NEW AGE

January 12—18, 2014

Weekly

Central Organ of the Communist Party of India

Vol. 62

No. 2

JANUARY 12—18, 2014

New Delhi

Price: ``5

1 On Other Pages „ Rejuvenate the Party; Forge Links with the Masses..............3 „ Myths Behind the Uttarakhand Flood Disaster ..........8-9

Jan 15-31: Left to Launch Campaign Against Price Rise Leaders of the Left parties, the CPI, CPI (M), AIFB and RSP met in New Delhi on January 7, 2014 and issued the following statement expressing their concern over the hike in the prices of the essentials:

The UPA government is adding fuel to the fire by continuously increasing the prices of petrol, diesel, LPG and CNG.

The Left parties express serious concern at the crushing burden of price rise which is affecting all sections of the people. There is no respite in the upwards spiral of prices of food items and essential commodities with food inflation reaching a record high of 20 per cent.

1. Stop increase in the prices of petroleum products. Restore administrative price mechanism.

The Left parties decide to conduct a protest campaign against price rise with the following demands:

2. No to Aadhar linkage being made mandatory for delivery of services and subsidies to the people. 3. End hoarding and speculation of essential commodities and conduct de-

hoarding campaign. 4. No privatization of basic services and conduct audit of those private companies utilizing public resources and delivering basic services. 5. Ensure universal public distribution system. The Left parties call upon all its state units to conduct the anti-price rise agitation between January 15 and 31. The meeting was attended by A.B. Bardhan, S Sudhakar Reddy, Prakash Karat, Debabrata Biswas, Sitaram Yechury and Abani Roy.

Police Attack on Bihar AISF Rally

T

he rally taken out against the irregularities in education by the All India Student Federation unit of Bihar was attacked brutally in Patna on January 8, 2014. Many students were grievously injured and admitted to hospital, while many of them are arrested and taken to custody. The AISF had issued a call to its members and sympathizers all over the state to come to Patna to take out a protest rally against the mismanagement of education in Bihar. They had demanded that the decision to withdraw the OMRC in the question papers for inter examination should be

withdrawn, the appointment of the successful candidates in the IBPS exams should be guaranteed, there are lots of posts for teachers and employees lying vacant and must be immediately filled up, appointments should not be on contract or ad hoc basis and many others.

managed to put a rope across the road and stopped the rally from reaching the assembly. At this, the students, with flags in hands and slogans on their lips, marched forward peacefully crossing the deterrent. The police lost cool at this and started beating the students most cruelly.

President of Bihar state AISF Parvez Alam, secretary Susheel Kumar, and Akash Gaurav condemned the police attack on students as oppressive and uncalled for as the students were protesting peacefully. The programme had been announced before hand. As the rally reached Dak Bunglow road via Gandhi Maidan, the police

Along with AISF national president Syed Vali Ullah Khadri , state secretary Susheel Kumar, state president Parvez Alam, at least five dozens of boys and girls were injured with broken legs, hands and even hurt on heads. Many of them were taken to various police stations and tortured there.

condemned the attack and said that the police act was an attack on the democratic rights of the students. Against such atrocities, the organisation has issued a call for a state wide protest on January 9, and on January 10, all the

colleges and educational institutions will remain closed. Among those seriously injured were Akash Gaurav, Mukesh, Anand Kumar Rocky, Chandan Kumar, Shyam, Shweta, Deepa, Kiran, Abhishek and many others.

The AISF leadership has New Age Weekly

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January 12—18, 2014

With the certainty that the electoral process for Lok Sabha will start in the middle of April, the political parties have started focusing on the issues that according to them will be key factor in molding the people’s opinion for or against a particular party. Corruption is one such issue on which Congress and AAP are banking most. AAP that had exploited the people’s anger against corruption roused during Anna Hazare’s hunger strike had announced creation of a helpline against corruption. Under this mechanism the responsibility of proving corruption at administrative level would be of the complainant. The Kejriwal government will only play the role of tutor to provide skill for conducting sting operation. How far this will help in curbing corruption only time will tell. But the basic question of loot of national and natural resources and sharing of this loot among the Corporate looters and the ruling politicians and top echelon of the bureaucracy is not being attended by the AAP. Like on other major questions of economic policies, particularly the Neo-liberalism and foreign policies, it is not ready to come out clearly on the issue of corruption at high places. Mere rhetoric will not suffice. One has to take the issue in its totality and mother of all economic evils, the policies of liberalism need to be targeted. Interestingly, the day AAP announced the launching of helpline against corruption, the UPA-II had also indicated that it may convene the session of Parliament earlier than scheduled to pass the vote-on-account

ON CORRUPTION as well as certain legislations like on protection of whistle-blower without which the Lokpal Bill passed in the Winter session of the Parliament will remain ineffective. Congress feels that with these legislations, it will be able improve its image as a party making efforts to eradicate the menace of corruption. But this is illusionary because the facts of life contradict it. Take the case of Aadarsh Housing Society scam. The day, Parliament passed the Lokpal bill, the Maharashtra government tabled the enquiry committee report on Aadarsh scam in the assembly that was in session in Nagpur and simultaneously announced the rejection

Editorial of it. The enquiry report has indicted about two dozen politicians including four former chief ministers and top bureaucrats for illegally acquiring or helping relatives to acquire flats in the society meant for former army men. The benami holders include a few who directly or indirectly have been financed by the companies of former BJP chief Nitin Gadkari. After the “intervention” of the party high command deputy head, the Maharashtra cabinet reviewed its earlier decision of rejecting the enquiry report and accepted only the part that indicts the serving and former bureaucrats. It exonerated all the politicians including the former chief minister Ashok Chavan whose two relatives were allotted flats. That makes it clear how serious Congress

is in curbing corruption. The same applies to BJP that is making all out efforts to bring back former Karnataka chief minister Yeddyurappa back into the party fold. After the report of Lokayukt and exposures it was found that the BJP chief minister was neck-deep involved in mining scam as well as in grabbing the prime land in and around the capital city of Bangluru . He was forced to quit and later he walked out of the party and floated his own political party. The BJP is taking him back due to caste compulsion. The party was similarly forced to change its chief minister in Uttrakhand twice due to corruption charges. Five of its ministers in Punjab were forced to resign due to similar charges. It also has the distinction of having two national presidents of the party who faced corruption charges and one of them was even jailed for it. The moot point is that the corruption at high places is the legitimate child of the policies of Neo-liberalism to which most of our bourgeois political parties— national or regional— are committed to; hence leaders of most of these parties get involved in corruption related scams and scandals. Corruption is definitely a sensitive issue and people are really angry over it. But it cannot be fought in isolation. It has to be fought as part of struggle against the policies that are at the root of this and other evils like price-rise, unemployment, deep fall in national growth indexes and growing economic disparities.

AISF Protest on Hike in Electricity Charges

SIRSA (Haryana): At the call of Bijli Andolan Sangharsha Samiti, organized by the All India Students Federation, people from 150 villages in Haryana came on the streets here protesting against the hike in electricity charges, and submitted a memorandum New Age Weekly

Roshan Suchan addressing the Maha Panchayat to the deputy Leelaram, Vedprakash and By Special commissioner saying that many others, the rally of Correspondent if the charges were not state wide protest on the thousands reached the brought down, there would Town Park here and issue. be launched intense culminated into a meeting Led by AIYF joint agitation all over the state. that they called secretary Roshan Suchan, mahapanchayat. The The All India Students district secretary C Bhola, mahapachayat decided not Federation and All India Harbans Lal Sharma, Youth Federation issued a student leader Manoj to take any notice of the statement that on January Pacherwal, Mangaram electricity bills and at the 18, 2014 there would be Panihari, Ramkishen, same time, desist any

attempt to disconnect electricity connection. From Hisar, Sonipat, Rewari and many other places, student leaders like Rajeev Garg, Meenakshi Kadiyan and Sandeep Rar reached Sirsa. The agitation has been taken up in many of the districts in the state.

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January 12—18, 2014

Rejuvenate the Party; Forge Links with the Masses During the last two years or so a spate of party leaders at the state and central levels have passed away. To quote a few names. Comrades C.K. Chandrappan (Kerala), Promod Gogai (Assam), Piara Singh Deosi (Punjab), Nand Gopal Bhattacharya ( West Bengal), V. Kakkilayya (Karnataka), Dimbeswar Kalita (Assam), A.M. Gopu (Tamil Nadu), Ram Sharan Sharma Munshi ji (Delhi), Shekhar Ganguli (Bihar), Kunja Debbarma (Tripura), Vittal Reddy (Andhra Pradesh), Gopal Bannerji (West Bengal), U.S. Venkatraman (Karnataka), Kamla Ram Nautiyal (Uttarakhand), Gh. Mohd. Malik, Ghulam Nabi Yatoo, (Jammu & Kashmir), Kulwant Singh (Punjab), Satpal Dang (Punjab), Velliam Bhargavan (Kerala), Dev Perinbam (Tamil Nadu), Narayan Ghagre (Maharashtra), Chintamani Pajankar (Gujarat), Abani Boral (Odisha), Chandeshwari (Bihar), Harnam Singh (Haryana), S.S.Thyagarajan (Tamil Nadu), Rosamma Punnose (Kerala), Umapada Deb (Meghalya).

These are Comrades who devoted their entire lives to building and leading the Party in their states and country. Alongwith those who have passed away during these two years were well known communists who were leading figures in the art, sciences and literary field such as A K Hangal, Sunil Jana, Narhari Kaviraj, Sanjay Biswas, Prof. Kamla Prasad, Dr. Hemlata Swaroop, Nusarat Moiuddin. These crisscrosses left us soon after the demise of such a tall leader as P.K. Vasudevan Nair. All of them as young militant activists had joined the Communist Party when the Communist movement surged forward during the late forties and early fifties and sixties. Some of them had also been active in the freedom struggle as students and youths. They had seen the ups and downs in the movement. Many of them had suffered imprisonment and had faced difficulties. They had grown along with the Party. But now after reaching superannuation they had come to the end of their lives.

BJP Exposed with Attack on AAP Office The Central Secretariat of the Communist Party of India issued on January 9, 2014, the following statement condemning the BJP attack on the office of the AAP: The Communist Party of India condemns Sangh Pariwar’s attack on AAP office on January 8, 2014. Though the attackers claim that they attacked against the remarks of Prashant Bhushan, on using Armed Forces Special Powers Act in Kashmir, they raised slogans against Kejriwal and Prashant Bhushan both. In fact Kejriwal did not endorse the views of Prashant Bhushan. Prashant Bhushan also clarified that Kashmir is integral part of India but he raised the issue of AFSPA only. Inspite of it they attacked AAP office. This shows the frustration and anger of BJP that AAP has become an obstacle in the way of their party’s dream of capturing power in Delhi. Physical attacks on leaders and party offices on debatable points in democracy will lead to fascist tendencies. The real face of BJP is exposed with this ugly event.

