CPI PLANS MASS STRRUGGLES IN COMING MONTHS

The three days session of the National Council of the Communist Party of India (CPI) concluded here on September 7, 2012. BKMU leader Comrade Nagendranath  Ojha presided  over the session. It was preceded by the meeting of the National executive on September 5, 2012.

CPI General Secretary Comrade S. Sudhakar Reddy presented a comprehensive report on economic and political developments since the 21^st Party Congress held at Patna in March this year. The report noted the deepening of the global economic crisis that has started affecting the developing world including India adversely. As the UPA2 government   refuses to review the disastrous course of neo-liberalism, the country is facing serious economic crisis. There is all round deterioration with decline in industrial production, in service sector and overall decline in GDP growth rate that has plunged to all time low of 5.3 per cent. The government in place of tackling the serious problems of price rise, unemployment and attacks on working class is intending to aggressively pursue the course of economic neo-liberalism by showering concessions on Corporates and denying the people small benefits of subsidy. Government is threatening to once more increase prices of petrol, diesel and LPG that will have cascading impact on the price situation as a whole.  People are restive and are joining the struggles in large number.

The National Council condemned the continued disruption of Parliamentary proceedings and termed it as a “fixed Match” between Congress and BJP both of whom are equally mired in corruption. Actually corruption is a bye-product of economic neo-liberalism that facilitate loot of natural resources and sharing of the loot among politicians corporate and bureaucracy.

Apart from preparing for observance of NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY DAY on SEPTEMBER 12 called by the four Left parties, the National Council has called upon the entire party to observe OCTOBER 2, as Day in defense of Secularism and National unity. This day has assumed urgency in the background of sinister attempts by the communal forces of all hues to rouse communal passion in the context of ethnic riots in Assam.  Cyberspace has been used to spread communal poison. The situation is becoming alarming as forces wanting to hasten the communal polarization of the population are taking vicious measures for limited political gains.

 Re-emphasizing the need for conducting result-oriented struggles at grass root level to build a stronger CPI, the National Council also decided to support the mass struggles to be launched by various mass organizations. Major actions in the coming months will be:

•  The call by  all Central Trade Unions (CTUs)  for intensified struggles ;  
•  Jail Baharo in November, Parliament March in December and  two days general strike in February 2013;
• March to Parliament by All India Kisan Sabha and Bhartiya Khet Mazdoor Union on November 1.
• March to Parliament by AISF and AIYF on November 2 for right to education and right to employment.
• Food Security Day by NFIW on September 18 and Day against atrocities on women on October 2.
• National campaign for proper implementation of SC-ST Sub plan on December 10, 2012.

The National Council also considered a note on preparations for the  elections to nine state  assemblies  in 2012 and 2013 as well as preliminary  review  of preparations for Lok Sabha elections. The National Council is of the firm opinion that the  party should bid for winning and increasing its representation in the state assemblies and work for a strong Left Block with impressive presence of the CPI in it, in the new Lok Sabha.  Party   is committed for the Left unity and along with other Left parties will work out the detailed electoral tactics as per the concrete situation prevailing in states at the time of the election.

The National Council filled the vacancies in National executive by inducting Comrades Rajendra Nath Singh, Badri Narayan Lal and Ram Naresh Pande from Bihar, UP state Council secretary Dr. Girish and Odhisha state secretary Dibakar  Nayak.

The National Council adopted a number of resolutions on immediate issues.

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Gurudas Dasgupta's Note of dissent on present economic situation

Communist Party of India (CPI) parliamentary group leader and CPI National Council secretary Gurudas Das Gupta has said that the UPA-II government has miserably failed over the years to stimulate inclusive growth and rather did not succeed even to maintain the rate of GDP growth attained earlier, which is today at an all-time low of 5.3 per cent.  It could not even hold the price line mainly of the essential commodities including food articles.

The veteran parliamentarian, also the AITUC general secretary, made these observations in his dissent note on the report of the parliamentary standing committee on finance concerning the present economic situation, submitted on August 29, 2012.

