NEW DELHI: A CPI(M) organisational report has stated that the party suffers from the lack of “quality of the membership’’.
“A large number of party members do not possess the minimum qualification for party membership,’’ states the report, adding that this “declining level of quality of party members has negated the realisation of a mass revolutionary party. What has come into being is more like a mass party.’’
The CPI(M) has also fixed the source of this problem. According to it, the “loose membership recruitment and lack of political and organisational training’’ of the cadre is the reason for the low-quality cadre. The report says that many members do not attend party classes or training programmes these days unlike earlier days when these were mandatory.
The organisational report, however, has also suggested remedies for this current fall in quality.
The party feels the “growing parliamentarism” is the main reason for this decline in quality of cadres and exhorts the cadre to concentrate more on extra-parliamentary activities and organisational tasks.
According to the report, nearly eight per cent of full-time cadres have left the party in the last one year, while 17.5 per cent candidate members—those yet to become party members—have left the party. While stating that fewer youth are joining the party these days, the report admits that socialism has lost its ideological appeal.
The report has a word of advice for the party leaders as well. It asks the leaders to “change the style of functioning and adopt a mass line and restore living links with the people.’’ The report wants the top brass to mingle with the masses in the old-school ways.
The party also exhorts the cadre to adhere to progressive values and eschew obscurantism, casteism and patriarchal outlook. It wants a “rectification campaign’’ to be carried out annually, along with a membership drive, to ensure quality.
But not all are thrilled with this ideological document.
“There is nothing new in this document. If you look at the previous organisational reports, you will see similar issues and similar correctional recommendations being written. What matters is how serious is the party leadership about what is written,’’ said a Left sympathiser.
Some pin hope on the new leadership under Sitaram Yechury. “That the party has a leader like Yechury gives hope. Hope that he will dare to take some unconventional decisions this time. Only then these documents will have some meaning,’’ said another Left leader.