By A. B. Bardhan The passing away of so many state and even central leaders within a short period has created a void in the party organization. It has deprived the party of ideologically committed and experienced party leaders at a most critical and complicated turn in the political, economic and social life of the country. Other comrades have of course taken their places. But it poses a serious issue before the communist movement politically and organizationally. An entire mass of young communists have to be trained and brought up to further expand and lead the party and the Left movement in the stormy days ahead. It is not correct or true to ask the question where are they to be found? In fact they are all around us. The present situation has increased several times over the interest of the youths in politics and the future of our country. Gone are the days of stagnation when young people were more concerned with their own

individual future, when careerism dominated their thinking. They have come to realise that their own future is inextricably linked with the future and the destiny of the country. A big section looks forward to socialism, even if the outlines are not sufficiently clear to all of them. That is the reason why the students and youths have started flocking to organizations like the AISF, the AIYF and to such cultural organizations like the IPTA and other dramatic troupes. We have to dip into this reservoir of young militants who are already radical-minded, left-oriented, with vision of socialism, and draw them into the party. They are already in the midst of struggles and movements on various issues. What they need is a proper schooling in Marxism-Leninism, its application to Indian conditions, its specific characteristics, the strategy and tactics that have to be followed, and the history of the communist movement – specifically the Communist Party of India. A careful approach towards such cadres, a

correct cadre policy should result in promoting the good and well deserving among them to positions of leadership in the party committees at different levels and in mass organizations. But what is important is the close links they must have with the masses. Fortunately these young and militant activists are closer to the masses than many of our present leaders at district and state levels. We must do everything possible to ensure that these links become closer and deeper. With their ears close to the ground they must be able to respond to every issue that the masses at any place are concerned about, as also the mood of the masses in any situation. Appropriate action must follow to reflect the mass mood. In this connection one can take a leaf from the activities of the Aam Admi Party. What is important is to forge close links with the masses, to be always among them and for them. These steps will not come by themselves. They have to be consciously planned and implemented. We must overcome the resistance and inertia from within.

CPI on Launching of GSLV D5 Satellite The Central Secretariat of the Communist Party of India issued on January 6, 2014, the following statement congratulating the scientists of Indian Space and Research Organisation for successful launch of GSLV D5 rocket with a communication satellite carrying GSAT14 payload: The CPI Central S e c r e t a r i a t congratulates the scientists of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for the successful launch of the Indian GSLV

D5 rocket carrying a communication satellite, with GSAT-14 payload. The rocket successfully lifted off from the Sriharikota spaceport on January 5, 2014 afternoon and is yet another milestone the country has achieved in the area of science and technology. With the launch of the Rs.365 crore missions with a twin purpose — to flighttest the cryogenic engine designed and built by the ISRO and to put in orbit the GSAT-14 communication satellite, India has joined the select league of space-faring nations with indigenous

cryogenic engine technology, successfully launching its rocket. The communication satellite will be used for telemedicine and teleeducation services. The launch success is another record for the Indian space fraternity as it comes after successful launch of Mars Orbiter last year. The GSLV is a three stage/engine rocket. The core of first stage is fired with solid fuel while the four strap-on motors by liquid fuel. The second is the liquid fuel and the third is the cryogenic engine. New Age Weekly

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January 12—18, 2014

Billion Dollar Scam Brewing After CWG, 2G and Coalgate, the poll-bound UPA government now seems to be preparing itself to face yet another bigtime case of corrupt intent involving changes in cost audit rules in the newly created Companies Act to benefit industry and the corporate sector billions of dollars per annum at the cost of the exchequer and consumers. The draft new rules, if allowed in their current scope and content, will substantially undermine the role of cost audit of products and services with effect from April 1 giving industry liberty to fiddle with cost statements to manipulate prices and profits. They open up the biggest single door of ‘authorised’ corporate corruption, making it potentially a mother of all scams. The proposed changes in the cost audit rules could have an annual

revenue implication of over Rs.1,00,000 crore, even if the data manipulation affects 8 to 10 per cent of the government’s gross tax revenue. The impact on consumers, as a result of loosening cost-price linkage in various sectors, will be several times over. The notorious practice of transfer pricing by multinational (MNC) and large domestic companies could become the order of the day. The Competition Commission (CCI), on the other hand, will have tough time to find industry and individual corporate cost data to conduct investigation into price cartel and segmentation. A powerful industry lobby is believed to be working over-time with a section of senior bureaucrats in the government to change the rule book underscoring the need for maintaining mandatory cost accounting

By Nantoo Banerjee records on the lines of financial accounting by corporates to escape law with regard to transparency in ultimate cost-price linkage in several areas of industry. These new rules are to be called the ‘Companies (Cost Record and Cost Audit) Rules, 2013. Once gazetted, they will be applicable from fiscal 201415. Did those powerful ‘babus’ in the department of company affairs and their legal experts officially consult with their counterparts in the central boards of direct taxes (CBDT) and excise and customs (CBEC) under the union finance ministry, the CCI and the department of consumer affairs before rushing into making the new set of rules that heavily

undermines the compliance of cost records and cost audit under the guise of new barriers created to provide escape routes to industry and corporate entities? Why are the draft cost audit rules making such a large scale revision of threshold limits for their coverage? Isn’t such an action motivated to help industry circumvent an important governance criterion to encourage corruption through concealment of vital cost records and cost audit information? In fact, cost audit data is very valuable to do costing analysis like comparison of ‘suspect’ companies’ cost of goods sold, input-output ratio, etc. with the peer groups. Cost audit reports filed by companies provide useful insights into manufacturing companies like information on production cost,

procedure for accounting of materials, labour, depreciation, overheads and their allocation, apportionment and absorption to products, treatment of by-products, joint products, scrap etc. Such cost data, as distinct from financial audit data, is meant to focus on inputoutput structures in a firm to understand the correctness of a company’s declared financial results. Cost audit play a critical role in transfer pricing, predatory pricing, fixation of margin of dumping for the purpose of levying anti-dumping duty, free trade agreement, consumer protection, revival of sick companies and corporate governance. The finance ministry made it mandatory to file cost audit report along with tax audit report for the year 2012-13. Then, what is prompting the sudden change?

CPI Demands Shelter for Adivasis HYDERABAD: At the call of greater Hyderabad council of the Communist Party of India, a march to assembly was organised protesting against the demolition of huts belonging to Adivasis, living on government land, survey numbers 66/6 and 66/5 of Mansoorabad in the outskirts of the city since more than 30 years. These tribals are having aadhaar cards and Epic cards too. Protest rally started from Dharna chowk (Indira

Park) and proceeded towards assembly. Soon came the police and arrested CPI leaders and activists including Azeez Pasha, CPI national executive member, U YadagiriRao, CPI MLA,V S Bose, city secretary, E T Narsimha, state council member,CPI, R Gopal area secretary, CPI, Aadivaasi leaders Shankar Nayak among others. There were large number of women in their traditional dresses and babies in their arms taking part in the agitation

Ram Narasimha Rao who were also arrested. While addressing the gathering, Azeez Pasha said that Mandal Revenue Officer of Saroor Nagar has written letters to concerned officials directing them to proceed further to construct houses for the tribals under Raajeev House construction Scheme and allotting plots to those who are residing there. Azeez Pasha said that certain land grabbers have

shown some alternate land to some of the hut dwellers and they got lured by these land sharks. But the fact is that alternate land also belongs to the government. The adivasis who are determined not to leave the place are firmly behind the CPI. The said land is worth of several crores. Land sharks under guidance of local Congress MLA along with hired gangsters attacked the innocent adivasis in the midnight, pelted stones and even beat up women with

sticks and rods. Many of the hut dwellers were forcibly taken to isolated places and attempts were made to murder them too. In this regard, CPI leaders made representation to commissioner of police and 20 gangsters were taken into custody with criminal cases instituted against them. CPI leaders have demanded that pucca houses be built on the same government land and restart water and electricity connections.

Police arresting the CPI National Executive Member, Ex-MP Syed Azeez Pasha and CPI MLA V. Yadagiri Rao at Indira park in Chalo Assembly by CPI protesting the attack by real estates goons on Adivasi people at Nagole, LB Nagar areas in Hyderabad on January 6, 2014. New Age Weekly

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January 12—18, 2014

Democracy Under Attack in W. Bengal TMC leaders, unable to take in the stupendous pressure mounted by the mourners of the gang raped and killed Swapna Kumari of Madhyagram and scared of the rising support to victim’s father Ramashankar Jha in his fight for getting the rapists and killers of his daughter punished, are defaming and dishonouring the protesting mourners as politically motivated. The TMC allegation has the support of a section of media too that have been silent on the increasing number of cases of molestation, rape and murder of women in Bengal. Even raising questions about the state government’s actions and activities to punish the rapists and killers are being marked as conspiracy hatched by political parties. Meanwhile, the media, on January 7, 2014, has come out with the statement of TMC leader and minister about the leaders of the party trying to silence Ramashankar Jha either by handing over lakhs of

rupees or by unscrupulous means. West Bengal police while unable to protect women from humiliation, molestation, rape and murder had on January 3, 2014, shown their ability to unleash brutal lathiharge on the media persons. Reporters and photographers were at ‘Nabanna’ the newly built power centre of TMC government in Howrah to collect news and photographs of the launch of administrative calendar by the governor M K Narayanan who created precedence by attending a government programme at the state secretariat. Among the reporters and photographers, seriously injured in the lathi-charge in front of the governor and the chief minister were Bhaskar Mukherji of Pratham Alo, a newspaper based in Dacca (Bangladesh) and Raju Chakraborty of Bartaman, a Bengali daily based in Kolkata. A few minutes before this incident the TMC supremo and chief minister

Dilip Chakrabarty Mamata Banerjee had severely criticised the journalists and media for not highlighting her ‘good works’ and telecasting the ‘negative aspects’ which instigated police to trigger off repressive response at the media persons’ initiative to take photographs of the chief minister and the governor together. Some of the cops in mufti were also spotted attacking journalists. They dragged reporter Raju Chakraborty beating him cruelly along with other journalists. None of the journalists were from the media associated with any political party. North 24 Parganas district has been witness to innumerable cases of molestation, rape and murder. Then there is Barasat, a district town, where Barun Biswas, a crusader against rape and gang rape, was murdered. In Sutia, at village Kamduni, there was the gang rape and savage murder of a teenage college student.

