From Balco to Tehelka : Glimpses of BJP's 'New Deal'
The month of March is generally dominated by
post-budget tremors. And when the budget proposes a
new deal for the market, complete with strategic
privatisation and wholesale dismantling of labour
laws, the reaction of the market and the media could
only be expected to be euphoric. Indeed, on March 1,
most newspapers went to town with screaming headlines
eulogising Yashwant Sinha's bold commitment to the
so-called second generation economic reforms. But once
Balco workers went on strike and the Tehelka tapes
became public, the euphoria quickly gave way to panic.
The nation now knows with graphic details what Sinha's
'new deal' is really all about. Far from being
aberrations, Balco and Tehelka provide two essential
glimpses of the unfolding 'new deal'.
The new economic mantra of liberalisation,
privatisation and globalisation requires the state to
beat a retreat from the economy. Actually, the state
is asked to withdraw itself from all productive
activities and hand over the entire notion of
'distributive justice' to the market. Away from
production and distribution, the state is then left
with the role of a trader. And the 'grand sale' being
organised by the state ranges from the tangible world
of public sector units to the mysterious universe of
defence deals. From profit-making public sector units
to strategic national interests, everything is on
offer for people with the right connections and the
right amounts! Balco and Tehelka have only brought
home the ugly truth in a most telling manner.
Following the immediate resignation and suspension of
a few individuals, the BJP now appears to be more
interested in using the Tehelka episode to further its
own agenda. This is the real meaning of
'introspection' for Vajpayee and Advani. Vajpayee has
virtually sought to condone corruption by identifying
high poll expenses as the main culprit and suggesting
state funding as the answer. With this convoluted
argument, the Tehelka controversy is thus sought to be
linked back to the BJP's ongoing campaign for a review
of the Constitution and restructuring of the political
system. State funding of political parties will only
accentuate the inherent bias of the system in favour
of bourgeois parties and marginalise the voice of the
people in the sphere of politics. It is interesting to
note that it is the same proponents of privatisation
who are ardent advocates of state funding of political
parties. This is yet another example of the organic
link between free market and controlled politics!
If the ruling classes are desperate to tame the
Tehelka tremors in their own class interest, the
people should also make full use of the Balco and
Tehelka controversies for the sake of raising the
level of democratic consciousness and movement. For
the Congress and other parties of the bourgeois
opposition, the Balco controversy may be just a good
fodder in the battle of political oneupmanship and
centre-state bargaining. The working class must look
at it as an inspiring watershed in the struggle
against privatisation. Similarly, the Tehelka tapes
are only another Bofors for the bourgeois opposition.
Forces of the democratic movement must, however, look
beyond the doubtful possibility of a quick change in
government and instead train their sights on
organising a mass upsurge to secure a reversal of the
neo-liberal policies lying behind issues like the
Balco and Tehelka controversies.
News from Fields of Struggles...
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Vajpayee Government Must Resign
Reiterating its demand that the Vajpayee Govt. must
resign in the wake of Tehelka revelations, the CPI(ML)
said on 26 March, "Nothing short of resignation of
Vajpayee Govt. can restore constitutional propriety
and politcal normalcy in the country... Before
sermonising the opposition Vajpyee and his party
should have called for arrest of the culprits
including Bangaru Laxman and PMO officials and
Vajpayee himself should have tendered resignation".
Party said that blaming high poll expenses in this
connection is only another way of legitimising
corruption. The real issue is burgeoning defence
budget and absolute lack of transparency and
accountability in defence purchase deals which must
come to an end.
Countrywide 2-hour Strike on 16 April
Strongly denouncing the anti-people, anti-worker Union
Budget for 2001-02, eight central trade unions, viz.,
AICCTU, AITUC, CITU, UTUC, UTUC (LS), HMS, TUCC and
INTUC have issued an appeal on 24 March. Underlining
the adverse impact of budgetary provisions on
employment and industrial relations, the appeal called
upon "the entire working class irrespective of
affiliations to unite and protest against the budget
through two hours countrywide strike/tool down in all
industrial units, offices and establishment at the
beginning of the shift/duty on 16 April, 2001 during
the next course of Budget session of Parliament."
Several industrywise federations have also endorsed
the call for united action.
