ML UPDATE 03 / 2012

ML Update

A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine

Vol. 15 No. 03 10 - 16 JANUARY 2012

 

Assembly Polls in UP:

Tainted Leaders Play Musical Chairs

Five states go to polls in January-February – with most political formations vying to exhibit the most bare-faced opportunism and hypocrisy. While ruling for­mations hastily try to jettison the embarrassing baggage of tainted leaders in a bid to present a 'clean' face in the polls, rival parties scramble to take these same tainted leaders on board!

In UP, with the announcement of elections, Maya­wati dismissed four more Ministers. The total of Ministers sacked by Mayawati in an image-makeover has reached 20. Even now, 16 of her Ministers, including her close aide Naseemuddin Siddiqui, and several BSP MLAs are facing enquiry by the UP Lokayukta in various scams. Mayawati resorted to the dismissals as a desperate face-saving exercise when the scandals of corruption, rape and murder made these leaders too hot to hold. The belated dismissals only underline the fact that Mayawati's regime has been notoriously marked by unrelenting corruption and crime. Among the worst scandals of all was the NRHM scam, involving the murder of two CMOs, and also one Deputy CMO inside the premises of Lucknow jail. The Minister implicated in the scam – Babu Singh Kushwaha – was known to be a close confidant of Mayawati's. Even as the dismal rural health conditions in UP caused an encephalitis epidemic that claimed the lives of thousands of children in five years, with the death toll crossing 500 in the past year of Mayawati's regime, and high maternal and child mortality rates, Kushwaha presided over the plunder of NRHM funds.

The BJP, seeking to improve its fortunes in the state, was quick to lap up several of Mayawati's more influential discards, including Kushwaha. Asked about the charges of corruption and criminality faced by those inducted by the BJP, the party's spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi answered with a knowing grin, "All dirty streams find their sins washed away when they enter the Ganga." Soon after, however, the CBI raided Kushwaha's premises as part of its enquiry into the NRHM scam. When the induction of Kushwaha made the BJP's opportunism a subject of common derision, leading to several dissent­ing voices within the party, senior BJP leaders even tried out laughable excuses: for instance, Yashwant Sinha earnestly told the media that Kushwaha was in the BJP as a "whistleblower"!! Eventually, when the embarrassment reached a height, Kushwaha was persuaded to appeal that his membership be 'kept on hold' until he was cleared of all charges.

The BJP might eventually have shed the embarrassing burden of Kushwaha – but the fact remains that other former BSP Ministers inducted by them, as well as sev­eral other BJP candidates, face equally serious charges. For instance, three former BSP Ministers who are now BJP candidates, Badshah Singh, Awadhesh Varma and Daddan Mishra face corruption charges. Daddan Misra is also implicated in the incident at Shravasti in 2007 in which 17 Muslim women were gang raped and paraded naked. Chhatrapal Singh, a BJP candidate, was found guilty by a Parliamentary panel in the cash-for-query scam as a Rajya Sabha member, while another BJP candidate, Sakshi Maharaj, is a three time MP who was once jailed on rape and sexual assault charges. BJP might have been planning to use the anti-corruption plank as its chief electoral issue – but instead, it has got the image of being a refuge for the tainted; to the extent that Purushottam Naresh Dwivedi, the BSP MLA from Naraini who is now in jail on charges of raping a minor girl, publicly expressed a wish to join the BJP so that his 'sins may be washed away'!

Nor is BJP the sole offender on this count. The Sama­jwadi Party refused to induct the notorious 'bahubali' DP Yadav, though many senior SP leaders publicly pushed for his inclusion. However, other criminals who figure in the SP's list of candidates include the murder-accused Amarmani Tripathi's son Amanmani Tripathi; Mitrasen Ya­dav, who was recently convicted and sentenced to seven years imprisonment in an embezzlement case; and former BSP MLA Bhagwan Sharma alias Guddu Pandit, accused of abducting and raping a college girl in 2008. The SP is also very likely to extend its support to the notorious feudal mafia, Raghuraj Pratap Singh "Raja Bhaiyya" as an independent candidate, as the party till now has not fielded its own candidate from his seat.

