[Marxistindia] Extracts from the Draft Political Resolution for the 24th Congress of CPI(M)

[news from the cpi(m)]

February 3, 2025

 

Press Release

 

Extracts from the Draft Political Resolution for the 24th Party Congress of
CPI(M)

 

Main Features of the National Situation

 

2.1  Three years after the 23rd Congress, the main features of the national
situation are as follows:

i)      The period has seen an aggressive continuation of the Hindutva drive
of the BJP government through various State-sponsored activities, such as
the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya in January 2024, the adoption
of a Uniform Civil Code by the Uttarakhand BJP state government and the
passing of various laws in the BJP-ruled states targeting Muslim minorities,
like the prohibition of interfaith marriages and the proposed Waqf
(Amendment) Bill in Parliament. At the ground level, there are constant and
recurrent instances of violence against Muslim minorities using all
religious festival processions and through claims over mosques. This is
aimed at creating a permanent communal divide and consolidating an
overarching pan-Hindu identity.

ii)    The economic policies pursued by the BJP government have been
primarily aimed at facilitating the transfer of resources and assets to big
capitalists. A chosen group of big companies has reaped super profits
through infrastructure and energy projects. These policies have led to
sluggish growth, rising inequalities, unemployment and inflation.

iii)  The last three years witnessed a heightened attack on democracy and
the democratic rights of citizens. The use of Central agencies to file cases
and imprison opposition leaders became more brazen, utilising the draconian
Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the stringent Prevention of
Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Independent media and journalists were also
targeted. The curbs on the functioning of Parliament became more severe.

iv)  The unitary drive of the Centre intensified with further assaults on
states' rights; denial of resources to opposition-ruled states; and the
interference of Governors in the affairs of state governments becoming more
blatant.

v)    The pro-US foreign policy and strategic ties with US imperialism were
strengthened. However, the realities of a growing multi-polar world have
compelled the Modi government to make India an active partner in BRICS and
the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

vi)  The period saw various struggles by the working class against
privatisation, the imposition of labour codes, for minimum wages and the
right to form unions. The united peasant movement continued its struggle for
a legal basis for a minimum support price and other demands. There were
growing joint activities between Central trade unions (CTU) and the united
kisan platform (SKM).

vii)  The 2024 Lok Sabha election result was a setback for the BJP. It
failed to get a majority in the Lok Sabha and has to depend on its NDA
partners in the coalition government. However, the BJP seeks to overcome
this weakness by pushing ahead with its Hindutva-corporate and authoritarian
agenda.

Increase the Strength of CPI (M)

2.79 The 18th Lok Sabha election review has underlined the urgent necessity
to expand the independent strength of the Party, as the election results
show that the Party's mass base and influence have not grown. To achieve
this, the following steps have to be taken:

1.         The Party's work among the basic classes should be given
priority. The weakness of struggles of the rural poor against the
exploitation by the rural-rich nexus must be overcome. There should be
concrete studies on the issues on which such struggles can be conducted. The
Party has to expand its influence among the workers in the organised sector
in the manufacturing and strategic industries and give importance to
organising the contractual workers in the organised sector. The Party should
pay attention to fostering worker-peasant unity and united actions.
Focussed efforts to undertake the anti-Hindutva campaign among the basic
classes and to politicise those rallying behind struggles should be
undertaken. 

2.         The Party should pay more attention to the independent political
campaign and mass mobilisations around the political platform of the Party.
There should be no blurring of our independent identity or diminishing our
independent activities in the name of electoral understanding or alliances.
Special attention should be paid to the ideological work and campaign to
counter the ideology and activities of the RSS-Hindutva forces.

3.         The importance of taking up mass and class issues for local
struggles on a sustained basis should be underlined. The lag in this regard
should be overcome. Higher committees should orient the local units and
branches towards this. Innovative and imaginative forms of struggles and
movements should be worked out instead of stereotyped forms of protest.

4.         The Party should directly campaign and conduct struggles on
issues of social and caste oppression and gender discrimination. The
struggles against social oppression should be linked with the struggles
against class exploitation.

5.         The Party's political platform and demands should address the
issues relevant to the youth and the campaign that 'Socialism is the
Alternative' should be specifically addressed to them.

6.         A significant increase in the strength of the Party requires the
rebuilding and expansion of the Party and the Left in West Bengal and
Tripura. In West Bengal, while conducting mass struggles and movements,
special attention should be paid to work among the rural poor and organising
them. The Party has to focus more on the political and ideological fight
against the BJP while opposing both the TMC and the BJP. In Tripura, the
Party should strengthen the grassroots organisation and take up a programme
which will unite the working people while addressing the special needs and
issues of the tribal people.

