CPI(ML) HOME Vol.7, No.50 14-20 December, 2004

The Weekly News Bulletin of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist)(Liberation)

U-90, Shakarpur, Delhi 110092. Tel: (91)11-22521067. Fax(91)11-22518248


In this Issue:

Human Rights Day 2004:

When Famine Stalks the Land and Farmers Are Treated as ‘Threat to National Security’

ON December 10, 2004 the world observed the fifty-sixth anniversary of the International Human Rights Day. India is a signatory to the Universal Human Rights Charter and there was no dearth of official celebration on that day. Since the passage of Human Rights Act and formation of Human Rights Commissions, the phrase ‘human rights’ has become a customary component of India’s official discourse.

It has become quite fashionable these days for the top brass of the Army, Police and various paramilitary forces to wax eloquent about human rights. According to a newspaper report, on this year’s Human Rights day the police in West Bengal organized a debate among police officers on the subject, and officials rejecting human rights as an ‘unacceptable excuse’ for a police force pitted against ‘extremists’ won the debate!

The winter session of Parliament itself provided another eloquent commentary on the real state of human rights in India when the UPA government came up with a bill to rehabilitate POTA in another name. In the name of ‘scrapping’ POTA, the government has not only decided to keep all ongoing POTA cases alive, but it has smuggled several draconian clauses of POTA into the proposed Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

In Rajasthan farmers are now being booked under National Security Act. This news of farmers being persecuted by the state follows the shocking incident of police firing in which three farmers demanding water were gunned down by the trigger-happy state police. Now farmers questioning this police repression are being viewed as a threat to the nation’s security and put behind bars under the draconian NSA. And in Manipur, where the people are waging a valiant battle for a total repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, the UPA government is trying to hoodwink them with ‘promises’ of a ‘humane version’ of the AFSPA.

Advocates of human rights tell us that the notion of rights must also include the crucial question of livelihood. The Constitution of India defines ‘right to life’ as a fundamental right. But the ever expanding empire of hunger in globalized India makes a mockery of this lofty notion. Almost every India province now has its own Kalahandi. Under the impact of a deepening agrarian crisis and recurring crop failures caused by either drought of flood, vast areas of the country are now in the grip of a near-famine situation.

The Common Minimum Programme of the UPA had promised to legislate an employment guarantee for the rural unemployed. So far the government has only introduced a food-for-work scheme which is confined to only 150 districts and backed by a paltry allocation of only Rs. 2020 crore. There are also talks of a bill being tabled soon in Parliament. But according to reports, the bill will also remain limited in scope to only one unemployed per BPL family in 150 districts. There is virtually no provision for effective unemployment allowance in the absence of ‘assured employment’. Nor is there any definite time-frame for enforcement of the act. An Employment Lottery Act will be a more honest title for such a fraudulent piece of legislation.

The human rights agenda of the UPA government thus boils down to a combination of ‘humane’ acts of repression and employment lottery schemes. Real champions of human rights in India must move on to expose and defeat this mockery and win real rights for every oppressed and deprived Indian.

Statewide "Chakka-jam" in Bihar

People of Bihar expressed their anger on December 7 against Laloo-Rabri regime's uncontrolled spree of kidnapping and murders, increasing number of starving people and famine like situation arisen due to drought and floods. The CPI(ML) called statewide Chakka-jam received an unprecedented response throughout the state and in almost every district long lines of stranded vehicles were a testimony to the belligerent mood of the masses against rising crime, starvation deaths and government's insensitivity towards people's problems. At some places even trains were stopped by the protesting people. In spite of the fact that hundreds of CPI(ML) leaders and cadres were arrested by the police, people enthusiastically took part in the chakka-jam and made it a success to the extent that the message of the protest was audible enough to warn the anti-people govt. and prevailing nexus of criminals-politicians-bureaucrat-police, nurtured by the former.

Highways remained blocked at many places in district Bhojpur and train traffic at Ara and Banahi stations was halted for many hours. At Ara, Party CC member and AIALA General Secretary Rameshwar Prasad was arrested along with more than fifty members. A massive demonstration was also held in Ara of the day. Jam (blockade) was total in Piro, Tarari and adjoining blocks. In Buxor, response was massive and roads remained closed at Buxor, Dumraon and Sonvarsha and other places. Highway to Patna was jammed near Sonvarsha. A meeting was also organised at Jyoti Chowk where speakers condemned state govt.'s callousness and demanded immediate relief for starvation affected people besides water supply in Sone canal and other essential amenities. The hike in petro-products was also condemned.

