Chanting ‘Advani Go Back’ Is Sedition in Laloo’s Bihar

Some time ago, we had editorially commented on the game of law in Laloo’s Bihar. The game is getting curiouser and curiouser. On 16 August, four activists of AISA and RYA were arrested in Darbhanga and charged with ‘sedition’. And what was the ‘crime’ they committed? They were waving black flags and chanting ‘Advani go back’ when the chargesheeted Union Home Minister had come on an official visit to the district. As we go to press, these brave student-youth activists are still in jail.

Since when has waving black flags and chanting ‘go back’ become an act of sedition? The whole concept of sedition was discovered by the British colonialists to secure their colonial rule and suppress the voice of protest and freedom. In a democracy, it is the inalienable right of every citizen to demonstrate against a person who is guilty of masterminding a fascist campaign against the very secular-democratic tenets of the Constitution which are the founding principles of the Indian republic. The tendency to brand legitimate dissent as sedition and suppress it on that score is completely antithetical to the very notion and spirit of democracy. It is ironical that the RJD government of Bihar which never tires of mouthing anti-autocratic rhetoric has taken a leaf out of Advani’s book of ‘hard state’ to protect his image!

In 1990, it was in the same Bihar that Advani’s chariot had been subjected to an unscheduled halt by the same government. Laloo Prasad had then just assumed the mantle of Bihar and Advani was yet to become India’s first chargesheeted Home Minister. But a decade later when the same Advani, now a prime accused of the Babri Masjid demolition case and also the Deputy Prime Minister of the NDA government, comes to Bihar, student-youth activists are charged with ‘sedition’ for waving black flags at him!

Incidentally, just a day before Advani’s visit to Darbhanga, Togadia had come calling. While students demonstrated on the streets of Patna, Bihar government chose to send him back. Nothing wrong with that – a number of non-BJP governments have done that on different occasions – except that the Bihar government which cites ‘financial bankruptcy’ to deny salaries to its own employees chose to provide free air tickets to Togadia’s entourage. The next day the same courtesy was extended once again to Giriraj Kishore, another VHP leader! And just when Giriraj Kishore was being handed over air tickets, activists of AISA and RYA were being herded into prison on charge of sedition!

What is the political logic behind such double standards? Are we being told that it is okay to challenge or at least appear to challenge communal forces as long as they are not directly in power, but once communal forces assume power they ‘legitimise’ themselves and deserve to be treated as such? Let us not forget that the policy of appeasing communal forces in power led to the demolition of the Babri Masjid and the aggressive communal fascist campaign that has followed in its wake. Or does Laloo Prasad want to say that the job of tackling communalism belongs to his government and the people have no business to raise their banner of anti-communal protests on the streets? Either way, the action of the Bihar government provides an instructive lesson about the essential hollowness of its anti-communal protestations.

Along with this new-found veneration for the Advanis and Togadias, the RJD government has also acquired a taste for ‘cultural policing’. Just when the RSS goons are busy stopping Habib Tanvir’s Naya Theatre from staging the well-known Chhattisgarhi folk theatre ‘Ponga Pundit’, and Jayalalitha’s police restrains a thetre group from Kolkata from staging ‘Hey Ram’, a play set in the backdrop of the Gujarat genocide, RJD supporters stopped the screening of Prakash Jha’s latest film ‘Gangajal’ merely because a villain in the film shared the same name as one of Laloo Prasad’s brothers-in-law.

The film, based on the real-life incident of Bhagalpur blindings, a grisly saga of police atrocities in Bihar, offers a cinematic portrayal of the notorious criminal-police nexus in the state. After days of suspense about the fate of his film in Bihar, Jha had to secure ‘clearance’ by having a personal meeting with Laloo Prasad and his brother-in-law ostensibly to remove all ‘misunderstandings’. Like Bal Thackeray granting security to the ‘culturewallahs’ of Mumbai, films in Bihar now need certification by Laloo Prasad.

For those who thought that secularism and democracy were best ‘protected’ in Laloo’s Bihar, it is evidently time to think again.

