Mar 1-15 2017

The capitalist class and its economic experts talk as if the rate of growth in GDP is the indicator of the economic health of the country. However, life experience shows that growth in GDP does not guarantee improvement in the standard of living of the workers, peasants, artisans and others who toil to produce the GDP.

Crores of workers become poorer whenever the movement in their wages lag behind the rate of increase in the prices of consumption articles. It makes no difference to them whether GDP has grown by 5% or by 10%.

Events in Tamilnadu since the death of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa have led to heightened anger among the people. The sordid spectacle of intense dogfight within the ruling party, the kidnapping of “people’s representatives” by the faction in command and physical clashes within the Legislative Assembly have all aroused the people’s indignation.

The Army chief, General Bipin Rawat recently issued a warning that the army would treat all those in Kashmir who do not support army operations or obstruct them during encounters “as overground workers of terrorists,” and fire upon them. His target was the lakhs of youth and women participating in mass protests against killing of innocents in fake encounters and other atrocities committed by the army and paramilitary forces.

Sir,

I am writing in response to the Statement of the Central Committee of Communist Ghadar Party of India issued on 24th January on the occasion of the 67th anniversary of the Indian Republic, titled: We need to rebuild the Republic on an entirely new foundation.

 With this statement, Communist Ghadar Party has shown that it is possible even in these times of obfuscation and confusion to unwaveringly stick to the true path for the liberation of Indian society.

The condition of peasants is growing from bad to worse in all parts of the country. Growing domination of capitalist monopolies, withdrawal of State support in the name of liberalisation, and the cash crunch created by the Note Ban have all added to the misery of the peasants. The following are some cases which have hit the news in recent weeks.

The Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 is likely to be tabled in the Monsoon session of the Parliament this year. This Bill amends the Citizenship Act, 1955 to relax the eligibility requirements for Indian citizenship for migrants who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Titwala in Maharashtra is famous for tourism. However, travellers have to face many difficulties due to several problems at Titwala railway station. Because of these problems, several travellers and residents have placed their demands to the railway adminstration. Railway adminstration has however ignored the problems and the demands. Rail travellers, together with residents have come together to establishe the Railway Passenger Janhit Sangharsh Manch.

Workers of various government schemes like Anganwadi, Asha, mid-day meals, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Ancilliary Nurse Midwife program (ANM), National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), Sakshar Bharath and Indira Kranthi Patham (IKP) are organising to escalate their struggle for being recognised as workers. Government deploys them in for implementing its schemes (therefore the name scheme workers). For example, Anganwadi workers are deployed in pulse polio, ration card and census schemes of Central and State governments.

Recent months have witnessed thousands of workers being thrown out of their jobs in a wide range of sectors, as a result of intense monopolistic competition leading to mergers among the biggest capitalist corporations.

The telecom sector is witnessing an unprecedented wave of mergers and acquisitions, which is expected to lead to massive destruction of jobs.

The Central Ministry for Labour and Employment issued an Advisory in early 2016 on the subject of giving specific concessions to newly established companies, called “start-ups”, with respect to laws dealing with the labour rights. Since then, 10 States have agreed to take steps as per the Advisory. Government of Maharashtra is one of the states taking active steps to exempt start-ups from inspections relating to key labour laws, for a period of three years.

Following the Note Ban announced on 8^th November last year, many factory and shop owners all over the country paid one month’s wages in advance to get rid of their old rupee notes.

On 21^st December, Government of India issued an Ordinance to amend the Payment of Wages Act, 1936, to permit employers to pay wages by cheque or digital transfer without having to seek the workers’ consent.

As has been reported earlier in Mazdoor Ekta Lehar, the people of Bhangar, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, have been waging a militant struggle against the forcible acquisition of their fertile agricultural land by the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL).

Mass protests have broken out throughout the United States of America. Lakhs of people have come onto the streets in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and other cities, defending the rights of immigrants, Muslims and refugees fleeing war torn countries. They have declared that No Human Being Is Illegal!

On 18th January, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, headed by Prime Minister Modi, gave “in principle” approval for listing of state-owned general insurance companies. Listing them in the stock exchange is the first step towards their privatisation. The companies concerned are: New India Assurance Company, United India Insurance, Oriental Insurance Company, National Insurance Company and the General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC).

Drivers working for Uber and Ola taxi service companies have been on strike in the National Capital Region of Delhi since 10th February. They are led by Sarvodaya Drivers Association of Delhi and Rajdhani Tourist Drivers’ Union. There are around 150,000 taxis attached to Uber and Ola in Delhi.

Participants in a Round Table Conference on the theme "Is Demonetisation in the National Interest?" were of the firm view that the Note Ban is thoroughly anti-worker, anti peasant, anti-social and anti-national.

The conference was organised by the Delhi Council of Lok Raj Sangathan on 15th February, 2017. Ms Sucharita conducted the proceedings of the Conference.

On 12 February 2017, the Haryana Council of the Lok Raj Sangathan (LRS) held a meeting on the "Ill-effects of the Noteban (demonetisation)". There was a grand exhibition of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Ghadaris of 1857 outside the meeting hall. The meeting was attended by teachers, students, workers, farmers and traders.

The meeting was presided over by the Vice President of the All India Council of LRS, Com. Hanuman Prasad Sharma, Com. Dhunichand and Purushottam Shastri. The meeting was conducted by Com. Kuldeep.