[Marxistindia] CC Communique

[news from the cpi(m)]

October 25, 2021
Press Communique
 
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met on
October 22-24, 2021 at Harkishan Singh Surjeet Bhawan, New Delhi.  It has
issued the following statement:
 
All India Protest against Price Rise
 
The Central Committee strongly condemned the daily hikes in the prices of
petrol and diesel that are imposing unprecedented miseries on the people.
This is accompanied by a monstrous hike in the price of cooking gas. This
has triggered an overall inflationary spiral in the economy. Rising
transportation costs are leading to the rise in prices of all essential
items including food, vegetables, milk and other articles of daily
consumption.
 
Central Cabinet Ministers are making preposterous claims that the hikes in
Central excise duties on petroleum products is financing free vaccinations
and various social sector schemes being implemented by the Modi government.
This is ridiculous.  If people are paying exorbitant prices, then
vaccinations are not free.  People are paying for it themselves.
 
What has happened to the budgetary allocation of Rs. 35,000 crores for
vaccinations?  The budget has already accounted for nearly Rs. 4 lakh crores
for various Centrally-sponsored schemes and subsidies.  Where has all this
money gone?
 
Modi government is simply looting the people to generate revenues for its
daily extravagant expenditures.  
The Central Committee calls for powerful all India protest actions against
this price rise. These actions should be conducted all over the country from
the village/taluka level and in the cities.
 
Historic Kisan Struggle 
 
Repeal Farm Laws 
 
The Central Committee salutes the heroic struggle by our kisans demanding
the repeal of the three farm laws and legal entitlement to MSP.
 
This is the longest sustained struggle that independent India has ever seen.
Despite all provocations to try and disrupt the struggle, kisans under the
leadership of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) are conducting this struggle
peacefully in an exemplary manner.
 
Efforts by the BJP to disrupt this struggle by unleashing violence like in
Lakhimpur Kheri, a shocking incident, have also not succeeded. On the
contrary, more widespread anger of people has been aroused by this gruesome
incident.  The Union Minister for State for Home Affairs, whose son is the
main accused, has not been removed from the Union Cabinet by PM Modi.
Refusal to do so is tantamount to the complicity of the Modi Government in
this barbarity. The Supreme Court has criticised the delay in pursuing this
case by the UP government against the Minister's son and other accused.
Justice must be delivered speedily.
 
The solidarity that the kisan struggle is receiving from all quarters
especially the organised trade union movement and the agricultural workers
reflects the widespread support to the just demands of our kisans. 
 
The Central Committee extends it's complete solidarity and support for all
calls for actions and protests by the SKM and the Central Trade Unions to
mark the anniversary of this struggle on November 26. The CPI(M) calls upon
all its units to extend active support to these protest actions.
 
 
Loot of India's National Assets
 
Desperate exercise is going on for all-out privatization of all national
assets/PSUs. The National Monetization Pipeline is tantamount to sale of
India through transfer of vast infrastructural assets/machineries to private
corporates, virtually free. The latest is the virtually free gift of Air
India to Tatas. The government is already in the advanced stage of bringing
amendment bills to Bank Nationalization Act to facilitate privatization of
public sector banks. 
 
Agitations by trade unions are going on in different sectors against these
destructive measures.  The Central Trade Unions/ Federations are taking
initiative to embark on countrywide struggles on these issues. 
 
The Central Committee extends its full support to these ongoing united
struggles of the working class. 
 
Covid Pandemic
 
In order to cover up its gross mishandling of the Covid pandemic and
bungling in vaccinations, the Modi government sought to distract people's
attention by organising 'celebrations' for administering hundred crore
vaccines. While reaching this landmark, though delayed, is laudable, it must
be noted that only 21% of our population is fully vaccinated. Clearly
abandoning the assurance given by the Modi Government of fully vaccinating
India's adult population by year end, the target has now been revised to 60
percent of the population. Even this cannot be possible unless 1.5 crore
vaccines are administered every day. The vaccinating rate has been declining
and is currently below 40 lakhs/day. 
 
This is alarming when fresh Covid cases are on the rise once again. Nearly
16,000 new cases are being reported daily with over 650 deaths.
 
The Central Committee demands that the pace of vaccinations be accelerated
to prevent any further health catastrophe inflicting more miseries on the
people.
 
Jammu & Kashmir
 
The Union Home Minister visited Jammu & Kashmir under massive military
fortification, detaining hundreds of people. He made preposterous claims
that with the abrogation of Article 370 and dissolution of the erstwhile
state of J&K, the situation has improved.  
 
The recent spate of targeted killings of civilians has created a situation
drawing parallels to what prevailed in the 1990s.  This is alarming. 
 
Unless people's participation with the restoration of the democratic
political process is established, it would be difficult to combat this
rising extremist violence.  
 
The Central Committee demands the immediate restoration of the state of
Jammu & Kashmir, release of all political detenues, ending the curbs on
media and stopping the indiscriminate arrests of people, particularly youth
in J&K.    
 
The Central Committee urges the Supreme Court to begin the consideration of
the petitions before it, including those by CPI(M), challenging the
Constitutional validity of the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A of the
Indian Constitution.  
 
Regulate Prices of Electricity 
 
Private corporates-owned power generating units that rely exclusively on
imported coal are passing on the burden of rise in international coal prices
to the consumers by imposing higher rates per unit of electricity.  There is
no shortage of domestic coal.  The privatisation, deregulation and the total
mismanagement of the power/energy sector by the Modi government has created
this crisis. This is also leading to serious power shortages. It is the
responsibility of the Central Government to ensure that there are no power
blackouts that will add more miseries on the already suffering people and,
also, adversely impact economic activity. 
 
The Central Committee demands proper regulations and urgent measures from
the Central Government to ensure this.
 
Caste Census
 
The Central Committee reiterated the Party's demand for conducting a caste
census along with 2021 population census.
 
The Central Government must ensure that the Parliament takes the required
necessary steps to ensure the conduct of such a census. 
 
CPI(M) 23rd Party Congress
 
The Central Committee discussed the outline of the draft Political
Resolution to be placed before the 23rd Party Congress scheduled to be held
in April 2022 at Kannur, Kerala. The Polit Bureau will prepare the Draft for
the Central Committee's consideration and finalisation for placing before
the Party Congress.
 
 
 
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