[Marxistindia] PB Communique

[news from the cpi(m)]

November 14, 2021
Press Communique
 
The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met at New Delhi
on November 13-14, 2021. It has issued the following statement:
 
Mockery of Reduction in 
Petrol and Diesel Prices
 
The cut in central excise duty of Rs. 5 per litre for petrol and Rs. 10 per
litre for diesel provides no relief to the people who are suffering from the
growing burden of higher prices of petroleum production.  
 
This token reduction must be seen in the light of the fact that central
excise constitutes Rs. 33 per litre of petrol and Rs. 32 per litre of
diesel.
 
The Central government has made this meagre reduction from excise duties
that are sharable with the states. However, it continues to collect special
additional excise duty (surcharge) amounting to Rs. 74,350 crores;
additional excise duty (cess) amounting to Rs. 1,98,000 crore; and other
cess and surcharges amounting to Rs. 15,150 crores, totaling a whopping Rs.
2.87 lakh crores that are not sharable with the states.
 
The Polit Bureau demands that these additional cess and surcharges must be
withdrawn immediately to provide some meaningful relief to the people.  
 
 
 
 
Paddy Procurement
 
The Polit Bureau condemns the decision of the Central government not to
procure paddy at MSP prices from certain states under the specious argument
that the Central godowns are full.  Foodgrains rotting in godowns must be
distributed free to the needy.
 
This cruel decision comes at a time when the farmers have been in a historic
struggle for a year demanding the repeal of the Agri Laws and the legal
right to sell at MSP for all crops.  
 
The Polit Bureau demands that the Centre must procure all crops at MSP.
 
Stop Attacks against Minorities
 
It is a matter of great concern that reports of growing attacks against
minorities all over the country continue to pour in.  Clearly, rightwing
groups patronized by the governments are emboldened to perpetuate such
crimes.  The administration, instead of protecting victims, actually
punishes them and their supporters with the arrests under draconian laws.
The mob violence in Assam and recently in Tripura happened under the
patronage of the state administration, with anyone reporting news of such
attacks being booked under UAPA.  
 
In Uttar Pradesh, the use of NSA against the Muslims have become common
place along with numerous "encounters".  The fundamental right to offer
prayers is being curtailed, as the recent incidents in the NCR, Gurgaon,
shown.
 
Human rights groups recently published a report of 300 incidents of attacks
on Christians in the first nine months of 2021.  Such attacks are
continuing.  Even FIRs filed are not being acted upon. Many of these belong
to dalit and adivasi communities.  Churches have been vandalized.  
 
The Polit Bureau has called upon all its units to observe a day of protest
against attacks on minorities that endanger our secular fabric and violate
the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
 
Withdraw BSF Jurisdiction Extension
 
The decision of the Central government to extend the jurisdiction of the
Border Security Force upto 50 kilometers from the international border from
the earlier 15 kilometers in Punjab, West Bengal and Assam is a severe
assault on the rights of the states and federalism, a basic feature of our
Constitution.
 
Worse, this decision has been taken without consulting the states.  Policing
and law and order is a state subject under the Indian Constitution. 
 
The Polit Bureau demands that this decision be withdrawn.  
 
Rafale Scam
 
Even after the French investigative journal Mediapart revealed fresh
evidence of commissions to middlemen in India and the documents related to
this, along with the official negotiation details showing that the Dassault
Aviation substantially benefitted, the Central government is refusing to
investigate the scam.
 
The efforts to bury high level corruption involved in the Rafale deal and
the cover-up operation are reprehensible. While many governments of other
countries have in some manner ordered investigations, the Modi government
continues to remain obdurate in refusing to conduct such an investigation.
This smacks of total complicity.
 
The Polit Bureau demands that a high level independent enquiry must be
conducted.  
 
Support the Calls of the 
Kisan and Central Trade Unions
 
The Polit Bureau extended solidarity and support of the CPI(M) to the
decision of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha to observe the first anniversary of
the historic kisan struggle by strengthening the mobilization at the border
points of Delhi and conducting protest actions in all state capitals on
November 26.
 
The Polit Bureau extended its support to the call of the Central Trade
Unions marking the first anniversary of the historic strike of the working
class against the loot of country's assets through large-scale
privatization, repeal of the labour codes amongst other demands.  
 
 
 
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