THE ninth regional conference of the CPI(M) Jammu was held on January 28, 2018 at Jammu. The conference was inaugurated by Gh Nabi Malik, state secretary of CPI(M). The delegate session was presided over by a presidium consisting of Banarasi Dass, Sohan Lal, Kishore Kumar and Om Prakash. Condolence resolution to pay tributes to the departed revolutionary leaders across the globe and Party activists was moved by Romesh Chand.  The delegates condoled the demise of veteran revolutionary leader, Comrade Bishan Das.

Inaugurating the conference, Gh Nabi Malik highlighted the difficulties being faced by the working class across the country and exhorted upon the rank and file of the workers, peasantry, youth and students to get united to fight the dangerous designs of polarising the people on communal lines, of this regime.  Thousands of farmers have committed suicide during the last four years of the Modi government. He castigated the government for non- implementation of Dr Swaminathan Commission’s recommendation for fixing MSP for the produce at 50 per cent more than the cost of production. “We, as a revolutionary party owe the responsibility to play a leading role in uniting the people against this divisive and exploitative regime,” he said.

SP Kesar, regional secretary of the Party presented a detailed report of the activities of the Party for the last three years, before the delegates.  A thorough discussion was held on the secretary’s report in which more than 15 members participated.

While addressing the delegates, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, senior CPI(M) leader reminded that human emancipation is not possible unless exploitative system is put an end to.  Pro-rich and pro-corporate economic policies, widely known as neoliberal economic policies, followed in most of the countries has made the life of the general masses miserable and helped the rich and corporate houses to earn and amass huge wealth at the cost of the poor and destitute people, he added.  It is imperative for the poor and working class to unitedly fight the menace of these regressive economic policies to get rid of this awkward situation.  While throwing light on the national scenario, he said that demonetisation announced in November 2016 had hit the economy adversely so much so that lakhs of workers were rendered jobless particularly in the informal sector.  He condemned the efforts of the Sangh Parivar to divide the society in the name of religion by raising the issues of hatred which is bound to have negative impact on the unity of the nation, adding that the people of the country are dismayed over the performance of the Modi government for almost last four years, as nothing on ground has changed despite getting votes on the slogan “Acchhe din Ayengay”. People continue to face unemployment, price rise, shortage of essential commodities, power cuts, retardation in industrial growth and lack of facilities in agriculture sector. The existence of diverse ethnicities in different regions of the state constitute its strength rather than its weakness, implying that carving out a political structure that recognises diversity and necessity of preserving the unity of the state that can be possible only when all the constitutional measures are taken to provide regional autonomy and more powers to the people and sub-regions, within the frame of the of the state, he said.

Resolutions on various issues including alarming unemployment problem, rising prices, communal harmony, starting of full-fledged dogri channel, starting of Ayurvedic College, sympathetic view of various types of refugee issues were moved in the conference and passed unanimously.

Later a seventeen member regional committee with SP Kesar as regional secretary was constituted among which 14 members were elected by the delegates and three members are to be nominated shortly by the regional committee. The regional committee members elected include Kishor Kumar, Om Prakash, Banarasi Dass, Sohan Lal, Jagdish Sharma, Ved Vickle, Romesh Chand, Sewa Ram, Hari Singh, Raj Kumar, Mohan Lal Raina and Nishat Qazi, Muzaffar Wani.  Also 28 delegates and one observer were elected by the delegates to participate in the state conference on March 19-20, 2018 at Srinagar.