Meanwhile, the Congress, which has been expressing righteous outrage at BJP's induction of Kushwaha, might want to answer why its alliance partner RLD has recently inducted former BSP MLA Shanawaz Rana, who was sus­pended by BSP after his aides were arrested for kidnap and attempted rape of two girls in Muzaffarnagar. Nor is such opportunist conduct foreign to the Congress itself. On the eve of the last Assembly polls in Bihar, Congress

has taken the notorious criminal Pappu Yadav into its fold. Similarly, NDA alliance partners Nitish Kumar has been deploring BJP's induction of tainted BSP discards in UP, conveniently forgetting that his own JD(U) had taken in the tainted ex-RJD leader Taslimuddin on the eve of the Bihar Assembly polls, and had boasted of several other criminal politicians on its candidates' list in Bihar, including Sunil Pandey and Dhumal Singh.

In a season when corruption has emerged as a key issue in popular consciousness, the various political formations are vying to climb onto the anti-corruption bandwagon. However, the political game of musical chairs played by corrupt and criminal politicians on the eve of the Assembly polls, only goes to underline how, when it comes to the ruling class parties, 'hamam me sab nange hain' (all are equally bare in the bath.) The opportunism and hypocrisy of all such parties calls out to be exposed and taught a lesson in the Assembly polls.

 

Assembly Elections

Punjab: Braving the bitter cold and rain more than 3000 people assembled in Mansa on 6th January to inaugurate the election campaign for three assembly seats in the dis­trict. A large number of agricultural labourers, brick kiln workers, peasants and rural youth participated. The rally was addressed by Comrades Mangat Ram Pasla of CPM(Punjab), Swapan Mukherjee- Party's CCM, State Sec­retary Rajwinder Singh Rana, AIKM President Ruldu Singh, AIALA leader Bhagwant Singh Samao and others. A rally was also taken out in the town.

CPI(ML)(Liberation) Candidates for the Punjab Legislative Assembly election:

(1) Budhlada (SC)- Bhagwant Singh Samao, (2) Mansa-Gurjant Singh Man­sa, (3) Nandgarh- Gurmeet Singh, (4) Bhador(SC)- Gurpreet Singh Roohee, (5) Maur- Harbinder Singh Sema, (6) Bhucho(SC)- Amizal Singh, (7) Dirba(SC) – Govind Singh Chaggli.

Gujarat Panchayat Election: In Valsad district of Gujarat, CPI(ML) candidate has won on one sarpanch(women) seat and 10 ward members (out of 13). In Jharoli panchayat we won one ward mem­ber. This is the 1st victory of CPI(ML) members and supporters in Gujarat panchayat elections. All winning can­didates are adivasis.

 

Bhagalpur Bandh Called by AISA-RYA

Day-long Bhagalpur bandh (shut­down) called by All India Students' Association and Revolutionary Youth Association on 23rd December 2011 received tremendous response from the students and youth making the bandh a remarkable success. The bandh was called by AISA-RYA to protest continued corruption, repres­sion-injustice, powerlessness of the students and academic anarchy in the Tilka Manjhi University and also the arbitrariness of the private lodges.

Hundreds of students took to the streets of Bhagalpur to implement the bandh call. AISA has been agitating in the University for removal of the corrupt and authoritarian VC, an enquiry by the vigilance dept into the B.Ed. scam and continuing irregularities in the examina­tion branch along with entire tenure of the Vice Chancellor KN Dubey; putting and end to police' recklesness in the campus, withdrawal of all cases slapped against the agitating students, holding Student Union elections, im­mediately filling all the vacant teaching and clerical posts, ensuring 180 days of teaching in an academic year and declaring results within 45 days. On the other hand, RYA too has been agitating for registration of private lodges, fixa­tion of their rents, distributing kerosene oil to the students residing there among other demands. The organization had handed over a memorandum to the Dist. Magistrate in this regard. When there was no meaningful response from the administration this bandh was declared. AISA and RYA leaders Rupesh Kumar, Gautam, Rinki and Gaurishankar led the bandh.

 

Towards AIPWA's National Conference: Assam Diary

Since the last National Conference, the All India Progressive Women's Association (AIPWA) organisation has not grown in Assam as much as there is potential in the State. AIPWA has organised successful programmes, e.g. in October 2010, a massive rally of thousands of ASHA workers was organised in Guwahati. AIPWA vigorously participated in the anti-corruption movement and in the movement against big dams by KMSS. On the completion of 10 years of Irom Sarmila's fast demanding withdrawal of AFSPA, AIPWA launched several programmes in the State as per the all-India programmes. AIPWA also took part in various anti corruption programmes.

