CPI(ML) HOME Vol.6, No.6 Febraury 5-11, 2003

 

In this Issue:

Editorial...

Uttar Pradesh: Changing Complexion of the Game of Power

Uttar Pradesh is not among the four states which are going to the polls later this month. In fact, it was only in February last year that Assembly elections were held in the state. Yet more than any other state, it is Uttar Pradesh which is hogging the maximum political limelight at the moment. In many ways, what is happening now in UP seems to be a replay of what had happened during the previous tenure of the Assembly. Also, in some crucial ways, UP is probably setting the pace and the pattern as the country prepares for the next Lok Sabha elections.

Defections engineered by the ruling party and aided by the Assembly Speaker have been the staple diet on which coalition governments have been surviving in the hopelessly hung Assembly of Uttar Pradesh. In the last Assembly, the initiative to engineer defections was held by the BJP and parties like the BSP and the Congress were at the receiving end. This time around, it is the BSP which is calling the shots. Even though it is the Congress which has to face the music at the moment, it is widely believed that the music is actually intended for the BJP.

A few months ago, it was Amar Singh who was boasting of dislodging the Mayawati government by engineering defection in the BJP, especially by luring away supporters of former BJP chief minister Rajnath Singh. The dramatic victory of the BJP in Gujarat enabled the BJP to manage its immediate internal crisis. On the eve of the Gujarat elections, the Congress squandered a rare opportunity to deepen the crisis of the ruling BJP-BSP coalition by defeating its candidate in the election to the Legislative Council. The Congress chose to stay aloof and enable the ruling coalition to escape with a narrow victory. Devoid of any political initiative in the state and still smarting under the stunning defeat it suffered in Gujarat, the Congress has once again proved to be an easy prey for the defection game.

Mayawati has also raised a storm by booking the notorious UP MLA Raja Bhaiya and his father under POTA. In invoking POTA against MLAs, she may be said to have taken a leaf out of Jayalalitha's book. But while Jayalalitha has been widely accused of 'misusing' POTA to persecute her political opponents, in UP Mayawati can only be accused of being selective, for there are 'Raja Bhaiyas' galore in the UP Assembly and they are to be found in almost all major parties in the state. The BJP which was reportedly toying with the idea of a snap poll in the state is now unable to decide how far it should go in opposing this particular move. After all, the POTA was the BJP's main talking point in the last Assembly elections and unlike Tamil Nadu, in UP, the BJP itself is a major partner of the state government!

With the 'Raja Bhaiya' episode, Mayawati has rediscovered her rhetoric against 'Manuwad'. Ironically, a year ago, she was busy wooing the same forces and selling tickets to people she now describes as 'Manuwadi' criminals and murderers. Indeed, her success in edging past the BJP in a three-way contest in the last elections could be attributed considerably to her enhanced ability to build her own direct equations with the 'Manuwadi' mafia. In spite of her spectacular electoral performance, the changing profile and composition of the BSP legislature party created a sense of unease, if not disillusionment, in the traditional dalit base of the party. And Priyanka Gandhi's much-publicised trip to Amethi signalled a new Congress readiness to cash in on this dalit disenchantment. Now for the time being, Mayawati has symbolically managed to 'reassure' the BSP support base.

Beyond this politics of symbolism, UP is however as restive as Bihar and Jharkhand or for that matter most other parts of the country. Muzaffarnagar mirrors the intensity of the agrarian crisis and the pent-up anger in large sections of the agricultural population that is waiting to burst out. It is on the fields and streets of UP that the thoroughly opportunist BJP-BSP coalition regime must be effectively exposed and encircled.

Remembering Comrade Anil Baruah

A noted intellectual, crusader for democratic rights, poet, an unforgettable teacher and a leader of the CPI(ML) who fell to ULFA assassins' bullets on 11 Feb '98 while addressing an election rally in Assam.

"We will never forget the gentle manners and defiant smile with which you braved all odds. The fire of revolutionary commitment that always glowed inside you and radiated your personality will continue to inspire us in the ongoing battle against the forces of barbarity."