Unfortunately, the standing committee’s draft report as prepared failed to critically examine the fundamentals of the economic policy and suggest effective alternatives instead objectively approved the policy that has been pursued by the government, he said.  “It does not even refer to the futility of the policies and non-performance of the government.  In my view, the committee did not discharge its responsibility by patting on the back of the government.”

Saying that the present crisis cannot be attributed solely to the international crisis, second in two years, Dasgupta said that the present policy of unguarded liberalisation, reckless privatisation, unusual dependence on foreign funds, over dependence on export market, failure to curb speculation in a situation of scarcity, its total inability to provide economic empowerment to a vast section of the majority of the people, galloping disparity of income and increasing unprecedented concentration of wealth in the hands of the few form the basic negative feature that has been overlooked by the committee. 

The report speaks of “economic incentive regime for accelerating and sustaining growth.” It also states that “the committee, hence recommend that the FDI policy may be reviewed by the government to ensure the above and make India an increasingly attractive and investor-friendly destination for foreign investors.” It further says: “Our policies should attract more long-term capital inflows and push investments through reforms.”

Thus, the CPI group leader pointed out that the observations clearly approve the government of India’s FDI-friendly policy of economic reform, spelling out the undeniable message that it is the foreign investment that will engineer the process of accelerated economic growth obviously taking care of the basic human problems. “This proposition has not been found to be correct anywhere in the world.  The committee rejecting all the Indian realities, by implication seeks to strengthen the hands of the government to bulldoze its people-unfriendly economic reform.  The report will give a free hand to the government to allow FDI in the retail trade, further tax concession to the corporates in the SEZs, it will lead to more violation of labour laws and enable the government to infuse FDI in the banking and insurance having proportionate voting rights.  In the name of attracting foreign funds it will bestow more concessions undermining the national interest, making India the most attractive hunting ground for the international players looking for unlimited profits exploiting national resources and manpower.”

 

             Stating that primarily the growth of the economy depends on national resources augmenting progressive tax revenue, broadening the tax base, reducing the tax concession, holding up tax avoidance, by waging all out war to retrieve black money, curbing unaccounted income, effectively fighting corruption and reducing wasteful expenditure and relocating priorities in the process of budget making, he said that nobody is denying the role of FDI in  national development, which by all means is subsidiary. 

               The direction of the report, which is extremely flawed is stereotyped and does not search for alternative policy which the nation is looking for. There is no word for stimulating the domestic market, enlarging the empowerment of the marginalised majority.

              The report in the background of the agricultural crisis does not call for heavy public investment in agriculture, only asks for ‘infusion of funds’ without indentifying the source of funds.  While investment in agriculture has been dwindling down over years, both public and private, the report does not “look beyond the nose, makes a superfluous comment on the need of infusion of funds, which is unlikely to happen.” 

“Nevertheless it is correct to say that private investment has a crucial role in a mixed economy like India.   But in a situation of gloom and downturn, it is massive government investment targeted to augment the income of the common people, for creating job, ensuring stability of income of the disadvantaged, even incurring budget deficit can turn around the economy.  Heavy government investment will stimulate the market, generate the income, improve aggregate demand and as a result market shall look up creating the atmosphere for the inflow of profit oriented private investment, even draw foreign funds.  Unfortunately, the alternative perception is ignored and discarded by the Report and in fact it strengthens the hands of the government to carry forward the present anti-people economic policies”, the dissent note adds.

 

Criticising the government for recommending the sale of family silver to meet the grocer’s bill, he said that the report suggests disinvestment for raising revenue, when the market sentiment is so negative. “The Committee unfortunately goes so far as to suggest 10 per cent reduction in the non-plan expenditure which essentially suggests to reduce subsidy obviously hurting the common people.  This is quite in line with what the present government wants to do.  In the name of quoting RBI, the report puts on record with concern the question of overshooting of subsidies.”

The committee, he says, “even refers to with concern the impact of ‘retrospective tax laws’ and ‘general anti-tax avoidance rules’. It calls upon the Government to modify/withdrawal these laws so that investors’ interest is not hurt.  It calls upon the government for the speedy enactment of the financial reform Bill including Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill, the Companies Law Amendment Bill.  The report undoubtedly shall be a feather in the cap of Dr Manmohan Singh’s government.”

