[L-I] [ INDIA ] ML Update Vol. 6 No. 51 17-23 Dec 2003

ML Update
A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine
Vol.  6          No. 51           17-23 Dec 2003


US MUST QUIT IRAQ AND HAND OVER SADDAM HUSSEIN TO PEOPLE OF IRAQ

Saddam Hussein is now finally in US custody. While Bush and Blair may claim
this to be the ultimate vindication of their Iraq war, an arrested Saddam
only brings home the monumental magnitude of their lies and crime of
invading and occupying a sovereign country.

Saddam is accused of having ruled Iraq with an iron fist for three decades,
killing tens of thousands of his opponents, communists and Kurds. Yet his
dictatorial regime was never even reprimanded at that stage by the
predecessors of either Bush or Blair. He went to war with Iran , but the war
enjoyed complete American approval for it was necessary for the US to teach
Iran a lesson. Until now, the issue of Saddam's alleged human rights
violations has barely found a mention in the vast stream of US propaganda
attempting to justify the invasion of Iraq . The only pretext repeated
endlessly was that Saddam Hussein's was a rogue regime which possessed
enormous amounts of deadly weapons of mass destruction and that it posed a
security threat to the US. And that has been shown to be a complete lie, a
made-in-USA pulp fiction.

Can anyone imagine a regime possessing stockpiles of weapons of mass
destruction fold up in a manner that Saddam Hussein's Baathist regime did?
Following the ouster of the Saddam regime the US started describing him as
the leader of the anti-occupation resistance. All attacks on US troops were
described as the handiwork of Saddam 'loyalists'. But can anyone imagine the
chief of a major guerrilla band or even a terrorist network getting caught
as smoothly as Saddam has eventually landed in US custody? And if really
getting hold of Saddam dead or alive was the ultimate aim of Bush's Iraq
war, what explains the continuing presence of the US troops in Iraq even
after Saddam's arrest?
However much the western media may now try to portray Saddam as an Arab
Hitler and build a case for his urgent trial and exemplary punishment, their
lies are not going to cut any ice with informed international opinion. They
want to celebrate the Anglo-American occupation of Iraq by showing pictures
of a helpless Saddam being checked for lice and tooth decay. They want to
market fresh myths about Iraqis celebrating and heaving a sigh of
long-awaited relief after his arrest. But nowhere in Iraq are there any
genuine signs of celebration after his arrest just as there were none after
the fall of his regime. Reports emanating from Iraq however talk about
continuing protests against his arrest in city after city.

And contrary to claims of Saddam cooperating with his captors, he is
reported to have not just denied the stories of Iraq possessing weapons of
mass destruction and having links with Al Qaida, but also castigated the
US-led occupation of Iraq . To be sure, the 'verbal volleys' fired by an
incarcerated Saddam against the American occupiers and their Iraqi
collaborators are bound to prove much more potent than his fabled weapons of
mass destruction.

There is no case for holding any international trial for Saddam Hussein. The
people of Iraq can be the only arbiter for the future of Iraq as well as for
the fate of Saddam Hussein. For a world being ravaged by a belligerent US
imperialism, the need of the hour is to bring the US war machine to a halt
and then punish Bush for his contemptuous and systematic violation of the
basic tenets of international law and human civilisation.


Remembering VM on His Fifth Memorial Day:
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PUT THE REVOLUTIONARTY LEFT IN THE DRIVER SEAT OF THE LEFT MOVEMENT

[From  the concluding speech delivered by Comrade Vinod Mishra at the Sixth
Congress of the CPI(ML) in 1997.]

".... I have the full confidence that when we step out of this hall we will
once again, shoulder to shoulder, march alongside each other in the struggle
to change the future of the country with the same warm camaraderie, with the
same rock-like unity. This has been our Party's tradition and shall remain
so in the days to come.

