People's Democracy

HARYANA

Inderjit Singh

THE CPI(M) is open to the idea of forming an understanding with political parties other than Congress and BJP-INLD in the forthcoming parliament elections in Haryana. This was stated by Inderjit Singh, state secretary of CPI(M) while addressing a convention of Party workers in Sirsa.The convention was attended by over hundred activists of the Sirsa assembly segment of the Lok sabha constituency. He claimed that the Left parties would play a more significant role in the formation of a third alternative of the parties other than the Congress and BJP in the aftermath of parliamentary polls.
     Only such an alternative was need of the hour in the highly challenging situation of the global recession as no other political dispensation was equipped with the alternative pro-people economic policies, he said. Presided over by Avtar Singh, the convention was a part of the series of such meetings of workers that have already been held in the Narwana, Fatehabad, Tohana, Ratia assembly segments of Sirsa parliament seat. The CPI(M) is contesting this seat while CPI is contesting the Karnal seat. Ram Kumar is the CPI(M) candidate from Sirsa (SC) seat and the Party has taken an early initiative in the formation of the booth level committees.

AIKS CONFERENCE HELD

THE two day state conference of the Haryana unit of All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) was held in Sirsa on March 7-8, 2009. The conference resolved to strengthen and expand the organisation through sustained and united struggles in defence of farmers� interests. The 10th conference began with an impressive kisan rally in the grain market that was addressed among others by  AIKS national joint secretary Nand Kishor Shukla, AIKS vice president and senior MLA of Rajasthan Amra Ram, Punjab Kisan Sabha leader Lahambar Singh Taggar,, CITU state general secretary , Phool Singh Sheokandand , Khet Mazdoor Union state secretary Ram Kumar Bahabalpuria and Harpal Singh. Amra Ram recalled the heroic struggles of farmers in Rajasthan for power and water supply which led to success and he hoped that there would be strong prospects of the kisan movement getting stronger in Haryana also.

  The conference was attended by 247 delegates from various districts  based on the total membership of 6,20,800. Inaugurating the conference, senior AIKS leader from Punjab, Lahambar Singh Taggar accused successive central governments of succumbing to imperialist pressures and underlined the urgency to launch a broad-based movement to save agriculture and eventually the country. In this context, he recalled the glorious role of AIKS in the Indian freedom struggle.  2 8 delegates took part in the discussion on the report of the activities of the past three years and future tasks . The delegates pointed out several problems facing the farm sector like heavy security for power connection of tube wells, increasing indebtedness, inadequate support prices of crops, absence of crop insurance, deterioration in health services, education becoming inaccesible, spurious seeds and pesticides, joblessness, non implementation of rural guarantee scheme etc. The report has self critically pointed out the persisting weaknesses of addressing the issues like dairy development and other subsidiary areas besides social issues.
 The conference also deliberated on social evils afflicting rural Haryana like female foeticide, dowry, casteism, obscurantism, alcoholism, rising crimes etc., and pledged to take up these issues along with economic issues in their struggles. Those who gave a special address in this session included Professor Suraj Bhan, a well known historian, Jagmati Sangwan, president of Haryana unit of the All India Democratic Women's Association, Krishan Swarup, student leaders Vikram Mittal , Sampat Kumari and youth leader Sandeep.  Nand Kishor Shukla summed up the conference by describing the present economic crisis as the inevitable result of bankrupt capitalist system which was exploitative by its very nature. He reminded that socialism was the only alternative in the present era. He also made an appeal to the delegates to expand the AIKS in all the districts of Haryana. A 35 member state committee was elected in the end which re- elected Phool Singh Sheokand and Halpal singh as president and general secretary.