PRESS RELEASE | 28 September 2021
New 2021-2023 office bearers elected at the national convention of Socialist Party (India)
At the national conference of Socialist Party (India) held in Wardha, Maharashtra in September 2021, the mandate was overwhelmingly strong and clear: unification of the socialist democratic forces against communal fascism is not only essential but inevitable. As constitutional principles, and democratic and secular beliefs, are being undermined, it is imperative that a national alternative against the communal fascist forces of BJP will have to emerge to save the true essence and integrity of our constitutional values. Socialist Party (India) is dedicated to continue its efforts in this direction.
The national conference of the Socialist Party (India) exposed the failure of Modi-led government and its failed response to Covid-19 which pushed India into a severe economic crisis coupled with cascading humanitarian crises in myriad forms. For example, unemployment and food insecurity have increased tenfold. The divide between the richest of Indians and vast majority of the poor has widened even during the pandemic, with richest of business owners accumulating more wealth than before, whereas, vast majority of our population was and is reeling under economic crisis.
World Bank data shows that highest infant deaths happened in India in 2020 globally (99,642 out of 267,000) due to economic downturn caused by Covid-19. Infant deaths went up by 7% in 2020. Also, National Women Commission data shows that in first 8 months of 2021, reports of crimes and violence against women shot up by 46%, and more than half of these were reported from BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh. Socialist Party (India) national meet underlined the dire need to safeguard and strengthen public services, cooperative sectors, and formulation of a new economic policy which has economic justice (and redistributive justice) principles in the core in line with our constitutional values.
Modi government has not only failed to safeguard our natural resources but rather facilitated its plunder. For example, Modi government’s criminal apathy to the saints of Maitri Sadan who are fasting to save Ganga, and have lost lives even, is a reality check on fake promises of Modi govt to ‘save ganga’. Similarly, Energy Policy Institute of Chicago University released its report that 40% of Indians will lose 9 years of their average life expectancy due to air pollution life-threatening hazards. Worst levels of cancer-causing pollutants in the air globally (particulate matter) are in India.
Socialist Party (India) national conference demanded repeal of all three anti-farmer laws with immediate effect. Modi government is adamant upon enforcing anti-farmer laws that will only benefit the big corporations. India needs agriculture policy that has food sovereignty in its core so that those who grow life nourishing food for our humanity get their honest due with dignity. Socialist Party (India)’s national meet called for a nation-wide ban against aggressive corporate-driven agenda of pushing fortified food and instead promote locally grown nutritious alternatives.
Privatisation of education, health, agriculture and other essential public services must immediately be halted. Public health services, right to free universal education for rich and poor alike, and other public services must be top priority for the government.
Other resolutions passed by the National Conference of the Socialist Party (India):
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* As is in the case of Panchayat Administrative Committees, 50% of seats in the State Legislative Assemblies and Parliamentary national elections, must be reserved for women.
* Lakshadweep administrator Praful Khota Patel should be removed and ‘reforms’ forced by him on Lakshadweep be repealed.
* A comprehensive land reform law must be implemented so that the principle of land belongs to the tiller becomes a reality and no one remains homeless.
* Upper maximum cap/ limit must be enforced on holding land, plantations, as well as wealth/ income – proportionate to the minimum wage ascertained by the government based upon Dr Ram Manohar Lohia’s principle of 1:10 ratio between highest and lowest wage in the population.
* In order to make money and muscle power meaningless in electoral politics, the government must bear the election expense of all electoral candidates, and these electoral candidates must be chosen by a representative vote to ensure free and fair elections. Electronic Voting Machines should be abolished and ballot system, which is also used in developed nations worldwide, be brought back to prevent electoral frauds. Policies that fuel corruption and unaccounted money in electoral system without transparency such as electoral bonds be immediately squashed.
* 4 Labour Codes must be withdrawn. Labour laws must protect the interest of all the workers in our labour workforce in formal and informal sectors, and not instead serve the interest of the corporate sector.
* Government must fully support the struggle for an independent Tibet, and call to grant Tibet an observer status at the United Nations (just like Palestine has an observer status).
* Socialist Party (India) demanded that Government of India honour its Framework Agreement signed in 2015 with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isac-Muivah) to resolve the long pending Naga dispute.
* Socialist Party (India) supports the struggle of people of Myanmar and demands restoration of democracy at the earliest.
* Socialist Party (India) stands for the rights of women and children under the Taliban regime and appeals to the world to help restore democracy in Afghanistan by actively engaging the Taliban government.
Newly elected officer bearers for 2021-2023 of Socialist Party (India)
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* National President: former MP and Advocate Thampan Thomas
* Vice Presidents:
– Ram Swaroop Mantri (Madhya Pradesh)
– Advocate S Rajasekharan Nair (Kerala)
– S Nurul Amin (Telangana)
– Gautam Kumar Pritam (Bihar)
* General Secretaries:
– Dr Sandeep Pandey
– Advocate Jaya Vindhyala (Telangana)
– Harinder Manshahia (Punjab)
* Secretaries:
– Faisal Khan (Delhi)
– Dr Peehu Pardeshi (Maharashtra)
* Treasurer: Ravindra (UP)
* Executive Committee:
– Vijendra Kumar (Bihar)
– MA Baig (Telangana)
– Bandana Pandey (Delhi)
– Dr Shuchita Kumar (Haryana)
– Jagdish Tirodkar (Maharashtra)
– Surekha Adam (Maharashtra)
– Jayanti Panchal (Gujarat)
– Jyotindra N Yadav (Gujarat)
– Sagarika Banerjee (West Bengal)
– Pukhrambam Lamjingba Khuman (Manipur)
Central Parliamentary Board Chairman: Advocate Mohd Shoaib (UP)
Place: Sevagram
