ML Update
A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine
Vol.-3; No.-36; 13-9-2000
Editorial
Oppose Central Intervention in West Bengal, Reject TMC-CPI (M)
Cycle of Terror
While Vajpayee is busy with his mission to appease America, his
‘socialist’ lieutenant George Fernandez has just finished his trip to
West Bengal on what may be called his mission to appease Mamata. During
the previous term of the NDA government, Jaswant Singh had to rush
frequently to Chennai to attend to Jayalalita’s famous tantrums.
Initially George used to play the bridge between the presiding deity of
Poes Garden and the saffron regime in Delhi, but very soon George found
himself at the receiving end of the lady’s wrath. The end result of the
Chennai missions of George and Jaswant is of course still fresh in
public memory.
This time, it has been Mamata Banerjee’s turn to enliven the NDA circus
with her share of tantrums. It is of course too early to speculate as to
what will be the fate of George and his Guru’s government this time
round. Mamata has threatened to take some extreme step if Advani and
Vajpayee cannot satisfy her pressing demand for imposition of Article
356 or Disturbed Areas Act on the whole or parts of West Bengal.
Whatever message George may have carried from Delhi to Calcutta and back
and whatever mischief Mamata and Advani may contemplate, all Left and
democratic forces in West Bengal will resolutely oppose any attempt at
any kind of central intervention in West Bengal.
The situation in West Bengal will, however, continue to be discussed and
debated within the Left and democratic camp in the entire country. The
spate of violence in West Bengal countryside is an undeniable reality
and knowledgeable observers cannot condone the CPI(M)’s role in this
cycle of terror.
CPI(M) ideologues are trying to explain away the spread of the TMC to
the rural interior of West Bengal as Bengal’s version of the ‘Ranvir
Sena phenomenon’, as a counter-revolutionary backlash propelled by the
landlord-kulak victims of agrarian reforms. They are however unable to
explain why it took full two decades for these forces to strike back, or
more importantly, how these forces have succeeded in reorganising
themselves after the much-trumpeted land reforms and panchayati raj
revolution.
Political and academic observers however have a different story to tell.
It is well known that the reforms in Bengal went hardly beyond the
Operation Barga and the fruits of so-called empowerment through
panchayti raj institutions were cornered mostly by the new rural rich
and middle classes. Against this backdrop of stalled reforms and
middle-class dominated panchayati raj, large sections of the old
Congress base among the rural rich had shifted their allegiance to the
CPI(M) and the Left Front. However, the TMC’s growing penetration in the
countryside cannot be attributed to a mere return of the old Congress
social base. There are ample evidences of a growing disillusionment
among the rural poor and agricultural labourers and brutal attempts by
the CPI(M) to suppress this dissent. CPI(M)-sponsored massacres from
Karanda in Bardhaman in 1993 to the recent killing of a dozen
agricultural labourers in Suchpur in Nanur block of Birbhum bear gory
testimony to this shocking agrarian reality of Left-ruled West Bengal.
And the revolutionary Left and democratic forces and the rural
proletariat of West Bengal will not forgive the CPI(M) establishment for
this treacherous role.
While a final decision on Mamata’s plea will have to await Vajpayee’s
return, Comrade Surjeet has come back from his medical mission to China.
And Comrade Jyoti Basu's immediateVRS plan has had to be shelved. Mamata
may not succeed in securing some actual intervention from the Centre,
but she has at least succeeded in disrupting the CPI(M)’s plans for a
smooth transition to a post-Basu arrangement.
In Memory of Martyrs
Martyrs' Column Erected
In Kerari village near Arrah town, foundation stone of a memorial column
of martyr Anand Kumar, a freedom fighter from among the peasantry, was
laid on 10 Sep. The function was attended by Com. Rameshwar Prasad, Com.
Rajaram Singh and other local leaders, along with 400 people.
Sankalp Sabha at Garhwa
On 27 August a mass meeting of 4000 was held at Tatidari in Garhwa in
memory of Com. Imtiyaz who was killed on 15 August by a PWG squad when
he was returning from a meeting.
