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If the banner of 'Hindutva' proved instrumental in pushing
the BJP to the slot of the single largest party by the late
1990s, Vajpayee's coalition 'dharma' has since done the rest.
The difference between Vajpayee's first aborted term of thirteen
days and his two successive terms of first thirteen months
and now fifty-three months has revolved almost entirely around
the party's new-found ability to cobble coalitions. A broad
alliance with a hoodwinking agenda has become an essential
hallmark for the BJP's continuing tryst with power
The congress attempt to steal the banner of Hindutva from
the BJP has always proved counter-productive. A desperate
Congress is now trying to outsmart the BJP in the realm of
coalition politics. And the battle for 'Mission 2004' begins
to intensify, it seems the Congeress is not doing too badly
in this competition. During the last one year, the NDA has
lost several allies. And, directly or indirectly, the Congress
has been so much the gainer.
As many as five erstwhile partners have moved away from the
BJP - the Natioal conference in Jammmu and Kashmir, Ajit Singh's
Rashtriya Lok Dal in UP, Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti
party in Bihar and the DMK and MDMK in Tamil Nadu. More importantly,
the BJP dream of benefiting from a strategic symbiosis with
Mayavati's BSP in Uttar Pradesh and beyond has gone sour and
may even turn into a nightmare if the BSP does indeed eventually
tie-up with Congress. Ironically enough, even as the BJP and
the Congress try to court new allies, the terms of coalition
politics tilt increasingly in favour of smaller parties with
powerful pockets of regional influence. In a possible Congress
- BSP tie-Up in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress may well be forced
to play second fiddle to the BSP, while the AIDMK is destined
to dictate terms to the BJP in the event of an electoral pact
between the two parties. The bourgeois quest for a two-party
model in India can only be pursued through this multi-party
maze of strange allies and estranged partners.
A possible congress-BSP tie-up could leave the BJP forlorn
and rather clueless in Uttar Pradesh. Undivided Bihar is another
state from where the BJP and its allies had reaped a bumper
harvest in the in the 1999 elections. But this time around,
the BJP is not just likely to miss the loyal support of Ram
Vilas Paswan, it has also to face the growing pressure of
the re-united JD(U) especially in Jharkhand. The BJP's brave
'Mission 2004' targets and the much touted 'feel-good' demagogy
cannot obscure the actual reality of worried BJP surrounded
by demanding allies within a depleted NDA.
Feel-good is the slogan of the beneficiaries of globalization,
especially those who have not now got the licence to loot.
The entire economy is on offer for foreign MNCs and monopoly
corporate houses. The election eye bonanza announced by the
government is full of lucrative booties for big capital an
the market it commands.For the toiling masses of this country,
there is however only one cannotation of the feel-good propaganda,
no job, no food: so what, feel good! And let us also remember
that the same Central Government which has been busy abolishing
subsidies and closing down the public sector has just promised
unlimited funds for state governments to combat the so-called
Naxal 'menace'.
The hurried rush for early election, the elaborate attempts
to hide the Sangh's fascist fangs in a 'feel-good' clock and
packaging of india's parliamentary elections on the line of
US-style presidential contest, all indicate a devious BJP
design to create an unreal atmosphere and steal another 'mandate'
by hoodwinking the people. The design must be thwarted by
all means. The need of the hour is to unleash the fullest
energy of the people to transform their plight into decisive
anger and resolute action against the enemies and their policies.
A people awakened shall never be defeated
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"A little delay, miss the bus" - this is the mantra
of weak and discredited Vajpayee's NDA government, which can
not face country on real issues concerning masses and so it
is hatching a conspiracy to hold early election in the midst
of fabricated myth of "feel good", said Comrade
Dipankar Bhattacharya, General Secretary of CPI(ML), while
addressing a press conference in Patna, on the concluding
day of two day long state committee meeting. He said that
our party will push NDA to the corner on the issues of rural
development, unemployment, wages and dignity of poor and will
make national sovereignty, democracy and secularism political
issues. We will strive hard for independent left assertion
and oppose Congress led camp, which is fundamentally no different
from NDA.
