[Marxism] ML Update Vol. 12 No. 12 17 - 23 MARCH 2009

[CPIML Liberation <cpimllib@xxxxxxxxx>]

*ML** **Update***

*A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine*

Vol.  12               No. 12
17 - 23 MARCH 2009

*India needs a Genuine Third Front –*

Not this Opportunist Alliance**



On the eve of Lok Sabha polls, the launch of a ‘Third Front’ spearheaded by
the efforts of the CPI-CPI (M) has been announced. The Front, it is claimed,
is a non-Congress, non-BJP front committed to ‘alternate policies’. Most of
the non-Left Front partners (such as AIADMK, TDP, TRS, JD(S)) have at one
point or the other been partners of either NDA or UPA or both. Some parties
(such as BJD, BSP) have maintained a cautious pre-poll distance from the
Third Front but are being touted as post-poll partners.

The establishment of coalition governments as the norm for over a decade
reflects the eroded credibility of the main ruling class formations – the
Congress and BJP – and the rise of a range of third forces. There is
unmistakeable frustration and anger at successive NDA and UPA Governments
and their anti-poor, pro-imperialist policy orientation. Clearly, there is
an objective need for a credible Third Front. The question is: can a rag-tag
coalition ever constitute a meaningful Third Front? Isn’t a vibrant Left
movement and a powerful democratic consolidation around a powerful Left
course a necessary foundation for any viable, serious, and durable Third
Front?

The ‘Third Front’ as it stands today is a highly amorphous formation riddled
with paradoxes. It is neither a full-fledged pre-poll alliance nor a
well-defined programmatic coalition. Partners like the TDP have been
enthusiastic proponents of disastrous neo-liberal policies; as for the track
record of partners like TDP, AIADMK, or JD(S) on secularism and democracy,
the less said the better. Potential post-poll partners like the BJD and BSP
have an equally dubious and tainted record on both neo-liberal policies (the
BSP has the distinction of being the only party without a declared economic
policy) and secularism.

More importantly, the current arrangement ignores the fact that there is a
distinct and crucial difference between ‘Third Front government’ (or non-NDA
non-UPA government) and ‘Third Front’. A Third Front in its true sense can
be nothing but a Left and democratic front that is a powerful voice of a
third alternative – in policies, in vision, in people’s movements – but
which may not necessarily be in a position to form Government. Only such a
Third Front can be in any way durable, sustainable and credible. What is
being called a ‘Third Front’ at this juncture is very different: it is
merely a potential power-sharing that might emerge in view of the
possibility that neither UPA nor NDA might achieve a majority in the
impending Parliamentary polls – an eventuality that is difficult to predict
with any degree of certainty. Surely a genuine Third Front cannot be a mere
exercise in Government formation?

The role of the Left parties, CPI and CPI(M), in such a coalition is yet
another paradox. On the one hand these parties face major setbacks in their
strongholds of Kerala and West Bengal. On the other, CPI(M) leaders have
spoken of the possibility of joining a Third Front government at the centre!
Answering questions from the Press at the release of the party manifesto,
CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat indicated that the question of
joining a Third Front Government at the Centre is very much open. The
CPI(M), since its ‘historic blunder’ of 1996, has systematically removed all
the programmatic roadblocks to being part of a government at the Centre – it
is now free to join any Central Government which it claims to be in a
position to ‘influence’.

The CPI(ML) has made it clear that a role in Government formation is not on
its agenda or priorities. The Party is contesting this election with the
agenda of asserting a fighting Left opposition within Parliament. The seat
adjustment forged by the party in Bihar with CPI and CPI(M) is quite
distinct from any ongoing ‘Third Front’ efforts of those parties. This
adjustment is based on the CPI(ML)’s consistent efforts in the direction of
joint activities and electoral adjustments with Left formations. While there
has been no let up in our firm and sustained struggle against the
CPI-CPI(M)’s opportunist tactics on the whole and anti-people policies and
measures in LF-ruled states, the latter have, in the objective conditions of
Bihar at this particular juncture (the closing of doors of alliance with the
UPA partners and the impact among Left ranks in the state of CPI(ML)’s
practice of independent left assertion) responded positively to our appeal
for adjustment in the Lok Sabha polls in Bihar. We hold that a meaningful
Third Front can only be forged on a Left basis. The ongoing adjustment
achieved by the CPI (ML), CPI and CPI (M) in Bihar is certainly linked in a
strategic sense to the efforts and experiments in the direction of such a
genuine Third Front – efforts and experiments marked by a consistent and
principled element of struggle as well as of unity of purpose.