In Nowgaon, particularly the Aan­ganwadi Helper Union has been or­ganising various programmes. Though AIPWA has an overall scope for organi­sational work among the middle class women, however, at present its yet to be realised. The political situation has changed a lot in the State. At present there is no strong role of opposition in Assam. The govt. has launched many programmes like Majoni, Mamoni, Nobou, Baidew etc, to attract women. In movements like anti-big dam, the Assamese women are taking active part being a part of KMSS and these are rural women. AIPWA supports them and at different times has par­ticipated in their programmes, there remains much scope for interaction, that has yet to be realised due to lack of adequate initiatives.

AIPWA handed over a charter of de­mand to the Assam Govt when Tarun Gogoi took charge. In the charter the demands were- make the ASHA and Aanganwadi workers permanent and to increase their pay, provide facilities to the women tea garden workers, make provision for separate protection officer for effective implementation of domestic violence prohibition act, con­tinue Majoni, Mamoni etc., stop corrup­tion in the PDS and in the distribution of schemes under social welfare dept, provide 30% job for women under NREGA, reconstitute the state women commission, to increase the maternity leave to six months, to reserve 50% seats for women in the autonomous councils, to constitute family courts at every district head quarter.

Along with some other organizations AIPWA leaders visited places of witch-hunting and met the administration discussed the matter and demanded steps to immediately stop the horror.

At present the highest member­ship is in Nowgaon district. AIPWA has been facing a problem of cadre buliding. The magazine Jonaki Baat is regular and there are some study circles in different towns which also take part in various programmes with AIPWA.

 

S. No	AC No.		AC Name		Candidate's Name		Sex		District
1st Phase - 08 February
1	147		Hargaon (SC)		Arjun Lal		M		Sitapur
2	149		Biswan		Sant Ram		M		Sitapur
3	277		Katehari		Menhdi Hasan		M		Ambedkarnagar
4	281		Akbarpur		Dev Vrat		M		Ambedkarnagar
2nd Phase - 11 February
5	315		Pharendra		Vinod Mani Trip­athi		M		Maharajganj
6	317		Siswa		Harish Jaiswal		M		Maharajganj
7	321		Pipraich		Rajesh Sahni		M		Gorakhpur
8	325		Khajani (SC)		Shyamacharan		M		Gorakhpur
9	330		Padrauna		Nasrullah Ansari		M		Kushinagar
10	337		Deoria		Prem Lata Pandey		F		Deoria
11	340		Bhatpar Rani		Sriram Kushwaha		M		Deoria
12	342		Barhaj		Kalaktar Sharma		M		Deoria
13	345		Sagri		Ramayan Ram		M		Azamgarh
14	356		Mau		Basant Bhardwaj		M		Mau
15	359		Sikanderpur		Sriram Chaudhary		M		Ballia
16	362		Bansdih		Lal Sahab Ram		M		Ballia
17	373		Jakhanian (SC)		Lal Bahadur Bagi		M		Ghazipur
18	375		Ghazipur		Kamlakar Ram		M		Ghazipur
19	379		Zamania		Ishwari Prasad Kushwaha		M		Ghazipur
3rd Phase - 15 February
20	256		Phulpur		Devanand Bharti		M		Allahabad
21	265		Koraon (SC)		Pancham Lal		M		Allahabad
22	380		Mughalsarai		Ram Dular Bind		M		Chandauli
23	381		Sakaldiha		Shashi Kant Kushwaha		M		Chandauli
24	383		Shivpur		Ramkrit Kol		M		Chandauli
25	386		Chakia (SC)		Sarita Patel		F		Varanasi
26	392		Bhadohi		Ramjit Yadav		M		Bhadohi
27	395		Chhanbey (SC)		Mahadev Kol		M		Mirzapur
28	396		Mirzapur		Mohd. Salim		M		Mirzapur
29	398		Chunar		Ramkrit Biyar		M		Mirzapur
30	399		Marihan		Basant Kol		M		Mirzapur
31	400		Ghorawal		Vijai Kol		M		Sonbhadra
32	403		Duddhi (SC)		Bihari Lal Dharkar		M		Sonbhadra
33	401		Robertsganj		Sheikh Mohd. Kalim		M		Sonbhadra
34	402		Obra		Jang Bahadur Puri		M		Sonbhadra
4th Phase - 19 February
35		174		Lucknow Central		Balmukund Dhuriya		M		Lucknow
5th Phase - 23 February
36		220		Kalpi		Ramesh Singh Sengar		M		Jalaun
37		221		Orai (SC)		Ram Prakash Katheria		M		Jalaun
6th Phase - 28 February
38		61		Noida		Chandra Bhan Singh		M		Gautam Buddha Nagar
7th Phase - 03 March
39		19		Barhapur		Harkishan Singh		M		Bijnor
40		128		Barkhera		Afroz Alam		M		Pilibhit
41		129		Puranpur (SC)		Nagina Ram		M		Pilibhit
42		137		Palia		Arti Rai		F		Lakhimpur Kheri
43		144		Mohammdi		Kranti Kumar Singh		M		Lakhimpur Kheri
Main Slogans For UP Election Bhrashtacharion, Luteron, Sampradayik Takton ko Sabak Sikhao ! Bhakpa (maley) ko Vijayi Banao ! Bhrashtachar, Loot, Daman, Balatkar ka Raj Mitao ! Garibon ki Rajnitik Davedari Barhao ! Bhakpa (maley) ko Jitao !