Citizens Seek Withdrawal of TADA cases against CPI(ML) activists

Many noted personalities have sent an appeal asking for withdrawal of TADA cases from 14 CPI(ML) acitivists and leaders in Jehanabad district. Prashant Bhushan, human rights activist and noted lawyer, Shripad Dharmadhikary, Alok Agarawal and Chittaroopa Palit of Narmada Bachao Andolan, noted film makers Sanjay Kak and Anand Patwardhan, Theatre personality Arvind Gaur, H. Thakkar of World Commission for Dam and noted writer and social activist Arundhati Roy have sent an appeal sent to the President of India requesting his intervention to seek release of activists who have unjustifiably been framed under TADA and sentenced for the life term.

The appeal says, “It is an irony that while the draconian act TADA was withdrawn by the government precisely in the background of its gross misuse by the law enforcement agencies, the Act is still being utilized with an ulterior political motive by the powers that be in a state like Bihar, making an open mockery of justice.” “There are ample evidences to prove that TADA is being misutilised in Jahanabad and whole of Bihar with ulterior political motive. At least, it has definitely not been used to check terrorist activities.”

It was the pressure of justice-loving and civil rights conscious citizens under which the government had to withdraw TADA. However, in Bihar the same TADA has been utilized by the state to settle political rivalry.

The Signatories to the letter have appealed to the citizens’ democratic conscience to rise against this injustice and compel the powers that be to withdraw the case and set the victims free. It would not be out of place to remind that in Bihar TADA has never been clamped on notorious gangster Md. Shahabuddin, the killer MP from Siwan, or any of the Ranvir Sena chieftains, including its head Brahmeshwar Singh or dozens of notorious history-sheeters in Bihar.

Cadre Convention in Uttaranchal

Uttaranchal unit of the Party held a state level cadre convention at Haldwani on Sep 6-7 to discuss various new issues after formation of the new state and failure of the governments in addressing the problems of the common people and also chalked out a detailed programme for the Party’s ‘Save Democracy - Save India’ campaign.

Inaugurating the Convention Comrade Swadesh Bhattacharya said in his speech that it is the need of the people of the state to intensify movement for revolutionary land reforms in order to orient various struggles towards a people’s democratic agenda and to pressurise the government to make policies for the development of agriculture. United strength of poor peasants and rural labourers must be the axis of political struggles to counter the increasing dominance of multinationals over the rich natural resources like river waters, forests and land. He also criticized increased intervention of World Bank and IMF in the affairs of the state through various funded projects and BJP and Congress who ruled the state during last two and a half years after the inception of new state for deliberately ignoring people’s issues to favour imperialist intervention. He emphasised on the need to strengthen the Party and expansion of mass organisations, particularly peasant organisation. He called upon the Party leadership and the entire ranks to concentrate in rural areas, organise the rural poor, develop struggles for the distribution of surplus land to the poor, for necessary infrastructure for the agriculture, interest free loans to small peasants, ensure work throughout the year and equal wages for men and women, BPL cards to all rural and urban labourers as well as poor peasants, social security and welfare measures including maternity benefits to working women and old-age pensions, etc. He also stressed the need to develop powerful movement against mafia-contractor-rural politician-police-bureaucrats nexus and strong people’s resistance against selling out/privatisation of forests and state-owned horticulture farms and eviction of poor peasants in the name of protecting sanctuaries.

He called upon the students and youth leaders to strengthen and develop AISA as a centre of the movement involving broadest sections of students and youth to save education and educational institutions from policies of liberalisation as a part of the revolutionary democratic movement in Uttarakhand as well of India. He called upon the student-youth leaders to integrate not only with broader sections of students and youth but also with the rural and urban poor. This is the key to remould oneself and also for the transformation of the society.

Convention was presided over by CC member and in-charge of Uttarakhand Rajendra Pratholi who gave emphasis on target oriented style of work and accountability with a regular habit of deep investigation and study to achieve political targets in his speech.

