THE 14th Haryana state conference of the CPI(M) held from February 14-16 concluded with a clarion call to launch a decisive movement to end miseries of toiling masses and to strengthen the Party as a major  political force in the state. Newly elected state secretary Surender Singh Malik asked the rank and file of the Party to go to the people at grass root level and organise them against economic exploitation and social oppression. “Our struggle should focus on concrete solutions to the burning problems of rural and urban poor, youth, students, women, dalits and minorities,” he said. The Party extended its support to the Parliament March on February 24 by the kisans for the implementation of Swaminathan Commission report’s recommendations and against the Land Acquisition Ordinance. The Party passed a resolution in support of students’ Parliament March on February 26 against commercialisation and communlisation  of education and ‘jail bharo’ satyagrah on February 26 by trade unions and employees federations. After a massive rally at old ITI Ground in Rohtak, the delegate session of the conference began at Sant Ravidas Hostel with flag hoisting by Sardhanand Solanki. Thereafter Prakash Karat, Party general secretary, central secretariat member Nilotpal Basu and Joginder Sharma, Central Committee member Inderjit Singh followed by all the delegates and observers offered flowers at the martyrs column.

DELEGATE

SESSION

In the opening of the delegate session, Raghubir Singh Hooda welcomed the delegates, observers and central leaders on behalf of the reception committee. In his inaugural address, Prakash Karat asserted that ‘socialism’ is the only alternative to the present crisis. In his brilliant and concrete analysis, he outlined challenges and possibilities before the Left  movement and the Party in our country. He told that the Party will resolve issues related to the political-tactical line and discuss the current political situation at the 21st Party Congress that is going to be held at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh from April 14-19, 2015. He appealed all the Party members to discuss both drafts and send amendments and suggestions. This is the best democratic practice. It will strengthen the Party. Prakash Karat  inspired the members to go to the masses and organise the woking  class with the politics of CPI(M), for a better future of the country.

DISCUSSIONS ON

THE REPORT

Inderjit Singh, state secretary, placed the report on behalf of the state committee. He explained the political, economic, social and cultural situation of the state and also gave an analytical note on the interventions by the Party during the last three years. While reviewing and reflecting on experiences, he focused on the need to activise Party branches, organise struggles on local problems and make primary units of mass organisations.

                The report criticised the anti-people ecomomic polices of the state and union  governments led by the BJP. They  are trying  to ensure loot of natural resources and profit maximisation by big corporates. Anticipating sharp opposition  from the  people, the BJP and other outfits run by the RSS are trying to divide people on communal lines in the name of ghar vapsi, cow, love-jihad, sanskrit and Bhagvad Gita etc. They are glorifying so-called khap panchayats to expand their support base in a caste-divided society like ours. The role of the khaps has been sharply criticised by the Apex court of the country.

                The report noted the outcomes and lessons of our campaigns and struggles. We organised and launched many struggles, as a result of which, people got some relief. Common people have a good will on our Party, but they do not support us in parliament and assembly elections. We should draw a lesson from this situation. Unless  our Party succeeds in organising masses with class politics, we will not be able to change the politics of the state and the country, to benefit the aam admi. The report lay emphasis on caste polarisation and identity politics and called for massive struggles on the adverse effects of economic policies along with issues for social justice and equality. We have to launch struggles at political, ideological, social and cultural levels simultaneously.

                Fifty two delegates representing 2909 members participated in the discussion. The discussions contributed a lot in enriching the report, planning future tasks and direction. The  report was unanimously adopted.

RESOLUTIONS

                The state conference discussed and passed twelve resolutions related to current and important issues. These are on Land Acquision Ordinance, weakening MNREGA, against anti-worker-and pro-capitalist changes in labour laws, on atrocities against women, against communalisation, for reducing the cost of petrolium products and railway and bus fares, against FDI  in insurance, banking, railway and other public sector areas, for developing scientific temper, against electricity and transport  bills and for giving job opportunities to youth and regular job with minimum wage and social security. While accepting the resolutions, the conference extended its full support and gave a call for independent actions on issues of different sections.

