>Subject: ML Update Vol 3, No. 8 March 1 2000 >Mime-Version: 1.0 >Status: > > >Editorial: >The Message from Bihar: A Hung Society and A Hung Assembly > >Results of Assembly elections in the four states of Haryana, Orissa, >Manipur and Bihar are now before us. If the outcome has been on expected >lines in Haryana, Orissa and Manipur, Bihar has once again befuddled >political observers. Defying all opinion polls and exit polls, Bihar has >produced a precariously hung Assembly. The NDA has not only failed to win >even an approximate majority, its tally even fell short of the RJD's 124. > >The hung Assembly in Bihar reflects the delicate political and social >balance of forces in the state. Bihar is definitely fed up with the RJD's >version of the 'jungle raj', but it is also scary of being used as a >laboratory for a saffron-led reign of super jungle. Contrary to Laloo's >claim that the results have vindicated his jungle raj, we must look at the >outcome as an acute expression of Bihar's predicament. The questions >haunting Bihar are still crying out for solutions, and a Left-led >alternative is yet to emerge. The upshot is a hung Assembly and a new phase >of political instability and uncertainty. The quest for a democratic >alternative will be on and the Left will have to take the lead to intensify >class struggles in this direction. > >While upholding the independent banner of the Left, the CPI(ML) and other >Left forces in Bihar will have to play the role of a responsible Left >opposition within the Assembly. The delicate balance of forces in Bihar and >the prevailing political climate of the country may place certain >constraints on our role within the Assembly, but this must not be pitted >against our overall political identity. Any specific step we may have to >take within the Assembly in response to the concrete situation must be seen >in the perspective of and in subordination to the Party's tactical line. > >Beyond the Assembly, the Left must learn its lessons from the Bihar poll >results. In spite of RJD's backing, the CPI(M) has managed to win only two >seats. Its success rate of 10% (2 winners among 21 candidates) stands in >miserable contrast against RJD's own success rate of 40% (124 among 300 >candidates), thereby exposing the limits to the CPI(M)'s capacity of riding >piggyback on the RJD. To the credit of the CPI, the party has succeeded in >winning five seats and finishing a close second in a few other >constituencies. While its apparent strength thus has gone down alarmingly >from 26 to 5, it has nevertheless managed to regain part of its fading >identity. With two losses and two gains, our own tally stands stationary at >six. While technically this makes us the largest Left party in Bihar, we >must not be blind to our own weaknesses which have been exposed quite >glaringly. > >The media will once again indulge in spinning myths around Laloo's >invincible charisma and many a thesis will also be written on the >marginalisation of the Left in Bihar. The BSP's spectacular rise will also >be used as a counterpoint against the CPI(ML)-led radical struggles of the >oppressed rural poor. If anything, the BSP's gains in areas of Bihar where >our movement is weak only illustrate the growing degree of dalit >disenchantment with the RJD's reign of compromises with feudal forces. For >real communists, the time has come when we must ruthlessly diagnose and >remove our subjective weaknesses and face the future with renewed hope, >courage and determination. >CPI(ML) MP Interrupts Presidential Speech, Places Amendments > >CPI(ML)'s Member of Parliament Com. Jayanta Rongpi interrupted the speech >being made by President KR Narayanan on behalf of the Government on 23 >February at the Central Hall of Parliament and placed an amendment to the >Presidential speech. Com. Rongpi took exception to the omission of the >Autonomous State issue of Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills districts of >Assam in the text of Presidential speech and demanded inclusion of the >same. Even as Mr. KR Narayanan was reading from the prepared text, Com. >Rongpi stood up and started raising the slogan : "No Autonomous State, No >Rest". Com. Rongpi also drew the attention by demanding to implement Art. >244(A) of the Constitution in case of Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills. >Com. Rongpi placed eight more amendments in the Presidential speech >including enactment of radical land reform measures, to make right to work >a fundamental right, introduce stringent law to check corruption at high >places and find solution to the persistent flood problem in Assam, etc. > >CPI(ML) on Role in the Assembly > >CPI(ML) General