Stop Surrendering Indian Sovereignty

Apparently it was none of Mr. Vajpayee's business to keep Mr. Bush in good humour. Yet one witnessed Indian government dashing to come first in endorsing Mr. Bush's declaration of a new nuclear world order. However, going by Vajpayee government's track record, it has always been in a hurry to surrender India's strategic independence. This strangely submissive attitude becomes all the more prominent considering the fact that even UK and European Union countries have expressed apprehension over the National Missile Defence (NMD) programme. Moreover, Vajpayee government's endorsement also marks a paradigm shift in our nuclear policy and defence policy, given the new position taken by Bush administration with regard to Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty and the CTBT.

While doing away with the hitherto agreed concept of deterrence based on mutual assured destruction, and going instead for a defence shield to protect oneself from missile attack, the new doctrine has rendered the whole stock of arms limitation/reduction treaties, as well as the ABM treaty of 1972 and the CTBT redundant. In reality, this opens a new horizon for a more severe arms race which will make other countries more dependent on the sole superpower, the USA. As China has firmly opposed this doctrine, it threatens to further damage US relations with China, already strained by intrusion of Chinese airspace and consequent collision between the US spy plane and a Chinese jet fighter, US arms sale to Taiwan and Mr. Bush's pledge to help Taiwan defend itself.

In fact, this rehash of ambitious Star Wars programme is aimed at killing several birds with one stone. Although Bush is more secure for his four-year tenure than his counterpart Vajpayee, still he has to do something to overcome uncertainty revealed in the presidential election this time within American polity and society. For long the American administration has been in the habit of keeping its people's attention diverted away from problems at home by pitting them against a foreign enemy, viz. the "communist menace". With the fall of Soviet Union it first tried to locate the enemy in terrorism associated with Islamic fundamentalism. However, gradually the whole emphasis has shifted towards Cuba, North Korea, and now, China. As our foreign policy perceptions are based on the imperialist-doctored notion of hostility with neighbors, Indian foreign policy establishment is always eager to side with such policy shift on the part of a superpower, particularly under saffron dispensation. The other day George revealed this saffron ambition by proclaiming China as India's Enemy No.1. This reminds one of 1959-62 period, when Nehru succumbed to American designs leading to border conflict with China.

Then, Bush administration is keen on recruiting regional satraps to command every nook and corner of the globe in this era of globalization. Given his increasing belligerence against China, Bush has indicated his willingness to enter into strategic military alliance with India, only to utilise her resources against her communist neighbor. For this there would be no problem in removing irritants like sanctions, because the condition of signing CTBT holds no more import, though Vajpayee had agreed even to forge "consensus" over signing this humiliating treaty.

People of India are no more prepared to be utilized as cannon fodder in imperialist war designs against China because it is not in their best interests. Indian Government must be compelled to stay away from this US imperialist-sponsored nuclear regime.

Govt. Surrender to Bush's Call Condemned

CPI(ML) strongly criticized the Vajpayee Government for supporting and endorsing the US National Missile Defence Programme and came out heavily on the proposed Indo-US joint military exercises saying that it will further increase the US intervention in our national defence system.

CPI(ML) on CBI Court Ruling

Reacting to the dropping of criminal proceedings against the accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case, Party said that RSS-BJP were shamelessly misutilising their position of power to stop the court and investigating agency from arriving at any verdict against the beleaguered saffron leaders.

ASDC Appeals to EC to Check Terror in NC Hills

In a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer, Assam on 3 May, Mr. Hemsing Tisso, Gen. Secy of ASDC(Progressive) has stated that in large areas of NC Hills, armed insurgents have created a reign of terror in support of Dima Raji Demand Committee (an organization floated by so-called militant outfit DHD) candidate and all other political parties have been forced to close down their offices and flee from these areas. It has been urged in the letter to deploy adequate security forces without losing time, so as to ensure free elections in the area.

