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Volume 53 No. 22 Organ of the SOCIALIST UNITY CENTRE OF (COMMUNIST) Subscription Free July 1, 2020 Founder Editor-in-Chief : COMRADE Distributed via Internet Great Lenin’s statue installed in West Germany Monument dedicated to Great Stalin unveiled in Russia

Western city of Gelsenkirchen, West Germany City of Bor, in Nizhny Novogorod region, Russia

Healthcare in Capitalism and Socialism Contrast sharply revealed during covid 19 pandemic With continued spurt in Covid are at the receiving end. They are amenities of the people at the helm US scenario 19 cases and deaths not only in falling victims to the deadly virus of the governments and If one first looks at the US India but throughout the world, one and embracing death because ruling bureaucracy do not find money to which has now become the thing is nakedly unfolded : Absence capitalism today does not care for spend for improving medical and epicentre of Covid 19 infections of proper healthcare for all and providing them proper medical allied research on a large scale. So, and deaths, it would be found that a mindless skewing of medical assistance which they are naturally modern medical treatment is disproportionate number of those facilities to the few rich and entitled as human beings and skewed only in favour of a few who get sick and die will almost affluent while the multitudes of citizens of a civilized world. And rich. And also, desired pace of certainly be those belonging to the poor and underprivileged are just with the ongoing spree of development in medical science to poorer strata. In addition to a lack left to fend for themselves. If one privatization of healthcare, the treat and cure life-threatening of paid sick time and medical care, takes the stock of how many downtrodden and pauperised diseases, thwart spread of low-income Americans often have people have fallen prey to Covid 19 millions cannot bear the exorbitant epidemics and confront newly another risk factor that could make and how many of them have cost of availing proper medical emerging viral infections is the virus more deadly: long-term succumbed to that attack, this stark treatment. The imperialist- criminally neglected. Covid 19 exposure to air pollution. Some 14 reality would be revealed, and capitalist governments who have pandemic has glaringly revealed crore Americans, more than 43 revealed glaringly. It is the toiling been spending mind-boggling sum in this hideous face of deceitful and percent of the population, now live millions, the misery and poverty- arms manufacturing, space mission, oppressive imperialism-capitalism in a county that failed on at least stricken, highly discriminated robotics for military purpose and for which has made healthcare a one basic measure of air quality, underprivileged global citizens who ensuring personal comfort and marketable commodity for reaping according to a 2019 report from the maximum profit through widespread American Lung Association. And Migrant Workers’ Association affiliated to commercialization. Contd on page 2 AIUTUC organized a protest demonstration SUCI(C) on in front of Rajbhavan, , on 22 June India-China border clash Comrade , Secretary, SUCI (Communist), issued the following statement on 17 June 2020 : It is a matter of deep concern and shock that when the entire world including India is in the grip of a severe attack of deadly Covid-19 and when both India and China have been engaged in negotiations with a view to resolving the border dispute in Eastern Ladakh, a violent clash between the two occurred all of a sudden on Monday, 15th June 2020, which reportedly took away the lives of at least 20 Indian soldiers till now. We therefore urge upon the Governments of both India and China to sit together immediately to find out a just solution of the border problem peacefully without involvement of the US imperialists or any other third party. PAGE TWO JULY 1, 2020 Healthcare Capitalism has made healthcare a marketable commodity for reaping maximum profit Contd. from page 1 African American, Asian or consequences of the country’s world. death rates from asthma, which is Hispanic, has had a life of income fragmented health care system thus Now the Covid 19 pandemic has also linked to pollution, are three anxiety, poor healthcare, lives in have become more visible in times collided with the engine of inequality times higher among African inadequate housing and cannot of stress. in UK as well. While the well-to-do Americans. The gap in life afford healthy food, space and rest, Medical experts and have been deploying their private expectancy between the wealthiest one is most susceptible to any administration officials also tried to medical insurance to circumvent the 1 percent and the poorest 1 percent deadly disease Covid 19 included. warn Trump of the serious nature of pandemic threat by securing the of Americans is almost 15 years. Next is about healthcare the Covid 19 pandemic as far back sophisticated healthcare This underlying health disparity delivery system which is virtually as in January. But he paid no heed infrastructure, Britain’s army of along with the failure to maintain fully dependent on health to that. A large group of health, law precarious workers have no way out the public health systems by insurance. About 44 million (4.4 and other experts released a letter but put their health at risk. Factory expending due sum of money for crore) Americans have no in early March urging US policy workers, Uber drivers, Deliveroo keeping enough emergency insurance and 80% of them are makers to “ensure comprehensive riders, cleaners, conservancy equipment, making proper planning workers and their dependents. and affordable access to testing, workers and such other toiling and producing sufficient primary Another 38 million have inadequate including for the uninsured.” Giving Britishers are all in low-paid jobs care physicians, have made the insurance. That means, 1/3rd of the recognition to the sordid state of and often find it extremely difficult poor extremely vulnerable to Covid Americans do not come to know if affairs, Dr. Anthony Fauci, White to maintain their families, leave 19. Also, the heavy workload of they or their family members fall House health advisor, said that “in alone the capacity to go for hospital nurses is a major problem sick and whether medicare is the middle of coronavirus crisis, the expensive medical treatment. One for the American health care available to them or not. Most of health disparities and inequalities example would make the position system. Nurses are experiencing the employed Americans have are getting exposed.” He even clear. Men living in the poorest higher workloads than ever before private health insurance, which are observed that had Trump acted communities in the UK have an due to four main reasons: (1) generally subsidized by their earlier, lives could have “obviously” average of 9.4 years shorn off their increased demand for nurses, (2) employers. Many will lose that been saved. Casual approach, life expectancies compared with inadequate supply of nurses, (3) coverage as unemployment extremely late and hesitant adoption those in the richest areas; for reduced staffing and increased skyrockets following Covid 19 of precautionary measures and women, it is 7.4 years. Asthma, overtime, and (4) reduction in strike. Out of 6,146 hospitals, only above all, placing profit motive of diabetes and such other chronic patient length of stay. 1174 are under government sector. monopoly houses above securing ailments are far more common Figures of corona casualty For many Americans, paying down people’s life caused this havoc in among those living in poverty. 1.9 would also attest to this. As on 28 an unexpected bill of that size is US. The murky face of the million pensioners languish below the June 2020, of the 25, 96, 537 almost unthinkable. Nearly 40% of chieftain of global imperialism which poverty line and their health, on confirmed Covid-19 cases, a death U.S. adults say they would not be often militarily raids foreign average, is worse than that of their toll of 1,28,152 have been reported in able to cover a $400 emergency countries on the plea of affluent counterparts. With poor diet USA. Of them, New York city with cash, savings or a credit card. ‘establishing democracy’ in those leading to poor nutrition and lack of accounts for the largest number of 44% of Americans decline to see a lands, is laid bare with all virulence. good hygiene, the immune system of fatalities (31,452) with 4,16,018 doctor due to high cost. Half of the homeless, the workers and a confirmed cases. Most of the New Americans report that they or a European scenario good number of expatriates has York citizens affected by Covid19 family member have put off care While focussing on the been severely imperilled. With such are African Americans, Hispanics in the past because they could not European giants, let us first turn to underlying perilous health conditions, and Asian immigrants who afford it. UK where Covid 19 has taken a these people have been more prone undertake so called ‘lower end But the health business run by heavy toll. Though the public system to the risk from Covid 19. A study of economy’ jobs, like sweepers, the private operators with the dominates healthcare provision in more than 2,000 patients critically ill waiters, factory workers