In this Issue
Women’s Freedom Under Attack in BJP-ruled Karnataka
Last month, around 40 goons of the ‘Sri Ram Sene’ entered a pub in Mangalore, assaulted people there, dragging women out by the hair, molesting them and lifting up their blouses and skirts. The leader of the SRS, PV Muthalik, defended the attack, claiming that ‘women boozing’ and ‘pub culture’ offended ‘Indian morality.’ Since these scenes came to people’s notice through national TV, there was widespread outrage, and after a delay of many days, finally, some of the perpetrators were arrested. The Chief of the SRS PV Muthalik, is yet to be booked for masterminding this assault – though he has been taken into custody on some other charges. The ruling BJP and even the Sangh Parivar (RSS) have tried to distance themselves from the SRS.
Much as the crime of rape or sexual assault is often obscured by debates over women’s own behaviour, there are many attempts now to deflect the ongoing debate from the issue of women’s rights to that of ‘pub culture’ and women’s clothes and lifestyle. Not only BJP leaders but even UPA Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, Congress leaders like AP CM YSR Reddy and the Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and even a representative of the National Commission for Women have responded to the Mangalore assault with condemnations of ‘pub culture’, women’s ‘semi-nude’ clothing, and ‘girls and boys walking hand-in-hand.’ The NCW leader added that ‘women have to be responsible for their own safety’ – a statement that reeks of the patriarchal attitude that blames rapes on women’s ‘provocative’ clothes.
Of course, the question of men visiting pubs was never questioned by CMs and health ministers; the debate is obviously over women visiting pubs. So the real debate is not over pubs at all, but over women’s freedom and equality. The pub attack is no aberration – it is part and parcel of a concerted Sangh Parivar campaign of assaults – against women wearing jeans, against women celebrating Valentine’s Day with partners of their choice, against women who have married or had formed relationships outside their community, and against women in schools and colleges interacting with male classmates. In Karnataka itself, since the BJP came to power, the Dakshina Kannada district and Mangalore itself have witnessed such attacks for the past several months – including one incident in December 2008 in which a bus full of students on an official college trip was attacked by the Bajrang Dal on the pretext that ‘Hindu girls’ were ‘violating the moral code’ by traveling with Muslim and Christian boys. In other incidents, any simple human interaction between people of different communities has been ‘punished.’ Such acts were openly defended by the Bajrang Dal head of the district, Sudarshan Moodabidri, who said “Girls reform themselves once they are thrashed and humiliated in public, but boys are tougher to control.” Clearly, months before the pub attack, a prominent Sangh Parivar leader of Karnataka was recommending ‘thrashing and humiliating (women, including schoolgirls and college-going women) in public as a measure of moral policing. Yet, no action was taken against him. The Sangh’s definition of Indian culture does not only deny women the freedom to visit pubs: rather it attacks even their aspiration to study and have personal friendships and relationships of choice.
The same Sangh Parivar in BJP-ruled Gujarat raped and massacred thousands of Muslims in 2002. Babu Bajrangi, a Bajrang Dal leader of Gujarat, boasts that he has ‘rescued’ (abducted) 1000 Hindu women who had married Muslim men, persuading them – no doubt through ‘thrashing and humiliation’ – to disown their inter-community marriages. Now, the same forces, with help from an obliging BJP government, are trying to turn Karnataka into Gujarat.
The Sene chief Muthalik has been giving speeches openly boasting of the Malegaon blasts and promising more of the same. By now, it is clear that the Malegaon blasts were a tip of the iceberg. The Sanghi terrorists had a gameplan of subverting the Indian constitution and democracy and establishing a ‘Hindu Rashtra.’ In such a Hindu Rashtra, needless to say, Muslims, Christians and other minorities will face the fate they did in Gujarat and Kandhamal. And women can visualize life in such a ‘Hindu Rashtra’ by seeing the events in Karnataka for the past several months.
