> >THE HINDUSTAN TIMES > > >CPM's hand of friendship to SUCI > >HT Correspondent > >Calcutta, August 10 > > >In a bid to meet the rising "imperialist and communal" offensive, the State >CPI(M) has invited friend-turned-foe SUCI to join a nation-wide Left >programme. > >Party leaders met across the table today at the CPI(M)'s Alimuddin Street >office. > >Probhas Ghosh, Manik Mukherjee and Ranjit Dhar represented the SUCI and Sailen >Dasgupta, Anil Biswas and Biman Bose were on the CPI(M) team. It was the first >such CPI(M)-SUCI meet after 1974. In 1967 and 1969, the SUCI was part of the >United Front Government in the State. > >The SUCI leaders agreed to participate in the joint programme in other states, >barring West Bengal, where the CPI(M) is in power. > >Appreciating the need for a joint Left programme, SUCI leader Manik Mukherjee >said: " We have no objection to work jointly against the imperialist onslaught >at the all India level. But the proposal has to come from the CPI(M) central >committee." > >Elaborating on his past experience over similar proposals, Mukherjee said: "We >had earlier written to the CPI(M) central committee over launching joint >movements during US President Bill Clinton's visit or on issues such as the >attacks on Christians. But the CPI(M) did not bother to respond." > >The SUCI has ruled out any such programme in the State because of fundamental >differences with the CPI(M) over the functioning of the Left Front Government. >" We still maintain that the Government is anti-people in essence and non-Left >in its attitude. It has no difference with any other Congress or BJP >Government when it comes to suppressing democratic mass movements. We have >been the worst victims of police atrocities in the State," the SUCI leader >said. > > >_____ > > > > >BUSINESS STANDARD > > >LF's move to win SUCI support comes a cropper > >WITH ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS KNOCKING AT THE DOOR, THE RULING FRONT IN BENGAL SITS >UP TO COUNTER MAMATA MIGHT > > >Mrityunjoy Chatterjee > >August 10, 2000, Calcutta > > >With the West Bengal Assembly elections scheduled early next year, the ruling >Marxists are trying all possible combinations to counter the rising political >graph of Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee. However, the CPI(M)'s >attempt to forge a larger front received a set back on Thursday when the SUCI >turned down the party's offer of joint campaign and possible electoral >understanding. Interesting, the SUCI has been severely critical of the left >front policies, specially the issue of excluding English at the primary stage >in government run schools. > >After a stormy meeting at the CPI(M) headquarters following an official >invitation, SUCI Secretary Prabhas Ghosh told Business Standard that there was >no possibility of any understanding between the two left parties at the state >level both on ideological and electoral fronts. " Since 1977, they have never >even cared to answer our letters. Today they want us to work together. This is >not possible unless the CPI(M) changes its policies, at least at the state >level. At the national level we will consider their offer of holding joint >campaigns on communal and other issues of mutual interest." > >Asked if there was any possibility of any electoral truck with the CPI(M) in >the coming assembly elections, Ghosh said there was none. > >The CPI(M) bigwigs, however, remained tightlipped over the issue. When >contacted, a party spokesperson said " the possibility of joint campaign on >communal and imperialistic issues considering the present political scenario >in the country were discussed. The SUCI leadership has promised to discuss the >issue in their party forum and let us know." The CPI(M) sources denied that >any electoral possibility was explored. > >CPI(M) was represented by state secretary Anil Biswas, Biman Bose and Left >Front chairman Sailen Dasgupta. > >Mr Dasgupta incidentally is also chairman of the ruling left front. > >The turning down of the offer by the SUCI will definitely be a loss of face >for the CPI(M). Political circles feel this will also hamper the Marxists move >to bring under one banner like minded parties to forge a bigger front. > >Though a constituent of the successive united front governments in 1967 and >1969, the SUCI had never been part of the ten party ruling left front. The >SUCI which has its base in the south 24 Parganas district, has two MLAs in the >state assembly. > > >------------------- > > >THE ASIAN AGE > > >CPM proposes, SUCI disposes > >Tieup at state level ruled out > > >By Our Correspondent > > >Kolkata (Calcutta), Aug, 10 : The CPI(M)'s desperation is showing. On Thursday >evening, it called its very poor cousin, the SUCI to the round table - to >chalk out a common strategy to counter the threat that is Ms. Mamata Banerjee. >The SUCI, much bitten and very shy, rejected the offer outright. > >"We cannot join you at the state level because you have adopted several >anti-people policies," SUCI men told three top leaders of the CPI(M) on >Thursday evening. These men had called the SUCI for a heart-to-heart that >would at once iron out the problems the CPI(M) had with the party and at also >make the SUCI a partner in all future programmes. > >It was the first time in Left rule that the CPI(M) had invited the SUCI for a >close door meeting at its Alimuddin Street headquarters. The last time they >held such a meeting with the SUCI was in 1974 during the Congress regime. > >"We have also asked them to change their policies if they want our help in the >near future. These are coming in the way. A tie-up might have helped us in the >ensuing elections, but we cannot abandon the working class and students," SUCI >general secretary Prabhas Ghosh said, adding : " This tie-up is not possible >before the elections. We will fight them in 2001." > >The hour long meeting, was attended by Prabhas Ghosh, Manik Mukherjee and >Ranjit Dhar from the SUCI. On the other side sat Sailen Dasgupta, Biman Bose >and Anil Biswas. > >The SUCI said it differed with the CPI(M) on many labour-related issues and >police interference in mass movements. > > > > >BACKGROUND HISTORY > > >There is a long tradition of left democratic movement in West Bengal. In the >post-independence period there has been many a mass movement on people's >demands against the Government under the Congress the party of the Indian >bourgeoisie. Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) was an important force in >these united movements by the left and democratic parties. When the Congress >was defeated in the elections in 1967, SUCI agreed to join the United Front >Government on condition that certain policies stipulated by the party was >adopted by the Government, One such condition was that there would be no >interference by the police in legitimate democratic movements of the people. >Under pressure from public opinion the CPI(M) and other constituents of the >United Front had to accept these conditions and SUCI was a partner in the 1967 >and 1969 United Front Governments. There was a surge of democratic movements >during this period. The bourgeois class felt threatened and its machinations >led to the fall of the United Front Governments. During the Emergency when Jai >Prakash Narayan was trying to build up a united mass movement against the >Indira Government CPI(M) kept itself aloof from the movement on the plea that >the reactionary Jan Sangh Party (the progenitor of the present BJP) was a >partner. Yet, when Emergency was lifted in 1977, CPI(M), which had practically >gone into hibernation during the Emergency, tried to gain a foothold by >forming an alliance with the Janata Party which was then led in West Bengal by >the most hated leader of the old Congress Party. Such opportunistic alliance >was opposed by SUCI, which urged on the necessity of building up mass >movements on the basis of the unity of the Left parties. The open polemical >discussions by SUCI infuriated CPI(M) and SUCI was turned out of the Front of >the left parties on this ground. In 1977 the Left Front sans SUCI came to >power. Throughout the 24 year rule of the Left Front the SUCI has consistently >raised the banner of democratic mass movement on legitimate demands of the >people and the CPI(M) led Government has brutal police onslaught and >repression on these democratic movements. During the Left Front rule countless >SUCI workers has become martyrs in building up movements against the >anti-people policies of the Left Front Government. It is against this >background that the proposal of united movement has come from CPI(M). ___________________________________ _______________________________________________ Marxist-Leninist-List mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://lists.wwpublish.com/mailman/listinfo/marxist-leninist-list
