[Marxistindia] P.B. Communique

[news from the cpi(m)]

July 31, 2016

 

Press Communiqué

 

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:

 

 

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 sympathizers 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.

 

 

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