SERIOUS ATTEMPT TO SABOTAGE FORTHCOMING ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS IN WEST BENGAL

What seems to be a deliberate planning to sabotage the democratic process with an eye to assembly elections in West Bengal, due next year, falsification of electoral rolls through inclusion of thousands of fake voters is being attempted in the state. Thousands of fictitious and illegal affidavits have been prepared and illegally deposited in the office of electoral officers. In fact, the number is in the range of more than 50 lakhs. The Left Front has drawn attention of the Election Commission to this matter, requesting an urgent intervention. The Left leaders also met Chief Election Commissioner in Delhi and alleged that the mischievous attempt was of such a magnitude that unless defeated this would lead to large-scale falsification of the electoral rolls and distort the ensuing Assembly elections as a whole.

The perversion is being done through a manner, unprecedented in the state. In the summary revision that has been done in July this year, the total number of Form-6 applications for addition of new names to be included in the draft electoral rolls as part of the SRER has reached 56,19,057. This is an unusually inflated number of applications. Roughly 56 lakh proposed additions over the total number of electors amounting to 5,24,21,616 works out to a more than 10 per cent increase. Given the fact that the net addition in the preceding four years – 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 – were -0.5 per cent, 1.83 per cent, 2.38 per cent and 1.45 per cent respectively, clearly show abnormality of an unusual magnitude.

The following table will show the actual picture:

No. of electors in Draft Rolls
4,80,95,009
4,78,39,290
5,04,11,682
5,16,12,655
Total Additions
25,80,001
20,75,343
14,00,601
13,81,575
Total Deletions
28,35,726
11,98,568
2,00,719
6,31,555
Net Addition
-2,55,725
8,76,775
11,99,882
7,50,020
Percentage of Net Addition
-0.5
1.83
2.38
1.45

Source: Election Commission of India

This nefarious design is being organized by Trinamool Congress to subvert the election process. These are gross attempts to bypass the well-established EC stipulations for addition of names. The submission of affidavits, patently false methods of certification like school certificates, birth certificates from health centres etc instead of standard procedures indicate an organized effort to falsify the rolls. In fact, in many cases, bulk of affidavits or certificates came from the same source. Chief Electoral Officer of the state has clearly issued a direction in an all-party meeting on August 5, 2010 that “submission of bulk applications as well as affidavits and other documents inconsistent with the norms and rules of the Election Commission shall not be accepted or rejected if received anywhere, prior to enquiry.”

Left leaders in their memorandum to Chief Election Commissioner have alleged that the commitment so given was not being strictly implemented. There have been instances of questionable role of certain observers to bring pressure on the block level election officials to turn a blind eye to these obnoxious attempts and legitimize the applications without due consideration as per the directions of the Election Commission.

Courtesy: www.cpimwb.org.in

ALL INDIA GENERAL STRIKE BY TUS ON SEPT 7, 2010

The representatives of the central trade unions and workers and employees federations -- BMS, INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, AICCTU, UTUC and LPF organised the second national convention of the workers in New Delhi on July 15, 2010 and adopted the following declaration.

DECLARATION

THE representatives of central trade unions and workers and employees federations having assembled in the second national convention of the workers on July 15, 2010, reviewed the joint action programme over five commonly agreed demands as decided in the first historic convention of workers on September 14, 2009. This convention considering the review of joint actions - all India protest day on October 28, 2009, massive dharna on December 16, 2009 and satyagraha/jail bharo on March 5, 2010 in which ten lakh workers participated and also considering the situation arising thereafter adopts the following declaration.

Despite the trade unions demanding effective steps to curb price rise, particularly food price inflation, food prices escalating as high as 17 per cent, inflation rising to double-digit, government continues to remain totally unresponsive to mitigate the deep sufferings of the working people;

Despite the trade unions expressing deep concern at the uninterrupted violation of labour laws and trade union rights, situation is becoming grim and repressive every day;

Despite trade unions protesting against job loss, underpayment, unbearable living conditions, lengthening working hours, rampant contractorisation, casualisation and outsourcing, nothing is being done to prevent the declining living conditions and inhuman exploitation of working masses;

Despite the trade unions opposing the disinvestment in the profit making public sector, the latest disinvestment being pushed through in Coal India Ltd, BSNL, SAIL, NLC, Hindustan Copper, NMDC etc., the pernicious policy of reckless disinvestment is continuing with impunity;

Despite the trade unions earnestly asking for the setting up of a massive welfare fund for universal comprehensive social security coverage for the unorganised sector workers without any restriction, the fund allocation remain nominal and restrictive provisions continue.

The convention notes with concern that not only the protests of the trade unions are being ignored, the policy that accentuates increase in the prices of foodgrains is being constantly bulldozed, the latest is the deregulation of petroleum pricing linking it with the international market leading to hefty increase in the prices of kerosene, cooking gas, diesel, and petrol.

The convention reiterates the unanimously formulated demands once again as under:

Price rise of essential commodities to be contained through appropriate corrective and distributive measures like universal PDS and containing speculation in commodity marke

Concrete proactive measures to be taken for linkage of employment protection in the recession stricken sectors with the stimulus package being offered to the concerned entrepreneurs and for augmenting public investment in infrastructure

Strict enforcement of all basic labour laws without any exception or exemption and stringent punitive measures for violation of labour laws

Steps to be taken for removal of all restrictive provisions based on poverty line in respect of eligibility of coverage of the schemes under the unorganised workers social security act 2008 and creation of national fund for the unorganised sector to provide for a national floor level social security to all unorganised workers including the contract/casual workers in line with the recommendation of national commission on enterprises in unorganised sector and parliamentary standing committee on labour

Disinvestment of shares of central public sector enterprises (CPSEs) be not resorted to for meeting budgetary deficit and instead their growing reserve and surplus be used for expansion and modernisation purposes and also for revival of sick public sector undertakings.

This national convention of workers, while exercising their constitutional and democratic rights seek to further its legitimate protest and call for immediate correction of the patently wrong policies that dangerously hurt the interests of the working people and the society as a whole, and to give vent to the feelings of the growing indignation of the working people.

The convention therefore resolves to call for an all India general strike on September 7, 2010.

The convention calls upon the entire working people of the country, irrespective of affiliations to rally everbody in the united call for countrywide general strike and make it a total success and intensify the struggle further and prepare for a massive march of the workers to parliament in November/December 2010.

FABRICATION IN LAVLIN CASE EXPOSED - K K Ragesh

THE cock and bull story manufactured by anti-communist circles in regard to the SNC Lavlin case has now come to its inevitable end. The CBI, which had charged CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan under sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code, has now filed an affidavit in the court, saying there is no evidence to prove that he had made any financial gains. The CBI affidavit, in response to a petition filed by notorious Crime magazine editor, clarifies that there was no evidence to prove any monetary transactions in the agreement between the SNC Lavlin company and the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB).

