People's Democracy

MASSIVE RALLY OF CPI(M) AT GUWAHATI

"THE BJP is facing wrath of the people all over the country, in recent elections to the Panchayat in Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh the BJP had to suffer humiliating defeat. Therefore the party is again whipping up the issue of Ram Mandir to divert the public attention. We must raise public consciousness against this evil design." CPI(M) Politbureau member Prakash Karat commented, addressing the masive rally organised by the CPI(M) Assam State Committee at Guwahati on January 28, 2001. He called upon the rallyist to mobilise the public in large numbers against the anti-people policies and communal offensive of the BJP government.

A month long campaign-programme was organised in Assam to mobilise public opinion against communalism and terrorism and to demand withdrawal of hike in prices of petro-products, remunerative price for paddy and other agri-products, strengthening of public distribution system, lift ban on recruitment, revival of public sector units, regular election to the local bodies, minimum wage to the tea-garden workers, measures for flood control, rehabilitation of flood affected people, and construction of alternative road to the Barak Valley. Numerous public meetings, processions, jathas and cycle processions were organised as a part of the campaign programme. The rally of Janurary 28, at Judges Field, Guwahati was the culmination of a month long campaign-programme.

The rally was presided by veteran leader Nandeswar Talukdar. In the beginning a condolence resolution was adopted by the rally condoling the death of thousands of people as a result of Gujarat eathquake. One minute's silence was obsereved to condole the victims. By another resolution the rally called upon the central government and extremists organisations of the state to start unconditional talks for peaceful settlement of the vexed problem. Resolutions were placed by Uddhab Barman, central committee member.

Addressing the rally, Hemen Das, state secretary of CPI(M) expressed concern at the apathy shown towards the peasants by the government. The expenditure on irrigation has gone up due to the hike in diesal price. The expenditure for chemical manure etc, has also soared. Despite all these burdens on the peasantry, the agricultural production has gone up in the state. But the government is taking no step to ensure remunerative price for paddy and other agricultural products. Criticising the BJP-led central government he said the prices of diesal, petrol etc have been hiked despite stiff public protest. Hemen Das also criticised the state government for signing the fiscal reform programme succumbing to the pressure of the central government. The youth of the state is facing a desperate situation as a consequence of ban on recruitment which is clamped as a part of the fiscal reform programme. Expressing distress at the violence, killing and other extremists activities that is ravaging the state he called upon the central government and the extremists to immediately start dialogue. The public opinion of the state is to start dialogue unconditionally. But both the central government and extremists are shying away from talk under one pretext or another.

Nurul Huda, central committee member highlighted various problems confronting the people. He demanded the government to ensure payment of minimum wage to the tea-garden labourers. He also asked the AGP to clearly spell out its attitude towards the BJP.

Speaking at the rally Prakash Karat, Politbureau member, CPI(M) congratulated the people for gathering in large numbers to highight the problems facing the country and its people. Expressing indignation at the indiscriminate killings by the extremists in the state he said, the victims are, in no way the enemies of the country. Toiling people are being killed. Instead of helping in solving any problem of the state, these killings will only encourage the enemies of the country, he said.

Karat said, the people of Assam are facing many problems which are inseperable from problems of the rest of the country. 53 years have passed since our independence. But the projection of India the world over is as the land of highest illiterate and poor people. Even now people are being exploited and tortured on the basis of caste. After the end of Congress rule, BJP is pursuing the same anti-people policies. In fact, they are doing so more aggressively. To continue the BJP rule, unabated, the Hindu fundamentalists led by RSS are hell bent upon dividing the people on communal line. The BJP-led government has three cabinet ministers against whom criminal cases were pending. For a fair trial all the opposition parties are demanding their resignations from the cabinet. But instead of taking correct step in this regard the prime minsiter Atal Behari Vajpayee has announced on the floor of the parliament that construction of Ram Mandir at the site of Babri Masjid is the expression of national sentiment. He also stated that the construction of Ram Mandir is yet to be completed. By this statement he indirectly justified the demolition of the mosque. But actually the demolition of Babri Masjid is the most heinous crime in Independent India.

