The Snake-charmers and the Politics of Communal Venom

The snake-charmers from Bangladesh who had dominated the headlines of the Kolkata press last week have silently disappeared after spending a few harrowing days and nights at the Satgachhi Zero Point at the Indo-Bangla border in Coochbehar district in the northern part of West Bengal. According to Mr. Advani, these snake-charmers were the latest contingent of 'Bangladeshi infiltrators' and his government has successfully pushed them back.

The issue of influx of Bangladeshi immigrants into India has long been a very sensitive political issue in the bordering provinces of India, in Assam and Tripura and increasingly in West Bengal. Deportation of foreign nationals was indeed a key demand of the movement which rocked Assam in the 1980s and gave the state a powerful regional party in the form of AGP. The issue has also enabled the BJP to gain a strong foothold in the state's politics. But despite an accord and despite two terms of AGP government in Assam, it has not been possible to identify and deport a single foreign national till date!

Indeed, Mr. Advani has gone on record as saying that while Pakistani infiltrators are easy to identify, Bangladeshi infiltrators are a highly camouflaged lot. What then is the basis of the Sangh brigade's claim that there are at least 15 million illegal Bangladeshis in India? In fact, Mr. Advani is also wrong about his claim about Pakistani infiltrators. Can he tell a Kashmiri from across the border from one who has spent a lifetime in Srinagar or Sopore? Indeed, the 'Pak infiltrators' killed by the security forces have been mostly Kashmiri youth from the valley.

It is true that India has a very long and porous border with Bangladesh. It is also true that many Bangladeshis do migrate to India and most of them do so in search of sheer livelihood or slightly better opportunities. Such migration is nothing unique to this part of the world, it is indeed a growing and global phenomenon. The UN has a name for such migrants: they are classified as "economic migrants". Mr. Advani and his ilk are however bent upon classifying all Bangladeshi immigrants into two categories: Hindu refugees and Muslim infiltrators. While Hindus are all taken to be victims of communal violence or religious persecution, Muslims are all dubbed agents of the ISI or even Al-Qaida! The Sangh brigade therefore suggests that Hindu immigrants should be welcome and rehabilitated in India, while Muslim immigrants must be persecuted and 'pushed back' by all means.

How does the BJP propose to achieve this? By ensuring a more intensive deployment of the BSF, by adopting a more confrontational approach towards Bangladesh and by whipping up communal frenzy within the country against suspected Bangladeshi infiltrators. And what has been the upshot? Highhandedness of BSF including a growing incidence of violence on innocent Indian villagers living in the border region, increase in cross-border smuggling and corruption with systematic complicity of the BSF, deterioration of Indo-Bangla ties and greater isolation of India from a neighbour whose very emergence as an independent country was facilitated by India, and an increasingly nightmarish life of harassment and insecurity for Bangla-speaking toiling people all over northern and western India.

The only way to tackle and contain the phenomenon of economic migration is promotion of regional economic cooperation and better bilateral ties which alone can generate a spirit of mutual accommodation and give-and-take. Problems can only be aggravated by intimidatory and coercive diplomacy, any meaningful solution can only be achieved peacefully and amicably through friendly negotiations.

It is not difficult to understand Mr. Advani's politics. After all, the BJP has openly and repeatedly declared that the issue of 'infiltration' is its biggest political agenda in West Bengal and also increasingly in Bihar and Jharkhand. The Sudarshans and Togadias have never minced words and of late they are showing a renewed political interest in West Bengal. What is really interesting to watch is the growing political understanding and bonhomie between the Deputy Prime Minister and the West Bengal Chief Minister.

Time was when confronting the Centre used to be the key theme of the political discourse of the Left Front Government. Today, the discourse revolves increasingly around the theme of Centre-State cooperation, even if we now have a BJP-led government at the Centre.

Massive Protest Against War on Iraq in Delhi

The Communist Party of India (ML) and its affiliated Mass Organisations participated in a massive demonstration, comprising thousands of people, in front of American Center on Feb 10 in New Delhi to protest America's imminent war on Iraq and former's hegemonic intentions. This protest was organised by the "Committee Against War on Iraq" comprising various Left and democratic parties and Human Rights and Civil Liberty organisations including CPI(ML), CPI, CPI(M), Forward Bloc, RSP, JD(S), Justice Party, Jamait-Ulema-e-Hind and others.

