In this Issue
Leaking Navy, Sinking Security?
The CBI has begun its belated raids into the infamous Navy ‘war-room leaks'. The hasty dismissal without proper court martial of three accused officers, the “clean chit” by the Defence Minister to the civilians involved, and the delay in handing the matter over to the CBI – all pointed to a cover up by the Government and the Naval Headquarters. To make matters worse, the civilian alleged to be the recipient of the actual leaks, (Ravi Shankaran) whose company is a supplier to the Navy, is a nephew of the Naval Chief, and is now said to be absconding. Had a court martial been conducted when the leak was discovered, the civilian link would have had to be explored, and Ravi Shankaran, his company, and his connection with the Naval high-ups would have come to light. It seems it was to prevent this that the court martial was avoided. The delay in letting the CBI take up the case, too, seems to have been to allow Shankaran to make a getaway, and prevent further revelations about the extent of Naval officers' complicity in security breaches in the Navy. There are also various indications that the war-room leak and the infamous Scorpene scam may also be linked.
The implications of the war-room leak raise several disturbing questions. After Bofors, Tehelka and the coffin scam, reports of corruption in purchases by the Armed Forces are hardly new. But this time, the corruption relates to the actual operational part of the Naval forces. To be sure, this was denied initially by the Defence Ministry, which claimed that only “commercial” secrets had been leaked. But as the issue snowballed, the Ministry was forced to admit later that at least one pen drive involved in the leak had indeed contained highly “sensitive” material. The implication is that senior officers in the top rungs of the Armed Forces have close links with a nexus of corporates and even the underworld.
In other words, what we are looking at is the thorough degeneration and decay of India 's ‘sacred' institutions – a decay that, besides moral and ethical implications, also raises serious and disturbing security implications.
‘National security' is truly the most sacred cow invoked by the Indian ruling classes – be it to suppress citizens' right to information, or to conduct witch-hunts (more often than not of a communal nature) against “ISI agents”. In the vocabulary of the ruling class, not just the avowedly communal BJP but even the self-styled secular Congress, there has been competitive jingoism, and a virtual consensus on the question of Muslims being potential anti-nationals, posing a ‘security threat' to the nation. ‘National security' was also invoked to suppress dissent and claim legitimacy for discredited ruling parties – the impression given was that even if economic interests of the nation's poor were being compromised by ruling parties, it was only these parties that could be trusted with vital questions of ‘national security'. Now, it stands revealed that no vital national interests – not even those of military security, can be safe in the hands of our ruling classes; ‘security' for these forces can only be a slogan to mask a communal witch-hunt or jingoistic war-mongering.
The ‘sacredness' of the Armed Forces (due to the fact that no compromise with ‘national security' can be tolerated) has also been invoked to suppress any moves towards democratising the Forces: a census of Muslims in the Armed Forces was indignantly disallowed; women were told the Army could ‘do without' them; the Armed Forces Special Powers Act has been retained despite the Justice Reddy Commission's recommendation that it be scrapped. Pranab Mukherjee claimed that the Army could not do without the AFSPA's security shield (read its right to kill civilians and escape prosecution). Reacting to the criticism of the Army Vice-Chief's anti-woman remarks, a well-known columnist who describes himself as an ‘Army son' indignantly defends the Army officer's remarks, and claims that civilians should not presume to question the judgement of Army officers – if they feel women are unsuited to the Army, so be it. We recall that one woman officer in the Air Force who dared to complain against sexual harassment, was dismissed on charges of misappropriating Rs. 1080 – this, when the perpetrators of massive corrupt deals to the tune of crores, and the sell-out of national security secrets, are covered up by the Armed Forces themselves.
The people of the nation must demand that the Army be subject to the highest transparency, accountability, and democratising measures – and it is only such public scrutiny that can secure national interests, since the shroud of secrecy is only a cloak for the nexus between Armed Forces officers, corporate companies and shady criminal elements.
Anniversary of Emergency Observed as 'Black Day'
CPI(ML) units in Jharkhand and Bihar observed the 31st anniversary of Emergency, June 26, as 'Black Day' to condemn anti-people policies of the governments and increasing state repression on democratic movements and their leaders.
