[Marxistindia] CC Communique

[news from the cpi(m)]

December 17, 2018
 
Press Communique 
 
 
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New
Delhi on December 15 & 16, 2018. It has issued the following statement:
 
Electoral Tactics 
For Lok Sabha Elections
 
The Central Committee reiterated the electoral tactics adopted at its last
meeting held in October for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The main tasks
that it had set before the Party was to defeat the BJP alliance; to increase
the strength of the CPI(M) and the Left in the Lok Sabha and to ensure that
an alternative secular government is formed at the Centre. 
 
The Central Committee has asked the state units of the Party to make
preparations in consonance with this tactical line.
 
Recent Assembly Elections
 
The Central Committee made a preliminary assessment of the results of the
recently held elections to the assemblies of five states. 
 
The Central Committee congratulated the Rajasthan unit of the Party for the
victory of its candidates from Shri Dungargarh and Bhadra. 
 
The Central Committee noted that the defeat of the BJP in the elections to
the state assemblies of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, is a
clear indication of the people's discontent and anger at the policies
followed by the Modi government and the BJP state governments that have
imposed unbearable burdens on the people. These results have shattered the
myth of the BJP's electoral invincibility. 
 
Instead of addressing the people's issues, the BJP governments' policies had
only deepened people's misery and tried to divert their attention into
issues aimed at sharpening communal polarization. The attacks on Muslims and
Dalits and the atmosphere of hatred and violence fostered to divide the
people have also not succeeded to the extent they had hoped for.
 
In Telangana, the TRS has won a sweeping victory while the BJP's tally of
seats has come down. In Mizoram, the MNF has won a decisive victory ousting
the Congress government. 
 
The Central Committee felt that new governments that will be formed in the
former BJP-ruled states must respect the people's verdict and adopt policies
aimed at improving people's livelihood and reducing their miseries. These
governments must also ensure that the unity of the people and the integrity
of the country are not further damaged by the BJP's politics of communal
polarization. 
 
The Central Committee discussed the performance of the Party in Telangana
and Rajasthan. Once the state committees conduct a detailed review,
necessary steps would be taken.
 
Increasing Burdens on the People
 
The Central Committee expressed its serious concern at the ever-increasing
burdens on the people. The RBI's Consumer Confidence Survey of November 2018
shows that there is growing pessimism over the general economic situation
and the employment scenario. The fall in the spending levels of the people
indicates the shrinking of domestic demand which will continue to have a
negative effect on the overall growth of economic fundamentals. 
 
Taking note of the continuing agrarian crisis the Central Committee felt
that the deepening rural distress with slower farm output is leading to a
fall in rural incomes. This in turn is constricting rural demand, adversely
affecting the overall growth. The fraud committed with the announcement of a
higher MSP by the Modi government is exposed by the fact that farmers'
incomes continue to fall and remain much below the cost of production. This
is deepening people's misery in rural India. 
 
It also expressed its concern at the alarming rise in unemployment across
the country.
 
Crisis in the Banking Sector
 
Taking note of the crisis that has engulfed the banking sector, the Central
Committee felt that the unprecedented measure of invoking Section 7 of the
RBI Act taken by the Modi government strikes at the very root of the
independence of the RBI as the financial regulator. Tensions between the
RBI's independent positions like on demonetization, handling of bad loans,
the taking of 99 per cent of the profits of RBI every year during the
present government and the recent attempt to force the RBI to part with Rs.
3.5 lakh crores from its reserves to contain the fiscal deficit are some of
the issues under dispute leading to the undermining the independence of the
central bank. These pressures on the RBI are clearly the result of
protecting crony capitalist interests by the Modi government. 
 
Rafale Scam: Institute JPC
 
The Central Committee observed that the Modi Government had misled the
Supreme Court on the Rafale deal. It is crystal clear that neither was the
CAG report placed in parliament as required by the Constitution nor could
the PAC, examine it. 
 
The Central Committee reiterated the demand for the constitution of a Joint
Parliamentary Committee to probe the matter in its entirety.
 
