People's Democracy

Kerala CITU Conference Successful

E Rajesh

CALLING for an intensified and united struggle against imperialist globalisation, the tenth State conference of Kerala CITU culminated in Palakkad. The conference that held from December 8 – 11 in ‘Comrade P P Krishnan Nagar’ and the massive rally on the concluding day once again proved the organisational vigor of the workers movement in Kerala. The conference unanimously elected a new state working committee consisting of 146 members and 30 office bearers. K N Ravindranath and M M Lawrence were re-elected as the president and general secretary respectively. K M Sudhakaran was elected as treasurer.

M K Pandhe, All India president of CITU inaugurated the conference. Before the inaugural session CITU State president K N Raveendranath hoisted the flag. A Prabhakaran, general convenor of the reception committee, welcomed the delegates and K N Raveendranath presided over the inaugural session. K M Sudhakaran moved the martyrs’ resolution and P Nandakumar moved the condolence resolution.

Inaugurating the conference Dr M K Pandhe said that the opening up of crucial sectors of the country such as communication and banking to foreign capital under the policy of globalisation had become a threat to the sovereignty and security of the nation. The government has allowed 74 percent FDI in the communication sector, which will make every decision of the government open to foreign capital. He said that 15 years of globalisation had not improved the living standards of the vast majority of the people. It had only helped to increase the profit of some companies. More than two lakh farmers had committed suicide, though it was claimed that globalisation would eliminate poverty. It was also claimed that globalisation would eliminate trade barriers among countries. But when developing countries had opened up their market, developed countries continued to take protectionist measures. 20 developed countries controlled eighty-five percent of the world trade. This inequality was growing because of globalisation. This policy would result in more poverty and more starvation deaths, Dr. Pandhe said. 

M M Lawrence, general secretary, presented the report of three years of activities, achievements and experiences of the organisation in the conference. During the last three years, along with the issues of labour and wage of the workers, the organization had taken up social issues such as communalism, and had been very much active in efforts to check such evils, the report said. At the organisational level also it made remarkable growth during this term. Membership had increased from 9,50,604 in 2003 to 10,66,438 in 2006, the report pointed out. The general secretary gave reply to the discussions on the report and the report was passed unanimously. State ministers P K Gurudasan, A K Balan, S Sarma, Elamaram Karim, CITU vice-president E Balanandan, Kisan Sabha State joint secretary K V Ramakrishnan and FSETO leader K Sivakumar greeted the delegates. 

The CPI-M State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated a seminar on the ‘Role of Left in Indian politics’ organized as part of the conference. He said that the Left now had more relevance in Indian politics than ever before. The single-party rule has come to an end. The strong presence of the Left in Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura also helped the Left gain more influence in national politics. CITU State president K N Raveendranath presided over the seminar. CITU vice-president E Balanandan, LDF convenor Vykom Vishwan, CITU State general secretary M M Lawrence and CPI-M State secretariat member T Sivadasa Menon spoke. 

The rally that marked the end of the three-day conference became an historic event with its massive mobilisation of workers from Palakkad district. State general secretary M M Lawrence, president K N Raveendranath, K O Habeeb, K P Sahadevan, K K Divakaran, A K Balan, M Chandran, A Prabhakaran and M S Zkharia led the procession. The Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan inaugurated the public meeting held at Victoria College ground. V S said that Left Front governments were experimenting with alternative policies in the interests of workers and common men of the country. People all over the world were recognising how Socialism differed from Capitalism. More and more people had identified Socialism as an alternative system that could serve their interest, V S said. K N Raveendranath presided over the meeting. Dr M K Pandhe, E Balanandan, M M Lawrence also spoke. M Chandran, chairman of the reception committee, welcomed the gathering and P K Sasi expressed vote of thanks.