Report on Current Developments
(Adopted At the December 14-16, 2005 Meeting
of the Central Committee)
International
The Central Committee had its last meeting in the first week of September
2005. In the three months which have elapsed since then, international
developments which have taken place continue to manifest the efforts of
the United States to push forward with a global strategy of "fighting
terrorism" and promoting "democracy". As against this, trends resisting
imperialist hegemony and moving away from unipolarity have also been
witnessed. Important developments have also taken place in South Asia, in
our neighbourhood.
Bushs War on Terror Exposed
President Bushs plans for Iraq have run into further trouble. Despite
efforts to portray the Bush administrations policy in Iraq as being on
course, public opinion in the US is turning decisively against continuing
the US occupation. In opinion polls only 37% of the people approve the
way Bush is doing things; 60 per cent disapprove of his Iraq policy.
Within Iraq, after the approval of the new constitution which is not
acceptable to the Sunnis, elections to the National Assembly will be held
on December 15. Sectarian feelings are being fostered resulting in the
division between the Kurds, Sunnis and Shias. In the meantime, attacks on
the US and its allied forces have been mounting. The US claims to have
equipped and trained 140 battalions of Iraqi army and police force. Unable
to rely on these forces, the US army is directly resorting to search and
destroy missions in various towns and areas which is leading to mounting
civilian casualties. It has been now revealed that white phosphorous and
napalm were also used in the attacks on Fallujah town. These chemical
weapons have deadly effects as they burn the flesh to the bone.
The trial of Saddam Hussein and his colleagues is being conducted in
Baghdad. This trial has no legitimacy whatsoever, having been
orchestrated by the United States with a rigged up judiciary. Two of the
lawyers in the defence team of Saddam Hussein have been killed.
Bush and his cohorts are in further trouble with the exposure of the CIAs
secret prisons. In the war on terror, the CIA has been snatching people in
various countries suspected to have links with terrorist groups. They have
been flown by CIA planes secretly to prisons in eight countries where they
could be tortured. Egypt, Afghanistan, Poland, Romania are such
countries. The European Union, by law, prohibits torture and the British
and German governments are in the dock for allowing hundreds of CIA
flights carrying the illegal detenus.
Coming after the Guantanamo base prisoners and detenus of Abu Ghraib
tortures, this episode has further shattered the image of the United States
which so loudly champions human rights in other countries.
Targeting Iran, Syria
In its single-minded drive for control over West Asia, the United States is
now targetting both Iran and Syria. In the case of Syria, it has got the
United Nations Security Council to adopt a resolution threatening
sanctions against Syria if it does not cooperate in the investigations into the
assassination of a former Lebanese Prime Minister. US armed forces on the
Iraq border have been engaged in skirmishes with Syrian troops. The
United States openly talks of regime change in Syria and is taking
measures to isolate the regime there.
The US attack on Iran centers around the nuclear issue. The September 24
vote at the IAEA declaring Iran "non-compliant" with the IAEA
safeguards regime and declaring it a fit case for reference to the Security
council is a calculated move to bring pressure on Iran and elicit its
cooperation with American plans in Iraq. Further, the US does not want
any country acquiring nuclear technology which can pose a threat to Israel
which already has a stockpile of nuclear weapons.
After the withdrawal from the Gaza strip, Israel continues to work on the
plan approved by the United States to annex a major part of the West Bank
and to leave some truncated parts along with the Gaza strip to be a future
Palestinian State.
NATO Expansion
The United States is steadily working towards consolidating and
expanding the Nato which is increasingly acquiring a global role. After the
eastward expansion in 2004 when six East European countries were
admitted into Nato, the United States is now wanting to bring into the fold
former republics of the Soviet Union. Both Ukraine and Georgia are being
associated with Nato with Ukraine expected to be invited to Nato in 2008.
It may be recalled that both Ukraine and Georgia have undergone "colour
revolutions" financed by the National Endowment of Democracy set up by
the US government and other American and Western NGOs. Pro-West
opposition forces were propped up and financed to organize street
demonstrations in order to destabilize the existing governments. In both
Georgia and Ukraine, the plans succeeded and both these countries are
now within the ambit of Western and Nato influence. The United States is
setting up military bases in Romania and Bulgaria.
The Nato operates in Afghanistan as the International Security Assistance
Force (ISAF). The Nato countries have put in place 10,000 troops so far.
This is apart from the US-led troops who are conducting operations
against the remnants of the Taliban who are regrouping. Nato has not only
reached the borders of South Asia by being in Afghanistan but has also
entered Pakistan occupied Kashmir for earthquake relief operations, where
a thousand strong Nato force is at present on the borders of India.
At the political level, the regional grouping called the Community of
Democratic Choice has been set up in the Black Sea region at a meeting on
2-3 December 2005 at Kyiv in Ukraine. Leaders from Ukraine, Georgia,
Romania, Moldova, Slovenia, Macedonia and the three Baltic states of
Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia took this decision. The Community of
Democratic Choice is based on the principles of the US backed
"Community of Democracies". This is seen as an alternative to the
Commonwealth of Independent States which is led by Russia.
The US thrust into East Europe and the former republics of the Soviet
Union has in a way preempted the European Union trying to develop its
own independent community. The former East European and some of the
former Soviet republics are more pro-American and support a direct
alliance with the US.