The very impressive demonstration, which also witnessed the participation of a large number of students and intellectuals from Delhi, started from Mandi House among chanting of slogans like "No War on Iraq", "Down with American Imperialism", "CIA is the Father of All Terrorist Organisations in the World" and reached the American Centre, where it culminated into a mass meeting which was addressed, among others, by CPI(ML) central committee member and AICCTU General Secretary Swapan Mukherjee. He strongly condemned United States and its ally Britain for waging war against Iraq putting millions of innocent lives in danger to serve its hegemonic and imperialist interests. Terming US the no. 1 enemy of the people of the world he said that peace-loving and democratic people throughout the globe, and also in America, are raising their voices of protest and this struggle will continue till American imperialist intentions are defeated world over. He also criticised Government of India for not taking a hard stand against war being forced by America and said that Vajpayee govt. is still too soft to represent the voices of increasing anger and angst of the people against this imperialist war and is working as an American agent in the region despite worldwide condemnations of war and US-led imperialism.

CPI(ML) central committee members, Swapan Mukherjee, Srilata Swaminathan, Rajendra Pratholi and Kumudini Pati, All India Students' Association President Kavita Krishnan, Revolutionary Youth Association's Surendra Panchal, All India Progressive Women's Association's Sunita and N. M. Thomas and S. K. Rai of All India Central Council of Trade Unions and CPI(ML) leader from Rajasthan Mahendra Chaudhary also led today's demonstration.

The meeting was addressed by Prakash Karat, D. Raja, Devrajan, Avani Roy, Nirmala Deshpande, Udit Raj, Danish Ali, Shahabuddin besides many others.

The CPI(ML) also expressed its solidarity with the anti-war protests going on all over the world and the massive protests scheduled to be held on Feb 15 at major important centers of the world.

Demonstration to Protest Sugar-cane Farmers woes

The Moradabad unit of CPI(ML) in UP held a protest demonstration on Feb 3 before district headquarter to press upon various unfulfilled demands of sugar-cane farmers. The demonstrators also staged a brief road blockade near Kotwali and organised a mass meeting before they reached to DM office and handed over a memorandum of demands to DM. Hundreds of peasants took part in this protests.

While in Thakurdwara tehsil of Moradabad, a dharna was organised on similar demands and in Pilibhit small sugar-cane producers are continuing their struggle under the banner of CPI(ML) after district administration was able to build pressure, in order to weaken the struggle, on a section of rich farmers, and they preferred to back out reneging majority of peasants.

"Naya Bihar Banaao" Campaign in Bihar
Attack on Amar Yadav by RJD Minister and Shahabuddin Condemned
Siwan Bandh Called in Protest

The Bihar State Committee member Amar Yadav was attacked by Shiv Shankar Yadav, a Minister in Rabri Devi govt. and RJD MP and dreaded criminal Shahabuddin at Darauli in Siwan district on Feb 10 while he was leading a cycle rally as part of the statewide protests taken up against police atrocities, incidents of kidnappings, murders and other crimes. The rallyists were suddenly encircled and attacked by goons led by these dreaded criminals. Comrade Amar was also beaten up and goons also snatched away two rifles from his security guards. Immediately after this incident Comrade Amar led hundreds of rallyists to the Darauli police station and started a gherao, which was continuing till the writing of this report.

The state unit of the Party has strongly condemned this incident and has called for 'Siwan bandh' on Feb 12 with the demand of dismissal of Shiv Shankar Yadav from the ministry and retrieval of stolen rifles from the goons. It has also been declared that the movement will be intensified till the criminals are punished.

While the month long "Naya Bihar Banaao" campaign continues with full vigour all over Bihar, a desperate ruling RJD, unable to withstand pressures mounted by democratic movements, is once again resorting to such mean methods, though it is time tested that such attempts have always been proved futile and counterproductive for the forces of regression and subversion for whatever means they adopt it is the unity and strength of the masses that ultimately prevail.

The other parts of Bihar also witnessed militant protests on Feb 10 as CPI(ML) organised block-level programmes which were led and addressed by all leaders of the state at different places. Impressive dharnas/demonstrations were organised with good mobilisations at Masaurhi, Dhanarua, Hilsa, Chandi, Bhojpur, Darbhanga, Siwan, Gopalganj, West Champaran, Jehanabad, and many other centres.

The Bihar Pradesh Khet Mazdoor Sabha has also taken up an extensive programme of marches in deep rural interiors where an exposure campaign against state govt.'s policies is being carried out simultaneously addressing the question of development of Bihar and repression by state-feudal-criminal nexus during the "Naya Bihar Banaao" campaign from 8-15 February. The AISA and RYA will also launch a statewide 'Badlo Bihar' (Transform Bihar) students-Youth-struggle-march from 15-20 Feb where five or six teams are scheduled to visit every district in the state.

This campaign will culminate into a "Naya Bihar Banaao" mass-Convention on Feb 23. The Convention is to be attended by an expected gathering of more than five thousand activist from the state who will discuss the deteriorating situation of the state and chalk out future course of action.

