C.C. Communiqué

June 20, 2016

June 20, 2016

 

Press Communiqué

 

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi from June  18 to 20, 2016. It has issued the following statement:

 

Increasing Burdens on the People

 

The BJP-led NDA government has recently celebrated its two years of existence making many bombastic claims in all political and social facets of the country’s life. Notwithstanding these claims, the reality for the vast mass of our people is one of greater burdens being imposed. The economy is not being able to provide any better livelihood conditions for the vast majority of our people. In fact these are worsening.

 

Price Rise

 

Prices of essential commodities led by prices of food articles are once again on a rampage. The prices of dal, the staple diet for all Indians has skyrocketed. For the month of May 2016 the official wholesale price index and the rate of inflation on a year to year basis released by the government agencies shows an increase of 35.56 for pulses, 12.92 per cent for vegetables, 22.3 per cent for sugar, with all India food articles registering over 8 per cent rate of inflation.

 

The prices of petroleum products, particularly diesel are being raised at an alarming frequency. In fact on June 13 the price of diesel and petrol were hiked once again and diesel by Re. 1.26. This is the fourth increase in the prices of petroleum products in the last six weeks. With the rising prices of diesel the misery of the rural people will only escalate further. The government is thus bolstering its revenues by imposing greater burdens on the people.

 

Rising Unemployment

 

There is a six year low for new jobs in eight labour intensive industries. The last quarter of 2015 has recorded virtually a negative growth of employment

 

The government claims that India’s GDP is growing at a world-breaking record level of 7.9 per cent, the economic ground realities do not match such claims. In all the three sectors that together combine to reflect the growth of the economy i.e. agriculture, industry and services, there has been a marked slow down if not decline. As far as industry is concerned, in the last quarter of 2015-16, the industrial growth rate recorded 0.1 per cent, compared to the corresponding quarter of last year. Manufacture growth rate shrunk by –1.1 per cent.

 

The attacks on workers continues with the constant lowering of interest rates on their life time savings in provident fund, the latest being the reduction in the interest rate in the General Provident Fund from 8.7 per cent to 8.1 per cent from June 1, 2016 which affects all government employees and state owned enterprises and services including the defence.

 

Agrarian Distress Deepens

 

Farmers suicides are recording a rise notwithstanding the government’s change in definition of distress suicides to hide the real face of agrarian distress. Nearly 3000 farmers are officially reported to have committed distress suicides in 2015. The total sown acreage in the country has alarmingly declined. The total area sown in 2016-17 was 71.21 lakh hectares down from 76.65 lakh hectares in 2015-16. This clearly means that there is a sharp rise in rural unemployment. At the same time the rural real wages have declined to a decade low.

 

Privatisation

 

The government has embarked on a large scale privatisation of the public sector units, the latest case is that of the asset rich oil companies. The merger of public sector banks has begun brushing aside all objections raised by banking experts and the workers unions.

 

In order to facilitate sale-out of the CPSEs, the NITI Ayog has been made to recommend further capital investment from national exchequer in some CPSEs, not just to revamp their operational efficiency but to make them saleable to private hands.

 

Support to General Strike

 

The Central Committee extended its support to the call by the Central Trade Unions and all India federations for a general strike on September 2, 2016.

 

Sharpening Communal Polarisation

 

In the run up to the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh next year, the RSS and the BJP are working overtime to whip up communal passions.  It is reported that the Bajrang Dal has been organizing arms training camps in several parts of the state.  This is clearly an exercise  to provoke communal conflicts and tensions and reap the consequent electoral gains from such polarization.  Such efforts are an expression of the worst ‘vote bank politics’ seeking the consolidation of the Hindutva communal vote bank at the expense of weakening the unity of India’s social fabric.

 

Growing Authoritarianism

 

The Modi government’s authoritarian face was nakedly exposed in the manner in which it is grossly misusing Article 356 to dismiss legitimately elected governments of the opposition parties. Its effort in Uttarakhand has now been reversed with the Supreme Court intervention.  The apex court had passed a severe indictment about the brazen manner in which Article 356 is sought to be misused.  It had earlier toppled the Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh.

 

Goods & Services Tax

 

The Central Committee noted the obduracy of this Modi Government in refusing to call an all party meeting to build a consensus over the GST during the last two years. The GST as proposed today has certain weaknesses that need to be addressed and solutions to be found.

