P.B. Communique

January 12, 2020

Press Communique

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met at New Delhi from January 11-12, 2020. It has issued the following statement:

Movement against CAA-NPR-NRC

The Polit Bureau hailed the countrywide protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the growing movement to protect the Constitution and secularism. The CAA undermines the secular concept of citizenship enshrined in the Constitution by introducing a religious criteria.

The mass movement against the CAA-NPR-NRC consists of students, youth and ordinary citizens who are able to clearly see the threat posed to the Constitution and its democratic-secular values. For the past one month, protests had taken place every day in all parts of the country.

The Polit Bureau strongly condemns the brutal repression unleashed on the peaceful protests and the police atrocities inside the Jamia Millia and Aligarh Muslim University campuses. The government must withdraw all the false cases foisted on people and release all those arrested and in jail.

The most brutal repression has been unleashed in Uttar Pradesh against peaceful protestors, in particular those belonging to the Muslim community. 20 people have died due to police firing, hundreds of homes ransacked and fines imposed. All this is being done at the direct instigation of Chief Minister Adityanath.

The CAA and the NRC are to be seen in tandem. As per the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules 2003, a National Population Register (NPR) is to be compiled which will be the basis for the NRC. The government had notified that the NPR process will take place from April 1 to September 30, 2020. The NPR-NRC process will affect millions of poor people and those belonging to marginalized communities and target the minority community. The Polit Bureau reiterates its call for the withdrawal of the CAA. It demands that the Modi government not proceed with the NPR as notified.

The Polit Bureau appeals to all the Chief Ministers who have announced that they will not accept the NRC to put on hold the NPR process in their states. It is by doing so that they can stop the implementation of the NRC.

The Polit Bureau meeting discussed the ways and means for sustaining and advancing the peaceful protest movement against the CAA-NPR-NRC all over the country. It called for the unity of all secular and democratic forces to carry forward the movement.

Remove Curbs in Jammu & Kashmir

Five months after the abrogation of Article 370 and the dismantling of the state of Jammu & Kashmir, the people of Kashmir continue to be deprived of various rights and liberties. Hundreds of leaders and activists are under detention, right to assemble denied and internet shutdown.

The Polit Bureau demands that the government restore internet service in keeping with the spirit of the Supreme Court judgment. All other curbs should be lifted and detention of political leaders revoked.

Attack on JNU

The Polit Bureau condemned the violence unleashed by the ABVP-RSS goons in JNU campus on January 5 which injured 29 students and teachers including the JNUSU President, Aishe Ghosh. It was a shocking spectacle to see the Delhi police standing by, allowing the goons to run riot and later facilitating their exit from the campus.

The Delhi police investigations are biased and mostly targeting the student activists belonging to the Students Union and not the actual culprits. The HRD Ministry should intervene to see that the steep fee hikes are rescinded. The Vice Chancellor who is responsible for destroying the character of the university must be removed.

January 8 Strike

The Polit Bureau congratulated the working class, employees, peasants, agricultural workers, students and other sections of the working people who made the general strike call on January 8 a big success. The strike took place across industries, public sector enterprises, financial and unorganized sectors. Across the country, tens of thousands of peasants and agricultural workers participated in the road and rail rokos. School, college and university teachers participated widely. The strike was a warning to the Modi government not to pursue anti-working class and anti-people policies.

Halt Price Rise

The Polit Bureau expressed serious concern at rising inflation rate and the price rise of food items and essential commodities. This is compounded by the increase in the price of petrol and diesel. The government should take immediate steps to check the price rise and reduce the excise duties on petrol and diesel.

Discrimination against Kerala

The Central government is adopting a discriminatory and negative attitude to Kerala’s fiscal requirements. Kerala is entitled to Rs. 24,915 crores as public borrowing for the year 2019-20. This has been unilaterally reduced by the Centre to Rs. 16,602 crores in the name of neutralizing the alleged increase in public account debt in 2016-17.

The GST compensation of Rs. 1,600 crore due in December has not been paid. The arrears on account of MGNREGS is Rs. 1,215 crore and for payment for paddy procurement is Rs. 1,035 crore. Kerala has been denied any allocation for natural calamity relief despite submitting a claim for Rs. 2,100 crore.