MOTIVATED HULLABALOO

One notes that the notorious magazine editor had, in his petition, sought a follow-up probe on certain evidences (!) about the deal. The court naturally asked the CBI whether any evidences were left out to prove a monetary gain. The CBI filed the affidavit in reply, affirming that there was no evidence to prove that Pinarayi Vijayan or any middlemen had made any monetary benefits. The CBI also maintained that it could not investigate cases on the basis of hearsay. The rightwing media that fraudulently fashioned numerous fairytales on Lavlin case, however, made deliberate attempts to hide the news of the CBI affidavit; some of them even tried to twist the truth saying that the affidavit only said the CBI could not find any evidence to prove a monetary gain. To them, it did not mean that the CPI(M) state secretary had made no financial gains.

Further, in its charge sheet itself, the CBI had not accused Vijayan of having made any personal pecuniary benefits. The CBI had focussed on the setting up of the Malabar Cancer Centre at Thalassery in Kannur district, which is Pinarayi Vijayan’s home district. Even then, the vested interests, the UDF and reactionary media blatantly propagated that Vijayan had made a huge amount as kickback in the Rs 374.50 crore Lavlin deal. Despite the fact that the total worth of the Lavlin-KSEB contract was Rs 149 crore only, the vested interests did not hesitate to make this motivated hullabaloo. But the CBI’s latest affidavit has destroyed the foundation of the case and exploded the malicious campaign unleashed against the CPI(M) and its state secretary.

The Congress party has, time and again, used the intelligence agencies for partisan political gains, and the CBI has been no exception to it. The party’s real face was once again exposed when the opposition parties moved their cut motion in parliament. The Congress did not hesitate to withdraw the corruption cases lodged by the CBI against the BSP leader Mayawati; the same agency was used to neutralise some leaders of other parties also. Even the Supreme Court once vehemently criticised the centre for misusing the investigating agency.

FACTS & FICTION

It was the Congress led UDF government that had decided to renew the Pallivasal, Sengulam and Panniyar power projects on the basis of a technical report. The Narasimha Rao government at the centre was then encouraging the MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) route. The UDF government too chose the MoU route for an agreement and no global tender was issued for the work. Accordingly, the SNC Lavlin and the KSEB signed an MoU in August 1995; subsequently an implementation/consultancy agreement was signed in February 1996. All these developments occurred under the UDF government when Congress leader G Karthikeyan was the electricity minister. In spite of these glaring facts, the UDF and rightwing media deliberately accused Pinarayi Vijayan of not calling for a global tender. But how could Vijayan, who became the state electricity minister in May 1996, call for a global tender for a project on which there had already been an agreement with the SNC Lavlin? How could the LDF government cancel an agreement when clause 17 of the contract stipulated arbitration for any breach of contract, under the rules and procedures of International Chamber of Commerce in Paris? How could the LDF government opt for years of litigation in regard to three major power projects which account for 20 per cent of total electricity production in the state when the whole state was facing an acute power crisis?

Earlier the LDF government had already faced a piquant situation. It had terminated the previous UDF government’s MoU with the ABB for renovation of the Neryamangalam hydel power station where no implementation/consultancy agreement was signed, as was later done in case of Pallivasal, Sengulam and Panniyar power stations. After five years of litigation, the court had ordered the government to cancel its decision and allot the renovation work to the ABB. The malicious campaigners were blind even to the significant policy change --- that the LDF government had put an end to the MoU route and issued global tenders for such contracts. The rightwing media and anti-CPI(M) circles conveniently hid all such glaring facts.

It is amply clear that Vijayan did not sign any basic agreement with the SNC Lavlin; rather he had signed only an addendum to the basic agreement which was signed by the UDF government. After several rounds of discussion, the SNC Lavlin had to make in the basic agreement certain significant changes which were vital for protecting the state’s interests, and an addendum had to be signed to effect such alterations. It was on the basis of this addendum that substantial reductions were made in the price of the equipments to be purchased from Canada and in the consultancy fees, bank interest and other charges. The media and the anti-CPI(M) camp deliberately projected the addendum as a basic agreement.

IRREFUTABLE POLITICAL PLOT

During the period of the Nayanar government, a section of the Congress leadership and their supportive media had come up with certain allegations on the SNC Lavlin agreement. But the subsequent UDF government, which came to power in 2001, did not order any enquiry during its first two years. After two years, it ordered a vigilance enquiry on March 6, 2003 when the whole state was reverberating with massive struggles and the opposition MLAs were to go on an indefinite hunger strike following the brutal oppression of the tribal people’s struggle and the killing of an adivasi activist in police firing. The investigation was ordered to divert attention from the inhuman police repression and mounting resistance.

The vigilance department investigated the case for three years and submitted a report to the UDF government on March 10, 2006, just before the assembly election. But the government did not initiate any action on the report. Reactionary media propagated that Pinarayi Vijayan was going to be an accused in the case. The UDF government’s design was to sit tight over the report and feed the media speculations in order to influence the election results in its favour. But the department filed an FIR in the vigilance court, categorically stating that Vijayan was not responsible for any lapses. It added that his Canada visit and further discussions had helped to protect the state’s interest. When the department’s findings became public knowledge, a humiliated UDF government found that they did not suit its interest. So it immediately removed the vigilance director and referred the case to the CBI, a day before the assembly election was announced. It is to be noted that, only a week before the vigilance department submitted its report, the same government had filed an affidavit in the court, opposing a CBI investigation when a petition filed by the Crime editor sought to refer the Lavlin case to the CBI. Then the government’s stand was that the vigilance probe covered all aspects and hence a CBI investigation was not required. What else is required to prove that the UDF had hatched a heinous plot with a political motive!

The CBI too was so ‘vigilant’ that it chose to submit its report just before the parliament elections. The investigating agency depicted G Karthikeyan (former UDF minister) as the author of the conspiracy but conveniently dropped his name from its list of the accused. The CBI devised a surprising story that Vijayan was involved in the conspiracy after he became the electricity minister in May 1996, in order to set up a cancer centre at Thalassery. The CBI’s argument also gave an impression that the cancer centre is a private institution and that Vijayan made personal gains from it. In fact, the Malabar Cancer Centre, set up later, is a government institution under the health ministry.

Lavlin case is thus a forged case built upon follies and fraudulences for narrow political gains. Even the governor’s office was misused and constitutional norms were violated. No state government can grant sanction to prosecute a former minister when the advocate general, in his legal opinion, categorically states that Vijayan had only performed his duties as a minister. Was it such an extraordinary case for the governor to grant sanction for prosecution so arbitrarily, by rejecting the state government’s recommendation? The governor, in his order, could not give any logical argument to reject the protection guaranteed by the law of the land to a public servant who was discharging his duties in good faith.

