Asia and Oceania

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] is intensifying its mobilisation around farmers’ demands in Maharashtra while continuing its nationwide campaign for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the suspension of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

India has been witnessing mass mobilisations in recent weeks, centred around the demand for resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) who is responsible for the conduct of free and fair elections. The Communist Party of India (Marxist), CPI(M), has been raising its concerns about the way the Election Commission of India (ECI) is conducting for the last 18-20 months, and has been the leading force of the mass protests. CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Arun Kumar answered International Communist Press's questions. 

The Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) has stepped up its public activity in October, combining opposition to agreements it considers harmful to national sovereignty with demands for workers’ rights, accountability and protection for Bangladeshi citizens abroad.

Two major mobilisations in India on 22–23 October highlighted demands for relief to drought-affected farmers and opposition to the revision of electoral rolls.

Thousands of people took part in a night march organised by the Malappuram District Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] in Kerala on Monday, 19 October, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and expressing solidarity with protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi against the revision of electoral rolls.

The Japanese Communist Party (JCP) has called for the cancellation of the large-scale US-Japan military exercise Keen Sword 27, scheduled to begin on 19 October.