Similar situation prevailed in other districts of Bihar . Roads were blocked at many places in Patna while this protest received a huge response from rural as well as toiling urban masses in almost all the districts including Chhapra, Siwan, Rohtas, Jehanabad, Aurangabad, Mujaffarpur, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Patna (rural), Bikramganj, Sitamarhi and Gopalganj. While the people were out on streets against repressive Laloo-Rabri regime, CPI(ML) MLAs held a protest inside the Bihar Assembly to give a voice to the people's anger.

7 th State Conference of Party’s West Bengal unit concludes successfully

The 7 th State Conference of West Bengal unit of our party was held on 10-12 December 2004 at Arijit Mitra Nagar (Salt Lake Stadium) Kolkata. The hall and the dais of conference were named after the two departed leaders, Comrades Sankar Das and Tapan Chakraborty respectively. The open session was held on 10 December 2004 at Dharamtala, which was addressed by Party General Secretary Comrade Dipankar Bhattacharya, Dipankar Chakraborty, editor of ‘Anik’, writer Pachu Roy and human rights activist Sanat Roy Chowdhury, among others. Noted writer Mahashweta Devi sent a massage to the open session which was read out to a gathering of 3000 people. The unique feature of the session was that the deprived people of Bengal representing workers of the closed mills, tea gardens and persons evicted from cities narrated their deprivations to the gathering. Raju Dhibar of Amlasol, whose father had died of starvation, also addressed to the gathering.

The delegate session of the conference was attended by 260 delegates and 26 observers. Comrades Swadesh Bhattacharya, DP Bakshi, Arindam Sen and Mrinmoy Chakraborty were also present in the conference. The conference presented a vibrant atmosphere in which the delegates recited their living experiences, how they are confronting with the CPM’s political terror and government machinery’s highhandedness in organizing the struggle on various fronts, especially in the rural areas and in the factories. The Rajbangshi delegates of North Bengal narrated a vivid description of state terror. The delegates from tea gardens, coalmines and jute mills described their living experiences of organizing the workers against the repression by the mill-owners and the local administration. Delegates working on various other fronts, particularly 37 women delegates, asked the state leadership to take up the important issues of the State and launch vigorous mass movements against the state and central government’s anti-people polices. The court’s intervention in the people’s movements was also discussed in the conference and it was entrusted to the new state leadership to formulate appropriate polices on how to confront the court’s unjust intervention against mass movements.

General Secretary Comrade Dipankar asked the delegates and the State leadership to implement the tasks adopted in the conference with the slogan: Persevere in your work, score a successes and be accountable to the party and the masses. The conference elected a 27-members State Committee and re-elected Comrade Kartick Pal as its secretary. The conference adopted a 12-points resolution and 13-points tasks for expanding the Party’s mass base and strengthening the party structures at various levels; and initiating militant mass movements in the State with a new vigour.

Repeal POTA with retrospective effect, none of the draconian provisions of this Act should continue: Nationwide Protests against New 'Avatar' of POTA

CPI(ML) observed nation-wide protest day on Dec 10, on the International Human Rights Day, against the passing of the Unlawful Activities (Amendment) Bill by the Lok Sabha and demanded to withdraw it as it contains many draconian provisions of POTA, withdrawal of all cases framed under TADA and POTA and release of all political activists convicted under these black laws.

The UPA govt. talked of POTA repeal, but it has now been proved a farce. Those wrongfully arrested under POTA will only not be eligible for any compensation, but in fact cases against them will continue. There is no retrospective repeal of POTA cases, so, just like TADA victims suffer years after TADA’s repeal, same will be the case with POTA. This is another betrayal by the UPA government from its promises made in the common minimum programme as the new amended UAPA now contains almost all the provisions of POTA like (1) The vague, catch all definition of terrorism, which erases the difference between democratic protest and terrorism; (2) The organizations banned under POTA will continue to be banned under amended law; (3) The so called “support systems” of terrorism will continue to be branded as terrorist; (4) The evidence collected through the interception of wire, electronic or oral communication shall be admissible as evidence against the accused in the court during the trial of a case; (5) The proceedings under this Act may be held in camera, and identity of the witnesses may be kept a secret; (6) The investigating officer, with the prior approval in writing of the Director General of the Police, has been given powers to seize the property of the accused; and (7) No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie against any officer or authority of the Central Government or State Government or District Magistrate or any officer under this Act and army and paramilitary personnel are given impugnity.

Although a very draconian provision of POTA, i.e., admission of confession before police as evidence, has been discarded, but its new successor fully retains the venomous and repressive nature of POTA and is bound to be misused by the establishment for suppressing democratic opinion and opposing political views.

CPI(ML) has reiterated its demand to repeal POTA in toto and with retrospective effect.