Rallies Meetings and Flag Hoisting on May Day

In Delhi and nearby areas, AICCTU held various programmes in the industrial areas on May Day. In Narela area of rural Delhi, FCI godown workers brought out a procession under the banner of Karmachari Ekta Manch. A meeting held there was addressed by Com. Surendra Panchal, Satbir Singh, and others. Red flag was hoisted at Moolchand Khairatiram Hospital. Leaflets were distributed in Okhla area and comrades in DTC conducted a 3-day campaign before the May Day. In the evening, a joint May Day procession was brought out and a mass meeting was held at Town Hall in Delhi. Among the central trade union leaders who addressed the meeting, Com. NM Thomas, National Vice President of AICCTU said that to oust Vajpayee government is the prime duty of the working class today.

In NOIDA, red flag was hoisted at Deputy Lal Jajmal Factory and Control and Switch-Gear Company.

In Mansa, 18 mass organizations including AICCTU formed May Day Committee to observe May Day 2001 as "Anti-WTO Day". Around 2000 people, mostly workers belonging to unorganized sector, assembled near Railway godown in a mass meeting which was addressed by Com. Swapan Mukherjee, Gen. Secy. of AICCTU, CPI MP Bhan Singh Bhaura, CPI(ML) leader Rajvinder Rana and others. Thereafter people in bicycles, scooters, tractor-trollies and other vehicles took out a march terminating at Bus Stand.

In Ludhiana, a joint May Day rally was held by AICCTU, CITU and AITUC at Cinema Chowk. It was addressed by CPI State Secy. Com. Joginder Dayal, CPI(M) State Secy. Com. Balwant Singh, Com. Ramesh Sharma, Secy. of Ludhiana Distt. CPI(ML) and other trade union leaders.

In Haryana, May Day meeting held at Karna Park, Karnal was conducted by Com. Karmvir Rana. Com. Prem Singh, Party Incharge of Haryana, Jagat Ram and Ram Kumar addressed the meeting. The meeting in Sonepat was organised by AICCTU and Khet Mazdoor Sangathan at Ramlila Maidan. Conducted by Com. Balwan Singh Kashyap, it was addressed by Com. Prem Singh and Sukhram Pal.

In the industrial areas of Sonepat, flag hoisting ceremony as well as gate meetings were held in Haryana Steel, Hilton Rubber Factory, HN Mehra & Sons, and Jhalani Tools Ltd. Around 250 to 300 workers participated in these programmes which were addressed by trade union leaders Com. Krishna Yadav, Satbir Singh, KK Neogi and others.

In Gujarat, Kamdar Ekta Union (affiliated to AICCTU) organized a rally at Jupitar Mill Gate, Ahmedabad. Hundreds of workers participated in the rally adorned with red flag and banners, led by Com. Ranjan Ganguli, National Secy. of AICCTU, Com. Nandlal R Singh and HJ Pagare, president and secretary of the union, Baburam Yadav, KL Dabhi, GDS Mansoori and others. Covering the main streets of Ahmedabad, the rally turned into a meeting at NTC Gujarat headquarters.

Convention against Sell-out of Balco, other PSUs

Shramik Pratirodh Manch, (Employees Resistance Forum), U.P., organised a convention at Darulshafa Common Hall in Lucknow on 29 April against sell out of BALCO and other public sector industries, participated in by representatives from railways, bank, insurance, electricity, Scooter India, P & T and telecom. It was presided over by noted economist Dr. GP Mishra, director of Giri Institute. Com. Rakesh, Gen. Secy. of UP Bank Employees Union inaugurated the convention. The topic was introduced by Com. Chandrabhan Gupta, co-convenor of the Manch. Others who spoke at the convention include Com. RR Yadav of AIREC, Com. SC Dixit, divisional president of GIC employees' union, Com. KMS Magan of Rail Karmachari Vichar Manch, Com. RB Singh of Scooter India Kamgar Union, Com. Harishankar Yadav of Bank of India Staff Union, Com. BR Arya of electricity employees union. The convention adopted a 5-point proposal which includes cancellation of BALCO deal, opposition to the conspiracy to sell bank, insurance, electricity and other PSUs and retrogressive economic policies, a call for united struggle of all workers' organizations in UP against the state govt.'s anti-people policies, judicial probe into Bhawanipur massacre and Kanpur violence, and opposition to the conspiracy to sell Scooter India. Com. Shyam Ankuram, convenor of the Manch conducted the convention.

