> >ML Update >A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine >Vol.-3; No.-27; 12-7-2000 > >Autonomy Is for Integration, Not Partition > >Now that the Union Cabinet has rejected the autonomy proposal passed by >Jammu & Kashmir Assembly and even refused to put it before Parliament, a >debate has really started on the very term "autonomy"! In its bid to >retain the regional allies and not lose its Sangh stand either, the BJP >has pit the concept of devolution of power against the notion of >autonomy. Even then they have been forced to come out in the open with >their clear-cut opposition to the phrase autonomy. Kushabhau Thakre, the >BJP chief has equated autonomy with Balkanisation, a BJP vice president >K Jana Krishnamurthy said that Farooq Abdullah was actually advocating >creation of a confederation of Indian states, which was not acceptable >in a federal set up. He also said that "autonomy" is not acceptable to >BJP as "anything" could be brought under the umbrella of autonomy >"anytime". A General Secretary and incharge of Jammu & Kashmir Affairs >Narendra Modi held that autonomy means partition. And so on. >This indeed is the worst way to confuse the issues of autonomy and >separation, of federation and confederation. Firstly, this is not what >most people in India understand by "autonomy". For instance, Prafulla >Mohanta says 'Assam needs autonomy to fight insurgency'. DMK still owns >its 1974 resolution on autonomy; Akali Dal is still committed to >Anandpur Sahib resolution favoring autonomy. We have even autonomous >regions within a state. To put it simply, autonomy is recognition of >diversity. It is not just limited to administrative devolution of power, >as proposed by BJP. Being part of Sangh Parivar, however, BJP is >fundamentally opposed to any recognition of diversity in India, despite >leading a coalition. >The issue of autonomy in Kashmir has a perspective entirely different >from any other state. It has not fallen from heaven, it was a promise >made by the Indian government to the people of Kashmir at the time of >accession, so people feel that it must redeem its pledge. People there >want an end to violence, both state and extremist terror, they want a >solution. This opportunity could have been used to at least initiate a >debate to explore a way forward. If this was not the NDA government's >thinking, why then overtures were made to All Party Hurriyat Conference >by starting release of its leaders, knowing well that their stand was >not even autonomy but 'Azadi'? Then it was revealed that the matter was >not first discussed in the Cabinet. Was it just because Clinton said, >"Kashmiris deserve to have their concerns addressed", and that set the >ball rolling? >There are lots of baffling questions posed by this stance of BJP. If BJP >is prepared to concede nothing under the head of autonomy, why then the >Prime Minister himself asked Farooq in the first place to go ahead for >drafting an autonomy proposal? It may be, as he later revealed, that he >had not asked him to put the proposal to vote in the Assembly. Still >this kind of intolerant reaction is uncalled for, because in a >parliamentary democracy that is the only way of testing as to how much >support a proposal really enjoys among the people. After all it was a >political opportunity to change the mood from 'Azadi' to autonomy. But >the way they made a fall guy of Farooq, the way Sangh Parivar, BJP and >even NDA cabinet have reacted to the autonomy proposal, it seems that >they have not learnt a lesson from the earlier Congress governments who >had made their own Frankenstein. There can be only one motive: all >fascists do find out some fall guys in order to create an atmosphere of >jingoism against them and BJP is repeating the same. However, far from >their hope that it will put a lid on the Pandora's box, it may lead to >unearth more skeletons from their cupboard. > >Bihar Assembly Gheraoed on 11 July > >Several thousands people have converged to Patna from the four corners >of the state to gherao Bihar assembly at the call of CPI(ML) today on 11 >July. At R-block Shaheed Smarak barricade near Assembly gate, Com. >Dipankar, Ramjatan Sharma, Akhilendra Pratap Singh and thousands of >Party activists have been teargassed and brutally lathicharged while >trying to reach the Assembly. Other leaders along with thousands of >activists are also braving police lathicharge on three different routes >to reach Assembly, according to the latest news. >CPI(ML) has taken up an all out programme to unleash particularly the >rural poor's initiative to reassert their democratic rights and stand >boldly on their own feet against the politics of massacre and press the >government to come out with a white paper on links of Ranvir Sena with >political parties and implement the 1995 ban on it seriously and fix the >responsibility of massacres with SP and DM of the district. >In the recent past Bihar has earned the notoriety for becoming a state >of massacres, but it constitutes none of any serious issues before the >government that professes by social justice. Laloo Prasad is busy duping >people with his funny gimmicks and proclamations. Opposition parties >like BJP-Samata are however under the carpet maintaining their unholy >relations with Ranvir Sena, the mercenary of landholders and targetting >CPI(ML) which is really fighting for the cause of dalits and downtrodden >in Bihar. >To bring this crucial question of democracy to the centre of political >struggle, CPI (ML) has taken this course because in the prevailing >atmosphere of massacres, all avenues of democracy, whether in economic, >political, cultural, social or any other sphere have reached a dead end. > >RSS-BJP Friendly Match > >Following the recent RSS executive meet at Gandhinagar, Mr. Sudershan >has once again started attacking BJP's liberalised policy for FDI and >disinvestment of PSUs saying that these economic policies were not >beneficial. He came down heavily on 100% FDI in e-commerce, cleared by >Union Cabinet last month, saying that it was tantamount to selling the >nation. About disinvestment in PSUs he cautioned that "we should not >hand them over to foreigners in a bid to privatise." >Now it is BJP's turn to counter the RSS tirade. A draft document that >will meet head-on the RSS criticism of the Government's economic policy >has been prepared by the BJP and sent to Yashwant Sinha for fine tuning. >The matter will be sorted out, as a senior leader says, "for after all, >we are friends". The document, in form of a booklet, will be >distributed especially among the cadres "to prevent our workers from >getting confused by the RSS criticism", as party sources indicated. >Vajpayee is unfazed by Sudershan's criticism. There was no going back on >the government policy. Who is accountable to the electorate? It is the >party ... not the others, BJP leaders retort. >Whom are these people trying to befool? Who are BJP cadres other than >RSS-wallahs? The whole exercise is simply meant to capture the space of >opposition, an old art of parliamentary game, because Congress doesn't >stand as the opposition force in economic policy matters. Nor even the >official Left; it is the RSS that is standing at the other pole! At the >world level, multinationals are favoring institutionalisation of >opposition to globalisation. There should be a safety valve and it >should be within the reach. It is necessary to pre-empt the crisis, that >it what the theory says. Being for a long period in opposition, BJP has >learned this lesson by heart. > >CPI(ML) Demands Minister to Be Sacked and Arrested > >CPI(ML) Bihar State Committee demanded on 9 July that Lalit Kumar Yadav, >a Bihar Minister of State for Cooperation, be sacked for torturing his >truck driver and two cleaners, expelled from RJD, and be arrested in the >case of attempt to murder. Ultimately Bihar Chief Minister was compelled >to sack the minister and a case has been instituted against him. But as >the minister is a close associate of Sadhu Yadav, CM's brother, efforts >are on to extricate him from the charge. > >CPI (ML) Condemns NDA Stand Against Autonomy > >CPI(ML) strongly condemned Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for being >totally intolerant to the resolution of autonomy passed by Jammu & >Kashmir Assembly. Functioning in a parliamentary democracy and heading a >coalition of mostly regional parties, of which National Conference is >also a constituent, Mr. Vajpayee should have shown more tolerance to a >proposal that has been sent by the majority of an elected house. But >Vajpayee prefers to show more tolerance to the RSS chief KS Sudarshan's >demand to abrogate Art. 370 and impose president's rule on Jammu & >Kashmir. He is also tolerant to the spate of attacks by Bajrang Dal and >VHP on minority Christian community, for which even NHRC has pulled >them, as well as to their strong- arm tactics in pressurising the >Muslims to relinquish their claim on Babri Masjid and surrender its >location for the construction of Ram Temple. > >On US Missile Test > >Party also expressed concern over Indian government's calculated silence >over the US Missile Defence Test. Clinton, who has been pressurizing >India to sign CTBT, has unilaterally gone ahead with his $ 100 million >project of nuclear warfare. Russia, China and even European countries >who are otherwise allies of US have voiced their dissent to US exercise, >but Indian govt. refused to utter a single word of criticism that may >displease The Superpower. On the contrary it is busy mobilising >"consensus" on signing CTBT to comply with the US demand. This is >detrimental to the sovereignty of the country and the independence of >its foreign policy. > >Convention Against NEP and Black Act in Ludhiana > >A convention jointly organised by CPI(ML)-Liberation, New Democracy and >MCPI was held in Punjabi Bhawan, Ludhiana on 9 July to oppose new >economic policies of liberalisation and globalisation and the TADA-like >black act that the BJP-led NDA Govt. is going to introduce in the next >session of Parliament. Around 500 participants from various parties and >mass organisations packed the auditorium. Com. Jagajit Singh Lyallpurui, >GS of MCPI, Party CC member Com. Swapan Mukherjee, Gen. Secy. of New >Democracy Com. Yatendra Kumar, BKU(Ekta) Vice President Ruldu Singh, >Com. Rajvinder Rana and representatives from several mass organisations >addressed the convention. > >Construction Labour Demonstration at SP Office > >Hundreds of construction workers