Category Archives: General

PM Modi’s US Visit, No Gains for India – CPI(M)

28 Wednesday Jun 2017

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New Delhi, June 28: The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

PM Modi’s US Visit: No Gains for India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s fifth visit to the United States of America during these three years has resulted in very little gains for India or even attention to be paid by the US to India’s immediate concerns. The Joint Statement issued with President Trump only reconfirms India’s status as a subordinate ally of the USA.

The status of H1B visas, crucial for lakhs of Indian youth and the IT industry, the racial attacks on the Indians in the US, the US withdrawal from the Paris climate change commitments etc have found no mention. On the other hand, Prime Minister Modi committed India to further opening of its economy. This will be done while India has sharply increased its purchase of US defence equipments, particularly two billion dollar worth of aerial drones.

On foreign policy matters, PM Modi has reneged on many a past commitments of India. For the first time, India has joined the US in condemning DPRK, North Korea and in aligning India with the US on the South China Sea dispute. What is worse is that India now appears to have subscribed to the US position of equating terrorism with Islam negating India’s longstanding position reiterated even by this government’s spokespersons in Indian Parliament on several occasions that terrorism in India knows no religion.

Overall, this visit of PM Modi to USA has further cemented India as a subordinate junior ally of US imperialism.

There will be tough fight in President’s election – CPI

26 Monday Jun 2017

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Hyderabad, Jun 26: A top Left leader today said that Meira Kumar would give a “tough fight” in the Presidential elections, and the Opposition parties would try to reach out to NDA allies to back their joint candidate.
“It’s not a symbolic fight, it will be a good, tough fight,” General Secretary of Communist Party of India (CPI), Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy told PTI.
Of the 10,98,903 votes of the electoral college, “We have already talked to 3.5 lakh to four lakh votes. Political parties’ mandate (they cannot issue whip) will not be available. Let’s see, what will happen,” he said.
“Some of the NDA allies may also vote for us. It will be a tough fight,” Reddy said, adding, the opposition parties would “certainly” try to reach out to NDA allies to support Meira Kumar.
He termed as “unfortunate” Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s decision to back the NDA presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind.
“State (Bihar) politics might have created such a problem, and we have no idea exactly what’s the reason for this sudden right-about-turn. Anyway, it’s an unfortunate type of development for opposition parties,” Reddy said.

The presidential election is scheduled for July 17 and the counting of votes will take place on July 20.
Kovind filed his nomination in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on June 23. (Courtesy: PTI)

Banks have no responsibility for valuables in lockers? Exposure through RTI

26 Monday Jun 2017

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I am herewith giving below a press report released by PTI on the above subject. Is there no security for the valuables placed in the bank lockers? This is atrocious.

New Delhi, Jun 25 : Do not expect any compensation for theft or burglary of valuables in safe deposit boxes of public sector banks as the locker hiring agreement absolves them of all liability.
This bitter truth was disclosed in an RTI response by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and 19 PSU banks.
Stung by the revelation, the lawyer who had sought information under the transparency law has now moved the Competition Commission of India (CCI) alleging “cartelisation” and “anti-competitive practices” by the banks in respect of the locker service.
He has informed the CCI that the RTI response from the RBI has said it has not issued any specific direction in this regard or prescribed any parameters to assess the loss suffered by a customer.
Even under the RTI response, all public sectors banks have washed their hands of any responsibility.
According to the information availed by the lawyer, the unanimous reason given by the 19 banks, including Bank of India, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Punjab National Bank, UCO and Canara, among others, is that “the relationship they have with customers with regard to lockers is that of lessee (landlord) and lessor (tenant)”.
The banks have contended that in such a relationship, the lessor is responsible for his or her valuables kept in the locker which is owned by the bank.
Some banks, in their locker hiring agreements, have made it clear that any item stored in the locker is at the customer’s own risk and he or she may, in their own interest, insure the valuables.
The common feature of all locker hiring agreements states, “As per safe deposit memorandum of hiring locker, the bank will not be responsible for any loss or damage of the contents kept in the safe deposit vault as a result of any act of war or civil disorder or theft or burglary and the contents will be kept by the hirer at his or her sole risk and responsibility.
“While the bank will exercise all such normal precautions, it does not accept any liability or responsibility for any loss or damage whatsoever sustained to items deposited with it. Accordingly, hirers are advised in their own interest to insure any item of value deposited in a safe deposit locker in the bank,” they have said.
Aggrieved by the responses, the lawyer — Kush Kalra — raised questions before the CCI — why not just keep the valuables at home after insuring them, instead of paying rent to the bank for a locker when it is not going to take any responsibility for the contents.
He alleged that all these banks, also including State Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, Syndicate Bank, Allahabad Bank and others, have formed a “cartel” to indulge in such “anti-competitive” practices.
He further alleged that the bank by forming an association or cartel are “trying to limit the improvement of services which is directly affecting the competition in the market and interests of the consumer”.
The lawyer has sought a probe under the Competition Act into the allegation of cartelisation by the banks in respect of the locker service.

