>Date: Fri, 01 Jan 1999 01:22:28 +0530 >From: "CPI(ML) LIberation" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >ML Update >A CPI(ML) News Magazine >Vol:3; No.34; 30-8-2000. > >Editorial: > > >Police Brutality, �People�s War� and People�s Ire >If the police in India have long reveled in the reputation of being the >nation�s foremost organized criminal gang, the credit of being India�s >number one police state has generally been �backward� Bihar. The age-old >khaki shorts of Indian police have of course started giving way to more >modern and colorful attire (the �dress code� of khaki shorts now stands >reserved for another variety of criminals � the musclemen and thought >police of RSS), and the weapons are also getting increasingly >sophisticated, but in terms of brutality and lawlessness, the police of >Independent India are still capable of putting the colonial police to >shame. It is this unbridled brutality and lawlessness of Indian police >which is always sought to be defended by bourgeois leaders and >administrators in the name of strengthening the �morale� of the police. >The current spate of police atrocities in Bihar has once again revived >Bihar�s notoriety as a police state. From the killing of CPI(ML) leader >Vishwanath Ram in Bhojpur to the showering of police lathis on a CPI(M) >demonstration in Jhanjharpur of Madhubani, the list of police >brutalities is lengthening every day. The one incident which has rocked >the entire state, happened in Imamganj bordering Patna and Jahanabad >districts just three days after India celebrated the 53rd anniversary of >her Independence. On August 18, the Bihar police went on berserk on the >students of Imamganj who were observing a �black day� in protest against >the beating up of a student in a so-called �people�s court� sponsored by >the local PWG unit a few days ago. At the end of the day three students >were found missing and the next day the local people discovered the dead >bodies of the missing students aged between 6 and 22, with tell-tale >signs of brutal torture. When the people blocked the road demanding the >Chief Minister�s intervention, they were not spared and a student leader >Sushil Kumar of AISA was detained and tortured for sixty long hours in >police custody before being sent to a jail in Patna. >As we go to the press, the aggrieved people of Imamganj and all >justice-loving sections of society are demanding exemplary penal action >against the erring police officials as well as civil functionaries like >the concerned BDO, SDO and DM of Patna. The state government on the >other hand is trying to hush up the whole thing by just suspending the >in-charge of the local police picket and doctoring the post-mortem >report to attribute the murder of victims of police torture to drowning >in the nearby canal. As the battle lines between repression and justice, >between police raj and the rule of law, are being drawn in sharp relief, >it is time for everybody to take side. For all streams of defenders of >democracy, here is an open challenge to rise to the occasion. >The anarchists and pseudo-revolutionaries of PWG, however, found >themselves thoroughly isolated and unmasked by the events in Imamganj. >The local PWG unit had conducted a typical �people�s court� to try one >high school student who was accused of having slapped a fellow girl >student in the course of an altercation. The court was chaired by an >ex-activist of the PWG who had incidentally been expelled by the group >on the charges of hobnobbing with the police and the Ranvir Sena. While >the local women themselves pleaded for letting off the accused student >with five counter-slaps by the girl, the PWG insisted on subjecting him >to twenty whiplashes, tonsuring of head and a fine of Rs. 10,000! And >the sentence was immediately carried out by a group of local activists >of the Ranvir Sena. It is this brutal demonstration of the PWG model of >�revolutionary justice� which triggered the people�s ire and a >thoroughly exposed PWG is now trying to keep up the �morale� of its >ranks by portraying the people�s anger as a caste backlash and blaming >the �revisionist and vote-hungry� CPI(ML) for leading the people�s >resistance against police atrocity! >There could not perhaps be a clearer revelation of the real meaning of >the high-sounding revolutionary phrases of the anarchists. Holding >people�s courts to resolve contradictions among school students, >delivering Taliban-like verdicts and carrying them out in tandem with >elements of the Ranvir Sena, slapping fines of the order of Rs. 10,000 >on students, and maligning the consequent outburst of students� ire >against injustice and coercion as an engineered caste backlash � can >there be a more suitable recipe for counter-revolution? > > >Press release > >CPI(ML) Condemns Killer Naidu Govt. for Frenzied Repression on Agitators > >CPI(ML) strongly condemns Chandrababu Naidu's killer government (In >Andhra state) for launching brutal and heinous repression on tens of >thousands of protestors who had come to Hyderabad on 28 August to >peacefully demonstrate before the Assembly against steep hike in power >tariff. The incident has revealed the real barbaric face hidden behind a >labouiously hyped cyber state. >The 9-left party alliance, of which CPI(ML)-Liberation is an important >constituent, had called upon the people to march to Hyderabad to >participate in 'Assembly Chalo' on 28 August and compel the Naidu >government to roll back the hike in power tariff. When