State repression has become the order of the day in BJP-led Jharkhand, which has been turned into a police-state reminding the days of emergency, so it was decided by the Party to observe the anniversary of emergency as black day.
A statewide chakka jam was organised in Jharkhand, for two hours, to protest the framing of case with attempt to murder charges on Comrade Dipankar Bhattacharya and other comrades. People held massive protests, courted arrest, blocked roads and sent a clear message to the Jharkhand government that if it doesn't stop harassing leaders of the people's movements it will have to face more intense protests in future.
In Ranchi , hundreds of party activists led by State Committee member Tarun Sarkar and City Secretary Shashikant organised road blockades at Albert Ekka Chowk and Birsa Chowk for two hours. More than 300 people were arrested in Jamtara where both railway and the highway remained blocked for two hours. Hundreds of people led by comrades Mohan Dutta and Gita Mandal blocked Deoghar-Dumka and Deoghar-Godda roads at Deoghar.
In Giridih, large number of activists held a road-blockade at Rajdhanwar. Although the protest was going on peacefully, police suddenly started a lathicharge in which three comrades including Party's leader Rajkumar Yadav received injuries. This enraged the protesters but police came in the defensive and extended its apology for unprovoked lathicharge. Roads were also blocked in Giridih town, Mohanpur and Bengabad.
Hundreds of protesters courted arrest in Gandey, while hundreds others successfully blocked roads in Bishunpur Mor, Shitalpur, and Bajdiha. Chakka jam were also held in Jamua, Kodavari, Deori and Khudi Mahua.
Railroad was blocked at Hazaribagh railway station where more than 500 activists also courted arrest. Another 500 were arrested at Bagodar where GT Road was blocked. Highways were blocked in Raneshwar and Jarmundi in Dumka district. Nearly 400 activists led by Upendra Singh held a blockade in Nirsa in Dhanbad. Baliapur, Dhanbad and some other places also witnessed militant blockades. A road was blocked inMedinipur in Palamu. Railway was also blocked here despite unabated lathicharge done by the police. A Chakkajam was held in Koderma.
Thousands participated in blockades at many places in Garhwa district. Shahpur Pul, Panchparwa Mor, Manjhiyaon mor, Bhaiya mor, Kumardubhi, etc. witnessed road blockades while rail was blocked at Paharigoda.
More than 50 activists were arrested at Randhir Verma Chowk in Dhanbad.
Nearly one and a half thousand led by Devkinandan Bedia held a jam at Subhash Chowk in Ramgarh. A large number of activists and supporters jammed roads in Hazaribagh and DVC Chowk in Gola.
A blockade was held at Ghaghra Mor in Gumla. This was led by Vijay Singh. Comrade Anant Prasad Gupta led protesters at Lohardagga. Rails were blocked in Barwadih and blockades was organised in Manika, Kutmu, Belchampa, Meral, Ramna and Nagar in Latehar district. More than a thousand activists came on roads in Bokaro district where Jageshwar, Jaridih, Petarwar, Jaina Mor, Garga Pul, and Kasijharia witnessed successful blockades.
In Bihar, CPI(ML) organised protests in Patna and all the district headquarters and raised the issues like Jharkhand Govt.'s framing of charges including attempt to murder on Comrade Dipankar Bhattacharya, large scale rigging in recently held panchayat elections in Bihar, recent hike in petrol and diesel prices and abandoning Amir Das Commission in Bihar which was probing the political links of politicians of many ruling parties with the dreaded private feudal army Ranvir Sena. A protest march was organised in Patna and a mass meeting was held near Railway station where speakers recalled black days of emergency and people's resistances against autocratic Indira regime in those days and said that today's regime is letting loose no less state terror, but without giving it the name of emergency. They called upon the people to foil such tactics and to organise bigger people's resistances against the state power which is forcibly implementing the policies favouring big corporates and multinationals against the interests and sovereignty of the country and its people. They criticized the act of not giving extension to the Amir Das Commission despite popular demand and said that this fact has demonstrated JD(U)-BJP Govt.'s dangerous intentions. The march was led by AICCTU State Secretary R. N. Thakur and AISA leaders Abhyuday and Ranvijay Kumar. Protest programmes were also held at various district headquarters in the state.
