‘Stability’ Unites Vajpayee and Musharraf
However hard Vajpayee and Musharraf may
try to avoid meeting each other, they cannot avoid sharing one common ‘identity’. The political birthdays of both regimes fall around the same time. The middle of October finds both Musharraf and Vajpayee preoccupied with observing the anniversary of their respective trysts with power. This October, while Musharraf celebrates four years of ‘stable military democracy’ in Pakistan, Vajpayee too celebrates four years of ‘stable coalition rule’ – the longest innings by a non-Congress regime. It is another matter that while the regimes compliment themselves on their stability or ‘ability’ to survive, the people in both countries are clearly fed up, and are eagerly looking forward to the exit or expiry of these twin monstrosities.
Time was when the BJP used to advertise itself as the party with a difference. The real meaning of this difference has now become crystal clear. The BJP has proved itself to be worse than every other national and regional ruling party on every front. Freedom from ‘bhay, bhukh and bhrastachar’ (terror, hunger and corruption), the pet slogan used in the last couple of elections is also heard no more. The government has in fact been exposed to be the greatest producer and distributor of precisely these three things. Lacking in saleable slogans, it now prefers to fall back on the worn-out Congress plank of ‘stability’.
But can ‘governmental stability’ be the sole or even main ‘identity’ of the BJP? What about the trademark issues, the real agenda that catapulted the party from the obscurity of opposition politics to the limelight of power? If the party could ‘sacrifice’ its state governments to advance its agenda, why can’t it use the central government for a vigorous implementation of the same agenda? So far, the BJP has tended to use its state governments more openly and freely, for instance in UP and Gujarat, while maintaining a measure of ‘restraint’ at the Centre. But this ‘duality’ has more to do with the lack of effective strength at the Centre and the fact that the BJP is still not sure of how the ruling classes would respond to the BJP agenda in its totality than with any inherent strength of Indian parliamentary democracy. To be sure, it is impossible for the BJP to defer its core agenda for long.
On the fourth anniversary of Vajpayee’s third term, while the BJP ‘high command’ is busy celebrating and selling stability, the VHP and other Sangh affiliates are ready with yet another phase of their temple campaign. And ironically, while VHP leaders have often expressed their ‘displeasure’ with Vajpayee and have even demanded his resignation or replacement, Vajpayee has asked the people to have faith in the VHP! A decade ago, Narsimha Rao had made a similar plea and the result is known to all. The demolition of Babri Masjid also marked the demolition of Narsimha Rao’s political career and threw the Congress out of power for the longest period till date.
In 1992, the BJP was in power in UP while a ‘consensus’-friendly Congress regime ruled at the centre. Today, while the BJP runs the show in Delhi, Lucknow has a mellowed Mulayam Singh at the helm. Having returned to power after a prolonged exile, Mulayam is now busy working out a new pattern of ‘peaceful coexistence and consensus’ with the BJP. He has already given enough indications by welcoming the Rae Bareli verdict and refusing to take any further initiative to bring Advani to justice. How his government deals with the Sangh Brigade’s renewed stridency on the temple issue remains to be seen.
While Mulayam makes up his mind, the Shiv Sena’s flop show clearly shows that the people at large have begun to grow tired of the politics of Ayodhya. For the people of Faizabad, it has been like an unending state of siege, and the urge to get out of it is growing and visible. Let the parivar celebrate its ‘stability’. Left and democratic forces must give voice to the growing mood of disenchantment and anger among the people. The people’s yearning for change must prevail over the rulers’ arrogant claim of stability.
Communal Riots in Arrah Could Have Been Prevented
The CPI(ML) has demanded immediate removal of District Magistrate of Bhojpur and a high level judicial inquiry by a sitting judge of High Court to bring real culprits who perpetrated the communal riots in Arrah town on the night of Dussehra on Oct 5 to book. The Party has also demanded rehabilitation of those whose shops were burnt by the rioters and compensation and pension to the families of innocents who were killed in the senseless firing by the police.
CPI(ML) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya along with Party MLA Ramnaresh Ram and Khet Mazdoor Sabha leader and ex-MP Rameshwar Prasad led a peace march on Oct 8 which was organised by the Party in tension-ridden Arrah town to appeal to the people to foil the designs of communal fascists and to come forward to restore peace and harmony in the town. Comrade Dipankar also visited the homes of those killed in the incident.
