The Battle for Gujarat Is a Battle for India

The BJP's battle for Gujarat has entered a new and decisive phase. Stung to the quick by the Election Commission's strong indictment, the government has now referred the whole matter to the President with the calculation that the latter, in turn, would seek the Supreme Court's opinion on the subject. The blueprint of a veritable institutional tug of war is now almost complete.

The very fact that the Election Commission chose to undertake two successive tours - first by a 9-member team and next by the three commissioners themselves - to make a first-hand assessment of the situation prevailing in Gujarat instead of accepting the Gujarat Government's plea for premature elections itself amounted to an indictment of the murderous Modi regime that passes for an elected state government. The widely televised image of CEC Lyngdoh reprimanding a senior Gujarat official with a stern "Aren't you ashamed of yourself?" was an added insult to injury. And now the 40-page indictment issued by the EC to the press instead of what the BJP wanted - election dates - has clearly left the Advani-Modi gang fuming.

The EC's report has nailed several loud lies being churned out regularly by the RSS propaganda machine. The report has specifically refuted the Government's claim that the impact of the 'riots' has been confined to just a few areas. Based on the Gujarat government's own admissions and submissions made by senior police officials, the EC has observed that 24 out of 25 districts of Gujarat were affected. In terms of Assembly constituencies that means a staggering 154 seats in a house of 182. The BJP leaders who claim that the Commission is authorised to defer elections only in specific constituencies and not in an entire state conveniently gloss over this simple truth.

The Commission has candidly acknowledged the prevailing undercurrent of fear and tension that will make an absolute mockery of the notion of free, fair, fearless and impartial elections if premature elections are forced on the state. More importantly, apart from calling for expediting relief and rehabilitation measures and ensuring comprehensive revision of electoral roll in view of large-scale displacement of the electors in the aftermath of the communal holocaust, the Commission has highlighted the need for urgent confidence-building measures. "Foremost among these," in the Commission's own words, "would be to arrest and punish the guilty, irrespective of their status and rank, for their crimes." The EC has also emphasised steps like removing forthwith all physical obstructions and barriers erected to deny access of the riot-affected people and to their destroyed homes, and restoring to their original postings the officers who performed their duties fearlessly and forthrightly to contain the riots.

The EC report also examines the contention that elections should be held immediately to uphold Article 174 which requires that not more than six months should elapse between two successive sessions of an Assembly. According to the EC in the interest of democracy, Article 174 must yield to Article 324 which empowers the EC, and the EC alone, as the final arbiter to decide when and whether free and fair elections can be held. The report also contains a clear hint that the apparent conflict between the two Articles can and should be resolved by bringing Gujarat under President's Rule.

Such advice of the EC is of course not for the BJP to accept without a fight. The call for early elections in Gujarat is, after all, the BJP's latest battle cry in its drive for a fascist Hindu Rashtra. And Modi, the murderer, the second most popular Chief Minister according to the latest India Today-MARG opinion poll, is the BJP's latest mascot. So the ball has been sent to the President's court. And the meaning of Abdul Kalam as India's President will begin to unfold soon. Bharat, that is India, must prepare in real earnest for handing out a fitting rebuff to these soldiers of saffron subversion. A rebuff which will not need any reinterpretation by any President or any Court.

'Politics of Parleys' in Jammu and Kashmir

CPI(ML) in a statement said that the experience of the Kashmir Committee headed by Ram Jethmalani has also proved that any serious political process in Kashmir can not proceed in a vacuum unless the govt. of India takes up concrete confidence-building measures as an integral part of a transparent political package to lend credibility to the elections and to ensure maximum political participation in it.

The Party said that the people of Kashmir sees backdoor parleys as a ploy to create confusion and rift in the movement than generating any conducive political atmosphere in the state. Party said, "steps like release of political prisoners, journalists and intellectuals and meting out of harsh punishment to the security personnel and officials guilty of custodial deaths, fake encounters and brutal rapes can contribute much more to the restoration of political confidence among the people than any amount of 'parleys' by the Pants, Jethmalanis and Jaitleys".

