Three Years On: The Spectre of Aam Aadmi Haunts UPA
The Three Year Report Card of the UPA Government submitted by the Prime Minister to UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi was marked by triumphant references to the 9% growth rate and claims that this marked “inclusive growth”. In his introductory note, Manmohan Singh exhorted every citizen to read that report to know what the UPA has done in “guiding our country towards its tryst with destiny”, and reasserted that the UPA stood for a “caring India”.
A couple of days after submitting that report, the PM made a speech to the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) – a speech which revealed that corporate India, the main beneficiary of the UPA Government's regime, was not that “caring” after all; a speech that was haunted by the spectre of popular resentment and anger at the UPA Government's sheer callousness for the masses and care for the corporate classes. The PM issued advice to industrialists against conspicuous consumption and vulgarly ostentatious marriages that might “plant seeds of resentment in the minds of the have-nots”. Recommending Gandhi's model of “trusteeship”, the PM warned that if the affluent did not behave in a socially responsible manner, “our polity may become anarchic”. He then issued a ten-point “social charter” to the corporates. The first point of this charter was to invest in workers' welfare, since “unless workers feel they are cared for at work, we can never evolve a national consensus in favour of much needed more flexible labour laws”. In other words, the carrot ought to precede the stick! Of course this was followed by the PM's assurance of continued ‘partnership' of his government with big business, since “wealth” was essential to “economic transformation” and “enterprise and creativity” were essential for creating wealth. One can't forget that just two years back, in his speech to a conference of District Collectors, (in which incidentally the PM had advised against conspicuous consumption) Manmohan Singh had celebrated the IAS' origins in the colonial civil service and hailed the British Empire as “an act of enterprise, adventure, creativity”. No doubt, Manmohan and the UPA Government continue to celebrate colonial loot and service to imperialism (be it through SEZs or the Nuke Deal or food grain imports or anti-people ‘reforms') as acts of enterprise and creativity. But at the same time, the sustained people's resistance and displays of popular anger at Nandigram, POSCO and Jhajjar, as well as the decisive mandates in recent elections against the UPA, have caused the PM to issue warnings against potential “anarchy”.
Mani Shankar Iyer, a Minister in Manmohan's cabinet recently chose to be even more candid in his confessions and chastisements to the CII. Declaring that the experience of economic reforms had turned him into a Marxist, he said that cabinet meetings were witness to the truth of Marx's observation that the class that controls the means of production determines the superstructure. He pointed out that Government policy is dictated by the CII, but that the benefits of 15 years of reforms have gone so disproportionately to its most passionate advocates – the corporate class – that “every five years we are given a slap in the face for having done what the CII regards as self-evidently the right thing for this country”. He specifically mentioned Singur and Nandigram and the SEZ policy, stating that peasants were not willing to exchange their “do bigha zameen” for compensation. He also reminded that no one bothered to find out the fate of the tribals driven out of Hirakud (where Nehru famously described big dams and industries as “modern temples”). He also commented on how his Government considers an allocation of 650 crores for rural development unaffordable for a poor country, while cheerfully willing to spend 7000 crores on the Commonwealth Games which is a matter of “national pride”.
Of course, having let the cat out of the bag, Mani then went on to confirm his Congress credentials with fulsome praise of Nehruvian land reforms and Indira's Garibi Hatao. And rather than concluding that the working poor must aim to take the means of production into their hands if they wish to have a say in public policy, he concluded with the tame solution that the CII should devote more time to social issues and the poor. So much for Mani's Marxism – like Nehru's ‘socialism', it is nothing but an assurance to the public that one need not seek beyond the Congress for the conscience-keepers and the voices of radicalism. Especially with the CPI(M)'s own role as ‘watch dog' tarnished by Nandigram, the Congress has seen the need to put its own men on to the job.
Interestingly, while Mani tells the CII he is a Marxist, Buddhadeb invariably chooses CII and FICCI-type platforms to assure that he is a capitalist! Speaking to the Singapore-India Chamber of Commerce in August 2005, Buddha said: “I am telling my workers ‘you have to change, if you fail to change, your company may fail'.” So between the Congress and its alter ego the CPI(M), the division of labour is clear. While Mani and Manmohan will take the posture of warning the corporates to be responsible to society, Buddha will warn the masses and the trade unions to be responsible to industry and avoid strikes…and between them, they will hope to keep ‘anarchy' (read protest and resistance) at bay.
