People's Democracy

  Anti-People Steps To Be Met With Mass Action

B Prasant

MEETING in Kolkata over June 3-5, the CPI(M) Central Committee has vented its strong opposition to the decision by the UPA government to make the first serious breach in its Common Minimum Programme by choosing to divest 10 per cent shares of the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL). 

Addressing a media conference at Muzaffar Ahmad Bhavan at the end of the Central Committee meeting, CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat identified the proposed step of disinvestment of a profitable PSU like BHEL as part of a string of such actions to weaken the best of the PSUs, including the navratnas that the CMP had declared to be above all such considerations.

Karat said that 33 per cent of the BHEL shares were already sold out to the private sector and that there were representatives of the private sector on the BHEL board of directors. Of the 33 per cent of the shares sold, Karat pointed out, 22 per cent went to the foreign institutional investors (FIIs).  

Prakash Karat said the CPI(M) was opposed to this ‘creeping privatisation’ being undertaken by the UPA government in a breach of the CMP. The proceeds from the sale of the shares, the CPI(M) leader pointed out, would ultimately be utilised to pay for the union government’s expenditure. Proceeding with such policies would have serious repercussions, he said.  

The CPI(M) leadership, declared Karat, would hold discussions with the UPA government on this issue and convey clearly that such policy moves were not acceptable to the party. In the days ahead, said Karat, the CPI(M) would organise mass movements to ensure that the pro-people measures of the CMP were implemented and to oppose all policies that were designed to hand over the crucial economic sectors to foreign capital.

Opposing the UPA government’s decision to hike the prices of petroleum products, Prakash Karat said that the move would be met with countrywide mobilisation of people against it. All units of the CPI(M) have been called upon to organise joint protest actions with other Left parties. The CPI(M) has already sent to the UPA government alternative proposals for avoiding the price increase.

Prakash Karat was critical of the UPA government for mishandling of the food for work programme, which had defective guidelines and inadequate goodwill for implementation in a proper way. As the food for work programme faces a virtual failure, the programme for rural employment generation would fall through. Karat added to say that CPI(M) units have been asked to launch movements for the proper implementation of the programme.

Prakash Karat pointed out how the BJP, which had shamelessly chosen to boycott a parliament session, were engaged in communal drives across several states, especially in BJP run states where minority communities faced attacks from them.  The guilty remain unpunished in Gujarat. On the coming Bihar polls, Karat pointed out that the CPI(M)’s endeavour in these elections would be to work for the unity of secular forces and that the CPI(M) Polit Bureau would work out tactics to achieve this goal.

Karat identified four immediate issues on which the CPI(M) would conduct campaigns all over the country:

1. In protest against disinvestment of the BHEL and other PSUs.

2. For Proper implementation of the food for work programme.

3. To protest against any move to hike the petro prices.

4. For an early adoption of the rural employment guarantee act.

The CPI(M), said Karat, would organise a countrywide movement on the three issues of land, food and employment, following a resolution of its 18th party congress. The actions would be spread over August and September later this year.

Informing that the polorg report of the 18th CPI(M) congress had been finalised and would soon be available, Karat also announced the organisational decisions including the formation of the central secretariat and the allotment of charges among the Polit Bureau members for looking after the five priority states.

Responding to a question from the media, Karat said the CPI(M) stood opposed to foreign loans that imposed conditionalities on a government, central or state.