NEW AGE
January 26—February 1, 2014
Weekly
Vol. 62
Central Organ of the Communist Party of India
No. 4
JANUARY 26—FEBRUARY 1, 2014
New Delhi
Price: ``5
1 On Other Pages Women Must Fight for Their Rights................6 Myth of the Gujarat Model of Development....8-9
CPI general secretary S. Sudhakar Reddy addressing the rally
Thousands March on Kolkata Streets at CPI Call KOLKATA: On January 17, 2014, Kolkata witnessed a massive rally, men and women walking on the streets and flooding Rani Rashmoni avenue, one of the busiest roads of Kolkata, at the call of the Communist Party of India. They were in thousands, coming all the way from districts and towns, to the state capital on January 17, 2024, a working day, to voice the protest against rape, corruption, price rise and suppression of democratic rights in
West Bengal. People from all walks of life joined the rally and strengthened the determination to fight against reign of terror unleashed during last two and half years’ of TMC rule in West Bengal. Entry points of the city and two important railway stations - Sealdaha and Howrah on Friday, January 17, witnessed an unusual flow of young men and women pouring in the city to express their resentment against the injustices committed against the
From Dilip Chakrabarty common masses. They had arrived in the city expressing their solidarity with the causes and promising to launch continued movement to fight against suppression of democratic rights. They were determined to not only change the status quo but also bring alternative to not only the ruling party, but also to the national parties like BJP and Congress who have so far been promoting not only
corruption but also the corporate sector at the cost of the common people’s interest. For last one and half months, the preparations were on to launch agitation and bring out the masses in a protest rally at a moment when the political atmosphere is extremely gloomy and people are scared to raise their voice against the misrule in the state and organize and join any mass meeting in the state capital. It has been the suppressive methods of the TMC that keeps
terrorizing not only their opposition left front activists but also the common masses in villages and towns. It was like fire in the forest, spreading with the wild winds and burning everything that comes in the way. People in West Bengal are today aflame with disgust, leave alone discontent and hence when the CPI issued the call, people responded in a massive way. They kept coming, joining the already growing mammoth rally on January 17. The administration in the capital city had looked at the preparations with a disdain and a section of media had laughed scornfully. But when the real dimensions of the gathering emerged on the streets, they were all silenced. CPI activists and the leaders were inspired at the powerful popular response. From the remote corners of the state, people asserted and their participation was an outburst, of the toiling masses and from other sections.
State secretary Manju Majumdar addressing the rally
While addressing the rally, senior communist leader A. B. Bardhan was elated at the huge number of young people and On Page 4 New Age Weekly
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January 26—February 1, 2014
The Delhi Dharna The two days dharna by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and his team of ministers and subsequent compromise which facilitated the withdrawal of protest action has generated a controversy that involves many issues. Kejriwal decided to go on dharna demanding suspension of two SHOs and two ACPs as they had refused to carry out the orders of Delhi ministers. At least in one case that is of mid-night raid on a house where four African women were residing, the law minister of Delhi government Somnath Bharati has come under severe criticism and number of women organizations and civil right groups have found the minister’s behavior “irresponsible”, “antiwomen” and “racist” and have even asked for his resignation. The issue involved in this case has no complication. The minister led a mob to the residence of the four African women alleging that it has become a den of “prostitution and drug”. Police refused to obey his orders of forceful entry in the house, as it requires search warrant. Then what the minister and his cronies did was totally illegal and immoral. They not only humiliated and dragged the women but forced them to go under medical test in a very humiliating and insulting manner. For all this the minister needs to be taken to task. But Kejriwal decided to support the minister and to distract people’s attention from the real issue.
After withdrawing his dharna as his party reached a compromise, Kejriwal claimed “partial victory” on the issue of full statehood for Delhi, though he never focused on this demand. Full statehood for Delhi is a genuine demand and many parties including the CPI have been campaigning for it since Delhi was given a half state status. We earnestly want that Delhi must get a full-fledged state status and like in other states, the police and even DDA should be under the Delhi government. Multiplicity of power in the national capital is a serious problem that needs to be tackled. Even Kajriwal’s predecessor Sheila Dikshit has
Editorial demanded that the police should be under the state government. But that will not solve the problem the people face with the police. We do believe that the police force all over the country is the main tool of oppression and repression that the ruling classes use against people. It is also true that the police force is extremely corrupt. It carries the legacy of the colonial period. It requires thorough overhaul and reform of the entire apparatus. It may be recalled that veteran CPI leader Indrajit Gupta had initiated the process to finalise police reform when he was the Union Home minister in the United Front government. He even constituted a committee for it. But the UF government did not last long and the
whole process was jeopardised by the successive governments. Police reform now should be one of the key issues on the electoral agenda for the forthcoming general elections. From the developments of the past week it has become obvious that most of the AAP ministers are not ready to govern and prefer to be vigilante. This attitude may harm the party itself. The AAP government in Delhi has to go for introspection, particularly about the conduct of its law minister. Many rightly believe that the Kejriwal team feels politically uncomfortable to continue in power with the outside support of the Congress. In place of tackling it politically, it wants excuses. To be more precise, it seems to be looking for a wanton martyr’s status. This is sheer nonsense. A political party has not only to project itself on the basis of its performance, if it is in power, and also have clear cut approach to the basic socio-economic issues that the people are facing. It seems that the AAP is precisely avoiding it and trying to hoodwink the people by piece-meal announcement. Besides, by staging dramas like the one staged near Rail Bhavan, it is getting involved in the game of the Corporate that they are playing to side track the real socio-economic issues by concentrating on peripheral issues through captive media, particularly the electronic one.
AISF Call for March to Parliament on Feb 11
Glimpses of the Kolkata Rally
All India Students Federation national president Syed Vali Ullah Quadri and general secretary Vishwajeet Kumar have issued the call on behalf of AISF national council for March to Parliament on Februaryy 11, 2014. The AISF leaders said the UPA government has failed to solve students problems all over the country and demanded that the UPA government should provide free education from kindergarten to post graduation, introduce common education system, democratic students union elections in all universities and provide adequate security for girl students. They also demanded a bill to be introduced in the Parliament to control any rise in the fees. The AISF also demanded to stop marketisation and privatisation as well as public, private partnership in education. AISF national council has made an appeal to the students all over the country to join the Parliament Chalo programme and make it a success.
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January 26—February 1, 2014
Thousands Join AISF Call for Bandh SIRSA (Haryana): Haryana is in the grip of bandhs, agitations and rallies continuing for days at the call of All India Students Federation and the Bjli Andolan Sangharsh Samiti. Against the faulty electricity meters that are showing wrong reading, Sirsa remained stand still at the Bandh call by AISF on January 18, 2014. People taking part in the Bandh, jammed the Lal Batti Chowk first and then on the National Highway no. nine for none hours. Later they sat on dharna at both the main gates of the bus stand. They were shouting slogans demanding change in meters and after getting total support from the masses around, they withdrew the Bansdh. But by this time, the entire transport system in the city was in chaos. Police managed to take out the buses coming from Hisar from the bypass road. The women demonstrating at the stand, sat in front of the buses and thus at least 30 buses got stranded. The police looked helpless and could not manage the situation. All India Students Federation leader Roshan Suchan called for canceling the faulty meter reading and the resultant
electricity bills. He said that till the charges for per unit are brought down to two and half rupees, the agitation will go on. He said the agitation would be intensified if the demands are not met. He warned the government that if the demands are not met in time, the agitation would be spread to other part of the state as well. Assistant secretary of the Andolan Samiti Manoj Pacherwal and spokesperson C Bhola said that the electricity bills of those villages that have boycotted them must be waived off, otherwise there would be gherao of all the Congress ministers and MLAs. In the morning at nine am, Bjli Andolan Sangharsh
Samiti and the AISF activists started to get the shops in the market to put
the shutters down. The demonstrators were moving around different parts of the town on foot in groups and were trying
to convince people about their demands. In the rural areas,
demonstrators arrived in trucks just before mid day and parked their vehicles at town park. Soon after, with red flags in hands,
raised fists with slogans on their lips, the demonstrators moved towards the market. Police was prepared with force to control any unpleasant development. There were hardly any customers since the town was already abuzz with the Bandh news.The shutters of shops at Sadar Bazar, Rodi Bazar, Madra Bazar, Hisaria Bazar, Parashuram chowk were brought down. All the way the riot police was following the demonstrators. In Sonepat also, at thecall of AISF, most of the markets were shuttered on Saturday, January 18. Bandh was supported by large number of women, shopkeepers andother political parties.
