By Liz Mathew, IANS
Coimbatore : The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Wednesday urged its members to lead simple lives and to shun “temptations” such as ostentatious celebrations and dowry.
The 19th party congress called for a “rectification campaign” while strictly asking its cadres to lead “simple” lives and follow the “disciplinary lifestyle prescribed for communists”.
In its more than 100-page political-organisational report, the party has expressed concern over the falling standards of its cadre.
Apart from amassing assets “disproportionate to their known source of income”, some of the “party cadre follow caste and religious practices”, the report said.
“There are complaints about some party members practicing dowry system. Some party members organise ostentatious parties in connection with birthdays, marriages, construction of new houses, etc.”
The report pointed out that it had told leading party functionaries and elected representatives to adopt “simple lifestyle”.
“They should not host lavish weddings for their family members, relatives and should refrain from taking dowry. They should not organise religious ceremonies or personally conduct religious rituals…
“Party members should not accept any hospitality provided by companies and private lobbies. This will include dinners/lunches, expensive gifts, hotel stay (and accepting) discounts in prices for buying costly gifts…
“The lifestyle of some leaders and cadre is incompatible with expected lifestyle of communists. They are getting attracted to pomp and bourgeois tendencies.
“We should understand that people will not relish such tendencies in communists,” it warned.
It also pointed out that the cases of financial irregularities were increasing. It called for a “rectification” campaign against all wrong trends.