[Marxistindia] Polit Bureau Communique

[news from the cpi(m)]

June 26, 2023

Press Communiqué

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi
on June 24-25. It has issued the following statement:

Patna Meeting  

15 opposition parties met at Patna on June 23rd at the invitation of Bihar
CM Niteesh Kumar. The CPI(M) underlined the need for cooperation among the
opposition parties to safeguard the secular democratic character of our
Republic and the guarantees provided by our Constitution to the people on
democratic rights and civil liberties and fundamental rights. 

The CPI(M) proposed that the opposition parties must jointly conduct
all-India campaigns on important issues of national concern and joint
protest actions on issues of rapidly deteriorating people’s livelihood. At
the level of each state discussions amongst the opposition parties must
begin to minimize the advantage BJP gets from a division in opposition
votes, in the coming 2024 general elections. 

Manipur

The PB expressed deep concern at the ethnic violence in Manipur that
continues unabated even after 7 weeks since it began on May 3. 

The “double engine” BJP government has totally failed in controlling the
situation. PM Modi refused even to comment on the situation! The Home
Minister’s visit on May 29, full 26 days after violence began, has had no
effect on the law-and-order situation. The all-party meeting called by the
Home Minister was of no consequence as the Modi government refused to accept
the dismissal of the Biren Singh led BJP government in the state which has
been both complicit and incompetent in controlling the situation. 

The PB called for the immediate cessation of violence and the restoration of
normalcy. 

PM Modi’s US visit

PM Modi’s official state visit to the USA has further cemented India as the
subordinate junior partner of US imperialism. The defence deals that have
been concluded like joint production of GE-F 414 Jet engine comes on top of
the earlier major military and defence deals as a ‘major defence partner’ of
USA.

In the USA’s quest for strengthening its global hegemony it sees India as a
crucial strategic and military partner to isolate China. Biden
administration’s refusal to raise issues of human rights and democracy in
India under the Modi government has come in for widespread criticism with
even former President Barack Obama raising concerns. 75 members of the US
Congress have raised issues of concern on the Modi government’s record on
human rights and democracy. 

Uniform Civil Code

The Law Commission has once again started consultations on the issue of a
Uniform Civil Code. The last Law Commission had conducted a similar exercise
and came to the conclusion in 2018 that a “UCC is neither necessary nor
desirable at this stage”. The CPI(M) endorses this position.

Uniformity cannot be equated with equality. The CPI(M) champions equal
rights for women of all communities. This can be best advanced through
reform of personal or customary laws applicable to different communities
with active democratic participation of all men and women of these
communities. 

Legalizing Loot of People’s Money

The PB demanded the withdrawal of the RBI circular legalizing the loot of
people’s savings by willful defaulters who have taken large bank loans and
refuse to repay despite having the capacity to pay. RBI circular permits
such defaulters to go for a compromise settlement with the banks. The
properties of such people must be confiscated and the bank loans must be
recovered in  full amount. 

Restore Rice Supply to States 

In the most dictatorial and undemocratic manner the Modi government has
directed the Food Corporation of India not to sell rice to state
governments. This move is aimed to prevent non-BJP governments from meeting
their assurances to the people of providing relief.

Scrap Pre-paid Smart Meters Project

The smart meters project with pre-paid arrangement for electricity consumers
is being implemented by the Modi government. Many states have been forced to
implement the scheme and thereby withdrawing from the responsibility of
electricity distribution and handing over to private corporates for profit
maximization. This will impose unbearable burden on the poor and the
farmers. This project must be scrapped immediately. 

Assam Delimitation

The PB opposes the delimitation of assembly constituencies in Assam alone
based on the 2001 census, in the year 2023. Clearly, this exercise has been
done by the Election Commission without forming a separate commission for
delimitation to cater to and advance the political objectives of the ruling
BJP. 

Wrestlers’ Protest 

The blatant defence by the Modi government and BJP of the accused in sexual
harassment cases who are their supporters has been reflected in its
determination to protect its MP despite prima facie evidence of sexual
harassment made by women wrestlers against him. It bent procedures to
deliberately delay investigations into the case including the charges under
POCSO to give time to the accused to pressurize the victim to withdraw her
statement. This has serious implications for all cases of complaints by
minor victims of sexual harassment. The CPI(M) reiterates its demand for the
arrest of the accused MP without delay.

 

West Bengal Panchayat Polls

As has become the norm, the elections under the TMC government  in West
Bengal are marked by largescale violence and terror. In the ongoing
Panchayat elections, 10 people have already lost their lives including a
young CPI(M) activist, Com. Mansoor Alam. 

Despite such politics of violence and terror, the people of West Bengal are
resisting this murder of democracy and courageously coming forward to
establish people’s panchayats. In the last Panchayat elections 34 per cent
of the seats were uncontested due to unprecedented terror. In these
elections, resisting such terror, the uncontested seats have drastically
reduced by nearly 2/3rd. 

Exclusion of Disability Questions from NFS Survey

The Polit Bureau views with serious concern the dropping of disability
related questions from the National Family Health Survey-6. Even while the
questions posed in the earlier round were flawed, removing them entirely is
a regressive step. The PB demands the inclusion of disability related
questions in the NFHS-6.

Central Committee Meeting 

The CPI(M) Central Committee will meet next on August 4,5 and 6 2023 at New
Delhi.

 

 

(Muralidharan)

For CPI(M) Central Committee Office

 

 

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