The report in the name of strengthening the health of the banks “seeks to permit the government for going for merger of the banks undermining the national interest.  It also opens the door for private investment in banks diluting its public sector character.”

              Since the report is one sided, seeks to strengthen the hand of the government in pushing through all its corporate friendly reform programme at the cost of the interest of the people, since the report does not locate the fundamental anachronism in the economic policy that has led to a situation of slowdown and food inflation, almost taking the country to the threshold stagflation, since the report is in fact an apology for the inaction of the government and since the report does not find any fundamental flaw in the policy and refrains from outlining people friendly suggestions Dasgupta made it clear that he has no other alternative but to put on record his dissent.  “It is unfortunate that the report is likely to serve as a readymade weapon in the hand of the government to defend its failed economic policy running the country.”

             

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वैट पर अतिरिक्त कर एवं विद्युत कर की दरों को बढ़ाने की भाकपा द्वारा निन्दा

लखनऊ 5 सितम्बर। भारतीय कम्युनिस्ट पार्टी ने उत्तर प्रदेश सरकार द्वारा आवश्यक तमाम वस्तुओं पर वैट पर अतिरिक्त कर तथा विद्युत कर की दरों में की गयी बढ़ोतरी को जनविरोधी बताते हुए प्रदेश सरकार के फैसलों की कटु निन्दा की है।
भाकपा के राज्य सचिवमंडल की ओर से जारी एक प्रेस विज्ञप्ति में कहा गया है कि सत्ता में आने के बाद से वर्तमान प्रांतीय सरकार ने महंगाई को नियंत्रित करने में कोई रूचि नहीं दिखाई है। पहले से ही आम जनता की महंगाई से कमर टूटी हुई है, उस पर प्रदेश सरकार ने उन सभी वस्तुओं पर लगने वाले वैट पर अतिरिक्त कर को एक बार फिर बढ़ा दिया है जिस पर पहले से ही प्रदेश की जनता को अधिक कर देना पड़ रहा था। इसी तरह बिजली की दरों में इजाफा घोषित करने के ठीक पहले विद्युत कर की दर को बढ़ा कर जनता की कमर तोड़ने में कोई कसर नहीं छोड़ी गयी है।
12 सितम्बर को खाद्य सुरक्षा, भ्रष्टाचार तथा महंगाई के साथ-साथ प्रदेश सरकार के इस फैसले के खिलाफ भारतीय कम्युनिस्ट पार्टी के कार्यकर्ता पूरे प्रदेश में विरोध प्रदर्शनों एवं धरनों का आयोजन करेंगे।

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“हर माह, हर परिवार को 35 किलो अनाज 2 रूपये में” के लिए वामपंथी दलों का अभियान

लखनऊ 3 सितम्बर। भारतीय कम्युनिस्ट पार्टी एवं अन्य वामपंथी दलों द्वारा खाद्य सुरक्षा, महंगाई तथा भ्रष्टाचार के सवाल पर 12 सितम्बर को उत्तर प्रदेश के समस्त जिलों में धरने और प्रदर्शनों का आयोजन किया जायेगा। ज्ञात हो कि यह वाम दलों द्वारा पूरे देश में इन मुद्दों पर जुलाई माह में जन-जागरण अभियान चलाया गया था और 30 जुलाई से 3 अगस्त तक दिल्ली में जंतर-मंतर पर महाधरना दिया गया था।
धरने और प्रदर्शनों के माध्यम से मांगे की जायेंगी - ”न एपील न बीपीएल - हमें चाहिए सार्वभौमिक सार्वजनिक वितरण प्रणाली“, ”हमें चाहिये प्रति माह प्रति परिवार 2 रूपये किलो की दर से 35 किलो अनाज“, ”योजना आयोग के फर्जी गरीबी अनुमान खारिज करो, इन्हें कल्याणकारी योजनाओं के आबंटन का आधार मत बनाओ“, ”किसानों की उपज की लाभकारी कीमतें दो“, ”स्वामीनाथन आयोग की सिफारिशें लागू करो“, ”कैश कूपन नहीं राशन की गारंटी चाहिए“, ”राशन प्रणाली में व्याप्त भ्रष्टाचार रोका जाये“, ”महंगाई पर रोक लगाई जाये“, तथा ”हर प्रकार के भ्रष्टाचार को समाप्त किया जाये“।
इस विषय में भाकपा राज्य सचिव डा. गिरीश ने कहा कि केन्द्र सरकार द्वारा प्रस्तावित खाद्य सुरक्षा विधेयक में उपर्युक्त मुद्दों को शामिल कर उसे शीघ्र से शीघ्र पारित किया जाये। संप्रग सरकार प्रस्तावित खाद्य सुरक्षा कानून में इन बातों को शामिल करने को तैयार नहीं है और केवल फर्ज अदायगी के तौर पर एक ऐसा कानून बनाना चाहती है जिससे भ्रष्टाचार तो और फैलेगा परन्तु जरूरतमंदों को कुछ भी हासिल नहीं होगा।
भाकपा राज्य सचिव ने बताया कि 12 सितम्बर को जिलाधिकारी कार्यालयों अथवा एफसीआई के गोदामों पर धरने/प्रदर्शन आयोजित कर प्रधानमंत्री को सम्बोधित ज्ञापन अधिकारियों के माध्यम से भेजे जायेंगे। भाकपा राज्य सचिव मंडल के निर्देश पर 27 अगस्त से ही पूरे प्रदेश में इन सवालों पर सभायें, नुक्कड़ सभायें जारी हैं जो 11 सितम्बर तक जारी रहेंगी।

