The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) which met in New Delhi from September 17 to 19 has issued the following statement on September 19, 2016.

JAMMU & KASHMIR

The Central Committee of the CPI(M) strongly condemned the killing of 17 Indian army personnel in a terrorist attack in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir yesterday.  A separate statement was issued yesterday. 

The Central Committee adopted a separate resolution on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir expressing serious concern at the number of deaths, injuries, continuous disturbances for three long months and terrorist attacks aided and abetted from across the border. The Central Committee condemned ‘cross border’ terrorism.

Despite agreeing to a common statement by the all party delegation unanimously on return to Delhi which said that the “central and state governments must immediately initiate a political dialogue with all stake holders” this BJP government has not acted upon it. In an unprecedented development all the major mosques in Srinagar were kept closed on the day of Id. Even at the Idgahs the faithful were not allowed to pray. The famous Jamia Masjid at Srinagar was last closed in 1821 during a natural calamity. This is the first time that this mosque remained closed for Id prayers.

This is a dangerous situation. The central government and the Hindutva forces appear to be considering that a strident anti-Pakistan position and cracking down in the valley through security forces would lead to sharpening of communal polarisation which may deliver electoral benefits to the BJP in the forthcoming elections. This is dangerous.

The CPI(M) has advocated a dual track approach to restore peace and normalcy: on the one hand immediate implementation of confidence building measures and on the other immediate dialogue with all stakeholders and to restart the Indo-Pak dialogue.

COW

VIGILANTISM

Discussing the havoc that has been created by the gau rakshak samitis, with murderous attacks on Muslims and dalits on unfounded allegations of beef consumption, the Central Committee said that “such cow vigilante groups cannot be permitted to take law into their hands. State agencies and police are those who are entrusted to enforce the implementation of law. Such private storm troopers cannot be permitted to run amok. These cow vigilante groups must be banned forthwith.

ATTACKS ON

MINORITIES

In addition to the attacks on the minorities on the issue of beef consumption and cow protection, attacks on various pretexts continue.  The Central Committee strongly condemns these attacks on the Muslim minorities.  Two such horrific attacks took place in this past week in close proximity to the National Capital of Delhi – in Bijnore (Uttar Pradesh) and  Bharatpur (Rajasthan).  A delegation of CPI(M) leaders will be visiting both these places.  Another delegation will be visiting Mewat village in Haryana where brutal attacks against the Muslim minorities took place and tension continues. 

The Central Committee noted the all round sharpening of communal polarisation and the aggressive pursuit of the Hindutva agenda by the RSS-BJP and its various affiliates and called upon all democratic and secular forces to rally together in defence of India’s secular, democratic Constitutional republic.

INCREASING BURDENS

ON THE PEOPLE

The economic situation continues to worsen. The latest figures for industrial and manufacturing production have shown an absolute decline with growth rates being in the negative. What is worse for the future is the alarming decline of nearly minus 30 percent in the capital goods production. The entire energy sector is in a crisis indicating a very significant industrial slowdown. Unemployment is consequently rising, agrarian crisis is deepening. Vast sections of the people are deprived of even the meager relief through legal entitlements with the insistence on linkages with Aadhar cards.

Price rise continues to remain relentless with all food articles costing much more, severely undermining the livelihood conditions of the vast majority of our people.

FOREIGN POLICY

SHIFT

The Central Committee noted the shifts in India’s foreign policy under this BJP government. This is the first instance in the history of the non-aligned movement that the Indian prime minister is not present at a NAM summit. Following the surrender to US pressures and emerging as its junior partner, this BJP government is also rapidly undermining India’s long established and cherished independent foreign policy positions.

With regard to the signing of the Logistics Support Agreement termed as the Logistic Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) with the United States, the Central Committee noted that by signing such an agreement, India has acquired the formal status of a military ally of the US. Under this agreement the US airforce and navy can use Indian naval and air bases for logistics support, refueling and services on a regular basis. The US armed forces can utilise Indian military bases while conducting military operations in third countries.

The Modi government has thus compromised on Indian sovereignty and surrendered India’s strategic autonomy.

KERALA

The Central Committee noted that within 100 days of assuming office, the Left Democratic Front has delivered on some of the promises it had made during the election campaign. The Central Committee also noted with serious concern the concerted campaign of violence unleashed by the RSS-BJP all across Kerala against the CPI(M) and the LDF. The RSS/BJP is trying to mask their violent activities by conducting a false campaign against the CPI(M). This duplicity of the RSS/BJP will be exposed all across the country and the peace loving people of Kerala will give them a fitting reply.