The fundamental reason behind our strong unity is that we have always held
high the glorious traditions of the communist movement of our country. From
the Naxalbari movement of 1967 to the movement of the '70s, inspite of all
the deviations and mistakes, we have never negated them. We have always
given due regard to our legacy. We have neither rejected the great struggles
and sacrifices of our communist revolutionaries nor the leadership of
Com.Charu Majumdar. We always held high the dignity of our martyrs and of
our great leaders. But at the same time we have always learnt from our
mistakes. We have openly criticised our mistakes and incorporated new
experiences in our Party line. Holding high our legacy and making necessary
readjustments in Party line in consonance with the demands of the present -
I think our Party has combined these two tasks in the correct way and this
has been the foremost secret of our unity.
Comrades,

We are aware that there lie great challenges before us. We face attacks from
various quarters. In this Congress we have resolved to face all these
challenges. But this is also the time when a lot of opportunities have come
our way. This is a period of challenges as well as opportunities. We have to
face all the challenges and make full use of the opportunities. This
Congress has given us the responsibility to dislodge the social democrats
from the driving seat of the left movement in India and establish the
leadership of the revolutionary Left over the same. Our entire Party has to
accomplish this mission and the present times are the best times because the
social democrats nowhere stand at the forefront of mass struggles as they
have become part and parcel of the ruling establishment. That is why making
full use of this opportunity, we have to move with full force to fulfil this
responsibility which has been our historic mission since the Naxalbari
movement.
Apart from this, comrades, the challenge posed by the feudal armies, be it
Ranvir Sena or other such feudal armies, who think that they can wipe out
our Party with the might of guns, by killings and massacres, has come up as
a big challenge for us. We have to tackle this challenge with full
self-confidence. We must understand that their frenzied attacks do not
symbolise their future, their strength. Rather they are the last-ditch
attempts of the dying feudal forces.

... We have to establish at an all-India level, a genuine democratic front.
Such a democratic front that can, in a true sense, become a magic wand for
the Indian revolution. Except CPI(ML) no one else has the necessary moral
authority and political vision to accomplish this task."

Long live the memory of our martyrs!
Long live revolution!
Inquilab Zindabad!


FROM THE CIRCULAR OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE

(We are reproducing important excerpts from the Resolutions and decisions
adopted by the CC, CPI(ML) in its meeting held at Darbhanga, Bihar from 7-9
December, 2003. Analysis on the outcome of Assembly elections in four states
is not being reproduced as major points have already been covered in the
editorial of the previous issue, no. 50, of ML Update -Ed.)

Indo-Pak Relations and Kashmir Talks: The CC has welcomed the recent
measures announced by the governments of India and Pakistan towards
normalization of Indo-Pak ties and restoration of full diplomatic relations
between the two neighbours. Prime Minister Vajpayee must take part in the
forthcoming SAARC summit in Islamabad and use the opportunity to normalize
bilateral relations with Pakistan in particular.
Attempts to normalize and improve Indo-Pak ties and find a negotiated
political solution to the Kashmir question through serious and sincere talks
with all sections of Kashmiri organizations must go hand in hand. Advani has
been known for playing a key role in vitiating the Kashmir atmosphere with
his provocative statements and rigid stance. He must be withdrawn from the
Kashmir negotiations and a joint parliamentary group and a broader group of
eminent citizens and human rights activists should instead be entrusted with
the responsibility of creating an atmosphere of trust and confidence and
carrying forward talks with all concerned.

Killings of Migrant workers and Karbi-Kooki clashes in Assam : The CC heard
reports of the Party's multifarious peace and solidarity initiatives in
Assam and Bihar with regard to the killings of Bihari workers and
Karbi-Kooki clashes in Assam . A central delegation of the Party comprising
senior leaders from both Assam and Bihar visited the worst violence-affected
region of Tinsukia and addressed a peace rally in Tinsukia town on 29
November. Our comrades in Karbi Anglong have strongly opposed the
Karbi-Kooki clashes and exposed the opportunist forces responsible for the
violence. They are conducting extensive relief and rehabilitation operations
among the affected Karbi people and have also mounted pressure on the
District Council and the state government to stop the killings. On the first
day of the forthcoming session of the Assam Assembly (December 18) a
powerful demonstartion will be held in front of the Assembly to demand
immediate action to stop the violence.