CPI(ML) Appeals to Join

People's March

against

US WAR

on

IRAQ

before the
American Centre
at Kasturba Gandhi Marg
Delhi
On February 10.
Organised by:

Committee against War on Iraq

(You are requested to assemble in Mandi House at 11.30 AM)

Jharkhand Bandh - A Warning For BJP-led Marandi Govt

The CPI(ML) has given an ultimatum to the Jharkhand's Marandi govt. through the state-wide bundh, called on Jan 31 against Markachcho firing, to prepare itself for bigger confrontations unless it arrests all responsible police officials involved in killing of three party activists besides injuring many. The bandh evoked an overwhelming response all over the state and paralysed normal life in almost all major cities in the state with main highways and industrial establishments remained closed throughout the day. The Party has given one week's time to the state govt, till Feb 7, to arrest the culprits and announced to further intensify the agitation against police atrocities and state repression.

Although police tried to obstruct bandh supporters at many places and CPI(ML) leaders Subhendu Sen, Mahendra Singh were arrested along with leaders of CPI, CPI(M), Marxist Coordination Committee and Ulgulan Manch in Ranchi and more than a thousand activists arrested all over the state during bandh, life remained paralysed on Jan 31 in Bokaro, Ramgarh, Dhanbad, Sindri, Nirsa, Daltonganj, Garwah, Giridih, Bermo, Jainamorh, Ranchi, Hazaribagh, Koderma, Lohardagga and Gumla and road and rail transport remained badly affected for hours. Grand Trunk Road was blocked since midnight and Grand Cord railway line was badly affected during the bandh. Bauxite production in Lohardaga-Gumla region remained closed and most of the collieries were badly affected. In Nirsa, Marxist Coordination Committee supporters, led by MCC MLA Arup Chatterjee, came in good strength with CPI(ML) to make the bandh successful.

Police also resorted to seven rounds of firing at GT road in Bagodar but had to retreat because of stiff resistance put up by the people. This is first time in Markachcho that rural poor have asserted their democratic rights, and tried to defy police, powerful feudals and criminals. People were protesting for their lands and against brutal police tortures when police resorted to killings. The masses are now determined to continue their protest in this BJP ruled state.

CPI(ML) to Contest ten Seats in Tripura Elections

The CPI(ML) has decided to contest in ten constituencies in forthcoming Assembly elections to be held on Feb 26 in Tripura. As stated in its 19-point Menifesto, the Party will raise the issues of continuing lack of development of the state, particularly agricultural development, increasing state repression and question of Human Rights, repeal of repressive Black Laws, democracy at grassroots, corruption up to village panchayat level, rising unemployment, effective autonomy to the ADC, land reforms, question of BPL cards to poor people, oppression of Tea workers, protection of tribal culture and dignity and basic education in vernacular, etc.

In a state where 67% people live below poverty line, the question of basic development acquires utmost importance. The CPI(ML) State Secretary Mrinmoy Chakraborty has said that the existing CPM-led Left Front government in Tripura has failed to address the basic issues of the people owing to its total dependence on Central govt. for funds disregarding use of natural resources and an effective policy for employment generation. Thereby LF govt. has become an instrument to implement the Liberalisation polices of the Central Govt. Moreover, its dependence on Central and Para-Military forces to curb terrorist problem, instead of a political solution, is strengthening reactionary and ultra-chauvinist forces and providing a space for communal fascists. The CPI(ML) asserts for a struggling alternative as anti-people Congress-INPT alliance or communal fascist BJP-TMC-JD(U) alliance can never be an alternative to the misrule of LF govt. in Tripura.

The CPI(ML) will contest on following seats: 1. Shalgarah (SC) (Narayan Das); 2. R K Pur (Partha Karmakar); 3. Matarbari (Gopal Ray); 4. Manu (Nijaram Tripura); 5. Raima Valley (ST) (Sumanta Tripura); 6. Pratapgarh (SC) (Nandlal Das); 7. Sonamura (Rajjab Ali); 8. Kurti (Arabinda Teli); 9. Kadamtala (Subirjit Singha) and 10. Fatikroy (Manik Pal).

March by AISA in Allahabad

AISA held a 'Chetavani march' on Jan 30 in campus to press its demands.

Workers' March to Parliament on Feb 26

The joint initiative of the central TUs , especially the TUs led by Left parties, for a Parliament march on Feb 26 against the pro-imperialist, pro-MNC economic policies of the Government throwing the workers out of their jobs and industries closing down assumes tremendous significance. It is the sincere desire of the working class and all Left and democratic masses that the Left parties and their TUs would be serious enough to rebuild confidence among the workers in their protest and agitations against the anti-worker, anti-people policies of the Govt.

