[Marxistindia] Central Committee Communique

[news from the cpi(m)]

October 30, 2023
Central Committee Communique

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in 
New Delhi on October 27-29, 2023. It has issued the following statement:
Kerala: Bomb Blast
The Central Committee strongly condemned the bomb blasts that took place 
at a convention center in Ernakulam, which led to the unfortunate death 
of three persons and injuries to several others. The state police have 
already rounded up one suspect. The Central Committee condemned the 
comments on the social media by a Union Cabinet Minister who without 
ascertaining the facts hurled communal slurs against Kerala and its 
people. The Central Committee called upon the people of Kerala to rise, 
as they have always done, against elements that seek to disrupt Kerala's 
unique and unparalleled social and communal harmony.
Israel's Genocidal Assaults on Palestinians
The Central Committee strongly condemned the refusal of the Modi 
government to vote for the UN General Assembly resolution calling for 
humanitarian ceasefire, protection to all civilians and immediate 
humanitarian aid. The abstention of the Modi government and its siding 
with the imperialist warmongers goes against the history and tradition 
of India’s support to the Palestinian cause. While standing with the UN 
resolution demands, the Central Committee expressed its solidarity with 
the suffering people of Palestine against the genocidal war being waged 
by Israel brazenly flouting all international laws. So far, officially, 
8000 people have been killed of whom 4000 are children and the toll is 
going up every day, including killings being reported not just in Gaza 
but also in the West bank. The CPI(M) is part of the growing massive 
global public protests to force Israel to immediately declare a cease 
fire, and the implementation of the UN mandated 2-State solution with 
East Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian State with pre-1967 
borders.
Assembly Elections
The Central Committee discussed the situation in four out of five states 
that are scheduled to hold assembly elections. In Rajasthan, the Central 
Committee endorsed the list of 17 candidates proposed by the State 
Committee, which includes two sitting CPI(M) MLAs. In Chhattisgarh, the 
Party will contest in three seats; in Madhya Pradesh, the Party will 
contest in four seats, and in Telangana, discussions are going on.
Manipur
The situation in Manipur continues to deteriorate. This clearly 
demonstrates the total failure of the Modi government and the BJP's 
double-engine government in handling and controlling the situation. 
Ethnic polarization in the state is being given a communal colour by 
merging such polarization with religious identities.
Officially, the state police have declared a death toll of 175 (in 
reality, the figure will be much higher) and stated that at least 96 
bodies remain unclaimed, with an additional 32 officially listed as 
missing. Official records show 5,172 cases of arson, including 4,786 
houses and 386 religious places. A total of 5,668 firearms were looted 
and only 1,329 of these have been recovered.
Chief Minister Biren Singh must be immediately removed and the mayhem in 
Manipur must be brought to a halt.
Growing Economic Burdens on People
Busting the false claims generated by the Modi propaganda machinery, 
uncontrollable price rise and unemployment have led to a sharp decline 
in people’s income with household financial assets plummeting from 11.5 
per cent to 5.1 per cent of the GDP between 2020-21 and 2022-23. This is 
leading to sharp rise in household indebtedness.
Onion prices are skyrocketing, MGNREGA continues to be starved leading 
to rural distress and India’s standing in the Global Hunger Index 
slumped to a historical low of 111 out of 125 countries.
One Nation-One Election
The high-level committee set up by the Union government, under the 
chairmanship of Ram Nath Kovind, former President of India, to examine 
the implementation of this proposal has now sought the opinion of 
political parties and asked for the viewpoint of political parties in 
writing by the 18th of January 2024, keeping in mind the general 
elections a few months later. The Central Committee has taken a 
clear-cut position against this proposal. This proposal would constitute 
a twin assault on Parliamentary democracy and Federalism as enshrined in 
our Constitution. Apart from significant amendments to the Constitution, 
such a proposal would entail either curtailing or extending the life of 
State Assemblies to synchronize them with Lok Sabha elections. When a 
government loses its majority on the floor of the House, its 
continuation is illegal. If Central rule is imposed, denying people 
their right to elect a government, then it is anti-democratic.
Caste Census
The Central Committee asked the Modi government to conduct a caste 
census enumerating socio-economic status along with the 2021 General 
Census, which is long overdue. Such a caste census is necessary to 
ensure that legal entitlements, including reservations, reach all those 
who deserve them the most.
Bihar has conducted a state-level caste survey, and some other states 
have declared their intention to do so. The decision on conducting 
state-level surveys is the prerogative of the elected state governments. 
However, these cannot be a substitute for an all-India caste census, 
which is the essential basis to determine the disbursement of 
entitlements.
CC Calls
•	The Central Committee called upon all our party units to step up 
solidarity actions with the Palestinian people's struggle for a homeland 
and against Israeli genocidal aggression.

•	In a bid to privatize electricity, the Modi government is proceeding 
to install smart meters with prepaid arrangements for electricity 
consumers. This is set to impose severe hardships on the people with 
higher rates and hand over electricity generation to private 
corporations for profit maximization. This will impose unbearable 
burdens on the poor and the farmers. Protest actions must be organized 
to stop the installation of such meters wherever it is being 
implemented.

•	The Central Committee decided to extend the Party's support to the 
countrywide Kisan-Mazdur Mahapadav being held between 26-28 of November.

•	The Central Committee decided to extend the Party's support and 
solidarity with the Parliament March call given by the Dalit 
organizations and platforms on December 4, 2023.



(Muralidharan)
For CPI(M) Central Committee Office