Monthly Archives: May 2018

Stop this horse trading in Karnataka – CPI(M)

16 Wednesday May 2018

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The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) strongly opposes the time being given to the BJP to indulge in naked `horse trading’ and the use of money power to muster a majority in the Karnataka Assembly when the officially declared results have shown that the BJP does not have a majority in the recently-concluded elections.

The Governors appointed during the current BJP government’s tenure have, in the past, followed the principle of swearing in a government on the basis of post-election arrangement between parties which have a majority in the Assembly. In the elections to the Goa Assembly in March 2017, which has a strength of 40, the Congress won 17 while the BJP won 13. The BJP, however, was invited to form the government after a post-election coalition with other parties. Likewise, in the Manipur Assembly elections in 2017, which has a strength of 60, Congress had won 28 and BJP won 21 seats. But BJP was asked to form the government on the basis of a post-poll arrangement. In the elections to Meghalaya Assembly in March 2018, out of the total strength of 60, Congress had 21 while the BJP had only 2. The BJP, however, was invited to form the government by the Governor on the basis of a post-poll arrangement which showed a majority.

In this instance in Karnataka, post-poll Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) alliance has a clear majority in the Assembly of 222 MLAs elected. The same principle must be adopted in Karnataka like it was done in the above state elections and the Chief Minister-designate of the post-poll coalition must be sworn-in and asked to prove the majority on the floor of the House in accordance with the verdicts of the Supreme Court immediately. Delaying this would only mean that the Constitutional office of the Governor is being misused to buy time for naked `horse trading’. This is blatantly anti-democratic.

CONDEMN MASSACRE OF PALESTINIANS – CPI(M)

15 Tuesday May 2018

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The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) expresses its outrage and strong condemnation at the death of 58 Palestinians killed by the Israeli armed forces at the Gaza-Israel border fence.

The Palestinians have been holding marches to the border to demand the return of the people to the lands from which they were evicted by Israel.

The opening of the US Embassy in Jerusalem, in complete violation of international law, on that day has emboldened the Israeli forces to resort to this brazen attack.

This brutal massacre of Palestinians must not only be condemned but action taken against Israel for this grave human right violations. The Government of India must strongly condemn this barbarity by Israeli forces. The UN Security Council must act in this regard.

FCI Employees hold protest to Demand wage revision

13 Sunday May 2018

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“Nationwide, protest demonstrations were organised by FCI Employees Association (CITU) on Friday in many states against the lackadaisical attitude and nefarious design of Government missionaries on pending wage revision of FCI Employees.

The DPE in its office memorandum of 8th round wage negotiation for unionised workmen in respect of CPSEs has not permitted Food Corporation of India (FCI) to commence wage revision process for its employees till now by saying that the government would not provide any budgetary support for any such wage increase, and FCI would have to bear the entire financial implications from their own resources.
Dr. A Sampath MP inaugurated the All India Protest at Regional Office, Trivandrum, Kerala. While addressing the protest MP informed that as per High Level Committee report already FCI Operations are under the threat of Privatization. It is a serious threat to the existence of FCI and food security of the nation. Subsidy received every year by FCI was lower than claimed for from the GoI. On an average only 67 per cent of subsidy claimed was released by the GoI over the last five years because of which FCI had to borrow from other costlier means of finance. Details of Subsidy is attached for ready reference 1. FCI had to pay huge amount of interest on funds raised from external sources, as it did not get the food subsidy reimbursement in time from the Government of India (GoI). It will also affect the day to day operations of Food Corporation of India.

The primary duty of FCI is to undertake procurement, storage, movement, transportation, distribution and sale of food grains. Now FCI had 14556 Category III & IV employees as on 31 March 2018 against the sanction of 27345. A shortage of 12789 personals. The newly joined employees are resigning from FCI due to meagre income and difficult working atmosphere compare to other PSUs. The last wage revision was taken place before 10 years, i.e on 2007. The volume of the work as compared to the year 2007 has increased manifold. Now the turn over per employee handled is five folded. Dr A Sampath Mp told that nothing can replace manpower, proving food security to the nation is an important job and necessary personals should be recruited and the employees should be paid a good wage similar to the central government employees. Denying legitimate demand of FCI employees are unjustifiable.” (Press report)

The struggle of the FCI workers should be fully supported.

