Central Committee Communique

August 1, 2022

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met at New Delhi on July 30 & 31, 2022. It has issued the following statement:

The last four months since the CPI(M)’s 23rd Party Congress concluded have seen a chilling confirmation of the aggressive furthering of the Hindutva agenda of the fascistic RSS combined with the rabid pursuit of neo-liberal reforms, strengthening crony capitalism and the communal-corporate nexus undermining India’s economy and heaping greater unprecedented burdens on the people.

Runaway Inflation

The unprecedented price rise, with both the WPI and the CPI at record high, is destroying people’s livelihood, reducing their purchasing capacity, leading to further lowering the levels of demand in the economy. The shrinkage of domestic demand is pushing down manufacturing activity leading to further slowing down of the economy and job losses.

Food and fuel prices continue to lead this inflation with the rise in prices of all essential commodities. The latest round of GST hikes, coming on top of this, further increase the prices of all essential commodities of daily use.
The Central Committee of the CPI(M) demands the rollback of GST hikes and the cess/surcharges on petroleum products.

Instead of burdening the people the Modi government must tax the super-rich to raise revenues.

Record Unemployment

In the age group of 20-24 years there is a staggering 42 per cent unemployment rate. Additionally, 61.2 per cent of our 90 crore working age population (2020) has simply stopped looking for jobs. Labour participation rate is at a record low – 38.8 per cent-women being the worst hit. During the last eight years the Modi government admitted in Parliament of having provided a miniscule 0.33 per cent of applicants with government jobs. There are over ten lakh vacancies.

Modi government must immediately fill up all the vacancies and substantially hike the allocation for MGNREGS and stop wasting our youth and demographic dividend.

Attacks on Tribal Rights

The CC demands the immediate roll-back of the amended rules under the Forest Conservation Act that eliminate the rights of the Gram Sabhas, the tribal community and other traditional forest dwellers from their mandatory prior consent before diverting forest lands to facilitate profit maximisation for private corporates and the destruction of forests compounding the disastrous impact of climate change.

Full-fledged Authoritarianism

The ED and the CBI are increasingly functioning as a political arm of the Modi government in destabilising the democratically elected state governments and targeting opposition leaders. The recent judgment of the Supreme Court bench headed by a judge who retired shortly thereafter, upheld all the 2019 amendments to the PMLA lethally arming the ED further. This is a grievous assault on democracy.

Assault on Parliament : The Modi government is carrying out unprecedented assaults on the Parliament with its refusal to discuss any substantial motion on burning people’s issues like price rise, unemployment etc. 27 members of Parliament have been suspended for this session. This is unprecedented in independent India.

The CC condemns the manner in which the noted champion of human rights and civil liberties and courageous fighter against communalism, Teesta Setalvad, was arrested. This was facilitated by a SC verdict by a bench headed, again, by the same judge.

The manner in which Zubair Ahmed was arrested on specious grounds confirms that under this Modi government those who promote and articulate hate speeches leading to violence are protected by the state, while those who expose such speeches and bring the truth before the people are arrested and put behind bars.

The Bhima Koregaon detainees continue to languish in jail for over three years. Several others including journalists and students remain in custody under draconian preventive detention acts.

The CC demands the immediate release of Teesta Setalvad, R.B. Sreekumar, release of Bhima Koregaon detainees and others.

Menacing Sharpening of Communal Polarisation

CC condemns the menacing rise in the incidents of communal polarisation by the Hindutva outfits under the patronage of the ruling party, leading to incidents of violence in several states and targeting of the minority community. Large scale deployment of bulldozer politics in Delhi and other BJP ruled states further sharpened communal polarisation. The spread of a poisonous campaign of hate and terror leading to polarisation and violence is employed by the RSS/BJP to consolidate the shaping of Hindutva consciousness among the people to achieve the objective of Hindutva Rashtra on the ruins of our secular democratic republic.

