New Delhi, December 22
Maintaining that the Bush administration’s “fabricated” stand against Iran had been exposed, the CPM today called upon the UPA government to review its “shortsighted and harmful” policy towards Iran and tell the country what steps were being taken to ensure that the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project becomes a reality.

The communiqué released at the end of three-day meeting of the central committee said the CPM had consistently maintained that the country should act on the basis of its long-term interests and its needs for energy security.

Maintaining that the USA has targeted Iran since 2005 and has got its nuclear programme referred to the Security Council, the CPM said the government had gone along with the US position and voted twice against Iran in the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency).

The party said India had been going slow on the Iran gas pipeline project under pressure of US sanctions and the State Bank of India was not issuing Letters of Credit to Iranian companies.

The central committee, which heard a report on the current situation in Nandigram, accused a section of media and anti-communist political forces about running a false campaign about murder, rape and arson in the area. It said remains of five persons killed had been dug up to concoct charges against the party.

On the Indo-US nuclear deal, the central committee endorsed the stand taken that outcome of talks at the IAEA would be placed before the UPA-Left committee for its consideration before proceeding further with the agreement.

The CPM said the decision of the government to go in for further import of wheat to ensure a buffer stock reflected the urgent need for a reversal of current policies concerning foodgrain procurement and the public distribution system.

Demanding that procurement must be ensured by official agencies giving farmers a fair return, it said the prices of imported wheat had skyrocketed and was 80 per cent higher than last year. It said import of wheat had not helped to bring any substantial reduction in prices in the open market and its policies were only helping private trade.

Demanding that the cuts in APL allocations must be reversed, it criticised the delay in announcing a fair price for rice procurement, saying that it should be at least Rs 1,000 a tonne.

The party said the Essential Commodities Act should be tightened and stringent steps taken against hoarding and speculation in essential commodities. The futures trading should be prohibited not only for wheat and rice but also for other essential commodities.

Urging the government to bring forward the promised social legislations in the forthcoming budget session, it said Standing Committee recommendations for redrafting of the legislation for unorganised sector workers according to the recommendations of the Arjun Sengupta Commission should also be implemented and passed in the next session of Parliament.

The committee demanded that the Assam government and the central government should take steps to grant Schedule Tribe status for the tea garden Adivasis and five other tribal communities.

The central committee adopted the Draft Political Resolution that will be presented to the 19th congress of the party to be held in March. The draft resolution will be released in mid-January for discussion at all levels in the party.