Modiji keeps people away from the reality by giving a new slogan everyday – Sitaram Yechury

13 Sunday May 2018

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“CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury today accused the Narendra Modi government of keeping people away from the reality and called upon all secular parties to join hands to oust the NDA government at the Centre.
“Like Manmohan Desai’s formula films, People do not find time to think about the slogan given the previous day,” Yechury said at a seminar on “Role of Left in Current National Situation”.
Alleging that giving slogans was a strategy of Modi, he said, “The prime minister did not speak on the current situation of the country while campaigning in Karnataka. He often speaks on (Jawaharlal) Nehru and (Sardar Vallabhbhai) Patel instead of saying what he has been doing.”
Yechury alleged that anti-romeo squad and private armies like cow protection groups were being raised and constitutional institutions attacked.
The country’s unity was in danger, he claimed.
Minority communities and Dalits were being attacked in the BJP-ruled states, he alleged.
The senior CPI(M) leader also denounced the Modi government’s economic policies.” (Press Report)

BEFI takes the struggle to the streets – BSNL Unions too.

13 Sunday May 2018

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The PSU Banks are under attack from the government as well as the corporates. In the name of NPA or unpaid loans, the Banks are criticised, forgetting conveniently that these loans of lakhs of crores of rupees are the creation of corporates and corrupt top management of the banks who dance to the tunes of the government. The workers are under threat of loss of jobs due to merger of banks etc. And at the same time the workers are blamed for all these.

It is to inform and educate the people of all these and to save the banks, that BEFI has taken to the streets. The 24 hour programme by it at Kozhikode Mudalakkulam maidan on 11/12 May 2018 was a great success with the support of trade unions, service associations etc. A lot of information on the attacks on the various PSUs and other institutions could be gathered.

This is the correct approach in the present situation. The people have to be mobilised against the wrong policies and actions of the government. From tomorrow onward BSNL workers are also in the streets with the same approach.

Congratulations to BEFI and BSNLEU and other unions for approaching the people for support and co-operation!

LEGENDARY PAK POET FAIZ’S DAUGHTER MUNEEZA HASHMI PREVENTED FROM SPEAKING AT FUNCTION IN NEW DELHI

13 Sunday May 2018

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New Delhi : Earlier, this week, Muneeza Hashmi, the daughter of legendary poet Faiz Ahmad Faiz wasn’t allowed to speak at a forum in New Delhi, where she was officially invited.
According to a report in News 18, Hashmi was listed as a speaker at the 15th Asia Media Summit which was held in Delhi between May 10 and 12 but wasn’t allowed to take part. According to the report, when Hashmi reached the hotel she was told there was no booking in her name.
She was later informed by the director of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development that she wouldn’t’ be allowed to speak. PIB chief Sitanshu Kar said he wasn’t aware of any such incident while co-host and IIMC director KG Suresh said: “We have no role in this. Logistics was not being looked after by us.”
Hashmi was to speak on May 10. This led Muneeza’s son Ali Hashmi to tweet tagging the PM’s Office and Sushma Swaraj and ask: “This is your Shining India? My 73- year-old mother, daughter of Faiz, denied permission to participate in the conference after being officially invited. Shame.”
Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan wrote: “Shame on the Modi government for deporting Daughter of Faiz Ahmed Faiz from India and stopping her from participating in the Asia media summit in Delhi. Faiz was not only an outstanding Urdu poet but also a staunch opponent of the military rule in Pakistan.” (Courtesy: Ganashakti)

Move to privatise MTNL, a warning to BSNL

13 Sunday May 2018

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The direction of the NITI Ayog to the government to privatise MTNL  is a warning to BSNL also. There are 29,000 employees in MTNL and about 1,75,000 employees and about one lakh contract workers  in BSNL.  What will happen if the PSUs are privatised? Not even half will be able to save their jobs.