On the situation in Bihar, he said that CPI(ML) will continue
to raise the issue of naked protection given to criminals
by both the camps of RJD and NDA, along with feudal-communal
violence in the coming parliamentary elections. Party along
with other left forces is already spearheading a sustained
campaign on this issue. He said that for free and fair election
in Bihar, it is essential that two symbols of criminal-run
politics in the state - Shahabuddin and chief of killer gang
Ranvir Sena, Brahmeswar- must be sent to a jail out of the
Bihar, to Tihar, so that people from weaker sections can exercise
their democratic right. Our party will submit a memorandum
to this regard to President of India and to the Election Commission.
This becomes even more pertinent in view of the two reports
- one by National Women Commission on murder of woman activists
in Bihar, and second the report by ex-DGP of Bihar on criminal
MP Shahabuddin. The people of Bihar know that jails here are
not places of confinement to these criminals but it is extension
of their empire of crime. It is pity that State woman commission
instead of speaking for women, chose to speak as Laloo Prasad's
voice, even Chief Minister Rabri Devi did not bother to meet
members of national commission.
When asked about left unity, he said that success of statewide
bandh called by seven left parties for highlighting the need
to counter corrupt politician-criminal -bureaucracy nexus
underscored the growing possibilities of left unity in the
state and we hope that this left unity will also continue
in the arena of election battle. We will make all possible
efforts to this end.
Our party will put up a determined fight in the our areas
of our movement. In initial discussions we have decided to
concentrate on 17 seats. Outside Bihar party will fight election
in Jharkhand, Assam, Bengal, Orissa, UP, Tamilnadu, Andhra
Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand. In a reply to
question about CBI raids on C P Thakur's colleagues, he said
that this is nothing but flourishing of "Judevs"
and again proved that NDA and RJD are the part of same corrupt
political culture.
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Agitation by the AISA, mostly women cadres forced the police
to arrest the rapist of a poor woman, a local influential
criminal element, in the village Kalinagar near Rudrapur,
district Nainital, Uttrakhand. Local police was even reluctant
to lodge FIR but AISA led the masses to ghero DM and SSP ,
and forced the administration to take action against criminal.
Khet Majdoor Sabha and local villagers also supported the
struggle.
UP state unit of CPI(ML) has opposed the decision of Mulayam
government to dissolve recently created four commissionaires
and nine districts. It has termed this decision as anti-people,
anti- development and against the principles of power decentralization.
CPI(ML) firmly stands with the people and appeals to Mulayam
Government to reconsider its decision immediately to respect
public sentiment.
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Foundation conference of AISA in K K C college, one of the
important colleges of Lucknow university took place on 17th
January. Conference was inaugurated by Rajesh Sachan, National
Vice President of AISA. A Seminar on the topic "Challenges
of development in India and Role of Students-Youth" was
also organized on this occasion. Economist of Giri Development
Study Institute Prof. D M Diwaker and other speakers addressed
the gathering of nearly one hundred students. Conference elected
Girisant Yadav as president and Rajnish as vice president
along with an executive. AISA state president Rakesh Singh
was also present on the occasion.
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The first Jharkhand state conference of AICCTU ended at Ghutua
(Ramgarh, Hazaribagh) on 16-17 January. Conference was attended
by 130 delegates from constituent and fraternal organization
namely General majdoor Union, Coal Mines Workers Union, Center
of Steel Workers, CGHS, Jharkhand State Non Gazetted Employees
Mahasangh, Railway, Motor Kamgar Union etc. along with 15
guest and observers.
