THE 21st conference of CPI(M) Bihar state committee was held from February 5-7 in Bettiah, the district headquarter of West Champaran, in the background of the prevailing political crisis in the state. The conference reviewed its last three years’ activities among the toiling masses of Bihar, and discussed the approach regarding political and organisational matters in the background of evolving national scenario in general and the concrete situation prevailing in Bihar in particular.

A large meeting of workers, peasants, urban poor, middle class employees, teachers and various other sections of the society was held before the beginning of the conference. Braving the inclement and unusually cold weather in the first week of February, thousands of people marched through major thoroughfares of Bettiah town, with red flags and banners, to reach the meeting ground located in the heart of town.

Party general secretary Prakash Karat, Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat and central secretariat member Hannan Mollah addressed the gathering. All the speakers criticised the Modi government for its neo-liberal economic policies and communal agenda. Prakash Karat, in his address, criticised the Modi government for inviting US President Barack Obama to our Republic Day event. He said the US president is responsible for genocide of a large number of women and children in different parts of the world. In its quest for global hegemony, the US is trampling under its feet the sovereignty of small and poor countries in the name of fight against terrorism. The Modi government is offering its services as a junior partner in furthering the American interest in the Asia Pacific region which undermines our national interest and makes it subservient to US strategy of containing China.

The anti-people policies, particularly the ordinance route taken by the centre regarding changes in land acquisition act, further opening of the insurance sector for FDI, change in labour laws in favour of the employers and curtailing in allocations of fund for social, education and health sectors, etc, make the Modi regime the worst enemy of the toiling and secular masses of this country. Karat stressed that the fight against neo-liberal policies and communalism should go hand-in-hand because communal polarisation will weaken the unity of the working masses, thus undermining the strength of the working class and its allies for mounting powerful militant struggles against its class adversary. He also criticised the regional political parties like JD(U) and RJD for pursuing the same neo-liberal policies thus undermining the social justice plank which they claim to espouse.

Brinda Karat and Hannan Mollah criticised the Bihar government for non-implementation of land reforms. They also criticised the JD(U) government for the all-pervasive corruption at different levels and siphoning off funds meant for the poor people of Bihar by the powerful nexus between contractor-middlemen and politicians. They called upon the Party workers to unleash a relentless struggle against the neo-liberal policies and communal forces and build a powerful party right from village to state level to bring about a change in co-relation of class forces.

The conference began with the hoisting of Red Flag by 91-year-old veteran Communist leader G S Vidyarthi. Then, Prakash Karat led the delegates in offering floral tributes to the martyr’s column. The inaugural session started in the evening. The five-member presidium comprising G S Vidyarthi, Sarangdhar Paswan, Ramdeo Verma, Ahmad and Rampari was formed. Two-member minutes committee and three-member credential committee were also constituted. The outgoing state secretariat functioned as steering committee. The conference venue was named after Comrade Samar Mukherjee.

Inaugurating the conference, Prakash Karat discussed the international and national situations in brief and spoke about the Central Committee’s decision to review the political tactical line pursued in the last three decades underlining the need for the expansion of the Party beyond the three states of West Bengal, Tripura and Kerala. For this, it is necessary to unleash powerful people’s movements in which large numbers of common people take part. This is the first step in order to build a powerful Communist Party, he said.

He spoke at length about the changes brought about by the introduction of the neo-liberal policies since 1991. Every sector of our economy has undergone changes which are to be examined and correct slogans formulated. He emphasised that the neo-liberal policies and communalism cannot be fought separately. To deflect the attention of the common people from the pro-corporate policies of the ruling classes, divisive slogans are being given to break the fighting ranks of the working people. It is particularly so after the assuming of power at the centre by an RSS pracharak.

He informed the delegates about the Party’s initiative to bring Left parties onto one platform. While strengthening the Left unity, the Party is trying to include all the Left forces to face the corporate and communal onslaught unitedly. Underlining the importance of Bihar and its powerful legacy of Left movements, he exhorted the delegates to make a breakthrough and contribute to the overall growth of the Party at the national level.

