Central Committee Communique

October 30, 2023

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi on October 27-29, 2023. It has issued the following statement:

Kerala: Bomb Blast

The Central Committee strongly condemned the bomb blasts that took place at a convention center in Ernakulam, which led to the unfortunate death of three persons and injuries to several others. The state police have already rounded up one suspect. The Central Committee condemned the comments on the social media by a Union Cabinet Minister who without ascertaining the facts hurled communal slurs against Kerala and its people. The Central Committee called upon the people of Kerala to rise, as they have always done, against elements that seek to disrupt Kerala’s unique and unparalleled social and communal harmony.

Israel’s Genocidal Assaults on Palestinians

The Central Committee strongly condemned the refusal of the Modi government to vote for the UN General Assembly resolution calling for humanitarian ceasefire, protection to all civilians and immediate humanitarian aid. The abstention of the Modi government and its siding with the imperialist warmongers goes against the history and tradition of India’s support to the Palestinian cause. While standing with the UN resolution demands, the Central Committee expressed its solidarity with the suffering people of Palestine against the genocidal war being waged by Israel brazenly flouting all international laws. So far, officially, 8000 people have been killed of whom 4000 are children and the toll is going up every day, including killings being reported not just in Gaza but also in the West bank. The CPI(M) is part of the growing massive global public protests to force Israel to immediately declare a cease fire, and the implementation of the UN mandated 2-State solution with East Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian State with pre-1967 borders.

Assembly Elections

The Central Committee discussed the situation in four out of five states that are scheduled to hold assembly elections. In Rajasthan, the Central Committee endorsed the list of 17 candidates proposed by the State Committee, which includes two sitting CPI(M) MLAs. In Chhattisgarh, the Party will contest in three seats; in Madhya Pradesh, the Party will contest in four seats, and in Telangana, discussions are going on.

Manipur

The situation in Manipur continues to deteriorate. This clearly demonstrates the total failure of the Modi government and the BJP’s double-engine government in handling and controlling the situation. Ethnic polarization in the state is being given a communal colour by merging such polarization with religious identities.

Officially, the state police have declared a death toll of 175 (in reality, the figure will be much higher) and stated that at least 96 bodies remain unclaimed, with an additional 32 officially listed as missing. Official records show 5,172 cases of arson, including 4,786 houses and 386 religious places. A total of 5,668 firearms were looted and only 1,329 of these have been recovered.

Chief Minister Biren Singh must be immediately removed and the mayhem in Manipur must be brought to a halt.

Growing Economic Burdens on People

Busting the false claims generated by the Modi propaganda machinery, uncontrollable price rise and unemployment have led to a sharp decline in people’s income with household financial assets plummeting from 11.5 per cent to 5.1 per cent of the GDP between 2020-21 and 2022-23. This is leading to sharp rise in household indebtedness.

Onion prices are skyrocketing, MGNREGA continues to be starved leading to rural distress and India’s standing in the Global Hunger Index slumped to a historical low of 111 out of 125 countries.

One Nation-One Election

The high-level committee set up by the Union government, under the chairmanship of Ram Nath Kovind, former President of India, to examine the implementation of this proposal has now sought the opinion of political parties and asked for the viewpoint of political parties in writing by the 18th of January 2024, keeping in mind the general elections a few months later. The Central Committee has taken a clear-cut position against this proposal. This proposal would constitute a twin assault on Parliamentary democracy and Federalism as enshrined in our Constitution. Apart from significant amendments to the Constitution, such a proposal would entail either curtailing or extending the life of State Assemblies to synchronize them with Lok Sabha elections. When a government loses its majority on the floor of the House, its continuation is illegal. If Central rule is imposed, denying people their right to elect a government, then it is anti-democratic.

Caste Census

The Central Committee asked the Modi government to conduct a caste census enumerating socio-economic status along with the 2021 General Census, which is long overdue. Such a caste census is necessary to ensure that legal entitlements, including reservations, reach all those who deserve them the most.

Bihar has conducted a state-level caste survey, and some other states have declared their intention to do so. The decision on conducting state-level surveys is the prerogative of the elected state governments. However, these cannot be a substitute for an all-India caste census, which is the essential basis to determine the disbursement of entitlements.

 

CC Calls

• The Central Committee called upon all our party units to step up solidarity actions with the Palestinian people’s struggle for a homeland and against Israeli genocidal aggression.

• In a bid to privatize electricity, the Modi government is proceeding to install smart meters with prepaid arrangements for electricity consumers. This is set to impose severe hardships on the people with higher rates and hand over electricity generation to private corporations for profit maximization. This will impose unbearable burdens on the poor and the farmers. Protest actions must be organized to stop the installation of such meters wherever it is being implemented.

• The Central Committee decided to extend the Party’s support to the countrywide Kisan-Mazdur Mahapadav being held between 26-28 of November.

• The Central Committee decided to extend the Party’s support and solidarity with the Parliament March call given by the Dalit organizations and platforms on December 4, 2023.