Meanwhile, CPI leader and AITUC General Secretary Gurudas Dasgupta condemned the Congress-led UDF-government in Kerala of going in for "indiscriminate privatisation" and accused Chief Minister A. K. Antony of having taken a leaf from the Prime Minister A. B. Vajpayee and the NDA. Simultaneously, he rightly raised his eyebrows over the reported overtures to the Asian Development Bank and the permission granted to the Coca-Cola to set up its plant in Palakkad by the last CPIM-led LDF government in that State saying that the "Left should clear the confusion".

In opposing the Globalisation and Liberalisation policies initiated by the Cong (I) and being vigorously persued by the Vajpayee govt., the Left parties must be true to the letter and spirit and must openly come out against such practices prevailing in Left ruled states of West Bengal and Tripura. Any sort of duality will only frustrate the workers and would amount to historical betrayal to the working class movement.

Com. Tirupati Released

Com. Tirupati Gomango, Rayagarh District Secy. of CPI(ML) in Orissa, who was sent to jail along with other three Comrades on false charges after a conspiracy hatched by the powerful nexus of landlords-bureaucracy-police-corrupt politicians, was released after 6 months. He has been instrumental in organising land struggles under the banner of CPI(ML) in the district. His release has created festive mood among poor adivasis. An enthused crowd of more than five hundred received their beloved leader and held out a procession in the town.

AIPWA Protests

AIPWA protested against power-cuts and repression on sugar-cane farmers on Jan 28 in Moradabad in UP and held out a demonstration braving heavy rain and chilling cold. Also in Orai in Jalaun district, a good number of women protested under the banner of 'Shahri Garib Mazdoor Morcha' to demand BPL cards and against corruption in the PDS system.

Protest against Dalit Atrocity in Puri

On Jan 2, ruling Biju Janata Dal goons torched and looted houses of dalits in Parichar village in Puri. Leaders from various left and democratic parties including CPI(ML),CPI, CPI(M), SUCI and Republican Party visited the spot and condemned the incident. A protest meeting was organised by CPI(ML) and distributed relief collected to the victimised families.

Seventh Congress of Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist)

The Seventh Congress of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) started on February 1, 2003 at the Indo-Nepal border city of Janakpur. Representatives of various Nepali parties were also present in the inaugural ceremony of the Congress along with delegations from fraternal parties including Communist Party of China, Workers Party of Korea, Vietnam Workers Party, CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML)-Liberation, Bangladesh Workers Party, Communist Party of Sri Lanka and Japanese Communist Party.

Inaugurating the Congress, General Secretary of CPN(UML) Com. Madhav Kumar Nepal held that the cease-fire between the government and the Maoists was indeed a positive development. However he expressed serious apprehensions regarding the intentions of the king, because the main political parties of Nepal were not taken into confidence by the government in the process of cease-fire and the decision was announced all of a sudden. To restore parliamentary democracy, he asserted that the king must be ousted from active politics. He said that in this Congress the goal of the Party was to turn it into a "congress of unity" and, therefore, all the streams of thought must be allowed to contend in a democratic atmosphere.

Extending warm revolutionary greetings to the Congress on behalf of the entire CPI(ML) and democratic people of India, Com. Dipankar Bhattachary said "Let me also take this opportunity to extend warm fraternal greetings to comrades representing various parties and organisations of the international communist movement. We are meeting here at a time when the Bush brigade of western imperialist powers is bent upon waging yet another devastating war on the war-ravaged people of Iraq. We are of course inspired to note that the air is also thick with the call for peace and slogans against the US war design are rending the sky in every corner of the globe including the United States of America. We are sure the Seventh Congress of the CPN(UML) will send out a strong message against the impending threat of war and strengthen the growing global voice for peace and sanity."

"Once again, the task of defending democracy and national sovereignty and beating back the combined offensive of imperialism and the forces of domestic reaction has emerged as the foremost challenge before the communist movement in both India and Nepal. We are sure that the Seventh Congress of your party will rise to the occasion and lead the united and forward march of the Left and democratic forces in Nepal to the cherished goal of people's democracy." he continued.

He further added that "Our two parties have a long history of warm fraternal ties, ties that have withstood the test of time and have continued to flourish on the basis of mutual respect and cooperation and free and frank exchange of experiences and opinions. Defying the pulls and pressures of the official relations between the two countries, the ties between our two parties have always reflected and reinforced the traditional friendship between the people of Nepal and India. As you take stock of the challenging situation in Nepal and decide your future course of action in defence of democracy, freedom and social progress, we can only assure you that we will always be there by your side resisting any instance or policy of interference on the part of the Indian ruling classes and defending the rights and dignity of the people of Nepal on the Indian soil."

