>From: "cpiml" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >... In US strategy India fits in as a counterveiling force against China. >Indian foreign policy response is quite vague on this quuestion. Though, of >late, Sino-Indian relations have considerably improved, there is a strong >pro-US lobby in India which raises the bogey of China's expansionist designs, >makes a hue and cry over the Tibet question, presents China as India's main >trade rival etc. > > > >We did welcome India's refusal to sign NPT and CTBT because, as a sovereign >country, India should have the freedom to decide its course and not succumb to >US dictates. But the threat of a nuclear race hotting up in South Asia is >looming large before us. Despite the Gujral docrine promising good neighbourly >relations and despite making a beginning in talks with Pakistan, nothing >concrete is expected to emerge. Outstanding problems between India and >Pakistan, including the Kashmir dispute, can only be solved within a broader >framework of cooperation that includes developing SAARC as a powerful regional >economic bloc and concluding a bilateral NPT with Pakistan. India should also >explore the potential of strategic cooperation with China in order to >accelerate the process of multi-polarity. But it is highly unlikely that >India's present ruling dispensation, attached as it is with numerous overt and >covert ties with West, will tread this path. > > > >The impact of globalisation is already being felt in Europe where the >unemployment rate has gone up to 11% (in absolute tems 20 million persons are >without jobs), a figure comparable to that of the pre-Seond World War Great >Depression. France, where the unemployment rate has reached 12%, is the worst >hit. This coupled with a drastic reduction in social welfare has given rise to >waves of protests and strikes. ... > >The crisis of neo-liberalism is also evident in country after country in >Africa, Latin America and Asia. This has given rise to a lot of dissension >among the high priests of neo-liberal orthodoxy and Japan has reprotedly begun >to quesion the wisdom of the neo-liberal package of macroeconomic >stabilisation and structural adjustment. ... > > > >Unemployment in the USA remained at the rate of 6% but the proportion of >low-wage service sector jobs has increased. Jobs are being created but many >are temporary jobs without any security and without a future. Japan which till >recently was paraded as a model of economic progress -- and Indian capitalists >missed no opportunity to preach to their workers about the cooperative >attitude of the Japanese workers that is supposed to have worked wonders in >Japan -- has lost much of its shine. > >The Asian 'tiger' economies, assidously projected as the model for developing >countries, are now caught in a web of crises. ... The Tigers have started >showing signs of tiredness and in the coming years militant working class >actions are bound to intensify. > > > >In fact, a run on Third World currencies and sudden flight of capital >resulting in a debilitating impact on the economy, first witnessed in a very >acute form in the case of Mexican meltdown, is becoming a wider phenomenon >rendering many Third World economies highly vulnerable in the era of >globalisation. On the whole, in seven years of globalisation the growth record >of the world economy has remained lacklusture -- the average growth rate in >this period being lower than the rate in the 1970s. > > ><!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> ><HTML><HEAD> ><META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv=Content-Type> ><META content="MSHTML 5.00.2314.1000" name=GENERATOR> ><STYLE></STYLE> ></HEAD> ><BODY bgColor=#ffffff> ><DIV><FONT size=2> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-TOP: 19.85pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Univers Condensed'">ML</SPAN> <I >style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Update</I></B><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Surya"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = >"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-TOP: 19.85pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Modern">A >CPI(ML) >Weekly News Magazine</SPAN></B><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Surya"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Univers Condensed'">Vol.-3; No.-50; >20-12-2000<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Univers Condensed'"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Univers Condensed'">Editorial:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Univers Condensed'"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.05in; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Let's Turn Ayodhya into the Sangh >Parivar's Waterloo</SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify">The NDA government has managed >to >win the Ayodhya motion in the Lok Sabha. Given the parliamentary arithmetic, >an >NDA victory was of course a kind of foregone conclusion. In spite of the noise >being made by so-called angry NDA partners like TDP and Trinamul Congess, >nobody >really expected them to quit NDA as yet. It is however noticeable that the >former Janata Parivar members like Samata Party, JD(U) and the newly formed >Jan >Shakti of Ram Vilas Paswan did not even bother to express any kind of formal >dissent on this issue.