The Party said, "Let the government set an example by immediately punishing the perpetrators of Chhatsingpura massacre about whose culpability the state has conclusive evidence".

Impose President's Rule in Gujarat

The CPI(ML) strongly denounces the ongoing vicious campaign launched by the saffron forces and their government against the Election Commission for forcing early elections on Gujarat which is still crying for rehabilitation of the victims and action against the perpetrators of the genocide.

The Party, in a statement issued on August 17, welcomed the EC's decision on Gujarat polls and said, "instead of challenging the EC and taking it to the court, the central government must immediately act on the EC's report and dismiss the Narendra Modi govt. and impose President's rule in Gujarat as a first step towards restoration of political confidence among the people in the state".

All opposition parties echoed the similar views, but true to its nature, the Vajpayee-Advani government's Cabinet met on August 18 and decided to mount further attacks on the EC by bringing the matter in the court of the President. Reacting sharply to this Cabinet decision, CPI(ML) has said, "following the EC's report the most dignified way for the central government was to immediately act on the report, but it preferred not to go along this dignified path. Rather, it resorted to a much more destructive campaign creating institutional confrontation". The Party said, "now when the central government has approached the President against the EC's decision, the President should take this opportunity to affirm and uphold the autonomy and dignity of the institutions of Republic and recommend for the dismissal of the Narendra Modi government and imposition of President's rule in Gujarat".

Protests against Police Repression

A dharna is continuing since August 18 at the headquarters of Lakhimpur Kheri district against the arrest of CPI(ML) activists who were opposing the illegal and forcible occupation of a madarsa land at Manpur and biased role of the administratin helping communal elements of majority community. The police had lathicharged and arrested Party activists on August 17.

In adjoining Pilibhit district, where Party has a long history of militant struggles by the peasants and agrarian workers, the forest officials and the police-administrative officials are now in desperation and conspiratorially issuing misleading statements against the Party with ill intentions to increase the repression on poor people who are struggling for their just demands. The Party has strongly condemned such rumour campaigns.

CPI(ML) and UPKMS Protest Callousness of UP Govt.

The CPI(ML) and the Uttar Pradesh Khet Mazdoor Sabha have started a seven-day relay-dharna in front of State Assembly in Lucknow from August 17 to press upon an 11 point agenda that includes mainly the demands to declare a state of famine in the state, provide relief in rural areas, give BPL cards to all below poverty line, waive all loans given to poor and to immediately start food for work scheme on a war footing. On the first day, while addressing the protesters CPI(ML) state secretary Akhilendra Pratap Singh said that the state government's apathetic attitude towards peoples' concerns in a state where monsoons are still alluding is apparent as it is only making false promises instead of providing quick relief to the affected people. Even opposition parties have not shown any seriousness about this grave situation. Even after declaring the state drought affected, govt. has not distributed even a single gram of the grains from its overflowing FCI godowns. He said the the people in the state, where five starvation deaths have already been reported in districts of Chandauli, Azamgarh and Pratapgarh, are left with no choice other than occupying the godowns. He vehemently criticised Vajpayee and Mayawati governments' anti-people policies that have made miseries of the people more intense and appealed to agricultural labourers, peasants, students and youth to come forward to take initiative in saving the drought affected people.

The eleven-point charter also included employment guarantee to the agricultural labourers, immediate relief in cash to the drought affected, to decamp the PAC from villages of Chandauli, Mirzapur and Sonbhadra districts, overhauling of PDS system and guarantee of food to the poor, payment of unpaid wages to the tendu leaves workers and agrarian labourers, strict implementation of Minimum Wages Act, punishment to the officials responsible for starvation deaths, etc.

The AISA will also hold a demonstration in front of state assembly against starvation deaths in the state, increasing fees and curtailing number of seats in educational institutions on August 20.