In six months of 2013, Kamduni and Madhyamagram of distrct North 24 Parganas have witnessed numerous cases of barbaric rape and savage murder of teenage girls. It was alleged that a TMC leader was involved in Kamduni rape and murder. In the last week of December, 2013, media reported that there were gangs daring to molest a housewife and beating up her husband for protecting her. The incident took place near Rifle Range Road in Kolkata. The goons had threatened the family of consequences if they lodged FIR. Molested woman and her kin were scared of leaving home. The police is yet to arrest the two accused and identify Rifle Range locals who threatened housewife’s family. A 27year old married woman was gang raped and murdered in Sujapur (district Malda) on January 3 night. Her face was smashed beyond recognition as she lay unclothed. Congress MLA

Sabina Yeasmin reacted: ‘The state is run by a woman and women are not secure in this state. There is no sense of fear for rapists because of delayed justice’. On January 4 night a university teacher was abused and humiliated in a bus and the conductor was beaten as he tried to save the professor. Women irrespective of their age and marital status, even those yet to cross their childhood, teenaged, or of middle aged, widow, married or unmarried are all made prey for rape and savage murder. Park Street, Katwa, Khorjuna, Kamduni, Madhyamgram and the latest Sujapur have been paving the way for girls and women to be in the clutches of perverted men and to be raped and brutally murdered at any time, any where. It was alleged that TMC people were involved in the rape of the widow at Katwa (Burdwan district). President of Katwa TMC was expelled from the party as he tried to help the On Page 14

Why Must Aam Aadmi Suffer When We Conquer Space? Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) had given a New Year gift to the people of this country by placing more than two tonne satellite in the space. The rocket used for this purpose is fuelled by indigenously improvised cryogenic engine – a technology initially given to ISRO by former USSR. After disintegration of USSR, Russian government following a path of capitalism refused to provide improved cryogenic engine technology that can lift bigger weights into space, this refusal was due to the pressure from US imperialism. Indian scientists in ISRO toiled for two decades to improve and they succeeded. They not only achieved the target, but also elevated the country among the elite club of five nations that has the capacity to lift weight of this magnitude into space.

Dr. C Sadasiva R & D in science and technology and eagerness to acquire “foreign technologies” by entering into this or that deal like nuclear deal.

The success in ISRO is due to (a) mission oriented approach with single minded focus (b) Trusting the hands and brains of Indian scientists and (c) Providing adequate funds. This helped in our success of developing a technology despite denial by foreign powers. Yes, the success in space technology is the result of a case of forced self-reliance due to the restrictions imposed upon our country by foreign country. If this is possible in space, why not in providing health for all, education for all or safe drinking water to our people? Why do we glamour for foreign universities and degrees? Why do we permit Coca Cola to supply bottled drinking water? Why do we allow foreign drug companies to control and depriving a poor man right to lead a healthy life?

All of us, Communist Party of India and all progressive and patriotic forces congratulate our scientists for this. There are many lessons that need to be drawn from all this experience. There lessons also question the wisdom of recklessly following neo-liberal economic policies, excessive emphasis on export based growth, reliance on so called FDI, indiscriminately and neglect of indigenous development of

we are forced to follow the same policies. As UPA-II came to power without the support of the left, these policies were followed with greater speed with vengeance.

Well, Manmohan Singh expects history to judge him kindly. He knows that he is becoming the part of the history. But he is the architect of all these policies since his debut in Union Minister as finance minister in 1991, (in P.V. Narsimha Rao Cabinet). For the last 20 years

There is an urgent need to put a ‘stop’ to these policies that are initiated and pursued by Manmohan Singh. Not only stopping but a reversal is also needed. This is the need of the hour. This should also be the issue in 2014 elections apart from fighting communalism and corruption. New Age Weekly

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January 12—18, 2014

CPI Leaders Submit Memorandum to President Dr K Narayana; secretary of the Andhra Pradesh state unit of Communist Party of India, Azeez Pasha, CPI national executive member and Ex,MP; Chada Venkat Reddy, Ex.MLA; K. Ramakrishna, Ex.MLA; G Mallesh, CPI Floor Leader; P.J. Chandrasekhar Rao, MLC; Jalli Wilson, Ex.MLC, Palla Venkat Reddyp, Ex.MLA, and V. Ram Narasimha Rao met on December 3, 2013, President Pranab Mukherjee and submitted the following memorandum: At the very outset we on behalf of CPI welcome your gracious visit to the state of Andhra Pradesh. “The Andhra Pradesh State Reorganization Bill – 2013” is set for discussion in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly. Instead of smooth discussion unhealthy trends are prevailing, untoward incidents are taking place humiliating the Constitution of the nation. Certain political leaders often declare that they honour our Indian constitution, legislations and legislative bodies very much. But these parties are pursuing selfish, opportunistic political policies. Their activities are being exposed brazenly. Latest example is most undemocratic incidents which are taking place in Andhra Pradesh Legislative

Assembly on the bill of state bifurcation. The parties like the Congress, TDP and YSRCP that often declare that they honor parliamentary democracy, practically have become a hurdle for the smooth functioning of state assembly. Differences of opinions are quite natural in a democracy. Those opinions can be explained in appropriate democratic manner in legislative bodies and also outside as well. The Bill be discussed and returned with necessary amendments within the stipulated period. Some have protested against the very introduction of the Bill. Some are obstructing the discussions though Bill is being introduced technically. This is most undemocratic. They are insulting the constitution and parliamentary democracy to which every citizen in the country is bound to respect. Certain Political leaders who are attacking the Bill in the Assembly met you while you are in Hyderabad city. We do not know what they had talked to you. But every one knows what they told the media. Sir, you should take a serious note of what is transpiring in the state assembly, and find out a scientific solution to the needs of all. We are placing before you the following proposals in this

context: * Serious thought be given on policy of political parties which are declaring in election manifesto on certain issues and subsequently altering according to their convenience and narrow ends. 2 (a) A political Party can take a decision on an issue and can reconsider for a change, as a whole. (b) Serious observation be made on a political party which express two opinions in two different regions, simultaneously. A political party can not take different political lines in and outside of legislative bodies. We feel that such unhealthy trends be curtailed by your esteemed intervention for the smooth functioning of the Assembly. Members should have freedom of expression and come to certain conclusion within stipulated period. We propose following points to be included in the Bill: 3.The number of legislators can be increased upto153 for proposed future Telangana Assembly and number of legislators also be increased by adding another 50 in future Assembly of the residuary state i.e.”Andhra Pradesh” Accordingly clause16(1)of the Bill can be amended. 4

Clause 89(1) can be

amended, in such a way “Krishna water Disputes Tribunal II will be reconstituted with a new chairman”. This amendment is necessitated as Brijeshkumarji’s recent verdict is being opposed by all parties of the state including ruling Congress party and Government of AP. 5.Regional development councils can be constituted for upliftment of the backward regions that are Rayalaseema, Uttaraandhra. Special Funds should be allotted to backward districts like M a h a b o o b n a g a r, Anantapur, Nalgonda, Adilabad, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Prakasam. 6. (a) While welcoming Polavaram project as National Project, CPI demands PranahitaChevella to be declared as National project. (b) Interstate water management boards be constituted for the maintenance of projects & canals with statutory Powers. 7.Centre should allocate required gas, oil and coal to Telangana & Andhra Pradesh, states as per norms prescribed. There would be immediate shortage of power to the Telangana State. To overcome this, thermal power plants should be established.

Adequate quantity of gas be supplied to Nedunuru (Karimnagar District) and Shankara Palli (Rangareddy District) power plants. Thermal power plants be established in Telangana region in order to produce 4000 M.W. of power. 8.Central Government should allocate adequate funds for speedy establishment of new capital. Experts committee should be constituted in order to look into financial, legal and administrative measures. Above all with the present experience, future capital city of A.P. should be developed in such a way that the development should not be concentrated in around the capital city only. Development should be decentralized across the state. Secretariat and administration buildings in one region, the high court in other region, like wise IT parks, Textiles Parks, Industrial Hub, Pharmaceutical, Electronic industrial avenues should be developed in different areas and spreading across the districts. 9.Proposal of major port at Ramayyapatnam of Prakasham district is ideal and viable, as per the technical report. Kindly consider the amendments in the interests of both the future states.

Warangal district council of the All India Students Federation organised a massive rally against the issues faced by the students here. The rally was led by AISF national president Syed Vali Ullah Khadri. While addressing the rally, he demanded that Andhra Pradesh government must release the pending scholarships without which it was not possible for the students to resolve the financial crisis faced by them in government schools and colleges. New Age Weekly

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January 12—18, 2014

Zakia Zafri Loses Case Against Modi

A Miscarriage of Justice It happens so often that someone gets killed in broad day light in a crowded market place, but as the case goes to court; those who were eye witness to the crime, refuse to come forward as a witness, though there are exceptions and those who do come forward are usually approached later either by the accused or those close to him. The purpose being a polite advice to keep away from the case, but in case the witness does not agree, he is left with the an advice again to rethink or be ready to face the consequences. The last one is enough to be apprehensive and the members of the frightened family huddle together to decide for not to invite the wrath of the goons. The case goes to court. A battery of topmost lawyers defends the killer and sharply grills the police staff presenting the case; they put really impressive and brilliant defense, while the public prosecutor presents his arguments in a lukewarm fashion that eventually helps the accused. After all the rumblings are over, comes the judgement – since the prosecution has failed to prove the charge, the evidence produced was doubtful, witnesses did not corroborate the charges, so the charges are dropped and the accused is set free. This happens so often .Even the notorious ringleader of mafias in Mumbai, Dauad Ibrahim could not be caged because of this almost usual phenomenon; till fleeing away, he enjoyed all the luxuries of life and lived happily in Mumbai. Such is the ugly fact of life. With the muscle power and money power at their command and also their close links with a section of political leadership and police officers and other people in the higher rungs

of administration, the killing gangs of mafias manage to manipulate and abort all the process of prosecution and law. Thus the crime triumphs and the justice loses. What is true is proved to be false and what is false is proved to be true. When such is the real life practice, there is hardly anything surprising if an Ahmedabad court rejected the petition by Zakia Jafri against the closure report of the Special Investigation Team giving a clean chit to the Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi in a case relating to the allegedly BJP state sponsored pogrom of Muslims in Gujarat in 2002. The case was between two who were highly unequal. On one side was a distraught, frail and old widow whose husband Ehsan Jaferi was burnt alive along with 68 others in a carnage organized by the Sangh Parivar with active support of the Modi led government and its police force. On the other side was one who happens to be the chief minister of the state. If in this fight, the weak and the helpless lost and the powerful won, there is nothing unusual in it. It only speaks of the vulnerability and maneuverability of our system of prosecution and judiciary, and symbolizes how successfully the powerful can manipulate it. On a petition by Zakia Jafri, the Supreme Court had appointed a Special Investigation Team to investigate the killings in the Gulberg Society massacre of Muslims on February28 ,2002. Zakia had accused that when the hoodlums attacked Gulberg Society, her husband had contacted police officers informing them that lives of hundreds of people were in danger and sought help .The police did not help. This was because of the

