CPI(ML) HOME Vol.7, No.5 29 Jan - 04 Feb ,2004

The Weekly News Bulletin of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist)(Liberation)

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     In this Issue:

Republic Day Notes, 2004

The President's address to the nation on the eve of the fifty-fourth anniversary of the republic day brought back memories of an earlier period. As the President administered a ten-point charter of oath to the children of the country, exhorting them to bring about a 'silent revolution' one could not help remembering the 'moral discourse' of the Emergency days. The period when we were reminded at every step that discipline makes a nation great, that there is no substitute for hard work and that 'less talk, more work' can be the only worthwhile motto in life. When rights became a luxury and duties became the new official religion for all citizens - and indeed a whole set of 'fundamental duties' went on to be enshrined in the Constitution.

Publicists of the Sangh would of course find any comparison of the present juncture with the Emergency most odious. The Emergency, they are bound to tell us, was all about deferred elections while they have always favoured early elections. In Gujarat they had wanted Assembly elections to be held in the immediate aftermath of the genocide. And aren't they now doing all they can to rush through the electoral exercise not only at the Centre but also in as many State Assemblies as possible? The Mahajans and Jaitleys may also claim that contrary to the Emergency ethos which counterposed talk to work, the present regime has popularized the notion of treating talk itself as the most important work. After all, the whole country is being constantly urged to talk more and cell phones are being projected as the surest sign of development!

The President's address remained conveniently oblivious of the fact that the spate of starvation deaths and distress-driven suicides by farmers is continuing unabated or that the number of the chronically hungry and underfed has been growing alarmingly. A recent report of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN has identified two out of every ten Indians as suffering from chronic and acute hunger. Reinforcing this reign of hunger is the structure of rural poverty and all-pervasive agrarian crisis. While the crisis cries for heightened state intervention in agriculture by way of augmented public investment and toning up of the system of procurement and distribution, the 'solution' proposed by the government revolves around privatization of the food grain trade, promises of enhanced rural credit and introduction of kisan channel and 'helpline' for distressed farmers. Undermining everything public is the new religion of the republic!

The President's address also chose to gloss over the fact that the much touted 'growth miracle' has triggered only a fall in organized employment. While Kalam continues to dwell on his pet theme of igniting the imagination of the youth, the time bomb of unemployment threatens to explode any moment. With only a few thousand jobs being potentially offered to millions of jobseekers, unemployment has now started fuelling regional clashes. Indians looking for overseas employment now face increased visa restrictions while the myth of jobs-through-outsourcing has now been punctured officially by the just proclaimed US ban on outsourcing!

While the President did his bit to promote the myth that the forthcoming elections would be fought on the plank of economic development, clouds of communal violence and vandalism have begun to gather on the electoral horizon. Jhabua in Madhya Pradesh is back in the news for more incidents of Christian-bashing even as Uma Bharti blames it all on 'conversion'! The Bhojshala fire is also being stoked again with the VHP now demanding a ban on Muslim entry to the site. And in Maharashtra, the Shiv Sainiks have just vandalized yet another institution, the Bhandarkar Institute of Oriental Research in Pune, for the institute's alleged role in facilitating a critical historical evaluation of Shivaji by American historian James W. Laine. The vandals have of course been only emboldened by the Congress-NCP government in the state which has given in to the former's demand for a ban on the book.

Meanwhile, the BJP and its allies have also stepped up their campaign on that other pet poll plank - debarring Indian citizens of foreign origin from occupying high offices. A BJP leader has rendered this demand more profound by insisting that only Indian citizens who have been born in India to fully Indian parents can qualify for the PM's post! Redefining citizenship and reordering India's citizens remain central to the project of transformation of the republic into a Hindu Rashtra.

AIALA National Executive Calls Agrarian Strike on 24th February

The National executive of All India Agricultural Labour Association (AIALA) met at Mughalsarai in Uttar Pradesh on 18-19 January. The meeting began after paying tributes to comrades Indu Paswan, Lalmohar Pandit, Karuna Singh (Jehanabad, Bihar) and Subhas Baitha, (Siwan, Bihar). These comrades were martyred after AIALA's first conference in the course of struggle. National Executive also condoled the death of com. Ramvilash Singh, Panki, Jharkhand, who passed in a fatal accident last month.

