In this Issue
Vote-Begging CPI (M) Style
And the Legacy of November Revolution
In a last-ditch attempt to regain at least some of the lost turf, CPI (M) has done what it never did before. It got an ailing Jyoti Basu issue a fervent appeal to Congress sympathisers to vote for the Left Front in the coming assembly by-elections in West Bengal. Blaming Trinamool Congress for unleashing violence in league with Maoists, he asked Congress supporters “to back Left Front candidates for peace, order and development".
A few months back CPI (M) extended unconditional support to Congress in forming the municipal board in Siliguri and Basu's appeal was a continuation of this strategy of driving a wedge between Congress and TMC. However, to lend it a personal touch and ‘above party’ appearance, the statement was typed in blank paper rather than in the party letterhead. Endorsing the statement, CPI (M) Politbureau member and Rajya Sabha MP from Bengal Sitaram Yechuri tried to underscore this aspect: “Jyoti Basu is a senior political father figure …[he] has risen above party politics. He is talking about the country, the country's future….” But the trick did not work. Everybody saw it for what it actually was: CPI (M)’s first direct appeal to Congress sympathisers to vote for the Left. In his statement Jyotibabu asked for Congress support as a quid pro quo for his party's "unconditional support to Congress" in forming the first UPA government; Congress had a ready reply in the fact that the support had been withdrawn before the government completed its tenure. On the very day the appeal was issued, PCC Working President Pradip Bhattacharya urged upon congress supporters to reject it, calling it a clever ploy and an "absurd and unacceptable proposal".
The rude rebuff was only to be expected. Senior Congress leader and Home Minister P Chidambaram had been consistently saying that CPI(M) had encouraged the growth of the Maoist menace. "Marxists and Maoists are comrades- in- arms", he had said in a clear endorsement of Mamata Banerjee's oft- repeated charge, just a day before Basu’s appeal was issued. Then at the level of practical politics in the State, Congress is directly facing Left Front candidates in a number of constituencies going to polls; and feuds notwithstanding, both Congress and TMC leaderships are very keen on keeping the alliance alive. In such circumstances the appeal could only invite personal humiliation for the party's seniormost leader and expose the pitiable condition the Bengal CPI (M) finds itself in.
The brazen opportunism of parties immersed in parliamentary cretinism revealed itself also in the electoral arrangements in neighbouring Jharkhand. Only a few months ago Left Parties had united to put up a spirited fight in the Lok Sabha polls in Bihar against the rightist parties including RJD and LJP. Now in a highly regressive step the CPI (M) and CPI have shunned the Left allies to go in for an alliance with RJD and LJP and that too with a very unfair share of seats allotted to them. Such shameless surrender to bourgeois parties has created great dissension among Left ranks, who wanted the modest beginning made in Bihar to be carried forward in Jharkhand. For us, however, this came as no surprise. In our minds we have been pretty clear that the social democrats had agreed to our proposal for seat-sharing only because the given political climate in Bihar at the time did not permit them to ally with Congress and/or RJD and that in the next available opportunity they would likely revert to the accustomed course of trailing behind this or that bourgeois party(s). This is exactly what has happened in Jharkhand, even as the Bengal appeal to Congress ranks came as yet another sign of the utter political bankruptcy of CPI (M).
The by-elections on the occasion of which Basu issued his appeal are scheduled to be held on 7 November. That day CPI (M) leaders will, as usual, commemorate the November Revolution of 1917 and sing paeans to Marx and Lenin, trying to conceal under the fanfare of the yearly ritual their negation of what constitutes the point of departure of Marxist politics -- complete independence of the party of working class. But the betrayal by CPI (M) cannot be the last word of Left politics in India. National and international situations on the eve of November Revolution Day 2009 offer great scope for independent Left assertion and that is what all genuine Left forces must strive for. Thus alone shall we be able to carry forward the legacy of that great turning point in world history and pay sincere, silent tributes to the martyrs of communist movement in India and abroad.