REPORT OF THE

CREDENTIAL COMMITTEE

                Following are the observations of the report of the credential committee. Out of 221 participants, 201 were delegates and 20 observers. They represented 2909 members. All the participants submitted their credential forms. Among these, 194 were male and only 27 female comrades. This is slightly more than the percentage of female members in the Party. According to the age group,  the number of delegates below  35 years of age was 37, between 36-50 years,  65, between 51-70 years, 108 and nine comrades were of more than 70 years of age.  None of the participants was illiterate, though 37 were just literate or had education upto fifth standard. Number of matriculates was 72, graduates was 49, post graduates was 52 and  nine  comrades had professional degrees. Two comrades joined the Party before 1964, between 1965 to 1977, 15 comrades, between 1978 to 1991, 81, between 1992 to 2004, 70 and  after 2004, 53 comrades joined the CPI(M). According to the class background, 49 comrades belonged to working class, 10 agriculture labourers, 57 poor peasants, 34 middle peasants, 2 rich peasants, 58 middle class and 5 from other sections. As per social strata, 46 comrades belonged to scheduled caste, 17 minorities ( 1 muslim, 16 sikhs) and 47 other backward classes. Out of 221 participants, 123 had experience of jail life. Total 104 comrades have faced harassment at political or administrative or social level. The fact that 57 comrades are those who do not read Party organ is worrying. Among the participants 31 were state committee members, 121 district committee members, 20 area committee members, 21 branch secretaries and 28 members of the Party. Eighty one comrades were whole timers of the Party or mass organisations. Two comrades were elected members of district council, one municipal councellor and one panch. Among former elected representative one was MLA, one municipal councellor,  one district councellor, four sarpanches and eight panches. Frontwise description gives an insight into our priorities. 70 comrades were working on trade union front, 16 agricultural labour, 44 kisan front, 20 women front, 12 student front, 7 youth front, 28 kamgar, 3 advocates, 2 vikalang front and 1 on writers front. Among participants 19 comrades have earned fame in sports and 9 were known  cultural activists.

We should focus on Party membeship among women and youth, developing comrades from basic classes in leadership, education  of new comrades and their steeling in the mass movements and agitaions.

                On February 16, a thirty-member state committee was elected unanimously. The  committee elected Surender Singh as state secretary and a nine-member secretariat. Inderjit Singh, Surender Singh, Harpal, Satypal Siwach, Pradeep Singh, Dayanand, Ramkumar and Shakuntla Jakhar were elected as members of the secretariat. A three-member Control Commission was also elected. It includes Balbir Singh Dahiya as chairperson, Chattar Pal Singh and Sunehari as members. The conference elected five delegates, two alternative delegates and two observers for the Party Congress.

CULTURAL

PROGRAMME

A team of cultural group presented songs, poems and raginis in the public rally and in the  opening, mid and concluding session of the conference. Many of the delegates also took part in cultural programmes. A natak was played by these artists and theatre group activists. These programmes were not only aimed at entertainment, but also presented real life in a way common people experience it. Therefore, it  proved educative and inspiring.

SPECIAL DELEGATES &

VOLUNTEERS HONOURED

In the concluding session, Nilotpal Basu and Joginder Sharma honoured 12 veterans who attended conference as special delegates and  volunteers who worked to make the conference a grand success.

Nilotpal Basu who is in-charge of Haryana who attended conference for all three days along with Joginder Sharma, addressed the conference in the end. He spoke about the anti-people policies of the BJP led government at the centre. He quoted the example of Delhi Assembly elections and called on the rank and file of the Party to defeat the  politics of ruling classes through agitations with political awareness. He emphasised the need to strengthen Party branches, its committees and to build lively links with the people at the ground level.