ML Update 42 / 2012

ML Update

A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine
Vol.  15    No. 42    9-15 OCT 2012

In lieu of Editorial

The Battle of Koodankulam is a Battle for Democracy, Truth, and Reason

Dipankar Bhattacharya 

(On October 1, CPI(ML) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya made a solidarity visit to the Koodankulam struggle site, along with a team of CPI(ML) leaders including Politburo member S Kumaraswamy, Tamil Nadu State Secretary Balasundaram, G Ramesh (State Committee member and Tirunelveli advocate working in support of the Koodankulam struggle) and Chandran from Coimbatore. Police arrested the team to prevent it from reaching the struggle site. Below is an account of the experience by Comrade Dipankar Bhattacharya.) 

On 30 September, 2012, when Left activists from Delhi and neighbouring states had assembled in Delhi's Mavalankar Auditorium to discuss the Left and democratic agenda to intervene in the deepening national crisis, they had one long-distance participant. In a video message, SP Udayakumar of People's Movement against Nuclear Energy appealed to the Left to stand by the fighting people of Koodankulam in Tamil Nadu who are being persecuted by the Indian state for daring to oppose the Koodankulam nuclear plant. The convention resolved to observe a fortnight-long countrywide campaign from October 1 to 15 in support of the just demand and struggle of the people of Koodankulam. As part of the campaign, a team of CPI(ML) central leaders was to visit Idinthakarai where local people have been courageously continuing their struggle for more than last 400 days defying state repression.

When a journalist from Asianet asked me if I thought we would be allowed to go there I got the first inkling of what might be in store for us the next day. We had been to Dhinkia and other villages of Jagatsinghpur several times to express solidarity with the people of Odisha fighting against the proposed occupation of their land by Posco. Even as thousands of people were prevented from leaving their villages, activists from outside never had a problem visiting the villages and meeting the local people. I had earlier thought Jayalalitha was also following in the footsteps of Naveen Patnaik and implementing the Odisha model in Tamil Nadu. But on reaching the Tuticorin airport on the morning of October 1, I could realise she had moved ahead of her new found alliance partner. She wants to cordon off Idinthakarai from the rest of the country and physically isolate the brave fighters against the Koodankulam nuclear plant from their innumerable friends and supporters elsewhere in Tamil Nadu and beyond.
We had initially planned to go to Tirunelveli and join our local comrades in a solidarity meeting and then proceed towards Idinthakarai. Soon we got the information that there was heavy police deployment in Tirunelveli to stop comrades from marching to Idinthakarai. We quickly changed plan and headed straight towards Idinthakarai. We managed to get fairly close to the site in a vehicle that had no party flag and could not be recognised from outside as one carrying CPI(ML) leaders. But once we reached Radhapuram we ran into a police barricade, the officials giving us an option of retreating 'freely' or facing arrest. We were told a few days ago, Comrade VS Achuthanandan was also likewise sent back from Kerala-TN border. We argued with the police against this paranoia and denial of basic democratic right of free movement of free citizens in their own country, but to no avail. We were arrested by the police. Soon news came that comrades in Tirunelveli had also been arrested as were comrades coming from Kanyakumari district.

We wanted to go to Idinthakarai to salute our brave sisters and brothers who have been holding high the banner of truth and reason in the face of the organised repression and lies unleashed by the Indian state. The Supreme Court recognises safety as a key issue, but obviously does not think that the affected people should have the most crucial say in this matter. The brave and fighting people of Koodankulam deserve all our support and solidarity as they have alerted the whole world against the utterly irrational and autocratic move of the powers that be in inviting a potential disaster. The world heard of Chernobyl and Fukushima after disasters struck, but Jaitapur and Koodankulam are in a different league where the whole world knows about these places for the brave struggle of the people against the ominous nuclear obsession of the rulers. The people of Koodankulam and Jaitapur are fighting not just to save their own land and lives, but for the safety of generations to come. Tamil Nadu has already suffered the enormous tragedy of a devastating tsunami; must the people be condemned now to live forever in the shadow of the fear of a nuclear tsunami?

Developed countries across the world are increasingly moving away from nuclear energy, yet the Indian ruling elite are dumping the most expensive and outdated 20th century technology in the 21st century when the world is increasingly resorting to safer, cheaper, and cleaner energy options. Ironically enough from the police custody at Radhapuram we could see wind mills all around us, indicating the growing viability of wind power as an energy option.

It is ironical that governments which are systematically sacrificing all our vital national interests at the altar of FDI and humiliating deals with imperialist powers, are trying to malign and muffle the voice of truth and justice in Koodankulam by dubbing the movement as being 'instigated by foreign agencies'. And in the process the government has already begun treating Koodankulam as foreign territory where the interests of nuclear powers prevail over the basic rights of the Indian people.
We could not physically meet our comrades in Koodankulam, but the police could not stop us from having a telephonic conversation with Comrade Udayakumar, just as the voice of the people of Koodankulam could not be stopped from reaching the September 30 convention in the national capital. These little freedoms of course mean a lot at a time when our bigger rights are at stake. Comrade Udayakumar assured us that the morale of the Koodankulam struggle remained undiminished and the people were planning to lay siege to the TN Assembly on October 29 when the state government has convened a special session to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of the foundation of the State Assembly. We assured him of our unflinching support on behalf of CPI(ML) and all other fighting Left and democratic forces in the country.
The battle of Koodankulam is a battle for democracy. It is a battle as much for public safety as truth and reason. We must all join it and fight on till victory is achieved.

Protest in Delhi in Solidarity With People's Struggle Against Koodankulam Nuclear Plant

The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation CPI(ML) organised a Solidarity Protest on 10 October in Delhi in support of thousands of people of Idinthakarai and other villages in coastal areas of Tamilnadu who are waging a struggle against the Koodankulam nuclear power plant, braving severe repression unleashed by the Central and State Governments.This solidarity protest was organised in keeping with the call issued from the AILC Convention on 30 September. 
A mass Dharna was organised at Jantar Mantar which was attended by activists and people from various walks of life. Speakers at the dharna said that the questions at Koodankulam is not just of 'allaying fears' of people. Nor is it an academic question of the merits and demerits of nuclear power, or the differences between nuclear plants set up before and after the Indo-US Nuke Deal. The key question is one of democracy: Will people's democratic protests be heard in India, or will they be suppressed by brute force? Do Indian citizens have a right to the truth and facts, or will our Governments get away with lying to us? Above all, can there be any 'national interest' that jeopardizes the lives of millions of people, while clearly benefiting foreign nuclear companies?     

Protestors raised slogans and displayed placards saying 'No Fukushima on Indian Soil! Scrap Koodankulam Nuke Plant!'
The Dharna demanded that FIRs slapped on some 55,000 protestors and charges of 'sedition' slapped on 8000 protestors be withdrawn; all arrested leaders and activists at Koodankulam be released, Govt. should stop intimidating and repressing common people and activists, and above all, Govt. must immediately scrap Koodankulam Nuclear Project.

Others who spoke at the protest includes Koodankulam activist Malti, CPI(ML) leaders Kavita Krishnan and Girija Pathak, AICCTU National Councilor KK Bora, CPI(ML) Delhi State Committee members Santosh Roy, VKS Gautam, Ramabhilash and Aslam Khan, and Martand, AISA leader from JNU.

Resist FDI in Pension and Insurance

After hikes in fuel prices and FDI in multi-brand retail, the UPA Government has now decided to raise the cap for FDI in the insurance sector from the 26 % to 49 %, and to allow 49 % FDI in pension funds.

These measures seek to render the hard-earned savings and pension funds of India's public sector employees insecure by opening them up for exploitation by the market forces and MNCs. Global insurance firms, especially US firms, are hard hit by the economic crisis and poor investment climate, and the UPA Government's move to open up India's insurance sector is essentially a bailout package for those firms.    

The CPI(ML) strongly condemns these neoliberal policies being imposed by the UPA Government in spite of the long-standing opposition of Indian people. The CPI(ML) calls for country-wide protests against these anti-people measures.

Sweatheart Deals Between Vadra and DLF, and Various Congress Governments and DLF Must Be Investigated

Substantial evidence has been brought to light that indicates an unholy nexus between the real estate firm DLF, the businessman Robert Vadra, and various Congress Governments. The favours done by DLF to Vadra, and by various State Governments to DLF, raise several questions, none of which have been satisfactorily answered. The way in which senior Ministers including the Finance Minister and Law Minister have leapt to the defence of Vadra's business practices is also highly suspicious. The Government cannot refuse to investigate the highly questionable deals, involving land and real estate, which have come to light.

The CPI(ML) demands an impartial and thoroughgoing probe into all aspects of the relationship between Vadra, DLF, and various state governments.   

