UTTARAKHAND

  Imperative Of An Alternative Platform

CPI(M) & CPI Support UKD Candidate

  Vijay Rawat

AT the time of writing this the by-election to the Dwarahat assembly constituency in Almora district is due on October 13. This by election was necessitated because of the untimely and unfortunate death of Bipin Tripathi, the president of the state unit of the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) and an MLA from Dwarahat assembly constituency.

Tripathi was essentially a democrat, committed to the struggles of the hill people of Uttarakhand. Although he differed with the CPI(M) for many years on some issues, of late he had come to realise that the problems being faced by the Uttarakhandi people could be solved only by united actions in which the CPI(M), the CPI and the UKD will have to take part. A manifestation of this change in understanding was evident during the Lok Sabha elections in which the UKD and CPI(M) shared a common platform against the BJP and in evolving an alternative democratic choice in the state. The united protest actions after the sad custodial death of Baba Uttarakhandi and the Chetavani march to the residence of the CM on August 10 and August 14 in which UKD, CPI and CPI(M) took part were contributions made by Bipin Tripathi. On August 14, he along with UKD MLAs, CPI(M) and CPI leaders and activists led a massive march of the people to the chief minister’s residence. A memorandum was submitted concerning regional demands – changing the name of the state, shifting the capital, rights over the resources etc.

Bipin Tripathi passed away within a week of this action, his demise thus has been a major setback to all democratic forces struggling for alternate policies for the uplift of the Uttarakhandi people, their self respect and rights over forest water and land, the unsettled problems of distribution of assets and liabilities between the new and the parent state, the big brotherly attitude of both the centre and the UP government.

MORE THAN A BY-ELECTION

The CPI(M) and the CPI have unitedly decided to support the UKD candidate and have appealed to all democratic forces to defeat the BJP and support and vote for the UKD in this constituency which has a voter base of nearly 64,000. The CPI(M) local committee took a decision at a meeting in which Rajendra Negi was present that the CPI(M) should actively intervene and support the UKD in its campaign. The CPI(M) leaders R P Joshi and D Pandey were present at the time of filing of nomination by the UKD candidate.

After the Lok Sabha elections and the election to one seat of the Rajya Sabha, this is one election which is churning the various political formations in the state. While the defeat of the BJP is a necessary task, the success of the UKD in its stronghold and for the future of democratic politics in the state is important. The results of the Lok Sabha elections illustrate the unpleasant fact that the Congress leads only in 19 assembly segments whereas the lead of the BJP is in 41 segments, that of the Samajvadi Party in 7 and BSP in 3. This is a total reversal of the results of the last assembly elections when the BJP could win only 19 seats. The UKD won 4 and came second in 7 seats.

The rulling party in the state has much to answer for this dismal political scene. The two and half years of this government have time and again demonstrated that it would continue to pursue the anti-people, neo-liberal policies as vehemently as its predecessor. Corruption, moral decay, scandals of all kinds: monetary, nepotism, casteism, regionalism, moral turpitude have become the brand marks of this government and party. In the area of governance, total failure to improve law and order situation, failure to arrest the alienation of land, assault on forest rights, water and energy resources, neglect of the agricultural sector, dismantling of the health, education and food security systems are the hallmarks of this government and the ruling party. The tradition of social welfare state has been completely thrown away and dubious NGOs are being encouraged by the leadership, the bureaucracy and even the BJP appointed governor are having a field day.

Sending Satish Sharma as an MP to the Rajya Sabha from this Uttarakhandi state is no better than the BJP’s choice of Sushma Swaraj as a Rajya Sabha MP from this state. This choice of the candidate may perhaps serve the higher goals of the Congress party but it definitely is a reflection of total insensitivity to the self- respect of the people of this state. The leadership and bureaucrats are thus treating the state as a pocket borough in the fashion of old England. This is leading to a situation that does not augur well for the future of the people of Uttarakhand and secular forces since the Congress misrule is preparing a ground for the emergence of the BJP in this state.

Coupled with the pursuit of anti-people policies, the severe infights and rampant factionalism and loot of public funds have created a serious situation and a challenge for the people of Uttarakhand.