Central Committee’s Communique
Party Decries Vajpayee's Hawkish Posture
The CPI(ML) Central Committee expressed grave concern over Vajpayee's
spurning of Pakistan's offer for dialogue in his speech delivered at the
UN General Assembly. India must engage Pakistan in a serious dialogue
and the Indian Prime Minister's refusal to reciprocate Pakistan's offer
will only invite greater isolation for the Indian position from the
international community.
Vajpayee's present trip has been preceded by a whole set of concessions
for foreign capital and now another set of price hike announcements
await the MP's return. On the whole the PM's weak-kneed mission to
America marks a shameless statement of saffron surrender to strategic US
interests in the realms of economy as well as foreign policy. Party said
that it is shameful for a Prime Minister of a secular country to assert
in a foreign country that he would remain a member of a communal outfit
like RSS whether he is holding the post of P.M. or not. Party condemned
Vajpayee for proclaiming before the VHP sadhus and NRIs in America that
he would fulfil the Hindutwa agenda of Ram temple, etc. if voted to
power with two-third majority.
While welcoming the formation of the three new states of Jharkhand,
Uttaranchal and Chhattisgarh, Party will fight for a special package for
the development of the new states as well as for the residual Bihar and
U.P. The CC has called upon the CPI(ML) unit in the hill districts of
Assam to intensify the long-standing agitation for the upgrading of this
region to the status of an autonomous state as promised in 1Art.244-A of
the Constitution. Party will also press for the setting up of a Second
States Reorganisation Commission to go into the remaining to go into the
remaining demands for statehood and come out with a time-bound plan of
reorganisation of states and autonomous regions in line with the
principles of federalism and decentralisation.
The CC has taken a positive note of the growing popular anger against
the disastrous impact of neo-liberal economic policies. The powerful
agitation of the people of Andhra Pradesh against a steep hike in power
tariff has also brought to the fore a new trend of Left unity and
popular resistance mobilising all those who stand at the receiving end
of the neo-liberal policies of liberalisation, privatisation and
globalisation. While congratulating the telecom employees for their
powerful and united agitation against corporatisation, which is only a
halfway house towards an eventual privatisation of the entire telecom
sector, the CC has also appealed to all trade unions to resist with all
their might the Centre's attempt to promote contract labour in all
fields of employment.
The CC also noted with encouragement the growing popular response to the
CPI(ML)-led movement in Bihar against massacres, police atrocities and
economic backwardness and all pervasive anarchy in Bihar. The callous
and discredited RJD-Congress regime in Bihar has unleashed a reign of
unbridled police repression to silence the people's protests, but this
is only strengthening the popular mood of change and resistance in
Bihar. The Bihar unit of CPI(ML) will soon launch a campaign for the
creation of a Human Rights Commission in Bihar and for guaranteeing
early Panchayat elections.
Protest & Resistance
Successful Strike in Tea Garden
In Kamini tea estate at Tinsukia-Dibrugarh border in Assam, recently
security forces of the estate severly beat a worker with a villager on a
flimsy charge and tried to foment communal tension between workers and
villagers. The management also filed cases against 10 workers with false
charges of theft and arson. Asom Sangrami Chah Sramik Sangh led by
AICCTU called strike in protest from 25 August, which was successful and
withdrawn only when workers got released on bail on 30 August.
Protest Against Killing by Ranvir Sena
Ranvir Sena killed 6 persons belonging to backward caste and minority on
10 Sept. in Dumaria village of Tarari block in Arrah. Party PB member
Com. Ram Naresh Ram rushed to Dumaria on 11 Sept after returning from
Calcutta CC meeting. In Patna, a protest march against the killing was
brought out from Party office to Radio Station Chowk demanding arrest of
and punishment to the killers.
Police Atrocity Protested
A large mass meeting was held at Darauli Bazar in Siwan district on 9
Sep. to protest against police atrocities on people including beating of
a district party committee member Hansraj Ram. More than 5000 people
participated in it. It was proclaimed that if action is not taken
against the OC by 19 Sep. then drastic action will be taken.