The ruling class design to subject the polity to a duopoly of the UPA and
NDA must be frustrated. But a rag-tag ‘third front’ that offers no policy
alternative and is crowded by forces with dubious track record cannot face
this challenge. Only a powerful Left and democratic camp drawing its
strength from the struggles and aspirations of the Indian people for a
better tomorrow can be the most effective bulwark against the ruling
classes’ attempt to regiment the polity, and can be the basis for a
principled and consistent third alternative and Third Front.

Firing by Congress cadres on CPI(ML) Meeting in Karbi Anglong

Congress party cadres fired on a CPI(ML) mass meeting in Karbi Anglong on 16
March. The CPI(ML) had been conducting a ‘Mass Awakening Campaign’ since 25
February, towards the impending Lok Sabha polls. On 16 March, this campaign
was to culminate in a mass meeting at Disobai, Bokolia Police Station, Karbi
Anglong. The meeting began at 3.30 pm near the local CPI(ML) party office,
which adjoins a small field near the Highway. On the opposite side is the
Congress party office. At 4.30 pm, there was firing from the compound of the
Congress office. One 60-year old woman attending the meeting, Basapi Taropi,
was seriously injured in the firing.

It is significant that just one day previous to this incident, the Congress
had tried to hold a meeting in the same place, but failed since sot a single
person turned up for the meeting. The attack was clearly conducted by the
Congress in frustration against this loss of support in the area.

The party has appealed to the Election Commission to direct the state
governments to bring the guilty to book and take necessary action to ensure
peace during the elections. The perpetrators are enjoying protection of the
Congress dispensation in Assam, and are yet to be booked and punished.

In earlier elections, the ruling Congress in Assam has used militant groups
in a ‘ceasefire’ agreement with the Government to unleash violence against
CPI(ML) supporters. As per ‘cease-fire’ conditions, the ‘surrendered’
militants of groups like DHD, UPDS and BLT can carry arms even during
election times. They are supposed to carry arms only inside designated
camps, but in real life they are openly moving around with arms, and are
deployed by the ruling dispensation to conduct poll violence and terrorise
supporters of rival groups like CPI(ML).

AIALA’s 2nd Tripura State Conference

The All India Agricultural Labourers’ Association (AIALA) held its 2nd
Tripura State Conference on 25-26 February, 2009, at Seven Martyr Town
(Kailashahar) a few miles from Agartala. The Conference was held with much
enthusiasm which was evident by the number of gates erected and red flags
and banners hung all around. One could see the welcoming gates and red flags
even 14 kms before the venue. The venue for the Conference was Town Hall
which was named Comrade Govinda Teli Bhavan.

As the open session of the Conference on 25th February, thousands of
agricultural labourers marched in a rally well decorated with red flags and
banners. After about one hour march the rally was transformed into a mass
meeting in the main market area and it was addressed by CPI(ML) State
Secretary Com. Mrinmoy Chakraborty and AIALA national leaders comrades Manik
Pal, Joydeep Roy and Sreekanta Rana. The delegate session of the Conference
started at 7pm with hoisting of Flag and paying tributes to martyred and
deceased comrades. Com. Gopal Roy presented the organizational report. The
Conference was attended by a hundred delegates. Com. Sreekanta Rana was the
Observer who addressed the Conference along with other mass organisation
leaders from AISA, RYA and AIPWA. The Conference declared that the Left
Front Government of Tripura has failed in implementing land reforms and
Agricultural Labour Act, 1986. In the name of development it is encouraging
and helping the rich and peasants are being evicted from their land. There
are 67 percent people who are in BPL list and are going through tremendous
suffering. The Conference resolved to bring all agricultural and rural
workers under the banner of AIALA and sharpen their struggle. The Conference
was held with a membership of 26,310 which is more than the previous year
which was made possible by the mass contact campaign undertaken by AIALA. In
the end the Conference elected a 45 member State Council and 15 member State
Executive. Comrades Manik Pal and Jaydeep Roy were elected President and
Secretary respectively.

First AIPWA Hoogli Dist. Conf.