or taxi government in tow is now out to Britain, private health care and a with the virus in England, Wales and drivers and stay within a few square make as much profit as possible wide variety of alternative and Northern Ireland has found that kilometres of densely populated even when their countrymen are in complementary treatments are 35% are black, Asian or other ethnic Bronx borough and Queens area in grave danger. The Secretary of the available for those willing to pay minority. This is more than double cramped and poorly ventilated Department of Health and Human more. It is pertinent to mention that their representation in the wider dwelling houses which could better Services refused to commit to in UK, public healthcare was well population. be described as shanties in a city of implement price controls on a reputed. But with havoc wrought by Another country which has skyscrapers. Naturally, they are coronavirus vaccine because, he globalization measures like drastic been in the hitlist of Covid 19 is becoming easy prey of Covid 19 said that “they need the private reduction in fund and number of Italy. Though Italy claimed to have because the ‘luxury’ of so called sector to invest … price controls medical staff, increased privatization a world-class health system, the physical distancing and access to won’t get them there”. Even the and designating healthcare as a coronavirus has pushed it to the enormously expensive healthcare House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, commodity to be sold based on profit breaking point. Throughout Italy, system elude them. No different is notably did not use the word “free” maximization, there has been a there is a coexistence of public the picture in other parts of US. In when referring to a coronavirus marked denting into that reputation. hospitals, private non-profit Michigan, 40% of the corona vaccine, and instead used the word In absence of socialist camp, the hospitals and private for-profit casualty are impoverished African “affordable”. What may be need to compete in the public hospitals. While most private Americans who constitute only 15% considered affordable for the third- welfare areas has also ceased to hospitals are under contract with of population there. In Chicago most powerful person in the US exit. It bears recall that in 2009, a the regions, public hospitals may which has a 30% African American government like him with an “cascade” of medical failures and also engage in private activities as population has registered that this estimated net worth of $16 million sheer neglect of medical staff led to they are, for the most part, community accounts for 70% of the may not be affordable for someone a man dying of dehydration at St independent hospitals. At the outset, corona deaths. The picture from who cannot afford a basic private George’s hospital, London. The Italian government was stated to Louisiana is very similar: a 32% health insurance plan that still victim cried for water but no one have decided that those Covid 19 black population, with a 70% death requires a patient to pay thousands responded. This tragic death had patients having least chance of rate. If anyone in US is poor, is an of dollars out of pocket. These stirred not only UK, but the entire Contd. on page 3 PROLETARIAN ERA JULY 1, 2020 PAGE THREE Healthcare Casual approach, extremely late and hesitant adoption of precautionary measures and placing profit motive of monopoly houses above people’s life caused this Corona havoc in capitalist world Contd. from page 2 needs of the population”, said the hues, simply abrogated their eventual privatization and survival would not be given medical protesting health workers. responsibility to provide healthcare commercialization of healthcare treatment because of paucity of to the citizens. With allocation of shielded from public eye, much medicines and healthcare support Indian situation just 1.15% of the GDP towards hype is being created centered system. This clearly showed that In India, successive health, India now ranks 184th out of around health insurance as if not the doctors but the patients’ governments have for decades 191 in terms of GDP% spend on ‘Boost to Universal Insurance’ is purchasing power in regard to ignored public healthcare systems, healthcare, as per WHO. guarantee of ‘Universal market-centric commercially which has led to a situation where Since 2005, most of the Healthcare’. In reality, “Ayushman operated healthcare would decide, the government has recklessly healthcare capacity added has been Bharat National Health Protection who would receive medical promoted privatization of healthcare in the private sector, or in Mission (AB-NHPM)” introduced treatment even when a deadly virus and ignored the state’s duty to partnership with the private sector by the BJP government with a attacks. Between 2014 and 2018, protect the right to life of individuals. (PPP model). While the promise to provide a cover of Rs 5 the number of families and people Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and government owns only 3,593 lakhs per annum per family is a living below the poverty line in Italy Community Health Centres (CHCs) hospitals (and the less said about bunkum. When there is wanton has grown considerably. In 2018, which people can reach with the infrastructure of these, the lack of minimal health infrastructure 1.8 million (18 lakhs) families were difficulties are only for name’s sake better), the private sector owns as and delivery mechanism, clamour found living in poverty, roughly 3.5 as PHCs and CHCs are 88% and many as 11,810 hospitals in India. over insurance cover is a cruel lakh families more compared to 87% below prescribed IPHS (Indian Thus, the private sector controls hoax. In fact, such schemes are 2014. Around 1.9 million more Public Health Standard) 76.67 % of the hospitals in the convenient conduit for transferring people now require food assistance, respectively. So they lie either country. 29% of beds in hospitals public money to the coffers of bringing the total number to 3.7 abandoned or unmanned. According and 81% of doctors are in private insurance companies, mostly million Italians who are called to the National Health Profile 2019, sector which runs on commercial private, in the form of hefty Italy’s “new poor”. Before the in government hospitals, there is one basis and charges exorbitantly. So premium. The private insurers are coronavirus crisis, Italy was still doctor per 10,926 persons. For a the poor who suffer from acute reported to have pocketed 97 % of feeling the impact of the 2008 population of 1.3 billion, there are malnutrition and hunger are the premium income amount so far financial crash. Now, National only 25,778 government hospitals afflicted by various diseases and while claim-payment ratio has Agency for Active Labour Policies and 7,13,986 beds. The budget for cannot dream of availing modern dipped to just 6.61%. What is more of the Italian government, has managing epidemics and natural treatment in private set up. Denied chilling is that public-funded estimated that half a million jobs calamities had never exceeded medical attention, many of these healthcare insurance schemes in would be lost in the country this Rs.100 crore in any year. In fact, hapless poor who constitute 90% of India give more than 80 per cent of year due to Covid 19. A study the actual expenditure ranged the population die miserably. Nearly their reimbursements to the private showed that economically between Rs.50 crore and Rs.60 10 lakh Indians, as per official sector hospitals who also merrily disadvantaged people in Italy crore from 2016 onwards. The findings, die every year due to inflate bills to boost earning. And account for higher rates of budget for health sector disaster inadequate healthcare facilities. we have seen above how this so hospitalisation for ambulatory care preparedness and management, India registers the world’s highest called panacea of insurance-based sensitive conditions (ACSC) for including emergency medical relief maternal mortality ratio at 178 out healthcare has been depriving the chronic diseases like diabetes, and emergency medical services of 1,00,000. Even, among the rest disadvantaged and impoverished hypertension, congestive heart was halved in the Budget Estimates 10% of population, a sizeable people of rudimentary medical failure, angina pectoris and chronic of 2018-19 from what was allocated section falls in the category of assistance even in a country like obstructive pulmonary disease in 2016-17. middle-class, mostly urban dwellers. US. (COPD), and asthma. They have They are hardly better off as obviously been soft target, so to The abrogation of the progressively dwindling income Healthcare in corona-struck say, of Covid 19. government’s responsibility to because of rising unemployment, India The scenario of other European provide healthcare job loss and spiralling price line do As in elsewhere, Covid-19 has countries is almost similar. Health On the other hand, privatization not allow them to avail highly nakedly exposed the fragility of workers organized massive of healthcare is being celebrated as expensive treatment in sophisticated Indian healthcare system. Even demonstrations in Paris and other the epitome of development by the private hospitals. So, they knock at after almost three months of cities across France on 16 