Party Initiatives in Raiganj
A protest march was brought out on 2 Sept. to protest Andhra firing on
demonstrators against power tariff hike and police firing at Arrah in
Bihar on a CPI(ML) demonstration. It was led by Com. Ajit Das, secy. of
North Dinajpur DC, Com. Sushanta Sarkar, Com. Shivani Mandal and Com.
Ganesh Chhetri.
Earlier on 29 August, Mohiniganj and Maharaja Hat Bandh was observed to
protest the usurpation of poor peasants' land by landlords, beating of
adivasi peasants by landlords, and to demand minimum wages to agrarian
labourers, remunerative prices of jute and end corruption in the land
revenue department.
On 31 August a meeting was held in memory of martyrs of Food Movement.
It was presided over by veteran Com. Azizul Rahman. Speakers called for
building united left resistance.
Party Protests Division of Rajasthan SEB
A joint convention was held by jointly CPI(ML), CPI, CPI(M), BSP, SP, JD
and SUCI on 9 August at Jhunjhnu against division of Rajasthan
Electricity Board and its privatisation. On 24 August Party and other
left parties observed 'Black Day' throughout the state. Memorandum was
submitted to collectors at Banswara and Rajsamand by party delegations.
In Dungarpur a big rally was held which gheraoed the collectorate.
Effigies of Prime Minister and Chief Minister were burnt before the
collectorate in Udaipur, Jaipur and Jhunjhnu. In Jhunjhnu around 10,000
people participated in the demonstration. Mass meetings were held in
Ghantali and Banswada on 29 and 30 August.
Initiatives
9-Party Delegation Meets Andhra Governor
A delegation of 9 Left parties met the Governor of Andhra Pradesh on 4
Sept. and submitted a memorandum to him demanding his intervention in
the incident of police firing in Hyderabad on 28 August. The
representation included CC member Com. Bangar Rao of CPI(ML) and state
secretaries or senior leaders of other constituents. On the same day a
meeting was held at Bashirbagh in Hyderabad where two persons had been
killed in police firing. Participated in by a hundred activists, the
meeting resolved to rename Bashirbagh after a martyr as Vishnuvardhan
Nagar. The 9-parties have decided to observe protest week from 3 to 10
Sept. all over the state, in which silent processions with black flag
will be taken out in protest to police firing.
Police Gheraoed to Rescue Abducted Comrade
Com.Viredra Gupta, Bihar State Committee member and district in charge
of West Champaran was abducted by notorious Jahangir gang near Chanpatia
PS in the broad daylight, despite people's resistance. In no time 500
people assembled and gheroaed the PS and the OC, under SP's instruction,
had to encircle the culprits in nearby Gopalpur PS area, and rescue Com.
Virendra. People went along with the police in two jeeps and they took
the lead in this operation, consequently all the culprits were caught
and their firearms seized, but Com. Virendra was also kept in police
custody. The people then organised a protest march in Chanpatia on 7
Sep. and observed Champaran Bandh on 9 Sep. against this incident of
abduction and also against the patrons of the goons, the BJP legislator
Dilip Verma and others. It must be noted that the OC of Gopalpur PS is
patronising the Jahangir gang and he was present with a police
contingent in the meeting where Jahangir had declared that he would kill
Com. Virendra and the Party Distt. Secy. Harendra Yadav. The agitators
demanded that the Gopalpur OC should be punished and the BJP leaders be
arrested under crime control act and Com Virendra be released
unconditionally.
AISA Emerges Main Left Force in DUSU Elections
In the just concluded Delhi University Student Union elections, for the
first time in DUSU history ABVP could not bag any post. AISA emerged as
the main left force in the campus. Its presidential candidate Mrityunjay
Singh polled 2019 votes (900 more than SFI-PSU combine). For
Vice-President, Secy. and Jt. Secy. posts, AISA's Vishal Sinha, Raushan
Kumar and Srikant polled 2102, 2686 and 2145 votes respectively. The
results are encouraging for AISA in Delhi University because now AISA is
recognised as the leading left alternative and vanguard against
privatisation.