Massive Rally at Shahid Minar Maidan in Kolkata to Mark the 40 th Anniversary of Naxalbari Movement
More than twenty five thousand people from different parts of the country observed the 40 th anniversary of Naxalbari movement with a rally at shahid minar maidan in Kolkata on 25 th May, 2007 . Defying scorching sun thousands of Party activists and supporters marched to Shahid Minar with placards, banners and red flags in a colourful procession.
The rally marked the culmination of the CPI(ML)'s countrywide “Our Country, Our History – Our Freedom, Our Rights” campaign which was called to observe the 150 th Anniversary year of 1857, Birth centenary of Shahid-e-Azam Bhagat Singh and the 40 th Anniversary of Naxalbari. The campaign highlighted a ten-point People's Charter which included scrapping of SEZ policy and defence of peasants' inalienable right to cultivable land; implementation of NREGA and ensuring rights of BPL families; against starvation and farmers' suicides; scrapping of Indo-US nuclear deal and reversal of pro-US foreign policy and other issues. The rally at Shahid Minar Maidan also marked the culmination of the ‘Krishak Jagran Yatra', a cultural caravan which started on May Day from Naxalbari and reached Nandigram a day before the rally.
CPI(ML) demanded the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya for the Nandigram massacre in which 14 people were killed in police firing. Dipankar Bhattacharya, General Secretary of the CPI(ML) in a fiery speech said, “The Chief Minister accepted the moral responsibility for the police firing at Nandigram. But he should also take the political and administrative responsibility and tender his resignation”. The CPI(M) has become puppet in the hands of industrialists like Tatas and Salims and it has deviated from the path of true Marxism, he added, and said “people like Buddhadeb Bhattacharya have become pawns in the hands of industrialists and the CPI(M) has become pseudo-marxist”. He asserted that the future of left lies in the hands of a party like CPI(ML) which has kept the red flag aloft and is working in the interest of peasants and workers. He upheld the Martyrs of Nandigram who had been killed during past few months while resisting the land grab efforts by the CPI(M)-led State government, in the name of industrialization to make a chemical hub without taking the people of Nandigram into confidence.
The rally reminded of 1992's Brigade Rally organised by the Party. It left a good impact among the left and democratic circles in this left ruled state. Almost all Central Committee members of the CPI(ML) were present on this occasion. Intellectuals like Kinnor Roy (Story Writer), Sabyasachi Dev (The Noted Poet), Pachhu Roy (The Critic and Writer) and many others were also present. Nabarun Bhattacharya (The noted poet and novelist) spoke on the occasion. WB State Committee member Abhijit Majumdar, Raja Ram Singh, Mrinmoy Chakraborty, Swadesh Bhattacharya, Ram Naresh Ram, and West Bengal State Secretary Kartik Pal delivered speeches highlighting the Heroic struggle launched by the people of Nandigram who have broken the stagnancy of the 30-years' left rule. The speakers also exposed the ideological bankruptcy of the CPI(M)-led left front government at this critical juncture.
The rally was presided over by Party's senior Polit Bureau member Swadesh Bhattacharya and conducted by Partha Ghosh. Cultural troupe from Andhra Pradesh staged a dance drama depicting the heroic struggle of Naxalbari while cultural activists from Bengal including Nitish Roy sang people's songs on this occasion. The CPI(ML) made a clarion call to the left and democratic forces of Bengal to take side with the CPI(ML) to intensify the struggle against imperialism and for people's rights, particularly against the issue of SEZs and the corporate land grab.
Condemn the Barbaric Killings in Dausa, Bundi and other Places in Rajasthan
CPI(ML) strongly condemns the barbaric police repression let loose on protesters in Dausa, Bundi, and some other places in Rajasthan on May 29 when thousands of people were organizing a road-blockade to press for their demand of giving the ST status to the Gujjar community. This demand is also an electoral promise made by the ruling BJP. Nearly 13 people have been reported killed so far in the police firing besides many injured.
Now that the army has been called in, it would be improper to see it as a 'law and order' problem as the governments want us to believe. There have been incidents of police firing earlier on peasants in other parts of Rajasthan under Vasundhara Raje regime. The increasing tendency by discredited governments to repress all kinds of democratic protests must be opposed tooth and nail. Common people and peaceful democratic movements are being subjected to more and more state repression all over the country in the backdrop of decreasing democratic space vis-a-vis governments' intentions of implementing anti-people policies. Recent incidents of police brutalities on protesting peasants in states like West Bengal , Haryana, Punjab , etc. exemplify only this generalised and nationwide phenomenon. This particular incident once again exposes the state's disregard towards the people. CPI(ML) demands the resignation of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and strong punishment for all those involved in and responsible for these killings. As the militant protests against these killings continue till the next day in many parts of the state, CPI(ML) held a demonstration and dharna with hundreds of people at Jhunjhunu Collectorate, burnt the effigy of Rajasthan Chief Minister, and sent a memorandum to the President. Party will go for nationwide protests till the perpetrators of these heinous killings are punished.