June to Indian government. Since the few government hospitals lockdown, there is huge scarcity of demand that the government save capitalism-imperialism is ridden with where they find hassles, testing kits, hospital beds, treatment public hospitals. “For over a year, a growing insolvable, acute market harassments, paucity of doctors, facilities, isolation centres and hospital staff have been warning crisis endemic of the system, there shortage of beds, dysfunctional quarantine arrangement. As most of about the lack of means in public is hardly any scope left to the medical equipments, folded up the healthcare is in private hands, hospitals and their difficulties in capitalist owners and business diagnostic facilities and crumbling the skeleton service provided by the carrying out their care tasks. For tycoons for maximizing profit infrastructure awaiting them in already overcrowded government over a year, they have been asking through productive investment. So, place of medical care. The hospitals, mostly located in urban for a hospital emergency plan to the doctrine of capitalist hospitals even frequently refuse to and semi-urban areas, has suddenly guarantee the quality and safety of globalization, promoted with much supply medicines free of cost as faced a burden which it could not patient care. Since then, the Covid- fanfare in the 1990s, prescribed the per rule. Now, the BJP government shoulder. There is no slackening in 19 crisis has shown the essential opening up of all essential public has floated National Health Policy the commercial interest of the place of the public hospital and the welfare sectors including healthcare (NHP) 2017 as a blueprint for total private operators even in such a hard absolute need to have staff and to the private houses. Accordingly, privatization. time. Though there was prior material means to meet the health the governments, irrespective of To keep this dirty game of Contd on page 4 PAGE FOUR JULY 1, 2020 PROLETARIAN ERA Healthcare Everywhere, the extremely poor and marginalized people are worst victims

Contd. from page 3 as a threat to the nation’s culture. that “As the basis for its activity in useful account of the widespread indication of the pandemic, the Though being a formidable group of the sphere of protecting people’s health education in the USSR in her government did not care to make real creators of wealth, the health, the Russian Communist Party book ‘The Soviet Union Today’. She arrangement for enough and economically worst-off and the (Bolsheviks) considers primarily the noted that “all doctors were obliged appropriate Personal Protective socially marginalised are often implementation of extensive health- to spend at least 8 hours of every Equipment (PPE) for the doctors, condemned as meritless job takers, building and sanitary measures with month teaching preventive medicine nursing staff, health assistants and even criminals, and therefore are at the object of preventing the and answering the questions of the hospital employees. Exposed to the the receiving end of indignity, incidence of disease.” At the 7th public in places such as parks, patients without necessary safety, coercion and violence by the state Congress of Soviets, held in lecture rooms and health centres; many of the healthcare workers and society. Now they are made to December 1919, great Lenin said education in preventive medicine and including doctors themselves have pay a big price, both in terms of “…and still a third scourge is moving hygiene was carried out thoroughly contracted the infection. Some of infection and pauperization, for the upon us – the louse, typhus, which is in schools; posters and pamphlets them have died also, reducing the corona attack which, incidentally, mowing down our are to be found all over the Soviet already meagre medical force. has been imported from abroad in troops…Comrades, every attention Union, in different types of Even now sufficient testing kits are aeroplanes by people landing from must be given to this problem.” institutions, giving instruction on not in place. So, apprehensions are corona-struck countries. 80 per “Either the lice will defeat socialism basic healthcare.” Henry Sigerist, being expressed that the official cent Indian households is without or socialism will defeat the lice!” US Professor of History of figures of infections and deaths are piped water connection. Drinking Article 42 of the Soviet Constitution Medicine, a visitor to Russia in the far short of the actual ones. This is water in 30,000-odd rural habitations gave all citizens the right to health 1930s, commented that `the the pathetic condition of public is affected by arsenic and iron protection and free access to any foundations of socialist medicine healthcare in capitalist India which pollution. Over 53.1 per cent did not health institutions in the USSR. The were laid in the stormy years of civil boasts of being the fifth largest have latrines inside the premises. number of doctors rose greatly. war’. Soviet Union was first to economy in the world but has With the limited guarantee of clean USSR had the highest number of show the world how required stress climbed to fourth position in terms running water, compulsion of being doctors and hospitals in the world. on community medicine, proper of Covid 19 cases. dumped to live in congested rooms At the end of the first five year plan healthcare infrastructure and correct In any epidemic fatality, the poor or hutments and continuously under stewardship of great Stalin, application of medical science can are the worst victims. The ongoing plummeting income of 90% the number of doctors increased successfully combat epidemics. pandemic has attested to this fact population, is not the prescription of from 63,000 to 76,000, the number Most importantly, as the world is more emphatically in India as well. maintaining physical distance, of hospital beds increased by more now struggling to develop anti- India’s failure to ensure access to frequent “hand washing” with soap than half and the number of nursery Covid-19 drugs, Soviet physicians in clean air, clean water, healthcare, or sanitiser to keep corona at bay a places increased from 2,56,000 to those days had developed both preventive and treatment, luxury in the Indian context? But 57,50,000. The allocation for health treatments based on bacteriophage among others, is a breach of the that is the paradoxical reality. protection rose from 128.5m to against infectious diseases. Bacteria right to life. Healthcare is a Hygiene and medical treatment are 660.8m roubles per year, and the kill humans, but bacteriophages fundamental right and right to life is being guillotined on the altar of the number of hospital beds from destroy bacteria. Today, guaranteed in the constitution. bourgeois governments committed 175,000 to 225,000. Even by the bacteriophages are considered by However, constitutional directives or to market economy unmindful of mid-thirties, health care in the USSR many medical experts as the solution the legal provisions for the security human cost. far outstripped the health care in the to the growing resistance of bacteria and empowerment of each citizen western world. More than 28,000 to antibiotics. TB vaccine was do not appear to apply to the Contrasting was the spectacle State infirmaries for women and discovered in France. But Soviet impoverished millions. So the in Soviet socialism children were built up during the Union was first to declare migrant workers, slum-dwellers, Most pertinent in this connection construction of socialism in the compulsory TB vaccination for all shelterless populace and rural have- is a recap of the universal free Soviet Union and were run with under state supervision. Even after nots form the bulk of the victims of healthcare system of Soviet utmost care and importance. 17% the leadership of the Soviet the current tragedy triggered by socialism. Like all other basic of the annual budget of Soviet Union Communist party was usurped by Covid 19. Because, they have services, healthcare was also state- was spent to provide free universal Khrushchevite revisionists after access to neither hygiene nor funded there. As a result, life healthcare to all. Soviet union was Stalin’s demise, the socialist state healthcare. The nation has expectancy in Soviet Russia had first to show to the whole world how structure, notwithstanding being in witnessed how the heartless doubled and infant mortality had that due emphasis the process of gradual degeneration, government has neglected the been reduced to one-ninth. The Soviet Union could achieve this maintained, in the main, such high human claims of the migrant public healthcare system that was tremendous progress because in standard healthcare under state labourers and forced them to resort established in the Soviet Union was socialism the entire system and control till socialism was finally to a mass exodus. Their visible a significant example of socialist planning is structured to fulfil the demolished through counter- neglect by the capitalist state and its construction. The Soviet principle of necessity of the people. No other revolution. servitor governments makes them healthcare was conceived by the consideration finds place in policy Great Marx had shown long ago even more vulnerable to corona People’s Commissariat for Health in formulation. Socialist Soviet state that so-called