KOZHIKODE RESOLUTIONS TO REVITALISE CPI(M)

                                      

The 20^th Party Congress of the Communist Party of India(Marxist) virtually transformed the historic city of Kozhikode with red flags, hoardings and tastefully decorated venue at Harkishan Singh Surjit -Jyothi Basu Nagar. The Communist Party History and Book exhibitions and cultural events and seminars gave a festival ambiance  to this Left  bastion.  The Party organ Malayalam daily Deshabhimani , had been informing readers in great details about Party Congress  with special reports and supplements.

While the  Party Congress was going on, veteran Polit-bureau member Sitaram Yechury was asked in the NDTV panel discussion, whether the occasion demanded a soul-searching for his party. He responded by highlighting how his party espoused the cause of  ‘aam admi’ by pressurizing  the central government to enlarge the scope of  MNRGA, significant improvement to Food Security Bill and many other programmes that benefited the common man. He also added that his party did not get the electrical dividend due to the media manipulation.

A close reading of the organizational  and political reports along with resolutions passed at the congress reveal  the party’s concern for the working class—both  in the organized and unorganized sectors and the weaker and oppressed  sections of the society.  The party congress has called upon the peasants of the country to be part of a united struggle of the working people against liberalization and imperialist-led globalization instead of resorting to suicide.  The resolution said that this struggle was for decent standard of living and better society.  Suicide is not the solution; struggle is the way, it said.

In the wake of the continuing phenomenon of distress-induced suicide of the farmers, the resolution  demanded the government should restore the subsidies and intervene in the supply of seed and other agricultural inputs by establishing fair price retail outlets in rural areas. The resolution quoting NCRB said, between 1995 and 2010, there were a total  of 2,56,913 suicides of Indian farmers.  The disturbing phenomenon of farmers suicides also returned to  Kerala and West Bengal according to the resolution.

It demanded that  the recommendations  of the National Commission for Farmers be implemented; subsidies restored; the public distribution system expanded; a special sub-quota for agricultural credit by banks to small and marginal farmers created; a comprehensive crop insurance scheme introduced; and a found opened to assist farmers affected by crop losses.

Another resolution adopted at the Party Congress criticized the central and some state governments for imposing contractorisation of workforce and imposing ban on new recruitment. The vacancies  due to retirement of employees  were  never filled.  This has resulted in thorough  exploitation of workers, by keeping wage costs down and denying workers their minimum rights. It said the National Sample Survey data for 2009-10 showed a sharp decline in employment growth from an annual  rate of 2.7 per cent during 2000-05 to a mere 0.8 per cent during  2005-10. Growth of non-agricultural employment fell from  4.65 per cent a year to 2.53 per cent, even when the GDP clocked 8 per cent, the resolution said.

“In the name of making industries competitive and attracting investments, the Central government has permitted  gross violation of the Contract Labour(Regulation and Abolition) Act 1970, by the private and public sector,” the resolution said.  The law prohibited contract employment in jobs of perennial nature.  The practice was widespread in the manufacturing, service and government sectors and rampant in the unorganized sector.   Through another resolution, the  Party Congress supported the struggles of contract workers and trade unions demanding an end to the “exploitative” contract system in regular jobs, and amendments to the Act to regularize the services of workers in jobs of perennial nature.  Till then, such workers should be paid wages equal to those of a regular worker, along with social security benefits.

The Political Review Report, adopted unanimously  at the Congress highlighted party’s tactical agenda for the coming three years, to fight resolutely against neoliberal policies at all levels. The fight would be against the Congress Party, which had been pursuing neo-liberal policies aggressively at the behest of imperialist forces, as well as BJP.

The CPI(M) would rally all the patriotic, democratic sections against the UPA government’s strategic alliance with the US and would mobilize the people  pursue and independent foreign policy. The party would strive hard to expand its mass base and influence  in order to strengthen its independent role.  The mass organizations should become independent forums for mobilizing the people and organizing them .  The participation in elections and activities in the parliamentary forums should be dovetailed to the development of mass movements and the political mobilization of the people, the resolution said.

It said the party would give priority to its work among the basic classes.  The lag in the work amongst  the peasantry and the rural poor in building class and mass struggles had to be overcome. The specific issues of the Dalits, minorities, tribals and women would be taken up as part of the general democratic platform. In a resolution adopted  at the Congress, party expressed serious concern at the reckless loot of the mineral resources  by the corporate.  A release issued by the organizing committee quoted Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat as saying: “We want  a legal mechanism to ensure that tribal rights over the mineral wealth are upheld.”

The resolution on  partisan poverty estimates described the cut-offs set by the Planning Commission to define poverty in the country as a cruel joke and accused the central government of imposing a regime of urban reforms reflecting the policies of the World Bank.  It said the commission had set Rs.22.40 a day for an adult in rural areas and Rs.28.65 in urban areas in 2009-10 as the poverty cut-offs.  Any one spending more than that was considered not poor.

The resolution on “Violence Against Women” expressed concern over the steep escalation in crimes against women and said it was alarmed by the “barbarity and savagery” of atrocities being committed at a time when women were entering public life, institutions of leaning, and diverse work spheres in increasing numbers. “The crude commodification of women and the portrayal of women as sex objects in the mass media is highly objectionable and is not only demeaning to women but creates an environment which trivializes the crime of sexual harassment and violence against women,” it said. The failure to punish the criminals and the long delay in the judicial process is undoubtedly one of the reasons for the increase in rapes and gang rapes being witnessed in several parts of the country,” the resolution said.

The resolution of Ideological Issues sought to map an Indian road to Socialism even as it attempted to learn from the experience of all socialist struggles. A special bulletin issued by the organizing committee quoted General Secretary Prakash Karat as having clarified that CPI(M)  would not emulate any foreign model, neither Chinese nor Latin American, as the corporate media had been trying to project. The resolution  looked at the Chinese experience, both positive and negative, with an open mind. It appreciated the anti-imperialist direction of popular governments in some Latin American countries.

 An analysis of the media reports quoting the senior CPI(M) leaders reveal that there was  convergence of views in the matter of “strengthening the party and working for Left unity to recapture its strongest bases in West Bengal and Kerala and to expand its base and political influence in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.”  The 734 delegates, 70 observers and 11 veterans who attended the party congress, through the week-long deliberations gave shape to a detailed plan on revitalization of the party at the grassroots.  Validictary meet of the Party Congress was a grand spectacle with thousands of red volunteers and a sea of humanity  converging at Kozhikode beach.

In an editorial comment Deshabhamami daiy said : “The message of the Party Congress is that  struggle against social injustices created by the neoliberal policies of the central government will be the main agenda of the CPI(M) in the coming days.”

Kerala State General Insurance  Employees Union(KSGIEU) comrades led by state president Com.Ajayan were part of the Congress, at the Book/Party History/Peasant Revolts  exhibitions, distributing  copies of PAG bulletin and   helping visitors at the venue. PAG bulletin in Malayalam, is a much sought after publication  by cadres and comrades   among  Left parties in Kerala, for its exhaustive and  lucid coverage of    ideological issues and policy matters.