Indian women’s hard-won rights and freedoms cannot be surrendered to the diktats of the Sanghi Taliban. Resisting all attempts at deflecting the debate, we must forcefully resist not only the attacks on women’s rights and freedom of expression by the Sangh outfits, but also any conservative and patriarchal statements from other quarters that tacitly legitimise such attacks.
Joint Dharna of Left Parties in Bihar
CPI(ML, CPI and CPI(M) held a massive joint dharna at R-Block crossing in Patna on 28th January intensifying the united Left opposition against the anti-people and autocratic Nitish Govt. of Bihar and called for a Bihar bundh on 4th February on burning issues of the people and in support of the striking State Govt. employees. At the time of going to press the bundh is reported to be total and successful.
The dharna was attended by thousands of members of the three parties and was jointly addressed by the State secretaries of CPI(ML), CPI and CPI(M) - Comrades Nandkishore Prasad, Badrinarayan Lal and Vijaykant Thakur respectively. Many other senior leaders of these parties also addressed the dharna. The speakers exposed the glaring lies and failures of the Nitish Govt. and lambasted his attempt to mislead the people of Bihar now with his “Vikash Yatra”.
Through the dharna the three Left parties have asked to hold dialogue with the striking employees and settle the issues in dignified way, punishing the accused in the Bathe massacre and withdrawing the charges from innocent poor people, round the year employment and Rs.200/- daily wage to all poor under NREGA, providing all BPL families grains at Rs.2/kg and Kerosene oil at Rs.2/litre, formulating a comprehensive plan for the progress and development of poor Muslims and implementing the Sachar Commission report, ensuring the rehabilitation of Koshi flood victims and some other demands were also put forth. On these demands the Left parties had called for Bihar bundh of 4th February.
The dharna also passed a nine point resolution on which the struggle will be intensified in the coming days jointly by the left parties. Others who addressed the dharna on specific issues impeding the development of people of Bihar included among others Comrades Jalaluddin Ansari, Ambika Prasad, Rajendra Prasad Singh from CPI, Comrades Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi, Vijaykant Thakur and Munna Prasad from CPI(M) and Comrades Saroj Chaubey, Pradip Jha, Shivsagar Sharma and Ramadhar Singh from CPI(ML).
Jharkhand Employees Paralysed Govt. Work
Under the leadership of Jharkhand State Non-Gazetted Employees Confederation the employees of Jharkhand have organised one of the massive rallies in recent months for pressing their demands. The protest march of 10th December 2008 saw about 90 percent of the employees marching to Ranchi consequently paralysing all Govt. functioning and work. When, even after one month of that protest there was no Govt. initiative to hold dialogues the employees proceeded on indefinite strike since 13th January, 2009. Prior to this the defeat of Shibu Soren was also contributed by the angry employees.
There have been few rounds of meeting after 14th January with the Govt. officials and the leaders of the employees but there was no decisive action on part of the Govt. till 25th January. In protest the striking employees sat on a day’s hunger strike on Republic day-26th January at the Albert Ekka Chowk in capital Ranchi. After this there was response from the Governor and after a final decision was taken on 29th January, the strike was called off. However, there was attempt from some sections of a few employees union to weaken and sabotage the strike and resulting demands which has been rebuffed completely by the employees of Jharkhand.
Karnataka :
Ban Sri Rama Sene!
CPIML and RYA jointly organized a protest rally against the attack on women in Mangalore pub on 31 January 2009 at Gangavati. The 200-strong rally of youth demanded a ban on Sri Rama Sene, a communal fascist outfit that claimed responsibility for the attack, and booking Pramod Muthalik and other culprits under Goonda’s Act. The rally also held the BJP government responsible for the incident and demanded resignation of Home Minister VS Acharya and Chief Minister Yeddyurappa. The government is diverting the real issue of women’s freedom and secular democracy and fanning feudal culture in the lines of communal fascist outfits by invoking the bogey of pub culture. The BJP government is actually promoting such outfits which are alleged to be having connections with ‘Abhinav Bharat’, another fascist outfit responsible for the Malegaon blasts. RSS and BJP are promoting new breed of Sanghi terrorist organizations such as Sri Rama Sene and Abhinav Bharat apart from the infamous Bajrang Dal and VHP. Pramod Muthalik of Sri Rama Sene claimed that these are only rehearsals for impending bigger onslaughts. Increasingly, Karnataka is being turned into an experimental lab of these communal fascist outfits.