On January 18, AISF had called for the Bandh in the town after a relay fast continuing for last fifteen days. They were joined and supported in the agitation by the All India Youth Federation, Communist Party of India, AITUCand many other organisations. AISF state secretary Rajiv Varma said while addressing the gathering that students believe in the constitution, legal system and the democratic setup of the country, but the attitude of the government on the inflated electricity bills based on wrong reading by the faulty meters was undemocratic. He demanded CBI enquiry on the purchase of these meters. At the call of Bijli Andolan Sangharsh Samiti, there wa a dharna at Parijat chowk in Sonepat. There were employees union leaders also present in the rally and one of their prominent leaders, Roop Singh, while addressing the gathering said that in Vhandigarh, the capital city, the electricity charges are Rs 2.30 to 4.40 per unit, while in the urban and urban areas of the state, the rate is as high as 2.98 to 5.98 per unit. The gathering decided to continue the agitation according to the directives issued by the Andolan Samiti as well as its state convener and AISF leader Roshan Suchan. New Age Weekly
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January 26—February 1, 2014
Thousands March on Kolkata Streets... From Front Page unbelievable presence of toiling masses. He congratulated people as they managed to overcome not only the fear but also the looming threats. They had been terrorized and were warned of dire consequences if they dared to join the CPI mass rally. Bardhan said in his address that people across the country have been rising above political colour to fight against injustices, corruption and price rise. He said, corruption has now crossed over to lakhs of crores of money. Corrupt persons have not been punished during last ten years of Congress rule. The chief minister of West Bengal has not taken any measure to punish the culprits who had cheated thousands of crores from poor people. He said, looters are plundering country’s property and wealth. CPI leader said, the BJP is taking advantage of Congress misrule trying to grab power at the centre; but they will not be able to secure majority in Parliament since BJP might get at the most not more than 140 seats in the
forthcoming general election and neither Congress nor BJP will be in a position to form the government. He said, during the NDA rule, prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had secured support of twenty political parties; but at present there are only two political parties left with the BJP, Shiv Sena and Akali Dal. People across the country think that central government’s social, economic and foreign policies are determined to maintain relations with United Staes of America. BJP will also do the same and corruption will be rampant. Majority of people want the new government to curb the unlimited rise in prices and also adopt policies that are pro-people, along with taking measures to end corruption Veteran communist leader A. B. Bardhan asked, if AAP which came into existence few months ago could upset all calculations, why conscious and experienced left parties can not do so in West Bengal? S Sudhakar Reddy, general secretary, CPI greeted people coming from
far off villages, towns and remote huts and hamlets. He said while addressing the gathering that the UPA-I government failed to implement Common Minimum Programme. He said government extended its help to nourish and bring the corporate sector, despite the fact that the Left Front was always opposed to it. Congress did not pay any attention to the opposition, though left front was supporting the government from outside. Manmohan Singh’s government executed neuclear deal with the USA and the left front, since they were opposed to it, had no other alternative than to withdraw their support from UPA - I government. UPA – II was also not much different and in place of curbing corruption, facilitated scams committed in various projects like in Commonwealth Games, coalgate etc. After every 15 days, oil companies increase prices of petrol and diesel. Increase of price for cooking gas at the rate of Rs 125 per cylinder had added salt to the injury. Policy of the central government has paved the way for rich to
be richer and poor to be poorer. CPI general secretary said that the wealth of Ambanis has been increased by Rs. 300 crores when 300 cultivators had to opt for the path of committing suicide as they could not produce enough to sell or whatever was produced could not be sold. Thus the loans could not be paid back since they did not get any buyers. He said, both BJP and Congress want close relations with USA at the cost of the toiling people. Central government reduced price of natural gas extracted and purchased by Ambanis. Sudhakar Reddy observed that the BJP has been playing communal card and has never missed any opportunity to provoke communal riot to achieve edge over Hindu votes. Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi was responsible for the killing of more than 2000 people in Gujarat carnage in February 2002 after Godhra incident and yet he is BJP’s proposed prime minister. In 2013, The BJP had once again conspired to initiate communal riots at Muzaffarnagar in UP. There is absolutely no
doubt that the BJP has proved itself a party which is more communal than political though India is a secular country. He said, people have discontent over the Congress rule, and easily tend to support BJP and when they feel the same about BJP, they vote for Congress. Sudhakar Reddy said that in the assembly vote of November, 2013, Delhi residents voted AAP to win 28 seats out of 70 seats. Having no declared and determined policy for the country in respect of social, economic, industrial and agricultural development, AAP has formed the government in Delhi because voters refused Congress and could not believe BJP. But Delhi does not represent whole of India. He said, Left Front (L F) made some mistakes while in power in West Bengal; But TMC during its rule of two and half years has created reign of terror to suppress democratic rights of people and media too across the state. Despite the fact that the state chief minister is herself a woman, she has failed to protect the dignity of women who are today the victims of perverse On Page 14
Com Adilakshmi is No More HYDERABAD: Sreemati Adilakshmi (85), mother of Dr K Narayana, Secretary of Andhra Pradesh unit of Communist Party of India passed away on January 19, 2014. As she was being taken to be handed over to Gandhi Medical College in order to facilitate medical research, a huge procession accompanied her all the way. The eyes were donated to LV Prasad Eye institute. The body was kept at his residence for two days before it could be handed over to enable Dr Narayana’s son and daughter to reach India from USA. Body of Adilakshmi was donated to medical college on January 21. Adilakshmi used to attend party meetings and even political classes. As the news spread, veteran communist leader A B Bardan, CPI general secretary Sudhakar Reddy, union ministers Chiranjeevi and Jaipal Reddy, chief justice of Andhra Pradesh high court, Justice Chalameshwar C.J., and cine star Mohanbabu conveyed condolences to the bereaved family and comrades on phone to Dr Narayana. State chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, New Age Weekly
leader of opposition in the state assembly Chandra Babu Naidu, speaker of legislative assembly Nadendla Manohar and that of council Chakrapani visited his residence and paid homage. Various state leaders of political parties, state ministers, members of Parliament, state ex-ministers, legislators, and former legislators, too paid homage at his residence. Among them include B.V.Raghavulu, polit beaurau member of the CPI(M), Chandrashekara Rao, supremo, TRS, Kishan Reddy, president state BJP, Bhooma Karunakar Reddy, YSR Congress Party, DVVS Varma, state general secretary, Loksatta, Janaki Ramulu, general secretary, RSP, Goverdhan, CPI(ML) New Democracy (Chandranna group). Among the ministers were Anam Ram Narayan Reddy, Jana Reddy, Ponnala Laxmaiah, P.Rama Chandraiah, Pitani Satyanarayana, Geetha Reddy, Galla Arunakumari, Sridar Babu, media heads Like RRV Chowdhry (C Cable), Rama Chandra Murthy (HMTV), Vemuri Radha Krishna (ABN Jyothi), M.D.Rajam (Namasthe Telangana), K.Srinivas Reddy (Visalandhra), Rama Krishna Reddy (Sakshi).
Educationists like Avula Manjulatha (former vice chancellor Telugu University), Chukka Ramaiah, MLC. Prominent Industrialists Kamineni Suryanarayana, Venkat Reddy, Paruchuri Hanmantha Rao visited and placed wreaths on the body. CPI veteran Puvvada Nageshwara Rao, Azeez Pasha, member, national executive of the CPI and and state secretariat members, leaders of several mass organizations, district secretaries came and participated in last rites. Among the reputed Personalities from cine field include Tamma Reddy Bharadwaj, (cine producer), Vandemataram Srinivas, (music director), Madala Ravi (cine actor), Suddala Ashok Teja (lyrics writer) etc. were also there in the procession. Kodanda Ram, chairman, Devi Prasad, Srinivas Goud (Telangana Political Joint Action Committee also visited the residence and paid homage to Adilakshmi. Karnataka CPI state council secretary, Madhavan (Aware) and prisoners of central prison, Warangal also sent condolence messages. Many state council secretaries have called and expressed sympathies.
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January 26—February 1, 2014
CPI Leader Ends Fast at Promises of Higher Relief CPI National Executive member and former member of Parliament Azeez Pasha ended his fourday fast with the announcement by the Andhra Pradesh chief minister that the government is setting up a committee which would work out modalities to enhance the compensation amount to the families of 45 passengers who were traveling on a private bus from Bangalore to Hyderabad and were burnt alive. The indefinite fast by Pasha as it entered on the fourth day on January 10, 2014 had taken a definite turn when the negotiations took place in the presence of the CM. Apart from the joint action council (JAC) leader Dr Sudhakar, CPI floor leader in the state assembly G Mallesh, MLA, P J Chandra Shekar Rao, MLC and Dr Chandravathi, MLA, participated in the negotiations.
also turned into ashes. One of the passengers, a pregnant lady called Priyanka, was also reduced to ashes! All such persons have died within seconds. A six feet young man has turned into two ft piece of flesh. Let us go into further details for such recurring bus accidents. Mainly private bus operators are often seen flouting norms openly. They are e m p l o y i n g inexperienced drivers on meagre salaries. Some drivers are even hired only for a week. The particular bus was being driven by a senior citizen, with shortsightedness. Rules clearly say that
Subsequently the CM had sent transport c o m m i s s i o n e r Anantaram and joint t r a n s p o r t c o m m i s s i o n e r Venkatesh warlu as g o v e r n m e n t representatives and offered fruit juice to Azeez Pasha with a request to end fast. The CM had also agreed to punish the owner of the bus as per rules. The CM assured to provide jobs also to one from every bereaved family through outsourcing. He declared that private buses would be treated as illegal, suitably amending the laws. It may be recalled here that on October 30, 2013 a private bus met with an accident and 45 passengers were burnt alive. Among them were five engineers working in IBM, Google and other software companies. A software engineer who had come from the US for his marriage was also among the dead. An Indian origin US couple with an US born two-year old child had
Ramnarsimha Rao the bus is one J C Prabhakara Reddy brother of J C Diwakara Reddy former minister of Andhra Pradesh from the Congress Party. They operate buses to Bangalore, Pune, Mumbai and Hyderabad. Prabhakara Reddy claims that the particular bus does not belong to him. He says that it had been sold away and showed the stamp papers to prove his claim. Particular stamp papers were being purchased on December 8, 2010 and papers were signed on October 10, 2010. Hence it is clear that
carriage. RTA officials are also taking bribe and permitting them to run such buses. Certainly, more than five buses are being run on single registration number. Many buses which are unfit to run through long distances are also permitted to run by taking bribe. In this background CPI state leader Dr Sudhakar had formed an action committee to fight against the bus mafia. His own nearest relative was also one among the 45 victims. According to some reliable sources 1,700 private buses were seized. It seems that there is an agreement between private bus owners and RTA
parties was also held and was addressed by Dr K Narayana the state secretary CPI as the main speaker. A dharna was also organized at Indira Park Dharna chowk in which Dr Chandravathi MLA of CPI and V S Bose secretary city CPI took part along with many CPI workers. On November 30, Botsa Satyanarayana, minister for transport and president APCC was gheraoed. Popular cine actor Shivaji also joined the movement, addressed candle light demonstration and threatened to go on indefinite fast. On January 7, at the call of the Greater Hyderabad Council for Chalo Assembly Azeez
CPI leader Azeez Pasha sitting on fast any travel above 300 kms needs to have two drivers. Any bus has to cool down for five hours running after eight hours continuously. The accident hit bus driver tried to overtake another vehicle on National Highway, hit the divider and its diesel tank got burst. In no time the bus with all its passengers turned into ashes. Passengers could not escape as automatic lock system was there. However, the driver and cleaner could escape from the door of the driver’s seat. The bus belongs to Jabbar Travels, who had taken it on lease. Actually the owner of
signatures forged.
were
Secondly if stamp papers were being purchased in December how that fellow signed in the month of October of the same year? The bus number was AP 02TA 0963. Culprits tried to deny that the bus belong to AP and at certain point of time have stated that it belongs to Karnataka. The same Prabhakara Reddy caught hold of collar of road transport commissioner Gandhi. So one can understand the credentials of the owner of the bus permits are being taken as contract carriage to a bus and running as stage
authorities to get at least Rs 8 crores. But the fact is that state government is losing RS 2,000 annually. Private operators have grown in number five times in the last 15 years. Meanwhile P J Chandrashekara Rao MLC of CPI met the CM along with the victims. The answer was as victims were traveling in a private Bus, the government cannot help even out of CM’s relief fund.
Pasha, Ramakrishna, state secretariat member, Ramnarsimha Rao, state executive member, V S Bose city secretary, Dr.Sudhakar, convener joint action committee, E T Narsimha, state council member led a protest rally. As the rallyists had come out of the AITUC office, police took them into custody and took them away in police vans and jeeps to the office of the Asst Commissioner of Police.
