In this Issue
India needs a Genuine Third Front –
Not this Opportunist Alliance
On the eve of Lok Sabha polls, the launch of a ‘Third Front’ spearheaded by the efforts of the CPI-CPI (M) has been announced. The Front, it is claimed, is a non-Congress, non-BJP front committed to ‘alternate policies’. Most of the non-Left Front partners (such as AIADMK, TDP, TRS, JD(S)) have at one point or the other been partners of either NDA or UPA or both. Some parties (such as BJD, BSP) have maintained a cautious pre-poll distance from the Third Front but are being touted as post-poll partners.
The establishment of coalition governments as the norm for over a decade reflects the eroded credibility of the main ruling class formations – the Congress and BJP – and the rise of a range of third forces. There is unmistakeable frustration and anger at successive NDA and UPA Governments and their anti-poor, pro-imperialist policy orientation. Clearly, there is an objective need for a credible Third Front. The question is: can a rag-tag coalition ever constitute a meaningful Third Front? Isn’t a vibrant Left movement and a powerful democratic consolidation around a powerful Left course a necessary foundation for any viable, serious, and durable Third Front?
The ‘Third Front’ as it stands today is a highly amorphous formation riddled with paradoxes. It is neither a full-fledged pre-poll alliance nor a well-defined programmatic coalition. Partners like the TDP have been enthusiastic proponents of disastrous neo-liberal policies; as for the track record of partners like TDP, AIADMK, or JD(S) on secularism and democracy, the less said the better. Potential post-poll partners like the BJD and BSP have an equally dubious and tainted record on both neo-liberal policies (the BSP has the distinction of being the only party without a declared economic policy) and secularism.
More importantly, the current arrangement ignores the fact that there is a distinct and crucial difference between ‘Third Front government’ (or non-NDA non-UPA government) and ‘Third Front’. A Third Front in its true sense can be nothing but a Left and democratic front that is a powerful voice of a third alternative – in policies, in vision, in people’s movements – but which may not necessarily be in a position to form Government. Only such a Third Front can be in any way durable, sustainable and credible. What is being called a ‘Third Front’ at this juncture is very different: it is merely a potential power-sharing that might emerge in view of the possibility that neither UPA nor NDA might achieve a majority in the impending Parliamentary polls – an eventuality that is difficult to predict with any degree of certainty. Surely a genuine Third Front cannot be a mere exercise in Government formation?
The role of the Left parties, CPI and CPI(M), in such a coalition is yet another paradox. On the one hand these parties face major setbacks in their strongholds of Kerala and West Bengal. On the other, CPI(M) leaders have spoken of the possibility of joining a Third Front government at the centre! Answering questions from the Press at the release of the party manifesto, CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat indicated that the question of joining a Third Front Government at the Centre is very much open. The CPI(M), since its ‘historic blunder’ of 1996, has systematically removed all the programmatic roadblocks to being part of a government at the Centre – it is now free to join any Central Government which it claims to be in a position to ‘influence’.
The CPI(ML) has made it clear that a role in Government formation is not on its agenda or priorities. The Party is contesting this election with the agenda of asserting a fighting Left opposition within Parliament. The seat adjustment forged by the party in Bihar with CPI and CPI(M) is quite distinct from any ongoing ‘Third Front’ efforts of those parties. This adjustment is based on the CPI(ML)’s consistent efforts in the direction of joint activities and electoral adjustments with Left formations. While there has been no let up in our firm and sustained struggle against the CPI-CPI(M)’s opportunist tactics on the whole and anti-people policies and measures in LF-ruled states, the latter have, in the objective conditions of Bihar at this particular juncture (the closing of doors of alliance with the UPA partners and the impact among Left ranks in the state of CPI(ML)’s practice of independent left assertion) responded positively to our appeal for adjustment in the Lok Sabha polls in Bihar. We hold that a meaningful Third Front can only be forged on a Left basis. The ongoing adjustment achieved by the CPI (ML), CPI and CPI (M) in Bihar is certainly linked in a strategic sense to the efforts and experiments in the direction of such a genuine Third Front – efforts and experiments marked by a consistent and principled element of struggle as well as of unity of purpose.