The AIALA National Executive called upon the agrarian masses to intensify agitation at the grassroots and effectively intervene in the forthcoming Parliamentary elections. The organization will launch a powerful campaign against BJP's communal fascist rule and policies of liberalization privatization and globalisation and go to the masses with an appeal to support the CPI(ML) candidate in the electoral battles and all programmes of AIALA will be reoriented accordingly. Besides intervention from above, the organisation will work for vigorous mass mobilization and effective social polarization at grassroot level.

The AIALA has also decided to lend its full fledged support to the 24th February All India Strike call given by the Central Trade Unions. AIALA will go for an agrarian strike on this date to raise the specific issue effectively.

First Tripura State Conference of AICCTU Successfully Held

First Tripura State Conference of AICCTU was held at Udaipur, the district headquarter of South Tripura on 10 January 2004. The Conference started with the programme of flag hoisting and tribute paying at the martyrs' column by com. Subhash Sen, the central observer of the conference. The conference was attended by 37 delegates.

The conference was inaugurated by com. Mrinmoye Chakraborty, Central Committee member and Secretary of Tripura State Committee of CPI(ML). The Draft presented by the outgoing committee was debated and discussed. The conference elected a 25 member State Council and a 9 member State Executive taking leading cadres from sectors like transport, construction, tea, wood-based industry, forest. bamboo craft, brick-kiln- pottery-stone-query, sweet-meat workers etc. The conference elected comrades Nandlal Das and Partha Karmakar as President and Secretary respectively. Com. Rasu Ranjan Banik, ex-MCC leader also attended the conference as a guest and called upon the delegates to oppose all anti-working class policies of CPI(M) govt.

The conference adopted many resolutions. It called upon the working class of Tripura to make 24 February All India Strike called by central trade unions a historic one. It also demanded that all closed and sick Tripura Jute Mills should be revived and the Tripura Agrarian Workers' Act 1986 be implemented in letter and spirit.

Agricultural Labourer Strike in Sonbhadra District, UP

One seth named Balamukund belonging to Benaras owns a farm measuring 850 bigha in Magardanha village of Ghorawal tehsil of Sonbhadra district. The workers engaged in his farm are still getting daily wages of Rs. 15 for male worker and Rs. 10 for female worker. All workers went on strike demanding minimum wages and started relay dharna at Dhorawal tehsil head-quarter under the leadership of CPI(ML) and AIALA since December 26.

The village Magardanha was forest area till around year 1950 and was part of king Barhar's riyasat. The Kol tribals were original inhabitants here. The king sold 2700 bigha land to one Hanuman, father of Balmukund of Benaras. When Jamindari Abolition Act came into force, this family applied mischievous methods, such as registering it on fictitious names, showing tracts of land to be orchids-pools etc. to retain the land. After selling some part of the land and barring hilly and sandy terrain, this family still owns 850 bigha of land.

Balmukund has opened a farm house on this land with the name Magardanha Agriculture Institute. With the collaboration of local police, Balmukund runs his writ of terror in the village. The local peasants can not dare to use water of gram sabha's canal. In this area Gherawal- Rajagarh, there are many farms like that of Balmukund. The ex-king Barhar has won the case against UP government against land acquisition under Jamindari Abolition Act in Allahabad High Court and in Supreme Court and trying to get compensation to the tune of two crore Rupees , whereas even today he owns lands of crores of rupees.

Here in this area, Congress leader Lokpati Tripathi also owns a farm house in a land measuring 12000 acres. Here in this area, in village Lohra, 40 forest dwellers have been forcefully evicted from village land in Meeshan Dhand. Similar incidents have taken place in other villages also. Police and forest department officials have taken away even household utensils of poor uprooted families.

The striking workers are demanding minimum wages, enquiry into bogus land dealings of seth Balmukund to occupy land and end to feudal terror in vllage. They also raised the demand of immediate halt to eviction of people from their lands.

The state PAC and police force are dutifully serving Balmukund like his private security. On the other side, rising of thousands of agrarian labourers and poor peasants equipped with traditional weapons and holding red banners is in itself a warning that feudal system will no more be allowed.

CPI(ML) held a chetawani rally on January 16 again in Magardanha against the farm owner, administration and police. Thousands of people participated in this rally, which was addressed by Comrade Sudhakar Yadav, Dinkar Kapoor, Nandlal Yadav, Pakru Singh Kushwaha, Ashok Kol. Jitender Kol, Shankar Kol.

