Address by Com. A.B. Bardhan,

General Secretary, Communist Party of India

At the XIX Congress of the CPI(M) on March 29, 2008

Dear Comrade Prakash Karat,

Esteemed Guests from abroad and

Com delegates,

On behalf of the Communist Party of India (CPI), I extend my revolutionary greetings to the delegates and distinguished guests present at the 19th Congress of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

The CPI has just held its 20th Congress and deliberated on the vital issues affecting our country and people.

We had extended our support to the UP A Government from outside based on a common minimum programme. We have taken a positive attitude when the UP A Government implemented the CMP. We have opposed whenever decisions and policies they undertook were in violation of the CMP. We have noted with satisfaction that during these years our two parties have worked closely on these vital issues. Along with other left parties we have taken strong and united stand both inside and outside the parliament on all such issues. That has ensured that the UPA government implements some of the important pro-people measures and is prevented from carrying out anti-people measure and policies. It is the intervention of the Left which saw the adoption of such legislation as the RTI Act, NREG Act, the Act on the Rights of Tribal and Forest Dwellers in Forest, etc. We prevented the Government from going ahead with privatization of the Public Sector under-takings (especially the Navratnas) dilution of equities in our Nationalised Banks, and handing over Insurance and Pension Funds to private parties. We have been pressing the Government to bring forward bills for un-organised workers, agricultural labour, 33 per cent reservation for Woman and so forth. Unfortunately without any response from Government. This has been a major issue of our conflict with the government.

The whole country knows about our resolute opposition to the Indo-US Nuclear Agreement, which has prevented it from being operationalised. We have pointed out that this deal is not just an innocent attempt to gain access to nuclear energy, but an attempt to cap the strategic partnership with the US. We have watched with deep concern the Government Policies which step by step ~ teen leading to a close strategic partnership between India and US. We have strongly opposed each of these steps.

The Text negotiated with the IAEA is now before the UPA- Left Panel. We have yet to come to grips with it. But the stand of the Left Parties remains unchanged, i.e to oppose the deal. The government which is now facing an election, and the US which is facing the Presidential election should not proceed with the deal. The repeated pressure brought to bear on our Government by a series of US high officials, including the US Secretary of State shows that it is the US which hopes to derive the greatest benefits -diplomatic, political, strategic, quite apart from business interests.

Dear Comrades,

Our Party Congress was of the view that the most serious issue facing the common people is the soaring prices of all essential commodities. Within a month after the Budget they have shot up by 20 per cent. This is causing great distress to the poor and even the middle classes. The Left have suggested several measures to curb the price rise but to no avail. We have therefore called for wide ranging militant struggle on this burning question beginning on April 17 and I8.We are sure that your Party Congress will also discuss urgent action on this issue.

Both the parties have been opposing the neo- liberal policies pursued by the Government. These policies of socalled economic reforms have sharply aggravated disparities among people. A handful of people at the top have become super- rich - four of them among the ten richest people on earth, while the overwhelming majority of people is still sunk in poverty and hU!1ger. Vie ha'/e been struggling against these policies in Parliament and conducting mass struggles outside.

The sharp rise in inflation fuelled by rising prices of food items, the fall in the growth rate of the key core sectors, the meltdown in the financial sector, indicate the economic slow down. This shows that the earlier fast economic growth is not sustainable, especially after the recession in the U.S. It will deepen the crisis in our economy and result in massive job losses. What is needed is a new strategy of growth-a growth with equity and justice. It must mean growth in employment and satisfaction of the basic needs of the people. The harsh reality is that the current high economic growth and social development are moving divergently.

The crisis in agriculture has become chronic and deep. Its most shocking symptom is the spate of suicides by farmers. The farmer is caught in a pair of scissors with rising cost of inputs and unremunerative prices for his produce. Bank credit has dried up and indebtedness has grown. He is at the tender mercy of sahukars and mahajans. The scheme of loan waiver can benefit only a small section of the small and marginal farmers. It does not provide a permanent solution.

The recent Pay Commission report has given rise to several issues of struggle by Government employees.

We are thus entering a period of big struggles and movements.

Dear Comrades

Waiting in the wing is the BJP. It is trying to utilise all the failings of the UPA Government and is making a bid for power. The BJP is a right reactionary communal party. It has gone back to its old Hindutva agenda. It has seized upon the Sethu project and given it a communal colour. It is instigating communal disharmony and wants to repeat Gujarat in other states such as Karnataka. Anticommunism, contempt for democratic norms and violence is an integral part of its policies and practice. The most vicious instance is the attack that it mounted on offices of the CPI(M) at various places.

The Left has to take all steps to ensure that the communal forces led by the BlP are not allowed to come to power. The Left has to hold high the banner of anti- communalism and secular unity.

The existence of democratically elected governments in three states and their success in repeated elections, the presence of a strong Left in Parliament shows both the relevance and the strength of the Left in Indian politics. The latest resounding victory of the Left Front. in Tripura shows the confidence that the people have on the Left. We have by our policies and actions generated support among large sections. At the same time we must be acutely conscious of the weakness of the Left in large parts of the country.

Our party thinks that it is time that we should make every effort to build a Left and Democratic Alternative to both the Congress and the BJP rule. A Left and Democratic Programme can emerge only through common struggles on people's issues. There are other parties who are also looking for an alternative. We have to interact with them and try to draw them into common struggles for forging such a third alternative. The CPI(M) and the CPI have to strive together with other left parties for advancing towards such a third alternative, -the Left and Democratic Alternative.

We hope the two parties will work towards this.

We wish the 19th Congress of your Party all success.