Central Committee Communiqué

June 9, 2014

Press Communiqué

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi on June 7 & 8, 2014. It has issued the following statement:

Review of Lok Sabha Election

The Central Committee discussed and adopted a review report of the Lok Sabha election. The Central Committee conducted an in-depth discussion which critically assessed the poor performance of the Party. The Polit Bureau and the Central leadership took the primary responsibility for the failure to expand the independent strength and the decline in the mass base of the Party which was reflected in the election results.

The Central Committee discussed the review of the election results in West Bengal where the Party and the Left Front have suffered a serious reverse. The Central Committee discussed the political and organisational steps to be taken so that the Party in West Bengal can reorient its work and forge close links with the people. The Party will take the lead in taking up the issues of the working people and conduct struggles and movements. Immediate steps should be taken to protect the Party cadres and supporters who are facing continuous attacks.

The Central Committee congratulated the Tripura State Committee for the unprecedented victory. The Party and the Left Front polled 64.4 per cent of the vote, winning the two seats with huge margins.

The Central Committee decided to review the political line and the organisational functioning in order to take corrective measures. The Party will go to the people, forge close links with the masses and will ceaselessly conduct struggles and movements to defend the livelihood interests of the people, secularism and democratic rights. The Central Committee is united in its resolve to face the challenges arising out of the new political situation in the country.

Trinamul Violence Condemned

The Central Committee condemned the continuing violence and attacks on its cadres and Left supporters by the Trinamul Congress in West Bengal. Ten CPI(M) members and supporters were killed during the election campaign and in the post-poll violence. The Central Committee called upon the Party and the Left forces to conduct solidarity campaigns all over the country in defence of democracy and against the violence in West Bengal.

New Government

With the Narendra Modi government taking office, the people are expecting that the acute problems they are facing will be addressed such as price rise, unemployment, agrarian distress and increasing crimes against women.

However, the BJP-led government seems more interested in raising issues which are divisive. The talk of abrogating Article 370 of the Constitution by a minister has caused serious apprehensions. This can only lead to more alienation amongst the people in Kashmir. Nothing should be done that will undermine the special status accorded to Jammu & Kashmir which is a solemn commitment to the people at the time of the state’s accession to the Indian Union.

Moves are afoot to increase FDI entry into defence production and other sectors like insurance. The CPI(M) is opposed to such steps. There are also moves to grant environmental clearance to a large number of projects in the mining and power sectors which have serious implications for the environment and the rights of the tribal people in these areas. The Modi government should desist from taking such steps without taking into account the environmental factors and the rights of the tribal and local people.

Spate of Communal Incidents

Ever since the polling for the Lok Sabha elections ended and the new government assumed office there have been more than a dozen communal incidents across the country. Communal clashes have been reported from Gujarat, Maharashtra, UP, Karnataka and other places. There has been the brutal killing of a young Muslim IT professional by men belonging to the Hindu Rashtra Sena in Pune. It seems the mood of triumphalism has led to communal incidents often targeting the minority community. The Central Committee strongly condemned such attacks and resolved to work to protect the minority community while countering all forms of communalism.

Increasing Crimes Against Women

It is a matter of deep concern that sexual assaults against women and children continue to increase raising questions as to whether India is a country safe for its women. The lack of political will to take the necessary measures to curb assaults on women has been exemplified by the spate of horrific cases of rape and murder of the victims in Uttar Pradesh such as in Badaun. The state Government has failed to curb lawlessness including in its own police force. On the contrary statements by top leaders of the Samajwadi Party trivialize the crime of rape and encourage the callousness of the police and officials in dealing with such cases.

There have also been a big increase in cases of sexual assault in Rajasthan including in the Chief Minister’s own constituency where victims have been denied justice. The shocking statements by the Home Ministers in BJP led Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh display utter insensitivity and raise questions whether victims of sexual assault in these States can ever hope for justice. There is no respite from the growing attacks on women in West Bengal.

The Central Committee demanded that the state governments concerned take firm and effective action in all such cases and send out a message that such crimes will not be tolerated.

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Below is the report on the press conference

CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat said that Party had decided to review the political line of the Party and to examine why there has been an alienation of sections of the people from the Party. He was addressing the press today at the Party headquarters after the two day central committee meeting of the Party that concluded in New Delhi yesterday. The meeting was held to review the Party’s performance in the elections to the 16th Lok Sabha.

Prakash said that the “Polit Bureau and the Central leadership took the primary responsibility for the failure to expand the independent strength and the decline in the mass base of the Party which was reflected in the election results.”

