Wednesday, January 26, 2011

ML UPDATE 5 / 2011

ML Update
A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine

Vol. 14 No. 05 25 - 31 JAN 2011

 

Cabinet Reshuffle and Cover Up Will Not Do:

Intensify Resistance Against Corruption and Price Rise

 

Swamped by allegations of corruption of massive proportions on many fronts, the Congress and UPA Government has decided to brazen it out with a campaign of cover up and creating confusion to scuttle any credible and timely probe and punishment.

 
Defying repeated strictures by the Supreme Court against the wisdom of appointing the tainted P J Thomas as CVC, the UPA Government has arrogantly defended his appointment. This, in spite of the fact that the Supreme Court has now cleared the way for initiating proceedings against Thomas and others in the palmolein scandal.
 
Most audacious of all has been the newly appointed telecom minister Kapil Sibal's conjuring act where he has tried to rubbish the CAG's estimation of the 2G scam amount and deny that there was any scam at all. Sibal's glib arguments show that the UPA Government is committed to deceiving the public and defending the scamster companies and UPA Ministers. By denying the loot of the country's spectrum resources, the UPA Government is insulting the intelligence of the common people.
 
Even as the scams of today were unfolding, the Bofors scam, long relegated to history, was resurrected by the findings of the IT appellate tribunal that kickbacks were in fact made to middlemen in the Bofors gun deal – something the Congress government of the day had vehemently denied. As in the case of the Bofors scam, the Congress would like that probes into the 2G, CWG and other super scams are so delayed and confused as to lose relevance and urgency. In the CWG case, the CBI has already shown signs that it is less than committed to nailing the guilty. Its failure to obtain relevant evidence to file charges within 60 days has already allowed close aides of the CWG OC Chairman Suresh Kalmadi, to get bail.
 
It has emerged that the Adarsh housing society scam was no aberration in Congress-ruled Maharashtra – other similar land scams involving top army officers have been indicated in both Mumbai and Pune. In the Adarsh case, it has emerged that crucial evidence relating to the Adarsh matter, such as documentation from the Urban Development Department has been destroyed so as to make it difficult to fix responsibility for the scam.
 
In the Lavasa case, the Union Environment Ministry found that the project, in the name of developing a hill station close to Pune, had blithely violated environmental laws, indiscriminately cut the hillside and caused other environmental damage. The Ministry however avoided recommending any action against state government authorities who illegally gave clearance to the project. Instead of ensuring that Lavasa does not profit from its violation of the law, the Environment Ministry has instead said that given the massive investment in the project, it is prepared to allow Lavasa to stand in exchange for a penalty fine and contribution to an environment restoration fund. Such a decision makes a mockery of environmental laws, sending out the message that companies are free to violate laws and pay fines later. Those who have the power to pay, in other words, will have a license to violate the environment.
 
Pulling up the government for failing to provide names of the offenders with black money in Swiss banks, in the name of honouring an international treaty, the Supreme Court correctly termed it a "plunder of the nation" and "pure and simple theft of the national money" and "mind-boggling crime." Black money in Swiss banks is estimated to be a whopping Rs 1.5 trillion, nearly one-and-a-half times India's GDP. The government's refusal to confiscate this enormous stash and bring the tax evaders and money launderers to book is yet further proof of the government's commitment to appeasing and protecting the loot of national resources by the super-wealthy.
 
With a slight shuffle in the Cabinet, the UPA Government hopes to send out a message that it has acted to 'warn' Ministers implicated in corruption like Kamal Nath, Murli Deora and Praful Patel by demoting them to less significant ministries. With price rise, especially food prices, reaching new heights, the Manmohan Singh Government has taken the food and consumer affairs portfolio from Sharad Pawar; however the Government persists with its agenda of further diluting and restricting the Food Security Bill. With former Maharashtra CM Vilasrao Deshmukh getting the rural affairs portfolio, it is ironic that both agriculture and rural affairs rest with leaders from Maharashtra who have presided over the worst record of farmers' suicides in Vidarbha.
 
Be it on corruption or price rise, the UPA's cosmetic measures are nothing but eyewash, and popular anger and resentment is one the rise. In this backdrop, the All India Left Coordination (AILC) has given a call for a month-long countrywide mass campaign against rising prices, growing corruption, unemployment and state repression and assault on democracy, from 11 February to culminate in a Parliament March in Delhi on 11 March.
 
Onwards to Parliament March on 11 March

Against Price Rise, Corruption,

Unemployment, State Repression!

 

Supreme Court Comments on Conversion Are Unconstitutional

[CPI(ML) Statement, New Delhi, January 22, 2011]

 

A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court, in upholding a high court verdict regarding the gruesome murder of Graham Staines and his two small sons, has chosen to pass gratuitous and ideological comments against religious conversion. The Court has upheld the high court's reasoning that though Graham Staines and his two minor sons were burnt to death while sleeping inside a station wagon at Manoharpur, "the intention was to teach a lesson to Graham Staines about his religious activities, namely, converting poor tribals to Christianity." The Court has in effect delegitimized the constitutionally guaranteed right to propagate one's religion by declaring that "It is undisputed that there is no justification for interfering in someone's belief by way of 'use of force,' provocation, conversion, incitement or upon a flawed premise that one religion is better than the other." 

 
In punishing the act of murder of Staines, the SC has effectively justified and upheld the purported motive of the murder. It is disturbing and dangerous that the apex court should appear to reinforce the prejudices against conversion propagated by communal outfits and legitimise the notion that Christian missionaries need to be 'taught a lesson.' In Odisha and other parts of the country, the SC's observations are bound to embolden the Sangh Parivar outfits which are justifying large scale organised violence against the Christian minorities as a 'reaction' to the 'provocation' of conversion.

 

Protest Against Draconian Laws in Punjab

 
On January 20, 34 trade unions including the AICCTU and its affiliated unions held protests at district HQs all over the state, against two draconian laws that the state government has proposed to introduce. Around 2000 people participated in the protest at Mansa.
 
The proposed Punjab Prevention of Damage to Public and Private Property Act 2010, will be like permanent imposition of Section 144: organizations will have to take special permission for each protest from the district magistrate, and the route, number of participants, slogans and so on for protests or agitations will have to be finalized by and with permission of the SSP! The Punjab Special Security Group Bill 2010 proposes to allow VIP security personnel 'special' powers similar to those endowed by the AFSPA on forces in Kashmir and the N East.
 
Jharkhand Panchayat Elections and CPI(ML)'s Performance
 
After a gap of 32 years, the three-tier Panchayat elections were finally concluded Jharkhand, generating tremendous enthusiasm and participation at the grassroots with more than 70% polling and significant participation of women and youth. It also saw the enthusiastic participation of the backward classes and especially the tribal people in the scheduled regions. The election took place in November-December last year in 5 segments, the last segment of which concluded on 24 December 2011 and all the results were declared by 30 December 2011. CPI (ML) actively intervened and participated in this important political struggle as a fighting communist force in Jharkhand. We registered victories in 20 Zila Parishad seats, 139 seats in the Panchayat Samitis (constituted at the block levels) along with 135 directly elected posts of Mukhiyas and more than 800 wards in the panchayats.
 
