Polit Bureau Communique

June 26, 2023

Press Communiqué

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi on June 24-25. It has issued the following statement:

Patna Meeting
15 opposition parties met at Patna on June 23rd at the invitation of Bihar CM Niteesh Kumar. The CPI(M) underlined the need for cooperation among the opposition parties to safeguard the secular democratic character of our Republic and the guarantees provided by our Constitution to the people on democratic rights and civil liberties and fundamental rights.

The CPI(M) proposed that the opposition parties must jointly conduct all-India campaigns on important issues of national concern and joint protest actions on issues of rapidly deteriorating people’s livelihood. At the level of each state discussions amongst the opposition parties must begin to minimize the advantage BJP gets from a division in opposition votes, in the coming 2024 general elections.

Manipur
The PB expressed deep concern at the ethnic violence in Manipur that continues unabated even after 7 weeks since it began on May 3.

The “double engine” BJP government has totally failed in controlling the situation. PM Modi refused even to comment on the situation! The Home Minister’s visit on May 29, full 26 days after violence began, has had no effect on the law-and-order situation. The all-party meeting called by the Home Minister was of no consequence as the Modi government refused to accept the dismissal of the Biren Singh led BJP government in the state which has been both complicit and incompetent in controlling the situation.

The PB called for the immediate cessation of violence and the restoration of normalcy.

PM Modi’s US visit
PM Modi’s official state visit to the USA has further cemented India as the subordinate junior partner of US imperialism. The defence deals that have been concluded like joint production of GE-F 414 Jet engine comes on top of the earlier major military and defence deals as a ‘major defence partner’ of USA.

In the USA’s quest for strengthening its global hegemony it sees India as a crucial strategic and military partner to isolate China. Biden administration’s refusal to raise issues of human rights and democracy in India under the Modi government has come in for widespread criticism with even former President Barack Obama raising concerns. 75 members of the US Congress have raised issues of concern on the Modi government’s record on human rights and democracy.

Uniform Civil Code
The Law Commission has once again started consultations on the issue of a Uniform Civil Code. The last Law Commission had conducted a similar exercise and came to the conclusion in 2018 that a “UCC is neither necessary nor desirable at this stage”. The CPI(M) endorses this position.

Uniformity cannot be equated with equality. The CPI(M) champions equal rights for women of all communities. This can be best advanced through reform of personal or customary laws applicable to different communities with active democratic participation of all men and women of these communities.

Legalizing Loot of People’s Money
The PB demanded the withdrawal of the RBI circular legalizing the loot of people’s savings by willful defaulters who have taken large bank loans and refuse to repay despite having the capacity to pay. RBI circular permits such defaulters to go for a compromise settlement with the banks. The properties of such people must be confiscated and the bank loans must be recovered in full amount.

Restore Rice Supply to States
In the most dictatorial and undemocratic manner the Modi government has directed the Food Corporation of India not to sell rice to state governments. This move is aimed to prevent non-BJP governments from meeting their assurances to the people of providing relief.

Scrap Pre-paid Smart Meters Project
The smart meters project with pre-paid arrangement for electricity consumers is being implemented by the Modi government. Many states have been forced to implement the scheme and thereby withdrawing from the responsibility of electricity distribution and handing over to private corporates for profit maximization. This will impose unbearable burden on the poor and the farmers. This project must be scrapped immediately.

Assam Delimitation
The PB opposes the delimitation of assembly constituencies in Assam alone based on the 2001 census, in the year 2023. Clearly, this exercise has been done by the Election Commission without forming a separate commission for delimitation to cater to and advance the political objectives of the ruling BJP.

Wrestlers’ Protest
The blatant defence by the Modi government and BJP of the accused in sexual harassment cases who are their supporters has been reflected in its determination to protect its MP despite prima facie evidence of sexual harassment made by women wrestlers against him. It bent procedures to deliberately delay investigations into the case including the charges under POCSO to give time to the accused to pressurize the victim to withdraw her statement. This has serious implications for all cases of complaints by minor victims of sexual harassment. The CPI(M) reiterates its demand for the arrest of the accused MP without delay.

West Bengal Panchayat Polls
As has become the norm, the elections under the TMC government in West Bengal are marked by largescale violence and terror. In the ongoing Panchayat elections, 10 people have already lost their lives including a young CPI(M) activist, Com. Mansoor Alam.

Despite such politics of violence and terror, the people of West Bengal are resisting this murder of democracy and courageously coming forward to establish people’s panchayats. In the last Panchayat elections 34 per cent of the seats were uncontested due to unprecedented terror. In these elections, resisting such terror, the uncontested seats have drastically reduced by nearly 2/3rd.

