[L-I] [ INDIA ] ML Update Vol.7 No. 2, 8 -- 14 January 2004

ML UPDATE
A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine
Vol.  7 No. 2      8-14 Jan 2004



HYPOCRISY AND HISTORY:  MESSAGE FROM ISLAMABAD

Going by the exuberant atmospherics, the just con    cluded SAARC summit in
Islamabad must count as one of the most successful and memorable summits of
the regional association since its inception nearly two decades ago. A
ten-point social charter, an agreement for enhanced regional trade, and a
joint Indo-Pak declaration to resume the stalled dialogue between the two
countries - in diplomatic terms the achievement certainly has not been
insignificant. Yet the summit has not really evoked any genuine enthusiasm
in any corner of South Asia. And the reason surely lies in the most
inconsistent record of the association, and the complete lack of political
will on the part of the region's rulers to confront the number one enemy of
the region as well as the world: US imperialism and the processes of
imperialist globalisation that are playing havoc with the livelihood of the
unorganised and impoverished millions of South Asia.

That the summit eventually happened and was not marred by any boycott or
walkout was itself quite significant. Till some time ago, Vajpayee's
participation in the Islamabad summit was considered quite doubtful. Even
after it became clear that Vajpayee would attend the summit, New Delhi
continued to rule out any possibility of a bilateral meeting between
Vajpayee and Musharraf. We all remember how in a previous summit in
Kathmandu, Vajpayee had been offended by a pro-active Musharraf 'handshake'.
At the end of the day, in Islamabad Vajpayee did call on Musharraf and a
joint statement was also issued. And contrary to the external affairs
ministry's claim that any discussion on Kashmir would include the part of
Kashmir held by Pakistan, the joint declaration talked about a peaceful
settlement of all bilateral issues "including Jammu and Kashmir" which
clearly referred to the Indian part and not the Pakistani part.

An eventual political resolution of the Kashmir question would certainly
demand a lot of flexibility and accommodation on the parts of both India and
Pakistan. In this sense, the flexibility shown by both sides is certainly
welcome, and the forces of peace and progress on both sides of the Indo-Pak
border must now keep up pressure on their respective governments not
allowing them to backtrack to the path of skirmishes and wars. Ironically,
this turn has come at a time when India is all set to go to the polls and
Musharraf has already had a couple of attacks on his life. Regardless of the
forces in power in New Delhi and Islamabad, the democratic opinion in the
two countries must always insist on a foreign policy that promotes bilateral
dialogue and enduring peace and cooperation in the region.
While Islamabad concluded on a favourable note, India would certainly do
well not to stress the 'Bhutan model' in her relations with other neighbours
in the region. Till recently India had been pressurising Bhutan to allow an
Indian army operation in Bhutan against the militant camps. Bhutan's
reservations about such an eventuality were well known. This winter the
world has been informed about a decisive flushout operation reportedly
carried out by the Royal Bhutan Army. The casualty list is still unknown and
there are allegations of a heavy aerial and artillery campaign, obviously
with an unmistakable Indian component. The story of how this deal with
Bhutan was struck will surely be known someday, but suffices it to say that
any Indian attempt to browbeat Bangladesh into such a deal could only
backfire and invite acute isolation and reaction from all our neighbours.

It was interesting to find Vajpayee make a reference in Islamabad to the
shared heritage of the first Indian war of independence in 1857. ''History,"
Vajpayee told us, "can remind us, guide us, teach us or warn us, . (but)
should not shackle us." While the 'statesman' in Vajpayee is capable of
saying this with regard to history, the swayamsevak in him remains chained
to mythology and the fascist politics spawned by a myopic 'mythological'
vision. Hypocrisy, thy name is Vajpayee! Vajpayee wanted Pakistan and
Bangladesh to remember and celebrate their pre-1947 heritage, but in India
that is anathema to the Sangh. The suggestion that Ayodhya could have a
grand memorial for the unsung martyrs of 1857 has always been branded
'anti-national' by the ideologues of the Sangh.