bourgeois democracy infection and alienated from the 1918 with subsequent creation of a spent heavily on cultivation of is democracy of 1% people to society. The rate of infection is broad state network of healthcare science and healthcare. New suppress 99% people. In contrast, particularly high in congested slums establishments, based on centrally- medical and scientific research proletarian democracy in socialism is of Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata. The planned socialist economy, which institutes were established on the democracy of 99% people to much-trumpetted story of India’s provided free medical care services initiative of Stalin, Molotov, suppress 1%. Soviet Union under economic growth only showcases for the whole population. In pre- Voroshilov and A M Gorky. The great Lenin and Stalin proved that in the persistent marginalisation and revolutionary Russia, the poorer healthcare system of the Soviet true letters. Apart from eradicating exclusion of the poor migrant people did not have qualified medical Union was held in high esteem by illiteracy, unemployment, wage workers. These groups survive in help in times of illness. Soon that many foreign specialists. S.M. slavery, poverty, hunger, prostitution, isolation and have often been facility was made available to all in Manton, a British scientist who beggary, child labour, drug addiction, treated with disdain, mistrust or even socialist system. CPSU(B) notified visited the USSR in 1951, gives a Contd on page 5 PROLETARIAN ERA JULY 1, 2020 PAGE FIVE Healthcare Had socialist bloc been in existence and governing principles of healthcare and health research been premised on a pro-people non-commercial approach, global populace could have averted the crisis Contd. from page 4 healthcare system even in coverage due to the historical providing free aid to over 160 trafficking and all evils of the underdeveloped rural areas. Thus, hospital-based legacy,” said Helen countries across the globe who capitalist system and raising the socialist China within no time Chen, head of L.E.K. Consulting’s faced serious health crisis or standard of life of people in every progressed to find a place in the list China biopharmaceuticals and life outbreak of epidemics at various respect within just two decades, of countries with most advanced sciences practice. It is this points of time. Even when Italy Soviet Union also lifted healthcare, medical infrastructure. imperialist character of present emerged as one of the most corona- education, social security and such But once revisionist Deng China which has been instrumental affected country, Cuba had other public welfare sectors to an leadership took over after the behind suppression of the news of immediately sent a team of 34 unprecedented height. demise of Mao Zedong, policy first appearance of Covid 19 in doctors and supplies of necessary Healthcare is no more free to directive was shifted to capitalist Wuhan city which, incidentally, is in medicine to Italy. Cuba also allowed public in either Russia or the market-orientation in place of direct contact of the entire world a British cruise ship carrying five constituent states of former Soviet centrally controlled free public because of being a large industrial Covid-19 positive patients to dock in Union after counter-revolution and healthcare. According to the report and commercial hub and hence its harbour after it was turned away reinstallation of capitalism. It has by WHO in 2000, when China was posed the threat of global by other countries. In Cuba, out of a become a highly expensive going full throttle along counter- transmission. population of 1.13 crore, only 2315 commodity in the hands of private revolutionary line, its healthcare Covid-19 cases have been reported capital. Numerous state hospitals which used to be a role model for Socialist healthcare model of with 2113 recoveries and 85 deaths. and clinics have been closed, while developing countries, was ranked Cuba Many experts believe Cuba has large private hospitals have been 188th out of 191 countries in terms of But the supremacy of socialism managed to control the outbreak established. Naturally, Russia alone inequity of resource distribution for has a blinking but eye-opening better than many countries due to its is witnessing a surge of over 6.34 medical treatment or public manifestation in Cuba. After well-staffed preventive healthcare lakh Covid 19 cases and ranking healthcare. Many people died in revolution in 1959, Cuba’s newly system, doubling of testing in no third in the world in this regard. capitalist China in 2003 because of formed socialist system inherited a time, mobilization of activists SERS epidemic. for-profit healthcare system that through mass organizations to track Healthcare sector in imperialist Now, like US, China, now an was plagued with political cases, a centralized system that China is similarly anti-poor imperialist power, is also following corruption, poverty, illiteracy, allows a better focus, and Similar is the case with present an insurance-based healthcare economic inequality, and social willingness to quarantine large imperialist China. After revolution in system with both public and private injustice. The revolution put numbers of people. Even a poor 1949, healthcare in China was medicare facilities in place. Despite enormous energy into building new country like Vietnam with its once nationalized. A strong programme so called universal insurance cover, facilities and expanding healthcare socialist base could also wage a involving the development of health the public health insurance generally services and the new socialist remarkably successful fight against services in towns and rural areas covers only about half of medical Cuban government began the Covid 19 pandemic, reported and emphasizing the growth of costs, with the proportion lower for overhauling the for-profit health already in Proletarian Era. preventive services, was put in serious or chronic illnesses. Under system which, 30 years later, place. This programme was geared the “Healthy China 2020” initiative, resulted in free health services for Governing system matters towards the eradication of parasitic China is currently undertaking an all its citizens which is integrated It can thus be seen that the and infectious diseases and the effort to cut healthcare costs. The with national social and economic immense suffering of the common establishment of hospitals and rural best but highly expensive (10 times development. There are no private toiling masses due to absence of clinics, and continued to develop more than a public hospital) medical hospitals or clinics as all health rudimentary healthcare is an throughout the 1950s and the early care in China is available in foreign- services are government-run. Cuba endowment of the capitalist- 1960s. Just in 5 years after run or joint venture Western-style has more than 1,00,000 doctors with imperialist system which has made revolution, socialist China medical facilities with international a proportion of nine doctors per this vital sector a lucrative area for established new medical colleges to staff available in the large cities. 1,000 citizens and more than maximization of corporate profit. provide modern treatment to all. In Various inefficiencies have 485,000 health professionals. Each Had the socialist bloc been in the mid- 1960s, during the Cultural resulted from the provi-der-led of the country’s 268 polyclinics existence and governing principles Revolution, policy objec-tives service. These include longer in- provide care to 25,000 to 30,000 of healthcare and health research switched firmly towards the need to patient stays for the insured, Cubans, and each of the thirty-eight been premised on a pro-people non- establish and improve rural polypharmacy, and excessive drug regional hospital “centers” is commercial approach, the global healthcare. Under the leadership of costs, because hospitals derive affiliated with an average of seven populace would not have been great Mao Zedong, architect of much income that way. A clear polyclinics. A larger number of subjected to such untold suffering Chinese revolution, a new struggle incentive exists to offer CT scans, provincial hospital centers provide and misery, both from health as well was released to scientifically for example, especially for those specialty care. The Cuban as economic perspectives, centring develop acupuncture and other with insurance cover. The imbalance healthcare system which meets all round worldwide spread of new indigenous treatments alongside between sectors in terms of their these standards set by the WHO has Covid-18 infection, and huge death modern medicine. To meet the revenue-generating potential means brought together the medical toll could have been averted. deficiency of doctors in a vast that curative, hospital-based community and residential Particularly, the crying need of country like China which was medicine is emphasized upon at the community, creating a sense of fighting and overcoming the Covid severely backward in every respect expense of population-based belonging and unity which improves 19 crisis under the guidance of a before revolution, a large voluntary programmes of primary or a person’s sense of security, devoted Global Scientists’ and organization of “bare footed doctors’ secondary prevention and primary maintenance of