ML Update 52 / 2012

ML Update

A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine

Vol. 15, No. 52, 18 – 24 DECEMBER 2012

Bihar Rises against Nitish Kumar's Liquor-Promotion Drive

Deaths caused by spurious liquor have emerged as the latest form of massacre in Bihar. The victims almost invariably belong to the toiling rural and urban poor, who are otherwise sought to be wooed by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as 'Mahadalits'. Understandably enough, the continuing spate of liquor deaths has triggered a tremendous uproar in Bihar and on 15 December the state observed a day's bandh at the call of the CPI(ML) demanding a ban on liquor. This is probably the first time since the 1974 movement that the struggle against the liquor mafia has emerged high on the political agenda of the people's movement in the state.

The liquor deaths are no sudden aberration nor are they being caused only by 'illicit' liquor. The unfortunate people who died in Gaya the other day had all bought their drink of death from liquor shops with proper official licence. Death came in liquor sachets bearing the official imprint of Nitish Kumar's 'good governance'. On latest official count Bihar was found having a huge network of 5,624 licensed liquor shops. Almost every panchayat in Bihar today has a licensed liquor shop and it is an open secret that for every licensed liquor shop there are at least two unlicensed ones. Contrary to the government's claims, the expansion of the licensed network has not eclipsed or replaced the illicit network; rather the two have grown in tandem with the legal serving as a front for the illegal.

This rapid expansion of the network of liquor shops is central to Nitish Kumar's economics and politics of 'good governance'. The government proudly points to the growing revenue – from a paltry Rs 329 crore in 2005-06 the revenue accrual from liquor has gone up to Rs 2,045 crore in 2011-12. If revenue has recorded a six-fold increase in six years, one can easily imagine how huge must have been the jump in the profit earned by the liquor lobby. Any independent investigation will reveal a massive excise scam thriving behind the curtain. We all remember how Nitish Kumar had summarily sacked his excise minister Jamshed Ashraf in February 2010 for seeking a probe into a Rs 500 crore scam in his department.

Even as Bihar mourns the deaths of the hundreds of hapless liquor victims, Nitish Kumar had the temerity to suggest that his fancy populist schemes like distribution of school uniform or cycles among girl students could only be funded by the revenue flowing in from the growing production and sale of liquor. Could it not be argued equally emphatically that the revenue from liquor was being used to fund his government's self-congratulatory advertisements and his wasteful yatras aimed at self-promotion?

It is well known in Bihar that the liquor mafia has emerged as a principal prop of the new regime. In fact, the feudal-kulak kingpins of the infamous kidnapping industry of yesteryear have now turned in a big way to real estate, construction contracts and liquor trade. Nitish Kumar's vision of 'development' is of course not confined to the home-grown liquor mafia; liquor barons like Vijay Mallya are also spreading their tentacles in Bihar. If Nitish Kumar can have his way, the sugar mills of Bihar will all give way to alcohol and bio-fuel. Yet faced with a popular outrage, Nitish Kumar is now waxing eloquent against the liquor mafia, and in a most glaring display of hypocrisy his government observed November 26, the day Nitish Kumar was sworn in for his second term, as a 'prohibition day'!

The systematic spread of liquor remains a key factor behind the alarming increase in violence against women and the renewed spurt in crimes and social oppression. Girls in Bihar have been right in affirming that if cycles are to be funded by liquor-driven revenue then they would rather prefer to do without such cycles. Bihar cannot afford to bear the social cost of Nitish Kumar's liquor-promotion drive, a fact realised most acutely by the women of Bihar who are fighting in the forefront of the anti-liquor campaign. The youth must now join hands with the women to challenge the liquor mafia and the government that disburses death in liquor sachets. The anti-liquor movement in Bihar has already thrown up role models like Comrade Bhaiyaram Yadav, the young secretary of CPI(ML)'s Rohtas district committee, who was killed earlier this year for taking on the liquor mafia and rising in defence of the dignity of women. The combined might of Bihar's fighting youth and women can surely trounce the liquor mafia and their political patrons.

Successful Bihar Bandh on CPI(ML)'s Call

Bihar Bandh on 15th December against the massacre of mahadalits by liquor and demanding complete ban on liquor in Bihar, and against widespread scam in MNREGA was highly successful in terms of bandh effectiveness and mass participation in the bandh. Politically too the move resonated with the desires of common people in every district of Bihar, Gaya and Bhojpur especially witnessed intensive participation. The CPI(M), CPI and SUCI extended moral support to the bandh.

CPI(ML) General Secretary Comrade Dipankar Bhattacharya courted arrest in Patna during the bandh along with several other Party leaders that included Comrades Kunal, KD Yadav, Ram Jatan Sharma, Meena Tiwari, Sashi Yadav, Rameshwar Prasad, Dhirendra Jha, and Amar among others.

Roads and rail traffic was blockaded by the CPI(ML) members and bandh supporters throughout the State. Since early morning the Party cadres took to the streets at Arrah, Jahanabad, Darbhanga, Arwal, Siwan, Buxar, Purnia, Muzaffarpur, Gaya, Madhubani, calling out for observing bandh and ensuring markets remained bandh. At Forbesganj, CPI(ML) cadres and bandh supporters sat on the railway track at the town's railway station and stopped movement of trains for hours. Prior to the sit in a rally marched through the town. At Leheriasarai in Darbhanga, trains were stopped. NH 57 in Muzaffarpur remained cut off for vehicular movement for hours, Muzaffarpur-Sheohar road was blockaded at Meenapur, NH–105 in Madhubani, NH–31 in Nalanda, and Fatuha–Gaya road at Hilsa, NH¬30 and Arrah-Sasaram road at Arrah, NH¬–98 between Arwal and Kaler, road linking UP and Bihar at JP chowk in Siwan and at Guthni, NH–31 at Begusarai and Patna–Arrah main highway were blockaded for hours.

Rail movement and railway tracks were blockaded at several places including Buxar, Arrah, Darbhanga, Nawada and Forbesganj.

Shri Hind Kesri Yadav participated in the bandh in Muzaffarpur; Shri Devendra Yadav in Madhubani, and Shri Ramdev in Munger. The LJP's women wing held a separate protest while the RJD deferred its protest march to 17th December. In the bandh the militant participation of significant number of women and youth is a quite encouraging sign for building a sustained militant agitation against liquor production and sale in Bihar.

Delhi CM Sheila Dixit Must Take Responsibility for

the Horrific Gang Rape in a Delhi Bus and Resign

Delhi Police Commissioner Must Resign

(Press statement by AISA, AIPWA, RYA on 19 December, Delhi)

Students from Delhi University, JNU, and Jamia Millia Islamia, women from Delhi's slum clusters, workers, and citizens from many walks of life are protesting today at the Delhi CM Sheila Dixit's residence, demanding her resignation over the horrific gang rape of a young woman in a Delhi bus. The protest has been organized by the All India Students' Association (AISA), All India Progressive Women's Association (AIPWA), and the Revolutionary Youth Association (RYA).