In the Zila Parishads, we won 9 seats in Giridih, 5 in Gumla, 2 in Koderma and 1 each in Latehar, Ramgarh, Hazaribagh and Dhanbad. In Giridih district, besides the 9 seats, we also registered wins in 66 Panchayat committee member posts and 45 mukhiya posts. Similarly in Garhwa, besides the 5 seats in the Zila parishad, we registered wins in 20 Panchayat committee member posts and 18 mukhiya posts.
 
In terms of the Legislative Assembly segments, we won 3 Zila Parishad seats in the Bagodar Assembly region, 4 seats in Rajdhanwar and 4 seats in Bhavnathpur. From the perspective of Koderma parliamentary seat, we won 11 seats in the Zila Parishads and at least one seat in the Zila Parishads of each of the six assembly areas in this constituency.
 
In the tribal-dominated scheduled areas, especially, Deoghar, Dumka, Ranchi, Lohardagga, Gumla, we had an organised participation, but could not win any seat in the zila parishad regions, but we finished second in two places. However in these districts too, we did win several posts in the panchayat samitis and wards and also mukhiya posts. In fact, in some panchayats of Ranchi and Dumka districts where we had launched determined struggles against corporate land grab and displacement, our wins are noteworthy. For example, in Haripur Panchayat of Shikaripada block, which is the area of our intense and determined struggle against land grab by the Jindal corporation, we registered wins in all the ward posts, mukhiya posts, and panchayat samiti posts.
 
During January-February 2011, the next stage of indirect elections of Zila Parishad chairpersons and deputy chairpersons, Panchayat Samiti head and deputy head and deputy head of the Panchayats will be done by the elected representative in the respective bodies. Relying on our independent strength and exploring options for a united front based on our core principles, we will try to intervene positively in this process. On the basis of primary estimates, we will fight for the Zila Parishad chairperson posts in Giridih, Garhwa and Koderma. Other than this, in 4-5 districts, we will try to fight for the post of Panchayat Samiti pramukhs in 10-12 blocks. In these non-party 'secret-ballot' elections, there will be a definite play of unrestricted money and corrupt wheeling dealing. Our basic effort will be to fight these corrupt tendencies, consolidate our core base and emerge as an organised political and struggling force in the various structures of the Panchayat system.

 

Jansankalp Sabha at Bagodar

 
On 16 January 2011, the 6th anniversary of Com. Mahendra Singh's martyrdom, CPI(ML) organised a massive Jansankalp Sabha in Bagodar in Giridih district of Jharkhand to reassert the resolve to carry forward his legacy of people's struggle. Held in the backdrop of the recently concluded panchayat election in the state, the jansankalp sabha gave a determined call to 'Give power to panchayats, ensure people's say over panchayats and bring development to rural Jharkhand'. Thousands of poor peasants, women, youth and people from all walks of life participated in the pledge-taking meeting raising slogans in the memory of Com. Mahendra Singh. The meeting started with two minutes' silence in memory of Com. Mahendra Singh followed by rendition of revolutionary songs by the Jharkhand Cultural front and Prerna Team.
 
Addressing the meeting, CPI(ML) General Secretary Comrade Dipankar Battacharya reminded of the renewed importance of Com. Mahendra Singh's legacy of mass mobilisation and struggle against corruption and mafiadom in the present phase of all round scam, loot and corruption by governments of all hues. He reminded that in Jharkhand, it is the state government and the parties controlling it that are the biggest source of corruption and the fight against corruption is therefore a fight against the corrupt political parties as well.
 
Addressing the meeting, Com. Vinod Singh, MLA of Bagodar from CPI (ML), warned that we will have to snatch more powers for the Panchayats from the corrupt government and bureaucracy. Com. Rajkumar Yadav, senior journalist Faisal Anurag and MLA from Marxwadi Samanvay Samiti, Com. Arup Chatterjee also addressed the public meeting. On this occasion, under the leadership of the state party secretary Com. Janardan Prasad, newly elected members of the Zilla Parishad and panchayats took the oath to "ensure people's vigilance over the Panchayats, demand greater rights for the Panchayats and also to play the role of an active opposition against the state and the central governments." The newly elected Zila Parishad members - Taranum Khatoon, Jayant Chaudhary, Sunita Paswan, Reena Gupta, Rajesh Yadav, Vijay Santhali and Baijnath Yadav, and CPI (ML) leaders Com. Kaushalya Devi, Geeta Mandal, Devki Nandan Bediya, Renu Ravani, Poonam Mahato, Usman Ansari and others also expressed their views in the meeting. Prior to the meeting, a brief homage was paid to Mahendra Singh in his village Khambra, by the entire village community, party comrades and several distinguished people. On this day, the Ranchi unit of CPI (ML) took out a Sankalp March and organised a meeting at Albert Ekka Chowk in which several party workers, intellectuals and social activists participated. The meeting was addressed by Shubhendu Sen, member of party's central committee, Dayamani Barla, leader of the Adivasi-Mulbasi Adhikar Manch, AIPWA leader Sarojini Bisht and social activist George Kujur, Umesh Nazir of IPTA, and other state committee members. The meeting was chaired by CPI (ML)'s city in charge, Bhuvneshwar Kevat.
 

Convention on Panchayat Rule and People's Participation

 
On 17 January, in the backdrop of significant victory of CPI(ML) candidates in the Panchayat elections, party state committee organised a state level convention on 'Panchayati raj and people's participation'. Nearly 600 participants including representatives from the state, zila and block committees, heads and other members of the zila and panchayat committees, and ward members of Giridih participated in this convention. The convention was conducted by a 3-member committee comprising of Com. Anant Prasad Gupta, Com. Geeta Mandal and Com. Puran Mahato. Com. Brijbihari Pandey, editor of Samkaaleen Lokyudh and Com. Manoj Bhakt, secretary of the Giridah district Committee were also present. The Convention was inaugurated by the party's Jharkhand in-charge, Poliburo mmeber Com. D P Bakshi. Party state secretary Com. Janardan Prasad, presented the concept note on behalf of the party state committee. The in-charges of the district committees and newly elected panchayat representatives at various levels, especially women representatives, presented their views and suggestions on the concept note. As the main speaker of the convention, party General Secretary Com. Dipankar Bhattacharya called upon the newly elected representatives and the entire party structure to grasp the enormous possibilities that the victory of more than 1000 CPI(ML) panchayat representatives have created for broadening party's reach amongst the people at large.
 