THE REAL PERPETRATORS

In their eagerness to create controversies and insinuate the CPI(M) and its state secretary in Lavlin case, the plotters suitably shielded the real perpetrators. Rightwing media consciously skirted the question whether the UDF government had not indulged in a criminal conspiracy while signing the MoU with Lavlin without any global tender. Why did the UDF government later allowed the Lavlin to get the MoU for setting up the Malabar Cancer Centre lapsed by neither renewing the MoU nor signing an agreement with SNC Lavalin despite its willingness to sign it? Why did the CBI left out the author of the conspiracy from the list of the accused? Even though the case was referred to the CBI in March 2006, the agency did not find any case against the CPI (M) state secretary till the Left withdrew its support to the UPA government on nuclear issue. The CBI’s intention in making Vijayan an accused in the case was clear. Lavlin case is nothing but a sinister plot of the anti-Left forces with the help of an investigating agency and the bourgeois media.

Reactionary media and the anti-Marxists have always attacked the CPI(M) by worst methods. And today they are using the Lavlin case to attack the CPI (M) and its leadership. But can they always keep the people in dark? Time will tell.

Source: People’s Democracy dated 23-05-2010

PEOPLE OF KOLKATA WANT PEACE, NO LONDAN AS PROMISED BY MAMATA BANERJEE

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NO BODY WILL BE ALLOWED COMMUNAL RIOT IN WEST BENGAL - BUDDHADEB BHATTACHARJEE WARNS MAMATA BANERJEE

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IDENTITY OF INTERESTS BETWEEN SOVIET UNION AND ALL MANKIND - Comrade Mao Ze-Dong

Below we reproduce excerpts from an article which Comrade Mao Ze-Dong wrote on September 28, 1939 on the Second World War that broke out on September 3 that year.

ON the basis of my own observations, I should like to elucidate a few problems concerning the Soviet Union and China.

Some people say the Soviet Union does not want the world to remain at peace because the outbreak of a world war is to its advantage, and that the present war was precipitated by the Soviet Union's conclusion of a non-aggression treaty with Germany instead of a treaty of mutual assistance with Britain and France. I consider this view incorrect. The foreign policy of the Soviet Union over a very long period of time has consistently been one of peace, a policy based on close links between its own interests and those of the overwhelming majority of mankind. For its own socialist construction the Soviet Union has always needed peace, has always needed to strengthen its peaceful relations with other countries and prevent an anti-Soviet war; for the sake of peace on a world scale, it has also needed to check the aggression of the fascist countries, curb the warmongering of the so-called democratic countries and delay the outbreak of an imperialist world war for as long as possible....

After Germany and Italy jointly invaded Spain and when Britain, the United States and France adopted a policy of so-called "non-intervention" but of actual connivance at their aggression, the Soviet Union opposed the "non-intervention" policy and gave the Spanish republican forces active help in their resistance to Germany and Italy. After Japan invaded China and when the same three powers adopted the same kind of "non-intervention" policy, the Soviet Union not only concluded a non-aggression treaty with China but gave China active help in her resistance. When Britain and France connived at Hitler's aggression and sacrificed Austria and Czechoslovakia, the Soviet Union spared no effort in exposing the sinister aims behind the Munich policy and made proposals to Britain and France for checking further aggression. When Poland became the burning question in the spring and summer of this year and it was touch-and-go whether world war would break out, the Soviet Union negotiated with Britain and France for over four months, despite Chamberlain's and Daladier's complete lack of sincerity, in an endeavour to conclude a treaty of mutual assistance to prevent the outbreak of war. But all these efforts were blocked by the imperialist policy of British and French governments, a policy of conniving at, instigating and spreading war, so that eventually the cause of world peace was thwarted and the imperialist world war broke out. The governments of Britain, the United States and France had no genuine desire to prevent this war; on the contrary, they helped to bring it about….

It was in these circumstances, and when Germany agreed to stop her anti-Soviet activities, abandon the Agreement against the Communist International and recognise the inviolability of the Soviet frontiers, that the Soviet-German non-aggression treaty was concluded. The plan of Britain, the United States and France was to egg Germany on to attack the Soviet Union, so that they themselves, "sitting on top of the mountain to watch the tigers fight," could come down and take over after the Soviet Union and Germany had worn each other out. The Soviet-German non-aggression treaty smashed this plot.

In overlooking this plot and the schemes of the Anglo-French imperialists who connived at and instigated war and precipitated a world war, some of our fellow countrymen have actually been taken in by the sugary propaganda of these schemers…. It is time for these people to wake up. The fact that the Soviet Union worked hard to preserve world peace to the very last minute proves that the interests of the Soviet Union are identical with those of the overwhelming majority of mankind. This is the first question I wanted to talk about.

Some people say that now that the second imperialist world war has broken out, the Soviet Union will probably take sides --- in other words, the Soviet Red Army seems to be on the point of joining the German imperialist front. I consider this view incorrect. On whichever side, the Anglo-French or the German, the war that has just broken out is an unjust, predatory and imperialist war…. The Soviet Union is a socialist country…. and it necessarily maintains a clear-cut twofold attitude towards wars: (1) It firmly refuses to take part in any unjust, predatory and imperialist war and maintains strict neutrality towards the belligerents. Hence the Soviet Red Army will never disregard principles and join either of the imperialist war fronts. (2) It actively supports just and non-predatory wars of liberation. For instance, it helped the Chinese people in their war of the Northern Expedition thirteen years ago and the Spanish people in their war against Germany and Italy up to this last year; it has been helping the Chinese people in their War of Resistance against Japan for the last two years and the Mongolian people in resisting Japan for the last few months; and it will certainly give help to any war for the liberation of the masses or of a nation which may break out in other countries in the future, and will certainly give help to any wars that contribute to the defence of peace…. This is the second question I wanted to talk about.

Many people in China are bewildered by the fact that Soviet troops have entered Poland. The Polish question should be viewed from various angles.… Germany started the war in order to plunder the Polish people and smash one flank of the Anglo-French imperialist front. By its nature, Germany's war is imperialist and should be opposed, not approved. As for Britain and France, they have regarded Poland as an object of plunder for their finance capital, exploited her to thwart the German imperialist attempt at a world re-division of the spoils, and made her a flank of their own imperialist front. Thus their war is an imperialist war, their so-called aid to Poland being merely for the purpose of contending with Germany for the domination of Poland, and this war, too, should be opposed, not approved…. In the war, this reactionary Polish government willingly drove the Polish people to serve as cannon-fodder for British and French finance capital, and it willingly served as a sector of the reactionary front of international finance capital…. As for the Polish people, they are victims; they should rise up against the oppression of the German fascists and against their own reactionary landlord and bourgeois classes, and establish an independent, free and democratic Polish state. Without the slightest doubt, our sympathy must go out to the Polish people.