Russia increasingly is worried about this US thrust into its hinterland. It is
seeking to strengthen the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO)
of the Commonwealth of Independent States. It has signed a security
agreement with Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan had asked the US to vacate its
military base in the country which was set up during the war on
Afghanistan. It has also closed its airspace for Nato for its operations in
Afghanistan. Belarus which has been recently attacked by the European
Union for human rights violations and authoritarianism is tightening its
bonds with Russia. Russia has entered into an agreement with Uzbekistan
and Kazakhstan regarding the supply and sale of gas which will bind both
these countries closer to Russia.
Within Europe
The German elections resulted in no party or combination getting a clear
majority. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) got three seats less than the
rightwing Christian Democrats (CDU)-CSU coalition. The Left Party
consisting of the PDS and the Electoral Alternative for Labour and Social
Justice achieved a major success by polling 8.7 per cent of the vote and
getting 54 seats. Due to the deadlock in the results, finally a grand coalition
of the CDU and SPD has been forged and Angela Merkel has become the
Chancellor. The new Chancellor and her party are pro-US and will seek to
strengthen the Atlantic alliance.
In France, the large-scale rioting against police harassment, by the youth of
Arab and ethnic minorities has exposed the serious fissures in French
society and the plight of the minorities who were supposed to have been
integrated as French citizens in society. This is sought to be utilized to
denigrate the social model which involves a large degree of State
intervention. Both Germany and France are at the core of the European
Union and identity. The developments in both these countries will have a
major effect on the future course of the European Union.
The election results in the two major capitalist centers, Germany and Japan
have shown a shift to the right and brought in a new leadership which is
pro-US. In Japan, the elections to the House of Representatives in
September 2005 has resulted in a landslide victory for Prime Minister
Koizumis Liberal Democratic Party. Koizumi had dissolved the earlier
house after his failure to get the privatization of the postal services passed.
Apart from pushing the privatization plan, Koizumi is committed to build
up the military strength of Japan. He has posted Japanese troops in Iraq.
His government can be expected to line up with the United States in its
strategic plan for the Pacific-Asia region. The political change in Germany
and the continuance of the Koizumi regime in Japan are favourable factors
for the United States.
South America
In Latin America, the 4th summit of Americas held in Mar de Plata in
Argentina has brought out vividly the growing opposition to US
hegemony and the refusal to accept American dictates on ordering the
economies of Latin America. Bush went to the summit determined to push
through the establishment of Free Trade Areas of Americas (FTAA) which
was intended to be set up by end 2005. Five major countries, Venezuela,
Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay refused to accept the timetable
or the content of the agreement. The most vocal opposition was from
President Chavez of Venezuela who called for burying the FTAA. Tens of
thousands of people demonstrated in the streets against Bush while the
meeting was going on. The Mar de Plata summit ended without the US
being able to get its way.
In Venezuela, the elections to the National Assembly have been held. The
US-backed rightwing opposition parties boycotted the elections. The
ruling alliance has swept the elections. The Venezuelan government has
taken major steps to implement land reforms. Under the land laws, big
estates which have been lying idle are being taken over. One of the big
acquisitions has been of a 27,000-hectare ranch owned by a Britain based
meat production company.
China-Russia Relations
China and Russia have further developed their strategic partnership. After
the first-ever joint military exercises in August, a number of steps have
been taken to strengthen economic trade and strategic ties. The year 2006
will be observed as Russia year in China and China year in Russia in the
year 2007.
Another aspect of the cooperation of these two countries is seen in the
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. At the meeting of the SCO in Moscow
in October in which India, Pakistan and Iran participated as observers
various measures to strengthen inter-trade and regional cooperation were
taken.
The visit of the Chinese President Hu Jintao to Vietnam was also a notable
event. China has extended a $ 1 billion loan for power and other projects.
This is the largest amount of assistance given by any country to Vietnam.
In the present world situation, it would be in Indias interest to develop a
trilateral cooperation between Russia, China and India. The forecasted
aggregate GDP of Russia, China and India by 2015 would amount to 30
percent of the worlds GDP while the USA would account for only 15
percent. The US strategy of making India as a strategic ally must be seen
in this context. It seeks to use India as a counter-weight to China and
hinder the trilateral cooperation growing.
South Asia
In Nepal, the democratic forces struggling to restore democracy and end
the Kings autocracy are getting organised and united. The Maoists
declared a three-month ceasefire and announced their willingness to arrive
at an understanding with the seven Party combination. Since then, talks
were held and an understanding reached that both sides would cooperate
for restoration of democracy and the setting up of a constituent assembly.
The CPN(UML) has begun its mass campaign with a big rally in
Kathmandu.
The King continues with his anti-democratic measures. The law on media
censorship is one such instance. In the meeting with the Indian Prime
Minister in Dacca during the Saarc summit, the King claimed that he has a
roadmap for democracy being restored by 2007. According to this plan,
municipal elections will be first held in December and there is no
assurance whatsoever for the full restoration of parliamentary democracy.
The UPA government should not provide legitimacy to the King and
should be firm on not resuming military supplies. In the coming period as
the democratic movement advances, the CPI(M) and other Left and
democratic forces should step up their solidarity and support to the Left
and democratic forces in Nepal.
Sri Lanka
The presidential elections were held in November. The SLFP leader and
candidate of the Peoples Alliance, Mahinda Rajapaksa won defeating
Ranil Wickremesinghe of the UNP. There was a low poll in the Tamil
areas of the North and the East after the LTTE called for a boycott. The
new president has called for a resumption of the peace talks with the
LTTE. He has also stated that the existing ceasefire agreement should be
revised and reviewed to overcome its defects.