The convention was addressed by CPI (ML) MLA Com. Vinod Singh and the party state committee members Com. Sukhdev, Rajkumar Yadav, Ravindra Ram, Kamlesh Ram, Shivkumar Paswan, Sehdev Prasad Yadav, R. N. Singh, Sukhdev Munda (Ranchi), Lakhmini, Kayuum Ansari, Taranum Khatoon, Shakunti Devi, Meena Das, Sarawasti Devi, Neeta, Sarita Devi, Rajesh Yadav, Gajendra Singh (Gumla), Devkinandan Bediya, Javed Islam, Kavita Singh, AIPWA leader Com. Guni Oraon, Hero Gop, Panchanan Mandal, Chandranand Bhai Patel along with 31 people's representatives and other comrades in charges.
 
The convention concluded with the adoption of 5 point political programme of a massive mass campaign leading to Assembly Gherao on 14 March 2011, ensuring vigilance over bureaucracy and uniting the mukhiyas from the block to the state level to launch struggles on people's issues, organising all the elected women candidates observe the week from 1 to 8 March as women's davedaari saptah, a campaign in the Chotanagpur-Santhal Pargana belt for strict enforcement of Tenancy Acts, strengthening of the gram sabhas against corporate land grab and campaign from 15 to 28 February centred around the slogans - 'Jharkhand's land belongs to the people, not to the Tatas and Mittals' and 'Guarantee development of rural Jharkhand' and organising protest demonstrations between from 1 to 15 February against the UPA-led central government and the state government on the issue of corruption and inflation.

 

Fisherfolk Resist Mafia in Odisha

 
On 20 January, 10,000 fisherpeople in 1000 boats entered Chilika under the banner of the Chilika Matsyajibi ahasangh and demolished 15,000 acres of prawn gherries belonging to the powerful prawn mafias. The prawn mafia's nexus with local leaders of all ruling parties, financers, corrupt bureaucrats and police enjoys protection and patronage of the Naveen Patnaik Government. This is why, though prawn culture is strictly prohibited in Chilika, as it comes under costal regulatory zone (CRZ) and in spite of Orissa High Court and Supreme Court verdicts banning prawn culture in Chilika, as well as directives of Orissa Bidhan Sabha House Committee, it continues to flourish. Violating all the laws, directives and verdicts, the prawn mafia has spread its prawn culture gherries across the entire Chilika, looting the best of the prawn and becoming crorepatis. On the other hand, 2,70,000 poor traditional fisherpeople of 141 villages in and around Chilika, who are fully dependent on Chilika for their livelihood, are now starving, fenced out of their livelihood by the zero-net prawn gherries (fencings).
 
The fisherpeople have repeatedly approached the Naveen Patnaik Government, demanding demolition of the prawn gherries as per law; implementation of the ban on prawn culture in Chilika. When the government failed to heed their demands, they decided to defend their livelihood and demolish the prawn gherries themselves – a measure that is in keeping with the CRZ regulations, court verdicts and laws of the land.
 
Following the first day of demolition, the administration and police asked the fisherpeople to give them four days within which they themselves undertook to clean the Chilika of all the prawn gheries. In response, the Mahasangh has suspended its demolition plans for four days. If within this period the administration and police do not carry out their promises, then the Mastyajibi Mahasangh will continue with its plans to demolish all gherries in the Chilika. In the battle between loot and livelihood, the fisherpeople are determined to win.

 

AILC Announces Agitation

 
Against the backdrop of deepening economic and political crisis in the country, All India Left Coordination (AILC) held an important political convention at Kozhikode in Kerala on 22 January, 2011. The convention was hosted by the Left Coordination Committee, Kerala.
 
Before the convention, a 1000-strong spirited rally marched through major streets of Kozhikode. The convention was chaired by an 8-member presidium comprising senior leaders of the four constituents of the AILC. The CPI(ML) was represented in the convention by Comrades Dipankar Bhattacharya, S Kumarasamy, V Shankar from the CC and members of the party's Kerala leading team including Comrades John K Erumely and Joy Peter and K M Venugopalan, Convener of IIMS in Kerala.
 
Delivering the inaugural speech, Comrade Mangat Ram Pasla, Secretary of CPM (Punjab) called upon all genuine Left ranks in Kerala to rise to the occasion and intensify the people's struggle on all fronts against the disastrous policies of the ruling classes. He congratulated the LCC for its spirited rejection of the corrupt and decadent leadership and the opportunist line of the CPI(M) and appealed to all sincere and fighting Left forces in the state to rally around the AILC.
 
In his address Comrade Dipankar described the AILC as a product of the popular urge for an effective communist answer to the growing crisis of credibility and legitimacy of the ruling classes. Against the CPI(M) line of 'all for a share in bourgeois state power' he said the AILC upheld the line of 'all for communist assertion, all for people's struggles'. Drawing attention to the burning issues of the day, announced the AILC's forthcoming plan of action – a month-long countrywide mass campaign against rising prices, growing corruption, unemployment and state repression and assault on democracy from 11 February to culminate in a Parliament March in Delhi on 11 March. Com. Bhimrao Bhansod, General Secretary of Lal Nishan Party (Leninist) spoke about the AILC initiative in Maharashtra in support of the popular struggle against the Jaitapur nuclear power park and ongoing struggles in Maharashtra by adivasis, workers and peasants.
 
Com. Murali, Left Coordination Committee of Kerala recollected the terror being unleashed against any form of dissent inside CPI(M) and traced the process in which LCC emerged as an alternative Left. He also highlighted the performance of LCC in recent local body elections in which, fighting against both LDF and UDF the LCC won 60 seats on various levels in the recent panchayat and municipal elections in Kerala.
 
Com. Kumarasamy, PB member of CPI(ML) and the president of AICCTU expressed his hope of LCC emerging as an alternative current in Kerala against the bi-polar domination of the LDF and the UDF. Observing the two-way migration of workers in which people from Kerala were being forced to look for jobs outside the state while more and more people from West Bengal, Bihar and Odisha sought their livelihood in Kerala, he stressed the need for united working class struggles and greater cooperation on the trade union front between the two neighbouring southern states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
 
Com. TP Chandrasekar, president of LCC shared the experiences of their victory in Onchiyam Panchayat that is otherwise considered to be a traditional stronghold of CPI(M). He also shared the traumatic course of events that included brutal physical attack against LCC activists in the region.
 
The convention was introduced by Com. Hariharan, Vice-President of LCC while participants were welcomed by Com. Kumaran Kutty, Secretary of LCC. Dr. Azad, Vice-President, LCC, presented the Delhi Declaration of AILC in Malayalam. Comrade Smitha, another Vice-President of the organization, read out the resolutions of the convention while Com. Kunhikaran of the Reception Committee presented vote of thanks.
 
The Kozhikode convention was preceded by similar political conventions of the AILC in Ranchi (11 August 2010), Kolkata (5 October 2010), Jalandhar (7 November, 2010) and Mumbai (4 December, 2010).