Secretary Com. Dipankar Bhattacharya, while addressing a >press conference at Patna said that the Party will play the role of >"responsible opposition". Stating that we don't have the responsibility to >form the government, he further said that the election results have proved >that Bihar has no room for the Left surviving on the subsidy of power. > >Workers' Rally in Ludhiana > >Over 1000 workers took part in a colourful rally brought out by CPI(ML) in >Ludhiana on 27 February at Sherpur Bazar. It was addressed by Party CC >member Com. Swapan Mukherjee, Com. Jitender Pal Singh, Ludhiana district >secretary of CITU and Com. Bhagwant Singh of RYA. Com. Ramesh Sharma, >district Party secretary conducted the mass meeting. Speakers called upon >the workers to participate in large number in the "March to Parliament" on >9 March. Speakers also demanded implementation of the labour laws, >distribution of ration cards to the migrant workers and gave a call to get >mobilised against the police-goon nexus in this industrial belt. > >2nd AICCTU State Conference in Delhi > >The 2nd Delhi State Conference of AICCTU was held on 27 Feb. at Labour Hall >in Kalkaji. It was participated in by around 150 delegates. Com. Srilata >Swaminadhan, vice president of AICCTU hoisted the flag and Com. Kumudini >Pati inaugurated the conference after homage was paid to the martyrs. Com. >Kumudini outlined the saffron attacks on working class and called upon >Delhi workers to play a leading role against it. Delhi Party secretary Com. >Rajendra Pratholi, AICGHS president Com. Ramkishan and AIPWA Secy. Com. >Jeeta Kaur were present as guests. The conference elected a 28-member >council and 14-member executive, with Com. NM Thomas as president and >Ranjan Ganguli as secretary. > >CPI(ML) Protests UP Govt.'s Draconian Decision > >Party's UP State Committee strongly protested the UP Govt.'s decision to >step up police repression in the name of curbing Naxalism in the eastern >districts of the state. The Party identified it as a move to strangulate >the peasant and democratic struggles waged under its leadership against >feudal lords and police-mafia nexus in the eastern UP. It is to be noted >that in the recent past there have been a number of incidents of firing by >mafia elements and police to crush the movement for employment and against >harvestors in this region. > >Our Party won 6 seats in all, viz., Sahar(SC), Karakat, Mairwan(SC), >Bagodar, Obra and Barsoi. In Barsoi, Com. Mahboob Alam in his maiden >victory defeated his nearest rival by over 26,000 votes and the Sahar seat >was retained by Com. Ram Naresh Ram by over 20,000 votes. In Obra, Rajaram >Singh retained his seat, winning it by a margin of over 12,000 votes. In >Bagodar, Com. Mahendra Prasad Singh won for the third successive time >defeating his nearest rival by over 7,000 votes. Com. Satyadev Ram too >retained his seat from Mairwan winning it by a margin of around 6,000. In >Karakat, Com. Arun Singh won for the first time defeating his nearest rival >by a margin of 8,000 votes. > >Party candidates polled second in 5 constituencies, Ghoshi, Arwal, Dhanwar, >Darauli and Sikta, among which Dhanwar and Arwal were lost by a narrow >margin of around 2000 to 2500. We lost in Darauli by a margin of around >8000, Sikta by 10,000 and Ghoshi by over 25,000 votes. Party candidates >came third in 9 seats, Sandesh, Piro, Jagdishpur, Arrah, Barahara, Hilsa, >Islampur, Bhore, Masaurhi and Fatuha(SC). > >Our votes in these constituencies are as follows: > >Winners > >Constituency District Votes > >Sahar(SC) Bhojpur 43,290 > >Karakat Rohtas 39,000+ > >Mairwan(SC) Siwan 32,996 > >Obra Aurangabad 37,649 > >Barsoi Katihar 62,644 > >Second > >Ghoshi Jahanabad 60,097 > >Darauli Siwan 33,990 > >Dhanwar Giridih 31,304 > >Arwal Jahanabad 27,037 > >Sikta W. Champaran 24,300 > >Third > >Sandesh Bhojpur 28,731 > >Hilsa Nalanda 28,227 > >Islampur --do-- 25,188 > >Piro Bhojpur 22,951 > >Bhore Gopalganj 20,824 > >Fatuha(SC) Patna 20,778 > >Jagdishpur Buxar 17,307 > >Arrah Bhojpur 10,993 > > >CPI has won 5 seats, namely Matihani, Nala, Barkattha, Ramgarh and Barauni. >Following 1995 elections it had 25 MLAs, out of which 6 had deserted it to >form the Krantikari Communist Party. Out of them, 2 have won. CPI(M), with >RJD backing, could win only 2 seats (Khagaria and Bibhutipur) compared to 6 >seats it won in 1995. MCC-Roy retained 1 seat (Nirsa) but lost the other >(Sindri), and Umadhar Singh of CPI(ML)-TND made a comeback from Hayaghat. > >RYA National Convention To Be Held in Lucknow > >Revolutionary Youth Association will organise a national convention >"Against saffron offensive and price rise, for employment and