The ruling class design to subject the polity to a duopoly of the UPA and NDA must be frustrated. But a rag-tag ‘third front’ that offers no policy alternative and is crowded by forces with dubious track record cannot face this challenge. Only a powerful Left and democratic camp drawing its strength from the struggles and aspirations of the Indian people for a better tomorrow can be the most effective bulwark against the ruling classes’ attempt to regiment the polity, and can be the basis for a principled and consistent third alternative and Third Front.
Firing by Congress cadres on CPI(ML) Meeting in Karbi Anglong
Congress party cadres fired on a CPI(ML) mass meeting in Karbi Anglong on 16 March. The CPI(ML) had been conducting a ‘Mass Awakening Campaign’ since 25 February, towards the impending Lok Sabha polls. On 16 March, this campaign was to culminate in a mass meeting at Disobai, Bokolia Police Station, Karbi Anglong. The meeting began at 3.30 pm near the local CPI(ML) party office, which adjoins a small field near the Highway. On the opposite side is the Congress party office. At 4.30 pm, there was firing from the compound of the Congress office. One 60-year old woman attending the meeting, Basapi Taropi, was seriously injured in the firing.
It is significant that just one day previous to this incident, the Congress had tried to hold a meeting in the same place, but failed since sot a single person turned up for the meeting. The attack was clearly conducted by the Congress in frustration against this loss of support in the area.
The party has appealed to the Election Commission to direct the state governments to bring the guilty to book and take necessary action to ensure peace during the elections. The perpetrators are enjoying protection of the Congress dispensation in Assam, and are yet to be booked and punished.
In earlier elections, the ruling Congress in Assam has used militant groups in a ‘ceasefire’ agreement with the Government to unleash violence against CPI(ML) supporters. As per ‘cease-fire’ conditions, the ‘surrendered’ militants of groups like DHD, UPDS and BLT can carry arms even during election times. They are supposed to carry arms only inside designated camps, but in real life they are openly moving around with arms, and are deployed by the ruling dispensation to conduct poll violence and terrorise supporters of rival groups like CPI(ML).
AIALA’s 2nd Tripura State Conference
The All India Agricultural Labourers’ Association (AIALA) held its 2nd Tripura State Conference on 25-26 February, 2009, at Seven Martyr Town (Kailashahar) a few miles from Agartala. The Conference was held with much enthusiasm which was evident by the number of gates erected and red flags and banners hung all around. One could see the welcoming gates and red flags even 14 kms before the venue. The venue for the Conference was Town Hall which was named Comrade Govinda Teli Bhavan.
As the open session of the Conference on 25th February, thousands of agricultural labourers marched in a rally well decorated with red flags and banners. After about one hour march the rally was transformed into a mass meeting in the main market area and it was addressed by CPI(ML) State Secretary Com. Mrinmoy Chakraborty and AIALA national leaders comrades Manik Pal, Joydeep Roy and Sreekanta Rana. The delegate session of the Conference started at 7pm with hoisting of Flag and paying tributes to martyred and deceased comrades. Com. Gopal Roy presented the organizational report. The Conference was attended by a hundred delegates. Com. Sreekanta Rana was the Observer who addressed the Conference along with other mass organisation leaders from AISA, RYA and AIPWA. The Conference declared that the Left Front Government of Tripura has failed in implementing land reforms and Agricultural Labour Act, 1986. In the name of development it is encouraging and helping the rich and peasants are being evicted from their land. There are 67 percent people who are in BPL list and are going through tremendous suffering. The Conference resolved to bring all agricultural and rural workers under the banner of AIALA and sharpen their struggle. The Conference was held with a membership of 26,310 which is more than the previous year which was made possible by the mass contact campaign undertaken by AIALA. In the end the Conference elected a 45 member State Council and 15 member State Executive. Comrades Manik Pal and Jaydeep Roy were elected President and Secretary respectively.
First AIPWA Hoogli Dist. Conf.