Flag Hoisting at LPG Plant, BPCL Mangalore

AICCTU hoisted the flag on 29 Sep. in front of the LPG plant of Bharat Petrolem Corporation Ltd (BPCL) in Mangalore. Shankar, Vice-President of AICCTU in Karnataka came down heavily on the contract system that is in vogue in a government-owned company. He called upon all workers to maintain utmost unity to win the battle for decent wages, abolition of contract system in perennial nature of work and also for the dignity of labour. All contract workers in the plant have joined the union and are determined to march on struggles to win over the demands. He also appealed to the union of company employees to extend all possible help to contract workers to win the demands. 

Com. Chandru, BPCL unit president presided over the occasion while Sathish and Appanna also addressed the gathering. 

Trade Union Class at Mangalore

AICCTU organized a class at Mangalore on 30 Sep. 2012 on Marxism and working class. Prof. Lakshminarayana from Mysore explained the fundamentals of Marxism including dialectical and historical materialism in a very lucid manner. All workers were quite young and new to Marxism and related ideas and they evinced greater interest in understanding the philosophy and its relevance to their life. Comrades Shankar, CCM, Appanna, State Secretary of AICCTU and Venugopalan, SLTM of Kerala also spoke on the occasion. Com. Sathish, president of AICCTU, Mangalore presided over the programme while Chandru of Bharat Petroleum LPG Plant welcomed the gathering.

Party recruitment camp at Banglaore

CPI(ML), Bangalore organized a party recruitment camp on 2 Oct. 2012 that was attended by around 85 workers. Prof. Lakshminarayana, delivered a lecture on 'why workers need a communist party' focusing mainly on Marxist fundamentals including an outline on political economy. Gopal spoke on the 'History of CPI(ML)'. Com. Simpson, leader of the 'Liberation Front of the Downtrodden' from Tamil Nadu greeted the initiative with an introduction to communist party. Shankar, CCM spoke on immediate issues and also the issues involved in party building in Bangalore. Com. Puttegowda, district secretary of AICCTU presided over the occasion. Many workers were inspired by the workshop and they collected the party membership form.

Obituary

Comrade Anil Kumar

Comrade Anil Kumar breathed his last in the night of 29 September at the age of 70 in Lucknow. He was deputed at Party's state office in Lucknow. He hailed from a working class background and used to work in a printing press. When in '93 party asked  him to help in party office work, he happily agreed and left his job. He was known for his commitment towards Marxism, and also for his hard and disciplined work-style. He always strived to accomplish every task and responsibility assgned to him. In a process he perfectly adopted himself for party's office work and even learnt to operate computer.
Many party leaders and supporters paid him tributes at Lalkuan Party office in Lucknow.
Red Salute to Comrade Anil Kumar!

ML Update 41 / 2012

ML Update

    A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine

    Vol.  15                          No. 41                                                                                                                                  2-8 OCT 2012

Nitish Kumar's Yatra

    Crackdown on Adhikar (Rights),

Display of Ahankar (Arrogance)

    Bihar CM Nitish Kumar's launched the 'Adhikar Yatra,' claiming to champion Bihar's right to special status. But throughout the route of his journey, Nitish's convoy was met with protesting people demanding their rights – and these protests have been met with arrogance, bullying, and outright repression. The 'Adhikar' Yatra has become an all-out crackdown on the rights of the people of Bihar, and a naked display of high-handedness and arrogance on part of the Chief Minister and JD(U) leaders.

The lowest point of this Yatra has undoubtedly been at Khagaria, where JD(U) leader Ranvir Yadav, husband of the local JD(U) MLA Poonam Yadav, fired from a police carbine in order to terrorise protesting villagers and  contractualised school teachers. At the Khagaria collector's office, a gathering of protestors led by the RJD had sought to meet the CM with a demand for the Khagaria district to be given 'special status' and assistance. Instead the police lathicharged the gathering, after which the infuriated gathering erupted in protest. Meanwhile, the contract teachers were on a peaceful dharna near the dais of the CM's public meeting. Women from mahadalit families who have been sentenced to death in the Amousi case were also gathered in protest, demanding freedom for Bodhan Sada and others. Ranvir Yadav set out for the collector's office from the public meeting dais with his henchmen. They first thrashed the contract teachers and other protestors near the dais, and when they met some protesting villagers en route, Ranvir Yadav picked up a carbine from the police, brandished it, and fired on the protestors. 

    What was worse was, that when the CM addressed the public meeting, he began by praising Poonam Yadav and Ranvir Yadav warmly for making it possible for him to reach the dais, and reprimanded the protestors! No case was filed against Ranvir Yadav in spite of the videotaped evidence of him brandishing a police carbine. Instead, cases were slapped wholesale on hundreds of protestors.

   

It should be remembered that Ranvir Yadav has served a jail term after being convicted in the 1985 Lakshmipur-Taufir Diara carnage in which nine people were killed. 

   

Even before Khagaria, the CM's convoy was met with protests by contact teachers (shiksha mitra) at every single place on its route. The appointment of contract teachers was a crucial factor in facilitating Nitish Kumar's victory in the last Assembly polls. But the contract teachers are a severely exploited lot – their salary is a pittance of Rs 6000, a fraction of that of the permanent teachers, for the same work. The immediate trigger for their protest is that they have not been paid even this meagre salary for months on end! These protesting teachers have faced repression at every juncture. At Darbhanga and Motihari, cases under the draconian 'Crime Control Act (CCA)' were slapped on them.  The CM had, in his public meetings, branded these teachers as 'instigated' by the opposition – and it seems that such pronouncements emboldened his camp followers and the police to outright assault on the protestors at Khagaria.  

After Khagaria, there have been wholesale preventive arrests preceding the arrival of the CM's convoy! At Araria, several CPI(ML) activists and teachers' leaders were among those arrested; but this could not prevent the people from expressing their protest, defying police repression. At Madhepura and Saharsa, the story was the same – preventive arrests of potential protestors, and police terror. The CM's 'public' meetings are now held in closed halls, where the public is screened carefully and only Nitish's supporters allowed entry!  

    It is ironic that when the CPI(ML) had first raised the just demand for Special Status for Bihar at the time of the state's bifurcation in 2000, holding a march to Parliament in Delhi before the NDA Government, Nitish Kumar, who was then a Central Minister in the same NDA Government, did nothing to support that demand!  

   

The Nitish Kumar Government showed its true colours already in its free hand to the Ranvir Sena which indulged in violence and intimidation after the killing of Brahmeshwar Singh. Now again, by praising and defending the criminal Ranvir Yadav and punishing the protestors, Nitish Kumar and his NDA Government have proved that they can never defend or champion the 'adhikar' of the people of Bihar. It is the protesting and struggling people of Bihar who alone can champion the struggle for their own rights, defying repression. And it is to give voice to the people's aspirations and struggles for social and political transformation that the CPI(ML) has called for the Parivartan Rally (Rally for Transformation) in Bihar on November 9, 2012.       

Towards Unity and Resurgence of

Left-Democratic Forces Through People's Resistance  

ALL INDIA LEFT COORDINATION (AILC) CONVENTION ON

NATIONAL CRISIS AND LEFT-DEMOCRATIC AGENDA

The All India Left Coordination held a day-long Convention on the National Crisis and Left and Democratic Agenda on 30^th September at Mavalankar Hall in the national capital. The Convention was addressed by leaders of a range of Left parties and democratic movements, as well concerned citizens.

The Convention called for a united struggle of Left and democratic forces for the ouster of the UPA Government, holding it responsible for a series of mega scams involving top Ministers and even the PM, for facilitating corporate plunder, and for unleashing an offensive on the survival and livelihood of common people.

A 7-member presidium comprising Comrades Swapan Mukherjee, Harkanwal Singh, Vijay Kulkarni, Gobind Chhetri, Smitha, Rajaram, and Kavita Krishnan conducted the Convention.  

The Convention began by adopting a resolution of condolence for RMP leader Comrade TP Chandrasekharan, who was Secretary of the Left Coordination Committee (LCC), Kerala, which is one of the founding constituents of the AILC. Comrade Chandrasekharan was brutally hacked to death on 4 May. The resolution demanded a CBI enquiry to identify the killers and political conspirators behind Comrade TPC's heinous murder. The resolution also expressed condolences for the two fisher-people martyred in the agitation against the Koodankulam nuclear plant: Antony Samy and Sahayam Francis.

Comrade Swapan Mukherjee welcomed the participants and guests at the Convention. Kavita Krishnan placed the 12-point Resolution before the house. Bhimrao Bansod, Secretary, LNP(L), Maharashtra, spoke in support of the resolutions, elaborating on them.    

The AILC had invited leaders of all the Left Front parties to address the Convention. Addressing the Convention, D Raja on behalf of the CPI welcomed the AILC's initiative and expressed his party's commitment to Left unity. He said that the Left parties in a parliamentary democracy needed to give thought to building a political alternative to the Congress-BJP polarity. People of India, he said, had time and again rebuffed the attempts to keep India's politics within bipolar confines. The Left's role, he said, should be to generate confidence in the regional forces to stand by a non-Congress, non-BJP platform. He said that to build unity, the Left should put aside points of difference and work together on issues on which there was agreement. 

