Competitive Political Opportunism in UP

Mayawati’s third term as UP Chief Minister has come to a sudden end. In terms of political strategy, both the BJP and the BSP had worked out a comprehensive agreement, an agreement transcending the realm of immediate tactical compulsion regarding government formation in Uttar Pradesh to assume wider united front dimensions at the Centre and in states other than UP. Accordingly, Mayawati had done everything possible to protect Advani in the Ayodhya case. Her government chose not to issue a fresh notification which could have plugged the earlier loopholes and created some legal trouble for Advani, Joshi and Uma Bharti. But she has once again been done in by the BJP. Opportunism has once again exacted a heavy price.

Politically, Mayawati might have managed to ‘justify’ the BSP-BJP accord by becoming the Chief Minister with the BJP’s support, but on the social plane she could not ignore the intense real contradictions between large sections of the dalit rural poor and the predominantly upper caste kulak-mafia lobby in the state. She could not possibly rule without appearing to address this contradiction, however symbolically, and hence the notorious Raja Bhaiya had to be booked under POTA. The BJP high command was rattled by this action and the party’s traditional upper caste support base began to resent the accord. The Congress and the SP began to smell their chances of revival and it was widely believed that the days of her government were anyway numbered.

The Taj corridor scam in which the CBI, under instruction from the Supreme Court, has started quizzing Mayawati and her close associates came in handy for the BJP to terminate the present accord with the BSP. By all accounts, the BJP too has been an equal partner in the Taj corridor scam, but it remains to be seen whether Mayawati succeeds in getting the BJP leadership indicted on this count. Mayawati’s penchant for the spectacular could not be satisfied with just one Ambedkar Park in Lucknow and the Taj proved too tempting a target for all those interested in quick and big bucks. The Hindi play ‘Tajmahal ka Tender’, a dramatic exposure of the politics and economics of privatisation, came tantalisingly true in real life in the form of the aborted Taj corridor.

Will the BSP now perforce go it alone? Or will Mayawati now join hands with the Congress to teach a lesson or two to the treacherous BJP and more importantly, to buy a political insurance cover if the going on the Taj corridor inquiry really threatens to get tough? The answers to these and other questions associated with the immediate political future of the BSP will probably start unfolding soon. But for those supporters of the BSP who care for the basic interests and aspirations of the overwhelming majority of the dalit population in UP, the fall of the third BSP government holds rich political lessons about the real character of Mayawati’s politics of opportunism and crass celebration of power. The metamorphosis of Mayawati from being a symbol of dalit assertion to becoming another ‘queen’ of bourgeois politics, runs parallel to the story of the ‘humble Badshah’ in neighbouring Bihar.

Beyond the Taj corridor, the corridors of power in Lucknow are witnessing the birth of an interesting political realignment in the state. The ease with which Mulayam Singh Yadav has been sworn in as the Chief Minister has raised many an eyebrow. But the outlines of the unwritten memorandum of understanding between the BJP and the SP were already discernible in the course of the debate on the no-confidence motion against the Vajpayee government in Parliament. The new CM has been prompt to revoke POTA and assuage the ‘hurt feelings’ of Raja Bhaiya and his ‘admirers’, but he has uttered not a word about doing anything to bring the guilty of Ayodhya to justice. Are we seeing the beginning of another George-type socialist somersault or another variety of the TDP-AIADMK model of centre-state ‘cooperation’? Is Comrade Surjeet, the much-acclaimed communist Chanakya, watching?

The lingering instability and constant churning in Uttar Pradesh politics cannot but have a wider impact. The BJP’s ambitious dreams of riding piggyback on the BSP to secure bigger gains in an early election have been sealed for the time being. A Congress-BSP undertsanding is also likely to cost the party dear in the forthcoming Assembly elections. Viewed from a different angle, the BJP, however, is now better placed to reassure its core constituency and resurect its core agenda. As time draws the final balance-sheet, the Left must step up its own independent campaign to strengthen the voice of people’s democracy in the midst of this growing political instability.

CPI(ML) Statement on Recent Developments

In view of the notice issued by the Supreme Court to LK Advani, MM Joshi and the CBI in the Babri Masjid demolition case the CPI(ML) reiterates its demand for immediate dismissal of Advani and Joshi from the Union Cabinet.

Party also condemns the blatant partisan use of CBI by the Central govt. The same CBI which is now being used to grill Mayawati and her associates in Taj Corridor case, is being made instrumental in shielding Advani and others in the Babri Masjid demolition case.

The UP state committee of CPI(ML) has said that fall of Mayawati govt. in UP must be a lesson for those opportunist forces who collaborate with fascists to serve their vested political interests but end up as an instrument to fulfill the agenda of communal fascist forces.

CPI(ML) appeals to join

All India Protests

by Left parties and other organisations on  9 September ‘03

to oppose the
India-Israel-US axis

on the occasion of visit of
Israeli PM Ariel Sharon

Who, as Israeli Defence Minister in 1982, masterminded one of the gravest crimes against humanity by ordering the massacre of Palestinians at the Sabra and Shatilla refugee camps in Lebanon where thousands of innocents, including infants, children, women (including pregnant women), and the elderly were killed brutally, many of whom were mutilated or disemboweled before or after they were killed during that sixty-two-hour rampage.