He also said that the Central Committee decided to review the political line and the organisational functioning in order to take corrective measures and that “the Party will go to the people, forge close links with the masses and will ceaselessly conduct struggles and movements to defend the livelihood interests of the people, secularism and democratic rights”.

“The Party”, Prakash said “has decided to initiate studies on the impact of liberalization and the neo-liberal policies in the last two decades and to assess the impact on various classes and the differentiation that has taken place within these classes and the resultant changes that have taken place in their outlook and values.” Such a study he said “will help us adopt correct slogans and demands”.

About organisational measures that the Party proposes to take, the CPI(M) General Secretary said that the Party would undertake an indept analysis of the functioning of the various committees and why the party was not able to translate the various movements that it has led into influence among the people and revamp the organization in the changed situation.

Answering questions about the electoral setback in West Bengal, Prakash said that of the around 77,000 booths in the state around 10,000 were rigged and another 7,000 were partially rigged. But these were not the only reasons, he admitted. He said that the apart from this, the Party has not been able to recover the erosion in its support that it had lost during the 2009 Lok Sabha and 2011 assembly elections in the state. He also admitted that the Party had underestimated the impact of the BJP and the media campaign conducted by it. Sections of people who had voted for the Left earlier have voted for the BJP this time he said.

He said that the West Bengal committee has gone into the reasons for the serious reverse and discussed the political organisational steps which are required to reorient the party and re-forge links with the people.

Prakash said that the reason for the excellent showing by the Party in Tripura is because of the good work done by the Party and its government there.

Prakash said that though the LDF in Kerala was able to improve its performance by winning four more seats than last time, it was still below expectations in the favourable political situation obtaining in the state. He said that the Kerala State Committee has reviewed the results and has discussed about measures to be taken to advance the Party’s and LDF’s influence among sections of the people.

Putting to rest media speculation about certain Polit Bureau members offering their resignation, Prakash Karat said that “There has been no such offer, either in the PB or CC.

Central Committee Communique

August 7, 2009

Press Communique

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi on 29 and 30 May, 2008. It has issued the following statement:

On Price Rise and Hike in Petroleum Product Prices

The Central Committee noted with deep concern the steady rise in prices and inflation. The wholesale price index has risen by 8.1 per cent. This figure does not really capture the actual rate of inflation. The price rise of essential commodities, particularly of food items, is becoming unbearable for the common people.

It is in this context that the proposed hike in petrol, diesel and cooking gas prices have to be viewed. Such a hike will have a cascading effect on price rise and heap further burdens on the people.

The CPI(M) and the Left parties have been suggesting a package of measures which would help to meet the steep increase in the international oil prices. These measures consist of: a) cut in import duty from five to zero per cent, b) reduction in excise duties and on petrol and diesel, c) setting up of a price stabilisation fund with the oil cess contribution, d) taxing the windfall profits being made by private oil companies and refineries, and e) an end to the import parity pricing system. It is unfortunate that the UPA government has not taken seriously these measures.

Alongwith the Central government’s reduction of duties, the state governments should also institute cuts in sales tax and duties on petroleum products to relieve the burden on the people.

The UPA government cannot pamper the private oil companies while the public sector oil marketing companies are suffering.

The Central Committee expressed its strong opposition to any hike in the prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas. The Central Committee authorized the Polit Bureau to call for a countrywide protest movement in concert with the Left and secular opposition parties, if the government announces a price increase.

Steps to Curb Price Rise

The Central Committee expressed its strong dissatisfaction at the manner in which the UPA government has ignored the measures suggested by the Left parties to curb the price rise of essential commodities. The five steps suggested were: universalisation of the public distribution system and restoration of the cut in foodgrain allocation to the states under the PDS; curb on procurement of foodgrains from farmers by private companies and traders; ban on futures trading in essential commodities; cut in import duties and excise duties on oil and stringent action against hoarding.

The Central Committee call upon all its Party units to step up the anti-price rise agitation by taking up the specific local issues connected with the price rise and launching continuous struggles on such issues.

Farm Loan Waiver

The Central Committee considers the additional steps announced for farmers’ debt waiver inadequate and will not help to provide substantial debt relief. The steps taken to write off 25 per cent of the dues or Rs. 20,000 whichever is higher for farmers having above two hectors in drought-prone districts is totally insufficient. Neither has the cutoff date of March 2007 being extended for claiming debt relief. The Central Committee demanded that full debt relief to be given to the farmers of dry land areas and raise the land holding limit to cover all small and medium farmers. The cut-off limit for the debt relief should be extended to February 2008.