Dipankar Bhattacharya, General Secretary of the CPI(ML) greeted the gathering on behalf of the AILC. He said that not even the ruling class is able to deny the economic crisis any more. The ruling class, however, seeks to use the crisis as an opportunity: imposing the burden of the crisis on the common people and intensifying the neoliberal offensive in the name of 'resolving' the crisis. However, for the struggling Left and democratic forces too, the crisis should be taken as a revolutionary opportunity.

He recalled that in 1992 November, immediately after the neoliberal offensive was first unleashed, the working class organizations with red flags aloft, had held a massive rally in the national capital. But the Left could not give a consistent political shape to that working class resistance. Soon after, the BJP demolished the Babri Masjid and plunged the country in communal carnage.

This time around, when people's struggles against the neoliberal offensive are again on the rise, the Left must be alert against the communal agenda. The Left must rebuff and resist all versions of BJP-NDA rule, be it the Gujarat model based on naked communal genocide, or the Bihar model based on hollow claims of 'governance' beneath which communal and feudal forces are being emboldened.  

In West Bengal and Kerala, he said, the Left Front governments put themselves in crisis and weakened the Left because they implemented neoliberal policies instead of resisting these policies. Today Mamata Banerjee is trying to occupy the space that the CPIM-led Government abandoned. Some people are saying she has 'hijacked' the agenda of the Left. The agenda of the Left is consistent resistance – and Mamata's posturing will be exposed soon. But the Left ought to introspect on their conduct towards their own issues and their own mass base. Left unity, he said, can come about only by addressing rather than evading these questions about the conduct of the Left. Hailing the anti-nuke struggles in India, he said, "The names of places like Chernobyl and Fukushima became well-known after terrible nuclear disasters occurred there. But Koodankulam and Jaitapur have become known the world over, for their brave agitation to prevent a disaster. The Left should stand firmly by these people's struggles."    

Defence of democracy against the kind of witch-hunt being seen in the name of countering Maoism or terrorism, and opposing draconian laws, he said, must be central to the core agenda of Left politics.

He said that various regional ruling class parties had proved their opportunistic willingness to go with Congress, BJP and on occasion with any 'Third' alternative. These parties did not seem to suffer any confidence deficit. Rather, it is the Left that must find confidence to assert itself independently without compromising on its core agenda. If a resurgence of the Left is being seen worldwide after the collapse of the Soviet Union, it is certain that the Left in India can revive itself irrespective of the electoral defeats in West Bengal or Kerala or anywhere else.

Consistent and uncompromising people's resistance, he said, against every ruling class offensive on people's land, livelihood, democratic rights, was the key to forging Left unity and ensuring a resurgence of the Left in cooperation with every other fighting democratic trend. He also appealed to the Maoists to come out of their exclusive emphasis on military action and move on to mass resistance and political assertion. Debabrata Biswas of Forward Bloc and Abani Roy of Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) also spoke, supporting the AILC initiative towards united Left struggles. Speaking on the occasion, Debabrata Biswas reflected on the role of the Left in Parliament, calling for introspection about their failure to put up a fight against the SEZ Act inside Parliament.

K S Hariharan, Secretary, LCC Kerala, said that Comrade TP Chandrasekharan's martyrdom imposes a historic responsibility to build a consistent, democratic, revolutionary Left platform. The Left should unite for this cause, for which Comrade TPC laid down his life.

Gobind Chhetri of CPRM, Darjeeling, described his party's resolve to struggle for Gorkhaland while upholding the red flag and Marxist principles. He described the GTA agreement as a fraud on the Gorkha people and called for the Left to consistently support democratic struggles for separate statehood. He called for the Left to uphold the legacy of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru, and struggle for revolutionary transformation.

Leader of the Koodankulam agitation, SP Udayakumar, sent a video message expressing solidarity with the Convention. He questioned the rationale of some Left parties in opposing nuclear plants being set up after the 123 Agreement, but supporting the Koodankulam plant on the grounds that it predated the Nuke Deal. He thanked the AILC for its support and solidarity, and said that the people's movements hoped that a fighting Left, that would defend people's rights and our natural resources and environment, would gain strength.   

Prasenjit Bose, former leader of SFI and CPI(M), exposed the lies peddled by the Manmohan Singh Government to defend price rise and FDI in retail. He said that the Left could not revive and reassert itself by supporting Pranab Mukherjee or standing alongside Mulayam Singh and Nitin Gadkari – it must assert itself in united, independent struggles on a Left agenda.  

Shamsher Singh Bisht, President of Uttarakhand Lok Vahini, said that the plunder of our land, natural resources and environment by greedy corporations and MNCs, must be resisted by uniting the many forces of people's struggle.  

Prof. Nawal Kishore Choudhury, Patna University, said that all the arms of the State, as well as the media and now even Universities, are being hijacked by corporates. He called for united struggles of the Left and other democratic forces to resist corporate control.

Prof. Manjit Singh, Punjab University, Chandigarh, noted that the world over, even in the US and Europe, there was an upswing in people's struggles against pro-corporate policies. But these policies which failed in the countries of their origin are being imposed on India by our own ruling class!     

Dr. Sunilam spoke of peasants' struggles in Multai (MP), where more than a 100 cases have been slapped on him. He spoke about the onslaught of such draconian repression on all democratic protest. He said that while many powerful political parties who claimed the socialist legacy of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia had in fact betrayed it, there were still many struggling streams of socialist forces in the country. He called for Left and socialist streams to join hands in struggle, and hailed the initiative of the AILC in this direction.

Sumit Chakravarty, editor, Mainstream, said that the vacuum of Left movement has given space to communal fascists. He called for recognition of the grievous wrongs of the Left Front in Kerala and Bengal, and for the Left as a whole to learn from this experience. He felt that the AILC could show the way and be a pivot for revolutionary communists.

Prof. Chaman Lal of JNU, who has researched and written widely on Bhagat Singh's legacy, communicated the encouraging news that Shadman Chowk in Lahore, Pakistan, (the site of the erstwhile Lahore jail where Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru were hanged) has finally been renamed Bhagat Singh Chowk in keeping with the long-standing efforts of Left forces in Pakistan.

Concluding the Convention, Mangat Ram Pasla, Secretary, CPM Punjab, said that it was a shame that India had a PM who shamelessly hailed colonial rule, served imperialist forces, and betrayed the Indian people. He said that the AILC had been an effort in the direction of uniting struggling forces of the Left. He said that in the past two years, the AILC had made modest but significant progress. He said that the Left should not compromise on its core principles. While there were serious differences and debates with CPI(M), he said, the AILC is committed to the broadest possible struggling unity with all Left forces, including the CPI(M). He said struggling people everywhere looked with great hope towards the Left to unite on a fighting agenda and provide a consistent political alternative: and the struggling Left must live up to this challenge.      

At the Convention, the AILC adopted a 12-point resolution calling for a struggle for the ouster of the UPA Government, reversal of pro-imperialist, pro-corporate policies, resistance to communal forces, against state repression and draconian laws, and against violence on women and dalits.

The following plan of struggle actions, proposed by the AILC, was adopted by the house at the Convention:

1.        AILC Solidarity Fortnight with struggle against Koodankulam Nuclear Plant, beginning with visit of Comrade Dipankar Bhattacharya, CPI(ML) General Secretary, to Koodankulam on 1 October 2012

2.        Countrywide campaign and mobilisation against FDI in retail, corporate exemption, price rise, cuts in subsidies, and demanding that UPA Government quit power

3.        Punjab Bandh on 5 October (in support of the call by 17 organisations of Punjab)

4.        Parivartan Rally (Rally for Change) in Patna, Bihar, on 9 November

5.        Call to turn 2-day Strike called by Central Trade Unions on February 20-21, 2013, into a countrywide mass political strike

Following the 9 November Bihar Rally, the AILC will hold a meeting at Patna, after which it will declare its next course of action.

Among those who attended the Convention were Prof. Amit Bhaduri, Madhu Bhaduri, Dr. CD Sharma of Gohana, Haryana, and journalists Jawed Naqvi, Anand Pradhan, and Rajesh Joshi. A colourful photo exhibition displayed outside the Mavalankar Hall greeted visitors with images of AILC's journey from 2010 to 2012, spanning AILC's founding convention, its March to Parliament in 2011, various agitational initiatives, and a photographic tribute to Comrade TP Chandrasekharan.        

CPI(ML) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya Detained while Entering Koodankulam

    CPI(ML) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya along with other CPI(ML) leaders was arrested on October 1 at Radhapuram, a few kilometers away from Idinthakarai, the site of the protest against the Koodankulam Nuclear Plant. CPI(ML) Politburo member S Kumaraswamy and Tamil Nadu State Secretary Balasundaram and other CPI(ML) leaders of Tamil Nadu were also arrested along with him.

