An exercise in contraction - Sitaram Yechury, M.P.,

             Article by Com.Sitaram Yechury, Polit Bureau Member CPI(M) and Member, Rajya Sabha                                                            

         The Finance Minister presented the first full budget of the Modi government with an air of “illusions of grandeur”. Preparing for the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of our independence in 2022, he listed “targets” that will be achieved by then. This list is a mere reiteration of what is contained in our Constitution’s Directive Principles of State Policy that should have been attained by 1960! Clearly, he has presumed the Modi government’s return in the 2019 general election. The Modi anti-incumbency wave in Delhi election has, thus, become a victim of the BJP’s “selective amnesia”.

        Shorn of all its rhetoric, what does the budget mean for the people? Instead of expanding public expenditures to stimulate growth, employment and people’s livelihood, the budget sees a contraction. In 2014-15, total government expenditure will be 7 per cent lower than the last budgeted figure, i.e., Rs.1.14 crore less. For 2015-16, the estimated gross tax revenue stands at 10.3 per cent of GDP which is less than last year’s budget figure of 10.8 per cent.

Social sector spending                

 

          Instead of stimulating domestic demand by targeting larger expenditures in social sectors, the budget proposals do the opposite to contain the fiscal deficit at 3.9 per cent. The allocations for MGNREGA and food subsidy have almost stagnated, in real terms, showing scant concern for food security, generating employment and improving people’s livelihood. Total subsidy as percentage of GDP has come down from 2.1 per cent to 1.7 per cent (Rs.2.60 lakh crore to Rs.2.44 lakh crore). The allocation for health and family welfare has come down from Rs.35,163 crore last year to Rs.29,653 crore. The total budgeted figure for housing and urban poverty alleviation has come down from Rs.6,008 crore to Rs. 5,634 crore. Similarly, there is a huge shortfall in allocations for the Tribal Sub-Plan (less by Rs.5,000 crore compared to last year), for the SC Sub-Plan (less by Rs.12,000 crore). The Gender Budget cut by 20 per cent (less by Rs.20,000 crore). The ICDS programme has been halved, from over Rs.16,000 crore to Rs.8,000 crore.

          Instead, India’s rich and both foreign and domestic corporates have hugely benefited. The budget proposals will reduce direct taxes by Rs.8,315 crore benefiting the rich and increase the burden on people through indirect tax hikes of Rs.23,383 crore. In addition to direct tax benefit, for India’s rich, wealth tax has been abolished, corporate tax planned to reduce from 30 to 25 per cent, greater concessions and access to FDI, and FIIs absolved of capital gains tax and minimum alternate tax (MAT).

        Further, the reduction in the tax concessions given by the Central government to the rich (subsidies to the rich called “tax incentives”) results in a revenue loss which is more than the actual fiscal deficit (i.e., Rs.5,89,285.2 crore for 2014-15 as against the budget estimate of fiscal deficit of Rs.5,55,649 crore). Hence, our economy is suffering from a deficit burden primarily due to such subsidies to the rich, not due to subsidies for the poor. Under these circumstances, to bolster governmental revenues, the budget has announced an aggressive disinvestment of the public sector to the tune of Rs.70,000 crore, i.e., selling “family silver” to meet current expenditure.

Mirrors UPA reforms              

 

          The Modi government’s budget this time is, thus, a more aggressive variant of Dr. Manmohan Singh’s reforms. They follow the same logic that our economic development is only possible by attracting larger quantum of investments through big concessions to foreign and domestic Capital. However, this alone cannot automatically lead to higher employment and growth. This can only happen if the purchasing power of our people grows to be able to purchase any increased production. With global commerce shrinking due to continued economic slowdown, our exports will remain low. People’s purchasing power will now further contract this budget.

          Instead of expanding concessions amounting to lakhs of crores of rupees for attracting investments, which, in any case, cannot result in growth and improve people’s welfare, if these amounts were utilised for substantially increasing public investment to build our much needed economic and social infrastructure, both greater growth and equity could have been achieved.

           However, by doing this, the Modi government could not have redeemed its “payback time” promises to those who heavily financed its election campaign. The Finance Minister was confident that the time has come for India to fly. With this budget, the rich may soar but the poor will have to prepare themselves for a disastrous crash landing.