Main focus of the debate in the conference was on countering
the onslaught of saffron fascism on working class, popularizing
the working class agenda in coming parliamentary elections
by launching a campaign and specific tasks in this regard
in Jharkhand, making a success all India strike of 24th February
and weaknesses of state organisaton. In the open session a
seminar on the topic of " right to strike and judicial
attack on workers" was organized. At the end of conference,
a 27 member state committee was elected. The conference was
inaugurated by AICCTU genral secretary Com Swapan Mukharjee
and was also addressed by CPI(ML) polit bureau member Com.
Swadesh Bhattacharya, Jharkhand state secretary Com. Shubhendu
Sen and MLA Com. Mahender Singh.
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The people's war group has announced to kill AIALA leader
Kunti Devi of Bihar. Kunti Devi is the National Secretary
of AIALA, District Committee member of CPI(ML), Convener of
AIPWA of Jehanabad and an elected member of Jehanabad Zilla
Parishad.
PWG had issued this criminal threat openly in a press conference
on 3rd December addressed by Murali, the secretary of central
Jehanabad-Hilsa Joint area committee. He said that his organization
would eliminate Kunti Devi soon. Two months before Com Manju,
AIPWA-CPI(ML) leader in Jehanabad also murdered by Ranvir
Sena goons at the behest of one RJD Minister Akhilesh Sharma.
CPI(ML), AIALA, AIPWA have taken a strong exception to this
threat of PWG , which is adopting the Ranvir Sena path.They
will have to face massive peoples' wrath if they persist with
their threats.
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The NDA government led by the BJP came to power by making
Kargil an election issue. The BJP could not get a majority
on its own; so they roped in 22 other parties to form a coalition
government called National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The
NDA poll manifesto offered bountiful promises to all sections
of the Indian people but did not fulfill most of them during
its five years of fascist rule. Gujarat made 2002 the year
of Hindutva. The Sangh Parivar also tried to rekindle the
Ayodhya issue. In 2003 the BJP won elections to the assemblies
of Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajastan owing to an inept
Congress with its soft Hindutva, and to consolidate these
victories the NDA government is going for early polls in 2004.
Vajpayee government became the first non-Congress government
to complete five years in office. Below we trace in brief
sordid track record of attack on political liberty by NDA
regime of five years.
-Curtailed political liberty and bourgeois democratic rights
of the people to impose a fascist rule in the country.
-Enacted POTA despite much opposition to it and despite the
established fact that earlier TADA was grossly misused by
many states. As of January 2003, the Government had already
selectively used the POTA against political dissenters in
Kashmir and Tamil Nadu, yet not against members of the Sangh
Parivar, including those in Gujarat. Muslims arrested following
the killing of Hindus in Godhra, Gujarat were quickly charged
under the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance (POTO) that preceded
the Prevention of Terrorism Act. Those arrested for the ensuing
attacks against Muslims did not face the same charges. In
the face of mounting opposition on POTA, the NDA government
promulgated a cosmetic Prevention of Terrorism (Amendment)
Ordinance and appointed ornamental Review Committees to review
POTA cases. The Review Committee could not discharge even
the leader of an NDA ally like V.Gopalaswami of MDMK who was
arrested under POTA by Jayalalitha.
-Continued with the draconian National Security Act (NSA).
- Established police states in J&K and the Northeast.
- Banned SIMI but did not ban Bajrang Dal.
- Set up a Constitutional Reforms Commission under a known
pro-BJP man, former Justice Venkatachellaiah, to tinker with
the Constitution and rewrite it according to their scheme
of Hindu Rashtra.
- Refused to enhance the powers of the National Human Rights
Commission (NHRC) and did not make appointments to the vacancies
in it for two years.
- Raised the ceiling on expenditure by a candidate in a parliamentary
poll to Rs 25 lakh and in an Assembly contest to Rs 10 lakh
on October 21, 2003. This would enable only moneybags to contest
elections and enhance business-politics nexus.
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The coalition against War and Racism (A.N.S.W.E.R) in a statement
declared: on March 20, 2004, the first anniversary of the
U.S./U.K. invasion of Iraq, people in cities around the world
will join together to demand: "End the Occupation - Bring
the Troops Home NOW!"