The assault on the character of the Indian republic was once again seen with the Prime Minister performing a Hindu religious ritual while unveiling the national emblem on top of the new Parliament building. This is clearly the identification of the Indian State and government with Hindutva and not with the Constitution of India.

The CC appeals to all the secular minded people and forces to rally together in defence of the Indian Constitution, secular democracy, and guarantee of democratic rights and civil liberties of our people.

Kerala Developments

The CC strongly condemned the intensifying efforts for the strong misuse of central agencies to destabilise the Kerala LDF government. Congress led UDF in the state has launched a series of agitations targeting the LDF government and the CM. It is acting in tandem with the BJP against the LDF government.

The CC strongly denounces the discriminatory policies and tactics employed by the Union government in denying Kerala its legitimate share in Central pool revenues, imposing a severe resource crunch. The CC decided to conduct a nation-wide campaign in defence of the Kerala LDF government and its alternative pro-people policies, and to condemn Central interventions and discrimination aimed at destabilising the LDF government.

Tripura Developments

The CC condemned the fascistic attacks unleashed by the BJP using its state government against the people in general and the CPI(M) and its activists in particular in Tripura. The BJP has changed the Chief Minister of the state as elections to the state assembly are due in a few months and has intensified the atmosphere of terror and fear, preventing people from participating in political activities. The CPI(M) has decided to forge the largest mobilisation of secular forces against the BJP government and its politics of terror and communal polarisation.

Bengal Developments

The arrest of TMC strong man and Minister in the state government of West Bengal, Partha Chatterjee in the teachers recruitment scam resoundingly vindicates the CPI(M)’s stand on the deep rooted corruption under the TMC government along with its politics of terror and violence. That this Minister had to be dismissed in the wake of his arrest once again proves the anti-people, anti-democratic nature of the TMC government. The earlier chit fund scams of Narada, Sarada and others continue to remain unpursued by the Central agencies under the BJP government.

The CPI(M) and the Left Front in the state organised large scale protest actions against the government which are receiving substantial people’s support.

CC Calls:
1. August 1-15, Observing the 75th Anniversary of India’s Independence, culminating in the hoisting of the National Flag in all Party offices and taking a pledge on the preamble of the Constitution. Campaign will highlight the glorious role of the Communists in the Freedom Struggle, defense of democracy, democratic rights, civil liberties and India’s secular, democratic, Constitutional values.
2. From September 14 to 24, to conduct a campaign on the increasing assaults of the BJP Central government on people’s livelihood. Concrete plan of action in each state shall be planned by the state committees. This campaign will culminate in a central public meeting at state capitals
3. To conduct campaigns against the efforts to destabilize the Kerala LDF government, all across the country. The campaign will also highlight the pro-people alternative policies pursued by the LDF government.

Central Committee Communique

August 7, 2009

Press Communique

The Central Committee of the CPI(M) met in Kolkata from September 29 to October 1, 2007. It has issued the following statement:

Sethusamudram Project

The Central Committee condemned the efforts of the BJP and the RSS outfits to obstruct the Sethusamudram project on religious grounds. The Sethusamudram project and the alignment of the canal were decided by the previous BJP-led government. But now opposing the project is nothing but playing communal politics. All scientific evidence shows there is only a natural geological formation.

Bereft of any platform of peoples’ issues, the BJP is seeking to make political gains through communal polarization. The BJP is grossly mistaken if it thinks it can arouse religious sentiments on this issue and make political capital out of it. The Central Committee demands that the project be executed without delay.

UPA Government’s Dismal Record

The Central Committee took stock of the various policy measures undertaken by the UPA government in the recent period.

The record of the last few months show that the UPA government is callous about fulfilling its pro-people commitments in the Common Minimum Programme. On the other hand, the government continues to promise opening up FDI to retail trade (as the Finance Minister announced recently in the United States) and taking further measures to allow foreign capital in the financial sector as it has promised the Indo-US Joint CEO Forum.

