People's Democracy

Party Gearing Up For The August Campaign

The central committee, in its recent meeting held in Hyderabad, decided to conduct a national political campaign by the Party in the month of August 2006.

After the big victories in West Bengal and Kerala Assembly elections, the attention of the entire country has been drawn to the stand of the CPI(M) and the Left parties. Many people are eager to know about the political views and policies of the CPI(M). It is the appropriate time to take the political message of the Party in the widest sections of the people. This is particularly important in the states where the Party has limited strength and influence, felt the CC.

Two years have also passed since the UPA government was formed. The CPI(M)'s role in getting the government to implement pro-people measures and its fight against policies harmful for the people and the country would be highlighted in the campaign. 

The central committee decided that a month-long campaign should be conducted in August. During this month, in each state, the Party would conduct public meetings in important centres of the states, so that maximum impact and projection of the Party’s platform can be achieved. All these public meetings would be held in the month of August. 

Prior to these public meetings, local campaign would be conducted by the Party units popularising the platform of issues and demands that the Party is raising. The campaign will witness efforts to reach the people through leaflets, pamphlets, and other agit-prop material. The local campaign would aim for reaching out to the largest number of people especially those outside the reach of the Party organisation. The public meetings would be addressed by central leaders of the Party.

The state committees are in the process of chalking out the plan for the August campaign. 

Platform Of Demands And Policies 

The following is the platform of demands and policies for the August campaign called by the central committee of the Party:

1. Appeal to people to be vigilant about the activities of the communal forces which disrupt peace and communal harmony. The central government should direct the concerned state governments to check attacks on minorities wherever it is taking place. The Modi government is not enforcing the Constitution and laws in Gujarat where the minorities are being systematically discriminated against and subjected to harassment. The centre should ensure compliance with the Constitution and law of the land. Adopt the Prevention of Communal Violence Bill in Parliament. 

2. Increase public investment in agriculture; create price stabilization fund for providing minimum support price for farmers’ produce; provide credit to farmers at 4 per cent interest; provision of special package for areas drawn to farmers’ suicides. Ensure proper implementation of Rural Employment Guarantee Act in all 200 districts and extend its purview every year to cover entire country in three years. 

3. Strengthen the public distribution system by provision of adequate supply of rice and wheat; sugar and kerosene oil should be supplied through the public distribution system; no cut in food subsidy; no increase in price of rice and wheat in public distribution system; ensure all people in BPL category get ration cards as an interim measure towards universalisation of PDS.

4. The UPA government should pursue an independent foreign policy as committed in the Common Minimum Programme; stop aligning India as a strategic ally of the United States; end strategic military collaboration with the United States; promote close ties and cooperation with developing countries, Russia, China and other major countries to promote multi-polarity in international relations.

5. Introduce legislation for one-third reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures in the monsoon session of Parliament; take strong measures to check female foeticide; check the alarming fall in the sex ratio vis-à-vis females. 

6. Adopt legislation for protection of unorganized workers. Enact central legislation for agricultural workers; no change in labour laws which will facilitate hire and fire policy. 

7. Ensure right to education for all; increase expenditure on education to 6 per cent of the GDP; Central legislation to empower state governments to regulate admissions and fees in the private and self-financing professional institutions.

8. Adopt stringent steps to halt oppression and discrimination of dalits; give possession of lands for which pattas have been given to dalit families. 

9. Extend 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in educational institutions which are under the purview of the Central government; increase commensurately seats and facilities in these institutions; ensure the benefits of reservation going to the needy sections within the OBCs by adopting a socio-economic criteria. 

10. Promote dialogue with all forces in Jammu & Kashmir to evolve a political solution to the Kashmir issue; explore settlement on the basis of maximum autonomy; firm steps to check extremist violence in Jammu & Kashmir and the North East by taking suitable political steps to promote a peaceful and democratic solution and undertake socio-economic measures for development and providing relief to the people.