Strip Madhu Koda of Lok Sabha membership
Neither NDA nor UPA regimes can shrug off Koda Taint
Following revelations by the Enforcement Directorate that former Jharkhand CM Madhu Koda was part of a massive international money-laundering scam, Madhu Koda should be immediately stripped of his Parliamentary membership.
The ED, following raids in 70 locations across the country, and exposing links in 7 countries, has revealed that Koda amassed wealth to the tune of 800 crore. Three former Ministers in the Koda cabinet - Bhanu Pratap Shahi, Bandhu Tirkey and Kamlesh Singh – have also come under the ED scanner. This state of affairs is a comment on the how, since Jharkhand achieved statehood, ruling class parties and corrupt and opportunist politicians have used political power for all-round loot to line their pockets – even as Jharkhand’s adivasi poor die of starvation and the likes of Turia Munda commit suicide because they are denied wages for NREGA work.
On the eve of Assembly Polls in Jharkhand, Congress-UPA, BJP-NDA as well as other ruling class parties like Babulal Marandi’s JVM are eager to disclaim all responsibility for the Koda hawala scam. However, it must be remembered that Koda has enjoyed plum ministerial posts in every single Government in Jharkhand – including as Panchayati Raj Minister in the BJP Government headed by Marandi; as Minister of Mines and Geology in the BJP Government headed by Arjun Munda and supported by Koda (then an independent MLA); and finally as Chief Minister supported by the Congress and the UPA. Neither Congress and its UPA partners nor BJP-NDA nor Babulal Marandi can therefore shrug off the taint of the Koda hawala scam – they have all colluded in this brazen loot and corruption.
The CPI(ML) and its lone legislators – Mahendra Singh, assassinated at the behest of BJP leaders and mining mafia, and Vinod Singh – have been the sole principled voice in Jharkhand politics, resisting both NDA and UPA regimes and asserting people’s struggles and issues. In the forthcoming Jharkhand Assembly Polls, too, the CPI(ML) will give voice to the people’s outrage at the wholesale loot and corruption and aspirations for livelihood and democracy.
(Issued by CPI(ML) Central Committee, New Delhi, November 3, 2009)
Two-day State-level Workshop at Muzaffarpur
A two-day long State-level workshop was held at Muzaffarpur in Bihar on October 31 and November 1. The venue was named Comrade Ibnul Hasan Basroo Hall. Apart from State Committee members of Bihar, secretaries of district committees, leading teams and block committees also participated. 250 comrades including 13 women attended the workshop.
It began with Muzaffarpur’s Jan Sanskriti Manch presenting revolutionary songs followed by a minute’s silence in memory of Com. Basroo and other martyrs of the communist movement. CPI(ML) General Secretary described the Workshop as one of historical importance in his inaugural address. He said that Bihar’s political life was undergoing a turbulent phase where all ruling class parties are in the dock on the question of land reforms. At such a moment we have to come forward as the main representative of the hopes and dreams of the Bihari people. Our long battle with feudalism is progressing to its decisive stage and its victory alone will open the possibilities for the development of people and the State. In the following days we have to decide the future of Bihar and of Communist Party and movement, and what we have decided has to be implemented too. The success of this stage will establish our Party as a contending force in the entire Hindi belt.
Reports were presented by 25 district committees. Comrades Pawan Sharma, Rajaram Singh, Satyadeo Ram, Amar Yadav, Arun Singh and Shashi Yadav also presented reports. Reflecting on the reports Com. Swadesh Bhattacharya, PB member, hoped that more deeper picture may emerge from the reports of block secretaries. About 16 block secretaries put forth their reports. Representatives from Party committee among students and Employees also put forth their reports. Henceforth Comrade BB Panday was asked by the presidium to reflect on the reports. In the end Com. Nand Kishore Prasad summed up the entire discussion and declared that Bihar bundh will be organised on 24th November against Nitish Govt’s withdrawal from the crucial issue of land reforms. The observing of 6th December as anti-communalism day will be given special emphasis and militant programmes on the issue of land reforms in every district will be held on 18th December – Com. Vinod Mishra’s 11th martyrdom anniversary. The main slogans for the 18th December programmes will be “ break the hands that prevents land reforms and progress, and unite every poor in the battle for land and democracy”. Apart from this land reforms padyatras (foot marches) will be conducted between 10-16 November.