On February 27, AIPWA’s first Hoogli district conference was organised
independently by women cadres and attended by 160 delegates, mainly agrarian
workers. State president Gita Das inaugurated the conference and state
secretary Chaitali Sen, who concentrates in this district, delivered the
closing speech. Conference was preceded by a procession that included an
adivasi women comrades' group dancing and singing along and followed by a
cultural event. 15 member executive committee (including comrade Chaitali
Sen) and 43 member district Council was elected. Comrade Shobha Banerjee was
elected district President and comrade Shipra Chaterjee as district
Secretary. The Conference saw emergence of many active women comrades from
agrarian labourer background.

“Settle the Poor – Provide Livelihood”

A march with the above slogan was held in Hulasgunj Block under Jahanabad
dist. The march proceeded towards village Dhongra, which falls under Chiri
panchayat. Hundreds of acres of reclaimed land is lying infertile.
Neighbouring villages of Dhongra Musahari, Chaitipipar, Lodipur Musahari,
Chiri etc. is populated by maha-dalits. These villages have been reeling
under feudal repression for decades. Villages like Lodipur, Dhongra, Ginji
and Serthua are seen as fortresses of feudal lords. A common villager cannot
work according to his/her will and the wage is still two-and-half to three
kg of grains. A mere mention of lal-jhanda (red flag) evokes tension even
leading upto gun-firings. Hired goons of Ghoshi MLA Jagdish Sharma terrorise
villagers. This march was aimed at unifying the agricultural and rural
labourers and challenge the rein of feudal terror.

Gana Jagaran Yatra in Burdwan

Burdwan district committee organized a “Gana Jagaran Yatra” (people’s
awakening march) in Burdwan East Parliamentary Constituency area on 8-9
March, 2009. Campaign started from Akradaha village under Kalna PS, where we
won two seats in panchayat wards. More than hundred comrades with Red flags,
many motorcycles, tableaux and cars comprised the Yatra. The campaign “For a
Left Alternative” moved through several villages of Kalna PS. Party’s PB
member Com. Kartick Pal, Burdwan Dist. Secretary Com. Sreekanta Rana,
comrades Sajal Pal and Salil Dutta were leading the Yatra. Throughout the
route of the Yatra people lined up to see the Yatra and heard the speeches
made by CPI(ML) leaders. In Kalna town students-youth, Left-democratic
people showed enthusiasm towards our Yatra and received our campaign warmly.
In Arjuna village where martyred Com. Abdul Halim was first attacked by CPM
goons, people in large number attended the rally. Covering Seneardanga,
Singerkone and Baidyapur market the rally completed its first day. Several
speakers spoke at the meeting in Baidyapur.

On the 2nd day the Yatra passed through Jamalpur and Memari PS. The Yatra
went to historical Borokamalpur village’s martyrs column where three
comrades, now real life heroes for people, had sacrificed their life
fighting against the military force. Covering Ranapara, Jougram, Ajjhapur
and Debipur market the rally concluded at Memari town with a mass meeting.
Thousands of leaflets and hundreds of copies of Deshsobroti (Party’s organ
in Bengali) was distributed through out the rally among the people. Our
candidate Com. Pijiush kumar Sahana was at the head of the Yatra. Com.
Nitish Ray and Com. Bablu Sarkar motivated every one by singing
revolutionary songs.

Referendum Among Pricol Workers

Amidst the victimization spree on the part of the management in its efforts
to demoralize the workers, Pricol workers took active part in a referendum
organized by the union. Out of the total 1250 plus permanent workers who are
members of our union, 1193 workers registered their vote in the referendum.
Participation of more that 90% of workers in the referendum itself was a
clear message to the management that all the workers are with the union and
that they will not allow slavery anymore in the factory.

On March 11, after the first shift workers did not leave the factory and
they all sat in the factory and demanded that the management should reverse
its victimization measures and there could be no more deduction from the
salary on some pretext or the other. The sit-in strike continued for two
nights and one day and workers withdrew the strike following the assurance
by the Collector and the Deputy Labor Commissioner that their issues will be
sorted out through negotiations with the management.

Candidates Introduced in Workers’ Rallies

In Chennai, Workers’ Rights Rally was held on March 8 in which around 700
workers participated. Our candidate for the Sriperumbudur Parliamentary
constituency Com. Bharathi, a State Committee member was introduced by Com.
S. Kumarasami, PBM, who addressed the gathering. Comrades Janakiraman, AS
Kumar, Eraniappan and Sekar (all State Committee members) also addressed the
rally.