We hold the Delhi CM Sheila Dixit responsible for the insecurity of women in Delhi. In the case of the gang rape in a bus, it is shocking that a private bus, unaccountable to any norms or regulations, has been free to ply Delhi's streets. The state of affairs is such that this bus, manned by a bunch of heinous rapists, has been doubling as a school bus in the capital city!

Further, when a journalist Sowmya was murdered some years back, the CM Sheila Dixit had responded by calling her 'rash and reckless' for being out late at night. The Delhi police chief in a press conference some months ago, had declared that the police could not be expected to provide protection if women insisted on venturing out alone at 2 am. Senior police officers in the Delhi-NCR region, in a sting operation by Tehelka magazine, had declared that rape complaints were as a rule fake, and that women who dressed 'provocatively' should expect to be raped.

The culture of blaming women for 'provoking' sexual violence by being out late at night or wearing 'provocative' clothing is a shameful attempt to justify violence on women. Those in public positions of government, police or judiciary who blame women for sexual violence must resign. We demand the resignation of the Delhi CM and the Delhi Police Commissioner.

We demand that the rapists in the bus gang-rape case be booked for rape as well as attempt to murder, since their assault has left the victim's life in danger. This case also underlines the need for changes in the laws on rape. Under the present law, rape by insertion of an object is not recognized as rape. We demand that a comprehensive law on sexual assault be enacted without delay, in consultation with women's movement organizations.

We condemn the statement of BJP MP Sushma Swaraj in Parliament, that even if the rape victim survives, she would be a 'living corpse' for the rest of her life. This culture of telling women that 'there is no life after rape,' and shaming rape victims, must be condemned in the strongest terms. We must ensure that rape survivors live the fullest possible life with their head held high – and the first condition of this is that they get justice, that the perpetrators spend the rest of their life in jail.

In the Delhi bus gang rape case, the woman victim and her male friend had boarded a bus. When a bunch of men on the bus began sexual harassment, making lewd remarks about the man and the woman, the latter resisted fiercely and boldly. The men then decided to 'teach her a lesson' –raping and brutalizing her in the moving bus and dumping her along with her friend on the street.

What we need to recognize is that the widespread and growing rapes in Delhi are, in fact, motivated by the patriarchal urge to 'teach women a lesson' for seeking equality and dignity and for asserting their freedom. The problem is that the political parties, police and judiciary are not defending and asserting women's freedom. Even when they talk of 'protecting' women, they do so by advising women to dress and move 'carefully,' thereby justifying the rapes by implying it is natural for men to rape women who defy patriarchal norms.

We are appalled by the fact that the Delhi Police's ad campaign against violence on women features no women – rather, it features a male actor, urging men to 'Be a man' and 'Protect women'! Instead of such campaigns that reinforce patriarchy, we demand that institutions including governments, police and judiciary be accountable to defending and safeguarding women's unqualified freedom and right to live without fear of violence, in the home or the street; day or night; irrespective of what they wear or do.

AISA students of JNU participated in large numbers in protests called by the JNUSU at the Vasant Vihar police station on 17 December and blockaded the road (chakka jam) near the Vasant Vihar PS in Munirka for 3 hours on 18 December to protest against the rape.

Reports from WB

Struggle against Land Grab in Solidarity with Singur and Loba Rejuvenated

"The struggling farmers of Singur achieved what 552 MPs could not - they turned the colonial-era (1894) Land Acquisition Act into a piece of scrap paper", said Tapan Batabyal, CPI(ML) State Committee member and veteran activist of the Singur movement, addressing a peasant gathering at Singur. "The CPI(ML) resolutely stands by Singur's long-drawn struggle and should the farmers decide to take over their land, the revolutionary left will march alongside", announced State Secretary Partha Ghosh in Singur on 12th December.

It's been six years since the Singur movement erupted and marked an exemplary struggle against land grab in contemporary Indian politics. Even after such a long wait, the farmers are yet to get their land back. Trinamool Congress, which came to power riding on the Singur-Nandigram wave, stands exposed with its mask of commitment to Singur farmers torn to shreds. The CPI(M) is back at its old game of using the farmers' resentment against the TMC regime to argue in favour of the Tatas. Under these circumstances the CPI(ML) organized a rally to reiterate its resolve to continue the land struggle with renewed zeal and pledged commitment to the demands of the farmers, bargadars and agricultural labourers of Singur. Hundreds rallied with the Party's march from Kamarkundu railway station to Bajemelia. Slogans were raised demanding- (1) return of acquired land to all farmers, irrespective of whether they were initially 'willing' or 'unwilling' to part with their land, (2) Exacting compensation from the Tatas as penalty for destroying farmland in the name of industrialization, (3) payment of a one-time compensation of Rs. 7 lakhs to all affected farmers, bargadars and agricultural labourers sans discrimination based on political 'colour', (4) hands-off policy ensuring political freedom of activists and mass movement workers.

CPI(ML) leaders present at the rally paid tributes at the memorials of martyrs Rajkumar Bhul and Tapasi Malik, and relived the experiences and lessons of the Singur movement in their addresses. They accused the TMC government of doublespeak, corruption and irresponsible handling leading to the current legal imbroglio and pointed out that corrupt and sectarian faces of the likes of Becharam Manna of Singur or Anubrata Mondal of Loba - have and will continue to be rejected by the masses. Politburo member comrade Kartick Pal announced that the CPI(ML) will contest the upcoming Panchayat elections in Singur and Haripal.

CITU Jute Workers join AICCTU en masse

Nearly 1000 workers of Jagaddal Jute Industries (in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal), formerly owing allegiance to the CITU, joined the Bengal Chatkal Mazdoor Forum (BCMF) affiliated to the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) on the 16th of December 2012. Among them are 5 party members of the CPI(M).

Since 2006, certain radical sections within the CITU, such as these, have been sparking debates in the inner circles. They criticized CITU's anti-worker, pro-management role within the factory in general and in the jute industry workers' struggle in particular. They formed a 'Teesri Morcha' which captured the imagination of the workers of the Jagaddal Mill. When they fought the PF trustee election under this banner, they even won 5 seats. After this decisive victory, the official CITU leadership settled with these forces and managed to retain them within the CITU union. But the basic debates, revolving around the anti-strike position of CITU during the industry-wide strike in 2008, along with CITU's growing pro-corporate role in West Bengal, were never resolved. As a result these sections of workers waited for an opportune moment to form a new fighting union and made contacts with local AICCTU leaders.

In 2012, the PF trustee election was held again. Two dissident CITU leaders (who joined AICCTU) won among 6 candidates, and are presently functioning as PF trustee members. After the CPI(M) and Left Front Govt was ousted from power in West Bengal they decided to join AICCTU and CPI(ML) and started bilateral discussions. It was decided that the formal announcement of joining AICCTU would be made at a workers' convention.