Against Kidnappings, Murders and Fake Police Encounters

The CPI(ML) took strong note of rising incidents of Kidnappings, Murders and Fake Police Encounters in Laloo-Rabri Regime and has demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Rabri Devi. Party State Secretary in Bihar Ramjatan Sharma has said that the nasty nexus of police-criminal-politicians is so dominating in state's polity that criminals and politicians are openly patronizing each other to serve their vested and immoral ends and now the richer section of society, considered to be relatively secure, has also become quite insecure in the state. He was addressing a press conference after returning from Paliganj where he went, along with Rameshwar Prasad, CCM and Ex-MP, to investigate the fake encounter of an army-man. He also led a march in Paliganj and addressed a mass meeting.

The Party has also condemned recent kidnapping of a doctor of Patna Medical College, who was 'returned' later when administration had to face strong protests. The AISA and RYA organised Patna bandh and road-blockades against this incident on Feb 8 and a bandh on Feb 1 in Patna against the abduction of a brick-kiln owner and had face a scuffle with RJD lumpens who tried to foil the Bandh. AISA-RYA also organised a Chitkohra Bandh on 3 February against murder of two persons.

Foil the Fascist Conspiracy of Communal Polarisation

In its bid to nationalize Gujarat, Vajpayee Government is functioning as nothing but a mere instrument of Sangh Parivar organizations like VHP. It has not only urged the Supreme Court to lift the prohibition ordered by it on March 13, 2002 on any construction or worship on the so-called undisputed land in Ayodhya, so as to facilitate the transfer of the 67 acre land to VHP for the construction of a Ram temple, but has also appealed to expedite the case on the disputed land that is heard by Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court. In the early March last year Vajpayee Government had done the same thing and the consequent tension led to a bleeding Gujarat. And the BJP reaped the communal harvest. Elections to legislative assemblies round the corner, it is once again trying to make Ayodhya a super-charged issue to step up communal fever across the country and to deepen the communal tension and polarization. So this time much worse may be in store. Last time when the government lost the case and it caused a ripple among the constituents of NDA, it tried to cover up its motives by shoving the responsibility on Attorney General for proposing to the Court that a Puja be allowed in the undisputed land. And even after the lapse of 10-week period the government did not appeal to the enlarged bench of Supreme Court, as was stipulated in the said order. But now when the BJP has decided to embark on an offensive Hindutwa campaign in view of the coming assembly elections as well as the 2004 parliamentary elections, Vajpayee government has torn the façade into shreds and exposed its true intentions. So-called secular constituents of the NDA or the liberals for that matter can no more dupe themselves now by saying that temple building is not on the agenda of this government.

And behind the temple construction issue lies the main agenda of creating a communally surcharged atmosphere favourable to the BJP alone. That is why aggressiveness of Sangh Parivar has crossed earlier limits. Dharma Sansad is going to be held on 22 February to revive and intensify the Ayodhya issue. Pravin Togadia has "warned" the government to decided things before 22 February, otherwise the decisions of the Dharma Sansad would be implemented even in defiance of the Court. Ashok Singhal says that VHP will not hesitate taking up arms to defend 'spiritual values' of Hindus.

Playing second fiddle to VHP's terrorist demand, Vajpayee has obliged Sangh Parivar. Within hardly a year of the Supreme Court verdict Vajpayee government is trying to pressurize the apex court to reverse its earlier ruling forbidding any activity in the disputed as well as "undisputed" land in Ayodhya. Has the communal situation improved in the meantime? No the least, rather on the contrary, an unprecedented communal holocaust taking toll of thousands of minority community people has taken place which shook and vitiated the whole country.

If Court retreats on this issue and Vajpayee obtains a favourable verdict, he can make his Parivar better happy. If the court again says no, Vajpayee would cajole them in the name of Supreme Court order and it would serve as a Sangh propaganda material against existing democratic institutions. Thus the progressive opinion and democratic forces in the country cannot afford to rest content with the hope that the Supreme Court would always prohibit temple construction in Ayodhya. Rather they should go into the depth of the real issue and launch a direct counter-offensive against the Vajpayee government and its fascist Sangh Parivar fraternity and their nefarious designs.

Restore Normalcy in Indo-Pak Relations

Indo-Pak relations are at the lowest ebb with the recent expulsion of four diplomats each from Indian and Pakistani High Commissions. This is the first time in the history of diplomatic relations between the two countries when the incharges of the High Commissions on both sides are asked to leave the country simultaneously. And this has happened when the air traffic as well as train service between the two countries had already been stopped, forcing the two diplomatic convoys to cross the border in while returning to their own countries only by road. Coupled with this are the views being expressed on TV by former Indian diplomats that Pak envoys should not be allowed to attend social functions or have social contacts in India.

Tension has also risen on Bangladesh border on infiltration issue and India stepping up border fencing as well as sending larger army contingents to the Bangladesh border. This worsening of relations with the closest neighbours, with the people sharing the same culture and civilization but having a different religious identity, casts aspersion on Indian government's own secular credentials.