In Tirunelveli, around 650 workers, majority of them women, participated in
the Workers’ Rights Rally, which was led by Com. Rajamanickam, State
Secretary, AICCTU and was flagged-off by Com. Ramesh, State Vice President,
AICCTU. Com. Sankarapandian, SCM, candidate for Tirunelveli Constituency was
introduced by Com. Bhuvaneswari, State President, Workers’ Rights Forum.

Kumbakonam: Fast Against Closing school

Around 150 local people participated in a fast organized by the Party and
AISA on March 16 against closing St. Joseph Matriculation School in
Kumbakonam to give way to an engineering college in the same place. Parents
of the students of the school also joined the fast. Comrades Gunasekaran,
Elangovan and Bharthi, SCMs addressed the meeting.

CPI(ML)’s DTC Sector Conference

Party’s 9th DTC (Delhi Transport Conporation) Sector Conference was held on
26 February, 2009, near the Union Office in Okhla Industrial Area.
Forty-seven delegates from all the seven branches of DTC participated in
this Conference. Delhi State Secretary Com. Sanjay Sharma as chief guest
inaugurated the Conference and Com. AN Tiwary was the Observer from Party
who along with other State Committee members addressed the Conference.

The DTC has been facing a slew of privatisation measures by the Congress
Govt. at Delhi. Three resolutions were passed by the Conference regarding
election campaign emphasing putting all energy of the sector committee in
the coming Lok Sabha election. In the end a eleven member sector committee
was elected and Com. Sankaran was reelected as its Secretary.

AIPWA’s Conference in Paharpur

The All India Progressive Women’s Association (AIPWA) held its 5th
Chitkohra-Paharpur Conference on 14th February, 2009, at Chitkohra in Bihar.
The Conferecne condemned the recent attacks on women and demanded a ban on
the saffron outfits routinely terrorizing and attacking women’s freedom. The
Conference was addressed by Comrades, Anita SInha, Shashi Yadav, CPI(ML)
leader Murtaza Ali, Virendra Puri and Manoj Kumar. The Conference
deliberated on expanding and strengthening the AIPWA in the region. A
seventeen member committee was elected with comrades Abida Khatun as
President and Madhuri Sharma as Secretary.

Kisan Sangharsh Yatra in Vaishali

Under the banner of CPI(ML) and Bihar Pradesh Kisan Sabha a Kisan Sangharsh
Yatra (peasants’ struggle march) was held between 19-24 February. The Yatra
started on foot and meetings were held at Jalalpur, Etwarpur, Tajpur,
Vasanta, Jahanbad, Ghataro, Kartahan, Bhagwati Chowk, Pauda, Sirsawiran,
Sharma, Sirsa Haat, Saitha, Lalpura, Prataptaand, Bhagwanpur, Rohua,
Kiratpur, Rajaram, Simra, Indira Chowk, Imadpur, Purainia, Lakshmi
Narayanpur, Pakrihaat, Tada Chowk, Gurmia, Bhakurhar, Prabodhi, Anwarpur,
Maricha, Sonbarsa, Sarai Paink and a few other places. The Yatra’s campaign
issues focused on draining out the flood water, solution to the perennial
problems of flood and irrigation, and on the problems being faced by potato
growing farmers. The Yatra saw pesants getting mobilized on these issues.
The Yatra was coordinated by Vice Presidents of Kisan Sabha- comrades Vijay
Maharaj and Vishwanath Singh, Suman Kumar (Secretary), Ram Paras Bharti
(Joint Secretary) and other peasant leaders comrades Devendra Singh,
Raghuvansh Singh, Krishna Murari Singh among others.

Demonstration at Punpun

Fortnight-long Sangharsh Yatra (struggle march) from 10-24 February in
Punpun ended with big demonstration at the Subdivision headquarters in
Punpun. The main issues were 200 days of work and Rs.200/- daily wage under
NREGA, inclusion of all poor people in the BPL list and granting them yellow
card, 4 decimal plot and punishment to all the criminals who perpetrated
Bathe massacre. The officials this time invited us for talks very soon.
Comrades Aklu Paswan, Shivkumar Manjhi, Sangeeta Singh, Madan Paswan, Rakesh
Choudhary and Jayprakash Paswan were leading the demonstration and also
spoke there calling upon people to continue the struggle indefinitely till
all the demands were met and to gherao the Lok sabha candidates who come in
the area asking for votes and to accelerate the struggle against the UPA and
NDA.

