January 25, 2015
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PUNJAB: CPI(M) State Conference Calls for Intensifying Struggles against Anti-People Policies

R L Moudgil

THE 21st Punjab state conference of the CPI(M) was held from January 15-18 at Jandiala Manjki in Jalandhar. The conference gave the call to unite and strengthen the struggles against the anti-people policies being pursued by the NDA governments in the state and at the centre.

A massive rally was organised at Jandiala Manjki village on the opening day of the three-day conference. Party general secretary Prakash Karat, Polit Bureau member S Ramachandran Pillai, Central Secretariat members Nilotpal Basu and Joginder Sharma, and state secretary Charan Singh Virdi addressed the gathering. Reception Committee chairman Gurchetan Singh Bassi welcomed the leaders and people who came from all over Punjab to attend the rally.

Addressing the rally, Karat said the BJP-led NDA came to power promising that “ache din aane waale hain” but the much-publicised promise has not come true for the masses of the country except for the corporate houses of India and foreign big companies. The capital of Gujarat-based businessman Gautam Adani has increased by Rs 25 thousand crores in the seven months of the Modi government. It reflects the priorities of the Modi government. During these seven months, nine ordinances including those allowing FDI in the insurance sector, amending labour laws and land acquisition act have been issued. Karat questioned the ordinance method being adopted by the government to bring in major changes in important legislations. The BJP is claiming that it has got absolute majority and support of the people whereas it bagged only 31 per cent of votes polled in the last Lok Sabha elections. On the visit of US President Barack Obama to attend the Republic Day Parade, Karat said it is a sad day for us that a person who has taken away the sovereignty of many a country will be our guest on such a pious day.

Karat said the policies of the BJP are being formulated on the diktat of the RSS. The RSS is spreading communalism all over the country and trying to establish a Hindu Raj. India is a multi-national country. “What will happen to the minorities?” He asked and expressed great concern over forcible religious conversion. The unity of the country and the working class is under threat. CPI(M ) is preparing for a serious struggle against the anti-people, anti-workers, and anti-peasants policies of the Modi government. The workers of the entire country are fighting against these policies. The strike in Coal India Ltd. is a glaring example for the working class in which seven lakh workers participated. He called upon the working people to unite to face the onslaught of the neo-liberal economic policies.

In the evening, the state conference began in Sarwan Singh Cheema Hall at Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet Nagar. The Party flag was hoisted by Comrade Bhagat Singh, the eldest delegate in the conference. Leaders and delegates led by Karat paid tributes at the Martyr’s Column. A presidium consisting of Vijay Misra, Gurchetan Singh Bassi, Bhoop Chand Channo, Gurmesh Singh and Rajinder Kaur Chohka was formed to conduct the proceedings of the conference. Bassi, chairman of the reception committee, gave the welcome speech. Ram Singh Noorpuri placed the condolence resolution. The conference observed two minutes’ silence to pay tributes to the departed leaders.

Prakash Karat inaugurated the three-day conference. In his inaugural speech, Karat discussed the national and international situations. He said the European nations have still not recovered from the economic and financial crisis of 2008. The working people are under attack due to wage cut, job cut, and withdrawal of many social sector expenditures through austerity measures. The US-led NATO attacks on Iraq and Libya have replaced secular governments in these countries by Islamic fundamentalists. He expressed serious concerns that the US imperialism is acquiring more offensive postures and is intervening in Asia to counter the influence of China.

While explaining the national situation, Karat said after the formation of Modi-led BJP government, the working people are under attacks on two fronts – right wing economic attack of the corporate sector and attack of Hindutva forces like the RSS and its affiliates. He said neo-liberal economic policies are being implemented through ordinances. He expressed serious concerns over the way in which the RSS is penetrating into education, arts and culture and other departments. He condemned the Hindutva and fundamentalist forces for dividing the society in the name of ‘Love Jihad’, cow slaughter, and forcible religious conversion. Karat emphasised that CPI(M) has more responsibility to organise struggles against both these attacks. He stressed that CPI(M) is the only force which can fight against these attacks. He called upon the delegates to mobilise all sections of people to build a strong movement to fight the anti-people policies of the government.

