Dhammam Sharanam Gachhami

The share market collapse and the UTI scam have taken their toll and the credit rating of Indian economy has gone down in the list of international agencies like Moody's and Standard and Poor. Even otherwise, the performance of the economy is steadily declining and in the first quarter of the present fiscal year the industrial growth rate has touched 2.1% mark. The core sector has grown at the rate of just 1%. The real GDP growth rate has slumped to 3.8% and in his 15 August speech Mr Vajpayee had to admit that indeed there is a slowdown, although he called it a temporary one. Signs of recovery are however nowhere in sight in this atmosphere of global recession. Even the business houses have accepted it as a fait accompli that the growth rate cannot cross 5% this year.

Food situation is particularly in shambles with FCI godowns bursting at seams with 6 crore tonnes stock and the farmers are restive at the prospect of their crops getting simply ruined. Employment situation in no less grim, already in past three years 2 crore youth have joined the ranks of unemployed. This is really unmanageable because to absorb them you need an impossible two digit growth of GDP. But despite lowering bank interest time and again no investments are forthcoming and FDI too is hovering around $2 billion a year, a situation that would not improve in the light of downgraded investment rating.

The crisis is so acute that it reminded some economists of the 1991 days debt trap. This time it is not the pressure of foreign repayments, it is domestic credit that has assumed proportions equal to around 70% of the GDP and almost four times the revenue receipts in the budget! Add external credit and the government is already bankrupt!

Yashwant Sinha's harping on second generation reforms is not likely to assuage the investors' worries. Govt. financial policies have come under salvos in Parliament, fired not only by opposition alone but NDA partners, even BJP MPs too. So Vajpayee has once again turned to the time-tested communal card.

After bashing Christians recently, Vajpayee has now announced that a solution to the vexed Ayodhya problem will be accomplished before March 2002. When asked in Parliament with who he is dealing for the settlement, he simply refused to share the information with the lawmakers of the country. However, Muslim Personal Law Board has clarified that no such talks were going on. With whom Vajpayee is dealing under the table?

Indeed the statement has a bearing on the coming UP elections. However, Vajpayee cannot forget the time bomb of unemployment he is sitting on. There has to be something to divert these restive youth. And it has to be a fascist project. While Advani is busy in discovering ISI activities in Madarsas and harassing Muslim youth with the threat of banning SIMI, Vajpayee has signalled off a new hate campaign. Secular-democratic opinion must be on guard to prevent the fascists from succeeding in an exercise once again injurious to the secular fabric of the nation to the proportion of Babri Masjid demolition.

CPI(ML) Leader Killed in Bardhaman

Com. Jagannath Mondal, Secy. of Party's Kalna Block Committee in Burdwan district, was brutally killed by CPI(M) goons on the night of 24 August when he was returning home at Tamashapur village. Since our Party work began anew in this area, CPI(M) local leaders have been using terror tactics, including murder of our local leaders, to stop us from working here. Earlier in 1994, they murdered Com. Abdul Halim, the then Party Block Secy. Many times our organisation informed the police about the attempts on Com. Jagannath's life by CPI(M) goons, but they did nothing about the security of Com. Jagannath. On 26 August, State and Distt. Party leaders paid tribute to departed Jagannath Mondal and a funeral procession was organised with more than 300 leaders, activists and masses.

While severly condemning the killing, Party State Committee demanded immediate arrest of the culprits. Party has given a call to observe protest day on 27 August throughout the state and Burdwan Distt. Committee has called Kalna Bandh for 24 hours on the same day.

Obituary

Com. Mati-ur-Rahman, member of West Champaran Distt. Committee of CPI(ML) died due to heart attack on 23 August at Chanpatia. He was 60. He was the Party candidate from Sikta assembly constituency and was known as a militant mass leader. He had been implicated in a number of false cases and was in jail. Following his release on 22 August, people of Chanpatia organised a welcome ceremony in his honour on 23 August. After taking part in that he suffered the heart stroke.

Com. Ramakant Ram, member of Buxar Distt. Committee of CPI(ML) suddenly departed on 23 August at Buxar. He was 55.

Both these comrades were delegates to Party's forthcoming Bihar State Conference. We pay our deep condolences to both comrades who worked for the Party, people and revolution till their last. Their deeds will never be forgotten and we shall take their unfulfilled task through to an end.

Lock-out in Dunlop Factory in W.B.

Management of Sahaganj unit of Dunlop factory in Hoogly district issued an illegal notice of suspension of work on 20 August, which created tremendous discontent among the workers. The owner Manu Chhabaria is notorious in robbing off the capital of the factory. After remaining closed for 25 months, the Factory was reopened in March last year. During the past 16 months, management did not pay the workers for 8 months. With a view to close the factory for good, the management served suspension of work notice, falsely blaming the workers. Though they did not inform the state govt., but the latter did nothing but playing the role of a silent spectator. AICCTU Hooghly distt. committee organised mass meetings on 26 August at Sahagnaj demanding withdrawal of illegal notice and reopening the factory, clearing the arrears to all workers. The meetings were addressed by Com. Basudev Bose, Prabir Halder and others.