Solidarity with Balco Workers
Against selling majority shares of the public sector
Balco, AICCTU and the newly-formed workers Solidarity
Forum held programmes in Asansol. AICCTU leaders of
Asansol-Durgapur belt including Com. Surinder Kumar
and Kankar Majumdar met the striking workers of
Asansol unit of Balco on 19 March and addressed their
demonstration in front of factory Gate and attended a
solidarity programme on 23 March before city office of
Balco. Workers from various organised sectors
participated in this programme. The meeting was
addressed by Com. NN Bannerjee, Convenor of the Forum,
Sujit Ghosh, D Kumar and others, who in their speech
called for developing unity and mutual solidarity of
organised and unorganised workers against anti-workers
policy of selling the country by corrupt BJP govt.
Party team Meets Balco Workers, Conveys Support
A 3-member CPI(ML) delegation comprising Com. Rajaram,
incharge of Chhattisgarh, Khomadas Sahu, Bhilai Secy.
of AICCTU, and Lalan Ram of Bilaspur visited Balco
Nagar on 17 March and met the struggling workers, who
are on strike since 3 March, under the banner of Balco
Bachao Samyukta Abhiyan Samiti. Com. Rajaram addressed
a meeting of more than 2,000 workers, and expressed
solidarity to their struggle on behalf of the Party.
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Bandh in Three Districts against Police Atrocity
Demanding resignation of UP Chief Minister Rajnath
Singh over Bhawanipur carnage perpetrated by police in
league with local feudal and mafia elements, the Bandh
called by CPI(ML) on 21 March in three districts of
Mirzapur, Sonebhadra and Chandauli had a good impact.
Initially CPI and CPI(M) too had supported the Bandh
and the three left parties had jointly staged dharna
before the Assembly in Lucknow on 14 March and sent a
joint team to Bhawanipur. However, CPI(ML) had to go
it alone with the Bandh because later CPI and CPI(M)
withdrew from the call. Still, particularly in
Chandauli the Bandh was impressive and people
spontaneously participated in the bandh.
In Mughalsarai and Chandauli headquarters work stopped
completely. In Chakia, Shahabganj, Kamalpur,
Sakaldiha, Dhanapur and Chahania, markets were closed
and chakka jam was observed at many places. Thousands
of CPI(ML) activists were arrested throughout the
region. In Robertsganj, headquarters town of
Sonebhadra district, all shops were closed. Around
1,500 people attended the meeting here called by
CPI(ML). Even two CPI(M) district committee members
joined bandh. Bandh was observed in Dudhi subdivision.
In Wasliganj, the main market of Mirzapur, a
procession was brought out appealing to the people to
observe bandh, which was led by Com. Akhilendra Pratap
Singh, Secy. of UP State Committee. CPI(M) District
Secy also participated in the procession. Similar
processions were brought out at several places in the
easeter UP, including Ballia, Sikandarpur, Ghazipur,
Zamania and Sampoornanagar (Kheri), where effigies of
BJP Govt were also burnt. Dharna was staged in front
of Legislative Assembly in Lucknow. All this indicate
growing influence of the Party in this region, and
victory of CPI(ML) candidate on the post of Naugarh
block pramukh.
It is to curtail this growing influence that Rajnath
Singh has asked police to kill four naxalites for each
policeman, which culminated in Bhawanipur carnage.
Martyrdom Day 'March to Parliament' in Delhi
Observing the martyrdom day of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat
Singh on March 23, CPI(ML) activists organised a
"march to Parliament" in Delhi calling for ouster of
corrupt, criminal and anti-national Vajpayee Govt.
Addressing the gathering at Parliament Street, Party
General Secretary Com. Dipankar Bhattacharya said that
India of Bhagat Singh's dreams must be founded and our
Party was committed to that task. Coming to Tehelka
exposure and Vajpayee's "shameless defence" of
kickbacks in defence deals, he said that this
government must go even if we have to face a fresh
elections.
This march, organised by Party's Delhi State Committee
started from Mandi House and reaching Paliamentary
Street Police Station turned into a mass meeting. It
was also addressed by Delhi State Secy. Com. Rajendra
Pratholi, Suneeta and Santosh Roy and others.
