No American Meddling in India 's Internal Affairs !

Since the beginning of this month, Assam has been rocked by a series of lethal bomb blasts claiming scores of innocent civilian lives. The blasts have been attributed to ULFA, NDFB and some other militant outfits active in the state, and in some cases the concerned organisations have also owned responsibility for the blasts. All these outfits claim to be engaged in a war with the Indian state, but they are increasingly choosing soft civilian targets like railway passengers, shoppers and even school children. Such cowardly acts of terrorism must be condemned in no uncertain terms. There can be no condoning or legitimising such acts in the name of resisting state repression or teaching the Indian state a lesson.

The blasts also give a lie to the Congress claims of making headway towards a political solution in the North-East. Successive governments in Delhi and Dispur have made such boastful claims citing the occasional talks, accords and cease-fire declarations. But contrary to such empty claims, the situation is only deteriorating day by day and the reason is not far to seek. The talks that have been held periodically have been selective and non-transparent, aimed more at dividing the movements than making any sincere attempt to seek a negotiated political solution. As a result, if some forces have been involved in the process, many more have been alienated. The accords that have been signed so far have mostly been reduced to empty promises. No wonder, almost all nationalities in the region are gripped with a profound sense of betrayal.

The cease-fire agreements have been used by the Indian state to legitimise an array of private armies. All over Assam, 'surrendered' militants move around freely, carrying arms, terrorising, robbing and even killing people with utter impunity. Activists of non-surrendered factions or organisations and even their family members are systematically annihilated as the state looks the other way. Contrary to the promise made in the CMP of the UPA government, fake encounters and cold-blooded state-sponsored political killings remain the order of the day. The entire agitation in Manipur owes its origin to this reality, and a government that gives a free hand to 'surrendered' militants has come down so heavily on a thoroughly justified and reasonable movement of the Manipuri people. It goes without saying that it is this autocratic attitude of the Indian state that continues to drive a section of angry young people to acts of mindless terror.

With the FBI's recent 'offer' to assist the Indian state in tackling terrorism, the pattern of insurgency and counter-insurgency in the North-East has now assumed yet another ominous dimension. Apart from meddling in Kashmir and Indo-Pak relations, the US has now discovered another pretext to deepen its strategic intervention in the region. Already the US is heavily involved in Nepal and there are also signs of a growing US involvement in Myanmar . In this backdrop, it is not difficult to understand why the US is now showing such keen interest in the North-East. The offer made by the FBI is however not the first sign of American involvement in the region. It should be remembered that for some time now, Indian and American military forces have been engaged in joint counter-insurgency training and exercises in Mizoram. The Nepal-North-East India-Myanmar belt now marks a key plank in America 's strategic design against China .

The FBI offer and the alacrity with which the Assam government has lapped it up have rightly been questioned and condemned by the democratic opinion in the country. Interestingly, the man who has jumped most jubilantly in favour of the US offer is none other than LK Advani. The real implication of Indo-US strategic partnership and India 's support to US imperialism's 'global war on terror' is now here for all to see. India 's pro-US 'foreign' policy has now started revealing its dangerous domestic face.

There can be no bigger threat to India 's national unity than American intervention in India 's internal affairs, especially in the complex situation of the N-E states. While condemning the anti-people terrorist activities of the militant outfits and the UPA government's policies of state repression and state-sponsored counter-insurgency, democratic opinion must force the UPA government to reject the FBI's offer and stop American meddling in the explosive situation of the North-East.

CPI(ML)'s 7th Bihar State Conference

Calls for the Unity of all Left and Democratic Forces and For an End to the Repressive Laloo-Rabri Regime

CPI(ML)'s 7th Bihar State Conference was inaugurated by Party General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya at the open session of the Conference organised in the form of a rally held at Martyr Badrinarayan square in Aurangabad on Oct 4. He called to end the criminal-mafia rule of Rabri-Laloo regime going on for the last one and a half decades in Bihar by expanding and strengthening the movement of poor and suffering masses against the repressive policies of liberalisation and globalisation. Not only the people of Bihar, striving for the development and democracy in the state for a very long time, are pinning their hopes and expectations on the movement being conducted by the CPI(ML), but also many people among democratic and Left forces have expectations from our movement, he further added, and hoped that the Conference will also prove to be an important step towards the resolution of various questions concerning broader unity of the forces among various streams of the Left in Bihar. He called upon all left parties to come forward to develop an indomitable force of the people against the criminal-mafia rule and to intensify the struggles on the issues of peasants and workers, and to solve the yet unresolved crisis of Bihar 's development. He also reminded that such an unity developed through struggles must not be compromised with petty gains in electoral politics.