It is not the time to mourn and sit idle. It is the time to act. Powerful agitations have to be organised with maximum propaganda amongst the people. Privatisation of these PSUs will increase the telephone / mobile bills of each and all at least 10 times of the present as per international rates. All those using mobile / telephone will suffer. It is the time to not only to organise the workers for action but to go to the people and get their help in avoiding a crisis. A big battle is ahead. ‘Do or Die’ is the slogan.

MTNL, BHEL on the privatisation list – Oppose and defeat the move.

13 Sunday May 2018

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The Modi government is on the route to entirely sell all the Public Sector Units, whether profitable or non-profitable. It is implementing its assurance to the corporate lobby for the lakhs of crores of rupees received by them in the election campaign. The next Parliamentary elections are coming and more funds are required. The best thing is to gift the PSUs to the corporates and get further huge donations from them.

The latest is the implementation of the directions of the NITI Ayog (or ANITI(Injustice) Ayog ) to sell the profitable BHEL, the loss making MTNL and a few other PSUs for garnering Rs. 29,647 crore. Some of these are Navaratna PSUs. NITI Ayog has earlier directed the government to sell Air India, the prime Indian air line.

MTNL is the PSU operating telecom services in the metro cities of Delhi and Mumbai, while all other places are served by BSNL. It is only due to the anti-PSU policy of the continued governments at the centre that MTNL has become loss making. Unlimited corruption by the top management is another reason for loss. The company owns land, building, quarters and equipment worth lakhs of crores of rupees in both Mumbai and Delhi. There are more than 25,000 workers whose future is in peril.

We demand that the government should withdraw from this anti-PSU and anti-national move. It is misuse of power to sell the property of the nation to a few corporates. Strong protest actions should be organised and the government move defeated.

Out of the three telecom PSUs, VSNL is already sold to TATA. MTNL is in the list for sale. Next will be BSNL. It is only because of BSNL and MTNL that the telecom services are most cheap in India. Once these are privatised, the call rates /charges will at least be increased ten times or more as is the case with many other countries. Privatisation is not a loss to the MTNL/BSNL subscribers alone, but will a great loss to the telephone /mobile subscribers all over the country whether they are subscribers of Reliance Jio, Vodafone, Idea etc.

The people as a whole should oppose and defeat the privatisation of the telecom PSUs, BSNL and MTNL.

WFTU condemns the new USA and Israel aggression in the Middle East

13 Sunday May 2018

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The World Federation of Trade Unions, gathering in its ranks more than 92 million workers in 126 countries all over the world, follows the recent developments concerning the withdrawal of the U.S.A. from the international nuclear agreement on the nuclear program of Iran and the announcement of new economic sanctions against Iran by the U.S.A. The U.S.A. once more uses false pretexts in order to exploit the natural resources of other countries and to serve the interests of national large monopoly groups.

These actions, combined with the missile attack of Israel against Syria on May 10, are a new form of aggression against the peoples of the Middle East that put them at great risk and further destabilize the situation in the region.

We call on the workers, the ordinary people of the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East to strengthen their struggle against the imperialist plans and interventions that cause wars and misery to the peoples for the profits of the imperialists.

Govt. should withdraw from transferring EPF, ESI to PPP

10 Thursday May 2018

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One more anti worker step by Modi government. Despite strong protest from all Central Trade Unions, it is moving to transfer Social Security measures like EPF and ESI to Public Private Partnership (PPP) so that the huge funds in both will be available to the private companies for their appropriation. Serving the corporates has become the mantra for BJP Government.

Sustained struggle is the only way to defeat the anti-worder policy of the govt.