In the era of 'globalisation' when the whole world is being equated with a village, and under this pretext western capital and culture is given free access to plunder and polute the minds even in the Indian hinterland, the government of India is stepping up animosity with its immediate neighbours in the name of safeguarding the interests of Indian people. Governments in Pakistan and Bangladesh may not be far behind in this game. But in fact they have their own narrow, ulterior motives. The people of this subcontinent are being sought to be divided by snapping transport routes and putting up military guarded fences. But the will to stop imperialist intervention is conspicuous by its absence. However, these attempts cannot succeed in washing away thousands of years of integrated civilisational and cultural ties, which also has a strong anti-imperialist legacy. People of the subcontinent must strengthen people to people contact despite the hurdles put up by the sectarian rulers and forge a unity to defeat their divisive tactics. They must put pressure on their respective governments to restore normalcy not only in diplomatic ties but also in trade and cultural ties as well, so as to make the sub-continent a potent bulwark against imperialist intervention.

Police Lathi-charge on AISA Activists in BHU

The AISA activists in Benaras Hindu University (BHU) had to face a brutal lathi-charge by police when they tried to honour the founder of BHU Madan Mohan Malaviya and recite democratic songs against the wishes of the Vice-Chancellor on the occasion of the Foundation Day of the University. The AISA was demanding that the Foundation Day fuctions be organised in a democratic manner involving greater number of common students against the VC's plan to utilise the occassion to project ABVP and other Sangh outfits. AISA State Secretary Manish and many other activists were injured in the lathi-charge. Later police detained all leading AISA cadres for a whole day in thana. Although ABVP held out a procession in support of VC, next day AISA staged a dharna against attempts of communalation and for democratic atmosphere in the campus which evoked a very good response from common students of the University.

IIMS Seminar in Mysore and Bangalore

The Karnataka Chapter of Indian Institute of Marxist Studies (IIMS) made a good beginning by organising thought provoking seminars in Mysore and Bangalore which were marked by lively discussions. At Mysore, seminar was held on Feb 8 where CPI(ML) Central Committee member Arindam Sen presented a paper titled "Marxism in the 21st Century: Prospects and Challenges". The Seminar was presided over by Radha Sundaresh from CPI and Prof. Muzaffar Azadi from Mysore University proposed the vote of thanks. Collobaration of capitalism with feudalism and the techniques of survival of capitalism came up for discussion.

At Bangalore, Arindam Sen presented a paper on "Relevance of Marxism Today" and Sanjay Biswas from IISc, Bangalore, on " Present Crisis in India - Its Intellectual Genesis".in a Seminar held on Feb 9 which was attended by people from various well known research institutions, left groups, NGOs, NAPM and also democratic intellectuals and workers. Here, discussions centered around the questions like caste, religion and the resilience of capitalism.

Chhatisgarh Briefs

The CPI(ML) held a Protest meeting at Sarangi village in Raipur district of Chhatisgarh on Jan 31 against illegal land occupations and oppression of poor and landless and arrest of four peasants activists by police at the behest of land-mafia lobby in the area. The meeting, addressed by Rajaram, CCM of the Party and other leaders, demanded immediate release of innocent peasants, withdrawal of false cases, punishment to the guilty policemen, etc.

A state-level meeting of Jan Swasthya Rakshak (Primary Health Workers) was held in Raipur which decided to launch their own independent organisation to solve their problems. The meeting, attended by nearly 300 representatives from 16 districts of Chhatisgarh, chalked out an agitational programme for an indefinite hunger-strike on Feb 17 against govt.'s attempts to dismantle the Jan Swasthya Rakshak scheme and a rally in the state capital on March 5. It may be recalled that these health workers play important role in implementing various government health schemes, particularly in villages, in return of a meagre sum of Rs. 50 per month as honorarium. And now govt. has decided to wind up the scheme. AICCTU is taking up this issue which is affecting about 17000 Jan Swasthya Rakshaks in Chhatisgarh.

RSS Chief Faces Strong Protest in Raiganj

The CPI(ML) unit in Raiganj district, led by its unit Secretary Ajit Das, strongly protested visit of RSS Chief K. S. Sudarshan to the town in a militant way and bravely foiled RSS goons' attempt to hamper the protest by attacking on the demonstration which resulted in injuring many comrades. A procession was took out by the Party on Jan 26 to oppose Sudarshan's visit, who was there to address a gathering of RSS workers from north Bengal and Sikkim. The protesters were holding aloft placards saying "Fascist Sudarshan Go Back". When an organised RSS contingent attacked them, they put up a brave fight and police had to intervene. A protest held separately by CPI and AIYF units of Raiganj too faced a similar attack by organised goons. This was later protested jointly by CPI and CPI(ML) through a dharna on Jan 28.