He criticized Laloo for making tall claims in railways while his ‘crime express' is running on a fast track in Bihar with the help of police repression, kidnappers, armies like Ranvir Sena and criminals perpetrating massacres. Only the red flag has the potential to stop this criminal rule. The broad unity of peasants and workers in Andhra Pradesh has shown recently by defeating Naidu govt. that they possess the ultimate power to demolish all caste equations and to change the regimes. In Bihar , the state govt. is selectively killing people's leaders and elected representatives, particularly those fighting for the cause of the people under the banner of the CPI(ML). Five of the vanguards of the masses including an elected block pramukh and a mukhiya were massacred in Paliganj and one of the killers was found in the house of one RJD's MLA, the suspension of this MLA is only a face-saving measure by Laloo while actual killers are still being protected and sheltered by the state's regime and they, in the name of PWG – acting as Laloo's outfit – are still busy annihilating leaders of the people.

This govt. is giving refuge to the killers of communist leaders and, recent induction of Pappu Yadav, killer of comrade Ajit Sarkar, is also the part of this same strategy.

Comrade Dipankar further said that the spate of starvation deaths and farmers' suicides continues while the centre's UPA govt. betrays the people's mandate with the rural development budget lessened by 500 crores and employment guarantee scheme yet to be launched. The interest rate on Employees' Provident Fund has been lowered while foreign companies are enjoying bucketful of concessions. It is a shame that our Prime Minister declares Iraq as a matter of past while the people in that country are still being crushed under American boots. UPA promised to repeal POTA but brought a new black law in its place, moreover, in Bihar , leaders fighting for the cause of poor peasants and democratic rights are still being punished under already repealed TADA. Similarly, this govt. is boosting morale of repressive armed forces to suppress people's rights and the movement in Manipur.

In the end, he reminded the conference our resolve to wipe out the criminal-mafia oppressive regime and commitment for a genuine people's democracy and said that we are prepared for any number of sacrifices to achieve this end.

This open session was also addressed by State Secretary of CPI Badrinarayan Lal, State Committee member of CPI(M) Sarvoday Sharma and State Committee member of SUCI Arun Kumar. These leaders appreciated CPI(ML)'s efforts towards developing a left-unity and called for extending their support on various issues of struggling masses. RSP leader Tarakant Prakash, AIFB's Nripendra Krishna and MCPI leader Ajay Chaudhary sent their greetings to the Conference. Shankar Prasad Tekriwal of Samajwadi Party also sent his greetings message. CPI(ML)'s CC members Rameshwar Prasad, KD Yadav, Jharkhand Legislative Party leader Mahendra Singh, Mahboob Alam, MLA and Pawan Sharma also addressed the open session which was presided over by Party's State Committee member and MLA Rajaram Singh.

Before the open session, a large procession of motor-bikes and other vehicles marched to Kaithi-bigha, a place twenty kilometers away from Aurangabad at Daudnagar road, to pay homage to those nine comrades who embraced martyrdom after the heroic battle of landless peasants with police in 1985. Comrades Ramnaresh Ram and Dipankar Bhattacharya paid floral tributes at the martyrs' memorial and all those present on the occasion observed a two-minute's silence in the memory of the martyrs.

Comrade Dipankar Bhattacharya and other leaders also visited the memorial of Jagatpati, who was martyred during the freedom struggle, at Kharaunti near Obra, to pay their tributes. This memorial was built by the MLA's contingency fund of Rajaram Singh who represents Obra.

Comrade Ramnaresh Ram hoisted flag at the Conference venue before the start of open session.

410 delegates, out of 425 elected for the Conference, participated in the Conference besides 26 guests. The delegate session was presided over by a Presidium comprising of Comrades Pawan Sharma, KD Yadav, Saroj Chaube, Rameshwar Prasad and Ravi Shankar Prasad. Comrade Ramjatan Sharma presented the Political-Organisational report. Comrade Mahendra Singh was the Observer of the Conference while comrades Swadesh Bhattacharya, Kartik Pal, Brij Bihari Pandey, Ramji Rai, Ramnaresh Ram, Prabhat Kumar and Rajaram were also present as guests.

After two-days of vibrant discussions by the delegates the Conference elected a 41-member State Committee with Comrade Ramjatan Sharma again as Secretary.

The Conference also passed political resolution in the end which says that “ Bihar is passing through a disastrous phase of drought and floods. No measures have been taken to stop the spate of starvation deaths and suicides. The governments in center as well as state are suffering from historic criminal insensitiveness and, while the central govt. has totally failed to provide relief, food, and employment to the people facing this unprecedented crisis in Bihar , the role of state govt. continues to shower bullets over the relief seeking people in order to suppress every protest against governmental negligence. Bihar has been held ransom to the criminals and mafia. All sections of the public are insecure under this regime and the Chief Minister remained a mute witness to the incident of rape and murder of a minor occurred in her own constituency. Moreover, there are series of killings of popular leaders being conducted by the ruling party to suppress the voices of the people, the Paliganj killings was only one such cowardly incident managed by none other than an MLA of the ruling Party."