RYA-AISA March
AISA and RYA staged "Aakrosh March" (discontent rally)
in Patna on 23 March observing the martyrdom day of
Bhagat Singh. They also demanded resignation of
Vajpayee govt. in relation to Tehelka case.
On 25 March, the effigy of Prime Minister Vajpayee was
burnt in several districts of Bihar including Patna.
Participants shouted slogans "Anti-national, corrupt
Vajapyee Govt, Step down!"
Demonstration in Raipur
Various unions related to CPI(ML)-led AICCTU among
contract labours, stone quarry workers, slum-dwellers,
spinning millwokers etc. and agraian labour and
peasant organisations jointly organised a
demonstration before the Assembly at Raipur on 14
March. The demonstrators were addressed by Com.
Rajaram, and others. A memorandum containing various
demands including extensive implementation of food for
work programme, irrigation, etc. was also submtted to
the Chief Minister.
In the meeting a resolution was adopted to support
Chhattisgarh Bandh on Balco issue on 16 March.
Speakers proclaimed to launch resistance movement
against lifting quantitative restrictions on 715 items
from 1 April.
People's Conference against Globalisation in Delhi
The people's conference against globalisation was held
at Speaker's Hall, Costitution Club, New Delhi on
21-23 March. It was attended by around 250
participants, political and social activists belonging
to left and socialist parties, new social movements,
Gandhians, academicians, literary personalities,
scientists and people from various other pursuits.
They included Dipankar Bhattacharya, Gen. Secy. of
CPI(ML), Arundhati Roy, KN Ramchandran of CPI(ML)-Red
Flag, PUCL Karnataka President Dr. Laxminarayana,
noted literateur Arijit Mitra, AICCTU president
Yogeshwar Gope, Deepak Nayyar, Ashish Nandy, Kamal
Mitra Chenoy, KN Kabra, Ishwari Prasad, Jai Sen, MS
Randhawa, convenor of Jan Chetna Manch, Chabag, and
others. SP Shukla, who had been coordinating the
preparatory process to hold this conference, greeted
the speakers and the audience in his introductory
speech. The inaugural speech was made by Prof. Walden
Bello, an eminent economist from Philippines who is
internationally active in anti-globalisation
movements. He challenged the legitimacy of World Bank,
IMF and WTO working under US hegemony and underlined
the need for action to remodel them. He forcefully
presented the concept of deglobalisation in favour of
a plualist political economic world order and advanced
a counter strategy to oppose the soft strategy of
imperialism. Justice V Krishna Iyer presided over the
session and fervently appealed to all the forces
opposed to imperialist globalisation to launch a
united and determined action against the powers that
be. Then, in the 'perspectives' session, Prabhat
Patnaik spoke on resisting imperialism. Analysing the
menace of finance capital and shackles with which
countries like India are tied, he called upon the
radical forces to take up the task of effecting a
rupture from the logic of globnalisation. The session
was presided over by Dr. Manoranjan Mohanti. In
continuation of the session on 'perspectives', in the
afternoon, Aijaz Ahmed spoke on 'globalisation and
culture' and Ashok Mitra was in the chair. In the
evening, Jayati Ghosh, CP Chandrashekhar, Probir
Purkayastha and Dinesh Abrol spoke on "infrastructure
and industry in the age of globalisation", covering
aspects of 'external sector & finance', 'industry',
'power' and 'research & technology', in a session
presided over by K Ashok Rao, who also spoke on
'disinvestment and public sector'.
Next day, on 22 March, the morning session on 'food &
agriculture in the age of globalisation' was presided
over by Vandana Shiva, who spoke on corporatisation of
agriculture. In this session, Utsa Patnaik delivered
on challenges in agriculture and food security, Prof.
Ghumman (jointly with Sucha Singh Gill) on 'peasantry
in green revolution areas' and Kalpana Wilson on
'agricultural labour'. Then in the session on 'basic
needs & employment in the age of globalisation', P
Sainath, Abhijit Sen, Devendra Sharma, Sunil and
Imrana Qadeer delivered on various aspects of the
problem. The session was presided over by BD Sharma,
who spoke on 'right to resources'.