Party has strongly criticized the soft stand being taken by the state government towards fascist forces in Bihar and callousness shown by the District Administration during the incident and said that these pre-planned riots could have been prevented if local administration had shown promptness in taking timely and appropriate measures.
According to local Party leaders and eyewitnesses, Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena members spread rumour on the night of Oct 5 using the public address system at onepuja pandal a very planned manner, that a puja pandal has been desecrated by a member of the minority community, and started rioting, looting and arsoning of shops belonging to members of minority community in almost a half kilometer long stretch of the market in a pre-planned way. Police present on the spot remained mute spectators and when higher officials came to the spot, one inspector opened indiscriminate firing killing two innocents who were standing nearby. Nearly 70-75 shops were destroyed in the incident.
Communal elements, most of them BJP, Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena members, tried to further flare up communal tension by staging a road blockade in the morning of Oct 6 along with the dead body of Dharmendra, who fell to police bullets, and sensing that citizens were not heeding to their rumours they left the place remorselessly leaving the dead body behind, which was later taken away by his lonely father for cremation.
CPI(ML) activists, led by comrade Manohar, remained vigilant throughout the day and visited all sensitive areas in the city to appeal to the people to maintain harmony. This was continued next day, Oct 7, when AISA, RYA and JSM held a peace march in the town.
Repression on Dalits by Upper Caste Feudals in Kaimur
While communal outfits flared up tension and engineered riots in Arrah on the occasion of Durga Puja, a dalit was killed by upper caste feudals for daring to offer puja in village pandal in Baheri village of Kaimur district though he was also made to pay his share of contribution for the puja preparations. Many dalit villagers were also subjected to beatings by feudals and local police and administration tried to suppress the resentment among villagers and remained busy in saving the culprits. Nobody has yet been arrested for the murder of sixty year old Ramlal Ram who was killed by an upper Brahmin youth on Oct 4 during Dussehra celebrations neither any kurki warrants have been issued against the murderers.
According to the CPI(ML) team which which made an on the spot investigation, it all started with the possession of a public platform made around a papal tree in the dalit tola of the village. Dalits are denied to sit on or use the platform though it is located in their tola while upper caste lumpen youth of the village use to gather and use it as a platform to pass obscene comments to passersby. This was a point of resentment among dalits for quite a long time. Moreover, local feudals were also enraged by the BPKMS campaign in the village which made nearly 70 agri. labourers its members. To weaken the resentment among dalits, upper caste members decided to include dalits and backwards into the puja committee in the village, but it became unbearable for them when a dalit youth dared to offer puja on the evening of Oct 4 in the community pandal erected on the occasion. He was severely beaten up by upper caste members and when former managed to flee the spot, a Brahmin youth, who is also an active Ranvir Sena member, went to his house and killed his father Ramlal Ram.
When CPI(ML) team reached the village on the next day, all accused were present in the village, roaming freely, demonstrating Laloo's brand of 'Social Justice'.
The Party organised a series of protest meetings against this incident at many places including Bhabhua and Kudra which culminated into a massive protest rally at Kaimur where thousands of people participated from nearby villages. A 'jan panchayat' will also be organised against rising number of incidents of dalit repression on Oct 22. CPI(ML) has demanded arrests of all those who are responsible for this crime and a compensation of at least one lakh rupees to the family of the victim and guarantee of security to the dalits of Baheri village and said that such incidents are a result of passive as well as active support being given to perpetrators by the local administration. Party has also demanded strong action against DM and SP of Kaimur.
Khet Mazdoor Sabha Units Held District Conferences
Bihar Predesh Khet Mazdoor Sabha units of Gaya and Nawada districts held conferences on Oct 12 and Sep 24 respectively and elected their destrict committees. First BPKMS conference of Gaya unit was held at Shaheed Brajesh Hall in Gaya which elected a 19 member district committee. The conference discussed issues related to land redistribution, wages, social dignity and question of development.
Impressive marches were also organised in both the districts before the conferences which witnessed massive participation by enthusiastic new members. These Conferences chalked out a comprehensive plan to make the forthcoming All India Conference of Agricultural Labourers to be held at Arrah a great success.
Convention on 'Politics of Fascism and Tasks before Democratic Forces' in Faizabad
CPI(ML) organised a mass convention in Faizabad on Oct 12 on Politics of Fascist Forces and Tasks of the Democratic Forces which was attended by cross sections of the people including prominent intellectuals, journalists besides a large number of Party activists from Faizabad and nearby districts. Convention was organised against Sangh Parivar's communal campaign particularly VHP's call of Ayodhya March on Oct 17.