Comrade Raja Bahuguna, on behalf of the State Leading Team, presented a detailed outline on the political perspective and future tasks and targets. After long deliberations, participated by almost all delegates, the Convention passed resolutions including for enactment of a new pro-people Land Reforms Act in the state, compulsory chakbandi in the hill areas, to oppose World Bank’s intervention and privatisation of forests and agriculture land, against big dams, for people’s control over forests and their direct involvement in the process of conservation of resources, to implement ceiling act in Terai region and redistribution of land by dismantling ‘co-operative’ farms involving lakhs of acres, to give status of revenue villages to all forest villages, for revival of industries, enacting separate law for the unorganised sector workers, against privatisation of education, to oppose SC ruling against strikes, and condemned the state govts. for not punishing the perpetrators of Mujaffar Nagar rape case and other atrocities during Uttarakhand movement. It was also demanded to fill vacant posts of all class three and four employees in different govt. departments and besides an employment oriented education policy and guarantee of education to every person in the state. It was also decided to support the proposed Uttarakhand bandh on Oct 2 and Dehradun march on Nov 9 called by the joint struggle committee, that includes various left and democratic forces, to press upon the people’s issues as above including the popular demand to punish the officials responsible for many atrocities committed during separate state movement.

Togadia Greeted with Black Flags in Jharkhand too

Pravin Togadia, the new-found icon of Sangh Parivar and courier of Modi-model - to spread communal venom and hatred, had to face people’s anger in capital of Jharkhand on Sept 5 when almost all the parties of the opposition came to streets in Ranchi to protest Togadia’s visit in the state. Though ruling BJP government put in every effort by utilising state machinery to smoothen his way and let loose its police to prevent protesters from reaching Ranchi and later arrested thousands of people on the day, it failed in it’s motive completely and forces from various Left and democratic circles successfully voiced people’s popular sentiments against communal fascists and registered their determined protest.

Thousands of CPI(ML) activists started their march from Ranchi railway station and reached Hinoo Chowk, where a protest meeting was organised jointly by all left parties, foiling police’s attempts to stop them. Protesters diffused VHP men, who attempted to create disturbance and started the mass meeting which continued till police officials came with warrants and took them all in custody. As police was not able to carry thousands of protesters in vehicles, all of them again marched on foot and covered a distance of 7 kilometers before they reached to Firayalal Chowk and restarted the meeting which continued till evening.

Besides left parties’ joint demonstration, many other parties also held protests separately on the day. Participation in huge numbers by CPI(ML) acitivists expressed once again their resolve to mobilise secular and democratic sections of the society to counter and defeat fascist forces spreading communal venom and hatred.

Earlier, Togadia faced no-entry in MP, Bihar and UP. where he was prevented from entering those places through administrative orders. But this protest marked a difference, especially from ‘drama’ at Patna airport where he was ‘honourably’ sent back by gifting air tickets at the cost of state exchequer by Laloo-Rabri Devi Govt. (Although, same govt. was much quicker in sending to jail and framing charges of sedition against AISA activists who voiced their resolve to fight communal fascism by showing black flags to Advani in Darbhanga).

CPI(ML) in the Indo-Pak Freindship Delegation

Central Committee Member of CPI(ML) and AICCTU Vice President Srilata Swaminathan spent a week in Pakistan as part of a 24-member delegation of Trade Union leaders from India who attended a conference named “Labour for Peace in South Asia” held in Karachi on 1-2 September. She was warmly welcomed by the comrades of Labour Party Pakistan. During her stay in Pakistan she visited the headquarters of LPP and held talks with their senior leaders. She also addressed the leaders and women activists in the LPP’s women’s organisation. She was the main speaker at a well-attended seminar on ‘Religious Extremism and Peace Initiatives’ and also at a dinner organised by main trade union federations. She was also invited by the young activists of the Progressive Youth Front to address their study class and outline the history of the left movement in India. She also addressed the workers of Bin Kasim thermal Power Plant outside Karachi and took a strong stand against attempts at its privatisation along with the anti-labour practices being implemented in both countries.

Throughout the visit Com. Srilata was enthusiastically received as the envoy of CPI(ML) and AICCTU and was showered with affection and warmth in the true spirit of communist internationalism. She returned to India with the warm wishes of the working people of Pakistan to their counterparts in India and their determination to build a genuine peace between the two nations.