</P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify">The opposition tally could have >of course been greater but for the absence of some Congress MPs and the >deliberate abstention of the BSP. While the failure of the Congress to exert >its >full strength exposed the party's continuing vulnerability to the communal >cancer, the BSP's decision to abstain has revealed the endless extent of its >opportunism. It is now clear that the BJP-BSP pact in UP is not a thing of >past, >it is still a live possibility. And it is also clear that the political >opportunism of BSP flourishes on a reactionary ideological ground. For all its >rantings against <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Manuvad</I>, the BSP >has >enough ideological ground in common with BJP -- rabid anti-communism, >deliberate >silence of economic issues and now the 'neutrality' on Ayodhya are three >important points of idological proximity underlying the BSP-BJP political >deal. >Dalit activists and Ambedkarites must ponder if it is possible to 'save' the >Constitution of India on such a marshy ideological ground.</P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify">Bolstered by the parliamentary >victory, the BJP has accelerated its already aggressive campaign on Ayodhya. >All >wings of the Sangh Parivar have stepped up their activities according to the >RSS >blueprint of division of labour. Reports of renewed attacks on religious >minorities and their places of learning and worship are pouring in from >various >parts of the country. The VHP is working overtime for the forthcoming Kumbh >Mela >and reports indicate that preparations are proceeding apace for the eventual >construction of Ram temple in place of the demolished Babri Masjid. Advani has >started ridiculing the CBI chargesheet while Bangaru Laxman openly says that >the >court cannot ignore the 'ground reality' of a temple already existing on the >site which was home to the Babri Masjid for more than four centuries. By all >indications the Sangh Parivar is bracing up for a second showdown over >Ayodhya.</P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify">The Liberhan Commission formed >immediately in the wake of the December 1992 demolition of Babri Masjid is >showing some degree of belated activism. The attitude of the accused >politicians >and bureaucrats to the Commission has of course been marked by deliberate >non-cooperation and even contempt. Going by the experience of the Sri Krishna >Commission and numerous other commissions formed over the last five decades, >one >can only speculate on the future of the Liberhan Commission and the fate of >whatever report it may eventually produce. But knowing as we do the Sangh >Parivar and the Indian judiciary it will be an unpardonable folly on the part >of >secular forces to remain content with Vajpayee's assurances to 'abide by the >court's verdict'.</P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN >style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN >style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If the Sangh Parivar >is preparing for a second showdown, so must the forces of secularism and >democracy. Eight years ago, the secular forces were certainly not caught >napping, but they were systematically let down by most of the leaders, parties >and institutions they had banked upon. This time round, the secular-democratic >resistance must overcome all its inhibitions and vacillations and prepare for >giving a fitting rebuff to the communal fascist challenge. Ayodhya is turning >out to be an epic battle. If round one went to the saffron brigade, we must >make >sure that the present round is won decisively by the forces of secular >democracy. The BJP has begun to lose on many fronts, let Ayodhya prove to be >its >Waterloo.</P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 5.75pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Com. Vinod Mishra Remembered on >His >Second Death Anniversary</SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal >style="LINE-HEIGHT: 11.8pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: 11.8pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">CPI(ML) >observed the second death anniversary of legendary Marxist-Leninist thinker >and >former General Secretary of the Party Com. Vinod Mishra on 18 December as >'Sankalp Diwas' throughout the country and resolved to develop and intensify >people's struggles for democracy, social and economic justice and national >self-reliance, against globalisation and communal fascism. Towards this end, >the >Party has called for building up a broad-based, struggle-oriented unity of all >Left and democratic forces including the activists of new social movements.</P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify">Apart from observing the >centrally decided programmes in Delhi, Patna and Calcutta, meetings, seminars >and conventions were held in almost all centres of our work. While paying rich >tributes to Com. VM and recalling his contribution to the cause of Indian >society, participants discussed challenges before the Left and ways and means >to >meet them.</P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.05in; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><U><SPAN >style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">2nd Death Anniversary of Com. VM >Observed</SPAN></U></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.05in; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Mazdoor Kisan Vikas Sammelan Held in >Patna</SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify">Around ten thousand people >gathered at Miller School Ground in Patna to participate in the <I >style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Mazdoor Kisan Vikas Sammelan</I> (Workers' >and Peasants' Convention on Development) held on 18 December on the occasion >of >second death anniversary of our leader Com. Vinod Mishra. Incidently the venue >was the same place where Com. VM's mortal remains were finally kept for public >view before cremation. Addressing the gathering Party General Secretary Com. >Dipankar Bhattacharya scathingly attacked Prime Minister's statement >justifying >the destruction of Babri Masjid as a manifestation of national sentiment. He >said that the statement is a slur on the nation, by which Vajpayee is trying >to >misdirect the anger of the workers, peasants and toiling masses crystallizing >all around the country. Our response to Sangh Parivar's threat to build temple >at the site of demolished Babri Masjid will be: "We will bury Sangh Parivar at >Ayodhya itself", he asserted.