----- Original Message ----- From: "CPI ML" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2003 4:32 PM Subject: [ INDIA] ML Update, Vol. 6; No. 7 ; 12-18 Feb 2003
> ML Update > (A CPI ML) Weekly News Maazigne > Vol. 6; No. 7 ; 12-18 Feb 2003 > > > The Snake-charmers and the Politics of Communal Venom > > The snake-charmers from Bangladesh who had dominated the headlines of the > Kolkata press last week have silently disappeared after spending a few > harrowing days and nights at the Satgachhi Zero Point at the Indo-Bangla > border in Coochbehar district in the northern part of West Bengal. According > to Mr. Advani, these snake-charmers were the latest contingent of > 'Bangladeshi infiltrators' and his government has successfully pushed them > back. > The issue of influx of Bangladeshi immigrants into India has long been a > very sensitive political issue in the bordering provinces of India, in Assam > and Tripura and increasingly in West Bengal. Deportation of foreign > nationals was indeed a key demand of the movement which rocked Assam in the > 1980s and gave the state a powerful regional party in the form of AGP. The > issue has also enabled the BJP to gain a strong foothold in the state's > politics. But despite an accord and despite two terms of AGP government in > Assam, it has not been possible to identify and deport a single foreign > national till date! > Indeed, Mr. Advani has gone on record as saying that while Pakistani > infiltrators are easy to identify, Bangladeshi infiltrators are a highly > camouflaged lot. What then is the basis of the Sangh brigade's claim that > there are at least 15 million illegal Bangladeshis in India? In fact, Mr. > Advani is also wrong about his claim about Pakistani infiltrators. Can he > tell a Kashmiri from across the border from one who has spent a lifetime in > Srinagar or Sopore? Indeed, the 'Pak infiltrators' killed by the security > forces have been mostly Kashmiri youth from the valley. > It is true that India has a very long and porous border with Bangladesh. It > is also true that many Bangladeshis do migrate to India and most of them do > so in search of sheer livelihood or slightly better opportunities. Such > migration is nothing unique to this part of the world, it is indeed a > growing and global phenomenon. The UN has a name for such migrants: they are > classified as "economic migrants". Mr. Advani and his ilk are however bent > upon classifying all Bangladeshi immigrants into two categories: Hindu > refugees and Muslim infiltrators. While Hindus are all taken to be victims > of communal violence or religious persecution, Muslims are all dubbed agents > of the ISI or even Al-Qaida! The Sangh brigade therefore suggests that Hindu > immigrants should be welcome and rehabilitated in India, while Muslim > immigrants must be persecuted and 'pushed back' by all means. > How does the BJP propose to achieve this? By ensuring a more intensive > deployment of the BSF, by adopting a more confrontational approach towards > Bangladesh and by whipping up communal frenzy within the country against > suspected Bangladeshi infiltrators. And what has been the upshot? > Highhandedness of BSF including a growing incidence of violence on innocent > Indian villagers living in the border region, increase in cross-border > smuggling and corruption with systematic complicity of the BSF, > deterioration of Indo-Bangla ties and greater isolation of India from a > neighbour whose very emergence as an independent country was facilitated by > India, and an increasingly nightmarish life of harassment and insecurity for > Bangla-speaking toiling people all over northern and western India. > The only way to tackle and contain the phenomenon of economic migration is > promotion of regional economic cooperation and better bilateral ties which > alone can generate a spirit of mutual accommodation and give-and-take. > Problems can only be aggravated by intimidatory and coercive diplomacy, any > meaningful solution can only be achieved peacefully and amicably through > friendly negotiations. > It is not difficult to understand Mr. Advani's politics. After all, the BJP > has openly and repeatedly declared that the issue of 'infiltration' is its > biggest political agenda in West Bengal and also increasingly in Bihar and > Jharkhand. The Sudarshans and Togadias have never minced words and of late > they are showing a renewed political interest in West Bengal. What is really > interesting to watch is the growing political understanding and bonhomie > between the Deputy Prime Minister and the West Bengal Chief Minister. > Time was when confronting the Centre used to be the key theme of the > political discourse of the Left Front