>Date: Wed, 19 Jul 2000 00:04:23 +0530 >From: "CPI(ML) LIberation" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >ML Update >A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine >Vol.-3; No.-28; 19-7-2000 > >Bihar Looks to the Red Surge of People's Power > >The gherao of Bihar Assembly on July 11 was indeed historic. The June 16 >Miyanpur massacre in Aurangabad district in which the Ranvir Sena had >yet again slaughtered dozens of innocent people had left Bihar boiling >in rage. The offensive statements issued by the Sena following the >massacre and the callous and collusive political response shown by the >state and major political parties only added insult to this injury. >Bihar had to explode and the CPI(ML)'s call for gherao of the State >Assembly only helped ignite and channelise the explosion of mounting >popular anger. >The day was historic. July 11 marked the fourth anniversary of the >infamous Bathani Tola massacre. During the four years following Bathani >Tola, while the Sena went on perpetrating one gory carnage after >another, the state and its political managers only presided over this >unending bloodbath. The gherao was the people's way of remembering all >the innocent victims of the Sena and warning the killers and their >patrons that history would never forgive them. >The place was historic as well. Sweeping away all barricades the red >surge of people's power reached the martyrs' memorial situated right in >front of the secretariat building which houses the Assembly. This was >the place where the freedom-loving students had laid down their lives in >August 1942 during the Quit India movement. Three decades later, this >was the site where the militant student followers of JP took the oath in >1974 to overthrow the repressive Congress government of Bihar. This time >around, it was the turn of Bihar's rural poor to assert their presence >and indeed, how gloriously did they announce their arrival! >The July 11 gherao has given a serious jolt to the Assembly and to the >dominant politics of massacre. It has thrown a bold challenge to every >attempt to trivialise massacres and white-wash Ranvir Sena, the >fountain-head of feudal violence. It has signalled the beginning of a >new phase of people's unity and resistance. Laloo Prasad is fast >forfeiting his mantle of social justice. One more blow and he will lose >his last mask. The gherao has rightly proclaimed "samajik nyay baki hai" >(the fight for social justice is ours and we shall win it.) >Anger was not the only mood reflected in the gherao. More than anger, >and inseparably mixed with it, was HOPE. The air is thick with new hopes >of social transformation. Beleaguered, embattled, backward Bihar is once >again rising with a dream and a new determination to realise it. A whole >lot of people are looking to the red flag for reliable leadership. >Revolutionary communists will have to intensify their initiative a >thousand times to fulfil the great expectations of the great people of >Bihar. > > >Cong-sponsored UPDS Kills 10 in Karbi Anglong >CPI(ML)-ASDC Called for 12-hour Bandh > >Once again the Congress-sponsored killer gang UPDS struck in Telehor and >Langparpan villages of Kheroni Police Station of Hamren subdivision in >Karbi Anglong in the night of 15 July, killing 10 people including 5 >children. Among them 9 were of Bihari origin and one of Nepali origin. >The extremists set the whole village on fire. Protesting against this >heinous political conspiracy of Congress to create a split in the ranks >of autonomy movement along Karbi-non Karbi lines, CPI(ML) and ASDC have >called for a 12 hour bandh on 17 July. >Congress, once in power in the autonomous councils in both the hill >districts of Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills, is now out in the >darkness for more than a decade. Its candidates suffered defeat not only >in four consecutive parliamentary elections, in Assembly elections too >twice they lost all the four seats falling in Karbi Anglong district. >Its credibility as a champion of Karbi cause stands at the lowest and >even its base among non-Karbis, particularly Biharis, has fastly eroded. >As Congress govts. in the state or centre never appreciated the autonomy >demand, the party could not find a political plank to revive itself >here, so it has built up a terrorist outfit UPDS, which enjoys support >from BJP as well. With the Assembly elections only a year away, these >parties are trying to create terror among non-Karbi as well as Karbi >mass base of CPI(ML)-ASDC. But Party and ASDC are determined to foil >their conspiracy and carry forward the peoples' autonomy movement >unitedly. > > >Assembly Gherao is just a glimpse, the real fight for Social Justice >lies ahead >When Bihar Assembly Was Encircled from the Four Corners > >11 July 2000 will be remembered as a glorious day in the history of >political movements in Bihar. At the call of CPI(ML), thousands upon >thousands toilers, students and youth reached Patna to and braving all >the police barricades on all the four sides encircled the Assembly. >Police and Rapid Action Force arbitrarily lathicharged and hurled more >than a hundred tear-gas shells. Several party leaders including General >Secretary Com. Dipankar Bhattacharya received injuries and many more in >an attempt to cover them during the lathicharge. Demonstrators succeeded >in reaching the martyrs' memorial of 1942 and held a meeting there and >thus carried on the