</P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify">Exposing the pro-US and >anti-peasantry nature of agricultural policy of the central government, Com. >Dipankar said that such policy can no longer be tolerated. Although grain is >rotting in the FCI godowns, being eaten by mice, poor people are nevertheless >dying of hunger, he pointed out. It is in the peasant's interests that these >godowns, right from Punjab to Bihar, are emptied at the earliest. He demanded >introduction of 'foodgrain for work' scheme and provision of employment to >agrarian labourers round the year. If the govt does not fulfil the demand, he >proclaimed amidst thunderous applause, millions of poor people would exercise >their right to seize the godowns, as employment is birth right of the poor.</P> ><P class=MsoNormal >style="MARGIN: 0.05in 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0.05in 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">Coming to >Bihar's development, he stressed that the movement would have to fight against >anti-development forces outside as well as within Bihar. It is a half-truth >that >Bihar is a backward state, complete truth being that Bihar has been kept a >backward state. He emphasised the need of convergence of all the Left forces, >true socialists and the offshoots of 1974 movement committed to the values and >the path of struggle. The convention was also addressed by State Secretaries, >Com. Jalaluddin Ansari of CPI, Com. Amriteshwar Chakravarty of SUCI, Com. >Tarakant Prakash of RSP, Com. Nripendra Krishna Mahato of Forward Bloc and >Com. >Ramjatan Sharma of CPI(ML), CC members Com. KD Yadav, Saroj Chaubey, Party >Incharge of Mithilanchal area Com. <SPAN lang=FR >style="mso-ansi-language: FR">Dhirendra Jha, ex-MLA and peasant leader Com. ></SPAN>Amar Yadav, RYA president Com. Rajaram Singh and Com. Mahboob Alam, >MLA. >The convention was presided over by Com. Rameshwar Prasad, state convenor of >Khet Mazdoor Sabha and conducted by Com. Prabhat K Chaudhry, Incharge of State >HQ.</P> ><P class=MsoNormal >style="MARGIN: 0.05in 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal >style="MARGIN: 0.05in 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0.05in 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">People's Movement Against Globalisation and >Challenges Before Left in Punjab</SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify">Around 400 party activists and >sympathisers of various left forces gathered in a seminar on "People's >Movement >against Globalisation and WTO and Challenges before Left and Revolutionary >forces" on 17 December at Khalsa High School premises in Mansa, Punjab to >observe second death anniversary of Com. Vinod Mishra. Addressing the >gathering >Com. BB Pandey, Party CC member said that the situation had changed in the >last >ten years and now in the context of rising people's struggles Left needs an >offensive strategy to defeat communal fasicsts forces who are the main agents >of >imperialist globalisation in India. Other speakers included Com. Mangat Ram >Pasla, CC member of CPI(M), Dr. MS Randhawa, Convenor of Janwadi Chetna Manch, >Chandigarh and Ruldu Singh, Senior Vice President of BKU(Ekta). Introductory >remarks were made by Com. Rajvinder Rana, secretary of Party's Punjab unit and >the seminar was presided over by Prof. Ajmer Singh Aulakh, a left >intellectual.</P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.05in; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><U><SPAN >style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">2nd Death Anniversary of Com. VM >Observed</SPAN></U></B><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0.05in 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Seminar on Challenges Before the Left in >Calcutta</SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal >style="LINE-HEIGHT: 11.7pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: 11.7pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">Observing >the 2nd death anniversary of Com. VM, Party's central organ <I >style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Liberation</I> and West Bengal state organ ><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Deshabrati</I> organised a seminar on >"Present Situation and Challenges Before the Left" at Calcutta University >Centenary Building. Addressing the packed audience of around 1,500, Party's PB >member and Editor of <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Liberation</I> >Com. >Sivaraman said that saffron neo-colonialism has become a single entity and >whenever the reform agenda comes under attack from the people, the worried >saffron rulers bring to the fore their hidden communal agenda. "The need of >the >hour is a broader forum of political forces actively engaged in mass protests >against globalisation and communal fascism. Differences over political tactics >need not come in the way". Com. Anil Biswas, PBM and State Secy. of CPI(M) >said >that to oust NDA govt. is their principal task and to that end they are >adopting >a broadest anti-fascist united front policy. While differences over strategy >may >remain unresolved, a unity on this tactics must be achieved, he opined. Com. >Kartik Pal, PBM and State Secy. of CPI(ML) said that the inner reasons behind >decline of Left and rise of fascist forces in West Bengal, rise of landlords >to > _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________________________ Kominform list for general information. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anti-Imperialism list for geopolitics. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________________