In his concluding remarks Com. Dipankar Bhattacharya said that we have to take revolutionary programme as the main link in the series of programme-tactics-tasks-work style and decide our tactics, tasks and work style according to the revolutionary programme. He also reminded again that the current situation of our Country and Bihar was demanding powerful intervention by the revolutionary Left and we have to rise to the situation.
Trade Union Protests in TN
All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) participated in the protest programme on 28th October, called nationally by the Sponsoring Committee of Trade Unions, at 17 different places in 14 districts of Tamil Nadu. Hundreds of workers participated in these protests.
At the Ordnance factory in Trichy, where we have unionized the contract workers, the management has made many attempts to put an end our activities. Com. Ravindran, a permanent employee is now under suspension for unionizing them. The management misused the Pricol incident, fulfilled a part of the demands of the contract workers overnight and told them to abandon AICCTU as it is a ‘terrorist union’. The management even rumoured that AICCTU is manufacturing guns and that they can not allow a ‘terrorist union’ to unionize the workers. For a brief-while the management’s arguments worked as they were able to keep the workers from attending our convention held on 14 October at Trichy against the police witch hunt in Pricol, Coimbatore. The management’s dirty tricks could not confuse workers for long as they are aware of the reality at the same time, that save AICCTU no other union including other Left trade unions has stepped forward in advancing their cause and fighting on their issues. AICCTU made repeated attempts in organizing them again and as a result dozens of contract workers participated in the joint programme holding AICCTU flags and sporting AICCTU badges. Of the five central unions participated in the joint program, AICCTU’s mobilization was the biggest.
In Kanyakumari, AICCTU was not invited by the joint committee. AICCTU held a demonstration independently in which 65 workers participated and while 110 participated in the joint program held by other unions. Com. Anthony Muthu, State Vice-President addressed the gathering.
In Chennai, demonstrations were held at 3 places and around 200 workers participated in these demonstrations. Com. AS Kumar, Dy. GS, addressed the gathering in Ambattur. Com. Sekar, State Secretary, addressed the demonstration in Tiruvallore and Tiruvottiyur. Com. G Radhakrishnan, State Vice-President participated in Chennai proper. Tiruvottiyur and Ambattur demonstrations were held amidst heavy rains.
In Tirunelveli around 70 workers participated. Comrades Rajamanickam and Ramesh addressed the demonstrators. AITUC, CITU, HMS and BMS district leaders were present at the demonstration. Joint demonstrations were also held in Salem, Erode, Kanchipuram, Tiruvallore, Dharmapuri, Madurai, Sivagangai, Virudhunagar, Dindugal and Karur districts. State Council members Comrades Eraniappan, Ayyanthurai, Maniraj, A Govindaraj, K Govindaraj, Ramachandran, Manivel representing the AICCTU addressed these demonstrations.
Jharkhand Reports
Bishunpur: This Assembly constituency falls under Gumla dist. Crores of rupees meant for NREGA related work in Gumla has been fraudulently grabbed by the high-ups under the name of Jatropha plantation (which is only on paper). All welfare schemes meant for poor including the PDS have been defrauded on a large scale. Centring on these issues the rural poor of Bishunpur held a two-day long “ghera-dalo dera-dalo” (encircle & stay put) dharna at the block office. Fifteen hundred people came for the agitation. The dharna was lifted on 6th October after a talk with the BDO for fulfilling the demands. It was agreed that all pending payment for NREGA would be made in three days, and pending issues relating to old age pension and Indira Awaas were also settled. As per the Govt. declaration for granting Rs.400/- to the poor, a list for the same was also prepared and the Administration was given two-weeks time to finalise distribution of red and yellow cards among the poor.
