The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi from March 28-30, 2018. It has issued the following statement on March 30.

TRIPURA VIOLENCE

The post-poll violence in Tripura by the RSS/BJP continues unabated against the CPI(M) and the Left Front. Nearly a thousand Left cadres have been physically targeted, 1,699 houses have been ransacked and looted, over 450 shops burnt, over 800 Party offices have been attacked, looted and some burnt down and 134 offices of Left mass organisations have been captured and occupied by the BJP. Indiscriminate arrests and foisting of false cases against the Left cadre continue.

The Central Committee expressed its solidarity with the Tripura unit and the comrades heroically facing these attacks and called for a nationwide solidarity against the RSS/BJP attacks on the CPI(M) and the Left supporters in the state. The Central Committee called upon the concerned authorities to uphold the law of the land instead of harassing and intimidating Left supporters.

COMMUNAL POLARISATION

Widespread communal disturbances are occurring in most districts of Bihar.

After the betrayal of the Mahagatbhandan by Nitish Kumar and the BJP being in government, official patronage is being extended to such communal polarisation. Central ministers are playing an active role in creating disturbances in various states across the country – Bihar, Bengal, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh etc. It is clear that after the severe drubbing that the BJP received in recent by-elections it is intensifying the sharpening of communal polarisation by mounting such attacks against religious minorities and the dalits.

The communal disturbances in parts of West Bengal started with the violent manner in which Ram Navami was sought to be celebrated by the RSS-led organisations and BJP. A new feature since last year has been the open display of arms. This is part of the vicious attempts at communal polarisation spearheaded by the Hindutva forces elsewhere in the country.

In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP state government has decided to withdraw 131 riot cases, thus, absolving the RSS/BJP perpetrators of violence. This exposes the victims of these riots to greater risks and uncertainties. Instead of punishing those guilty of violating the law the BJP state government is rewarding such criminals for sharpening communal polarisation.

The CPI(M) Central Committee strongly condemns these efforts by the BJP and calls upon the governments and the authorities to strictly uphold the law and punish the guilty. Central ministers who are spreading hatred must be brought to book.

KARNATAKA

The Central Committee discussed the political situation in the state of Karnataka where elections to the state assembly have just been announced.

The Central Committee approved the list of CPI(M) candidates who would be contesting the elections.

KISAN STRUGGLES

Maharashtra: The long march of the kisans in Maharashtra organised by the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) had a nationwide impact. The Maharashtra state government was forced to enter into a written agreement on various demands raised by the struggle for the provision of remunerative prices and pensions; implementation of the Forest Rights Act; loan waver for indebted farmers etc.

This long march began on March 6 with around 25,000 kisans. By the time it reached Mumbai on March 12 the numbers had swelled to more than 50,000.

A positive highlight of this struggle was the sympathetic response it evoked from all sections of the people in Maharashtra including Mumbai’s elite. Many organisations voluntarily provided food, water, footwear and medical assistance. The wide media coverage that the march received also played a role in generating a sympathetic response.

Rajasthan: The kisan struggle in Rajasthan was met with severe repression by the BJP state government. Large scale arrests and false cases were foisted against our leaders. The state government had betrayed its promise given to the kisans following the struggle of September 2017. In February this year finally the government had to concede after the prolonged struggle that paralysed the Shekawati region of Rajasthan and affected the whole state.

CBSE: QUESTION PAPER LEAK

Under the BJP rule, various scams connected with exams have been intermittently exposed. After the Vyapam and the SSC scam now another scam involving the future of lakhs of students who appeared for Class X and XII of the CBSE exams this year has come to light. The CBSE has admitted to the leakage of question papers. This has affected the future of 16.38 lakh students of Class X and eight lakh students of Class XII.

The CBSE was headless for nearly two years. It is only in September 2017 that a CEO from Gujarat was appointed to this important body.

All those responsible for causing distress to these students need to be identified and punished.

NO CONFIDENCE MOTION

For over two weeks now, the Lok Sabha is being prevented from considering the no confidence motion moved by the YSR Congress and the Telugu Desam Party.

The TDP withdrew from the NDA coalition on the BJPs refusal to grant special status to AP that was promised. The YSR Congress distanced itself from the BJP on this issue. The other opposition parties also moved independent no confidence motions. The CPI(M) has declared that it shall highlight the all-round failure and evasion of parliamentary accountability by the government during the course of the debate.

The BJP’s double standards in the conduct of the business in parliament and its anti-democratic character is thoroughly exposed by the fact that the same Lok Sabha passed the Finance Bill permitting the government to withdraw sums of money of nearly ten lakh crores of rupees from the Consolidated Fund of India when the Lok Sabha was not in order and without any debate in the din. Such is the manner in which parliamentary democracy and accountability is being undermined.

OPPOSE THE NEW LABOUR LAWS

The Central Committee of the CPI(M) strongly condemns the decision of introducing fix contract jobs all across the private sector. This will rule out the future possibilities of any permanent employment and work security for the working people. It will lead to the outright contractualisation of labour. Surreptitiously the hard-won rights of the working class, the existing labour laws are being changed to further the interests of foreign and Indian corporates. The Central Committee supports the protest actions planned by the trade unions on this issue.

FINANCE COMMISSION

The Central Committee demands the revising of the terms of reference of the 15th Finance Commission that adversely affects the interests of the southern states. The finance ministers of all southern states have already raised this issue which must be seriously considered.

SC/ST ACT JUDGEMENT

The judgement delivered by a Supreme Court bench diluting the provisions of the Prevention of Atrocities (SC/ST) Act ignores the social reality of caste oppression, harassment and caste atrocities perpetrated on dalits on a daily basis. This judgement makes the arrest and prosecution of those accused under the Act almost impossible by removing restrictions on getting anticipatory bail and that prosecution of a public servant can only proceed further after obtaining sanction from higher authorities.

This judgement must be challenged by the central government moving a review petition before a larger bench of the Supreme Court.

BREACH OF PRIVACY

The recent exposure of the use of data from social networking platforms such as Facebook to influence voters has exposed the vulnerability of democracy and an individual’s privacy. The sale of such data by Facebook to be used to influence elections has now been revealed leading to a public apology by the platform. The protection of privacy and data of individual citizens must be urgently undertaken through the promulgation of new laws. A legal structure has to be urgently created to protect the privacy of individuals which is a fundamental right in our country.

The Election Commission must seriously reconsider in view of these exposures its tie-up with Google and using the Facebook for its messaging.

The data that can be harnessed by these platforms and then outsourcing them to influence elections for parties with money power undermines the very essence of our democracy.

Serious charges have been levelled against the PMs app regarding the collection and misuse of data of individuals.

A high level enquiry must be instituted to find out how such operations have been conducted in India by the concerned companies and who the clients were.

22ND PARTY CONGRESS

The Central Committee discussed the draft Political-Organisational Report presented by the Polit Bureau. This will now be presented to the 22nd Congress to be held at Hyderabad from April 18 to 22, 2018.

The Central Committee also heard reports from the Telangana state committee about the preparations for the Congress.