Convention on Civic Problems in Assam

Eight left and democratic parties viz. CPI(ML), CPI, CPI(M), SUCI, RSP, RCPI, JD(S) and Samajwadi Party jointly organised a mass convention, in Guwahati on September 2 on deteriorating civic conditions in the State. The convention evoked good response and was attended by hundreds of people. Civic problems of Guwahati city were discussed and a call was given to launch joint struggle to solve various problems faced by the citizens, such as road, drainage and other civic amenities.

The convention severely criticized Govt’s apathy towards these prolonged problems affecting the citizens. Although the Govt. of Assam repeatedly declares its position to hold election of Guwahati Muncipal Corporation and other civic bodies, it has not yet declared exact schedule for the same. The convention demanded to hold election immediately and warned the Govt. of organising mass protests in case of any further delay. Two issues viz. ‘Electricity Act, 2003’ and ‘Supreme Court’s Order on Strike’ were also taken up for discussion and the Convention unanimously condemned Electricity Act, 2003 and the SC ruling and demanded to withdraw them.

AISA Protest VC’s Derogatory Remarks

Uttaranchal unit of All India Students’ Association has started movement against Vice-Chancellor of Garhwal University N. Natarajan who used abusive words against hill people and demanded his removal from the post. AISA and RYA burnt an effigy of VC at Haldwani on Sep 7. Speakers at the demonstration criticized state govt. for protecting VC despite statewide resentment against the derogatory remarks made by the latter condemning paharis (hill people).

AISA in DU Elections

In Delhi University Students Union elections, AISA once again re-established itself as a consistent Left stream among students fighting against policies of liberalisation in education besides raising various issues concerning students. This time AISA fought DUSU elections independently and its presidential candidate, Uma Gupta, secured 1687 votes while rest of AISA candidates secured nearly 1500 votes each showing a consistent support to its panel.

Construction Workers’ Workshop

AICCTU held a national workshop for construction workers on Sept. 5-6 in Delhi which was attended by leading activists working among construction workers from nothern states like UP, Bihar, Delhi and Rajasthan.

Workshop discussed two papers, one regarding legal issues pertaining to construction workers and the second one concerning the state of organisation in this highly unorganised sector in the country. It was decided to launch an extensive membership campaign with the slogan “Implement central legislation for construction workers - fight for social security, dignity and a better life”.

Israeli PM Sharon’s India Visit Receives Nationwide Protests and Comdemnation

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon received widespread condemnation and protests throughout the country by various political parties and organisations. A massive protest was organised on Sep 9 by various Left and democratic organisations, including CPI(ML), CPI, CPI(M), RSP, Forward Block, Janata Dal (S) and many other left organisations and democratic personalities, in New Delhi, which was participated by nearly a thousand protesters who loudly chanting slogan “BUTCHER SHARON GO BACK” and “Down with India-Israel-US Axis”. The BJP-led government in New Delhi ordered arrest of all protesters and kept herself busy in laying red carpet to this infamous right-wing politician who in 1982 masterminded one of the gravest crimes against humanity by ordering the massacre of Palestinians at the Sabra and Shatilla refugee camps and is currently busy in Israel’s construction of a West Bank security barrier which is deepening the already crippling economic restrictions on Palestinians. Protests were also held elsewhere in the country at almost all major centres.

Sharon, heading a 150-member delegation that includes top Israeli arms dealers during this first ever visit by an Israeli PM to India, intends to make some defence and trade ties to pave the way for a three-way strategic alliance with the United States. His visit has been opposed by many other organisations including Amnesty International which has asked the Government of India to take up the issue of human rights violation of Palestinians and the illegal occupation of their territory by Israel. This visit also bears importance in view of the fact that India has been a long term strategic partner and friend of Palestinian people in their struggle for liberation. This is the reason behind widespread resentment and anger among the democratic and peace loving citizens of India against the Atal Behari Vajpayee government’s softened stand towards Israel defying the general sentiments of Indian people that Sharon is the man behind all savagery and brutality against Palestinian people and such a person can never be allowed into the country. This visit is also being seen and condemned as the continuation of policies of imperialist intervention under US hegemony as Indian and United States defence officials met last month in Washington and declared a “new strategic partnership” of a possible three-way alliance, the so called India-Israel-US axis, which certainly will undermine and disturb india’s relations with its neighbours and increase imperialist intervention in the country.

CPI(ML) also organised protests at several other centers in the country.

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