Convention against TNESMA and VRS in TN

A state-level Convention against TNESMA and VRS was held in Chennai on 15 August by the SGWU, Union of TN civil supplies affiliated to AICCTU. Shanmugavel, General Secretary, SGWU, A.Soundara Rajan of CITU, T.R.S.Mani of AITUC, Soundara Pandian of TamilNadu Govt Employees Union, Pancharatnam of Tamil Nadu Electricity Board workers Union, Seeman of General Workers Union , Govt. Press , Antony Raj, General Secretary of TN Co-optex workers union, A.S.Kumar, AICCTU leader, addressed the convention. Around 500 workers participated in the convention. It was presided over by G.Radhakrishnan, State Vice-President of AICCTU. S.Kumarasami, State President of AICCTU called upon the workers to take up the challenge to defeat the anti-worker law by waging an united struggle. He said that workers will have to face the law that prohibits their right to strike in the govt sector.

BJP govt.'s Anti-ML Campaign in Jharkhand

The BJP govt. of Jharkhand has intensified its anti-CPI(ML) campaign. Alarmed by the growing movemental initiatives and influence of the Party, the govt. has resorted to implicating Party leaders and cadres in false cases. A month ago, CPI(ML) leader from Rajdhanwar in Giridih district, Rajkumar Yadav, was arrested by the police, at the behest of Rajdhanwar MLA Ravindra Rai, a close associate of CM Babulal Marandi, while leading a mass protest. He was sent to Giridih jail with several other leaders. The Party has launched a statewide agitation on this issue. On August 12, Jharkhand High Court ordered his release. Following this court order, he was again shown as arrested and jailed by the govt. under section 12(2) of the Crime Control Act. Party has strongly protested this incident. Statewide protests were held on August 16. Party activists and supporters held demonstrations and burnt the effigy of the Jharkhand Chief Minister at several places in the state. These protests will continue till the leaders are released.

CPI(ML) Central Team Met Bihar Governor on West Champaran Issue

CPI(ML) central team led by Dr Jayanta Rongpi, MP and CC member of the Party, Ram Naresh Ram, Leader of Party's legislature group in Bihar and Rameshwar Prasad, ex-MP and General Secretary of Bihar Pradesh Khet Mazdoor Sabha visited West Champaran in Bihar on 12 August for the first hand appraisal of the growing feudal-police repression. The team met the Governor of Bihar on 13 August and urged him to direct the govt. to order judicial inquiry into Chiutahan and Bettiah firings. The team also demanded proper safety arrangements for the rural poor and dalits of Chiutahan, a village in the district, immediate orders for the arrest of Markandey Pandey and his criminal gang and immediate action against the SP of West Champaran.

Here we produce summary of the report and memorandum submitted to the Bihar Governor:

1. Markandey Pandey, a resident of Deoria district in UP, is a notorious land mafia who has been illegally possessing 250 acres of land in Chiutahan village. He possesses legal papers only for 6.5 acres. The rest of the land is benami and gair mazarua. Earlier CPI(ML) had submitted memoranda to the district administration to get this land distributed among the villagers. On 25 June the poor and dalits of that village occupied that land and hoisted red flag on it.

2. Markandey Pandey got implicated four villagers of Chiutahan on the false charge of theft of a tractor battery. Bettiah Sadar DSP Ram Vilas Mahato along with 200 policemen from 18 police stations reached the village on the pretext of arresting these four accused persons. The police resorted to indiscriminate firing, killing Laxman Majhi (12) on the spot. Sheshnath Majhi was seriously injured and is now admitted in Narkatiaganj Hospital. Even a pig received a bullet.

3. At the same time the criminal gang hired by Markandey Pandey reached the village from another side and fired indiscriminately. This gang was led by BJP leader Harishankar Tiwari, ex-minister of UP. Police and the criminal gang together looted the property of all the 70 villagers, including 12 bicycles, poultry and pigs. Not only that, the women and children were thrashed mercilessly. Police picked up 50 persons and took them to Mainatanr PS. There false charges were framed against 21 villagers including 12 women, one of them pregnant, and they were sent to jail. SP was all along present in Mainatanr PS supervising the operation.