1975 National Emergency remembered

25 Sunday Jun 2017

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A meeting was held on 25th June 2017 at Keluettan Study and Research Centre Kozhikode on the 42nd year of declaration of the hated ‘National Emergency’. The meeting was presided by Ciom.K.T.Kunhikannan, Director of the Study centre. Com. P.Mohanan Master, Dist. Secretary, CPI(M), inaugurated the meeting and spoke about the attack on the democracy, opposition leaders and parties  during emergency. He also spoke about the present situation, when an undeclared emergency is being implemented with attack on the people, working class etc. Coms. V.A.N.Namboodiri, Adv. K.Jayarajan, K.K.C.Pillai and others addressed.  All spoke about the experiences of the dark emergency period and the present situation and called upon the people to be ready to face the onslaughts of the ruling class headed by the RSS and Sangh Parivar and fight against the same.

Reinstatement of an ‘Emergency Prisoner’

25 Sunday Jun 2017

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The ‘National Emergency’ promulgated on 25/26th June 1975 by the President of India on the advice of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was withdrawn on 21st March 1977, immediately after the utter defeat of Indira Gandhi and Congress in the general elections held in March 1977. The Janata government was formed, by all the opposition parties, who jointly fought against the Congress. This was the first non-Congress government after  Independence in 1947. The jailed politicians, trade unions leaders, activists were released from the jail by the new government.

In Calicut, the  two telecom employees who were in jail, Coms. V.A.Ouseph and Sathyanathan were also released and joined duty. But the latter comrade had a grievance. He was a new recruit and while he was in jail, he got a job in Indian Bank for which he had applied, but could not join and lost it.

We felt that it is necessary that the injustice should be removed and he should get the job in the Indian Bank. As the Secretary of the union, I had to take the responsibility for the same.  Within days I went to New Delhi by train.

First I went to the Janatha Party Office, which was situated in a big bungalow allotted to  Parliament members. The compound was full of hundreds of people who had come from far and near to meet their leaders. Most were from the Hindi belt, especially, UP, Bihar, M.P. etc. Tea, sweets and snacks were being freely supplied to all. Everybody was in joyful mood and celebrating the victory. I could see Ministers Raj Narain, a hero of the Emergency and some other ministers. I went and met the Secretary of the Janatha Party, who was from Kerala and requested to help me in getting the bank job to Sathyanathan. I had with me a letter addressed to Finance minister in this respect. He went through the letter and without any delay noted something on the representation and told me to go and meet the Finance Minister. Immediately I went to the office of the Finance Minister  in the North Block and went directly to the Minister’s room. There was no security any where and people were moving unobstructed. It was just like  another Independence. Finance Minister Shri H.M.Patel was coming out of his office. I spoke and gave the representation to him and told the matter in brief. He immediately signed in the representation and told me to meet the Secretary Finance. The office of the Finance Secretary was nearby. I went and met the Finance Secretary, who went through the letter and signed it telling me to meet the Joint Secretary Finance, Banking and guided me that the office is in the 5th/6th floor of the LIC Building opposite to Dak Bhawan. I went there and met the Joint Secretary and gave the letter and told what the Finance Secretary told. He went through the letter and asked me about the details of the case.