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खेती, किसान और खुदरा व्यापार को चौपट कर देगी कान्ट्रैक्ट फार्मिंग - भाकपा

लखनऊ 31 अगस्त। भारतीय कम्युनिस्ट पार्टी के राज्य सचिव मंडल ने राज्य सरकार द्वारा उत्तर प्रदेश में कांट्रैक्ट फार्मिंग को शुरू करने के फैसले को किसान, व्यापारी और जन विरोधी बताते हुए इसे तत्काल रद्दी की टोकरी में डालने की मांग की है।
भाकपा राज्य सचिव मंडल की ओर से जारी बयान में पार्टी के राज्य सचिव डा. गिरीश ने आरोप लगाया कि राज्य सरकार का यह कदम केन्द्र की संप्रग-2 सरकार द्वारा खेती में निजी क्षेत्र की भागीदारी बढ़ाने के उद्देश्य से कारपोरेट एवं कांट्रैक्ट खेती शुरू करने की नीति को ही आगे बढ़ाने वाला है। यह आर्थिक नव उदारवाद की नीति का विस्तार है जिसे राज्य सरकार अनेक रूपों में आगे बढ़ा रही है।
भाकपा का आरोप है कि कांट्रैक्ट फार्मिंग के जरिये विशालकाय बहुराष्ट्रीय कंपनियां उच्च तकनीकी लायेंगी जिससे कृषि क्षेत्र में बड़े पैमाने पर बेरोजगारी फैलेगी। यह कदम खुदरा व्यापार में विदेशी निवेश की बैकडोर एंट्री है और कृषि उत्पादों के कारोबार को विदेशी कम्पनियों के हवाले करना है। इसका विरोध खुद सपा के राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष ने वाम दलों के नेताओं के साथ गत दिनों प्रधानमंत्री को लिखे पत्र में किया है। इससे मंडी समितियां भी अपंग हो जायेंगी।
भाकपा का सीधा तर्क है कि विदेशी कम्पनियां लाभ कमाने को कांट्रैक्ट फार्मिंग में प्रवेश कर रही हैं और यह लाभ वे हमारे देश के व्यापारी और किसान की कीमत पर ही तो कमायेंगी। दूसरे कांट्रैक्ट के जरिये कृषि उत्पादों पर एकाधिकार कायम कर वे मनमाने दामों पर उन्हें उपभोक्ताओं को बेचेंगी। छोटे और मझोले किसान, जिनकी आर्थिक स्थिति कमजोर होती है, उन्हें एडवांस धन देकर वे मनमानी शर्तों पर कांट्रैक्ट करेंगी और उन्हें कर्ज के जाल में फंसा कर उनकी जमीनों को हड़प लेंगी। स्पष्ट है कि कारपोरेट खेती को बढ़ावा देकर पहले केन्द्र सरकार और अब राज्य सरकार भूमि सुधार के सवाल को ही उलट रही हैं और सीलिंग कानूनों को और भी असरहीन बनाने जा रही है।
इसके अलावा मांसेन्टो और कारगिल जैसी कंपनियां जो अपने बीज, खाद और कीटनाशकों को कृषि पर थोप रही हैं, को और भी बल मिलेगा तथा बेहद महंगी एवं पर्यावरण के लिये हानिकारक जैनैटिकली मॉडीफाईड तकनीकी का विस्तार प्रदेश के कृषि संकट को और भी बढ़ायेगा।
भाकपा राज्य सचिव मंडल ने मुख्यमंत्री को आगाह किया है कि वे अति उत्साह में उत्तर प्रदेश की खेती, किसान, खुदरा व्यापार के साथ-साथ पर्यावरण के विनाश के इस रास्ते को न खोलें और प्रदेश के ऊपर कांट्रैक्ट फार्मिंग थोपे जाने के घातक कदमों को पीछे खींच लें।

