Left Protests Illegal Inclusions in Voters Lists

IN a memorandum submitted to the chief election commissioner (CEC) at New Delhi on August 3, 2010, a delegation of the Left parties sought to draw his attention to the ongoing illegal inclusion of photo identity cards in West Bengal through illegal affidavits.

The delegation told the CEC that, on behalf of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), a delegation had met the chief electoral officer (CEO) of West Bengal on July 10, 2010, and drawn his attention to the illegal inclusion of fictitious names in the voters lists.

 

Because of the delay and large-scale mistakes in the printing of the photo identity cards, some interested quarters are flouting the Election Commission's rules illegally by attaching affidavits in Form 6 for the inclusion of fictitious names in the voters lists. The CPI(M) delegation had also submitted copies of some such affidavits. The chief electoral officer had then assured the CPI(M) delegation that the BLO could not accept such affidavits and would be prevented from enlisting fictitious names in the voters lists. The Left delegation also informed the CEC that some BLOs were accepting forms in large-scale violation of rules of the Election Commission.

 

On July 10, the CPI(M) delegation had also drawn the CEO’s attention to the difficulties being faced by the people in hill areas of Darjeeling, flood-affected areas in North Bengal, areas under river-banks erosion, terror affected areas of West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura districts and the people who have been evicted from their houses in East Midnapur, Khajuri, Nandigram, Moogbaria and other areas. The CPI(M) team had urged upon the CEO to ensure that their names were enrolled in the voters lists.

The CEO said he was fully aware of these issues and assured the delegation that necessary instructions would be sent and steps urgently taken. But there has so far been no instruction from the chief electoral officer with regard to affidavits. In the meantime, thousands of fictitious and illegal affidavits are being prepared for people from outside and forcibly deposited in the office of the electoral officers who are unfortunately resorting to mass-scale acceptance of those illegal affidavits.

The Left parties therefore urged the chief election commissioner to cancel such illegal affidavits and take steps against the electoral officials who accepted those affidavits. The Ecection Commission of India must also initiate legal action against the parties which are resorting to such fraudulent inclusion of fictitious voters directly or indirectly. Necessary steps need to be taken against such activities, so that no names could be included without proper enquiries at the time of hearings.

 

The delegation of the Left parties that met the CEC included Sitaram Yechury and Basudev Acharia of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Prabodh Panda of the Communist Party of India, Narahari Mahato of the All India Forward Bloc and Prasanta Majumdar of the Revolutionary Socialist Party.

WEST BENGAL CHIEF MINISTER BUDDHADEB BHATTACHARJEE AT NDC MEET

Chronic Problems Demand Welfare Role From Govt

WE welcome the convening of this 55th meeting of the National Development Council (NDC). The main items of agenda are: (1) Mid-Term Appraisal of the 11th Five Year Plan 2007-12, and (2) Issues Pertaining to Urbanisation, Agriculture, Left Wing Extremism, Water Resources, Tribal Development, Interface between Power Generation and Availability of Coal, etc. It gives us an opportunity to express our views on the major issues that are so vital to our people and society.

AGGREGATE AND SECTORAL GROWTH

The Eleventh Plan aimed at an average growth rate of 9 per cent per annum. Our economy exceeded the expectation in the first year of the Eleventh Plan, but the momentum was interrupted in 2008-09 due to the global financial crisis. The growth rate in 2008-09 declined to 6.7 per cent but rebounded to about 7.4 per cent in 2009-10. According to the latest available data, the estimated rate of growth of GSDP of West Bengal would reach 8.68 per cent in 2009-2010, with the growth from agriculture, industry, and services sectors estimated at 4.59 per cent, 7.49 per cent and 10.45 per cent respectively. It may be noted that the growth rate of GSDP for West Bengal is higher than the national average and in agriculture the growth rate is much above the rate of growth of GDP from agriculture for the country as a whole.

POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT

The basic objective of the Eleventh Five Year Plan of West Bengal is to follow an all inclusive growth approach for improving the living standards of the masses, particularly of the marginalised people. Poverty and unemployment rate are two important indicators to study the conditions of people over time and across regions. The chronic problems of unemployment and poverty in the country, accentuates the required welfare role of the government, which should be specifically oriented to address the basic issues affecting the common man. It cannot be denied that although there has been perceptible growth in certain sectors during 2009-10, comparatively speaking, the adverse effects of the recent worldwide recession are still acutely present in the economy. It is pertinent to highlight that the policy of globalisation led to marked rise in unemployment. According to the latest data and analysis of the Expert Group of the Planning Commission undertaken in November 2009, the percentage of people living below the poverty line in the rural areas is still as high as 41.8 per cent compared to the official estimate of 28.3 per cent (2004-05). The phenomenon of jobless growth, with an alarming drop in employment opportunities, is noted with growing alarm in the organised and government sectors. It is imperative to firm up definite targets and effective strategies for increasing employment in agriculture, small and medium industries and the services sector.

UNCONTROLLED INFLATION: NEED FOR UNIVERSAL PDS

Another greatly unsettling problem of the country in recent years is obviously the uncontrolled price rise, leading to sharp increase in prices of food and essential commodities. According to price data published by the government of India, the wholesale price index for food items has increased sharply by nearly 19.8 per cent in December 2009, compared to the price level of December 2008. This unprecedented rate of price rise is common to all the states and is a general problem of the entire country. Further, the recent increase in the prices of petroleum products will have a cascading effect on the prices of other commodities and particularly of the essential commodities.

Against this backdrop of rising inflation and the periodical natural onslaughts of droughts, cyclones and floods, a large section of population has major difficulties in meeting their basic minimum needs. It is suggested that the ideas of checking inflation, generation of employment and comprehensive creation on income for the common people may be translated into reality by expanding the welfare role of the government and making it more effective. To protect the common people from the ravages of inflation and to control the process of inflation itself, it is imperative to introduce, from the level of government of India, the Universal Public Distribution System with appropriate subsidies, which needs to be implemented in close coordination with all the states. The state, on its own initiative, distributed subsidised rice at a price of Rs 2 per kg among 2.64 crore persons lying below the poverty line during 2009-10. This scheme needs to be supported by the central government.