"The path from dreams to success does exist. May you have the vision to find it, the courage to get on to it, and the perseverance to follow it."

-- Kalpana Chawla

Born: 1 July, 1961; Died in Space Shuttle crash: 1 February 2003.

A Call to Conscience from Veterans of US Army to the Active US Troops on Duty

We are veterans of the United States armed forces. We stand with the majority of humanity, including millions in our own country, in opposition to the United States' all out war on Iraq. We span many wars and eras, have many political views and we all agree that this war is wrong. Many of us believed serving in the military was our duty, and our job was to defend this country. Our experiences in the military caused us to question much of what we were taught. Now we see our REAL duty is to encourage you as members of the U.S. armed forces to find out what you are being sent to fight and die for and what the consequences of your actions will be for humanity. We call upon you, the active duty and reservists, to follow your conscience and do the right thing.

In the last Gulf War, as troops, we were ordered to murder from a safe distance. We destroyed much of Iraq from the air, killing hundreds of thousands, including civilians. We remember the road to Basraa - the Highway of Death - where we were ordered to kill fleeing Iraqis. We bulldozed trenches, burying people alive. The use of depleted uranium weapons left the battlefields radioactive. Massive use of pesticides, experimental drugs, burning chemical weapons depots and oil fires combined to create a toxic cocktail affecting both the Iraqi people and Gulf War veterans today. One in four Gulf War veterans is disabled.

During the Vietnam War we were ordered to destroy Vietnam from the air and on the ground. At My Lai we massacred over 500 women, children and old men. This was not an aberration, it's how we fought the war. We used Agent Orange on the enemy and then experienced first hand its effects. We know what Post Traumatic Stress Disorder looks, feels and tastes like because the ghosts of over two million men, women and children still haunt our dreams. More of us took our own lives after returning home than died in battle.

If you choose to participate in the invasion of Iraq you will be part of an occupying army. Do you know what it is like to look into the eyes of a people that hate you to your core? You should think about what your mission really is. You are being sent to invade and occupy a people who, like you and me, are only trying to live their lives and raise their kids. They pose no threat to the United States even though they have a brutal dictator as their leader. Who is the U.S. to tell the Iraqi people how to run their country when many in the U.S. don't even believe their own President was legally elected?

Saddam is being vilified for gassing his own people and trying to develop weapons of mass destruction. However, when Saddam committed his worst crimes the U.S. was supporting him. This support included providing the means to produce chemical and biological weapons. Contrast this with the horrendous results of the U.S. led economic sanctions. More than a million Iraqis, mainly children and infants, have died because of these sanctions. After having destroyed the entire infrastructure of their country including hospitals, electricity generators, and water treatment plants, the U.S. then, with the sanctions, stopped the import of goods, medicines, parts, and chemicals necessary to restore even the most basic necessities of life.

There is no honor in murder. This war is murder by another name. When, in an unjust war, an errant bomb dropped kills a mother and her child it is not "collateral damage," it is murder. When, in an unjust war, a child dies of dysentery because a bomb damaged a sewage treatment plant, it isnot "destroying enemy infrastructure," it is murder. When, in an unjust war, a father dies of a heart attack because a bomb disrupted the phone lines so he could not call an ambulance, it is not "neutralizing command and control facilities," it is murder. When, in an unjust war, a thousand poor farmer conscripts die in a trench defending a town they have lived in their whole lives, it is not victory, it is murder.

There will be veterans leading protests against this war on Iraq and your participation in it. During the Vietnam War thousands in Vietnam and in the U.S. refused to follow orders. Many resisted and rebelled. Many became conscientious objectors and others went to prison rather than bear arms against the so-called enemy. During the last Gulf War many GIs resisted in various ways and for many different reasons. Many of us came out of these wars and joined with the anti-war movement.

If the people of the world are ever to be free, there must come a time when being a citizen of the world takes precedence over being the soldier of a nation. Now is that time. When orders come to ship out, your response will profoundly impact the lives of millions of people in the Middle East and here at home. Your response will help set the course of our future. You will have choices all along the way. Your commanders want you to obey. We urge you to think. We urge you to make your choices based on your conscience. If you choose to resist, we will support you and stand with you because we have come to understand that our REAL duty is to the people of the world and to our common future.

Please reprint and forward it to other veterans.

 

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