People's Democracy

   CPI(M) To Protest Denigration Of  

Communism By The Council Of Europe

IT seems that the ruling classes of Europe are yet to rid itself of the feverish malady of experiencing a ‘spectre of communism.’ The political commission of the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe is all set to release a report on the ‘need for everybody to be vocal against the menace that is communism.’  The report would be placed at the October session of the parliamentary assembly.

Denouncing strongly this reported move, Polit Bureau member of the CPI(M) Anil Biswas has called for a layered programme over a period between October 1 and 15 to be launched in Bengal by the CPI(M). Biswas dubbed the Council of Europe’s attempt to run down communism afresh as emanating from the fear that the ruling classes of Europe yet harbour about communism.

Communist parties around the world have started to announce programmes against the Council of Europe’s move against communism. In a letter circulated to Communist and Socialist Parties, the Communist Party of Russian Federation (CPRF) has said that the move to try to denigrate communism coming as it did on the 60th anniversary of the defeat of fascism assumed greater significance as a desperate and unbridled attempt of the ruling classes of European nations to run down communism.

The CPI (M) is in receipt of letters from the Portuguese Communist Party, and the Communist Party of France on the same issue.

Anil Biswas said that the protest programme was being held in Bengal especially because the politically conscious people of this state cherished and respected Marxism-Leninism.  A surge of rousing protest from Bengal would meet the new initiative to run down communism, assured Biswas.

Anil Biswas announced the following schedule of programme to condemn the move by the Council of Europe.

• Protest e-mails and faxes will be sent by the people over the fortnight between October 1 and 15 in their thousands to the chairman of the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe: The name of the chairman is Réné van der Linden, e-mail: [email protected], fax no. 33388 412796.  The form of protest letter will be circulated soon, assured Anil Biswas.

• Between October 1 and 15, an intense ideological campaign will be organised throughout Bengal for Socialism and for Marxism-Leninism.  Signature campaign against the anti-communist move of the European Council will be organised as an adjunct to the campaign that will be set up everywhere for the sale of classical Marxist and Party literature during the festival week. The signature sheets and the protest letters will be sent out to the chairman Réné van der Linden through the German ambassador. 

• Poster exhibitions will be put up throughout Bengal wherein the principle theme will be the superiority of communism as an ideology and how capitalism is never in position to cause any dent in the image that communism has all over the world as a beacon of hope among the masses of the people.

Anil Biswas declared that the fresh attempts by the Council of Europe to denigrate communism showed that the ruling classes of Europe were yet suffering from bad dreams and sleepless nights over what they would call the ‘spectre of communism.’ (BP)