Accordingly, on the 16th of December, workers assembled in front of the newly built AICCTU office. Ram Sevak Thakur, a retired worker, hoisted the flag and inaugurated the union office. Basudev Bose (GS, AICCTU), Atanu Chakravarty (GS, BCMF), Nabendu Dasgupta (President, BCMF), Narayan Dey and Shambhu Bandopadhyay (AICCTU leaders), Omprakash Rajbhar (Secretary, BCMF - JJI unit) and others were present. A minute's silence was observed in memory of the worker martyrs, following which the convention was held at the Shams Urdu Primary School premises. The proceedings were marked by overwhelming participation and enthusiasm of fighting jute workers of the factory.

Com. Omprakash Rajbhar addressed the convention and placed a charter of demands. He criticized the Central Govt's decision to dilute the mandatory Packaging Act allowing the synthetic lobby - a move that would tell upon the Jute economy. Comrade Omprakash informed the workers that the management had asked him and other leaders to refrain from joining a "naxalite" TU in lieu of which he had been offered the Secretary post of INTUC in the factory! The management had even threatened them with dire consequences if the warning went unheeded.

Other leaders who addressed the convention were Nabendu Dasgupta, Atanu Chakravarty, Mazahar Khan, Basudev Bose and Sh. Alam (organizing secretary of the newly formed union), who presided over the conference. The convention resolved to place the Charter of Demands before the management en masse. Following the convention a workers' rally was organized.

State Transport Workers March to West Bengal State Assembly

Several thousand transport workers working in state-run CTC, NBSTC, CSTC and WBSTC jointly rallied on 11th of December under Trade Union banners affiliated to AICCTU, CITU, AITUC, INTUC and HMS. The workers' procession, decorated with placards and red flags, marched from Nonapukur tram depot towards the State Assembly. When stopped by the police midway, a protest meeting was held at Esplanade. The following demands were raised from the rally - 1) The policy of firing workers under the garb of VRS must be scrapped; 2) Land, buses and bus-routes belonging to the state transport corporations must not be handed over to private owners; 3) All arrears in salary, D.A., bonus, increment, gratuity and pension must be paid without further delay; 4) Following death of a worker, a family member must be offered a job; and 5) For all workers who have committed suicide under financial duress, a compensation of Rs. 10 lakhs and a job to a family member must be offered.

AICCTU Participation in ILO Meeting on Sexual Harassment

Comrade Bhuvaneshwari, National Secretary of AICCTU attended tripartite committee meeting organised by ILO on sexual harassment of women workers at Bangalore on October 29-30.The purpose of the meeting is to ensure stopping harassment of women at work places. Meeting was attended by central trade unions represented by AICCTU, AITUC, CITU, UTUC, AIUTUC, INTUC, HMS, BMS, and NFITU and labour department officials representing Tamilnadu, Delhi, Haryana, Assam and Maharashtra, Assocham representing Employers.

Com. Bhuvana presented a paper on behalf of AICCTU which dealt with changing composition of women work force, i.e. diminishing organised sector and rise in women's employment in the unorganised sector without any safeguards and social security measures. Supreme Court directive on Visaka case is with respect to organised sector whose number is comparatively lesser. The women workforce mainly comprises of the unorganized workers whose working conditions are already vulnerable. Patriarchal excesses are well entrenched in their employment conditions. She also narrated the initiatives taken by AICCTU.

AICCTU has been campaigning for long on the following issues: mass enumeration of women workers, implementation of Visaka directives, meaningful social security for women workers, and equal wages for equal work. We demand that a committee on the lines of Sachar Committee must be formed to investigate into such aspects within a specific time frame. AICCTU paper presented concludes that the Bill on sexual harassment presented in the Lok Sabha has loopholes, yet the Trade union movement instead of dismissing it has to fight for its enrichment.

Comrade Sankar Mitra

Comrade Sankar Mitra, veteran communist and CPI(ML) leader passed away due to a massive heart attack on 18 December 2012. He was 73.

Born in January 1940, he had been in the Central Committee of the Party. Between the 4th and the 5th Party Congress he was also in the Politburo. He was involved in the panel on History of The Communist Movement in India. He was incharge of the Delhi Unit in late 80's and  of Tamilnadu in early 90's before returning to Bengal. He was also the Chairman of Central Control Commission from 5th to 7th Congress of the Party.

Comrade Sankar Mitra suffered long years in Jail in the 70's. He was a leader of the LIC Employees before becoming a professional revolutionary. Committed and simple, he paid attention to Marxist basics and socio-cultural study and investigation.

During the 18 December (coinciding with Comrade VM's death anniversary) programme all over the Country, when the news reached of the death of Comrade Mitra, the organising committees instantly observed silence to pay tributes to our beloved Comrade Mitra.

Red Salute to Comrade Sankar Mitra

(Please see January issue of Liberation for a detailed obituary).

 

Edited, published and printed by S. Bhattacharya for CPI(ML) Liberation from U-90, Shakarpur, Delhi-92; printed at Bol Publication, R-18/2, Ramesh Park, Laxmi Nagar, Delhi-92; Phone:22521067; fax: 22442790, e-mail: mlupdate@cpiml.org, website: www.cpiml.org

 

ML Update 51 / 2012

ML Update

A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine

Vol.  15            No. 51                                                                     11-17 DEC 2012

FDI in Retail:

Entering India through a US-inspired Concocted Majority in Parliament

The debate and vote in Parliament on FDI in retail concluded with a dubious victory for the Government, reminiscent of the Nuke Deal vote. While the debate made it clear that the majority opinion in the house was against the policy of introducing FDI in multi-brand retail, opportunism at the time of voting carried the day.

The arguments peddled by the Government in favour of FDI in retail are entirely unconvincing and false. The claim that FDI in retail will benefit farmers and consumers has proven to be false country after country. Just last week, a leading American newspaper reported that American onion farmers are suffering at the hands of Walmart which is selling onions at nine times the purchase price. Walmart and other chain stores also dictated arbitrary size standards as a result of which huge amounts of crops that failed to meet those standards were left to rot.

Globally, MNC retail giants are not known to have ensured higher prices for producers or lower prices for consumers – if anything, the opposite. Far from 'eliminating middlemen' as the UPA Government claims, the MNC retail giants will in fact emerge as foreign middlemen, immensely more powerful than any domestic producer – whether farmers or manufacturers – and will therefore be able to play with prices and eventually enjoy a veritable monopoly.

Another shocking pro-FDI argument is that FDI in retail is necessary to usher in superior technology – specifically, cold chains to prevent wastage. Why should foreign investment be needed for something as basic as cold storage? As we have seen above, preventing wastage is hardly a concern for the MNC retail giants. Not only is produce that fails to meet arbitrary size standards rejected and left to waste, the global food industry controlled by the MNC retailers is known to waste almost half the food it procures.