    At Tirunelveli town the same morning, 100 local CPI(ML) activists were detained by police and prevented from proceeding to Idinthakarai, and 70 activists were detained at Kanyakumari. Comrade Dipankar Bhattacharya and his team had proceeded directly to Indinthakarai from Tuticorin airport, but were stopped by a huge posse of police, at a short distance from Idinthakarai.

    A Convention organised by the All India Left Coordination (AILC) at Mavalankar Hall, New Delhi on 30th September had given a call for a fortnight-long Solidarity Campaign in support of the anti-nuke agitation at Koodankulam, from October 1-15. The CPI(ML) General Secretary's visit to Koodankulam on October 1 was to kick off the solidarity fortnight. A videotaped message of Koodankulam struggle leader SP Udayakumar was also screened at the AILC Convention.

    Demonstrations were also held all over Tamilnadu against repression on fighting people in Koodankulam. A poster campaign was held immediately in Chennai condemning the arrest of comrades. The CPI(ML) GS and other CPI(ML) leaders were released in the evening.

    AICCTU Public Meeting in Coimbatore

   During the course of their long drawn struggle Pricol workers organized a public meeting on October 2 in Coimbatore to thank the people and workers of Coimbatore who stood by them during their trying times and supporting them continuously. Com. Dipankar Bhattacharya, GS, CPIML, who spoke in the 1000-strong meeting recalled the first All India Strike in which workers of the country first warned against the onset of neo-liberal policies and called upon the workers and people of the country to give a blow to the UPA II government which has ruined the lives of people of the country, by making the February Two-days All India Strike a great success. Com.S.Kumarasami, PBM and National President, said that the fighting working class would never bow to suppressive pressures from any quarters and would always rise to the occasion, and said that workers of Tamilnadu will give a fitting reply to the Jayalalitha government by bringing the State to a standstill on February 20-21. Com.Balasundaram, State Secretary, CPIML, congratulated the workers for their relentless struggle. Pricol workers handed over Rs.100,000 to Com. Dipankar and Rs.50,000 to Com N.K.Natarajan, State President towards 9th Congress of the Party. Com. A.S. Kumar, State Dy. GS, AICCTU, Com. Balasubramaniam, Dist.Secretary, CPIML, Coimbatore, Comrades Janakiraman, JayaprakashNarayanan, Coimbatore dist committee members, Comrades Saminathan and Viji, Pricol workers' union office bearers spoke in the meeting and Com. N. Krishnamurthy, State Secretary, AICCTU convened the meeting.

RYA Commemorates Bhagat Singh's Birth Anniversary

    The Delhi-NCR unit of RYA held a walk from the Shaheed Park (site of formation of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association, HSRA) to India Gate on September 28, to mark the birth anniversary of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh. Scores of youth participated in the walk, displaying colourful placards and raising slogans.  

    At India Gate, a public meeting was held, which was addressed by Delhi-NCR unit RYA convenor Aslam Khan, JNUSU Joint Secretary Piyush, other youth activists and CPI(ML) leaders Girija Pathak and Kavita Krishnan. A team of RYA activists sang revolutionary songs on the occasion. 

AIPWA Protest in Uttarakhand

    On 27 September, AIPWA activists gheraoed the Kotwali police station in Lalkuan, Nainital, to protest against the police's failure to arrest those accused of the rape and murder of an 8-year-old girl on 10 July. 

    Scores of women clashed with the police at the gate of the police station, and eventually sat in a protest dharna there. The protesting women resolved that they would conduct a widespread signature campaign to demand a CBI enquiry into the case since the police was so obviously biased. They also decided to gherao the local representative of the Uttarakhand Government, Harish Chand Durgapal, to demand that his Government press for a CBI enquiry into the heinous rape and murder.

    The protest meeting was addressed by a large number of AIPWA activists and leaders including AIPWA National Council member Malti Haldar and AIPWA leader Vimla Rauthan.  

AIPWA Condemns Sexist Remark by Union Minister

    (AIPWA Statement issued on October 2, 2012) 

Union Minister for Coal Sriprakash Jaiswal who is a Congress MP from Kanpur made a brazenly sexist remark a poetry gathering at a women's college in Kanpur.

    Reacting to news of a cricketing victory, he said, "A new victory is like a new marriage. As time passes the victory will become stale. As time passes the wife becomes stale, she no longer provides the same pleasure."

    This remark is shamefully sexist. Jaiswal's subsequent 'apology' is in fact no apology at all. He has in fact tried to justify his offensive remark by saying it was 'light-hearted satire and humour that is normal in a kavi sammelan ([poetry gathering),' while saying he is sorry 'if he has hurt sentiments of women.' The very fact that Sriprakash Jaiswal thinks it is 'humourous' to refer to wives as though they were commodities to provide pleasure, and which, like commodities, become 'old' and replaceable, is what is absolutely offensive. It is offensive not to 'sentiments of women', but to democratic principles of gender equality.       

    AIPWA demands that the UPA Government immediately strip Jaiswal of his post as Minister. After such a shocking, public insult to the principle of women's equality and dignity, Jaiswal cannot be allowed to remain a public figure representing the Government.

AISA Wins VP in Allahabad University

    AISA candidates fared quite well in Allahabad University Students Union elections. AISA leader Ramayan Ram polled 1244 votes for President and  Shalu Yadav won Vice President post. She polled 2596 votes which was highest among all candidates contesting for all the four posts. The elections were held after a gap of seven years.

ML Update 40 / 2012

ML Update

A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine

Vol.  15             No. 40                                                                    25 SEP- 1 OCT 2012

PM's Address:

A Fraud on the Nation

The UPA-II Government unleashed a slew of offensives on common people recently. The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's 'Address to the Nation' adds insult to this severe injury by peddling barefaced lies. 

The PM claims that the hikes in fuel prices and cuts in cooking gas subsidy and burdens are measures the Government has reluctantly been forced to take in order to 'reverse the slowdown in growth' caused by the global economic crisis. He appeals to the aam aadmi to make sacrifices and bear burdens cheerfully, in order to ensure 'rapid growth' that can generate jobs, and revenues for education, health care, housing and rural employment.    

In the first place, the very claim of 'growth' translating into benefits for people is a lie. In the selfsame period when India boasted a 9% growth rate, India has the shame of the world's worst indicators of health and nutrition of women and children. During India's 'high-growth' period, the aam aadmi has seen education and health care becoming farther beyond reach thanks to relentless privatisation. The employment rate in agriculture has dropped to minus 1.60%, and the agricultural crisis and debt trap resulting from cuts in subsidies has claimed an ever-spiralling number of farmers' suicides.

The second lie is that the steep global oil prices are forcing an increase in domestic oil prices; that the subsidy on petroleum products has increased steeply in order to 'protect' Indian people from the impact of global prices; and that India's oil companies are suffering huge 'losses'. The truth is that there are no net subsidies in the petroleum sector, and the oil companies are in fact recording huge profits and generating massive revenue for the Government. In March 2012, international crude oil prices fell by more than 20 percent – yet petrol prices in India were hiked by Rs 7.54 in May. Nor is it true that petrol and diesel prices in India are 'low' compared to other countries – even before the hikes, the price of petrol in India was Rs 63.70/litre, while it was Rs 41.93/litre in Pakistan and Rs 45.53/litre in Bangladesh. By deregulating oil prices, the Government has in fact divested itself of any responsibility to protect the Indian people from arbitrary price hikes  - and is instead justifying this massive additional burden on the aam aadmi on spurious pretexts.       

Manmohan Singh informs us that "Money does not grow on trees," and that he has acted only to pre-empt a fiscal deficit crisis (an unsustainable increase in government expenditure vis-a-vis government income). India's fiscal deficit in 2011-2012 was to the tune of 6.9 % of the GDP, which amounts to around Rs 5.22 lakh crores. In that year, the 'revenues foregone' to corporations and the super-rich amounted to Rs 5.28 lakh crore. Therefore, the hue and cry over 'fiscal deficit' which Manmohan blames on subsidies for the poor, is totally misplaced and fraudulent. If only Manmohan Singh would stop providing 'money on trees' by way of massive tax waivers to the big corporations, India would have no fiscal deficit.

Manmohan Singh justifies the diesel hike by claiming that diesel is used mostly by "big cars and SUVs owned by the rich and by factories and businesses," and asks, "Should government run large fiscal deficits to subsidise them?" As demonstrated above, the Government is in fact running fiscal deficits to subsidise none but the corporations and the rich! And the Prime Minister is deliberately silent on the fact the hike in diesel prices will result in increased transportation costs, which will inevitably have a cascading effect on food prices.   