During the election campaign, Rajapaksas manifesto did not talk of a
federal structure as part of the solution to the ethnic problem. The promise
to maintain the unitary nature of the state in response to the support of the
JVP also caused concern. The outgoing president Chandrika Kumaratunga
expressed her unhappiness at this stance. Instances of attacks on the Sri
Lankan armed forces and killings within the Tamil groups have raised
fears about the maintenance of peace.
India will have to play a bigger role in seeing that the peace process is
resumed. The solution to the ethnic problem can only be reached by
providing full autonomy to the Tamil areas within a united Sri Lanka.
Bangladesh
The spate of bomb blasts all over the country in August had highlighted
the striking power of extremist organisations such as Jaamat-ul-
Mujahideen. Despite the governments claim that steps were being taken
to curb the activities of such fundamentalist groups, attacks have
continued to be mounted against secular forces, the judiciary and other
institutions. In November, two judges were killed in a bomb attack which
was followed by other explosions. In the recent period the phenomenon of
suicide bombers has also appeared with two attacks. The most recent
instance being the suicide bombing in Netrokona which killed six people.
With fundamentalist parties being in the government, there is a concerted
bid to eliminate the secular and progressive forces and push Islamic
fundamentalism into every sphere of society. The extremist groups
belonging to the North-east whether it be the ULFA, the NLFT or the
ATTF, they continue to shelter and run camps across the border. If these
forces go unchecked, it will have serious repercussions not only for
Bangladesh but for India too.
SAARC Summit at Dhaka
The Summit decided to set up a Free Trade Area (FTA) though it is not
expected that it can be put into practice immediately. Regional trade
amongst Saarc countries, constitutes only 5 per cent of the total trade of the
region. The South Asia Free Trade Area (SAFTA) is to come up from
January 1, 2006, but unless bilateral relations improve between Saarc
countries, progress will be limited.
Another issue which came to the fore in the summit was the admission of
Afghanistan into Saarc and the status of China. While India advocated the
entry of Afghanistan as a member of Saarc, most of the other countries
were for China being given an observer status. While Afghanistan has
been admitted a member, China and Japan will be given observer status.
The latters case pushed through by India. While China shares borders
with four South Asian countries, Japans claim to observer status,
sponsored by India, is that it is the biggest provider of developmental aid
in the region.
National Situation
The period since the September CC meeting has seen a number of major
developments such as the continuing crisis within the BJP, the Bihar
election results, the impact of the Volcker Committee report, the stepping
up of terrorist attacks in Jammu & Kashmir, the bomb blasts in Delhi,
increase in the ethnic conflicts in the North East and the success of the
Party in the local body elections in Kerala. Another important event was
the shift in Indias position on the Iran nuclear issue which directly
affected Indias independent foreign policy.
Stand on Iran Nuclear Issue
In the report on political developments adopted in the September Central
Committee meeting, it was noted that the Manmohan Singh government
has signed agreements such as the 10-year defence framework agreement
and the joint statement of July 18 when the Prime Minister visited
Washington, which tied up India as a strategic ally of the United States.
Under the nuclear cooperation pact, the Bush administration has to get
certain laws amended in the US Congress if it is to supply fuel and nuclear
equipment. In the US Congress there is a great deal of opposition to such
an agreement. Utilising this, the Bush administration pressurized the
Indian government to abandon its stand on Iran and line up with the US in
the IAEA. Till the eve of the vote, Indias stand was that Iran has the right
to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes under international
safeguards; the matter should not be referred to the Security Council; and
the matter should be settled within the IAEA and decisions should be
taken through consensus. The decision to vote with the EU 3 and US was
taken at the highest level as part of a quid pro quo that the Bush
administration would facilitate the passage of the nuclear cooperation
agreement.
The duplicity of the Indian stand was evident, because till the eve of the
vote the stand taken by India was contrary to the way it voted. Twelve
countries including China and Russia abstained on the resolution. They
also included the major non-aligned countries like South Africa, Brazil,
Nigeria and Algeria. The NAM group had earlier taken a collective
decision that Iran had a right to develop its nuclear technology for
peaceful purposes. Taking serious note of the volte face, the Polit Bureau
decided to mobilize not only the Left parties but also other sections so that
a national campaign can be launched to mobilise public opinion to make
the Indian government change its stand.
A "Committee in Defence of an Independent Foreign Policy" was set up
which included apart from the Left parties, the Samajwadi party and the
Janata Dal (S). A number of former diplomats, intellectuals and other
prominent personalities participated in a seminar in Delhi on October 28,
2005 criticizing the Indian governments stand. The next day a convention
was held. This was followed by a mass rally in Lucknow which was
attended by nearly one lakh people. Joint conventions were also held in
Kolkata and Hyderabad and public meetings were organised in
Bhubaneshwar and Kozhikode. In all these meetings, the demand was
raised that the Indian government should not vote with the United States
and the EU3 at the next IAEA board meeting to be held on November 24.
When the UPA-Left Coordination Committee meeting was resumed in
October, the Left parties submitted a note on the stand India should take in
the IAEA on the Iran nuclear issue.
The vote on Iran should not be seen in isolation. It illustrates how Indias
foreign policy is being aligned with US interests. In doing so, the UPA
government has even sacrificed our vital interests. Iran is going to be a
major supplier of gas for India. In fact Natwar Singh, the then foreign
minister, had visited Tehran on September 1-2, 2005 and concluded an
agreement for the supply of five million tonnes of LNG annually for 25
years. The proposed Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline is also in our
interests.