Memorial for Slain Com. Manju in Jehanabad

In the memory of slain Com Manju, a memorial was unveiled at Karpi in Jehanabad, Bihar on 1 January . A massive public meeting was also held on that occasion which was attended by more than 2000 people. Apart from poor peasants and agrarian labourers, a large number of people outside of CPI(ML) circle also attended the meeting. Com Savitri Devi hoisted the flag at the memorial. Com. Saroj Chaubey CC member of CPI(ML) and AIPWA secretary unveiled the memorial.

The mass meeting was addressed among others by comrades Saroj Chaubey, Kunti Devi, Ramadhar Singh, Mahanand.The meeting resolved to fulfil the task left by Com. Manju by developing and intensifying people's resistance against feudal forces and their killer gangs, particularly the Ranvir Sena. The meeting also strongly condemned the brutal murder of two NGO activists Sarita and Mahesh Kant, in Gaya District on January 24 by criminals belonging to RJD and called upon the people to make 27 January Gaya-Arwal-Jehanabad Bandh a grand success.

Rabri Devi faced People's Protests in Gopalganj , Bihar

Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi faced people's protest in Gopalganj district in Bihar on 25 January when she visited the district. She had gone there to meet the victims of the massacre at koiteegama village in Bhore P.S., but, thousands of people enraged over the massacre, which was masterminded by her own M.P. Shahabuddin, forced Rabri Devi to return empty handed. Thousands of people were ready with black flags to greet the Bihar Chief Minister.

Shahabuddin gang had killed five people, including two women and a child on 13 January

First Anniversary of Markachcho Police Firing Massive Rally at Markachcho in Jharkhand

Thousands of people participated in a massive 'Sankalp Sabha' (pledge taking meeting) at Markachcho in kodarma in Jharkhand on 22 January The meeting was held on the occasion of the first anniversary of Markachcho firing in which three CPI(ML) activists Coms. Ratan Modi, Ashok Yadav and Mahesh Singh were killed by the police while participating in a peaceful demonstration before the police station. The police had brutally killed them and then declared that they were 'terrorists'. This police firing had sparked off a statewide agitation in Jharkhand. The Jharkhand govt. had to bow down to the pressure of that mass movement and ordered transfer of all policemen of Markachcho police station and to pay compensation to the families of the victims. But the 22 January Markachcho rally focused against the government's deliberate delay in arresting the policemen responsible for the firing.

Addressing the Sankalp Sabha, CPI(ML) General Secretary Com. Dipankar Bhattacharya, said, ''Markachcho aur Jharkhand ke logon ko aur bhi bari larai larni hai, goli chalne walon ko saja dilani hai aur BJP sarkar ko ukhar phenkana hai" (the people of Markachcho and Jharkahnd have to launch still more bigger struggles. They have to see to it that the policemen who fired at the people are booked and punished. We have to work for more powerful mass mobilisation for throwing away the murderer mafia BJP govt.). He said that if the saffron regime wants to suppress the CPI(ML) movement for strengthening its autocratic mafia rule, it will the biggest misadventure of the BJP. He said that the people of the country are fed up with the govt. ruling at the centre.

The meeting was also addressed by CPI(ML) Central Committee members comrades Mahendra Singh, Subhendu sen, Ibnul Hassan Basroo and Party leader Rajkumar Yadav. The activists of Jharkhand Sanskriti Manch presented martyrs songs at the meeting. Before meeting, floral tributes were paid at the Martyrs' Memorial. A two-minute silence was also observed in their memory

'Palamau Bandh' Evoked Massive Response

Intensifying the agitation in Palamau District, Jharkhand against growing police repression and politician-police-criminal nexus. CPI(ML) called for twentyfour hour Bandh in Palamau commissionary on 23 January. The Bandh evoked massive response. More than 1,000 people were arrested at several centres. Road-transportation come to a stand still. Most of the business establishments and shops were closed. The police resorted to lathicharge on Bandh supporters at many places. The Party demanded immediate arrest of Madhu Singh, a minister in Jharkhand govt. responsible for the killing of R.N. Singh, brother of CPI(ML) leader Dr. B.N. Singh and withdrawal of all false cases imposed against Party leaders including B.N. Singh, Kalicharan Mahato and their unconditional release.

