Press Communiqué
The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi
on July 6 & 7, 2015. It has issued the following statement:
The Polit Bureau discussed the report submitted by the three study groups
appointed by the Central Committee earlier on the impact of liberalization
on different classes of people in: (a) rural India and agrarian sector; (b)
on urban India and middle classes; and (c) socio-economic conditions of the
working class.
On the basis of these discussions the Polit Bureau will prepare a report for
the consideration of the next Central Committee meeting, after which it will
be taken up for discussion in the forthcoming Plenum on Organisation.
Exposure of Unbridled Corruption
The revelations in the IPL-Lalit Modi scam have exposed the roles of the
Union External Affairs Minister and the Rajasthan Chief Minister. A thorough
enquiry into this whole scam must be conducted and until its findings are
considered and appropriate action under the law taken, both these persons
should demit office. Their continuation in such positions is not tenable
during the enquiry period.
The Union Minister for HRD has allegedly furnished false claims of proof
regarding her educational qualification.
In Maharashtra, two BJP ministers role in alleged cases of graft has been
exposed. Many allegations against various other BJP state governments are in
the news.
Crime & Corruption: Vyapam Scam
A deadly cocktail of crime and corruption has emerged in the Vyapam case in
Madhya Pradesh. A large number of witnesses have been murdered under
suspicious circumstances. This includes a number of key witnesses, deans of
educational institutions investigating such cases of graft and prominent
journalists who were reporting on this scam. The state government had not
undertaken any serious action so far. The CPI(M) Polit Bureau demands that a
thorough enquiry by the CBI under the supervision of the Supreme Court must
be conducted into this sordid affair and the guilty should be identified and
punished. This should be done with urgency in order to prevent further
deaths related to this scam. Untill these investigations are completed it is
untenable for the MP Chief Minister to continue in office.
All these scams conclusively prove that corruption in high places has
reached new heights under the crony capitalism being promoted by this Modi
government. Its claims to have offered a "corruption free government" stand
shattered.
Socio-Economic Caste Census
The data put in the public domain shows that the trajectory of neo-liberal
economic reforms has resulted in a sharp decline in the living standards of
a vast majority of our people. 90 per cent of the households reported an
income of less than Rs. 10,000 by its main breadwinner. Over half the
households are landless. Similarly, over half rely on casual manual labour
as the source of main sustenance. A mere three per cent of rural households
have just one family member who is a graduate and so on. These revelations
come over and above the international surveys by UN agencies that have
described India as home for the world's largest number of hungry people.
The Central Government must not restrict any further release of the
caste-wise information on socio-economic indicators collected by this
Census. This would be for the first time since 1931 that the relative
socio-economic status of various caste groups will be shown. This should
help in framing policies for affirmative action that have been promised by
various central governments but not implemented till date.
Sabotaging Food Security
Ignoring such ground realities, this BJP central government is mounting
further attacks on people's livelihood. The Food Security Act 2013 has
specifically mentioned that the Act has to be implemented within a year of
its passage i.e. July 2014. This BJP Government has illegally extended its
implementation three times without any reference to Parliament. Further, in
March this year, the Food Ministry passed a Public Distribution System
(Control) Order which places conditions which are against the FSA. It
freezes the number of beneficiaries for ten years from census to census. In
other words if populations fall into distress or even into categories
defined as eligible for FSA benefits, say in 2013 these households will have
to wait to be counted in the next census in 2021 to avail of benefits. The
Food Ministry has also put conditions on States for reform in PDS as a
precondition for central allocations of foodgrains under FSA. This is an
open sabotage of the FSA law.
Protecting 'Hindutva' Terror
A senor public prosecutor has recently revealed that in the 2008 Malegaon
terrorist blast case she has been pressurized by the central National
Investigation Agency to go soft in pursuing the case. Clearly the BJP
Central Government is seeking to cover up the truth in this incident and
those of the connected terrorist attacks in Ajmer Sharief, Hyderabad Mecca
Masjid blasts and the Samjautha Express Attack. The legal proceedings in all
these cases had begun after the central agencies had undertaken
investigation of the Hindutva terror networks.
In the Ishrat Jahan murder case in Gujarat the BJP central government
refused to grant sanction for prosecution of some Intelligence Bureau
officials. The CBI after investigations had proceeded to chargesheet people
connected with false encounters in Gujarat. Clearly the Central and the
Gujarat state BJP governments are working together to protect the
perpetrators of such crimes.