Even as the debate was underway in Indian Parliament, it was known that an enquiry is underway in the US into allegations of bribery by Walmart in several countries including Mexico, India, China and Brazil. There are indications that Walmart and its subsidiaries paid bribes in order to expand its network of stores in those countries. Further, the Enforcement Directorate in India is probing an allegation that Walmart secretly and illegally invested 100 million dollars in its wholesale partner Bharti Enterprises, way back in 2010 when foreign players were barred from entry into India's retail business.

At the same time, Walmart itself has disclosed that it spent Rs 125 crore since 2008 on lobbying US senators on various issues, including "enhanced market access for investment in India." How exactly was the money spent on 'lobbying' for entry into India? Who are the alleged recipients of bribes by Walmart in India, according to the ongoing enquiry? These unanswered questions indicate that the process by which the FDI in retail policy has been adopted is murky.

It is ironic that the Indian Government is bulldozing the FDI in retail policy pushed aggressively by the US at a time when the retail giants are facing protests in the US for putting small stores out of business and underpaying employees. US President Obama, just recently, has taken his daughters for Christmas shopping to a small bookstore, to be seen promoting a scheme called 'Small Business Saturday' intended to support small 'mom-and-pop' stores.   

In the Lok Sabha, the SP and BSP chose to walk out of the house after having opposed the FDI in retail policy, thereby ensuring safe passage for the policy. In the Rajya Sabha, the BSP voted for FDI in retail, ensuring a comfortable victory for the Government. Several MPs strategically stayed away from Parliament on the day of the vote, in order to facilitate the Government while avoiding being seen voting in favour of FDI in retail. In the Lok Sabha, the absentees included JMM chief Shibu Soren as well as JVM chief Babulal Marandi, while JMM MP Kameshwar Baitha voted in favour of FDI in retail! In the Rajya Sabha, the sole JMM MP walked out of the house at the time of voting.

The claim by the SP and BSP that they did not vote against FDI in retail so as not to benefit the communal BJP is laughable; the BSP is known to have shared power with the BJP in UP, while the SP is known to have done business with Kalyan Singh, the man who as Chief Minister of UP from the BJP, had presided over the demolition of the Babri Masjid.    

The FDI vote outcome is a travesty of the will of the people. It reflects nothing but an opportunistically concocted majority, cobbled together through behind-the-scene deals and under American pressure. It is appalling but altogether unsurprising that the UPA Government now seeks to discredit popular protests against FDI in retail by deeming such protests to be 'defiance of Parliament and of the law of the land.' It is the vote in Parliament which has mocked the spirit of democracy and political ethics. And it is the people of India, who by resisting tooth and nail the suicidal policy of FDI in retail, the policy that threatens the livelihood and interests of millions, will uphold the true spirit of democracy.

40 Years of Martyrdom of
Comrades Jagdish Master and Ramayan Ram

Inauguration of Martyrs' Memorial at Ekwari

 

December 10th, 2012, was the 40th anniversary of the martyrdom of Comrades Jagdish Master and Ramayan Ram. They were martyred at Bihiya in Bhojpur district on 10 December 1972.

Jagdish Master was born in 1935, 10th December, at Ekwari village under Sahar block where feudal oppression and violence dominated everyday life. The non-landed class, poor peasants and the minorities did not have any freedom, not allowed to improve their living conditions, not even to conduct their daily personal affairs in their own way. Growing up in such a suffocating social environment, Master Jagdish was witness to social discrimination and repression towards dalits, poor and lower castes, routine humiliation and undignified conduct of feudal class towards women. Battling such a social setup and overcoming severe odds Master Jagdish was successful in education and getting a socially honoured profession of a teacher, in Bihar then. He was employed as a science teacher in Arrah's Jain School. He was loved by his pupils. However, he could not be satisfied with his position, he was constantly troubled at heart due to the incidents of repression and exploitation of poor and toiling class. In Arrah town, he organised the dalits to defend their dignity and rights. Initially, he along with other revolutionary activists, held a large rally in Arrah for demanding "Harijan-istan". Soon, the Naxalbari revolt happened and they were attracted to it, also realising that this was the way to transform a feudal society into democratic one. He deliberately travelled without ticket to get arrested and meet naxal leaders in jail.

In the 1967 Assembly elections he chose to be the electoral agent for Comrade Ram Naresh Ram, a daring task in itself. He was attacked brutally when he opposed bogus voting against his candidate. Since then he quit his job as teacher and became a full time activist. The struggles that he waged along with Comrades Ram Naresh Ram and Rameshwar Ahir from here on, attracted the attention of the world. People's poet Baba Nagarjun hailed these as heroes of oppressed people of Bhojpur as Chandrashekhar Azad and Bhagat Singh. He succeeded in driving out fear from the hearts of poor and toiling people as the poor of Bhojpur stopped being afraid of the feudal forces.

In a tribute befitting such a hero, the memorial for Master Jagdish and Ramayan Ram was unveiled on 10th December 2012 at Bihiya. People had tried constructing a memorial earlier too but the police were successful in forestalling the move. The land for the memorial, which is now highly priced, was given by Dinesh Musahar. The memorial stands at the very place where they were martyred. 40 years back, when Master Jagdish and Ramayan Ram were returning after ending the life of a cruel and repressive land lord Thana Singh (who used to assault women, play with the lives of poor and controlled the police and administration), the agents of feudal forces raised hue and cry accusing them to be dacoits and thieves and following an attack from the adjacent hamlet of Musahars, they died. They did not use their firearms, which could have saved them, as it was against Party's rule to open fire on poor and toiling people. Ramayan Ram asked Jagdish Master to scoot, but he would not leave his comrade behind.

Later when the Musahar community learnt who died at their hands they slumped into deep grief. On the 40th martyrdom anniversary, Dinesh Musahar and rest of the community had a sense of pride that the memorial of the people's heroes stood on land donated by them. At the time of martyrdom Comrade Jagdish was CPI(ML)'s State Committee member. The memorial was inaugurated by Party's Politburo member and veteran communist Comrade Swadesh Bhattacharya. He said that since his martyrdom many governments came to power in Bihar all in the name of the poor. But all have pushed the poor further towards hunger and death. To those whom Nitish Kumar termed mahadalits and lured them with the promise of land, were serviced with poisonous alcohol, land being a hollow promise. The number of deaths of poor is on the rise in Arrah due to alcohol that according to Nitish will bring him excise tax. The people who are dying are poor people for whom Master Jagdish sacrificed his life, and towards whom the rulers are ruthless to date. People who want change therefore must walk the path taken by Master Jagdish. His life has also inspired work of art by pro-people intellectuals. Mahashweta Devi's "Master Saab" and Madhukar Singh's "Arjun Jinda Hai" centres around his struggles and life.