Before the November IAEA board meeting negotiations were taking place
and Russia had put forward a compromise proposal under which
conversion of uranium (first stage) would be done in Iran and then the
enrichment into fuel would be undertaken in Russia. The fuel would then
be sent back to Iran for its reactor. The EU3 with the tacit support of the US
supported the Russian proposal. Cuba has joined the Board of Directors
and the NAM group actively intervened to prevent any hostile resolution
on Iran. Since it was decided that negotiations would resume in the Board
meeting on November 24, no resolution was presented by the EU3 for
referring Iran to the Security Council.
The foreign ministry and the UPA government are now seeking to justify
their stand on Iran by claiming that India should behave as a "responsible"
nuclear power which is against nuclear proliferation. The underlying
theme is that India is now prepared to go by the US line on proliferation
and is prepared to take a discriminatory stand against other countries
which seek to develop nuclear technology.
The United States will continue to extract a price for accepting India as a
strategic ally and extending nuclear cooperation. In future, on all issues
where America has vital interests, it will expect India to line up with it.
The Party must constantly exercise vigilance on how Indias foreign policy
and strategic security issues are addressed. More and more, the pro-
American interests are asserting themselves within the UPA government.
Fall Out of Volcker Report
The UPA government has faced some setbacks. One is the defeat in the
Bihar elections and the other is the offensive mounted by the BJP-led
opposition on the Volcker Committee report. The naming of Natwar Singh
and the Congress party as non-contractual beneficiaries in the annexure of
the report provided the opportunity for the BJP and the rightwing forces to
demand the resignation of Natwar Singh as foreign minister and Sonia
Gandhi as Chairperson of the National Advisory Council.
The inquiry committee was set up by the United Nations Secretary General
under Paul Volcker, a former Chairman of the US Federal Reserve, to look
into charges of malpractices in the UN oil-for-food programme for Iraq.
From 1990, after 12 years, Iraq was under sanctions. It was only when
there was a world wide outcry against the sufferings of the Iraqi people
that in 1996 the UN devised the oil-for-food programme to facilitate Iraq
getting some essential and humanitarian goods. From the outset the right
wing circles in the US were against the oil-for-food programme. The
CPI(M) and other progressive forces around the world opposed the
sanctions as unjust and brutal. In India we had conducted campaigns to
collect money to buy essential goods for the people of Iraq.
After the occupation of Iraq, the US claimed evidence of the illegal
activities of the Saddam Hussein government to break the sanctions and
corruption. It is in this connection that the Volcker committee inquiry was
set up. Unlike the BJP and the rightwing forces, the CPI(M) does not
consider the steps taken by the then Iraqi government to break the
sanctions as illegal or corrupt practice. Iraq as a sovereign country had
every right to its oil revenues and to decide what it should do for its
people. The Iraqi government had entered into many such transactions
both for sale of oil and for import of goods. It is for every country to decide
what should be done with the Volcker Committee findings. Unfortuantely,
in India the UPA government has been on the defensive ever since the
findings were made public. It has refused to politically defend the actions
of the Congress party which had good relations with Iraq and the Baath
Party. The CPI(M) stated that the Volcker report cannot be treated as final
and conclusive. It demanded an enquiry should be conducted on how
Natwar Singh and the Congress Partys names appeared in the annexure
and get to the truth. The UPA government ordered two enquiries one to
collect information from the Volcker Committee and the UN by Virendra
Dayal a retired senior official and the other by justice R.S. Pathak under the
Commission of Enquiry Act. Natwar Singh was divested of the foreign
affairs portfolio but remained in the ministry.
However, the BJP-led opposition continued to raise a din in parliament
having failed to establish anything substantial in the debate. The Anil
Matherani interview in a magazine provided grist to their mill and
parliament was disrupted for three consecutive days. Natwar Singh was
dropped from the Congress Steering Committee and pressure was
mounted on him to resign, which he eventually did. The CPI(M) had
demanded that the other oil contracts to Indian entities should also be
investigated especially the one to an private oil company which figures as
a non-contractual beneficiary. During the BJP-led government this
company got the biggest oil contracts after the Indian Oil Company
decided not to continue lifting the oil when asked to pay a surcharge.
The Party must continue to expose the game of the BJP and the right wing
forces who see nothing wrong in the US loot of Iraq under occupation and
their preparedness to align with the rightwing circles in the US who are
motivated by their hatred for Saddam Hussein and their dislike of the UN.
The removal of Natwar Singh from the External Affairs portfolio, the
defensive approach of the Congress leadership which refuses to take a
bold position regarding Indias past friendship with Iraq and the American
lobbies working within the establishment have contributed to a further
shift in Indias foreign policy and overall pro-American orientation.
BJP-RSS Conflict
In the last Central Committee report we had noted the crisis which erupted
within the BJP and the BJP-RSS relations after Advanis visit to Pakistan.
Subsequently, the crisis did not abate but has become a continuing
phenomenon. The disarray in the BJP leadership was once again
manifested when Advani on the recommendation of the disciplinary
committee expelled senior leader, Madanlal Khurana from the party.
Vajpayee in a statement differed with the action. It required three days of
negotiations for a formula to emerge whereby Khurana expressed regrets
for his remarks against Advani and he was taken back.