The action committee had organised candle light demonstrations protesting against the callous attitude of the state in resolving the issue. A round table meeting of all political
Azeez Pasha on the spot took a decision to go on a hunger strike in the police station itself on January 7. Around 2o clock DCP Central Zone had released the arrested but CPI workers and
leaders refused to go to their respective places and straight went to the camp office of the CM. Officials had promised to give interview at 6 pm on the same day by the intervention of CPI deputy floor leader K.Sambasiva Rao MLA and P J Chandra Shekara Rao MLC. But surprisingly Police arrested round about 5.00 PM and took again every body to Banjara Hills Police Station. So every body had returned to AITUC State office in the same night and Aziz Pasha continued indefinite fast. Sambasiva Rao MLA inaugurated the camp on same night at AITUC office. The camp was visited and addressed by Suravaram Sudhakara Reddy general secretary CPI, Dr K Narayana, secretary CPI state council, Chada Venkata Reddy Ex.MLA, Ramakrishna ExMLA, Palla Venkat Reddy Ex MLA, PJ Chandrashekara Rao MLC, Ramnarsimha Rao etc and others. City leaders of loksatta and Aam Aadmi Party have also visited the camp. Hundreds of Race course employees and several slum dwellers had visited the camp and garlanded Pasha. Odhelu TRS MLA (Chennoor), Bixapathi TRS MLA (Parakala) Padmakar, General Secretary APSRTC Employees union P.Madhu Ex.MP CPI (M), Julakanti Ranga Reddy MLA, G.Obuleshu, AITUC State General Secretary , PremPavani, Convener working women forum, R.Venkaiah, A.P.Rythu Sangham, K.Pratap Reddy, Palle Narsimha IPTA, K.Yesuratnam, Tipparthi Yadaiah Municipal Employees union leaders, Bayyanna, Venu AISF leader Ramulu Yadav AIYF State Secretary, N.Jyothi, Chaaya, Shiva Nagamalleshwari(NFIW) visited the camp and expressed solidarity. Mean while on third day of the fast Insaf and AIYF had organized Rasta Roko and got arrested.
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January 26—February 1, 2014
Working Women Forum Meet in Ludhiana
Women Must Fight for Their Rights Dr Narjit Kaur Women must come forward to know their rights and to get them implemented in various spheres of life whether they are working in education, health, law, banking, agriculture, domestic or any other sector. They must involve more and more in socio political activities and assert to be in the decision making bodies. This is essential to check rise in the crime against women, said Amarjeet Kaur, national convener, AIWWF and national secretary, AITUC while delivering keynote address at the convention on Role of Women in Development and Decision Making Challenges and Opportunities organised jointly by the Pragatisheel Lekhak Sangh, Punjab Istri Sabha and All India Working Women Forum –AITUC Ludhiana at Punjabi Bhawan here on January 18, 2014, with Dr Chanchal Gupta in chair.
Convention was attended by over 200 persons from different sectors like from education, health, law, agriculture, home based workers and domestic workers etc. Amarjeet Kaur said that women have a glorious history in building the society. They have played significant role in freedom movement of the country and thereafter in national building with all their might. But their participation in the decision making bodies has been very little. That is why it is important that we come forward and effectively make use of changing laws and also to have more laws to raise the status of women especially pertaining to the laws at work place. Speaking on Status of Women during different phases of evolution of human civilization said that patriarchy has been institutionalized through various stages of development after ancient periods of human history when men and women had no difference. But later in
Flaviano Dias is No More The Communist Party of India (CPI) condoles the demise of freedom fighter, trade unionist and veteran journalist, Flaviano Dias. Flaviano Dias was an unflinching crusader and a true patriot. There was no gap between his belief and practice.
the feudal ages women were subjugated to men. Capitalism has tried to use them as a commodity. Our struggle is not for domination on male gender but a struggle for equality, social and economic justice. Therefore we must strive for a socio economic order based on justice and equality. Gurcharan Kochar, President Punjab Istri Sabha Ludhiana said that there are certain forces in the society who still harp on the obsolete obscurantist ideas and do not recognise the changing role of women. There is need to change mindset in the society. Dr Narjit Kaur, convener of the AIWWF Ludhiana said that there is need to work
New Age Weekly
There were teachers and students from GMT college for education, G N Khalsa college for women, nursing students from GTB hospital, Government College for Girls, staff from ESI hospital Ludhiana. In his message, Mitter Sen Meet from Pragati Sheel Lekhak Sangh said that the struggle for the rights of women is not just of women alone. Both men and women have to wage this struggle of justice and equality jointly.
Renowned photographer Comrade Virendra Kumar, who was associated with New Age since many decades breathed his last on January 15, 2014. In a world of colour, he was a magician of black and white photography. His photographs brought to life myriad of emotions, including working class assertions and struggles
Dias was one of the few freedom fighters who lived to tell an authentic tale to our young generation about the ‘agonies and ecstasies’ of the struggle of the Goan people for freedom from the Portuguese colonial rule.
People in Goa will deeply miss the absence of Flaviano Dias. The banner in the CPI office was dipped in homage late Flaviano Dias. The party conveys deep condolences to the bereaved family and friends.
Large number of participants narrated their experiences at the convention. Prominent among those who
participated actively include Ramandeep Kaur, Kulwant Kaur, Veena, student, Prem Maur, Veena Kalia, advocate, Rajinder Kaur Bhatia, Dr Arun Mitra, M S Bhatia, D P Maur, Gurnam Sidhu, Rajwant Kaur, EGSAI Union of Teachers of Serv Sikhya Abhiyan and Harpreet Kaur.
Comrade Virendra Kumar Passes Away
As a journalist in the Free Press Journal, he was closely associated with many a noteworthy Goan and national freedom fighters including late George Vaz, Narayan Palekar, Gerald Pereira, Diwakar Kakodkar, Nath Pai, Madhu Dandavate, Naguesh Karmali, and a host of others.
Dias was a genuine friend of the working class. During his journalistic sojourn, especially as the ediitor of PTI, Goa Desk, he practiced high standards in his profession.
jointly with right thinking men to bring about change in the mindset. Teen aged boys have to be taught in the family to give due respect to the women. Moreover, she said, safe environment is essential at the work place. Barring a few essential sectors, women should not be put on night duties in the present scenario. Jit Kumari, secretary, Punjab Istri Sbha Ludhiana said that implementation of law is very slow and the criminals get benefit of this. A woman who is the victim of the crime is also made accused on several accounts.
for a decent meaningful life. An ace photo journalist, a top notch writer, freedom fighter and a compassionate soul, he is still remembered for his commitment both towards his profession and values of scientific socialism. He was awarded the ‘Best Photographer in the World’ twice. He proudly represented India as the only Indian photo journalist to cover the journey of Astronaut Rakesh Sharma in the erstwhile Soviet Union. He represented the German Magazine ‘New Berliner Illustrative’ in India and ‘New Age’ the weekly paper of CPI for long. Besides this, he was also a regular story writer for Hindi editions of ‘Sarita’ and ‘Saptahik Hindustan’.
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Education Scam Rocks Madhya Pradesh BHOPAL: The mega scam in Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (Vyapam) dominated the proceedings of the first session of the newlyelected Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha. Scathing attack was launched on the BJP government by Satyadev Katare, the new leader of Opposition. Speaking on the motion of thanks on Governor’s address, Katare demanded that the government should punish the guilty irrespective of which party they were affiliated to. He said that party affiliations were being used by the accused to steer clear of the law enforcement agencies. More than 100 persons are in jail in connection with the scam, which involved sale of seats in medical colleges and jobs in police, education department, state milk federation and several other government bodies. Katare said that there are Munna Bhai doctors, Munna Bhai police officers and Munna Bhai teachers with reference to backdoor entrants and added that the state had acquired the reputation of being a Munna Bhai state. He accused the CM of avoiding replying on the issue at which the CM said that he would reply on all issues. Katare added that if the government does not hand over the inquiry into the scam to CBI, the Congress would petition the High Court to direct the government to do so. Katare’s aggressive stance in the assembly resulted in the Speaker having to expunge his remarks more than 10 times. While replying to the discussion, chief minister admitted that irregularities were committed in the selection of personnel and in the conduct of tests by the Board but they were not on such large scale as the opposition was alleging. Chauhan said that 1,47,000 appointments were made in various departments through Vyapam since
2007, out of which only around 1000 appointments were made in a wrongful manner. The Opposition, dissatisfied with Chauhan’s statement, staged a walkout, Chauhan said manipulation in selections through Vyapam was a blot on the state government and that action would be taken against the guilty. Chief Minister said he committed a mistake in reposing trust in Vyapam but as soon as the irregularities came to the fore, instruction for tough action was issued. Chauhan said all appointments made since 2006 through Vyapam were being scrutinised and it was not fair to say that all candidates who were selected were suspect. He said a committee was formed to pinpoint the irregularities and the suspect candidate who cleared the entrance exams conducted through Vyapam were only given provisional admission. The admissions of candidates
From L S Herdenia who were found fake was cancelled. Appreciating the Special Task Force (STF) of MP Police, which is investigating the scam, Chauhan said the instant action taken by it in the case was unique and had no parallel in the country. Another issue which agitated the opposition related to the Makhanlal Chaturvedi National Journalism University, Bhopal. The term of the present vice chancellor of the varsity ended on the January 18. There were reports that Prof. Kuthiala, the VC, will get another term. It is widely known that chief minister Chauhan was against giving another term to him. But newspaper reports indicate that a section of the RSS leadership is mounting pressure on the chief minister. Both chief minister and opposition leader are the members of the varsity general council which has decisive role in the
appointment of the vicechancellor. The chief minister is the chairperson of the council. The council was to meet on January 16 to decide the issue. But Katare demanded cancellation of the meeting and alleged that under no circumstances Kuthiala should he given another term Katare alleged that under the stewardship of Kuthialal, the university had lost its prestige largely because of several acts of irregularities. Katare demanded cancellation of the meeting. And finally council could not meet. Failure of the chief minister to turn up for the meeting was stated to be the reason for the cancellation. Despite being present in Bhopal chief minister’s refusal o attend the meeting indicates how his mind was working. However it is certain that if Prof. Kuthiala is given another term it will reflect poorly on the chief minister. During the Vidhan Sabha a very interesting incident
took place. Before the Vidhan Sabha session, the government decided to allow sale of foreign Liquor (IMFL) at country liquor shops. When this issue came up before the cabinet many ministers opposed it. Despite opposition, the decision was announced. The move came as a surprise because only a few days after his re-election, the chief minister had announced that he was determined to put a check on addiction and alcoholism and no new liquor shops would be opened in future. The decision meant that IMFL would be available in 2700-odd country liquor shops too in addition to the 600-odd IMFL shops in the State. He however took a Uturn when he revoked the decision. He made this announcement in a dramatic manner. While announcing cancellation of the decision – he said “I took the decision with my mind but my heart said it was a wrong decision. I could not sleep the whole night.”