As for the Soviet Union, its actions have been perfectly just. It was confronted by two problems. The first problem was whether to let the whole of Poland fall under the rule of German imperialism or to help the minority nationalities of eastern Poland win their liberation. It chose the second course. A vast stretch of territory inhabited by Byelorussians and Ukrainians had been snatched from the new-born Soviet state by the German imperialists as far back as 1918 when the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed, and it was later arbitrarily put under the rule of the reactionary Polish government by the Treaty of Versailles. What the Soviet Union has now done is merely to recover its lost territory, liberate the oppressed Byelorussians and Ukrainians and save them from German oppression. The news dispatches of the last few days show how warmly these minority nationalities are welcoming the Red Army with food and drink as their liberator, while not a single report of this kind has come in from western Poland which has been occupied by German troops or from the places in western Germany which have been occupied by French troops…. Chamberlain resorted to all kinds of intimidation and bribery to get Germany to renounce the Soviet-German non-aggression treaty and turn her guns on the Soviet Union. This intrigue has been going on for some time and will continue. The powerful Soviet army's entry into eastern Poland…. was at the same time a practical move to prevent the forces of German aggression from expanding eastward and to frustrate Chamberlain's intrigue…. This is the third question I wanted to talk about.

The whole situation since the conclusion of the Soviet-German non-aggression treaty constitutes a great blow to Japan and a great help to China; it strengthens the position of those resisting Japan and weakens the capitulators. The Chinese people have rightly welcomed this treaty…. As for the talk about a Japanese-Soviet non-aggression treaty, the Soviet Union has been proposing it for many years but Japan has invariably rejected it…. Even if such a treaty were to be concluded, the Soviet Union would certainly not agree to anything that would restrict its freedom of action in helping China. The interests of the Soviet Union will always conform and never conflict with the interests of China's national liberation. I hold this as absolutely beyond doubt….

Now that the imperialist world war has broken out, foreign help is coming chiefly from three sources: (1) the socialist Soviet Union, (2) the people of the capitalist countries, and (3) the oppressed nations in the colonies and semi-colonies. These are our only reliable sources of help…. China should maintain strict neutrality towards the belligerents in the imperialist war and not join either side. To maintain that China should join the Anglo-French imperialist war front is a capitulator's view, which is harmful to the War of Resistance as well as to the independence and liberation of the Chinese nation, and it should be flatly rejected. This is the fourth question I wanted to talk about.

These four questions are being widely discussed by our fellow countrymen…. Here I have given some of my basic views on these questions, and I hope that readers will not spare their comments.

Courtesy: People’s Democracy dated 09-05-2010 (www.pd.cpim.org)

PEOPLE OF ASANSOL REALISE WHAT DOES PARIVARTAN SLOGAN OF MAMATA BANERJEE AND MAOISTS MEAN

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THE IMPORTANCE OF MUNICIPAL ELECTION-2010 IN WEST BENGAL

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THE WEEK IN PARLIAMENT - Subhas Ray

AFTER a month long break since March 16, the second phase of the budget session began on April 15 to pass the demands for grants for railways, external affairs, rural development, tribal affairs, water resources and road transport and highways. Lok Sabha will take up the discussion on finance bill on April 28 and pass it on April 29. Rajya Sabha will discuss the working of ministry of power; home affairs; youth affairs and sports; consumer affairs, food and public distribution; and housing and urban poverty alleviation. Apart from passing the railway appropriation bill, it may also take up the anti-farmers seeds bill for consideration.

Source: People’s Democracy dated 02-05-2010 (www.pd.cpim.org)

CPI (M) ON INDIANS ABROAD

During the Lok Sabha discussion on the demands for grants for the ministry of external affairs, A Sampath, CPI (M), said there is a need to ascertain the exact number of Indians living and working abroad, and it is the government’s duty to protect their interests. We need post in Indian embassies such officers as are well versed in regional languages, improve the functioning of and provide better infrastructure facilities to passport offices, arrange more aircraft and more services for the passengers going abroad or coming back, and give the Indians living and working abroad the voting right. Funds must be provided for the welfare schemes for non-resident Indians. There must be coordination between the ministries of external affairs, overseas Indian affairs, home, finance, commerce etc. We must open more passport offices and provide sufficient staff in our passport offices and Indian missions.

In the course of his intervention, the member also warned against playing second fiddle to the US interests, adding that will not be tolerated by the people of India. We have to strengthen our relations with the third world countries.

Source: People’s Democracy dated 02-05-2010 (www.pd.cpim.org)

INDIAN PREMIER CRICKET LEAGUE AND DAMODAR VALLEY CORPORATION (NHPC) IN PARLIAMENT

The government was put on the mat on the IPL issue. Describing the IPL as scandalous and abuse of the people’s affection for cricket, Sitaram Yechury said while a vast majority of people were suffering economic hardships because of so-called resource crunch, the income tax department had not investigated the IPL’s failure to file tax return for two years and why it was exempted from any tax in the name of sports. The base price of one IPL team was Rs 15,000 crore. The money is coming through the Mauritius route. We have been asking for a review of the double taxation avoidance treaty with that country for long time. How dubious money is being legalised through this route, needs to be investigated. He demanded a joint parliamentary committee to probe into the matter. In Lok Sabha, Basudeb Acharia demanded constitution of a JPC to examine the irregularities and malpractices in IPL.

In Rajya Sabha, the CPI (M)’s Shyamal Chakraborty initiated the discussion on the working of the ministry of power. He expressed his agony to the acute power crisis for a long time, saying the Planning Commission never fixed its target as per the need of the people, industries and agricultural sector, and its target was never fulfilled. For example, its target for the current five year plan is 79,000 MW but achievement is only 27,000 MW in three years. Is it possible to achieve 73 per cent of the target fixed in these remaining two years, he asked.

Now thermal power stations are fully dependent on coal supply. The short supply of railway wagon and non-availability of quality coal are hurdles in power generation. As for the plant load factor and transmission loss, these are highest in India in the world. In public sector power plants, workers are deprived of their legitimate rights. In NHPC, they are being treated as anti-nationals or militants because of their agitation for legitimate and constitutional rights. On the Hyde Act, he said we opposed the very agreement which endangers our sovereignty and our capacity independent nuclear power generation. We have huge reserves of thorium which can help us generate power for 400 years.

The member also complained that Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) is denying the West Bengal of its rights, not supplying it the required power. The sudden release of water by the DVC causes flood in a vast area in West Bengal. If the Balpahari reservoir is constructed, the people of West Bengal will certainly get rid of this recurrent suffering. He appealed to the minister to visit the state to see the suffering of affected people there.

During the discussion on the ministry of youth affairs and sports, Saman Pathak, CPI(M), said the youth policy formulated in 2003 has various schemes for encouraging the youth. A number of announcements were made and a number of organisations were set up. But this policy has not benefited the rural and tribal youth. They are unemployed but there is no policy to financially empower them. We still lack a comprehensive national policy for sports and are unable to bring the talent of tribal youth in the arena of sports; the benefits of various schemes are not reaching them. Cricket is the only game getting everyone’s attention and the government is not caring for other sports. Today, cricket has itself become an arena of gambling and the talent of a player is auctioned. The IPL has become the conduit for using black money. Where is the fund coming from? This is a serious issue and needs a JPC probe. Big stars, politicians and businessmen are involved in IPL, and so many concessions have been given to IPL.

Expressing anguish over our standing in the sports world, Pathak said we need to provide proper infrastructure in all areas, including tribal and rural areas, in order to promote the sports spirit among the youth. He also expressed concern over the reported delays in creation of the necessary infrastructures for the Commonwealth games.