4. In order to prove this incident an encounter, first the police placed a country-made rifle in the hands of Laxman Majhi's corpse. The rifle actually belongs to members of the criminal gang, Nitya Pandey and Suresh Sah. Against Chiutahan incident the police refused to register a case of killing and loot. The police refused to hand over the corpse of Laxman to his relative Sudama Majhi, his brother-in-law who had gone to the Police Station. Later the police secured thumb impression of one Akloo Majhi who did not even know Laxman Majhi, and burnt the corpse. The whole episode was conducted in the supervision of SP Anil Yadav.

5. It is most surprising that 200 policemen mobilised from 18 police stations were sent to arrest four persons accused in a case of theft of a tractor battery , and they chose to open fire, whereas there are hundreds of murder cases waiting to be solved, dozens of notorious criminals roaming around freely. And this large contingent was sent to encircle a tola inhabited by merely 70 landless-poor families!

6. On 9 August Kranti Day, when West Champaran Bandh was being observed to protest Chiutahan police firing, the police in Bettiah killed Ramji Patel in cold blood. The police were already on the search of "a leader clad in dhoti and kurta". No train was stopped at Bettiah, nor any act of destruction took place there. People were peacefully waiting for the train. Had there been any untoward incident the railway police would have acted. In this incident however not the rail police but district police was involved, although there was no magistrate to issue an order. 7. The DM and Bettiah Railway Station Superintendent have denied any incident of destruction taking place at the station and held the firing as unnecessary and unprovoked.

South Asian Community in London Decides to Picket Advani During His Tour to Britain

The South Asia Solidarity Group and Awaaz have called to picket L K Advani at the Indian High Commission in London when he arrives on August 21 on an official visit These two organisations have asked the people not to let the BJP profit from genocide in Gujarat and have issued an statement saying the BJP is following through its horrifyingly cynical strategy of consolidating power in Gujarat by demanding immediate elections in a situation where large sections of the minority population are effectively disenfranchised. This is despite the Election Commission's ruling that free and fair elections will be impossible for many months to come.

UK's Sangh Parivar Swears by Godse

The saffron fascist Sanghis in Britain celebrated Independence Day by resolving to "advocate Godse's outlook and action" and challenged "every anti-national Mulla-Commie", a shorthand for Muslims and Communists in their rhetorical invectives. While whole world is condemning their role in perpetrating heinous crimes in Gujarat, they have circulated an e-mail to the members of the their fraternity asking them to observe 'at least a minute's silence in memory of those who sacrificed their lives for Hindutva". Although their frustration is also evident as the mail says , "The battle is hard particularly when the Indians are not united for Bharat Mata." So this is how they carry out their vicious and misleading campaigns.

Amartya Sen Blames Narendra Modi government for Genocide in Gujarat

Nobel laureate Amartya Sen has held the Narendra Modi govt. responsible for the communal violence in Gujarat and described it as a 'monstrous act'. He said there was an attempt to incite a section of the polulation against another with political motivation. He criticised the Modi Govt. saying that the communal violence did not happen in any other state. So, the nature of the governance in Gujarat had something to do with it. It was not proper to correlate the communal violence with poor economic development and lack of education. One of the highest sectarian violence in the twentieth century occured in Germany, a developed state, and not in any third-world country.

Saffron Regime! A Shame for the Nation!

It is indeed a testing time for Indian Democracy.

Prime Minister unfurled the tricolour at the Red Fort on 15 August. This time very less people attended the ceremony. The crowd was mainly from the security personnel. He was ill. He was at loss. He made some shrill sounds of anti-Pakistanism. Bush and Musharraf laughed. Nobody in India took him seriously. The 'ghosts' of Taboot (coffin), Tehlka and UTI scam are still alive. Vajpayee is finding it very difficult to get rid of them. No 'yagna' - no 'mantra' can kill these 'ghosts'. They have become engraved in the memory of the nation. Vajpayee's Parivar is bewildered. The number of 'ghosts' has increased with new arrivals in this auspicious month of August. The 'ghosts' of Petrol Pump and Land scam and journalist Shivani's murder have become cruel. They are adamant to put last nails in the coffin of the saffron regime. They are pulling the pillers of the palace where Vajpayee-Advani-George-Yashwant-Naik-Mahajan are sleeping cozy. The 'ghosts' are exhorting the people to thunder---