Government. Today, the discourse > revolves increasingly around the theme of Centre-State cooperation, even if > we now have a BJP-led government at the Centre. > > > Massive Protest Against War on Iraq in Delhi > > The Communist Party of India (ML) and its affiliated Mass Organisations > participated in a massive demonstration, comprising thousands of people, in > front of American Center on Feb 10 in New Delhi to protest America's > imminent war on Iraq and former's hegemonic intentions. This protest was > organised by the "Committee Against War on Iraq" comprising various Left and > democratic parties and Human Rights and Civil Liberty organisations > including CPI(ML), CPI, CPI(M), Forward Bloc, RSP, JD(S), Justice Party, > Jamait-Ulema-e-Hind and others. > The very impressive demonstration, which also witnessed the participation of > a large number of students and intellectuals from Delhi, started from Mandi > House among chanting of slogans like "No War on Iraq", "Down with American > Imperialism", "CIA is the Father of All Terrorist Organisations in the > World" and reached the American Centre, where it culminated into a mass > meeting which was addressed, among others, by CPI(ML) central committee > member and AICCTU General Secretary Swapan Mukherjee. He strongly condemned > United States and its ally Britain for waging war against Iraq putting > millions of innocent lives in danger to serve its hegemonic and imperialist > interests. Terming US the no. 1 enemy of the people of the world he said > that peace-loving and democratic people throughout the globe, and also in > America, are raising their voices of protest and this struggle will continue > till American imperialist intentions are defeated world over. He also > criticised Government of India for not taking a hard stand against war being > forced by America and said that Vajpayee govt. is still too soft to > represent the voices of increasing anger and angst of the people against > this imperialist war and is working as an American agent in the region > despite worldwide condemnations of war and US-led imperialism. > CPI(ML) central committee members, Swapan Mukherjee, Srilata Swaminathan, > Rajendra Pratholi and Kumudini Pati, All India Students' Association > President Kavita Krishnan, Revolutionary Youth Association's Surendra > Panchal, All India Progressive Women's Association's Sunita and N. M. Thomas > and S. K. Rai of All India Central Council of Trade Unions and CPI(ML) > leader from Rajasthan Mahendra Chaudhary also led today's demonstration. > The meeting was addressed by Prakash Karat, D. Raja, Devrajan, Avani Roy, > Nirmala Deshpande, Udit Raj, Danish Ali, Shahabuddin besides many others. > The CPI(ML) also expressed its solidarity with the anti-war protests going > on all over the world and the massive protests scheduled to be held on Feb > 15 at major important centers of the world. > > > Demonstration to Protest Sugar-cane Farmers woes > > The Moradabad unit of CPI(ML) in UP held a protest demonstration on Feb 3 > before district headquarter to press upon various unfulfilled demands of > sugar-cane farmers. The demonstrators also staged a brief road blockade > near Kotwali and organised a mass meeting before they reached to DM office > and handed over a memorandum of demands to DM. Hundreds of peasants took > part in this protests. > While in Thakurdwara tehsil of Moradabad, a dharna was organised on similar > demands and in Pilibhit small sugar-cane producers are continuing their > struggle under the banner of CPI(ML) after district administration was able > to build pressure, in order to weaken the struggle, on a section of rich > farmers, and they preferred to back out reneging majority of peasants. > "Naya Bihar Banaao" Campaign in Bihar > Attack on Amar Yadav by RJD Minister and Shahabuddin Condemned > Siwan Bandh Called in Protest > The Bihar State Committee member Amar Yadav was attacked by Shiv Shankar > Yadav, a Minister in Rabri Devi govt. and RJD MP and dreaded criminal > Shahabuddin at Darauli in Siwan district on Feb 10 while he was leading a > cycle rally as part of the statewide protests taken up against police > atrocities, incidents of kidnappings, murders and other crimes. The > rallyists were suddenly encircled and attacked by goons led by these dreaded > criminals. Comrade Amar was also beaten up and goons also snatched away two > rifles from his security guards. Immediately after this incident Comrade > Amar led hundreds of rallyists to the Darauli police station and started a > gherao, which was continuing till the writing of this report. > The state unit of the Party has strongly condemned this incident and has > called for 'Siwan bandh' on Feb 12 with the demand