CC Communique

October 16, 2017

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met from October 14 to 16, 2017, at New Delhi. It has issued the following statement:

BJP’s Flop Yatra

The Central Committee commends the people of Kerala for foiling the conspiracy of the BJP to escalate violence in the state, despite severe provocations. The lukewarm response that the yatra received in the initial stages itself forced the BJP President to abandon it midway and return to Delhi.

The people of Kerala know that it is the saffron terror of the RSS/BJP that is responsible for the recurring political violence in Kerala. The violence in fact was begun by the RSS four and half decades back. These attacks escalate whenever there is a LDF government in office. All these have been well documented.

That the fortnight long yatra had a negative impact is borne by the results of the by-elections to the Vengara assembly constituency where the BJP vote fell sharply and it was pushed to the fourth position.

Even in Delhi the BJP demonstrated before the CPI(M) headquarters for 14 days with central ministers leading it.

The BJP’s scant respect for democracy and the lumpen politics that it pursues was very much evident in the decision of the ruling party at the Centre to hold demonstrations in front of the headquarters of a recognised national party for a prolonged 14-day period, disturbing the traffic, markets and schools in the neighbourhood.

Under the guise of protests BJP-RSS hoodlums have attacked CPI(M) offices in Bhubaneshwar, Vishakapattanam, Dehradun and other places.

The Central Committee observed that this all-out campaign against the Left and the CPI(M) in particular has been intensified because of the consistent struggle that the Party and the Left have been waging against their communal politics; neo-liberal economic reforms; subverting parliamentary democracy and educational and cultural institutions and their abject surrender to US imperialism. The plummeting popularity of the BJP and the NDA that it heads is forcing the BJP to mount such attacks on the Left, the Central Committee concluded.

The Central Committee resolved that the CPI(M) will not be cowed down by such attacks and it decided to intensify the campaign against this government’s anti-people and anti-national policies.

Institute Probe Against Jay Amit Shah

The Central Committee noted that despite its high decibel campaign during the 2014 elections to not tolerate corruption, there is not a single instance in which the BJP government has taken action in any of the corruption scandals that have come to the fore during its tenure at both the Centre and in the states ruled by it. In the latest scam involving Jay Shah, son of BJP President Amit Shah, Union Cabinet Ministers have been fielded to come out in his defence. None of the spokespersons however have contested the facts that were made public by the expose.

It would have been farfetched to expect that the Modi government would have handed over investigations to the CBI, ED and the Income Tax department, like in the case of some businessmen and opposition politicians on corruption and money laundering charges. Even in the other cases like the Vyapam scam, Bihar land scam, Panama Papers, Sahara-Birla diaries, Lalit Modi case etc, the government has deliberately refused to initiate any proceedings.

The Central Committee demands that the Modi government should launch proceedings in all these cases.

Legitimising Illegal Private Armies

The Central Committee noted with concern that instead of dealing sternly with private armies masquerading as Gau Rakshaks who are targeting dalits and members of the minority community, indulging in loot, arson and killings, the actions of the BJP governments in various states are, in fact, providing legitimacy to such hooligans.

The latest is the case of the honouring of the killers of Mohd. Akhlaq. While the body of the main accused who died in jail some time back was draped in the national flag, his wife has been promised a job in a primary school by the Uttar Pradesh government. The other accused have been offered jobs in the National Thermal Power Corporation.

Such rewards being doled out to criminals will only bolster their courage and encourage more such armies to indulge in such attacks, is borne out by the fact that only two days back in Faridabad five Muslims were attacked on the allegation that they were carrying beef.

The Central Committee demands that there should be a central ban on all such RSS-inspired private armies.

Worsening Economic Situation
Increasing Burdens on the People

The Central Committee noted with concern the worsening health of the economy as well as the increasing miseries of the people. The fiasco of demonetisation and the GST are coming home to roost. Growing distress suicides by farmers reflecting the deepening agrarian crisis, the virtual ruination of the MSME sector have resulted in large scale job loss. The drastic cuts in allocations to schemes like the MNREGA have further squeezed the job opportunities in the rural areas. The services sector is also showing a contraction and consequent job loss. The overall picture of the economy is gloomy. The Modi government seems to have no clue and is indulging in jugglery.

Despite this being festival season there is gloom in the retail markets, with sales still being unable to pick up though just a couple of days are left for Deepawali.

The Central Committee condemned the writing off of Non-Performing Assets (unpaid loans) of the big corporates amounting to more than Rs. 2 lakh crores (roughly one-fifth of the total of 11.5 lakh crores including interest), instead of initiating recovery proceedings. In sharp contrast, when small farmers and those with small amounts of loans are unable to pay back, their properties are confiscated.

Growing People’s Struggles

The Central Committee congratulated the kisans of Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh etc for launching big struggles for the implementation of the election promise made by the BJP of announcing a Minimum Support Price of one and a half times the production cost, as also a loan waiver.

The Central Committee reiterated the CPI(M)’s demand for enacting a Central legislation whereby the government shall compulsorily buy the produce of the kisans at the above Minimum Support Price.

The Central Committee also noted the preparations being made by various sections of the people for big struggles against the disastrous economic policies. The Central Committee while extending its support to these initiatives called upon the people who are suffering due to the devastating effects of the economic policies of this Modi government to join the protests being planned by the trade unions, peasants, students-youths, and other sections of the people.

