P.B Communiqué

July 7, 2015

 

Press Communiqué

 

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi on July 6 & 7, 2015. It has issued the following statement:

 

The Polit Bureau discussed the report submitted by the three study groups appointed by the Central Committee earlier on the impact of liberalization on different classes of people in: (a) rural India and agrarian sector; (b) on urban India and middle classes; and (c) socio-economic conditions of the working class.

 

On the basis of these discussions the Polit Bureau will prepare a report for the consideration of the next Central Committee meeting, after which it will be taken up for discussion in the forthcoming Plenum on Organisation.

 

Exposure of Unbridled Corruption

 

The revelations in the IPL-Lalit Modi scam have exposed the roles of the Union External Affairs Minister and the Rajasthan Chief Minister. A thorough enquiry into this whole scam must be conducted and until its findings are considered and appropriate action under the law taken, both these persons should demit office. Their continuation in such positions is not tenable during the enquiry period.

 

The Union Minister for HRD has allegedly furnished false claims of proof regarding her educational qualification.

 

In Maharashtra, two BJP ministers role in alleged cases of graft has been exposed. Many allegations against various other BJP state governments are in the news.

 

Crime & Corruption: Vyapam Scam

 

A deadly cocktail of crime and corruption has emerged in the Vyapam case in Madhya Pradesh. A large number of witnesses have been murdered under suspicious circumstances. This includes a number of key witnesses, deans of educational institutions investigating such cases of graft and prominent journalists who were reporting on this scam. The state government had not undertaken any serious action so far. The CPI(M) Polit Bureau demands that a thorough enquiry by the CBI under the supervision of the Supreme Court must be conducted into this sordid affair and the guilty should be identified and punished. This should be done with urgency in order to prevent further deaths related to this scam. Untill these investigations are completed it is untenable for the MP Chief Minister to continue in office.

 

All these scams conclusively prove that corruption in high places has reached new heights under the crony capitalism being promoted by this Modi government. Its claims to have offered a “corruption free government” stand shattered.

 

Socio-Economic Caste Census

 

The data put in the public domain shows that the trajectory of neo-liberal economic reforms has resulted in a sharp decline in the living standards of a vast majority of our people. 90 per cent of the households reported an income of less than Rs. 10,000 by its main breadwinner. Over half the households are landless. Similarly, over half rely on casual manual labour as the source of main sustenance. A mere three per cent of rural households have just one family member who is a graduate and so on. These revelations come over and above the international surveys by UN agencies that have described India as home for the world’s largest number of hungry people.

 

The Central Government must not restrict any further release of the caste-wise information on socio-economic indicators collected by this Census. This would be for the first time since 1931 that the relative socio-economic status of various caste groups will be shown. This should help in framing policies for affirmative action that have been promised by various central governments but not implemented till date.

 

Sabotaging Food Security

 

Ignoring such ground realities, this BJP central government is mounting further attacks on people’s livelihood. The Food Security Act 2013 has specifically mentioned that the Act has to be implemented within a year of its passage i.e. July 2014. This BJP Government has illegally extended its implementation three times without any reference to Parliament. Further, in March this year, the Food Ministry passed a Public Distribution System (Control) Order which places conditions which are against the FSA. It freezes the number of beneficiaries for ten years from census to census. In other words if populations fall into distress or even into categories defined as eligible for FSA benefits, say in 2013 these households will have to wait to be counted in the next census in 2021 to avail of benefits. The Food Ministry has also put conditions on States for reform in PDS as a precondition for central allocations of foodgrains under FSA. This is an open sabotage of the FSA law.

 

Protecting ‘Hindutva’ Terror

 

A senor public prosecutor has recently revealed that in the 2008 Malegaon terrorist blast case she has been pressurized by the central National Investigation Agency to go soft in pursuing the case. Clearly the BJP Central Government is seeking to cover up the truth in this incident and those of the connected terrorist attacks in Ajmer Sharief, Hyderabad Mecca Masjid blasts and the Samjautha Express Attack. The legal proceedings in all these cases had begun after the central agencies had undertaken investigation of the Hindutva terror networks.

 

In the Ishrat Jahan murder case in Gujarat the BJP central government refused to grant sanction for prosecution of some Intelligence Bureau officials. The CBI after investigations had proceeded to chargesheet people connected with false encounters in Gujarat. Clearly the Central and the Gujarat state BJP governments are working together to protect the perpetrators of such crimes.