On February 27, AIPWA’s first Hoogli district conference was organised independently by women cadres and attended by 160 delegates, mainly agrarian workers. State president Gita Das inaugurated the conference and state secretary Chaitali Sen, who concentrates in this district, delivered the closing speech. Conference was preceded by a procession that included an adivasi women comrades' group dancing and singing along and followed by a cultural event. 15 member executive committee (including comrade Chaitali Sen) and 43 member district Council was elected. Comrade Shobha Banerjee was elected district President and comrade Shipra Chaterjee as district Secretary. The Conference saw emergence of many active women comrades from agrarian labourer background.
“Settle the Poor – Provide Livelihood”
A march with the above slogan was held in Hulasgunj Block under Jahanabad dist. The march proceeded towards village Dhongra, which falls under Chiri panchayat. Hundreds of acres of reclaimed land is lying infertile. Neighbouring villages of Dhongra Musahari, Chaitipipar, Lodipur Musahari, Chiri etc. is populated by maha-dalits. These villages have been reeling under feudal repression for decades. Villages like Lodipur, Dhongra, Ginji and Serthua are seen as fortresses of feudal lords. A common villager cannot work according to his/her will and the wage is still two-and-half to three kg of grains. A mere mention of lal-jhanda (red flag) evokes tension even leading upto gun-firings. Hired goons of Ghoshi MLA Jagdish Sharma terrorise villagers. This march was aimed at unifying the agricultural and rural labourers and challenge the rein of feudal terror.
Gana Jagaran Yatra in Burdwan
Burdwan district committee organized a “Gana Jagaran Yatra” (people’s awakening march) in Burdwan East Parliamentary Constituency area on 8-9 March, 2009. Campaign started from Akradaha village under Kalna PS, where we won two seats in panchayat wards. More than hundred comrades with Red flags, many motorcycles, tableaux and cars comprised the Yatra. The campaign “For a Left Alternative” moved through several villages of Kalna PS. Party’s PB member Com. Kartick Pal, Burdwan Dist. Secretary Com. Sreekanta Rana, comrades Sajal Pal and Salil Dutta were leading the Yatra. Throughout the route of the Yatra people lined up to see the Yatra and heard the speeches made by CPI(ML) leaders. In Kalna town students-youth, Left-democratic people showed enthusiasm towards our Yatra and received our campaign warmly. In Arjuna village where martyred Com. Abdul Halim was first attacked by CPM goons, people in large number attended the rally. Covering Seneardanga, Singerkone and Baidyapur market the rally completed its first day. Several speakers spoke at the meeting in Baidyapur.
On the 2nd day the Yatra passed through Jamalpur and Memari PS. The Yatra went to historical Borokamalpur village’s martyrs column where three comrades, now real life heroes for people, had sacrificed their life fighting against the military force. Covering Ranapara, Jougram, Ajjhapur and Debipur market the rally concluded at Memari town with a mass meeting. Thousands of leaflets and hundreds of copies of Deshsobroti (Party’s organ in Bengali) was distributed through out the rally among the people. Our candidate Com. Pijiush kumar Sahana was at the head of the Yatra. Com. Nitish Ray and Com. Bablu Sarkar motivated every one by singing revolutionary songs.
Referendum Among Pricol Workers
Amidst the victimization spree on the part of the management in its efforts to demoralize the workers, Pricol workers took active part in a referendum organized by the union. Out of the total 1250 plus permanent workers who are members of our union, 1193 workers registered their vote in the referendum. Participation of more that 90% of workers in the referendum itself was a clear message to the management that all the workers are with the union and that they will not allow slavery anymore in the factory.
On March 11, after the first shift workers did not leave the factory and they all sat in the factory and demanded that the management should reverse its victimization measures and there could be no more deduction from the salary on some pretext or the other. The sit-in strike continued for two nights and one day and workers withdrew the strike following the assurance by the Collector and the Deputy Labor Commissioner that their issues will be sorted out through negotiations with the management.
Candidates Introduced in Workers’ Rallies
In Chennai, Workers’ Rights Rally was held on March 8 in which around 700 workers participated. Our candidate for the Sriperumbudur Parliamentary constituency Com. Bharathi, a State Committee member was introduced by Com. S. Kumarasami, PBM, who addressed the gathering. Comrades Janakiraman, AS Kumar, Eraniappan and Sekar (all State Committee members) also addressed the rally.
