CPI (Communist Party of India)

The elections to the 15th Lok Sabha are being held at a time when the country faces serious threat to its economic and political independence due to right-ward shift in economic policies under the garb of economic neo-liberalism and pro-imperialist tilt in the foreign policy.

This is under the dubious slogan of building strategic partnership with the USA. BJP has reverted to its core agenda of communalism while continuing unashamed defence of economic neo-liberalism and pro-US tilt in the name of fighting growing menace of terrorism.

To halt the ruling classes from pursuing this disastrous course, the CPI and Left is joining the electoral battle with the slogan of providing a non-Congress and non-BJP alternative that should carry forward the glorious tradition of anti-imperialism, secular polity and independent economic development ensuring economic and social justice to all.. We seek your support and vote for this sacred task.

The CPI was born and grew in the course of the Freedom struggle against British rule. Thousands of revolutionary fighters who spent several years in jails and concentration camps, and never hesitated to sacrifice their lives joined its ranks. Communists have been the initiators of the organized workers, kisans, khet mazdoors, women and students and youth movements from the pre-independence to the present day linking them up with the struggle against imperialism, feudal princes and monopolists. They were the organizers and heroes of the glorious Telengana, Tebhaga, Vayalar –Punnapara, Pepsu and other struggles.

Communists were in the fore front in the struggles against princely states and for integrated India. Continuing the heritage of the freedom struggle, Communists courageously initiated struggles for defence of secular polity, national integrity, for the rights of workers, for self independent economic development, dominance of public sector in the national economy, for land reforms, fair wages to agri-workers, gender justice, education to all, social security and health care for each and every citizen. They consistently stood up for the rights of the minorities, tribal, dalits and other deprived sections. They upheld the banner of parliamentary democracy that is constantly coming under threat in recent days.

In the wake of the communal fascist offensive launched by the Sangh Parivar, misusing the BJP led NDA regime, steps were taken to communalise the education, administration and culture. The CPI at its Thiruananthapuram Party Congress gave a clarion call of BJP HATAO-DESH BACHAO (Remove BJP, save the country) and conducted a nation-wide campaign.

That was later supported and adopted by other Left and Secular parties. To achieve the goal of BJP Hatao-Desh Bachao campaign, the CPI joined forces with other Left and secular parties during the elections to the 14th Lok Sabha. The people magnificently responded to the call and not only ousted BJP led NDA from power but also elected the largest number of Left MPs to the Lok Sabha.

A secular formation -UPAtook over power at the Centre with the outside support from Left. The basis of this outside support was the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) which later the government adopted as its National Common Minimum Programme (NCMP).

Initial achievements of the UPA govt, in response to the demand and pressure of the Left, the UPA government took certain measures to meet the promises made in the CMP. It banned the recruitment of mercenaries for US aggression in Iraq, for some time restored the policy of solidarity with the struggling Palestinian people and took certain initiatives to normalize relations with our neighbours. Within the country, certain positive steps were taken to ameliorate the miseries of the masses.

For the first time in the history of Independent India a law to provide hundred days employment to the rural poor (NREGA) was enacted.

Though it had several lacunas and shortcomings it was an important step. Similarly laws for right to information (RTI), tribal and other forest dwellers rights, law against domestic violence were enacted. Some measures were also taken to de-communalise the education.

But simultaneously it took steps to meet its class interests. Unscrupulous disinvestment of PSUs, unbridled entry of FDIs, particularly in the secondary market continued.

During the four and half years when the Left extended out side support to the UPA government, it had to submit more than a dozen notes to the UPA government-Left Coordination Committee to oppose the government moves that were in violation of the CMP.

The Left was able to restrain the UPA government on such major issues like disinvestment of profit making PSUs, unbridled FDIs in finance sector, entry of MNCs in retail sector so on and so forth. On the issue of disinvestment, the Left had even to resort to the boycott of the Coordination Committee.

The Congress leadership wanted to dilute government equity in banks, preparatory to their eventual privatisation. We prevented that.

The Congress leadership wanted to privatise the insurance sector. We opposed that.

The Congress leadership wanted to hand over the enormous accumulated funds in the Provident Fund and Pension Fund to the private sector for so-called ‘efficient management’. We did not allow that.

We thus saved the financial sector from the disastrous crisis that has overtaken it in the USA, UK and other capitalist countries.

Even the propagandists of economic neo-liberalism have to concede that if impact of global economic meltdown is not that harsh for India, the credit should go to the Left that opposed certain measures of the government, particularly the so-called reforms in the finance sector

But gradually it became obvious that, under the compulsions of its class interests, the UPA government, particularly its leader, the Congress, was resorting to the tactics of hoodwinking the people. It was taking all the measures under the pressure of World Bank-IMF that were possible through administrative measures.

It showed restrain only on the issues that required parliamentary sanction which meant support by Left in the Parliament. Right ward shift in the economic policies, its anti-people character was the real bone of contention between the Left and UPA government that the Left was supporting from out side.