No More War between India and Pakistan

The danger of a real war between India and Pakistan has suddenly escalated alarmingly. The pre-war build-up which started gathering momentum in the wake of the May 14 Kaluchak incident seems to have reached a critical level.

The loudest alarm so far has been sounded by none other than the governments of the US and UK, the two administrations which have been monitoring and regulating the current impasse in Indo-Pak relations on an almost day-to-day basis. Both the governments have advised their non-essential diplomatic staff and other citizens based in India to leave the country at the earliest. India-bound American and British tourists bave been advised to keep off the subcontinent. The US Secretary of State Colin Powell has categorically stated that a war between India and Pakistan can no longer be ruled out.

If a war really breaks out, much of the responsibility will rest with these two imperialist countries. Apart from the rulers of India and Pakistan, the governments of US and UK too have their own vested interest in fuelling a 'limited war'. Both Britain and the US figure among the biggest sellers of weapons to India and Pakistan. The British foreign secretary Jack Straw who received such favourable coverage in the Indian media for his apparently pro-India remarks has openly invoked British commercial interests in defending the Blair government's weapon sales to India and Pakistan. While an arms race between India and Pakistan keeps the weapon-sellers and their middlemen happy, a war or even a war-like situation provides our former and current 'masters' with ample opportunities to deepen their strategic intervention in the region.

A war between India and Pakistan in the present situation of nuclear parity is bound to spell unprecedented devastation. Independent western observers have warned that any nuclear strike could immediately kill no less than 12 million people in India and Pakistan. Much of India and Pakistan would indeed be wiped out and we need not look beyond Japan to tell us how successive generations would continue to suffer. Even a look at our own Bhopal which suffered only a major gas leak and no nuclear strike should serve as sufficient warning if we at all need any.

All sane people in both India and Pakistan are naturally wary of yet another war between the two neighbours. There are however some outfits on both sides of the border who seem to be dying for a war. In India, the VHP, notorious for its record in Gujarat, has asked the government to abandon its commitment of no-first-use of nuclear weapons. It has also offered to take care of the internal policing requirements of the country so the government can direct all its existing armed and police forces to war against Pakistan! Already armed forces have been asked to vacate Gujarat and the result is an upswing in violence in the last few days.

Left and democratic forces in both India and Pakistan must boldly uphold the banner of peace and sanity in the present surcharged situation. We must force our respective rulers to return to the negotiating table and in this regard India has to take the lead. War must be averted at all costs and it must be made clear that there can be no substitute for diplomacy and dialogue.

We must also clearly see through the dangerous game plan of Western powers like the US and Britain. They say they are confident of evacuating their citizens in the event of a war. But wherre do ordinary Indians and Pakistanis go? We have nowhere else to go to and hence peace is a must for us.

The NDA government says it has the authorization of Parliament to take appropriate action to deal with the situation as it unfolds. We must make sure that the Vajpayee government is not allowed to use this so-called parliamentary authorization as a blank cheque to wage war with Pakistan. If the government invokes Parliament to justify its dangerous war game, the people must assert its supreme power to prevent the government from this disastrous course.

CPI(ML) condemns police firing on farmers

The CPI(ML) has condemned the incidents of police firing and state repression of agitating farmers in Haryana. The Party has asked the BJP-backed Chautala govt. to immediately stop its course of confrontation and release all arrested leaders and fulfill their demands. The Party has also taken a strong note on Chautala's statement describing leaders of the agitation as criminals and his orders of 'shoot at sight' issued against them. The Party Polit-bureau member Swadesh Bhattacharya and Haryana in-charge Prem Singh Gahlawat had visited Jind to express solidarity with the farmers.

Jind and adjoining areas in Haryana are witnessing an unprecedented and spontaneous agitation by farmers who are asking for waiver of exorbitant electricity bills which is impossible for them to pay. In fact they are demanding CM Om Prakash Chautala to fulfill his own election promise of "free electricity and free water" to the farmers. The governments at the centre and in states, working under WTO diktats, has pushed the peasants back to the wall with agriculture becoming a loss making venture thanks to continuing increase in the costs of production owing to monopoly of multinationals over seeds, pesticides, fertilizers, agri. machinery, etc. on the one hand and withdrawal of subsidies from the agriculture sector on the other. The adverse impact of pro-imperialist and anti-farmer policies is now speeding up the process of pauperisation in the villages.

The CPI(ML) and All India Kisan Sangharsh Samiti have given a nationwide call for a Protest Day on June 5 in solidarity with the movement of the farmers in Haryana. Mass dharna will also be organised in several district HQs of Haryana and in Chandigarh on June 7.

Defending the indefensible
George says rapes are the norm

"... alluding to his socialist past in the late 1950's as a fire brand leader of the Bombay Taxi Unions, Fernandes' journey from red to saffron has been a steady decline. His career peaked when as a tough talking trade unionist he organised a successful all India rail strike ahead of the Emergency. Always casting himself as a dyed-in-the-wool Socialist, Fermandes created an image of himself as the upright, clean, messiah of the masses. Interestingly at one time he contemplated the priesthood. Today Fernandes is a pale shadow of his former self."