Speakers at the convention condemned Sangh's fascist politics which is going on in the name of Mandir and said that the people, particularly in Ayodhya-Faizabad and whole of Awadh region who share a common tradition and culture, will never let fascists come to power in the country and Sangh Parivar and its outfits' all attempts will be frustrated by them. But at the same time, speakers also warned that all attempts to limit the movement against fascism in parliamentary framework must be countered to unleash the real power of the people by involving broader sections of the masses especially peasants and workers.
The Convention asked Mulayam govt. of UP not to show any leniency towards VHP's proposed Ayodhya March and demanded to file a petition in the Supreme Court against the Raebareli court's verdict which has aquitted Adavani, main accused in Babri Masjid demolition case on filmsy grounds giving him benefit of doubt. Convention also demanded that a fresh notification must be issued by the UP govt. to facilitate the way to punish the guilty of Babri Masjid demolition, including Advani and other BJP and Sangh leaders, in the Special Court at Lucknow.
The Convention was presided over by UP State Secretary of CPI(ML) Akhilendra Pratap Singh.
Convention in Rudrapur
The Udham Singh Nagar unit of Party organised a Convention on 'Oust mafia - Save Uttaranchal' as part of 'Save India - Save Democracy' Campaign at Rudrapur on Oct 12.
Speakers at the Convention strongly criticized state and central governments for their unwillingness to enact pro-people policies which are suitable to the specific social and geographical conditions of the newly formed state and demanded enactment of a comprehensive and new land-reforms law for the state. Political patronage being given to land-mafia and corrupt bureaucracy by ruling Congress and the BJP was also condemned. Various other issues including implementation of ceiling act and dissolution of big farms running in thousands of acres in the name of co-operatives in the terai region were also raised in the convention. The Convention was presided over by Uttaranchal CPI(ML) in-charge Raja Bahuguna.
Hunger Strike Against Police Atrocities in Sonbhadra
UP State Committee of CPI(ML) has strongly condemned the increasing police atrocities and attacks on Party activists, particularly in Chandauli and Sonbhadra districts, and demanded an immediate stop to these incidents of state repression. Party's State Committee member Dinkar Kapur also sat on a 48 hour hunger strike on Oct 6-8 in protest at headquarter of Sonbhadra district Robertsganj with demands to remove IG (Police) Varanasi Zone who issues orders to target CPI(ML) leaders and activists, to punish SP of Chandauli district who ordered the arrest and third degree torture of Dr. Ishwar Dayal, a Party leader in the district and immediate release of the latter. Party will also start legal procedure against this arrest besides intensifying mass movement to protest this state repression. The killing of four persons at Devrar-Pipra by the police was also condemned through this hunger strike and dharna.
Mass Campaign in Delhi
The Delhi unit of CPI(ML) is organising mass campaigns against the Congress govt. in Delhi as well as NDA's central govt. for their failure in addressing civic problems and issues related particularly to working class in the capital. This has been taken up as Party's 'Save India - Save Democracy' campaign and besides distributing pamphlets in several area, a series of mass meetings is being organised at selected centres. Two mass meetings were organised at Vinod Nagar and Patparganj on Oct 11 and 12 respectively which were addressed by many leading comrades of Delhi State Committee.
The Party is raising issues like misappropriation of MLAs' Funds in various constituencies, increasing police atrocities on poor and toiling masses, unresolved problems of potable water, electricity, sanitation and demolition of jhuggis besides launching an intensive campaign against privatisation of public sector undertakings, SC ban on strikes, fascist attacks on democratic institutions and Delhi govt.'s move to privatise DTC, health and education sectors through this exposure campaign.
CPI(ML) has expressed resentment over increasing repression of Party leaders and cadres by state administration at the behest of feudal forces operating in West Champaran in the form of Kisan Sangh and other criminal gangs.
Bihar State Secretary of CPI(ML) Ramjatan Sharma has said that intensification of democratic movement by the peasants and agricultural labourers in the district has led to an increase in administrative and police repression and arrests of Party activists on fake charges. This is being done in connivance with feudal elements and criminal gangs who in turn protect the vested interests of corrupt politicians and bureaucracy.
