Monday, August 30, 2010

[Marxistindia] Find solution to Kashmir Issue

marxistindia
news from the cpi(m)
August 31, 2010

Press Statement

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) expresses its grave concern at the continued police firings in Kashmir adding to the loss of lives of young persons. The police firing on August 30 has killed one youth in Anantnag and injured five in Lal Chowk area of Srinagar. 15 persons are also reported to have been injured in Kulgam and Bandipore where police resorted to tear gasing and lathi-charge.

This continued resort to lathi-charges, firing and tear gas shells have only delayed the task of finding a settlement to the Kashmir issue.

The CPI(M) had already demanded that an all party delegation visit Kashmir without any delay and commence dialogue with all sections of people without any pre-conditions to find a solution to the problem.

The CPI(M) hopes that the government of India as well as government of Jammu & Kashmir will immediately take initiative in starting the process of dialogue with a view to find a just solution to the Kashmir issue. More delay will only aggravate the situation in the state and add to the difficulties.


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Friday, August 27, 2010

[Marxistindia] Left parties memorandum to EC

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news from the cpi(m)
August 27, 2010

Press Release

A delegation of Left parties MPs met the Chief Election Commissioner and submitted the following memorandum today. The delegation consisted of Sitaram Yechury (leader, CPI(M) in Rajya Sabha), Basudev Acharia (leader, CPI(M), Lok Sabha), Nilotpal Basu (Member, Central Secretariat, CPI(M)), Prabodh Panda (Communist Party of India), Narahari Mahato (All India Forward Bloc) and Prasanta Majumdar (Revolutionary Socialist Party).

(Hari Singh Kang)

For CPI(M) Central Committee office

Dear Sir,

We are constrained to bring to your notice on behalf of the four Left parties - CPI(M), CPI, AIFB and RSP - the very disturbing attempts in West Bengal in the run-up to the process of Summary Revision of Electoral Rolls (SRER). While forwarding the memorandum addressed to you on behalf of the Left Front Committee, West Bengal, we would like to draw your focused attention on specific facts which will bring out the humongous magnitude of these attempts which unless defeated will lead to large-scale falsification of the electoral rolls and distort the ensuing Assembly elections as a whole.

In this context, we would like to draw your attention to the fact that we had already met you on August 3, 2010 to initially acquaint you with the problem. Certain major facts have now come to our notice which further reinforces our apprehension.

The total number of Form-6 applications for addition of new names to be included in the draft electoral rolls as part of the SRER is given to be 56,19,057 (Annexure - I). The districtwise break-up of the total number of Form-6 applications shows the unusually inflated total number of applications. This is available in Annexure - II for your ready reference and perusal.

That the number of Form-6 application is unusually high can be made out from Annexure-III. The following table will give a complete picture.

Summary of last three revisions
2006
2007
2008
2009

a) No of electors in Draft Rolls
4,80,95,009
4,78,39,290
5,04,11,682
5,16,12,655

b) Total Additions
25,80,001
20,75,343
14,00,601
13,81,575

c) Total Deletions
28,35,726
11,98,568
2,00,719
6,31,555

d) Net Addition
-2,55,725
8,76,775
11,99,882
7,50,020

e) Percentage of Net Addition
-0.5
1.83
2.38
1.45

Roughly 56 lakh proposed additions over the total number of electors amounting to 5,24,21,616 works out to a more than 10 per cent increase. Given the fact that the net addition in the preceding four years - 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 - are -0.5 per cent, 1.83 per cent, 2.38 per cent and 1.45 per cent respectively, clearly show abnormality of an unusual magnitude.

Together with this, the Left Front memorandum will show that there are gross attempts to bypass the well-established ECI stipulations for additions of names. The submission of affidavits, patently false methods of certification like school certificates, birth certificates from health centres etc instead of standard procedures indicate an organized effort to falsify the rolls. To be fair, we must also bring out that the Chief Electoral Officer has given a firm commitment in an all-party meeting on August 5, 2010 - "submission of bulk applications as well as affidavits and other documents inconsistent with the norms and rules of the Election Commission shall not be accepted or rejected if received anywhere, prior to enquiry."

We have been given to understand that the commitment so given is not being strictly implemented. There have been instances of questionable role of certain observers to bring pressure on the block level election officials to turn a blind eye to these obnoxious attempts and legitimize the applications without due consideration as per the directions of the Election Commission.

The magnitude of the problem and the attempted deceit like filing of affidavits which is born - not out of ignorance - but to sidestep the due and impeccable procedures cannot be defeated without your urgent intervention.

We, therefore, forward the Left Front memorandum and the voluminous Annexures to substantiate the contentions contained therein.

We sincerely expect that with the active intervention of the EC, the sanctity and the integrity of the election process in West Bengal will be safeguarded and this will add up to the otherwise fine record of your achievements of the past.

