A three-day extended State Committee meeting of the CPI(M) Madhya Pradesh was held in Amarkantak, the famous cultural centre of Madhya Pradesh. The meeting, held from May 26 to May 28, proved to be fruitful in rejuvenating the Party and its mass organisations. The meeting critically reviewed the organisational setup of the Party and decided on concrete steps to be taken to intensify struggles on people’s issues. The meet called upon the cadres to mobilise the masses against the proposal of the Madhya Pradesh government to close nearly one lakh government schools and the proposed smart city where thousands will be displaced without any alternative arrangement.

PUBLIC

RALLY

The meet started with a big rally of Adivasis and coal workers. Hundreds of people, including women, braved rain to take part in the public meeting, which was addressed by CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Subhashini Ali. She slammed the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh for its failure to distribute land among the poor. The state government has rejected more than 85 per cent of applications for land pattas whereas in the small state of Tripura, the CPI(M)-led government has distributed land ownership papers to hundreds of Adivasis and poor people, she said. Under the BJP rule, it has become almost impossible for Dalits and Adivasis to get caste certificate. RSS has tried to label them as “jungle” (uncultured) by calling them “vanvasis”. In Amarkantak from where the famous Narmada River begins, farmers are denied water from the river for irrigation as the BJP government is diverting it to Simhastha (Kumbh) at Ujjain and selling it to multinational firms and cement factories.

Continuing her attack on the BJP dispensation in Madhya Pradesh, she said the vicious plan to close nearly one lakh government schools in the state is nothing but a conspiracy to deny the poor their right to education. She said the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government which assumed office in Kerala a few days ago has decided to make government institutions as model schools whereas BJP-ruled states are shutting down government schools. On the pitiful conditions of workers, contract workers, anganwadi workers and ad hoc teachers, Ali said only the Left can provide due rights to the majority of Indian people. The meeting was presided by Budhsen Singh Gond, a leader of Adivasi Mahasabha. CPI(M) state secretary Badal Saroj and secretariat members Ramvlas Goswamy and Ramnaran Kuraria were present in the meeting.

PLENUM

The three-day meet was presided over by CPI(M) state secretariat member Ashok Tiwari. In her inaugural address, Subhashini Ali explained in detail the change in the scenario. She spoke about the decisions taken in the Plenum on Organisation of the Party held in Kolkata to bring organisational discipline to unite people’s struggles. It was emphasised that unless our party becomes an effective independent force to present alternative programmes before the people along with other Left forces and to continue people’s struggle, it will be difficult to bring class equality.

In the report presented by state secretary Badal Saroj, proposals for 40-point steps to be taken for stepping up the organisational machinery were placed. Suggestions were given to tone up the functioning of the State Centre, State Committee, district level committees and branches and to identify priority districts and fronts. The proposals include campaign to increase circulation of Lok Jatan and democratic literature. Proposals were also placed to critically improve a complete cadre policy, rectification and improving quality of party members, democratic centralism and fund collection. Suggestions were given for cultural and comprehensive activities. Concrete suggestions were given in the report in regard to the functioning of mass and front organisations. Forty-five delegates took part in discussion on the report. All speakers emphasised the need for more concrete and time-bound actions on the suggestions.  Further, a decision was taken for developing fresh struggles and agitations on local issues which should be continuous and result oriented. It was a unanimous decision to bring youth, women and students into our fold. Accordingly, decisions were taken to form new fronts. The meeting decided to include Upendra Yadav as permanent invitee to the State Committee.

The meeting decided on a series of programmes on current and important issues.  It include a state-wide campaign on issues concerning Dalits and Adivasis which will end with a massive rally on September 20 in Bhopal, Save Democracy campaign and struggle, and independent struggle by the Party on the issue of severe drought in the state.