Courtesy : 

Be warned, BJP-RSS combine's agenda is to divide and rule...!

  Article By Comrade Sitaram Yechury, M.P.,                   

                A disturbing tendency visible during the election campaign appears to have become the perfected strategy of the RSS/BJP now in government with an absolute majority in the Lok Sabha, albeit with a mere 31% share of those who voted. This tendency, true to their character, is to speak/act with a forked tongue — one for public consumption to give a false comfort level and the other for ground level mobilisation. The BJP discharges this responsibility as the political arm of the RSS.

              Thus, ‘development’ and ‘Gujarat model’ employed as election mascots were only the veil concealing the actual ground reality of the campaign that focused on the sharpening of communal polarisation. Much of the BJP’s electoral gains, apart from various other factors, including a widespread disgust with the Congress-led UPA 2 rule during the last few years, has been due to such brazen ‘vote-bank’ politics, ie, the communal consolidation of the ‘Hindu vote-bank’. It is, therefore, quite natural that this BJP victory would lead to the aggressive pursuit of the RSS ideological project of converting the secular democratic Indian Republic into their version of a rabidly intolerant fascistic ‘Hindu Rashtra’.

                This has been confirmed by the RSS chief who, at Cuttack on August 10, asked that if inhabitants of England are English, Germany are Germans and the US are Americans, then why aren’t inhabitants of Hindustan not known as Hindus. He went on to say, “The cultural identity of all Indians is Hindutva and the present inhabitants of the country are descendents of this great culture”. This question was rejected following a detailed discussion in the Constituent Assembly when it laid down the foundations and structure of a secular democratic Republic. Precisely, in order to disabuse such exclusivist categorisations, which negate the very idea of India, Article I of our Constitution defines our country thus: “India, that is, Bharat is a Union of States”. Bharat was chosen instead of Hindustan and many other terms to convey the inclusivist ‘idea of India’. From this flows the consequent equality of all citizens “irrespective of caste, creed and sex”. The RSS, which all along stood against this very idea of India as a pluralistic society of rich diversity, is today seeking to negate the vibrancy of the mosaic that distinguishes our country.

                      Consider the forked tongue at work. Even during the so-called ‘honeymoon’ period, this government, belying the hopes of a naïve and gullible public, is negating the developmental electoral agenda. Soon after assuming office, it has hiked the administrative prices of petroleum products and steeply raised railway fares. Its budget and the parliamentary legislative business reflect the unabashed pursuit of economic reforms. Given the massive support rendered by international finance capital backed by India Inc to the Modi election campaign, it is only natural that such a course should appear inevitable. Facilitating greater inflow of foreign investments to permit profit maximisation at the cost of our people and country’s sovereignty (eg, FDI in insurance, defence production, etc) and greater concessions to India Inc have been the result.

                Within a few weeks of the new government, those who were arguing during the election campaign that the BJP is downplaying its communal agenda are already feeling betrayed and, thus, silenced. The core Hindutva agenda — the abrogation of Article 370, Uniform Civil Code, building of the Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya — have all been articulated by Cabinet ministers and RSS leaders. A Goa minister has stated that with the BJP’s victory, the establishment of a ‘Hindu Rashtra’ has begun.

                 At the ground level, this is reflected in the sharpening of communal tensions across the country leading in some places to brutal riots and the death of innocent Indians. Even during the elections, such communal polarisation was being resorted to as evidenced in the Muzaffarnagar riots. According to home ministry statistics, a total of 823 incidents of communal violence have been reported across the country in the run-up to the elections during 2013. In Uttar Pradesh alone, where the BJP won 71 plus two of its allies out of a total 80 Lok Sabha seats, 247 incidents took place in 2013. During the second quarter of 2014, April-June, 149 communal clashes were reported across the country. Maharashtra, where assembly elections are due, closely follows Uttar Pradesh. In the 10 weeks after May 16, when the new government took over in Delhi, 605 incidents of a communal nature took place in Uttar Pradesh alone. Significantly, two-thirds of these took place in and around the 12 assembly constituencies where by-elections are due shortly. Similar reports are also coming in from Bihar where by-elections to 10 assembly seats are due.