Central Committee Communique

August 8, 2009

                                                                                                                                 Camp: Hyderabad

Press Statement

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in Hyderabad from June 8 to 10, 2006. It has issued the following statement at the conclusion of the meeting:

Victories in West Bengal and Kerala

The Central Committee extended its warm greetings to the people of West Bengal and Kerala for making the Left Front and the Left and Democratic Front victorious in the Assembly elections. The victory of the Left Front for the seventh successive time with three-fourth majority and the victory of the LDF with two-third majority has enhanced the prestige of the CPI(M) and the intervening capacity of the Left in national politics. The Central Committee congratulated the state committees of West Bengal and Kerala for these successes.

UPA Government’s Policies

The Central Committee expressed concern at the fall in production of foodgrains. The shortfall in production and procurement has led to the government’s decision to import 30 lakh tonnes of wheat after the earlier import of 5 lakh tonnes. There is a projected deficit of 30 lakh tonnes in procurement. With declining procurement, the food security and the public distribution system are bound to be affected.

The Central Committee strongly criticized the government’s approach of reducing food subsidies. The agricultural minister has announced that prices of rice and wheat in the public distribution system will be increased. This is accompanied by the proposal for reduction in the quantum of wheat supply and cuts for APL and BPL card holders. The foodgrain component in wages in the various Central government schemes are also been cut. These steps should not be taken.

The Central Committee demands the strengthening of the public distribution system instead of its curtailment. Wider access to the public distribution system, issuance of BPL cards and adequate supplies of foodgrains must be ensured.

Price Rise

The government has shown no concern for the continuous rise in prices of food items and other commodities like pulses, edible oils, vegetables, sugar and medicines.

It is at such a time that the government has announced a steep increase in the price of petrol and diesel. The Central Committee noted that protest actions against the price increase are taking place all over the country. It called upon all the Party units to make the All India Protest Day on June 13 a big success. It appeal to all sections of the people to join the protest actions.

Implement REGA

The Central Committee called upon the Party and various mass organizations to intervene to ensure the full and proper implementation of the Rural Employment Guarantee Act (REGA). There are reports that the scheme is not being properly implemented in many of the 200 districts which have been selected for the programme. The Party and the mass organizations should mobilize the people in these areas to ensure that the scheme is properly implemented so that 100 days minimum work is provided to those who seek the job.

Foreign Policy

The Central Committee expressed its deep concern at the manner in which the Manmohan Singh government continues to pursue foreign policy and strategic interests by aligning them with the United States. The government has not criticized the United State’s hostile maneouvres against Iran nor has it condemned the Israel-US efforts to punish the Palestinian people for electing the Hamas government by stopping financial grants. The Central Committee noted that the government is not sending a high level representation to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit being held on June 15. The recent decision to join the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan pipeline project has also been taken in line with US interests.

The Central Committee decided that the Party will vigorously oppose the India-US military collaboration. The Party will mobilize people to protest against military exercises conducted with the United States.

Jammu & Kashmir situation

The Central Committee noted the efforts being made by the government to have a dialogue with all the political forces in Jammu & Kashmir. It is necessary to conduct a dialogue on two tracks – one with the separatist organizations and the other with the political parties which are willing to work within the framework of the Indian Union. Talks should revolve around a creative solution which can be based on the concept of providing maximum autonomy to Jammu & Kashmir and taking into account the aspirations of the people of different regions for their own autonomous structures.

The Central Committee condemned the stepped up activities of the extremist groups which have massacred more than 30 people in the Doda region and who have begun to target tourists in the Valley. It is necessary for the Central government and the state administration to take affective step to check such terrorist violence while pursuing the political process.

Political Situation

The Central Committee took stock of the overall political situation in the country. The Central Committee endorsed the stand of the Polit Bureau regarding the approach to the UPA government. The Left Parties would be submitting a note to the UPA-Left Coordination Committee about its views on the performance of the government and what needs to be done.

The Central Committee decided that on policy matters and a number of issues concerning the people, the Party should assertively take up these issues in Parliament. It should also conduct campaigns and struggles on the people’s issues. The Party should join hands with other political parties who can come on a joint platform to conduct joint campaigns and movements.

The Central Committee was of the firm view that only by forging such joint platforms and arriving at a common understanding on policies and programmes that a third alternative can be forged.

Forest Tribal Rights Bill

The Central committee decided to observe July 18 as a day to demand the adoption for the Forest Tribal Rights Bill. The Joint Select Committee of Parliament has proposed important amendments to the Bill which will ensure the tribal people’s right to land in the forest areas. The Party wants the Bill with the amendments proposed to be adopted in the monsoon session of Parliament.

Call for National Campaign

The Central Committee decided to conduct a countrywide political campaign in the month of August. The Party’s policies will be taken to the people through this campaign. The campaign will focus on the need to combat communal forces of various hues and the defence of secularism. It will take up what is happening in Gujarat and the BJP-ruled states where the minorities are under attack.

The campaign will propagate the economic policies and measures which the CPI(M) advocates. There has to be policies which meet the people’s basic needs for land, food, employment, for living standards which are not eroded by price rise. The strengthening of the public distribution system and the rights of the farmers and the rural poor are to be ensured.

The right to education, end to caste oppression and provision of one-third reservation for women in Parliament and state legislature will be among the other demands to be highlighted in the campaign.

The All India campaign will take place in the entire month of August. During this period, the Party will conduct local campaigns culminating in public meetings in over 200 centres all over the country. Central leaders of the Party will address these meetings.
The Polit Bureau has been authorized to finalise the charter for the campaign.