national >dignity" on March 31--April 1 at Lucknow. This was decided at a meeting of >National Executive of RYA held at Patna on Feb.21-22. The meeting decided >to organised a "Youth March" on March 31, the day of martyrdom of Com. >Chandrashekhar. The RYA has also decided to participate in the "March to >Parliament" on 9 March. > >The meeting called upon its units all over India to organise protests, >torchlight processions and burning of the effigies of Clinton and Vajpayee >along with Holika Dahan (Holi), on the eve of Clinton's visit. It will >observe March 23, the day of martyrdom of Bhagat Singh as "Clinton bhagao, >Azadi bachao" day. On March 1, all-India protest day will be organised >against the anti-people budget. > >March to Parliament by AISA on 17 April > >Students and youth from various states will march to Parliament on 17 April >"to oppose saffronisation of education and culture and for national >sovereignty and democracy". Dharnas, demonstrations, seminars are being >held by AISA units against privatisation and saffronisation of education in >various places in the course of preparation of this march. > >AISA has already taken initiatives in Delhi against the saffron >conspiracies of imposing a ban on shooting of Water in Varanasi, imposition >of Vande Mataram in Azamgarh and withdrawal by Indian Council of Historical >Research of KN Panikkar and Sumit Sarkar's Towards Freedom. AISA has >decided to organise burning of Clinton's effigy at various places on 19 >March, along with Holi. It has also decided to organise various programmes >observing Bhagat Singh's Martyrdom Day on 23 March and Com. >Chandrashekhar's Martyrdom Day on 31 March. AISA will publish a booklet on >saffronisation of education, culture and history and the fascist designs of >Sangh Parivar. > >Spinning Mill Workers' Dharna in Lucknow > >Hundreds of workers belonging to spinning mills of Banda, Jhansi, >Raebareilly, Sandila (Hardoi), Kashipur (Udham Singh Nagar) brought out a >procession under the banner of UP Katai Mill Mazdoor Mahasangh on 26 >February in Lucknow. The procession started from Charbagh and went up to >GPO crossing and turned into a dharna at GPO Park. A memorandum was >submitted to the Chief Minister, in which they demanded resumption of the >closed spinning mills, and repeal of the order to close down the spinning >mill in Banda. The memorandum demanded arrears of wages and bonus be paid >and scams involving crores of rupees by the mill managers be probed and >culprits punished and wages must be revised through tripartite talks and >privatisation of mills must be stopped. If these demands were not met, the >Mahasangh leaders warned to the UP State Government, spinning mill workers >will gherao Legislative Assembly in its forthcoming budget session. The >workers assembled at the dharna were addressed by CPI(ML) leader Com. >Ambarish Rai, state AICCTU president Com. RN Upadhyay and Ramesh Singh >Sengar, acting president Com. Hari Singh, convenor of Mahasangh Com. >Bachcha Singh, convenor of NTC Bachao Morcha Com. Babulal and others. It >was conducted by Com. Ramji Lal, leader of Sandila Katai Mill. > >Lawyers Against Reforms > >Lawyers belonging to Dugdhi Bar Association in Sonebhadra district launched >agitation against the proposed amendments in Civil Procedure Code and >Advocates Act. Supporting their movement on behalf of the Party and AICCTU, >Com. Dinkar Kapoor addressed the agitating lawyers on 25 February at Dugdhi. > >March Against Withdrawal of Towards Freedom > >Various Left and democratic organisations and intellectuals marched under a >common banner from Mandi House to Parliament on 25 February protesting >withdrawal of Towards Freedom edited by KN Panikkar and Sumit Sarkar, at >the behest of saffron Ministry of Human Resource Development. > >MCC Extremists Attack in Barachatti > >Extremists belonging to the banned outfit MCC attacked the house of Com. >Baleshwar Manjhi, CPI(ML) candidate from Barachatti constituency in Gaya >district of Bihar on 21 February. The assailents shot at the son of Com. >Manjhi and seriously injured him. They also looted his house. According to >the sources, the attack was instigated by the RJD and the police and >administration only helped them. It is to be noted that only a couple of >weeks ago MCC had abducted 7 ML activists in Manika, killing two of them >later. > >RJD Goons on Rampage > >Soon as the third leg of poll to the Legislative Assembly in Bihar had >completed, RJD goons went on rampage in the rural areas of Darbhanga >district. On 22 February, RJD supporter criminals attacked Pachhaura, >Kamalpur and Chaparar villages and put the houses belonging to Yadavs, >Paswans and Tatamas