RYA Campaign to Demand Dredging of Ichamati

North 24 Paragana distt. committee of RYA organized a propaganda campaign to demand dredging of Ichhamati river and demolition of illegally constructed bheri (fisheries) and brick-kilns obstructing flow of river, causing floods. RYA activists carried the propaganda along the river by boat, starting from Bongaon and ending at Swarupnagar, covering more than 45 km for seven hours. The new form of the propaganda attracted people to a great extent. During the propaganda, comrades also made a survey for development of the river bed and basing on that they would submit a memorandum to the Irrigation Dept. of West Bengal Govt.

Protest March Against Police Repression in Kheri

In protest to the police repression over Party activists during rail roko at Mailani on 9 August, over 1,000 people of Terai region led by State CPI(ML) Secretary Com. Akhilendra Pratap Singh and CC member Com. Krishna Adhikari marched in a procession at Kheri on 23 August. A militant demonstration was staged at the district HQs despite heavy police deployment. Speakers demanded unconditional release of over a dozen jailed ML activists, withdrawal of false cases against them and registering of FIR against the culprit police officials. Under mass pressure, the ADM had to come to the stage and announce that no further arrest will be there in false cases. Party leaders Com. Purushottam Sharma and Distt. Secy. Com. Ramdaras, Alauddin Shashtri and Mira addressed the gathering conducted by Com. Kranti Kumar.

Killing of Agrarian Labour Protested in Mirzapur, U.P.

Protesting the killing of an agrarian labourer by influential Kurmi landlords in Mirzapur district, around 4,000 people led by CPI(ML) took out a march on 22 August from Pidkhir village at Chandauli border to Gauri village in Mirzapur. The administration had not only imposed restrictions on bringing out the procession but also even deployed massive police force to stop it. However, in the face of people's militant anger it had to beat a retreat. It is to be noted that CPI(ML) has thrown a challenge to hitherto the domination of the notorious cabinet minister Om Prakash Singh and his castemen Kurmi landlords in this area.

Gate Meeting at IISCO, Kulti

Around 1,500 workers belonging to IISCO participated at a gate meeting held at Kulti (West Bengal) unit of IISCO on 23 August to protest the conspiracy to shut down the plant. In an unprecedented vigour the workers came out to attend the meeting despite the unrelenting rain. It is to be noted that the Steel Ministry has singled out IISCO to conclude a separate wage agreement with it, taking it out of the JCCS. The meting was addressed by AICCTU Gen. Secy. Com. Swapan Mukherji, Upendra Singh, G.S. of CMWU, Krishna Singh and PC Mazumdar, GS of IISCO Workers Union.

AISA Holds 4th National Conference in Allahabad

The Fouth National Conference of All India Students Association, held at Allahabad on 21-23 August, was a resounding sucess, made evident by the fact that despite struggles going on in various campuses and commencement of the new academic session, it was attended by more than 350 delegates from 12 states across the country. The conference acknowledged that today in the 21st century the challenges and tasks before AISA and the student-youth are unprecedentedly enormous than those faced in any other era. Along with taking up the challenges of globalization and saffronisation, AISA resolved to fight for secular-democratic education, culture and employment and to free the motherland from the shackles of US imperialism.

The conference also acknowledged that this Mahabharat in the times of globalisation demands a stronger organisation with revolutionary orientation and wider social base. The conference called upon the participants to corageously take up this challenge and march ahead to fulfil the aspirations of martyrs Bhagat Singh, Com. Chandrasekhar and millions of struggling people of our nation. The conference elected Com. Kavita Krishnan and Com. Sunil Yadav as its President and General Secretary. It also elected a 43-member National Council, which will meet towards the end of Sept and elect its Executive Council and other office-bearers. It ended with the resolve to take up the challenge of becoming the largest and most militant student organisation of the 21st century.

AICCTU Office Bearers' Meet

Central leaders of AICCTU met on 21-22 August at Burnpur in Bardhaman district of Bardhaman to finalise details of preparatory measures for its forthcoming 5th all-India conference. The conference will be held at Dhanbad in Jharkhand on 8-10 October, 2001. On 8 October, a massive workers' rally will be taken out. Main speaker will be CPI(ML) leader Com. Dipankar Bhattacharya. The meeting was presided over by Com. Yogeshwar Gope, president and conducted by Com. Swapan Mukherji, Gen. Secy.