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Comrade Hangal : A Devoted Communist

I last met comrade A.K. Hangal at his residence in Bandra in the last week of April this year. I had gone to brief him on the decisions of the 21st Congress of the CPI held in March. Actually, in  February 2012, when I along with the then Party General secretary A.B. Bardhan met him, he was confined to bed and regretted  that he will not be able to come to Patna but asked me to brief on deliberations of the Party Congress as soon as possible.

In April, the first thing he told me was that he has sent the renewal of Party membership through his son Vijay and asked  me to check whether it had reached to the Mumbai Party secretary  or not. He was very particular in renewing his party membership and attending the party meetings as and when he was asked to do so. He had a fad for reaching in time. This created problems several times as the meetings normally got delayed by half an hour and he would curse those who failed to inform the correct time.  His fad for reaching on dot made him to wait at a distance from the venue several times for long. He would enter the  venue only at the fixed time.  This he observed in reaching  a friend’s house or for shooting of a film as well. After hearing the report on the Party Congress and knowing that Sudhakar Reddy has replaced A.B. Bardhan as general secretary, he expressed desire to meet the new general secretary.  He said, ‘I have met all general secretaries of the party since pre-independence days. I want to meet Sudhakar who may be the last general secretary during my life’. On this, I reminded him that he had promised to celebrate his  100th birthday at Delhi. He smiled and said, ‘It does not look as if I will  be able to keep that promise’. (I came back and reported the conversation to Sudhakar Reddy and requested him to meet him when he goes for the Party Rally in May. Sudhakar did meet him.)

My interaction with comrade Hangal began when I started dabbling in cultural affairs of the party.  He had succeeded Kaifi Azmi as national president of the Indian People’s Theater Association (IPTA). He used to take keen interest in the affairs of the Party. Every time we met, he will point out what he liked and what he did not in NEW AGE and HAYAT. He was regular subscriber of both the journals and used to send his subscription well in advance.  He never refused to attend a party meeting and even toured distant place to participate in the election campaign of the Party.  To satisfy the audience he would accede to the demand and deliver the film dialogues from his films, particularly from Sholey in which he played the epic role of Rahim Chacha. (Personally, I liked his roles more in flims like Garam Hawa, Shauqeen and Bawarchi).

He was very sensitive about adverse publicity for the party. Two years back, when he was facing the financial difficulties, some newspapers reported that his party is not looking after him, and it was not true. He got annoyed and issued a rebuttal saying that these people do not know what the party is doing for me. When I met him, he abused his son for hinting such a thing that caused adverse comment about the party. In that meeting he told me, ‘Tell the party that several film personalities have contributed a lot and that will suffice for medical treatment and for survival till last’. He was very simple but straight forward. He lived in a single room accommodation. On the  other side,  used to live his son Vijay. He used to say, ‘We, two old people, give company to each other. Tell party people to meet me more often.’  He used to telephone regularly and will seek explanation on latest political developments.   Before the  Bhilai National Conference of  IPTA, due to ill health,  he wanted  to step down from the post of National President of the organization. We differed and he was reelected to the post in his absence in December 2012.