R S Yadav advise from the chief minister. In a meeting at his residence on February 27,2002, Modi had instructed police officers that they should allow Hindus to give ‘vent to their anger’ against Muslims. Zakia had filed case against 62 persons including bigwigs like Modi, Nitish Shah, Pravin Togadiya and Nitin Patel. A notable feature of the pogrom against Muslims was that the goons went on rampage, killings, burning people alive, destroying and putting properties on fire and almost everywhere in the presence or active participation of local police; and later police investigated the cases with a clear motive of keeping the accused free from the clutches of law. The police and the prosecution machinery worked in tandem to help the accused and file closure reports. Petitions were filed against such closure reports and motivated investigation and mischievious process of prosecutions. Almost all such cases reached the Supreme Court, which appointed Special Investigating Teams to investigate afresh. Based on investigation, several trials have since been conducted and many accused have been sentenced and put behind bars. The case filed by Zakia was, however, different from other cases in the sense that in this case the charge was leveled against the chief minister also. Unlike in other cases, the SIT appointed for this case gave a clean chit to Narendra Modi and recommended for closure of the case. But, Raju Ramchandran, the Amicus

Curiae appointed by the Supreme Court in this case, gave a different conclusion and said that Modi should be prosecuted. The Supreme Court had two recommendations before it - one for closing the case and the other for prosecuting Modi. The Supreme Court ordered that the lower court should decide the case and while doing so should consider the recommendation by the Amicus Curaie. It is interesting to note that in their testimonies, two very senior IPS officers, Sanjiv Bhatt and R B Sreekumar confirmed that Modi had instructed top police officers to allow Hindus to give ‘vent to their anger’ against Muslims. The SIT and also the Ahamedabad court ignored that testimony. About Sanjiv Bhatt, the SIT observed that he was a controversial and unreliable witness. It was an astounding observation. Can a senior IPS officer be termed as controversial and unreliable simply because his testimony was inconvenient and unpalatable to Modi The SIT had observed: ‘In spite of the fact that ghastly and violent attacks had taken place against Muslims at Gulberg Society

and elsewhere, the reaction of the government was not the kind that could have been expected by any one. The chief minister tried to water down the seriousness of the situation at Gulberg Society, Naroda Patia and other places by saying that every action has equal and opposite reaction. However, this utterance by itself is not sufficient to make out a case against Narendra Modi. If despite such an observation and the testimonies of senior IPS officers. one of whom was the Director General of Police, the Ahmadbad court did not find prima facie material to proceed against Modi, it is devastating and intriguing .How low our systems have stooped! It is notable that in several cases the Supreme Court ordered that trial of the cases should be conducted in courts outside Gujarat. Although specifically not said so, but the implication could not be lost that it was difficult to get justice in the Modi ruled Gujarat. There is enough hint of that in this judgement also. However, there is a high court to appeal; and if need be, the Supreme Court also.

Roll Back Hike in Prices The Central Secretariat of the Communist Party of India has issued on January 4, 2014 the following statement demanding restrain on hike in prices of petrol and gas cylinders: The Communist Party of India condemns the hike in petrol prices by 75 paise and diesel by 50 paise per litre, and increase of unsubsidized gas cylinder by Rs. 220 by oil companies. In the background of price rise of all essential commodities, this increase of prices in quick succession is quite unjustified. This will bring a big burden on the common people as the number of Gas cylinders supplied to families is limited. Communist Party of India demands to roll back the increased price rise. CPI also demands the Union Government to issue notification that Aadhar Card is not essential to supply for the gas on subsidy as per the directive of the Supreme Court of India. New Age Weekly

8 The flash floods that hit Uttarakhand in June, 2013 devastated several villages and death toll was more than 11000 according to the UN. The floods activated dormant landslides and blocked highways while the raging rivers simply washed away huge tracts of land. Calamities like this one have since occurred in other parts of the world also, India has been amongst the world’s most disaster-prone countries. India supports one sixth of the world’s population on just two per cent of its landmass. Nearly 59 per cent is prone to earthquakes; 12 per cent prone to floods; 80 per cent cyclone-prone and exposed to tsunamis and storms; two per cent is landslide-prone and 68 per cent of its arable land is affected by droughts. Of the 35 states and Union territories, as many as 27 are disaster prone and water-related. Disasters, incidentally, are not a modern-day phenomenon. Floods, for instance, have been occurring right since historical times. Addressing them effectively has become a very serious concern. Moreover, the concern also recognizes the failure of development the results of which have generally not led to balanced or equitable growth nor shared equally between communities or countries. The whole process has, literally, been fueled by natural resources (land, minerals, water, forests) without due thought of replacement, leading to resource degradation and depletion. The process has led to serious conditions of vulnerability and raises the scope and incidence of hazards creating a situation that result in further disasters. The resultant changes in the earth’s environment, in climatic fluxes and weather swings will continue as current tendencies towards hyperconsumption and affluent lifestyles conform to the dominant models of development no longer New Age Weekly

January 12—18, 2014

sustainable in any way. The Uttarakhand disaster is a stark illustration. The Uttarakhand tragedy was clearly magnified by human actions in the name of ‘development’. For 13 years since its formation as an independent state in 2000, successive governments recklessly pushed an economic growth model that totally disregarded the state’s special mountain character. Ignoring the fragility of the region, they singlemindedly promoted rampant deforestation, road construction, dams on large and small rivers, hundreds of kilometers of tunnels inside already fractured mountain slopes, tourist hotels and resorts

by riversides and massive (unscientific) sand mining of riverbeds which inereased the flow velocity, or the minimum water a river requires for its ecosystem and human needs. It also eroded the river banks with severe adverse impact on flora and fauna and also reduced groundwater recharge to the flood plains. Felling of forests was however halted above elevations of 1,000 meters only in 1981 in response to the people’s movements particularly the Chipko movement. Moreover, almost 30,500 hectares of forests were diverted to non-forest use in the state since its

Natural Disasters and

Myths Behind the formation, in power projects, building super highways and the use of explosives to detonate mountain slopes. One of the studies on the ecological impact of existing and proposed dams across the three major mountain river basins revealed that if all the 292 projects (for which ‘feasibility studies’ were completed) are constructed, the Himalayas will have the highest density of dams in the world which would be one

dam for every 32 km of a river channel! The failures to effectively address disasters lies in applying disaster management practices that exhibit a combination of institutional structures, policies and programmes that focus on emergency response and relief. The communities at risk are rarely involved in decision-making. All governments usually allocate funds for emergencies. These are not used for disaster prevention and preparation; rather, they are withheld from use until a disaster actually strikes. The result is that an increasing

percentage of national budgets and nongovernment aid is only spent on emergency response, thereby diverting resources away from development. This is the dominant approach and responses to disasters are usually unsystematic, and highly centralized. It invariably fails to recognize or address especially the different vulnerabilities. This is particularly the situation confronting women, a lapse rooted in the deep-seated social,

cultural and political relationships. This may lead to the perpetuation of the disaster spiral, further marginalizing women and re-enforcing gender-based inequalities and discriminatory practices whilst, also marginalising vulnerable Dalit and Adivasi communites. The argument for the mainstreaming a gender perspective to development arises from the failure to engage women in development processes as equal partners to men. Women are seen and portrayed as helpless victims; their capacities, knowledge, and skills in each stage of the disaster

cycle fail to be recognized; women are absent from any formal decision-making positions in emergency and recovery planning. The absence of sufficient analysis of communities from this perspective, results in not only the invisibility but even to stereotyping them. The Uttarakhand disaster was a wake-up call on the unsustainable development model followed in the state. Mountains in the state are too fragile to sustain unsafe four-lane highways, dams, or tunnels. Haphazardly built towns on unsafe slopes are all timebombs in the Himalayan region. The sustainable use of resources with minimal disturbance to ecology is common sense. It requires reviewing all these and other similar schemes like the mega dam-building, inter- linking of Indian rivers, including new fangled concepts like “Design Flood”, etc. It also requires examining the usual assumptions. For instance, on deforestation, that is, flooding may often increase due to clearing of vegetation. This is frequently mentioned in relation to floods in Bangladesh and in North India. Natural hazards (earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, and droughts) are natural agents that transform a vulnerable human condition into a disaster. The hazards themselves are not disasters but rather a factor in causing it alongside its effect on people and their environment, and human activities that increase in impact. A critical outlook of these concepts and ‘models of best practice’ in development theory is essential as also the need to question the common

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the Development Solutions

Uttarakhand Flood Disaster circular kind of development, based on an understanding that poverty makes people vulnerable. Such reasoning arises possibly because development planners are unaware of the larger picture, or the forces creating poverty and vulnerability, and quite possibly because of the inherent fault-line in the logic of the development models. MYfH: The floodcontrolling affect of the Tehri dam, checking the flash floods, helped save lives of millions.

June 16, 2013. At the Tehri Dam site, the discharge in the morning was 18,600 cusecs. It rose to 105,000 cusecs in the early hours of June 17. Alakananda began to peak on June 17 and the impact of its peak discharge of 245,000 cusecs hit Haridwar on June 18 when the city recorded its peak water level of 295.1 meters! However, had it not been for the Tehri dam, the claimants argue, the access waters of the Bhagirathi would have shot

14,000 cusecs. The data maintained by the Central Electricity Authority, however, is inconsistent! In its daily reports on the reservoir levels, Tehri’s water stood static at 749 meters during 15-17 June when the Bhagirathi’s discharge had peaked. Later, as the flow ebbed, the reservoir level suddenly recorded a leap to 777 meters on June 18! This fits the claim that the Tehri dam held Bhagirathi waters the day the Alakananda peaked.

level had reached within 10 meters of the capacity mark. Almost all hydel projects in India fill their reservoirs for higher productivity very early in the monsoon, forfeiting their capacity to control floods! Had the mid-June rains not hit the hills so early in the monsoon, the Tehri reservoir, like August 2012, might simply not have had the capacity to store the additional discharge it claimed to have held back. Lest it be forgotten: the

FACT: This claim was propounded by the chief minister of Uttarakhand! That is, serving as a buffer, the dam had helped to prevent excess floodwaters from devastating downstream villages and townships. Thus, millions of lives were saved! However, reality is that Tehri Dam is located on an active fault line! The shifting load of reservoir water affects local seismicity. This has made the area avalanche prone, right since the time of its construction (when 28 construction workers were buried alive!). The reservoir has been filling up ever since with silt and debris and the productivity and longevity of the dam itself has since been often questioned. Tehri dam is built on the river Bhagirathi which along with the river Alakananda, converging at Devprayag to form the Ganga, and its tributary Mandakini, had caused the havoc on June 17. As per this claim, had the dam failed to check the excess flow of the Bhagirathi, the combined impact of both these rivers, in spate, would have totally devastated the areas downstream of Devpraya The peak flow in the Bhagirathi was recorded on

up the water level at Haridwar on June 17 itself. By the time the Alakananda’s discharge reached Haridwar the following day, the excess water of Bhagirathi would have already moved further downstream. Environmentalists studying such a phenomena, however maintain “It is not rational to add up the two peaks happening at two different points of time if the dam was not there, there could have been floods downstream a day earlier, but the mean peak level would not have been higher”. Apparently, the dam authorities had moderated the peak inflow of 244,000 cusecs to an outflow of

But the question here is how could the Bhagirathi’s peak discharge be moderated during 1617 June without any corresponding rise in the reservoir level? In fact, the officials managing the Tehri dam must make public hourly figures of the flow in Bhagirathi on June 15 to 19, the outflow from Tehri in each of those hours, and the water level in the Ganga at Devprayag and Haridwar. The dam probably saved the 30-km stretch between Tehri and Devprayag from floods during June 16-17. But in 2012, this very stretch had suffered a flood-like situation when the dam released water in August after its reservoir

to address it! The disaster affected include various sections of society. These also include women. Men and women, however experience disasters differently! This is due to their gendered social construction. Men and women have different roles in the disaster management process as also their capacity, and the option avai!able to them are different in character and scale. Although women are often more vulnerable to disasters than men (according to traditional gender responsibilities and relations) they are not merely helpless victims as often understood or represented.