on fire. Their cattle as well as belongings were >looted. So much for social justice. The attack was launched under the >instigation of one Ramakant Yadav, Chairman of Darbhanga Degional >Development Authority. The crime of these backward and dalit people was >that they had voted for CPI(ML). Party has condemned the incident and >demanded proper compensation to the victims, proper security measures for >them as well as their rehabilitation. > >His Master's Voice > >Mr. George, once a firebrand socialist, rose on his legs on the floor to >defend Vajpayee, even as the entire opposition was demanding adjournment >motion on the question of Gujarat BJP Govt. lifting the ban on its >employees joining the RSS. Of course with a nod from the PM. One wonders >how far this defence minister can go in defence of Sangh Parivar. > >It's a Danger Signal > >The way lathi-wielding police pounded upon the protesting lawyers in Delhi >bears evil portents to the right of assembly and right to dissent. Lawyers >were protesting the Govt. move to open the courts for foreign lawyers. Time >to rise against Govt's barbarity along with its desperate policy of sell out. > >Mahangai ki Fascist Sarkar > >The BJP-led NDA has already earned the title of "Mahangai ki Sarkar". But >now it is behaving like a government without a Parliament. The budget >session has already turned into farce when a hike in petroleum prices or >doubling the milk price could all be accomplished before the session >starts. It is Mahangai ki fascist sarkar(Government of Price Rise). > >CPI(ML) Demonstration at Jaipur Assembly > >Hundreds of activists belonging to CPI(ML), AIPWA and Rajasthan >Construction Workers Union took out a resistance march against police >repression and then staged a demonstration before the Assembly in Jaipur on >21 February to protest police havoc in Bhanwra village in Sawai Madhopur >district of Rajasthan. They demanded immediate arrest and removal of the >police personnel who have participated in the brutal assault on the village >folk on 10 February, full compensation for the loss of property and crops >to the villagers and instituting an independent judicial enquiry into the >incident. It was addressed by Com. Harkesh Bugalia, district Party >secretary, AIPWA leader Mewa Bharati and Brajmohan Bairwa, president of >Rajasthan Construction Workers Union. Earlier, a Party investigation team >comprising Comrades Harkesh Bugalia, Mewa Bharati and Mohanlal Parik >visited the village Bhanwra and found that a minor incident of clash had >taken place between villagers and police on 4 February, the panchayat poll >day, because police were involved in booth capturing for the BJP candidate. >On 10 Feb., a contingent of 300 policemen ransacked the village, destroyed >property and crops and beat old people and brutally molested women, and >arrested three above-70-year-old persons and a child. > >Seminar by JSM > >The rural unit of Jan Samskriti Manch, Utai in Durg district of Madhya >Pradesh organised a seminar on 20 February at the local Utai College on >"Pain of the departed century and challenges of the 21st Century". It was >presided over by Indu Shankar Manu, president of Bhilai unit of JSM. Main >speaker was Dr. Sudhir Gangeya. Other speakers at the seminar included >Prof. Siyaram Sharma, Vijay Vartman, Vinod Mishra and Brijendra Tiwari. >They regarded neocolonialism, communal fascism, poverty and unemployment as >the main challenges before us. The seminar was conducted by Chandrika >Bhadaria. The seminar also criticised the BJP govt. for creating hurdles in >the way of shooting of Water and for withdrawal of Towards Freedom. >Participants decided to open a library in the village. > >Politics Behind Review of the Constitution > >Forum for Democratic Initiatives organised a seminar on "Politics behind >review of the Constitution" at Gandhi Peace Foundation in New Delhi on 28 >February. It was chaired by Prof. Neera Chandok. Speakers included noted >intellectuals Prabhash Joshi, Seema Mustafa, Justice Rajendra Sachar and >Brij Bihari Pandey. Speakers said though BJP does not have sufficient >majority in Parliament to amend the Constitution, it is however trying to >throw up the saffron issue in order to create public opinion in its favour. >Prabhash Joshi pointed out that the RSS had neither taken part in freedom >struggle nor did it ever accept the Constitution, because it wanted a >constitution of Hindu rashtra. BB Pandey underlined the necessity to >identify people's issues and mobilise them to fight against this saffron >agenda. > > > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi ___________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________
