In this Issue

Crackdown on Health Employees, Students:
Paving the Way for Privatisation of Health and Education

Behind the imposition of ESMA and arrest of leading union activists among health workers in Delhi and the rustication of the JNU Students’ Union leadership and student activists in JNU lies the covert agenda of privatisation of health and education.
2.5 lakh health employees workers across the country, under the banner of the All India Health Employees and Workers Confederation, have been struggling for the past several months against the recommendations of the 6th Pay Commission of contractualisation and outsourcing of health services. When repeated appeals to the Prime Minister and Health Minister, as well as a massive demonstration at Parliament and nation-wide protests, failed to result in any dialogue with the Central Government, health employees and workers were forced to go on strike on February 23. The Government responded with threats and imposition of ESMA in Delhi. Five leaders including Comrade Ramkishan, Convenor of the Confederation were arrested, homes of at least 30 leaders of the Confederation were raided and individual letters were issued to all employees threatening termination and eviction from their homes. Comrade Ramkishan was taken into police custody on the night of 27 February; charges of violation of ESMA were imposed on him on 28 February and he was sent to Tihar jail (he has now been released on bail). Following the arrest of the leaders, the agitation intensified in Delhi, and the Delhi Government eventually conceded some of the major demands of the employees and workers of hospitals and health services administered by the Delhi Government. Those of centrally-administered health services like the CGHS are yet to get any relief, since the Central Government has done little except issue threats. However, the strike has been called off, keeping in mind the partial victory achieved vis a vis the Delhi Government, and also keeping in mind the inconvenience caused to the public by continuance of the strike – something for which the Central Government showed no concern.
At the Jawarhalal Nehru University, students for the past month have been engaged in a protracted struggle against a whole package of commercialization measures unleashed by the Administration. Making calculated use of the Supreme Court stay (based on the Lyngdoh Committee’s recommendations) on the JNUSU elections, the JNU Administration has bypassed the JNU Students’ Union (now led by the AISA) to push through measures like hiking of the Prospectus fee by 67%, razing down trees and flattening out the ecologically-sensitive area of Parthasarathy Rock area in order to make it available for shooting of films and advertisements on a commercial basis, installing individual meters in hostel rooms with plans to levy ‘user charges’ on students for electricity, and violations of modalities for implementation of OBC reservations. Literally thousands of students turned out in massive protests – forcing the Administration to withdraw some of the measures like the renting out of PSR rocks and user charges for electricity.
But on the issue of hike in the prospectus price, the Administration remained adamant. However, to maintain the pretence of being ‘pro-poor’, the JNU Administration proposed a clause that applicants from Below Poverty Line [BPL] families could avail the prospectus free of cost - a piece of tokenism that amounts to 100% subsidy for 0% applicants, when it is well known that availing a BPL certificate is a process fraught with many problems, and there is no adequate data on the extent to which such families are able to avail education, let alone enter the realm of higher education and apply for a JNU prospectus. As a symbolic response to the closing down of dialogue by the Administration, the JNU students’ union closed down one of the admission counters. Within a few hours of this symbolic protest, the Administration responded by rusticating the JNUSU President Sandeep Singh for two years, and Vice President Shephalika Shekhar and Joint Secretary Mobeen Alam, as well as two other senior activists for a year each. 9 students have been on hunger strike for the past five days, accompanied by many others on relay hunger strike, in protest against this draconian measure.
The AISA had conducted a national campaign in February against the ‘virtual emergency’ in campuses, arguing that the crackdown on student union elections in many campuses including JNU is necessary for Governments that intend to privatise and commercialise education. The events in JNU, happening in the wake of the stay on the JNUSU elections by the Supreme Court, are proving the point of the campaign.
Privatising and commercializing health and education are policies dictated by the imperialist funding agencies and imposed by India’s ruling class. Unions and struggles of workers and students are the biggest hurdle in the path of such policies – and this is why the promoters of such policies seize every opportunity to victimize activists leading the movements. But crackdowns have never deterred movements – and the UPA Government can be sure that in the impending elections, it will pay for the crackdown on central government health employees and students of a leading central university.