 

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

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

ML UPDATE 4 / 2011

ML Update

A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine

Vol. 14, No. 04, 18 – 24 JANUARY 2011

Aseemanand Confession:

Expose and Punish Sanghi Terror,

Ensure Justice for Minority Scapegoats

Swami Aseemanand's confession to the role of Hindutva outfits in a series of terror incidents including the Mecca Masjid, Ajmer Sharif, Malegaon, and the Samjhauta Express blasts has made 'saffron terror' impossible to dismiss, even for hitherto reluctant investigative agencies, political forces and media. The confession, made in front of a magistrate in December and reiterated again in January in court, certainly carries more weight than the torture-tainted custodial 'confessions' which are often the only evidence produced by police and investigative agencies so far in terror cases. Aseemanand has said that he was moved to confess by the plight of a Muslim youth falsely accused in the Mecca Masjid blasts, who befriended him in jail. It is a disturbing question for Indian democracy and justice that had Aseemanand not confessed, the communal profiling and scapegoating of minorities by the investigative agencies and a pliant media would have continued unquestioned.

 
The confession - unarguable evidence of the existence of the Sanghi terror web Рhas predictably caused discomfort across the spectrum of political forces and institutions. The BJP has opted for outraged denial of links with saffron terror, while also alleging that the expos̩ of saffron terror is a Congress conspiracy. The RSS on the one hand sought to claim that Aseemanand's confession was 'forced' (a claim that carries little credibility after Aseemanand stuck to his statement in court). On the other, the RSS, in a repeat of its tactics of disowning Savarkar in the wake of the murder of Gandhi, has declared that the terrorist elements had been expelled from the organization long back. The Congress is manipulating leaks from the saffron terror investigations to keep a leash on and bargain with the BJP to quell the latter's clamour on the corruption issue. But at the same time, the Congress is none too comfortable with the revelations of saffron terror, since these facts inexorably point a finger at the majoritarian communal bias and questionable methods (including widespread use of torture) that have distorted terror investigations by the police in Congress-ruled Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra as well as the Centre.
 
Media too, in its responses to Aseemanand's revelations, has displayed uncharacteristic hesitation that contrasts rather starkly with its irresponsible and emotive coverage of the very same cases when Muslims were accused of terror without sufficient evidence. While all those who questioned custodial torture or fake encounters of Muslim terror-accused were swiftly branded by the media as 'anti-nationals', the same media is playing down saffron terror's political linkages with RSS and BJP by deeming it to be a 'lunatic fringe,' thereby implying that the RSS and BJP cannot be held responsible for some aberrant 'hotheaded' elements.
 
What Aseemanand's confession has laid bare is the dangerous extent to which terror investigations are tainted by majoritarian communal prejudice. If hundreds of Muslim youth were branded as 'masterminds' and arrested, tortured, jailed and even declared convict of crimes which Aseemanand now confesses were perpetrated by saffron groups, it raises a serious question about the credibility of our investigative and judicial process.
 
What the Aseemanand case underlines is that if we are to live up to our claims of being a democracy, our investigative agencies must not enjoy a licence to peddle communal stereotypes, and to indulge in torture and witch-hunt. Every investigation and trial must follow just procedures, and those who violate such procedures must be probed and punished. To start with, a time-bound judicial probe should be ordered into the enormous miscarriage of justice which resulted in scores of Muslim youth being jailed, tortured and branded as terrorists for crimes to which Aseemanand has confessed. Those authorities responsible for framing innocents in the series of blasts for which Aseemanand has claimed responsibility, must face exemplary punishment, and those framed and tortured in such cases must be released, freed of charges, and receive compensation and a public apology.
 
The RSS and BJP cannot evade the terror taint. In the first place there is the material evidence (independent of Aseemanand's confession) of close linkages between the top RSS leaders like Indresh Kumar, highly placed BJP leaders (former BJP MP B.L. Sharma) as well as senior army officials with the Hindutva terror groups like Abhinav Bharat. These groups also share ideological moorings with the RSS and BJP, and their acts serve the political agenda of the BJP which use bomb blasts and terror as fodder to foster communal prejudices. By themselves orchestrating acts of terror and then implicating Muslims in these blasts, the groups like Abhinav Bharat and other shadowy outfits of RSS helped to feed the fear and prejudice against the Muslim minorities – while the BJP reaped this fear and hatred in elections and political arena by posing as the champion of nationalism against 'Islamic' terrorism!
 
In a desperate attempt to shake off the terror taint, the BJP is trying once again to play the game of 'Hindu nationalist' versus 'Muslim anti-national' by declaring that they will unfurl the Indian flag at Srinagar on Republic Day. Meanwhile the Congress is playing the politics of convenience; while indulging in selective leaks, the Central Government is yet to show its commitment to unraveling every thread of saffron terror and ensuring that lawful investigation and fair trial prevail over fake encounters, framing and communal profiling of minorities. We must expose the Sangh's 'nationalist' bluff and demand that nothing short of a complete probe into the entire web of terrorist linkages with saffron outfits including RSS and BJP, can suffice. The country deserves to know the truth.
 
Protest in Madurai against DMK Govt's False Promises
 
On 5th January, CPI(ML)'s Madurai District unit organized a protest in Vadipatti, condemning the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister whose most promises for free schemes for poor have proven hollow and those that have come into existence continue to be marred by corruption. More than 200 people from 3 Panchayats participated in the protest. The local DMK functionaries tried to prevent people from participating but they could do so only in one Panchayat.
 
Com. Shanmugam, District Secretary of All India Agricultural Labourers' Association (AIALA), conducted the protest meeting and Com. Balasundaram, State Secretary of CPIML, spoke on the occasion and exposed the corrupt DMK regime. He asked the people to reject both, the DMK and AIADMK and join the CPI(ML) led struggles against anti-people policies of these parties.
 
The local police has been acting as a tool in the hands of DMK's local functionaries. CPI(ML) leaders warned the officials against this trend. Later a delegation met the Taluk Officials and got assurance of including the list provided by us in the near future.
 
Convention and protests in West Bengal demanding release of Binayak Sen
 
On 8th January, a convention demanding immediate release of Dr. Binayak Sen, was held in Student's hall in Kolkata. Nitish Roy, of Gana Sanskriti Parishad, gave the inaugural speech. Nabarun Bhattacharya, writer, Dipankar Chakrabarty, editor of Aneek, Sumit Chowdhury, Debashish Dutta, secretary of People's Health, Dr. Partha Ghosh along with others spoke before a packed hall. Prabir Ball, Nitish Ray, Sutapa and members of Ganabishan sang for the occasion.
 
Protest meeting was organized in Howrah by RYA. Similar protests were organized in Belghoria, Chadpara and Siliguri.
 
More Reports of AISA's Nationwide Campaign against Corruption & State Repression
 
Delhi: At the time of going to press, the All India Students' Association (AISA) is holding a national convention on "Binayak Sen Verdict: Life Imprisonment for Democracy" in the Arts Faculty of Delhi University. On the Concluding day of its national campaign against corruption and state repression 19 January, AISA organised a convention in which a large number of human rights and democratic personalities are participating as speakers.
 
The report is also that first the administration intervened to stop the assembly of students for holding the convention and then later ABVP hoodlums tried to disrupt who were chased away by the AISA activists.
 