From various other parts of the country incidents of sharpening communal
polarisation and communal riots are being reported. These are a forewarning
for the escalation of such activity in the run up to the forthcoming state
assembly elections, particularly in Bihar.
Deteriorating Centre-State Relations
The Prime Minister has not found time again to attend a meeting of the North
Eastern Council which consists of all the Chief Ministers of the eight north
eastern states.
Despite being a partner of the state government in Jammu & Kashmir, the BJP
central government has announced a pittance for relief and rehabilitation of
the victims of the unprecedented floods in the state. As against a claim of
Rs. 45,000 crores by the state, a mere Rs. 1667 crores have been announced.
Worse, of this, only Rs. 551 crores are earmarked for families whose houses
have been destroyed or severely damaged.
Foreign Policy: Pro-US, Pro-Israel Shift
The Polit Bureau condemned the reversal of longstanding Indian position of
support to the Palestinian cause in the recent UN Human Rights Council vote.
India's decision to abstain, justified by the MEA as a continuation of our
previous policy has been shown to be completely preposterous. On similar
occasions, twice in the past, in March and June 2012, India voted for
similar resolutions against Syrian government violations in its civil war.
This abstention was on the adoption of a UN Enquiry Commission Report on
Israel's attack on innocent Palestinians in the Gaza strip last year. Such
double standards clearly expose that India's further pro-US and pro-Israeli
shift is in preparation for the announced visit of PM Modi to Israel. He
would be the first Indian PM's visit to Israel.
Palestine and many other Arab nations have expressed shock at India's clean
break from the 'ethos of non-alignment' of the past. Already doubts have
begun to be aired on the support of the influential Arab speaking countries
to India's efforts to secure a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.
Even after a month after the Union Defence Minister signed the renewal of
the 10-year Defence Framework Agreement between USA and India, the text of
the agreement has been kept under wraps. This raises many suspicions of
India succumbing to US pressures on this score.
Protest Actions
The Polit Bureau called upon all its units in the country to observe the
joint Left parties call for protest demonstrations on July 20 demanding the
removal and action against those involved in the BJP's patronage of
corruption and nepotism.
The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi
on July 6 & 7, 2015. It has issued the following statement:
The Polit Bureau discussed the report submitted by the three study groups
appointed by the Central Committee earlier on the impact of liberalization
on different classes of people in: (a) rural India and agrarian sector; (b)
on urban India and middle classes; and (c) socio-economic conditions of the
working class.
On the basis of these discussions the Polit Bureau will prepare a report for
the consideration of the next Central Committee meeting, after which it will
be taken up for discussion in the forthcoming Plenum on Organisation.
Exposure of Unbridled Corruption
The revelations in the IPL-Lalit Modi scam have exposed the roles of the
Union External Affairs Minister and the Rajasthan Chief Minister. A thorough
enquiry into this whole scam must be conducted and until its findings are
considered and appropriate action under the law taken, both these persons
should demit office. Their continuation in such positions is not tenable
during the enquiry period.
The Union Minister for HRD has allegedly furnished false claims of proof
regarding her educational qualification.
In Maharashtra, two BJP ministers role in alleged cases of graft has been
exposed. Many allegations against various other BJP state governments are in
the news.
Crime & Corruption: Vyapam Scam
A deadly cocktail of crime and corruption has emerged in the Vyapam case in
Madhya Pradesh. A large number of witnesses have been murdered under
suspicious circumstances. This includes a number of key witnesses, deans of
educational institutions investigating such cases of graft and prominent
journalists who were reporting on this scam. The state government had not
undertaken any serious action so far. The CPI(M) Polit Bureau demands that a
thorough enquiry by the CBI under the supervision of the Supreme Court must
be conducted into this sordid affair and the guilty should be identified and
punished. This should be done with urgency in order to prevent further
deaths related to this scam. Untill these investigations are completed it is
untenable for the MP Chief Minister to continue in office.
All these scams conclusively prove that corruption in high places has
reached new heights under the crony capitalism being promoted by this Modi
government. Its claims to have offered a "corruption free government" stand
shattered.