               There is also an element of ‘social engineering’ in fomenting such communal tensions. While the Muzaffarnagar riots brought the Jatavs into conflict with Muslims, the Saharanpur riots brought the Sikhs into conflict with the Muslims. The destruction of social harmony has disastrous consequences for the unity and integrity of our country and people. The RSS/BJP, however, has no compunctions in damaging such harmony among our people in pursuit of its political gains for the eventual realisation of the RSS vision to metamorphose the Indian Republic.

               The crescendo of incendiary speeches is rising. Last week, a VHP leader thundered in Indore that the Muslims may have forgotten Gujarat 2002 but would remember the Muzaffarnagar riots last year. This comes on the heels of another VHP patron saying that, “Tables had turned on the Muslims”.

             The signals, thus, are amply clear. Being forewarned must mean being forearmed. Every patriotic Indian must rise to the occasion to prevent such sharpening of communal polarisation that has the potential to weaken and disintegrate the immensely rich and diverse social fabric that has woven together our great country.

Courtesy : Hindustan Times / August 11, 2014                   

Lal Salam Comrade Jyoti Basu...!

Com. Sitaram Yechury,

Polit Bureau Member, CPI(M)

JULY 8, 2013 marks 

the beginning of 

the birth centenary of 

Comrade Jyoti Basu.... 

          Even though all of us are aware of the inviolable law of Nature that once life is born, it has to cease to exist one day, this remains, universally, the most difficult inevitability to come to terms with.  Comrade Jyoti Basu’s absence,  particularly in today’s circumstances, is felt in every turn and twist. Yet, in his absence, it is incumbent on our part to carry forward his legacy to advance the objective for which he contributed all his life – the establishment of socialism in India and eventually in the world. 

THE LEGACY

Jyoti Basu’s seven decade long political life is synchronous with the evolution of modern India.  For this very reason, he was always a source of inspiration and a `role model’ for the younger generation.  His legacy will continue to be such a source.  He, truly, was one of the legends of modern India, not only of the Communist movement. 

        Having gone to England to return as a Bar-at-Law, he was attracted to the Communist worldview, embraced the ideology and returned to India in 1940 not to don the black robes but to plunge directly into the freedom struggle by joining the Communist Party. Karl Marx had once said that when an idea grips the minds of the masses, it becomes a material force. The desire for independence from British rule had gripped the Indian masses when Jyoti Basu joined the Communist movement. He, however, was thinking ahead of what should be the character and content of independent India.  The political independence that would be achieved needed to be converted into the true economic independence of every Indian. This meant the creation of a socialist society where exploitation of man by man simply ceases to exist.  It is with this passion that remained undiluted till the end that he served the  Indian people.  During the course of his long and illustrious life, he had to face many trials and tribulations but the commitment to the cause, however, never wavered.  He is a `role model’ precisely for this reason: sheer power of his commitment to his convictions.

            Modern India, post independence, was evolving through major struggles that led eventually to the integration of the feudal princely States into the Indian Union.  The struggles led by the Communists brought to the fore the agenda of land reforms and the abolition of feudal zamindari and other land tenure systems.  This was also the period when the various linguistic nationalities in India which had united in the struggle for freedom, were seeking their distinct identity.  A process that finally led to the linguistic reorganisation of the Indian States in 1956. 

          Jyoti Basu's political evolution converged  with the evolution of modern India based irrevocably on the premise that the recognition and celebration of India's diversity can only be on the basis of its secular democratic foundations.  

            Jyoti Basu's firm commitment to our country's secular democratic character and administrative structures  remained a constant feature of his work and activities.  As communal forces represent the very antithesis of this evolution of modern India, Jyoti Basu worked to isolate and defeat the communal forces and strengthen the secular polity. 

          Simultaneously, his entire concentration was on  carrying forward the struggle to convert India's political independence into economic independence for its people – socialism.  Within the Indian Communist movement, however, a very intense ideological battle erupted on how this was to be achieved.  Steering clear and battling against both the  right and left deviations, Jyoti Basu, alongwith his other comrades who eventually formed the CPI(M), adopted the correct line of combining parliamentary and extra parliamentary activity and struggles to achieve this objective.    Jyoti Basu excelled in using parliamentary democracy, its institutions and fora for both advancing this struggle and simultaneously providing greater relief to the people.

          The implementation of land reforms, the deepening of democracy by developing the panchayati raj institutions and the articulation of the need for better centre-state relations to strengthen India's federal character were some of his  important contributions to the process of the consolidation of modern India.  These apart, he was one of the first to constitute separate ministries for environment and science and technology. 