7.         Kerala is the biggest unit of the Party with a powerful mass
base. The LDF government, in its second successive term, has been working
against heavy odds due to the Centre's hostile attitude and the concerted
campaign of all anti-Communist forces in the state. The Lok Sabha election
results have shown weaknesses in our political and ideological work to
counter the BJP.  These should be overcome. The government is committed to
eliminate extreme poverty and to provide housing for all. Even though the
state is facing a financial crisis due to the discriminatory approach of the
Central government, the government is prioritising its expenditure for the
welfare measures oriented towards the poor and the working people.

 

Political Line

2.83 The nearly eleven years of the Modi government's rule have resulted in
the consolidation of the rightwing, communal, authoritarian forces with
neo-fascist characteristics. The Modi government represents the alliance of
Hindutva forces and the big bourgeoisie. Hence, the prime task is to fight
and defeat the BJP-RSS and the Hindutva-corporate nexus underpinning it.

2.84  Isolating and defeating the BJP and the Hindutva forces requires a
continuous struggle against the Hindutva ideology and the activities of the
communal forces. The Party must strive for the broadest mobilisation of all
secular forces against Hindutva communalism.

2.85 The success of the struggles against the Hindutva neo-liberal regime
requires the growth of the independent strength of the CPI(M) and the Left
forces. It also requires the integration of the struggle against Hindutva
communalism and the struggle against neo-liberal policies.

2.86 The fight against the Modi government and the BJP must be carried out
by conducting class and mass struggles against the pro-corporate,
neo-liberal policies which have intensified the exploitation of the working
people and adversely affect their livelihoods and living conditions. The
Party should be at the forefront in opposing crony capitalism, the loot of
national assets and large-scale privatisation.

2.87 The Party will cooperate with INDIA bloc parties in Parliament and, on
agreed issues outside Parliament. The Party will join hands with all secular
democratic forces on issues of authoritarian onslaughts against democracy,
the use of draconian laws to suppress dissent and the opposition to efforts
to subvert the Constitution and the institutions of the State.

2.88 The Party will cooperate with those regional parties which are firmly
opposing the BJP. Where such regional parties head state governments, the
Party will support any policy which benefits the people, but will oppose and
mobilise people against policies that adversely affect the working people.

2.89 The Party will support united platforms and united actions of the class
and mass organisations. It should make all efforts to draw in the masses
following the bourgeois parties for united actions.

2.90 While prioritising the development of the independent strength of the
Party, there should also be efforts to revive and strengthen Left unity.
United Left campaigns and struggles must highlight the alternative policies
of the Left. The Party should work to rally all Left and democratic forces,
including mass organisations and social movements, to constitute a Left and
democratic platform and programme.

2.91 Appropriate electoral tactics can be adopted as per the above political
line to maximise the pooling of anti-BJP votes.

Tasks

2.92  (1) The Party should step up its campaigns and struggles against the
neo-liberal economic policies, Hindutva communalism and authoritarian
attacks on democracy.

(2)  The Party should develop and intensify struggles of the rural poor,
working class and urban poor on livelihood issues, land, food, wages, house
sites, social security benefits and employment opportunities.

(3) The Party should strive for the broadest unity of all secular-democratic
forces against Hindutva communalism.

(4) The Party should consistently stand for the protection of democracy,
democratic rights and civil liberties. It should cooperate to forge wider
unity against authoritarian attacks to suppress dissent and opposition,
misuse of Central agencies and subversion of Constitutional bodies.

(5) The Party should actively take up the fight against all forms of caste
oppression and discrimination.  The Party should champion the rights of
women, dalits, adivasis and religious minorities. The Party should pay
special attention to work in tribal areas.

(6) The Party should work to raise the anti-imperialist consciousness of the
Indian people and mobilise popular opinion against the Modi government's
pro-US foreign policy and strategic alliance with the US.

(7) The Party should rally forces for the defence of the rights of states
and for federalism. It must take up the defence of the LDF government in
Kerala and support its efforts to implement pro-people policies.

(8)The Party should work for building a Left and Democratic Front and
project a Left Democratic Programme as an alternative. This must also be
linked to the campaign for Socialism as the Alternative - a socialism in
tune with Indian conditions.

 

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