EDUCATION

For expansion of opportunities of education, priority has been attached to access to primary education for all children (5+ to 8+) and the net enrolment ratio reached 99.25 per cent in 2009-10. To reduce the dropout rate among students, along with enrolment of children in the primary schools, the midday meal programme has been implemented at the level of primary schools through the involvement of self-help groups. It may be highlighted that the dropout rate at the primary school level has fallen to 6.85 per cent in 2008-09, lower than the dropout ratio of the country as a whole (7.8 per cent).

The Right to Free and Compulsory Education for Children Act, 2009 has come into effect from April 1, 2010. Under this act, various statutory obligations have been imposed on the state government. Particularly the state government has to improve the infrastructure of all schools to bring the same in line with the requirements laid down under the act within a period of three years. Similarly, new schools have to be set up and a large number of sanctioned posts for teachers are to be created to meet the requirements under the act. The state government also has to bear the school tuition fees and other charges for 25 per cent of the total number of students enrolled in private and unaided schools. But no provision for financial empowerment of the state government to bear such huge financial requirements to meet the statutory obligations under the act has been made. National Development Council is requested to recommend allocation of funds to the state governments to meet the requirements under the act.

In the fields of higher education, for expansion of the opportunities of education and research and improvement of the academic standard, along with necessary expansion of the two newly established universities, namely, West Bengal State University (Barasat) and Gour Banga University (Malda), steps taken are – establishment of Sidho Kanhu Birsha University centred around Purulia and Bankura, strengthening of the campuses of the University of North Bengal at Jalpaiguri and Rabindra Bharati University at Siliguri, initiation of the process for conferring the status of a university upon Presidency College and playing a facilitating role in the upgradation of BESU to the level of National Institute of Science and Technology. In addition, a centre of Aligarh Muslim University will shortly be established in Murshidabad. The state government has also decided that in the next year, 20 new colleges will be set up and 15,000 additional posts of teachers will be created. A special initiative will be taken to conduct courses on management and information technology in the campuses of 100 general degree colleges.

In order that students can take part in the production process, special priority has been accorded to expansion of vocational and technical education at all levels. With the target of setting up of vocation training centres in secondary and higher secondary schools in the state, 2000 additional training centres will be set up in 2010-11; 25 new IITs will be added to the existing 89 IITs.

In the sphere of madrasah education, 112 junior high madrasahs have been upgraded to high madrasahs and 196 high madrasahs have been upgraded to higher madrasahs in 2009-10. 75 junior high madrasahs will be upgraded to high madrashas and 100 high madrasahs will be upgraded to higher madrashas during 2010-11. A new campus for women will be set up for Aliah University.

HEALTH

In health sector, priority has been accorded to decentralised health care and development of infrastructure of the subcentres within each Gram Panchayat and improvement of services in the subcentres located at the headquarters of the Gram Panchayat. It is found from the latest state-wise data (2008), published by the government of India, that as a result of the measures taken by the state government, the death rate in the state has fallen to 6.2 per thousand, which is not only lower than the all-India average (7.4) but also the lowest among the states. The infant mortality rate in the state has fallen further to 35, which is much lower than the all-India average (53). Birth rate in the state has also fallen to 17.5, which again is much lower than the all-India average (22.8). In the year 2008 the total fertility rate in the state has fallen to 1.9, which is far below the all-India average (2.8).

LEFT WING EXTREMISM: DEVELOPMENT ISSUES

In West Bengal, 28 police stations in the three districts of Paschim Medinipur, Bankura and Purulia are affected by the LWE activities. Many civilians and security personnel have been seriously affected on many occasions. Joint operations are being continued by the state police and the central paramilitary forces since June 2009. This is a matter of serious concern.

The state government has announced a surrender-cum-rehabilitation package for naxalities (Maoists) in accordance with the guidelines issued by the government of India in this regard. This apart, a package of special schemes has been announced for socio-economic development of the LWE affected areas. These schemes include, among others: (i) subsidised rice at the rate of Rs 2 per kilogram to eligible all ST families, (ii) filling up of posts of teachers in primary schools in affected blocks with preference for qualified local ST people, (iii) providing a bicycle to each girl in classes IX to XI, (iv) minor irrigation schemes, (v) soil and water conservation schemes, (vi) subsidies for forest produce collected by tribal persons, etc. These schemes would be implemented over and above the usual national and state level schemes. A committee headed by the chief secretary and comprising secretaries of the related departments has been set up to oversee the implementation of the special development package as well as other flagship schemes in LWE affected areas.

The government of India has included Paschim Medinipur district in the list of LWE affected districts for sanction of special development fund in order to wean away people from the extremist movement. Since Purulia and Bankura districts are also significantly affected by LWE, the state government urges the government of India to include these two districts also for sanction of special fund for development.

AGRICULTURE  AND IRRIGATION

Over the years, the lingering uncertainty and retarded growth in the agricultural sector has contributed to the price rise factor. As a result of comprehensive steps starting with land reforms, extension of irrigation facilities and improved production techniques appropriate for common farmers, the rate of growth of gross state domestic product (GSDP) from agriculture in 2009-10 reached 4.2 per cent in West Bengal. Use of improved agricultural techniques, flow of institutional credit and improvement of marketing facilities cannot be over-emphasised. For these initiatives, along with the direct involvement of the government, it would be necessary to create more opportunities for the common farmers. The goal would be to increase production and productivity in agriculture through these combined initiatives in such a manner that self-sufficiency in foodgrains can be achieved and maintained at the state level, necessary crop diversification can be brought about, and overall employment generation and income can be enhanced for common farmers and others. Special emphasis on extension of irrigation facilities and enhancement of the net irrigated area will be helpful.

Inadequate coverage of irrigation and drainage aggravates the problem of productivity. Although in the union budget of 2010-11, there has been inclusion of centre-state joint schemes in irrigation and drainage for the state, the share of the irrigation sector in the total central plan outlay was, unfortunately, only 2 per cent, as a result of which the proportion of irrigated area of the country, particularly in connection with foodgrains, has still not exceeded 45 per cent (government of India Economic Survey, 2008-09, Statistical Appendix). This has led to the inevitable neglect of investment in fertilisers and regrettable dependence on imports.

