Punjab SEZ Bill Exposes Anti-people character of Akali-BJP combine and the Congress

Lok Morcha Punjab has strongly opposed the Punjab Special Economic Zones Bill -2009 passed by Punjab Vidhan Sabha, in its last session, which allows a developer to set up & operate 100 percent export oriented units without paying any tax. It will open the flood gates for the exploitation of the natural resources, manpower & state exchequer of Punjab by imperialist foreign companies and their Indian partners. Being anti-people and anti-national, this enactment should not be brought on the statute book. Passing of the Punjab Special Economic Zones Bill -2009 by the state legislature, without thoroughly discussing its provisions proves that the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) as well as the Congress, are equally zealous in serving foreign and Indian big capitalists (Malik Bhagoes), and care the least for the poor farmers, agricultural laborers and industrial workers (Bhai Laloes) of Punjab.
While on one hand Punjab Govt pleads to have no money to spend on education, health services, water supply, power and infrastructure etc., it is bestowing huge benefits on the imperialist and big capitalists. It exposes the anti-people & pro-imperialist character of Akali-BJP combine. The Act provides for total exemption from payment of any tax, duty, fees, cess or any other levy. Diesel and Petrol would be available to the units in SEZs at about half the market price due to various tax exemptions. Similarly cement, bricks, iron & steel shall also be made available to them at about 30 to 40 percent cheaper rates. Presently, registration fee on agricultural & urban land is levied at the rate of 10 & 14 percent respectively of its value, whereas the SEZ developer will not pay even a single Paisa, as all the units in SEZ shall be exempted from stamp duty, registration fee and social security Cess on the purchase of land.
This Act also provides for giving public utility status to industrial units located in SEZs. It means, these units shall be exempted from the operation of various labour laws relating to working hours, minimum wages, retrenchments, lock-outs, gratuity, accident compensation, maternity & other social security benefits, right to form trade unions etc. It will result in extreme exploitation of laborers employed there. In effect, the SEZs established under the Act shall supply subsidized goods to foreign markets at the cost of the people of Punjab. If similar tax benefits are extended to the industrialists, transporters and farmers of Punjab, to cater to the local market, the prices of most goods & services will become 50 percent cheaper.
The benefits being showered upon the foreign and big Indian capitalists by Punjab Govt, through this Act, are in addition to nearly Rs.7,03,147 Crore tax benefits already given to them by the Central Govt in the last two financial years.

A Peoples Manifesto

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

A Peoples Manifesto

Two revolutionary organizations of Punjab, namely LOK MORCHA & INQLABI KENDER have issued a joint manifesto, which is qualitatively different from the ones issued by the political parties struggling to enter the Indian Parliament.

CHANGE THE STATE, CHANGE THE SOCIETY

These two organizations are neither themselves in the election fray, nor supporting any political party. But even then they have decided to compaign vigorously amongst the masses for their revolutionary alternative ‘Change the State, Change the Society’, in contrast to the mainline political parties’ slogan of getting votes for their candidates.

The clarion call of the joint manifesto released today is, ‘Peoples salvation lies not in merely changing the Govts. Change the State, Change the Society’

The 16-page manifesto notes that the Indian Constitution, under which the elections to the Parliament & State Legislatures are held, is merely a device to perpetuate and continue the exploitative and oppressive rule of big sharks. The people of India are in fact being subjected to danda-raj, under the garb of parliamentary democracy.

IT IS A SHAM DEMOCRACY

A multi-dimensional analysis of present electoral system clearly reveals that the ruling groups use it to get the stamp of approvals from the people every five years for their exploitative and oppressive regime, by putting a veil of democracy over it. These two organizations will work to free the people from this illusion of democracy and to fulfill the ideals of Shaheed Bhagat Singh by mobilizing the people around his ideal of effecting fundamental revolutionary changes in the society.

Citing concrete examples from the history of Indian liberation movement and the policies pursued by Indian rules since 1947, the manifesto concludes that the different ruling political groupings have identical anti-people policies and visions in the sphere of foreign policy, industry, agriculture, education, health, technology, culture, communalism, regionalism etc. They generate heat & noise against each other during the eletrol campaigns to camoflauge their real fight for getting bigger share in power and pelf. Faces of the rules change, but their character remains the same.

Lok Morcha & Inqualabi Kender Punjab have not limited them selves to merely making a negative criticism of the Indian democracy and the present electoral system. They have put forward concrete alternative set of policies to be put in operation in the domestic and international spheres, and have claimed that the alternative set of policies will cause a revolutionary transformation in the lives of the people and free them of most of the ills & problems.

ALTERNATIVE SET OF PEOPLE-CENTERED POLICIES

Elucidating the alternative set of policies both these organizations advocated that:

1. The exploitation and expropriation by foreign imperialists, big capitalists, and big landlords should be put to an end. All their capital and assets be confiscated and used for the development of our country.