CPI(ML) Condemns Dalit Massacre in Patna

Party strongly condemned the massacre of 6 dalits including three women and two children in Datmai village of Dhanarua block on the night of 22 August. The Party has termed it another massacre perpetrated by RJD-sponsored Jainandan gang and said that in recent times incidents of killing of rural poor have steeply increased in the state, and one of the main reason behind this fact is that the criminal gangs are being patronised by RJD and NDA. An investigation team of the Party visited the place and on 24 August held a protest meeting at Datmai village. It was addressed by Party Polit Bureau member Com. Ram Naresh Ram, who urged the villagers to rise in self-defence and cast away the illusion that police or para-military forces can save them. He appealed to them to demand weapons from the state for this purpose.

CPI(ML) Gears Up in East Bihar

East Bihar is a relatively new and less developed region as far as our Party work is concerned. But during the month of August Party has undertaken several activities.

In Rupauli of Purnea, Party organized Bandh and Chakka Jam on 6 August against police atrocities. Meetings were held in villages and street corner meetings were also held in course of preparation. On the bandh day there were incidents of minor clashes with police commandos but police had to beat a retreat because of mass resistance. Women also participated in good numbers. It was led by Com. Sanjay mandal, DN Rai, Chaturi Paswan, Manish Hembram and others.

A dharna was staged at Rupauli block office on 17 August in protest to the burning of dalit bustee at Kamat Tola by criminal gang and police inaction.

On 9 August, demonstration was organised at Dhamdaha subdivision under "Vajpayee hatao, desh bachao". At Farbisganj in Araria district, dharna was organized and in the meeting the problems of jute farmers were also raised. It was addressed by Distt. incharge Com. Satyanarain Yadav and others.

At Saharsa, around 1,500 activists and supporters of CPI(ML) took out a march defying rain and shine on 9 August. It ended in a gherao of DM office. People compelled the DM to come out in rain though he had asked the representatives to meet him in his office. The DM confessed that he had no place to keep the agitators who wanted to court arrest. Overwhelming majority of the processionists were youth, a fact which imparted militant colour to the demonstration. It was led by Distt. Secy. Com. Bhupendra Yadav, Vibhuti Singh, Lalan Yadav, Laxminarayan Sharma, Ramvallabh Singh, Ramnath and others.

Earlier on 28 July, a dharna was staged at Sattar Kataiya block office of Saharsa district in protest to corruption in developmental schemes and demanding pucca houses for the poor and transparency in panchayat functioning. The BDO was compelled to come out and accept the memorandum.

District level cadre convention was organised in Purnea on 28 July at Kaimai village of Bhawanipur block. This convention was held as a culmination to a special Strengthen the Party campaign run on district basis from 18 December 2000 (Com. Vinod Mishra's death anniversary) to 28 July 2001 (Com. Charu Mazumdar's martyrdom day), in which revamping the Party's organization system was the objective. This convention has generated widespread enthusiasm which manifested in mobilisation of people in subsequent programmes.

CPI(ML)'s Bihar State Conference at Rajgir

The 6th Conference of Party's Bihar State unit began at the historic town of Rajgir on 26 August. The whole of Rajgir has been submerged into the red sea of festoons and banners. The venue has been named as Com. Vinod Mishra Hall. The inaugural session was open, attended by reputed guests from among intellectuals, cultural activists and other progressive-democratic personages, apart from around 400 delegates. The conference was inaugurated by Party Gen. Secy. Com. Dipankar Bhattacharya (see box for speech). The session was also addressed by Party PB members Com. Swadesh Bhattacharya, Ram Naresh Ram and Kartick Pal. Earlier the flag was hoisted by veteran Com. Prithwiraj Singh, one of the founders of Communist Party in Bihar. After the Party leaders laid floral tributes at the martyrs' column, proceedings inside the hall began with the singing of Internationale.

In the organizational session, Secy. of the outgoing State Committee Com. Ramjatan Sharma presented the work report. Delegates from 35 (out of the total 37) districts will discuss the report and in the course the conference will decide on the policies to be adopted.

Com. Dipankar's Speech at Rajgir

"This conference at Rajgir is not just another conference, it is a summit between the glorious past and the developing bright future. The two tendencies, the old history in an effort to unshackle itself and the bright future against which attempts to kill it in foetus are on, have joined hands here to forge a new history, to build a new Bihar, a new India.

This place is indeed important but the time is no less important. In the whole world today the restiveness for an alternative has intensified. Ten years ago it was announced that history has met its end, the days of red lag are over, the victory of capitalism is final. But the time has turned, and people throughout the world have now taken to streets declaring that they don't like capitalist path. Struggle is going on in America and Europe and imperialists and their international institutions are not able to find a safe place where they can hold their conferences. Wherever the international financial magnates decide to meet, people reach there in tens of thousands to stage demonstrations against US bullying and domination of capital. Recently in Genoa of Italy, a meeting of G-8 countries was held. A powerful protest was launched against them. Earlier in Europe and America they did not resort to firing on these demonstrations, but this has started now. In a massive repression the police fired on demonstrators and a 23-year youth demonstrator laid down his life there.