New Party Members Attend Study Class in Chattisgarh

The Chhattisgarh unit of the Party organised a class for new Party members in Bhilai on 'Communist Party and Workers' Movement', taken by Com. Kavita Krishnan, Central Committee member of the Party on two successive days. On the first day, the class was attended mainly by a large number of daily wage safai (sanitary) workers (many of them women), employed on contract by the Bhilai Nagar Nigam, who were part of a successful agitation by the Party against denial of minimum wages, and took Party membership recently.

Students’ Hunger Strike in JNU Continues

All India Students’ Association (AISA)-led JNUSU’s protracted struggle against various commercialization moves in JNU has been going on for a month now. After 25 February, it has entered a critical stage, when the administration came down heavily on the protesting students by rusticating 3 JNUSU Office Bearers and 2 other student activists. Since 26 February, 9 students are on an indefinite Hunger strike. More than 110 students have already sat on relay hunger strike in solidarity since then. Several citizens, intellectuals and activists like Prof. Anil Sadgopal, Yogendra Yadav, Arundhati Roy, Kavita Srivastava, Javed Naqvi, Gautam Navlakha, Sandeep Pandey and many others have extended solidarity to the struggle and against this massive administrative crackdown.

Agitation to Get NREGA Payment in WB

In Kaliachak-II of Malda district in West Bengal, a couple- Prabha Saha and her husband Akhil Saha were not only threatened and beaten up when they refused to bribe the Pradhan from their meagre wages for 14 days of NREGA work, but also trees close to their house were felled by the goons of Haripada Ghosh, the Pradhan of the Gram Panchayat. The Pradhan, Haripada Ghosh demanded Rs.100/- out of Rs.550/- that Akhil Saha a registered NREGA labourer, received for 14 days of work from the Panchanandapur-II Gram Panchayat office located at Meghutola market on 25th February. Later, the couple accompanied and supported by CPI(ML) Liberation Block Secretary Com. Rajab Ali and other members lodged a complaint to the police and made a representation to the BDO of Kaliachak-II. The BDO has assured of an inquiry and action against the Pradhan. The Pradhan is a Congress Party man.

Women Agricultural Workers Block Traffic for Statutory Wages under NREGA

Hundreds of women of Tirunavalur of Villupuram district blocked Cuddalore Main road for more than two hours on 27th of February demanding statutory wages for the work done under NREGA. Rs. 17.50 a day was fixed for the work done for the women while one section of women workers already got Rs.70 for the same work with the help of panchayat President who belongs to ruling DMK. This enraged the women workers and they blocked the road and then gheraoed BDO office under the banner of AIALA. The DSP came to the spot and argued with the BDO to pay what one section of workers got. Local NREGA officer came and he said actually they have done work only for RS.13.50 per day and tried to leave that place. This infuriated the already agitating women workers and seized the vehicle of the NREGA officer and demanded that they want a reply immediately. Tahsildhar and RDO had to come to the ghreaoed BDO office as the situation got worsened and the RDO offered Rs.40 per day. An agitating women worker asked the RDO whether he would accept half pay for his job. The fighting women workers did not budge to the persuasions of the officers and they stood strong in getting only the statutory wages. Finally the administration agreed to pay Rs.70 per day immediately. Com. Venkatesan led the struggle. On Feb 24, in Tirunavalur hundreds of women gheraoed government hospital against corruption in providing Rs.6000 assistance for pregnant women, a much touted scheme of Karunanidhi government. On 27th all pending applications were cleared in a single cheque.

Peasants’ Maha-panchayat in Uttarakhand

A grand meeting of the Terai-Bhabar Kisan Sabha (Uttarakhand) participated by hundreds of peasants was organised in Bindukhatta on 10th February, 2009. This event follows the huge demonstration in Haldwani and subsequent mass campaign on the issue of declaring Bindukhatta as revenue village. The issue was reported in this bulletin last year. It must be noted that most of the political parties opposed to the land struggles of the poor peasants now settled in Bindukhatta, are now in support of it because the people of Bindukhatta have been successful in sustaining their struggle despite massive odds. The Congress and BJP in the State, which have never really intended to grant the area the status of revenue village have now incorporated the demand in their election agenda for votes in the upcoming Parliamentary elections. The maha-panchayat was addressed by CPI(ML) leader Com. Raja Bahuguna among others.