22nd Congress Preparations

The Central Committee decided to hold the 22nd Congress of the Party from April 18 to 22, 2018. A total of 765 elected delegates will participate in the Congress to be held at Hyderabad.

The Central Committee authorized the Polit Bureau to prepare the Draft Political Resolution for the 22nd Congress on the basis of the Polit Bureau outline and the discussions in the Central Committee.

C.C. Communique

August 9, 2009

Press Communiqué

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi from November 22 to 24, 2002. It has issued the following statement:

No War on Iraq

The Central Committee strongly condemned the continuing efforts of the United States to launch a military attack and occupy Iraq. The United Nations Security Council adopted an unanimous resolution on the basis of which inspectors are back in Iraq to check whether it has any weapons of mass destruction. Most of the members of the Security Council expect a peaceful resolution of the problem through the implementation of the resolution. However, the United States is bent upon finding some pretext to blame Iraq and launch a military attack. The Bush administration is going ahead with its military mobilisation for this purpose.

All over the world, a strong protest movement is developing against this latest instance of US aggression. The Central Committee appealed to all democratic sections in India to build up a united movement against the threat of war on Iraq. For this purpose, the Central Committee requested all its state units to take the initiative to form broad based committees to oppose the US moves for war.

Gujarat Elections

The Central Committee discussed the forthcoming assembly elections in Gujarat. The recent events in Gujarat have illustrated graphically the danger to the country when Hindutva is implemented as state policy. It reiterated its stand that the widest unity of all the secular forces must be forged to ensure the defeat of the BJP. The election campaign should be so conducted so as to mobilise the people in every constituency to support the strongest secular candidate to defeat the BJP.

Government Crisis

The Central Committee noted that the recent by election to the Legislative Council seat has confirmed the fact that the BSP-BJP government is in a minority with the candidate of the ruling coalition polling only 194 votes. Despite this, the Governor of Uttar Pradesh has been adamantly refusing to convene the assembly to test the strength of the ruling coalition. The BJP-led government at the Centre is conniving in this attack on democracy. This conduct of the governor is partisan and undemocratic. The Central Committee demanded the immediate convening of the legislative assembly to determine whether the government enjoys the confidence of the house.

Jammu & Kashmir Situation

The results of the Jammu & Kashmir elections have heightened the expectations of the people that significant steps can be taken for restoring peace. The Central Committee appreciated the performance of its J&K unit in the assembly elections. With the installation of the new government, the people expect it to implement the policies announced in the common minimum programme. The Central Committee decided that to facilitate the implementation of the common minimum programme, the Party should be represented in the coordination committee to be set up.

Tehelka Affair

With the resignation of Justice Venkataswami from the commission enquiring into the Tehelka case, the government has effectively scuttled the enquiry. The government cannot escape its responsibility in clearing the appointment of the judge concerned to an office of profit while the sensitive enquiry was on.

The CPI(M) demands that a Joint Parliamentary Committee be entrusted with the enquiry. Further, George Fernandes must step down from the office of Defence Minister till the enquiry is over.

Privatisation

The Central Committee noted that the opposition to the privatisation of the profitable public sector units is intensifying. The proposed privatisation of NALCO in Orissa has led to a strong protest movement involving all sections of the people and political parties. The efforts to sell HPCL and BPCL have led to differences within the NDA partners. The Centaur Hotel resale scandal has highlighted the seamy side of privatisation. The Central Committee called for intensifying the resistance to the privatisation drive and to make it a mass movement involving different sections of the people.

Drought & Food Shortage

The Central Committee strongly criticized the central government for its callous attitude towards providing sufficient funds to meet the severe drought situation which affected many parts of the country. So far only Rs. 2000 crore has been allotted for the massive cost of providing relief to the drought-stricken people in the various states. The central government has also shown criminal neglect in providing sufficient foodgrains to meet the requirements of the drought-hit rural poor. The public distribution system has virtually collapsed in many parts of the country. Starvation deaths are being reported from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and other places. The Central Committee demanded immediate steps to provide cheap foodgrains to the people affected by drought and the rural poor. The central government must immediately take steps to expand the Antodaya scheme; reduce the prices for the below poverty line card holders and reverse the current policy and go in for universalisation of the public distribution system.

Withdraw Eviction Circular

The Central Committee demanded the withdrawal of the circular issued by the Ministry of Environment & Forests in May this year which directs the state governments to evict encroachers from forests. This would affect 10 million tribal people who are forest dwellers and not encroachers. The Forest Act must be amended to assure the right of tribal people to the forests and access to forest produce.

Call For Action

The Central Committee called for the united observance of December 6, which marks the 10th year of the demolition of the Babri Masjid . The day should be observed in defence of secularism, communal harmony and to expose the designs of the RSS-BJP combine. The Central Committee called upon all the Party units to mobilise the people against the imminent threat of US aggression on Iraq; intensify the struggle against privatisation of public sector units; take up the problems of the peasantry and rural poor in the drought-affected areas and the problems arising out of the fall in prices of agricultural commodities. The party also directed its units to actively intervene in defence of the rights of dalits, women and adivasis against whom attacks are increasing.