With regards,

Yours sincerely

Sd/-

(Sitaram Yechury) (Basudev Acharia)

Leader, CPI(M), Rajya Sabha Leader, CPI(M), Lok Sabha

(Nilotpal Basu) (Prabodh Panda)

Member, Central Secretariat, CPI(M) MP, Communist Party of India

(Narahari Mahato) (Prasanta Majumdar)

MP, All India Forward Bloc MP, Revolutionary Socialist Party
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Saturday, August 21, 2010

[Marxistindia] Nuclear Liability Bill:Govt Protects Foreign Suppliers

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news from the cpi(m)
August 22, 2010

Left Parties Statement

Nuclear Liability Bill : Government Protects Foreign Suppliers

The amendments to the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill, 2010 proposed by the Government not only goes against the grain of the crucial recommendations of the Standing Committee, but also seeks to further dilute the provisions of the original bill to protect the interests of the foreign suppliers of nuclear equipment and domestic private players.

The new formulation of Clause 17 (b) suggested by the Government reads as follows:

"(b) the nuclear incident has resulted as a consequence of an act of supplier or his employees, done with the intent to cause nuclear damage, and such act includes supply of equipment or material with patent or latent defects or sub-standard services;"

This makes any liability on the part of the suppliers, for supplying defective or sub-standard equipment or material, contingent upon proof that it was "consequence of an act.done with the intent to cause nuclear damage.". With this amendment, it will become impossible to ascribe liability to the supplier.

This goes against the Standing Committee formulation of 17 (b), which does not require any such proof:

"(b) the nuclear incident has resulted as a consequence of latent or patent defect, supply of sub-standard material, defective equipment or services or from the gross negligence on the part of the supplier of the material, equipment or services."

Thus, in the name of removing the "and" in 17 (a), as suggested by the Standing Committee, the Government has rewritten 17 (b), effectively throwing the baby out with the bathwater. The formulation of 17 (b) proposed in the amendment is in fact worse than the provision contained in the original bill.

The dubious intent of the Government is further exposed by the addition of Clause 7 (1) proposed as an amendment, through which it seeks to "assume full liability for a nuclear installation not operated by it" (i.e. private nuclear installations) even as the Standing Committee had categorically recommended "that there will be no private operator of nuclear installation". This paves the way for a massive subsidization of the private players in nuclear power by the Government, as and when they are allowed to operate.

All this is clearly being done under pressure from the foreign nuclear suppliers and domestic corporate lobbies. The Left Parties call upon all political parties to unitedly oppose these amendments proposed by the Government to protect the interests of the people and the country.

Sd/-

Prakash Karat A. B. Bardhan

Communist Party of India (Marxist) Communist Party of India

Debabrata Biswas Abani Roy

All India Forward Bloc Revolutionary Socialist Party


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[Marxistindia] Nuclear Liability Bill

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news from the cpi(m)
August 22, 2010

Left Parties Statement

Nuclear Liability Bill : Government Protects Foreign Suppliers

The amendments to the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill, 2010 proposed by the Government not only goes against the grain of the crucial recommendations of the Standing Committee, but also seeks to further dilute the provisions of the original bill to protect the interests of the foreign suppliers of nuclear equipment and domestic private players.

The new formulation of Clause 17 (b) suggested by the Government reads as follows:

"(b) the nuclear incident has resulted as a consequence of an act of supplier or his employees, done with the intent to cause nuclear damage, and such act includes supply of equipment or material with patent or latent defects or sub-standard services;"

This makes any liability on the part of the suppliers, for supplying defective or sub-standard equipment or material, contingent upon proof that it was "consequence of an act.done with the intent to cause nuclear damage.". With this amendment, it will become impossible to ascribe liability to the supplier.

This goes against the Standing Committee formulation of 17 (b), which does not require any such proof:

"(b) the nuclear incident has resulted as a consequence of latent or patent defect, supply of sub-standard material, defective equipment, design or services or from the gross negligence on the part of the supplier of the material, equipment, design or services."

Thus, in the name of removing the "and" in 17 (a), as suggested by the Standing Committee, the Government has rewritten 17 (b), effectively throwing the baby out with the bathwater. The formulation of 17 (b) proposed in the amendment is in fact worse than the provision contained in the original bill.

The dubious intent of the Government is further exposed by the addition of Clause 7 (1) proposed as an amendment, through which it seeks to "assume full liability for a nuclear installation not operated by it" (i.e. private nuclear installations) even as the Standing Committee had categorically recommended "that there will be no private operator of nuclear installation". This paves the way for a massive subsidization of the private players in nuclear power by the Government, as and when they are allowed to operate.

All this is clearly being done under pressure from the nuclear suppliers and domestic corporate lobbies. The Left Parties call upon all political parties to unitedly oppose these amendments proposed by the Government to protect the interests of the people and the country.

Sd/-

Prakash Karat A. B. Bardhan

Communist Party of India (Marxist) Communist Party of India

Debabrata Biswas Abani Roy

All India Forward Bloc Revolutionary Socialist Party


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Thursday, August 19, 2010

[Marxistindia] Standing Committee Report on Civil Nuclear Liability Bill

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news from the cpi(m)
August 19, 2010

Left Parties Statement

On Standing Committee Report on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill

The Left parties had, at the very outset, opposed the draft legislation on Civil Nuclear Liability when it was sought to be introduced in Parliament. A reading of the Bill made it clear that the purpose of the legislation is directed more towards protecting the US nuclear reactor suppliers from claims of liability and compensation and less about providing effective and speedy compensation to the people affected by a nuclear accident. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology has now submitted its report in which it has made certain recommendations. The members of the Left Parties in the Standing Committee have registered their dissent to the report and recommendations. The Left Parties wish to explain to the people the objectionable features that would still exist in the legislation if the recommendations of the Standing Committee are accepted.

