Call to Organise United Struggle against Price Rise
By A Correspondent / NEW DELHI
The Communist Party of India has demanded scrapping of sedition law from the statutes saying it is must to put an end to misuse of this law by the government to suppress dissent and protest. The party also objected to India’s abstention from the UN Human Rights Commission resolution on Palestine and demanded recall of West Bengal governor.
The National Executive of the Communist Party of India which met on June 15 urged all its units and mass organisations to make the Left Parties’ call to observe a fortnight-long nationwide protest against the Modi government’s continuous hike of the prices of petroleum products as well as against its other anti-people, anti-farmer and anti-worker policies.
The National Executive had a virtual meeting on June 15, 2021.
The meeting began with the general secretary D Raja presenting the agenda for the meet. After the approval of the agenda, the general secretary explained in detail the present national and international political and economic situation. The National Executive observed that the RSS-controlled BJP government led by Narendra Modi has no concern for the people’s burning issues, no respect for democratic norms, violates all statutory provisions to cover up its failures on all fronts and surrenders to US imperialism and G-7.
On the government’s foreign policy shift, the National Executive observed that the Modi government has surrendered before US imperialism and G-7. The shift suits the government’s rightist thinking and policies.
On the economic situation, the National Executive pointed out that the economy is in shambles. It is bent upon catering fully to the interests of the corporates and MNCs. All sectors of the economy are under acute strain. Adding fuel to the fire, the government has been continuously hiking the prices of petroleum products. This has resulted in the rise of prices of all essential commodities, throwing to winds the household budgets of all, in particular of the middle class and daily wage earners. The National Executive congratulated the party units for protesting against the price hikes.
CPI General Secretary D. Raja said that the Left Parties have decided to observe a fortnight long protest starting from June 16. He urged all the party units and organisations to make the joint protest a massive one.
The Modi government is continuously straining the Centre-State relations causing a threat to federalism. The latest attacks on the traditional cordial ties are reflected in the acts of West Bengal governor and the Lakshadweep administrator.
The National Executive adopted the following three resolutions after discussion
Scrap Sedition Law
The National Executive has demanded that sedition law must immediately be scrapped from the statutes so that we put an end to its misuse by the government to suppress dissent and protest in the light of the recent verdicts of the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court.
Pointing out to the adverse remarks made by the courts, the National Executive welcomes the verdict of the Delhi High Court granting bail to two Jawaharlal Nehru University students Devangana Kalita and Natasha Narwal and one Jamia Millia Islamia student Asif Iqbal Tanha. All the three were arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with north-east Delhi riots in 2020. The three students had taken part in the protest against the enactment of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The resolution also recalled that the Supreme Court had earlier verdict upholding the right to differ, dissent and protest the government policies.
The National Executive has taken note of the court’s observation: “We are constrained to say, that it appears that in its anxiety to suppress dissent and in the morbid fear that matters may go out of hand, the state has blurred the line between the constitutionally guaranteed right to protest and terrorist activity.” The resolution underlined the fact that in its order, the court had rebuked Delhi police for casually invoking provisions of anti-terror law against the three observing that the charge-sheet lacked any specific, particularized factual allegations.”
Recall the Governor of West Bengal
The National Executive meeting of the Communist Party of India expressed its displeasure over the activities of West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankar. His actions are definitely against the prescribed norms of Indian Constitution. After taking over the responsibility as the governor he started behaving like BJP representative ignoring all moral and government protocols supposed to be followed by a constitutional authority.
His role before the election, during the election and after the election remains same. He is disrespecting the election verdict and is aiming at creating instability and unrest in West Bengal. Such behaviour from a constitutional head of a state is unacceptable.
The National Executive believes that his continuation as the governor of West Bengal will further vitiate the relations between the governments at the Centre and the state and damage the federal character of our Constitution.
The National Executive demands that the President of India must immediately recall Jagdeep Dhankar.
On India’s Abstention from UNHRC Resolution on Palestine
The National Executive meeting expressed its strong opposition to the way India abstained from the United Nations Human Rights Commission resolution on Palestine. The abstention has humiliated India before the people of Palestine and other human rights movements.
India is one of the countries which have supported the national liberation movements from the time of its independence movement. Palestinian struggle for an independent nation is one of such struggles, which was always considered to be part of our own struggle for independence.
After granting the recognition of Israel, India slowly started to withdraw its political and material support to Palestine. This process has got momentum after Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power.
CPI believes such a rift will ultimately harm the prestige of India in the comity of nations and therefore calls upon the government of India to change its wrong policy on Palestine.
CPI while opposing the move of government of India once again reiterates its solidarity with the people of Palestine for their independent homeland.