Goa Faces Crisis of Governance The BJP has failed to deliver good governance in the state of Goa. The state i s f a c i n g serious law and order problems. The crimes on women and children have increased. After the rape of a minor in Vasco one year ago, a few days back one more minor child has been raped in Vasco. Thefts are committed, houses, flats are broken and valuables of the people are robbed in.broad daylight. Even the elected representatives of people are assaulted i n t h e b r o a d daylight and nothing has happened till d a t e . T h e recent mayhem created at Porvorim by Nigerian n a t i o n a l s h a s not only brought shame to Goa, but has defamed the State all over the world. The police under the Home
Department headed b y Mr. Parrikar has failed to curb the increasing crime rate in Goa. BJP had promised the people of Goa appointment of Lokayukta within 100 days of coming to power. But, it failed to live-up to its promise. The amendment to Lakayukta Bill is another cruel joke which later was done away with another U-turn. The BJP has f a i l e d t o give unemployment benefit to the youths @ Rs.4500 w h i c h i t h a d a s s u r e d t h e unemployed youths of Goa in its election manifesto. Promises of affordable houses to the homeless, special status for Goa and an end to corruption have also turned out to be damp – squibs and mere hoax. The price of gas cylinder has touched
beyond Rs 1000 per cylinder. What happened to the BJP promise to keep gas cylinder prices unchanged for the next 5 years ? The prices of essential commodities and food items have gone beyond the reach of common man. The electricity bills and water bills have increased manifold disturbing the household budget of every goan family. The BJP Government has failed to deliver on the ongoing mining crises. The government led by M a n o h a r Parrikar had first suspended the mining operations in the state of G o a i n S e p t e m b e r, 2012, without having being armed with any facts, figures, material and documents of alleged illegal mining operations. Neither was Parrikar aware of the end game and the tragedy
and distress that was going t o unfold.! This decision of the state government has turned out to be a b i g g e s t political blunder which is bleeding the people dependent on mining and has emptied the state ex-chequer to the e x t e n t o f Rs.2400 crores per annum and the central government more than Rs 7,000 crores per annum. This blunder committed by BJP has brought complete and indiscriminate ban on all mining operations in the State of Goa by the Supreme Court Order on 5th 0ctober, 2012, depriving thousands of mining dependents of their only source of livelihood and job security. Recently, one of the biggest mining Firm Sesa On Page 12 New Age Weekly
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Myth of the Gujarat Development basically means improving the living standards and quality of life of people while paving the way towards equality of all, with the guarantee that the future of the country is democratically safe in the given national and geo-political milieu. In the Indian context it refers to the empowerment of marginalized communities, the Dalits, Adivasis, and minorities (not just religious but also linguistic, ethnic and sexual minorities) on equal footing with the other historically privileged and dominant communities. Has the common man achieved this? To some extent development has ensured upward mobility of the socially disadvantaged. This reality must be viewed against the Gujarat model of development that needs to be understood in the context and in the nature of India’s socio-economic and political reality.
freedom to opportunities for being creative and productive, enjoying selfrespect and guaranteed human rights and above all become people who care. With the coming general election, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi has launched himself to be the next prime minister of India.
Gujarat’s economic development is highly dichotomous. There is the dichotomy between capital intensive and other industries with the former given “top priority”; the dichotomy between peripheral regions and the Golden Corridor where most of the state’s industrial development is concentrated. There is also the disconnect between agriculture and industry with total neglect of the former especially since the three consecutive droughts the state experienced in the mid 80s. The Gujarat government then conveniently prioritized industrial development and launched the state as industrial investor friendly. Neglecting agriculture however resulted in destabilizing people’s food security that in 2001 led to 17 hunger deaths! There is also the dichotomy between human development and economic growth. The former is the outcome of how much the government cares for its people on the one hand and how much the rich care for the poor, on the other. A caring state would invest in enhancing its people’s capabilities so that they can live a decent life of their choice. The choices range from political, economic and social New Age Weekly
Indeed, for over a
democracy may not easily transfer this “Model” into a nationally viable template. India is unlikely to allow an unexpurgated version of Modi to ascend to the office of the prime minister. Modi’s electoral success in a polarized Gujarat, in which he could safely ignore the Muslim vote, is not likely to add up at the national level.
Examining the wider picture it can be seen, along with the above, that Gujarat’s overall development has failed. The underbelly of the spectacular growth of Gujarat is that during 2009 -10, around 18 per cent households in urban areas and 27 per cent in rural areas were poor in the state, while in other high-growth states like Tamil Nadu, the ratio of poor in urban areas is 13 per cent and in rural areas 22 per cent. decade the Gujarat story is that of Modi and viceversa. Modi has shown that it is possible to win elections, repeatedly, on the back of campaigns solely on economic growth. In pursuit of his political ambition Modi adopted the “Gujarat Model of Development” as his mascot. That is, India must now become Gujarat! However, economic growth by itself cannot serve as a panacea on the basis of the Gujarat Model of Development. If the “Model” has positives for all sections of Indian society this is indeed a positive step. No matter how weak or truncated Indian democracy may be, it has catapulted Modi to prominence in Gujarat! However, India’s
Rather than being propeople the Gujarat Model is more tuned to the interests of corporate India and TNCs! Both entities are outdoing each other in singing paeans of praise for Modi, bordering on outright sycophancy. Moreover, in a confidential document called ‘Request for Proposal’, available only to bidding PR agencies, is a guide to hard-sell ‘positive growth and development ...’ of Gujarat. Abroad as well, particularly in the US, the Indian community was galvanized to do likewise. At the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, the Indian student community had invited Modi to speak on Gujarat’s Development Model on March 23, 2012. The attempt however collapsed after University professors
(including doctors, lawyers and civil society representatives) in a signature campaign opposed the Invitation. Their petition accused Modi of failing to prevent the communal riots in Gujarat in 2002 and also opposed any attempt to de-link development from human rights! Examining the wider picture it can be seen, along with the above, that Gujarat’s overall development has failed. The underbelly of the spectacular growth of Gujarat is that during 2009 -10, around 18 per cent households in urban areas and 27 per cent in rural areas were poor in the state, while in other highgrowth states like Tamil Nadu, the ratio of poor in urban areas is 13 per cent and in rural areas 22 per cent. Furthermore, the state’s dependence on corporate investment has led to an imbalanced growth in the infrastructure sector. It has not built any new state highways in the last fifteen years. The reality behind the claims of high rural connectivity is that out of a total of 34,187 human habitations, only 26,767 were connected by road till the end of 2000. So far as the Gujarat model of Modi is considered, it is only a marketing strategy and not applicable to any other part of the country. Yet, it is being peddled as if Gujarat has an exceptional model of development! Undoubtedly, there are lessons to be learnt from experiences (both positive and negative) of development in all states not excluding Gujarat! The Kerala Model of Development, for instance, has been one instance. But for the chief minister of Gujarat to claim exceptionality in the case of Gujarat is manipulating the truth itself. Gujarat is the home of India’s largest business and
trading community. And in this, Modi dos not have any role to play. In fact, the state is nowhere near the top in the list so far as parameters of development are concerned. Following are the findings of CAG on Gujarat in this context: *The Gujarat government incurred 41 percent higher debt than the previous fiscal year and burdened the exchequer with heavy interest liability at a higher rate. The government even took a loan of Rs.15,083 crore to adjust the monetary deficit of Rs.11,027 crore, leaving a balance of Rs.3,645; * It has invested Rs.39, 179 crore in the corporate sector as well as in government firms, rural banks and joint-ventures. In the last five years, the average return on this investment was 0.25 percent while the Gujarat government paid an interest at the rate of 7.75 percent; *.It has failed to furnish the utilization certificate of Rs.9, 066.34 crore. As compared to other states, Gujarat spends less on education and health. Finally, the Gujarat “Model” suits the interests of corporate sector in the country perfectly. It is but a metaphor for a business friendly market driven model centered purely on economic growth in Brand Gujarat. MYTH: With the stateof-the art sanitation infrastructure manual scavenging no longer exists in Gujarat FACT: To give credence to this claim the Gujarat government published a document, “A Road Map For Zero Waste Ahmadabad City -A Visionary document to Guide Ahmadabad Towards Becoming a Resources Efficient and Zero Waste City by 2031”. The document however avoided mentioning manual scavenging, or, scavengers who continue to manually
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Model of Development remove human excreta! Gujarat government, however, even contradicted its claim by commissioning the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in 2006 to carry out a survey on the issue! The survey identified 12,000 people carrying ‘night soil’! Another contradiction was when it applied for central government grant to rehabilitate manual scavengers! Since then, there have been several reports highlighting the prevalence of manual scavenging in the state. For instance, * The Census Report, 2001, indicated that in rural Gujarat the sanitation coverage, that includes the three basic facilities like drinking water, electricity and sanitation, is as low as 21 per cent. That as many as 52 lakh households in the state lack toilets; over 64 lakh do not have any drainage facility and 49 lakh people defecate in the open; and that more toilets in the state are serviced by animals (4,890) than by manual scavengers (2,566); * The 2012-2013 Indian Rural Development Report noted that sanitation has reached merely 25 per cent of the state’s population. The urban situation is equally disturbing; * Two reports, The Scavenger’s Living Conditions Enquiry Committee (1955) and the Gujarat Study (2006) have also disproved this claim. The first revealed that manual scavengers in Gujarat did not even have la- trines and were forced to use dumping grounds and open drains! The second Report revealed that 45.4 per cent of manual scavengers continue to be denied toilets and bathrooms!; * An Ahmadabad based organization, Manav Garima, standing-up for the rights of manual scavengers, noted that manual scavenging
continues to be practiced in 126 areas of the city and, right under the Ahmadabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) itself! It also observed that 188 dry latrines continue to operate in the City. This situation is worse in remote and small towns across Gujarat! * A GAG report for the period up to March 2012 also pointed out that 18,321 anganwadis in the State lack toilets. On the other related aspect of this claim, it is true that the sanitation infrastructure in Gujarat has improved: There are sewage treatment plants equipped with 8-channel temperature measuring gauges with ultrasonic transmitters and electromagnetic flow meters. Most if not all have been fully automated via programmatic logic controls. Pumping stations too have been upgraded. All these infrastructural elements are easily visible! Municipal officials proudly point out these facts as evidence of their civic sense, their responsibility arid their effort in “ e n v i r o n m e n t conservation”. The local press too has been tomtoming on these sewage treatment plants calling them the “largest in Asia”. However, the huge hype behind all this conceals the harsh reality about the neglect of the maintenance infrastructure on the one hand and the miserable status of the (scavenger) staff, on the other! Despite the Employment of Manual Scavenging Act, 1993 the technology for sewerage maintenance appropriate and safe cleaning tools, implements and proper clothing, head gear with gas masks, etc remain primitive! In other words, whilst the biased sewage infrastructure has reached high levels of sophistication the maintenance technology remains just the opposite: in a disgraceful state, programmed for just
bucket and human hands!! The primitive nature of the maintenance equipment is not accidental! It mirrors the casteist mindset of the authorities and which manifests itself in various ways. For instance, * At a conclave in Delhi Modi had thundered ‘Toilets First, Temples Later’ but unwittingly exposed both himself and the miserable state of sanitation in Gujarat especially his repugnant views on manual scavengers and also on untouchability (the socioreligious practice based on the logic of purity-pollution syndrome that continues to marginalize and terrorize a section of Indian citizenry
society, the Gujarat government allocated a budget of Rs. 22.5 lakhs to train manual scavengers in the Holy Scriptures so that they could perform ‘pujas’. The ‘initiative’ however is but a revised version of the earlier scheme -training manual scavengers as ‘Gurubrahmins’; * Further, the State government outsourced all menial jobs in Gujarat, on a paltry salary of just Rs.3, 000 and Rs.3500 per month per worker and without the benefit of permanent employment. The sanitation problem is not just Gujarat’s but it is an all-India
At a conclave in Delhi Modi had thundered ‘Toilets First, Temples Later’ but unwittingly exposed both himself and the miserable state of sanitation in Gujarat especially his repugnant views on manual scavengers and also on untouchability (the socio-religious practice based on the logic of purity-pollution syndrome that continues to marginalize and terrorize a section of Indian citizenry to a segregated life of ‘apartheid’. to a segregated life of ‘apartheid’. To illustrate: * In his book of speeches, “Karmyog” (2007), Modi subtly mocked manual scavengers, calling the work of removing human excreta as their “spiritual experience”! The insult erupted into widespread protests by the Dalits in Tamil Nadu, making a bon fire of Modi’s effigies. In a damage-control exercise Modi then compared the work of ‘cleaning up other’s dirt’ to that of a temple priest, “A priest cleans a temple every day before prayers; you also clean the city like a temple. You and the temple priests’ work alike”; * Again, in an apparent show of “respect” to the work the manual scavengers perform for