In the afternoon, Randhir Singh presided over the
session on democracy and globalisation. He stressed on
placing the stage of globalisation in the context of
imperialism and noting down the collapse of national
project in 1991, called for a new strategy based on
socialist perspective to counter the capitalist
globalisation. Kishan Patnaik, Aruna Roy, and B
Sivaraman also spoke in this session. Sivaraman in his
paper noted the decline of the usual bourgeois
democratic institutions in the era of globalisation
and elaborated the concept 'new democracy' which will
be the basis for a broad rainbow alliance of forces
against globalisation forces.
The last session held in the evening was on 'people's
struggle against globalisation', in which Srilata
Swaminathan, Prabhash Joshi and MP Parameshwaran spoke
covering multiferious experiences of struggles.
Surendra Mohan presided over the session. It was in
this session that Pierre Beaudet, Ex. Director of
Alternatives, Canada, addressed the conference.
On 23 March, the final session was presided over by
Medha Patkar and SP Shukla. It was addressed by Linda
Waldron of DSP, Australia, Abdul Majeed Kanjoo of
Saraiki National Party (Pakistan) and Risto Isomaki
from Finland and Roshan from Green Party, Germany,
JNKhanal of CPN(UML) and a comrade from CPN(ML).
Other speakers include Ashok Manohar of Lal Nishan
Party, Jagjit Singh Layalpuri of MCPI, Arvind Sinha of
CPI(ML)-Unity Initiative, Dr. Sunilam, and others.
The conference resolved to carry ahead the campaign
against globalisation and go for a much larger
mobilisation and consolidation of forces against
globalisation and for this purpose appointed a
17-member convening body with SP Shukla as the
chairperson, including Medha Patkar, BD Sharma, B
Sivaraman, Vandana Shiva, Ashok Manohar, Jagjit Singh
Layalpuri, Arvind Sinha, Binod Prasad Singh, Surendra
Mohan, Dr. Sunilam, Vijay Pratap, Dinesh Abrol, Probir
Purkayastha, KN Kabra, Ashok Rao, Sawai Singh. Later,
Aruna Roy and Ram Dhiraj have also been coopted. The
conference would release 'Delhi Declaration' and an
'Action Plan'. As a follow-up similar conferences will
be held at regional level. Referring to the successful
conclusion of the conference, Medha Patkar appealed to
all the democratic forces to associate and cooperate
with the endeavour and intensify struggle against
globalisation.
Road Blocked against Arsoning Mushahar Toli
Consequent to some minor clash between mushahars and
upper caste landlords, local landlords in Tilath
village of Piro PS (Bhojpur) set the mushahar toli on
fire. In protest dalits and other rural poor blocked
the road for more than four hours demanding arrest of
culprits and local tyrants as well as reconstruction
of their houses under Indira Awas Yojana.
Zonal Bureau to Observe 30 March and 1 April
Zonal Bureau in its 24 March meeting resolved to hold
a centralised student-youth demonstration before CBI
HQ in Delhi on 30 March demanding concrete information
regarding progress of investigation into the murder of
Com. Chandrashekhar and Shyamnarain Yadav by
Shahabuddin gang. The agitation assumes still more
political importance particularly when Shahabuddin is
absconding in a case of killing police personnel in
Siwan district of Bihar, as it exposes both BJP-led
Union govt. and RJD-Congress govt. of Bihar in
patronising Shahabudin.
On 1 April, protest programmes will be taken at
district level throughout the region to oppose lifting
of quantitative restrictions on import of 715 items
which will particularly affect the peasantry, apart
from compromising self-reliance on food and also
interests of the poor in rural and urban India.
Khet Mazdoor Sabha Conference
First conference of Khet Mazdoor Sabha in Bhojpur
district was held on 26 March at Agiaon. The
conference was inaugurated by PB member Com. Swadesh
Bhattacharya. It was also addressed by Com. Ramjatan
Sharma, State Secy., Rameshwar Prasad, state convenor
of Khet Mazdoor Sabha, Chandradeep Singh, district
convenor of BPKS. The conference was presided over by
Com. Sidhnath Ram and conducted by Com. Kamta Singh. A
23-member District Committee was elected at the
conference.
Bhagat Singh's Martyrdom Day Observed
Observing Bhagat Singh's martyrdom Day on 23 March in
different parts of West Bengal, RYA erected martyr's
column at Gopalnagar, Kalighat of Calcutta, Naihati
and Ashoknagar of N. 24-Parganas, and Konnagar,
Bhadreshwar, Pandua, Balagarh, Dhaniakhali of Hooghly.