ML Update 01 / 2012

ML Update
A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine
Vol.  15    No. 01    27 DEC 2011 - 02 JAN 2012

May A Momentous Year of Movements Give Way to A New Year of Even More Determined People's Resistance!
Time Magazine, used to featuring powerful political figures and individuals on its cover, had to acknowledge 'the protestor' as the 2011 'person of the year.' Undoubtedly, the common man and woman have forced themselves on the political map of the world, challenging the dominant economic and political models of the neoliberal era. As we bid goodbye to 2011, memories of these tumultuous and historic people's movements warm the chilling winter, holding hope and promise for the new year ahead.
All over the world, people defied the roles and expectations allotted to them by their rulers and imperialist powers. Throughout the Arab world, they came out on the streets in thousands, and determinedly toppled dictators backed by imperialists. In the USA, the people came forward to 'Occupy' Wall Street, citadel of global capitalism, and home to the mega corporations and banks. They challenged the utter subversion and mockery of democracy by corporate power, rejected wars for corporate plunder and imperialist control, and expressed their deep disillusionment with the Obama Presidency for betraying their aspirations. Displacing the chauvinistic, right-wing 'Tea Party' from popular imagination, the Occupy Wall Street movement took strength from, and gave fresh impetus to trade unions and workers' agitations. In Europe, the debt crisis has precipitated a serious crisis for the ruling class, with massive people's protests against austerity measures, cuts and imposition of IMF conditionalities. In Russia, people are on the streets against a rigged election.
In India, too, 2011 witnessed the unprecedented exposure of huge scams, and massive and significant popular protests against corruption. In addition to the anti-corruption agitation on the Lokpal issue, we also saw the brave resistance against corporate plunder by the POSCO project in Odisha; the Maruti workers' movement; and the farmers' struggle at Bhatta Parsaul. 
What challenges do the movements face in the new year that lies ahead? Already, the Arab Spring is confronting new troubles. In Egypt, even as military rulers replaced Mubarak, and fundamentalist forces appear set to win elections, people have not deserted Tahrir Square or given up their aspirations for a deeper and more genuine democracy. The killing of Gaddafi and the US attempts to gain a foothold in Africa via Libya threatens to abort or hijack the democratic awakening in the region. In the US, the Obama regime, which presided over the killing of Osama and Gaddafi and the imprisonment of military whistleblower Bradley Manning, has on the eve of the New Year, ushered in an anti-terrorist law providing for indefinite detention without charge or trial. With the onset of winter, the actual 'occupation' of Zucotti Park made way for new forms of protest. Protesters 'reoccupied' foreclosed homes in poor districts, expressing resistance to Government bailouts to banks whose greed made people all over the US homeless. 
In India, the Lok Sabha passed the Government's Lokpal Bill that was a mockery of people's aspirations for an effective anti-corruption law. The sarkari Lokpal Bill ensures Government control over the process of selection of Lokpal, deprives the Lokpal of any independent investigative machinery, and keeps the main culprits of corruption – including corporations and MPs – out of the Lokpal's purview. Sensing that the Bill would be defeated in the Rajya Sabha, the UPA Government avoided a vote by orchestrating a ruckus, leading to adjournment of the session.
As five states go to polls, the Lokpal Bill and corruption are likely to be a major issue. However, the conduct of most of the opposition parties on the Lokpal issue was also one of betrayal. While most parties were agreed in keeping Lokayuktas out of the central legislation on a flimsy argument of 'federalism,' most also colluded with the ruling coalition in keeping corporates, army, and MPs'/MLAs' conduct in Parliament out of the purview of the anti-corruption law.                 
With the setback for the Lokpal issue in Parliament, the Janlokpal agitation led by Anna Hazare has not ended the year on an encouraging note. The challenge, for all genuine anti-corruption forces, is not only to sustain the struggle to ensure the passage of a truly effective and genuine Lokpal law. The key challenge is to take the struggles against corruption onwards to challenge the policies that foster corporate plunder and subversion of democracy. If this challenge is not recognised, even the most effective Lokpal, like Parliament, judiciary and other institutions of democracy, would end up subverted by corporate power.
Worldwide, popular movements are having to question the confines of mainstream ruling class politics. Dominant political formations are unable to satisfy people's aspirations as protests against economic policies that favour corporate capital, promote wars, and impose price rise, cuts in wages, homelessness and unemployment on people, are becoming part of the political discourse. In India too, popular movements against corruption will lose relevance and momentum if they do not transcend the ruling class political dynamics. All those genuinely committed to combating corruption, must seek and strengthen new foundations of democracy, beyond the dominant political alternatives. Revolutionary left forces, gaining inspiration and strength from the worldwide wave of people's struggles, have a key role to play, and have their work cut out for them in the new year! 