MYTH: Disasters affect everyone and everything in its path, indiscriminately, as well as the solutions to address it. Ascribing the notion of gender to such phenomena is therefore absurd and meaningless.

Besides, many of the material differences between classes are comparable with women’s and men’s unequal possession of and access to resources. In a maledefined society, as in India, economic and cultural systems are male dominated, and allocate power and resources in favor of men. In relation to these hazards, this may mean that the efforts put into disaster recovery are disproportionally carried by women, who in most ‘normal’ situations have to work harder in rural agricultural and domestic activities. Further, women are likely to be more prone to post-disaster illnesses, mostly due to their poorer nutritional intake and condition and physical susceptibility. Men’s and women’s time and place pattern of daily and seasonal activities also differ, and this may produce inequalities in their exposure to hazards. To that extent that found children are more likely to be with women than men, this also affects their relative vulnerability.

FACT: Just as most disasters are human induced so too are solutions

MYTH: There is no correlation between On Page 12

Ganga scaled the highest -ever recorded flood level at Haridwar three years ago. On September 20, 2010, it had swelled to 296.30 meters because the full-to-capacity Tehri reservoir was releasing water. In conclusion, it has to be stated that behind this demand is a hidden agenda, to rationalize the demand to construct the Tehri dam!

New Age Weekly

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When Victory Failed to Generate High Spirits The Bharatiya Janata Party has reason to be greatly pleased with the results of the recent Assembly elections in four Northern and Central states. It swept 163 of Rajasthan’s 200 seats, taking an unprecedented 12-plus percentage-point lead over the Congress. In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP won a convincing twothirds majority. In Chhattisgarh, where it was expected to lose, it won albeit by a whisker. And in Delhi, it managed to keep the Congress out of power. Its seat-tally in the four states has risen from 50 percent to 69 percent of the total. This could translate into 50 of these states’ 72 Lok Sabha seats for the BJP, up from 30. Yet, the impact of the BJP’s success has been blunted to some extent by the spectacular performance of the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi. Strange as it seems, AAP’s chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, not the BJP’s Narendra Modi, is leading the battle for the national popular imagination. Kejriwal’s “new politics” has inspired large numbers of people. Has Kejriwal eclipsed Modi? Has Modi, with his aggressive high-profile campaign, peaked too soon? Has his macho style put off potential supporters? Has his belated, strained expression of “misery, pain, anguish, agony” at the 2002 violence won him Muslim sympathy? It’s difficult to give a definite answer to all these questions just yet. But two things are clear. Modi’s feigned “hurt” at the antiMuslim pogrom convinces nobody; and his exoneration by a Gujarat court lacks credibility and legitimacy. Second, AAP’s entry has introduced a new variable and enlarged the shadow of uncertainty over the BJP’s “target” of reaching the 272-seat halfway-mark on its own by fielding Modi. Modi or no Modi, the BJP lacks the support-base to reach this. But can the National Democratic New Age Weekly

Alliance do so? The NDA has shrunk from 23 parties to just three: the BJP (116 Lok Sabha seats), Shiv Sena (11) and Shiromani Akali Dal (4). It must more than double its present seat-tally to reach the half-way mark. This means raising its percentageshare of the national vote from 21.2 to over 30. This is a far bigger task than the highest jump in seats and votes ever achieved by the BJP, when it rose from 161 seats and 20.3 percent (1996) to 182 seats and 25.6 percent (1998) and collected enough allies to form an opportunist coalition, which expediently put all trade-mark Hindutva issues in abeyance. The NDA has lost— probably irrevocably— major allies like the Janata Dal(United), Trinamool Congress and Biju Janata Dal, besides ethnic-Tamil parties and Telugu Desam, which quit earlier. For the NDA to come to power in 2014, the BJP must win about 200 (if not 210-220) Lok Sabha seats to create a nucleus around which smaller parties can coalesce and form a winning alliance. Winning 200-220 seats, up from 116, is a tall order. Unlike in the 1990s, when the BJP rode a Hindutva wave, it has no socialmobilisation tailwind behind it. So where can the seats come from? Cold arithmetic suggests that the BJP’s success will hinge primarily on making huge gains in three major states—Uttar Pradesh (80 seats), Bihar (40) and Maharashtra (48). In addition, the BJP must further improve on its 2009 performance in its “base” or “home” states, which it has ruled in alternation with the Congress: Madhya Pradesh (29), Gujarat (26), Rajasthan (25) and Chhattisgarh (11). Only then can the BJP boost the NDA sufficiently to attract willing allies who agree with its policies, and indifferent ones who join it for the loaves and fishes of office. Consider India’s political arithmetic from the BJP

By Praful Bidwai

in the Assembly elections held since.

standpoint. India’s 35 states and Union Territories (UTs) fall into four categories. First are big states like Andhra Pradesh (42), West Bengal (42) and Tamil Nadu (39), somewhat smaller Kerala (20), and tiny Northeastern states barring to an extent Assam, where the BJP has no effective presence.

The BJP can legitimately hope to do better vis-àvis a now-weakened Congress in Rajasthan (where it won only 4 of Lok Sabha 25 seats), Gujarat (15/26) and MP (16/29), but not in Chhattisgarh, where it took 10 of 11 seats in 2009, but didn’t do too well in the last Assembly elections.

In this big chunk of 168 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP’s score has always been in the low single-digits and is unlikely to improve. Second come states like Karnataka (28), Orissa (21), Punjab (13) and Jharkhand (14), where the BJP has a limited or unsteady presence via alliances, and the smaller states and UTs each with less than 10 seats, which account for 40 seats, making a total of 116 LS seats. These are unlikely to add substantially to the BJP’s tally. It has to share Punjab with the Akali Dal, and Jharkhand with regional groups. It’s marginal in Orissa after it broke with the BJD. And given AAP’s ascendancy in Delhi, the BJP cannot score handsomely in the UTs either. What of Karnataka? After BS Yeddiyurappa’s disastrously corrupt performance as CM, his break with the BJP, and the Congress’s recent Assembly victory, it’s unlikely that the BJP will win anywhere near the 19 seats it bagged in 2009 even if the BSY faction merges or reaches an electoral understanding with the BJP. “Modi Magic” won’t work here. So in the states and UTs listed above, which send 284 MPs—or more than half the Lok Sabha’s total—the BJP’s tally will on balance of probability be about the same as earlier: 40 seats. Then comes the third category of “home” states comprising Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. The BJP won 45 of their 91 Lok Sabha seats in 2009, and did well

Mr Modi will draw in some votes both in Rajasthan and Gujarat— although his communal strong man image and strident Hindutva rhetoric could prove counterproductive beyond a point to the BJP by further alienating Muslims and secular voters, and creating new opportunities for the Congress. However, even if the BJP repeats its best-ever performance in MP (25), Rajasthan (21), Gujarat (20) and Chhattisgarh (10), that would still fetch it 76 of 91 seats. More realistically, it could win 55-60 seats. This would bring it about 100 seats, with a maximum of 115, from the first three categories. The BJP would still need to reap 85-100 seats from the fourth category (UP, Bihar and Maharashtra) which send 168 Lok Sabha MPs. In 2009, it won just 31 seats from these. These states are politically complex, marked by strong local-level organisations and candidates, and wellcultivated vote-banks. They have multi-cornered contests, whose outcomes are hard to predict. In 2004, these states returned 115 non-Congresnon-BJP MPs, and in 2009 a good 97. In a superoptimistic scenario, the BJP might win 24/40 seats in Bihar with a strike-rate of 60 percent—way above its best-ever score of 23/54 in undivided Bihar, a 43 percent strike-rate. In Maharashtra, the BJP could end its alliance with the Shiv Sena and risk going it alone. Even if it creates a “wave”, which seems extremely unlikely, it can maximally repeat its

best-ever performance (18/48 in 1996). That entails an improbable doubling of its present tally. Even then, the BJP would need to win 55-60 seats from UP. It crossed the 50-seat mark in undivided UP’s 85 seats only twice, in 1998 and 1999, in the wake of the Ramjanmabhoomi mobilisation, and when it came to national power, but shrank to 10 seats in both 2004 and 2009. To exceed the old performance won’t be easy for the BJP in the face of the strong caste and other social-group coalitions forged by the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party. True, the BJP stands to gain from the communal polarisation recently created by the Muzaffarnagar violence, its renewed emphasis on the Ram temple, and the shrinking of the Congress’s and SP’s bases. However, the BJP in UP lacks both a broad social coalition (as distinct from upper-caste support) and a convincing development agenda. It’s relying on mobilising fringe groups around the BSP and SP’s coalitions. It’s far from clear if this, and Mr Modi’s “charisma”, can override the appeal of traditional leaders and help the BJP win more than 30-40 seats. In an optimistic scenario, the BJP’s “threestate” gamble may pay off. More realistically, it may not. The BJP has the advantage of having emerged as an urban winner in a few states. For instance, in Gujarat, it bagged 58 percent of city votes, to the Congress’s 28 percent. But Gujarat is 40-percent urbanised. The BJP can’t replicate its performance in Bihar and UP, with their 11 and 22 percent urbanisation rates. Besides, a new, quintessentially urban, challenge has arisen—in the shape of AAP. Despite its flawed start and many problems including nearsilence on communalism, AAP could eat into the BJP’s votes in many cities, wrecking Modi’s dream.