Punjab state committee secretary Charan Singh Virdi presented the report of activities of the Party for the last three years, since the last conference. While presenting the report, he said that the Punjab government is in serious economic crisis. The Punjab government is under a huge debt. Employees are not getting their salaries on time. Sixty-three percent people in Punjab live in the villages but the agriculture in Punjab is in serious crisis. The share of agriculture sector is declining in the state GDP. Unemployment is increasing and, in 2011, it was estimated that 4.5 lakh educated youth were unemployed which included those with engineering and medical degrees. Attacks on Dalits and women are on the rise in the state.

Transport, sand & gravel, and Cable TV businesses are under the control of mafias patronised by the ruling SAD-BJP alliance. The drug mafia is operating in connivance with ruling party politicians, police and civil administration. Drug addiction has acquired gigantic proportions. Commenting on the industrial sector, Virdi said that during 2011-12, the development rate was 2.38 percent whereas at the national level it was 8.49 percent. Regarding the services sector, he said that it has expanded during the past few years.  Explaining about the organisation, Virdi said that there has been virtual stagnation in the Party. The percentage of youth and women is very less. Though we have very good percentage of Dalit members but it is not reflected in the leadership. He self-critically admitted in the report that the tasks chalked out in the 20th conference could not be satisfactorily implemented.

On January 16, the delegates discussed the activities report presented by the state secretary. The delegates appreciated the self-criticism by the leadership in the report on some issues. They criticised the slow progress on the tasks set out in the 20th state conference held at Sangrur. The delegates wanted special attention for enrolling youth and women in the Party and stressed the need for struggles on local issues to expand the Party’s base. Many delegates emphasised the need for education. Some delegates complained about lack of coordination among the leadership. The delegates criticised the seat-adjustment during the last assembly elections. Many appreciated the coming together of four Left Parties in Punjab and the joint campaign, which culminated in the historic November 28 rally in Ludhiana. Fifty-four delegates participated in the discussion.

Party’s Central Secretariat member Nilotpal Basu intervened during the debate on the report. He explained the danger of communalism unleashed by the RSS and its affiliates, and its impact on the unity of the society. He cautioned the delegates to be vigilant of the danger and be prepared to fight it out to maintain the unity of the working class. He said the state’s leadership is getting old and the number of women Party members is negligible. He called upon the delegates to bring in more and more youth and women to the Party fold.

On January 17, state secretary Virdi replied to the debate on the report. While replying to the debate, he accepted many suggestions given by the delegates. Later, the report was unanimously adopted the by the conference. The conference unanimously adopted resolutions on ‘Current Political Situation in Punjab’; ‘Resolution on Agricultural Workers’; ‘Resolution on Industrial Workers’; and ‘Resolution on Crisis in Agriculture and Condition of Peasantry in Punjab’.

R L Moudgil presented the credential report to the conference. A total of 173 delegates, two foreign fraternal delegates, 33 state committee members and 20 observers participated in the conference. The most senior delegate was 86-year-old Comrade Bhagat Singh from Hoshiarpur district and the youngest was 22-year-old Harinder Singh Bajwa from Sangrur district. Comrade Bhagat Singh joined the Party in the year 1948. Among the delegates 12 were women. The house unanimously elected a 37-member state committee for the next term and 12 delegates for the 21st Party Congress scheduled to be held in Visakhapatnam from April 14-19, 2015. Charan Singh Virdi was unanimously re-elected as state committee secretary.

Polit Bureau member S Ramachandran Pillai delivered a very impressive, motivational and educative concluding speech. He congratulated the delegates for unanimously electing the state committee and delegates for the 21st Party Congress. He said an organisational plenum like the Salkia Plenum will be held soon after the Party Congress. The political-tactical line adopted at the 1978 Jalandhar Congress will also be reviewed and finalised at the Party Congress. He called upon the delegates to study the changes that have taken place in Punjab in different spheres and prepare the strategy and plan of action and struggles according to the new situation. He expressed hope that the Punjab Party will march forward unitedly and will come good on the expectations of the working people.