            Apart from all these, the main facet of Jyoti Basu's personality that attracted people towards him was his unassailable faith in them.  He would always urge the Party and its cadre to go to the people and explain to them what we are doing and take them into confidence. This faith in the people was the strength of his credibility. They never questioned or even doubted his integrity. 

JYOTI BASU AS CM

           Jyoti Basu voluntarily demitted office of the chief ministership in West Bengal, in 2000, after a record tenure of 23 long years, setting new standards of political culture and morality in India. The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) had accepted his desire to step down since he was not satisfied with not being able to discharge his administrative responsibilities as he was  capable of doing earlier. In an atmosphere where the lust for power has seldom seen people demitting office on such considerations, this had come as a breath of fresh air.

             When Jyoti Basu took over as chief minister in 1977, the poverty ratio in West Bengal was nearly 52 per cent. In 1994, this had come down to 26 per cent, a decline of 4.2 per cent per year. West Bengal thus ranked the first, in poverty reduction, amongst all states in India. Incidentally, the state ranking second is Kerala, with 3.7 per cent decline per year. (source: India: Policies to Reduce Poverty, World Bank, 2000).  In comparison, the rate for Maharashtra was 2.7 percent and in 1994 43.5 per cent of its population lived in poverty.

        Similarly, in terms of annual rates of growth of the Gross state Domestic Product, West Bengal ranked No 3, behind Gujarat and Maharashtra with a 6.9 per cent growth per annum. Between 1991-92 and 1997-98 in per capita terms, it stood once again in third place following Gujarat and Maharashtra with a 5.04 per annum increase. (source: Montek Singh Ahluwalia, EPW, May 6, 2000).

            Phenomenal advances have been made in the sphere of  agriculture. During this period, West Bengal was transformed from being a chronic heavy food deficit state into one with surplus. By the time Jyoti Basu demitted office, it became the highest rice producing state in the country. West Bengal contributed nearly 20 per cent of the increase in rice production in the entire country. The yield per hectare has also shown substantial increase. More than 90 per cent of the state's agricultural holdings belong to marginal and small farmers, as a result of the success of Operation Barga.  As a result of the successful implementation of land reforms, noted economist Dr Nilakant Rath then analysed that the growth in per capita net domestic product of the agricultural production between 1981-82 and 1994-95 went up by 22 per cent for the whole of India but in West Bengal it went up by a whopping 70 per cent. In 1981-82, West Bengal was amongst the lowest in the country with its per capita net agricultural product being 18 per cent lower than the all India average. By 1994-95, it was above the all India average by about 10 per cent.

          These phenomenal achievements in agriculture have once again validated the position that land reforms are not an exercise meant only to achieve distributive rights. While achieving this they also unleashed rapid leaps in productivity which go a long way in reducing the overall levels of poverty.

               In terms of distributive justice, it merits repetition that during Jyoti Basu's tenure as chief minister, 13 lakh acres of agricultural land were distributed amongst the landless. These were illegally held by vested interests in the past. Even if a nominal value of Rs One lakh per hectare is considered, then the value of the land distributed would be to the tune of  Rs 13 crore. Such has been the dimension of asset redistribution in West Bengal in favour of the poor and landless.

            Thus by all counts, West Bengal during these 23 years under Jyoti Basu's stewardship had shown that it is possible to both alleviate poverty and stimulate growth. But, one should not miss the wood for the trees. All this was possible not because Jyoti Basu or the Left Front government blindly embraced the economic policies of liberalisation. This was possible because they made one fundamental departure from the economic philosophy of liberalisation. And that is in the decisive role of State intervention in achieving the objectives and priorities. Contrary to the liberalisation pundits who advocate the withdrawal of the State from the economic sphere and abdication by the State of its social responsibilities, the Left Front government in West Bengal has played the role of the catalyst in stimulating economic development and the role of the initiator in generating sweeping agrarian reforms.

STERLING PERSONAL QUALITIES

            During my association with Comrade Jyoti Basu in our Party’s Central Committee for over two and a half decades, there are many admirable qualities of his that need to be emulated.  One, is his unassailable faith in the power of reasoning based on the Marxist outlook.  No argument can ever be won with him on the basis of passion or emotions. 