India and the entire subcontinent will surely celebrate the 150th
anniversary of the great anti-colonial uprising of 1857. But that will be a
celebration of victory over the communal and comprador forces that continue
to vitiate history in the subcontinent. And the RSS being the leader of the
pack must be the first to be consigned to the dustbin of history.
CPI(ML) Congratulates People of Bihar for Successful Bandh against
Criminalisation
The CPI(ML) has congratulated the people of Bihar for participating in the
statewide bandh called by seven Left parties including CPI(ML) on Jan 7
highlighting a five-point charter of demands aimed at countering corrupt
politician-criminal-bureaucracy nexus prevailing in


BIHAR AND BEING SHELTERED BY THE LALOO-RABRI REGIME

The 'Bihar Bandh' called by CPI(ML) along with CPI, CPI(M), Forward Bloc,
RSP, SUCI and other left parties on January 7 evoked massive response in the
state and issued a clear warning to the Laloo-Rabri regime against the
murder of democracy and protection being given to notorious history-sheeter
Shahabuddin and the killer gang Ranvir Sena. Thousands of people enraged
over the takeover of the state by the feudal-criminal-police nexus responded
to this bandh call given by the Left parties in a remarkable way by coming
out on the streets. Thousands of people were arrested at different centres
in the state. Bandh supporters not only braved the lathis of the police, but
also gave an stiff resistance at many places. Despite the govt., police and
administrative machinery's attempts to foil the Bandh, people came to join
the bandh spontaneously in huge numbers on Dec 7 throughout Bihar.
The Bandh call received massive support from various sections of the
people - in rural as well as urban areas alike - involving agrarian and
urban workers, students and youth, progressive intelligentsia and
professionals, etc. Most of the business establishments, shops and traffic
came to a standstill on the day. In several areas, rail services were
delayed for hours as protesters squatted on the rail tracks and national
highways were also blocked at many places for hours. Many institutions and
universities and campuses wore a deserted look owing to very thin attendance
due to bandh.

The five point charter of demands, for which the Bandh was called, included
disclosure of Amir Das Commission's report on the political links of Ranvir
Sena with the leaders of BJP, RJD and Samata parties and the report filed by
ex-DGP DP Ojha against criminal MP Shahabuddin.

CPI(ML) congratulated the people of Bihar, Party cadres, Left ranks and
other parties and organisations for making the Bihar Bandh call a huge
success. The Party said that this bandh is an ultimatum to the Rabri-Laloo
regime. The people of state will never tolerate a regime that suppresses
democratic forces and protects criminals. The killers of comrade
Chandrashekhar and Comrade Manju are at large. If the govt. of Bihar does
not punish them, the people will do so. The criminalised and conspiratorial
politics of RJD will  be opposed at every level. The Party asked the Bihar
govt. to accept the demands raised through the Bandh or else get prepared to
face people's ire and called upon all sections of society to prepare for a
bigger mobilisation against both the governments in Patna and Delhi.

Preceding the Bihar Bandh, the CPI(ML) launched a statewide agitation.
Students and youth launched their 'Sangharsh Yatra' from four centres in the
state. Before that thousands of women held a demonstration in Patna.

The success of the sustained movement against criminalisation and other
burning issues signifies the growing assertion of CPI(ML) in Bihar's
politics and this successful Bihar bandh also underscores the growing
possibilities of Left unity in the state.


ELECTIONS 2004:  WILL HE LEFT READ WRITINGS ON THE WALL

The Congress-baloon has already been pinned down. The disgruntled electorate
has rejected Digvijay-Yogi & company in a calm but determined manner,
simultaneously giving a clear message that the next turn is for the BJP and
it's allies in the centre. Let the BJP leaders celebrate and their
think-pads continue to be drowned in their arithmatic equations, the working
population of the Indian society at large has already made up their minds to
say "No" to BJP's self-proclaimed "development" which says no to employment
generation, and leaves essential public aminities like water, health-care,
sanitation, transport, communication, education, etc. to the mercy of the
market forces; the 'development' which led to starvation deaths of
agricultural workers and suicides by farmers on whom the nation boasts of
self-sufficiency in food; 'growth' based on successive disinvestments of our
mother industries in important sectors including steel, coal, oil,
electricity, telecom, fertilizers, etc. along with Banks and LIC; and, above
all, a hyped-up 'development boom' and 'good governance' fencing over the
shadows of 'Bhay-Bhookh-Bhrashtachar' with
loot-corruption-scams-scandals-criminalisation at the helm of affairs. The
more the BJP finds itself stronger and at ease, the nation finds itself more
weakened and in difficulty. So, be it an early or timely elections, people
will teach BJP befitting lessons.