"RJD is protecting Ranvir Sena on the one hand and has made PWG an instrument to achieve its criminal intentions of annihilating popular people's leaders and attack the movement of the toiling masses on the other. Laloo-Rabri regime also attempting to stop the forwarding march of workers and peasants under red flag by framing leaders under TADA and organising massacres. By fielding Pappu Yadav from Madhepura, RJD has proved that it is a best refuge for the killers of left leaders and by terming drought and floods, and even the train accidents, as god-made calamity it proved to be the better proponents of Brahminism and irrational thinking. The present juncture demands a strong Left intervention in Bihar 's polity and this Conference resolves to hold a massive rally in Patna on these issues”.

Another resolution called for a strong movement against the anti-people policies of UPA govt. in the center and betrayal of the mandate as it has adopted same policies of trailing imperialist America as pursued by the last NDA regime. The Conference also appealed to all Left and democratic organisations to come forward for a joint left-movement on the basis of united struggles of peasants and workers to give a left-turn and Left-alternative to the society and polity of Bihar .

Dharna Protesting Continued Killings of Communist Leaders and Elected Representatives in Patna

A large number of people along with hundreds of elected people's representatives held a dharna in Patna on Oct 11 protesting the increasing number of killings of communist leaders and elected representatives in the state and declared to launch a decisive battle against the killer Bihar government.

Hundreds of elected members from village to Zila panchayats and mukhiyas condemned this recent spate of selective killings and appealed to the toiling poor, progressive citizens, students and youth as well as all Left ranks to come forth to oust this anti-people govt. and criminal-mafia rule of RJD led by Laloo Yadav in order to achieve a crime-free and developed Bihar of people's expectations.

Speakers at the dharna criticized state government for not arresting many of the killers of comrade Manju, though they are easily accessible by the police. Similarly, RJD's MLA Dinanath Yadav has not yet been arrested despite strong proof of his involvement in the Paliganj massacre where five of Party's leaders were killed by PWG-RJD nexus.

RJD, in nexus with outfits like Ranvir Sena and PWG, is perpetrating attacks over the poor and their leaders. In spite of protests and condemnations this killing-spree continues and on Sep 28 last PWG killed comrade Vijendra Prasad in Punpun. The same nexus also killed comrade Rajnandan Singh, elected mukhiya of Charma panchayat, in Masaurhi and made an attempt on the life of Jairam Sao in the same village. It also killed Sivnath Paswan, a party supporter, in Bihta.

Earlier, the Ranvir Sena goons have murdered Ramlochan Chaudhary, mukhiya of Baga panchayat of Sandesh in Bhojpur while the goons of local RJD MLA Vijendra Yadav attacked and seriously injured one more popular mukhiya Rajendra Sao. The mukhiya of Kurmuri in Terari block Gauri Shankar Mahto is also being targeted by Ranvir Sena and he too has braved many attempts on his life.

The dharna also condemned the murder of CPI activist and mukhiya of Daryapur panchayat in Begusarai Laxmi Paswan and appealed to all Left ranks to organise an united and powerful resistance against these political killings targeting Left-movement in Bihar .

A CBI inquiry into the Paligang massacre and immediate withdrawal of TADA cases from all agricultural labourers and their leaders including popular mukhiya Shah Chand and their immediate release was demanded by all those present at the dharna which was addressed by AIALA's National Secretary and Zila Panchayat member of Jehanabad Kunti Devi, Zila Panchayat member from Patna Lila Verma, Zila Panchayat member from Bhojpur Kamta Singh, CPI(ML) MLA Arun Singh and Khet Mazdoor Sabha's State Secretary Vidyanand Vikal and many others.

Laloo Regime Takes One More Life: Party Activist Shot Dead in Patna

Comrade Jharo Devi, 52, a popular AIPWA leader, was shot in her head at point blank range in the evening of Oct 11 by the criminals. She died on the spot. The incident occurred at Panchavati Nagar under Digha police station where comrade Jharo Devi ran a small grocery shop near railway line. A group of criminals came to her shop and asked for cigarettes and amidst the noise of a passing by train they shot her dead in the head and fled.

Comrade Jharo Devi was leading the movement against one Uma Singh of Jehanabad, a PWG-goon and accused of rape of a dalit woman, and was receiving threats from the latter. After the murder all vendors of the locality came to the streets in protest and decided to launch an agitation against this heinous crime.