phenomena. With half of India’s population lacking toilets the problem also cuts across caste, class and gender. The deprivation of the right to proper sanitation however affects the poor and women most. Caste discrimination in the access of sanitation is also a harsh reality. The National Confederation for Dalit Organizations pointed out that only 23.7 per cent of Dalit homes have access to latrines as against 42.3 per cent of non-Dalit homes! Besides, in urban areas, the number of public toilets is heavily skewed in favour of men. According to a 2009 study, Delhi had 1,534 toilets for men while women had only 132. Despite innumerable attempts to its ban, manual scavenging in
Gujarat continues! Laws have become meaningless when some of the worst offenders are also government agencies and enterprises! Yet, promulgations against the practice are made regularly. The latest is on Mahanirman Din, December 6, with full page coverage in the Daily News Analysis (6-12-2013), announcing: “Eradication of Manual Scavenging in India from Today”. Furthermore, the overall health situation in Gujarat is not encouraging. Malnutrition is wide- spread and the status of expectant mothers is tragic. There are problems in institutional deliveries in Gujarat among expectant mothers. The Gujarat government launched the Chiranjeevi Yojana in November 2005 with the aim to reduce maternal and infant mortality rate among the Adivasi community and BPL women by promoting institutional deliveries. The plan has since collapsed! A 2012 study on the impact of the scheme shows that doctors avoid treating beneficiaries. The Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPH), Gandhinagar, compared the number of caesarean deliveries among the beneficiaries and nonbeneficiaries in private hospitals in Sabarkantha. The researchers interviewed 224 mothers from 23 Chiranjeevi Yojanaaccredited hospitals and 372 from 43 other facilities. Health Status of Mothers of Gujarat Deliveries under the scheme Normal: 760,226 (88.5 percent) Caesarian: 54,953 (6.3 percent) Complicated: 43,718 (5 percent) Total:.858,897 (100 percent). They found the rate of caesarean deliveries among the scheme’s beneficiaries was six per cent compared to 18 per cent among nonbeneficiaries. It was also On Page 12 New Age Weekly
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Com CR: A Fearless Warrior of Indian Revolution-XI Com Rajeswar Rao made an all-out effort to build the party with a new organization set up and tried to popularize and strengthen the party. In the history of the Communist Party of India, he is the second general secretary who did this enormous task of building the party. First general secretary who did this important task was P.C. Joshi. CR was a dynamic general secretary, went round the whole country to know the strong and week points of his party and his cadres. He got acquainted with cadres at various levels in the states and won their confidence and love. He was very human and tried to help cadres to solve even their personnel problems. He was always sensitive to the weaker sections of the people, particularly towards SC, ST, backwards, minorities and women. He was a person with a strong nationalism in progressive tradition. He used to say that only leaders with big hearts could preserve the unity of India. His particular contribution to the CPI was development of a strong party organization department as well as mass organizations. Strong departments dealing with organization and party education were set up at the centre and in the states as well. He used to guide these departments in the early days of his tenure as general secretary. He considered whole timers as precious assets of the party. He used to say that the party must meet the basic needs of a comrade at all levels. He preferred mass organizations to be independent and to function democratically.
By P K Balakrishnan the real communist party was their party, where A.K. Gopalan and EMS were there. Common cadres and people did not understand the real reason of the split. Even today how many people understand the differences between the two communist parties. In regard with the Kerala election defeat, comrade Rajeswar Rao said the following in the meeting, “EMS has succeeded in showing that he commands majority in Kerala — partyand masses. Kerala comrades have not concealed the fact that they (the leftists) were stronger. When the wind begins to blow, we do not know where it will end. We knew things wee against us. “We have got five lakh votes and that is a hopeful thing. But in our democracy, votes do not count. People look at seats, not votes… In our party the position is that our ranks and followers are crudely Left. When we take a turn, we are in the beginning at a disadvantage. We have not conducted a mass campaign for the line that while fighting the Congress, we should also fight other reactionary forces. “I think that in our work we have committed some mistakes of reformism – taken advantage of by the leftists (CPI(M)). We must review the mistakes. It is wrong to call the lefts as anti-national or pro-Peking etc (ref. to Damodaran’s article)”. “Tamilnad elections should also be reviewed. “Regarding the question of adjustments to win seats we should not support one or the other communal reactionary parties.
He was a consistent advocate of unity of all left forces and toiled to achieve this unity. Rajeswara Rao was always against communalism and fundamentalism throughout his life.
“Emphasis on mass work, put our policy before the masses; work for unity of all democratic forces, including the leftist friends (CPI(M), but we do not defend their polities, it is for them to do).”
Immediately after the seventh congress of the party at Bombay, the Kerala Assembly mid-tem elections were held. In this election CPI gave a call for a common electoral front uniting all the left and democratic parties including the CPI(M). CPI tried its best to form the left front. But did not succeed. The fight between parties continued. CPI made certain sectarian mistakes in its electoral approach that left the party isolated in this electoral battle. Though CPI contested 90 seats, it could manage only three seats, It got more than five lakh votes (9.5 percent). After the split in the CPI, the split away group became a big party in Kerala, getting most of the support. The CPI (M) succeeded in winning the left vote electorate and its leaders A. K. Gopalan and EMS Namboodiripad got elected with sizeable number of votes. This base was traditionally an anti-Congress pro-CPI base. People in this traditional vote bank believed the real CPI was the CPI(M). A.K. Gopalan was a mass leader, he travelled everywhere, met every branch leaders, convinced them that
The CPI drew bitter lessons from the Kerala assembly election experience and took important steps to correct the earlier mistakes and forged links with the common man and carried on an intensive political and ideological campaign in Kerala, in which the party earlier lagged behind. The party also adopted a realistic flexible tactics in subsequent elections The sharp conflict and division in the communist camp helped the communal forces of different kinds to increase their strength. The failure and division of communists had very big impact on the political life of Kerala.
New Age Weekly
After take over as a g e n e r a l secretary of
the party Com. Rajeswar Rao went out of the way to strengthen the party organization. On the basis of the organisational report adopted by the VII Congress of the party, several departments were set up under the guidance of con. Rajeswar Rao. Circular dated February 1965 says the following: “The departments would consist of the members of the national council and such other capable comrades who are actually working or are prepared to work on the particular front. The national council members who are drafted to the departments also must be regular functionaries in the departments, as is stated in the organizational Report” ….. Another department called “peoples service corps” was organized under Rajeswar Rao’s initiative. The purpose of this organization as stated in the organizational report was to help people in distress – epidemics, fire accidents, flood havoc, to help people in “melas and such other occasions”, to do constructive work in villages and towns, and to help the party committees to conduct meetings, processions and conferences in an organized manner. This organization was named “Lok Seva Dal”. They were given training for the following (a) First Aid (b) Fire Fighting (c) Health and Hygiene (d) Construction work like digging cannals, making roads etc. (e) Simple drill and self defence which gives a sense of discipline and of doing things in an organized manner. (f ) Conducting of meetings, processions and conferences. (g) Simple lessons in theory and the history of our movement. In this period, in February, 1965, antiHindi movement was going on in Tamil Nadu. In this connection, Rajeswar Rao issued a critical statement. He said the following: “The anti-Hindi movement in Tamil Nadu has run into anarchy. Any further continuance of this state of affairs would not only cause harm to the unity of the general democratic movement but to the very aim for which the present movement is launched. This will further intensify the counter-feelings already round in the Hindi speaking states, thereby causing a lot of harm to the democratic movement”… “In these circumstances, it is the duty of every party organization and individuals who desire the unity and integrity of our vast country with its unity in diversity to intervene and stop the movement from assuming undesirable forms”. In this period in February 1965 party also submitted a memorandum to the prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, on taxation and to the “Concentration of Vast Wealth and economic power in the hands of a few monopoly houses who, according to On Page 14
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Indian Laws Make Rich Richer A report by Oxfam, ‘Working For the Few’, published ahead of World Economic Forum annual meet slated to take place at DavosKlosters, Switzerland during 22-25 January, 2014 details the impact that widening inequality is having in India as well as other developed and developing nations. Oxfam’s polling from across the world establishes that laws and regulations are now designed to benefit the rich. A survey in India and five other countries — Spain, Brazil, South Africa, the UK and the US — showed that laws are skewed in favour of the rich. Financial deregulation, skewed tax systems and rules facilitating evasion, austerity economics, policies that disproportionately harm women, and captured oil and mineral revenues are all examples that continuously pamper the rich at the cost of the 99 per cent underprivileged. The past quarter of a century has seen wealth become ever more concentrated in the hands of fewer people. This global phenomenon has led to a situation where one per cent of the world’s families own almost half (46 per cent) of the world’s wealth. The bottom half of the world’s population owns less than the richest 85 people in the world. Oxfam’s polling further reveals an overwhelming sentiment that laws and regulations are designed to benefit the rich. Its survey showed that laws are skewed in favour of the rich elevating them to an illegal level where even ‘the rich have too much influence over where this country is headed’. Thus, it is seen that with wealth begetting wealth, the political and institutional system is rigged in favour of elites so that the consolidation of their privileges cascades down through different mechanisms. This ‘privilege cascade’ affects elements that otherwise should be conducive to fair opportunities and protection for all members of society. What, by some measure, looks and sounds meritocratic is a result of rules that are biased in favour of the elite. Good quality education and other public services overwhelmingly benefit the few, providing them with more opportunities for development. Equality of opportunity is a central tenet of inclusive modern societies. It implies that a person’s achievements or outcomes should not be determined by their race, gender, family, or any other immutable characteristic. There are strong arguments to defend a certain level of income inequality in any society as it may result from entrepreneurship, effort and merit, as explained earlier; but very few people would oppose equality of opportunity for everyone. Recent evidence shows that income inequality and inequality of opportunity are highly correlated: children’s life chances are strongly determined by their parents’ socio-economic status. Concentration of wealth in the hands of the few leads to undue political influence, which ultimately robs citizens of natural resource revenues, produces unfair tax policies and encourages corrupt practices, and challenges the regulatory powers of governments. Taken together, all of 14 access
to scarce resources, made available exclusively through government permissions and therefore susceptible to corruption by powerful actors — as opposed to creation of wealth. Such sectors include real estate, construction, mining, and telecommunications. In fact, it is common knowledge that property development is India’s most opaque business, where enormous sums of illegal money exchange hands and little tax is collected. Wealth accrued from rents is made possible by the co-action of government and powerful groups, whereby the economic rules of the game are rigged in favour of elites. Despite incredible economic gains by a few dozen people in India, poverty and inequality remain rampant. While the number of billionaires has multiplied by ten, government spending on the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable groups remains’ remarkably low. For example, India’s public spending on healthcare is just one per cent of GDP. The Asian Development Bank’s recently released (Assessing country expenditure on poor and economically vulnerable groups) ranked India 23 out of 35 countries in the region. Even among the 19 low-to-middleincome countries, India ranked in the bottom
Notes of the Week Chidambaram N half, in twelfth place. Corruption and loopholes mean that tax revenues necessary to address inequality are either too low or misappropriated. The fortunes amassed by India’s new billionaires are often hidden through shell companies established in foreign countries, making it easy to evade taxes. A recent working paper by Oxfam India demonstrates that ending the inheritance tax (in 1985) and limiting the wealth tax (in 1993) to non-productive assets (thereby excluding financial assets) has driven a low tax-toGDP ratio and is permitting the much greater concentration of wealth. The tax structure in India is also highly regressive, with only 37.7 per cent of total taxes coming from direct taxation such as income, profits, and capital gains.