Among the speakers are Professors Harbans Mukhia, noted historian, Jean Dreze- Dept. of Economics, DU, Nandini Sundar- Dept. of Sociology, DU, Achin Vanaik- Dept. of Political Science, DU, Apporvanad- Dept. of Hindi, DU, Nirmalanghsu Mukherjee- Dept of Philosophy, DU, Ali Javed- Dept. of Urdu, DU, Vir Bharat Talwar- Dept of Hindi, JNU, Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan, Shamsul Islam- Satyawati college and a noted cultural activist, Manoj Mitta- journalist and law commentator, Swapan Mukherjee- AICCTU General Secretary, Gautam Navlakha- noted human rights' activist, Anand Pradhan- Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Neeraj Malik- IP College, DU and Nandita Narayan of St. Stephen's College, DU among others.
 
Noted Hindi poet Viren Dangwal is to read poetry later in the day. Imphal Talkies, a musical band from Manipur will perform at the convention apart from students and teachers.
 
Uttarakhand: In Uttarakhand, the AISA began its campaign against corruption and state repression on 11 January. This day is also the martyrdom day of Comrade Nagendra Saklani who was martyred at Kirtinagar in 1948.
 
A dharna and demonstration was held in Gandhi Park. It was led by AISA leaders Pawan Nautiyal, AISA's State Secretary, Malti Haldar, State President of AISA and Verghese Bamola, AISA's State Vice President and Student Union representative in Srinagar's Garhwal University. The speakers also drew parallels between the true patriots who were hanged or jailed for treason by the British before Independence and the sentencing of Dr. Binayak Sen. The students burned effigies of the corrupt Central as well as State Government. Other state leaders of AISA Ashish, Lalit Matiyani, Ravi-ul-Rahman, Yatin, Rahul and Pramod were also present.
 
West Bengal: As part of AISA's country wide protest against corruption and state repression, the West Bengal unit kick started its campaign from College Square in Kolkata. A protest march was organized from College Square and protesters blocked the road in front of Presidency College where an effigy of UPA government was burned. Student leaders Jul, Debmalya, Dhiraj and Dwaipayan addressed the protest meeting.
 
Similar protests were organized in Hooghly, Malda and North 24 parganas districts. In Barasat in North 24 Parganas, Moloy Tewari, State secretary of AISA led the protest.
 
AIALA and AIKM Protest against Farmers' Suicide in Orissa
 
In Orissa 70 farmers have committed suicide due to losses incurred after heavy rain but the height of insensitivity on the part of BJD as well as UPA Govt. is that neither has taken any step to give a sense of security and relief to the farmers that would prevent them from taking the desperate and extreme step of ending their lives. Though the BJD Government of Orissa had declared a package of 900 core rupees but has not yet given a single rupee to farmers. On the other hand the UPA has been dilly-dallying with the plea that they will take steps after central observation report.
 
On 10th January, the All India Agricultural Labourers' Association (AIALA) and All India Kisan Mahasabha (AIKM) held protests in all tehsils of Orissa against the BJD and UPA Government holding them squarely responsible for the farmers' suicide in Orissa. The protests were held along with BKMU, Krushak Sabha, Adibasi Mahasabha, Orissa Krushak Mahasabhha. The state-wide protests were supported by four left parties CPI(ML) Liberation, CPI(M) CPI(ML) New Democracy and CPI.
 
CPI(ML) Liberation organised protest in Rayagada, Puri, Kendrapra, Bhadrak, Kalahandi and Gajapati including Bhubaneswar tehsil office. Comrades Tirupati Gamango, Mahendra Parida, Satyabadi Behera- AIALA's Orissa State President, AIKM leader Ashok Pradhan, Yudhistir Mohapatra, Balaram Hota, Samar Bal, Bidhan Das, Bidya Dhar Patra among others led the protests at different places despite administrations' opposition at many places. The protest has demanded a compensation of Rs.10,000/- per acre to all farmers, 5 lakhs to the next kin of farmers who committed suicide and purchase grain from farmers through FCI and provide Rs.1500/- per quintal to farmers.
 
Democratic Rickshaw Pullers' Union Holds Cadre Convention in Noida
 
Cadre Convention of Janwadi Ricksha Chalak Sangh (Democratic Rickshaw Pullers' Union), Ghaziabad unit of Gautambudh Nagar, was held at Noida Sector X on 9 January. The Convention was presided over by Comrade Nand ji. Comrades Amarnath Tiwari- CPI(ML) Delhi State Committee member, Shyam Kishore Yadav- member of AICCTU's Delhi secretarial team, Pramod Shah, AIPWA's EC member Uma Gupta, AISA leader Anmol, Chandra Bhushan, Suresh Paswan- General Secretary of the JRCS/DRPU, Ramsewak- Secretary of Delhi Street Vendors' Federation, CB Singh, Mohan Singh, Radhey Shayam and Virendra Das put forth their views and suggestions in the Convention. The speakers criticised the anti-people policies of both Mayawati and Manmohan Singh Govts and said both the Govternments have no concern for the basic issues that the masses face. On the one hand the contractors, bureaucrats and politicians are cornering huge amounts of money in the name of beautification of the city, and on the other the same working people, without whose labour the city would not sustain, are being deprived of basic necessities of living. Both the Central and Mayawati Govt are protecting and patronising the forces of loot and corruption. The convention called upon the working people for a powerful movement against these governments responsible for unprecedented inflation and unemployment.
 
Farmers Movement in Chhattisgarh against Land Acquisition
 
A fact finding team of CPI(ML) and All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) visited the site of under-construction 3600 MW thermal power plant at Nariyara of Akalwara tehsil in Chancha-Janjgir district of Chhattisgarh, where the farmers whose land is being acquired have launched a movement and have been protesting. The team comprised of Comrades Brijendra Tiwary, Rajendra Parganiha, Ghanshyam Singh Mandari and Lalan Sharma. The team spoke to the farmers at the dharna place apart from supporting their struggle.
 
Wardha Power Company Pvt. Ltd. is setting up the thermal plant on 2100 acre land. Land falling under four villages of Rogada, Nariyara, Taraund and Amora is being acquired. Three other villages are also losing their land. 90 percent of the land being acquired is a double crop irrigated land. The land produces roughly 30 quintals of paddy per acre. The Company started working since January 2008 and it got the environmental clearance in October 2010. The Company, in its executive summary has described the land as barren, uncultivable and single crop agricultural land. Of the total land- 1500 acres have been bought by the company at the rate of Rs.80,000- 3,00,000 (three lakh). For the remaining 750 acres the farmers have been given notice under the Land Acquisition Act of 1894. Of the villagers here 25-30 percent are tribal and dalits. The Rodaga dam/barrage constructed on 131 acre of land in 1962 has been sold to the Company for Rs.7 crore. (70 million rupees). The water from this dam irrigated 550 acres of land. The Company has flattened this. About 3000 workers are working here of which 80 percent from outside of State. The workers are being paid at a wage lower than the statutory minimum wage.
 