BPKS Conferences

The Bihar Pradesh Kisan Sabha held its Ghoshi, Makhdumpur and Jahanabad
block conferences.

Protest March in Chhatisgarh

CPI(ML), Agricultural Labourers’ Association and Democratic Stone Mines
Workers’ Union jointly organised a twenty km long march from Bangoli to the
State Assembly in Chhatisgarh with the main demands for strict
implementation of labour laws in stone mines, release of Dr. Binayak Sen and
abrogating the Chhatisgarh Special Public Security Act, inclusion of all the
poor in the BPL list, PDS facility be made available to all the poor, all
the widows and old age people be given pensions, halting the pollution being
caused by the industries and no grant of agricultural land for industries.
Ten kms before the Vidhan Sabha the 400 marchers were arrested near Sara
village. All of them were taken to Raipur Central Jail and after going
through the formalities of arrests 14 people including CPI(ML) leaders
comrades Brijendra Tiwari, Narottam Sharma and AIALA’s national leader M.
Chandrashekhar Reddy were cunningly detained. After lodging them behind bars
the rest were being let-off which was strongly opposed by the rest and as a
consequence the 14 comrades were also released after two hours. The police
was acting on behest of the stone mines’ owners to terrorise the workers.

Desperate CPI(M) Discovers New Secular ‘Hero’ In Naveen

In what must count as the most sensational development so far in this
election season, the BJD seems to have decided to terminate its decade-old
partnership with the BJP. Buoyed by its recent electoral success in
municipal elections in which it had independently swept the polls over large
parts of urban Orissa, the BJD leadership asked the BJP to settle for a
reduced number of seats in both Assembly and Parliament elections. A
shell-shocked BJP was quick to withdraw from the ruling coalition, and in no
time the CPI(M) has stepped in to fill the gap. For the CPI(M), Naveen
Patnaik has overnight become the latest icon of the fledgling ‘Third Front’
and a secular hero to boot!

The Orissa developments hold a pretty good mirror to the emerging patterns
of coalition politics in India. Time was when the NDA boasted of some
twenty-odd constituents. Today with the BJP’s stock going down and down,
allies have started deserting the coalition one after another. The remaining
allies like the Akali Dal in Punjab, Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and JD(U) in
Bihar will obviously utilise this discomfiture of the BJP to demand a bigger
share of the coalition pie. Inasmuch as Naveen Patnaik’s decision to walk
out on the decade-old partnership with the BJP could aggravate the
predicament of the BJP/NDA camp, it would surely be welcomed by all secular
democratic people in the country.

But the alacrity with which the CPI(M) has responded to the developments in
Orissa goes much farther than this general sense of relief and welcome. It
is one thing to encourage a rift or rupture in the NDA, and quite another to
rush into an alliance with whoever parts ways with the BJP. Still more
pitiable is the CPI(M)’s desperate attempt to legitimise and lionise someone
like Naveen Patnaik with a view to securing some electoral gains!

The CPI(M) has already absolved Naveen Patnaik of all his culpability in the
anti-Christian carnage in Kandhamal that claimed scores of innocent lives
and rendered thousands of Christian families homeless and traumatised
refugees in their own land. In fact, CPI(M) leaders would like us to believe
that it was the Kandhamal carnage that triggered Naveen Patnaik’s ‘change of
heart’! With hindsight they can now also discover flickers of secular
remorse in the BJD leadership when the Modi brigade scripted the Gujarat
genocide seven years ago! And Kalinganagar, Kashipur and Posco are perhaps
only necessary symbols of ‘industrialisation’ and ‘governance’ like Singur,
Nandigram and Lalgarh?

Chandrababu Naidu, Jayalalitha, Mayawati and now Naveen Patnaik – they are
the pillars of the CPI(M)’s dream ‘Third Front’ that, according to the
CPI(M), will guarantee secularism and protect the Indian people from the
scourge of global recession! Naveen Patnaik may have demonstrated his
growing strength and confidence by choosing this moment to dissociate from
the BJP, the CPI(M) is only exposing its growing desperation by overnight
turning him into a secular hero.


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