In the sphere of major irrigation projects, accepting the demand of the state, the government of India has accorded the status of a project of national importance to the Teesta Project. Till now, the state government has incurred nearly 79 per cent of the total expenditure of the project (Rs 1,332.55 crore). It is expected that in he coming years, in accordance with the funding patterns of national projects, 90 per cent of the balance requirement of fund for completion of the first phase of the project (Rs 1,759.04 crore) will be borne by the central government. The revised project cost of Subarnarekha Project, included under AIBP, now stands at Rs 1986 crore. As this project’s command area is inhabited mainly by scheduled tribes, the centre should bear 90 per cent of the expenditure, the remaining 10 per cent being borne by the state. Similar AIBP norms should also be extended for Darakeswar-Gandheswari reservoir project (estimated cost of Rs 1574 crore) and the projects proposed for stabilisation of irrigation potential created through old projects like Kangsabati in the districts of Bankura and Purulia. In this context, I draw the attention of National Development Council to the need of further modification of the guidelines of Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) in the LWE affected districts and in the backward districts so that irrigation schemes in these areas may receive the enhanced grant of government of India (90 per cent of the project cost) under AIBP without insisting on percentage of tribal population only as the criterion for such benefit.

I would make special mention here about the post-‘Aila’ mega scheme of reconstruction and improvement of Sundarban embankments planned to be executed at an estimated cost of Rs 5,032 crore. This project is extremely important for saving the ecologically fragile Sundarbans and for saving millions of people living there from the threat of violent cyclonic storms. So far the state has received only Rs 187 crore against the project. Since the project has to be completed on war footing, the government of India should ensure timely release of fund for this project. Further, as execution of all the flood management programmes involve substantial land acquisition and may not be completed within March 31, 2012, the government of India should agree to our proposal of extending validity of these programmes to 12th Plan period.

LAND REFORMS & LAND DISTRIBUTION

In the predominantly agricultural economy of India, no sustained development is possible without land reforms being implanted throughout the country. Redistributive land reform remains the fundamental basis of increasing employment-oriented production. It may be noted that 54 per cent of the farmers of the country, who have benefited from distribution of surplus land, belong to West Bengal (data compiled by government of India on land reforms). The total agricultural land distributed in West Bengal, holding the foremost position in land reforms, was 11.28 lakh acres up to February 2010. By now, 30.12 lakh farmers have benefited in the state, 55 per cent belonging to the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. With a view to empowering women, 6.15 lakh joint pattas and 1.62 lakh female pattas have been distributed. This apart, through recording of sharecroppers, which forms an important component of land reforms, 15.13 lakh farmers have benefited. The gains achieved through land reforms, however, needs to be consolidated for raising productivity by increasing irrigation facilities and credit facilities.

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

Weakness in infrastructure is the most important constraint for growth of the economy. For increase of production in agriculture and industries and generation of employment, sustainable improvement of infrastructure is obviously crucial. In 2010-11, construction of 15 new bridges will start in the state. In case of improvement of 650 km of road, taken up during the first three years of the 11th Five Year Plan, work has been completed in respect of 270 km. It is expected that 500 km of road will be brought under improvement work during 2010-11.

URBANISATION AND JNNURM

The percentage of urban population in West Bengal (28.3 per cent) has always been higher than the national level. This calls for special attention. In keeping with the approach of the 11th Five Year Plan, the state government has been laying emphasis on holistic and inclusive development so that the urban sector may become economically vibrant and environmentally balanced. West Bengal has taken up several projects under JNNURM for creating urban infrastructure and housing facilities for the urban poor. In the urban infrastructure and governance component of JNNURM, the current expenditure as on May 31, 2010, is Rs 1218 crore. In the BSUP, about 32,000 dwelling units have already been completed with the expenditure of Rs 806 crore. Escalation of cost of the schemes is leaving a large burden of expenditure for the state government. The state government has requested the GoI to share the escalated costs. Some JNNURM projects may not be completed by March 2012; it is necessary to roll over such projects to the next Five Year Plan period. The state government also feels that it is necessary to launch a new JNNURM programme for non-mission towns. In order to attract private investments for creation and maintenance of new infrastructure facilities, it is necessary to evolve a National PPP Policy framework and create a regulatory body for better management of PPP projects. At the state level, there is also need to build inhouse core urban planning expertise. This will need financial and technical support of the government of India.

The government of West Bengal agreed to procure 1300 buses under JNNURM for Kolkata and Asansol as a part of stimulus package of government of India to the automobile manufacturing sector on the explicit commitment of government of India to extend subsidy at the rate of 35 per cent for Kolkata and 50 per cent for Asansol. On the basis of this commitment state government has already procured 933 buses and has ordered further 150 buses under this programme for improving the city transport system. The full amount of committed central share against this procurement has not yet been released, linking the same with certain reforms in the transport sector. The reforms suggested will take substantial time to be implemented and some steps have already been initiated in that direction. It is requested to release the full amount of centre’s committed share under this programme without making such release conditional at this stage in the interest of development of transport infrastructure under JNNURM.

RURAL BANKING SERVICES AND RURAL CREDIT

Rural credit has become a casualty because of the change in the government of India’s banking policies. The directive to close down the loss-making branches has created a serious vacuum for institutional credit in rural areas. Over 1000 Gram Panchayats (nearly one third of the total) in West Bengal do not have any bank branch. This cripples, at inception, the self-help groups of women who may need to spend Rs 20 for commuting to a bank to deposit Rs 100.

It is suggested that the facilities for banking services should be made universal. For this purpose, it will be necessary to have a bank branch or business correspondent in every village. Agreeing with this view of the state government, the RBI has issued a directive that in order to extend within the next two years the facility of banking services to every village of the state where the population is more than 2,000, a bank branch will be set up and/or a business correspondent would be appointed. This should be implemented at the earliest.

According to the assessment of Expert Committee (Dave Committee) about the need for the credit from the banking systems for agriculture and allied sectors, the minimum annual requirement of bank credits for these sectors in West Bengal is about Rs 25,000 crore. However, during the year 2006-07, the credit disbursed by the nationalised banks and cooperative banks was only Rs 3,580 crore. It was accordingly decided after discussions with the representatives of Reserve Bank of India and other banks that the target for the annual credit disbursement in this sector should, to begin with be raised to Rs 12,000 crore and thereafter the amount should be steadily increased to Rs 25,000 crore. National Development Council is requested to take note of this.