The Prime Minister claims that there is no cause to fear loss of livelihood due to FDI in retail. His argument is that corporate retail has coexisted in India's cities without causing any detriment to small retailers. This only proves that corporate retail on its own has nothing to help it out-compete small retailers. That is precisely why FDI in retail is being sought – to provide the backing of huge amounts of money to squeeze out small retailers through predatory pricing and purchasing monopolies. The example of a host of countries including Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Indonesia, have shown FDI in retail dealing a severe blow to small retailers.  

Again, the example of several countries – including Thailand, Argentina, Mexico, Vietnam - shows that prices of fruit and vegetables in corporate retail outlets have tended to be considerably higher than in traditional markets.

The PM's claims that FDI in retail will 'benefit our farmers' are also bogus. Small marginal farmers in most countries have been excluded from access to the corporate retail supply chain. There is no evidence of consistently higher prices for producers thanks to contract farming and corporate retail – if anything, the opposite. In fact, farmers end up at the mercy of the global corporate retail giants, often experiencing delayed payments, arbitrary quality standards, and pressure to reduce prices in order to compete to attract corporate retail buyers. 

The PM tells us the entry of MNC retail giants will "create millions of good quality new jobs." He should try telling that to the employees of Wal-Mart in its home country, the US! Even as the Indian PM spoke, Wal-Mart employees in Los Angeles were agitating with the slogan 'Wal-Mart=Poverty,' accusing the retail giant of making profits out of exploitative work conditions and wages. In New York, the local people have agitated to keep Wal-Mart out, declaring that it destroys livelihood.

Manmohan Singh tells us that the 'bold steps' taken in 1991 created jobs, but his claims are badly belied by the facts. At a time when India boasted a 9% growth rate, employment grew at a negligible rate of just 0.22%. So, globalised 'growth' has in fact been jobless growth. By invoking 1991, Manmohan Singh is in fact proving that now, as then, he and his Government are implementing policies dictated by imperialist interests rather than those of India's people. 

A government that so blatantly lies to the country must meet with a fitting rebuff! We must expose the Government's falsehoods and intensify the agitation calling for the immediate resignation of the corrupt and fraudulent UPA Government.     

Bharat Bandh

On September 20, CPI(ML) units all over the country implemented the Bharat Bandh call in protest against the hike in diesel prices, the slashing of cooking gas subsidy, and FDI in retail and civil aviation.

In Delhi-NCR, CPI(ML) activists held marches and burnt effigies of the Prime Minister at Narela, NOIDA and at Yamuna Vihar.

The party held marches through the city of Patna and other centres in Bihar, blockading roads at many places. In Darbhanga, CP(ML) activists blockaded rail tracks, detaining the Ganga Sagar Express for hours. In Jharkhand also, protest marches and road blockades were held at several places.

In Tamil Nadu, rail roko, road roko protests were held by the party at Salem, Coimbatore, Tirunelveli, and  Kanyakumari. In some other palaces including Tiruppananthal of Tanjore, district-level demonstrations were held. Campaigns in support of our bandh call took place at several palaces. In Salem, shop owners and traders closed down shutters in response to our call. In Tirunelveli our party mass organization leaders including AIPWA state president Thenmozhi were chased by police and rounded up in order to thwart their plans to picket the rail lines.

In Puducheri, more than 100 workers and party activists blockaded a busy road. Hindustan Petroleum Gas Delivery workers participated in the program with their uniforms. One Human Rights and Consumer Protection organization too joined our road roako program. In Karaikal, a demonstration was held in support of the Bandh.

In Uttar Pradesh, demonstrations and road blockades in support of the Bandh were held at 6 places in Ghazipur including the district headquarters; 4 places in Jalaun; 3 centres each in Devaria and Bhadohi; and two centres each in Chandauli, Mirzapur, and Gorakhpur. Demonstrations were also held at Balia, Maharajganj, Sonebhadra, Kanpur, Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Khiri, Sitapur, Gonda, Ambedkarnagar and Kushinagar.  AISA held a march and protest meeting on the premises of Allahabad University in support of the Bandh.

In Uttarakhand, CPI(ML) activists ensured the closure of the market on Car Road, Bindukhatta, in Nainital district, and burnt an effigy of the Prime Minister. A protest meeting was held that was addressed by many CPI(ML) leaders. Youth activists also marched to Lalkuan Bazaar calling upon traders to shut shops.

At Pithoragarh town, CPI(ML) activists held a march from Ramlila Maidan throughout the town, raising slogans in support of the Bandh. A demonstration and affigy burning were held at Dharchula in Pithoragarh district.

Protest processions were held at Bhikyasain (Almora) and Gochar (Rudraprayag) and Joshimath.

IN Karnataka, CPIML and AICCTU activists burnt the effigy of Manmohan Singh at Gangavati and Harapanahalli. Workers organised a bike rally on the day of Bandh to enforce the strike At HD Kote of Mysore district too, CPIML-AIALA activists organised a demo on the Bandh day. In Odisha, party activists held a rally from Nagbhushan Bhawan. They were arrested by police at the Assembly.

In Gujarat, CPI(ML) and RYA activists demonstrated in support of the Bandh in Ahmedabad, burning posters of the Prime Minister and holding a march from Azad Chowk till the statue of Bhagat Singh. En route, they got traders to shut shop in Amraiwadi Bazaar. 

Protest procession and effigy burning of the PM was held at Bhind in Madhya Pradesh, by CPI(ML) and AICCTU workers.

Demo in Bangalore for Maruti Workers' Struggle

AICCTU organised an impressive protest in support of struggling workers of Maruti on 22 Aug. 2012 at a major junction in the city of Bangalore. The protestors raised slogans against state repression on workers' struggles and demanded immediate release of all Maruti workers languishing in jail. The protestors also demanded withdrawal of Rapid Action Force, heavy police force and bouncers from the vicinity of the company.

Com. Somu, district president presided over the demo while Appanna, state secretary, Narayanaswamy, state Vice-President, Puttegowda, district secretary, and Mani addressed the gathering.

CPIML team visits Koodankulam

In the aftermath of brutal crackdown on the peaceful protesters of Idinthakarai, Koodankulam, CPIML, AICCTU, and AIPWA leaders visited these villages. Despite Sec 144 clamped on the entire area (due to which former Kerala CM and veteran CPIM leader VS Achuthanandan was not allowed to visit Koodankulam), the CPIML team managed to visit the affected area.

Koodankulam looks like a war torn territory. This Panchayat has 3500 households. Only a very few men could be seen. As the Koodankulam men and women came to the street protesting the repression on their fellow villagers, the police force unleashed a large scale attack on this village throughout the day on September 11.  All the women told the team that the police subjected them to severe repression.

The state police along with RAF, PMP lobbed anti-riot shells on the houses. Doors and windows been broken. Every house been attacked. Women were subjected to humiliation with obscene words, and were subjected to sexual assaults in the name of 'search.'

More than 60 men, most of them from the Hindu Nadar community, were taken into custody. Even minor school boys were indiscriminately arrested and sent to Juvenile Justice Board house. The neighboring Vairavikinaru leading to Idinthakarai too looked like a deserted village. The Tsunami settlement (from where residents, especially women, had participated in very large numbers in the agitation of the past several months), was subjected to severe, vengeful repression. Of 450 houses only 5 or 6 house were opened. The police took control of this settlement and are now using it as rest houses.

On the sea shore, the site where the siege program was held on September 10th, the police repression has no parallel! The K-Plant is more than 800 meters away from the protest site. There would be no danger for the plant from the thousands of women with children and men of entire Idinthakarai who had sat in peaceful protest.

Thousands of police with firearms stood like a wall encircling the protesters. Without any provocation people were beaten up with canes. Anti-riot shells were fired at the crowd, causing severe injuries on lips and cheeks. The people were encircled and had nowhere to escape except the roaring Bay of Bengal. They were chased towards the sea. The coast guard plane also joined the terror campaign, flying low over the heads of the people and terrifying the people. One youth died due of shock. Some were lying down; most of the people ran helter and skelter.

Through out the night arrested people remained in the open in the chilling sea breeze. The children and aged who couldn't withstand the breeze were trembling.

In an attempt to provoke a communal flare-up, the police urinated in the Church and disfigured the Mada Idol. But the protestors displayed great restraint and refused to rise to the bait.

Only after electronic media's telecast did the whole terror campaign subside somewhat.

These areas remain cut of from the mainland. Bus services are suspended. People have not been supplied with essentials, and remain deprived of their livelihood (fishing).

The team interacted extensively with the people. The people continue with their firm resolve to continue the struggle. They expressed their anger towards Jayaalalitha for her betrayal.

The team held a press meet demanding closure of the nuclear plant, complete withdraw of police force, withdrawal of false cases slapped including 124A and other criminal cases, suspension and action against the District SP, South Zone DIG and District Collector, instituting an enquiry commission with a sitting high court Judge and  intervention of NHRC and NCW in the human rights violations and violence on women by the police force.