of dismissal of Shiv > Shankar Yadav from the ministry and retrieval of stolen rifles from the > goons. It has also been declared that the movement will be intensified till > the criminals are punished. > While the month long "Naya Bihar Banaao" campaign continues with full vigour > all over Bihar, a desperate ruling RJD, unable to withstand pressures > mounted by democratic movements, is once again resorting to such mean > methods, though it is time tested that such attempts have always been proved > futile and counterproductive for the forces of regression and subversion for > whatever means they adopt it is the unity and strength of the masses that > ultimately prevail. > The other parts of Bihar also witnessed militant protests on Feb 10 as > CPI(ML) organised block-level programmes which were led and addressed by all > leaders of the state at different places. Impressive dharnas/demonstrations > were organised with good mobilisations at Masaurhi, Dhanarua, Hilsa, Chandi, > Bhojpur, Darbhanga, Siwan, Gopalganj, West Champaran, Jehanabad, and many > other centres. > The Bihar Pradesh Khet Mazdoor Sabha has also taken up an extensive > programme of marches in deep rural interiors where an exposure campaign > against state govt.'s policies is being carried out simultaneously > addressing the question of development of Bihar and repression by > state-feudal-criminal nexus during the "Naya Bihar Banaao" campaign from > 8-15 February. The AISA and RYA will also launch a statewide 'Badlo Bihar' > (Transform Bihar) students-Youth-struggle-march from 15-20 Feb where five or > six teams are scheduled to visit every district in the state. > This campaign will culminate into a "Naya Bihar Banaao" mass-Convention on > Feb 23. The Convention is to be attended by an expected gathering of more > than five thousand activist from the state who will discuss the > deteriorating situation of the state and chalk out future course of action. > Against Kidnappings, Murders and Fake Police Encounters > The CPI(ML) took strong note of rising incidents of Kidnappings, Murders and > Fake Police Encounters in Laloo-Rabri Regime and has demanded the > resignation of Chief Minister Rabri Devi. Party State Secretary in Bihar > Ramjatan Sharma has said that the nasty nexus of police-criminal-politicians > is so dominating in state's polity that criminals and politicians are openly > patronizing each other to serve their vested and immoral ends and now the > richer section of society, considered to be relatively secure, has also > become quite insecure in the state. He was addressing a press conference > after returning from Paliganj where he went, along with Rameshwar Prasad, > CCM and Ex-MP, to investigate the fake encounter of an army-man. He also led > a march in Paliganj and addressed a mass meeting. > The Party has also condemned recent kidnapping of a doctor of Patna Medical > College, who was 'returned' later when administration had to face strong > protests. The AISA and RYA organised Patna bandh and road-blockades against > this incident on Feb 8 and a bandh on Feb 1 in Patna against the abduction > of a brick-kiln owner and had face a scuffle with RJD lumpens who tried to > foil the Bandh. AISA-RYA also organised a Chitkohra Bandh on 3 February > against murder of two persons. > > Foil the Fascist Conspiracy of Communal Polarisation > > In its bid to nationalize Gujarat, Vajpayee Government is functioning as > nothing but a mere instrument of Sangh Parivar organizations like VHP. It > has not only urged the Supreme Court to lift the prohibition ordered by it > on March 13, 2002 on any construction or worship on the so-called undisputed > land in Ayodhya, so as to facilitate the transfer of the 67 acre land to VHP > for the construction of a Ram temple, but has also appealed to expedite the > case on the disputed land that is heard by Lucknow bench of Allahabad High > Court. In the early March last year Vajpayee Government had done the same > thing and the consequent tension led to a bleeding Gujarat. And the BJP > reaped the communal harvest. Elections to legislative assemblies round the > corner, it is once again trying to make Ayodhya a super-charged issue to > step up communal fever across the country and to deepen the communal tension > and polarization. So this time much worse may be in store. Last time when > the government lost the case and it caused a ripple among the constituents > of NDA, it tried to cover up its motives by shoving the responsibility on > Attorney General for proposing to the Court that a Puja be allowed in the > undisputed land. And even after the lapse of 10-week period the government > did not appeal to the enlarged bench of Supreme Court, as was