Removal of the Bihar DGP and the Movement against Criminalisation of
Politics:  The Bihar DGP who had initiated some action on Shahabuddin has
been removed. The DGP claims to have submitted a 100-page report containing
extensive information about the criminal-politician nexus and Shabuddin's
alleged links with the ISI. Laloo Prasad now accuses the DGP of helping the
Ranvir Sena and suppressing investigation into the fodder scam. We have
called upon the Bihar government to make public the DGP's report and also
the Amir Das commission's findings regarding the political links of the
Ranvir Sena. A series of powerful agitations are being launched to corner
the government on this issue.
AIALA Conference and after: The biggest achievement of the Party in 2003 has
undoubtedly been the successful completion of the Ara conference of
agricultural labourers and the launching of AIALA on a solid membership
foundation. In the course of preparation for this conference several State
Committees ran time-bound campaigns renewing the Party's emphasis on the
agrarian front. In the process we were able not only to reenergize our
existing base and revive some of our old and abandoned pockets but also make
primary inroads into new areas and sections and achieve a degree of
expansion as well. This has equipped Party committees with a new confidence
and ideological vigour and unleashed new enthusiasm and initiatives among
the ranks. This must be carried forward to its logical conclusion. All
efforts are to be made to bring this class to action as an organized force
in villages, panchayats and districts and to develop huge number of fresh
activists and cadres from among them.

Among all Party Committees, the Bhojpur District Committee of the Party made
the most sustained and determined efforts in this connection and took up the
task as a real challenge. From enrolling a record membership to hosting the
conference in a truly befitting manner, comrades of Bhojpur have indeed made
Herculean efforts and won a well-deserved success for the Party. The
dedicated efforts of the committee evoked a powerful response from the class
and also generated a lot of goodwill among our friends and well-wishers. In
the course of this huge exercise, the Committee also held its own
conference, erected nearly twenty martyrs' memorials, made a powerful mass
intervention to foil the ugly design of communal forces and pushed the
Ranvir Sena into further disarray and isolation. The CC salutes the spirit
shown by the Bhojpur Committee and calls upon all Party Committees to grasp
and emulate this experience in their own areas and fields.

Some states could not participate in the conference because of impending
Assembly elections. But they must not remain aloof from this current and do
everything possible to catch up.

Other Mass Organisations: In recent months we have seen some signs of an
encouraging revival of AISA. However, in Uttarakhand where AISA had earlier
won successive electoral victories, things appear to have gone somewhat
downhill. The Party must encourage student-youth comrades to unleash their
full initiative in the fields of organisation-building, mass movement as
well as popular Marxist propaganda and education. We urgently need a new
batch of student-youth cadres for the Party and every effort must be made to
assist and develop promising comrades. Moreover, our students' front must
emphasise to recruit members from among High School and local colleges in
large numbers and form popular organization there to give it a wider mass
base and natural link with the society and the democratic movement. Party
DCs have a definite role to play in this regard.

Apart from participating in all-India and sectoral strike actions, our trade
union centre should also effectively intervene in major crisis-ridden
sectors like the tea industry in Assam and North Bengal, coal sector in
Bengal and Jharkhand, oil sector in Assam, state government employees'
movement in different states. Efforts to organize unorganized sector workers
in a big way by concentrating on a few select sectors like construction,
powerloom etc. must continue.

The kisan sabha organisation is still at a very primary stage in most
states. The kisan sabhas must try to intervene effectively in the continuing
procurement crisis. They must intensify their desired role to expand and
consolidate base among poor and middle peasants. Party committees at
different levels must help and guide trade unions and kisan sabhas (peasant
organizations) in building up agitations on burning issues.

Party Organisation: There has been a general improvement in the overall
environment in the Party. By and large the outlook is forward-looking and
work-oriented. But there are still pockets of pessimism and passivity and
idle gossiping in the Party. Such trends must be ruthlessly weeded out and
Party Committees down to the district level must take the lead in
reinforcing the revolutionary proletarian outlook and iron will of the
Party. New prospects are opening up before the Party and we can do justice
to them if only we delve deep into practice and face the challenge with
solid determination and unified understanding with a courage to scale the
heights.