The party State Committee called for state wide protest on October 1st. Condemning the police raj of the AIADMK government, the campaign will be 'against anti-people development; against murder of democracy'. On that day, an Anti-Nuke power plant march is also planned from Tirunelveli to Koodankulam (Idinthakarai).

The team comprised of State Secretary Comrade Balasundaram, T Sankarpandian, Tirunelveli district secretary and State General Secretary of AICCTU, Thenmozhi, State president of AIPWA,

G.Ramesh, Editorial Board member of Theepori, Anthonimuthu, District secretary of Kanyakumari and several district committee members of the party.

AISA victory in Pithoragarh SU Polls

Comrade Hemant Khati of AISA was elected as President in the Student University polls in the Lakshman Singh Mahar Government PG College, Pithoragarh, affiliated to Kumaon University. He polled 797 votes, defeating the ABVP candidate by 67 votes. On the post of Secretary, the AISA candidate Neeraj Bisht polled 560 votes, finishing at 3rd place. 

AISA has achieved a win in Pithoragarh after a gap of 12 years. The defeat against ABVP is especially significant given that the ABVP got patronage from the Government and administration, which overlooked fraudulent practices by the ABVP candidates such as distributing gifts, sweets etc.

AISA's campaign focussed against corruption and corporate plunder, privatisation of education, rampant unemployment and scams in Uttarakhand, rights of women students, and other democratic issues. 

TN AIALA calls for gherao of BDOs on November 7th

Following the successful collectorate gherao at Thanjavur by AIALA on September 17th, the State Council meeting of AIALA held on September 22nd in Gadilem of Villupuram district, decided to gherao the Block Development offices on November 7th, demanding  round the year jobs and house sites for all.

As Tamil Nadu could not get water from Karnataka and the southwest monsoon too failed, the Cauvery delta region is facing an acute crisis. Agriculture labourers and poor peasants are the worst affected.  If the North-east monsoon belies the hopes, the entire TN will have to face the worst drought this year. Except empty rhetoric, the AIADMK  government is doing nothing to tackle the situation. Employment of agricultural labourers and rural poor is severely endangered.

In order to protest the government inaction, and demanding round the year job, extending NREGA scheme to Town Panchayats, free food essentials and kerosene etc, AIALA will gherao the Block Development Offices.

The Council also decided to hold the next AIALA state conference on September 2-3 of 2013. Statues of Coms Chandrakumar, Chandrasekar and Subbu would be unveiled on 2nd September 2013, Martyrdom day of Comrades Chandrakumar and Chandrasekar. On 3rd September 2013, the 5th state conference will be held. 

The meeting also decided to participate in the October 1 protest day in solidarity with Koodankulam struggle, called by the state CPIML.

The council contributed the first installment (Rs 4000) of CPI(ML)'s 9th Party Congress fund.

Comrades TKS Janardhanan, State President, Valathan and Santhi, presided over the Council meeting. Apart from office bearers including Janakiraman (State Gen. Sec), Com Balasundaram All-India Vice President of AIALA also participated in the Council.

Arrest of CPI(ML) Activist in Odisha

On 17th September, Comrade Zaga Hika, who had contested as an MLA candidate from the CPI(ML) in 2009 from Patangi, polling 5000 votes, was arrested by Koraput police who have branded him as a 'Maoist.' Comrade Zaga Hika's son Rabindra Hika has also been arrested on fabricated charges of being a 'Maoist.'

On 31st August, Comrade Zaga Hika had led 800 comrades in gheraoing the Koraput collectorate and courting arrest as part of CPI(ML)'s all-India Jail Bharo call.

The BSF attacked and destroyed the CPI(ML) party office at Laxmipur on 16th September, tearing the party flag. On 17th September, Comrade Zaga Hika and Comrade Birendra Minieka, districts secretary of Koraput, went to the Laxmipur police station to file an FIR against the BSF for vandalising the CPI(ML) office, but instead of accepting the complaint, the police arrested Comrade Zaga Hika and charged him with being a 'Maoist'!

Comrade Zaga has spent the last two years in jail as an undertrial in a case of protest againt a liquor shop.

CPI(ML) plans a huge protest meeting at Koraput on 26th Sept against the arrest. The arrest of popular Left mass leaders from the adivasi community by branding them as 'Maoists' is part of the Government's 'Operation Green Hunt' strategy.

Left Parties' Dharna in Uttarakhand

CPI, CPI(M) and CPI(ML) jointly held a Dharna at Dehradun to protest against the anti-people policies of the Vijay Bahuguna Government on 10 September.

The Dharna began by a rendering by Jan Sanskriti Manch's Madan Mohan Chamoli, of a rousing Garhwali song by Comrade Dhan Singh Rana. This was followed by a Pankaj Vidrohi's rendering of a Gorakh Pandey song. 

The Dharna protested the Bahuguna Government's utter callousness towards the people affected by natural disasters in the State in the past 6 months. When the CM visited the disaster-affected people, he got angry when questioned by people, and returned after advicing them to sing 'bhajans' (prayer songs). The Left parties demanded immediate compensation and rehabilitation for the disaster-affected people of the State.  

The Left parties noted that the huge explosions caused by the 3 projects being built on the Asiganga had aggravated the natural disasters, and demanded that the builders of these projects be prosecuted for the deaths of people. The Left parties demanded mechanisms for identification and protection of migrant labourers hurt in the disasters. The Left parties held that the decision of the Government to hold by-elections to the Tehri Loksabha seat on 10 October when people of Uttarkashi and Tehri are yet to recover from the disaster is a cruel joke.

The Left parties protested the corporate plunder of 'jal jangal zameen' (water, forests, and land) in the State, in the name of 'development' projects. They alleged that the CM Vijay Bahuguna is supporting disastrous hydro-electric projects because of his corporate links, especially with the India Bulls company.  

The Left parties demanded that the Government accede to the popular demand to declare Gairsain as the capital of Uttarakhand. They also demanded measures to generate secure and dignified employment so as to stem the flood of migration from the state.

The Dharna demanded land rights for the residents of khattas, forests and for vangujars, and the rights of khattas and forest villages to form panchayats.

The Dharna also supported reservations for SCs/STs  in promotions, and demanded implementation of labour laws in factories.  They protested the rampant privatisation being carried out in the name of PPP projects.

The Dharna was presided by CPI(M) State Secretary Vijay Rawat, CPI's National Council member Samar Bhandari, and CPI(ML) Standing Committee member Raja Bahuguna.

The Dharna was addressed by Comrades Bacchiram Kauns, Gangadhar Nautiyal, Virendra Bhandari, Surendra Singh Sajwana, Indu Naudiyal, and Shiv Prasad Devli of CPI(M); CPI State Sectetary Anand Singh Rana and comrades Ashok Kanwal, Mahipal Bisht, Jeet Singh, and Ashok Sharma of CPI, and Comrades Purushotam Sharma, KK Bora, Man Singh Pal, Atul Sati and Malti Haldar of CPI(ML).  Kamla Pant, central convenor of Uttarakhand Mahila Manch, and Basant Khani of Uttarakhand Lok Vahini, Trepan Singh Chauhan of Chetna Andolan, and Sameer Ratudi of Himalay Bachao Andolan  also addressed the Dharna.  

---

ML Update 39 / 2012

ML Update

A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine

Vol. 15, No. 39, 18 – 24 SEPTEMBER 2012

 

UPA-II's Pro-Corporate, Anti-people Offensive

Exposed by one CAG report after another and challenged increasingly by popular agitations across the country, the UPA government has now begun to behave as a veritable autocratic regime. At one go it has now announced all the drastic measures it had been contemplating for a long time but had to put on hold in the face of massive opposition of the people. Price of diesel has been hiked by Rs 5 a litre, subsidy for LPG cylinders has been halved, sectors like multi-brand retail, civil aviation and broadcasting service have been opened up for foreign investment and shares of several profit-making public sector units have been offered for sale.

The big business houses and the corporate media that have been blaming the government for what they called 'policy paralysis' are visibly pleased with the announcement of all these 'big-bang reforms'. The glee is evident even in their choice of words, with one industrialist describing the measures as a jump from 'famine' to 'feast'. In an obviously choreographed display of 'exuberance', the share market has started moving up, reflecting the 'soothed sentiment' of a disgruntled market. The Obamas and Clintons who had been explicitly complaining about FDI 'restrictions' in India and lobbying for notorious US retail giants like Wal-Mart, are obviously happy with these measures, all the more so as Obama is facing elections in a few weeks.

Manmohan Singh has said he would like to go down fighting. The man who had promised to quit if found corrupt now invokes martyrdom in the interest of global capital and his American bosses. Pro-Congress voices in the media compare the FDI announcement to the Indo-US nuclear deal and hope that the PM's gamble will work once again as it did in 2008 when he managed to save his government winning a dubious confidence vote even as the Left bloc withdrew support. The Congress also hopes that preoccupied with the 'FDI in retail' debate, the country will forget the scams. Home Minister Shinde has claimed that Coalgate will fade away from public memory as the infamous Bofors bribery scam of the Rajiv era.