NREGA: THE FUND  FLOW PROBLEMS

In promotion of employment opportunity, the NREGA is certainly a step towards recognising and ensuring work as a right of the people in rural areas. Our state government and the panchayats at the three levels have taken keen interest in implementing the scheme. Our expenditure under the scheme during 2009-10 was Rs 2100 crore, which is nearly double the expenditure in 2008-09. While implementation of the scheme has gained momentum, its progress is now getting affected due to non-availability of adequate funds. Large-scale unemployment and under-employment is not only a rural phenomenon. As it is also a problem in urban areas, we feel that NREGA should be also extended to urban areas. To reduce the problem of unemployment in urban areas, the state government has already decided to introduce the West Bengal Urban Employment Scheme during 2010-11, which should receive appropriate support from the GoI.

PENSION SCHEMES

The National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) has three component schemes, namely, the National Old Age Pension Scheme, the National Family Benefit Scheme (widow pension), and the National Disability Scheme (disability pension). The schemes provide for payment of pension at the rate of Rs 400 per month (Rs 200 by GoI and Rs 200 by state government). In our state, there are some schemes funded and implemented by the state governments, where payments are presently at the rate of Rs 750 per month and it is proposed to be increased to Rs 1000 p m. In terms of benefits provided, we feel that Rs 400 per month is too meagre an amount. We feel that the amount of benefits under the central scheme should be increased. Another important issue is the age limit for eligibility under the old age pension schemes. The age limit for national schemes is 65 years, but for the state schemes it is 60 years. It may be noted that the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 defines a ‘senior citizen’ as a person who has attained the age of sixty years or above. We feel that the age limit for the Old Age Pension Scheme should be reduced to 60 years.

TRIBAL DEVELOPMENT

The constitution of India provides for a comprehensive framework for the socio-economic development of the scheduled tribes and for preventing their exploitation by other groups of society. Our objective is to provide more focussed attention on the integrated development of the scheduled tribes in a coordinated and planned manner. However, there are problems in implementation of the centrally sponsored schemes in this priority sector. During the last financial year, the government of India released only 50 per cent of the budgetary allocation. This is not at all desirable. In the centrally sponsored schemes there is a concept of “committed liability,” which is extremely detrimental to the interest of the state government. Under this policy, the total expenditure of a scheme in the concluding year of a five year plan becomes the “committed liability” of the state government. We propose that this policy of “committed liability” should be reviewed and the government of India should bear 50 per cent of the “committed liability.” Disability due to old age is a major problem for the tribal population, more particularly as they have lower life expectancy. The state government is implementing a pension scheme for the tribal people of age 60 years and above, where the expenditure of about Rs 150 crore annually is met by the state government. We propose that the government of India should bear 50 per cent of the cost of this scheme.

POWER: IMPROVING AVAILABILITY

Electricity remains a key element of infrastructure, essential for delivery of targeted levels of economic growth and social development. In our state, the demand for electricity is likely to grow substantially because of the demand from the industry and expansion of rural electrification programme under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana. Accordingly, the state is in the process of augmenting its generation capacity by more than 3500 MW by the end of 12th Plan period. Two major central public sector companies, BHEL and NTPC, have been involved for setting up additional generation capacities at Katwa and Santaldihi. Our distribution company, WBSEDCL, has been ranked as the best public sector distribution company in the country, but power availability suffers because of the disruptions in power generation. There have been progressive additions to our capacity for electricity generation, but the balance between demand and supply is sometimes disrupted because of non-availability of standard quality coal. In our country’s present coal availability scenario, sourcing of coal from captive mines is extremely important to ensure availability of good quality coal. It is therefore necessary to allot captive coal blocks to meet the coal requirements of power stations in the public and private sectors in the state. Such coal blocks are needed not only for the power generation units; they are also needed for the steel plants. We feel that the coal ministry should allot coal blocks to the state government through the state dispensation route to ensure timely supply of adequate coal to power plants and other industries. The state is also facing problems in getting the promised power from NHPC. An MoU was signed in March 2003 between NHPC and the state corporation, by which 500 MW power is to be purchased by the state corporation from Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project, but power from the project has been allocated to other states without taking the said MoU into consideration. WBSEDCL, the state power utility company, would like to set up a hydel power project in Bhutan for which the ministry of power has been approached. As hydel thermal mix in the state is very low, this needs early clearance.

SUNDARBANS NEEDS SPECIAL ATTENTION

We would like to highlight the case of Sundarbans which is the largest mangrove forest in the world, internationally recognised as a World Heritage Site and a Global Biosphere Reserve. The islands are also inhabited by several lakhs of people who are economically backward. I am thankful that the Planning Commission has arranged for a non-lending technical assistance from the World Bank for climate change adaptation, bio-diversity, conservation and sustainable socio economic development of the Sundarban area of West Bengal. Action on this report may be taken at the earliest.

CONCLUDING NOTE

The above presentation will establish that my government, during the initial three years of the Eleventh Plan period, has tried to achieve the national goal of growth rate of 9 per cent per annum. As a welfare state, we have tried to make this growth an inclusive growth benefiting all sectors of the people. The focus of our activities during these years was centred on alleviation of poverty, reduction of unemployment, making life more bearable for the common man in the face of rising inflation, expansion of facilities in the health sector to cover majority of the people, expansion of infrastructure for education in all stages including setting up of a good number of universities and facilitating the setting up of institute of excellence, continuing land reforms, raising productivity in agriculture and allied activities, and creation of appropriate environment for promotion of industrial activities. Our effort has been to provide employment to these who are able to work and to provide assistance in the form of pension to those who are unable to work. We are hopeful that during the remaining two years of the eleventh Plan Period the momentum of growth will increase further. To maintain this growth momentum, however, it will be necessary on the part of the union government to take positive decisions on some of the issues discussed in brief in this presentation.

Disabled Persons Demand Justice For Bhopal Victims

DHARNA IN KOLKATA

IN an exceptional show of determination, thousands of disabled persons staged a sit-in demonstration in front of the United States Information Centre in Kolkata on July 12. Their indomitable spirit could not be drenched by the heavy rains that lashed Kolkata that day. They had assembled at the call of the Paschimbanga Rajya Pratibandhi Sammilani, in a show of solidarity with the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy that had killed nearly 22,000 people, maimed many and left thousands disabled for life.