Parliamentary pragmatism remains a major ideological and tactical hurdle for
the Party to overcome. The problem is more acute at lower levels, especially
in panchayats and blocks. Party's role and practice in the panchayati system
needs much closer scrutiny and strict monitoring. If the task of
strengthening rural work and unleashing struggles on the basic agenda is
taken up in right earnest it can serve as an important ideological-political
corrective.

Forthcoming Electoral Battles: We have a series of major electoral battles
coming up within the next one year or so. There is a possibility of the next
Lok Sabha election being held as early as May 2004. Assembly elections in
Andhra are likely to be held in early March and some more states including
Orissa and Jharkhand may go in for simultaneous Assembly election along with
Lok Sabha election. Concerned State Committees must remain prepared for such
an eventuality.

The CC has identified probable constituencies for the next Lok Sabha
election. While streamlining our organisational machinery in major
constituencies we must also focus on building popular agitations around
specific local issues while conducting regular lively propaganda and
agitation on burning issues of state/national significance. Our preparatory
work for the electoral battle must be directed towards generating enthusiasm
and a powerful political assertion of our existing mass base and in bringing
them to action for influencing and winning-over all possible friendly
forces.

Observe December 18 as Sankalp Diwas (Pledge-taking Day): December 18, 2003
will mark the fifth death anniversary of Comrade Vinod Mishra. All Party
Committees must observe the day as Sankalp Diwas linking it with the present
situation through seminars, cadre meetings, Party classes etc.


Demand Day  Observed in Bihar:
--------------------------------------

ARREST THE KILLERS OF COM. MANJU
DOWN WITH POLITICIAN-POLICE-CRIMINAL NEXUS

CPI(ML) organised a Demand Day in Bihar on Dec 12 to press upon the state
govt. to immediately arrest the killers of Comrade Manju and to make public
the report submitted to the govt. by ex-DGP Ojha in connection with Md.
Shahabuddin, RJD MP and killer of Comrade Chandrashekhar, and the report of
Amir Das Commission regarding political links of Ranvir Sena. Party has also
demanded a white paper from the Rabri govt. in Bihar on the
politician-police-criminal nexus in the state. Thousands of people in Bihar
renewed their pledge to continue their struggle against protected criminals
and mafia and to punish the politicians of RJD, Congress and NDA who are
protecting killers and criminals like Ranvir Sena and Shahabuddin.

Several protest programmes were held in Patna and other centers. Protest
demonstrations, street corner meetings and dharnas were organised throughout
the state. In Patna , precessionists led by CPI(ML) State Secretary Ramjatan
Sharma, AIPWA Gen. Secretary Kumudini Pati and others held a demonstration
and a mass meeting near JP chowk. Speakers in the meetings called upon all
left and democratic forces in Bihar to launch a decisive battle against the
politician-police-criminal nexus, which is increasingly becoming unbearable
for the democratic conscience and the people in Bihar , by mobilising all
sections of the people including students and youth, peasants and workers.
Protest programmes were also organised at Jehanabad, Muzaffarpur,
Samastipur, Gopalganj, Siwan, Ara, Bihar Sharif, Nawada, Bhagalpur ,
Darbhanga, Dehri-on-sone, Bhabhua, Dumraon, Chanpatia and many other
centres.

The demand to arrest the killers of Comrade Manju was echoed throughout
Bihar - north to south and east to west - including the streets of capital
Patna .

While these protests were being held, CPI(ML) alongwith CPI and CPI(M) MLAs
decided to take a joint initiative on these demands inside the Bihar
Assembly. CPI(ML) MLAs led by Ramnaresh Ram went on a protest in front of
the Speaker and demanded that condolence resolutions must be passed over the
killing of women leader Comrade Manju and and killings of Bihari migrant
workers in Assam. Rajaram Singh told the house that Com. Manju was murdered
in a planned manner by Ranvir Sena when she was conducting a village to
village campaign for the preparations of National Conference of AIALA. He
also said that murder of Bihari workers in Assam by sectarian regional
chauvinist forces must be condemned.

Bihar Pradesh Khet Mazdoor Sabha passed a resolution in its State Executive
meeting held at Vaishali in support of these demands. The National Executive
meeting of Revolutionary Youth Association also passed a resolution
demanding punishment to Shahabuddin and warned of a befitting reply to those
who are trying to save this notorious criminal.