The RSS was determined to see that L.K. Advani step down from the
Presidentship. They succeeded in their aim by making him announce this
at the national executive meeting in Chennai in September. While
announcing his retirement from the presidency in December, Advani
accused the RSS of interfering in the day-to-day running of the BJP. It is
ironic that Advani who was the icon of the RSS-Hindutva camp had to
state that the credibility of the BJP as a political party cannot be maintained
unless it is allowed independent functioning. He called for a debate on the
RSS-BJP relations. This found no response from the other leaders,
highlighting the isolation of Advani. The RSS is bound to insist on having
a say on who will be the next president. In the Chitrakoot meeting of the
RSS it was clear that the RSS has no intention of relaxing its grip on the
BJP.
The basic dilemma which grips the BJP is: following the RSS-dictated path
confines it to a limited base, preventing the possibility of a wider appeal
and an alliance such as the NDA. On the other hand, without the RSS, the
BJP loses its raison detre (the reason for its existence). Being ousted after
six years in power has only aggravated the problem. The corrosive effects
of being in government is now affecting the party in terms of discipline
and cohesion. The problem has been aggravated since the intervention of
the CPI(M) and Left has changed the political discourse at the national
level. The BJP is unable to strike out an independent path and will have to
fall back on the mother organisation, the RSS. The ouster of Uma Bharati
from the party is another symptom of the unraveling. In place of Advani,
who can lead the party is itself a matter of contention.
While the Volcker report put the Congress in difficulty, the BJP also had its
share of troubles. The revolt of Uma Bharati and the expulsion from the
party shows the continuing squabbles in the leadership. In many states,
the BJP is reeling from infighting and conflicting pulls. In Andhra Pradesh
municipal elections, the BJP fared badly after its separation from the TDP.
In Kerala elections charges of vote selling by the BJP leaders to the UDF
were confirmed by other BJP leaders themselves. In Karnataka, the party
has not recovered from the infighting.
The Shiv Sena, the closest ally is also in disarray. It suffered the twin
defeats of losing the Malwan assembly seat and the Mumbai North West
Lok Sabha seat badly. The revolt of Raj Thackeray is a more serious blow
which will divide the party and its ranks.
Regardless of these problems, the RSS outfits and the BJP at the grassroot
level is keeping up with their communal activities. The communal riots in
Mau, a town in eastern Uttar Pradesh is a graphic example. For nearly a
week, violence continued with half a dozen people losing their lives and
large scale arson which destroyed both Hindu and Muslim houses. Here
the role of the Hindu Vahini run by Adityanath, the Mahant from
Gorakhpur who is also a BJP MP, is evident. The role of the independent
MLA and mafia don Mukhtar Ansari was to instigate the Muslim
community. Attacks took place from both sides and there was a communal
polarization which affected the people belonging to various bourgeois
parties. The district administration failed to respond promptly and after
two days all the key personnel had to be changed by which time the
damage was done. The BJP campaign against the murder of one of its
MLAs in Ghazipur who was a local mafia gang leader is also on communal
lines.
Despite the disarray in the BJP there is no let up in the RSS backed
communal activities. This is the road by which they hope to recoup their
losses. The Party must be vigilant in exposing such designs and mobilising
the people against such activities.
Bihar Elections
The Bihar elections have resulted in a victory for the JD(U)-BJP alliance.
They have won 146 out of the 243 seats. The RJD and its allies won 65
seats. The Lok Janshakti Party and the CPI which contested together got 13
seats. The CPI(ML) got 5 seats, the BSP 4 and the Samajwadi Party 2. The
CPI(M) won one seat, Bibhutipur, and came second in one, Khagaria.
The Bihar elections have given a fillip to the BJP which was in disarray
with its leadership tussles and problems with the RSS. The result has also
helped them to rally the remaining NDA allies. An important fact which
has to be kept in mind is the potential danger of the BJP being in
government in Bihar. This is the first time the BJP has succeeded in getting
into a government in Bihar since its formation in 1980. The efforts to
communalise the situation and infiltrate the administration will be
facilitated. The Left and democratic forces should be alert regarding such
moves.
The results highlight the failure of the UPA constituents to present a
united front. As in the February elections, Paswans LJP fought against the
RJD. This time he was joined by the CPI. They polled 13 per cent of the
votes; the LJP vote down only marginally. If the RJD and the LJP
combination are taken together, their combined votes polled are 45.83 per
cent as against the JD(U)-BJPs 35.81 per cent. This shows how the division
of votes helped the JD(U)-BJP alliance. The other major factor is the
accumulated discontent and anger at the RJD governments dismal record
in office. The complete neglect of development and the pursuit of narrow
caste politics alienated large sections of the people. While the upper caste
consolidation and reaction was expected, other OBCs (apart from Yadavs)
and the EBCs also deserted the RJD. The projection of Nitish Kumar who
took care to demarcate from the communal platform and his success in
rallying the EBCs also contributed to the success of the JD(U)-BJP alliance.
Our Partys performance indicates the need to adopt an independent
political line with emphasis on developing the struggles of the rural poor
and steps to strengthen the Party organisation. The one year work plan
must be taken up in earnest, now that the elections are over.
The Supreme Court judgement on the dissolution of the Bihar assembly
declared it to be unconstitutional. This interim judgement was delivered
when the election process had begun. The full judgement is not yet
delivered. But in the interim verdict, the role of Buta Singh as Governor
has been criticised. This was utilised by the BJP to demand not only the
removal of Buta Singh but also the resignation of the Home Minister and
the Prime Minister. The dissolution of the assembly was ordered as no
government could be formed for three months as no party or combination
had a majority. However, the manner in which it was done has once again
raised the question about the use of Article 356 and the role of the
Governor. We should demand that the recommendations of the Standing
Committee of the Inter-States Council on modifying Article 356 should be
taken up. The way Buta Singh acted as Governor in the six months after
the February elections discredited the Congress and was helpful for the
BJP alliance to rouse public opinion.