Protecting Foreign Suppliers

Clause 17 of the Bill currently reads as follows:

17. The operator of a nuclear installation shall have a right of recourse where -

(a) such right is expressly provided for in a contract in writing;

(b) the nuclear incident has resulted from the wilful act or gross negligence on

the part of the supplier of the material, equipment or services, or of his employee;

(c) the nuclear incident has resulted from the act of commission or omission of

a person done with the intent to cause nuclear damage.

The Standing Committee has recommended that Clause 17 should now be amended as follows (changes in bold):

17. The operator of a nuclear installation shall have a right of recourse where -

(a) such right is expressly provided for in a contract in writing; and

(b) the nuclear incident has resulted as a consequence of latent or patent defect, supply of sub-standard material, defective equipment or services or from the gross negligence on the part of the supplier of the material, equipment or services.

(c) the nuclear incident has resulted from the act of commission or omission of

a person done with the intent to cause nuclear damage.

By adding "and" in sub-clause 17 (a), the right of the operator to claim damages from the supplier of nuclear equipment and material (right of recourse) has now been made entirely contingent on whether such right is explicitly provided in the private contract between the operator and supplier. In the likely scenario of the foreign suppliers not agreeing to provide for right of recourse in the contract, they cannot be held liable for any nuclear damage, even if they have supplied defective equipment. What is more dubious is that this significant weakening of Clause 17 has been done under the guise of strengthening the right of recourse against the foreign suppliers.

The US administration and the American nuclear industry lobby have objected to sub-clause 17 (b). They are not prepared to accept the right of recourse for the Indian operator vis-à-vis American suppliers. The Standing Committee recommendation is fully in line with the demand of the American lobbies. This amendment linking 17 (a) and 17 (b) will make it worse than what is there in the original Bill.

Liability Cap Unacceptable

The recommendation to enhance the operator's liability cap from Rs. 500 crore to Rs. 1500 crore is hardly significant, since total liability for each nuclear incident remains capped at 300 million SDRs (Rs. 2122.40 crore or $ 455 million) as per Clause 6 (1). This amount is less than even the Bhopal settlement of $ 470 million, which has been acknowledged as grossly inadequate by the Government itself.

It is noteworthy that none of the international nuclear liability conventions set any cap on total liability, but only set a floor. Countries like South Korea and Sweden have set operator's liability at 300 million SDRs, not total liability. The operator's liability in the US is $ 11.9 billion. Countries like Japan, Russia and Germany do not have any cap on total liability. In contrast, the Indian bill seeks to cap total liability to 300 million SDRs, displaying scant regard for the lives and security of the Indian people.

Further Objections

The Standing Committee report has failed to take on board several more objections to the Bill, especially regarding the extant provisions protecting the operator and suppliers from facing litigation and the ambiguities regarding nuclear accidents in defence installations and the jurisdiction of the AERB. It has also made an objectionable suggestion to create a liability fund to reduce government liability by levying additional charges on electricity.

The recommendations of the Standing Committee does not alter the fact that the intent behind the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill, as well as its provisions, are meant to facilitate India's joining the Convention on Supplementary Compensation (CSC), which was explicitly committed by the UPA-I Government to the US in 2008, during the nuclear deal negotiations. Other than the US, no other country having a substantial number of nuclear plants have signed or ratified the CSC. None of India's neighbours who could be affected by a trans-boundary impact of a nuclear accident are signatories to CSC and its funds cannot be used for augmenting trans-border compensation for settlements. India gains nothing from joining the CSC.

Sd/-

Prakash Karat
A.B. Bardhan

Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Communist Party of India







Debabrata Biswas
Abani Roy

All India Forward Bloc
Revolutionary Socialist Party


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Monday, August 9, 2010

[Marxistindia] Resolution on West Bengal & Kerala Assembly Elections

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news from the cpi(m)
Resolution


On Forthcoming West Bengal and Kerala Assembly Elections
(Adopted at the Extended Meeting of the Central Committee on August 9,
2010 at Vijayawada)

The states of West Bengal and Kerala alongwith Tripura are the outposts of
the Left and democratic movement in the country. Prolonged political
struggles and people's movements in West Bengal and Kerala led by the
Communists, going back to the pre-independence period and during India's
struggle for freedom, have laid strong foundations for the growth and
consolidation of the Communist-led Left movements in these states.

The strong Communist movements in West Bengal and Kerala alongwith Andhra
Pradesh and others during the course of the freedom movement itself, had
brought on to the agenda of the people's struggle important issues like
land reforms, linguistic reorganization of states, reforms against various
expressions of social oppression, the defence of the rights of the working
class and the people at large including their civil liberties etc.

It was on the strength of such powerful movements that the Communist Party
won a majority in the Kerala Assembly elections in 1957. This was the
first instance of Communists winning the elections to head a state
government in a bourgeois parliamentary system anywhere in the world. The
pioneering steps of this government for land reforms; minimum wages and
welfare measures for the working people; democratization of the education
system; decentralisation of powers etc was naturally not palatable for the
ruling classes which led to its dismissal under Article 356 of the
Constitution. Again, when the CPI(M)-led front won the elections in 1967,
this government was topped in 1969.