Socio-Economic Caste Census
The data put in the public domain shows that the trajectory of neo-liberal
economic reforms has resulted in a sharp decline in the living standards of
a vast majority of our people. 90 per cent of the households reported an
income of less than Rs. 10,000 by its main breadwinner. Over half the
households are landless. Similarly, over half rely on casual manual labour
as the source of main sustenance. A mere three per cent of rural households
have just one family member who is a graduate and so on. These revelations
come over and above the international surveys by UN agencies that have
described India as home for the world's largest number of hungry people.
The Central Government must not restrict any further release of the
caste-wise information on socio-economic indicators collected by this
Census. This would be for the first time since 1931 that the relative
socio-economic status of various caste groups will be shown. This should
help in framing policies for affirmative action that have been promised by
various central governments but not implemented till date.
Sabotaging Food Security
Ignoring such ground realities, this BJP central government is mounting
further attacks on people's livelihood. The Food Security Act 2013 has
specifically mentioned that the Act has to be implemented within a year of
its passage i.e. July 2014. This BJP Government has illegally extended its
implementation three times without any reference to Parliament. Further, in
March this year, the Food Ministry passed a Public Distribution System
(Control) Order which places conditions which are against the FSA. It
freezes the number of beneficiaries for ten years from census to census. In
other words if populations fall into distress or even into categories
defined as eligible for FSA benefits, say in 2013 these households will have
to wait to be counted in the next census in 2021 to avail of benefits. The
Food Ministry has also put conditions on States for reform in PDS as a
precondition for central allocations of foodgrains under FSA. This is an
open sabotage of the FSA law.
Protecting 'Hindutva' Terror
A senor public prosecutor has recently revealed that in the 2008 Malegaon
terrorist blast case she has been pressurized by the central National
Investigation Agency to go soft in pursuing the case. Clearly the BJP
Central Government is seeking to cover up the truth in this incident and
those of the connected terrorist attacks in Ajmer Sharief, Hyderabad Mecca
Masjid blasts and the Samjautha Express Attack. The legal proceedings in all
these cases had begun after the central agencies had undertaken
investigation of the Hindutva terror networks.
In the Ishrat Jahan murder case in Gujarat the BJP central government
refused to grant sanction for prosecution of some Intelligence Bureau
officials. The CBI after investigations had proceeded to chargesheet people
connected with false encounters in Gujarat. Clearly the Central and the
Gujarat state BJP governments are working together to protect the
perpetrators of such crimes.
From various other parts of the country incidents of sharpening communal
polarisation and communal riots are being reported. These are a forewarning
for the escalation of such activity in the run up to the forthcoming state
assembly elections, particularly in Bihar.
Deteriorating Centre-State Relations
The Prime Minister has not found time again to attend a meeting of the North
Eastern Council which consists of all the Chief Ministers of the eight north
eastern states.
Despite being a partner of the state government in Jammu & Kashmir, the BJP
central government has announced a pittance for relief and rehabilitation of
the victims of the unprecedented floods in the state. As against a claim of
Rs. 45,000 crores by the state, a mere Rs. 1667 crores have been announced.
Worse, of this, only Rs. 551 crores are earmarked for families whose houses
have been destroyed or severely damaged.
Foreign Policy: Pro-US, Pro-Israel Shift
The Polit Bureau condemned the reversal of longstanding Indian position of
support to the Palestinian cause in the recent UN Human Rights Council vote.
India's decision to abstain, justified by the MEA as a continuation of our
previous policy has been shown to be completely preposterous. On similar
occasions, twice in the past, in March and June 2012, India voted for
similar resolutions against Syrian government violations in its civil war.
This abstention was on the adoption of a UN Enquiry Commission Report on
Israel's attack on innocent Palestinians in the Gaza strip last year. Such
double standards clearly expose that India's further pro-US and pro-Israeli
shift is in preparation for the announced visit of PM Modi to Israel. He
would be the first Indian PM's visit to Israel.
Palestine and many other Arab nations have expressed shock at India's clean
break from the 'ethos of non-alignment' of the past. Already doubts have
begun to be aired on the support of the influential Arab speaking countries
to India's efforts to secure a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.
Even after a month after the Union Defence Minister signed the renewal of
the 10-year Defence Framework Agreement between USA and India, the text of
the agreement has been kept under wraps. This raises many suspicions of
India succumbing to US pressures on this score.
Protest Actions
The Polit Bureau called upon all its units in the country to observe the
joint Left parties call for protest demonstrations on July 20 demanding the
removal and action against those involved in the BJP's patronage of
corruption and nepotism.