BENGAL

The politics of terror and intimidation unleashed by the TMC, tacitly supported by the BJP continue their rampage in West Bengal against the CPI(M) and the Left Front. Along with terror and intimidation they are using methods of coercion and appeasement through money power to wrest control of various local bodies that the Left Front had won prior to the assembly elections.  Ruling TMC has publicly declared that it shall `capture’ all local bodies by eliminating the opposition by the end of the year.  The people’s struggle against these attacks continues.

TRIPURA

The Central Committee strongly condemned the campaign of violence by the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) which is carrying on a divisive campaign for a separate state for the tribal people of Tripura.

The incident of violence on August 23 was brought under control and peace and normalcy restored by the Left Front government. Over 20 people suffered injuries in this attack. The TMC played an active part in joining those indulging in arson and attacks against the people. The CPI(M) has declared that such machinations to destabilise the Left Front government in Tripura will not be tolerated by the people of Tripura.

ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF

KOLKATA-PLENUM DECISIONS

The Central Committee discussed and decided on the concrete steps to strengthen the Party Centre and PB/CC functioning to strengthen the CPI(M) as per the decisions of the Kolkata Plenum on Organisation.

OCTOBER REVOLUTION

CENTENARY

The Central Committee discussed and adopted a programme of activities including political meetings, ideological campaigns, cultural events/art/culture/music/film festivals and propagate the contributions of the October Revolution and its relevance today. This will be a year-long observation beginning from November 7, 2016, culminating on November 7, 2017.

CENTRAL COMMITTEE

CALLS

 The Central Committee decided to:

1. Intensify campaigns, protests and militant actions in all the states on the growing burdens being imposed on the people – growing unemployment; price rise; agrarian distress-relief to peasantry; on land issue; denial of legal entitlements  due to compulsory Aadhar enrolment for rations in PDS, MNREGA wages, welfare schemes etc – focusing on the pressing issues of people in local areas.
2. Organise campaigns in all states on the Kashmir situation.
3. Build anti-communal platforms with democratic and secular forces.
4. Strengthen joint activities/actions with dalit groups.
5. Conduct campaign against the growing attacks on women and children.
6. Campaign against this BJP government’s surrender to US imperialism.
7. Successfully implement the centenary of the Great October Socialist Revolution.

CC'S CALL

Conduct All India Campaign on Kashmir Situation

THE Central Committee of the CPI(M) while expressing its serious concern at the situation in Kashmir, has decided to launch a campaign on the same in all the states. CPI(M) general secretary, Sitaram Yechury informed this to the press on September 19, at the A K Gopalan Bhawan, New-Delhi. He was briefing the media on the decisions taken at the three day meeting of the Central Committee of the Party, held in Delhi from September 17-19. Yechury said the CC has also given calls for intensifying protests and militant struggles against growing burdens on the people as a result of price rise, growing unemployment etc; building anti-communal platforms with democratic and secular forces; strengthening joint activities/ actions with dalit groups; campaign against BJP government's surrender to US imperialism; and observing centenary of the Great October Socialist Revolution. Yechury said the CC mainly discussed the major international and national developments and the report on the implementation of decisions taken at the Kolkata Plenum on Organisation.

Answering a volley of questions from journalists Yechury emphatically stated that while CPI(M) unequivocally condemns the Uri attack and all such terror incidents and urges government to take all necessary steps, at the same time it wants to underline the urgency of finding a solution to more than three month long disturbances in Kashmir, as extremist forces will try to take advantage of this also. He reiterated the demand made in the unanimous decision of the all parties delegation to J&K, to start a dialogue with all stake holders. Yechury emphasized that the government should first initiate dialogue without going into the issue of who can be talked to and who cannot be talked to and it should also restart the dialogue with Pakistan. He reminded that it was the Modi government that had announced earlier its intention of talking to our western neighbour on all pending issues, including Kashmir.

Regarding the proposed anti-communal platforms, Yechury said all the forces that are ready to fight communalism will be welcome. At the same time he clarified that this is not confined to political parties or political forces but will also significantly include social movements, social activists etc. He further clarified that formation of these platforms will have nothing to do with any kind of electoral alliances. He informed that the process for formation of such platforms will start from the states and later on will come up to the level of an all India platform.

Yechury also informed that CPI(M) has sent two delegations – to Mewat in Haryana and Bijnore in UP – that have recently seen incidents of communal attacks on the minority community.