A senior leader of the Party Birendra Gupta has conspiratorially been confined to jail despite appeals by hundreds of eminent social personalities and more cases are being framed against him. On Oct 12, police took no action against criminals of dreaded Jahangir gang who kidnapped two CPI(ML) activists in broad day-light from Margadwa Railway station. Police let loose its reign of terror on hundreds of Party supporters on Oct 6 in a deliberate act after MCC looted rifles from police at Rameshwar Halt. Five Party activists were arrested, when they were holding a meeting in connection with All India Agri. Labourers Conference to be held next month. On Oct 8, hundreds of police personnel raided Dhobahan village. All five have been implicated in arms act. Another Party activist Sanjay Yadav, who managed bail, has once again been re-arrested on false charges.
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CPI(ML) has sent a letter of protest to the Election Commission of India regarding anomalies being practiced by the State Election Commission in Bihar and by Electoral Officers in many districts and asked the CEC to direct the concerned officials to include opinions of CPI(ML) nominees at various levels during rationalising procedures and physical varification of polling booths and related tasks.
Party has cited several instances of electoral malpractices and said that it is mandatory on the part of CEC to obtain opinions of as many citizens as possible in the task of rationalisation and physical varification of polling booths in order to ensure and protect democracy. But, on the contrary, 60 objections filed by the Party have not been taken care of in district Jehanabad. Moreover, district electoral officer did not invite Party nominee to the meeting ignoring the fact that Party is a state recognised one and secured more than one and a half lakh votes in last Lok Sabha elections. Similarly, in Siwan where Party secured more than two and a half lakh votes and has an MLA from Mairwa assembly constituency, its nominees are deliberately not been invited by the EO. While in Darbhanga Party's nominee was asked to leave the meeting when he tried to lodge his complaint regarding anomalies in the process of rationalisation of booths.
Electoral process in Bihar is always been shadowed by malpractices marked with rampant incidents of booth capturing and electoral violence which in turn makes mockery of whole democratic process and facilitates election of corrupt and criminal politicians who serve different feudal Senas and mafia elements. Therefore, proper rationalisation of polling booths and voter lists becomes quite important for the forces fighting against criminalisation of politics and for real democracy to the common citizens in the state.
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A day long workers' convention was held in Jalandhar by CITU(Punjab) on October 6. The Convention took up the burning issues being faced by the working class in India viz. privatisation, liberalisation, WTO, attack on workers' rights, particularly judgements against the right to strike. After the Convention, which was attended by the leading trade union activists working in various sectors, a march was taken out in the city. The Convention was addressed among others by Chandrasekhar, Mangat Ram Pasla and AICCTU General Secretary Swapan Mukherjee.
Jharkhand State Committee of the Party has condemned and protested the illegal arrests of comrades Kali Charan Mehta, Virendra Chaudhary and Surajdev Chaudhary in the early hours of 4 October from Kota village of Garhwa. Hundreds of people organised a protest demonstration on the same day against this incident of police repression and torture and demanded action against responsible officials.
A recurrence of similar incident on Oct 5 was again led to a protest by the people where six Party activists were arrested by the police in Chainpur thana after conducting raids in many houses. Two activists, Birbal Prajapati and Anil were later sent to jail in false charges.
Party also organised a militant demonstration in Garhwa on Oct 1 to condemn and protest the implication in false case of its leaders Tahir Ansari, Ganesh Baitha, Sadanand Yadav and Ramchandra Oraon at the behest of Ramchandra Kesri, a minister in Jharkhand.
Dhanbad District Secretary of CPI(ML) Manoj Bhakt was seriously injured in the brutal lathicharge by the police when he was leading a protest demonstration organised by Jharkhand Mazdoor Union and CPI(ML) at Sindri to demand the compensation to the family of a worker who was killed in an accident at work.
The Jharkhand General Mazdoor Union organised a protest demonstration on Sep 30 before Project Officer of Junagarh colliary to press upon various demands of the workers.
SAVE DEMOCRACY! SAVE THE COUNTRY!!
March Ahead to Intensify Movement of Agricultural Labourers!
Put an End to Starvation Deaths and Growing Unemployment!
Enact Central Legislation for Agricultural Labourers!
For Comprehensive Land Reforms,
Development and Democracy!
Against Communal- Feudal Forces and
Corrupt - Criminal Regime
Make
All India Conference and Rally
of
All India Agricultural
Labourers' Association
a Grand Success.
14-15 November, 2003
Arrah (Bhojpur), Bihar
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