East Delhi Party Convention
Party convention of East Delhi was held on 10 Sep. in which 40 delegates
and guests participated. After discussion a 5-member Distt. LT was
formed with Com. Rajendra Pratholi as incharge and Sunita, Gautam,
Shashi and Ram Abhilash as members. Earlier Com. Meera hoisted the red
flag and Com. Ranjan Ganguli, Rajiv Dimri, Himmat Singh and Jeeta Kaur
spoke as guests. The convention resolved to fulfil the target of 100
Lokyudh subscribers, 2500 mass organisation members.
Earlier on 5 Sep. Shahdara unit had held a cadre convention attended by
50 members. A 9-member LT was formed and Com. Ram Abhilash was appointed
incharge.
Seminar Against Second Labour Commission
AICCTU Guwahati City Committee organised a seminar on "Second labour
commission and tasks of the working class" on 27 August. It was attended
by state leadership of CITU, AITUC, UTUC(LS), CCTUA, APBEA, ASPWU,
CPI(ML) and others. Mainly contract workers and employees in area
participated in it. The presidium consisted of AICCTU leaders Com.
Prasun Chatterjee, S.I. Ahmed and Akhoy Barman. Exposing the Central
govt.'s design, the seminar gave a call to launch united workers'
struggle to scrap this anti-worker commission.
Education
Seminar by Tea Tribes
A seminar was organised by Tea Tribes Cultural Society on "21 century
and the tea tribes" on 20 August at Biswanath Charali of Sonitpur distt.
in Assam. Artists, writers, students and youth and intellectuals from
tea-tribes attended the seminar. Com. Sanjay Tanti, Biresh Orang and
Someshwar orang were in the presidium and ASCSS secretary Com. Bibek
Das, Subhas nayak, Kushal Sabar, Nagen Gowala, Sukdev Kurmi spoke at the
seminar on how the tea tribes had been exploited by
imperialist-feudal-capitalist forces and Congress for the past 150
years. It resolved to propagate progressive democratic culture among tea
tribes against communalism, decadent values and superstitions. Another
such seminar was held at Jorhat on 27 August.
AIPWA Class & Seminar
AIPWA held a state level class on on 26-27 Aug. in Kanpur on the topics
"Marxism and orientation of women movement" and "BJP regime and tasks of
our organisation" based on papers presented by Com. Krishna Adhikari and
Ajanta Lohit respectively. On 28 Aug. a seminar was held on "Present
society and women" in which main speaker was Com. Kumudini Pati. It was
conducted by Com. Geeta Singh and the speakers included Dr. Premila,
Sadhana Valmiki, Prabha Dixit and others.
Study Class in Bhilai
Sector Party branch and Khursipar branch in Bhilai of Chhattisgarh held
study classes. The topics include "Aspirations of the Chhatisgarh", "On
Practice" and "Party programme"
Typical Experience Form States
Tamil Nadu Diary
In Tanjore district of Tamil Nadu, after the successful mobilisaton of
around 1700 women agrarian labour on 7 August on the issue of statutory
minimum wage announced by the govt., movement has further gained
momentum at the grassroots. In order to sustain activism and ensuring
village level organisational structure, a signature campaign was
undertaken. Towards this, blockwise activists meetings were held in
Tiruvidai Marudur and Tiruppananthal blocks. In each of these meetings,
or 'motivation camps', around 80-90 women activists participated. Then a
meeting of village presidents and secretaries was held in each block, in
which 42-45 persons participated. The village organisers and groups in
all 120 comrades, went door-to-door and even to new neighboring villages
and collected signature as well as one rupee from a person. This way
10,000 signatures have been collected. On 31 August 5 women
representatives met the Collector and submitted the memorandum. The
demands were: immediate implementation of the announced wages, and
recommending to the govt. to enact a special law for agri-laborers'
welfare. This also got coverage in newspapers. It has expanded the area
of our work to newer nearby villages. In this backdrop, to keep the
momentum Tiruppananthal block conference will be held, in which women
workers will be mobilised and the strike call will be given. Attempts
have also started to recruit party members from among the activists.