under the banner of Rajasthan Nirman >Mazdoor Sangathan, an affiliate of AICCTU, and CPI(ML) staged a >demonstration at the office of S.P. (South) in Jaipur on 3 July to >protest against lapses in entering FIR on the death of a construction >worker by OC of Shyamnagar PS and submitted a memorandum in this regard. >A worker had died as he fell from a house on 23 June but the OC in >connivance with the house owner refused to enter the FIR. Starting from >CPI(ML) office at Jaipur, a large procession went up to Collectorate >where Com. Srilata Swaminadhan, vice president of AICCTU and leaders of >Rajasthan Nirman Mazdoor Union Com. Harkesh Bugalia, Kalu Ram, >Ramchandra Meghwal, Datar Singh etc. addressed to the demonstrators and >demanded suspension of OC and compensation to the family of the victim. >The SP assured to order a fresh enquiry to be conducted by a circle >inspector. > >NHRC Reprimands VHP > >National Human Rights Commission has asked Vishwa Hindu Parishad and >Bajrang Dal to denounce their activists who were allegedly involved in >propagating "anti-Christian" statements in order to restore harmony in >the country. >NHRC had issued notices to Centre, all states and UTs to respond on >protective steps taken in the aftermath of recent attacks on Christians >within a time frame of two weeks. > >CPI(ML) Policy on Kashmir > >1. We are not averse to the demand for an independent Kashmir or >plebiscite, in principle. Still, we are skeptical about the viability of >an independent Kashmir sandwiched between two hostile powers, India and >Pakistan. In such a situation, there is a potential danger of such an >independent country becoming an easy target for imperialist >manipulations. Another concern is that such a country could also become >a hotbed of Islamic fundamentalism, thereby turning into a detriment to >the cause of a larger democratic movement. > >2. If things have come to such a pass, the blame is squarely to be laid >on the attitude of the Indian government. The case of Kashmir is >completely a special issue given its method of accession, the Hindu >religious chauvinistic attitude of the Indian state and bitter relations >with neighboring Pakistan. Kashmir was attached with Indian Territory >through the Instrument of Accession Act with a specific constitutional >promise to accord a special treatment to the state short of independence >and have plebiscite. A special Article 370 was also incorporated into >the Constitution of India. But Indian government not only never bothered >to stick to its constitutional obligations, it also allowed the >situation to worsen by adopting a Hindu communal authoritarian approach >thus leading to further alienation of broad Kashmiri masses. The >approach of Indian government not only precipitated the Kashmir question >but also disturbed Kashmir's tradition of communal harmony. > >3. Any solution to Kashmir problem presupposes a radical change in the >attitude of Indian government. With all our sympathy for the cause of >the Kashmiri masses we want to give peace a final chance. We feel that >it is still not too late to work out a solution within the framework of >India and with this in view we seek the solution of Kashmir problem by >ensuring maximum possible autonomy. Major steps to be taken in this >direction include putting unequivocal opposition to US intervention, and >normalisation of border dispute with Pakistan. > >4. We expect the people of Kashmir and militants should realise the >extent to which the secular tradition of Kashmir has suffered a setback >because of the killings of pundits by some fundamentalist forces. We >also appeal to them to develop closer interaction with the broader >secular, democratic forces of India and join hands in a common struggle >against the chauvinistic Indian ruling classes and the state. >-- (Policy Resolution on Nationality Question; 6th Congress, Varanasi; >Oct, 1997) > >Dharna by Delhi AIPWA > >Delhi AIPWA South unit organised a dharna on 10 July at Police >Headquaters against the nexus of Moolchand Management-Lajpatnagar Police >on the question of harassment and victimization of women employees of >the Moolchand Hospital. >A 5-member delegation led by AIPWA GS Kumudini Pati, Laxmykutti, Sr. >Brijet, Jita Kaur and Pritha went to meet Commissioner of Police, Delhi >Ajay Raj Sharma. The C.P. assured to take the matter to the Lt. >Governor. > >AIPWA Activities in Kanpur > >The Manager of Bhadauria Khalsa Inter College in Kanpur attempted to >rape a girl on 1 June. When the girl went to complain about it, she was >intimidated with a threat on life. Against this, local AIPWA unit >mobilised women and staged demonstration before the DM and submitted a >memorandum demanding arrest of and proper punishment to the culprit. >The Kanpur AIPWA has decided to recruit 5,000 members within 2 months. >The city has been divided into 5 zones and the Govindnagar zone has >taken up the target of recruiting 2,000 women in AIPWA. >On 24 May a mass meeting was organised by AIPWA against oppression on >women, which was attended by around 250 women. Leaders of Water >corporation and Sanitation trade unions also attended the meeting. > >Globalisation Has Hit Women Badly > >A report by World Health Organisation and Voluntary