So the time is turning. Everywhere restiveness against imperialism and the US bullying and domination of capital has intensified and struggles are taking place. We communists should identify these imprints of time beforehand.

Just look at a recent shameless act of American president George Bush, who has given his dog the name of 'India'. Even had he not done so, people in India had readily identified the Indian rulers, the Vajpayee govt. as the pet dog of America, and started taming it. The craving of alternative to Vajpayee govt. is also intensifying. The country wants to get rid of this pet dog.

Come to Bihar, you will find that here too the restiveness for the alternative is quite intense. Aspirations for change and development are surging against the politics of both RJD and NDA. We must become the centre of a powerful movement to fulfil this aspiration and give a message to the country and the whole world that we have the courage to stand at the forefront of every struggle at every level that is being waged to forge this alternative.

In Bihar, both RJD and NDA are busy with the politics of turning the state into the graveyard of dalits and toiling people, a state run by police and criminals. CPI(ML) activists and sympathisers must hold the reins of a powerful resistance movement against the massacres of dalits and poor as well as police atrocities that are on the rise in the recent times, and the movement should be broad enough to include all the aspirations of development.

Those who had initiated the wily drama of relieving the people from jungle raj have themselves proved to be the representatives of another jungle raj. And those who had promised to the people of Bihar to fight against the communal and corrupt government in Delhi could do no more than playing antics in Patna and Delhi. People realized that RJD and NDA may constitute two different camps holding two different flags, but in the matter of implementing basic policies or adopting anti-people stance they were two birds of the same feather. Be it in launching repression on poor and toiling people, or in patronizing Ranvir Sena and criminals like Shahabuddin, the unity of RJD and NDA has come into open time and again. Saying that there is no alternative to his rule, and therefore people have no option but to withstand him, Laloo Yadav has thrown an open challenge before the people of Bihar. Has Bihar, so long the vehicle of forces of change, has today become so poor that it will fall prey to lack of alternative? Will it not be able to produce an alternative? No, this can never be the case. Shortly the land of Bihar will witness a hurricane of change and development that will not only sweep away the RJD clan, the epitome of corrupt-criminal system, it will also put the last nail to the coffin of fascist saffron regime selling out the country. "

Durban Conference against Racialism

"World conference against Racism, Racial discrimination, Xenophobia and Related intolerance" will be held in from Aug 31 to Sept.7 in South Africa. A parallel four-day forum has already begun on 28 Aug. 15,000 people are expected to join the main protest march on Sept 1, under the banner of Durban Social Forum (DSF). Several international organizations also jointly called to build worldwide action against Racism on Aug. 31. In this context it is significant that on the eve of the formal opening of the Conference, the two days nation wide general strike of the organized working class of South Africa against privatization of public sector assets on Aug 29 and 30 sharply juxtaposes the issue of capitalism and imperialist globalization linking with Racism.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell has confirmed no participation in this UN conference on racism scheduled to take place in Durban due to what he termed "anti-Israel" language contained in the agenda. He also said that there were many other parts of the document which his government deemed to be offensive. Washington has rejected out of hand the notion of linking Zionism with racism as proposed by a number of nations to be represented in Durban. Israel announced it would boycott the conference if the agenda were not altered. Arab states have agreed to remove the reference to Zionism and racism but insist on a discussion relating to Palestine. Now, with Israel war plane attack on Palestine and cold blooded murder of Palestine leader Abu Ali Mustafa, Palestine issue would come up forcefully in the Conference.

The US also insists that the debate on the issue of reparations for the slave trade and colonialism be removed from the agenda. However, African governments' proposed declaration described slave trade as "unique tragedy in the history of humanity, a crime against humanity which have resulted substantial lasting economic, political and cultural damages to African people. South African foreign minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma deplored efforts by Washington to dictate the agenda of the conference against racism. In reference to the US and other Western nations' concern regarding the issue of slavery, the foreign minister said that it was impossible to discuss contemporary forms of racism without referring to the most barbaric forms during colonial exploitation.

Vajpayee govt.'s ostrich like approach in blocking the agenda of casteism treating it as an issue internal to the nation, neglecting the fact that such a hierarchy do exist in several countries of the world irrespective of religion and culture received a blow with the inclusion of caste in the conference agenda at the final hour. In fact India ought to have welcomed discussion on any form human discrimination including caste, persisting for long, in all part of the world including India, controlling both civil society and the state.