International Solidarity
The S-11 Melbourne Protest
At 2 p.m. on 11 Sept., it was a massive display of people's power, with
between 20,000 and 30,000 demonstrators united in their determination
... High school students walked out, rallied at Melbourne’s Flinders
street station and then marched on to the WEF venue, chanting,
sprinkling and leafleting all the way adding tremendous vigor to the
blockade. Police used batons and horses. The people won a significant
victory over corporate power in preventing over one third of the
delegates from getting into the venue despite heavy rain, strong winds
and low temperatures. The people exhibited high spirit, blockaded each
of the many entrances throughout the day.
Earlier, CPI(M-L)-Liberation sent the following solidarity message: The
CPI(ML)-Liberation wholeheartedly supports the S-11 resolve to organize
mass protest against the WEF meeting to be held at Crown Casino,
Melbourne. It is very heartening to note that despite the opposition of
right-winger leadership, the majority of university students have
decided to join the protest movement. And similarly, despite
capitulation by several opportunist trade union bosses, workers who have
been made to bear the brunt of policies of liberalization and
globalization dictated by the IMF-WB-WTO trio, are coming in the van of
this struggle. In India too the workers and the students are two
organized strata that are hit hardest by the new economic policies
pursued by the ruling classes at the behest of imperialist agencies of
global domination. Whereas the incidence of unemployment and job
insecurity has increased manifold, the prices of essential commodities
are soaring, making it harder for the poor to live. The toilers,
especially peasants are committing suicides or selling their kidney to
survive. On the other hand, the policy of privatization of education has
resulted in increase in tuition and other fees around tenfold in one go
in several universities. Workers and students in India have taken to
warpath in several states and soon the whole unrest may crystallize in
an unprecedented upheaval. We sincerely hope that the protest movement
in Melbourne against WEF would not only become a landmark in people’s
struggle against the imperialist attempt to subjugate humanity, it will
serve as a source of inspiration as well as an example of resistance
worth emulating to us, who are fighting a common battle against
imperialism to safeguard our national sovereignty on the one hand, and
to change the exploitative system for the benefit of working class,
agrarian laborers and other toiling people on the other. We heartily
wish resounding success to the S-11 movement and express our militant
solidarity with the fighting people.
Strengthen the Party Campaign
Relation Between Theory and Practice
“In thus emphasising the necessity, importance and immensity of the
theoretical work of the communists, I by no means want to say that this
work should take precedence over practical work. Of course, if it is
presumed that the task of the communists is to seek a "different" (from
actual) "path of development" for the country, then, naturally,
practical work becomes possible only when philosophical geniuses
discover and indicate these "different paths"; and conversely, once
these paths are discovered and indicated theoretical works ends, and
work of those who are to direct the "fatherland" along the
"newly-discovered" "different paths" begin. The position is altogether
different when the task of the communists is to be ideological leaders
of the proletariat in its actual struggle against actual real enemies
who stand in the actual path of social and economic development. Under
these circumstances, theoretical and practical work merge into one aptly
described by the veteran German Communist Liebknecht, as:
study , propaganda , organisation.
You cannot be an ideological leader without the above mentioned
theoretical work, just as you cannot be one without directing this work
to meet the needs of the cause, and without spreading the results of
this theory among the workers and helping them to organise. Such a
presentation of task guards the communists against which socialist
groups so often suffer, namely, dogmatism and sectarianism. There can be
no dogmatism where the supreme and sole criterion of a doctrine is its
conformity to the actual process of social and economic development:
there can be no sectarianism when the task is that of promoting the
organisation of the proletariat, and when, therefore, the role of the
"intelligentsia" is to make special leaders from among the
intelligentsia unnecessary.” (Lenin CW, Vol:1, pp. 297-98)
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