In West Bengal, the strength of powerful popular movements led to the
formation of United Front governments in 1967 and 1969. On both
occasions, though the CPI(M) was the larger partner of the coalition,
CPI(M) had allowed others to head the government in order to maintain and
strengthen the United Front. The fillip these governments gave to the
democratic movement and to the land struggles was, again, intolerable for
the ruling classes, that saw their dismissal under Article 356. The
semi-fascist terror unleashed against the Party, with the massive rigging
of the 1972 Assembly elections, that lasted till the defeat of Emergency
in 1977, was aimed at seeking to decimate the Communist-led popular
movements in the state. Over 1,400 comrades were martyred and 22,000 Party
families had to be relocated during the successful resistance defeating
this semi-fascist terror. Contrary to the hopes and machinations of the
ruling classes, the people of West Bengal had not only reposed faith in
the CPI(M)-led Left Front in the 1977 elections but continued to repose,
in an unprecedented manner not found elsewhere in the country, such faith
in the seven consecutive elections that followed till date.

This had been possible because of the unparalleled manner in which the
Left Front government tackled the people's issues. The implementation of
land reforms is one of its most important achievements. Nearly 1.3
million acres of illegally held land was acquired and distributed among
over 3 million landless and marginal cultivator households. The
registration of over 1.5 million bargadars (share croppers) brought 1.1
million acres of land under their control through operation barga. As of
2007, West Bengal whose population is 8 per cent of the country's, having
only 3.5 per cent of our country's agricultural land, accounted for 22 per
cent of the total ceiling surplus land distributed in the country.
Contrary to all adverse and hostile propaganda that the CPI(M) is against
the peasantry, a further 16,700 acres of land were distributed to
landless families between 2007 and 2010. Agricultural productivity and
output have made remarkable strides. From a chronic rice deficit state,
West Bengal today produces the largest quantity of rice. The Left Front
government today supplies rice at Rs. 2 per kilo to 2.64 crore BPL
population.

The financial assistance provided by the Left Front government in West
Bengal to the workers of closed factories and tea gardens has now been
enhanced to Rs. 1,500. Likewise, pension for widows, the disabled,
old-age, artisans, handloom weavers, farmers and fishermen have now been
increased to Rs. 1,000. 17 lakh unorganized sector workers have enrolled
in the Provident Fund Scheme. West Bengal encourages the growth of labour
intensive micro, small and medium industries. The state has the country's
largest number of functioning small-scale units (27 lakhs) and largest
number of employment (58 lakhs).

In spite of functioning under the limitations of the Constitution, the
Left-led state governments in West Bengal and Kerala have taken measures
to reduce poverty, create new welfare measures and improve living
conditions. Even the World Bank admits that the record of West Bengal in
terms of poverty reduction is the best amongst all states in India. The
infant mortality rate measured per 1,000 live births in 2006 was 38 in
West Bengal and 15 in Kerala which has the best record in the country. The
all India rate is 57. As far as life expectancy is concerned, it has
improved considerably in West Bengal to 64.5 years for males and 67.2 for
females. Kerala has life expectancy of 70.7 for males and 75 for females.
The all India average is 61 for males and 62.5 for females. As against the
all India average (7.4), the death rate in Kerala is 6.3 and West Bengal
is 6.2. West Bengal has a literacy rate of 72 per cent and Kerala 90.09
per cent. The all-India average is 63.4. In West Bengal, nearly 100 per
cent of all girls and boys of age six are enrolled in schools. In Kerala,
98 per cent of eligible boys and girls are in class X, indicating nil or
very low dropouts. It is noteworthy that such achievements are recorded
at a time when, due to the pursuit of neo-liberal policies by the ruling
classes, the livelihood conditions of the people have deteriorated in
large parts of the country.

The LDF government in Kerala has taken forward its welfare legacy
currently having the largest number of welfare schemes amongst all states
of India. The pensions to the workers in the unorganized workers have been
raised from Rs. 100 to Rs. 300. The women workers of the unorganised
sector are being offered four month's maternity leave. Half the population
of the state are being covered by Rs. 2 per kg rice scheme and free health
insurance, including for chronic diseases. Besides the PDS, a wide network
of fair price shops are set-up where the prices of 13 essential
commodities have been maintained at the same level for the last four
years. When the half a million houses proposed under the EMS housing
scheme are completed, there would be no family in Kerala without a house.
In stark contrast to the Central government's privatization offensive, the
rehabilitation of the sick Public Sector Units has resulted in reversal of
annual loss of Rs. 96 crores in 2005-06 to annual profit of 240 crores of
rupees in 2009-10. This surplus is being reinvested in the expansion of
the existing public sector and the establishment of eight new ones. In the
agriculture sector the measures adopted by the state government has been
successful in putting an end to the suicides of farmers.

Another major initiative taken by the Left-led governments in both the
states has been on the question of decentralization of power and deepening
of democracy to the grassroots through the establishment and efficient
functioning of democratic institutions of local self governments. The
three tier system of democratically elected bodies established by the Left
Front in West Bengal has achieved successes in a manner that is
unprecedented elsewhere in the country. It was a full seventeen years
after this initiative by the Left Front in West Bengal that the panchayati
raj system was adopted for the country through the 73rd and 74th
Constitutional amendments. The system of decentralization in Kerala
initiated by the 1957 government was further developed into the People's
Plan that delivered far-reaching benefits to the people. Both West Bengal
and Kerala are in the process of implementing 50 per cent reservation for
women. Both the governments of West Bengal and Kerala have extended the
central scheme of Rural Employment Guarantee to the urban poor while the
Central government refuses to do so.