LEFT PRTIES CALL FOR BIHAR BANDH ON JANUARY 7

Seven Left parties in Bihar have called for Bihar Bandh on January 7, 2004
in protest of Rabri-Laloo government's failure on all fronts, it's
disastrous economic policies and rampant criminalisation of political
system.

Left parties held a meeting in Patna on Dec 13 where representatives of
CPI(ML), CPI, CPI(M), RSP, SUCI and MCPI participated and decided to go for
a statewide Bandh on a five-point charter of demands that includes report
submitted by the ex-DGP to the government be made public as well as the
report of Amir Das Commission enquiring political connections of Ranvir
Sena, a white paper by the government on prevailing
politician-police-criminal nexus in the state, opening of paddy procurement
centers upto block level, and employment to all unemployed and unemployment
allowances.
AIPWA Gheraoed Bihar Assembly

Thousands of women held a demonstration and gherao of the Bihar Assembly on
the above demands Patna on Dec 15. Massive procession, shouting slogans like
'Shame! Shame! Rabri Devi, Now is the limit, Quit from power' and 'Send to
the gallows killers of Comrade Manju', was forcibly stopped by the police at
R-block crossing where women protestors held a mass meeting and pledged to
carry forward the dream of Comrade Manju and to continue the struggle till
her murderers are punished. The meeting was addressed by AIPWA Gen. Sec.
Kumudini Pati, Bihar President Saroj Chaube, National Sec. Shashi Yadav and
National Secretary of All India Agri. Labour Association Kunti Devi. AIPWA
leaders Damayanti Sinha, Malti Devi, Indu Devi, Rita Baranwal, Savitri Devi,
Arti Devi, Pramila, Savita, Rina Singh, Urmila Devi, Kalawati Devi, Sushila
Devi and Jameela Khatun also addressed the meeting.

The meeting passed resolutions to press for above mentioned demands and also
resolved to fight against rising violence against women in Bihar . Meeting
also condemned protection given to Ranvir Sena by the MLA from Arwal and
Minister of Health for State in Bihar Akhilesh Singh and death threats
issued by People's War Group against Comrade Kunti Devi. The dharna also
warned state administration to take appropriate action against threats being
given to AIPWA Councillor Jameela Khatun by the criminals. It was also
demanded from the Bihar State Women's Commission to take cognizance of the
case of Com. Manju. Resignation of Rabri Devi has also been demanded by
AIPWA for her utter incompetence and failures on all fronts, particularly in
protecting women in the state.
BPKS Demands for Special Session of Bihar Assembly

The Bihar Pradesh Kisan Sabha staged a dharna in Patna on Dec 12, the first
day of current session of the Assembly, and demanded that a special session
of Bihar Assembly be convened to discuss the problems of agricultural
development in the state. Speakers in the dharna held both centre's NDA
govt. and Bihar 's RJD govt. responsible for the sorry plight of
agricultural population in Bihar and called for a wider movement to get rid
of these anti-people governments. The dharna was addressed by CPI(ML) State
Secretary Ramjatan Sharma, ex-MLA Amarnath Yadav, MLA Arun Singh, BPKS
Secretary Kumar Anil and others.


OBITUARY

Comrade Ramlakhan Sinha breathed his last on Dec 8 in Patna . He was a
veteran of the communist movement and held many important responsibilities
in the Party. Born in 1934 in Arwal, he started his political life with the
CPI and played important role in the movement of peasants against an
increase in irrigation charges. Before he left CPI in 1980, he was active in
Kisan Sabha. In 1986 he joined CPI(ML) and remained active till his last
despite his prolonged illness. He was suffering from asthma.

Comrade Ramlakhan Sinha took part in a number of movements, during which he
faced imprisonment many times, first in 1959, and then in 1965, 69 and 70.
He is a source of inspiration for many for his indomitable spirit and an
ideal communist character.
CPI(ML) pays its tributes to the departed comrade and expresses its
heartfelt grief.
Bihar State unit of the Party held a condolence meeting in his memory in
Patna on Dec 11 which was attended by a large nember of activists and
sympathisers.


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