"From egalitarian beginnings Fernandes has allowed himself to hit rock bottom; he suggests rape and murder are the norm in India. He has the gall to say in the hallowed portals of Parliament that "a pregnant woman's stomach being cut, a daughter being raped in front of her mother" were not new things, the implication must be that they can carry on happening in the future. Trying to be more loyal than the king, Fernandes' defence of the pogrom in Gujarat outclasses the Home Minister, a known RSS pracharak. His political decline began when his fondness for power made him throw his principles to the winds. In the last two and half years he has done nothing to redeem himself. On the contrary it is questionable whether he has any credibility left. Whether it is the Tehelka tapes still up in the air, or acquiescing to the Sangh's minority-bashing, both Christian and Muslim, Fernandes has demonstrated how the mighty have fallen!"

(From the 'Statesman' dated May 6, 2002)

Censor stops screening of 'War and Peace'

"War and Peace" a documentary film by Anand Patwardhan has become an early casualty of growing war hysteria of the Vajpayee govt. Screening of the film scheduled on June 1, was abruptly and arbitrarily stopped by the Censor Board authorities. People see Shiv-Sena-Sangh-Parivar and their government's hand behind it. We strongly condemn this act of sinister attack on a sincere attempt to focus on the dangers of nuclear war in the subcontinent and seeking peace. The war mongers should be taught that more desperate they be in silencing the democratic voice, the more anti-war-anti-fascist voices would be roared against them.

Mr. Patwardhan called the concerned officer and was informed that the censorship process took its own time. In addition he was told that as the film made references to the Tehelka arms scandal, and the matter was sub-judice, it could not be screened. Mr. Patwardhan points out that the Tehelka tapes are before a fact-finding commission, and are, therefore, not sub-Judice.

Paradoxically "War and Peace" won two major awards at the seventh Mumbai International Film Festival recently.

BJP defeated in Dumka By-election in Jharkhand

The ruling BJP faced another humiliating defeat in the by-elections held for Dumka parliamentary constituency. The Jharkhand chief minister Babulal Marandi had vacated this seat, but despite large scale misuse of the government machinery BJP failed to retain it. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha candidate Shibu Soren has won by a margin of more than 94,000 votes. Incidentally Shibu Soren is currently a member of the Rajya Sabha with the BJP support. This was first election after inception of the new state and, therefore, the results are rightly being seen as an expression of people's increasing anguish and discontent against the BJP regime. The CPI(ML) candidate Sunil Hembrum polled 6,398 votes. During the election campaign the CPI(ML) propaganda centered around increasing communal fascist attacks by the BJP and its increased proximity with the JMM. Congress was also targeted in the campaign.

Jan Adalats against BPL Card scam

In Bihar, the CPI(ML) is organising block level 'Jan Adalats' (people's courts) to take up to the masses the issue of PDS scam involving crores of rupees. Purnamasi Ram, minister in Rabari Devi cabinet, and his gang tried to create disturbances in one of such adalats at Bagaha where he himself came to the BDO office and instructed his gang and bodyguards. His goons snatched the memorandum and other papers away from the delegation, which was led by Com. Kashi Baitha. The BDO remained a silent spectator throughout the programme. The Rabari Devi govt. has already given its tacit approval to this scam, going on for years, by not removing main accused Purnamasi Ram who is directly involved. On the contrary, Party leader Dayanand Dwivedi, who was severely beaten up by the minister and his gang, is being victimised by the administration as well as Purnamasi Ram. Com. Dwivedi has been falsely implicated in many criminal cases. It may be recalled that he was the key figure in exposing this scam by bringing out concrete evidences against the Food and Civil Supplies minister and other officials.

Meanwhile, an overwhelming response is explicit as thousands of people are coming to these 'Jan Adalats' with their grievances. During the campaign 'Jan Adalats' were organised from 20 May to 1 June in more than seventy blocks in the state involving nearly 50,000 people who were below poverty line and deprived of the benefits of the PDS system. Most of them were Agricultural labourers. It was widely reported that food grains are not distributed by the PDS dealers and if it was done once or twice they made an entry into the register for even more than 10 times. The participants at most of the places demanded distribution of red cards to all below poverty line and an immediate check on corruption and irregularities in the PDS system. The demands for a CBI inquiry into the scam, removal of Purnamasi Ram from the cabinet and withdrawal of false charges against Com. Dayanand Dwivedi were strongly echoed in these 'Jan Adalats'.

Hike in Prices of Diesel, Petrol and Postal Services Opposed

The CPI(ML) has strongly condemned and protested the government's decision to hike prices of diesel and petrol. Already a hike in postal services is in force and travelling by train has made costlier. Demanding immediate rollback the Party came down heavily on the BJP-led NDA government at the centre for accelerating the process of imposition of anti-people policies on the common people. "Common people can't be compelled to live a life under such type of attacks continuously on the one hand and war-hysteria and communal frenzy on the other", the Party has said.

