People's Democracy

Central Committee Communique

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi on August 17 and 18, 2013. It has issued the following statement on August 19.

ECONOMIC SITUATION

The economic situation has been deteriorating with the overall slowdown in growth, contraction in industrial production, continuing high inflation and the widening current account deficit on the balance of payments which has resulted in the steady depreciation of the value of the rupees. These conditions have led to the relentless price rise with the prices of food items like vegetables shooting up. Petrol prices were hiked five times in the last seven months amounting to over Rs 7.30 per litre. This has contributed to the high inflation. The falling industrial production is leading to more joblessness.

The crisis manifested by the steep fall in the value of the rupee which breached the Rs 62 mark vis-a-vis the dollar is an outcome of the UPA government’s economic mismanagement and the neo-liberal policies pursued.

The UPA government is seeking to overcome this crisis by attracting more foreign capital and giving more concessions to the MNCs and Indian big business. The growing dependence on foreign flows and FDI will only worsen the problem. The Central Committee strongly opposed the easing of caps on FDI in various sectors and the dilution of norms for FDI in retail. Instead of handing out tax concessions, tax revenue should be collected and the resources mobilised should be utilised to increase the levels of public investment, to build much needed infrastructure and this would generate significant growth of employment and enlarge domestic demand.

The Central Committee decided to campaign for the alternative platform of policies which was decided by the Left parties convention. These policies stress the need for curbing price rise, increasing employment and ensuring the social and economic rights of the dalits, adivasis, women and minorities.

FOOD SECURITY BILL

The Central Committee reiterated the stand that the Food Security Bill is flawed and insufficient to meet the requirements of ensuring food security for all citizens. The CPI(M) MPs have moved amendments to the Bill. There are a number of common amendments moved by MPs of various parties and the government should accept these amendments to the Bill.

TELANGANA STATE

The Congress leadership and the UPA have decided on the division of Andhra and the formation of Telangana state. This decision has been impelled by the narrow electoral interests of the Congress party. The announcement of the formation of a separate state has led to widespread agitation in the coastal Andhra and Rayalseema areas for a united state. The issues concerning the division of the state should be settled amicably keeping in mind the interests of the people of both sides.

The decision on the Telangana state has led to renewed agitation for separate states in other places particularly in Assam and West Bengal. It is the central government’s responsiblity to assist the states to deal with the situation.

The CPI(M) reiterates its stand that the linguistically reorganised states should not be divided. Any further moves in this direction will weaken the federal set up.

INCREASING COMMUNAL VIOLENCE

The Central Committee expressed its deep concern at the incidents of communal violence which have erupted in the recent period, in Kishtwar, Jammu & Kashmir and some places in Bihar. In Kishtwar, two peope died and many shops were burnt. In Nawadah too, two people were killed and arson indulged in. There were a number of communal incidents in UP and earlier in Rajasthan too. The rise in communal incidents is linked to the aggressive activities of the BJP-RSS combine. In Bihar, in Nawadah and Bettiah, provocative slogans and symbols associated with the BJP-RSS combine were on display.

The Central Committee decided that a political campaign against the communal forces and exposing the designs of the BJP-RSS should be conducted. There is a need for an anti-communal platform consisting of the democratic and secular forces.

TENSIONS ON THE LOC

The Central Committee condemned the incident which caused the death of five soldiers of the Indian army at the Line of Control in the Poonch sector recently. This has come in the background of the rising number of ceasefire violations this year. The government should take a firm stand about ending ceasefire violations and counter infiltration by extremists from across the border. At the same time the strategy of engaging with Pakistan and holding talks with the Pakistan government should not be abandoned.

WEST BENGAL SITUTAION

The Central Committee heard reports of the panchayat elections in West Bengal which was vitiated by large scale terror and rigging of the polling in many booths. There was unprecedented manipulation of results during the counting process with the counting agents of the Left Front being driven out and results being tampered. This was done in connivance with the state officials and the police standing by in various centres. The West Bengal state committee of the Party will review the whole election experience and take steps to mobilise the people in defence of democracy, take up the demands of different sections of the working people to launch struggles and revamp the Party organisation to maintain close links with the people. The Central Committee extended its support to the Party and the Left Front in undertaking these tasks.

KERALA STRUGGLE

The Central Committee warmly greeted the Kerala unit of the CPI(M) and the LDF for the historic struggle of the blockade of the state secretariat. Due to this struggle, one of the two demands for a judicial enquiry into the solar panel scam has been achieved. The Party and the LDF will continue the struggle for the resignation of the chief minister.

UTTARAKHAND RELIEF

The Central Committee heard a report about the Uttarakhand national calamity and the relief work undertaken by the Party. At the call of the Party Centre, Rs 60.55 lakhs has been collected by state units to be utilised in the relief and rehabilitation work.

ELECTION PREPARATIONS

The Central Committee discussed the preparations for the Lok Sabha elections in the various states. It also decided to strive for an electoral understanding with some of the non-Congress secular parties in certain states.

The Central Committee also heard reports of the preparations for the assembly elections due in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Delhi to be held in November-December.

NEXT CC MEETING

The Central Committee decided to hold the next meeting of the Central Committee at Agartala in Tripura in the month of December.