To brush up Shinde's memory, it was the Bofors bribery case which had proved the undoing of the Rajiv regime and despite systematic attempts of successive central governments to shield the guilty, the people of India have neither forgotten nor forgiven the bribe-takers of Bofors. The image of the Congress as the principal party of wheeler-dealers bent upon bartering away the country's resources has since been deeply engraved in the national mind and the spate of recent scams has only reinforced that image. The only saving grace for the Congress has been the spread of corruption among other ruling parties, notably the BJP and the majority of regional parties, making corruption a common hallmark of neoliberal rule in India.

Neoliberalism has also redefined private/corporate interest as public/national interest. The land acquisition bill now pending in Parliament openly invokes the 'public purpose' objective to justify land acquisition for private profit. The opening up of civil aviation to foreign capital is a desperate attempt to bail out the crisis-ridden Kingfisher Airlines of liquor baron Vijay Mallya. The fraudulent logic of neoliberalism is coming unstuck in every sector. First, key economic sectors were opened up to Indian corporates in the name of fostering competition and efficiency and when many Indian companies are biting the dust, the government brings in FDI to bail them out and in the process allowing foreign companies to appropriate bigger chunks of India's domestic market.

All this is being done in the name of promoting growth, but the growth miracle has already given way to a steady decline in industrial output. Even when the economy grew at a good rate, the growth never translated into creation of jobs or reduction of poverty. The 'India story' peddled by the corporate media as a spectacular rise of India as an 'economic power' is a big lie which seeks to gloss over India's massive poverty and unemployment and high inflation that constantly erodes the purchasing power of the working people and even large sections of the middle classes.

The scam-tainted government must be stopped from inflicting relentless blows on the people and bartering away the country's resources. The UPA government has betrayed the mandate it had got in the name of improving the conditions of the 'aam aadmi' and must now be compelled to remit office. The people are clearly in no mood to wait till 2014 to bring about change, and the whole country is turning into a battleground. Revolutionary communists must encourage the people to fight hard and fight for not just a change of guard but a change in key policies, for a reversal of the pro-corporate pro-imperialist policies that have proved disastrous for the people and for the economy.

 

CPI(ML) Calls for Bharat Bandh on 20 September

The CPI(ML) called for a Bharat Bandh on 20 September against the price hike, FDI in retail and mega scams, demanding a roll back of anti-people decisions and resignation of the UPA Government.

 

National Convention of Workers Calls for 2-Day General Strike

A National Convention of Workers was held on 4th September, 2012 at Talkatora Stadium, New Delhi. More than 3000 worker representatives from all over India and from all sectors participated in the convention. The national convention was organized by 11 central trade unions, namely AICCTU, AITUC, HMS, CITU, BMS, INTUC, AIUTUC, TUCC, UTUC, LPF and SEWA and Independent Federations of Workers and Employees.

On behalf of AICCTU, General Secretary Swapan Mukherjee addressed the convention and Santosh Roy, National Secretary was in the presidium. The Convention decided to further intensify the joint struggles that were being carried out for last three years and called for the following action programme:

State/district/sector level Joint Conventions during September, October and November 2012

Satyagraha/Jail Bharo/Court Arrest on 18-19 December 2012 in all the states throughout the Country

March to Parliament on 20th December 2012 (mobilization by unions from the states adjoining Delhi)

Countrywide Two Days General Strike on 20th and 21st February 2013

The National Convention called upon the working people of the country and their unions/federations irrespective of affiliations to respond in a massive way to the action programme to press for the vital demands embracing all sections of the toiling class.

CPI(ML) Statement on Price Hike

New Delhi, 14 Sep. 2012.

The CPI(ML) condemns the steep hike in the price of diesel and the move to limit subsidised cooking gas cylinders to six per family per year. The limiting of cooking gas cylinders will mean that families will be forced to buy cooking fuel at market rates, imposing a severe burden on their already constrained circumstances. The hike in diesel prices will inevitably result in a hike in transport costs which, in turn, will impact on food prices.

The UPA Government's claim that the hikes are justified in the light of losses suffered by oil companies is a shameless falsehood, since all the oil and gas companies have recorded substantial net profits.

The CPI(ML) calls upon its units to hold protests all over the country to demand a roll back of the unconscionable hike in the price of diesel and limits on cooking gas cylinders, which will impose an unbearable burden on the common man and woman.

CPI(ML) Central Committee

Countrywide protests against Price Hike and Anti-People Measures

In response to the call by Party's Central Committee, CPI(ML) units all over the country staged protests against the unprecedented hike in diesel prices, curtailment of cooking gas subsidy, FDI in retail and civil aviation, and disinvestment.

At Delhi on 15th September, CPI(ML) units held protests and burnt effigies of the Prime Minister at Narela, Wazirpur, Jamia Nagar, Okhla, Mandavli, and Shahdara. The AICCTU joined a protest at Jantar Mantar jointly organized by Left Trade Unions.

In the protest at Puducherry on 17th September, workers of Hindustan Petroleum LPG distribution agencies affiliated to AICCTU took part in large in numbers in their uniform.

In Odisha, 200 activists marched to the Secretariat in the state capital of Bhubaneswar.

The AIPWA also held protests all over the country, independently and together with other mass organisations, in response to a central call.

Resolutions Adopted by CPI(ML) CC Meeting, Bathinda, 10-12 September

On Koodankulam Crackdown

CPI(ML) called for protest against the brutal crackdown against thousands protesting the loading of fuel at the Koodankulam Nuclear Plant. The party condemned the Central Government and the TN Government for insisting on installing the nuclear plant in spite of the democratic protests of the people which have not been addressed. The party demanded that the VVER reactors be closed down immediately, and that the inhuman crackdown on protestors be stopped instantly.

Solidarity With Jal Satyagraha in MP

The CPI(ML) expressed solidarity with the 'Jal Satyagraha' (water satyagraha) in Khandwa district in Madhya Pradesh, where villagers protesting against raising of the height of the Omkareshwar Dam stood in neck-deep water for 17 days. The protest eventually forced the Government to lower the level of the dam. The party also extended solidarity to the Jal Satyagraha in Harda demanding lowering of the level of the Indira Sagar Dam, where protestors have faced a police crackdown. The CPI(ML) holds that forced eviction of peasants or submersion of their lands in the name of development projects is an assault on democracy.

On Sedition Law

The CPI(ML) condemned in strongest terms the arrest of the cartoonist Aseem Trivedi on sedition charges. Increasingly, dissenting voices are being witch-hunted, and the sedition law is being invoked against scores of protestors at Koodankulam, against activists like Binayak Sen and Seema Azad, and against cartoonist Aseem Trivedi. The CPI(ML) demands repeal of the sedition law and release of all those imprisoned under this draconian and shameful law.

On Reservation in Promotions

The CPI(ML) demanded the early passage of the Bill to amend the Constitution to clear hurdles in the way of reservation to SCs and STs in government job promotions. The principle of reservation for SCs and STs in promotions is already enshrined in the Constitution and has been upheld by the Supreme Court. The proposed Constitutional amendments are necessary to protect and uphold that right, in view of certain questionable and flawed premises and stipulations laid down by a particular Supreme Court verdict.

The representation of SCs and STs in higher echelons of government posts is abysmal. This shameful state of affairs, pointing unmistakeably to deep-seated discrimination, calls for urgent correction. The proposed Constitutional amendments must be adopted without delay so as to remove the hurdles in the way of implementing the long-existing provision for reservation in promotions for SCs and STs. The question of extending reservation in promotions to OBCs must be examined and taken up separately.

In Solidarity With Koodankulam Struggle

On 12th September, a protest was held at 5 pm at Dadar Station in Mumbai, in solidarity with the anti-nuke protestors at Koodankulam and against the repression they are facing.

The protest was participated by CPI(ML), LNP(L), CPI, CPI(M), Konkan Bhachao Samiti, Dharmrajya Paksha, and other groups and activists. The protest was addressed among others by CPI(ML)'s Mumbai-Thane Secretary Comrade Shyam Gohil, LNP(L)'s Comrade Uday Bhat, civil liberties activist Binayak Sen.

The All India Left Coordination (AILC) issued a press release in support of the demands of the Kodankulam struggle. The CPI(ML) Central Committee also issued a statement, and a CPI(ML) team led by the Tamil Nadu State Secretary Comrade Balasundaram visited the struggle site in solidarity. The South Asia Solidarity group (SASG) and Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) issued a joint statement from London in support of the Koodankulam anti-nuke struggle.

Fire in Pakistan Garment Factory

The fire in a garment factory in Pakistan in which nearly 300 workers were killed is cause for deep shock and outrage. Reports suggest that the exit gates of the factory were closed by the management in the name of preventing theft, thereby cutting off escape routes for the factory's workers. This fire, together with the fire at the crackers factory at Sivakasi in India, underline how the conditions of labour laws in factories in the Indian sub-continent are nearly as callous and exploitative as they were at the time of the Triangle Factory Fire of 1911 in New York.