          The other facet of his personality is humaneness.   During  these years, I had on a few occasions travelled abroad with him, when he held the office of the chief minister.  Being the chief minister of West Bengal, he,  naturally,  was entitled to a preferential treatment. But, he always preferred  to travel with other comrades and, till his last day in office, travelled only in the economy class of Indian Airlines.  During such visits, he would, forever, be concerned about the welfare of the other comrades always by taking interest in their comforts and needs. I have, for instance, never seen him losing his patience even once!

          Another enduring quality of his was a self-imposed discipline with which he conducted his personal and political life.  He displayed the rearest of soldier-like quality when his opinion in 1996 to accept the offer to become the prime minister in the United Front government  was rejected by a majority of the Central Committee.  Subsequently, the Party Congress at Kolkata in 1998 had endorsed the Central Committee majority opinion.  Notwithstanding his personal opinion, he, till the end, upheld the majority view  and worked steadfastly discharging his responsibilities.  Such steadfast loyalty to the organisational principles of a Communist Party and its strict norms of discipline is a quality that the younger generation needs to emulate. 

               Comrade Jyoti Basu had a unique sense of humour.  In September 1993, both of us travelled to Cuba at the invitation of the Communist Party of Cuba for meetings with Fidel Castro and the Party leadership.  We travelled via the Spanish capital, Madrid. On our return journey, we had a full day waiting to catch the flight back to India.  The Indian Ambassador to Spain asked if there was anything in particular we would like to see in Madrid.  Comrade Jyoti Basu looked at me. I said that since the original `Guernica’ of Picasso was in a museum in Madrid, it would be nice to see that.  This conversation was on our way to Cuba. However, when we returned to Madrid, Comrade Jyoti Basu was not really feeling up to the mark to visit the museum. He suggested that I should however go. Upon which the Indian Ambassador said that the museum was being specially opened, on its scheduled off day, for Jyoti Basu.  Hearing this, JB said, “How would they recognise Jyoti Basu as they had never seen him before! Let Sitaram go, they would not know the difference!”  Eventually I did go alone, the museum was opened and I saw the `Guernica’!

CARRY FORWARD THE STRUGGLES

           The consolidation of the modern Indian Republic and elevating the much required bar of political morality can be achieved only by pursuing this course as  lived by Jyoti Basu.  The strengthening of the secular democratic foundations and, importantly, to complete the unfinished task of converting  the political independence of the country into the true economic emancipation of the people, will define the contours  of such a consolidation.  The widening hiatus between `shining' and `suffering' India needs to be overcome.

      This, in turn, requires, from all of us, the strengthening of the spirit of selfless service to the people and the country.  Pledging his body to serve medical science, Jyoti Basu on April 4, 2003, wrote : “As a Communist, I am pledged to serve humanity till my last breath.  I am happy that now I will continue to serve even after my death.”

              Jyoti Basu's indomitable fighting spirit that he displayed all his life was there to be seen in his death as well.  Running his 96th year when he was brought to the hospital with pneumonia, medical science and doctors, naturally, saw not much hope.  Jyoti Basu, as always, was to surprise everybody.  For 17 days, the fight continued.  `Never say give up' sums up the spirit of his life.

         He is the last of the original nine member Polit Bureau to leave us – the navaratnas that founded the CPI(M) and steered it  through very troubling and exacting times.  The only homage that we can pay to Comrade Jyoti Basu is by redoubling our resolve to carry forward the struggle for human emancipation and liberty to its logical conclusion. 

        

Lal Salam Comrade Jyoti Basu.
courtesy :  People's Democracy

Sitaram Yechury was conferred the ''Order of Communist Party of Russian Federation''

          Comrade Sitaram Yechury, Head of the International Department and Polit Bureau member of the CPI(M) was presented with a ‘Order of CPRF’ medal commemorating the 90th anniversary of the foundation of the USSR. CPRF General Secretary Com. Gennady Zhuganov presented the medal to Com. Sitaram Yechury during the international forum of communist parties organised  by CPRF in Moscow.

           

International forum of communist parties begins in Moscow

          December 15, in Moscow, in the hotel complex "Izmailovo" started an international forum "The communist movement today and tomorrow." It is attended by the leaders of the communist parties of Brazil, China, Greece, India, China, Cuba, Lebanon, Portugal, Ukraine and the Czech Republic. The Russian delegation was headed by Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, GA Zyuganov.