Who, with over 2,000 Israeli soldiers desecrated the Al Aqsa Mosque, on 28th Sept 2000, in a deliberate attempt to hurt the feelings of Palestinian people.

Who is conducting indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas in Palestine in the name of what he calls targeted killings of Palestinian activists or presumed activists.

Who pursues inhuman and dirty policy of destroying the Palestinians and their identity and is directly responsible for the killings of thousands of Palestinians.
The protesters will assemble at Shahjahan Road-India Gate Circular Road Junction and march towards Hotel Taj Man Singh at 11.00 AM.

Gherao to Protest Killing of Party Activist

A local Party activist Jawahar Kunwar was murdered by the henchmen of local feudal landlord in village Charihani of West Champaran district in the night of August 31. The murderers fled in the dark of the night. The enraged villagers demolished their houses in search of them. Thousands of people held a protest at Gaunaha block headquarter next day. The Party has demanded arrest and stern action against the killers and the landlord.

Demonstration to Protest Kasmara Massacre

Bihar Pradesh Khet Mazdoor Sabha held a Mahadharna and demonstration at Katihar DM office on August 27 to demand punishment for the perpetrators of Kasmara (Purnea) massacre and withdrawal of cases against CPI(ML) MLA Mahboob Alam and Shah Chand, who is in jail under TADA charges. It was also demanded to withdraw cases from AISA leaders arrested for showing ‘black flags’ to Advani in Darbhanga. These apart, the demonstrators asked the authorities to protect the rights of the tenants and patta-holders and rehabilitation of flood affected families.

BPKMS also held a two-day Mahadharna in Samastipur on August 29-30 participated by a large number of people from 15 panchayat areas. This dharna expressed people’s resentment against increasing attack by feudal elements on agrarian labourers and poor peasants in the area and also demanded land pattas for the land which was freed from a landlord’s illegal occupation in village Milki earlier in the month of March.

RYA Protest in Dinajpur

A protest meeting was held in Gobindpur (N. Dinajpur) on August 16 to condemn police inaction in a case of an attack by anti-social elements on an RYA leader.

In N. Dinajpur (W.B.), 70 CPI(M) activists joined CPI(ML) on Aug 13 and held a mass meeting at Badhantalla against CPI(M)’s opportunism. The meeting was also addressed by CPI(ML) leaders in the district Ganesh Chhetri and Ajit Das.

Militant Mass-Resistance against Police-Criminal Nexus

Sunil Paswan was kidnapped on Aug 14 from his village Derwan in Kudra block. The local police, in connivance with the kidnappers, took no action and even refused to file the FIR. But the villagers through their constant vigil rescued seriously injured Sunil after 12 days from a nearby village after putting strong resistance to the kidnappers. The villagers marched with Sunil to the nearest PS and informed his family as well as Kudra thana. Ironically, Sunil was taken to thana, beaten up and asked to change his statement by the thana incharge. This enraged the villagers who gheraoed the thana. This followed blockade of the GT, which continued till higher officials were forced to intervene and suspend the thana incharge Rama Shanker Pandey.

Deliberate Arrests of CPI(ML) Leaders in Jharkhand

CPI(ML)’s Bokaro district secretary Dinesh Singh was arrested in a very dramatic manner in Bokaro by a joint police team of Kasmar and Jaridih police stations in the early hours of August 23 and immediately sent to jail. This unlawful arrest evoked spontaneous protest same day and a demonstration was held same day by CPI(ML) and Momin Welfare Society activists who also blockaded Jainamor Chowk where a mass meeting was held.

Police repression continued on subsequent days as it tried to harass and arrest in old or false cases many activists and leaders who had declared to stage a massive protest on Sep. 1 against the arrest of Comrade Dinesh Singh. Police prevented activists from participating in a blockade on Aug 25 and sent one activist Ansari to jail. Ansari caught red handed a government official for taking bribe and brought him to police station to lodge a complaint, but former was falsely implicated in the case and arrested. Similarly, Baleshwar Yadav was arrested on Aug 28. But people forced to let him free after a militant gherao of the thana.

Thousands of people took to street in Bokaro on Sep 1 protesting the arrests in spite of police’s frustrated attempts to prevent them from joining the protest. Hundreds of activists of Momin Welfare Society also came to support the demonstration and reached up to Bokaro Administrative building. A large number of people resisted police at Jainamor where it fired three rounds in the air and arrested five activists, but protesters remained unscared and bravely joined the demonstration. People used different modes of transport to reach to the protest and members of Jainamor Motor Kamgar union also helped them by providing dozens of vehicles. Later a mass meeting was conducted and release of arrested comrades was demanded.

The CPI(ML) has strongly condemned these incidents and warned the BJP’s state govt. to desist from such tactics aimed at suppressing the forces struggling for people’s rights and dignity.