CPI(ML) Fact-finding Team in Landslide Areas

A fact finding team of CPI(ML) Pithoragarh District unit in Uttarakhand went about the calamity affected areas of Chaitalkhot in Dharchula tehsil. They found that several cracks have appeared in the high lands towards mountainous areas making the villages close to it extremely vulnerable to land slides. Already 12 families had to flee the area and they have taken shelter in distant villages in their relatives’ houses. The Government has not made any effort to provide any assistance to the affected families and even most basic commodities like grains, salt and edible oil are not available in the few shops located there. The people close to the areas that have developed cracks are living in extreme fear and at some places the road links – extremely crucial in Himalayan region - have broken. The fact-finding team later submitted demand letter and memorandum to various Government authorities including the President of India and Governor of the State. The team comprised of Comrades Jagat Martoliya, Keshar Singh Dhami, Kundan Bhandari and Darpan Bhandari.

AICCTU Protest Against Arrests of Health Sector Union Leaders

All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) held a protest demonstration on 28 February at Parliament Street in New Delhi demanding immediate release from illegal detention of all arrested health employees confederation leaders including its convenor Com. Ramkishan who was picked up by the police from his home on 27th night. The health employees and workers were forced to go on strike only when the Government failed to initiate any dialogue with them despite repeated appeals for the past several months.
The All India Health Employees and Workers Confederation, an umbrella organization representing 2.5 lakh health employees and workers across the country had called for strike since 23 February against the recommendations of the 6th CPC in respect of health sector demanding dialogue to positively resolve the demands of the health employees and workers, namely: (I) Continuation of HPCA/PCA at par with Nursing Allowance and may be part of the basic pay, and be extended to all health institutions in country and all levels of health employees. (II) The pay scale of Paramedical services should be placed in PB-II instead of PB-I. We demand constitution of a Paramedical Services Council of India. (III) Outsourcing and contractualisation in any form and at any level should be stopped immediately in the Health Sector. Where contractualisation has already taken place, all the posts/works should be replaced by regular staff.

A Series of AIPWA Conferences Held Across States

5th Bihar State Conference for Equal Opportunities & Equal Rights

All India Progressive Women’s Association (AIPWA) held its 5th Bihar State Conference on 26 February in Patna with observation that AIPWA has established its identity as the revolutionary voice of the women’s struggle against caste and class violence, for land rights, just wages, security and dignity, equal wages, for education and employment and for political rights of the women. The Conference venue was named Com. Kaushalya Devi Hall and the dais as Com. Jharo Devi manch. Two minutes silence was observed in memory of all martyred comrades before the Conference was inaugurated. Com. Devki Devi, who was part of the ’74 movement in Bihar hoisted the Flag. AIPWA National President Com. Srilata Swaminathan’s message for the Conference was read in the inaugural session. The message stressed on the need to further intensify the struggle in Bihar for education, employment and dignity of women. AIPWA’s General Secretary Com. Meena Tiwari was the main speaker at the Conference. She said that all claims by Nitish Kumar of women’s empowerment in the State stands exposed by the number of false cases slapped against women and brutal attacks on them by the police and administration. Women have even been raped and killed by the police and special force. Widespread discrimination against women is rampant in NREGA. Despite 50 percent reservation for women in the local elected bodies, the ground reality is such that a Dalit Block Pramukh (elected head) is not allowed to hoist the Flag on Republic Day.
The Conference called upon all the struggling and fighting women to intensify their struggle against UPA and NDA which have always betrayed the women’s demands. AIPWA’s National Vice President Com. Bharti S. Kumar and Prof. Daisy Narayan among others addressed the Conference. In the delegate session a lively debate followed the presentation of Organisational-Political report by the outgoing Secretary. In the final session a 85 member State Council and 21 member State Executive was elected. Comrades Saroj Chaubey and Shashi Yadav were re-elected as President and Secretary respectively. 400 delegates from 30 districts of Bihar attended the Conference.
The Jahanabad dist. AIPWA Conference was held on 21st February, 2009 with calls to intensify the struggle for security, dignity and equality. The gates leading up to the Conference venue were named in memory of martyred comrades Jirwa Devi, Jharo Devi, Kunti Devi, Sampatiya Devi and the venue itself was named after martyred Comrade Manju Devi. Flag was hoisted by veteran AIPWA member Janak Devi and Bihar AIPWA unit’s Vice President Com. Anita Sinha inaugurated the Conference. The Conference exposed the rise in heinous crimes against women and hollowness of the women’s empowerment programme during Nitish Kumar’s Govt. A 19 member District Committee was elected in the end with Mahendri Devi and Kunti Devi as President and Secretary respectively. More than 300 women participated in the Conference and in the end a physically challenged girl and boy Pushpa Kumari and Vinod Kumar respectively were helped by the Conference in getting married.

