>From: "CPI(ML) LIberation" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >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) > _______________________________________________________ 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 anti-imperialist news. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________________
