11TH HARYANA CPI(M) STATE CONFERENCE

Call For Intensifying Struggles &

Expanding The Party

Yechury addressing the public meeting in Hissar

THE eleventh Haryana state conference of the CPI(M) concluded on December 28 at Hissar with a resounding call for intensifying struggles on people’s issues and expanding the Party in the state. The conference provided renewed determination for consolidation of Party’s influence through streamlining the organisational work at various levels.

An impressive rally was held at the market ground in Hissar on the opening day of the conference on December 26. Braving chilly weather, large number of peasants, labourers, students, youth, and employees participated in the rally, which also witnessed a significant participation of women. Another noticeable feature in the rally was the sizeable participation of new sections of people, who were impressed by the role being played by the Party in the political situation since the last Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing the “Jan Adhikar Rally”, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury emphasised the role of the Left in general and the CPI(M) in particular, which was acting as a watch-dog of the masses, whose mandate for pro-people policies has been reflected quite clearly in the Lok Sabha elections verdict. While explaining the complex relation of the Left with the UPA government at the centre, Yechury asserted that the Left parties though supporting the UPA in order to keep the communal forces at bay, would have a right and freedom to oppose any violation of the common minimum programme (CMP). He castigated the propaganda that the Left is trying to enjoy power without responsibility. “It is quite the other way round – the Left is discharging the responsibility without enjoying power”, said Yechury.

Party central committee member and Lok Sabha member Hannan Mollah asked the people to see for themselves how desperate the BJP has become after being ousted from power. The power greedy and scandal prone BJP leaders were desperately clutching at emotional issues like that of Kanchi Sankaracharya but failing miserably. Their internecine quarrels are also a pointer of their desperation, he said.

Party state secretary Inderjit Singh underlined the need for a pro-people politics in the state in order to lay down the basis for a modern and progressive Haryana. Pointing to the opportunistic character of the dominating political parties of Haryana, he said that they stood exposed on their stance toward the issue of SYL canal. The state units of both the BJP and the Congress were openly misleading the people by taking opposite positions in Haryana and Punjab. Similarly Akali Dal and Chautala’s INLD have indulged in arousing the sentiments of people of respective states on the sensitive issue of river water while at the same time supporting each other during elections. He appealed to the people to identify and isolate retrograde caste, communal and patriarchal forces which were tarnishing the image of Haryana by their ignominious acts in the name of Gotra panchayats.

Party state secretariat member Prithvi Singh, who presided over the rally, in his speech brought out the difference between the CPI(M), which was a principled Party aiming at a radical transformation of the society and other  bourgeoisie parties. It was due to their commitment and sacrifices that the communists are known for while other political leaders are often found indulging in corruption and horse-trading.

Others who spoke in the rally included Surender Malik, Krishan Swarup, Jagmati Sangwan, Shakuntala Jakhar, Satibir Singh, Phool Singh, Sheokand, Ram Kumar and CPI leader Satpal Singh while, district secretary Parbhat Singh welcomed the gathering. The news of tsunami havoc came as a shock before the conclusion of the rally.

CONFERENCE

The state conference began with the hoisting of Red flag by Prithvi Singh. The conference venue was named Comrade E K Nayanar Nagar while the hall was named after Comrade Sushila Gopalan. The stage was named in the memory of Comrades AKG and BTR.

Inaugurating the conference, Sitaram Yechury explained the main features of the contemporary international and national scenario. He pointed out that the imperialist-driven globalisation was a response of capitalism to the crises it was facing. With more and more concentration of finance and industrial capital, the hegemonic character of capital is becoming increasingly evident. He clarified that the Left was not opposed to foreign capital per se but the decisive factor was the conditionalties associated with the foreign capital coming into our country. While further elaborating this point, Yechury emphasised the need for a change in the trajectory of development itself if the foreign capital has to be used in the interest of our nation. This contradictory situation, he said, was bound to persist till the people’s democratic revolution is accomplished.

The space arising out of this contradiction has to be filled by the Left. He warned that the pernicious nexus between the “Trimurti” of IMF, WTO and World Bank on the one hand and “Trishul” (the communal forces) on the other has become a threat to the unity and sovereignty of our country. He emphasised the need to translate anti-war feelings and economic protests into a broad anti-imperialist struggle for which an intense ideological struggle was necessary. Yechury cited the example of Latin American countries where the intensification of mass movements has resulted in political changes as well. In India too, he said, there are bright opportunities for such changes.

Inderjit Singh presented the draft political resolution before the delegates on behalf of the state committee. The resolution contained the main trends that have taken place in socio-economic spheres during recent years and the impact of the deepening crisis faced by various sections of the society. The policies of liberalisation, particularly in agriculture, have led to massive loss of employment and indebtedness of the peasantry. The political resolution has noted that the casteist and communal forces got specially emboldened in the state due to the NDA rule at the centre and Chautala’s in Haryana for the last five years. The increase in instances of violent attacks on dalits, minorities and women is a reflection of this. CPI(M)’s role against atrocities like Duleena, Luharu, Pahrawar etc has evoked positive response for the Party among weaker sections in Haryana, noted the resolution.

Party state secretariat member Surender Singh presented the political-organisational report which dealt with the experiences of Party’s interventions in various movements. It also took into account the implementation of the organisational decisions taken in the last conference. To remove lacunae, concrete steps have been proposed in the form of future organisational steps. These include, ensuring grassroots intervention by making the Party branches active; improving the ideological level of Party members by organising training for whole timers and branch secretaries; enrolling more Party members through expansion of mass organisations; and formulating appropriate cadre policy.

A total of 43 delegates took part in the discussion on both the reports and made positive contributions while largely endorsing the central features of the reports, which were unanimously passed. The conference gave a call for struggle on priority issues centred around three thrust areas viz. agriculture, water and employment; rule of law and social reforms campaign.

Resolutions were adopted against dilution of Employment Guarantee Act, rising prices, declining sex ratio, for curbs on fatwas being issued by self-styled caste panchayats, strengthening of education and health services etc.

In the wake of impending assembly elections, the state conference appealed to the people of Haryana to defeat the ruling INLD, discard the BJP, and strengthen the progressive forces by ensuring Left representation in the state assembly.

CREDENTIALS REPORT

According to the credentials committee report, a total of 168 delegates (143 delegates, 25 observers) attended the conference. There were 17 women among them. The age-wise break up was: 15 delegates were aged less than 30 years; 45 were between 31 to 40 years; 65 were between 41 to 50 years; Only 6 delegates were aged above 60 years.

According to the literary profile, 44 delegates were postgraduates, 50 were graduates while 47 passed matriculation. 20 delegates had studied less than the 10th grade while 4 were neo-literates and 2 were illiterates. As for the social bacground of the delegates, 26 belonged to dalits; three were Muslims; 12 were Sikhs.

A total of 55 delegates were whole timers. Those who faced imprisonment while participating in the mass movement numbered 81.

A 25-member new state committee, which included three women, was elected by the state conference. Inderjit Singh was re-elected as its secretary. A seven member state secretariat was also elected.

In his concluding speech, Hannan Mollah congratulated the delegates for insightful discussions and expressed the hope that the unity of thought would further strengthen the unity of action in the state. He advised the delegates to imbibe self-confidence and exhorted them to implement all the decisions of the conference with honesty and sincerity. The conference concluded on a positive note for intensification of struggles and expanding the Party base.