 

With the introduction of the GST, whatever little residual power remains with the state governments to raise resources will be lost. In situations when national disasters occur or to fund the welfare schemes to improve people’s livelihood, state governments will now have to remain at the mercy of the central government for funds. Further, the mechanism to compensate the states that lose their revenue with the introduction of the GST will have to be properly addressed. A meeting of all the state finance ministers should be convened by the Prime Minister to discuss this issue thoroughly and come to a consensus.

 

The CPI(M) had given its note of dissent in the Select Committee of Parliament which contained our reservations which need to be properly addressed. The Central Committee reiterates that the PM immediately call an all party meeting to build a consensus on this issue.

 

Electoral Reforms

 

The recent elections to the Rajya Sabha have once again confirmed the alarming use of money power being employed. This grossly distorts democracy, influencing voters and denying them the right to discuss the politics and policies of the candidates and parties involved.

 

The Central Committee has called for urgent consultations amongst all political parties to be initiated by the Election Comission on curbing the influence of money power.

 

NGOs

 

The CPI(M) reiterates that foreign funds for NGOs must be strictly monitored to ensure that it is in accordance with the Indian law and the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA).

 

The CPI(M) condemns the relentless political vendetta being waged by the Modi government against activists who have fought for justice for the victims of the Gujarat genocide. The actions against Sabrang Trust is part of such a vicious campaign and should be stopped.

 

Joint US-Japan-India

Naval Exercises

 

Following the recent spate of agreements by which India has committed itself to as a junior strategic partner of the United States of America, India has now become party to naval exercises with the USA and Japan in South China seas. These exercises codenamed “Malabar Naval Exercises” were earlier held on Indian coast in the Arabian Sea. Moving into the waters of South China seas has many serious implications for our independent foreign policy and security concerns.

 

The CPI(M) reiterates for its demand that the disputes in the South China sea must be settled in accordance with international law and established international procedures. The Indian government must adhere to this time tested policy position that India has always maintained.

 

As a consequence of these defence agreements, the government has announced today a decision to allow 100 per cent FDI in defence, aviation and pharmaceuticals.  This is not in the interests of India and raise serious questions concerning both our internal security and our sovereignty. As a consequence of the Indo-US strategic partnership, the Modi government has now announced across the board greater access to FDI. India is permitting foreign capital to reap super profits and seek to emerge out of their global economic crisis at the expense of our domestic economy. 

 

Review of Assembly Elections

 

In this round of state assembly elections, the BJP has made substantial gains.  It has formed the government in Assam for the first time. In West Bengal and Kerala, the BJP has made gains. It had conducted a very aggressive  campaign in Kerala  and has mounted serious post-poll violence against the CPI(M). Overall, the Congress suffered a setback in these round of elections.  The BJP’s performance has emboldened it to take a more aggressive posture in the country’s politics post-elections.

 

Kerala

 

The CPI(M)-led LDF in Kerala has registered a very significant victory.  The CPI(M) conducted its campaign raising the slogans of ousting UDF from power and checking BJP. The Party took a strong stand against corporatization, corruption and communalism. The LDF victory in the assembly elections is recognition for the policy of building up Left and democratic alternative to the BJP and Congress.

 

Tamilnadu

 

The election results in Tamilnadu are disappointing for the CPI(M). The six-party alliance could not win any seat. A major feature of the Tamilnadu elections has been the use of money power in a big way with both the AIADMK and DMK distributing cash to the voters in most of the constituencies on an unprecedented scale.

 

Assam

 

The CPI(M) contested the election as part of a six Left parties alliance. The results were disappointing and the CPI(M) could not win any seat.

 

The Left parties appealed to the voters to oust the Congress from power, defeat the BJP and elect the Left candidates for strengthening the unity of the people and ensuring all-round development of the State.

 

Both in Tamilnadu and Assam, the emphasis should be on building up the independent strength of the Party through class and mass struggles and taking steps to rally all the Left and democratic forces.

 

West Bengal

 

The Trinamool Congress returned to form the government winning 211 out of the 294 seats and secured a two-third majority. The elections were held in very difficult conditions faced by our Party and the Left Front.  During the course of last five years, the terror unleashed by the Trinamool Congress had even before the campaign began consumed the lives of 176 of our comrades apart from internally displacing over 60,000 families of Party members and sympathizers, the ransacking and looting of Party and mass organization offices, the specific targeting of women comrades etc.