Fifty-seven buses were chartered by the Sammilani units to bring in disabled persons from various districts of the state to participate in the programme. Around 400 of them from North Bengal had to travel overnight to reach Kolkata to take part in the programme. In all, there were around 4,000 people.

A highlight of the programme was the participation of seventeen victims of the world’s worst industrial disaster, who had come all the way from Bhopal. These disabled people were led by Sadhna Karnik Pradhan, an activist working among the gas-affected people in Bhopal. Many eminent artists and sportspersons joined the programme and condemned the criminal behaviour of the Union Carbide which for years has been shying away from its responsibility of providing adequate compensation and rehabilitating the affected. They also condemned the attitude of the central government for ignoring the plight of the victims all these years. Even many of the current recommendations made by the Group of Ministers are an eyewash, they felt.

Prominent among those to address the participants were Kanti Ganguly, general secretary of the Sammelini and minister for sports and Sundarban affairs. Pratim Chatterjee, minister for fire services in West Bengal, artist Wasim Kapoor and swimmer Masudur Rahman also addressed.

All the speakers accused the successive governments, both at the centre and in Madhya Pradesh, of serving the interests of corporates like the Union Carbide. They also pointed out that sections of the judiciary were also affected by this approach. The speakers drew attention to the fact that this attitude and callousness were more so since the victims were mostly poor. A tragedy that could have been averted if only adequate safety measures had been put in place, was allowed to happen because of the criminal negligence of the multinational giant and the complicity of the local administration.

The complicity of the governments of that time, both at the centre and in Madhya Pradesh, in trying to shield the guilty responsible for this horrendous crime and facilitating the escape of Warren Anderson, the CEO of the Union Carbide, drew universal condemnation. The speakers also emphasised that the introduction of the Civil Nuclear Liability Bill in Rajya Sabha reveals that there has been no change in the outlook and perception of the Congress-led central government.

Participants from Bhopal drew attention to the inadequate amount of compensation and said that this was the cheapest settlement in any major industrial disaster in the world. Even today, a large number of gas-affected people continue to die. Disabilities have incapacitated many and rendered them unemployable. Visits to hospitals for treatment of the after-effects of the gas leak have become a routine for many of the survivors. People continue to drink contaminated water.

A five-member delegation comprising, among others, Sammelini joint secretaries Sailen Chaudhury and Prabir Saha submitted a memorandum addressed to the American ambassador through the consular general’s office in Kolkata. It demanded, among other things, the immediate repatriation of Warren Anderson to face trial in India, payment of adequate compensation for the victims, lifelong support to the affected, and immediate and safe removal of the toxic waste from the UCC premises at Bhopal.

The programme concluded with the burning of an effigy of Warren Anderson amidst slogans demanding the bringing of the culprits to book and justice to the victims.

(Muralidharan in Delhi with inputs from Bibek Bardhan in Kolkata.)

Left Front is a United Front of the Highest Order

By B Prasant

ADDRESSING the Comrade Promode Dasgupta memorial lecture, titled ‘Communist Party and the Politics of United Front,’ in Kolkata in the evening of July 13, CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat called for the defence of the Left Front for it was the product of the struggles and movements of the mass of the people.

Looking back at the evolution of the Communist Party’s united front tactics, Karat noted that initially the united front was meant for uniting the workers. The third and the fourth congresses of the Communist International (CI) had stressed the necessity for united fronts to unite the working class. Later in the seventh congress of the CI in 1935, Dimitrov’s thesis on the united front called for an anti-fascist people’s front and a national united front against imperialism in the colonies. It is this understanding which helped the fledgling Communist Party in India to shed a sectarian approach regarding the national movement led by the Indian National Congress.

The Chinese Communist Party’s approach to united front and the experience of setting up of a national united front against Japanese imperialism also helped the Communist party in India to have a correct approach to united front. Mao Zedong had underlined that the united front is based on classes. EMS Namboodiripad had noted that there was an oversimplified understanding before and after the 1952 general elections that the united front meant uniting all the non-Congress parties to defeat the Congress to set-up a non-Congress government. The united front has to be set up on a class basis.

The Party Programme outlines the composition of the People’s Democratic Front. Towards this end, the Communist Party might well have to participate in a stream of different fronts, some of which may only have transient political significance.

Noting the two stages of the process of setting up of a united front, the speaker mentioned that there would first be a consolidation of the masses into a class-based front leading them into the fields of struggles and movements. The recent mobilisation of workers by five major national trade unions in a joint movement on their demands is a step in the right direction. The second stage would comprise the development of this united struggle into a political platform with due importance paid to the democratic role of the working people.

The success of the recent hartals against price rise across the country should be followed up by wider struggles and movements to strengthen the unity among the left and democratic parties. There is at present no third alternative against the Congress and the BJP built up. To build up a successful united front, the Communist Party must play an independent role and gain strength. Only then can the united front be widened.

The West Bengal Left Front was not merely an electoral alliance. It was born in the fields of struggles and movements over a period of time. The LF came into being through the food movement, the teachers’ movement, the movement against hike in tram carriage fare, and above all through a wide and deep kisan struggle.

Calling the Left Front an advanced formation of united front in the country, drawing attention also to the LF’s in operation in Tripura and Kerala, Prakash Karat noted the manner in which, withstanding unyielding assaults, the LF in Bengal was able to forge the worker-peasant unity. In the recent period, there have been strains on this alliance and sections of the peasantry alienated. Steps should be taken to strengthen the alliance. As in the nineteen seventies, the attack is coming from the Left-adventurist forces along with the right. The Communist Party and the LF must draw the correct lessons from history and forge ahead, with the CPI (M) as the biggest constituent of the LF playing a crucially important political role, he concluded.

Biman Basu, Bengal unit secretary of the CPI (M) and Bengal LF chairman illumined the life and times of the late Comrade Promode Dasgupta. Present at the meeting were the top leadership including Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Nirupam Sen, and Benoy Konar. Ashok Ghosh, veteran leader of the Forward Bloc was present along with the top leadership of other constituents of the LF. Prakash Karat also released a booklet brought out by the Kolkata district committee of the CPI (M), titled Promode Dasgupta: A Centennial Tribute.

