Resolutions adopted by National Executive of Communist Party of India in its' meeting dated 19-20th November 2011

REVERSE DEREGULATION OF FUEL PRICES

The Congress led UPA II Government has totally failed to contain inflation and to control the prices.  Despite Parliament passing resolutions urging the government to take adequate measures to contain inflation which continues to have adverse impact on common people, the government has not acted reasonably.  On the other hand, the government has gone ahead with deregulation of fuel prices and allowed oil marketing companies to go for hiking the price of Petrol and Petroleum products thirteen times in thirty months which led to cascading effect on prices. The recent hike in the price of petrol was done at a time food inflation continued to be high.  The government is under severe criticism for its insensitivity to the suffering of the common people.  In spite of Prime Minister talking tough on decontrol and deregulation and the role of market, the government had to announce roll back of petrol prices.  Government has done this roll back saying that international prices have come down.  This is an indication that prices can be increased at any time in future.

The National Executive of the Communist Party of India, therefore, demands that government must reverse deregulation and decontrol of fuel prices in the interests of common people.

PENSION FUND REGULATORY & DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

The National Executive of the Communist Party of India strongly condemns the recent decision of the Government to enact Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill.  The Bill if passed will deprive millions of government employees both in Centre as well as in States and in autonomous bodies of their right to Pension after superannuation.  These categories of the employees had been enjoying this right since long times.  Even the Supreme Court of India has in a judgement laid down that pension is not bounty or grace.  According to Court, it is a right.  The employees fear if Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill is enacted, the government may deny pension even to existing employees in due course.  The Central Government Employees Trade Unions and other Central Trade Unions have therefore expressed their strong opposition to this measure and demanded that the Bill be dropped.

What is worse, the Government of India has completely acted contrary to the recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee of Ministry of Finance.  The proposed Bill has provision for putting pension funds in stock market thereby undermining the safety of these funds.  It is unethical and most deplorable attempt on the part of the government to divert public funds for private profits.  It is also deplorable that government has decided to invite 26 per cent FDI in Pension Scheme.

The Communist Party of India strongly opposes the move of the Government to enact this Bill and to divert Pension Funds to stock market as it will be against the interests of the workers and it will mobilize other democratic forces in the country in order to defeat the government moves.

FDI IN MULTI-BRAND RETAIL TRADE

 The National Executive of the Communist Party of India vehemently condemns the UPA-II government’s decision to allow FDI in Multi-brand Retail Trade.  Already government has allowed entry of giant retail MNCs, now it is opening it fully.  This will ruin the lives of millions of retail traders and people engaged in the trade.  They will be deprived of their livelihood.

Besides, entry of MNCs in the retail trade will have very disastrous impact on our economy as a whole, particularly on inflation as MNCs will enjoy monopoly on retail trade.

The decision has come in the wake of new spree of so-called “economic reforms” that is nothing but selling the house silver to subsidise the corporate sector and undermine our economic sovereignty to international finance capital.

The National Executive of the Communist Party of India demands roll-back of the decision and protect millions of Retail Traders.

SC SUB PLAN AND TRIBAL SUB PLAN

The National Executive of the Communist Party of India expresses its serious concern at the non-implementation of SC Sub Plan and Tribal Sub Plan by the Union and State Governments in accordance with the guidelines of the Planning Commission.  Union Government exempts several ministries from earmarking funds for SC/ST Sub Plans.  State Governments do not earmark the required funds to these sub plans.  These funds are non-lapsable.  But in several states, these funds are diverted for other purposes, as the Delhi Government diverted these funds for Commonwealth games.

The National Executive of the Communist Party of India, therefore demands that Union and State governments to earmark funds for SC/ST Sub Plans and implement the schemes for the welfare of SC and ST people who are fighting for their rights and due share in the wealth created in the nation. 

ON SYRIA

The National Executive of the Communist Party of India discussed the present political developments in Arab region particularly situation in Syria which is facing serious threats from all quarters of religious fundamentalists, reactionary Arab regimes and from US imperialists and its allies the NATO.

Surrounded the hostile neighbours such as Turkey in the north, Israel in the West, Jordon in the South and the US and NATO forces in Iraq in the east, Syria is  facing challenges from inside and outside forces who want to implement their policy of “Regime Change”. The present developments prove that the US and NATO are poised now to shift focus from Arab North Africa to the Arab Levant to deal with the last obstacle Syria to their regional hegemony.

The protests which started few months before for securing more democratic rights and for political reforms was hijacked by the forces of fundamentalists equipped with lethal weapons supplied by the neighbouring countries to escalate violence. It is reported that the Syria approved series of new steps towards political reforms and offered negotiations with the opposition but there was no response. Use of army for a solution to the present problem isolated the Syrian regime and gave opportunity to the Arab League to expel Syria as a pretext. The aim of US and NATO is to repeat the same strategy that was used in Libya and if successful then to follow it up against Iran as part of policy re-invent the region along the lines of the ‘New Middle East’.

The National Executive of CPI condemns the decision of the Arab League for o creating condition for external interference in the internal affairs of Syria by violating its own Charter. The CPI expresses grave concern on the present disturbance in Syria which jeopardizes the stability of the whole region.

The National Executive of CPI calls upon the present Syrian government to avoid military solution of the present problem. They should take appropriate measures by releasing political prisoners, initiate dialogue with the democratic forces in the opposition, take further steps towards radical democratic changes to meet the aspirations of the people and mobilize the common people to isolate religious fundamentalist forces engaged in sectarian violence aiming at to destroy the secular fabric of the their society and working for imperialist intervention in Syria. 

The National Executive of CPI calls upon the people of India to stand firmly with the people of Syria in their difficult hours and to expose US imperialists and their allies’ plan who are preparing for intervention in Syria to destabilize the entire Middle East and other areas.