A Mass Meeting at Karnal

A mass meeting was held near Karnal, Haryana Calling the Ouster of anti-people and corrupt Chautala Government. A pledge was taken to launch a vigorous campaign against saffron conspiracy with WTO to strangle the peasantry. Meeting was attended by hundreds of people. Com. Prem Singh Gehlawat, incharge, Haryana State CPI(ML) addressed the meeting

CPI(ML) to Intensify Social Justice Campaign in UP

      CPI(ML) has decided to intensify social justice campaign in UP for extremely backward classes, Vanvasis and Adivasis. The Party has also launched an exposure campaign against Mulayam Govt's anti-social justice acts and BSP's betrayal with the aspirations of these classes. Party organized a Poorvanchal level Social Justice Conference at Mughalsarai on 24 January and charged the Mulayam govt. that instead of delivering justice to the socially deprived classes, it is killing them in the name of 'naxalites'. The conference demanded that the UP govt. must constitute a Social Justice Commission for giving reservation proportionate to their population to the extremely backward castes. The Conference noted that Mayawati did not deliver any thing substantial for the Dalits, instead it implemented RSS-BJP agenda and Mulyam govt is also going on the same path. It is talking about social justice, but doing out Social injustice. It is talking of secularism, in practice only appeasing the communal fascist forces.

The conference was addressed among others by CPI(ML) State Secretary com. Akhilenda Pratap Singh, Momin Conference President Naimulla Ansari, Rashtriya Samanta Dal leader Bajrangi Singh Kushwaha, Adivasi-Vanvasi Sabha convenor Rajendra Vanvasi. Leaders of Pasmanda Mahaj and Dalit Asia Today editor also addressed the conference.

CPI(ML) Demands Immediate Arrest of the Killers of Sarita and Maheshkant Successful Gaya-Jehanabad Bandh on 27 January

CPI(ML) has strongly condemned the brutal killing of Sarita and Maheshkant, two social activists working with an NGO ERA, in Gaya District in Bihar and demanded immediate arrest of the killers belonging to the ruling party RJD. Party called for Gaya-Jehanabad Bandh on 27 January which evoked massive response in both the districts. All vehicles were off the road, schools and colleges wore a deserted look and all shops and business establishments remained closed. The Bandh received tremendous support from all sections of society. Hundreds of people took out protest demonstrations and blocked the roads at several centres in Gaya, Arwal and Jehanabad.

A CPI(ML) delegation led by Central Committee members comrade Saroj Chaubey and Meena Tiwari immediately rushed to Gaya after getting the news of this heinous murder.

CPI(ML) has said that the killers of com. Manju have not yet been arrested. This has emboldened the spirit of the criminals and now they have killed two other social activists. Criminals enjoying political patronage have started targeting leading women activists in the state.

CPI(ML)-AIPWA-AISA-RYA have launched statewide agitation and protest march was taken out in Patna on 25 January. The protesters demanded immediate arrest of the killers and resignation of Bihar Chief Minister for failing to provide security to the women activists in the state. Effigy of the Bihar Chief Minister was also burnt. Protests demonstrations were also held at several centres in Gaya, Jehanabad and Bhojpur.


CPI(ML's Solidarity Message To Communist Party of Canada

In a message of revolutionary y greetings to the 34th Central Convention of the Communist Party of Canada , is being held January 29-February 1 in Montreal Quebec, the CPI(ML) Central Committee expressed its feeling of inspiration in the notable growth of membership and public activities of CPC throughout the country and wish the Central Convention every success in accelerating this momentum. The message further said:

"Your convention takes place at a time when the whole world is faced with an intensified and all-round imperialist offensive. While the predatory onslaught of globalisation continues to pauperise large sections of the working people in the less and least developed countries, workers in industrially developed countries are also haunted by increased insecurity. At the same time, the hard won independence and sovereignty of many third world countries is being systematically eroded in the name of the continuing US-led war on terror.

We are sure that the Montreal convention of your party would come out with an effective and appropriate communist response to the challenges posed by this unfolding international situation. Communists in every corner of the world have to play a historic role in beating back the imperialist offensive through a powerful and broad-based anti-imperialist resistance and advances in the communist movement."


   Make 24th February General Strike a Grand Success

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