5th UP State Conference

AIPWA’s 5th Uttar Pradesh State Conference was held on 20th February at Devaria with call to intensify the struggle for Equal Opportunities and Equal Rights. Prior to the Conference an impressive rally comprising of two thousand women was held. The rally comprised of women agricultural labourers, ASHA-Aanganwari workers and working women as well as from the intelligentsia from across the State. The Conference was inaugurated by Com. Meena Tiwari who in her inaugural address citing the Mangalore attack on women pub goers and burning alive of a nun in Orissa called for banning the Sri Ram Sene and the Bajrang Dal. Guest speaker Com. Krishna Adhikary, AIALA Vice President, said that women are being victimised from all angles in Mayawati’s regime and said that women are finding it increasingly difficult to get job under NREGA in Uttar Pradesh and at many places they are getting lesser wages than men. There are reports of eviction also from their job and in absence of any employment and faced with starvation family upon families are committing suicides. She informed the Conference that in UP, AIPWA is independently and also jointly with All India Agricultural Labourers’ Association (AIALA) waging struggle for thorough implementation of NREGA work in different districts and at many places the struggle has emerged victorious. The large number of ASHA-Anganwari workers present in the Conference appealed to all the ASHA-Anganwari workers in the State to join hands with AIPWA in their struggle for a dignified life and political rights.
The delegate session began with outgoing State Secretary Com. Premlata Pandey presenting the Organisational report of past three years and the draft documents to be passed. Delegates from various districts participated in the debate. In the end the Conference elected a 43 member State Executive with Comrades Vidya Razwar and Premlata Pandey as President and Secretary respectively. One position in the 43-member executive is vacant as of now to be filled later. Comrades Shobha Singh, Anita Rajput, Ahmadi Begum and Prabha Dixit were elected as Vice Presidents and Comrades Geeta Pandey, Sarojini and Kusum Verma as Joint Secretaries. 170 delegates from 14 districts attended the Confeence. Conference also passed a resolution including speedy justice to the victims of Nithari killings and punishment to the police and administrative officials involved in it, regularalisation of ASHA-Anganwari workers and fixing a minimum monthly pay of five thousand rupees, punishment to police officers who ignore or are lax in cases relating to crime against women and girl child, ensuring land rights of women and minimum wage of Rs.200 under NREGA, etc.