 

CPI(ML) Statement on Lokpal Bill Passed in LS
Toothless Lokpal Bill Passed in LS is a Mockery of Anti-Corruption People's Movement
New Delhi, December 28
The Lokpal Bill passed in the upper house of Parliament yesterday (December 27), is a mockery of the people's aspirations and struggle for an effective anti-corruption law. The Bill as passed in the LS is entirely devoid of any teeth. The Lokpal selection process is designed to allow Government to ensure a pliant Lokpal. The Lokpal is devoid of the power or machinery to conduct an independent investigation. The entire process of investigation will lie with the CBI or CVC which remain well within the control of the Government. Lower bureaucracy, often involved in corruption in welfare schemes that directly affect the mass of people, are out of the purview of the Lokpal.
In recent times the worst instances of corruption have involved undue benefits to huge corporations – yet corporations have been kept out of the purview of the Lokpal. Various alternate proposals including the Janlokpal draft and suggestions by Left parties, had detailed provisions to check corporate corruption – but the UPA Government has kept these provisions out of the Lokpal Bill. On this question, the Congress and BJP were quite united! The BJP, by voting to defeat amendments bringing corporates under the purview of the Lokpal, has exposed the hollowness of its anti-corruption claims.          
From Bofors to the coffin procurement scandal to the Adarsh scam, there have been several instances of massive corruption involving officers in the country's armed forces – yet these forces have been kept out of the purview of the Lokpal.
The Lokpal Bill passed in the LS ensures that the Lokpal cannot investigate the role of MPs and MLAs in scams like the cash-for-vote scam or cash-for-questions scam. The Radia tapes revealed how MPs in Parliament, under the influence of corporate lobbyists, acted to benefit specific corporations on a host of policy issues. The sarkari Lokpal Bill ensures that such corrupt conduct by elected representatives cannot be investigated by the Lokpal!      
Neither the Lokpal Bill nor the Judicial Accountability Bill as envisioned by the Government has any provisions to deal with the cancer of corruption in the judiciary. 
Parties like SP, BSP, and RJD, by walking out during the Lokpal debate in the LS, have colluded with the ruling UPA Government to pass a toothless Lokpal Bill.    
The UPA Government, deeply mired in huge scams involving its top Ministers and even the Prime Minister, has conspired with other corrupt political forces to pass a mockery of a Lokpal Bill in the Lok Sabha. 
The CPI(ML) calls upon people to hold countrywide protests on December 29, burning the effigy of the toothless Lokpal Bill in protest. The CPI(ML) reiterates its commitment to intensify anti-corruption struggles that challenge the corporate grab of land and resources that is at the root of the worst corruption today. 