The red flag at the smarak (memorial) at Ekwari Village was hoisted by Dinesh Musahar. A public meeting was held at Arrah town bus stand next to where the Smriti Bhavan's foundation stone was laid. It was addressed by senior Party leaders including Comrade Swadesh.

Punish The Perpetrators of Fake Encounters and Fabricated Cases  

The NHRC has informed the Supreme Court that in the past 5 years, no less than 191 fake encounters have taken place in the country. This disclosure came in the course of a hearing in the SC over a petition to appoint a Special Investigation team (SIT) to probe the 1500 alleged fake encounters in Manipur in the past three decades. Another petition seeking withdrawal of AFSPA in Maniour is also under hearing.

Needless to say, the NHRC's estimate is a conservative one, since it only counts those killings that the NHRC considers to be fake. The Batla House killings of 2008, for instance, were not considered fake by the NHRC in spite of its many suspicious aspects.

The NHRC also commented on the non-cooperation of state governments in probes into such killings, and on the failure to comply with recommendations for compensation in case an 'encounter' is found to be fake. For instance, in the case of the rape and killing of Thangjan Manorama Chanu in Manipur in 2004, the NHRC recommended payment of Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the victims's kin, but the Defence Ministry is yet to comply.   

Shocked by the revelations, the Supreme Court bench of Justices Aftab Alam and Ranjana P Desai asked, "Is there a war going on within?" The SC noted that "There is more than meets the eye" in the 'encounters' in Manipur, and recommended the setting up of an SIT to probe the cases, although the Central Government and the NHRC opposed this.  Commenting on the fact that a 12-year-old boy was killed as a 'militant' in one such 'encounter', the SC bench asked, "How can a 12-year old boy be a terrorist?"  

What is shocking is that in this 'war,' the state machinery enjoys a virtual licence to kill. There is a culture of impunity, whereby the men in uniform who perpetrate fake encounters and fabricate cases against innocents are very rarely brought to book. 

It is not fake encounters alone, but fake cases, fabricated to frame innocents, too, which are on the rise. Recently, the Delhi HC acquitted two young Kashmiri men who had been sentenced to death by the sessions court in the 1996 Lajpat Nagar blasts case. The High Court pointed to the "highly defective" police investigation, and the "grave prosecution lapses" that raised "a question mark on the nature and truthfulness of the evidence produced." The HC concluded that the case fell below the "minimum proof required in a criminal trial." How, then, did evidence that fell below the threshold of 'minimum proof' result in the maximum sentence for two young boys, also costing them 16 years in jail for a crime they did not commit?

The HC noted that "It has been repeatedly cautioned by the Supreme Court that while dealing with a case of grave nature - like the present one, there is always a danger that conjectures and suspicion may take the place of legal truth." It held that "In matters of liberty, the weakness of the State surely cannot be an excuse for lowering time tested standards, especially in serious crimes, where the accused stand to forfeit their life, or at best, the most part of it."  

The brother of one of these youths was also acquitted two years earlier in the same case, having spent 14 years in jail. Appallingly, it is reported that the two recently acquitted Kashmiri youths face re-arrest in another blast case.

An investigative report by a journalist of a leading English daily recently exposed that instances of blatant fabrication of cases against alleged members of 'SIMI,' said to be a banned terrorist outfit. What was clear from his report is that these were not cases of 'lapses' or honest 'mistakes.' They were cases of deliberate fabrication, no less. In 6 different cases spanning 5 cities and 2 years, the Madhya Pradesh police had produced the same copy of a magazine as 'evidence,' claiming in every case to have seized this supposedly banned magazine from the accused. Clearly, in every case, the same copy of the magazine had been planted on the accused after the arrest! Others had been arrested and spent long periods in jail in Maharashtra and MP on evidence as flimsy as newspapers, Urdu poetry and a children's magazine. In other cases, Muslims had been arrested under the UAPA on charges of terrorism – for the crime of 'shouting slogans.' In none of the cases have the police personnel faced punishment for their obvious fabrication of cases.

The Lok Sabha has recently passed amendments to the UAPA that make it even more draconian that it already it. Draconian laws like UAPA are being used as instruments to arrest and intimidate minorities, adivasis, the poor, as well as political dissenters. The Binayak Sen case, with its obvious fabrications and falsehoods, had shocked people's conscience. It's time it was recognised that such outright fabrications, arrests and custodial torture and killings are the norm rather than the exception. 

What is needed is a tribunal to probe all cases of terror suspects, and to ensure public acknowledgement and apology as well as compensation and rehabilitation for the victims of fabricated arrests and families of fake encounter victims. But above all, what is needed is severe punishment for the personnel (in police or armed forces) who perpetrate extra-judicial killings and fabricate cases, and repeal of all draconian laws.    

Protests Against Liquor Deaths in Bihar

The Bihar Government's policy of promoting the sale of liquor for revenue is taking a deadly toll in the state. Between 7th and 9th December, around 35 people (possibly more) were killed after drinking poisonous liquor in Ara. Since then, there have been similar deaths in Gaya and Patna too. The CPI(ML) and AIPWA have responded with spirited protests demanding arrest and prosecution on murder charges of those responsible for the deaths; compensation for the victims' families; and an immediate stop to the Government's policy of promoting the sale of liquor.

On 8th December, the CPI(ML) called for an Ara bandh. On 9th, the AIPWA held a protest demonstration in Patna. On the same day, CPI(ML) PB member Swadesh Bhattacharya met the victims' families in Ara, while on the 10th December, Bihar state secretary Comrade Kunal visited Ara and met the victims' families.

The AIPWA held protest marches in Siwan and Gaya on 10 December. And on 11 December, the AIPWA led a militant protest by women at the DM's office at Ara. Women, led by AIPWA General Secretary Meena Tiwari and Ara leaders Comrades Indu and Shobha Mandal, spiritedly resisted the police and entered the DM's office premises, raising slogans and addressing protestors on the mike, although the use of mikes is banned there. The DM had been claiming that there was no provision for compensation of victims of hooch deaths, and only BPL beneficiaries could be compensated. Under pressure from the women's protests, the DM was forced to add the names of 5 non-BPL victims to the list of those entitled to compensation.

Recently, a veteran socialist leader Hind Kesri Yadav had been brutally beaten up by liquor mafia in full presence of the police, on the DM office premises, when he led a protest against illegal hooch sale in Muzaffarpur. The CM has shamefully gone to the extent of saying that funds for empowering girls can be generated only by revenue from liquor sales! Women in Bihar are protesting against the fact that liquor vends are coming up in every village, and addiction that is being promoted by the Government, is resulting in intensified domestic violence for women and distress for the families.

The party has called for a Bihar Bandh on the issue on 15 December.