Com. Darasram Sahu Remembered

On 6 May this year, martyrdom day of Com. Darasram Sahu was observed at Bilaspur of Chattisgarh. It was attended by more than 150 activists, including State Secy. Com. Narottam Sharma, who along with 25 other activists went to attend it from Raipur.

Earlier, Party foundation day was observed in Chattisgarh on 22 April in Raipur, Bilaspur and Durg. Condolence Meetings in Memory of Com. Bose

A condolence meeting was held immediately after the departure of Com. Dipak Bose on 26 April at Uttaranchal State Office in Haldwani, addressed by Com. Raja Bahuguna, incharge of Uttaranchal, CPI(M) leader Com. Satya Prakash, leader of teachers' association Nishan Singh, and others. Funeral procession following the condolence meeting was attended by hundreds of Party activists. Such meetings were also held at Pithoragarh, Gangolihat, Ramnagar, Almora, Bindukhatta, Srinagar, Nainital etc. In Rudrapur, the condolence meeting held on 30 April was addressed by representatives of CPI(M), CPI, Primary Teachers Welfare Association, Rudrapur Bar Association, Terai Khet Mazdoor/Kisan Front, and other organizations. Com. Diwakar, Brij Bihari Lal and Afroz Alam from Pilibhit and freedom fighter Ramkirat Singh also spoke at the meeting.

Padyatra in Rajasthan

CPI(ML) and Rajasthan Kisan Sangathan launched "Lutera Bhagao Desh Bachao"(Save agriculture, save the nation) campaign, under which a Janshakti Jagran Padyatra (people's power March)started from martyr Baluram Sthal in Jhunjhunu on 1 May. It was led by CC member Com. Srilata, State Party Secy. Com. Mahendra Chaudhary and Distt. Secy. Com. Phoolchand Dhewa. Passing through various villages it will terminate on 13 May in Chanwra village at Shaheed Karni Ram Mela. In the campaign people are being educated about central and state govt.'s anti-people policies. Party demanded that peasants who have suffered losses because of erratic electricity supply be given compensation and hike in electricity rates be withdrawn.

Party Holds High the Red Banner of Independent Assertion in Assembly Elections in Five States

In Assam, for quite some time our Party has launched a movement for building a democratic Assam, based on the main demands of maximum autonomy to minority nationalities like Karbi, Bodo, Mising, Dimasa, etc.; regularization and betterment of working conditions for tea-garden workers; development of infrastructure, industry and agriculture in the state to resolve the problem of joblessness of the youth, etc. With this perspective, our Party is contending against Congress and AGP-BJP combine. Assembly elections this time seem to be bloodiest in Assam, where ULFA killers have already gunned down a number of people and proper conduct of elections is in peril. Instead of owning the moral responsibility for failure of government in checking the killings by so-called militant outfits like ULFA, Prafulla Mohanta has tried to divert the issue by blaming the Chief Election Commissioner, on the plea that one day poll has been imposed by CEC over Assam despite his proposal of three phase poll. Quite surprisingly, BJP leaders like MM Joshi have echoed this flimsy insinuation against CEC. Moreover, from Vajpayee to Mohanta, everybody is harping the same tune of Congress having secret understanding with ULFA. While this may be true, one may ask the PM and CM as to what was holding them from conducting an inquiry into relations of political parties with militant outfits, as demanded by CPI(ML) consistently? Obviously on the lips of Vajpayee and Mohanta it smacks of cheap election propaganda, and one wonders whether they would remember it once elections are over.

As elsewhere, in Assam too it is ruling class political parties like Congress, BJP and AGP who maintain links with militants outfits like ULFA, UPDS, DHD, BLTF. Naturally they shy away from judicial inquiries in such matters as it would reveal skeletons in their cupboards. Very recently, we have received complain that DHD has created terror in different villages of North Cachar district, where no candidate other than the one fielded by a front organization of DHD is able to open office or conduct propaganda. As far the state government is concerned, it has never been interested in maintaining even a semblance of law and order in the Hill area.