legacy of great democratic movement of 1974. The >main slogan of this movement was: 'Smash Ranvir Sena, the stigma on >civilisation, or else resign'. Agitators were demanding declaration of a >time-bound work-plan to smash Ranvir Sena and concrete guarantee of >security of the poor. >Com. Dipankar, while expressing gratitude to toilers and >progressive-democratic people of Bihar for making the gherao a grand >success, said that the success of gherao represents our success in >giving voice to democratic conscience, and it could be achieved only on >the basis of poor and toilers' active support. Addressing the meeting at >the martyrs' memorial, he said, "While you made Bihar Bandh successful >on 21 June, the slogan was 'Bihar Bandh is just a glimpse, Assembly >gherao is the real task lying ahead!' ... Today when we have >accomplished gherao of Assembly, our call and pledge must be 'Assembly >gherao is just a glimpse, the real fight for social justice lies ahead'. >Congratulating Bihar govt. for the lathi blow on his person, Com. >Dipankar said that by this act the lathi has demonstrated with whom it >sides ... with Ranvir Sena or with enumerous poor and backward people >who have reached here opposing Ranvir Sena. He said that the success of >gherao has made it clear that Laloo Prasad had lost the right of talking >about social justice, so the task of carrying forward the battle for >social justice lies on the shoulders of CPI(ML) and leftist forces. >This great resistance day began when at 9.30 a.m. on 11 July, when a >detachment led by Com. Dipankar, along with PB member Com. Swadesh >Bhattacharya, Bihar State Secy. Com. Ramjatan Sharma, U.P. State Secy. >Com. Akhilendra Pratap Singh and Com. Rajaram Singh, MLA started from >Patna Railway Station, shouting slogans The whole Bihar has one thing to >say; We will not tolerate the massacres" "Innocents have to shed their >blood, this rule cannot be allowed" and reached R-Block crossing where a >permanent type barricade had been set up with iron rods. The police >tried to stop the agitators by firing tear-gas shells but the barricade >was broken and agitators surged ahead. Then the police started a brutal >lathicharge, and it is here that Com. Dipankar, Ramjatan Sharma and >Akhilendra Singh, along with several party activists, sustained >injuries. Another barricade was broken and the agitators refreshened the >memory of 1974 by reaching the main gate of Assembly. The papers wrote : >'Maley has created a new history ... demonstrators have succeeded to >reach this spot after a gap of 26 years.' Another newspaper wrote in its >editorial that Maley has posed a great challenge before the politics of >Laloo Prasad. >When the first detachment was crossing R-Block via Hardings Park,another >detachment led by CC member Com. KD Yadav, Com. Rameshwar Prasad, Arun >Kumar Singh, MLA had come out from Party State Office and was breaking >another barricade braving tear-gas shells. The barricade ultimately >could not stand and the detachment reached the martyrs' memorial. Around >that time a third detachment led by CC members Com. Pawan Sharma, Saroj >Chaube and other party leaders including Com. Amarnath Yadav and >Satyadev Ram had started from Gandhi Maidan and was busy breaking a >barricade at Bailey Road, facing teargas shells and lathi blows. The >fourth detachment was led by Com. Shivpujan Yadav and Murtaza Ali, which >started from Sachivalaya Halt and reached the southern gate of Assembly. >Here a head-on collision with police took place. >This was the scenario on the streets. But within the Assembly the number >of legislators had greatly reduced. Many a legislator could not reach >the Assembly till 2 p.m. because of the gherao. Leader and Dy. Leader of >CPI(ML) Legislature Party Com. Ram Naresh Ram and Mahendra Prasad Singh >squarely accused the govt. of siding with Ranvir Sena and asking reason >of police repression on thousands of demonstrators including Party >General Secretary. In this atmosphere of chaos, the govt. was forced to >make a reply by this was once again a whitewashing affair. However, in >the face of pressure from the outside, the government had to accept that >despite massive police-administrative bandobast demonstrators in >thousands had succeeded in encircling the Assembly. CPI(ML) legislators >continued their opposition even on the second day. On 13 July black day >was observed throughout the state. >After taking part in this gherao of Bihar Assembly, conducted for the >first time after 1974, when the caravan of agitators was returning to >their areas of struggle, they had a gleam of victory and >self-confidence of success on their face, but no sign of fatigue. It was >the confidence of 'we shall fight and we shall overcome', of 'building a >new Bihar in a new century' by raising the struggle to newer heights. > > >Protest Against Lathicharge in Patna > >Calcutta: > >In protest against the barbaric attack by Bihar police on the peaceful >Bihar Assembly Gherao programme, CPI(M-L) activists in Calcutta >organised demonstration before Bihar Bhawan on 13 July and handed over a >memorandum, addressed to CM demanding judicial enquiry and punishment to >police officers responsible for lathicharge. The demonostration was >addressed by Com. Partha Ghosh, Arijit Mitra, Joyatu Deshmukh and >others. Protest programmes were also organised at Chandannagar and >Dhanekhali of Hooghly district. > >Delhi : > >Activists of AISA and RYA held a