Ghaghra: Similar blockade was also imposed in Ghaghra by two thousand people on 14th October. Block Office was under blockade round the clock. Here the main demand is to suspend the BDO as he has defrauded the people of huge amounts of govt. funds meant for them and has always conspired against the CPI(ML) activists. Applications pertaining to pending NREGA wages running into several lakhs has been filed. Along with the blockade, highway was also blockaded on 15th October to compel the Dist. Administration to hold talks for resolving all these issues. The blockade was lifted after the Administration official agreed to settle all the issues. Agitating people have given 20-days to the Administration.
Ranchi: 500 people participated in the dharna on 15th October in Chanho block of Mandar Assembly constituency.
Garhwa: Dist. HQ was gheraoed on 14th October against black-marketing and hoarding of PDS grains and for immediately providing jobs to all poor under the NREGA. More than three thousand people coming mainly from Garhwa sub-division gheraoed the District Headquarters. Dy. Commissioner’s office was blockaded for three hours. It is to be noted that this mobilization was despite three consecutive bandhs faced by the Dist. from 10-13 October, called by JVM and the Maoists respectively. When most of the ruling class parties are engaged in electoral permutations and combination, agitational mobilization on basic issues has widely drawn the attention of rural and urban poor here.
Bandgaon: Falling under and the only other Assembly constituency in Chakradharpur (itself being one) Bandgaon saw a CPI(ML) mobilization for the first time. Hundreds of people in this adivasi populated region led by Comrades Bahadur Oraon, Vinod Singh and Rajaram participated in the mass meeting. People here are gradually uniting under our Party on the basic issues and in this utterly underdeveloped region various agitational measures like- employment, Indira Awaas, BPL card, old age pension, region’s development etc. are becoming movemental issues. Party office at Bandgaon was also inaugurated on the same day.
AISA-RYA-KSA Hold Rally in Guwahati
The All India Students’ Association (AISA), Revolutionary Youth Association (RYA) and Karbi Students’ Association (KSA) held a rally in Guwahati on 26th October to demand employment for all, against the RTE bill in its current form and the rising costs of living and essential commodities. The rally condemned the Tarun Gogoi’s Govt. responsible for worsening education, employment and livelihood scenario in Assam. Nearly three hundred students and youth from Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Sonitpur, Nagaon, Golaghat and Karbi Anglong came for the protest. Some were even arrested on their way to Guwahati. The protesters were again arrested by Assam Police when they started marching from Guwahati Railway Station. The rally and protest meeting resolved to intensify the struggle for their issues and also fight for the cause of rural poor. The rally was led by Comrades Balindra Saikia and Diganta Bora.
Tribute
Comrade Satyadeo Mishra: Veteran comrade Satyadeo Mishra passed away on 22nd September 2009 in Siwan at the age of 70 due to cardiac failure. He was among the few who established IPF in Siwan and had participated in the IPF’s founding conference in Delhi in 1982. At that time our work started only from 2-3 villages in Siwan and he played an important role in spreading the Party. Despite being in Govt. service (teacher in a high school) he took risks to do the Party’s work.
In his ancestral village a Condolence meeting was organised attended by hundreds of people. Teacher leader Com. Virendra Kumar conducted the meeting. His role in the spread of Party’s influence in Siwan will always be remembered. Comrades resolved to fulfill the dreams of the departed comrade.
Shaheed Mela in Pratapgarh: UP
Peasant leaders Com. Bindeswari Prasad Verma and Com. Sitaram Saroj sacrificed their life fighting the feudal forces on 18th October 1977. Both these leaders challenged the tyranny of feudal lords of village Shivgarh Turi in Pratapgarh dist (UP) during a land struggle and sacrificed their life. In the same district, under Hathiyawan region three CPI(ML) comrades Chandrika Prasad, Ramadhar and Ram Sanjeevan were martyred in 1978 in a armed fight with the Police. They were leading the people’s cause. In their memory every year Shaheed mela is organised in village Shivgarh Turi on 18 October.
This year the Party comrades in UP resolved to intensify the peasants’ movement for which these comrades sacrificed their life.
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