Today no party of the ruling classes can dream of a single majority.
Regional parties too have amply demonstrated that they do not necessarily
refuse a honey-moon with the BJP in any opportune moment, though they do
refuse to uphold a democratic agenda. And, the Congress-brand of secularism,
been put forth first by Shankar Singh Baghela in Gujarat and then by
Digvijay Singh in MP, has already been rejected by the people. Yet, if
leaders from the Left continue to harbour on rallying 'secular' friends
behind the Congress-I, it's nothing but mockery of Leftism.

It is the people - the workers, peasants, intellectuals, students, youth and
the socially weaker sections of our society - who will spell the last word.
It is time for the Left to come forward to uphold the people's democratic
agenda, consolidate the left and democratic ranks to broaden the democratic
movement and find the most reliable forces and effective strength to combat
BJP instead of a futile secular-search in people like Karunanidhi.

The January 7 Bihar Bandh organised by the Left parties may prove to be a
new beginning in the New Year in this direction provided the CPI(M) and CPI
leadership along with the CPI(ML) carry forward the movement in a determined
way, and seek for strength primarily in the movement for democracy than in
the Laloo Yadav's RJD who stands a rock over the foundations of democracy.


FORCED EVICTION OF ADIVASIS IN UP PROTESTED

Chandauli district administration in UP forcibly evicted 85 tribal families
belonging to Musahar caste, one of the most backward and oppressed
communities, in village Bhadahun despite a court case pending for the piece
of land in question. This was done at the behest of feudal landlord lobby
having political clout. These poor families, living there for years, are now
forced to live in open in severe cold. One of them, Munnu Banvasi, couldn't
survive such inhuman conditions and died on Dec 20 while his wife Shanti
died on Jan 3.

It is learnt that hundreds of poor peasants and agri. labourers have
received eviction notices in all the blocks of Chandauli district. The
police and local administration has actually followed, in this case, orders
of local Block Pramukh who is a relative of ex-CM and BJP leader Rajnath
Singh and himself a leader of ruling Samajwadi Party. He conspired to change
the status of land in revenue documents so that these families could be
evicted, it is reported. The month-long dharna by the village pradhan
Shubhawanti Devi, herself a tribal, for the permanent settlement of the
issue went in vain and all the hapless poor families are now rendered
homeless.

The leader of Social Justice Campaign in UP and Convener of Adivasi-Vanvasi
Mahasabha Rajendra Banvasi is now undergoing a 72-hour dharna along with
Shubhwanti Devi in protest.

The CPI(ML) has launched movement against this inhuman, undemocratic and
illegal act which is in total violation of UP govt.'s own order issued on 25
Feb 2003 which assures regularisation of land to those dalits and adivasis
who occupied land of gram sabha on or before 1 May 2002. The Party demanded
immediate rehabilitation of these families and has also reported this
incident to the National Human Rights Commission and asked latter's
intervention. The Social Justice Campaign has also initiated a campaign
against such incidents and will hold a demonstration in Mugalsarai on Jan
24.

The UP unit of CPI(ML) has also condemned the large number of deaths
reported due to Malaria in Sonbhadra district holding govt's negligence and
insensitiveness towards poor responsible for such incidents.


CPI(ML) CONDEMNS ARWAL KILLINGS

The CPI(ML) strongly condemns the killing of six dalits by Ranvir Sena
criminals in Arwal district and expresses outrage over the political
patronage by the ruling RJD being enjoyed by the banned feudal outfit Ranvir
Sena. Party demands immediate arrest of the killers and their political
patrons, just and adequate compensation to the bereaved family members and
licence and free arms to the dalits for self-protection. In Jehanabad-Arwal
area of Bihar the Ranvir Sena is getting political support from one RJD
Minister Akhilesh Sharma and the Congress State President Ramjatan Sinha.
Prior to this killing of dalits, at the behest of these two leaders, the
Ranvir Sena criminals had killed Manju Devi, a popular leader of CPI(ML) and
AIPWA in Bihar. Till date, the killers of Com. Manju have  not been arrested
despite a widespread movement on the issue. The Laloo-Rabri govt. of Bihar
is using Ranvir Sena to suppress the growing movement of the CPI(ML). The
demand to make public the report of the Amir Das Commission investigating
the relations of Ranvir Sena with the politicians of RJD, BJP and Samata
Party is getting louder and making the govt. trembling with fear on this
score.


ALL INDIA GENERAL STRIKE ON 24 FBRUARY 2004

The central trade unions, including AICCTU, AITUC, CITU, INTUC, TUCC, UTUC
and UTUC(LS), have decided to organise All India General Strike on February
24 against "situation arising out of the failure of the Central Government
to take steps to negate the pernicious impact of the judgement of the
Supreme Court on Right to Strike as also the economic policies of the
present government resulting in worsening economic situation due to
galloping unemployment, growing poverty, reckless privatisation and closures
and dilatory tactics to enact law for unorganised sector workers". These
organisations have appealed to all trade unions irrespective of their
affiliations to join the strike action.