Patna city Committee of CPI(ML) burnt copies of the Bill after a demonstration which passed through the streets of Patna . This was led by Party State Committee member Shashi Yadav. The protesters demanded total withdrawal of all provisions of POTA with retrospective effect and immediate release of 14 CPI(ML) activists, including mukhiya Shahchand, convicted under TADA and presently serving life term. Similar protests were also held in other cities of Bihar .

In UP, protest demonstration and burning of copies of UAPA Bill were held at many centers including capital Lucknow and demand to withdraw all cases registered under TADA and POTA was raised. The demand for withdrawal of framed cases under Gangster Act on CPI(ML) and AIALA activists in Lakhimpur-Kheri district was also raised. While copies of the black Bill were burnt in front of the Assembly in Lucknow , protest day was observed at district headquarters of Gazipur, Sitapur, Sonbhadra, Jalaun, Mau and many other cities.

Copies of the UAPA Bill were set on fire at Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh. Nearly 400 people participated in the protest. An impressive demonstration was also held in the city. It was led by Central Committee member B. Bangar. Copies of UAPA bill were also burnt at Vissanna Peta of Krishna District by activists of CPI(ML) and RYA. This was led by State Secretary N. Murty.

In Haryana, CPI(ML) activists led by State Incharge Prem Singh Gehlawat burnt the copies of the ammended Bill in front of Mini-Secretariat in Karnal.

In Delhi , activists of All India Students' Association held a protest at Parliament Street and burnt the copies of the Bill.

Replica of the Bill were burnt in all the district headquarters and important urban centers of Jharkhand. A resistance march was organised in capital Ranchi which concluded at Albert Ekka square where a mass meeting was held. Speakers in the meeting condemned the UPA govt. for continuing the repressive and draconian laws and betraying its own promise. Jharkhand has been one of the states where even children and teenagers had been vicitimised under POTA and TADA.

Oppose UPA govt. for making a Mockery of Right to Work
and Universal Employment Guarantee

Government's promise of National Rural Employment Guarantee Act has been diluted to the extent that it has now become a worthless exercise, only a facewash with no results to come. The draft of the proposed National Rural Employment Guarantee Act prepared by the National Advisory Council itself explains this great betrayal and farce. The Bill simply demonstrates an about-turn from the electoral commitment for "Right to employment" by the UPA govt. The right to work is very much a fundamental democratic demand. In fact, it is being implemented in almost all developing countries. ‘Right to work’ figures in the Constitution of 30 countries including 18 developed countries and it is high time India also enacted it.

The Food for Work Programme has been limited to only 150 districts out of total 602 districts in country. Only one member per household has been promised employment in the proposed Draft. This would discriminate against women. Moreover, there is no special component for women in the Draft Act. The Draft Act promises only 100 days of work per year. The employment guarantee is applicable to the own village of the labourers or within 5 kms radius around their village. But there are millions of migrant labourers and they cannot migrate to Punjab to get a few days of agricultural work and go back to Orissa or Bihar to get 14 days of EG work. There is nothing to compensate for the unemployed days in the migrated area. A large number of rural poor have migrated to urban areas and are eking out a living with lots of difficulties in urban slums. The employment guarantee should also be extended to cover urban areas. The Employment Guarantee Scheme of Maharashtra is said to be the inspiration behind this all-India act. But the Maharashtra scheme is an utter failure as proved by large number of starvation deaths among tribals in the state. The success of any employment guarantee depends on guaranteeing its implementation.

Now the proposed Draft has been further diluted by the UPA government. Now, it does not give any time-frame for the implementation of the Act through out the country. Initially, it will be implemented in few selected districts. Central government will fix wages on its own, and Minimum Wages Act will not be applicable under this proposed Act, meaning wages could be lower than the prescribed minimum wage. Moreover, there are apprehensions that the Bill may not be tabled in the present session of the Parliament.

UPA govt. claims, after a mid-year review of the economy as tabled before the Parliament, that all the pointers indicate a buoyant economy. Simultaneously, the review says the commitments appeared difficult are related to the more government-funded supply of foodgrains for employment programmes and calamity relief and more fertilizer subsidy due to increased input cost. So the govt. seeks to 'rationalise' subsidy disbursements and share calamity relief related expenditure with the (already cash starved) states. It has been highlighted to 'rationalise' the minimum support price for paddy and wheat at policy level saying "Although the govt. has not succeeded in freezing the MSP of paddy and wheat, increase in MSP in the last three years had resulted in excess build-up of foodgrains stocks with the FCI". Report hides the hard fact of increasing number of starvation deaths despite overflowing foodgrain stocks, farmers' suicides and rising unemployment to an unprecedented level and, above all, severe economic crisis engulfing millions in rural India.

