MADHYA PRADESH

12th State Conference of CPI(M) Calls

For Intensifying Struggles

The twelfth state conference of Madhya Pradesh state committee of CPI(M) was held from November 15-17, 2007 at Indore. CPI(M) general secretary, Prakash Karat inaugurated the conference and the concluding address was delivered by Polit Bureau member M K Pandhe.

Prakash Karat highlighted the important political role played by CPI(M) since the last Party Congress and particularly mentioned the land struggle in Andhra Pradesh.  Elaborating the socio-economic impact of the land distribution in West Bengal and Kerala, he stated that the incidences of oppression on dalits are very rare there because these sections have been empowered economically.  This is the real irritant for the feudal land lords which was expressed in their class attacks in Nandigram and prior to that in Keshpur.  Talking on the entire episode of Nandigram, Prakash stated that there is no difference between the Congress Party and the BJP in not hesitating to join hands with the Maoists against the CPI(M).  In order to protect the people from the class enemy, 27 cadres of CPI(M) became martyrs in Nandigram alone.  Prakash Karat asked who the beneficiaries of 10 percent growth in GDP are when the country is importing food grains at higher prices, the farmers are committing suicides, the public distribution system is being dismantled and malnutrition among the people is increasing.  He said 1.5 lakh farmers have committed suicide so far in our country and demanded implementation of Swaminathan commission report, increase in public investment in agriculture and support price of one thousand rupees per quintal for paddy.

Calling upon the Party to intensify struggle for the effective implementation of Rural Employment Guarantee Act and the Forest Rights Act, Prakash Karat said it is because of the pressure of the Left parties that the privatisation of public sector and 75 percent foreign capital investment in Banking sector could be halted.  He said the CPI(M) is the only party which placed before the people of this country a comprehensive policy on foreign investments in agriculture, industry and the retail sector.

Prakash Karat explained the Party’s stand on nuclear deal and reiterated that not only in the present parliament, but even after 2009, the Party will exert its full strength to stop pushing the country for a strategic partnership with imperialist America. Prakash remembered the late state secretary Comrade Bahadur Singh Dhakad and said he was a tireless and committed leader. 

The conference started with unfurling of Party flag by Ram Prasad Pathak, freedom fighter and by paying homage to departed leaders and martyrs.

The presidium of the conference consisted of Sandhya Shaily, Ashok Tiwari, Jagannath Bharati, Murarilal Dhakad and Budhisen Singh Gaund.

In the inaugural session, state secretariat member Jasvinder Singh placed the resolution on communalism which held the BJP-Sangh Parivar responsible for the worst record of communal riots organised every day in the state.  The resolution criticised the role of congress for being soft on communalism.  Ram Prakash Tripathi seconded the resolution. 

Pol-Org Report

The political and organisational report discussed the socio-political and economic situation and the influence of the Party and mass organisations in the state.  The report reviewed the priorities decided after the last state conference and their implementation.  In the state where 43 percent of population can not spend more than Rs.212 per month, where one crore people live in huts built with grass and mud and  majority population are denied basic civic amenities, the foundation of a civilised society can only be established when these basic needs are fulfilled, the report underlined.  In the state of 82 lakh registered unemployed, the wave of retrenchment and closures, handing over 30 lakh acres of land belonging to 85 percent of debt trapped farmers to the foreign and national private companies and the corporate houses’ attempt to capture retail business have made the situation unbearable.  Social oppression is at its peak.  17 dalit and adivasis every day, two women every hour, 10 children every day are victims of oppression and one citizen in every two hours is victim of barbaric attacks of the police, the report noted.

The BJP government is spreading communal propaganda to poison the minds of the people.  Its economic policies are harming the livelihood of the majority of the people.  The Congress party has remained totally inactive and silent spectator to these policies.

The report reviewed the situation in organisational consolidation and increase in Party membership after the last conference. It discussed the   land struggle and unorganised sector workers’ struggle, struggles at the state and local level and the initiatives taken in the women’s front. The report was discussed in two parts in which 74 delegates participated including four women.  After the reply of the secretary, the report was unanimously adopted.

New Committee

The conference unanimously elected a 30 member state committee with Badal Saroj as the state secretary and a secretariat consisting of Pramod Pradhan, Jasvinder Singh, Sandhya Shaily, Ram Vilas Goswami, Ashok Tiwari, Ram Narayan Kuraria, Vishnu Sharma, Kailash Limbodia and S C Shrivastava. The delegates for the 19th Party Congress were also elected.

In his concluding address, Polit bureau member M K Pandhe underlined the importance of raising the consciousness of the people through concerted and planned effort and consolidating the organisation.  He said, every struggle produces new leadership and it is the continuous responsibility of the Party committees to develop this new leadership as communists.  This task should be taken on priority basis, he said.

Pandhe cautioned about the dangers of imperialism and communalism that are trying hard to take control over our country.  In its firm resolve and continuous struggle against these two forces, the Left parties have created confidence amongst a large section of the population and accordingly the possibility of expansion for the Party has also increased, he said.

He stressed the need for Party education in a more systematic manner and also to increase circulations of Lok Lehar and Lok Jatan. He expressed hope that the tasks decided in this conference would be implemented and CPI(M) shall make its own identity in the political map of Madhya Pradesh.

The conference passed 11 resolutions on American imperialism, against communalism, to protect the interests of tribal people, for implementation of employment guarantee act, to stop the pauperisation of workers and the increasing attacks on them, to check price rise, against worsening of law and order situation and corruption, against privatisation, on the electricity and water crisis, to stop social oppression and on drought situation in the state.

On the first day of the state conference, some communal elements holding the banner of BJP tried to shout slogans and create disturbance under police protection in front of the conference venue.  Party cadre countered them with slogan shouting and chased them away.  Seeing the angry mood of the Party cadre, they ran away leaving their shoes and chappals.  This incidence was a morale booster to the people of Indore who faced curfew 20 times during the last four years due to Sangh Parivar activisties.  The message became clear to them that if these communal hooligans are confronted with firmness, they can be driven out.

CREDENTIAL REPORT

The credential report noted that 166 delegates and 29      observers consisting of 26 women delegates attended the conference. One delegate spent jail life of more than three years. The social back ground of the delegates was compiled and 28 delegates belonged to Scheduled Castes, 11 delegates to Minorities, 21 delegates to Scheduled tribes, 57 delegates to backward classes and 78 delegates to general category.