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Protest Day and 'Jail Bharo' in UP
The UP unit of CPI(ML) observed a statewide 'Protest Day' and thousands of activists courted arrest throughout the state to protest Mulayam Singh government for flouting every democratic norm as well as to oppose the policies adversely affecting lakhs of poor and toiling masses in the state.
National Rural Employment Guarantee Act is not being implemented in the state, job cards not yet given to the needy, and officers not even properly receiving applications under NREGA. A large section of poor living below poverty line have been left out from the BPL list and are at the brink of starvation, while the governement is busy in protecting the culprits of foodgrain and other scams. People, especially poor, are denied of every democratic right in the districts of Sonbhadra, Mirzapur and Chandauli in the name of containing so called Maoists and police has been given a free hand to spread a reign of terror on innocent poor. Whole of the region has been turned into a police state. CPI(ML) activists are being harassed and arrested on a regular basis. All means of democratic protests are met with severe police repression. Whether it is the question of implementing land reforms, or any other issue ranging from the question of displacement of adivasis to starvation deaths to availability of potable water, every democratic voice deserves a brutal repression in Mulayam Singh's UP while criminals and mafia are enjoying open protection from his government.
Framing of attempt to murder and other serioius charges against CPI(ML) General Secretary by the Jharkhand Govt. was also protested and protest letters were sent to the Jharkhand Governor through respective District Magistrates after conducting signature campaigns in the districts, demanding immediate withdrawal of the case.
The decision of center's UPA Govt. to raise prices of ration under PDS and lowering of quota was also opposed through these protests.
Party activists in Sonbhadra, Mirzapur and Chadauli courted arrest in large numbers. Thousands more were arrested in Lakhimpur-Kheri, Sitapur, Ambedkarnagar, Deoria, Gazipur, Allahabad and Lucknow . A chakka-jam was held in Balia. Protest Day was also observed in Varanasi , Mau, Pilibhit, Moradabad and many other districts by holding demonstrations.
A dharna was held at district headquarters in Varanasi to observe the ‘Emergency Protest Day'. Speakers in the dharna said that democracy is under threat in the state. They protested the SP-led State Government for freeing SP activists and leaders involved in many criminal cases, whereas leaders and activists of CPI(ML) are continuously being harassed by the state machinery for raising the voices of the poor and deprived sections. There is no law and order remained in the state and the masses had to fend for themselves. Government's nonchalant attitude towards the public is clearly evident in the non-distribution of job card and deteriorating condition of the starving weavers in various parts of the state.
ACTIVITIES
Struggle for Job Cards and Red Cards
On the question of issuing job cards to rural poor, providing them red cards, payment of previous pending wages under NFFWP and bungling of funds in different development projects, CPI(ML) and AIALA units in Sitapur organised indefinite hunger strike from June 16. The strike was called off after two days when DM sent its representative for talks and agreed to accept all the demands. 18 activists took part in this fast.
At Maigalganj in Lakhimpur-Kheri district a relay hunger-strike was organised on similar demands. Five activists sat on a fast daily, which continued for 8 days. On June 23, AIALA declared to start a fast unto death. This forced the administration to come to talks and gave assurance for the job cards. Some job cards were distributed by the administration under the pressure of these struggles.
Protest Against Acquisitions and Evictions in West Bengal
West Bengal Govt. has decided to give more that 40,000 acres of land to big corporate houses hence peasants in many villages are under the threat of evictions. An agreement with TATA for 1,000 acres of land at Singur to establish an automobile unit for making cheap cars has received criticism from the large number of people in the affected villages. WB Govt. has proposed to give the cultivators 30-75 thousand rupees per acre if they agree to sell it to TATA, with an additional 52% as other costs. Naturally, peasants refused to sell their means of livelihood for this amount and when a team of TATAs went to the spot for an on-site examination, angry people rushed towards them in protest with arms like lathis and shovels in hands. TATA officials fled away, hurriedly, escorted by the police.