Source: People’s Democracy dated 02-05-2010 (www.pd.cpim.org)

CPI (M) ON GREEN TRIBUNAL

Lok Sabha has passed the National Green Tribunal Bill, 2009. Participating in the debate, CPI (M)’s M B Rajesh objected to the content of the bill. He said India was going to be the first country to set up a separate tribunal for the adjudication of environmental matters but the government cannot do justice to the issue because of its obsession with neo-liberalism. In the era of liberalisation, there is a contradiction between development and the environmental and social concerns throughout the world including our country. The growing greed for grabbing natural resources for profit has led to exploitation of nature and environment, but this legislation cannot be an effective instrument to protect our people’s interest in environmental battles. On the contrary, it may become a sharp-edged weapon in corporate hands. The bill would also restrict access to justice with centralisation of powers with the union government. Clause 3 of the bill gives too much power to the executive. In keeping with the Law Commission’s recommendations, Rajesh suggested the each state must have a bench. Clause 22(2) has a provision to declare a claim “untenable” and another provision to impose penalty on a claimant. This is a deliberate attempt to prevent people from bringing issues before the tribunal. There is a five-year stipulation for filing application for compensation though damage may occur over a long period. Therefore, this fixed period of five years should be removed. Civil courts are barred from adjudicating matters that lie within the tribunal’s jurisdiction. This is completely contradictory to the Law Commission’s recommendations. So the jurisdiction of other courts must not be barred and there is no provision for appeal in this bill.

As most projects are located in tribal and rural India, the local community’s livelihood and rights are always in jeopardy. So we must have the criteria that enable the appointment of social scientists and non-bureaucrats. But there is no space for social scientists and there is no mention of the socio-economic impact of environmental issues. The bill narrows the culpability and responsibility for environmental accidents. The definition of polluting activities should be more comprehensive and inclusive.

The most unacceptable aspect of the bill is its pro-corporate orientation, with many provisions favouring the private sector. There is a reference to workmen but it is not comprehensive enough to include contract labourers, casual or daily wage workers. Earlier, private companies could not appeal in a court against the government’s refusal to grant environmental clearance but now the bill provides its possibility. Expressing his serious concern, Rajesh said the bill would encourage exploitation of Palakkad type in Kerala which is experiencing large-scale loot and exploitation of groundwater by Coca Cola. He demanded increase in the provision of imprisonment from 3 to 14 years. The bill, in its sum and substance, is undemocratic and does not protect the interest of the people, he concluded.

Source: People’s Democracy dated 02-05-2010 (www.pd.cpim.org)

MAOIST MENACE IN INDIAN PARLIAMENT

The first day, April 15, witnessed an all out attack on the government on the question of its lackadaisical dealing with the Maoist menace in the country. The issue of Maoist attack on CRPF personnel in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh came up for discussion in both the houses. The CPI(M) leaders, Sitaram Yechury in Rajya Sabha and Basudeb Acharia in Lok Sabha, charged the ruling parties for compromising with the anti-national forces for mere survival of the government. Earlier they had displayed similar opportunism in 14th Lok Sabha on the issue of a nuclear deal with the US. (For Yechury’s Speech, see our April 25 issue.)In Lok Sabha, Basudeb Acharia said the massacre of 76 CRPF personnel had shocked the entire nation. What has happened at Dantewada is not the result of a long preparation for several days. The problem of Maoism has spread over about 82 districts in several states including three districts of West Bengal --- Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapore. Why has this problem proliferated? Because the government cannot dare antagonise a UPA partner. The latter is also pressing the government to withdraw the central paramilitary forces employed in West Midnapore. The Maoists were invited and given shelter by the same UPA partner. How can, then, this government be able to tackle the situation? A Trinamul Congress MP openly extended support to Maoists and wrote a song praising the Maoists. But the government has not issued any statement against these activities of UPA partner, Trinamul Congress. As a result there is proliferation of Maoist activities in West Bengal. Their motive is to spread anarchy in parts of West Bengal. In order to tackle this menace, there should be a coordinated approach. There is displacement and dispossession among the tribals. We have been demanding a policy for land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement. But the government is sitting idle. There is in fact the need for a coordinated approach and united effort, with the government speaking in one voice.

Source: People’s Democracy dated 02-05-2010 (www.pd.cpim.org)

HOT STEEL AND A COLD GOVT: MAYAPURI RADIOACTIVE EXPOSURE - Prabir Purkayastha

THE near fatal radiation exposure in the Mayapuri scrap has led to hospitalisation of 11 people. The cause has now been identified as radioactive cobalt 60 sources that were mixed up in the scrap. What neither the Atomic Energy Commission nor the government has disclosed is that it is not the first time that we have found radioactive cobalt 60 in metal scrap. Almost two years back, Germany reported finding radioactive steel coming from India. The French followed with reports of radioactive buttons in elevators originating from radioactive steel, again from India. It is amazing that even after this and known dangers to the people who would be inadvertently exposed to high radiation, the government of India and its agencies took no steps regarding the prevention of such incidents. Neither do we have any clarity on how such incidents have occurred or from where the offending radioactive material originated.

The Atomic Energy Commission, the keeper of the nation's nuclear safety has virtually washed its hands off the affair, claiming that the radiation material appears to have originated from imported scrap and AEC had no responsibility regarding this. This is what Prithviraj Chavan has also echoed in the parliament. What this shows is the utter callousness with which the government authorities conduct their nuclear affairs. To add gratuitous insult to radiation injury, Prithviraj Chavan tried to relate it to the Nuclear Liability Bill pending in the parliament – apparently this bill has provisions relating to radiation damage from scrap. The truth is that the Nuclear Liability Bill covers only nuclear reactors, and the last we know, there are none in Mayapuri!

Now it transpires that the radioactive material originated from the Delhi University Chemistry Department, which had disposed of as scrap a gamma radiation equipment with an active source of cobalt 60. Therefore, this falls squarely within Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) /AEC's jurisdiction, as they are supposed to track all radioactive sources in the country.

The story of radioactive scrap is not new. In August 2008, a container from India containing bars of steel to be sent forward to Russia, was detected by port authorities in Hamburg to have very high radioactivity levels. In one day, the radioactivity level was equal to what is a safe dosage for a year. Neither was this an isolated incident. According the Spiegel Online International (Finds of Radioactive Steel on the Rise in Germany, Christian Schwägerl, 02/16/2009), “For months, similar cases have been found across Germany, all involving bits of metal contaminated with radioactive cobalt. And most of them come from the same source: three steelworks in India, in particular a company called Vipras Casting, based in Mumbai”. Later reports indicated that apart from Vipras Casting, there were another five companies involved. They were Bunts, Laxmi Steels, SMK Steels, Pradeep Metals, Goradia Special Steels Ltd.