He used to tell everybody that he did not come to Mumbai on his own. He was ready to work in Karachi along with Sobho Gyanchandani in the party. He was persuaded by the then general secretary of the Communist Party of Pakistan, Sajjad Zaheer to move to Mumbai where he had better avenues to work in IPTA. (Incidentally Sobho Gyanchandani remained in Pakistan. Once during a trial in Karachi after formation of Pakistan, court offered him transportation to India. Sobho’s reply was: ‘Keep me in jail as long as you want but the jail should be in the province of Sindh). After coming from Karachi, he lived in a chawl in Parel for over a decade and worked as a tailor for livelihood. He  plunged in the activities of IPTA as well  as party  and continued with it till his health permitted.

Till April, he was very optimistic and talked about recovering from the ailment to become active once again. But in April, he said the loneliness and lying whole day on the bed is killing me. He wanted me to meet him more frequently. Unfortunately I could not make it. Of course, in his death the country has lost  a versatile film and theater artiste. We in the Communist movement have lost a devoted Communist who was ready to sacrifice anything for the people and the party.

By Shameem Faizee

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CPI Leader Criticises Puducherry Govt

Puducherry, Aug 27:  Communist Party of India (CPI) Puducherry state council secretary R Viswanathan has expressed the view that the people in the union territory “are not pleased with the Rangasamy-led AINRC government here”.

Addressing reporters at the party office here last week, Viswanathan, also former agriculture minister of Puducherry, said that the business community, students, members of the public and the unemployed youth are reeling under several hardships following “lack of initiative on the part of the Puducherry government to end their woes”.

He said that the executive committee of the state CPI in its meeting held here took stock of the prevailing situation and decided to initiate firm steps at the party level to force the government to solve people’s burning problems.

He said that the business community had already observed a 24-hour  bandh recently to urge the government to scrap the hike in value-added tax (VAT).  Still, nothing had been done in this regard.

The CPI leader said that although the government was making tall claims that Puducherry was a ‘clean city’ one could come across heaps of garbage at various centres. Inflation is reigning supreme in Puducherry causing untold hardship to the poor and the have-nots.

The Public Distribution System (PDS) is in sixes and sevens and all promises of availability of essential commodities are elusive. Students are left in the lurch without being assisted financially as promised by the government. Free laptops were yet to be made available.

The central government had not initiated steps to relieve Puducherry government of its financial crunch. Nor did the Puducherry government approach the Centre with specific plans, the CPI leader said. The issues concerning the labourers were also causing concern. More than 1,200 industrial units remained closed in Puducherry. Unemployment is also affecting the educated youth, he said and around 1.85 lakh youth who had registered their names with the employment exchange were waiting endlessly for jobs and are turning frustrated.

The observations made by the report of Comptroller and Auditor General of India relating to Puducherry government should be taken as an ‘alarm bell`.  The findings of the CAG report on various counts including the bungling by the UT government had are a matter of concern.

On the law and order situation here, the CPI leader said that there was a very close nexus between the police, politicians and anti-social elements in Puducherry. The frequent occurrences of bomb blasts have come to cause concern to the people.

Although the Goondas Act has been enforced nothing had been done to prevent threat to security of the people.

Former CPI legislator N Kalainathan, who was also present, said that the government had failed to collect the taxes due to the government from various sections. Around Rs 425.93 crore was due under various heads including commercial taxes, state excise and other heads. “The PDS should be toned up.”

Kalainathan said that the centrally-sponsored JIPMER hospital here should abandon the present collection of user fees from patients. The levy of the fees was causing hardship to the poor and have-nots turning up for treatment at this prestigious hospital. He wanted to know what steps the Rangasamy-led government had taken to urge the Centre to direct JIPMER to discontinue collection of the user fees.

He said that groupism among police officers was adding to the failure of law and order machinery to function here. “Police should act with courage and curb activities of anti-social elements without paying heed to any political parties’ intervention’, he said.  He said that umpteen numbers of resolutions were adopted on the floor of Puducherry assembly in the past seeking statehood for Puducherry. `What is the follow up of the resolutions and what steps the government here had done to draw the attention of the Centre to plea for statehood,’ he asked.

By : S Vijayabharathi

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