JHARKHAND

Left Decides To Take On Munda Govt

MEETING at the CPI(M) state committee office at Ranchi on August 8, with Bhubaneswar Prasad Mehta in chair, four Left parties in Jharkhand --- that is, the CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML) and Marxist Coordination Committee --- discussed the burning problems facing the state, and the failure of the BJP-led Arjun Munda government on every front. The meeting decided to mobilise the masses so as to unitedly challenge the government and its policies.

The meeting was attended by CPI state secretary Bhuaneswar Prasad Mehta (MLA) and its secretariat member Khagendra Thakur, CPI(M) state secretary J S Majumdar and its secretariat member D D Ramanandan, CPI(ML) state secretary Subhendu Sen and Arup Chatterjee (MLA), and Haldhar Mahto from the Marxist Coordination Committee.

The meeting welcomed the Ranchi High Court’s direction to the Jharkhand government to inform the date of panchayat elections in the state. (See the item alongside.) The Left parties demanded immediate holding of panchayat elections in the state, failing which the Arjun Munda ministry should resign for its failure in discharging its constitutional obligation.

The meeting decided to hold a convention at Hatia on September 7 against the sell-off of HEC and on failure of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in protecting this premier pubic sector unit in Jharkhand. The meeting demanded that the Vajpayee government immediately submit a revival package to the BIFR so that the HEC may first be taken out of the BIFR’s jurisdiction, and then the IDBI may be prevented from selling the HEC off. Only after this process, the proposal of its association with the defence ministry can be considered. The meeting demanded that chief minister Arjun Munda must demand a revival package from the central government so as to stave off the impending threat of the HEC’s sale to private industrialists. The Left parties decided to approach other secular opposition parties, trade unions and mass organisations and invite them to the convention.

The meeting also discussed the closure of the BCCL’s Koylachak colliery and called upon all Left parties, workers and other toiling sections to unitedly resist it.

The Left parties discussed the process of rapid de-industrialisation of Jharkhand due to the closure of industries and dismantling of public sector units. They decided to build up a mass movement against these moves.

The meeting of the Left parties was seriously concerned about the famine situation at many places in the state and the failure of crop cultivation due to successive draughts and monsoon failure. The Left parties demanded that the state government declare the affected areas as famine hit and provide immediate relief under the supervision of all-party committees. The meeting demanded immediate start of food for work programmes in rural areas, relief to the peasants, strengthening of the public distribution system (PDS), and removal of corruption for the sake of effective implementation of the targeted PDS.

The meeting took serious note of the use of machines by contractors in rural development activities, instead of employing the rural poor, thereby defeating the very purpose of employment generation in rural areas. It demanded immediate halt to the use of machines and employment of the rural poor.

The meeting strongly opposed any amendment to the CNT and SPT acts that go against the interest of the tribals. The restoration of land to tribals should be the first agenda before the government that must plug all the loopholes in the acts in order to safeguard the tribals.

The meeting demanded immediate arrest of the culprits in the Mandar rape case and of those who are responsible for committing atrocities under the very nose of the police.

The meeting of the Left parties strongly opposed the comments and views expressed by a division bench of the Supreme Court on the strikes of workers and employees. The opinion and views expressed by the Supreme Court are against the constitutional provisions and various labour laws. Workers and employees have earned their right to strike through years of struggle and sacrifices, even during the British period. The Supreme Court has gone beyond the immediate issue related to Tamilnadu where the Jayalalitha government imposed the draconian TESMA and resorted to inhuman suppression of the democratic movement.  The Left parties said workers and employees of this country will not accept such an opinion and views of the Supreme Court, that bypass the legal and constitutional provisions.

The meeting of the Left parties decided to continue discussions on how to strengthen Left unity in the state, on the issues facing the people and on political issues. The next meeting of the Left parties will be held on August 25. (INN)