Mayaram Panel for Easier Fund-Flow Norms The Mayaram committee on rationalising the definition of various foreign investment classes in India has, in its draft report, stated that the new class of foreign portfolio investment (FPI) can be allowed up to the limit of automatic foreign direct investment (FDI) on a sectoral basis. The committee has also recommended that any sort of foreign investment into unlisted firms will be treated as FDI, irrespective of any threshold, say reports. Department of economic affairs (DEA) secretary Arvind Mayaram seems to have forgotten that only through raising the purchasing power of local populace can any country make more consistent and sustainable domestic-funds fed real inclusive growth.
India slips on global map for business opportunities: A related report on investment preferences says when chief executive officers (CEOs) of global companies were asked to rate three countries that would contribute largely to their overall growth, India fared slightly poorer than last year, according to the 17th Annual Global CEO Survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers. Even Indian CEOs with about half saying they were “not very confident” of growth prospects in the next 12 months. The report said an increasing number of CEOs continued to send out mixed signals. Last year, while advanced economies were struggling, emerging economies surged; this year, while advanced economies are returning to the growth path, growth in some emerging economies is decelerating For the survey, 1,344 CEOs, across 68 countries, were interviewed between September 9 and December 6, 2013. The majority of these interviewees were from the Asia-Pacific. From India, Apollo Hospital’s Preetha Reddy and ICICI Bank’s Chanda Kochhar were included in the list of those interviewed face-to-face; the rest were interviewed through post, telephone and online. Coming back to the draft report on FPI route, “Investment shall be subject to a default aggregate cap of 24 per cent. The default limit can be raised to the sectoral cap or the statutory cap, whichever is permissible under the automatic route, and this will be the ceiling for FPI investments.” For example, in telecom, up to 49 per cent FDI is allowed through the automatic route and up to 100 per cent FDI is allowed through approval route. According to the panel’s recommendations, the aggregate FPI limit in telecom companies can also be up to 49 per cent. It would be the company’s prerogative as to how much of the 49 per cent limit is FDI and how much is FPI. The individual FPI limit is to be capped at 10 per cent, the report stated. FPI is a new proposed investor class to be formed by merging existing foreign institutional investors (FIIs), sub accounts and qualified foreign investors (QFI). This was recommended by a panel led by former cabinet secretary KM Chandrasekhar last year. The draft report also stated that the issue of foreign venture capital investors (FVCI) putting money into start ups in India needed to be looked at afresh. At present, there is ambiguity regarding this investor class. The RBI allows FVCIs in only 10 sectors. This may be increased to 13 sectors. However, there is no regulation either by SEBI or FEMA that allows this kind of restriction. “A separate team of SEBI, RBI and DEA may be asked to look into all the aspects of FVCI investment and rationalize the same,” the report stated. The Mayaram committee is headed by DEA secretary Arvind Mayaram. Members include RBI deputy governor H R Khan, DIPP secretary Saurabh Chandra, SEBI board member S Raman, and additional and joint secretaries from revenue, economic affairs departments. New Age Weekly
12 From Page 7 Goa Ltd, has sought permission of the state government as well the central government to layoff 1050 workmen, thus threatening to dispossess the jobs of thousands of w o r k m e n who have worked in these mines for last many years contributing huge revenues to t h e s t a t e a n d central exchequer. It is the ardent duty of both the state as well as the central government to
January 26—February 1, 2014
p r o t e c t t h e jobs and livelihood of the tens of thousands of people dependent on mining. Tall promises will not serve the purpose. The slogan corruption free administration has remained on the back b u r n e r and rampant corruption is seen in the administration. The recent building accident in Canacona is a live example and an indicator to suggest how the laws are turned and twisted to suit the billionaries and influential people. The
Goa Faces Crisis of Governance... construction industry has mushroomed all over by cutting hills and forest land rampantly. The CRZ rules are blatantly violated and constructions have come up in coastal zones; and all coastal belts are a witness to the rampant violations. On the other hand, neither has the Congress Party honourably aquitted itself on the mining crisis in Goa. The BJP, Congress and several worthies in Goa have all colluded to cause irreparable destruction to the livelihood of the mining dependants in the
Myth of the Gujarat Model.... From Centre Pages noted that the doctors chose only those patients who needed normal delivery! One health centre reported that the state government has neglected its responsibility by signing agreements with private hospitals; concerned to only make money. MYTH: Caste discrimination in Gujarat is just a perception FACT: This claim stems from the Gujarat government sponsored report, “Impact of Caste Discrimination and Distinctions on Equal Opportunities: A Study of Gujarat”. The Report was to counter the study by the Navsaljan Trust that revealed widespread prevalence of manual scavenging in Gujarat. As in the rest of the country caste discrimination in Gujarat is a fact of life! In January 2010 according to a study, it was revealed that caste discrimination and untouchability was rampant. Most villages surveyed showed that Dalits were prohibited from touching articles used in religious rituals. Untouhcabality is also practiced in schools, shops, at the level of the panchayats. Dalits are not served tea, etc., but served separately in utensils or crockery that is reserved for Dalits only! In over half the villages of Gujarat, there are cups kept separately even in tea New Age Weekly
stalls that the Dalits have to wash after taking tea in them. Further, most Dalit children are segregated from upper caste children during midday meals, at schools, and they are expected to drink water only after returning home! Alarmed over the revelation of untouhcabliltiy the Gujarat government went on an overdrive, delegating its spin doctors for cover-up action instructing its officials to ask for “affidavits” from Dalits to “prove” that the report on untouchability was hollow. It also sponsored a study by CEPT University of Ahmedabad to review the reality of untoucability. It paid Rs 27, 53 lakh for the report. The CEPT academics however preferred not to touch any of the villages’ surveyed earlier. Instead, in consultation with Gujarat government officials, they selected five other villages. Its study sought to undermine untouchability and that caste discrimination was just a “matter of perception”. In response to this atrocious CEPT Report, the Navsarjan Trust sent its research team to each of the five villages for survey. The resurvey report showed that in each of these five villages, while Rohits, a Dalit sub-caste, are alone made to lift and dispose off a dead cow or
a buffalo, another subcaste, the Valmikis, are made to “remove the rest of the dead animals”. It further revealed that untouhablilty was widely prevalent, and the CEPT study was highly biased! Above all, the renowned social scientist, Ghyansham Shah, noted that the CEPT Report totally avoided the issue of untouchability in Gujarat though it did mention some incidents of untouchability ‘albeit’ without categorizing these as illegal or criminal behaviour. When challenged, the CEPT responded, “Our Study was not aimed at countering Navsarjan Trust’s report. We have already told the government that the Navsarjan Trust study is comprehensive and excellent. Our study should be viewed as complementary”. To this Dalit activists responded “If the government report complements our’s, there should be a White Paper detailing what steps the State propose to eradicate untouchability”! MYTH: The Gujarat model provides clean and corruption-free governance. FACT: According to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, the Modi government provided undue benefits to a number of corporates leading to several hundred crores loss to the exchequer. For instance, he has allocated
state. Now all these colluders are only shedding ‘crocodile tears’. They deserve to be roundly punished by the people. Under the BJP dispensation the emboldened employer class are on the offensive. Closures and lay – offs of the workers are on the rise. Using the economic crisis as a smoke-screen, employers are delaying payment of salaries, cutting down on entrenched and abiding service- conditions of the workers, downsizing
and heaping more and more workloads on the working class. The contract labour system is ubiquitous and spreading in all areas of economic life and establishments not excluding government departments and public s e c t o r undertakings. The ‘Minimum Wages’ in Goa are the lowest in the country & not l i n k e d w i t h raging consumer Price Index.
land to Rattan Tata at a throwaway rate of less as Re.1 per sq.ft. Further, the Report by the Department of Information Technology (DIT) noted that a large majority of Gujaratis have to pay bribes, around Rs 184 on an average to get services from government departments which have all been computerized. It also shows that Gujarat is the only state, where bribery in the department has risen after computerization.
the last decade. But so has India’s, since the economy, as a whole, has boomed as can be gleaned from table below. The average of the yearly growth rate for India improved from 6.2 percent per year between 199495 and 2001-02, to 8.0 percent and from 2002-03 to 2010-11. For Bihar, the corresponding figures are 5.4 percent and 8.2 percent, respectively.