Karnataka Election Results

The BJP achieved majority by winning 110 of the 224 seats. It has been able to form a government on its own in the state for the first time. This is a serious development when viewed in the background of the growth of the Hindutva communal forces over the last two decades in Karnataka. This growth was marked by continuous communal incidents and the targeting of the minorities. The secular forces must draw proper lessons from this development.

The immediate advantage gained by the BJP was solely due to the opportunist and unprincipled role of the Janata Dal (S). The formation of the coalition government with the JD(S) helped the BJP to come into government for the first time getting key portfolios. It utilised this effectively. The JD(S) has been marginalized in these elections due to its unprincipled compromise. The BJP utilised the JD(S) withdrawal of support as an act of “betrayal”. The Congress party got progressively weakened. It had a divided leadership. The impact of the UPA government’s policies has been negative with price rise and the agrarian crisis. A discredited Congress could not cash in on the collapse of the BJP-JD(S) coalition.

Rajasthan: Brutal Repression

The Central Committee strongly condemned the brutal and inhuman repression unleashed on the Gujjar agitation in the state. This agitation was sparked off by the Chief Minister’s assurance to provide Scheduled Caste status to the community during the Assembly elections. Last year too, the agitation was sought to be suppressed with more than a score of people killed. This time, it is shocking that two days of police firings have led to the death of 41 persons. The BJP government has failed to tackle the issue by negotiations and a political settlement.

The Vasundhara Raje government has the notorious record of having conducted more than 50 police firings in which around 80 people have been killed in its four and a half year rule. After the latest massacres, the Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje should own up the responsibility and resign from the post of Chief Ministership.

Situation in Assam

The Central Committee noted with concern the continuing activities of extremist forces in Karbi Anglong and the North Cachar Hill districts which has led to violence and loss of lives. Extremist activities are occurring in the Bodoland Territorial Autonomous District too. The Assam state government is failing to maintain peace and tranquillity. These are areas which have suffered from long years of neglect. It is essential that immediate attention is paid for the development of these areas while taking steps to check the violence and maintain peace.

Women’s Reservation Bill

The Central Committee welcomed the introduction of the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha. All efforts should be made to arrive at a common understanding so that the Bill can be enacted into law.

Closure of Vaccine Institutes

The CPI(M) strongly opposes the suspension of licenses of the three main vaccine producing units in the public sector, viz., BCG unit in Chennai, Pastuer Institute, Coonoor and Central Research Institute, Kasauli. Between them, these PSUs produce and supply the bulk of the vaccines for the important universal immunization programme. Their closure is a blow to self-reliance and paves the way for big private pharma companies. The Health Ministry must restore their licences with immediate effect and upgrade facilities.

West Bengal Panchayat Elections

The Central Committee greeted the people of West Bengal for supporting the Left Front in the three-tier panchayat elections. The Left Front has won 13 of the 17 zilla parishads and a majority of the panchayat samitis and gram panchayats. A noteable fact is that the Left Front has polled 54 per cent of the votes in the three-tier elections in the face of a complete gang-up of all the anti-CPI(M) forces. The Trinamul Congress- Congress- BJP-SUCI and other communal organisations came together particularly in the panchayat samiti and gram panchayat levels to fight the CPI(M) and the Left Front.

There have been some setbacks for the CPI(M) and the Left Front in certain districts and areas. The West Bengal state committee will be undertaking a detailed examination of the results and making a review. The apprehensions about land acquisition which has led to loss of support in some areas must be removed. The plan for industrialization must take this into account. Proper lessons must be drawn from the reversal suffered in certain areas. The disunity in the Left Front should be overcome and Left unity strengthened. The Central Committee is confident that remedial policy steps and organisational measures will be undertaken.

20th August Strike

The Central Committee extended its full support to the call given by the Central Trade Unions for a one-day general strike on the demands of the workers and employees.

Organisational Steps

The Central Committee finalized the work division of the Polit Bureau members and Central Committee members and the constitution of sub-committees.

The Central Committee elected a seven-member secretariat headed by the General Secretary. The other members are: Hari Singh Kang, Hannan Mollah, V. Srinivasa Rao, Nilotpal Basu, A. Vijayaraghavan and Jogendra Sharma. The last two are new members.

The Central Committee co-opted Amra Ram, member of the Rajasthan state secretariat and MLA to the Central Committee in the vacant seat in the Central Committee.

The Central Committee decided to have the Secretary of the Chattisgarh state committee, M. K. Nandi and the Secretary of the Uttarakhand state committee, Vijai Rawat, as invitees to the Central Committee.