After this statement of Vajpayee the communal and Hindu fundamentalist forces became more aggressive in Kumbhmela, where lakhs of religious Hindus piously participate. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad announced that if the government does not allocate land for Ram Mandir by March 12, 2002 they will start the construction by forcefully occupying the land. But why this dead-line? Because after that there will be election to the UP assembly. Plans are being chalked out to mobilise Hindu votes by whipping up communal tension. But even with the help of all these nefarious activities they will not succeed in winning UP assembly election this time, Karat declared.

The BJP, which is now unleashing aggressive campaign to whip up communal fever had, however committed earlier that in order to run the coalition government, they had dropped the contentious Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid issue from their agenda. But, now, this has been pushed to the top of the agenda. Thereby, it has become amply clear that despite it is a coalition government in practive it is a government of the BJP only. The government is being run by the RSS while Mamta Banerjee threatens to resign at regular interval, and Chandrababu Naidu warns the government time and again. But these activities have absolutely no bearing on the functioning of the central government led by the BJP.

Dealing with the economic situation of the country, Prakash Karat said the BJP government had come to power chanting the slogan of Swadeshi. But it has now widely opened the doors for MNCs. As a result three lakh small scale industries are already closed. Peasants are being deprived of remunerative prices for their produce. Finding themselves in a helpless position, in the last three years, 800 peasants have committed suicide in Andhra Pradesh alone. As a consequence of these anti-people policies the anger and disatisfaction of the people is growing.

Vajpayee is now advocating five years fixed tenure for the government. On the other hand, as a result of BJP government's policies, millions of workers have lost their jobs. Employees are being forced to go on 'voluntary' retirement. The policy of Vajpayee, the prime minister is very clear: I will not guarantee employmemnt for those who have elected me, rather my post should be guaranteed for five years! The constitutional review, the BJP is advocating for, is totally un-democratic. That's why the President of India had to raise his voice of dissent against the review.

The experience has shown that BJP is pursuing the same economic policy as that of Congress (I). Against the anti-people policies people are on the street. There is a congenial situation for building up the third front. Our party leaders Harkishan Singh Surjeet, Jyoti Basu are taking initiative for building up the third front.

Commenting on coming election of West Bengl, Kerala, Assam and Tamilnadu, Karat said that preparations are on for defeating both Congress(I) and BJP in this election. In West Bengal, TMC-BJP combine knows very well that in a normal election they can never defeat the Left front. So they are anxious for imposing the President’s rule under section 356 in the state. They want to capture the state by means of violence and terror. But this conspiracy will not succeed. He warned, if TMC-BJP combine tries to vitiate the atmosphere by violence and terror, we are also prepared to tackle it. We are not disturbed about the imposition of the central rule in West Bengal. But we are perturbed over the dangerous signals of intervention of foreign forces as is clear from the dropping of arms in Purulia.

As a consequence of centre's economic policy, the backward states like Assam are badly affected, Karat said. The Oil Industry, which is in public sector, will be ruined due to the liberalisation policies. As the dependence upon the private capital has increased, new investments are there mainly in advanced states like Gujarat, Maharashtra only. The backwardness of less developed states have further increased. So people of Assam will have to raise their voice against these policies. Commenting on the functioning of the AGP government in Assam, he said that they have not been able to pursue any progressive policy for the people. CPI(M) is prepared to share seats with the AGP in the coming election to defeat Congress(I) and BJP. But AGP should clarify its attitude towards BJP.

Nandeswar Talukdar, president of the meeting criticised AGP for voting in favour of BJP-led coalition in the Rajya Sabha and for inviting Shiva Sena leader to the youth meet of AGP. He called upon the workers and supporters of the party to intensify activities of the party.

The rally was undoubtedly one of the biggest in recent times. Thouands from all walks of life participated it. The participation was really encouraging. A large number of tea garden workers, tribals and immigrant peasants, took part in the rally.