The CPI(ML) extends solidarity to the families of deceased and injured workers and to the labour movement in Pakistan that is struggling for the rights of the working class in that country.

NATO Strike Kills 9 Afghan Women

The CPI(ML) condemns in strongest terms the latest barbarity of the US-led NATO occupation forces in Afghanistan, in which nine Afghan women between 18-25 years old, were killed in an air strike in the early hours of 16th September in Laghman Province's Alingar district, near the Afghan capital, Kabul. The women were out collecting firewood when the NATO forces struck. Several women and children, some as young as 10 years old, are also reportedly severely injured in the attack.

This massacre is the latest in a long series of civilian casualties which have occurred as part of the 'drone warfare' tactics promoted by the Obama administration. Such civilian massacres have marked the prolonged imperialist occupation and war in Afghanistan.

The CPI(ML) demands sternest punishment for those responsibility for the massacre, which must be recognised as a war crime, and an end to the imperialist occupation and war in Afghanistan and surrounding regions.

Islamophobic Hate Video from the US

The CPI(ML) condemns the islamophobic video originating from the US, that has sparked off outrage and violent protests across the globe. In one incident, the US Ambassador to Libya and other US embassy staffers in Benghazi were killed.

The US' official stand that the venomous anti-Muslim hate speech classifies as 'free speech' is quite ironic, coming from the country that has imprisoned the young whistleblower US soldier Bradley Manning for allegedly leaking a video of a cold-blooded massacre by US soldiers in Iraq to Wikileaks!

Puducherry Protests

On 11th September 2012, the CPI(ML) unit of Karaikal held a protest demonstration demanding justice to the victims of Thavalakuppam (a village in Puducherry), Paramakudi and Bathani Tola. In Thavalakuppam, Adivasi people including pregnant women and innocent children were lathi charged indiscriminately, wounding several, by police seeking to disperse picketing volunteers on East Coast Road. 50 Adivasis were arrested and later let on bail. The protestors were demanding to free Adivasi bonded labourers who were kept captive in Tamilnadu. The ruling AINR Congress government led by N Rangasamy proved intolerant to this just demand. The demonstration was held on the first death anniversary of victims in Paramakudi Police firing in Tamilnadu.

A large number of Migrant workers from Bihar and UP participated in the demonstration apart from the local Party workers. The demonstration was led by local Committee Secretary of CPI(ML) Com. A S Singaravelu, Com. S Balasubramanian, State Secretary, CPI(ML), addressed the demonstrators and the general public. On the same day a sudden joint protest was organised against police firing and the death of fisherman John at Koodankulam in Tamilnadu.

At Puducherry the protest was organised by various democratic organisations. The CPI(ML) protesters were led by Com. S Motilal, SCM, Puducherry. All were detained and later released.

On 13th September, AICCTU organised a protest hunger fast in front of the State Assembly of Puducherry demanding reinstatement of 112 women workers who worked for more than 10 years in VINBROS & Co an IMFL manufacturing unit at Puducherry. The Union Jananayaga Madhubana Thozhilalar Sangam (AICCTU) demanded ESI and EPF facilities to the workers. The management of VINBROS & Co employed the workers in the guise of contract labour system and terminated them all. Com. S Motilal State Secretary AICCTU led the fast. Central Trade Union Leaders from AITUC, CITU, TUCC, AIUTUC, LPF, ATP addressed the fasting workers.

A delegation led by Com. P Sankaran, Vice-President AICCTU met the Chief Minister on the same day from the struggle site, and demanded the latter's immediate intervention for the reinstatement of entire dismissed workers. The Chief Minister gave an assurance to the team.

Protest Meet in Kerala Against Moral Policing

'Sthreekkoottayma,' a platform of women, organized a protest meet in the heart of Ernakulam city on 8th September, focussing on the urgent need to reflect on and to resist recurring episodes of moral policing in Kerala.

The meet was inaugurated by K Ajitha and presided by Jolly Chirayath, and participants were welcomed by V C Jenny. A discussion on 'Moral Policing and pro-Women Politics' followed in which Ranjini Krishnan presented the topic. Shahina K K, Nalini Jameela, Advocate P M Athira spoke on various aspects of the detailed presentation. The speakers, particularly endorsed the view that moral policing in Kerala is virtually encouraged rather than being seriously opposed by the male dominated social, political and legal establishment. Taking part in the discussion Comrade K M Venugopalan of CPI(ML)'s Kerala State Leading Team remarked that recent crimes of moral policing have encompassed perpetrators of a range of political persuasions from far right to centre to Left.

Nevertheless, organized crimes in the name of morality are basically promoted and perpetuated by anti-people forces of the neoliberal-feudal alignment, which eventually try to suppress each expression of equality between sexes and independent assertion of women. Apart from sharing of experiences of few victims of moral police, strategies for building of peoples' solidarity against the renegade institution of moral police also were briefly discussed.

A resolution was also passed which demanded withdrawal of a false case clamped by the police on two women activists and over fifteen 'identifiable persons' including two men under Section 353 IPC, following a protest march organized on July 22 against moral policing by Sthreekkoottayma. The case was actually the result of vindictive act on behalf of two local police officers whose obscene comments on the women marchers had been challenged by the latter only to get them clamped with a non-bailable case. "The Lightning Testimonies", a film directed by Amar Kanwar (2007) was also exhibited. This film reflects upon a history of conflict in the Indian subcontinent through experiences of sexual violence.

AISA Wins Majority in JNUSU, Polls Third in DUSU

The JNUSU and DUSU elections were held on the same day – September 14 – and the results have been encouraging for the Left forces.

In JNU, it was an overwhelming mandate for the Left. AISA once again won a majority in the Union, with 3 out of 4 office-bearer posts and 12 councillor posts. The SFI-JNU candidate won the President post, while the other three posts of Vice President, General Secretary and Joint Secretary were won by the AISA candidates.

Piyush Raj, AISA's joint secretary candidate polled 1566 votes and defeated Ruchira Sen who polled 1427 votes by a margin of 139 votes. AISA's general secretary candidate Shakeel Anjum won by a margin of 980 votes – he polled 1719 votes, while the SFI JNU-AISF candidate on that post polled 739 votes. AISA's Vice Presidential candidate Minakshi Buragohain won by a margin of 920 votes, polling 1816 votes against the SFI JNU-AISF candidate. On the post of President, SFI-JNU's Lenin polled 1446 votes and defeated AISA's Omprasad who polled 1233 votes. In addition, AISA has won the convenorship of the five schools (International Studies; Social Sciences; Language, Literature and Culture Studies; Arts and Aesthetics; and Law and Governance) – and a total of 12 councillors from AISA have been elected.

This mandate is a defeat of the right-wing forces – whose only agenda is to spread communal hatred and to defend neo-liberal policies leading to corruption and corporate loot. Like the mandates of 2007 and 2012 February, the mandate this time is once again a mandate against CPI(M)'s revisionism, its abject surrender to neo-liberalism and its dubious positions on state repression, Operation Green Hunt, AFSPA and SEZs. The SFI-JNU's victory on the post of President has come in the wake of its endorsement of AISA's long-standing critique of the CPI(M) on the above questions.

AISA has welcomed the mandate and thanked the student community, and has reiterated its commitment to building united JNUSU struggles to take forward the previous JNUSU's initiatives for social inclusion, students' rights and facilities, campus democracy and democratisation of academics.

In DUSU, the NSUI won all seats while ABVP polled second. But a significant section of DU students this year spoke out quite clearly regarding their hopes for a radical Left, democratic student politics, represented by AISA. AISA polled 3rd on 3 DUSU posts and 4th on the post of President, consistently polling above 3000 votes on all 4 posts.

AISA's Presidential candidate, Nikita Sinha, a student of MSc Statistics in Ramjas College, polled 3000 votes. Kumar Ankit, a student of MA Buddhist Studies, polled 3600 votes on the post of VP. Nishant Kumar, a student of BSc Physical Sciences in Hansraj College, polled 4700 votes on the GS post. And Adiya Bikram Pande, a BA English Honours student of Satyawati College, polled 3700 votes on the Joint Secretary post.

AISA's significant and consistent good showing in the DUSU polls comes in the wake of a sustained campaign since last year against corruption and corporate plunder, against privatisation of education, and struggles against sexual harassment, against curtailment in student rights and campus democracy.

 

 

Edited, published and printed by S. Bhattacharya for CPI(ML) Liberation from U-90, Shakarpur, Delhi-92; printed at Bol Publication, R-18/2, Ramesh Park, Laxmi Nagar, Delhi-92; Phone:22521067; fax: 22442790, e-mail: mlupdate@cpiml.org, website: www.cpiml.org