The Atomic Energy Commission and the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has total responsibility in the country for all such matters. Satya Pal Agarwal, head of the radiological safety division of India’s Atomic Energy Regulatory Board stated at that time that AERB was tracking the whole supply chain. We have yet to hear what happened after the supply chain was “tracked”. Instead, we hear exactly similar sounding statements emanating from AERB. The only grudging additional information given is that scanners are supposed to be installed in all the ports, which are lagging behind. No details of what are the steps that AEC or AERB took after the last round of radioactive contamination was reported.

The issue is clear. Radioactive material is mixed up in scrap – either imported or local -- and finding its way into steel making. Obviously, iron and steel scrap is used extensively in India and elsewhere for making steel. This steel is not only exported but also finds its way into domestically manufactured engineering goods. This is the danger – such “hot” steel is circulating in India already and the government is taking no steps regarding such danger to its people. If more than 150 tonnes of steel have been reported to have such radioactive contamination, how much is circulating here? It would be foolish to think that only exported steel has been contaminated and not domestic manufacture.

LESS IMPORTANCE FOR PEOPLE’S LIVES

In today's day and age, peoples lives are assumed to have less importance than the value of our exports. Obviously, if the steel used in engineering industry gets contaminated, this poses a huge risk for our 23 billion dollar exports in this sector. If not for the health of its people, at least for protecting its industry and its exports, we would have expected the Indian government to carry out an aggressive program with respect to import of suspect iron and steel scrap. Yet, after almost two years, we find that the scanners and radiation measuring instruments to monitor imported scrap is yet to be functional in our ports. The government has passed the buck to the steel makers telling them that they must check for radioactive contamination of all their inputs.

In a statement to the press, Dr S Banerjee, chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission said , "Whatever happened in Delhi had nothing to do with the activities of my department. The scrap materials come from other countries and it was not possible for the Department of Atomic Energy to check at the entry points if there were any radioactive materials in them. Checking all the containers laden with scrap was not possible. Instead, scanning could be done. While a decision to install scanners had been taken, implementation was taking time." This statement makes clear – according to AEC – they are not responsible for radioactive material if it is mixed up in imported scrap. According to Dr A Goplakrishnan, former chairman, AERB, AEC chairman's position is not in conformity with the constitutional responsibilities that AEC and its subordinate institutions have. Under the country's law – the Atomic Energy Act of 1962, it is their responsibility and this is an attempt by AEC and AERB to evade their legal responsibilities. If we take into account that AEC and AERB have been fully aware of the risk of imported radioactive scrap, their evasion of responsibilities becomes even more glaring.

As Dr Gopalkrishnan points out(http://news.rediff.com/column/2010/apr/22/delhi-radiation-case-aec-aerb-also-culpable.htm), the Act's sections 16 and 17 makes clear that monitoring all such possible radioactive substances is a part of AEC's duties. Subsequently, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board was set up in 1983 and this part of the mandate was transferred to AERB. Dr Gopalkrishnan points out, “One of the responsibilities legally assigned to the AERB through its founding notification is to review operational experience in the light of the radiological safety criteria recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and other similar international bodies, adapt them to suit Indian conditions, and thereby evolve major safety policies.

This aspect is especially relevant in dealing with issues of missing and misplaced powerful radioactive sources, a subject in which IAEA has enormous experience and data bases. IAEA has also, over the years, developed procedures for preventive and corrective action, in consultation with various countries. After evolving appropriate national policies based on this world experience, the AERB is to implement them and maintain a high degree of nuclear safety and security in the country”.

The AEC Chairman cannot wish away the statutory obligations that the Act imposed on AEC. In fact, the radioactive steel cases in Europe were all dealt with their respective nuclear agencies who also put in place the measures to prevent such occurrences as well as the safe disposal of the radioactive steel. Contrast this with India, where the steel company was told to bury the 21 tonnes of radioactive steel in its premises. The company also complained that AERB was not very cooperative on this question. (http://www.timesnow.tv/India-dumping-ground-for-radioactive-waste/articleshow/4333103.cms).

One of the advantage of radioactive contamination for post mortem purposes is that it does leave a physical trace. The people are entitled to ask what happened last time when AEC/AERB traced the path of radioactive scrap going into steel plants? Is it the same source that caused the problem last time that is responsible now also for the Mayapuri incident or is it a new source? Where did the scrap originate last time and what are the steps that AEC/AERB took then? None of these questions have been answered and given AEC/AERB's record of opaque functioning and stonewalling all questions of safety, none may materialise.

INDIA BECOMING A HAZARDOUS DUMPING GROUND

India is already offering itself as a hazardous dumping centre to the world. Ship-breaking in Alang has come under the repeated scanner of environmental groups. It now seems with its lackadaisical attitude to radioactive waste and failure to install scanners even after two years of such known cases of dumping, we are signalling a window of opportunity for unscrupulous nuclear waste disposal companies abroad. Come and dump your radioactive cobalt here, we will take some more time before we can even monitor such shipments.

The Delhi University case also shows that AERB needs to strengthen its monitoring and tracking of all radioactive sources. Sadly, the response from AERB and AEC does not show and increased awareness of this. This is what we need to rectify to avoid more such incidents.

Source: People’s Democracy dated 02-05-2010 (www.pd.cpim.org)

WARNING THE UPA GOVERNMENT ON PRICE RISE ISSUE

COUNTRY WITNESSES TOTAL, SUCCESSFUL, PEACEFUL HARTAL

THE all-India hartal, that took place on April 28 as scheduled, scored massive response from the people all over the country. The action was a follow-up of the Left parties’ national level rally organised in New Delhi on March 12 and the Jail Bharo (Fill up Jails) campaign all over the country on April 8. We have already carried the reports of these actions in these pages.

All these actions, including the hartal on April 28, were meant to register the people’s anger and protest against the skyrocketing and unending rise in the prices of all the essential commodities across the board, and against the administered hikes in the prices of diesel, petrol and fertilisers.

Though it was the Left parties which had initially called for the all-India hartal, the people’s mood against the price rise was such that nine more non-Congress, secular parties extended support to the hartal call and joined the actions on April 28.

Below we publish a cross section of the reports that we have so far received from various parts of the country on the success of the hartal call, accompanied by rail roko (halt the trains), rasta roko (block the roads), demonstrations, processions, dharnas (squat-in), court arrest and other protest actions.

WEST BENGAL

THE nationwide hartal on demands affecting the cause of the people was a glorious success in West Bengal. There was spontaneous participation by the people everywhere. We saw innumerable red flags fluttering in the capital city, Kolkata, and the surrounding districts, as marches were taken out in support of the people’s demands. Wall writings were done in view of the upcoming civic polls.
Shops downed shutters. The chimneys no longer belched smoke. The furnaces were cold. The rice paddies were deserted. Trains, Duranto or otherwise, halted, stopped in their tracks. Passengers were provided with food packets and cold water plus hot tea at numerous stations, and mothers were supplied with milk pouches for them to feed the babies. CPI(M) and the Left Front workers attended to the affected people.