Desperate ‘Maoists’ Killing Spree Continues

By B Prasant

AS the people’s resistance grows in the western districts of Bengal, the ‘Maoists’ have started to go in for generalised armed attack on the rural population. They have also migrated to the northern hinterland of metropolitan zone in splinter groups of hardened, professional killers-- especially in the Nadia-Murshidabad areas in what can be called ‘central’ Bengal.

The points of resistance have been the Midnapore west Sadar block as well as Salboni, and Goaltore where we found how the ‘Maoists’ were conspicuous by their absence. The taking into custody, albeit belatedly, of some of the killers by the central forces, too has helped. Yet, the attacks on the innocents continue. So do the kidnappings and ransom-demands.

In the face of the armed assaults, people have come out in streams of thousands upon thousands in the jangal mahal over the past week, and it was a heart-warming sight for us to be witness to the resoluteness of the marchers in zones and localities where the Trinamuli-backed ‘left’ ultras had held sway even a couple of months back.

Slogans rose ragingly as the serpentine line of kisans and khet mazdoors traversed across the muddy rice paddies, strode across the sal and mahua forestry, and occasionally walked along the metalled roads where the traffic willingly and perhaps with a sigh of relief gave way to the fluttering Red Flag. This was normalcy. This was welcomed.

The talk about ‘restoration’ of democracy in Bengal is out of line with reality. What has happened has been that democracy, nurtured carefully by the Communist Party and the Left parties, has been subjected to ruthless and continuous assaults and the corporate media has egged the attackers on.

In Jhargram, the Bengal CPI(M) mourns the loss of lives at the hands of the Trinamuli-‘Maoist’ combination of two CPI(M) workers, Comrades Ganesh Murmu and Srimanta Tudu in Midnapore west and also of the SFI worker Comrade Phulchand Mahato. The Bengal CPI(M) grieves for the killing of two poor khet mazdoors who were CPI (M) workers in Naoda in Murshidabad, Comrades Saidul Sheikh and Mohar Ali Sheikh. It is worrying that no trace could yet be found of the kidnapped CPI(M) worker and a para-teacher of Jhargram rural belt, Ajit Giri.

Left Front Wins Durgapur MLA Bye Election

THE following is a UNI report on the election results of the Durgapur assembly seat: "The Left bastion remained undestroyed in the Durgapur - 1 Assembly seat with CPI(M)'s Archana Bhattacharjee winning the Bye Election with 53,513 votes on July 08, 2010. Trinamool-backed Congress nominee Banshibadan Karmakar received 44,696 votes while BJP's Koushik Roychoudhary bagged 4,243 votes. RJD's Sunil Yadav got 1,735 votes.

Of the total 1,39,262 voters, 1,04,187 votes were cast. Wearing a winner's smile, Ms Bhattacharjee said, "The victory is not mine alone, it's my party's victory."

According to the detailed report on the results of the Durgapur-1 Bye-elction - 2010, the Left Front candidate of CPI(M) Party scored 51.36 per cent of votes while the Trinamool-backed Congress candidate got 42.90 per cent of votes. Two others were independent candidates.

CPI(M) Calls for Strenghtening of Struggles and Movements

By B Prasant

IN its recent two-day meeting at the Muzaffar Ahmad Bhavan in Kolkata, held over June 26-27, 2010 the Bengal CPI (M) probed the recent political events, spoke about organisational matters, and issued a call for augmentation of struggles and movements across the state – for uplift of the poverty-ridden, for progress, for development, and for strengthening grass-roots’ level democracy.

The Bengal unit of the CPI(M) never minced words to conclude also, especially while reviewing the results obtained in the civic polls, that the most salient feature of the tasks ahead would comprise refurbishing a wide and deep mass contact with the people, especially with and amidst the poor and the downtrodden, something that has always been a hallmark feature of the Party organisation’s political initiative.

A total of 34 members of the state committee took part in the discussion. Biman Basu, secretary, Bengal unit of the CPI(M) spoke on certain important political-organisational issues. His conclusions were brief but strikingly relevant. He said that the political campaign-movement that had preceded the succeeding elections that took place in Bengal, for the Lok Sabha, for the panchayats and for the urban and semi-urban civic bodies, never quite penetrated the consciousness of the masses enough, and would thereby affect adversely, along with other factors, the task of building and rebuilding mass contact in ever wider circles.

Biman Basu also pointed out appropriately enough in the backdrop of the Bengal political scene, that the intimacy of relations with the poor that had always marked the Communist Party’s political-organisational activities was found to be absent in places, vital and important. Yet, the results of the polls presented a variegated statistical aggregate.

In places where the Party had lost ground in the Lok Sabha, and the panchayats, the picture was favourable when looking at the civic poll results. The vote share of the Left Front showed an uneven curve across the state, even within a civic body, ward-based. The CPI(M) Polit Bureau member had two succinct points to make by way of conclusion. First, the Party must forge ahead with renewed confidence by accelerating organisational initiative, and playing thereby a conscious historical role in the interest of the masses. Second, equally important in the circumstances that prevail, the unity and integrity of the Bengal Left Front must be further enhanced and widened.

Chief minister and Polit Bureau member Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee also, like Biman Basu, noted the distance created between the Party and the poor people. He, however, believed that this is not the general picture, as prevailing in Bengal at this point in time. Yet, Buddhadeb too thought, that the chief political task that lies ahead in the days to come, must comprise of rebuilding the bridges with the poor. There must not be development sans struggle and movements based on the class basis, and yet, one has also to recall that the struggles and movements assume larger dimensions as developmental programmes are implemented. One must learn and learn well from events and circumstances, draw the correct lessons, exercise prudence, and then forge ahead.

