The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) which met in New Delhi on July 11 and 12, 2009 has issued the following statement:
G-8 Restrictions on Nuclear Technology
The G-8 decision that the will not transfer full Enrichment and Reprocessing (ENR) technologies to non-NPT countries would mean that India will not get full civilian nuclear cooperation as claimed by the UPA government. The CPI(M) had made clear that the Nuclear Suppliers Group’s waiver was neither “clean” nor “unconditional” as was being claimed then. Behind the so-called “clean” waiver stands the Hyde Act and its provisions. Other G8 countries have also now fallen in line with the Hyde Act. The same conditions are being finalised in the NSG and India had already agreed at the time of the waiver that it will abide by all such future changes.
The country needs to know what the Government intends to do about this denial of ENR technologies by G8. Is it that it was fully aware that ENR ban was on the anvil and the so-called charade of “clean exemption” in the NSG was conducted to hoodwink the people? What does it now intend to do about buying reactors from countries who have declared that they will continue with the current discriminatory regime? This is particularly important as the US State Department officials are now asking that India identify sites for the 10,000 MW of reactors it has committed to buy from US sources. With this ban in place, any move in this direction will seriously jeopardise India’s future energy security.
The Government of India should come clean on these issues pending which India should enter at best only fuel supply contracts and not agree to buying of imported reactors from countries who are a part of this restrictive technology regime.
Impact of Deficit Monsoon
The Central Committee expressed serious concern about the prospect of a drought-like situation due to the delayed and deficient monsoon. So far, the delayed monsoon has led to to a big drop in the acreage for cultivation of various crops. The intensity of the crisis is evident by the fact that in Punjab and Haryana there is a shortfall of 8.17 lakh hectares in paddy transplantation.
The response of the government has been tardy and shows disregard for the plight of millions of farmers and agricultural workers. The government has to recognise that a drought is possible and take urgent remedial measures to help the peasantry. The Minimum Support Price (MSP) for kharif crops have not yet been announced and the delay will lead to distress sales.
The Central Committee demands that the government come out with a comprehensive response to meet the emerging serous situation.
Campaign on Food Security
The Central Committee decided to take up the issue of BPL and APL categories in the public distribution system. In view of the government’s decision to enact a food security law, the CC authorised the Party Centre to formulate the issue so that no section of the people are excluded from the public distributio system and the provision of food security.
Plight of Tamil Civilians in Sri Lanka
The Central Committee expressed its serious concern about the three lakh Tamil population who were displaced from their homes during the last phase of the conflict in Sri Lanka. The armed conflict initiated by the LTTE has ended. But in the last phase around 7,000 Tamil civilians died and lakhs rendered homeless.
These displaced people have been living in camps set up by the administration. These camps did not have adequate facilities and are not intended for a prolonged stay.
Unfortunately, the Sri Lankan government is not taking steps to speedily return and rehabilitate the civilian population in their homes. This is leading to discontent and the resultant alienation amongst the people will not help to bring normalcy and peace.
The main step to be taken after the decades of conflict and violence is to ensure that there is a lasting political solution to the Tamil question. Despite the assurances being given by the Sri Lankan President, the process of working out a political solution has not made much progress. The Central Committee is of the firm opinion that this is the right time to work out the provision of genuine autonomy for the Tamil-speaking areas within the framework of a united Sri Lanka. The Government of India should step up its diplomatic and political efforts with the Sri Lankan government in this regard.