 

          "Roundtable" led Secretary of the Communist Party, the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma International Affairs Committee Leonid Kalashnikov. 

 

         "Today we are completing preparations for the XV Congress of our party and invite all communist forces - said the leader of the Communist Party. - I am glad that many of you have already responded to our invitation." GA Zyuganov said that in the year of the Congress of the Russian Communist Party will celebrate 20 years. "We are the best traditions of the Communist Party, but have been working in other circumstances: the opposition. We have a vision of how to build renewed socialism" - said Gennady Andreyevich.

 

        The leader of the Communist Party, to form and timely modernization of its political program of the party regularly participates in international forums and meetings, actively cooperating with all the communist and left-wing parties in the world. "We recently sent to China for training a group of our young politicians and journalists. They saw what a huge effect give it economic reforms", - said G. Zyuganov.

 

          Goes on in the Communist Party, and advocacy. "We have released a few films of our best experiences in today - said Gennady Andreyevich. - We have also introduced a bill on people's enterprises. This form of management was born in the Soviet Union and went around the world. Today there are many companies in China, Vietnam and India. "

  

         In addition, according to GA Zyuganov, the Communist Party was released two films from the experience of brotherly Belarus, "where the socialist foundations of life have largely been saved."

         Another topic raises the Russian communist leader - is approaching a new world economic crisis.

            "The global crisis, which has already got a hole almost 200 countries, covering over the world, and, in my opinion, worsen in the next year", - said G. Zyuganov.

        Prepared to meet him, according to the leader of the Communist Party, the Communist and left-wing forces to use the best international experience and jointly develop new tactics of the struggle for socialism. "The left turn is almost inevitable," - said Gennady Andreyevich.

           "If we look at how the world is struggling with a crisis, we observe interesting patterns - continued Russian communist leader. - The highest GDP growth rates in the years showed China under the Communist Party - an increase of 10-12 percent in many areas, has shown good results socialist Vietnam. As we see success stories come from those countries that have effective system of state regulation of the economy. "

            On the other hand, as noted, GA Zyuganov, the western world, led by the U.S. has successfully stuck in a crisis, and out of these countries also have to look in the left-reform. "Obama in the United States is trying to cancel the privileges of the rich, introduces social security, actively funding public education ... The united Europe is trying to put a muzzle on bankers and support government programs, decisions which are of a socialist character," - said the leader of the Communist Party,

 

           "We see that those who proclaimed yesterday the stability of liberal values, has assured that American liberalism was defeated," - concluded Zyuganov. As noted, GA Zyuganov, completing his speech, the Communist Party is ready to fill the ideological vacuum created by the crisis of capitalism. To do this, the Communist Party, in particular, held a plenary session in which formulated the new models of the ideological and theoretical work. Concrete measures to combat the economic crisis, according to the leader of the Russian communists, were announced at the last before the All-Russian Congress of the labor collectives. Zyuganov urged foreign comrades see the results of the Russian Communist Party.

 

           Then the leader of the Communist Party handed the leaders of the world Communist movement commemorative medal "In commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the USSR." Communist Party of the Russian Federation at the "round table" as represented by First Deputy Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, the first vice-speaker of the State Duma Ivan Millers and secretary of the Communist Party, the State Duma deputy DG Novikov.

Comrade Sitaram Yechury is conferred the ''Order of CPRF''

         P. F. Dorokhim, Coordinator of Russia - India Inter-Parliamentary group accompanied by A. P. Tarnaev representing the Communist Party of Russian Federation (CPRF) visited AKG Bhavan,  the CPI(M) Party headquarters in New Delhi on December 5. They had discussions with Com. Sitaram Yechury, Head of the International Department and Polit Bureau member of the CPI(M). 

         They once again reiterated the invitation to the CPI(M) to attend the meeting of communist parties organised by the CPRF on December 15-16, 2012. Sitaram Yechury thanked them for the invitation and stated that the Party had decided to take part in the meeting. Com. Sitaram Yechury will be participating in the meeting. 

        On behalf of the CPRF, they presented Sitaram Yechury with a ‘Order of CPRF’ medal commemorating the 90th anniversary of the foundation of the USSR.