Buddhadeb explicated the priority sectors of the state Left Front government. He informed the meeting that the government prioritises the following:

Homestead land for the khet mazdoors, and for the rural and urban poor

Buying up land, distributing them amongst the kisans, and thereby advancing the movement for land reforms

Implementing employment-generating schemes in the urban conurbations

Quickening the pace of patta distribution in the forest areas

Pacing up the process of providing members of the SC and ST with appropriate certification

Carrying on briskly the work of including names in the list of OBC minorities, and accelerating the work of certification

Filling up vacancies in the posts of school teachers

Implementing the scheme of social security of the unorganised workers

Speeding up the process of providing ration cards to those who were in the BPL category

The state committee identified the following tasks:

A wide people’s struggle must be built up against the rising prices of essential commodities as well of petroleum products

A stream of continuous struggle must be organised in every district against the attempts being made at creating anarchy, lawlessness, and terror

Campaign-movements to be organised against the union government’s stand on the question of the Bhopal tragedy, and on the issue of nuclear civil liability

A struggle must be built up for the filling up of the myriad of vacancies in the various departments of the union government while keeping alive and to the fore the struggle against privatisation and disinvestment

Movements must be built up in support of implementation of the declared industrial projects

Movements to be built up in favour of making permanent all those workers-employees who have worked for ten years or more as casual workers

Movements to be started for revision of the BPL list and for issuance of fresh ration cards

Movements to be initiated for the quick issuance of certificates for SC, ST, and OBC populace

Struggle must be organised for the reaffirmation of the democratic rights of all people of Bankura, Purulia, and Midnapore west, and for the sake of safeguarding of democracy

Movements must be built up to ensure that the persons rendered homeless and driven away from hearth must be rehabilitated and be able to lead a life of peace and normalcy

A mass initiative must be unleashed from amongst all sections of the democratic masses for peace, order, and a democratic ambience -- in the villages as in the urban stretches

Planned drive must be taken in the rural areas to enhance employment, and much in a similar vain, a drive is needed in the urban areas on behalf of the Party and the mass organisations to emote an effective role

The Party and the Left Front must take part in a massive way centering on the demands from the central and the state government, the different mass organisations of the workers, peasants, students, youth, women, teachers, employees must organise independent programmes and movements in conjunction with the other Left mass organisations

Movements must be built up under the aegis of the mass organisations for the successful implementation of the state government’s development programmes

The state committee has focussed attention on the following organisational matters:

Activities of the Party workers at every level must be increased

Mass organisations must be made more active

Party workers must be educated

Popular lectures and political education camps must be organised

Mass organisations must build up a network of teaching of the children of the poor, of the working class, and of the peasants

A specific plan is to be drafted and implemented in the field of mass literacy

Organisational measures must be put in place to engage deep and wide mass contact, individually and family-based

Regular meetings must be organised in the localities, neighbourhoods, urban areas, and working class belts

The Party must move resolutely forward and transform the antithetical circumstances the people face.

INTERVIEW WITH BUDDHADEB BHATTACHARYA ON 33 YEARS OF LEFT FRONT GOVT IN BENGAL

'The Meaning of So-Called  “Change” is Anarchy'

The Left Front government in West Bengal has achieved the distinction of continuing for 33 years at a stretch. It has started the journey of 34th year on June 21, 2010. In an interview to Ganashakti, chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya has highlighted some issues in the context of present situation in the state. Below we give excerpts of the interview:

 

On the recent defeats in polls

The Left Front has gained majority support for consecutive seven terms from 1977. The results of last Lok Sabha elections was an exception. Same trends have been noticed in other elections thereafter. After the Lok Sabha elections, we have reviewed the results. We have identified the areas in government’s planning and actions where there are mistakes. For example, we are now alert on the question of land acquisition. We will protect the fertile lands while non fertile lands would be used for industrialisation. In this case too, we have to be much more sincere on compensation and rehabilitation. If the poor people feel ignored in any area of government and panchayat activities, we have to correct those mistakes. We have to be more sincere about the development of minorities.

We have also identified problems in the organisation of Party. There have been instances of undesirable activities which have dented Party’s image. We have decided to rectify quickly.

Is there a problem in the relationship with the peasantry?

The Left Front was born through continuous peasant movement along with the movements of workers, employees, teachers, students, youth, women. Left Front has progressed through land struggle and struggle for sharecroppers’ rights. The peasantry was deprived in the Congress regime. They were given due honour during the Left Front period. Around 11 lakh acres of land was distributed to the poor and marginal farmers through land reforms. More than 15 lakh sharecroppers were recorded. Overwhelming sections of the peasantry support the Left. One aspect of the Singur and Nandigram episode was our target for industrialisation and generation of employment. But a section of the peasantry and the general people did not accept our stand. To them transfer of land for industries became major concern while they did not comprehend the alternatives. We have now become more careful. The policies for acquisition of land for industries and rehabilitation must be made more realistic, so that the peasantry and the people in general accept that and participate voluntarily.

 On the continuous obstruction by opposition parties

It is true that the organised obstruction to resist governmental projects has increased after the last Lok Sabha elections, for example, in Nayachar petrochemicals project, in power project in Katwa, expansion of national highway etc. Despite this, we have progressed during this period. The agricultural production has increased. More than Rs 7000 crore have been invested in industries in the last one year. Clusters for small industries have been constructed. The number of schools and colleges has increased while new universities have been started. Very soon work of Sidho-Kanu University will start.

It would have been correct for the opposition parties to support the government in developmental activities. However, they have continuously put obstacles. Whatever be the situation, we will forge ahead with our programme. We cannot remain idle.

One  of the the priorities Left Front government

The priorities can be best summarised as follows: to take the success of states’ agriculture to a new high banking on the success of the land reforms in the state; to fasten up the pace of the process of industrialisation in the state; to advance in the field of human resource development through advancing the success in education, health and related areas. Our topmost emphasis is on the socio-economic development of backward sections, including schedule castes, schedule tribes and minorities.

We have emphasised in distribution of homestead lands in rural and urban areas. Emphasis has been given on employment generation.

On Maoist terror

One of the major problems in the Jangal Mahal area is the terror and annihilation campaign unleashed by the 'Maoists'. We are fighting them both politically and administratively. But the complexity of the situation is that the main opposition party and some organisations are encouraging them either directly or indirectly. We treat this problem as a political problem.

Of course, the problem has an all-India perspective. 'Maoists' are active in seven to eight states. As they have chosen poorer areas as their terrain, it is necessary to initiate socio-economic measures to isolate them. It is also necessary to face them politically apart from activating the police and administration. It is a long term fight and there is no easy solution.

On the so-called slogan of “change”

What is the real meaning of so-called slogan of “change”? Whatever has been done by us, would be changed retrogressively? Will the lands which have come in the hands of the peasants be returned back to landlords? Will the investments for industries be returned? Will the decentralisation of power through panchayats and urban local bodies be dismantled? The people of West Bengal have marched forward in the last 33 years. What are the alternative policies of the opposition? Anarchy can not bring any real, meaningful change. We want to march towards the light, not retard back into darkness.