In West Bengal, while our Party has targeted Cong-Mamata combine and BJP as the main enemy, it holds that the political opportunism practiced during the 24 years of Left Front rule is responsible for the stagnation of left movement in the state, which has become the fertile breeding ground for the right reactionary forces. Therefore our Party appeals to the people to vote for a Left opposition to keep the spirit of left movement alive in this state.

In Tamil Nadu, our Party has pointed out that the two main dravidian parties, DMK and AIADMK, have long back abandoned the progressive plank of dravidian movement; as a consequence whereas the DMK has allied with a Brahminical fascist party like BJP, the leader of AIADMK has got herself convicted in a number of scams, and ultimately this time she has not been allowed even to contest elections. It is a pity that despite all this expose, our Left friends, along with Congress, are taking on the DMK-BJP combine under the leadership of the same disgraced Jayalalita. Is this the real colour of the People's Front, formed in the wake of Tehelka exoposure pointing to corruption at high places?

In Pondicherry, CPI(ML) is contesting on the demand of full statehood to Pondicherry, which is at present a union territory. Moreover, local body elections have not been held here for the past 33 years. This is shameful for even the bourgeois democracy we have in our country. The Party has demanded immediate holding of local body elections to promote grassroots democracy. Thirdly, Party has demanded that a plan for industrialization of Pondicherry must be taken up in the right earnest so as to solve the problem of joblessness in the state.

In Kerala, the Party has revived the call of building 'New Kerala', a call given by the Left in early 50s, based on which communists came to power in 1957, but later abandoned it. The Party has emphasized on agro-based industrialization of the state, to make it a self-dependent economy so as to provide jobs to all its inhabitants, who have to migrate to other states or abroad for want of employment opportunities.

State Conference of UP Khet Mazdoor Sabha

The first state conference of Uttar Pradesh Khet Mazdoor Sabha ( Agricultural Workers Union) was held on 1 May at Town Hall, Ballia. Around hundred delegates from eastern UP, Awadh, Terai and western UP participated in the conference inaugurated by Com. Akhilendra Pratap Singh, State Party Secretary. Krishna Adhikari, President of Khet Mazdoor Sabha presented the draft document which was passed by voice vote after discussion. The conference gave a call to unseat Rajnath Singh govt. that has turned UP into a police state, intensify struggle for land and freedom and celebrate Naxalbari Day on 25 May in all districts. It demanded a central law for agrarian labourers, proper wages and guarantee of employment throughout the year, restoration of traditional rights on forest land and water resources, redemption of govt. loans and licence to keep arms in self defence. The new state committee elected comprises Comrades Krishna Adhikari as president, CS Gunjan as vice president, Sriram Chaudhry as secretary, Jawahar as joint secretary and Rajesh Sahni as spokesperson.

May Day Procession Attacked

A CPI(ML) procession brought out on the eve of May Day on 30 April at Baraon village of Shahabganj PS of Chakia subdivision in Chandauli district of UP was attacked by goons belonging to Samajwadi Party and BJP. The goons first stopped the procession, attacked it with lathis when the marchers went ahead, and then fired on the procession, injuring 11 persons.

Booklet Released

The second volume of "Uttar Pradesh mein bhagwa raj: barhta daman, uthta pratirodh" (Saffron rule in UP: increasing repression, growing resistance), 56 pages, published by Sabad Prakashan, Allahabad for CPI(ML) UP State Committee, was released on 2 May in Lucknow. It contains reports on 18 incidents of police repression and attack on people's rights in UP including Bhawanipur massacre and Kanpur violence.