hygiene as well as Doctors’ Committee with inductions was created in 1965. This had care. “In China, there is a lack of mental health. Cuba has been on the of best experts from all countries significantly reformed the public community-based primary care frontlines of many global struggles, Contd on page 7 PAGE SIX JULY 1, 2020 PROLETARIAN ERA Report of six member committee on Delhi riots on February last does not reflect ground reality A six member team submitted a misinformation, hate speech Muslim place of worship near 02, 2020).Such a conclusion of the report on ‘North-East Delhi Riots’ campaigns using Anti-CAA” as a the petrol pump set ablaze not Report appears totally fabricated and to the Home Minister of India on the basis and the Report alleged “that mentioned in the Report. puts the entire blame on one 29 of May 2020. The team consisted ‘members belonging to the ‘tukde The Report has claimed that particular community and those who of Justice Ambadas Joshi (Retired tukde gang’ were hand-in-glove with Umar Khalid, a former student & had been active in the Anti CAA Judge, Bombay High Court), M.L. various radical groups mentioned member of Jawaharlal Nehru agitations, while giving a clean chit to Meena (Retd, IAS), Vivek Dubey above alongwith Bhim Army, local University, Delhi and currently all others who had been involved in (Retd, IPS), Dr TD Dogra (Former MLAs, the ISI and other associated with ‘Bhagat Singh the riots. Director AIIMS), Neera Mishra international organizations were Ambedkar Student Organisation’ From the above one can make (Social Entrepreneur), Neeraj behind the North-East riots of called for riots ahead of Donald out that the six members Committee Aarora (Advocate) had compiled Delhi”. Thus, it squarely blames all Trump’s visit in a speech. report is one sided, biased, and the report. One member is a the people and the organizations However, this claim too is bogus. prepared by a tailor made committee forensic pathologist, who had who had participated in the Anti- Video clips of Umar’s referred sponsored by the hidden hand of the previously assisted the CBI in the NRC anti-CAA movements as speech delivered at Amravati, Central Government. It does not Gujarat Riots case and the Ishrat responsible for the riots. But the Maharashtra on 17 February show include any of the general public or Jahaan encounter case. Another had Report is completely silent on the that in the first few minutes, he said, known social activists, prominent been a Public Prosecutor for the involvement of cadres of the BJP, “Right now, when IPS Abdur persons of high integrity and social NIA. It is apparent that the RSS, and their associate Rehman spoke about Gandhi and standing. It puts the entire blame on committee was a tailor-made one organizations. The Report says that told us that the weapons that the Muslim community and left sponsored by the hidden hand of the “they visited Muslim and Hindu Mahatma Gandhi has given us to groups, student leaders of Delhi ruling circles to generate a report areas and found shops of one fight are Ahimsa and Satyagrah.” University, Jamia Milia and JNU. We favourable to the government. community being targeted. We went Later he said, “We won’t respond to are aware that for the past one Report was submitted in the name to Muslim houses who did not show violence with violence. We won’t month many student leaders have of an NGO calling itself “Call for us any evidence. While Hindu respond to hate with hate. If they been booked by the Delhi Police Justice”. The Report is stated to families showed us the damages spread hate, we will respond to it under the UAP Act. The Report also have been prepared based on a they (Muslims) had caused. As far with love. If they thrash us with is found to contain a lots of mere two day visit on 29 February as Dargahs are concerned, we lathis, we keep holding the tricolour. misinformation, half-truths and and 01 March 2020 to a vast areas heard, as retaliation some people If they fire bullets, then we will hold distortions. comprising many colonies of East threw something, but we did not find the Constitution. If they jail us, we This Report has given another Delhi inhabited by lakhs of affected any evidence of attack, said Neera will go to jail singing, ‘Saare Jahaan handle to the Government to take people. It is difficult to gulp how Mishra”(ibid). It is surprising that Se Acha Hamara’.” So action against the people who could the Committee members the Committee did not find any where was the instigation? organized the anti-NRC anti-CAA interacted with so large a number of damage to houses and shops of the The Report further says that the movements in and around Delhi. people in just two days. Muslim community. Whereas most “unresolved socio-political issues like The report is completely silent on The entire content of the Report of the details showing large scale Triple Talaq, Article 370 and Ram the role of the Delhi Police, who did has not been made public. Only some burning of houses, shops, Janmabhoomi dispute, were a trigger not act for 72 hours, since news of parts have been revealed in the establishments belonging to the for these groups who were looking the rioting began pouring in and the media. One can make out from what Muslim community have already for an opportunity to thwart the PM inaction of Fire department and has been revealed that most of the appeared in dailies, magazines and Modi government” and “The report emergency calls were made by the findings are biased and one-sided. social media during, and soon after has mentioned the names of the BJP public desperately seeking help to Executive Summary paragraph 10 the riots, which have not been leaders like Kapil Mishra and Anurag save themselves from the rioters. states, “The violence ended up taking reflected in the Report. The Report Thakur in the category of people who When the entire country is lives of 53 people including one IB has claimed that despite aggressive made provocative speeches but fighting a battle against Covid-19, official and two Delhi Police lobbying by the anti-CAA nowhere does the team find them the Delhi Police in the back scene is personals, injured more than 200 [Citizenship Amendment Act] “responsible for the riots” and “CAA quietly arresting one after another people.” However, it conveniently protestors the international was a ploy to implement a larger the student leaders, under the fails to mention that three-fourth of community did not extend social, strategy of creating violence among stringent Unlawful Activities the casualties were from the minority moral or political support. But this the community so that Prevention Act (UAPA) for inciting community. The Polis Project report claim is baseless because anti-NRC community runs away” (ibid). This is the anti-Hindu communal riots in stated that out of 52 victims, 39 were anti-CAA protests took place in completely contrary to the fact North-East Delhi in February 2020. from the Muslim Community as multiple countries beyond the Indian revealed earlier that speeches of Several FIRs have been registered compared to 13 from the Hindu subcontinent, as reported by major these two leaders had greatly added against them recently, months after community. This ‘fact-finding’ media outlets like NDTV, The to the instigation for the riots in East the incident. So far the Delhi Police Report accepted by the Union Home Hindu and . The Delhi. One of them had actually have not been able to produce minster has a ‘torrent of Report referred to a video clip as been found leading the gangs that concrete evidences against any of misinformation’, as per media. proof of anti-CAA protesters getting attacked the Muslim dominated the student leaders even in the First of all, the Report has cited paid for protesting. Fact is that this localities. The Report further says courts. It is nothing but intimidation, OpIndia, a website, that has was a clip of an individual act of that the “Hindu community was harassment of people who do not repeatedly shared misinformation, at charity towards the Delhi riots totally unaware about the attacks subscribe to the opinion of the Govt. least 10 times in the report. Alt victims. As per the Report, two while the attackers belonging to the and exercise their democratic rights News has found multiple instances petrol pump in Bhajanpura and Muslim community had meticulously by opposing anti-people policies of when OpIndia was guilty of Chand Bagh respectively areas planned. The Report has sought an the Govt. It is the time for the spreading misinformation since were consigned to flame by anti- NIA investigation into the matter concerned NGOs and eminent 2017. The Report says, that NRC anti-CAA protesters. citing the involvement of the PFI and social personalities to come forward “Various radical groups such as However, according to Kaushal ISI and other interstate and to oppose this draconian move of the Pinjra Tod, Jamia Coordination Shroff, a journalist at The Caravan, international outfits. This Report has government and prepared a parallel Committee, Alumni Association of who did a ground report on 23 recommended that an investigation report of the above riots and put the Jamia Milia Islamia, Popular Front February, the two images are of the be launched into Islamic outfits that facts and figures before the of India (PFI), etc., and the local same petrol pump located on the were behind