After noting down something on the representation, he telephoned the Managing Director of the Indian Bank in Madras  and told him to issue immediate orders appointing Shri Sathyanathan to the job in the bank. He also told ” Mr. Namboodiri is sitting in front of me. Before he reaches Calicut, the order should reach there.” I thanked him profusely and returned with satisfaction.

I immediately phoned our comrades at Calicut and told what happened. Within two hours I could meet the secretary Janatha Party, Finance Minister, Finance Secretary, Joint Secretary and get results. The post-emergency situation was such that each and every emergency excess has to be settled immediately.

As assured by the Joint Secretary Banking, before I reached calicut after two-three days rail journey, the order was received by Sathyanathan and he joined the Indian Bank  at Madras, if I remember correct. I was told later that he got promoted to higher posts. retired.

I still feel it as a miracle, something beyond usual. Of course, as I said, it was post-emergency and everything was possible without bureaucratic intervention and security concerns.

The Dark National Emergency of 1975 – 77

24 Saturday Jun 2017

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The new generation born during the last four / five decades did not have the direct bitter experience of the Draconian Emergency declared by the Indira Gandhi Government on 25th/ 26th June 1975. It is 42 years since the Emergency was declared.

The Indira Gandhi Government was under attack for its anti-people measures. The brutal suppression of the 22 days Railway strike in 1974 was an indication of what was to come. In between, the Allahabad High Court cancelled the election of the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to Parliament. And on another side, Jayaprakash Narayan’s movement started which grew in to an avalanche churning the entire country. Indira Gandhi did not see any way to meet this challenge and declared National Emergency in the midnight of 25th/26th June 1975, arresting all opposition leaders, trade union functionaries and others who were opposing the congress regime. CPI(M), BJP and all other oppositions were the main targets.

The emergency prohibited and suppressed all kinds of protests and democratic rights of the people. The newspapers were gagged. Without screening by the government censors, no paper could be published. Meetings, demonstrations – all were prohibited.

I was in the train along with a few other comrades going to Delhi from Kerala to attend a Convention of the Central Government Employees and Workers to chalk out agitation programmes on the urgent demands of the workers. On alighting at New Delhi Railway Station,  we found that there were a large number of police personnel. There was complete silence and people spoke in hushed voices only. Some comrades from Delhi came to us and told that National Emergency has been declared by the Government and it is not safe to stay where our accommodation was arranged. We were taken to the residence of comrade Jyothirmoy Basu, CPI(M) leader and Member of Parliament. He had already gone underground to escape arrest. After reaching there, our comrades told about the explosive situation under the draconian emergency. We were told not to go outside, to avoid arrest.

However,  I went to No.4, Ashoka Road,which was the bungalow allotted to Comrade A.K.Gopalan, M.P. I met Comrade Narikutty Mohanan there, who was the Delhi correspondent of Deshabhimani, the CPI(M) daily being published from Kerala. Incidentally at that time a call came from Ernakulam Telephone Exchange.There were no mobile phones at that time.Even STD was not available.Every trunk call was to be connected through Telephone Exchange only. It was fortunate that Comrade K.Prabhakaran, well known P and T leader called at that time. Since all press news were completely barred and communications through telephones and fax were all censured, there was no opportunity for Narikutty to give the latest report to the Deshabhimani in Kerala. When Prabhakaran contacted I asked him to connect Deshabhimani and Narikkutty gave detailed report about the declaration of emergency, the list of the arrested leaders and other information. And in the next day in Deshabhimani, all the news came with photoes of the arrested leaders and a strong statement of leaders condemning Emergency. I was told later that Com. Narikkutty was taken in to custody and questioned, but the police could not find how the news reached Ernakulam Deshabhimani, because there were no records of fax, trunk call etc.

Next day, I walked through Rafi Marg on the side of which is the Mavlankar Auditorium where the CGE convention was to be held. The entire area was cordoned and a large number of police were there.The convention was already banned and the leaders were compelled to cancel it. So the first taste of emergency for me was in Delhi only.