lakhs of people >turned up in response, a panicked Naidu deployed heavy police >contingents to detain people at railway stations and bus terminals. >Police lathicharged at several places in this course. But braving the >natural calamities of cyclone and flood as well as police brutalities, >tens of thousands of people not only reached Hyderabad, they broke the >police barricades in their bid to enter the Assembly. Naidu had >virtually turned Hyderabad into a police cantonment, but the people >pierced through it. Frenzied police resorted to all means of assault, >lathi-charge, water cannons, teargas shells and ultimately firing, >killing at least four and injuring hundreds of protestors. Not only >that, police mercilessly lathicharged on opposition MLAs and leaders >sitting on fast to press the demand. >While firmly supporting the movement to compel Naidu government to take >back the power tariff hike, the Party calls upon Andhra people to make >29 August Andhra Bandh (Statewide general strike) called by 9-left >parties a complete success in protest against the brutal state >repression. > > >Protest & Resistance > >Protest Against Police Killing at Imamganj >CPI(ML) organized a �Laloo-Rabri Zabab Do� (Laloo and Rabri, Answer!) >rally on 26 August at Imamganj. Addressing the massive meeting attended >by over 5,000 people, Party General Secretary Com. Dipankar Bhattacharya >said, �the blood of the students spilt on the soil of Imamganj will >produce newer Bhagat Singhs who will rein the unbridled police in this >state.� Demanding arrest of police and administrative officials >responsible for the killing and institution of cases against them, he >called upon the people to step up mass resistance against this barbaric >and hysterical state machinery. >The meeting was also addressed by Com. Rameshwar Prasad, convenor of >Khet Mazdoor Sabha, CC members Com. K.D. Yadav and Saroj Chaube and RYA >national president Com. Rajaram Singh. >State leaders of RYA, AIPWA and AISA will hold a 72-hour fast on 29 to >31 August at Income Tax Square in Patna. The demands include (i) The BDO >of Paliganj, Sub-inspector Dilu Lohar and Incharge of Imamganj Police >Picket be immediately removed and a murder case under Sec.302 be lodged >against them; (2) The DM and SSP of Patna be transferred; and (3) >Student leader Sushil Kumar be immediately released. >Paliganj Bandh called on 23 August raising these demands was completely >successful. Com. Rameshwar Prasad and AK Nanda addressed a large mass >meeting at Paliganj held on the Bandh day. >AIPWA organized a dharna at Ambedkar Chowk, Bailey Road in Patna on 24 >August protesting against barbaric lathi-charge by police on women in >Imamganj and demanding arrest of culprit police officials. A large >number of women victim of the said lathi-charge were also participating >in the dharna. In Jahanabad, a continuous dharna from 20 to 25 August >was held on the same demand. Later police entered an FIR against the >culprit police officials. >A dharna was organized by AISA, RYA, AISF, AIDSO, SFI, AIYF, AIYO and >DYFI in protest against Imamganj killing by police at Patna Jn. Railway >Station Square on 27 August. Student organisations demanded release of >student leader Sushil Kumar and suspension of the culprit police >officials and institution of murder case against them. > > >Demonstration Against Police Atrocities >A large demonstration was held on 24 August before SP of Murshidabad in >West Bengal to protest the atrocities by police-criminal combine on >CPI(ML) activists and common people in Kandi Block of the district. >Irritated by people�s long-drawn struggle against him, the notorious >criminal Sayeem, who enjoys patronage of local Congress leaders, had >unleashed a spate of violent attacks with open support from the SDPO of >the block. >A five member delegation headed by Party State Secretary Com. Kartik Pal >met the SP and demanded immediate stop on police atrocities, asking him >to constitute an enquiry against the SDPO and duly punish on finding him >guilty, to arrest the notorious criminal Sayeem and to provide adequate >compensation to the victim families. The SP promised to take the matter >to the appropriate level. Com. Kartik Pal in his address before the >demonstration condemned the State Home Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya >for his inaction, which according to him was a typical expression of the >CPI(M)�s line of aligning with the Congress. Other speakers included >State Committee members Com. Nirmal Ghose and Krishna Pramanik and >Murshidabad District Party Secretary Com. Tapan Bhattacharya. > >Movement Against Irregular Electricity Supply > >Party mobilised local people of Guptipara in Hooghly district of West >Bengal in a protest demonstration before electricity supply authority >resenting against transformer failure, irregular supply of electricity >which had resulted in stoppage of the supply of drinking water for a >number of days. When despite being given prior notice, none of the >authorities was present to receive the deputation, agitated people >gheraoed four employees present in the office and the gherao continued >for three hours until the authorities invited the deputation for talks. >Ultimately the authorities were compelled to make a promise before the >agitating masses that action would be taken to improve the situation >immediately. > > >Jahanabad Killing of Students >CPI(ML) Demands >NHRC Probe >CPI(ML) has appealed to National Human Rights Commission