A team comprised of CPI(ML) and AIALA leaders went to the spot for an investigation. They met the affected people and expressed solidarity with their struggle. On June 4, a 'march to Singur' was organised where 250 activists covered the affected villages and addressed many meetings. This was led by CPI(ML) State Secretary Kartik Pal, AIALA National Secretary Shrikant Rana and Party's State Committee members Prabir Haldar and Sajal Adhikari. A day-long dharna and demonstration was also held by CPI(ML) on June 22 in Singur. CPI(ML) and AIALA have started a 'Krishak Jagaran' campaign in Hooghly district against the policy of taking-over lands of peasants for the corporate houses. A demonstration was held before the DM of Hooghly as a part of this campaign. Now AIALA State Committee has also planned for a day-long sit-in demonstration on July 3.
Huge tracts of agricultural lands will be swallowed by the corporates although CPM made an statement earlier that no agricultural lands, especially multicropped, will be acquired for this purpose, and that only the nonagricultural lands will be taken over. But they are not maintaining the earlier position. Singur, where the proposed industry will be set up, is not only an area with highly fertile land but also one of the major jute producing areas in Hooghly district. Peasants will also loose tens of deep and semi-deep tube wells, a DVC canal for irrigation and a river bed along with their lands if government succeeds in this acquition bid.
Signature Campaign at Guwahati
Assam 's Left leaders and some eminent intellectuals, cultural activists and trade union leaders have strongly condemned BJP-led Jharkhand government for framing false and fabricated charges against CPI(ML) GS Dipankar Bhattacharya and four other comrades, and demanded immediate withdrawal of the case. They have also demanded to put an end to the repressive tactics of the Jharkhand Govt. against CPI(ML) activists.
A petition to this effect has been signed by many left leaders including State Secretaries of CPI, CPI(M), SUCI, RSP and two MLAs, Drupad Borgohain of CPI and Udhab barman of CPI(M). Eminent intellectuals, Dr. Amalendu Guha, Dr. Hiren Gohain, as well as a number of trade union leaders and artists have also signed this petition.
Protests in Rayagada
Residents of Bada Humma in Padampur block of Rayagada district held a road blockade of the KV-132 Road connecting Berhampur with Koraput via Rayagada and stopped traffic on this very busy highway at Muchukipadara Junction on June 13 to press for the demand of renovation of this dilapidated road and regular power supply. The blockade continued for hours despite severe police lathicharge on peaceful demonstrators and was lifted only after the Gunupur Sub-Collector reached the spot and promised of early restoration work. The CPI(ML) leader Trirupati Gomango and Mandnagi Madhab Rao, Ramesh Behera, and Jallandhar Behera led this protest. Residents of Sana Humma panchayat in Gudari block also participated in this road jam as their long pending demands for uninterrupted power supply and the construction of roads in their villages remained unheard by the authorities. Party held the administration responsible for the lathicharge by the police.
Protests against Price Hike
CPI(ML)'s call for nationwide protests was observed and demonstrations were held in Rayagada, Ramnaguda, Khilimunda, Gunupur, Bishamcuttack and Muniguda in Orissa.
A protest demonstration was held in Rewari town of Haryana on June 13 against UPA Govt.'s fifth time hike in prices of petrol and diesel during its two year tenure, and burnt the effigy of the government. This was led by Party's Haryana in-charge Prem Singh Gahlawat.
Protests were also held at Udaipur , Jhunjhunu and Jaipur in Rajasthan by holding demonstrations outside the District Collectorates.
Campaign for NREGA in Rajasthan
A campaign is being conducted among tribals in the southern areas of Rajasthan especially in Udaipur and Banswara Districts to force the govt. to properly implement the NREGA.
In Banswara district, an Employment Guarantee Mazdoor Sangharsh Samiti has been formed in Peepalkhunt Block in order to press for the timely and full wages under the Scheme. CPI(ML) also conducted an investigation into the irregularities being practiced in this scheme. The campaign is mainly focussed against the corruption and bureaucratic inertia that plagues this scheme.
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