demonstration in front of Bihar Bhawan >in New Delhi on 13 July protesting against the lathicharge on CPI(ML) >rally in Patna on July 11. AISA president and Gen. Secy. Kavita Krishnan >and Sunil Yadav addressed the gathering and demanded resignation of >Bihar CM. > > >Citizens of A Different Class They Are! > >Mumbai police sought and ultimately got the permission from the >Maharashtra government to prosecute the Shiv Sena Supremo, Mr. Bal >Thackray, and the Samjwadi Party's Mumbai unit president Mr. Abu Asim >Azmi under section 153(A) of the Indian Penal Code for 'inflammatory' >articulation that sought to break inter communal harmony during 1992-93. >Any common Indian citizen knows what police can do the moment they >decide to prosecute a person. But Bal Thackerays are a different class >of citizens. Even though it took seven years for Mumbai police to decide >on his prosecution, Bal Thackeray has warned the Maharashtra govt., even >before the prosecution started, that Art. 356 may be imposed against >them. And Shiv Shainiks, by enforcing an uncalled for Mumbai bandh, have >made it clear that they may not allow 'the law to take its own course'. > >Protest Against Fee Hike > >AISA and other left student-youth organisations staged a demonstration >before the residence of Vice Chancellor of Lucknow University protesting >against fee hike on 12 July. On 15 July, parents of the students held a >dharna in the campus in support of the students. As the protest is >smouldering in Lucknow and Allahabad, and state Assembly elections are >just over a year away, BJP govt. has been forced to temporarily put the >fee-hike in cold storage. However, universities have not taken back the >hike in the name of their autonomy. In view of this, student youth >organisations are planning to spread their initiative state wide. > >RYA-AIPWA to Protest Hike in Hospital Charges > >RYA and AIPWA, in their U.P. state level meetings held on 15 and 16 July >respectively, have decided to jointly organise chakka jam before >hospitals on 9 August. RYA will also observe anti price rise day on 23 >July throughout the state. AIPWA will hold a dharna before Lucknow >Assembly on 5 August to protest against sexual oppression of inmates of >women's home in Varanasi. > > >Criminal-Politician Rules the Roost in Siwan > >According to the intelligence Bureau report and state CID informations >available in the official circles of Patna, detailing the activities of >the 'most influential politician' Md. Shahabuddin about how he rules the >roost in Siwan, here are some facts: >Siwan District Magistrate, Rashid Khan's official chamber was ridden >with bullets fired from sophisticated arms allegedly by Shahabuddin to >terrorise the DM. Consequently he has virtually taken over the DM's >chamber and has made DM his puppet. The report says that whenever this >politician is in Siwan, he is found in the DM's chamber dictating his >terms. The DM, reportedly remains a silent spectator of the naked >display of arms and muscle power of the 'influential politician'. >Siwan collectorate wears a deserted look during office hours because of >his terror tactics. ... >The said politician has created a reign of terror in the entire district >of Siwan and neighbouring districts of Chapra and Gopalganj. >Incidentally, Laloo Prasad Yadav belongs to Gopalganj district. Even his >supporters, party activists and close relatives are not spared by the >politician, the report says. They have to obey his dictums of terror. >The report reveals that he has not only close nexus with influential >politicians of ruling party of the state but with ISI activists of Jammu >and Kashmir and Daud's gang in Mumbai and Dubai as well. ... >According to the IB report, recently he had made futile attempts to bail >out over a dozen Maulanas, who were caught carrying over Rs. 20 lakh >counterfeit Indian currency near Sitamarhi on Indo-Nepal border. >(Source:Times of India, Patna, 12-7-2000) > > > AISA Released Booklet > >AISA has published a booklet on real designs behind privatisation and >commercialisation of higher education in Indian universities. The >booklet titled "Fee-hike, Privatisation and Commercialisation : Eviction >Order from Higher Education" has been published in Hindi and English. > > >Agri-labour strike in Nadia > >Agricultural labour strike was organised in three blocks of Dhubulia, >Nakashipara and Chapra in Nadia district of West Bengal on 10 July >demanding minimum wage fixed by the State Govt. and employment. >Processions were organised from the very morning, and in some villages >big landholders' attempt to break the strike were successfully resisted. >Overall response was good. In many villages strike was total. In one >labour market there were only 100-150 labourers whereas the daily >attendance is usually 700-800. > >Resistance Against Anti-Social Elements > >Anti-social activities in Kalsbagan- Shaligram area of Nakashipara, >Nadia have gone to the extent of not only robbery but even killing and >raping poor women, and number of incidents also went on increase. Local >people became furious and some days back following one incident of rape, >people came out on the street and chased the criminals, who fled from >out of fear. Whereas local police took a passive role, people formed >groups and started arranging night guard to counter any possible attack >by the criminals. Our local party organisation had been with people's >resistance all along and on 10 