On transparency, there are glaring discrepancies in the many RTI applications and those which have been left unanswered. “The State Information Commission has some 5, 22 pending RTI application out of which 70 per cent are appeals. This means that the public information officers are not giving information...”. Further, the gram shabhas which are convened by the village sarpanch, are given instructions to convene by the Gujarat government! The agenda, time and venue are all decided by the government. Moreover, contrary to the popular belief the state is not a electricity surplus state. It fails to provide power to the thousands of rural hamlets and villages across the State. There are even around 11 lakh families without electricity! MYTH: The Gujarat Model is a template for economic development FACT: Gujarat’s economic growth rate has undoubtedly improved in
(Extracts from Goa CPI
Average of Annual Growth Rates (in percent per year) 1994-95/2001-2002, 2002-03/2010-11 Gujarat: 6.5, 10.4, Bihar: 5.4, 8.2 India: 6.2, 8.0 A simple way to discern if Gujarat and Bihar have outperformed the rest of the economies is to examine their ranks among the states. There is no improvement in the rank of Gujarat! According to data from the Planning Commission Gujarat grew at 10.1 per cent between 2004 and 2012, faster than the national average of 8.3 per cent. But during the same period, Maharashtra grew at 10.8 per cent and Tamil Nadu at 10.3 per cent. Since Modi took over in 2001, the Gujarat growth rate has been lower than they were in the ‘80s and ‘90s! If it is currently the hub of development, it is because of the ‘80s and ‘90s. This is not an achievement of Modi. However, Modi’s trumpeting of his narrow success downplays the successes elsewhere.
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Karl Marx has rightly has written, “The rich will do anything for the poor but get off their backs.” The wealthy always exploit their government connections, while spending on the poorest remains remarkably low. A handful of 85 capitalists on the globe are the mightier than the vast ocean of half of the world’s poor. Seven out of ten people live in countries where economic inequality has increased in the last three decades. The Global Risk report has identified the large and chronic income gap between the richest and poorest citizens as the biggest risk facing the world in 2014 and the one thing that could wreak the greatest havoc in the coming decade. The world confronts dangers in the form of income inequality that could tear up societies amid threats to personal privacy and liberty as governments, like that in the US, delve deeper into people’s lives. Slower economic growth rates in turn have profound implications for social and economic equity. The unemployment and underemployment are both risks that could be high impact and highlight the challenge faced by young people, critical to nations such as India that have large numbers of them entering the work force. With the only thing growing fast the gap between rich and poor, this year’s economic conclave in Davos could be a gloomy one. This was officially declared by a leading anti-poverty charity organisation Oxfam. The meeting in the past has been dominated by various looming emergencies – the global financial meltdown, the European debt crisis and the US fiscal cliff. The global political and business elite is not complacent either. As World Economic Forum starts in Davos, development charity claims that growing inequality has been driven by a ‘power grab’ by wealthy elites. These world’s wealthiest people of the world control as much wealth as the poorest half of the global population. The extent to which so much global wealth has become corralled by a virtual handful of the so-called ‘global elite’ is exposed in a new report from Oxfam on January 20. It warned that those richest 85 people across the globe share a combined wealth of 1trillion pound, as much as the poorest 3.5 billion of the world’s population. (One pound is equal to Indian Rs. 105.05). The wealth of the 1 per cent richest people in the world amounts to 110 trillion dollar, or 65 times as much as the poorest half of the world’s population, added the development charity, which fears this concentration of economic resources is threatening political stability and driving up social tensions. The richest one per cent increased their share of income in 24 out of 26 countries. It’s a chilling reminder of the depths of wealth inequality as political leaders and top business people head to the snowy peaks of Davos for this week’s World Economic Forum. In the past, 210 people have become billionaires, joining a select group of 1,426 individuals with a combined net worth of 5.4 trillion dollar. Since the late 1970s, tax rates for the richest have fallen in 29 of the 30 countries meaning that the rich not only get more money in these countries
Consequences of Globalisation: The Growing Global Inequality but also pay less tax. The richest individuals and companies in the world hide trillions of dollars away from the taxman in a web of tax havens around the world. In Europe, austerity has been imposed on the poor and middle classes under huge pressure from financial markets whose wealthy investors have benefited from state bailouts of financial institutions. In the US, the wealthiest one per cent captured 95 per cent of post-financial crisis growth since 2009, while the bottom 90 per cent became poorer. Nearly 10 per cent of the global population holds 86 per cent of all the assets in the world, while the poorest 70 per cent (more than 3 billion adults) hold just 3 per cent. It is staggering that in the 21st Century, half of the world’s population – that’s three and a half billion people – own no more than a tiny elite whose numbers could all fit comfortably on a double-decker bus.
Diary of International Events C Adhikesavan The growing inequality has been driven by a “power grab” by wealthy elites, who have co-opted the political process to rig the rules of the economic system in their favour. The fight against poverty cannot be won until wealth inequality has been tackled. Widening inequality is creating a vicious circle where wealth and power are increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few, leaving the rest of the vast majority of masses to fight over crumbs from the top table. The capitalist system along with the international community has failed to mitigate many of these issues and manage the consequences of globalization. Socialism is the only solution and an alternative system to replace the capitalist system.
Iran Halts Uranium Enrichment programme Iran takes another welcome step. The freezing of Iran’s uranium enrichment plan as part of the interim nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers has started from January 20. The implementation of the nuclear agreement started in the presence of inspectors who will now monitor the sites. Talks on Iran’s controversial nuclear deal were held between the country and P5+1 the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany - on November 24 last year. As part of the deal, Iran will temporarily freeze most of it’s nuclear programme for six months and will stop enriching uranium beyond 5 per cent. It will also give inspectors access to its nuclear facilities. Economic sanctions against Iran will be lifted and it will also receive its frozen funds
of upto 4.2 billion US dollar as part of the deal. US President Barack Obama has welcomed the move but what about their own stockpiled nuclear weapons, ask the countries, which are for, total disbanding of the weapons. These nations have time and again raised their concerns over Iran’s controversial nuclear programme suspecting it to be secretly producing atomic weapons. Where is the justice if a handful few countries can have nuclear weapons and others are deprived from having them?
No Jobs For Americans The impact of the globalised economy has affected the countries, which were campaigning for the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and World Bank led neoeconomic policies. The alleged recovery in United States took a direct hit from January 17-payroll jobs report. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the economy created 74,000 net new jobs in December. Wholesale and retail trade accounted for 70,700 of these jobs or 95.5 per cent in US. It is likely that the December wholesale and retail hires were temporary for the Christmas shopping season, which doesn’t seem to have been very exuberant, especially in light of Macy’s decision to close five stores and lay off 2,500 employees. A job gain of 74,000, even if it is real, is about half of what is needed to keep the unemployment rate even with population growth. Reports say that the unemployment rate fell from 7.0 to 6.7 per cent. Clearly, this decline in unemployment was not caused by the reported 74,000 jobs gain. The unemployment rate fell, because Americans unable to find jobs ceased looking for employment and, thereby, ceased to be counted as unemployed. In America the unemployment rate is a deception just like everything else. The rate of American unemployment fell, because people can’t find jobs. The fewer the jobs, the lower the unemployment rate. The gain in employment of waitresses and bartenders, normally a large percentage of the job gain, was down to 9,400 jobs, which were offset by declines elsewhere, such as the layoff of local school teachers. Aren’t Washington’s priorities wonderful? 1,000 billion dollar per year in Quantitative Easing, essentially subsidies for 6 banks “too big to fail,” and nothing for school teachers. A tiny bright spot in the payroll jobs report is 9,000 new manufacturing jobs. The US manufacturing workforce has declined so dramatically since jobs offshoring became the policy of American corporations that 9,000 jobs hardly register on the scale. Fabricated metal products, roofing metal, accounted for 56 per cent of the manufacturing jobs. Roofing metal is not an export. Employment in the production of manufactured products that could be exported, such as “computer and electronic equipment,” and “electronic instruments” declined by 2,400 and 3,500 respectively. New Age Weekly
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Com CR: A Fearless Warrior... From Page 10 official and unofficial reports, constitute not more than 20 giant combines.” In 1965 the party gave a call for united mass actions and mass struggles against the policy of the central government as well as its arbitrary arrests and detention without trial of communists on a wide scale.
communal forces to rouse communal passions and worked for secularism. A Hindi-Urdu writers conference of the party was organized on April 12, 1965 in Delhi under the leadership of Rajeswar Rao. This meeting was attended by following comrades. 1. Dr. Namwar Singh (Varanasi)
By this time Indo-Pak war of 1965 started. National defence became the top most overriding issue. Immediately Party came out with slogan of action and put the crisis before the nation in correct perspective while calling upon people to resist Pak aggression, the CPI conducted a powerful campaign to expose the hand of Anglo-American imperialists behind the aggression party raised the slogan of “Quit the Common Wealth” and mobilized the masses behind this slogan.
2. Dr. Ram Gopal Singh Chauhan (Agra)
The CPI managed to rebuff the attempts of the
12. Asad Jafri (Hayat Delhi)
New Age Weekly
3. Sardar (Bombay)
Jafri
4. Dr. Rahi Masoom Raza (Aligarh) 5. Shivdan Chauhan (Delhi)
Singh
6.
Munshi (Delhi)
7.
Rajiv Saxena (Delhi)
8. Guru (Lucknow) 9. Ahmad (Hayat-Delhi)
Prasad Mozzam
10. Anis Jalali (HayatDelhi) 11. Rama (Varanasi)
Kant
13. Ramesh Sinha (Janayug Lucknow) 14. M. Farooqui (Delhi) 15. B.K. Gupta (M.P) 16. Hari Saran Dogra (Jammu Kashmir) 17. J. Das Gupta (West Bengal) 18. Damodaran (Kerala) 19. N.K. (Tamilnadu)
Krishnan
20. Rajeswar (Delhi)
Rao
21. Yogindra Sharma (Delhi) 22. Sajjad S. Zaheer (Delhi) Sajjad Zaheer presided over the meeting. Com Yoginder Sharma was the first to speak. He explained that the present meeting was called as preparatory meeting for a bigger Hindi and Urdu writers conference. Sajjad Zaheer read out his note on the purpose and objectives of the proposed conference of Hindi and Urdu writers. After that there was a general discussion. The first to speak in the discussion was com. Sardar Jafri.
