The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi on July 30 and 31, 2016. It has issued the following statement on July 31, 2016

PROVIDE RELIEF

TO THE FLOOD AFFECTED

 The Polit Bureau took note of the serious havoc caused by the floods that have occurred in various parts of the country, especially in east and northern parts of the country, owing to heavy rains. Assam and Bihar are the worst affected. Reports of heavy loss of lives, displacement of several lakhs and rendering tens of thousands homeless have come in. The havoc inflicted in various states is unprecedented. Several districts continue to remain marooned and cut off.

The central government should immediately conduct a survey of all the affected districts, make an assessment and rush immediate relief to all those affected. Priority should be given to evacuate all those who are stranded.

INCREASING ASSAULTS BY

COW VIGILANTE GROUPS

 The Polit Bureau condemned the increasing attacks by so-called Gau Rakshaks in various parts of the country. After the lynching of Mohd Akhlaq in Dadri, several incidents of such cow vigilante groups attacking dalits and people from the minority community have been reported from various parts of the country including from Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. Shockingly, in all these incidents the police and administration have remained mute spectators and at times even aiding the culprits and lodging cases against the victims of these attacks.

There has been an increase in the attacks on dalits ever since this BJP government assumed office at the centre.

The BJP-led government at the centre is not only contributing to the alarming increase in the number of such incidents but is also sharply escalating communal polarisation, attacks against dalits and women.

KASHMIR:

START POLITICAL DIALOGUE

The Polit Bureau reiterated its grave concern at the deteriorating situation in Kashmir. The standoff between the people and the security forces continues. Till now, as per media report 42 people have been killed and hundreds injured in the massive people’s unrest following the encounter death of Burhan Wani and his associates.

The high number of casualties and severe injuries raise serious questions about the brutality with which the security forces have sought to quell the protests. The use of supposedly “non-lethal” pellet bullets on stone throwing youth has led to eye injuries and consequent loss of vision for many of the protesters. Most of the injuries have been inflicted above the waist. The use of pellet guns must be stopped immediately. The PB reiterates its demand for holding accountable those responsible for killing innocent unarmed protesters.

Adequate compensation to all families who have suffered loss of lives and rehabilitation of the injured by ensuring their means of livelihood must be undertaken immediately.

The need to take effective steps to check cross border infiltration cannot be an excuse for the use of unwarranted force against the civilian population. The AFSPA must be restricted to border areas and withdrawn from the rest of the state.

Dialogue needs to be initiated immediately to not only end the current strife but also to move towards arriving at long lasting peace and normalcy in Kashmir. The PB reiterates that the central government must immediately convene an all party meeting to discuss this issue. At the state level, consultations with all the political forces and civil society groups must be urgently begun. The government of India must resume the Indo-Pak dialogue on all outstanding issues. This should also include an all encompassing dialogue with Pakistan.

RETROGRADE EDUCATION

POLICY

The Polit Bureau condemned the efforts being made by the central government to communalise the education system. In the name of the new education policy an attempt is being made to undermine whatever little remains of its scientific and democratic content. It is clear that the effort is to systematically communalise the education system, particularly higher education and research.

The Party in consultation with educationists and organisations of students and teachers will launch a big movement to resist this communal onslaught on education.

SOLIDARITY WITH 

WEST BENGAL

The Polit Bureau expressed serious concern over the continued attacks on the Party and the Left in West Bengal. Eleven comrades belonging to the Party have been killed after the last phase of elections concluded in the state on May 19 till July 29. This is in addition to the 176 lives taken by the Trinamool Congress armed attacks during the course of the last five years of its rule. Over 60,000 families of Party members and sympathisers have been displaced from their homes and villages, Party and mass organisation offices ransacked. Women are targeted and subjected to sexual assaults as well. Huge amounts are being extorted as ransom.

In response to the call given by the Central Committee at its last meeting for countrywide protest actions against the murder of democracy in West Bengal, rallies, dharnas etc are being organised in various parts of the country in the first week of August 2016. Various leaders from West Bengal will be participating in these programmes.

PLENUM

IMPLEMENTATION

The CPI(M) Plenum on Organisation had taken many decisions to strengthen the Party organisation in order to increase the independent strength of the CPI(M) and its political intervention capacities. While these decisions have begun to be discussed and implemented in the specific situation in each state, these could not be done in those states which went to assembly elections recently. The Polit Bureau discussed the implementation of these decisions at the Party Centre and at the level of the Polit Bureau and Central Committee. These will be placed for follow up action in the forthcoming Central Committee meeting scheduled to be held from September 17 to 19, 2016.