Association of India >on the "National Profile of Women, Health and Development" states that >"The process of globalisation has impacted the poor badly especially >women in terms of trafficking of women and prostitution, greater spread >of female foeticides and female infanticides, dowry demands, harassment >and dowry deaths. >Women's poor health status is also reflected in high infant and maternal >mortality rates, significant undernutrition and nutritional anaemia, >increase in depression, suicides, and sexual violence. >The study has revealed that women's health status is closely linked to >their social status and any improvement in their health status calls for >their empowerment and equality in society and an end to discrimination. > >Rural Non Agricultural Employment >Year Rural Non-Agri. > Employment (%) > Male Female >1972-73 16.8 10.3 >1977-78 19.4 11.9 >1983 22.5 12.5 >1987-88 25.5 15.3 >1989-90 28.3 18.6 >1990-91 29 15.1 >1992 24.3 13.8 >1993-94 25.9 13.8 >Source : NSS, Sarvekshana, (various issues). > >Left Sweep in Mongolia And Romania > >Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) swept back into power in >this landlocked Asian country's national elections held on July 2, >winning 72 out of 76 seats in Parliament. It was really a leap from a >mere 26 seats in the outgoing parliament. MPRP has led Mongolia from >1921 to 1990 on a socialist path for seven decades, then opened for >capitalist penetration into her herders economy based on livestock. >Along with the capitalist penetration in East Europe and USSR, MPRP >went along with the early capitalist wind but moved slowly and lost >power in 1996. A new reform government capitulated to IMF diktat, acted >as a puppet of the imperialists and imposed "savage capitalism" which >pushed 2.4 million Mongolians into abject poverty. Under the old >pro-socialist government the herders, the bulk of the population, could >get aid. Under capitalism they got only starvation death. Therefore, >they overwhelmingly rejected capitalist reforms. It was riding a wave of >popular anger against political gridlock under the divided Democratic >Union coalition government and economic austerity measures imposed by >the IMF. Immediately after the sweep the MPRP leader Nambarin Enkhbayar >said : "the magic word like "privatisation" doesn't bring better quality >of life automatically". He gave notice that MPRP would roll back >industrial privatisation and promised free education to the children of >poor herders families. >Similarly in Romania, on May 4, the former Communist-turned-Social >Democrats led by the former president Ion Iliescu swept the local >elections and gained in local governments including the post of Mayor of >Bucharest. The pro-western Christian Democratic Party backed down from >the local election after the mega Bank scandal, which led to the >collapse of the National Investment Funds, robbing thousands of common >people. This has left the ruling Christian Democratic Party looking >Corrupt and untrustworthy. The local election trend signals the outcome >of the forthcoming parliamentary elections in coming November. The >pro-western ruling party , which was promoting gangster 'capitalism' in >Romania in the last 4 years since it took power from the ex-communists >in '96, stands decidedly vulnerable. Present Christian Democrat led >coalition have 30% seats but SD is closely behind with 23%. This >advancement of the people could not be termed as a victory of socialism, >but it definitely indicates the wind blowing against globalisation of >western capitalism. That is why Romania started giving worries to the >bosses of NATO and EU. > >>From Vinod Mishra's Writings > >Who is a Revolutionary Cadre? > >Comrade CM had drawn an important line of demarcation between the cadres >of revisionist and revolutionary parties. Whereas the former keep on >waiting for the instruction from above, the latter take their >independent initiative and creatively implement the instructions that >come from the leadership. For this a revolutionary cadre must be of an >enterprising type and he/she should have a firm command over the >situation in his/her area. This however is not possible without a >deep-going social investigation. Comrade Mao had once remarked that "no >investigation, no right to speak". Without questioning the ideas that >repeatedly clash with the practice at the ground level, without asking >'How ' and 'Why' on every phenomenon, how can human knowledge move >forward? How can new heights be scaled both in theory and practice with >'yes sir' kind of communist cadres? > >The Quality of Leadership > >Enforcement of centralism and discipline is closely related to the >stature of party leadership in the eyes of the ranks. >If leaders do not have a good grasp of the situation and of >Marxism-Leninism, if their life style and their attitudes smack of >decadent bourgeois culture, if they are not modest, sober and >hardworking, if they do not enjoy spontaneous love and respect from the >ranks, their simply holding a high post in the party hierarchy will not >be of any use. Only when the core of leadership is mature and dedicated > __________________________________ 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] ___________________________________