UP Govt. Must Issue Fresh Notification

"In the Ayodhya case... where luminaries like L.K Advani, MM Joshi, Bal Thackeray have secured a reprieve, the loophole is undeniably nothing more than a 'technicality'... What is noteworthy about the flaw is that it can be rectified. In fact, an earlier judgement had virtually called upon the Uttar Pradesh government to do so. But the saffon camp obviously wants to use this legal lacuna to save its senior leaders. The BJP seems to believe that the risk of letting the law follow its own course is too great." However, "if justice is denied, faith in the system will be undermined." (The Hindustan Times, 7-5-2001)

"Apart from the cause of justice, a fair trial in this case is important as a reaffirmation of the country's secular faith and its readiness to hold everyone ... accountable to the rule of law. That is why it is imperative that the legal defect ... is rectified as soon as possible." ... "But the BJP Govt. headed by Mr. Rajnath Singh has refused to commit itself to issuing such a notification." ... "It is difficult to escape the conclusion that the BJP Govt. in the State is committed to preventing those accused of the Ayodhya conspiracy from undergoing trial.... Pressure must be brought on Mr. Rajnath Singh to issue a fresh notification and the CBI must take the appropriate steps to challenge the special court's order legally. The Babri Masjid was pulled down over eight years ago and the fact that the trial has not even begun is shameful enough. The last thing the nation needs is for it to be further obstructed by a partisan State Government which would allow its misplaced political loyalty to totally obliterate its commitment to the rule of law." (The Hindu, 7-5-2001)

But is this not repetition of what Kalyan Singh's government in UP did in December 1992? What has happened to our zealous judicial activism now?

May Day Observed Around the World

The new element this year in May Day rallies was the greater presence of anti-globalization forces who had made their mark in Seattle, Prague, Quebec City and other places where the institutions of world imperialism had held summits. Setting the tone of anti-globalization thrust, President Fidel Castro led a march of more than one million working people in Havana, where they protested the U.S. attempt to impose the "Free Trade Area of the Americas" on the hemisphere.

In Australia, thousands of workers and students demonstrators targeted the stock exchanges, blocked streets in the financial districts, marched on state parliaments and burned the Prime Ministers effigy. In Perth, police resorted to brutal repression but despite this hundreds of people blocked stock exchange for 5 hours. In Melbourne, 7000 trade unionists along with 3000 stock exchange blockaders presented a solidarity not seen in the city for past 60 years. In Sydney, around 6000 people participated in a successful blockade of all entrances of stock market. More than 20,000 militant activists mobilized on May Day across 8 cities in Australia were cheered by many thousand more.

In London, 6,000-strong police even threatened to use rubber bullets at one point before the May Day demonstration. In Berlin, 9000-strong police contingent allowed a neo-Nazi rally to proceed, but banned a demonstration by leftists and attacked them when the left forces challenged the ban. Despite this, 6,000 protesters carrying placards reading "Never again fascism" built barricades in East Berlin neighborhoods and confronted the authorities. In France, thousands marched in Paris and other cities, protesting job losses and demanding pay increases. In Greece, several thousand demonstrators demanding job and 35 hours of work a week. In Moscow, around 50,000 workers took part in May Day procession.

In Istanbul, Turkey, 20,000 people marched in solidarity with Revolutionary Left hunger strikers inside and out of Turkey's prisons. Over 20 political prisoners have already died from the hunger strike, and 30 at the hands of the police, to fight changes in the prison system. People rallied in 44 other cities in the country, including the capital Ankara.

In Seoul, South Korea, 20,000 workers confronted 15,000 riot police, pushed aside a police barricade to defy a ban on marching toward the main government district. About 20 workers in wheelchairs led the march, with a banner reading, "Down with the Kim Dae-Jung regime". Workers were sitting in to protest layoffs when police attacked them. Another kind of May Day action took place at Diamond Mountain in North Korea, where 1,000 workers from both North and South Korea celebrated the possibility of unification of their land.

In Taipei, Taiwan, some 20,000 workers marched through the capital, demanding jobs as well as resignation of top government officials. In March, around 160,000 lost their job because some 5,000 businesses closed last year. Marchers also blamed the government's policy of pushing for independence that has increased tensions with the People's Republic of China. The home of the IMF, the United States, saw many demonstrations and marches. In Los Angeles, police arrested over 100 anti-capitalist protesters chanting "down with the police state". Labor and immigrant rights featured strongly in many marches.