to intervene >into the case of brutal killing of three students on 18 August in >Imamganj police picket in Bihar. It is to be noted that in face of >massive protests against the killing the state government has only >resorted to more repression and till now no guilty has been arrested, >merely an FIR has been lodged. In this scenario one cannot hope that the >state government will do justice. Therefore, while continuing with the >agitation the Party has asked NHRC to independently probe into the >incident, bring the culprits to book and order compensation to the >families of the victims. >Road Roko Against Killing by Ranvir Sena >In Koil village of Charpokhri PS, Ranvir Sena killers caught two poor >peasants Phulan Sah (42) and Vijay pandit (30) who were returning after >catching fish and killed them. Party took prompt initiative and Com. Ram >Naresh Ram and ex-MLA Chandradeep Singh investigated the incident. Road >was blocked for the whole day and it was lifted only after >administration promised to arrest the culprits. >Protest Against Move to Impose Art. 356 on W.B. >Com. Kartik Pal, Secretary of Party�s West Bengal unit, in a statement >strongly opposed the Trinamul Congress demand to impose president rule >in the state. CPI(ML) was opposed to terror and murder politics adopted >by both CPI(M) and Trinamul Congress and would mobilize people against >this. And CPI(ML) is against ouster of an elected government, people >themselves can bring a change in the government by their vote. >CPI(ML) West Bengal State Committee has issued a call to organise >propaganda campaign throughout the state against political terror >unleashed by Trinamul Congress and CPI(M) on 31 August, while observing >the Food Movement Martyrs� Day. Various forms including procession, >demonstration and leaflet distribution will be adopted observing this >day. > >Blatant Jingoism Decried > >One extremely atrocious article published in India Today, which brands >the whole range of liberal, democratic, left and revolutionary forces in >the country as anti-national and enemies of the society, and issus a >fatwa for their liquidation, symbolizes a new phase of rightist fascist >offensive not only against left but also liberals. This was expressed in >a meeting convened by Jan Sanskriti Manch on 25 August in Lucknow. India >Today, which had emerged as the foremost mouthpiece of imperialist >globalisation and neo-liberal market economy, has also become mouthpiece >of the fascist ideological offensive. This calls for a popular and >broad-based counter-offensive in literature and culture, the speakers >opined. Among them were Rakesh from IPTA journalist Shaqil Siddiqi and >Anil Sinha, Ajanta Lohit, Ashok Chandra, Lal Bahadur Singh, Rakesh Singh >and Kaushal Kishor of AISA. The meeting was presided over by Mohan >Thapaliayal and conducted by Ajay Singh, Gen. Secy. of JSM. Earlier a >number of copies of India Today were also burned burnt by AISA, RYA, >and AIPWA. > > >Initiatives > > >AISA-RYA to Gherao UP Assembly in October >AISA and RYA jointly intend to gherao UP Assembly in October to take the >ongoing student unrest to a higher phase. The intensity of the movement >is uneven because the BJP govt. has adopted a Machiavelian tactics of >implementing the fee hike with discrimination. And authorities are >desperately trying to split and divide the movement on caste lines. So >far, however, students have firmly rebuffed these designs. ABVP leaders' >attempts to sabotage the movement from within have only resulted in >their getting further exposed and isolated. The current spate of student >unrest in UP marks the arrival of a democratic student movement, after a >decade long period of pessimism, confusion and lull engendered by splits >and divisions in the student community on emotive issues and along >sectarian lines during Mandal-Kamandal phase. Belying the fond hopes of >the reactionaries that the student movement had died away in the era of >liberalisation, (as declared by India Today) the younger generation is >once again on the move. > > >Joint Left Convention in Punjab > >A joint convention against Globalisation was organised by CPI(ML), MCPI >and Lok Sangharsh Morcha, consisting of CPI(M) dissidents, at Barnala >of Sangrur district on 24 August. About 400 people participated in the >convention. Veteran communist and General Secretary of MCPI Com. Jagjit >Singh Lyallpuri, ex-MLA of CPI(M) and Covnvener of Lok Sangharsh Morcha >Com. Tarsem Jodha, and Party Central Committee member incharge of Punjab >Com. Swapan Mukherjee were the main speakers. Com. Labh Singh Akiliya, >leader of RYA conducted the convention. Import of milk products to the >detriment of local milksellers, the government announcement to procure >60% of foodgrains through private traders in the coming season, hike in >electricity tariff and other inputs, irregularity in payment of wages to >the employees, closure of cooperative mills, unprecedented hike in fees >and capitation fee in professional courses, joblessness among >agricultural laborers and increasing police atrocities including >custodial deaths were some of the issues highlighted in the convention. >The convention decided to jointly chalk out agitation programs against >anti-people policies of the Akali-BJP government. > >Homestead Land Restored to Landless > >In Pahsara village of Begusarai district in Bihar, 15 households >belonging to Tatma caste were evicted by local feudal lumpen elements >from the land they were dwelling in for