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Reports
CPI(ML) Condemns Guwahati Blast
CPI(ML) vehemently condemned the bomb blast at Fanchy Bazar, Guwahati on 26 May, where seven innocent persons died and several injured. As an immediate reaction to this barbaric terrorist act, CPI(ML) along with many political parties, barring the Congress and the BJP, staged a protest dharna at Dighalipukhuri par, Guwahati and condemned the blast and demanded restoration of normalcy in the state. Protesters demanded a political solution to the ULFA problem instead of conducting military operation. CPI(ML) has been demanding political solution to the problem for a long time but the Government as well as ULFA have not shown any seriousness in this regard. Bomb blasts and killing of innocents by police and Para-military in fake encounters have exposed the utter failure real intentions of Tarun Gogoi led Government in Assam .
Coal Workers' Protest at CIL Headquarters
Coal workers from Jharkhand demonstrated in front of the Coal India Ltd. headquarters in Kolkata on May 25 under the banner of Coal Mines Workers' Union to press for their charter of demands which included new wage agreement, regularization of contract workers, converting piece-rate work into time-rate and to start workers' co-operatives to exploit closed/abandoned mines. Workers also opposed the outsourcing, corruption and prevalent mafiadom in coal industry.
The demonstration was led by AICCTU General Secretary Swapan Mukherjee and CMWU President Upendra Singh besides the office bearers of various units of the union.
NDC Meet : For Few Steps More towards Handing Over of Agriculture to Big Corporates
The National Development Council (NDC) in its 53rd meeting has agreed to the proposals put forth by its Sub-Committee on Agriculture as well as by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to overcome the agrarian crisis which, according to PM, is primarily due to 'technology fatigue' and the 'unviable small and marginal farming'. He called for an agricultural 'rejuvenation'. While the NDC prefers to evade the very basic issue of the survival of the three-fourth of rural population comprising of small and marginal farmers and agrarian workers, it proposes a variety of steps ranging from improving seed quality, irrigation programmes, agricultural extension, co-operative credit structure, amendments in states' APMC Acts, restructuring subsidy and above all, the contract farming besides few other things. This, they say, is a sure recipe to ensure a 4 percent growth in agriculture, as envisaged in the 11th plan proposals, by reducing the existing gap between production potential and the actual yield which varies from 50 to 100 percent in different states. This will also guarantee a complete food security by increasing food production, but without addressing the problems of majority of the rural population.
It was not expected from the NDC to review the root causes behind the present impasse in the rural areas. These proposals are in line with the liberalization policy framework meant to benefit the corporate sector and to go some more steps further in facilitating the entry of, and strengthening the hold of, big business houses undermining the needs of the vast population totally dependent on agriculture. It is not a question of identifying the existing shortcomings in this vast sector, but to whom you intend to give benefits. This is an open fact that the present agrarian crisis is an outcome of the failure in completing the task of land reforms, and also an outcome of the failure of the much hyped Green Revolution. The former strengthened the hold of mafia-kulak nexus and blocked the free development of capital in rural areas, while the latter passed on the major chunk of the benefits from agriculture to the multinationals and big corporations owing to higher input costs. The latter also influenced the research and extension activities which remained confined to the orientation set up during the green revolution period, and later in 90s became almost redundant in line with the requirements of the multinational corporations and imperialist forces. But PM's talk of 'technology fatigue' does not mean to address this aspect. NDC advocates contract farming, quality seeds (which will be provided by multinationals like Monsanto), better infrastructure (to be developed by the state but the benefits will go to the monopoly houses as they are made the ultimate beneficiaries, not the farmer), etc. With our government not purchasing wheat from its own farmers and importing at much higher prices under the pressure of the wheat exporters from US and other countries, removing quantitative restrictions in import of major agricultural commodities under WTO's dictate, giving free hand to private players in hoarding the country's agri. produce by amending APMC Acts, and entry of retail sector in all kinds of agri. business, it has been made clear that the fruits of agriculture will continue to be siphoned off to the corporate sector, from the hands of the poor peasants who toil hard on their lands. And amidst the ongoing protests in various parts of the country against the SEZ Act and land grabs, non-implementation of NREGA, gradual dismantling of the public distribution system and large scale exclusion of poor from the BPL lists, the Prime Minister's remark of a need to take 'tough decisions' is a clear indication that more repression is to be let loose on democratic protests.