After the inaugural speech, Vijay Kant Thakur placed the state committee report for discussion before the delegates. The report starts with the task set out by the 20th Party Congress and self-critically examines its performances and weaknesses during the last three years. It elaborately deals with the socio-economic and political situations of Bihar and also the movements and agitations on issues affecting the common people.

Non-implementation of land reform in Bihar has led to a crisis in the agrarian sector. Migration of labourers from the state has not declined. Whatever growth in agriculture is being claimed, it can be attributed to individual efforts of enterprising agriculturists and not due to any government policy. Investment in agriculture has declined and irrigation projects have been left mid-way. Only 30 per cent agricultural land is under irrigational facilities and peasants have been denied remunerative prices, institutional loans and market facilities. Traditional and cottage industries are counting their days and industrial investment is still elusive.

BJP has spread its tentacles from urban to rural areas. It has tried to foment communal troubles in different parts of Bihar. After the parting of ways with JD(U), the BJP and its front organisations are making all efforts to polarise the masses on communal lines. Recently, it has started mobilising people on caste lines. Its desperation can be seen in its approach towards the internal crisis of JD(U).

Recent spurt in attacks against women make it absolutely necessary to organise them in a big way. Even the Party members have to shed their patriarchal attitudes.

In the course of placing the report, Vijay Kant Thakur elaborately explained the specific nature of Bihar situation which poses a big challenge before the Left forces. The JD(U)-BJP combine, which ruled the state for almost nine years together, has followed the neo-liberal policies and the so-called development rests on construction activities and the central money that flowed for implementation of the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, NRHM and other schemes and projects. Shoddy implementation of such schemes and loot of money meant for poor people’s welfare are the glaring failure of the JD(U)-BJP combine. The government has stopped filling up vacant posts in offices, rather young boys and girls are being recruited on contract basis, outsourcing is rampant in every sector. Casual and daily wage workers along with vast number of anganwadi and ASHA workers are serving with a very low honorarium.

In the background of these developments, CPI(M) has a big role to play. The Party has to be strengthened and Left forces brought together to fight against the neo-liberal policies and the communal danger posed by the BJP and other communal outfits. In the coming three years, the Party will have to chart out its course of action to reach out to the vast deprived and oppressed sections of the society, the peasant and urban poor, unorganised sector workers, dalits, women, minorities, etc. The Party will have to unleash powerful movements and agitations to bring about a change in correlation of class forces and make a breakthrough.

The Party has fought against evictions at many places. Movements for remunerative prices have also been organised. The report underlines the need for sustained movements on various issues concerning the peasants and agricultural workers. The report notes about the growth of movements and agitations of unorganised sector workers. It underlines the need of organising students and youth in an innovative way. Though some steps have been taken in this direction and some achievements have been made but these are early steps that must get the attention of the new leadership. Women are playing a big role in public life and are working in different sectors of economy. They are paid low wages, harassed and physically abused. The Party will have to champion the cause of the working women and mobilise them in a big way.

Forty-five delegates took part in the discussion. While endorsing the main thrust of the report, they made critical comments about certain issues regarding political and organisational matters.  The outgoing secretary replied and summed up the whole discussion which was unanimously adopted. Fifty member state committee was formed with 13 member secretariat and Awadesh Kumar was elected secretary unanimously.

Polit Bureau member S Ramachandran Pillai made a stirring call to fulfill the task chalked out by the conference and thanked the delegates for enriching the report. Hannan Mollah spoke on organisational issues and exhorted the delegates and the new leadership to find ways and means to overcome the shortcomings and weakness.

The report of the credential committee makes it amply clear that Party will have to recruit young people in a big way and they should be nurtured as future leaders. It requires innovative ways of interactions with the younger generation to draw them into the revolutionary path as the neo-liberal policies have created a lot of illusions and painted a rosy picture of market based capitalism. Several resolutions concerning women, dalits and peasants were passed. The conference concluded with a new hope and the determination to strengthen the Party in Bihar.