Effigy of Sarkari Lokpal Bill Burnt
On December 29, the CPI(ML) Liberation held nationwide protests against the sarkari Lokpal Bill passed in the Lok Sabha on December 27, terming it a mockery of the people's aspirations and struggle for an effective anti-corruption law.
A protest was organised at Jantar Mantar in Delhi where an effigy of the Govt.'s Lokpal bill was burnt. Protestors held placards and raised slogans demanding inclusion of corporates, MPs-MLAs and the army under the purview of the Lokpal, along with an independent selection process and investigation powers for the Lokpal. Protestors also raised slogans against the parties like Congress, BJP, RJD, SP, BSP, which, in spite of political posturing, are all keen to prevent any measures that would curb corruption and corporate plunder and rein in the corrupt conduct of MPs and MLAs in acting as willing pawns of corporate lobbyists inside Parliament and Assemblies. A protest meeting, conducted by CPI(ML) CCM Kavita Krishnan, was addressed by CPI(ML) Delhi State Secretary Sanjay Sharma, CPI(ML) CCM Prabhat Kumar, CPI(ML) leader Girija Pathak, RYA activist Aslam, AICCTU leader Om Prakash Sharma, and others.     
In Bihar, CPI(ML) activists held demonstrations and marches at the capital Patna as well as at district HQs, raising slogans like 'Stop the Pretence of Combating Corruption, Free Lokpal and Lokayukta from Government Control'; 'Include Corporates, Lower Bureaucracy and Army in Lokpal's Purview'; 'Take Back the Toothless Lokpal Bill' and so on. In Patna, protestors marched from JP circle to Shahid Bhagat Singh crossing where the effigy of the sarkari Lokpal Bill was burnt. AIPWA State Secretary Shashi Yadav presided over a protest meeting, which was addressed by CPI(ML) CCMs Dhirendra Jha and KD Yadav, AIPWA Joint Secretary Anita Sinha, RYA State Secretary Navin Kumar, and several RYA and AISA activists. Protestors not only exposed the toothless nature of the UPA Govt.'s Lokpal Bill but also protested against the NDA-led Bihar Government's Lokayukta Bill which was just as bad. Protest demonstrations and effigy burnings were also held at Ara, Jehanabad, Arwal, Siwan, Gaya, Bhabhua, Darbhanga, Buxar and Samastipur.
In Jharkhand, protestors marched to Albert Ekka chowk and burnt the effigy there. Protests were held at Kiso Mod, Bagodar Chowk, and Rajdhanwar in Jamua (Giridih); Bhavnathpur (Garhwa district), and Palamu, Gumla and Dhanbad districts.
At Andhra Pradesh, effigies of the sarkari Lokpal Bill were burnt at Vishaka district (Narsipatnam); Kakinada district HQ; collector's office at Pratipadu in East Godavari, Mandal offices at Krishna district and Jaggampeta, Yeleswaram, and Ratalapudi mandal towns.
On the same day, CPI(ML)'s Odisha leaders and AISA national council members marched towards Odisha's Assembly with colourful placards. The march was led by AISA National President Sandeep Singh, AICCTU National Secretary Mahendra Parida, and CPI(ML) State Cmmittee member Radhakant Sethi. An effigy of the sarkari Lokpal Bill was burnt and a protest meeting held.

 

AISA Workshop
and Activists' Solidarity Visit to Anti-POSCO Struggle
A meeting of AISA's national council took place at Bhubaneshwar on 27-28-29 December, along with a national workshop of student activists to discuss the next phase of the student-youth campaign against corruption and corporate loot. It was decided at the workshop that AISA along with RYA would take up a sustained and widespread campaign among students and youth, centring on the demand of 'Employment with Dignity.' 
Following the workshop and a protest against the sarkari Lokpal Bill, a team of AISA activists visited the anti-POSCO struggle. The activists – AISA National Secretary Sucheta De, JNU Unit Secretary Sandeep Saurav, and Unit President Akbar Choudhury, Ashutosh, Ravi, Tufail Ahmad, Praveen Pilassery, and Om Prasad  from JNU, Farhan and Guneet Kaur from Jamia Millia Islamia, Sudeep from Calcutta University, and AISA National Council member from Odisha Comrade Litulal – met with activists of the POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti, and with local villagers.
They were told that on 14th December, hired goons led by a local contractor Bapi Circle, threw crude bombs at people protesting the construction of a road connecting Paradip Port to the POSCO steel plant. Many protestors were injured, and the bombs accidentally killed one of the hired goons. On the pretext of this death, one of the main leaders of the anti-POSCO stir, Comrade Narayan Reddy, has been arrested on a false murder charge. 
Villagers said that for the past five years, they have been unable to leave the three villages, for fear that their blockade may be breached. As a result, the main casualty has been lack of access to health care. Economic activity has continued as paan and kevra traders come to the villages to buy; but even the most basic medicines, medical services, especially gynaecological services have been lacking, creating a severe health crisis. Women and children, at the forefront of the courageous blockade, are the worst hit by the lack of health care.
AISA activists Sucheta De, Akbar Choudhury and Om Prasad addressed a public meeting attended by a large number of local villagers, including a large number of women. 