We will demonstrate on March 20 to support the right of the
Iraqi people to self-determination without condition. Since
the invasion began, tens of thousands of Iraqi people have
been killed. Thousands of U.S. and British soldiers have been
killed or wounded. The Iraqi people are resisting the occupation
- they want the foreign soldiers occupying their country to
leave, not tomorrow but today. There is only one solution:
to end the occupation now! We believe, in the words of the
National Council of Arab Americans, that "internationalizing
the occupation gives colonialism a new marketable cover and
should not be accepted as a viable option for the global popular
movement."
We will also demonstrate on March 20 in solidarity with the
Palestinian people Calling for liberty, right to return, and
self-determination for the Palestinian people. The Bush administration
spends $2 billion per week to occupy Iraq, it spends $15 million
each day to support Israel's war against the Palestinian people.
We will demonstrate on March 20 to demand an end to the Bush
administration's "Endless War" plans for global
domination. We stand for an end to U.S. intervention, occupation
and threats against Korea, Colombia, Afghanistan, Cuba, Iran,
Zimbabwe, Venezuela, Syria, Philippines, Haiti and everywhere.
Only the people's movement offers hope that an effective challenge
can be mounted to the Bush administration's war drive. Global
solidarity is the centerpiece of the new mass movement that
has emerged to counter the forces of militarism and colonialism.
The outcome of this struggle will impact on generations to
come.
ALL OUT FOR MARCH 20, 2004 !
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Disturbing
figures
- 35 million people are unemployed
- 20 million will enter the labour force in 4 years
- Unemployment may go up to 9.79 per cent in 2007
--(Times of India 18 Jan 2004)
Biggest Worry Now
- There are 212 million people (aged 14-24), but only 107
million have jobs. - (Planning Commission )
- " It is a very disturbing scenario. There will be
unrest unless we wake up now" - (Amit Mitra, Secretary-general,
FICCI )
For Profit Growth Without Risk, No Vacancy for Living
Labour
" Today companies deploy capital intensive technology
instead of employing human labour. .. No one here wants
to take the risk by employing 5,000 people permanently."(
thanks to the massive flooding of 'hot money' pumped by
foreign financiers into stock market enabling the capitalist
to purchase hi-tech foreign machine, using it to destroy
the competitors and defeat the working classes.)
- (Y.K.Modi, President, FICCI).
Creation of 50 Lakh Educated Unemployed: Real Achievement
of Six Years Vajpayee Raj- Dharma
- "The central concern of the poor are the complete
absence of jobs, the growing insecurity of their lives and
the rapidly widening gap in the income between them and
the middle classes… Statistics show how well founded
this fear is. While agriculturists have pulled out 8 million
children between 6 and 14 out of the fields in the past
decade and sent them to school, employment in the organized
sector, which is where the school-leavers are headed, has
decline by 600,000 in the last six years. In each of these
years, some 750, 000 people have entered the organized sector
job market and found no jobs. This is the real economic
achievement of BJP - to create a pool of 5 million educated
unemployed in six years.
- (Prem Shankar Jha in Hindustan Times, Jan 20.)
Inflicting Disaster On The Rural India
- Economist Abhijit Sen says " the middle class has
never had it so good, but the bottom 80 percent have never
had it so bad either. The disaster zone is 80 per cent of
the rural population, incomes have not grown at all since
1989." According to Sundeep Waslekar of Strategic Foresight
- Group of Mumbai, "In the organized sector we talked
of growth without jobs, the "bullock-cart" class,
here is employment without income" -( Outlook, 26
Jan. 04)
NDA's Fictitious Claim Vs The Real Fear of the Top-Rich
- "It is a time bomb is waiting to explode. A dramatic
success in the last two years actually a delusion. India
needs to be cautious as the future is bleak with jobless
growth."
- (Madhav Mehra, President of the World Council of Corporate
Governance)
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