C.C. Communiqué

June 8, 2015

Press Communiqué

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met at New Delhi on June 6-7, 2015. It has issued the following statement:

One year of BJP Government:

Maximum Propaganda, Minimum Performance

Contrary to the propaganda that the BJP government has unleashed on the completion of one year in office, the livelihood conditions of the vast majority of the Indian people are actually declining. The massive hikes in the prices of petroleum products in the background of the fall in the international price of crude oil is fuelling all-round inflation, particularly of food items and essential commodities.

Economic Turn Around: False Claims

Soon after assuming office, the Central government has changed the basis for the calculation for National Income Accounts. According to this new formula, the GDP has been projected at 7.3 per cent. However, even with this new formula, the growth during October-December 2014 has now been revised downwards to 6.6 per cent from the earlier claim of 7.5 per cent, exposing the falsification of its own earlier claims.

This new formula has estimated the growth of the manufacturing sector as being 7.1 percent for 2014-15. The index of industrial production data however shows that the factory output in the country was only 2.3 per cent. The final private consumption expenditure, a gauge to measure household spending, grew at 6.3 per cent as against 6.2 per cent last year. The investment rate in the economy has not grown as claimed. Gross fixed capital formation reflecting investment rate is 30 per cent, down from 30.7 per cent last year. Further, output of 8 core industries contracted by 0.4 per cent compared to 5.7 per cent growth last year. Therefore, both investment and demand have stagnated. Consequently, the unemployment situation has worsened.

Notwithstanding the hype of `Make in India’, foreign investment both in the equity markets and direct production has declined.

The agrarian distress continues to deepen. Following the drought last kharif season, unseasonal rains and hailstorms damaged standing crops in nearly two crore hectares in various parts of the country. The weather forecast for this year predicts an inadequate monsoon.

The BJP government has reneged on its promise of giving remunerative MSP to farmers. The kisans are finding it difficult to make both ends meet, leading to an increase of 26 per cent in the spate of distress farmers suicides.

The recent unprecedented heat-wave deaths across the country are also linked to the withdrawal of the MNREGA. The work generated in 2014-15 was at least 60 per cent less than earlier. The government is yet to announce any compensation or relief to affected families. The release of foodgrains under the public distribution system declined, virtually negating the assurances given in the Food Security Act.

The services sector which was rapidly growing in recent years, is seeing a fall in the basic index that is used to measure its growth, during the last three months.

Thus, all the three sectors of the economy – industry, agriculture and services – are in a deep crisis.

Sharpening Communal Polarisation

During this year, the real agenda of the RSS in unleashing vicious communal attacks has been patronised by this BJP government in all spheres. Campaigns of `ghar vapsi’, `love jihad’ etc, and the efforts to replace syncretic Indian history with Hindu mythology continue. Key RSS people are appointed to various crucial positions in academic institutions. Growth of rabid intolerance is reflected in the latest incident at IIT Madras. No action has been taken on any Cabinet minister or MP/MLAs who continue to spew venomous hate speeches across the country. Communal tensions are erupting across the country, the latest being the riots that took place in Atali, Ballabgarh, in the National Capital Region.

Deteriorating Centre-State Relations

During this period, Centre-State relations are deteriorating with the appointment of leading RSS/BJP politicians as Governors of the states. In Delhi, the elected state government and the Centre, through the office of the Lieutenant Governor, are logged in a bitter battle over appointments of officers. In the North East, the Chief Ministers of all the states have sought to meet the PM to air their concerns over the transfer of central funds for development, particularly after the Planning Commission has ceased to exist. The PM has reportedly not found time for this so far.

Attacks on Parliamentary Democracy

During this year, the BJP government has been systematically undermining parliamentary procedures by seeking to bypass the Rajya Sabha where it does not have a majority. Nearly 50 legislations were enacted without reference to the Standing Committees, using its majority in the Lok Sabha.

The BJP government has re-promulgated the Ordinance amending the Land Acquisition Act for the third time, even when a Joint Parliamentary Committee has begun examining these amendments. This is unprecedented.

The CPI(M) has published a booklet exposing this one year of the BJP government titled `Ek Saal Bura Haal’.

CPI(M)’s Campaign Call

Many kisan organizations have together launched a struggle under the banner Bhoomi Adhikar Andolan (Movement for Land Rights) against the amendments to the Land Acquisition Act. CPI(M) units all across the country will extend support to the programmes of this movement.

The Central Trade Unions have given a call for an all-India general strike on September 2 against the attacks on the working class and the longstanding rights earned by it through struggles. The CPI(M) Central Committee extended its full support to this general strike and all programmes leading up to it.