CPI(ML) in Chandigarh Municipal Corporation Polls   
The Chandigarh MC elections were recently held on 17th December, 2011. CPI ML Liberation also participated and contested from 2 wards (total wards 26). The choice of wards was done considering the worker base of unions affiliated with AICCTU. The decisions to contest and choice of wards and candidates were taken in General Body Meeting of AICCTU, in which workers from all affiliated unions participated. This meeting was held under leadership of CPI ML State Committee member and AICCTU State Convener Comrade Kanwaljit.
AICCTU Chandigarh Secretary and PEC Mess workers union leader Satish Kumar was chosen as a candidate from Ward No. 2, which covers Sectors 12, 14 and 15. Major Institutes like PGI, Panjab University and Punjab Engineering College come under this ward. In PGI and PEC, the contract workers' unions are already affiliated with AICCTU. AICCTU Chandigarh leader and President of GMCH-16 Contract Workers Union Sonu Kumar was chosen as the candidate from Ward No. 5 which includes Sec-25, Dhanas and many working class colonies.
All unions decided to collect funds from workers for contesting elections. Door to door campaigns and street corner meetings were conducted by two teams of workers. Workers of PEC and PGI formed one team for campaigning in Ward 2 and workers of GMCH-16 and Dhanas formed a second team for campaigning in ward no. 5. Leaflets highlighting the corrupt politics of mainstream parties and inspiring the working class to vote for their own candidates, were distributed.
A total of 6 candidates contested from Ward No.2 which include Congress, BJP, BSP (supported by MCPI), CPIML, Jan Manch (supported by CPIM) and NC. And the largest number of candidates contested from Ward No. 5, with a total of 12 candidates including Congress, Akali Dal-BJP, BSP, CPIML, Jan Manch, NCP and independents.
During campaigning RYA Vice-President Navkiran and University leader Amanjot Kaur organized a meeting with Panjab University Mess workers, and as a result of that meeting, the Panjab University Contract Workers' Union was also formed.
On the last day of campaigning, a huge march with nearly 100 cycles, 20 motorcycles, 3 autos and 2 cars was organized through both constituencies. Nearly 200 workers from PEC, PGI, PU, Dhnas and Sec-25 participated. The Congress, BJP, Akali Dal and BSP candidates openly violated poll conducts by distributing money and liquor. For polling day, CPI ML booths were set up on all 6 locations which include PEC, PGI, PU, SEC-25, Dhnas and Khuda Lahora. Workers from respective areas handled the booths. The Panjab University booth was handled by RYA members and PU union members. CPIML activists showed their different identity by tying red flags around their necks. All polling booths were run successfully till 6 PM. The results were as follows:
Ward No.2: BJP (4010), Congress (3218), CPI ML Liberation (256), BSP (144), Jan Manch (49) and NC(49).
Ward No.5: Congress (3741), Akali Dal (2050), Independent (1519), BSP (1449), Independent (506), CPIML (239), Jan Manch (49).
The election campaign has given an impetus and boost to the working class movement led by the CPI(ML) in Chandigarh.

 

National Executive Meeting of AICWF
The National Executive Meeting of All India Construction Workers' Federation (AICWF) affiliated to AICCTU was held on 25 December 2011 at the CPI(ML) Central Office, Delhi. AICCTU General Secretary Com. Swapan Mukherjee and National Secretary Com. Rajiv Dimri were also present in the meeting.
The meeting was presided over by the President of the Federation Com. S. Balasubramanian. The meeting was attended by General Secretary of the Federation Com. R.N. Thakur (Bihar); Vice-president S.K. Sharma (Bihar); Treasurer Chandrakishore Prasad (Bihar); Secretary VKS Gautum (Delhi); Coms. Babulal and Surendra Thakur (U.P.); Com Bhuneshwar Kewat (Jharkhand); Coms. Dashrath Sinhali and Yunus Zakaria (Gujarat); Com. K.K. Bora (Uttarakhand) and Com. Anand Dheba (Rajasthan).
The meeting discussed the current status of membership and structures of affiliated construction workers' unions in different states and took up future plans.
The meeting felt the need to urgently strengthen the communication between the federation leadership and states and further develop the monitoring of state-wise work from above. The meeting decided to hold the next National Conference of the Federation in the month of August, 2012 with a membership of 3 lakh (the date and venue to be decided later).
Preceding the conference, the meeting decided to launch a country-wide campaign on the uniform charter of demands, which will include the issues of registration fee in welfare boards, cess, pension, housing, education, health and other facilities for construction workers, and verification of workers through unions.
For organizational consolidation, the meeting decided to hold zonal meetings and workshops in the months of February and March and also conferences in some states towards preparations of national conference.
The meeting called for an all out and effective preparation for success of 28 February 2012 All India General Strike called by central trade unions.

