THE Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi on April 18-19, 2017. It has issued the following statement on April 20, 2017

RSS-BJP RENEWED AGGRESSIVENESS

Following the recent election victories, particularly in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the RSS-BJP have intensified their activities aimed at sharpening communal polarisation through various means. During the nearly three years since Narendra Modi became the prime minister, the RSS has rapidly spread its influence in various parts of the country.

The victory and the subsequent assumption of office by chief minister Yogi Adithyanath have seen a new communal offensive being unleashed. The attacks on meat trade in Uttar Pradesh in the name of closing down illegal slaughter houses has adversely affected the livelihood of over 24 lakhs of people and badly hit the meat exports. Uttar Pradesh contributes most of the earnings of meat exports from India. The vigilante actions of the so-called gau rakshaks operating in the BJP ruled states continues to claim the lives of innocent Muslims and dalits. The latest in this line of attacks was the killing of Pehlu Khan in Behror, near Alwar in Rajasthan.

Anti-Romeo squads UP have also been formed in Uttar Pradesh harassing innocent youth in the name of moral policing.

IMPOSITION OF ECONOMIC BURDENS

The Central Committee noted that the BJP government is embarking on an aggressive pursuit of neo-liberal economic policies and is now planning large-scale privatisation of the public sector. This will further exacerbate the unemployment situation. Already the government has admitted in parliament a loss of nearly 1.5 crore jobs in the recent period.

The agrarian distress continues to impose miseries. The failure on the monsoon has severely impacted on the southern states with Tamil Nadu reporting drought conditions and over 200 suicides by farmers.

The agrarian distress continues to impose miseries in vast tracts of rural areas. The BJP government has reneged on its promise of increasing the MSP to levels of one and half times the cost of production. Unless this is done mere waiver of loans, though it may provide temporary relief, cannot be a solution in the long run to resolve the crisis engulfing our agricultural sector.

The failure of the monsoon in southern India has led to immense agrarian distress. Hundreds of farmers have committed distress suicides in Tamil Nadu. The central and the state government have so far not come forward to provide any relief despite widespread agitations that have reached the portals of parliament in Delhi.

RSS-BP TARGETTING CPI(M)/LEFT

The RSS-BJP have intensified their efforts at targetting the CPI(M) and the Left, particularly in Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura (where elections are due). They see the CPI(M) and the Left as a major roadblock for their further advance.

SUPREME COURT DECISION WELCOME

The Central Committee welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court to restore the criminal charges of conspiracy in the demolition of the Babri Masjid against BJP leaders LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharati. In the light of this, Kalyan Singh should resign from the post of governor and Uma Bharati from the union cabinet.

US DENIAL OF VISAS

The Central Committee expressed its deep concern at the renewed push by US president Donald Trump to further reduce the issuance of visas for Indian professionals. When this matter was raised earlier, the government of India assured that it will make all efforts to ensure that Indians already working there or those who are in the pipeline to move to the USA will be offered assistance and protection. This must be ensured.

CPI(M)’s PERFORMANCE

The Central Committee reviewed the Party’s performance in the recent assembly elections in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Manipur. The Party’s performance was disappointing.

The Central Committee reiterated that it is only through strengthening of the Party and mass organisations, their activities amongst the people – the mass line – that the Party would be able to strengthen its political intervention capacities.

CC Calls

During the recent period various mass fronts of the CPI(M) have led popular struggles all across the country against the growing economic burdens on the people and against the sharpening communal polarisation.

The Central Committee has decided to observe the second half of May during which period state committees of the CPI(M) will organise week long programmes of protest actions against the recent government decisions that are imposing immense hardships on the people. This will focus on:

(a)        The drastic reductions in the public distribution system allocations negating the Food Security Act. Sugar and kerosene have been withdrawn from the public distribution system.

(b)        The allocations for the rural employment guarantee scheme have been drastically reduced. The centre should provide adequate funds to the states for full hundred days of employment.

(c)         The drive towards privatisation is adversely affecting the already declining employment situation. This will also affect the meagre benefits that the SC/STs, OBCs and disabled receive from job reservation. Privatisation must be reversed.

(d)        The deepening agrarian distress can only be met by forcing the central government to implement the BJP’s electoral promise of guaranteeing a minimum support price to the farmers that equals 1.5 times the input costs. In the meantime, loan waivers may provide some immediate relief, but it is not a long term solution to the agrarian crisis and welfare of the Indian farmers.

On these four issues the CPI(M) will organise a campaign and initiate popular struggles across the country.