Kerala Social Forum Against Globalisation

C P Aboo Backer

HELD as a prelude to the coming World Social Forum programme in Mumbai, the Kerala Social Forum at Thrissur, Kerala, came to an end on December 23. The forum was marked by an open debate on many issues pertaining to the social life in Kerala --- issues that have emanated as the evil fall-outs of globalisation. The workshops held in connection with the forum were meaningful.

The main symposium was on “Communalism and Casteism in Kerala’s Social Life,” held on December 22, and dignitaries belonging to different religious denominations and social scientists actively participated in it. December 23 saw a seminar on the “Streams of Defence.” Those attending the symposium and the seminar included Dr Thomas Mar Athnesius, Nainan Koshy, Professor V Aravindakshan, Subhashini Ali, Amarjit Kaur, Dr M P Parameswaran, Dr Thomas Isaac and others.

WOMEN’S PARLIAMENT

A “Women’s Parliament” was a special feature of the Kerala Social Forum. It sought to expose how the bourgeois landlord parties were torpedoing the women’s reservation bill without even putting it to vote in parliament. Three ‘bills’ were brought for the consideration and deliberations in the Women’s Parliament. The first one was the “women’s reservation bill,” presented by Professor Meenakshy Thampan. Ajitha presented the second bill against domestic persecution. However, a consideration of both these bills had to be postponed due to unavoidable circumstances. But the third bill, presented by Visalakshy, a teacher, on the issue of protection of the right to strike, was passed by the parliament by a majority vote. 

Although the bill on reservation had to be postponed, it decried the central government’s duplicity in regard to the bill. Many speakers informed the Women’s Parliament how the country’s rulers were making a mockery of the bill. The Women’s Parliament was presided over by Girija Surendran, MLA. 

On this occasion, many open forums were organised as parts of the Kerala Social Forum. The Thrissur Inter-caste Marriage Organisation organised an open forum on the relevance of inter-caste marriages. Another open forum was on the theme of “Agricultural Sector --- Centralised and Decentralised Markets: Problems and Prospects.” Then there was another open forum on “Young Personalities.” The AKPCTA organised an open forum on the questions of education. Apart from these issues, many questions --- ranging from the effects of globalisation on the agriculture sector to Kerala’s development, women’s issues, ecology, Dalit question, etc --- were addressed by Kerala Social Forum. 

The seminars and discussions that made the Kerala Social Forum a hub of lively activities were almost unanimous in concluding that Marxism is the most powerful weapon against globalisation, and could intensify and coordinate the struggles against it. At the same time, the forum called upon all concerned to cooperate in formulating a united programme of struggle against globalisation.

This awareness was also shared by the participants in the seminar organised by the Democratic Youth Federation of India at Sree Kerala Varma College in Thrissur. Addressing the participants, M A Baby said the people would have to join hands even with bourgeois elements in the society in their fight against globalisation. There is no sense in thinking that Marxists could carry out this struggle alone. The Communist Manifesto has taught the Marxists the world over as to how the day to day and contemporary events and developments should be assessed and evaluated. After the Manifesto was published, a series of changes have taken place in the world. All these changes have to be taken into account by the Marxists while interpreting the world affairs. Long drawn out struggles in the sphere of ideology and philosophy should continue and ideological quests should be constantly made. The need is that we organise united struggles. Some detractors, who have no clarity regarding ideology and philosophy, may criticise this as the CIA’s handiwork. But there is no doubt that it is the working class that would contribute most to the anti-globalisation struggle, and that Marxism is the most relevant philosophy in this regard. The vanguard of anti-globalisation struggle in the present epoch is Cuba. The dismantling of the socialist bloc and the blows faced by progressive movements have certainly facilitated the onslaught of globalisation the world over. Yet, it was not due to any inherent deformities that the socialist system had to face blows, but due to the weaknesses and shortcomings in the ways it was implemented. However, the old mistakes should be a lesson to all in their new venture to confront globalisation and imperialism. 

P Rajiv of Deshabhimani presented a paper at the DYFI seminar, highlighting how socialism is the only alternative to capitalism and its highest form, that is, imperialism and finance capitalism. 

TU CRITICISM OF AN INTELLECTUAL

Recently, certain expressions and opinions of intellectuals like the University of Kerala’s vice chancellor Dr Iqbal created an uneasy feeling among many organisations, including the working class organisations, who reacted by criticising Dr Iqbal’s opinions and expressions. Dr Iqbal is said to have opined that the Left movement in the country has deteriorated into prophets and advocates of obsolete institutions. The Kerala state CITU’s general secretary P K Gurudasan had to point out that such opinions could only help the pro-imperialist lobbies. Gurudasan said that the basis of the growth model of Kerala is the growth it attained in the social sectors. Hence the ongoing and proposed privatisation of these sectors would solve no problem; instead, it would intensify the problems at hand.