AIPWA Protests AP DGP's Statements Defending Rape
AIPWA issued a statement strongly condemning the obnoxious and objectionable anti-women statement issued by the Andhra Pradesh DGP Dinesh Reddy in a press conference recently, and demanded that Dinesh Reddy be dismissed from his post.  
The DGP blamed the rise in rape cases on women wearing 'fashionable' dress. He said the police could do nothing to deter rapists, as long as women 'provoked' men by wearing 'fashionable' clothing. Even rural women, he said, provoked men by wearing 'salwar kameez' instead of 'traditional' clothes. He also said that when men ate food that created 'josh' (excitement), it made them act in 'naughty' ways, which the police was helpless to stop.    
AIPWA held that these sentiments are a direct defence of and encouragement to rapists. The DGP is blaming victims for the crime of rape, and seeking to police their choice of clothing. Further, by defining rape as 'naughtiness' caused by 'excitement' or sexual response to 'provocative clothes,' the DGP is refusing to recognize rape as a heinous act of violence on women. Indeed, the DGP's words are reflecting the same mindset as those of rapists themselves. His words betray that he himself views women with the gaze of the rapist.        
When the police top brass justify the crime of rape, and in fact speak like rapists, then how can women feel safe? In the past, too, top cops like KPS Gill have indulged in similar statements. AIPWA demanded that police officers who indulge in 'victim-blaming' in cases of sexual violence on women, must not be allowed to remain in their post.
AIPWA units in Andhra Pradesh held protests and submitted memorandums at several places in AP demanding dismissal of Dinesh Reddy from his post as DGP with immediate effect. AIPWA's 6th National Conference is to be held in Vijaywada in AP on 8-9 February. One of the central issues in the National Conference will be the rise in sexual violence on women, and the role of police and elected representatives in encouraging and protecting such crimes. 

 

First Almora District Conference of CPI(ML)  
The first Almora district conference of CPI(ML) was held at Deghat on December 18, the death anniversary of Comrade Vinod Mishra. The conference was preceded by a march of around 200 people at Deghat.
The Conference began with presentation of a discussion paper by Comrade Purushottam Sharma on behalf of the outgoing district leading team, outlining the various phases of the party's work in the district, and the challenges ahead. Comrade Purushottam Sharma spoke of the Congress-BJP's betrayal of people's aspirations in the state of Uttarakhand, and the CPI(ML)'s work in organising the ASHA/anganwadi/bhojanmata (mid-day meal) workers, security and PTC workers and other sections of unorganised workers under the red flag, to challenge the anti-worker policies of State governments led by Congress and BJP, and to build a political alternative to these corrupt ruling class formations.
The Conference was also addressed by State leading team member Comrade Indresh Maikhuri, who was also an observer at the Conference, and by the party's senior leader Comrade Anand Singh Negi. The Conference elected a 7-member district committee comprising Comrades Anand Singh Negi, Purushottam Sharma, Bhagwati Gusain, Devidutt Tiwari, Vijaylakshmi Sharma, Chandrashekhar Bhatt and Shyam Bisht, with Comrade Anand Singh Negi as Secretary. The Conference passed resolutions demanding that Bhikyasain be declared as the headquarters of the newly announced district Ranikhet; supporting the ongoing struggle of 4th Class employees; demanding minimum wages and other rights for unorganised sector workers; and end to the policies that are leading to environmental destruction of the mountains and several other demands. The Conference, in which 80% of the delegates were women, was addressed by the Uttarakhand Bhojan Mata Union block secretary Vimla Negi, AISA leader Bhagwati Gusain, Uttarakhand ASHA Health Workers' Union leader Manju Rawat, Uttarakhand Anganwadi Karamchari Union district convenor Madhubala, CPI(ML)'s Bhikyasain block secretary Comrade Shyam Bisht, Devidutt Tiwari, Jagatsingh Gusain, CPI(ML)'s Lakhora area in-charge Santosh Singh among others.