the riots and trial of the common public to clear the clouds. politicians from AAP, suddenly, after Wazirabad Road between Chand riots cases be expedited in the (source: timesnownews.com. May election in Delhi, accelerated Bagh and Bhajanpura. Burning of designated courts” (opindia.com, Jun 29, 2020, The Wire 15-06-20) PROLETARIAN ERA JULY 1, 2020 PAGE SEVEN Oppose Draconian Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2020 Taking advantage of corona transmission and distribution, providing differing power tariff corporates. Whatever little lockdown, the BJP government has meaning thereby that three for different categories of scope was there for the been on a privatization spree of companies in place of one would consumers like the poor, victimized consumers to fight essential sectors. Now the sword recklessly exploit the consumers. peasants and rich people. Even will be abolished. has come down on power sector in And again, the Act stipulated a consumers of the same iv) Electricity is on the concurrent the form of the whopping minimum 16% profit by category could avail of list. But the Amendment is It is pertinent to recall that BJP each of the three companies. This separate tariff benefits as per removing that to keep the state government led by late Atal Behari amended Act has been used by all use of power during different government out of purview. Vajpayee had enacted a new bourgeois governments, whether run voltage level, for different This is thoroughly Electricity Act 2003 violating the by the Congress or the BJP or any geographical environments and unconstitutional. Electricity Act 1948. The 1948 Act other regional outfits, to serve the purpose of power use. But the v) The Amendment, on the clearly stated that electricity is an profit maximization motive of the present Amendment proposes pretext of cross-border trade, essential people’s service and hence corporate giants dominating the to abolish ‘cross subsidy’, a will empower corporates to power sector cannot be viewed for power sector. confusing provision previously export electricity keeping making profit. But the amendment A few of the new attacks being inserted by the Act 2003, which people here starving if they can of the Act in 2003 reversed that brought down on the pretext of will reduce the tariff for big accrue more profit abroad. objective and rolled out the process reform are as the following: industrialists while the tariff for This, in brief, shows how vivid is of privatization and i) A new profit usurping company small scale industry, small the pro-capitalist approach of the commercialization. One after namely “Franchisee” is trade, and agriculture will be BJP led central government. another change in regulating proposed, which would not dreadfully hiked. The But why did the ruling party mechanism and out and out anti- need any licence. These new Amendment has talked of choose this time to bring the people pro-capitalist legislations private companies will play the giving subsidy directly to the amendment and other measures in since 2003 have made the electricity main role in supplying concerned bank accounts. But favour of the industrial houses? consumers face steep rise in power electricity and controlling it this is bunkum. It is nothing but Because they know that because of tariff at regular intervals under this instead of the government a ploy to ultimately abolish the lockdown protocols, people are or that pretext so that private distribution companies. This subsidy as is going to happen in debarred from developing mighty players could enormous profit will entail further burden of regard to cooking gas. resistance movements and hence at the cost of people’s suffering. steep tariff on the people and iii) By dint of the Amendment, such a highly anti-people move One crucial aspect of the revised appalling harassment for them. Electricity Contract would get a safe passage. But regulatory laws has been the ii) The 1948 Act and even the Enforcement Authority suffering people should voice their trifurcation of electricity board into 2003 Act had provisions for (ECEA) will be formed to be protest using all available means like three companies namely production, differentiation of tariff, controlled by the central the social media and prepare government whose only themselves for launching the purpose is to ensure riskless movement when the lockdown is Healthcare profit for the power lifted. Covid-19 has nakedly exposed AIMSS OBSERVED 25 JUNE AS PROTEST the fragility of Indian healthcare system DAY SEEKING RELEASE OF LEADERS AND Contd. from page 5 19-04-20, 21-05-20, Business India 25-04- ACTIVISTS OF DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT might have been possible if the 20, the Weather Channel-28-04-20, Socialist Bloc led by Soviet Union worldometers 01-05-20, 07-06-20, AGAINST NOTORIOUS NRC—CAA would have been in existence. pbs.org/healthcare crisis/uninsured/ Covid-19 crisis ought to be thus an html, The Washington Post-13-04-20, eye-opener to all including medical American Hospital Association annual professionals. Healthcare movement survey of hospitals in the United States must be developed under correct published in 2020, thelocal.it dated 14- revolutionary leadership as 05-20, 26-05-20, ‘The Turning Point of conducive to revolutionary struggle China’s Rural Public Health during the for overthrowing outmoded, Cultural Revolution Period’—Iranian Journal of Public Health, July 2018 reactionary, corrupt and inhuman reproduced in US national library of capitalism. That is the only remedial medicine, Al Jazeera 09-04-20, course and hence the prime task in northstarcompass.org-Guest Editorial, hand. ‘Health Reform in Revolutionary [source of information:- Russia’—Socialist Health heathmanagement.org March 2006, BBC Association—26-05-17, Achievements 31-03-17, 16-06-20, times.com 04-03-20, of the Soviet Working Class—an Scientific American-09-03-20, The SUCI(C) publication, September 2017, Guardian-12-07-12,28-02-20, 11-03-20, Vox news 12-04-20, “China’s Healthcare 14-03-20, 01-04-20, 07-04-20, 08-04-20, Reform: How Far Has It Come?”., south foreignaffairs.com 16-03-20, people’s china morning post 14-03-20, Journal dispatch 16-03-20, 17-06-20,The of Public Health Medicine, Vol. 18, No. Intercept-17-03-20, 20- 3,pp. 258-265, 27-03-20, 03-20, 24-03-20, 21-04-20, Indian Express Moscow Times 28-06-20, Iatridis, 1990, 05-12-19, Financial Express 01-02-20,The 29Radford.edu, telesur 23-07-19, Wire 24-03-20, 25-03-20, 31-03-20, 06-04- monthly review 01-06-18, 20, Europe Solidaire-24-03-20, The Print- stalinsocietygb.worldpress.cm 18-01- 22-02-20, 28-03-20, 30-03-20, Down to 17,Cuba Solidarity campaign 16-03-20, Earth 25-11-19, Workers’ World 24-03- Journal of the History of Medicines and 20, 30-03-20, 01-04-20, Workers’ World Allied Sciences, oxford University, reply to Korean Workers’ Party, The https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ Hindu 01-04-20, Business Insider 16-03- articles/PMC6203130/12-10-18,Reuters 20, 08-04-20, 26-06-20, Frontline-10-04- 13-05-20, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ 20, live science 15-04-20, ABP 15-04-20, books/NBK2657] PAGE EIGHT JULY 1, 2020 PROLETARIAN ERA State Secretary, SUCI(C), at all party meeting convened by state chief minister Comrades Chandidas Bhattacharjee, Central Bhattacharjee also placed a written draft proposal the jobless poor including migrant workers be Committee member and West Bengal State for proper relief to the migrant as well as provided at work for at least 200 days, if not Secretary and Tarun Mandal, West Bengal State unorganized sector workers who are worst more, under the Rural Employment Guarantee Secretariat member and former Member of victims of sudden lockdown announcement. The Scheme at reasonable wage, ensure no Parliament, represented SUCI(C) at the all party proposal also said that exclusion of West Bengal curtailment of the terms of employment to all meeting convened by the West Bengal chief from the ‘Garib Kalyan’ scheme announced by those who are unable to join office because of minister on 24 June last to discuss on Covid 19 as the central government should be vehemently lockdown, waive electricity bills to affected well as post-Aamphan situation in the state. At the protested and Aamphan should be declared as a people and bring down power tariff, hold the outset, representatives of most of the political national disaster. Also, the proposal was to pending school and college examinations parties claimed that they were not inclined to do demand immediate lowering of regular maintaining physical distance and other protocols. politics in this meeting. When his turn came, unprecedented rise in petrol-diesel prices He also urged upon the government not to raise Comrade Bhattacharjee said that since everyone notwithstanding drastic fall in international crude road transport fares and, if necessary, provide was representative of one or the other political price. This draft proposal was accepted and an subsidy to the private operators so that people do party, such argument would not be relied upon by all-party committee including representation of our not suffer because of paucity of buses or taxis. people at large. Correct approach should be that Party was formed to further examine and finalize The chief minister responded by saying that the everyone of us should rise above narrow the draft. Comrade