The Central Committee has decided to organize nationwide protests on various burning issues affecting the rural people as a result of this deepening agrarian distress from August 1 to 14. All units of the CPI(M) will launch struggles, all across the country, during this fortnight on specific local issues.

This campaign fortnight, apart from struggles on the burning local issues, will highlight the drastic cuts in MNREGA allocation, the undermining of the food security commitments by the Central government, mobilizing support for the ongoing kisan struggles and the all India general strike on September 2.

West Bengal

Braving the politics of terror, intimidation and threats by the Trinamool Congress, the CPI(M) has in the recent municipal elections, for the first time since the 2009 parliamentary elections, arrested the decline in its electoral support base. The wresting of the municipality in Siliguri is significant. Wherever the people have effectively resisted such politics of terror and brazen rigging in the elections, democracy has triumphed.

Tripura

The Central Committee congratulated the people of Tripura on the historic CPI(M) victory in the recently-concluded Tripura Autonomous District Council in the state. The Central Committee hailed the decision of the Tripura Left Front government to withdraw the AFSPA in the state.

Harkishan Singh Surjeet

Birth Centenary Observations

The Central Committee decided to observe the birth centenary of Comrade Surjeet on the basis of the resolution adopted at the 21^st Congress, by all its units across the country culminating on his birthday, March 23, 2016. In the current context, Com. Surjeet’s role in the fight against communalism and other expressions of fundamentalism will be highlighted.

Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund

The CPI(M) units all across the country collected a total of Rs. 3,25,86,871 equivalent to Nepali Rs. 5,21,38,993.60 as the Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund. The highlight of this fund collection is the Kerala unit’s collection of Rs. 2,84,89,853. This amount will be handed over by the General Secretary to the President and Prime Minister of Nepal on June 10, 2015 at Kathmandu.

Organisational Plenum

The Central Committee decided to convene the All India Organisational Plenum of the Party, as mandated by its 21^st Congress, in Kolkata towards the end of this year. The details of the dates and venue will be finalised subsequently.

Division of Responsibilities

The Central Committee allocated individual responsibilities to its members and formed various sub-committees to strengthen collective functioning, which is the hallmark of the CPI(M)’s organisational methods. The Central Committee decided on the editors of the Central Party organs –

The Marxist — Sitaram Yechury; People’s Democracy — Prakash Karat; and Lok Lehar — Rajendra Sharma

Central Secretariat

The Central Committee elected a six-member Secretariat headed by the General Secretary and consisting of Hari Singh Kang, Nilotpal Basu, V. Srinivasa Rao, Jogendra Sharma and Dr. Ashok Dhawale.

Central Discipline Commission

The Central Committee elected a four-member Central Discipline Commission consisting of S. Ramachandran Pillai (Chairperson), Madan Ghosh, V. Srinivasa Rao and U. Vasuki.

C.C. Communique

August 7, 2009

Press Communique

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi on June 24, 25 and 26, 2007. It has issued the following statement:

Bangladesh

The Central Committee expressed its serious concern at the manner in which democracy is being curbed in Bangladesh and an authoritarian regime with military support being instituted there. The caretaker authority is being virtually exercised by the military. There are no prospects for an early parliament election. Political parties are not being allowed to function normally and trade union rights are curbed. The army has been entrusted with the work of preparation of a fresh electoral roll with the voters having to enrol themselves by reporting at respective army unit offices.

What is happening in Bangladesh is worrying the Left and democratic forces in India. The CPI(M) supports the demand for the restoration of democratic rights and political activities and holding of early parliament elections.
Economic Situation

The Central Committee noted that food prices continue to remain high even though it is claimed that the rate of inflation is coming down. The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for the week ending May 26 came down to 4.9 per cent, but the inflation rate for primary articles remains high at 8.6 per cent. Moreover, the separate consumer price indices do not reflect the downward trend of the WPI. Thus the issue of price rise of essential commodities continues to be a burdening problem for the working people. The UPA government has failed to take effective steps to check price rise. The immediate measures required are: 1) Ban futures trading in all essential commodities as recommended by the Parliamentary Standing Committee (2) Since there is no check on inter-State movement of wheat, centre must set central stock limits for wheat and ensure raids against suspected hoarders (3) change the tax regime on petrol and diesel prices (4) strengthen the public distribution system.
Agrarian Crisis

The Central Committee noted that the government is yet to take any effective steps for implementing the recommendations of the National Farmers Commission. Instead, the approach and some of the proposals set out on agriculture in the National Development Council will only aggravate the present agrarian crisis. The central question of the financial viability of cultivation was not addressed. The suggestions on contract farming are oriented towards the interests of the corporates. The suggestion to form land share companies in the name of tackling the problem of declining size of land holdings will only help the corporate houses.
Food Policies and PDS

The direction of the food policies of the UPA government is a matter of deep concern. The public distribution system is being systematically weakened. The root cause is the refusal to reverse the targeted system which has excluded large sections of the poor from the right to food and to re-establish a universal system. The privatisation of procurement of foodgrains has resulted in a situation where even the lowest target ever of 150 lakh tonnes of wheat set has not been reached. Only 109 lakh tonnes of wheat have been procured.