Exclusion of Disability Questions from NFHS Survey

The Polit Bureau views with serious concern the dropping of disability related questions from the National Family Health Survey-6. Even while the questions posed in the earlier round were flawed, removing them entirely is a regressive step. The PB demands the inclusion of disability related questions in the NFHS-6.

Central Committee Meeting
The CPI(M) Central Committee will meet next on August 4,5 and 6 2023 at New Delhi.

Polit Bureau Communique

August 8, 2009

Press Communiqué

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi on November 11 & 12, 2007. It has issued the following statement:

Nandigram Situation

The Polit Bureau heard a report on the developments in Nandigram in the recent period. Since January 2007, an abnormal situation had developed with an alliance of forces led by the Trinamul Congress driving out workers and supporters of the Left Front including elected panchayat members. Since then the police and the administration have not been allowed to function in the area.

Even after the state government announced that there is no question of land acquisition for a chemical hub, for the past nine months the people evicted from the area were not able to go back to their homes or cultivate their fields.

The Polit Bureau firmly rebuffs all the mischievous attempts to portray the developments in Nandigram as an outcome of “red terror”. There has been no issue of land acquisition whatsoever in Nandigram since February 2007, yet the whole area was under siege on the spurious pretext of protection of land. The reality in Nandigram was a violent and undemocratic offensive to displace those who were the legitimate representatives of the people.

The gang up of political forces against the CPI(M) and the Left operating in the guise of a Bhumi Ucchhed Pratirodh Samity virtually set up a parallel raj in the area. A dangerous phenomenon was their utilising the assistance of Maoist armed squads who came into the area from outside. The situation of utter lawlessness prevailed and bunkers were built and landmines laid. In this entire period 27 CPI(M) workers and supporters were killed. Such a situation cannot be tolerated by any state government or administration. After the March 14 police firing, repeated efforts were made for political negotiations and peace talks for the restoration of normalcy and the return of all the affected people.

After a prolonged struggle, the determined efforts made by the people to return to their homes have succeeded and this should pave the way for normalcy to return. The CPI(M) and the Left Front have declared that they want peace to be restored and all sections of the people irrespective of political affiliations to be allowed to return to their family life in pursuit of their livelihood.

With the deployment of central para military forces, the Left Front government should make all efforts for rehabilitation and resumption of development work in the area.

Indo-US Nuclear Deal

The Polit Bureau discussed the developments regarding the Indo-US nuclear deal since the last Central Committee meeting of the Party. It reiterated the stand of the Left parties that the government should not proceed further to operationalise the deal. There has to be a discussion on the deal in the coming session of parliament.

Support Price for Paddy

The Polit Bureau demanded that the minimum support price for paddy be increased to Rs. 1,000 per quintal. This is necessary keeping in mind the cost of production that the farmers are incurring in paddy cultivation.

Price Rise
The Polit Bureau expressed concern at the continuing price rise of essential commodities. The urgent need is to expand the PDS to reach a large section of people and also to include more essential commodities at controlled prices.

Oil Price Rise
The Polit Bureau urged the UPA government to undertake a review of the ad valorem tax structure and the scale of central excise duties on petroleum products in order to tackle the situation arising from the rise in oil prices at the international level.

Notify Tribal Forest Act

The Polit Bureau expressed its deep concern at the continuing delay in the notification of the Scheduled Tribes & Other Traditional Forest Dwellers. (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006. There is no reason whatsoever to delay the notification after the rules have been framed. The implementation of the Critical Wildlife Habitat provision can be done only after the Act as a whole is notified and rights vested. Reports from various places show that the tribal people are being evicted from their lands in the forest to preempt the Act coming into force.

Women’s Reservation

The Polit Bureau urged the UPA government to introduce the women’s reservation bill in the forthcoming session of parliament. This is a commitment made in the Common Minimum Programme. The failure to move to fulfill this commitment is glaring and cannot be justified.

Emergency in Pakistan

The Polit Bureau demanded an end to the state of emergency in Pakistan and the release of all those arrested for protesting against this authoritarian step. The Polit Bureau reaffirmed its solidarity and support to the people of Pakistan who are struggling for the restoration of democracy.

Party Congress

The Polit Bureau decided to hold the 19th Congress of the Party in Coimbatore from March 29 to April 2, 2008. The PB discussed the preparations for the Party Congress. An outline of the Draft Political Resolution was discussed on which basis the draft will be prepared to be placed in the next meeting of the Central Committee to be held in December.