Tea Workers' demonstration at Guwahati

Asom Sangrami Chah Sramik Sangha (ASCSS) affiliated to AICCTU, staged a satyagraha  at Guwahati on 3 December 2012 demanding immediate solution of some burning problems of tea workers of the state. Tea companies of the state violating Bonus Act, 1965, have been depriving tea workers from their due bonus. It is compulsory to add the ration as their income while fixating the bonus. But this procedure is not followed and hence tea workers do not get their due bonus. After a series of protests, Labour Commissioner of Assam had served a notice to the tea companies in July 2012, but, ironically, the same was withdrawn later. ASCSS demands proper implementation of Bonus Act, 1965, to stop violation of Labour laws in tea gardens, to punish the responsible officials, and to stop collection of high electricity charges from the workers residing in garden quarters. Hundreds of tea workers from various districts of the state took out an impressive protest procession upto the Deputy Commissioner's office and sent a memorandum to the Governor of Assam seeking his prompt intervention on their demands. Leaders of AICCTU and CPI(ML) participated in the procession. ASCSS warned the Govt. of intensifying the movement.

Protests on 20th Anniversary of Babri Masjid Demolition to Demand an Effective Law Against Communal Violence

The CPI(ML) held a dharna on 6 December 2012 New Delhi to mark the 20th anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid. The dharna demanded punishment for the guilty of the Babri demolition; and demanded that Parliament enact a law to prevent and punish the perpetrators and political masterminds of communal violence.

Addressing the dharna, Kavita Krishnan, Central Committee member of the Party, said that 20 years after the Babri Masjid demolition, Lal Krishna Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and other BJP leaders are yet to be prosecuted for the Babri Masjid demolition. Similarly, the Srikrishna Commission indicted Bal Thackeray for the communal pogrom of Bombay 1992-93, yet Thackeray went scot-free. After his death recently, he was given a state funeral, as Government and media tried to whitewash Thackeray's role in instigating communal hatred and violence. This December, elections to the Gujarat Assembly are due to take place, and Narendra Modi, mastermind of the communal pogrom of Gujarat 2002, is once again aiming to be Chief Minister. The political masterminds of the anti-Sikh pogrom of 1984 were never brought to justice.

In almost all instances of communal violence against minorities, the police has colluded with the perpetrators, acted as an extension of the communal mob, and betrayed their duty towards protecting the vulnerable minorities. When the UPA-I Government came to power, they promised to pass a law against Communal Violence. However, the UPA-I and UPA-II have failed to draft and enact a law that will truly prove capable to protecting minorities from communal violence. The Government has succumbed to pressure from communal forces led by the BJP, who are virulently opposed to such a law.

The activists said that the UPA Govt and Parliament must draft and pass a law that will hold governments, police and administrative machinery accountable to preventing communal and targeted violence, will provide for justice to the victims and survivors of communal and targeted violence, and will have provisions for justice for the victims of sexual violence that takes place as part of communal and targeted violence.The speakers condemned the deliberate incidents of fabricated cases against innocent Muslims and demanded punishment for the police officials. Recently, a Delhi High Court found that two Kashmiri youth, jailed for 16 years as terrorists, had been falsely convicted and were innocent.

The dharna was also addressed by Prabhat Kumar, Sanjay Sharma, VKS Gautam, Santosh Roy, Anmol, Ravi Rai, Ums Gupta of LDTF, Aslam Khan, and many others. Girija Pathak conducted the programme

A protest dharna on same day was also held at Gohana district headquarters in Haryana. The activists led by Party's Haryana Incharge Prem Singh Gahlawat  demanded an effective anti-communal violence Act that can set precedent for rioters and their political conspirators. Such an Act must fix accountability of police and administration as well as responsible politicians in incidents of communal violence. The dharna was also addressed by Jagjiwan Ram, Jay Narayan Singh, Gulab Bhagat and Dipak Dahiya.

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

ML Update 50 / 2012

ML Update

A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine

Vol. 15, No. 50, 04 – 10 DECEMBER 2012

Inferno in Bangladesh Garment Factory:

Death Traps of Globalisation

On November 25th this year, a fire engulfed a garment factory – Tazreen Fashions – outside Dhaka, claiming the lives of 120 workers, who were killed because the exits were locked, preventing their escape. Among the charred remains, were found clothes with the labels of leading global retailers, including the American Wal-Mart, Sears, and Disney.

The Tazreen fire exposed the ugly underbelly of globalization, whereby the giant clothing brands and retail chains outsource their production to benefit from cheap labour in Asian and South Asian countries. Appallingly exploitative conditions of labour, which would no longer be countenanced in the advanced capitalist countries, are the norm in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and India. The Tazreen fire is not a one-off tragedy; since 2006, over 500 Bangladeshi garment workers have reportedly been killed in factory fires. In September, two factory fires in Pakistan claimed the lives of more than 300 workers.

Bangladesh's garment industry has seen fierce struggles by the workers against the low wages and exploitative conditions. In December 2010, a fire broke out in a garment factory, claiming 24 lives, in which workers were forced to jump from the ninth floor of a 10-storey building because management had locked the exits. Police fired on the garment workers' agitation that month, killing four workers, injuring hundreds, and arresting the leaders. The Ashulia industrial zone, in which the Tazreen factory stands, has witnessed repeated eruptions of workers' protests. In June this year, workers of Ashulia campaigned for a hike in the abysmally low wages, and the owners responded by shutting down all 350 factories in the zone. Following the Tazreen fire, thousands of workers hit the streets in militant protests, forcing factories to close, blockading highways, and clashing with the police, who unleashed batons and tear gas.

The global brands amass huge profits by sourcing clothes from countries where workers work for low wages, in exploitative and unsafe conditions. In the dense web of contractors and sub-contractors, responsibility can be easily shrugged off. The government of Bangladesh colludes in the exploitative conditions, unleashing severe repression on workers' protests.

In March 1911, 140 garment workers, most of them women, were killed in the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York. Finding themselves locked in the burning factory, women jumped to their death from the windows. 100 years later, the same macabre scene is reenacted – but this time the death-trap factories have moved to Bangladesh and Pakistan.

The ongoing resistance of the Bangladeshi garment workers calls for our wholehearted solidarity and support. From Karachi to Dhaka and Delhi to Colombo, the ghettos and death-traps of globalization will have to be challenged head-on by united waves of South Asian resistance.

 

Below we reproduce a poem by Annie Meharg penned on the hundreth anniversary of the 1911 tragedy at the Traingle Factory in the United States

The Triangle Factory Fire

March 25, 1911

There are thousands whose fingers thread needles today

With long hours, bad conditions and not enough pay;

Young girls and young women, heads bent at machines

Sewing trousers and blouses and dresses and jeans;

Overworked, underpaid. But who cares? And who knows

Of the lives of the people who're sewing our clothes?

It was March 25, year of 1911

In the Triangle Factory in downtown Manhattan,

In the famous Asch building, floors ten, nine and eight

Where the seamstresses sewed clothes from early 'til late.

There were five hundred workers, some only thirteen,

In the immigrant workers' American dream.

The nightmare broke out in the late afternoon

When a fire in a scrap bin spread fast through the room.