The farmers began their dharna at the thermal plant gate on 8 December 2010, after giving a notice to the police and administration. Initially the local MLA Saurav Singh of BSP gave support but withdrew after four days. The police arrested and sent to jail 55 farmers for blocking the company gate and they were released after four days on a personal bond of Rs.50,000/-each. The Company has closed the Rogada-Nariyara road due to which the villagers are having to walk extra six kilometres. The Company also bulldozed 150 acres of Kharif and Rabi crops belonging to 22 farmers. Later, after farmers' protest, the police mediated a compensation of only Rs.3200/- per acre. The police has seized carpets, tents, mikes etc. from the dharna site. Illegal registry of land belonging to absent farmers is underway. Government and administrative land has also been captured due to which a lot of problem is being faced by the villagers. Tree plantation was to be done on 450 acres of land, yet not a single one has been planted.

Within a radius of 10 km of this under construction Company there are four industrial units out of which two are cement – Lafarge and CCI. Other two are power plants of 40 and 80 MW capacity. The Govt is planning to set up 34 power plants in this district. The land in this district is among most fertile and most irrigated. In the past the Govt had sold 23 km area of Shivnath river to a private firm.

 

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

Friday, January 14, 2011

ML UPDATE 3 /2011

ML Update

A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine

Vol. 14, No. 03, 11 – 17 JANUARY 2011

Massacre by CPIM's Armed Brigade at Lalgarh: CPIM Learns No Lessons from Nandigram

The CPI(M) in West Bengal has blood on its hands once again. In a horrific massacre in Netai village, Lalgarh, at least 7 people including 2 women have been shot dead by the CPI(M)'s private armed brigade (harmad vahini) while they were protesting against the harmad vahini's attempt to force young men from their village to join the armed brigade.

 
This is not the first time the CPIM and WB Govt. have attacked and massacred villagers who resist corporate land grab and state repression. The attack by CPIM cadres on the people of Singur and the firing by police accompanied by CPIM cadres in Nandigram shocked the entire country. Progressive voices and intellectuals across the country were appalled that a Left government could thus assault the poor. The people of West Bengal taught the CPIM a severe lesson in severe electoral setbacks in the erstwhile CPIM bastion. Far from any introspection or course-correction, the CPIM Govt. then indulged in severe repression at Lalgarh, sparking off a remarkable people's resistance there. The region became an arena for Operation Green Hunt sponsored by the Central Government and the West Bengal State Government together. The latest attack by the 'harmad vahini' bears a disturbing resemblance to the Salwa Judum modus operandi in another Green Hunt arena – BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh.
 
Salwa Judum brigades have forced thousands of villagers into camps in Chhattisgarh, terrorizing those who refuse to join the camps and chasing them out of their villages. Much like the Salwa Judum, the harmad vahinis justify themselves as 'people's resistance' to 'Maoist violence.' Like the Salwa Judum, they demand that villagers join their harmad camps, and if villagers refuse, they are 'punished' with massacres. Like the Salwa Judum, the harmad vahinis enjoy the tacit support of the state and ruling party. The harmad vahinis in Lalgarh function in close collusion with the Joint forces which are conducting Operation Green Hunt.
 
The West Bengal Government is now attempting to divert attention from CPIM's role in the attack by claiming that the massacre in Netai was perpetrated by 'Maoists.' Even this is a leaf taken from the Chhattisgarh book: when the Salwa Judum (now metamorphosed into SPOs - special police officers) massacred villagers at Gompad in Bastar, the Chhattisgarh police attempted to intimidate and pressurise witnesses to blame Maoists for the attack.
 
In the week preceding the Netai massacre, West Bengal CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharya's correspondence with Home Minister P Chidambaram was much in the news, with Chidambaram raising the issue of harmad vahinis and Buddha alleging Mamata's links with Maoists. The Home Minister's stance smacks of doublespeak and diversionary tactics. The harmad vahinis in West Bengal, much like the Salwa Judum in Chhattisgarh, are very much part of Green Hunt agenda over which he himself presides, and the harmads carry out their intimidatory agenda complementary to the Joint Forces in the area. If 'harmad vahinis' are 'unacceptable' to the UPA Government, why does the Home Ministry and Central Government continue to support the SPOs in Chhattisgarh? Mamata Banerjee poses as the champion of the people of Lalgarh against CPIM's harmad vahinis, while remaining a Minister in the same Central Government that, along with the State Government, is conducting the war on adivasis in Lalgarh.
 
The West Bengal Chief Minister counters all talk of the harmad vahini's role by pointing to Mamata Banerjee's collusion with the Maoist violence in the region. It must be reminded that the Maoists found space in Lalgarh only in the wake of people's resistance to severe state repression. The State Government and Central Government together are conducting their military operation in the area in the name of upholding rule of law and defending the constitution – even as they resort to the unconstitutional and illegal practices like setting up a private militia to intimidate people.
 
The Binayak Sen verdict has galvanised a countrywide outrage against the war on people and crackdown on dissent in the name of combating Maoists. With the widespread recognition that Binayak Sen was targeted for taking on the Salwa Judum, the demand for an end to unconstitutional practices like private armies has grown in determination and strength. Be it Chhattisgarh or Lalgarh, there can be no place for Salwa Judums, SPOs and harmad vahinis!
 
Srikrishna Committee Report: Further Complicating the Telangana Question
 
 

Far from resolving the vexed Telangana question, the Srikrishna Committee report has further complicated it. The various options seem to have been invoked by it with the singular aim of delegitimising the Telangana demand and preventing the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

 
The Srikrishna Committee recognises the validity of the feeling of "discrimination and domination" experienced by the people of Telangana, and while using various parameters to suggest that the ground of 'backwardness' was unjustified, the Committee recognises that the longstanding demand for Telangana has some merit. However, it opines against bifurcation as the best option, citing the reactions in the rest of the state and the fact that it may give "a fillip to other similar demands" of separate statehood. Given these arguments used by the Committee against Telangana, perhaps neither Jharkhand nor Chhattisgarh would seem to have any rationale. The Committee's recommendations of a Telangana Regional Council in its 'best option scenario' as an adequate measure to address the grievances and desire for empowerment of the people of Telangana seems out of date and out of step with reality, given that an identical proposal had been mooted as far back as 1956, and never acted upon.
 
The Congress-led UPA-II, having politically conceded Telangana, has now taken an 'expert' route to backtrack and prevent the formation of Telangana. A more honest approach would have been to recommend, in the first place itself, a Second States Reorganisation Commission for a holistic treatment of all statehood demands. The Srikrishna Committee's ambivalent position on Telangana and playing with the regional/social divides in Andhra to manufacture such a long list of options betrays a non-serious approach in the guise of a rigorous academic exercise. The dishonesty in the tactics of the UPA-II and the Congress is bound to add to the sense of the betrayal and injustice felt by the people of Telangana, and to add greatly to the confusion on the issue.
 