 

From various other parts of the country incidents of sharpening communal polarisation and communal riots are being reported. These are a forewarning for the escalation of such activity in the run up to the forthcoming state assembly elections, particularly in Bihar.

 

Deteriorating Centre-State Relations

 

The Prime Minister has not found time again to attend a meeting of the North Eastern Council which consists of all the Chief Ministers of the eight north eastern states.

 

Despite being a partner of the state government in Jammu & Kashmir, the BJP central government has announced a pittance for relief and rehabilitation of the victims of the unprecedented floods in the state. As against a claim of Rs. 45,000 crores by the state, a mere Rs. 1667 crores have been announced. Worse, of this, only Rs. 551 crores are earmarked for families whose houses have been destroyed or severely damaged.

 

Foreign Policy: Pro-US, Pro-Israel Shift

 

The Polit Bureau condemned the reversal of longstanding Indian position of support to the Palestinian cause in the recent UN Human Rights Council vote. India’s decision to abstain, justified by the MEA as a continuation of our previous policy has been shown to be completely preposterous. On similar occasions, twice in the past, in March and June 2012, India voted for similar resolutions against Syrian government violations in its civil war.

 

This abstention was on the adoption of a UN Enquiry Commission Report on Israel’s attack on innocent Palestinians in the Gaza strip last year. Such double standards clearly expose that India’s further pro-US and pro-Israeli shift is in preparation for the announced visit of PM Modi to Israel. He would be the first Indian PM’s visit to Israel.

 

Palestine and many other Arab nations have expressed shock at India’s clean break from the ‘ethos of non-alignment’ of the past. Already doubts have begun to be aired on the support of the influential Arab speaking countries to India’s efforts to secure a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.

 

Even after a month after the Union Defence Minister signed the renewal of the 10-year Defence Framework Agreement between USA and India, the text of the agreement has been kept under wraps. This raises many suspicions of India succumbing to US pressures on this score.

 

Protest Actions

 

The Polit Bureau called upon all its units in the country to observe the joint Left parties call for protest demonstrations on July 20 demanding the removal and action against those involved in the BJP’s patronage of corruption and nepotism.

P.B. Communique

August 7, 2009

Press Communique

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi on February 17 and 18, 2007. It has issued the following statement:

US Provocations Against Iran

The Polit Bureau expressed its serious concern at the confrontation being engineered by the United States against Iran. It condemned the rising chorus of threats directed against Iran by the Bush administration. After the nuclear issue, President Bush is now seeking to blame Iran for the violence in Iraq ignoring the fact that Iraq has been plunged into a cycle of destructive violence because of the American occupation. The United States has undertaken a naval buildup in the Persian Gulf in order to ratchet up the pressure against Iran. The Polit Bureau condemned these aggressive moves by the United States. The Government of India should come out strongly against the efforts to repeat an Iraq style violation of Iran’s sovereignty.

In this connection, the recent visit of the Indian foreign minister to Teheran was a timely and useful step. All efforts should be made to expedite the negotiations between Iran, Pakistan and India for the final agreement on the gas pipeline project.

Counter Communal Activities

The Polit Bureau noted that there has been a spurt in communal violence in different parts of the country in the recent period. There has been communal violence in Bangalore, Gorakhpur, Jabalpur, Mandsaur, Indore and other places. The RSS-BJP combine has been responsible in most instances for creating provocations for the violence. In certain instances Muslim extremist elements have also provoked the violence. It is not accidental that these incidents have taken place at a time when the RSS is observing the birth centenary of Golwalkar and the BJP has stepped up its strident communal rhetoric after the Lucknow session of the party.

The political gameplan for creating a communal polarisation is clear. Such a situation calls for countering the communal forces unitedly by the secular and democratic forces. But unfortunately this is not happening.

Unity of Secular Forces Lacking

In the recent Maharashtra civic polls, the disunity between the UPA partners -– Congress and the NCP — facilitated the victory of the BJP-Shiv Sena combine in the Mumbai Corporation elections and some other places. In Gorakhpur, the Mahant and BJP MP Adityanath and his Hindu Vahini have been on a rampage in some of the Eastern UP districts. The situation required a firm and united rebuff against such forces.