North East Situation
The ethnic violence in Karbi Anglong has taken a heavy toll of lives and
destruction of property. Seventy five people have been killed in the
violence between the Karbi and Dimasa tribes. The extremist organisations
belonging to both communities have resorted to fratricidal violence. For
three weeks, the violence continued with the state government failing to
intervene effectively. Our Party joined other Left and secular forces to send
a delegation to the affected areas. Kabri Anglong is an autonomous district
under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. The situation is still tense
with the extremist organisations giving provocative calls.
In Meghalaya, the situation took a turn for the worse after the September
30 police firing at two places in the Garo hills. An agitation was going on,
on the question of the restructuring of the Meghalaya Board of School
Education. This became a tussle between the chauvinist forces among the
Khasis and the Garos. The Congress-led coalition government agreed to
appoint two directors one for Tura in the Garo hills and another for the
Shillong office. This was objected to by the Garo Students Organisation.
The indiscriminate firing killing nine people, seven of them students,
inflamed the situation. P.A Sangma who has rejoined the NCP which is a
partner in the state government , has been playing an active role in trying
to consolidate his position among the Garos using the issue. Politicians of
the ruling parties have been utilising this issue for their own vested
interests.
After a number of feelers, talks were held between the Central
Government and the ULFA sponsored Peoples Committee. The ULFA
continues to operate with many of their leaders based in Bangladesh. In
the recent period, they have been weakened and isolated to some extent
from the people which has compelled them to accept the offer of talks.
Jammu & Kashmir
As per the agreement arrived at between the Congress and the PDP, after
the three year term of Mufti Mohd Sayeed, the Congress took up the Chief
Ministership by appointing Ghulam Nabi Azad. After the devastating
earthquake which affected both parts of Kashmir, it was expected that the
extremists would observe ceasefire as announced by some of the groups,
keeping in mind the peoples suffering. However, attacks were launched
soon after. The bomb blasts in Srinagar were followed by the attempted
assassination of Mohd. Yusuf Tarigami. This was preceded by the killing
of one of the CPI(M) leaders in Anantnag district. After the attack on Yusuf
Tarigami failed, one of the two member squad entered the adjoining house
of the minister for education Ghulam Nabi Lone and killed him. The series
of attacks have taken place at a time when India and Pakistan decided to
cooperate in providing relief and five points on the Loc were opened for
sending relief and for relatives from both sides to meet. Earlier, in the
beginning of September, the Prime Minister had met with the leaders of
the moderate Hurriyat Conference and it was decided that a dialogue
should be held. Organisations like the Lakshar-e-Taiba are determined to
disrupt such peace moves.
Bomb Blasts In Delhi
The three bomb explosions in different parts of Delhi which took a horrific
toll of lives and injuries was organised by the same elements. The
investigations so far point to the Lakshar-e-Taiba which still has its
network (though banned) operating in Pakistan. Seventy people lost their
lives in this heinous terrorist attack. The Pakistan government should
realize that jehadi elements continuing to operate from Pakistan will be a
hindrance to the peace process. They will have to take firm steps to curb
these groups. From the Indian side, the government will have to pursue
the composite dialogue with Pakistan. President Musharraf has talked
about self-governance for the two parts of Kashmir as a possible solution.
There should not be any division of Jammu & Kashmir on the basis of
religious communities. The Central government should work towards
provision of maximum autonomy for the state and equal division of
powers for the three regions of Jammu, the valley and Ladakh. Within
Jammu & Kashmir also talks should be held with all the groups who are
prepared to have a political settlement.
WTO talks
The WTO ministerial meeting is being held in Hong Kong from December
13 to 18. The decisions taken here can have serious consequences for India
and the people. On the agenda are the agreements on agriculture, the
Non-Agricultural Market Access, the Trips and GATS. The Doha round of
negotiations have seen the advanced countries asking for further opening
of the market in agriculture, the manufacturing sector and opening up of
the services sector. As far as agriculture is concerned, already the removal
of quantitative restrictions and trade liberalization has adversely affected
Indian farmers. The rich countries refuse to do away with the heavy
subsidies they provide to their agriculture while demanding further
lowering of tariffs in the developing countries. Agriculture and the
livelihood derived from it, is a matter of life and death for people in the
developing countries.
The lowering of tariffs on industrial goods through NAMA will spell ruin
and deindustrialisation for our country. The Trips agreement has already
led to changes in our patent regime to the detriment of people having
access to cheap drugs. The General Agreements on Trade in Services
(GATS) seeks to prise open the services sector in the developing countries.
Education, health, water supply and basic services are being targeted apart
from the financial sector.
The UPA seeks to compromise in all these areas. For instance in GATS, it is
offering entry of FDI in education, retail trade, financial sector and
increasing the caps in existing sectors. In NAMA, understanding on
harmonizing tariffs as proposed will harm domestic industry. In the
negotiations, the Government has collaborated with the US which seeks to
divide the developing countries. This is evident in the negotiations on the
services sector.
The Left parties raised this matter with the Government. It has submitted
its positions and in talks with the government warned it not to surrender
to pressure. The positions India takes have to be publicly stated and we
should not accept any harmful provisions. The mass organisations and the
Left parties have given a call for a national day of protest on 13 December,
2005 and the campaign on defending our interests in the WTO must be
taken to the people in a big way.