 

The Central Committee saluted the two crore fifteen lakh people, who braving this politics of terror and violence have voted for the slogan of ousting the Trinamool Congress government and isolating the BJP.

 

The Trinamool Congress has unleashed widespread violence against the cadres of the opposition parties.  Many CPI(M) cadres have been murdered and over 600 CPI(M) and mass organization offices have been ransacked and some set on fire.  Apart from targeting the offices of all opposition parties and mass organizations, the attacks specifically focus on constituencies and areas where Trinamool Congress lost in these elections.  Widespread bomb attacks, arson and extortions of huge amounts of money as ransom are being reported.

 

Under these circumstances, the CPI(M) calls upon the people of West Bengal to unitedly resist this murder of democracy and civil liberties in the state.  The strength of the broadest people’s resistance is the answer to meet this unprecedented unleashing of violence. 

 

The Central Committee concluded that the electoral tactics adopted in West Bengal was not in consonance with the Central Committee decision not to have an alliance or understanding with the Congress. This should be rectified and the Central Committee stressed the importance of adhering to the political-tactical line adopted at the 21st Congress of the Party.

 

The Central Committee authorized the Polit Bureau to ensure its implementation in consultation with the state leadership of the Party.

 

C.C Calls

 

In a situation where burdens on the people are being relentlessly mounted, the Central Committee of the CPI(M) has called on the Party units to observe nationwide protest action focusing on price rise and growing unemployment from July 11 to 17, 2016.

Local issues that are causing distress among the people will also be taken up along with these two issues.

The Central Committee decided that the Party units all over the country will organise protest actions, in the first week of August 2016, against this unprecedented violence unleashed by the Trinamool Congress post elections.

 

C.C. Communique

August 8, 2009

Press Communiqué

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi between October 29 and 31, 2004. It discussed the current national and international situations. It has issued the following statement:

Maharashtra Elections & After

The Maharashtra election results are significant. The Congress-NCP alliance has once again been returned to office. The defeat of the BJP-Shiv Sena combine conforms to the all India pattern witnessed in the Lok Sabha elections which rejects the politics of divisiveness based on a communal platform.

The BJP, faced with successive setbacks keeps harping on Hindutva and tightening further its bonds with the RSS. L.K. Advani, after assuming the Presidentship has made the revealing statement that the Ram temple would have been built if the BJP-led government had returned to office. This remark confirms how the BJP was trying to subvert the law and bypass the judicial process to begin the illegal construction of the temple at the disputed site.

The non-BJP allies have no way to evade the main issue any more. Being allied to the BJP means serving the interests of the RSS and the Hindutva platform. Apart from being an electoral liability, association with the BJP is also damaging their credibility as secular parties.

The Central Committee wishes to alert the people that the present posture of the BJP will be conducive for raking up communal issues and creating discord and divisiveness. The CPI(M) appeals to all the democratic and secular forces to be vigilant against such moves.

Situation in The North East

The bomb blasts and attacks in Dimapur, Nagaland and various part of Assam led to the death of a large number of persons and injuries to many. Both the ULFA and the NDFB were responsible for this violence. The Tarun Gogoi government has been lax in taking firm measures in time to check these violent activities and there are serious allegations about some of the ministers having links with the ULFA.

The Central Committee expressed its strong opposition to the United States Ambassador’s writing to the Chief Ministers of Assam and Nagaland offering the services of the FBI to investigate the blasts. The Central government should convey to the US Ambassador its disapproval of such a step.

The ULFA, NDFB and the Tripura extremist outfits like the NLFT and the ATTF are operating mainly from camps based in Bangladesh. Some of the groups are there in Myanmar also. The Bangladesh government has been consistently denying the existence of the camps and the activities of the leaders of these groups from the territory of Bangladesh. The Central Government must take up the matter with the Bangladesh Government in a manner, which makes it aware that it cannot evade the issue of sanctuary for the terrorist groups any longer.
The Central Committee noted that some talks have begun between the Central Government and the representatives of the popular movement in Manipur. In the light of the experience of the implementation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, some of the draconian powers need to be amended. The Centre should also work on providing a legal basis for keeping the armed forces to perform certain duties in the North East without recourse to such draconian provisions.