However, in Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party, the Congress, the BSP and others were engaged in mutual recriminations thereby letting the BJP off the hook which is the main culprit.

No Use of Article 356 in U.P.

It is in this background that the move for the dismissal of the UP state government and imposition of President’s rule under Article 356 has come up. The Supreme Court has disqualified 13 MLAs who defected from the BSP. This verdict and the status of 24 other MLAs is sought to be made the basis for the imposition of President’s rule. The CPI(M) is opposed to the invocation of Article 356 in Uttar Pradesh. Consequent to the Supreme Court judgment, the question of whether the state government commands a majority in the legislature must be tested on the floor of the house. This is the norm to be observed as laid down by the Supreme Court judgment in the Bommai case.

Article 356 of the Constitution is a draconian clause which can be misused. The CPI(M) has consistently advocated making major modifications in the clause pertaining to dismissal of a state government and imposition of President’s rule. For this a constitutional amendment is required.

Price Rise

The rising rate of inflation and the continuing increase in prices of all essential commodities is badly affecting the lives of the people. The rate of inflation has touched 7 per cent and there is a steep increase in the prices of food grains, dal, vegetables and edible oils. The UPA government’s policies in certain spheres have fuelled the price rise. Further, the government has failed to take effective measures to check price rise. The government has taken the belated step of reducing the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 2 and Re. 1 respectively to revert to the pre-June 2006 level.

The CPI(M) has called for (i) curbing futures trading in foodgrains and other essential commodities; (ii) revision of the tax structure for petroleum products; (iii) ensuring adequate procurement of foodgrains at prices fair to farmers; (iv) strengthening the public distribution system; and (v) ensuring price control of essential drugs.

Anti-Price Rise Agitation on February 27

The Polit Bureau called upon all Party units to conduct an agitation against the price rise on the above demands. On February 27, the Party will conduct picketting and court arrest programmes outside Central or state government offices all over the country.

Stop FDI In Retail Trade

The Polit Bureau strongly reiterated its demand that the government stop opening up retail trade to FDI. The government is allowing FDI in a piecemeal fashion sector by sector. Further, in the name of wholesale and “cash and carry” operations, companies like Wal Mart are tying up with Indian companies to enter the retail trade through the back door. The CPI(M) calls upon all political parties to take a united stand to stop FDI in retail trade and protect the livelihood of millions of small shopkeepers and traders.

Curb Organised Sector in Retail Trade

The Polit Bureau views with concern the entry of big corporate companies in retail trade. The entry of big business in the retail sector will have the same effect of displacing petty shops and traders. Introduction of strict regulations for the entry of corporate sector in retail trade is urgently required. The Polit Bureau decided to prepare a note on regulating the corporate sector in retail trade to be submitted to the government.

Dubious Flow of Funds Into The Stock Market

The National Security Advisor’s statement that stock markets are being utilised by terrorist groups to raise money is a matter of serious concern. The government should take steps to prevent such activities. The first step necessary is to ban investments made by FIIs through the Participatory Notes (PN route). The source of funds through this route are unverifiable for the RBI or for the SEBI. The Tarapore Committee on capital account convertibility had recommended prohibition of fresh investment through the PN route. The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) calls upon the UPA government to immediately ban fresh issues of Participatory Notes and phase out the existing PNs within the next few months.

Industrialisation and Land Issue in West Bengal

The Polit Bureau discussed the issue of industrialization and land acquisition in West Bengal. The Polit Bureau endorses the stand taken by the Left Front government on the Tata car project in Singur. The charge that land has been forcibly acquired for the project is false. The Left Front government has taken the necessary steps to ensure that a fair compensation package is devised for those displaced from the land in Singur.

The CPI(M) leadership of West Bengal has informed the Polit Bureau that the SEZ proposals for Bengal will be finalized after the changes in the SEZ Act and Rules are brought about at the Central level. The Left parties are already engaged in seeking changes in the SEZ Act. There is no question of any land being acquired for the SEZ projects, as in Nandigram, against the wishes of the people. The Polit Bureau concluded that the state government should apply the criteria for land conversion based on the land use policy adopted by the state government. Proper evaluation and pricing of land and rehabilitation for all those affected should be worked out. The CPI(M) in this connection wants the Land Acquisition Act of 1894 to be reviewed so that the rights of land holders and those dependent on land for their livelihood are protected and adequate compensation and rehabilitation measures put in place.