The terrified workers jumped up and took flight

As from table to table the cloth caught alight.

In the smoke and the flames they were panicked and shocked

And they ran for the doors. But the doors were all locked.

Like prisoners! The workers were starting to choke

In the fumes and the flames and the heat and the smoke.

A girl ran to the firehose then started to shout

When she turned on the valve but no water came out.

Some women were screaming as flames licked their hair;

Others ran to the fire escape gasping for air.

The fire escape started to buckle and groan -

Then it broke from the wall and the people were thrown

Down into the street, splattered dead where they landed -

Whilst still up above them their colleagues were stranded -

To jump or to burn was their terrible choice

As they stared without help, without hope, without voice.

The firemen were quick, bold, courageous and tough

But they knew that their ladder was not long enough -

Women swayed at the windows with flames in their hair

And then like human torches they fell through the air -

The safety nets tore, bodies smashed in the street.

The paralyzed bystanders never forgot.

Sixty-two jumped or fell that day from the ninth floor

And the smoke and the flames swallowed up many more.

It was all so unnecessary - what was it for?

Why should sewing a shirt be as dangerous as war?

Next day in the paper the New Yorkers read

That one hundred and forty-six workers were dead.

Dead. Killed by neglect. Each young mother, wife, daughter.

By lack of extinguishers, hoses and water,

Inadequate fire escapes. By the locked doors

Which made workers prisoners on those three floors.

One hundred and forty-six families were wrecked

By men blinded by profit; inhuman neglect.

In 2011 it's not in Manhattan;

It's further away. Is it easier forgotten?

Disasters in clothes factories in Pakistan,

In China, in Bangladesh, in Vietnam.

People work dawn to dusk earning less than they need;

Desperate women and men with a family to feed.

There are thousand whose fingers thread needles today

With long hours, bad conditions and not enough pay;

Young girls and young women, heads bent at machines

Sewing trousers and blouses and dresses and jeans;

Overworked, underpaid. But who cares? And who knows

Of the lives of the people who're sewing our clothes?

Annie Meharg, 2011

 Agricultural Labourers' Spirited Movement for Increased Wages in Hooghly, WB

Responding enthusiastically to the All India Agricultural Labourers' Association (AIALA) call for strike during the current harvest season, agricultural workers in Hooghly launched a spirited movement demanding increased wages. Crushed by the burden of skyrocketing price-rise, the agrarian workers' mood was militant, and in several villages the struggle intensified with strikes continuing for 3-4 and even 7-8 days at a stretch. The rich peasants and their patron political parties tried their best to bring middle and poor peasants into their fold in opposition of the wage struggle. But in face of the resolute unity amongst labourers, the poor and middle peasants were gradually won over and they agreed to the wage increase. Eventually, the rich farmers had no option but to concede to the demands. The original call for a district-wide strike on 10th November was modified to demand a uniform minimum wage of Rs. 171 per day as announced by the Government. In the end the struggle was able to win daily wage increases of Rs. 10, Rs. 15, and even Rs. 20 in certain areas.

There were certain apprehensions that a wage struggle by labourers at this time of deepening agricultural crisis might affect poor farmers negatively as they are already crumbling under the pressures of soaring farming prices (fertilizers, seeds, pesticides, water, electricity) whereas the crop prices fetched are anything but fair. The severity of the farm crisis is exemplified by the increasing number of farm suicides. Hence, the apprehension that a wage struggle by labourers might alienate poor peasants from the party. However, AIALA firmly denounced such fears and rallied the farm labourers who stood organized in hundreds in several villages of Dadpur, Pandua, Balagarh and Dhanekhali. They struck work till they won their wage demands. As a general trend it was observed that although on the first day of strike poor peasants sided with rich peasants, the collusion did not last long, and soon enough the poor peasants distanced themselves with the rich peasants. As much as the former are a victim of the multinational onslaught on agriculture, they are also a victim of the latter's control over water and fertilizer and oppressive loan-scenario, which naturally renders such an alliance unfeasible. This renewed practical lesson in agrarian class structure will help future AIALA struggles and strategies. Following the successful movement, work has picked up on building new village committees and area committees. An AIALA membership drive is also underway. Earlier, on 8th November, a state-wide BDO deputation was organized at block level, demanding NREGA work and speedy payment, arresting farm suicides and price-rise of farming supplies, distribution of khas land, ensuring a fair Panchayat election, steps in remunerative pricing and condemning police firing at Dubrajpur.

CPI(ML) Rally Condemns Police Firing at Dubrajpur and Tehatta,

Burns Effigy of Mamata Banerjee

Of late Mamata Banerjee's Administration has brought back haunting memories of Singur and Nandigram with police forces firing indiscriminately at villagers, first at Loba village of Dubrajpur (Birbhum district) on the 6th of November, and subsequently at Haulia village of Tehatta (Nadia district) on the 14th.

In Dubrajpur, villagers have been resisting land acquisition in the Singur-Nandigram style by Bengal EMTA (Eastern Minerals and Trading Association), a private company that is out to set up an open cast mine in a vast tract (three times that acquired at Singur) of fertile agricultural land. During the LF rule, EMTA acquired 700 acres of land from the absentee landlord through their agents. In 2009, an agreement was signed between EMTA and DVC (Damodar Valley Corporation) on land acquisition but the details have still been kept under wraps. Since then, the villagers have been demanding adequate compensation and price for their land. They confiscated an earth mover machine when EMTA officials attempted to start digging the land in December 2011. Ever since, Partha Chatterjee, Minister for Industry and Commerce, had been pressurizing the local administration for police action to retrieve the machine.

A huge police contingent was sent to Dubrajpur on the 6th whereupon villagers were tear-gassed, lathi-charged and fired upon. Five villagers sustained bullet injuries as they put up a heroic resistance to police brutalities. A CPI(ML) fact-finding team report published earlier in ML Update exposes the ugly nexus existing between DVC-EMTA and the TMC administration, from the district level all the way up to the ministerial level, which explains why the police acted in such a highhanded manner at DVC-EMTA's behest. 8th November was observed as a state-wide protest day against the Dubrajpur firing, with protests and dharnas held at block level. Protest meetings, rallies and marches were held respectively in Murshidabad and Jalpaiguri, Siliguri and Kolkata.

Close on the heels of Dubrajpur came Tehatta. Under directions of the Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Tehatta, police constables cracked down on villagers with tear gas, batons and bullets. Ashok Sen, a construction worker was killed by police bullet on the spot, and four other villagers hospitalized with bullet injuries. A CPI(ML) team led by the Nadia District Secretary went to the spot on 15th November. They spoke to the grieving family of the deceased and demanded that the WB Govt provide compensation and job to family members of the deceased and take immediate action to punish guilty police officers.