At the culmination of the rally the young rallyists burnt the effigy of Pramod Muthalik. The rally was led by Comrade J.Bharadwaj, state president of AIALA and dharna was presided over by Rafeeq, RYA convener. Dr.Lakshminarayana, state convener of Indian Institute of Marxist Studies (IIMS) and V.Shankar, CCM, addressed the gathering.
AIPWA joined the protest rally on 30 January at Mysore, jointly organized by various women’s and progressive organizations, including PUCL and Samata Vedike. Comrade Rati Rao, National Vice-President of AIPWA, Dr.Lakshminarayana, state General Secretary of PUCL and Meera Nayak of Samata addressed the gathering at Mysore apart from many leaders representing various other organizations. Comrade Gandhimathi, NCM joined the protest rally at Bangalore on the same day. Com. Rati Rao participated in the protest rally at Mangalore also on 31 January 2009.
A Study Class at Gangavati
:A study class involving newly formed youth organization was held on 31 Jan at Yemagudde in Gangavati taluk. Around 50 youth participated in the class. Dr. Lakshminarayana, state convener of IIMS, Gopal, IIMS, J.Bharadwaj, state president of AIAlA, Arun, environmental activist, Vittapura, a democrat and lawyer from Koppal addressed the gathering along with V Shankar, CCM, who spoke on the occasion about the revolutionary orientation of the youth organization.
Construction Workers’ Meet at HD Kote, Mysore :
A meeting of construction workers was organized at HD Kote taluk, Mysore district, on 11 Jan. Significantly, all office-bearers of our union in ready-mix concrete company in Bangalore, Comrades G.Somu, Jaishankar, Narayanaswamy, Thomas and Stephen, participated actively in the meeting apart from Comrades Rati Rao, VP of AIPWA and Javaraiah, District secretary of the party. Com. V.Shankar, CCM spoke on the need for a struggling orientation of the construction labour movement. Local union office-bearers Nanjunda, Mallikarjuna, Shivlingaiah, Chikka Hanumathaiah also spoke in the meeting. The meeting resolved to undertake membership campaign, enrolment of construction labourers in welfare board and to form newer branches in newer areas of the taluk. Construction workers also expressed their inclination to organize agricultural labourers and women in their areas.
Davanagere-Bellary-Haveri
As part of the pledge campaign, a general body meeting of party members was organized at Ujjini on 18 January that falls under Kudligi taluk of Bellary district. Comrade Ramappa chaired the meeting while Comrades J.Bharadwaj and V.Shankar elaborated the fundamental aspects of the pledge campaign. Apart from membership renewal related issues, 7 branches were formed and for the first time, a joint District Committee of Davangere-Bellary-Haveri districts have been formed with comrade O.Kotresh as the secretary. Lingaraju, S.Parasuram, Raghavendra of HP Halli taluk, Chowdappa of Jagalur taluk, Basavaraju of Harihar taluk, Hanumanthappa of Davanagere taluk, Ucharayappa of Ranebennur taluk–Haveri Dist. and Devendrappa of Kudligi taluk – Bellary Dist. were elected as members of the DC. Branch secretaries have also been appointed. The party has started focusing on developing structures after many struggles under the banner of mass organisations. The committee’s immediate tasks are expansion in terms of membership of mass organizations, focusing on AIALA and construction labour union and also expansion to newer areas. In February, mass struggles will be organized on people’s issues. At the end of March Party will go in fully for election campaign.