Punish the Killers of Shahar Telpa Police Firing

CPI(ML) has demanded immediate implementation of recommendations of the Legislative team that investigated Shahartelpa firing incident in Arwal district and punishment to the perpetrators of the crime. Party has warned of stepwise intensification of the movement if responsible officials and other persons are not punished. The Bihar Police had killed one person and injured many in an unprovoked and indiscriminate firing in Shahar Telpa on May 29. Police had also registered false cases against one thousand people including several CPI(ML) leaders in the region and AIALA National Secretary Kunti Devi for leading protest against this heinous crime. Bihar govt. has been trying to protect guilty officials to the extent that ruling RJD MLAs even tried to mislead the state Assembly on this matter, but thanks to CPI(ML) MLAs' efforts that these nasty political designs were exposed and a team was sent for investigation. The team has recommended action against PS incharge of Shahartelpa and clearly refuted the 'official' police claim that a crowd 'attacked the thana and police fired in self defence'. It has also recommended compensation to the families of deceased and injured. Party held a mass meeting at Shahar Telpa on Dec 13 to press upon these demands

B R I E F S

Panchayat By-elections in Bihar

Many CPI(ML) candidates have registered victory in recently concluded panchayat by-elections in Bihar . In Patna district, Party candidates won one mukhiya, one Zilla Parishad, two panchayat samiti member and seven ward member seats. In Jarkha panchayat, whose mukhiya Comrade Mandip Goswami was assasinated, along with four other comrades, by PWG-RJD goons in the night of 18 August at our Paliganj Party Office, our candidate Babuanand Kunwar won by a huge margin defeating PWG-RJD supported candidate. In Masaurhi, Kharat panchayat samiti seat was won by Kunti Devi with a margin of 830 votes. She polled a total of 1236 votes. Comrade Phuljharia Devi won Naubatpur South Zilla Parishad seat with a margin of 2830 votes. Our total votes increased in Raksia panchayat samiti in Paliganj, this seat went vacant after killing of Comrade Rajeshwar Mochi, Block Pramukh of Dulhinbazaar, by the PWG-RJD goons, though we lost this seat by a hair-thin margin. We also won one panchayat samiti, one ward member post in Siwan. and one mukhiya post in Bhojpur.

Cotton-growers Demonstrate in Orissa

Cotton-growers in Gunupur district led by Orissa Pradesh Krushak Sabha held a demonstration at sub-collectorate on Dec 8 demanding procurement of cotton by the government and remunerative prices. Nearly a thousand peasants facing severe crisis, many of them debt-trapped, gathered there to protest the governmental apathy and the policies of liberalisation. Cotton producers here are forced to sell their produce to the local middlemen who exploit them to the hilt. Seriously affected by the anti-peasant policies, a large number of peasants, who remained a silent spectator of land and wage movement, for a long time, being led by our party, have now joined our Krushak Sabha against the severe agrarian crisis.

A memorandum was also submitted, through a dharna after the demonstration, to the sub-Collector who later accepted some of the demands put forth. The protest was led by Malleshwar Rao, Bidyadhar Patro and Tirupati Gomango.

Seminar by RYA

RYA's Kakinada district unit organised a seminar on "rising unemployment and role of the government" on Dec 6 in Kakinada . A demonstration and dharna before Collectorate was also held before the seminar to protest the hollowness of Rajiv Yuva Shakti Scheme.

Dismiss Officials Guilty of Rail Accident

CPI(ML) expresses deep shock and anguish over the loss of lives in Jammu-Ahmedabad Train accident occurred near Hoshiarpur in Punjab . The Party has said that the Railway Minister should own the responsibility of such rail accidents. Those officials who are responsible for management of rail tracks and supervision of train timings must be punished adequately in incidents of rail accidents.

AIALA Cadre Meets

Prathipadu mandal ( E. Godavari ) cadre meeting of AIALA was held on Nov 29 with participation of 370 activists from different villages. CPI(ML) State Secretary N. Murthy addressed the meet as chief guest and called upon the cadres to intensify the land struggles. State Convener and National Secretary of AIALA B. Bangar Rao also addressed the meet. Kakinada divisional cadre meet was held in Kothapulli mandal on Dec 3 attended by 340 cadres selected from village committees. Cadre meet of Tuni Assembly segment was held on Dec 5 where it was resolved to intensify the struggles against the policies of Congress govt. in the state and against repressive tactics and anti-people activities of local Telugu Desham Party MLA as well

Obituary

Comrade Ganauri Das passed away on Dec 2. He was suffering from kidney malfunctioning for a long time. He dedicated his life working for the Party and the people and worked in Jehanabad and Gaya districts. His funeral was performed in his native village Nighma in Jehanabad which was also attended by Party' s Bihar State Secretary Ramjatan Sharma and District Secretary Kunal and hundreds of party members. We pay our sincere tributes to Comrade Ganauri Das and pledge to carry forward his mission.

 

 

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