In Kolkata, the entire city, as one bourgeois news channel mournfully put it, turned into a vast football ground, interspersed by with numerous cricket ‘pitches.’ Children as well as youth had a great ‘field day.’ Government offices, banks, post offices, ports and docks, airports remained devoid of activities. The Kolkata metro had a kind of ‘trial run’ in the morning and then the staff joined the rank of the strikers.
There were occasional notes of discordance. Particularly unfortunate was the incident at the Pandua railway station in Hooghly where Trinamul miscreants snatched food packets from CPI(M) volunteers and threw the precious food and milk onto the tracks. Altercations ensued and the goons soon made themselves scarce in front of the popular wrath. Three CPI(M) workers received injuries.

In the terai region and dooars areas, an unholy alliance of the GJM and the so-called Adivasi Vikas Parishad (AVP) saw some work being forcibly done in a few tea gardens. The percentage was small enough to be insignificant.

As Biman Basu, state secretary of the CPI(M), put it during a crowded press conference in the Muzaffar Ahmad Bhavan, the hartal was total, successful and peaceful as well. Elsewhere, Pradesh Congress goons beat up Trinamul counterparts and vice versa over ‘tickets’ for the civic body polls. The people chose to ignore the antics.

KERALA

THE hartal was complete in Kerala as well. People fully cooperated with the call for hartal. All the shops and commercial establishments remained closed. Road and rail traffic were paralysed. LDF workers halted the trains at several places and then the rail traffic was completely paralysed from Kasargode to Thiruvananthapuam. Ministers did not go to the office. Ministers who are the members of the CPI(M)’s Kerala state secretariat walk down all the way from their respective residences to the AKG Centre to attend the secretariat meeting. Attendance in government offices in Kerala was very nominal. The hartal was a total success in the state and resembled a bandh to a big extent. In major cities and towns, LDF workers held demonstrations in support of the hartal.

TRIPURA

THE 12 hour hartal called by 13 political parties scored total success in Tripura. All over the state, people participated in it spontaneously and brought normal life came to a standstill in all the subdivisions of the state. All the shops and markets were closed excepting the ones that were exempted as parts of emergency services. Roads and highways wore a totally deserted look as buses, autos and rickshaws did not ply. All the bus stands including the inter-state bus terminus were totally empty. Trains were off the track; the otherwise busy Agartala railway station too was completely deserted.

Schools and colleges throughout the state were closed. Attendance in government and private offices was nil. Picketing was organised at the gates of numerous offices. The hartal was a complete success in the tea gardens of Sadar North area and in North Tripura district. A complete shutdown was observed in the Bodhjungnagar industrial growth centre near Agartala. Courts, banks, insurance companies and other financial establishments also remained closed. Transport workers’ organisation and other mass organisations took out processions at different places. All over the state the hartal remained totally peaceful, with no untoward incident reported from any corner of the state.

The Tripura Left Front Committee heartily congratulated the people of the state for making the hartal a complete success. In a statement, it termed the hartal as spontaneous and unprecedented in the recent times. The huge response of the people was, maintained the Left Front Committee, an outburst of their anger over the spiralling rise in the prices of essential commodities and the centre’s negative attitude towards keeping a check on it. At the same time the committee appealed to the masses to thoroughly rebuff the anti-people forces in the ensuing general election to the TTAADC on May 3 by ensuring the victory of the Left Front candidates in all the seats with a greater margin.

TAMILNADU

NEARLY 10,000 activists including state leaders belonging to Left parties were taken into custody when they tried to block trains and buses at different places in Tamil Nadu as part of nation-wide hartal protest against price rise.

THE hartal was a total success in the western, eastern and southern parts of the state. In Tirupur, the western Tamilnadu city of garments and hosiery items, the general strike scored total success with almost all shops and commercial establishments downing their shutters. More than 1,000 garment and hosiery manufacturing units remained closed, as majority of the workers belonged to the unions affiliated to the Left parties.

In Coimbatore, nearly 50 per cent of the shops and commercial establishments, particularly in busy market areas, remained closed while traffic was thin on the road. A majority of private buses and auto-rickshaws stayed off the roads.

The Shoranur-Coimbatore Passenger, Kannur-Coimbatore Passenger and Coimbatore-Kannur Passenger were cancelled altogether due to the hartal, railway sources said. The Coimbatore- Thrissur Passenger was also cancelled between Coimbatore and Shoranur stations.

In Karur and Erode districts also, which are in the western part, textile manufacturing units remaining closed. Tens of thousands of workers participated in the strike.

In the eastern Tamilnadu, Thiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts witnessed total strike. In Kumbakonam, most of the shops remained closed and vehicular traffic was thin. In Cuddalore, private buses did not ply in the district while shops and business establishments downed their shutters.

In the southern part of the state, there was total hartal in Kovilpatti, Rajapalayam, Sankarankoil, Srivaikundam, Thoothukudi and many parts of Kanniyakumari, Thirunelveli, Virudhunagar and Sivagangai districts. Textile industries, match box and crackers manufacturing industries remained closed due to workers going on a strike. In Dindugul district, all 40 leather factories were closed and nearly 2500 workers struck work.

In the capital city of Chennai, more than 500 activists were taken into custody at the Central Railway station when they tried to block the Navajeevan Express. More than 500 cadre were arrested when they tried to disrupt the suburban rail services at Guindy station. Another 500 workers were held when they tried to stage a demonstration at the Tiruvottiur post office.

In many other parts of the state, activists of the CPI(M), CPI, AIADMK, MDMK and AIFB staged road roko actions and hundreds of them were arrested by the police. Auto-rickshaws in many parts did not come out on the road. Transport workers belonging to the CITU, AITUC and other unions participated in the strike. Nearly 10,000 medical representatives also struck down their work.

In many parts including Dindigul, Vatthalagundu and Palani, DMK goons unleashed attacks on CPI(M) cadre. These attacks took place in the presence of the police. In Trichy and some places, DMK men attacked the traders also and forced them to open their shops.

CPI(M) state secretary G Ramakrishnan and CPI state secretary D Pandian condemned this anti-democratic attitude of the ruling DMK and appreciated the grand response of the strike call coming from the people from all walks of life.

Meanwhile, opposition members, including those of the AIADMK, were evicted en masse from the Tamilnadu Assembly after they stalled proceedings for about 15 minutes as they sought to raise the price rise issue over which the Left and other parties had called for a nationwide bandh. The problem started when the AIADMK, CPI(M), CPI and MDMK members wanted to raise the issue during the question hour but were declined permission by the speaker R Avudaiyappan. However, the members did not relent and shouted slogans. Despite repeated appeals by the speaker to resume their seats, they continued slogan shouting. After about 15 minutes, the speaker ordered the marshals to evict them en masse. The evicted members continued to shout slogans against price rise outside the house also. CPI(M) floor leader K Balabharathi told reporters that the speaker had denied permission to raise the price rise issue.

ANDHRA PRADESH

LEADERS and activists of the Left parties and Telugu Desam Party held demonstrations in towns and villages across Andhra Pradesh in support of the all India hartal on April 27. They also staged sit-in in front of depots of the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC), leading to curtailment of services in many places, including Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Vishakapatnam and other districts.

