, educational and health system. Firm steps must be taken to clean up these institutions. There are allegations of corruption and misuse of funds allocated for disability sports. The Paralympics Committee has been charged with mismanagement of funds.

 

The Central Committee called for firm and sustained steps against all forms of corruption in public life and those which are the outcome of the big business-politics nexus.

 

Instead of using agencies such as the CBI to investigate economic crimes and cases of corruption, the ruling party is unscrupulously utilizing the CBI for its narrow political purposes. The brazen manner in which the CBI investigations have been used to muster support against the cut motion is bringing the agency into disrepute. The ruling party cannot be allowed to bring the CBI into disrepute.

 

The revelation of phone tapping of four political leaders further reinforces the charge that the Congress party is utilizing security and intelligence agencies such as the IB for its political interests. Using these agencies for such purposes should be made illegal and liable for criminal prosecution.

 

The arrest of three persons in the Ajmer Sharief Dargah blasts of 2007 have revealed the role of Hindutva extremist elements in this terrorist attack. One of those arrested is reported to be a member of the RSS. These elements are linked to the group which conducted the Malegaon blasts in Maharashtra. The enquiries point to the involvement of the same elements in the Mecca Masjid blast in Hyderabad.

 

The Central Government should ensure a coordinated investigation of all these terrorist attacks linked to Hindutva extremists.

 

In the Mecca Masjid bomb blast a number of Muslim youth were rounded up and kept in detention and tortured for weeks. 26 of them were also charge-sheeted and kept in prison for seven months. The bias in police investigation of terrorist incidents against Muslims in general is disturbing.

 

The Government of Andhra Pradesh and the CBI must take remedial measures. All those arrested and detained in the Hyderabad case must be suitably compensated.

 

With regard to the biggest terrorist violence in India, the Mumbai attack, the Central Committee expressed satisfaction that through the judicial process the accused Ajmal Kasab has been convicted. The Central Government should make all efforts to bring the other accused persons to book to face trial.

 

The Central Committee extended its full support to the public sector employees who are struggling against disinvestment of shares in enterprises such as the BSNL, Coal India etc. The CPI(M) calls upon all sections of the people to oppose the government’s shortsighted policy of disinvestment and privatization of the public sector.

 

The Central Committee reiterated its strong opposition to the Civil Nuclear Liability Bill introduced in the Lok Sabha disregarding the opposition at the introductory stage. The Left parties have already spelt out the totally one-sided nature of the Bill which constitutes a serious violation of India’s sovereignty and which compromises the rights of citizens regarding their safety and health in the eventuality of a nuclear accident.

 

The Central Committee is strongly opposed to the Foreign Education Providers Bill introduced in parliament. The Bill does not serve the interests of higher education in the country but will only facilitate commercial and private teaching shops in the name of foreign educational providers.

 

The Central Committee warmly congratulated the CPI(M) and the Left Front of Tripura for their sweeping victory in the Tripura Tribal Autonomous District Council elections. Of the 27 seats which went to the polls, the Left Front has won all the 22 seats declared so far.

 

The Central Committee conducted a mid-term review of the implementation of the organisational tasks decided at the 19^th Congress of the Party in April 2008. An indepth examination of the work for implementing the tasks was undertaken and the immediate tasks for the future were worked out.

 

The meeting constituted a four-member Central Disciplinary Commission of the Central Committee. The Commission will consist of S Ramachandran Pillai (Chairman) and Madan Ghosh, V Srinivasa Rao and U. Vasuki as members.

 

Extended Meeting: The extended meeting of the Central Committee will be held from August 7 to 10, 2010 at Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh. The Central Committee worked out the schedule for the preparations for the extended meeting.

 

The Central Committee called upon the Party to undertake a political campaign on the following issues:

 

1.     On restructuring Centre-State relations in view of the Centre’s inequitable policies and encroachment on state’s powers.

2.     Scrapping the present Civil Nuclear Liability Bill and bringing in legislation which will protect the interests of the Indian people.

3.     Oppose the setting up of foreign educational institutions in the country.

4.     Against high level corruption and demanding action against those involved.

5.     Take firm action against extremist Hindutva organisations involved in terrorist violence and action against those fomenting communal violence.

6.     For bringing the women’s reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha and its adoption.