Comrade Jharo Devi was a delegate in the recently concluded Party's 7 th State Conference in Bihar . Part has condemned Rabri Devi government for this spate of killings just before the Assembly elections and decided to continue agitation till the murderers are caught and punished.

Citizens' Convention against Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act and State Repression - with Special Reference to Karbi Anglong

A Citizens' Convention against 'Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, and State Repression with special reference to Karbi Anglong' was jointly organised by six cultural, students' and women organisations of Assam including Sadou Asom Jana Sanskritik Parishad, All India Students' Association (AISA), Karbi Cultural Society (KCS), Sadou Asom Pragatishil Nari Santha, KNCA and Karbi Students' Association (KSA) at Pandit Tirtha Nath Sarma Sabha Ghar (Assam Academy), Guwahati on Oct 10. It was addressed by Jayanta Rongpi, Rubul Sarma, Kavita Krishnan, Ajit Kr. Bhuyan (Editor, Aji, an Assamese Daily), Akhil Ranjan Dutta (Lecturer, Guwahati University ), local Maira Paibi leader Sarojani Devi and Guwahati Refinery Workers Union's Gen. Secy Viren Kalita. Attended by cross sections of the society, the convention paid homage to the diseased persons died in different incidents of state terrorism and bomb blasts. A Key note address was read out by Loknath Goswami, Gen Secy of Sadou Asom Janasanskritik Parishad. This Convention resolved to extend full-fledged support to the peoples' movement in Manipur against the draconian Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) and demanded immediate scrapping of the AFSPA. which perpetuates a colonial legacy and subjects the people all over the North East region to state repression. The Convention called for exemplary punishment to the Assam Rifles personnel responsible for the brutal rape and murder of Th.Manorama Devi in Manipur, as well as the murder of Pastor Jamkholet Khongsai in Manipur. The Convention also demanded the immediate release of all protestors booked under the National Security Act (NSA) in Manipur and appealed to all democratic organisations and individuals all over the North East to join hands to create a united awareness campaign and mass movement in the entire region.

The Convention condemned the brutal State repression and widespread human rights violations in Karbi Anglong as well as the peculiar form it has taken in order to cover its tracks. It condemned the rape of three young women in Karbi Anglong, by the Assam Rifles, and demands punishment for the guilty. It is also notable that these instances of State terror have been largely ignored by the national media. The convention condemned the arrest of CPI(ML), ASDC(P) leader of NC Hills in false cases and demanded their immediate and unconditional release. This Convention appealed to take initiatives in order to put more attention over the plight of the people in Karbi-Anglong.

The Convention also condemned the Home Minister Shivraj Patil's declaration of a protracted war on the North East and additional troops and military arsenal being rushed to this region.

The Convention condemned the recent bomb blasts in Assam , Nagaland and other parts of the North East and, simultaneously, criticized the fact that by using these blasts as an excuse, the Governments at the Centre and States are paving the way for imperialist meddling in India . The declarations by the Chief Minister of Assam, the Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee as well as the Minister of State for Home Bijoy Kumar Handique, accepting the notorious imperialist American agency FBI's proposal for investigating the blasts and military help from the racist and colonial Israeli State, which amount to an imperialist threat to our sovereignty and independence, were vehemently opposed.

The problem of insurgency and extremism in the North East must be addressed as a political problem and can be resolved only through dialogue and never by black acts and bullets, resolved the Convention. 

Recently, workers of the Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) who were agitating against the move to privatize the ASEB under the Assam Electricity Act 2003, were booked under the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA): another instance of the crackdown on democratic protest in the region. This Convention demanded the lifting of ESMA from the employees of the ASEB.

CPI(ML) Team's Manipur Visit

A three members team consisting of Assam State Secy. Rubul Sharma, former MP Jayant Rongpi and the President of All India Students' Association Kavita Krishnan visited Manipur to express solidarity to the ongoing movement and the people's demand for complete removal of AFSPA from the State.

Addressing a press conference in Manipur University Guest House, the team stated that draconian laws like the AFSPA would rather be used as an instrument for creating terror among the general masses. The CPI(ML) questioned the Central Govt on why it was reluctant to lift the dreaded act from the North East while it was willing to repeal another repressive Act POTA from other parts of the country and added that such attitude of the Central leaders will only increase the sense of alienation among the people of the North East and said that PM has betrayed the people of the NE by remaining completely indifferent to the burning issues of the region though he is elected as a Rajya Sabha MP from Assam in the Parliament. The statement of Home Minister Shivraj Patil declaring a protracted war on the people of the north-east was also strongly condemned demanding his resignation from the Cabinet. Party said that sending additional troops in the NE will not help in solving the insurgency problem in the region but would only aggravate the situation further.