Agrarian Situation
There has been no let up in the agrarian crisis which has affected farmers
adversely in different parts of the country. The cotton farmers of Vidharba
region in Maharashtra are the worst hit. Suicides by farmers have taken
place at the rate of at least one person every day in recent weeks. Suicides
by farmers in Wayanad district in Kerala have also occurred. Cotton
growers in Punjab were also in distress with three farmers committing
suicide. One of the basic causes of this crisis is the drastic decline in public
investment and rural development expenditures. The UPA government
has only made marginal increases in outlay on these heads.
Another reason for the distress of the peasantry is the crash in the prices of
almost all commercial crops as in Kerala. Growing indebtedness of the
peasantry and unemployment in the rural areas are marked features.
The National Sample Survey 59th round on the "Situation Assessment
Survey of Farmers" done in 2003 showed the average monthly per capita
expenditure of farm households across India as Rs. 503. This is the
average as the study includes rich and poor households. The figure is just
about Rs. 75 above the rural poverty line. The public distribution system is
also in doldrums depriving millions of people of cheap food. Malnutrition
and hunger-related deaths can be attributed to this state of affairs.
Export of Mineral Resources
The UPA government is promoting export of mineral resources which is
harmful for the country. Iron ore, bauxite, chromite and other minerals are
exhaustible resources. The indiscriminate export will end up denuding
India of such natural resources. In the case of iron ore, the government is
planning a five-year plan for exports. The Party must oppose such exports
and demand a review of the national mineral policy.
West Bengal
A movement for a greater Cooch Behar was started by some local vested
interests who are demanding a separate state. In the agitation, provocative
acts confronting the police led to firing and casualties. The Party has
campaigned against this disruptive demand and mobilised the people
which resulted in a big mass rally on September 24, 2005 to counter the
divisive forces.
After Subash Ghisings persistent refusal to hold elections to the Darjeeling
Hills District Council, an agreement has been reached between the Centre,
the state government and Ghising. The Darjeeling Hills area will be
brought under the purview of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution by
making the necessary amendment to the Constitution. The autonomous
district council under the Sixth Schedule will then hold elections.
Maoist Violence
The attack on the Jehanabad jail by the Maoist-naxalite group and the
freeing of naxalite prisoners lodged there indicates the growing capacity of
the Maoists to mobilise a large force and use them. Earlier, there was an
attack on the Motihari police lines and the Gindh police station. This is also
due to the incapacity of the Bihar and Jharkhand administrations to tackle
the naxalites violent activities.
The disruptive role of the Maoist-naxalite groups has to be exposed and a
vigorous ideological-political campaign conducted to counter their
anarchic-terrorist views. The Party should take organizational steps to
defend the mass base and ranks from these attacks
Anti-Communist Propaganda
The publication of the second volume of the Mitrokhin Archive edited by
an English professor, which is supposed to be based on KGB files, has led
to a spate of anti-Communist propaganda. The book alleges that payments
were made to the CPI and some of its organisations, Congress leaders and
the media by the KGB. There is no reference in the book whatsoever of the
CPI(M) or any of its leaders having received any payments. However, the
book alleges that Com. Promode Dasgupta had been recruited by the
Intelligence Bureau in 1961. The West Bengal State Committee decided to
file defamation suits against the newspaper and the publishers of the book
against this slanderous charge. Since the CPI(M) was formed, our Party
has been firm in not accepting any monetary help from any foreign source.
We should boldly state this and counter the anti-communist propaganda.
Anti-Labour Outlook
The Government has been initiating steps which are anti-labour. The EPF
rate of interest has been fixed at 8.5 per cent by the Labour Minister,
despite the strong opposition of the trade union representatives on the
Central Board of Trustees of the EPF. To maintain the existing rate of 9.5
per cent, the government will have to raise the interest rate in the Special
Deposit Scheme (SDS). The EPF must be seen as a second security fund
and not be treated on part with other bank deposits. The push for labour
law reforms is also reflected in the legislation brought to parliament to end
inspection in small and medium enterprises and allow self-certification
and the demands voiced in the Indian Labour Conference to allow hire
and fire policies.
The crisis in the traditional industries and the closure of small and tiny
sector industries has deprived lakhs of workers of their livelihood. The
governments policies are heightening the crisis in these sectors.
Glaring Inequality: Raise Taxes
It is essential that the UPA government step up outlays on agriculture and
rural development. The Party must conduct a big campaign for this. It is a
shocking fact that successive governments under liberalisation have
promoted policies boosting the fortunes of the rich and the big business
while systematically starving those sectors of resources which concern the
people. The profits of the corporate sector have seen a steady rise.
According to a survey conducted, the collective net worth of 311
billionaires have gone up to Rs. 3.64 trillion which is an increase of 71
percent from last year. 133 new persons have entered the billionaire list.
(Business Standard, November 9, 2005). It is the super rich who are
indulging in obscene level of conspicuous consumption. Luxury cars
worth more than Rs. 1 crore rupees are on sale per vehicle and crores of
rupees are being spent on weddings, jewellery and lavish parties.
The government should tax such luxury consumption and take steps to
increase the tax-GDP ratio which alone will generate resources for rural
development and social sector expenditure.
Price Hike of Essential Commodities
The government increased the prices of petroleum products in September.