Later, so many leaders of CGE movement were arrested and put in jail till the end of emergency. Com. Prabhakaran was one among them. I was taken in to custody twice during the emergency and questioned a whole night, but was later released. The period of Emergency were black days for the entire country. No criticism of the government or the ruling party was allowed. It was a reign of terror. ‘India is Indira’ became the slogan of the sycophants. People were arrested and jailed without any reason. It was dictatorship. But resistance continued inside and outside.

During Emergency period, myself as Circle President and  Com.T.V.Joseph as Circle Secretary of NFPTE E.III Union, went and met Kerala Chief Minister Shri C.Achutha Menon and requested for grand of parole to Com. V.A.Ouseph, NFPTE leader at Calicut, who was in jail, to attend to his sick mother. CM stated that he has no power in the matter and every thing was decided by the Home Minister Shri K.Karunakaran only. We met Sri Karunakaran. When we introduced as representatives of the telecom Union, he became irritated. He cited an incident when a telephone operator refused to extend a trunk call he made to Smt. Indira Gandhi for more than six minutes. He told that ‘where I a Minister at that time, he would have been put in jail immediately.’ He also told that ‘all you union people are to be put in jail.’ We kept smiling, because we were interested in getting bail for Com. Ouseph. Fortunately he was given the parole as requested.

By 1977, Indira Gandhi felt that the situation is under control and election can be held. But her calculation failed. In the 1977 General Elections, Congress was routed out. For the first time in India, a non-congress government came in to power consisting of almost all opposition parties which won with thumbing majority. The Shah Commission which was appointed to enquire in to the Emergency excesses gave a true picture of what the nation and the people suffered during the Emergency.  (In the Shah Commission report on Emergency excess, it has been stated that Kerala Government has given parole to the emergency prisoners and cited the case of Com. Ouseph, stating that he was given parole twice. Hundreds of arrested persons were not granted parole even once.)

No Indian wants a recurrence of that draconian Emergency. But what happens at present gives a resemblance to the pre-Emergency days. RSS and Sangh Parivar with the full support of the government attacks the rights of the people to eat what they want, how to dress, whom to love, what to study etc. etc. The trend is similar to what happened in the early days of the Nazi rule under Adolph Hitler. Trade union rights are curtailed; Achieved benefits are taken away. Public Sector Units are sold for a song. Minorities are attacked under the open eyes of the authorities. Moves are afoot for the creation of a rightist Hindu Rashtra. The secular fabric of the nation is being torn and the dark forces are  creating communal tensions.

The National Emergency of  1975-77 and its brutal suppression of people and their rights have not been forgotten. Nobody wants another or similar Emergency and attack on the people. Dark clouds are hovering over the sky. It is only through the determined mighty united struggle of the people that the recurrence of another Emergency can be avoided.

We learn from the past to defend our future! NO to another Emergency!

Conferences, Meetings and Classes – What should be the time limit?

19 Monday Jun 2017

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While participating / attending Conferences, Classes, meetings, debates etc. a question used to come to my mind. What exactly should be the time for the speeches, debates etc.  by the various participants.

In these functions, there will usually be a President/ Chairman, a person inaugurating, other speakers and the persons welcoming and proposing vote of thanks etc. Some times, the meeting continues for hours together. All the speakers take maximum time, putting the audience in to inconvenience. They may not express it in words, but the expression on their faces will be a clear indication.

It is the responsibility of the organisers to plan how much time it will take for the programme and how the time is to be divided for the various speeches etc. The main speaker may take 45 minutes to one hour at the most. It is quite sufficient to express the major points and the full attention of the house will be there. If notes are prepared in advance, the time can be well adjusted. Most of our speakers are capable of speaking continuously for two or three hours covering each and every aspect of the subject, but that is not required. There are other speakers, who will add the additional points.

Repeating the same points by raised by the earlier speakers is not necessary. If unavoidable mention the point briefly only. Each speaker has to remember about the speakers who are yet to speak and give time to them.

It will be advisable if the programme along with the name of the speakers and the time allotted is circulated in advance to all the speakers. There is nothing wrong in it and is a good system.

In the case of classes or a single speech, the time can be more than one hour and even up to two hours. All aspects of the issue are presented by the same speaker.

Another aspect is the starting and ending of the programme as planned. Organizers as well as the speakers have to take care of the same.

The audience will appreciate a well arranged and conducted programme.