stipulated in > the said order. But now when the BJP has decided to embark on an offensive > Hindutwa campaign in view of the coming assembly elections as well as the > 2004 parliamentary elections, Vajpayee government has torn the façade into > shreds and exposed its true intentions. So-called secular constituents of > the NDA or the liberals for that matter can no more dupe themselves now by > saying that temple building is not on the agenda of this government. > And behind the temple construction issue lies the main agenda of creating a > communally surcharged atmosphere favourable to the BJP alone. That is why > aggressiveness of Sangh Parivar has crossed earlier limits. Dharma Sansad is > going to be held on 22 February to revive and intensify the Ayodhya issue. > Pravin Togadia has "warned" the government to decided things before 22 > February, otherwise the decisions of the Dharma Sansad would be implemented > even in defiance of the Court. Ashok Singhal says that VHP will not hesitate > taking up arms to defend 'spiritual values' of Hindus. > Playing second fiddle to VHP's terrorist demand, Vajpayee has obliged Sangh > Parivar. Within hardly a year of the Supreme Court verdict Vajpayee > government is trying to pressurize the apex court to reverse its earlier > ruling forbidding any activity in the disputed as well as "undisputed" land > in Ayodhya. Has the communal situation improved in the meantime? No the > least, rather on the contrary, an unprecedented communal holocaust taking > toll of thousands of minority community people has taken place which shook > and vitiated the whole country. > If Court retreats on this issue and Vajpayee obtains a favourable verdict, > he can make his Parivar better happy. If the court again says no, Vajpayee > would cajole them in the name of Supreme Court order and it would serve as a > Sangh propaganda material against existing democratic institutions. Thus the > progressive opinion and democratic forces in the country cannot afford to > rest content with the hope that the Supreme Court would always prohibit > temple construction in Ayodhya. Rather they should go into the depth of the > real issue and launch a direct counter-offensive against the Vajpayee > government and its fascist Sangh Parivar fraternity and their nefarious > designs. > > Restore Normalcy in Indo-Pak Relations > > Indo-Pak relations are at the lowest ebb with the recent expulsion of four > diplomats each from Indian and Pakistani High Commissions. This is the first > time in the history of diplomatic relations between the two countries when > the incharges of the High Commissions on both sides are asked to leave the > country simultaneously. And this has happened when the air traffic as well > as train service between the two countries had already been stopped, forcing > the two diplomatic convoys to cross the border in while returning to their > own countries only by road. Coupled with this are the views being expressed > on TV by former Indian diplomats that Pak envoys should not be allowed to > attend social functions or have social contacts in India. > Tension has also risen on Bangladesh border on infiltration issue and India > stepping up border fencing as well as sending larger army contingents to the > Bangladesh border. This worsening of relations with the closest neighbours, > with the people sharing the same culture and civilization but having a > different religious identity, casts aspersion on Indian government's own > secular credentials. > In the era of 'globalisation' when the whole world is being equated with a > village, and under this pretext western capital and culture is given free > access to plunder and polute the minds even in the Indian hinterland, the > government of India is stepping up animosity with its immediate neighbours > in the name of safeguarding the interests of Indian people. Governments in > Pakistan and Bangladesh may not be far behind in this game. But in fact they > have their own narrow, ulterior motives. The people of this subcontinent are > being sought to be divided by snapping transport routes and putting up > military guarded fences. But the will to stop imperialist intervention is > conspicuous by its absence. However, these attempts cannot succeed in > washing away thousands of years of integrated civilisational and cultural > ties, which also has a strong anti-imperialist legacy. People of the > subcontinent must strengthen people to people contact despite the hurdles > put up by the sectarian rulers and forge a unity to defeat their divisive > tactics. They must put pressure on their respective governments to restore > normalcy not only in diplomatic ties but also in trade and cultural ties as > well, so as to make the sub-continent a potent bulwark against imperialist > intervention. > > > Police Lathi-charge on AISA Activists in BHU > > The AISA activists in Benaras Hindu University (BHU) had to face a brutal > lathi-charge by police when they tried to honour the founder of BHU Madan > Mohan Malaviya and recite democratic songs against the wishes of the > Vice-Chancellor on the occasion of the Foundation Day of the University. The > AISA was demanding that the Foundation Day fuctions be organised in a > democratic manner involving greater number of common students against the VC > 's plan to utilise the occassion to project ABVP and other Sangh outfits. > AISA State Secretary Manish and many other activists were injured in the > lathi-charge. Later police detained all leading AISA cadres for a whole day > in thana. Although ABVP held out a procession in support of VC, next day > AISA staged a dharna against attempts of communalation and for democratic > atmosphere in the campus which evoked a very good response from common > students of the University. > > > IIMS Seminar in Mysore and Bangalore > > The Karnataka Chapter of Indian Institute of Marxist Studies (IIMS) made a > good beginning by organising thought provoking seminars in Mysore and > Bangalore which were marked by lively discussions. At Mysore, seminar was > held on Feb 8 where CPI(ML) Central Committee member Arindam Sen presented a > paper titled "Marxism in the 21st Century: Prospects and Challenges". The > Seminar was presided over by Radha Sundaresh from CPI and Prof. Muzaffar > Azadi from Mysore University proposed the vote of thanks. Collobaration of > capitalism with feudalism and the techniques of survival of capitalism came > up for discussion. > At Bangalore, Arindam Sen presented a paper on "Relevance of Marxism Today" > and Sanjay Biswas from IISc, Bangalore, on " Present Crisis in India - Its > Intellectual Genesis".in a Seminar held on Feb 9 which was attended by > people from various well known research institutions, left groups, NGOs, > NAPM and also democratic intellectuals and workers. Here, discussions > centered around the questions like caste, religion and the resilience of > capitalism. > > > Chhatisgarh State Briefs > > The CPI(ML) held a Protest meeting at Sarangi village in Raipur district of > Chhatisgarh on Jan 31 against illegal land occupations and oppression of > poor and landless and arrest of four peasants activists by police at the > behest of land-mafia lobby in the area. The meeting, addressed by Rajaram, > CCM of the Party and other leaders, demanded immediate release of innocent > peasants, withdrawal of false cases, punishment to the guilty policemen, > etc. > A state-level meeting of Jan Swasthya Rakshak (Primary Health Workers) was > held in Raipur which decided to launch their own independent organisation to > solve their problems. The meeting, attended by nearly 300 representatives > from 16 districts of Chhatisgarh, chalked out an agitational programme for > an indefinite hunger-strike on Feb 17 against govt.'s attempts to dismantle > the Jan Swasthya Rakshak scheme and a rally in the state capital on March 5. > It may be recalled that these health workers play important role in > implementing various government health schemes, particularly in villages, in > return of a meagre sum of Rs. 50 per month as honorarium. And now govt. has > decided to wind up the scheme. AICCTU is taking up this issue which is > affecting about 17000 Jan Swasthya Rakshaks in Chhatisgarh. > > > RSS Chief Faces Strong Protest in Raiganj > > The CPI(ML) unit in Raiganj district, led by its unit Secretary Ajit Das, > strongly protested visit of RSS Chief K. S. Sudarshan to the town in a > militant way and bravely foiled RSS goons' attempt to hamper the protest by > attacking on the demonstration which resulted in injuring many comrades. A > procession was took out by the Party on Jan 26 to oppose Sudarshan's visit, > who was there to address a gathering of RSS workers from north Bengal and > Sikkim. The protesters were holding aloft placards saying "Fascist Sudarshan > Go Back". When an organised RSS contingent attacked them, they put up a > brave fight and police had to intervene. > A protest held separately by CPI and AIYF units of Raiganj too faced a > similar attack by organised goons. This was later protested jointly by CPI > and CPI(ML) through a dharna on Jan 28. > > --------------------------------------- > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://www.cpiml.org > ----------------------------------- > > > _______________________________________________ Leninist-International mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/leninist-international