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) demands an end to this discriminatory approach by the Centre. The Kerala government should get the funds due under the various accounts. The Central government should also provide allocation under the natural calamity relief fund to the state which had suffered from serious floods in 2019.

Killing of Iranian General

The Polit Bureau reiterated its strong condemnation of the assassination of the Iranian General, Qassem Soleimani, by the United States in Baghdad. This was an act of impunity and in violation of all international norms.

Central Committee Meeting

The Polit Bureau discussed the Draft Report on Political Developments to be placed before the forthcoming meeting of the Central Committee to be held at Thiruvananthapuram between January 17-19, 2020.

P.B. Communique

May 7, 2012

Press Statement

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi on May 6, 2012. It has issued the following statement:

Hillary Clinton’s Visit

The US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton is visiting India. She held a meeting with the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Ms. Mamata Banerjee during her visit to Kolkata. What is significant about this meeting is the issues which were reportedly discussed. The sharing of Teesta waters is a bilateral issue between India and Bangladesh. The raising of this matter by Hillary Clinton, that too with the state Chief Minister, is an uncalled for and unacceptable intrusion into a strictly bilateral issue.

The US Secretary of State will seek to utilize the visit to continue to pressurize India to open up retail trade to US and multinational companies. The Polit Bureau warns the UPA government not to proceed further with allowing FDI in retail trade which has met with widespread opposition in the country.

The US Secretary of State will also demand that India stop oil imports from Iran and curtail trade and economic ties. So far, the Manmohan Singh government has succumbed to US pressures on the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline and on the Iran nuclear issue. India needs the oil and gas supplies from Iran. The country expects the UPA government to act on the basis of the vital interests of the country.

Presidential Election

The Polit Bureau discussed the forthcoming Presidential election. The Congress and the UPA cannot get a candidate elected on their own strength. So a Presidential candidate, based on a wide agreement, should be selected. The CPI(M) will consult with the Left and other secular opposition parties before taking a final stand.

Struggle for Food Security

The Polit Bureau discussed the concerted attempts being made by the Central government to cut down people’s entitlements in the name of an utterly flawed Food Security Bill. Even with a stock of over 5.35 crore tonne foodgrains, which is expected to substantially increase with the rabi procurement, the Government is stubbornly refusing to universalize the public distribution system and prefers to let the stocks rot in the open. The cost of holding such huge buffer stocks will escalate even as millions remain at levels of unacceptable hunger. The present Bill further increases targeting and at the same time encroaches on the rights of state governments. The Polit Bureau calls upon the government to give up its utterly unreasonable and illogical approach determined by its neo-liberal obsession to cut subsidies even on a critical issue like food. It endorsed the call for struggle on the issue of Food Security given by the Left parties.

Mining and Adivasi Rights

The Polit Bureau expressed serious concern about the present draft of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill 2011 which seeks to push through a policy framework of deregulation and privatisation of the mining sector at a time when illegal mining scams have cost the exchequer lakhs of crores of rupees. Leave alone recognizing the rights of adivasi communities as stakeholders in mineral wealth, it eliminates the right of adivasi communities to be consulted and to give prior informed consent before any lease notifications are made. Taken together with the weak provisions in the Land Acquisition Bill a new offensive against small and marginal farmers including adivasis is under way. The Polit Bureau calls upon the Central government to suitably amend the land related and mining related legislations to protect the rights of small farmers and adivasis.

Lokpal Bill

The Polit Bureau demanded that the government bring forth the Lokpal Bill to be adopted in this session of Parliament itself. The Bill should be suitably amended to ensure that an effective Lokpal body is constituted.

Financial Sector Legislation

The Polit Bureau reiterated its strong opposition to the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill, the banking and insurance amendment Bills which the government proposes to push through in Parliament. These legislations are retrograde. The pension Bill will deprive employees in the government and other sectors of their existing rights. The banking and insurance bills will further open the financial sector to foreign capital and introduce volatility and instability. The government should learn the lessons of the global financial crisis and desist from these measures.

Organisational Measures

The Polit Bureau discussed the division of work and responsibilities of the Polit Bureau and Party Centre and the formation of the sub-committees of the Central Committee. It will place a report containing these proposals before the Central Committee for its approval.