Government offices, both central and state, were closed in most districts along with banks and other offices. Owners of shops and other business establishments voluntarily shut down in support of the hartal throughout the state. The hartal was near total in Khammam district. Even the cinema halls remained closed till evening.

The industrial centre in Vishakapatnam, which houses the Vishakapatnam Steel Plant, the Bharat Heavy Plates and Vessels (BHPV) etc, was deserted with workers and employees striking work. Express trains passing through were obstructed. Similarly, there was total bandh in the Singareni collieries in Ramagundam.

CPI(M) and CPI state secretaries, B V Raghavulu and K Narayana respectively, and the leaders of the Forward Bloc, RSP and TDP led the protest at the busy RTC Cross Roads Junction in Hyderabad, bringing traffic to a grinding halt. Amidst resistance, the leaders and scores of Left activists were arrested by the police and taken to the police station in Gosha Mahal locality. Telugu Desam chief N Chandrababu Naidu met the Left leaders there. Speaking to newspersons, he said the failure of the Congress governments at the centre and in Andhra Pradesh to keep the prices of essential commodities under control has made life difficult for common people.

MAHARASHTRA

BRAVING the scorching heat of the summer season, thousands of activists of the CPI(M) and other Left and secular parties conducted militant actions like rail roko and rasta roko in several districts of Maharashtra on April 27 to denounce the UPA central government’s hike in the prices of diesel, petrol and fertilisers and to protest against the central and state government’s neo-liberal policies that have led to astronomical rises in the prices of essential commodities across the board.

In Solapur, a huge rally of nearly 20,000 people, led by the CPI(M) and CPI, marched to the district collector’s office and blocked all the roads on the way. There had already been a Solapur bandh on April 8, coinciding with the Left parties’ nationwide Jail Bharo stir. This was the largest protest rally in Solapur since the state assembly elections last October and the lion’s share of participants had been mobilised by the CPI(M). They included a large number of unorganised women workers from the beedi and domestic work sectors, powerloom workers, big sections of the Muslim minority and also the peasantry.

In Thane district, thousands of CPI(M) activists conducted militant rasta roko stirs at 10 centres in the Talasari, Dahanu, Vikramgad, Jawhar, Mokhada and Wada tehsils and thus brought all traffic in the tribal belt of Thane district to a complete halt for several hours. Over 5000 activists were arrested and then released. The prestigious Mumbai-Delhi National Highway No 8 was blocked for nearly two hours at two places --- at Dhundalwadi in Dahanu tehsil and Talasari in Talasari tehsil --- leading to serpentine queues of traffic that stretched for over 25 km on both sides due to the blockade. In the other eight centres, it was the state highways that were blocked for over six to eight hours. They included the Dahanu-Nashik and Thane-Manor highways. Here also there were huge traffic snarls due to the blockade.

Rail Roko actions were held at three places in Maharashtra --- Igatpuri in Nashik district where over 800 of the CPI(M) took part, Nandurbar in Nandurbar district where 286 of the CPI(M) took part and Hatkanagale in Kolhapur district where over 200 of the Republican, Left and Democratic Front (RLDF) took part.

In Nashik district, a 2500-strong rasta roko stir was held in Dindori tehsil and a 1000-strong rasta roko in Chandwad tehsil. Rasta roko stirs were held in several other districts also.

In Parbhani district, a total bandh was observed in the tehsil centres of Selu and Manvat and rallies were organised there. In Parbhani city there was a big joint rasta roko stir that was eminently successful. In Nagpur, Hingoli, Latur, Kolhapur and other centres, rallies and demonstrations were held.

In Mumbai, big demonstrations were held at Andheri, Bhandup and Wadala. Reports from some other districts are awaited. Most of these actions received excellent publicity in the local print and electronic media.

At Nandurbar, a gathering of more than 500 people, wielding placards and shouting slogans, walked through the streets with red flags. The militant demonstration stared from Hutatma Shirish Chowk, moved through various routes and went up to the Nandurbar railway station. In spite of the presence of a large police force, the peaceful action programme by 286 CPI(M) cadre staged a rail roko agitation and stopped the Ahmedabad-Puri Express while shouting slogans on the tracks. Shahada also saw 239 people conducting a rasta roko agitation, thus paralysing the traffic. At Prakasha, shops remained closed. There was a demonstration and rasta roko agitation, causing traffic jam. Here the CPI(M) members were joined by the slogan shouting local people of Prakasha, shouting slogans. The successful protest action covered the whole of Prakasha, including the busy market place. In Taloda, a rasta roko agitation was conducted, affecting the traffic on the Aamlad Junction Road.

In Dhule city, the CPI(M), CPI, CITU and Satyashodhak Communist Party conducted took out a procession through the main market which includes the area of Old Agra Road. All the shops pulled down their shutters.

ORISSA

THERE was a successful bandh in Orissa on the day, paralysing all the central government offices, central public sector undertakings, post offices, BSNL offices, the Reserve Bank of India branch office, headquarters of the East Coast Railway, banks and insurance offices. In most of the districts, the states government offices including block and tehsil offices also remained closed. The judiciary, including the High Court, did not function. Road transport and railway traffic were paralysed. Shops and commercial establishments kept their shutters down. About 2,000 activists of the CPI(M) alone were arrested. In Orissa, seven parties, viz the Biju Janata Dal, CPI(M), CPI, Forward Bloc, Samajwadi Party, RJD and JMM, organised the hartal in response to the call given by 13 Left and secular parties at the national level.

HARYANA

THE nationwide hartal called for by 13 parties including the Indian Nation Lok Dal (INLD) elicited encouraging response from all sections of the people, making the action an overwhelming success. In fact, people expressed their anger through a general strike in all the districts of Haryana state.

The strike was complete in all the main bazaars and other markets in Rohtak city. In other cities and towns as well, slogan shouting workers and activists of the sponsoring parties took out processions against the rise in the prices of essential commodities and demanding the roll-back of the enhanced prices of petrol, diesel and fertilisers.

Leaders of the INLD, CPI(M) and other parties have warned the UPA government that it must learn a lesson from the widespread bandh and reverse its anti-people policies.

PUNJAB

THE call for an all-India hartal by four Left parties and nine other non-Congress secular parties against the relentless rise in prices evoked a very good response all over Punjab. Rail roko, chakka jam, demonstrations and dharnas took place at more than 30 places all over the state, and more than 20,000 people participated in these actions. The protesters shouted slogans against the anti-people and pro-rich policies of the UPA-2 government.

The actions took place at Ludhiana, Dhuri, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur, SBS Nagar, Garhshankar, Mukerian, Rajpura, Jalandhar, Gurdaspur, Batala, Pathankot, Anandpur Sahib, Tarn Taran, Bathinda, Mansa, Budhlada, Muktasar, Moga, Patran, Shahkot, Nakoder, Sultanpur, Sardulgarh and Mohali, among other places.

Source: People’s Democracy dated 02-05-2010 (www.pd.cpim.org)