In Tirunelveli, around 650 workers, majority of them women, participated in the Workers’ Rights Rally, which was led by Com. Rajamanickam, State Secretary, AICCTU and was flagged-off by Com. Ramesh, State Vice President, AICCTU. Com. Sankarapandian, SCM, candidate for Tirunelveli Constituency was introduced by Com. Bhuvaneswari, State President, Workers’ Rights Forum.
Kumbakonam: Fast Against Closing school
Around 150 local people participated in a fast organized by the Party and AISA on March 16 against closing St. Joseph Matriculation School in Kumbakonam to give way to an engineering college in the same place. Parents of the students of the school also joined the fast. Comrades Gunasekaran, Elangovan and Bharthi, SCMs addressed the meeting.
CPI(ML)’s DTC Sector Conference
Party’s 9th DTC (Delhi Transport Conporation) Sector Conference was held on 26 February, 2009, near the Union Office in Okhla Industrial Area. Forty-seven delegates from all the seven branches of DTC participated in this Conference. Delhi State Secretary Com. Sanjay Sharma as chief guest inaugurated the Conference and Com. AN Tiwary was the Observer from Party who along with other State Committee members addressed the Conference.
The DTC has been facing a slew of privatisation measures by the Congress Govt. at Delhi. Three resolutions were passed by the Conference regarding election campaign emphasing putting all energy of the sector committee in the coming Lok Sabha election. In the end a eleven member sector committee was elected and Com. Sankaran was reelected as its Secretary.
AIPWA’s Conference in Paharpur
The All India Progressive Women’s Association (AIPWA) held its 5th Chitkohra-Paharpur Conference on 14th February, 2009, at Chitkohra in Bihar. The Conferecne condemned the recent attacks on women and demanded a ban on the saffron outfits routinely terrorizing and attacking women’s freedom. The Conference was addressed by Comrades, Anita SInha, Shashi Yadav, CPI(ML) leader Murtaza Ali, Virendra Puri and Manoj Kumar. The Conference deliberated on expanding and strengthening the AIPWA in the region. A seventeen member committee was elected with comrades Abida Khatun as President and Madhuri Sharma as Secretary.
Kisan Sangharsh Yatra in Vaishali
Under the banner of CPI(ML) and Bihar Pradesh Kisan Sabha a Kisan Sangharsh Yatra (peasants’ struggle march) was held between 19-24 February. The Yatra started on foot and meetings were held at Jalalpur, Etwarpur, Tajpur, Vasanta, Jahanbad, Ghataro, Kartahan, Bhagwati Chowk, Pauda, Sirsawiran, Sharma, Sirsa Haat, Saitha, Lalpura, Prataptaand, Bhagwanpur, Rohua, Kiratpur, Rajaram, Simra, Indira Chowk, Imadpur, Purainia, Lakshmi Narayanpur, Pakrihaat, Tada Chowk, Gurmia, Bhakurhar, Prabodhi, Anwarpur, Maricha, Sonbarsa, Sarai Paink and a few other places. The Yatra’s campaign issues focused on draining out the flood water, solution to the perennial problems of flood and irrigation, and on the problems being faced by potato growing farmers. The Yatra saw pesants getting mobilized on these issues. The Yatra was coordinated by Vice Presidents of Kisan Sabha- comrades Vijay Maharaj and Vishwanath Singh, Suman Kumar (Secretary), Ram Paras Bharti (Joint Secretary) and other peasant leaders comrades Devendra Singh, Raghuvansh Singh, Krishna Murari Singh among others.
Demonstration at Punpun
Fortnight-long Sangharsh Yatra (struggle march) from 10-24 February in Punpun ended with big demonstration at the Subdivision headquarters in Punpun. The main issues were 200 days of work and Rs.200/- daily wage under NREGA, inclusion of all poor people in the BPL list and granting them yellow card, 4 decimal plot and punishment to all the criminals who perpetrated Bathe massacre. The officials this time invited us for talks very soon. Comrades Aklu Paswan, Shivkumar Manjhi, Sangeeta Singh, Madan Paswan, Rakesh Choudhary and Jayprakash Paswan were leading the demonstration and also spoke there calling upon people to continue the struggle indefinitely till all the demands were met and to gherao the Lok sabha candidates who come in the area asking for votes and to accelerate the struggle against the UPA and NDA.
