The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi from September 10 to 12, 2014. It has issued the following statement on September 12. J&K Floods The Polit Bureau expressed its deep concern at the severe and widespread floods which have affected Jammu & Kashmir. The floods have resulted in the loss of hundreds of lives, widespread destruction of property and displacement of lakhs of people from their homes. Much more needs to be done. The army and the paramilitary forces have been working round the clock. The state administration has been unable to cope with the situation. Even now, after relief and rescue efforts, thousands are marooned, there is acute shortage of food and essential commodities and breakdown in communications. The central government must step up the relief and rescue operations through various agencies. The Polit Bureau reiterated the call already given a call to its Party units to collect money for the relief and rehabilitation work. MODI GOVERNMENT’S DECISIONS The Polit Bureau strongly criticised the decision of the Modi government to wind up the Planning Commission. This decision is in conformity with the neo-liberal view that there is no need for planning in a market-oriented economy. The end of the Planning Commission symbolises the dominance of finance capital-corporate interests over the economy. The Polit Bureau strongly opposed the decision of the government to go in for large scale disinvestment of shares in Coal India, NHPC and ONGC. Through this offloading of shares, the government expects to realize Rs 44,000 crores. This will be the single largest disinvestment of shares ever. The Modi government is embarking on this massive disinvestment not only to raise funds to bridge its fiscal deficit but to fulfill its ideological commitment against the public sector. The Polit Bureau calls upon all democratic forces to unitedly resist this attack on the public sector. TRIBAL RIGHTS ON LAND The CPI(M) strongly protests against the moves by the government to sabotage and subvert the rights of tribal people guaranteed under the constitutional and legal framework. Taken together the provisions of the Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, the Forest Rights Act and PESAA provide a certain amount of protection against corporate land grab of tribal land. For example no project can be implemented on tribal land in Fifth Schedule areas without the consent of the tribal gram sabha. This right was upheld by the Supreme Court of India in the Vedanta case. The Modi government wants to take away this right. Since it will require amendments to the law, there are efforts to dabble with the Rules to make this utterly illegal and unjust action possible. Already in the name of linear projects, the rights were diluted by the then UPA government. Now the Modi government wants to take this blatantly anti-tribal step further. Further, the Environment ministry has given environmental clearances for 240 of the 325 projects which were awaiting clearance. This will involve diversion of 7122 hectares of forest land for the projects in coal, mining, power etc. Here too, the rights of the tribal people are involved. The CPI(M) will work along with tribal organisations to organise mass movements to protect tribal rights on these and related issues. COMMUNAL CAMPAIGN The Polit Bureau condemned the BJP-RSS communal campaign in Uttar Pradesh. The spurious issue of “love jihad” is being used by the Hindutva forces to cause communal tensions and polarisation. In the campaign for the bye-elections in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP MP Adithyanath has been using inflammatory communal propaganda. This comes in the wake of the statements by the RSS chief, Mohan Bhagwat, that all Hindustanis should be called Hindus and that the identity of Indians is Hindutva. The UP state government should initiate firm action against those indulging in communal hate speech and creating communal tensions. The Election Commission should have acted promptly in prohibiting Adithyanath from making speeches during the election campaign. It has confined the action to directing the administration to file a FIR against him. TRINAMUL-CHIT FUND NEXUS The CBI investigation into the Saradha chit fund scam is uncovering the nexus between the Trinamul Congress leadership and the chit fund owner. The involvement of the chief minister Mamata Banerjee and other key leaders of the Trinamul Congress are coming into focus. The state government is making brazen efforts to protect the guilty and to hamper the investigations. The Supreme Court directed CBI investigation should proceed without hindrance so that all those involved in this criminal nexus are pinpointed and held accountable. In the meantime, the central agencies should step in and ensure that the properties and assets of the Saradha group of companies are confiscated and used to compensate lakhs of victims of the scam. Government funds should not be spent for this purpose. POLITICAL REVIEW The Polit Bureau conducted an in-depth review of the political-tactical line which the Party has been pursuing. A review report will be placed in the next Central Committee meeting. This is a preparatory step towards preparing the Draft Political Resolution for the Party Congress to be held next year. PARTY CONGRESS It has been decided to hold the 21st Congress of the Party at Vishakhapatnam from April 14 to 19, 2015.