The Central Committee condemned the cuts in allocation of foodgrains to the public distribution system. The allocation for BPL cardholders has come down. The allocation for the Antodaya scheme has also fallen far short of the promised coverage of 2.5 crore families. The above poverty line (APL) are sought to be removed from the PDS with the allocation of wheat to them being cut.

This comes at a time when there is growing malnutrition. The National Family Health Survey, 2005-2006 shows that 56.2 per cent of all women and 58.2 per cent of rural women suffer from anaemia.

Expand BPL and PDS

The Central Committee demanded the expansion of the lists of BPL beneficiaries by changing the unreasonable criteria and patently incorrect estimates made on the basis of the Planning Commission’s guidelines. Reports from the states show that BPL cardholders are restricted and there is no issuance of cards to genuine families below the poverty line. The UPA government must immediately revise the guidelines and ensure the states get adequate allocations for the expansion of the BPL beneficiaries.
Policy Issues

The Central Committee was of the opinion that the draft Bill for social security for unorganised workers approved by the Cabinet is totally inadequate. The government should discuss the matter afresh with the trade unions and political parties and come out with a fresh draft.

The Central Committee endorsed the stand of the Party on regulation of retail trade. Apart from not allowing FDI, there has to be regulation of entry of big corporates into retail trade. The Party will mobilise people, particularly the small traders and shopkeepers in support of this stand for regulation.

The rules under the Forest Tribal Act have not yet been framed. Utilising this delay, the Forest department is resorting to large-scale evictions in various states. These evictions should stop and the rules finalized quickly.

Women’s Reservation Bill

The Central Committee expressed its disappointment at the failure of the UPA government to introduce the women’s reservation bill so far. The Party will make renewed efforts to ensure that the Bill is brought to Parliament during the next session.

Indo-US Nuclear Agreement

The Central Committee was of the firm opinion that the Hyde Act passed by the US Congress sets terms and conditions which are not acceptable for the nuclear cooperation agreement with the United States. The UPA government should not try to clinch an agreement by compromising on vital issues or by trying to avoid such issues in the 123 bilateral agreement.

The UPA government must realise the serious consequences of compromising on such an agreement which will have permanent repercussions on our national interests and foreign policy.

Uttar Pradesh Elections

The Central Committee reviewed the UP assembly election results. The election results have shown the weakness of the Party’s base among the working people. Steps to build united movements of working class, peasantry and other oppressed sections and steps to counter the growing caste appeal need to be taken by the Party.

Presidential Election

The Central Committee endorsed the stand taken by the Polit Bureau to support the UPA nominee, Smt. Pratibha Patil, for President. The CPI(M) is especially happy to support the election of the first woman President in the country. The Central Committee criticised the BJP for putting up Shri Shekhawat as an independent, when it is a fact that he has been a lifelong adherent of the RSS and a leader of the BJP.

Attitude to UPA Government

The CPI(M) will discuss with the Left parties on the approach to be taken vis-à-vis the UPA government, particularly on the important policy issues and problems affecting the people.
PB Action Endorsed

The Central Committee endorsed the suspension of Comrade V. S. Achuthanandan and Pinarayi Vijayan from the membership of the Polit Bureau. It decided to take stock of the situation in the next meeting of the Central Committee.

19th Congress

The Central Committee decided to hold the 19th Congress of the Party by the end of March 2008. The Congress will be held at Coimbatore in Tamilnadu. The timetable for the conferences from the branch to the state level have been finalised.

Call for Movement on People’s Issues

The Central Committee decided that on the vital problems faced by the working class, peasantry, agricultural workers, unemployed youth, women, small shopkeepers and the common people, the Party should conduct a two-week campaign and movement on the demands which the Party is raising regarding these issues. The state committees of the Party will concretise the demands on the following issues for the campaign: 1) Demand to curb price rise, 2) PDS for all, 3) farmer’s problems, 4) retail trade, 5) curb unemployment, 6) women’s reservation Bill, 7) fight communalism, 8) Indo-US nuclear cooperation.
Since the urgent issue facing the people all over the country is the non-issuance of BPL and Antodaya cards and steps to restrict the PDS in all the states, during this fortnight, there will be a day chosen for picketing of Central government offices demanding change in the criteria and policy of issuing BPL cards and for expanding the Antodaya cardholders.