Convention for Right to Strike and against ‘Privatisation’ of Pensions

All India Central Council of Trade Unions organised a convention at Maulali Yuba Kendra in Kolkata against Supreme Court ruling on right to strike and government’s attempts to ‘privatise’ pensions. The Convention was addressed by West Bengal Secretaries of AICCTU, AITUC, CITU and UTUC besides a number of other leaders from various workers’ organisations.

West Bengal AICCTU Secretary Basudev Bose said in his speech that one of the pillers of the state, judiciary, has today posed a serious challenge to the people of the nation and waged an unfair war against toiling and working people. Policies of Central govt. have inflicted extreme poverty and unemployment and these decisions, one by SC and another by the govt., have also tried to create a division between govt. employees and other working people in the country.

Central govt.’s plan to abolish present structure of pensions to enforce it’s anti-people economic policies is intended to divorce from it’s own social responsibility and it is ready to hand over the valuable and huge pension funds to private manipulators.

This is a brutal attack on the working people of the country and it has to be opposed at any cost. Speakers also asserted that central govt. is trying to follow Tamil Nadu in attacking rights of the working people but it has been proved by the history that it the unity and strength of the working class that is capable enough to snatch back it’s rights from the rulers.

CITU state secretary Chittobrata Mazumdar said in his speech that SC ruling is utterly class biased in favour of capitalists and is a blatant attack on the working people.

Dharna in Muzaffarpur

BPKMS organised a dharna in Muzaffarpur demanding action against police station incharge of Bochaha thana who led a brutal police lathicharge during Bihar Bandh on Aug 21. Speakers in the dharna also criticized the Land Reform Minister Ramai Ram for his open support to the repressive measures being taken up by the administration and for his protection to the land mafia-criminal-police nexus in the area. The dharna demanded redistribution of ceiling surplus land to the flood-affected landless agri. labourers.

AISA-RYA Protest Against Capitation Fee

Despite the verdict of Supreme Court against Capitation fees in private Medical Colleges and a recent verdict of Calcutta High Court against the Rs. 9 lakhs Capitation fees in the medical colleges of West Bengal, the left front Government is yet to withdraw its project in principle. Introduction of Rs. 50,000 in Science Faculty in Kalyani University this year is the glaring example of this fact.

The recent successful Bangla Bandh on August 21 called by CPI(ML) and SUCI was also directed against this unlawful capitation fees in the medical colleges and universities. The State Government has recently conducted a separate entrance examination (not the joint entrance exam.) by taking Rs. 1000 as examination fee. Though the MCI (Medical Council of India) has not yet sanctioned this type of MBBS courses where admissions are done on the basis of capitation fees.

AISA and RYA held a meeting in front of the Kolkata University in protest against this unlawful practice. College street road was blocked and an effigy of the state health minister Suryakanta Mishra was burnt, demanding immediate withdrawal of the government’s project of introduction of the capitation fee in the medical colleges.

Arrest of AISA Leaders in Darbhanga Protested

A protest was organised by RYA in Patna on August 30 against the arrest of AISA leaders, in Darbhanga, while showing black flags to Advani, under charges of treason. The protestors also burnt an effigy of the CM.

AISA and RYA also held a day-long dharna in Patna on Sep. 1 against this incident and demanded immediate release of arrested leaders. When students and youth suddenly spotted caravan of Rabri Devi passing by the venue of the dharna, they rose up to protest in front of her and chanted slogans like ‘Stop brutal repression on student movement and its leaders’ and ‘Stop Giving Bail to Criminals and Jail to Activists’.

AISA Conferences

Muzaffarpur unit of AISA held it’s fifth district conference on August 23 and demanded for the restoration of elected students’ unions in the campus. A march was also held in the city before the conference.

While Arah (Bhojpur) unit of AISA held its second district conference on August 30 which was inaugurated by the Vice-Chancellor of Veer Kunwar Singh University and noted historian Vijay Kumar Thakur. The Conference condemned the privatisation of education and increasing attacks on democratic rights of the student community.

Over to WTO Regime: Five More Farmers End Life

Five cases of farmers committing suicides - two each in Bellary and Hassan districts and one in Shimoga district - have been reported in Karnataka in the last 24 hours (on September 2). The number of such cases has gone up alarmingly.

Reports put number of such deaths at 75 in August. Though several parts of the State have received rainfall, agriculture has become non-viable for farmers who have taken loans. Durgappa (30) committed suicide by consuming poison at Shivanand Nagar in Hagari Bommanahalli taluk in Bellary district on Monday.

According to informations, Durgappa had sown maize in his five-acre land after obtaining Rs. 50,000 loan from the Tungabhadra Grameen Bank. In another case, Karibasappa (35) of Muddapur village in Hospet taluk consumed poison in the early hours of Monday.

It is said that he had taken a loan of Rs. 20,000. K. R. Gangadhara (40) of Gorur village in Hassan district reportedly committed suicide on Monday. Lakke Gowda, Hassan Tehsildar, said Gangadhar, who owned three acres of land, consumed pesticide. Shankarappa (55) of Gama village in Shikaripur taluk reportedly committed suicide on Monday by consuming pesticide.

It is reported that more than 400 families have been affected on account of suicides.

[Report courtesy ‘The Hindu’ dated Sep 3 ‘03]