The way a local dispute over a piece of PWD land (situated next to the Eidgah, where a section of the Muslim community wanted a road, and a section of the Hindu community sought permission to hold their annual Jagaddhatri Puja) was allowed to blow out of proportions and finally settled with police bullets costing a worker's life is condemnable in the strongest terms. The administration failed to reach an amicable solution by involving all parties concerned and instead fuelled further communal divide presumably keeping narrow electoral gains in mind. CPI(ML) Nadia State Committee called for a 12-hour Bandh in Tehatta on the 16th in protest of the police firing.

It is evident that Mamata Banerjee and her trigger-happy administration have learnt nothing from the Singur-Nandigram episodes. On 22nd November, CPI(ML) held a large protest rally in Kolkata condemning the police firing incidents at Dubrajpur and Tehatta. The 500-strong rally led by PB member Kartick Pal and CCMs Kalyan Goswami and Partha Ghosh started from Raja Subodh Mallick Square and proceeded towards Esplanade. The Metro Channel was blocked off and protesters burnt an effigy of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. WB State Secretary Partha Ghosh addressed the rally, which then marched further to end at Moulali. Several demands were raised from the rally - among them (1) judicial enquiry into the Tehatta police firing, (2)compensation of Rs. 10 lakhs to the family of the deceased, and (3) punishment of guilty police personnel. With regards to Dubrajpur, demands were raised for – (1) judicial enquiry into the police firing, (2) compensation of Rs. 1 lakh to the injured (with the state government shouldering the responsibility for their treatment), (2) scrapping of the dubious agreement between West Bengal Power Development Corporation and DVC-EMTA, and (3) punishment of the guilty police personnel forthwith.

CPI(ML) Team to Singur Arrested

CPI(ML) team to Singur led by Comrade Tapan Batabyal was arrested and taken to Singur thana on 2nd December, 2012. Comrade Tapan Batabyal was one of those arrested six years ago on that same 2nd December (2006) when Singur was being ransacked and the land occupied by the then Left Front Govt. TMC Govt now makes a full circle of its Singur episode.

Massive Demonstration at Odisha State Assembly

The CPI(ML) Odisha State Committee held a massive march and protest demonstration on 16th November in front of the Odisha State Assembly in Bhubaneswar against the State and Central Govt's indifference to people's issues and anti-people attitude common people.

Thousands of supporters and cadres of the Party displaying placards and red flags marched in a procession starting from Railway station to the lower PMG in front of the State Assembly raising slogans – "Stop Rampant Corruption, No to FDI in Retail, Stop Corporate Loot, Price Rise, Special Status to Agriculture, Stop the Farmers Suicide in the Country, Ensure Employment to All, Stop Black Marketing of Fertilizers and Distress Sale of Paddy, Ensure Land to Landless and Forest Right to Poor Tribals.

CPI(ML) General Secretary Comrade Dipankar Bhattacharya was also present in the march to the Assembly and addressing the demonstration said, both the State and Central Govts have failed in addressing the pressing issues of common people. He demanded CBI inquiry into the mining scam in the State as the penalty notice served to 104 mine owners for recovery of Rs.70,000 crore in fines for excess mining between 2001-10 proves that the BJD govt led by Naveen Patnaik is fully involved in the mining scam. He said if the govt will not change its anti people policy, people will change the govt. He also declared that the party will actively support the February 21-22, 2013, national strike called by different trade unions of the country.

Comrade Kshitish Biswal, Odisha's State Secretary of the Party also addressed the demonstration apart from several other mass organisation leaders.

AICCTU Gherao's CDPO in Bhubaneswar

A massive demonstration in-front of Bhubaneswar CDPO was held by hundreds of Aanganwadi workers and helpers to demand hike in salary including the pending 4 months' salary, providing uniform, cooking fees, travel allowance and information to all workers. The coordination meeting allowance should also be given to all workers.

All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) State Secretary Comrade Mahnedra Parida addressed the workers and said Rs.15,000 in salary should be given to all workers. President of Aanganwadi Workers and Helpers Association addressed the workers and Secretary Sramistha Patra also addressed the workers and warned that if the district administration does not heed to the demands within 15 days since submitting the memorandum the agitaion will be intensified.

CPI(ML)'s Cadre Convention in UP

Uttar Pradesh Unit of the Party organised State-level Cadre Convention on 18 November to give momentum to the preparations for the upcoming Party Congress in April and RYA's national conference to be held in Lucknow (14-15 December 2012). Two hundred selected cadre from the State including District Committee and leading teams from 26 districts participated in the Convention.

Comrade Dipankar Bhattacharya was the main speaker at the Cadre Convention held at Lucknow Montessori Inter College's auditorium. Discussing the political situation he said that the people are furious at the Congress-led UPA for the price-rise and corruption. However, people are not forgiving the BJP and NDA Govts either. Apart from the UPA and NDA, the condition of the regional parties' govts - whether its TMC in WB or Samajwadi Party in UP – is also not good. People of the country want change. The economic policies of the last two decades has only increased regional imbalance, internationalised communalism. US is exporting communalism, it has equated Islam with terrorism. In these situations, people expectations from the Left and especially from the CPI(ML) has increased. In such a circumstance the preparation for our 9th Party Congress has gained more importance. He called for transforming the 21-22 February 2013 national strike by TU's into a successful general people's strike, making the RYA's National Conference a grand success and leaving no stone unturned towards the preparations of the 9th Party Congress. In preparation for the Party Congress he called for enrolling 30 percent new members in every district, forming newer branches and organising most of the members in branches, and achieving the targets set by the Central Committee, so that the process for election of the delegates for the Party Congress and begin early. Comrade Ramji Rai, Politburo member, also addressed the Convention, apart from several other leaders. Comrade Sudhakar Yadav, State Secretary of the Party, conducted the proceedings.

Nationwide Protest Week by AIKM

The All India Kisan Mahasabha (AIKM) organised a nationwide protest week from 20-26 November to demand a stop on acquisition of agricultural land, passing the land protection bill in the Parliament, punishing the police officials responsible for assaulting 29 peasants including AIKM General Secretary Comrade Rajaram Singh and withdrawing all false cases against them, blocking FDI in retail, scrapping Electricity Act 2003, stopping privatisation of service sectors especially power and water distribution, checking the heavy increase in the prices of agricultural inputs, continuing the subsidies in agriculture, and increasing the taxes on corporates etc.

As part of the protest week, padyatras, people's contact, prabhat pheri, protest marches, street corner meetings, PM's effigy burning and similar protest programmes were held at several places between 20-25 November. On the last day, 26 November, dharnas and demonstration were held at block, sub-divisional and district headquarters.

Protest week was held in all districts of Bihar; Punjab, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.

 

Edited, published and printed by S. Bhattacharya for CPI(ML) Liberation from U-90, Shakarpur, Delhi-92; printed at Bol Publication, R-18/2, Ramesh Park, Laxmi Nagar, Delhi-92; Phone:22521067; fax: 22442790, e-mail: mlupdate@cpiml.org, website: www.cpiml.org