Thirty Three Years of Bengal Left Front Govt Commemorated

By B Prasant

A QUIET determination marked the rally held under the aegis of the Bengal Left Front at the indoor stadium in downtown Kolkata during the afternoon of June 21, 2010. A pledge was assured from the rally that the development of the state would continue apace and the forces of anarchy would be resisted. The top leadership of the Left Front addressed the rally.

The Left Front chairman Biman Basu said that the path carved out by the Left Front in Bengal especially from 1977 was hardly strewn with flowers. It had been a tough struggle and until now more than 2500 Left workers had to lay down their lives.

Drawing attention to the present conspiracies being woven against the Bengal Left Front, the speaker said that past US representatives in India had mentioned in their writings how funds were made available to the anti-Left forces from abroad. This was in addition to the role played by the Indian ruling classes in terms of money and muscle.

The present attempt at breaking up the concerted Left Front drive to uplift the poor and to speed up the process of economic development of Bengal was part of that old game plan. The speaker dwelt on the various developmental aspects of the policies of the Left Front government. He also said that the Left Front would amend its ways wherever it has strayed, and shall sharpen the struggle against imperialism, capitalism, and reactionary forces.

Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said that Left politics to the fore in Bengal as elsewhere meant the ongoing brightening prospects of the masses of the people, especially the poor. The Bengal Left Front government has worked to the best of its abilities for the poor and the backward sections of the masses.

The Left Front government has no other interests to look to except for those of the toiling people. If in organising its tasks and in implementing them, any deviations and errors had taken place, the Left Front government would put in appropriate corrective measures and forge ahead in the days to come. The speaker mentioned the increasing imperialist intervention in India of late and spoke of the communal menace.

The speaker called for a wide struggle to be built up against such moves. The CPI(M) leader noted the achievements of the Left Front government and spoke of future programmes of pro-people development. He called for a struggle against all counter-democratic elements and their political outfits.

CPI leader Swapan Bannerjee, veteran Forward Block leader Ashok Ghosh, RSP leader Kshiti Goswami along with leaders from RCPI (Mihir Baine), BBC (Umesh Chowdhury), MFB (Pratim Chatterjee), DSP (Ratan Majumdar) and WBSP (Kironmoy Nanda) spoke in the meeting which was presided over by Left Front chairman Biman Basu. At the start of the programme, one-minute silence was observed in the memory of the 2586 martyrs of the Left Front who have sacrificed their lives to protect the Left Front in the state from reactionary forces.

A cultural programme was also held by the artistes of IPTA at the start of the programme. Huge cut-outs of the two late architects of forging the Left unity in the state – an unique example before the country for the last 33 years – Comrades Jyoti Basu and Pramode Dasgupta, the first chairman of the Left Front in the state, hung from the two sides of the stadium along with numerous graphical banners highlighting the achievements and ideology which forms the basis of the exemplary Left unity in the state.

The 33 years of the Bengal Left Front government was commemorated in big rallies across Bengal. The size of the gathering would be enough to convince a political observer to note that the Left Front has not seen its mass base corroded in the fields of struggle. Leaders of the Left Front constituents were present in all the rallies.

People's Democracy on West Bengal Municipal Elections

People's Democracy Editorial

June 06, 2010

 

IN the results of the elections to the 81 municipal bodies across the state of West Bengal held on May 30, 2010, the Left Front has won in only 18 municipalities. The Trinamul Congress has won 26, the Congress 7, the anti-Left alliance 4, while 23 are hung, 3 have resulted in a tie. In whose favour these would be resolved will only be known in the future.

In the finest traditions of democratic practice, the Left Front led by the CPI(M) has accepted the people’s verdict. The Left Front in West Bengal has declared that it shall make a proper assessment and review of these results to draw correct lessons for the future.

There has been a massive media hype that these elections are a `semi-final’ for the so-called `final’ assembly elections in May, 2011. The politically conscious electorate in Bengal is discerning in the sense that it treats every election on the basis of its objective. The Lok Sabha elections were to determine the government at the centre. The elections to the state assembly are to determine the government in the state. Likewise, the municipal and panchayat elections have their own objectives. Each election is, therefore, a different ballgame.

 

The Trinamul Congress has mounted a shrill campaign for the dismissal of the duly-elected state government and the holding of early elections. This is not only patently undemocratic but completely irrational. The total number of people eligible to vote in these municipal elections was 85,33,000 out of a total electorate in the state of 5,24,32,000, ie, only 17 per cent of the total electorate. This makes up for less than 40 seats in an assembly of 294. The rest of the 83 per cent constitutes the rural Bengal electorate or more than 250 assembly seats, which has predominantly determined the character of the government in the state in the past. Hence, it will be fallacious to conclude that the results of these municipal elections are a reflection of the state’s electorate as a whole.

Nevertheless, it is a reflection of urban Bengal. To that extent, the Left Front is committed to undertake a serious introspection of these results. During the Lok Sabha polls in 2009, which saw a serious erosion in the Left vote, the Left Front had a lead in 525 of the 1766 municipal wards in the state or 29.73 per cent. In these elections, the Left Front has won 603 out of 1791 municipal wards or 33.67 per cent. Hence, the situation now shows, at best, a marginal improvement in the performance of the Left Front.

Clearly, therefore, the setback suffered in the Lok Sabha elections has not been reversed but the downslide appears to have been partially arrested.

In the 2005 elections to the municipal bodies, the Left Front had won an unprecedented victory bagging 50 out of the 81 municipal bodies. In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, however, it had led in only 19. In these elections, it has won in only 18. However, as noted earlier, the leadership of 26 municipal bodies will only be decided later. The main reverses to the Left Front have come from Kolkata and its adjoining urban areas. North 24 Parganas district has 21 municipal bodies while Hooghly district has 12. In 2005, the Left Front had won 26 of these 33 municipalities. This time Left Front has won only in 4 with a tie in 2 municipalities. This is a serious matter that needs to be properly reviewed in order to draw the correct lessons and apply the needed correctives. The CPI(M) and the Left Front are committed to undertake this task in right earnest.