July, Party organised a mass meeting >where 700-800 people participated. Leaders called for carrying the >resistance to the end. > >Protest against Closing PSUs > >In protest against the Central Govt.'s decision to close five public >sector units including MAMC in W.B., black flags were hoisted in almost >all the factories of W.B. at the call of central trade unions including >AICCTU on 6 July, when Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee came to >Calcutta. On the same day thousands of workers assembled at Rani Rasmoni >Road in Calcutta in a mass meeting addressed by TU leaders including >Com. Sudarshan Bose of AICCTU. >The same day worker representatives met the Prime Minister and asked for >repeal of Central Govt's decision, but a Vajpayee instead suggested >them to opt for taking VRS. > > >Opposition to Black Law From Within > >Mounting opposition to the new avatar of TADA form the democratic >opinion across the country has found its reflection not only at the >institutional but even at the ministerial level. First, National Human >Rights Commission rejected the Government's defence on the proposed New >TADA and categorically said, " There is no need to enact such a law". >NHRC felt that the proposed Bill will be inconsistent with the human >rights of the citizens. >This, it seems, served as a wake up call to Law Minister Ram >Jethmalani, who said: "I am personally against enactment of any special >law against terrorism as it is bound to be misused by the police. >Existing laws were enough to meet any untoward incidents arising out of >emergency, militancy and terrorism". >Strangely however, contrary to CPI(M)'s position, Somnath Chatterjee has >favoured introduction of such a special law. > > >Anti-Human Face of Capitalism Betrayed > >In the UN Human Development Report-2000 covering 174 countries, India >was ranked at 124. Report says global inequalities have increased in the >20th century "by orders of magnitude out of proportion to anything >experienced before". The gap between the incomes of the richest and >poorest countries was about 3 to 1 in 1820, 35 to 1 in 1950, 44 to 1 in >1973, and 72 to 1 in 1992. Dr Jolly estimates that a calculation of a >comparable figure today would show an even wider discrepancy. Between >1990 and 1998, per capita income fell in 50 countries, only one of them >in the 29 developed states which make up the Organisation for Economic >Cooperation and Development (OECD). The human development report (HDR) >says the top 200 billionaires had a combined wealth of $ 1,135 bn. >last, up by $ 100 bn. from the previous year. The total income of the >582 million people in all the developing countries barely exceeds 10% of >that : $ 146 bn. Gap in the national income is also widening in many >countries, including US and UK. >While income poverty in countries such as China has fallen dramatically, >1.2 bn people -- a fifth of the world's population -- are living on >less than $ 1 a day. In addition, 100 million children are estimated to >be living or working on the streets and 1.2 million women and girls >under 18 are trafficked for prostitution each year. In the OECD as a >whole, 8 million children are undernourished, and in the US 40 million >people are not covered by health insurance and one in five adults is >functionally illiterate. The convention on the rights of the child, for >instance, has been ratified by every country except two: the US and >Somalia. >In the 30 countries considered to have the highest level of human >development, life expectancy at birth is more than 75 years. In >sub-Saharan Africa it is 48.9 years, falling to 39.1 years in Malawi and >37.9 years in Sierra Leone. >Although the number of conflicts fell during the 90s, the cost to the >international community of the seven main wars (not including Kosovo) >was $ 200 bn. -- four times the development aid in any one year. Not too >surprising then that the volume of development aid went down >substantially in the 1990s. The shift of resources away from >development may even be contributing to future conflicts, the report >says. > > >>From Vinod Mishra's Writings > >Add A Conscious Element >to Your Practice > >"If you had some policies, firstly, what experiences have you gathered >through their implementation? And secondly, does this experience demand >any changes in policies? On these questions many reports prefer to >remain silent, and this is the greatest drawback in our style of work. >At many places, either there have been no policies and plans, or they >have remained only on paper. Working blindly means working on the basis >of wrong policies. If you have no correct and conscious policy, you have >wrong policies, spontaneous policies, and you are not alive to the >dangers inherent in following such course. Consolidation of party >committee always revolves around the policies it makes and implements >and constant review of these policies. Leaders again have not paid >sufficient attention to this aspect. Their job is to concentrate on >particular areas or fields of work, develop policies, analyse typical >cases, and guide the whole organisation in the light of these >experiences. ... >"To add a conscious element to the spontaneous struggle of the people-- >it's for this purpose that a communist party is there, otherwise it >loses its raison d'être." > __________________________________ 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] ___________________________________