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De-link Aadhar from Subsidy Payments, Bury Direct Cash Transfers A beggar on the street even has self esteem. This is nothing new and if anybody thinks otherwise he/she is totally mistaken and will pay for this gross underestimate, nay for this total foolhardiness. One is reminded here of an old axiom: He who knows that he knows is a siege follow him, he who knows not that he knows is asleep wake him up, he who knows that he knows not is a seeker teach him, he who knows not that he knows not is a fool shun him. Experts and neo-liberal reformers may get bewildered trying to put UPA-II into one of the above said categories but the voters of the Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi and Chhattisgarh had no problem in shunning these dubious reformwallahs while making the choice for their rulers. It is another matter deciphering the righteousness or not of their choice which we are not attempting here as the point of discussion here is delinking of aadhar from subsidy payments. As Karl Marx, the prophet of inclusive social progress and imperialist doomsday, says in The German Ideology: “For philosophers, one of the most difficult tasks is the descent from the world of thought to the actual world.” They may prefer to grope in the dark and refuse to read the writings on the wall as well as ignore the hurt and insulted feelings of the masses at large. This is exactly what UPA-II has done to its voters both well wishers and others left often with no choice except for a countable number of occasions since independence. Both aadhar and attempts to classify India’s ruling elites as the one between UPA and NDA by the main opposition party BJP have also been rejected. However, hard Union minister for natural gas and oil Veerappa Moily may hit with a sweeping strike in favour of direct cash transfers and against raising the number of subsidised gas cylinders from nine to 12, he will fail in his endeavour as the same is already caught in the air by none other than his own colleagues in the Union Cabinet. Therefore it is quite in the fitness of things emanating from the miseries of daily life to demand a total burial of direct cash transfers and thereby de-linking of aadhar from subsidy credits. Full credit therefore goes to CPI Rajya Sabha member M P Achuthan who not only got an assurance from the UPA-II government in the floor of the Upper House that aadhar will not be made mandatory for subsidy payments but also for moving and getting unanimously adopted in the Kerala state council meeting of CPI a resolution demanding a deep burial of the linking of aadhar for payments. The party’s commitment to aam aadmi demands got full support from the general secretary S Sudhakr Reddy who was present at the council meeting held on December 26, 2013. The resolution categorically pointed out that aadhar scheme is being implemented by collecting biometric data of all our citizens. The worst is that some of the

companies that are collecting the data have good connections with the US spy network CIA. That means aadhar will soon become aadhar (basis) for surveillance by the CIA and company, with or without the approved connivance of Indian governments. The long arm of CIA does not need a permanent friend in India for its avowed activities.

If Wishes Were Horses BJP Would Ride…! Not only the prime ministerial candidate of BJP is in a hurry to get crowned, even his strong proponents sitting in Nagpur are madly accelerating their reform vehicle to dupe the voters in the name of ushering in good governance and pro-people policies. It is a proven fact that BJP will crush the minorities while in power or unleash religious and communal clashes while out of power both aimed at garnering and consolidating votes in the name of Hinduism. Now that the hidden agendas do not work it has come out with superfluous and surreptitious reform agenda to counter misgovernance of UPA-11 and to camouflage its real agenda to hit hard the minorities.

Notes of the Week Chidambaram N Reports say within days of BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi talking of reviewing and reforming the tax system, ArthaKranti, the Pune-based outfit suggested abolition of all taxes. The tax reform proposals presented by the outfit before the BJP Parliamentary Board recommends abolition of more than 30 local, state and central level taxes levied at present. The proposal recommends that from the present tax system only import duties should be retained. The proposal received by former BJP president Nitin Gadkari recommends replacing the present tax system with a single two per cent levy per receipt in bank accounts. What a joke! Will BJP include it in its manifesto so that it can later blame the proposals for failing to reach the South Block? BJP sources say it is just only a proposal and its inclusion in the party’s ‘Vision 2025’ document looking at reforms in administration, judiciary, police, education and taxation, is not certain. The proponent of the tax reform, Arthakranti, made a presentation to journalists on it at Gadkari’s residence in New Delhi on January 7. He heads a committee that is preparing a vision document for the party on reforms in five areas — police, administration, judiciary, taxation and education. “This innovative tax reform proposal is aimed at reducing corruption and eliminating the cost of compliance for tax payers,” a highly-placed source told reporters at the meeting facilitated by Gadkari. Where was this great reformer when NDA was in power for five years?

“A single income tax raid/search/seizure results in a loss of at least Rs 15 crore to the taxpayer being scrutinised.” The proposed tax can be collected through the banking channel rather than tax collection authorities. This seems to be aimed at belittling aam aadmi party leaders most of whom are either retired bureaucrats or those who resigned looking for a greener pasture. “The proposal is not to tax consumption or income as is the case at present, but tax the velocity of money,” said Arthakranti. “Even in the US, a senator from Hawaii has introduced a private member bill on a similar concept.” Will Modi a mutually connived outcaste for the US accept the US formula for India? When one is certain of not reaching the chair, what is wrong if all the wishes are made public? The tax reform proposal will not lead to a loss of revenue for the government, the source said, adding that it will plug tax evasion and avoidance. Arthakranti’s calculations show that the two per cent tax will yield Rs 40,00,000 crore. Eminent economist and former secretary-general of Ficci Rajiv Kumar, also present at the meeting contested the calculation. According to Kumar, at two per cent the proposed new tax will yield about Rs 14, 00,000 crore. In 2012-13, the Centre’s total tax revenue (Revised Estimates) were Rs 10,38,037 crore. Artha Kranti also suggested that the government should first do away with high denomination currency notes such as Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, arguing that it is resulting in the generation of black money. In the next stage, it suggested, any account holder receiving a deposit should face a two per cent tax, while all other taxes, including income tax and excise, should be abolished. The money collected through the banks will then be distributed by the Centre to local bodies and states, doing away with the current system of a federal tax structuring. “This will generate more revenue for the government, will result in better tax compliance and do away with black money from the system,” ArthaKranti said in its presentation. While the proposal will entail an amendment to the Constitution, economists are questioning the assumptions and the claim that it will yield more revenue for the government. “Only half the households have access to banks. These things need to be addressed first,” said Rajiv Kumar of the Centre for Policy Research. Former chief economic advisor Arvind Virmani tweeted that no country in the world has replaced income tax, sales tax or VAT with a transaction tax. ArthaKranti, however, claimed that there is discussion around the world on the issue. However the idea has been endorsed by Ramdev, the biggest tax evader. The presentation to the media was organised by a top leader of the principal opposition party, who did not wish to be identified. New Age Weekly

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January 12—18, 2014

C K Chandrappan Memorial Library at Cherthalai ALLEPPY: At a special meeting organised by C Achutha Menon Study Centre of Cherthala in honour of veteran CPI leader C K Chandrappan, party state secretary Panniyan Raveendran inaugurated a library dedicated to the memory of Chandrappan. Also a reading room dedicated to the memory of Adv. Jenardana Prabhu was declared open by party state secretariat member T Purushothaman. At the same function a medical scholarship was offered by Bulu Roy Choudhary to a brilliant but deprived student who had been selected for MBBS courses. Addressing the meeting organised recently presided over by party district committee secretary Thilothaman, MLA, Panniyan said that that C K Chandrappan was the

leader who did not adulterate communism. He had deep knowledge in different sectors of the society by continuous reading. He was in the front row of Goa freedom struggle as a student leader. He had given longterm leadership to the students and youth movements of the communist party at the national level. He was elected to Lok Sabha three times and to state legislative assembly once. He was a model parliamentarian and his performances as an MP and MLA were appreciated even by the political opponents. During the last period of his life his working area was shifted to Kerala and within a short period he became acceptable to everybody. He made all the sectors where he worked rich by ethics and in

From A Special Correspondent political life he was a man of principles. Education is a business activity nowadays. Students of

poor families have no access to the professional courses. The criteria for eligibility of higher studies is money rather than merit. Panniyan hoped that the library and proposed information centre and the scholarship would help the students hailing from poor

Myths Behind the Uttarakhand... From Centre Pages deforestation and rainfall. FACT: Studies show that in a limited sense, there is indeed a link especially from humid areas. (No study on the other hand has recorded a diminishing trend in the arid or semi-arid parts of India.). The following studies illustrate this point: A pre-Independence study showed that when the Chotanagpur plateau had a large area under forests, towards the turn of the century (18641919), it used to get frequent afternoon showers during summer, favoring tea plantations. Following the destruction of forests (1920-1943) there was no apparent reduction in monsoon rainfall, but the afternoon showers had reduced so much that the tea gardens disappeared! The climate became drier in the hot and pre-monsoon months of March to June which registered lower rainfall. A study in the late 80s found that the annual rainfall in the various islands of the Andaman and Nicobar is closely New Age Weekly

correlated with the area of forest cover. The larger the wooded area, the higher is the rainfall. A study by the University of Guwahati found that Dibrugarh had been getting diminishing rainfall since 1954 at the rate of 15 mm per year. There was a close correlation with increased deforestation in the area; A study by the Ravishankar University, Raipur (Chattisgarh) found a general decrease in rainfall in the Chhattisgarh region over the period 1926-60. Nine out of 10 places revealed a negative trend. The greater decrease was in the northeast (DurgAmbikapur-Raigarh region). Only Dantewada in South Bastar showed a rise in rainfall There has been a steady decline in the total annual rainfall and number of rainy days in a year at Udhagmandalam (Ootacamund) where extensive deforestation had occurred. The lowest rainfall ever recorded here was in 1982 -800 mm only. Finally, the most detailed study was done by V.M. Meher Homji. It analyzed rainfall data from