Kapil Sibal's Denial of 2G Scam and SC Report on Bellary
 
With Kapil Sibal's attempt to deny and debunk the CAG report's assessment of the loss to the exchequer thanks to 2G scam, the UPA Government and the Congress has dropped all pretence of investigating the scam or penalising the guilty. Sibal's claims that the 1.76 lakh crore as "erroneous" and merely "presumptive" are nothing but an attempt to protect the interests of corporate beneficiaries of the scam that gifted away spectrum at throwaway prices in 2008, and also to prevent any serious enquiry into the involvement of UPA ministers in the scam.
 
Meanwhile the expert panel set up by the Supreme Court to look into the illegal mining scenario in Karnataka's Bellary district has recommended scrapping of the mining leases of the influential Reddy brothers who constitute a powerful mining mafia and are also Ministers in the BJP Government in Karnataka enjoying the full patronage and protection of the central leadership of the BJP party. The panel also points towards the collusion of the Congress-ruled Andhra Government as well as Karnataka's BJP Government in enabling the Reddy's illegal mining empire. The Bellary brothers' mining mafia is a shameful and worst example of corporate loot and subversion of democratic norms and laws of the land. Not only must the SC panel's recommendations be complied with forthwith and the illegal leases cancelled, action must be initiated against the corrupt Reddy brothers and the officials and leaders in both Karnataka and AP who patronised this loot of precious resources and environmental and social devastation of the Bellary region.
 
Swami Aseemanand's Confession: Sanghi Terror and Minority Scapegoats
 
The confession of Swami Aseemanand reveals the wide web of Sanghi terror whose hand is implicated in a range of bomb blasts all over the country, including Mecca Masjid, Ajmer Sharif, Malegaon, and the Samjhauta Express blasts. The confession exposes the bias inherent hitherto in the investigative agencies' approach to these blasts; in their obstinate refusal to probe Sanghi terror links and their widespread witch-hunt and torture of minority youth instead. A large number of innocent youth from the minorities have been subjected to grievous torture, unjust incarceration and tarnishing of reputation as a result. Not only must the Union Home Ministry now take up a full-fledged investigation into the entire network of Sanghi terror, it must reveal the entire list of those wrongfully arrested or charged for these blasts, unconditionally release those still in custody and apologise to and compensate all such wrongfully arrested individuals. It must also ensure that those responsible for torture of such minority youths are prosecuted and punished.
 
Protest against misleading and slanderous story regarding CPI(ML) Liberation
 
 
On 6 January, there appeared in various news papers (especially Uttar Pradesh edition), news channels and on web portals on 5 January a false news regarding our Party. This news claimed that CPI(ML) supporters killed a SI in Gazipur. The 'news' in question was produced and circulated by the Additional DG (police) of UP Mr. Brajlal and various newspapers and channels lent themsleves to the disinformation campaign by unquestioningly parroting the ADG's malicious version intended to mislead and confuse the respective readers and viewers of those media. The story, regarding an incident in Gazipur, UP, is a piece of police-inspired fiction through and through.
 
The story circulated by an official press release (issued by the Information and Public Relations department, UP Govt) on the incident claims that a CPI(ML) Liberation mob attacked a police post in eastern Uttar Pradesh and killed an SI while attempting to storm the court since three Liberation supporters were to be produced in the court on a charge of theft.
 
In particular, The Telegraph story quotes a "Liberation spokesperson in Ghazipur, Saroj Singh." The story also claims "Liberation leader Santosh Sahar recently told party workers in Uttar Pradesh to work among the state's Dalits and backwards with an eye on the 2012 state polls. Even the official press release issued by the UP Govt is unable to say that the CPI(ML) Liberation committed this act under its own banner, but the Telegraph makes the absurd claim "that all the demonstrators were of CPI(ML) Liberation but were demonstrating under the banner of Shoshit Samaj Dal."
 
The facts however, are as follows. The CPI(ML) Liberation did not hold any demonstration in Gazipur on the said date i.e. 5 January, that the CPI(ML) Liberation would never demonstrate on the banner of another party/organisation, CPI(ML) Liberation has no spokesperson in Gazipur by the name Saroj Singh. Those wrongly arrested for theft by Gazipur police are not Liberation activists or even members, but poor youths of the extremely backward Bind caste. Our party had indeed protested the wrongful arrest – in a peaceful dharna held on 3 January. The people protesting on 5 January were not Maoists or CPI(ML) Liberation activists – they were poor people from the Bind community. It is unlikely even that the Shoshit Samaj Dal held the said demonstration; a local Dainik Jagran correspondent reports in that paper that the demo was organised by the Pragatisheel Manav Samaj Party, a well-known party in the region with a following among the Bind community. The post mortem report has established that the SI did not die of bullet wounds as claimed in the Telegraph story and the police press release – he succumbed to wounds inflicted by the enraged crowd when it beat him up.
 
The statement attributed to Santosh Sahar (that the party should work amongst dalits and backwards in UP towards polls) is absurd since the party has ever since its inception worked among those sections in UP and no leader of our party would ever need to 'instruct' party workers to work among such sections!
 
The entire official UP Government and police version is a deliberate attempt to manufacture a 'Maoist/naxalite' bogey in order to target CPI(ML) Liberation, active in mobilising the poor in Eastern UP. The newspapers are merely acting as a stenographer to the police and reproducing absurd and delusive concoctions of this kind without bothering even a bit to verify the facts from fiction. In a protest letter to one of the papers we have asked for its apology and retraction from the printed story.
 
CPI(ML) begins 3-day Dharna in UP in Protest: Demanding high level enquiry of the Jamania incident, retraction of ADG Brajlal's malicious and misleading statement regarding our party and immediate stop on repression of people, eighty members and leaders of the CPI(ML) began a three day long dharna on 10 January at Saryu Park in Gazipur despite severe cold conditions and opposition from the District Administration. CPI(ML)'s State Standing Committee member Comrade Ishwari Prasad Kushwaha and SCM and District Secretary Comrade Rampyare Ram are leading the dharna.
 
Protests in Patna, Purnea, Delhi & elsewhere against Inaction in Rape Cases in Bihar, Punjab and UP
 
"Inaction in Rape Cases Forces Women like Rupam Pathak to Take Desperate Steps; Govts and Police in Bihar, UP and Punjab are Protecting Powerful Rapists and Punishing the Victims" – AIPWA
 
CPI(ML), All India Progressive Women's Association (AIPWA) and All India Students' Association (AISA) held militant protest demonstrations in Delhi, Patna, Purnea and elsewhere against the deluge of rape incidents perpetrated by ruling party MLAs in Bihar and UP and police either being participant (as in Punjab) or on the side of the rapists.
 
Delhi: In a demonstration organised by the AIPWA and AISA and joined by several other women's groups in New Delhi, members protesting the rape and blatant police action in which rape victims themselves are being victimized raised the question- "Why is the Nitish Kumar Govt. giving character certificates to rape-accused BJP MLA of Purnea and slandering the rape victim? Why is Mayawati's police jailing the gang rape victim and protecting the accused BSP MLA? Why are rapists of a dalit girl being protected and woman activist jailed in Punjab?"
 