Electoral Bonds
 
The Central Committee felt that its position on electoral bonds is
vindicated. Electoral bonds have become new tax havens. The BJP's audit and
income tax report submitted to the Election Commission discloses a voluntary
contribution of Rs. 210 crores plus through electoral bonds for the year
2017-18. The total value of electoral bonds issued in the first tranche in
March this year was Rs. 222 crores. Thus, the BJP received 94.5 per cent of
this entire tranche. The total money received by the BJP during 2017-18 was
a whopping Rs. 1027 crores. 
 
It is clear that the BJP and the Modi government are facilitating through
such crony capitalism corporate funding for its electoral benefit. 
 
Deepening Communal Polarisation
 
The Central Committee noted with serious concern the attempts to build up
communal frenzy by an assortment of Hindutva outfits in the run up to the
General Elections. With its waning electoral popularity, the RSS-BJP sees
the sharpening of communal polarization as the only way to consolidate its
Hindutva communal vote bank. This is the worst expression of vote bank
politics in India. 
 
The call by the RSS-BJP leaders for a legislation/ordinance to construct the
Ram temple at Ayodhya and the various rallies that have been held in this
connection clearly point out this nefarious design. 
 
The patronization of private armies in the name of cow protection, moral
policing etc, resulted in vigilantism growing to the extent of incidents of
mob lynching. The Supreme Court directions to crack down on incidents of mob
violence and lynching is being defied. Instead 54 people have been arrested
on charges of cow smuggling in UP's Meerut range alone. The brutal killing
of a police inspector in this district was in the course of violent protests
over the pretext of cow slaughter due to carcasses found under dubious
circumstances. Even in this specific incident, the UP CM has first ordered a
probe into the allegations of cow slaughter and proclaimed that only
subsequently the enquiry into the death of the police inspector would be
conducted.  
 
In Kerala, the RSS-BJP's attempts to exploit the sentiments of believers
over the Sabarimala temple verdict and creating communal tensions is being
determinedly countered by the CPI(M) and the LDF government. The Central
Committee denounced the Congress party for following the line of the BJP. 
 
The CC noted that though both these parties initially welcomed the verdict,
they sought to exploit the apprehension among believers and pit them against
the Party and the government. The CC appealed to the people of Kerala to
participate in the campaigns being conducted by the Party and the LDF
exposing the false propaganda being launched by the BJP and the Congress.
 
Jammu & Kashmir
 
The Central Committee expressed its serious concern over the deteriorating
conditions in the Kashmir valley. It is unfortunate that seven civilians
have been killed in the firing by security forces on unarmed protesters.
This is unacceptable. The Modi govt is simply not interested in starting a
political dialogue it promised four years ago. 
 
Over three hundred civilians have died in the last three years.
Unfortunately, no enquiry has been conducted into these deaths and no one
responsible has been held accountable. This situation will only lead to
further alienation of the people. 
 
The BJP is interested in the continuation of the situation to aid its larger
political agenda of communal polarization in view of the general elections. 
No political accountability, no responsibility for the mess it has created.
Its gross mishandling of these issues is hurting India.
 
The Central Committee demanded that steps should be initiated to start the
process of dialogue with all stakeholders, a promise made by the Modi
government earlier, immediately.
 


Growing People's Struggles
 
The Central Committee took note of the growing people's struggles in the
recent period. The CPI(M) and the Left will continue to further strengthen
people's struggles against the mounting distress being imposed by the Modi
government.
 
C.C Calls
 
The Central Committee extended its full support to the two-day national
strike on January 8 & 9, 2019 called by the central trade unions. It also
extended its support to the 19th February march on the slogan of "Save
Campus, Save Education, Save Nation" being organized by a broad platform of
students, teachers, university employees and other civil society
organisations. 
 
The Central Committee also decided to organize protest actions focusing on
the issue of growing unemployment and to intensify the struggles against
agrarian distress.
 
In the wake of rising number of crimes against women the Central Committee
decided to call for protests throughout the country. The Central Committee
reiterated its demand for the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill in
this session of parliament.
 
The Central Committee decided that all states must organize protest actions
against the continuing attacks on Dalits and Muslim minorities. 
 
It also decided to conduct a campaign all across the country exposing the
linkage between electoral bonds and the Modi government's corruption.
 
 
 
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