Jammu & Kashmir

The Central Committee expressed serious concern at the growing extremist attacks on leaders and cadres of political parties in the valley. The extremist activities are now concentrated in South Kashmir and in particular in Anantnag district. Four CPI(M) workers have been killed in the recent period in attacks. The Mufti Mohd. Government should take more effective steps to tackle the extremist violence.

The Central Committee expects the UPA government to take fresh initiatives to restore the political dialogue, which can help to rally all the democratic and secular forces. The aspirations of the people for maximum autonomy must be kept in mind. The UPA government must announce an economic package of measures for the state, which can boost development activities and employment opportunities.

The Central Committee welcomed the progress made in the talks between India and Pakistan during the foreign ministers meeting in Delhi and later the meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Musharraf. Recently President Musharraf floated some options to deal with the Kashmir problem. All such proposals should be taken up as part of the composite dialogue, which will be held.

Policy Issues

The Central Committee welcomed the repeal of Pota, the disbandment of the enquiry commission on Tehelka tape exposures and handing over the related investigation to the CBI. It also welcomed the setting up of an enquiry commission on the Godhra railway arson case.

The Central Committee appreciated the position of the government to prepare a bill for enacting the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, which will provide for a minimum of hundred days work to one adult in every rural household.

The Central Committee however, noted that on economic policies, the UPA government is taking positions which are dictated by the erroneous outlook that unjustifiable concessions to foreign capital have to be given at the expense of domestic industry and the public sector if the country is to attract foreign investment on a large scale.

The Central Committee found the government’s initiative to scrap Press Note 18, which provides protection to domestic industry when entering into joint ventures with foreign companies to be in line with the flawed thinking that this will increase FDI flows.

The Central Committee expressed surprise at the eagerness of the Finance Minister to facilitate the takeover of Indian private banks by foreign banks. The proposal to allow foreign banks to buy ten percent in an Indian private bank every year till it can be converted into a subsidiary of the foreign bank is harmful. There are a number of small private banks, which will be swallowed up by the foreign banks by this scheme. The foreign banks are now allowed to operate in India with their branches and to mobilise resources. It is unfair to allow them to capture the small private banks in the country.

The Central Committee cannot accept the argument that disinvestment upto 49 percent in the profitable public sector units including the navaratnas will have any impact on the character of the public sector. Further, such disinvestment of shares will go towards meeting the budgetary requirements of the government to meet its deficit without in any way strengthening the public sector.

The UPA Government seems to be working on the basis that the core issues of liberalisation and privatisation should be left to the government to pursue, while the Left should confine itself to concerns such as employment generation, food supply, education and health. The CPI(M) cannot accept such an approach. Both the Common Minimum Programme and the basis of the popular verdict in the Lok Sabha elections requires the government not to blindly pursue the course adopted by the previous BJP-led government.

The Central Committee decided that more emphasis will have to be given to the mobilisation and struggles by different sections of the working people in defence of their interests and for change in the government’s policies in this regard. The Party units must take up the issues of food, work and demands of the workers and rural poor by organising movements.

Foreign Policy

The Central Committee discussed some of the aspects of the foreign policy, which need to be reviewed. Taking into account the pro-American direction to foreign policy given by the BJP-led government, the Common Minimum Programme has set out the need for an independent foreign policy. In this connection, the Central Committee wants the UPA government not to proceed with any association with the American Missile Defence Programme. This controversial programme of President Bush will escalate the arms race internationally and create new tensions in South Asia.

The Central Committee stressed the need for a review of the Indo-Israel relations. The Vajpayee government had established a deep strategic and security collaboration with the Israeli regime. The Israeli government is notorious for its colonial occupation and subjugation of the Palestinian people. More than a hundred Palestinians have been killed in the last one-month in Israeli military operations in Gaza. The UPA government must not go by the specious argument based on realpolitik that strategic collaboration with Israel is in our national interest.

Party Decisions

The Central Committee adopted a document on the approach to mass organisations, which updates the 1981 resolution on the subject. The document will provide a fresh direction for the Party members work in the mass organisations, to help in developing and expanding their influence.

The Central Committee discussed the preparations for the Party Congress, which is to be held in New Delhi from April 6 to 11, 2005. The Central Committee decided that 700 elected delegates will attend the 18th Congress and finalised the state-wise quota for their election in the state conferences.