Government's Apathy Protested

In Shakarpur area of Eastern Delhi five people were burnt alive and hundreds of jhuggis were gutted in a devastating fire on 22 May. Local unit of the Party organised relief works and protested the apathatic attitude of the government in providing relief to the affected people. A demonstration was organised before the Chief Minister's office on May 23 demanding a compensation of rupees five lakhs each to the families of those killed, of one lakh for each household destroyed and for permanent arrangements for safety in future. The government was asked to formulate an appropriate housing policy to safeguard the rights of the poor and slum dwellers in the national capital. Delhi state secretary Rajendra Pratholi and East Delhi secretary Sunita led the demonstration.

Power Distribution Privatised in Delhi

The electricity power supply network in the national capital has been privatised and from now on Bombay Suburban Electric Supply Company (BSES), a Reliance group affiliate, and the Tata Power will own it. Initially the proposals put forth by these two companies were rejected as the Delhi govt. found them non-feasible and impractical on 15 April 2002. But after 'negotiations' government reached to an 'agreement' on May 27 despite intense opposition by Delhites in general and the trade unions in particular to privatisation efforts.

The "Delhi Vidyut Board" responsible for the production and distribution of electricity in Delhi was already split into six corporations, three of them deals with the power supply network, one and a half years back to facilitate the privatisation drive.

It seems that these two private companies have been assured a guaranteed profit by the government as they have given three years moratorium on payment of interest worth Rs. 510 crores. The govt. has also assured a loan of Rs. 3500 crores with a moratorium on interest (worth 750 crores) for five years to these two companies besides giving away 2500 residential quarters and office complexes worth Rs. 700 crores for just rupee 1 per month. Moreover, the valuation was done by the SBI Caps in violation of the policy document, although the government has its own CAG for the purpose.

The Delhi Power Minister justifies this privatisation in view of huge power thefts that amounts to 46 percent of transmission and distribution losses or a loss of Rs 100 crores per month to the DVB according to govt.'s estimates. But how come the government in Delhi reaches to the conclusion that by merely handing over of a company to private hands at throw away prices could stop power thefts. Why govt. itself is not competent enough to contain thefts or how the private companies are more capable in preventing such losses? Isn't it the job of the govt. to implement related laws meant to check this? Private operators will also have to work under same laws. Does it mean to say that it is privatising governance as well along with privatising electricity. It is a common knowledge that major part of electricity thefts goes to private industries who are patronised by the ruling political establishment and certainly they will continue to enjoy this privilege in one way or the other. It is the lakhs of common people and poorest of the poor living in slums and unauthorised colonies who will face the brunt of privatisation.

While condemning this privatisation the CPI(ML) has termed it as one more act by the govt. against people's wishes and for implementing govt.'s pro-imperialist economic agenda. The Mandawali committee in East Delhi also held a protest demonstration against privatisation of electricity distribution in the capital and crisis of electricity and water.

Joint forum of writers against Communal Fascism in Patna

A meeting of writers and intellectuals from left and democratic streams was convened by the Jan Sanskriti Manch in Patna on June 2 in the backdrop of Gujarat pogroms and increasing attacks by communal fascist forces throughout the country. There was a concensus over the fact that Gujarat pogroms are not only a result of increased communal frenzy but also a brutal expression of communal fascist tendencies which are getting more and more strengthened in the country and that there is need to strongly resist such tendencies. It was decided to constitute a joint forum of writers and cultural activists to launch a campaign against communal fascism. The prominent among those who attended the meeting were Executive President of Bihar Pragatisheel Lekhak Sangh Braj Kumar Pandey, Arun Kamal, Secretary of Janwadi Lekhak Sangh Vijay Kumar, Ramji Rai of Jan Sanskriti Manch, Dharmendra Sushant and Dr. Wasi Ahmad.

After the meeting an appeal was issued to the artists, writers, cultural activists and intellectuals for a nationwide initiative for removal of Narendra Modi government in Gujarat and reconstruction of memorials of Wali Dakni and Fayyaz Khan which were destroyed during the riots in Gujarat.

It was decided to organise a Seminar to chalk out detailed strategy for launching a joint campaign against communal fascism on June 23 where all revolutionary left and democratic writers' organisations and representatives of social movements will be invited.

RSS hecklers receive a damp squib in New York

The planned protest by fanatics of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh against the reading of Shashi Tharoor's novel, 'Riot' on May 22 at the Tischman Auditorium of the New School found little support. In contrast, people young and old, women and men carrying posters denouncing the pogrom against minority community in Gujarat were there to express solidarity.

Approximately 500 people were present in the gathering to hear the reading of the four characters from the book, which were being played by Shabhana Azmi, Madhur Jaffrey, Tharoor himself, and Editorial Features Deputy Editor of the Wall Street Journal Tunku Varadarajan.

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