Chennai: Construction Workers' Welfare Board Secretary Gheraoed
GO 122 was passed by Karunanidhi govt in October 2008, with a sole purpose to limit and reduce the number of unorganized workers getting registered in 14 unorganized workers’ welfare boards and cut even the meager benefits hitherto availed by the registered unorganized workers, by complicating the procedures for registration and renewal, by linking the whole process with the revenue department.
AICCTU, TN Democratic Construction Workers Union and Workers’ Rights Movement organized a gherao on 3rd February in which more than 150 workers participated. Workers entered the Secretary’s office raising slogans to Scrap GO 122 and sat before his chamber. The Secretary then invited the leaders for a talk but all the workers who were sitting before his chamber entered his chamber and started voicing their issues and concerns in getting registered, renewed and getting benefits. They also demanded that he recommends the TN govt to scrap GO 122.
The Secretary assured the agitating workers that he would address all the issues raised by them and that he would visit all the districts and check that there are no lapses on the part of the board in fulfilling its responsibilities. He also assured that camps will be conducted in all the districts for renewal process. He assured that he would recommend the govt to scrap GO 122. A meeting was then held in the same premises. The gherao was led by Com.N.K.Natarajan, GS, AICCTU, and TN. AICCTU state office bearers Comrades Radhakrishnan, Anthonimuthu, Eraniappan, Bhuvana, Sekar, Desikan, Palanivel addressed the gathering.
Delhi University Students Burn Effigy of Sri Ram Sene
Students of Delhi University (DU) under the banner of All India Students’ Association (AISA) marched through University’s North Campus on 30 January protesting the assaults on women and burnt an effigy of the Sri Ram Sene that attacked the women in a Mangalore pub recently. They displayed placards and raised slogans saying, "Ban the Bajrang Dal and Sri Ram Sene that have attacked women's freedom," "Down with Saffron Terrorism," "Resist Patriarchy and Fascism, Defend Women's Rights," "Be it Taliban or Sangh Parivar – Both are Terrorists," "Shame on Attacks on Freedom of Expression – be it in DU or in Mangalore," "Yeddyurappa Must Resign." The protestors also addressed the students at canteens and other public places.
The mass meeting at the end of the march was addressed by Comrades Kavita Krishnan from AIPWA, Ravi Rai – AISA GS, Ashish and Pooja, Presidend and VP of AISA’s DU unit respectively.
Huge crowds join French strikes
Huge crowds have taken to the streets in France to protest over the handling of the economic crisis, causing disruption to rail and air services.
The head of France's biggest union said a million workers had rallied to demand action to protect jobs and wages. Paris's second airport was heavily hit by the strike. Schools, banks, hospitals, post offices and courts were also hit as workers stayed at home. Officials said just over a third of teachers and a quarter of postal and power company workers were on strike.
Overall, some 23% of the country's public sector workers are thought to have joined the action, which was called by eight major French unions making it impossible for French President Nicolas Sarkozy to ignore their concerns. The protests are against the worsening economic climate in France and at what people believe to be the government's poor handling of the crisis.
Opposition Socialist Party leader Martine Aubry said people were out in the streets "to express what worries them: the fact that they work and yet cannot make ends meet, retired people who just can't make it [financially], the fear of redundancies, and a president of the Republic and a government that just don't want to change policy". According to a 25 January poll by CSA-Opinion for Le Parisien, 69% of the French public backs the strike.