AIALA's FIRST STATE CONFERENCE IN TAMILNADU

1st State Conference of All India Agricultural Labour Association (AIALA) in
Tamil Nadu started on Dec 25, day of anniversary of massacre of 44
agri-labourers who were burnt alive by the kulak-landlord Gopala Krishna
Naidu in 1968, amid renting of slogans "AIALA Zindabad" and "Agri.
Labour-Workers unity Zindabad" in Myladuthurai town with thousands of AIALA
members and CPIML activists marching on through the main streets.

The 'March for Agricultural Labourers Rights' reached the 'Venmani Martyrs'
ground where Comrade Dipankar, CPI(ML) General Secretary, received the Torch
dedicated to 44 martyrs brought from 'Keezh Venmani' martyrs memorial and
Comrade Kshitish Biswal, the Central observer for the conference and
National Vice-President of AIALA received the Torch dedicated to the
Comrades Chandrakumar and Chandrasekar from Manalore in Tanjore District who
were martyred during 80s.

Speaking on the occasion Comrade Dipankar said, 'two days are being observed
today. One is the martyrs' day- we are remembering our martyred comrades and
taking pledge to carry forward the agricultural labourers' cause and the
democratic agenda. The other one is Vajpayee's birthday, it is quite
shameful that whole of the nation has been called upon to celebrate the
birthday of a man who has no role in freedom struggle. How could  the nation
can celebrate his 4 years misrule which has ruined the very nation itself'.
Underscoring the importance and necessity of the rural poor's struggle, he
called upon the Sangam activists to march boldly and resolutely to
accomplish the mission of organising the struggles of agri. labourers and
the rural poor and fulfil the dream of countless martyrs who sacrificed
their lives.

Hitting out the 'judicial despotism' and 'double standards' of Supreme Court
he questioned the very rationale of Highest Court of the country seeking
Jayalalitha's convenience while at the same time rejecting the moral right
of going for strike on their just cause.

Touching upon the Tamil Nadu Political development he said, the DMK, even
after coming out of the NDA, decided to extend issue based support. This
shows the bankruptcy of Dravidian Politics and big political vacuum existing
in the Tamil Nadu politics. And he called upon the left ranks and leaders to
rise to the occasion for independent political assertion in the prevailing
situation. If the agri. labour organisations led by the left parties engage
in joint struggles it could fulfill the vacuum. Congratulating the Sangam's
activists, leaders and party cadres for the endeavour Com. Dipankar called
upon to go for bigger struggle in the coming days.

Comrades D. P. Buxi, Kshitish Biswal, Bangar Rao, S. Kumarasamy, V. Shankar,
S. Balasubramaniam and State Secretary of Tamil Nadu CPI(ML) S. Balasundaram
also greeted the Conference.

A 51 members State Council, 21 members State Executive and 7 office bearers
were elected by the Conference with  S. Annadurai as President, D. Pandian,
Avudaiappan and Sugunthan as Vice-Presidents, N. Gunasekaran as General
Secretary and  Ilangovan, Viduthalaikumaran, Eraniappan and Janakiraman as
Secretaries.
The Conference was presided over by S. Annadurai. 'Chennai Kalai Kuzhu'
staged a play depicting struggles and mission of Comrades Chandrakumar and
Chandrasekar.


CADRE MEET AT MYSORE

A cadre meeting of the party was held at Mysore on Dec 27 which was
participated by Comrades from Mysore, Bangalore, Davanegere and Kopla
districts. D.P. Buxi and V. Shankar addressed the meeting. Com. Buxi called
upon the cadres to have a far-sighted revolutionary vision and develop a
model of work in one or two pockets and focus on party building.

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CONDOLENCE MESSAGE

The CPI(ML) mourns the death of Comrade Bhan Singh Bhaure, the National
President of Akhil Bharatiya Khet Mazdoor Union, affiliated to the CPI.
Comrade Bhaure died on January 3, 2004 of a cardiac arrest. He was also a
member of the National Council of the CPI and an MP from Bhatinda in Punjab.
CPI(ML) Central Committee member Prabhat Kumar visited the CPI headquarters
in New Delhi to pay homage to the departed leader.
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