The hallmark of the Left-led democratic movements and the governments in
both West Bengal and Kerala have been their steadfast defence of
secularism and communal harmony. It is often perceived that the
protection of the interests of the minorities is the litmus test of
democracy which, otherwise, is de facto majority rule. The Left Front
government in West Bengal has recently decided to implement the
recommendations of the Ranganath Mishra Commission Report to grant 10 per
cent reservations in jobs for Muslims belonging to OBCs.

The Left-led governments in West Bengal and Kerala backed by the powerful
Communist-led popular movements have been in the forefront of championing
the rights of the people and their livelihood standards from being gravely
eroded by the pursuit of neo-liberal economic policies by the Central
government. The consistent anti-imperialist positions and the interests
of the Indian people and the country taken by the CPI(M) continues to
expose the Indian ruling classes who seek a strategic partnership with
imperialism. Further, the pro-people measures undertaken by the Left-led
governments, as listed above, also expose the exploitative character of
the Indian ruling classes by demonstrating that even within the existing
system, greater relief can be provided to the people. For a combination
of all these factors, the Indian ruling classes have mounted a concerted
offensive against the CPI(M), in its strongest bastions, in order to
weaken the resistance to their unbridled loot through the neo-liberal
economic trajectory.

In West Bengal, an alliance of all reactionary forces led by the Trinamul
Congress is sought to be forged to defeat the Left Front in the coming
Assembly elections in May 2011. All rightwing forces, including the
communal and fundamentalist elements, foreign funded NGOs and corporate
media have joined the Maoist-backed TMC in this effort. Since the 15th Lok
Sabha election, 247 members of the CPI(M) and eight members of other Left
parties have been killed by the TMC-Maoist gangs. The Maoists primarily
target the poorest of the poor amongst the peasantry and the tribals. Yet,
sections of so-called intelligentsia continue to express sympathy. The
unleashing of such large-scale violence, killings and arson by this
reactionary combination is to seek the defeat of the Left Front through
the most anti-democratic fascistic methods. The success of these forces
seeks to completely negate the advances made by the democratic movement
that we have noted above and pave the way for the restoration of the
earlier forms of exploitative order. Already there are reports of former
landlords attempting, in some areas, to recapture their formerly illegally
held land that was acquired and distributed to the landless. In the name
of `change', what is being offered is patently anti-democratic and
anti-development. Communalism that has been kept at bay by the Left
movement will be enabled to stage a come back harming the interests of the
minorities. The TMC had, on earlier occasions, openly aligned and shared
power with BJP at the Centre.

In Kerala, the Congress-led UDF is trying to consolidate all the communal
and caste forces around it. Sections of the Church are openly interfering
in political affairs by conducting an anti-Communist campaign. Muslim and
Hindu extremist forces are bracing themselves to disturb communal harmony
in order to create political polarization. The campaigns launched by the
CPI(M) and the LDF against such activities are being met by a vilification
campaign launched by a section of the media. Despite the nefarious
activities of the extremists and communal forces, the state continues to
maintain its excellent record of communal harmony.

These reactionary offensives against the CPI(M) and the powerful Left and
democratic movements in West Bengal and Kerala will have to be met
squarely in order to defend the rights of the people and to improve their
livelihood. There have been occasions in the past when semi-fascist
terror was unleashed against the CPI(M) in West Bengal. That challenge
was met and won. In the following seven consecutive elections, no effort
was spared by the reactionary forces to defeat the Left Front. The
present challenge will also be met like the earlier ones have been. The
Left Front is determined to reforge links with the people who have moved
away due to certain shortcomings that have been identified and are in the
process of being corrected.

The CPI(M) as a whole, across the country, will redouble its efforts to
fight back this concerted anti-Communist and anti-Left offensive. Today
the Indian people need deliverance from the groaning burdens being mounted
by the neo-liberal economic policies. The Indian people today need to
strengthen our secular democratic foundations to ensure that the energies
of our country are not wasted in communal and fratricidal conflicts. The
Indian people require an alternative policy trajectory that can allow
India to realize its potential which it is being denied by neo-liberalism
and communalism. All efforts of spreading violence and anarchy against
the Left movement like the Maoists are today indulging in, essentially
only strengthens the reactionary forces in their efforts to prevent the
Indian people from being liberated from their growing miseries.

The assembly elections in May 2011 in West Bengal and Kerala will be a
major battle between the forces representing the interests of the working
people, social justice, secularism and our country's sovereignty and the
forces which are representing the interest of the big capitalists,
landlords, the rich and the vested interests that seek a strategic
alliance with imperialism and who use communalism, ultra-Left anarchy and
divisive politics to achieve their objectives.

The CPI(M) calls upon all progressive sections of the people to join this
battle and ensure the success of the Left Front in West Bengal and the LDF
in Kerala and, thus, advance further the efforts to create a better India
for its people.

