Daily Desh Sewak, Azadi Lehar Virsa Sambhal and Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna Trust jointly organised a function to commemorate 10th Death Anniversary of Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet , renowned communist leader of international repute and Ex. General Secretary of CPI(M) at Bhakna Bhawan, Sector 29 D, Chandigarh on 31st July, 2018. A large number of Left Parties workers, leaders and sympathisers participated in the function. Comrade Sitaram Yechury, General Secretary, CPI(M) was the Chief Guest. The proceedings of the functionn began with Comrade Sitaram Yechury leading the guests and workers to pay floral tributes at the portrait of Comrade Surjeet. Comrade Gurchetan Singh Bassi, State Secretariat Member, CPI(M) and younger son of Comrade Surjeet presided over the function. Mr. Madandeep Singh , Editor ,Daily Desh Sewak said that Comrade Surjeet had established Desh Sewak Daily with a very far sighted vision and wanted it to become voice of the toiling , democratic and secular people of the region. He also explained the financial crisis due to which its funcioning was adversely affected. He sought the cooperation from left party workers and friends of Desh Sewak in tiding over the crisis. Veteran Journalist , Gobind Thukral explained in details the back ground and vision with this newspaper was started by comrade Surjeet . He hoped that the new management will accord priority in smoloth functioning of the establishment. Comrade Raghunath Singh, General Secretary, CITU Punjab shared his experiences in Jail with Comrade Surjeet. Comrade Sukhwinder Singh Sekhon, Managing Director , Daily Desh Sewak assured the gathering that there is lot of improvement in the functioning of Desh Sewak for the last 3 months and we hope that the situation will get normalised shortly . He assured the audience that Desh Sewak will continue to play its role as visualised by Comrade Surjeet in this region of the country by voicing effectively the issues of working people, democratic and secular forces and provide a platform to intellectuals to air their views and voice . Sardar Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, Ex. Central Minister recollected his association and guidance from Comrade Surjeet. Comrade Joginder Dayal, National Council Member, CPI called upon the left parties workers and sympathisers to fight unitedly against the communal and fascist forces which will be true tribute to Comrade Surjeet. Comrade Bant Brar, State Secretary, CPI appealed to Comrade Yechury for unification of CPI and CPI(M). Dr Jaspal Singh , former Editor, Desh Sewak assured his full cooperation in streamlining the working of Desh Sewak. Comrade Sitaram Yechury delivering his Chief Guest speech on the occasion recollected his long association with Comrade Surjeet . He told how simple and down to earth he was and could explain a complicated issue in very simple language. Quoting Comrade Surjeet, Comrade Yechury told the audience that in 2004 there was a question being debated that who can replace Vajpayee ? Comrade Surjeet had told that let the elections be completed , the shining India slogan would evaporate and NDA alongwith Vajpayee would also be wiped out. “Same question is being debated now that who can replace Modi ? As on earlier occasions this time also a Morcha will come into existence after elections. BJP will be defeated as all the left , scular and democratic forces are coming together to defeat politics of hate and fascistic tendencies”, said Comrade Yechury. He condemned incidents of lynchings despite reprimand by Supreme Court and killings of Dalits and Muslims in the name of cow. He alleged that the Modi Govt. is working for maximising the profits of Corporates and banking sector has been plunged into serious crisis as more than 11 lakhs crores of rupees taken as loan by the corporates has not been repaid. He appealed to the audience to get united and defeat this communal govt. guided by fascist RSS in interest of better, peaceful and prosperous India. Comrade Gurchetan Singh Bassi , President thanked the guests and participants.

New Delhi, July 26: We are herewith releasing the text of the note containing the opinion of the CPI(M) on the proposed Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) Draft Bill. This note was sent to the Prime Minister this morning, with a copy marked to the HRD Minister.

The NDA-II Government has repeatedly targeted Public-funded Higher Education and Research in the last four years. Its hostility against the culture of democratic debates and rational social enquiry in premier universities, by demonising and mobilising negative public opinion against sections of students and faculty, its authoritarian challenge to academic and intellectual autonomy, and its aggressive promotion of mythological beliefs and supremacist bias against scientific and historical facts constitute one dimension of this attack. The other, more systematic, way in which it has tried to bring Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) down on their knees is by continuously slashing budgetary allocations to the UGC, asking public-funded HEIs to generate a part of their costs through internal resources and loans, drastically reducing seats and fellowships for M.Phil. and Ph.D. research programmes and promoting short-term contractual employment of faculty and administrative staff instead of permanent recruitment.

Higher Educational Reform under the NDA-II Government is guided by twin concerns that threaten to destroy the foundations of Higher Education in independent India and impede the salutary role it has played, over decades, in empowering the common people with learning, jobs and social confidence. These twin concerns are (i) Privatisation, and (ii) Social Exclusion. The twin agendas of Privatisation and Social Exclusion are strongly reflected in the Draft Bill on the HECI (Repeal of UGC Act, 1956) Act, 2018 that the MHRD proposes to introduce in the Monsoon Session of the Parliament.

The CPI(M) will approach all secular, democratic parties, educationists, intellectuals, teaching fraternity, students and all other concerned individuals and organisations to build a broad resistance against this.

Text of the letter of CPI(M) General Secretary to the Prime Minister

Dear Pradhan Mantriji,

I am constrained to draw your attention to the draft legislation prepared by the Ministry of Human Resource Development for establishing the Higher Education Commission of India replacing the existing University Grants Commission which had been earlier established by the Parliament of India.

After carefully going through the provisions of the proposed Bill we, from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) are compelled to come to the conclusion that if the Bill is enacted in the present form and with the approach that its provisions suggest, it will have a major adverse impact on higher education in the country in general and public funded higher education in particular.

As it is often said, it does not require an external enemy to destroy a country; destruction of its education system is more than adequate to ensure that outcome. I am afraid that the present draft Bill needs to be withdrawn to avert that eventuality.

In order to substantiate my argument, I am attaching herewith our comprehensive understanding about the proposed legislation.

Hundreds of friends, relatives, comrades and well wishers from all parts of the country and even from outside have sent messages, e-mails, comments, whatsApp messages etc. conveying their Best Wishes to me on my completing 80 years of age.

I am thankful to all of them. As you can well understand  it is not easy to convey my thanks to each person individually. Hence through this blog/ face book, I convey my heartfelt thanks and Best Wishes to all of you who  appreciated my work and wished me.

You have encouraged me and I would take all efforts to continue to serve the workers and the people.