BPKS Conferences
The Bihar Pradesh Kisan Sabha held its Ghoshi, Makhdumpur and Jahanabad block conferences.
Protest March in Chhatisgarh
CPI(ML), Agricultural Labourers’ Association and Democratic Stone Mines Workers’ Union jointly organised a twenty km long march from Bangoli to the State Assembly in Chhatisgarh with the main demands for strict implementation of labour laws in stone mines, release of Dr. Binayak Sen and abrogating the Chhatisgarh Special Public Security Act, inclusion of all the poor in the BPL list, PDS facility be made available to all the poor, all the widows and old age people be given pensions, halting the pollution being caused by the industries and no grant of agricultural land for industries. Ten kms before the Vidhan Sabha the 400 marchers were arrested near Sara village. All of them were taken to Raipur Central Jail and after going through the formalities of arrests 14 people including CPI(ML) leaders comrades Brijendra Tiwari, Narottam Sharma and AIALA’s national leader M. Chandrashekhar Reddy were cunningly detained. After lodging them behind bars the rest were being let-off which was strongly opposed by the rest and as a consequence the 14 comrades were also released after two hours. The police was acting on behest of the stone mines’ owners to terrorise the workers.
Desperate CPI(M) Discovers New Secular ‘Hero’ In Naveen
In what must count as the most sensational development so far in this election season, the BJD seems to have decided to terminate its decade-old partnership with the BJP. Buoyed by its recent electoral success in municipal elections in which it had independently swept the polls over large parts of urban Orissa, the BJD leadership asked the BJP to settle for a reduced number of seats in both Assembly and Parliament elections. A shell-shocked BJP was quick to withdraw from the ruling coalition, and in no time the CPI(M) has stepped in to fill the gap. For the CPI(M), Naveen Patnaik has overnight become the latest icon of the fledgling ‘Third Front’ and a secular hero to boot!
The Orissa developments hold a pretty good mirror to the emerging patterns of coalition politics in India. Time was when the NDA boasted of some twenty-odd constituents. Today with the BJP’s stock going down and down, allies have started deserting the coalition one after another. The remaining allies like the Akali Dal in Punjab, Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and JD(U) in Bihar will obviously utilise this discomfiture of the BJP to demand a bigger share of the coalition pie. Inasmuch as Naveen Patnaik’s decision to walk out on the decade-old partnership with the BJP could aggravate the predicament of the BJP/NDA camp, it would surely be welcomed by all secular democratic people in the country.
But the alacrity with which the CPI(M) has responded to the developments in Orissa goes much farther than this general sense of relief and welcome. It is one thing to encourage a rift or rupture in the NDA, and quite another to rush into an alliance with whoever parts ways with the BJP. Still more pitiable is the CPI(M)’s desperate attempt to legitimise and lionise someone like Naveen Patnaik with a view to securing some electoral gains!
The CPI(M) has already absolved Naveen Patnaik of all his culpability in the anti-Christian carnage in Kandhamal that claimed scores of innocent lives and rendered thousands of Christian families homeless and traumatised refugees in their own land. In fact, CPI(M) leaders would like us to believe that it was the Kandhamal carnage that triggered Naveen Patnaik’s ‘change of heart’! With hindsight they can now also discover flickers of secular remorse in the BJD leadership when the Modi brigade scripted the Gujarat genocide seven years ago! And Kalinganagar, Kashipur and Posco are perhaps only necessary symbols of ‘industrialisation’ and ‘governance’ like Singur, Nandigram and Lalgarh?
Chandrababu Naidu, Jayalalitha, Mayawati and now Naveen Patnaik – they are the pillars of the CPI(M)’s dream ‘Third Front’ that, according to the CPI(M), will guarantee secularism and protect the Indian people from the scourge of global recession! Naveen Patnaik may have demonstrated his growing strength and confidence by choosing this moment to dissociate from the BJP, the CPI(M) is only exposing its growing desperation by overnight turning him into a secular hero.
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