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Friday, August 6, 2010

[Marxistindia] Inaugural speech of Prakash Karat

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news from the cpi(m)
Speech of CPI(M) General Secretary, Prakash Karat
At the Inaugural Session
Of the Extended Meeting of the Central Committee
August 07, 2010


We have gathered here in the city of Vijayawada for the extended meeting
of the Central Committee of Communist Party of India (Marxist).
Vijayawada has a special place in the history of the Communist movement of
our country. The city has hosted two Party Congresses – the 6th Congress
in 1961 which was the last Party Congress of the united party and the 11th
Congress of the CPI (M) in 1982.

These were in recognition of the city and the region, which became a
centre of the Communist movement which had its origin in the late 1930s.
Vijayawada was the focal centre of an area which covered the old Krishna,
Guntur and Nellore districts of the Madras province which saw the birth of
the Communist movement in Andhra Pradesh. Various struggles against
zamindari landlordism took place here in the 1936-38 period such as the
struggles against the Challapalli, Munagala and Kalipatnam zamindars.
`Bezwada', as Vijayawada was known in the pre-independence days, was also
saw the fledgling working class movement with railway workers, press
workers and others forming trade unions. The earliest agricultural
workers organizations were also formed in this region. P. Sundarayya
set-up the first Agricultural Workers Association in 1934 in Alaganipadu
village in Nellore district.

During the Telangana struggle and the repression launched on the Communist
Party in the 1948-50 period, scores of Communist leaders and cadres were
shot down by the police in this region. Some of the topmost national
leaders of the Communist movement and the CPI(M) hailed from this region –
P. Sundarayya, M. Basavapunnaiah, C. Rajeswara Rao, N. Prasada Rao, M.
Hanumantha Rao, L. B. Gangadhara Rao, Koratala Satyanarayana and many
others.

The Central Committee of the CPI(M) has convened this extended meeting to
take stock of the political situation in the country and to chalk out a
political line which can help us to tackle the current situation and meet
the various challenges that we are facing.

Ever rising prices of food and essential commodities burden the people;
millions of people go hungry everyday. The inequalities in income and
wealth grow sharper and India has the dubious distinction of having some
of richest people in the world along with a substantial number of the
poorest people in the world.

The Congress-led UPA government boasts about the high growth rate
achieved. The GDP growth rate is taken as the reliable index of progress
and development for the people. But this is not true. What the
neo-liberal policies have led to is the primitive accumulation of
capital, the enormous growth of the capital and assets in the hands of a
narrow strata. The number of dollar billionaires in India has grown from
9 in 2004 to 49 this year. There has been growth, certainly – for the
super-rich.

The government's policies are designed to help big business make super
profits and to enable the transfer of resources to the rich and powerful.
The fiscal and taxation policies of the Congress-led government illustrate
this fact starkly.

The UPA-II government in the past one and a quarter years since coming to
office is pushing for more neo-liberal policies. The government wants to
disinvest shares in all profitable public sector units. Earlier, the
Left parties had ensured that shares would not be sold of the `navaratna'
companies. Now everything is up for sale.

Agriculture, which employs half the workforce in the country, is in
crisis. Agriculture grew by only 0.2 per cent in 2009-10. Foodgrains'
production fell by 7.5 per cent the same year. Suicides by farmers have
not abated. Land reforms are being reversed. In agriculture,
corporatisation is being promoted alongside the withdrawal of State
support for the peasantry.

The government proposes to bring in multinational companies into retail
trade. The government seeks to push through legislation to FDI in
banking and insurance sectors. The working class is under increased
attack with labour laws not being implemented and more and more sections
being pushed into contract, casual work and into jobs in the informal
sector.

The agenda for all these anti-people policies is being propelled by the
Indo-US CEO Forum. What the chieftains of big business in US and India
proposes, the Manmohan Singh government accepts and implements.

How the government policy is injurious for the people's interests is
glaringly illustrated by the relentless price rise of food and other
essential commodities. Government policies are directly responsible for
the ever-rising prices. Repeated increases in the prices of petroleum
products is one major reason. Forward trading in foodgrains and other
essential commodities is another major factor. The government has
weakened and curtailed the Public Distribution System through a targeted
system which excludes much of the poor. Yet, the government callously
and arrogantly refuses to take responsibility.

The Congress leadership and the government speak hypocritically about
"inclusive growth" when the policies they pursue are designed to exclude
the vast majority of the people from access to food, education, jobs and
social security. India presents the shameful spectatcle of having the
world's largest number of hungry and malnutritioned people. The FCI
godowns have 60 million tonnes of foodgrains. Stocks are overflowing and
allowed to rot. This government no more talks about provision of 6 per
cent of the GDP for education and 3 per cent for health. This goal cited
in the erstwhile Common Minimum Programme seems more distant than ever.

The forces of majority communalism work on the basis of the Hindutva
ideology and outlook which is injurious for the country and people's
unity. The BJP-run state governments – whether it be in Gujarat,
Karnataka or Madhya Pradesh – are targeting the minorities, both Muslims
and Christians, and seek to deprive them of their rights as citizens. The
recent exposures of how the police and State machinery in Gujarat have
been used to cover-up the pogroms and stage encounter killings are a
chilling reminder of what is in store for the country if such forces come
to power.