We opposed the increase of Rs. 3 per litre of petrol and Rs. 2 per litre of
diesel. In future, we should insist that the government first review the
taxation structure on petroleum products without which there can be no
passing off the burdens on to the people.
The prices of various commodities have been going up sharply in the
recent period. There has been a shortage of LPG cylinders after the
Reliance Company stopped production for repairs on the eve of the
festival season. Due to the shortage the blackmarket price of LPG cylinders
shot up. Due to the shortage and blackmarketting of kerosene, poorer
sections of the people have been suffering with the price of kerosene oil in
the black market going up from Rs. 15 to Rs. 16 per litre. The prices of
onions and vegetables and edible oils have also gone up in many places.
Another burden on the people is the rising prices of medicines and drugs.
The government claims that inflation has been brought down to 4.4 per
cent but this does not reflect the ground realities where shortages and
black marketing is pushing up prices.
September 29 Strike & Other Campaigns
The September 29 strike was successful all over the country. The strike
drew in millions of workers and employees. Particularly noteworthy is the
complete strike of state government employees in many states. The airport
employees in all the 125 airports went on strike on that day. Noteworthy is
also how traders gave a call on that day against FDI in retail trade. The
participation of workers in the unorganized sector was also impressive.
The impact of the strike was acknowledged in the media and it can be seen
in the sharp attacks launched on the CPI(M) and the Left parties holding
them responsible for paralyzing the economy and trying to blackmail the
government.
The Polit Bureau gave a call to observe 18 November, 2005 as Demands
Day to demand the tabling of the Tribal Forest Bill in the Winter Session of
Parliament. This was the first time the Party gave such a call for a
campaign on a tribal issue at the all India level. Rallies and
demonstrations were held in 15 states, mainly in the tribal populated areas
asking for the legislation which can effectively protect the tribal peoples
rights to the land they are living in and cultivating in the forest areas.
A notable campaign was the protest demonstrations held in West Bengal
against the Indo-US joint air exercises at the Kalaikunda Base. On the day,
the exercises began on November 7, two hundred thousand people
gathered around the base to protest. On the same day another ten lakh
people joined protest demonstrations and rallies all over the state. The
UPA government was given a strong warning not to pursue the military
collaboration with the US through this mass protest action.
The overall direction of the policies pursued by the UPA government is
against the interests of the working class and it is reluctant to take
measures which are in favour of the rural and urban poor. The Party has to
intervene to counter this trend and build up popular movements for
implementation of the pro-people measures in the Common Minimum
Programme.
UPA-Left Coordination Committee
The Chairperson of the UPA, Ms. Sonia Gandhi sent a letter to the General
Secretary of the Party that the Prime Minister has informed her that the
government will not be proceeding with the disinvestment of BHEL
shares. In this context, she requested the Left parties to reconsider their
position about participation in the Coordination Committee. Earlier, the
Prime Minister had informed that the government will not sell shares of
the BHEL and the navaratna companies. The Left parties discussed the
matter and decided to resume participation in the Coordination
Committee. Since then, two meetings of the Coordination Committee have
taken place in October and November. Among the issues raised by the Left
in the meeting were the governments stand on the Iran nuclear issue,
submission of a note on FDI in retail trade and the Scheduled Tribes Forest
Bill and the womens reservation bill to be taken up in the Winter session
of parliament.
Left Victories
During this period, the Party and the Left have registered some significant
successes in elections.
Kerala Panchayat Elections: The elections to the panchayats and
municipalities in Kerala were held in September. It has resulted in a big
victory for the CPI(M) and the LDF. All the 5 corporations have been won
by the LDF. The LDF has won 70 percent of the gram panchayats, nearly
80 per cent of the block level panchayats and 12 out of the 14 zilla
panchayats.
Asansol by-Elections: The by-election which was held in September
resulted in the Party retaining the Asansol seat with an increased margin.
The CPI(M) candidate won by a margin of 2,24,778 votes as compared to
1,24,318 votes in the 2004 elections. The Left Front polled 61.33 per cent of
the vote.
Thiruvanathapuram By-election: In this by-election, the LDF candidate
who belonged to the CPI won with a margin of 70,000 votes polling 51.5
per cent of the votes. This is the first time when the LDF has crossed 50 per
cent in this constituency. The BJP candidate got only 36,690 votes losing
the deposit. The BJP vote disintegrated with some section of the vote being
sold to the Congress. Despite this, the LDF was able to register this big
victory.
Immediate Tasks
The Party should continue its campaign for an independent foreign policy
and expose the governments pro-US orientation on a number of issues.
The Party should conduct the campaign against the terrorist activities
indulged in by fundamentalist and separatist groups and call for a political
dialogue to be taken forward in Jammu & Kashmir. The Party should
oppose all the efforts by the RSS-BJP combine to rake up communal issues.
The Party should oppose the privatisation of pension funds and campaign
for mobilization of resources by increasing the tax on the richer sections. In
the coming period, the Party will have to continue to take up the issues
connected with land, food and employment. The September campaign has
shown that the people face myriad problems connected with these three
issues and they are willing to come forward to fight for their rights.
In order to mobilise the people against the aggressive role of US
imperialism to further its hegemonic plans and to express solidarity with
the people of various countries struggling against US aggression, the
Central Committee called for the observance of an Anti-imperialist Day
on January 24, 2006. The campaign will mobilise people to demand the
withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, solidarity with the Palestinian people,
oppose the targetting of Iran, the DPRK and Syria and the hostile
manoeuvres against Cuba and Venezuela by the United States.