Bhattacharjee also suggested government had no money to pay subsidy. But sectarian party politics when people are amidst an that since all-pervading corruption is a feature of within 48 hours, she announced a subsidy of Rs unprecedented health crisis further aggravated by dying capitalism and there was report of 15,000 per bus per month which showed the havoc wreaked by Aamphan cyclone. widespread corruption in distribution of relief, all justifiability of our demand. Moreover, with the current spurt in Covid 19 party advisory committees needed cases, the number of infections and deaths might to be formed at grassroot level to Protesting exorbitant hike in petrol-diesel go up three to four times in coming three or four finalize the list of the genuinely prices during corona lockdown despite months. So the government should have in place affected people who are to be considerable slide in global crude price well in advance a concrete programme to face provided relief. Such proposal, such a situation. Doctors, nurses, paramedics as Comrade Bhattacharjee reminded well as other healthcare assistants should be all, was placed earlier on behalf of provided proper Personal Protective equipment our Party before both erstwhile (PPE) in sufficient number. Though there is no Congress and CPI (M) need for any panic, but proper precautionary governments in the past. But the measures should be adopted to keep ourselves TMC chief minister did not say insulated from the attack of Covid 19. There is anything affirmative in regard to nothing to be panicky about but necessary this suggestion. Comrade precautions must be exercised. Comrade Bhattacharjee also demanded that

AIUTUC on Garib Kalyan Rojgar Scheme WEST BENGAL In a statement issued on 21 June 2020, Comrade Shankar Dasgupta, General Secretary, AIUTUC said that reported allotment of Rs 50, 000 crores to “Garib Kalyan Rojgar” scheme by the central government for providing jobs for 125 days mainly to the migrant workers in their native places in 116 districts of only six states, is completely unjustified in view of the inhuman sufferings and untold miseries of the 15 crore migrant workers spread over all states due to Covid 19 pandemic and lockdown. He demanded covering all migrant workers under the scheme without any exception and discrimination, extend the currency of the scheme for at least one year with provision for further extension, if necessary, and raise the minimum wage to Rs 400 per day. KERALA Central Trade Unions including AIUTUC in Haryana give call for observing statewide protest day on 3 July against anti-working class policy 10 central trade unions, employees associations and federations including AUTUC, CITU, INTUC and others gave call to observe 3 July as state-wide Protest Day against the BJP led state government’s decision to increase working hours from 8 to 12, freeze dearness allowance, suspend labour laws and hand over government assets to the private houses. MADHYA PRADESH AIUTUC supports 3 day strike in protest against privatization of coal mines In a statement issued on 28 June 2020, Comrade Shankar Dasgupta, General Secretary, AIUTUC extended total support to 3 days strike call in the coal sector from 2 to 4 July 2020 by the operating central trade unions in the coal mining sector. The BJP led government at the centre has been vigorously striving since 2014 to implement the policy of privatization formulated by the erstwhile Congress government, particularly in the coal mining sector ignoring altogether workers protest at different times, Comrade Dasgupta added. ODISHA PROLETARIAN ERA JULY 1, 2020 PAGE NINE Saga of condoning willful default of loans, rising frauds and mounting NPAs in Indian Banking sector On 28 April 2020, RBI in 2,16,000 crores. But it rose to Rs Moreover, a BJP heavyweight liberalisation for imperialist India’s response to an RTI query revealed 8,95, 000 crores in 2018-19. Figure himself alleged in March 2018 that finance capital in the wake of that an outstanding loan amounting to is stated to have come down to Rs Gautam Adani group, stated to be capitalist globalisation and the Rs 68,607 crore till 30 September 7,39, 000 crores in 2019 but that is very close to the Prime Minister, blueprint of creating financial 2019 pertaining to top 50 wilful bank due to large scale waivers. Gross was sitting on a Rs72,000-cr NPA oligarchy by stealing the banking loan defaulters including Mehul NPA and loan waiver jumped from bubble, the SBI granted the group a capital by the industrialists. All the Choksi, Vijay Mallya and Nirav Rs 84,715.71 crore and Rs.2,463.17 fresh loan of $ 1 billion (around Rs successive bourgeois governments Modi, the fugitive business tycoons, crore respectively in 2005 to 7500 at current exchange rate) for since then have enthusiastically been has been prudentially written off. Rs.16,90,140.58 crore, and buying coal mines in Australia. playing the role of the intermediary Within 10 days, it came to light that Rs.2,36,947.85.crore respectively in What did it insinuate at other than to fulfil the object. Instead of seizing Naresh Kumar, another 2018-19. Wilful defaulted corporate invisible hands pulling strings from the properties of the defaulting and businessman, owing a loan of loans are first provisioned as bad behind to flout rules governing bank fraudulent oligarchs the around Rs 414 crores to six Public debts from net profit of the banks, finance? governments have destroyed the Sector Banks, had fled the country then at a certain time marked as country’s banking system by in 2016 . The State Bank of India stressed assets, in course of time All these show that the virtually handing over it to them. (SBI) had reported that the accused recorded as NPA and finally written- government is abetting and If an individual defaults in have fake accounts and had illegally off. Such is the policy being pursued sanctifying siphoning out of bank payment of interest and principal removed industries and machineries by the union government and RBI money. On the one hand, the NPAs amount of any consumer loan, the created with bank’s money. Another over time. Moreover, RBI or the are periodically written off to enable bank immediately takes concrete company also lodged complaint of government discloses only the net the monopoly houses embezzle measures against him or her. Even fraud against him with National NPA figure without mentioning the public money deposited in the bank ruffians camouflaged as loan Company Law Tribunal which knew amount waived or cunningly sold to and thereby augment their recovery personnel are deputed to he had been absconding abroad. so called Asset Reconstruction accumulated wealth, while, on the terrorize and even assault them. But, strangely, the Central Bureau of Companies or Hedge funds at a other hand, the entire brunt is borne Also, the hypothecated property is Investigation (CBI) is reported to be discount (technically termed in by the common people. People park confiscated. But the same banks are unaware of that since last 4 years as bourgeois economics as ‘haircuts’). their hard-earned savings in the restrained by the government from they still pretend to be not knowing Growing NPAs are continuously banks as a safe mode of deposit to taking similar measures against the the whereabouts of Nirav Modi or reducing banks’ profits and earn a reasonable return. Banks in corporate defaulters. So the anti- Mehul Choksi. Pertinent to mention swallowing their capital base turn lend that to borrowers. If the people pro-corporate outlook of the here is that the RBI had refused to resulting in inability of their smooth borrowers default loan, it is government is glaringly manifest. make public the list of loan functioning. Even it is reported in the tantamount to appropriation of public Great Lenin had said about a defaulters with public sector banks media that the government has money. And then the government 100 year back that “.....to an ever for over a decade and even despite withdrawn over 13,000 cases bails out the banks by giving them greater degree the banker is being an order of the Supreme Court(SC) involving over Rs 5 lakh crores financial grant (recapitalization) transformed into an industrial in 2015 to make this information before admission under Insolvency from public exchequer which is also capitalist. This bank capital, i.e., public. But, when the SC in April and bankruptcy Code till end of last public money because it comprises capital in money form, which is thus 2019 said that the RBI is duty-bound February. The quantum of NPAs the tax amount paid by the actually transformed into industrial to disclose the information and any would now be now around Rs 14 countrymen. Further, with onset of capital, I call ‘finance capital’.” further violations could lead to lakh crores (14 trillion). In fact, the recession, there is no taker of loans “Finance capital is capital controlled contempt of court proceedings, RBI main reasons for the financial woes for productive investment. The by banks and employed by furnished the list of wilful defaulters. of India’s 42 Scheduled Commercial government through RBI are industrialists...... The concentration First they disclosed 30 names in Banks (SCBs) is the growing NPAs drastically curtailing interest on the of production; the monopolies arising November 2019 and subsequently generated from wilful debt evasion pretext of making bank loans therefrom; the