We are meeting at a time when some parts of the country are in great
turmoil. For the past two months, the Kashmir valley has been convulsed
by protests and violence. Distressingly, scores of young men and women
have died due to police firing and actions. This has brought out the
intensity of alienation among the young people against the Indian State in
the valley. There has to be a stop to this endless cycle of
confrontations and killings. The Central government has to immediately
initiate the process of dialogue with all sections in the valley. A
solution can be found only if there is recognition that the problem of
Kashmir cannot be resolved through conventional means. The people of
Kashmir have to be assured that their identity and special status is
expressed through a new political framework in which maximum autonomy is
the bedrock.

At the other end of the country, in the North East, we have seen the
ill-effects of the continuous blockade of the highways to Manipur. Even
now essential drugs and commodities are not available for the people who
are suffering great hardships. The problems of national unity cannot be
solved by the overcentralised approach of the ruling class parties. What
is required is the creation of a federal system which accommodates the
diverse aspirations of the people of the various regions and
nationalities.

The neo-liberal policies are not only affecting the economic sphere. This
is an outlook and philosophy which worships the market and promotes greed
and rapacity. Every institution of the State and every pore of our
society is getting polluted and corrupted. The nexus between big
business and politics is now out in the open. Public policy making is
suborned to serve the interests of a rich and powerful strata. The mining
mafia of the Bellary brothers dictates politics in the BJP-ruled
Karnataka and also commands influence in the politics of our host state,
Andhra Pradesh. Whether it is the IPL or the telecom scam, there is no
line demarcating public policy and personal enrichment. Corruption,
through the siphoning off of the public funds, preys on the common people
who find their rations and other entitlements vanishing into the pockets
of a corrupt and greedy nexus of bureaucrats-politicians-contractors.
The corporate media has become the cheer leader for neo-liberal policies.

Such an atmosphere has begun to corrode the parliamentary democratic
system itself. The people's right to assemble, to organize and to
protest is being severely restricted by administrative and judicial
actions. Trade unions are not allowed to function in Special Economic
Zones and many other enterprises; peasants face police repression if they
protests against the lands being taken away; and student unions and
organizations are banned in many educational institutions.

This is the path the ruling classes have adopted which is in alignment
with their alliance with the United States of America. For the Manmohan
Singh government (and earlier, the BJP-led government too), there are two
essential friends for India – the USA and Israel. There are no second
thoughts on compromising national sovereignty and even the lives and
safety of the people in order to fructify this alliance. As part of the
commitment made in the Indo-US nuclear deal, the government has brought
a legislation in Parliament which embodies this subservience. After the
worst industrial accident in the history of the world in Bhopal, in which
the victims got no justice and the perpetrator of the crime – the American
multinational – was let off, the government now proposes a law which will
make any American company which supplies nuclear reactors to India not
liable for even one rupee if there is a nuclear accident.

The firm stand adopted by the CPI(M) and its consistent opposition to the
neo-liberal policies and the strategic tie-up with US imperialism have
drawn the ire of the ruling classes and imperialism. That attack is
concentrated on the CPI(M) and the Left Front government of West Bengal.
For the rightwing forces, for those who draw their sustenance from
imperialism and for the corporate media, the bloody violence against the
CPI(M) and the Left Front in West Bengal is of no concern. More than 250
members and the supporters of the CPI(M) have been killed by the
TMC-Maoist gangs. The TMC is part of the Central government. Such
violence and attacks on democratic rights in West Bengal presage an
authoritarian trend which bodes ill for the whole country.

The Maoists have exposed their vicious and anti-democratic character
through their murderous spree targeting the CPI(M). They do not stop at
this but attack innocent people, as seen in the dastardly Gnaneswari
Express sabotage. Such actions should dispel the illusion some sections
of the intelligentsia have about the Maoists.

The three Left-led governments of West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura have
always striven to put in place pro-people policies. It is these three
governments which have implemented land reform to the maximum in the
country. It is these three governments which have sought to expand the
areas of relief and welfare for the unemployed and the poor. All three
governments have introduced urban employment guarantee schemes within the
constraints of resources. It is these three governments which have
adhered firmly to the secular principle and given no quarter to the
communal forces. The defence of the Left-led governments is an important
task for all the Left and democratic forces in the country.

In the last Lok Sabha elections, the CPI(M) suffered reverses in both West
Bengal and Kerala. Our Party has carefully looked into why this has
happened and identified the steps to be taken to remedy the situation.
We should do our utmost so that the people of West Bengal and Kerala
renew their faith in the Party and the Left-led alliances there.

In the present dismal scene in the country, only the CPI(M) and the Left
present a real alternative – an alternative in terms of the path of
development and in terms of policies.

On the economic front, the first and foremost task is to tackle the
agrarian crisis. Instead of moving towards corporatisation of
agriculture, the farmers are to be assured of inputs at reasonable prices,
so that agriculture can be sustainable. The goal of ensuring food
security requires that farmers be given sufficient incentives to produce
more.

There has to be a universal Public Distribution System with adequate
procurement to ensure that hunger and malnutrition are eliminated. The
public sector should play a key role in the strategic sectors of the
economy including the financial sector. Labour intensive industries
should be encouraged, so that more employment is created.

Speculative capital flows must be regulated and profits from such foreign
institutional investment taxed. Steps should be taken to recover the
illegal money kept in tax havens and secret bank accounts. The corporates
and the affluent should pay more taxes.