Thousands March on Kolkata Streets... From Page 4
rapist and murderers; but the same TMC government sends police for lathi charge on the Left Front’s demonstration be it of women or young students or of people. This government did not give permission to hold this meeting of CPI at Shahid Minar maidan. CPI leader said that the TMC government has been indulging in accusing and arresting left front workers imposing false cases and its activists and workers are attacking residences of left front leaders and workers, even their party offices are not spared and that too in the constituencies of left front constituents. Sudhakar said, CPI has to work hard to unify fighters against rape and murder and to organize people for struggle to protect democratic rights of the toiling masses of the state. CPI’s struggle for the causes of common masses will stimulate various political party activists, general masses, and only then people will understand that struggle can be the only way to get protection from exploiters and their onslaught. Considering these facts, the CPI has given a clarion call to organize continued movement of the toiling people across the country. Gurudas Das Gupta congratulated the party activists who courageously carried the red flags and joined the rally even against the fact that the TMC had proclaimed prohibition on red flags in districts and towns and in the remote villages. Gurudas said that the toiling people and party workers have joined the rally though they were threatened and almost every day CPI and left front activists were facing extremely adverse conditions. As the leaflets were distributed in the villages and towns announcing the rally, there were not only threats but the offices of CPI and left front were set aflame. The premises of the party offices where the preparatory meetings of the leading party workers for this mass rally were organized were also attacked. He said that the participants were today taking oath to organize fight against corruption, price rise, rape and murder.
On Page 15
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Thousands March on Kolkata Streets... From Page 14
Gurudas said that rape and murder has become the regular affair of the state. Women are afraid of coming out at night. TMC government has failed to take stringent action against this social sin. Not Delhi, now it is Kolkata that has become the capital of crime against women. CPI will continue to support women’s fight for their safety and security. He said, party leaders and workers will fight together with suffering people and toiling masses against suppression of democratic rights. TMC is advertising stupendous economic development within two and half years of their rule in the state which is baseless and untrue. Without economic development of the country a constituent state alone cannot develop. He said, TMC MPs used to laugh at the CPI leader when they in the Parliament were raising voice against recession. When left front MPs voted against so called economic reforms and FDI, TMC MPs refrained from
voting against proposals of UPA-II. Gurudas said, UPAII government failed to create job for ten crore unemployed youth. He said, safety and security of women have been jeopardized during UPA rule. He quoted V. I. Lenin and
said, country will have despot(s) if women can not enjoy freedom in all respect. He mentioned one billion dollar bribe in fertilizer scams. He mentioned mobile scam of 1.25 lakhs crores
ON RECORD... The Supreme Court has directed the University Grants Commission to consider afresh the status of 44 deemed universities which were sought to be de-recognised on the basis of the Tandon Committee report. Passing the order on Tuesday on a writ petition filed by advocate Viplav Sharma seeking regulation of the deemed universities, a Bench of Justices K.S. Radhakrishnan and Vikramajit Sen asked the UGC to examine the reports of the Tandon Committee and the Committee of Officers with notice to all 44 institutions. – The Hindu, January 23.
besides Commonwealth scam of more than eighty thousand crores. Gurudas Dasgupta said that political uncertainties are getting wide spread and taking the entire country in its folds.
tremendous resistance of TMC and joined the rally. Party leaders and workers had to work hard. They bravely organized campaign even deep in villages for making the rally a success.
Manjukumar Mazumdar in his presidential address
He extended his greetings to the participants especially from rural Bengal who are living under threat
said, the party has at last been able to hold the rally of January 17. He said, the toiling people from towns, villages and remote huts and hamlets overcame
and were forbidden from participating in any political activities. He said, TMC supremo Mamta Banerji before her enthronement had said that she wanted
93 million slum dwellers in our country, with an urban housing shortage of nearly 18 million, Mr. Mukherjee said a holistic approach spanning three key areas — residential, occupational and social — is required to effectively combat poverty. “As visible signs of systemic inadequacies, slums and homelessness pose considerable challenges for policymakers.” – The Hindu, January 22. ***
*** It is misleading to suggest that all night shift work causes “chaos” for people’s bodies and plays havoc with their DNA, as a recent study at the University of Surrey in the UK indicates. Current studies on the putative link between working late hours in the night and suspected long-term impact on “graveyard shift” employees’ health are scientifically inconclusive. Research at best indicates that one would need to work regular, unending night shifts over 20 or 30 years to significantly raise any risk to bodily functions or invite threat to DNA or dangers of contracting diseases like breast cancer. – The Times of India, January 23. *** President Pranab Mukherjee on January 21 called for a “holistic vulnerability-based approach” to address poverty and address the challenges posed by the staggering number of homeless and slum dwellers in the country. Pointing out that there were an estimated
to establish democratic rule, not the rule of a particular party. But within two and half years of her holding power in West Bengal her party has adopted all sorts of highhandedness to destroy democratic rights of the people and media. TMC government has miserably failed to protect women. Mazumdar said, UPA government has been proved to be a government of rich and corporate besides its submissive attitude towards USA. People disgusted with UPA rule now are searching for new. This is the reason which facilitated AAP to grab power at Delhi. Mazumdar said, the time is up to go beyond the limits of the left front and to build bridges with other sections. He said, if united trade union movement has become possible, why not united movement of all left parties and left minded people could be organized? He said, CPI workers and left minded people must go hand in hand to build unity of struggling people across the state to strengthen the fight and organization too.
quo and those indicted for violating service conduct rules. The state may also ask the income-tax department to initiate criminal proceedings against owners of benami flats in the 31storey Colaba tower. – The Times of India, January 22. *** The government has signalled its willingness to move ahead with a partial de-allocation of blocks, presumably to avert a full-scale cancellation by the Supreme Court on the lines of the 2G verdict. But while partial de-allocation could be politically less damaging, what would be the impact on investments and production? Would Rs 2.86 lakh crore of investments be affected? – The Times of India, January 22. ***
The coal ministry has told a parliamentary committee that it does not have any of the 800-odd original files on the coal blocks allocation to share with it, since they have all been handed over to the CBI. According to the ministry, it does not even have photocopies of any of the files. – The Indian Express, January 22. *** In the wake of strong reactions to the state cabinet’s rejection of the Adarsh panel report, the state government is likely to hold a departmental probe against the bureaucrats held guilty of giving clearances for quid pro
Amid the debate over the underpayment of Indian domestic helps engaged by Indian diplomats abroad in the wake of the Devyani Khobragade case, the UPA government is formulating a policy under which India will accept the prevalence of the host country’s wage laws. The draft National Policy for Domestic Workers, providing for minimum wages and the right to form unions and associations to domestic helps, states that it “shall not affect any more favourable provisions applicable to domestic or migrant workers under other bilateral/multilateral instruments/ treaties or foreign legislations, policies, programmes or schemes”. – The Indian Express, January 21. Compiled By— C Adhikesavan New Age Weekly
16 NEW AGE
Delhi Postal Regd. No.DL(C)-01/1274/2012-14 January 26—February 1, 2014 Licenced to Post without Pre-payment No.U-(C)/47/2012-14 (R.N.I.No.539/57)Posted in NDPSO, Friday&Saturday Published on Every Friday
January 26—February 1, 2014
CPI Launches Massive ‘Parivartan Rally’
Bhuvaneshwar Prasad Mehta addressing the rally HAZARIBAGH: Jharkhand unit of the Communist Party of India organized a unique month-long ‘Jana Sampark Abhiyan’ (people’s campaign) during the month of December-January, which culminated in a massive ‘Parivartan Rally’ (‘rally for change’) on January 12, 2014 in Annada College Maidan here. The event received wide coverage in the media since the initiative by the party was significant and had massive popular participation. The CPI had been carrying on a state-wide extensive campaign to contact the people directly on their issues like corruption, price rise, issues hurting farmers and Adivasis, and most important of all, for a change in the character of political rulers in the state and in the country in the forthcoming elections. There were large number of meetings, rallies, demonstration and processions, public meetings all over the state organised by the party in the course of the last one month on these and other issues at places like Chatra, Bokaro, Hazaribagh and
many other places. All these programmes received enthusiastic support from the common people. The party and AITUC leaders like Bhuvaneshwar Mehta, Ramedra Kumar, KD Singh and others went round the state, rousing the masses.
Massive rally The rally started at 11 AM from the Zila school maidan and reached the College Maidan after moving round the roads and areas of the town. It was participated in by a large number of men., women and youths, carrying party flags, banners and placards of various kinds and colours. The program was coordinated by Gulam Gilani. Thousands of people kept coming from all corners, shouting slogans and singing and using musical instruments like ‘dhol’, ‘nagaras’ etc. The daily newspapers termed the rally as ‘Maha-rally’ (giant rally).The Maidan was packed by 1 PM. Bhuvaeshwar Mehta, ex-MP and state CPi secretary delivered a rousing speech and challenged the state BJP and Narendra Modi for misleading the people. He also attacked the Congress for its anti-people policies of price rise and
corruption. In fact, he said that all the major bourgeois parties were corrupt. Modi spends at least 50 crore rupees in just one rally. Where does this money come from? He said that the CPI did not need any certificate from anybody. Nobody has been able to accuse our leaders and MPs and MLAs of corruption. The leaders and legislators of other parties are deep down in the muck of corruption. He mentioned the case of Yeddyurappa whom the BJP is welcoming back.
JHARKHAND He demanded that it is the CPI which fought for construction of a rail-head in hazaribagh. The CPI is demanding implementation of Sachhar Committee report, Ranganathan Committee report, jobs to the unemployed, restoration of reservation for the Dalits and the backwards, end to corruption in coal, proper treatment in land acquisition, etc. BJP had ruled the state most of the time. It has bled it like anything. Earlier the state was a surplus budget state, but due to BJP policies it has a
deficient budget. This was the result of the policies of unrestraint loot. The Congress too followed similar policies. Mehta said Jharkhand produced 37 percent of the total coal production in the country. AJSU was demanding special status for the state, while the fact is that the governments in Jharkhand have not been able to submit utilization certificate for three years running. Consequently, the state has lost its right to utilize the help of 12.5 thousand crores from the centre, said the CPI leader. Ramendra Kumar said while addressing the gathering that BJP was responsible for the loot and destruction of Jharkhand. He said Yashwant Sinha had misled his own leader Vajpayee on the question of super power thermal plant. He also sold Hindustan Zinc Limited as finance minister. The BJP has to be defeated, only then the country can be saved. The country has to defeat Congress too, and an alternative has to be created.
Hazaribagh and Jharkhand need alternative Among others who addressed the rally were
KD Singh, Mahendra Pathak, Mnagal Singh, Razi Ahmad, Jeevlal Mahto, Indramani Devi, Nagendra Sao, Md Imtiaz, Aftab, PK Ganguly, and many others. District secretaries and leaders of Ramgarh, Chatra, Kodarma and other places were present and many of them addressed the people. The CPI leaders made it clear that this time it is the CPI which is going to be the alternative in Hazaribagh and some other places. Hazaribagh needed a change, and change meant the advance of the CPI. The CPI workers loudly demanded a change in favour of the party in the coming elections in favour of the party. Neither BJP nor Congress can be the alternative. The position of the CPI in Hazaribagh and some other constituencies this time is very strong. No development has taken place in the long rule of the BJP in the state. This time the CPI is determined to give a tough fight in Hazaribagh. The CPI activists and supporters were asked to work with full vigour this time. The huge mass of people at the rally was an indication of this determination.
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