Expose the Falsehood of UPA's Claims on NREGA
Comrade Swadesh Bhattacharya, AIALA Vice President called Sonia Gandhi's claims of NREGA being "a revolution" a hoax on the poor of this country. As the UPA machinery has swung the government machinery into action to garner support for its shoddy action plan for the agricultural poor, AIALA leadership called its activists to expose the tall claims of the government. AIALA's experience with NREGA in 16 states of the country has shown that at every stage of the Act, the rural poor have to combat the administration, bureaucracy and the ruling class nexus. Even the government reports are puncturing the UPA claims and the CAG Report indicated that there is an implementation rate of only 17 percent. Those who have got registration for jobs have only got it after bitter struggles and even then the job cards are denied, when job cards are given, the muster rolls are manipulated and the wages denied. The unemployment allowance where it has been won, if at all, has only been achieved after taking on the state machinery. The case of an SDO in Darbhanga running over protestors last year, or the killing and torture of comrade Ashok Sah in custody, or the killing of Comrade Kameshwar Yadav, the countless number of false cases on the activists demanding the implementation of NREGA is a testimony to the swindle that UPA is playing. And this is what UPA has been claiming as "revolution", "silencing the critics on the implementation" and the "formula for poverty removal", as trumpeted at the NREGA Conference held in Delhi by the Ministry for Rural Development. The sheer lack of seriousness towards NREGA is evident from the fact that organisations of rural poor were not even called to recount their experience of the Act and its implementation. AIALA will continue to monitor the progress of the Rural Employment Act and expose UPA's con by taking its experience to the people and the streets.
Obituaries
Octogenarian communist revolutionary Com. Shibnath Prasad breathed his last on 27 January 2009 at Siliguri, Dist. Darjeeling after sustaining a massive cerebro-vascular attack. He was 82.
Com. Shibnathji was born in Balia district of Uttar Pradesh. When he was just a kid, his father shifted home to Siliguri to venture out in a small business. Fighting against both an unwilling father and sheer impoverishment, he doggedly insisted in continuing his academic pursuit in a Bengali–medium school there. While in class Xth, he first took active part in Anti-fascist movement and later became a member of CPI in 1949 under the influence of the then communist leaders Com. Shanti Chatterjee and Com. Satyendranath Mazumdar. At that time he was active in the students' front and later became engaged in Peasant Front.
He came in close contacts with Com. Charu Mazumdar when the latter was transferred from Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling district in 1952. Consequently, as a party whole-timer he had engaged himself in the peasant movement with a call to confiscate large landholdings of local jotedars through 1955, joined CPM in 1964 and remained with the revolutionary leadership of CPI(ML) since 1969. He was arrested in 1971 and remained incarcerated for more than a year. He had kept himself aloof from active politics following the setback years and again came into the fold of CPI(ML) Liberation since 1978.
An avid reader of canonical Marxist texts, Com. Shibnathji never seemed to falter in keeping his unflinching trust in revolutionary ideology and was instrumental in inculcating the zeal for socialist transformation to the masses. For his down-to-earth ways of living and sharp analytical bent, he was endeared both by the toiling masses and the middle class milieu.
Darjeeling District party committee bereaves the loss of such a great epitome of communist values.
Long Live Com. Shibnath Prasad
Comrade Bhogendra Jha: Veteran Communist leader comrade Bhogendra Jha passed away on January 21, 2009 at the age of 85. Comrade Bhogendra Jha belonged to the very first generation of communists in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar, and remained a lifelong communist activist with the CPI. He was the first committed proponent of Marxism in the region, helping to establish communist values and ideas among the masses. He was also a leading light of the peasant movement in Bihar, and spearheaded the struggle against absentee landlords in the state. During the freedom struggle, he was among the leaders who established the Communist Party in 1939. He was jailed during the Quit India Movement in 1942. Assessing the communist party's position towards 1942, in later life he stressed that although the party had prioritised the anti-fascist movement over and above the anti-colonial one in that phase, in practice at the grassroots, communist activists faced and fought both colonialism and fascism. He was an MP for five terms from the CPI. At the funeral held in his native village CPI(ML) CCM Comrade Dhirendra Jha paid homage on behalf of the Party.
CPI(ML) dips its flag in tribute to this undying communist veteran!
|