Jharkhand

1st District Conferences of Devghar, Garhwa & Gumla Held

AIPWA held its first ever dist. Conference in Devghar on 17th February at Mohanpur in which 250 delegates participated from different blocks of the district. AIPWA’s National Secretary Com. Sunita addressed the Conference among many other CPI(ML) and mass organisations’ leaders. Debate-discussion was held on crimes against women in the district, BPL cards, NREGA work and wage and rights of Sahiya women. Conference was also addressed by Com. Mohan Datta, the incharge of Party for Santhal Pargana. In the end a 21 member District Council was elected with President Geeta Mandal and Secretary Ratna Devi.
On 22 February, first Garhwa Dist. Conference of AIPWA was held in Garhwa town hall. Prior to the inauguration of Conference a rally comprising hundreds of women marched through the Garhwa town before reaching the Confeence venue. A five member presidium of Comrades Sushma Mehta, Tetri Devi, Vimla Kunwar, Kismati Devi and Jarina Baby conducted the proceedings of the Conference. AIPWA National Secretary Com. Sunita was the main speaker at the Conference who called upon the women to defeat all anti-Women political parties in the upcoming Parliamentary election. Thirty women delegates presented their views and narrated their experiences in struggles against the feudal-mafia-police forces on a range of issues like NREGA work and BPL card etc. In the end a 21 member District Council and 11 member executive was elected. Comrades Radhika Devi and Sushma Mehta were elected President and Secretary respectively.
First ever Gumla dist. Conference of AIPWA was held on 14th February. The Conference elected a 15 member District Council and 9 member Executive with Comrades Devanti Mishra and Gudia Devi as President and Secretary respectively. The Conference resolved to ensure punishment for the rapists and killers of Lilu and also resolved to put an end to the killings of women in the district on the allegation of being dayans (witches).
On 21 February, Palamu Dist. Conference was held at Panki. The Conference elected a 25 member District Council and 11 member Executive with Ruda Singh and Kavita Singh as President and Secretary respectively.
Fourth District Conference of Hazaribagh and Ramgarh District was held on 28th February in Nayanagar of Barkakhana. The Conference venue was named after martyred Comrades Rijhani Devi and Balkahiya Devi. Main speaker was Comrade Gunni Oraon, AIPWA’s State President. The main highlight of the Conference was enthusiastic participation of a thousand women from across Hazaribagh and Ramgarh. In the end a 49 member District Committee and 15 member Executive was elected with Comrades Aiti Tirkey and Rupa Besra as President and Secretary respectively. Cultural team Prerna sang revolutionary songs.

Skyrocketing Unemployment in Asia Hits Women &Young People Hardest
(Excerpts from ILO Report)

Recent International Labour Organisation (ILO) reports on global and regional employment trends paint a stark picture of rapidly increasing unemployment in 2008; the situation is expected to worsen in 2009 with the prediction of massive job losses. The message is clear: workers and the poor are already paying heavily for the capitalist economic crisis. Especially hard hit are working-class and poor women and young people. After four consecutive years of decreases, global unemployment rates increased from 2007 to 2008, with the ranks of the unemployed jumping by some 10.7 million people, from 5.7% in 2007 to 6.0% in 2008 (the highest year-on-year increase since 1998).
Women were particularly hard hit, with unemployment increasing to 6.3% for women compared to 5.8% for men. Young people were also hard hit with youth unemployment increasing by 0.4% in 2008. The ILO assesses that very little progress has been made in youth employment levels and that young people have fewer work opportunities than other sections of the workforce.
And unemployment will get worse in 2009. The ILO presents several scenarios based on projected estimates of GDP growth rates and concludes that a more ``realistic’’ scenario for 2009 will see unemployment increase by 30 million people over 2007 figures (an ``optimistic’’ scenario based on International Monetary Fund estimates of GDP growth rates in November 2008, which have now been revised downwards, puts the increase at 18 million unemployed). A ``worst case’’ option, which given recent trends in decline in growth rates and job losses, is probably the more likely scenario, sees global unemployment increase by 51 million people.[1]
Under the ``realistic’’ scenario, the number of unemployed people in Asia would increase by 7.2 million to a rate of 5.1%. Women are likely to be harder hit: even in the most optimistic scenario, the number of unemployed women would rise by 4.4%, as compared with 3.8% for men. According to the ``pessimistic’’ ILO scenario, the number of unemployed people in the Asian region could spiral up by 23.3 million. A drastic increase of those in extreme poverty of a staggering 140 million is projected in 2009.

Edited, published and printed by S. Bhattacharya for CPI(ML) Liberation from U-90, Shakarpur, Delhi-92; printed at Bol Publication, R-18/2, Ramesh Park, Laxmi Nagar, Delhi-92; Phone:22521067; fax: 22518248, e-mail: mlupdate@cpiml.org, website: www.cpiml.org
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