No Let up In Price Rise

The Central Committee expressed its deep concern at the continuing price rise of food items and essential commodities. Though the government claims the rate of inflation is at the lowest level in the past two years, there is no respite in the rise in prices of vegetables, edible oil, wheat, dal, etc. The government has miserably failed to tackle the price rise by taking firm measures to stop speculation and hoarding of essential commodities. The people, burdened with price rise find no relief because of the dogged refusal of the government to strengthen the public distribution system.

Wheat Imports

The Central Committee of the CPI(M) demands a high-level inquiry into the management of wheat stocks and imports of wheat. It is indefensible that the Government should pay as much as Rs. 1600 a quintal to foreign traders when it paid Indian farmers an MSP of Rs. 850 a quintal. At the same time, the decision to import wheat at higher prices of $ 325.59 and $ 389.45 a tonne compared to the initial tender of $ 263 a tonne has led to a loss of around Rs. 540 crores to the national exchequer for the import of 13 lakh tonnes. The gap in meeting targets in domestic procurement is because of the virtual handover of procurement to foreign and Indian corporates. This is the second year in a row when India is forced to go in for imports eroding food security. The CPI(M) demands a reversal of these polices, it demands that the Government give a better price and protect the interests of farmers particularly poor and marginal farmers who are victims of the huge increase in price of agricultural inputs leading to acute distress.

Agrarian Distress

The Central Committee of the CPI(M) condemns the callousness of the Government towards the widespread agrarian distress. The growing number of farmer suicides is a matter of deep and grave concern and should be a priority for the Government. Over 70 per cent of farmers are small and marginal farmers who have borne the brunt of the current economic policies. The figures being put out by the Government of increased rural credit conceal the fact that the majority of farmers have no access to credit and are still dependant on money lenders charging exorbitant interest rates. The demand of farmers for a fair price as MSP for a larger range of crops is urgent as farmers are being ruined and agriculture becoming unviable because of lack of Government support to protect farmers from the manipulations of international prices.

Public Distribution System (PDS)

The PDS is in a state of virtual collapse due to the targeting system which has excluded large sections of the poor. According to the Arjun Sengupta Commission report around 77 per cent of India’s population is earning less than 20 rupees a day but this large section is excluded from social benefits by faulty methods of poverty estimation which peg poverty at 327 rupees a month. All those above this line are APL (above poverty line). Now the Government has reportedly taken a decision to further cut food supplies to APL sections. The CPI(M) strongly opposes and condemns such a cruel move at a time when India has the largest malnourished population in the world. It demands that the Government take steps for universalizing the PDS, increasing the number of BPL families as an interim measure and extend the Antodaya rates to all tribal areas.

Sachar Report

The Central Committee criticized the Central Government for its tardy implementation of the Sachar Committee recommendations. The CPI(M) Central Committee demands that the Government declare a sub-plan for minority communities with specific allocations on the lines of tribal sub-plan. This is essential to ensure a comprehensive action plan to implement the Sachar Committee report. In the absence of specific allocations, the report of implementation of the Sachar Committee placed by the Minority Affairs Ministry in parliament is little more than tokenism. Worse, the Finance Ministry’s appears to be deliberately sabotaging the commitment for 15 per cent loans to minority communities in the priority sector loan programme. Even the latest RBI report does not reflect this policy. Although a budget announcement was made that 20,000 merit cum means scholarships were being given to minority community students it has been revealed by subsequent Government circulars that not only has the scheme not yet been implemented but it is expected to be done only by March-September 2008, that is two years after it was announced. The CPI(M) demands that immediate steps are taken to implement the Sachar Committee recommendations. It demands inclusion of Muslim and Christian dalits in the scheduled caste lists.

Tribal Forest Act

The CPI(M) central Committee deplores the Government’s inexplicable refusal to notify the Rules for the Tribal Bill. As a result thousands of tribals are being evicted from their land in forest areas. This is subverting the will of Parliament since the Bill was adopted unanimously by parliament in December 2006. the CPI(M) demands that the Rules be notified without delay.