1906 to 1975 in Western Karnataka and Kerala examining trends in 12 different climatic criteria measuring annual rainfall and number of rainy days in a year. The study led to the following important conclusions: * Forrest clearance does not seem to reduce the total amount of rainfall as it seems to reduce the total number of rainy days; * This means that deforestation increases the intensity of tropical rainfall, enhancing run-off and soil erosion, even if the total rainfall remains unchanged; * It also makes rainfall more erratic, enhancing the chances of longer spells of dryness and, hence, agricultural drought; * During drought, there will be less release of water from the forests and dust problems will rise. This will lead to greater desertification of the humid and humid zones; MYTH: Deforestation result in floods FACT: Studies have since challenged this claim. Land shortage in upland area may increase the rate of deforestation; people

families also to pursue higher studies. He concluded by congratulating Arun, who was awarded the scholarship, instituted by Chandrappan’s sister-inlaw Ratna Rani Choudhary, who is now in Liverpool, England along with her doctor husband. Arun was given the cheque of the first instalment of the scholarship by Bulu. CK Dileep, nephew of Chandrappan handed over four sets of photo albums to the library. Purushothaman recalled that Chandrappan was a higher level national leader of the party and farmers’ organization He was on the highest level of simplicity and humbleness. The courage obtained from deep knowledge was his strength in solving social problems. Being a native of Cherthala CK’s life and contributions are well clear more land for farming or cut down trees for fuel and fodder. Theyre could be new migrants who clear new areas; or locals who wish to expand their cultivated area or reduce the fallow period in upland ‘jhum’ (‘slash and burn’) cultivation. Some scientists, among others, link such deforestation with a supposed increase of flooding downstream. In many parts of the world, a range of factors produces avalanches and soil erosion. This may generate local flooding (through damming of rivers) and increase the sediment load of the rivers, leading to the rise in the level of river-beds downstream and increased flood hazard. According to reports and studies, hydrological data do not demonstrate that good forest cover in large river basins is necessarily a factor in preventing rapid runoff of storm-water; that flooding of equivalent severity and frequency has occurred for centuries in rivers basins, long before recent increases in deforestation; that in the Himalayas there is no concrete evidence of an increase in runoff during the last 40 years, despite the apparent increased

known to the audience. T h i l o o t h a m a n remembered that C.K was an inspiration to the youth. His knowledge regarding different sectors of the society was well known. Thilothaman shared his experience in connection with the visit of Lakshadweep island. When he informed CK that he is going to visit the island, then C.K. explained the important places for visit and peculiarities of them. In the welcome speech, the president of C Achuthamenon Study Centre C S Sachitha informed that this centre was the dream of C K Chandrappan. He proposed to start the study centre as a charitable society, when he was the state secretary of CPI. But it is sad that the first programme of the centre is in memory of CK. incidence of flood disasters. The Ganga-Bramaputra basin have been contributing huge amounts of sediment to the Ganga plains and Bengal delta for centuries, owing to climatic and tectonic factors in the mass wasting of Himalayan slopes rather than recent .human action. These reports ascribe the common perception of an increase in flood disasters not to greater amounts of water in the drainage system, but to human systems having put more people in more risk-prone areas. The relevance of the issue of vulnerability is that if it is accepted that vulnerability is a condition deriving from socioeconomic systems, it is not certain whether the deforestation process should be included as a significant contributor to rising vulnerability; and arising from this, reducing vulnerability in areas downstream of significant deforestation may not necessarily be achieved by curtailing that deforestation (or by reforestation) although such a policy may be of major benefit in other ways.

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January 12—18, 2014

Awami League, BNP at Point of No Return Awami League Party returned to power in the Bangladesh general elections with thumping majority. Sheikh Hasina brings the party to power once again. The outcome was predicted in the 10th parliamentary polls held on January 5, 2014. It was forgone conclusion that Awami League would win the second term. The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of Khaleda Zia along with 18 other parties boycotted the election. The fresh election related violence was to stop the election processes. The violence is continuing even after the polls are over hitting minorities. The attacks remind people of the horror unleashed by the marauding Pakistani forces and their local cohorts 43 years ago. The minority communities are the most vulnerable sections. They are treated brutally. Hasina is accused of holding a ‘onesided farcical election’ under a multi-party government headed by her that the BNP and its allies refused to join. The ruling regime is accused of failing to curb corruption, nepotism, inner-party factionalism and performance. The Opposition wanted that election be held under a non-political caretaker dispensation. Since 1996, the caretakers have conducted polls in Bangladesh. Having scrapped the caretaker provision through a constitutional amendment, it was impossible for Hasina to go back. The military backed caretaker overstepped its brief in 200608. So the court ruled that the caretaker system was incompatible with country’s constitution. The Opposition is feared that under Sheikh Hasina the country would become a one-party secular state where political Islam has no role to play. Despite having won the 230 out of 300 in the Jatiyo Shongshod (Parliament), it may not easy for Hasina to sail through. There is no respite from violence and political turmoil. The BNP and especially its Islamist ally, Jamaat-e-Islami backed by Pakistan would not hesitate to take the country towards ‘civil war’ if they don’t have their way. The election under her regime witnessed widespread election violence; the consequences have led the killing of many people. The recent violence will adversely impact Bangladesh’s economy and its achievements over the last 40 years. In the last election there were 87 per cent votes polling but this time, it came down to just 22 per cent. This time, the opposition parties are questioning the whole election process. It is history that the BNP in February 1996 won a landslide victory with barely 7 per cent voted. Then the Awami League boycotted the election. There were massive protests in the country. Fresh elections were held in June. The Awami League won the election. Now, when Hasina is facing a similar situation after winning the 2014 election. This is a good opportunity for India too. Under Hasina’s rule, New Delhi and Dhaka

ties strengthened. The ties have boosted the trade and tackling terrorism. Last year, Bangladesh had replaced Sri Lanka as India’s largest trading partner in the subcontinent with trade cost to 5 billion dollar. In India there is election in the current year, whichever party comes to power in New Delhi should focus on building ties with Dhaka. Friendly ties with Dhaka will also help in tackling insurgency and strengthening the economy in the Northeast. Meanwhile New Delhi should improve ties with Islamabad not allowing precipitating the relationship further. New Delhi should also focus on its neighbour on the eastern border. The relationship with Sri Lanka had already worsened after the frequent arrests of Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu. The picture is not yet clear with a change of government in the Maldives. India should solve the water sharing from Teesta River with Bangladesh. Both the ruling regime led by Awami League and BNP led opposition appear to be a point of no return. The Awami League is pro-

Diary of International Events C Adhikesavan liberation. It believes that all its gains over the last five years including the war crimes trials would be lost with a change of regime. The BNP-Jamaat opposition wants to bring down Awami League led government. The citizens are caught in a crossfire that will adversely impact the economy and political situations in Bangladesh. Japan’s homeless recruited for murky Fukushima clean-upJapan’s homeless recruited for murky Fukushima clean-up Workers throughout the world are exploited after extracting the maximum of their labour force compelling to do the hardest work is universal phenomenon. But now they are compelled to the most dangerous and risky works exploiting their economic conditions. Here in Japan homeless people are being used to clean up the murky Fukushima. Seiji Sasa hits the train station in this northern Japanese city before dawn most mornings to prowl for homeless men. He isn’t a social worker. He’s a recruiter. The men in Sendai Station are potential laborers that Sasa can dispatch to contractors in Japan’s nuclear disaster zone for a bounty of 100 dollar a head. Sasa strides past men sleeping on cardboard and clutching at their coats against the early winter cold. It’s also how Japan finds people willing to accept minimum wage for one of the most undesirable jobs in the industrialized world: working on the 35 billion dollar, taxpayerfunded effort to clean up radioactive fallout across an area of northern Japan larger than Hong Kong. Almost three years ago, a massive earthquake and tsunami leveled villages across

Japan’s northeast coast and set off multiple meltdowns at the Fukushima nuclear plant. Today, the most ambitious radiation clean up ever attempted is running behind schedule. The effort is being dogged by both a lack of oversight and a shortage of workers. In the October case, homeless men were rounded up at Sendai’s train station by Sasa, then put to work clearing radioactive soil and debris in Fukushima City for less than minimum wage. The men reported up through a chain of three other companies to Obayashi, Japan’s second-largest construction company. Obayashi, which is one of more than 20 major contractors involved in governmentfunded radiation removal projects, has not been accused of any wrongdoing. But the spate of arrests has shown that members of Japan’s three largest criminal syndicates - Yamaguchi-gumi, Sumiyoshi-kai and Inagawa-kai - had set up black-market recruiting agencies under Obayashi. The sprawl of small firms working in Fukushima is an unintended consequence of Japan’s legacy of tight labor-market regulations combined with the aging population’s deepening shortage of workers. Japan’s construction companies cannot afford to keep a large payroll and dispatching temporary workers to construction sites is prohibited. As a result, smaller firms step into the gap, promising workers in exchange for a cut of their wages.

War in Middle East The Middle East countries are being polarized between Iran and Saudi Arabia. This politics is strategically absurd, which is pushing the Middle East countries into the grip of a war, which is nobody’s winning game, neither for Iran nor for Saudi Arabia. The war in the region is in the for a conflict between the Shias and Sunnis, from Lebanon to Iraq, which nothing but absurdity, which is creating worst form of violence and increasing the death toll leading to more tragic situations. This is evident from the recent explosions in Beirut, violence in Fallujah and Ramadi and latest bombings in Aleppo. None of these incidents prove the rationality. The muddled headed locals are involved in this kind of carnages. They are muddled by fear, greed, prejudice, passion and revenge. The carnages are the outcome of the people who sit in distant capital cities who pride and preside over this bloodshed. Washington is one of them. The US bears much responsibility for triggering Shia-Sunni rivalry by its invasion of Iraq, and continues to try to influence the contest; it is not driver of it. Both Iran and Saudi Arabia bent on for the dominance in the region and they deny the dominance of the other. One thing all should know is that Iran must understand that the Sunni Arab world cannot be transformed into a series of satrapies subservient to Tehran. Riyadh is miscalculating strategically which is serving as a mirror to Tehran. New Age Weekly

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January 12—18, 2014

Democracy Has Become a Joke... From Page 5 widow, his relative, for FIR and arrest of the culprit. Barun Biswas of Sutia (North 24 Parganas) was murdered on July 5, 2012 because he organised Sutia Pratibadi Mancha to stop rampant rape of women. The first woman Chief Minister of the state has neither condemned rape, molestation, humiliation and murder after rape of girl child, teenagers and women. On the contrary she had described Park Street and Katwa rape case as fabricated stories. I G Damayanti Sen, incharge of state CID was removed because of her initiative to establish Park Street rape case as true and tried to arrest the culprits. Many times the Chief Minister has firmly rebutted accusation of

New Age Weekly

malicious crime committed by TMC people with fallacious argument. One TMC leader of Rabindra Bharti University though accused of 12 severe crimes and was in jail had been selected as ‘the best student of the year’ and the vicechancellor of the university had handed over the prize to him. TMC leader and general secretary of Rupnarayanpur College Students’ Union (Asansol) was absconded as he was accused of raping a girl student of his college. The young TMC leader who led the attack at age old reputable Presidency University was not condemned by TMC. Mamata Banerji is furious and fiercely attacking media and journalists who are bravely propagating the news of

perverted culture casting its shadow on West Bengal. She has on January 4 said that newspapers and T V channels are polluting human mind and society as they are airing crimes against principal, professors, teachers, teenage girls and women. She is angry with media and afraid of journalists as she is unable to answer siphoning off crores of rupees from Sarada Chit Fund by her associates and TMC MP Kunal Ghosh who has been spending his days in police custody. It is interesting to note that the state government had not lodged any complaint or FIR against Sudipta Sen, owner of Sarada Group, no FIR against the company which cheated poor peoples’ money in terms of crores. Intellectuals, prominent

persons and women’s organisations are trying hard to break silence of the state government for stringent action against molestation, rape and murder of girls and women. Women organisations had on January 3 come on the roads in the city and in the districts to register women’s protest. Kolkata witnessed a rally of women at the call of West Bengal Mahila Samity, Democratic Women’s Organisation, Agragrami Mahila Samity and Nikhil Banga Mahila Sangha. Sefali Bhattacharya and Shyamasree Das of West Bengal Mahila Samity, Malani Bhattacharya, Banani Biswas, Minati Ghosh of Democratic Women’s Organisation, Sasi Agnihotri and Bithika Mondal of Agragami Mahila Samity and Sarbani

Bhattacharya of Nikhil Banga Mahila Sangha. The left youth organisations had on January 4 seized five point crossing at Shyambazar (Kolkata) and Diamond Harbour Road at Behala Chowrasta crossing to register their demand for stringent action and punishment of rapists involved in Madhyamgram gang-raped and murder. AITUC Taxi Operator Union and Rastriya Bihari Samaj on January 5 had organised rally at Kolkata to protest Madhyamgram rape and murder. Amm Admi Party also on the same day marched on Kolkata Street to protest barbaric rape and brutal murder of teenage girl Swapna Kumari Jha of Madhyamgram. BSNL employees on January 7 had organised a rally at BBD Bag to protest barbaric rape and savage murder at Madhyamgram.