merging or in reply to another RTI query 100 coupled with frauds being available at cheaper rate to the coalescence of the banks with names in January last. It came to perpetuated by the corporate corporates. This in turn is severely industry—such is the history of the light that the total funded advances behemoths. reducing interest on bank savings rise of finance capital and such is the outstanding to 30 wilful defaulters – But, surprisingly, both regulatory denting into the income of common content of that concept...... ”Finance along with the amount the banks as well as supervisory and vigilance people. So the people are the losers capital, concentrated in a few hands have written off so far – added up machineries are always found busy on every count. Over and above, the and exercising a virtual monopoly, to over Rs 50,000 crore as on April in suppressing facts related to NPAs BJP government had brought a exacts enormous and ever 30, 2019. Such cases of wilful and shielding the loan defaulters. Financial Resolution and Deposit increasing profits..... strengthens the default of bank loans and subsequent Raghuram Rajan, former RBI Insurance (FRDI) Bill in 2017 which domination of the financial oligarchy generosity on the part of the governor alerted Prime Ministers’ stipulated that if a bank would fail, and levies tribute upon the whole of government to condone the default Office in 2016 about growing the depositors would have to bear the society for the benefit of are quite big in number. Ministry of number of frauds in banks. part of the liability. Though the Bill monopolists” (Imperialism, the Finance reported in Parliament that Arundhati Bhattacharya, former under severe protest from all Highest Stage of Capitalism) India’s SCBs collectively wrote off State Bank of India (SBI) chairman, quarters was reported to have been With Indian monopolists having NPAs worth Rs 1.5 lakh crores pointed out that for the mounting dropped, the danger still looms large. acquired imperialist character, (Rs1.5 trillion) in 2017-18 and Rs. NPA overall lending principle has Thus at the cost of deprivation and deploying finance capital abroad and 2.12 lakh crores in 2018-19, been responsible. These were the exploitation of employees-small ruthlessly exploiting the toiling equivalent to about 20% of all their wake-up calls. The Union Finance depositors-toiling masses, a financial millions of the country in every Non-performing Assets (NPAs) Minister herself stated that that oligarchy created by merger of possible way, this analysis is proved which represent the defaulted bank PSBs reported 5,743 incidents of industrial capital and banking is to be prophetically true in Indian loans. As per RBI report, NPAs on fraud involving a total amount of Rs ruling the roost with the bourgeois context as well. Spike in NPAs and the financial books of banks have 95,760.49 crore from 1 April to 30 governments irrespective of hues in all attendant irregularities, seen a steep rise ever since 2014. September 2019. But the tow. It is pertinent to mention that improprieties, manipulation and Before the BJP government was government is inexplicably silent and Indian financial and banking sector frauds, is a fallout of this out and out installed, gross NPA in Public Sector loath to take any appropriate reforms introduced in 1991 was the corrupt, obsolete and ruthlessly banks was reportedly about Rs punitive action against the culprits. opening of the flood gate of financial oppressive capitalist economy. RNI No. 13932/67 PAGE TEN JULY 1, 2020 P. R. No. KOL / RMS /145 / 2019-2021 AIDSO’s online signature campaign and Movements across the country memorandum to Prime Minister in protest against anti-education policies All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) organised a countrywide online signature campaign demanding proper solution to the enormous problems in the sphere of education during lockdown period. A memorandum containing more than 80 thousand signatures of students, teachers, guardians, educationists and people from all walks of life against the anti-student and anti-education policies of the government has been submitted Demonstration in front of the Collectorate office in Hyderabad in protest to the Prime Minister and the HRD Minister. AIDSO has demanded, inter alia, against exorbitant hike in electricity tariff. democratically constitute committees at different levels with proper representation of educationists, teachers, students and guardians, to decide about the academic matters, waiving of all fees and educational loans of all students in all government institutions and bring the fees of private institutions to affordable limit, increasing the period of fellowship of all research scholars by at least for 6 months, declaring a special economic package for education and students and providing the free pass to all students to commute in all types of public and private transport. AIDSO has also demanded that examinations be conducted only after the normalisation of the Covid 19 situation, appearance of all students in the examinations is ensured and adequate educational infrastructure is provided. Further, AIDSO has urged before the government not to replace the time-tested formal classroom teaching by online teaching and written examination by online or other alternative methods of examinations. Bihar State Committee, SUCI(C), organized a Statewide demonstration on AIDSO has also demanded to take necessary steps to complete the training 22 June in demand for a monthly lockdown cash assistance of Rs 8,000 to all workers, 10 kg of vegetables per head of each family per month, immediate period of all medical-related courses including rotatory duties of the internship; providence of permanent jobs to migrant workers, bringing back all provide adequate PPE’s to all doctors, nurses and health workers working in stranded migrant workers, paying all pending wages to the migrant workers COVID wards and also inhibit any kind of discrimination with the warriors. who have lost jobs due to lockdown etc. AIDSO despised that instead of undertaking extensive consultation as per the desired democratic norms, the MHRD and the UGC have unilaterally suggested different measures to this end. To shoulder the responsibility to save education and the future of the students, AIDSO has been organising a series of movements for last three months but there is no positive response from the government. AIDSO appealed to the students of the country and the people from all walks of life to use their might to compel the government to concede to these just demands. Tamil Nadu State SUCI (C) unreservedly Tripura state AIMSS,AIDYO and AIDSO submitted a memorandum to the condemned on custodial deaths of father-son duo DIG, West Range, Tripura on 23 June, demanding steps to stop domestic violence, rape, and killings of women and banning of liquor. The Tamilnadu State SUCI (C) in a statement issued on 24 June 2020 unreservedly condemned both Tamilnadu Police and the DMK-led state government for brutal custodial deaths of father-son duo arrested on the ostensible charge of keeping their shop open their shop violating lockdown protocol in Sathankulam of Thoothukudi district. Tamilnadu State Party demanded a speedy inquiry, dismissal from service and due punishment to the concerned police personnel, adequate compensation to the bereaved family and called upon people at large to unitedly rise up in protest and develop a sustained movement till such police high-handedness and brutalities are permanently stopped and the government gives up such oppressive practices. Movement by Karnataka SUCI(C) across the state against anti-peasant pro- Significant Achievement by Tumkur peasants in corporate amendments to the Land ceiling act and APMC act on 16 June Land Acquisition Issue for National Highway 206 After AIKKMS, Karnataka, had initiated a movement demanding fair compensation and other benefits to the land-loser peasants acquisition for construction of National Highway from Tumkur to Shimoga in Karnataka, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (RRS) also joined it and a National Highway 206 Land Losers Struggle Committee was formed. The movement which started in Tiptur Taluk of Tumkur, was later extended to Hasan and Chikkamagalur districts as well. After 4 years of continuation of the movement in various forms, District Commissioner, Special Land Acquisition Officer, Superintendent of Police and all other officials were forced to sit with the Committee on 20 June last and accepted many of the demands. These achievements have national significance too because many of the decisions taken here might apply elsewhere too in land acquisition for constructing Madhya Pradesh State SUCI(C) led a deputation to state chief election National Highways. AIKKMS could make a distinct mark among the peasants commissioner on 11 June demanding postponement of bye-elections to 24 following this significant achievement. assembly seats till Covid 19 lockdown is lifted and normalcy returns. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF : PROVASH GHOSH Edited & Published by Asit Bhattacharyya from 48 Lenin Sarani, Kolkata 700 013 and printed by him at Ganadabi Printers and Publishers Private Limited, 52B, Indian Mirror Street, Kolkata 700013. Phone : 2249-1828, 2265-3234 E-mail : [email protected], [email protected], Website : www.sucicommunist.org