NREGA Implementation

The CPI(M) Central Committee demands that the UPA Government extend NREGA immediately to all districts and not wait till April 2008. The assurance made to parliament when this question was raised was that it would be done “very soon.” The sincerity of the Government on this issue is also questionable because the funds being made available show that the Government is actually on a path of scaling down the programme. In the last budget itself it increased the number of districts by 130, that is 65 per cent, but increased funds by only 6.19 per cent. The Central government also has to accept and implement the demand of several states to include a foodgrain component to protect workers from the rising prices of rice and wheat.

Women’s Reservation Bill

The CPI(M) Central Committee strongly criticizes the Government for its refusal to even introduce the Women’s Reservation Bill in parliament leave alone ensure its passage. It condemns the BJP for its betrayal of the struggle for women’s reservation by its announcement that it would not support reservation of seats for women. It demands that the UPA Government implement its commitment to the women of this country.

Unorganised Sector Workers

The Central Committee expressed its disappointment at the draft bill on social security for workers in the unorganized sector, which has been introduced in parliament. The bill does not meet some of the basic requirements for provision of social security for the vast mass of workers in the unorganized sector. There has to be a separate legislation for agricultural workers. The Central Committee demanded that the government modify the draft legislation taking into account the proposals of the Arjun Sengupta committee, the trade unions, the agricultural workers and peasant organizations.

Gas Pricing

The Central Committee condemned the decision of the Empowered Group of Ministers on gas pricing. It has accepted the Reliance company’s proposal to inflate the price of gas contracted from the Krishna-Godavari basin. The EGoM has decided at a price of $ 4.2 per unit, which is only a little less from the price claimed by Reliance of $ 4.33 per unit. This is against the original price contracted of $ 2.34 per unit. By this, the Reliance company will get windfall profits adversely affecting the power and fertilizer industries. The cost will be passed on to the people by the escalation of prices of power and fertilizers. The UPA government has to be held accountable for this shameless pro-big business decision, which will adversely affect the interests of the farmers and the common people.

Iran Gas Pipeline

The Central Committee expressed its concern at the slow down of the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline. At a recent meeting held in Tehran, India chose not to attend the talks. There are widespread apprehensions that the Indo-US nuclear deal will spell the end of the gas pipeline project to India. The UPA government should explain to why there is a delay in the negotiations.

Floods

The Central Committee of the CPI(M) expresses its deep concern at the unprecedented devastating floods in several parts of the country. After the first flood fury many States have been affected by a second spell of floods. Thousands have lost their lives and livelihood, the extent of misery of thousands whose homes have been washed away required urgent and immediate redressal. The Central Government must act without any delay in providing financial aid and foodgrains to the affected States.

Don’t Proceed With Nuclear Deal

The Central Committee heard a report from the Polit Bureau on the developments regarding the Indo-US nuclear deal. The Central Committee reiterated the stand adopted unanimously by it in its August 22-23 meeting which asked the government not to proceed with taking the next step of negotiating the text of a safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency. The UPA-Left Committee on the nuclear issue is examining the various aspects of the Hyde Act and its implications for foreign policy and security related matters.

The UPA government should not proceed further on the next steps with regard to the nuclear deal till it can be discussed in the Winter session of parliament.

The Central Committee authorized the Polit Bureau to take appropriate measures to see that the Central Committee’s stand is implemented.
Solidarity With Democratic Movements in South Asia

The Central Committee expressed its full support and solidarity with the democratic forces in Bangladesh who are fighting for restoration of democracy and the holding of immediate parliament elections.

The Central Committee extended support to the popular movement in Pakistan for the restoration of democracy and an end to authoritarian rule.

The Central Committee strongly condemned the military regime in Burma for unleashing brutal repression on the peaceful protests by the monks and people who are waging a protracted struggle for an end to military rule and for the establishment of a democratic system.
Suspension Ended
The Central Committee decided to revoke the suspension of V.S. Achuthanandan and Pinarayi Vijayan from the membership of the Polit Bureau. They will be reinstated in the Polit Bureau with immediate effect.