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January 12—18, 2014

Great Churning in Congress Aftermath the elections in the five state assemblies, the panic button has rung for the ruling Congress and the party is in a hurry to sew up alliances with other state and national parties, completely abandoning the Rahul Gandhi line of ‘going alone’. This is a big set back for the old grand party that it is on the verge of taking dictations from these outfits. The ‘pride’ of ruling the country for long 10 years is getting reflected even in the words of the prime minister. The achievement is N-deal with the US with which even after five years of the deal the country has not gained any result and is facing acute power crisis. The industry, the households and commercial activities are the worst sufferers due to shortage of power resulting in large scale unemployment and hindering economic growth. No alternative was found to provide energy, which is the basic need of a growing economy. Result the country is facing its worst economic crisis of the 21st century. In the third meet to the media during UPA-II, the PM has not spelt out any road map for the future. It was merely a departing

ON RECORD... A trial court has sentenced a public servant to five years imprisonment in a bribery case saying “corruption is the sharpest weapon of exploitation of masses by individuals, which in essence destabilizes the faith of people in rule of law”. – The Times of India, January 8. *** In an indication of poor economic growth taking its toll on the job market, an estimated 12 million people may be forced to look for low-quality, low productivity rural or agriculture jobs over seven years, a reversal of old trend of migration from farm to non-farm employment opportunities, pointed out a report of CRISIL Research. Job generation in the non-farm sector will slow down sharply in the coming years. Employment outside agriculture is expected to increase by only 38 million between 2011-12 and 2018-19 compared with 52 million between 2004-05 and 2011-12. Due to insufficient employment creation in industry and services sectors, more workers will become locked in the least productive and low-wage agricultural sector or remain unemployed. An estimated 12 million people will join the farm workforce by 2018-19, compared with a decline of 37 million in agriculture employment between 2004-05 and 2011-12. – The Hindu, January 8. *** Why does Manish Sisodia sound like Raj

S. K. Mittal note, simply giving a certificate to Rahul Gandhi of his capabilities. It is a great disappointment for the nation, which had expected a new firmness to fight inflation and steps to firm up the economy in the New Year, when people make new resolves. The Congress has lost its agenda and the leadership is a house divided, because nobody knows, which way to go. Senior party leaders are having conclaves and there are talks that in this month they will name their prime ministerial candidate and think that this will resolve all the problems facing the party — a magic wand for all the ills. The young Gandhi is an MP for the last 10 years and even in his constituency, the party lost heavily in the assembly elections of UP and this time also, the seat is not a walk over. To guard the Congress turf, Priyanka Gandhi has been roped in. Some Congress stalwarts believe that if she is made a candidate to fight elections, the infamous land deal of her husband Robert Vadra may come up in the way.

Thackeray? Delhi’s strength is everyone can claim it as their own. Nothing travels faster; it seems, than a bad and populist idea. By announcing that 90 per cent of the seats in 12 Delhi University colleges directly funded by Delhi will be reserved exclusively for residents, the new education minister, Manish Sisodia, has endorsed a small-minded proposal that was earlier supported by the BJP and Congress. Roughly 12,000 seats across 28 colleges in Delhi University will become unavailable to general applicants. – The Indian Express, January 7. ***

The Mahamanthan in the party is going on in New Delhi. The outcome is being awaited in its rank of workers and state leaders at this crucial juncture, when it is facing a tough fight from its opponents. The one line expected from its headquarters is of alliances with other parties. The most talked about is the understanding with the BSP. Mayawati, the BSP supreme, has seized the moment and as a deft bargainer, she wants an alliance on her terms including UP and other northern states beside Maharashtra. The Congress has no choice and it has to dance to the tunes of Behanji. Maya who was opposed to any alliance with any party is also under pressure as the ground in UP is slippery after she lost power to Samajwadi Party and in the recent assembly elections, the BSP fared badly. In Delhi, it failed to open its account, so she is also under compulsion to safeguard her interests in the political arena. Old has given way to new and the emergence of millions of new voters has changed the political skyline of the country. The recent assembly elections are a testimony to it.

In a damning report, Justice MB Shah Commission has flagged Rs 60,000 crore of illegal iron ore mining in Odisha and asked the state government to recover the money from miners “as early as possible”. The Commission has severely indicted both the Centre and the Odisha government on illegal mining of iron and manganese ores and has asked the state government to recover over Rs 59,203 crore from the miners. – The Economic Times, January 6. *** Two government agencies — the census office and the National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) — have come up with two completely different estimates of India’s slum population, leaving both policy makers and the aam aadmi puzzled. It has again raised suspicions of India’s statistical system floundering, especially when it comes to poorer, more vulnerable sections of society. India had 6.5 crore slum dwellers in 2011, according to Census. But NSSO estimate puts it at 4.4 crore in 2012, a huge difference of 2.1 crore. – The Times of India, January 5. ***

Ruling that the Comptroller and Auditor General of India was authorised to audit “every rupee flowing into the Consolidated Fund of India, by way of revenue,” the Delhi High court dismissed pleas filed by private telecom companies against audit of their accounts. – The Indian Express, January 7. ***

In a new case relating to AgustaWestland, the CBI has registered a case against a senior army official and others for allegedly attempting to favour the company in the purchase of 197 light utility choppers in lieu of a 5 million bribe. – The Times of India, January 5. Compiled By— C Adhikesavan New Age Weekly

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Delhi Postal Regd. No.DL(C)-01/1274/2012-14 January 12—18, 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 12—18, 2014

11th AIYF State Conference in Tripura

KANCHANBARI (Tripura): The 11 th Tripura state conference of All India Youth Federation (AIYF) has been held with great enthusiasm and success on December 31, 2013. The conference was organized in the beautiful village of Kanchanbari, comprising of Manipuri, Bengali and other ethnic tribes situated under Kumarghat subdivision in Unokoti district of Tripura. The conference venue was named in memory of former president of AIYF Tripura state council late Com Phatik Bhowmik. The state conference started with the hoisting of organisation’s flag at 3 pm by AIYF state secretary Milan Baidya. Thereafter homage was paid to the Martyrs column by AIYF national vice president Taosh Sinha, AIYF state president Surajit Bhattacharjee, AIYF leaders Tapash Basak, Mrinal Basak, Nagendra Debbarma, Niyong Mog, Pradip Rajkumar and other AIYF leaders and AISF leader Bikramjit Sendupta, as well as the delegates in the conference. Thereafter a huge rally, in which all sections of masses took part, started

on the eve of the state conference from the local ground of Kanchanbari and passed through the entire bazaar and culminated in a huge mass meeting at Kanchanbari Nat Mandir. The main speaker in the massive meeting was AIYF national vice president Tapash Sinha. Addressing the mammoth gathering, he severely criticized both Congress and BJP for their anti-people policies, that has resulted in the hike in the prices of the essential commodities, worsening economic condition in the country and the different problems faced by the youths of India. He also said AIYF needs to play a great and vital role in highlighting the problems of the youth and the society being not only a Youth organization but also a social organization. He urged the huge gathering

From Bikramjit Sengupta to get united and marched forward towards a greater struggle and revolution. The mass rally was also addressed by AIYF state secretary Milan Baidya, CPI state secretary Prasanta Kapali, CPI Kailasahar divisional secretary Manoranjan Basak, CPI leader and jail minister Manindra Reang. Veteran CPI and NFIW leader Pramila Rajkumari was also present in the meeting, presided by AIYF state president Surajit Bhattacharjee. After the rally and the meeting, the delegate session started in the Kanchanbari community hall by forming a sixmember presidium consisting of Niyong Mog, Nirmal Sinha, Surajit

Bhattcharjee, Baul Debnath, Jaya Biswas and Dinendra Sen. Soon after that followed a condolence resolution read out by AIYF leader Nilmani Deb and a one-minute silence was observed in memory of the martyrs and other left and democratic leaders and cultural and well-known personalities. After that leaders and delegates were welcomed in the 11th state conference with beautiful revolutionary songs by local IPTA members. After that the conference of AIYF was inaugurated by AIYF national vice president Tapash Sinha. In his inaugural speech, Tapash Sinha gave a call to the delegates to come and march forward for a greater struggle, strengthen AIYF and lead the youth of the state for a better future.

The political and organizational report in the conference was placed by AIYF state secretary Milan Baidya. A total of 37 delegates discussed over the political and organizational report. A 12-point charter of demands regarding the organisations, future tasks and movement was placed by Milan Baidya was passed unanimously. The conference unanimously elected a 37 Members new state council in which the president is Surajit Bhattcahrjee, secretary, Milan Baidya, vicepresident Niyong Mog, Sujit Ghosh, Susmita Nandi, Dinendra Sen and assistant state secretary Nilmani Deb, Nagendra Debbarma. The vote of thanks in the 11 th AIYF State Conference was delivered by the Reception Committee convenor Tapash Basak. With thunderous applaud, revolutionary slogans to march forward for a greater struggle strengthening AIYF and keep the flag high, the 11th Tripura state conference of AIYF was concluded Successfully in Kanchanbari.

Printed & Published by K. C. Bansal on behalf of the Communist Party of India at Caxton Press, 2-E, Jhandewalan Extn. New Delhi-110 055 & Published from Ajoy Bhavan, 15-Com.Indrajit Gupta Marg, New Delhi-110 002. Ph: 011-2323 0762. Layout: JANARDANAN.R EDITOR: SHAMEEM FAIZEE *E-mails: [email protected] & [email protected]/web:www.newageweekly.com New Age Weekly