 

Prime Minister praises Kerala for full literacy – But what about other states?

18 Sunday Jun 2017

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his recent visit to Kerala, has congratulated the Kerala people for the full literacy of the state. Well and good and thanks for the same.

But people want to know what action, the BJP governments are taking to spread literacy in its own states? If the reports are correct, many of these states are having more than 30-40% illiteracy.

The conclusion is clear. The BJP governments at the centre as well as states are not serious about improving literacy. They only want a facial makeup. They very well know that the people, the workers, the Dalits, the under-privileged – their voices will become stronger and fights will become mightier, which the government don’t want.

A great movement for literacy in the entire country is the need of the hour to empower the weaker sections of the society. The workers, students, teachers, employees, educationalists – all have got the responsibility in this task, in addition to the Government.

“If you are against the Government, you are against the Nation” – Gopalakrishna Gandhi

16 Friday Jun 2017

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” Those connected historically and culturally to the idea of a Hindu Rashtra are, today, promulgating their passionately held philosophy in different ways, dispersed incidents, apparently unconnected, in ways that make a Muslim feel fearful, a Christian feel as light as a leaf that can be blown off by a single majoritarian breath, a liberal feel vulnerable, a dissident feel rattled. They make the cattle-trader afraid, the non-vegetarian at his meal declare it is not, please, Sir, not beef. They go to make the journalist feel hesitant, the farmer feel betrayed,  the Dalit and tribal feel insecure. Above all, any one hurt by administrative wrongdoing or dismayed by state policy feel afraid to say so far: If you are against the government, you are against the nation.”

This quotation is from the article “The anniversary of a divide” written  by Gopalakrishna Gandhi former Governor and Diplomat published  in “The Hindu” dated 16th June 2017.

Yes, the situation is grave with the Modi Government and the Sangh Parivar trying to change India in to a Hindu Rashtra and authoritarian.

Resist it with all our might and fight.

World Day Against Child Labour – 12th June 2017

15 Thursday Jun 2017

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WFTU Declaration on the World Day Against Child Labour, 12th june

The World Federation of Trade Unions -WFTU-, which is the militant voice of 92 million workers in 126 countries of the globe, on the occasion of June 12th, World Day Against Child Labor, reaffirms its strong condemnation to this anachronistic and barbaric situation.

The WFTU since its foundation has fought by all its means and resources against all forms of capitalist exploitation, either “disguised” or clearly barbarian. Child labor is one of them, and the constant struggle against it is a matter of principle of our world trade union family, especially since it is a form of exploitation that industrialists and other big businessmen had been taking advantage of since the very beginning of their inhuman and exploitative system: The fortunes of bourgeois were created by the hands and blood of children.

Nowadays, the situation remains tragic since 168 million children are working in various jobs around the world, with the picture in the Asia-Pacific region being dramatic: about 9.3% of the child population is forced to work. With the outbreak of the capitalist crisis and the deepening of intra-imperialist rivalries, the exploitation of children is intensifying even more, always with a view to maximizing the profits of multinationals. Child workers are mainly employed in the sectors of agriculture, fishing and mining, while other children work even as modern-day slaves. In fact, immigrant children often suffer double exploitation, even in regions that were boasting about having eliminated this phenomenon, such as Europe.

Most of the time, these children suffer irreparable psychological, intellectual, social or moral injuries while many of them also fall victims of sexual exploitation. Despite the UN, ILO and other international organizations’ declarations, child labor still occurs at a large scale worldwide.

Once again the WFTU is clearly stating that the struggle for the abolition of child labor it more timely than ever. At the same time, it calls on all trade unions to take action so as to guarantee the rights of children. We call for action for:
a) public, free and compulsory education for the new generation. Abolition of all forms of child labor.
b) ensuring leisure and recreation for children, with a view to the healthy development of their psychological and mental health.
c) healthcare for the satisfaction of contemporary needs of the new generation.

At the same time, as class-oriented international trade union movement, we demand the abolition of the terms that figure in the laws of many countries, concerning “consent” of a child to work. Children’s rights are non-negotiable!
Stop to child labor!
Struggle for the protection of children’s rights!