The demonstrators, including students and women workers, demanded justice for Rupam Pathak, a school teacher who stabbed the BJP MLA of Purnea to death recently. She had accused the MLA and his PA of rape and molestation some months ago only to be forced to withdraw the case on the eve of the elections. Protestors said Rupam's attack on the MLA was clearly an act of despair because she failed to secure justice. Rupam Pathak is now in Katihar jail where an AIPWA high level team headed by AIPWA General Secretary Meena Tiwary and including State secretary Shashi Yadav and State Vice President Madhwi Sarkar met her on January 7.
 
They demanded action against the rape accused as well as against the BJP activists who beat up Rupam Pathak. The protestors said, "BJP activists made an attempt on her life, and now the Bihar Govt. is assassinating her character." Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Kr. Modi has publicly slandered the rape victim, accusing her of being a blackmailer of poor moral character, while hailing the MLA who was killed as a man of great moral stature. Modi also instructed the media not to sensationalise the issue meaning not to write more about it. Protesters said such an attack on a woman's character did not befit a Deputy CM, and demanded that Sushil Modi resign.
 
Holding that a police investigation was bound to be influenced by the Deputy CM who has already given his biased character certificates to the woman and the rape accused BJP MLA, the protestors demanded a judicial enquiry into the incident. The enquiry must probe why the police did not act on the rape charges made by Rupam Pathak in May, and what pressures caused her to withdraw her charges on the eve of the Bihar Assembly polls. Protestors also demanded protection for Rupam Pathak since her life is in danger.
 
Protestors also demanded action in the case in Uttar Pradesh, where a 17-year-old OBC girl who accused the BSP MLA of Naraini (Banda district) Purushottam Narain Dwivedi of rape is in jail on charges of 'theft.' They said the fact that no medical report was made in spite of the fact that the girl was bleeding severely, and that she continues to remain in Banda jail, is a shame in a state ruled by a dalit woman CM.
 
Protestors also demanded action in a rape case of a minor dalit girl in Mansa district, Punjab, where the AIPWA activist who raised the rape case has been jailed on false charges of 'attempt to murder.' The details of this incident were published in the previous issue of this newsletter. This is the same area of Punjab where some years ago, the dalit activist and singer Bant Singh had his limbs chopped off for supporting his daughter to pursue a rape case.
 
The protest march and gathering were addressed by Kavita Krishnan, National Secretary, AIPWA among others.
 
Bihar: In Patna, the CPI(ML) members held a militant protest march and demonstration at the Dakbungalow crossing on 4 January against the assault on Rupam Pathak by BJP workers and her subsequent arrest. Party has demanded guarantee of Rupam Pathak's security and adequate compensation, arrest of MLA's PA Bipin Rai and in the light of Bihar Dy.CM trying to influence the police investigation by his accusatory statements against Rupam Pathak, Party demanded judicial probe into the charges of rape and continued sexual exploitation. Nitish Govt. has recently asked the CBI to take up the probe.
 
The march was led by AIPWA's National GS Com. Meena Tiwary, CPI(ML) state committee member and AIPWA State Secretary Shashi Yadav, CPI(ML) leaders Pradeep Jha, Kamlesh Sharma, RYA leader Naveen, AISA's State VP Markandeya Pathak, Patna CPI(ML) leader Tota Chaudhary, Murtaza Ali, Pannalal, Anuradha and others.
 
On 6 January, the Patna Sahib area committee of CPI(ML) held a protest march and burnt an effigy of Dy. CM Sushil Modi and CM Nitish Kumar. The protesters demanded Modi tender an apology to all the women of Bihar.
 
On 8 January dharnas were held at several places to demand security for Rupam Pathak and judicial probe into the incident. At Naugachhia, a large demonstration was held and also participated by the close family members of Rupam Pathak. It was a big and militant mobilization and the protesters demanded immediate arrest of MLA's PA Bipin Rai who was an accomplice in rape, adequate compensation for Ms. Rupam and high level probe into the incident.
 
AISA's National Campaign 11-19 January against Corruption, State Repression

For Immediate Release of Dr. Binayak Sen

 
The All India Students' Association (AISA) launched a National campaign on 11 January to galvanise students and youth across the Country in action for pressurising the Government to arrest and punish those involved in the 2G and other massive scams. The National campaign is also calling out to the students to unite against rising state repression and throttling democratic rights and dissent by labelling the dissenters as seditious. The campaign is uniting the students for strongly demanding the release of Dr. Binayak Sen.
 
Kickstarting the campaign in Delhi, AISA burnt the effigy of Kapil Sibal at Kranti Chowk in Delhi University's main Campus, opposing his recent attempts to shield the culprits of the multi crore 2-G Spectrum Scam through fabricated facts and reports. Here, a protest march was organised by AISA activists to demand immediate release of Dr. Binayak Sen and oppose such moves of Kapil Sibal, aimed at shielding the corrupt ministers of his govt. The March started from the Vivekananda Statue at Arts Faculty, and moving through the colleges of the campus, culiminated at the Kranti Chowk(Ramjas Chauraha), where an effigy of Kapil Sibal Was Burnt. Student leaders said that all tainted ministers of different governments, belonging to NDA and UPA must be booked under sedition charges, for they are actually betraying the nation, by devouring the money and resources of the Nation.
 
Similar programmes were also held at JNU, Jamia Millia Islamia and Indian Institute of Mass Communications in Delhi. AISA National General Secretary Ravi Rai said that in the current scenario, all govts. and all ruling parties are neck-deep involved in corruption and scams, be it the UPA govt involved in 2-G and CWG scams, the Yedurappa Govt. of BJP involvrd in Land Scams and illegal Mining scam of its MLAs Reddy Brothers, or the Maharashtra Govt. involved in Adarsh Society Scam. He said that the country needs a fresh students-youth assertion to oppose such loot of nation's resources, and the current Nationwide Campaign is aimed for the same.
 
Tamil Nadu: responding to the AISA's call for boycott of classes against the arrest of Dr. Binayak Sen and involvement of UPA ministers in various scams, two thousand students of two colleges in Kumbakonam of Tanjore district Government Arts College (1500 students) and Sankara Private College (more than 500 students) boycotted classes for the whole day on 11th January. The teachers too cooperated with the students as they welcomed this move of AISA. Student leaders Rameshwar Prasad and Michael led the campaign here.
 
Tributes: Comrade Ramnath Yadav
 
Comrade Ramnath Yadav, who was active in Party's trade union front in Bhilai (Chhattisgarh) and had been member of the party since 1995, breathed his last on 6 December 2010 at the age of 75. Comrade Ramnath had come in contact with the party when he was in Bokaro Steel. In 1977 he was transferred from Bokaro to Bhilai.
 
Red salute to Comrade Ramnath Yadav.

 

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