the last 100 years. A Party >delegation met SDO and Circle Officer and brought this act in their >notice, and demanded the restoration of the land to the rightful owners. >Party conduced a meeting of 200 agrarian laborers and brought out a >torchlight procession on 20 August against the eviction. A demonstration >was also staged before the office of the Collector. Large number of >agrarian laborers participated in the demonstration and street corner >meetings. Under the pressure of the movement the CO had to expel feudal >elements from the land and to proclaim to resettle the Tatma households >on their original lands. > > >RYA National Executive Meet > >The National Executive of RYA (Revolutionary Youth Association) will >hold its session on 20-21 September in New Delhi to take stock of the >ongoing initiatives. Basing on the reports of the recent month-long >membership campaign, the executive may take a decision on convening the >second national conference of RYA. > > >International Solidarity > >International Solidarity for Struggle Against 'Plan Columbia' >On 30 August, when Bill Clinton will be visiting Colombia in order to >give his personal support for the so called �Plan Colombia� and to >further the politics of US intervention in the region, many communist >parties, trade unions, human right associations and popular >organizations in USA, Europe and Latin American countries will hold >protest demonstrations against this undesired visit. >The �Plan Colombia� means a large amount of money at the disposal of the >Colombian government, officially dedicated to fight drug traffic and to >eliminate the cultivation of cocoa by implementing alternative economic >and social development programs. In reality this plan implies: influx of >new US-military advisers in addition to those already there since years; >latest military technology for the Colombian army and creation of new >battalions for special operations; elimination of cocoa plantations >without any program for alternative cultivation bringing more misery and >hunger for thousands of peasants, political protection for the >paramilitary groups, the real big drug cartels; and protection for the >destructive activities of the multinational enterprises. >It will also lead to the forced expulsion of at least 200,000 persons >that would enlarge the contingent of almost 1,800,000 persons that has >been expelled from their lands and communities by paramilitary groups >and the Colombian army and terrorizing the civil population that is >suspected to support the guerrilla movement. In August the Army killed >six children during their school journey to the mountains, and five >peasants were killed sadistically and brutally by a paramilitary group >very near to a military installation of the army. >The �Plan Colombia� is also a threat for the peace process between the >FARC (Revolutionary Army of Colombia) and the ELN (National Liberation >Army) and the government, as the Colombian government lacks will to >solve the causes that has led to the armed conflict and the finances of >the Plan will strengthen the hawks, the Colombian oligarchy and Army. >In the course of this onslaught against Colombian people a direct >US-military intervention, in whatsoever form, can no longer be ruled >out. So an appeal for international solidarity against Plan Columbia was >issued by a number of organisations. >In a message to the organisers of protest our Party has shared this >concern and assured all possible efforts to mobilise Indian people in >solidarity to the international protest against the US war design >against Colombian people. > > >Strengthen the Party Campaign >A Tribune of the People >It is not by evading class struggle that the proletariat expect to find >its salvation, but by developing it, by extending its scope, its >consciousness, organisation, and resoluteness. Whoever disparages the >task of political struggle transforms the communist from a tribune of >the people into a trade union secretary. Whoever disparages the >proletarian tasks in a democratic bourgeois revolution transforms the >communist from a leader of people's revolution into a leader of free >labour union. >Yes, the people's revolution. Communist Party has fought and is quite >rightly fighting, against the bourgeois democratic abuse of the word " >people". It demands that this word shall not be used to cover up failure >to understand class antagonisms within the people. It insists >categorically on the need for complete class independence for the party >of the proletariat. However, it does not divide the "people" into >"classes" so that the advanced class will become locked up within >itself, will confine itself within narrow limits, and emasculate its >activity for fear that the economic rulers of the world will recoil; it >does that so that the advanced class, which does not suffer from the >half-heartedness, vacillation, and indecision of the intermediate >classes, should fight with all the greater energy and enthusiasm for the >cause of the whole people, at the head of the whole people. >As representatives of the advanced and only revolutionary class, >revolutionary without any reservations, doubts, or looking back, we must >confront the whole of the people with the task of the democratic >revolution as extensively and boldly as possible and with the utmost >initiative. ------ (Lenin CW, Vol:9) > _______________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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