It is with the increased tax revenues that there can be increased public
expenditure on education, health and social welfare.

The Left stands for firm adherence to secularism. This requires that the
governments, both at the Central and state level, make no concessions to
the communal forces. Terrorist violence emanating from whichever source
should be put down firmly.

The Left stands for an end to caste and gender oppression. At present,
the priority should be for the passing of the Bill for women's
reservation in the Lok Sabha; the implementation of the Ranganath Mishra
Commission report for reservation for the minorities in education and
jobs and stringent steps to end all forms of caste discrimination
particularly untouchability. The rights of the tribal people over their
own lands must be ensured by the implementation of the Forest Rights Act
and protection of their rights by stopping large-scale, indiscriminate and
illegal mining. The scourge of corruption in public life and in State
institutions must be tackled by starting at the top.

India, as a major developing country, has to play an important role in
countering hegemonic designs and promoting multipolarity in the world.
This would be possible only if there is a genuinely independent foreign
policy. India should not have military alliances with powers which are
responsible for aggression and occupation around the world. On global
warming and the steps to protect the world environment, India has to take
a firm stand to ensure that the advanced countries discharge their
responsibilities to cut emissions and to help the developing countries
adopt environmental friendly technologies.

This is the charter for political and social change in India which the
CPI(M) and the Left advocates. The extended meeting of the Central
Committee being held in Vijayawada will discuss how to carry forward such
a programme strengthening Left unity and widening the support for the Left
and democratic alternative.

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Thursday, August 5, 2010

[Marxistindia] (no subject)

marxistindia
news from the cpi(m)
SITARAM YECHURI HAD RAISED VALID QUESTIONS AND OUR PRESENCE IS FELT IN RAJYA SABHAMADHU
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[Marxistindia] Webcast of Extended Meeting of Central Committee

marxistindia
news from the cpi(m)
Live Webcast of events during CPI(M) extended CC Meetings

A Live Webcast of the events, inaugural session, public meeting of the
extended meeting of the central committee of the CPI(M) being held at
Vijayawada from August 7 to 10 is being arranged. There will also be
special
stories and exclusive interviews relating to the event to be telecast
over the web from 06/08/2010.

The live and recorded webcast can be viewed at :

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/starconf

It is similar to television telecast over the internet. We appeal to all
the people, netizens, sympathisers and progressive sections to use this
opportunity of viewing it online. The webstreaming can be effectively
viewed over a broadband connection.


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Tuesday, August 3, 2010

[Marxistindia] Illegal includion of Photo Identity Cards in West Bengal

marxistindia
news from the cpi(m)
August 3, 2010

Press Release

A delegation of Left parties MPs met the Chief Election Commissioner and submitted the following memorandum today. The delegation consisted of Sitaram Yechury (leader, CPI(M) in Rajya Sabha), Basudev Acharia (leader, CPI(M), Lok Sabha) Prabodh Panda (Communist Party of India), Narahari Mahato (All India Forward Bloc) and Prasanta Majumdar (Revolutionary Socialist Party).

Dear Sir,

Sub - Ongoing illegal inclusion of Photo Identity Cards in West Bengal through illegal affidavits

This is to inform you that on behalf of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), a delegation met Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal on July 10, 2010. They drew his attention regarding the illegal inclusion of fictitious names in voter's lists.

Because of the delay and large-scale mistakes in printing photo identity cards, some interested quarters are flouting the Election Commission's rules illegally by attaching affidavit in Form 6 for the inclusion of fictitious names in voter's lists. The CPI(M) delegation had also submitted some copies of affidavits. The Chief Electoral Officer assured the delegation that BLO cannot accept those affidavits and will be prevented from enlisting fictitious names in the voters' lists. The delegation also informed him that some BLOs are accepting forms in large-scale violation of rules of Election Commission.

The CPI(M) delegation drew the attention of the CEO about the difficulties being faced by the people in hill areas of Darjeeling, flood-affected areas in North Bengal, areas under river-banks erosion, terror affected areas of West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura districts and the people who have been evicted from their houses in East Midnapur, Khajuri, Nandigram, Moogbaria and other areas and urged upon him to ensure their names are enrolled in the voter's lists.

The CEO is fully aware of these issues and assured the delegation that necessary instructions will be sent and steps would be urgently taken. But there was no instruction given from the Chief Electoral Officer with regard to affidavits. In the meantime, thousands of fictitious and illegal affidavits are being prepared and people from outside are being forcibly deposited in the office of electoral officers who are unfortunately resorting to mass-scale acceptance of those illegal affidavits.

We, therefore, urge upon you to cancel those illegal affidavits and take steps against the electoral officials who accepted those affidavits and initiate legal action against the parties who are resorting to such fraudulent inclusion of fictitious voters directly or indirectly. Necessary steps need to be taken against such activities in the legal proceedings, so that no names could be included without proper enquiries at the time of hearings.

Sd/-

(Sitaram Yechury) (Basudeb Acharia)

Leader, CPI(M), Rajya Sabha Leader, CPI(M), Lok Sabha

(Prabodh Panda) (Narahari Mahato)

Communist Party of India All India Forward Bloc

(Prasanta Majumdar)

Revolutionary Socialist Party
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[Marxistindia] memorandum to EC

marxistindia
news from the cpi(m)

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