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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.
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Elections 2004: Will the 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.
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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.
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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.
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All India General Strike on 24 February
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 Tamil Nadu
1st State Conference of 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.
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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
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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