2. People-centered restructuring of the economy should be done.

3. Fundamental transformation in land relations be affected through revolutionary land reforms.

4. All the institutional and non-institutional debts of farm & non-farm labourers, peasants, and marginal farmers be waved off.

5. Self-sustaining national industry, free from foreign imperialist domination, and based on labour-intensive technology should be developed. Industrial policy should be framed keeping in view national needs.

The manifest asserted that the alternative policies and revolutionary steps advocated by them will usher in a new people-centered and people-dominated political set-up, by putting an end to the present rotten and degenrated institutions of political power such as parliament, State Legislatures, judicial system, beauruecracy, state-machinery etc.

COMPAIGN TO BUILD A TRULY DEMOCRATIC & SECULAR STATE

The manifesto claimed that the peopels’ new revolutionary state shall be truly democratic, and secular. They called upon the people to strengthen their class unity and fraternity and to develop their struggles into a political offensive against the exploitative and oppressive regime.

These organizations have vowed to take up a mass compaign to every nook and corner to popularize their manifesto through mass meetings, rallies, seminars, flag-marches, etc.

Punjab Protest Against Lalgarh Atrocities

COMMITTE FORMED TO PROTEST AGAINST REPRESSION ON LALGARH PEOPLE
A' Committee Against Repression On Lalgarh People' has been formed in Punjab today. It consists of three members, who are well-known leaders of democratic-revolutionary organisations, namely- Kanwaljit Khanna (Inqulabi Kender, Punjab), Balwant Makhu (Lok Sangram Manch) and Amolak Singh (Lok Morcha Punjab). The Committee in its first meeting held has decided to hold a protest demonstration at Moga on 10.7.09. Lok Morcha Punjab endorsing this call has called upon all its members and sympathisers to participate in the protest demonstration in full strength to show their solidarity with the struggling people of Lalgarh.

STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF LALGARH STRUGGLE

The tribal of Lalgarh are fighting a glorious struggle to protect their lands, forests, natural resources, culture, lives, liberty & honor. After the land-mine blast on the caravan of West Bengal C.M. Budhdeb Bhattacharya and the then Union Steel & Mines Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, in November 2008, the West Bengal police launched a massive combing operation in the Lalgarh area, conducting mid-night raids; beating up, assaulting and dishonoring women & children, illegally detaining & torturing them in police camps. The tribal refused to take it lying down and took to the path of struggle against these repressive measures by organizing themselves in Committees for Resisting Police Repression, in numerous villages. The held massive Dharnas and protest sieges before the police-camps and decided to socially boycott those police officials who perpetuated cruelties upon them. There was absolutely nothing “Maoist” in their 11-point charter of demands, which included public apology by policemen responsible for torturing & humiliating the people; an end to mid-night police raids; release of innocent persons detained without trial since 1998 on the suspicion of being ‘Maoists’; removal of all police camps from various schools, hospitals & other public buildings in the area; & compensation to the victims of police brutalities, etc.
Although the authorities conceded these demands and promised to initiate action to implement these, but this announcement was a clever ploy to buy time. Shortly afterwards, the police raids restarted with increased vigor; police repression on the innocent people intensified & the police camps were re-established. Two leaders of the Committee for Resisting Police Repression, namely Nirmal Sardar & Hemadri Mahato were brutally murdered. CPI (M) goons are enacting a different type of ‘Salwa Judam’, openly firing upon struggling tribal, killing & maiming many people.
Now a full scale offensive with a contingent of more than 5000 armed personnel is underway. Indian state is trying to overawe & crush simple tribal folks, by massive deployment of its security forces, armed with ultra-modern & sophisticated weapons, under the garb of flushing out the ‘Maoists’.
The Santhal tribal of Lalgarh have been deprived of the basic necessities of life, since decades. There is no electricity, irrigation facilities, motorable roads etc. Facilities for education, health care, safe drinking water etc are scarce. For the last more than 5 years, the few existing school, hospital & other public buildings have been occupied by the security forces. Funds provided under various ‘development schemes’ such as NREGA, Indira Awas Yojna etc are cornered by Marxist-controlled Panchayats to benefit their own cadres. The Public Distribution System is being used for illegal enrichment of Depot Holders, who are members or sympathizers of CPI (M) & corrupt officials. Now in the name of establishing Special Economic Zones, a wave of dispossession of tribal from their lands & forests has started to facilitate their exploitation by MNCs & their Indian agents. The CPI (M) which has remained entrenched in the Writers Building for more than three days on the strength of tribal votes has done nothing to ameliorate their lot. Rather it has worsened further due to anti-people neo-liberal policies being pursued by the West Bengal & Central Govts.
With the present armed offensive & extreme violent repression, the State may lull the movement temporarily. But the democratic revolutionary aspirations of Lalgarh people can not be crushed. The movement will rebound with great vigor and increased strength, winning support & solidarity from the struggling people throughout India.

Dated: 26.6.09