A campaign of collecting signatures on a memorandum to
Chief Minister of West Bengal is going on, demanding
employment, expanding self-employment scheme to cover
majority of the unemployed, unemployment allowances of
Rs.1000 and publishing a white paper on employment
generation in 24 years of rule of Left Front.
Resignation of Vajpayee Govt. Demanded
As a part of the national programme, mass campaign
demanding resignation of the corrupt Vajpayee Govt. is
going on in several districts of W.B. Protest meeting,
procession, effigy burning are being carried out. In
Calcutta, protest meetings were held at Moulali and
Hazra; and at Jadavpur and Chetla, effigy of Vajpayee
was also burnt by processionists. A protest meeting
was organised before Nandan Hall jointly by RYA, Gana
Sanskriti Parishad and Bhasha Chetna Samiti. It was
addressed by Ajijul Haq, Jiad Ali, Imanul Haq, Arijit
Mitra and others. Protest meeting and procession was
also organised in Barasat of N. 24-Parganas, Konnagar,
Bhadreshwar, Pandua, Balagarh and Dhaniakhali of
Hooghly district; Moynaguri of Jalpaigudi district;
and at Bardhaman and Raiganj (North Dinajpur). The
protest meeting held at Dhubulia in Nadia was
addressed by State Secy. Com. Kartik Pal.
Protest against Killing of Party Activist
Com. Lal Prasad Mukhiya, Secretary of Motihari Block
Committee of CPI(ML) in East Champaran district of
Bihar, was recently killed by criminals. Com. Lal
Prasad was ex-mukhiya of Ramsingh Chatauni panchayat
and was a candidate for the post in the forthcoming
elections. Roads were blocked in protest to his murder
and a Sankalp Sabha will be held on 1 April.
Military Crackdown on Opposition in Pakistan
The military dictatorship of Gen. Parvaiz Musharraf
has launched a fierce crackdwon against its opponents
on 21 March, arresting 20 leaders of political parties
belonging to the Alliance for the Restoration of
Democracy, including the General Secretary of the
Labour Party of Pakistan, Com. Farooq Tariq. The
Alliance unites18 parties opposing Musharraf,
including Pakistani Muslim League and Pakistan
People's Party, the two former ruling parties, and
left-wing forces like LPP. The military quickly
swooped on the activists who had gathered at Mochi
Gate, arresting another 50 there. There are six
leaders of LPP among them. The Alliance had planned a
mass rally in Lahore on 23 March, Pakistan Day, to
demand return of democracy. In the night of 22 March
the military further rounded up more than 2000
activists. And on 23 March the crackdown continued.
Com. Tariq and others have been charged under a
notorious "anti-state" activities act. It should be
mentioned here that a 10-member delegation of LPP was
supposed to reach India to attend the conference
against globalisation on 21-23 March in New Delhi, but
they were denied visa by the India authorities.
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Left Candidate Wins Mayorship in Paris
For the first time in more than 130 years after the
historic Paris Commune, a socialist mayor took over in
Paris following the victory of an alliance headed by
Beertrand Delanok, which includes Communists,
Socialist Party, leftwing radicals and Greens. The
alliance won 88 out of 163 seats in the Paris Council.
Tens of thousands of supporters converged the town
hall to celebrate the victory. The French capital has
not been run by a leftwing administration since the
popular uprising of 1871 Paris Commune and throughout
the 80s it was completely dominated by Chirac's
Gaulist RPR Party. Ahead of presidential and
parliamentary elections in 2002, the capture of Paris
by the left is bound to deal a blow to the president
who is struggling to defend himself against an array
of corruption scandals dating from his 18 years as the
City's mayor. The Left scored another impressive
victory when it won the post of mayor in the country's
second biggest city, Lyon.
Just as this issue of MLUpdate goes to press, there is
a news that extreme right Freedom Party has been
defeated in municipal elections in Vienna (Austria) to
the gain of Social Democratic and Green party. In
Germany too, rightwing Republikaners were rejected by
the people who failed to win even a single seat after
getting 14 seats in the 1996 state elections.
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