FRESH ATTEMPTS TO DIVIDE

It is in this complicated situation that the provocative statements of the UP chief minister on Hardwar issue must be seen. Recently during his visit to Hardwar, he showed total unconcern for the criminal acts of the police at Muzzafarnagar a decade ago, are leading to the Hill Vs Plain divide. This attempt at unsettling an already settled issue complicates the political situation and diverts the attention of the people from the misdeeds of the ruling parties in this state. Overtones of this politics are also being heard in Udham Singh Nagar. The CPI and the CPI(M) units in this state have taken a common stand and have called upon the peasantry and population of the plain areas of Dehradun, Hardwar and Udham Singh Nagar to come together and fight for their legitimate demands within the frame work of the recently created state. This includes struggle for cheap water rates, cheap electricity, support price for agricultural produce and simplification of the process domicile, problems of Bengali and other linguistic groups, etc.

POLICE RAJ

The government under the pretext of curbing Maoist activities in the state has let loose a terror of its own in Pithoragarh Chanpawat, Udham Singh Nagar and Almora districts. Even possession of Marxist literature, like Shiv Varma’s Parichay Mala or Savya Sachi’s booklets constitute Maoism and terrorist activity and thus for the functionaries of the Raj in the state along with their BJP brethren a fit case for penal action. A top heavy police-bureaucrat raj is being created at the expense of hospitals, schools, potable water, PDS, rural roads, public utilities like transport systems, in short all concerns that make life liveable are being given a farewell by the ruling class parties. No lessons are being learnt from what is happening in the North Eastern states. The CPI(M) the CPI have demanded the government to stick to rule of the law and the codes set up for democratic governances. This is being underlined by the two parties specially since the plea for funds made to the PM by the government at the time of his visit to the capital of the state also had a special request for funds for special forces and internal security.

This year has been marked by the so-called natural disasters which have occurred with a high frequency after May in almost all parts of the state. The so-called natural disasters when looked into seem to have nothing natural about them, since most of them are man-made. Massive land slides during rainy season have been a very common occurrence but they continue even after the dry autumn has begun. In the Tehri and Joshi Math disasters a private company and government agencies together are involved in malpractices, substandard use of material, substandard technology, and dynamiting of the hills has become a regular feature. The scale of dynamiting of the Badrinath road prior to the Lok Sabha elections to pave the way for the success and popularity of the then BJP union surface transport minister has left a permanent scar on the entire stretch and calls for an independent probe. From Joshimath to Rishikesh, the merciless blasting of the hills is telling its tale. On the Gangotri route and Uttarakhand another story of corruption and swindling of funds with no respite to the people and no safety for the citizens is visible. Ministerial status to Congress MLAs and other non-MLA functionaries of Congress is the Tiwari style disaster management. The disaster management theorists are having a field day with models being borrowed from various foreign countries bypassing democratic institutions and political formations.                            

The revival of health care systems and educational institutions is another area which needs urgent redressal. These sectors have virtually come to a stand still. The IDPL continues to be on the road of ruin, the much touted AIIMS is no longer heard. The hospitals have no doctors, no medicines and no facilities. Universities, especially Kumaun and Garhwal universities are languishing for want of teachers, hostels, subjects that improve employment prospects. With job opportunities sinking in the rest of the country and no jobs being created in the state with educated unemployment rising to unprecedented level, the state is virtually sitting on top of a volcano. Food and drinking water are scarce telling on the lives of the women. Declining interest rates have made the lives of retired people difficult.

The imperative for secular forces thus in the state calls for serious united actions on well-defined regional and other issues of the people. Reflection of the CMP of the central government has to be seen in the policies of the government. This calls for a better and more coordinated actions between the CPI and the CPI(M) and it is around this pivot which along with UKD can create a platform for action in the state. It is incumbent upon the state leadership of these parties to prepare their rank and file workers ideologically for such actions during their party conferences and to launch a movement in the state and go beyond signing joint press communiqués.

A small beginning has been made by the CPI and the CPI(M) by issuing joint press statements on the issues of Hardwar, on revival of IDPL, on the repression let loose citing Maoism in the state, joint campaign in support of the UKD candidate in the Dwarahat by election, unanimity on the question of minimum wage, revival of universal PDS, on support price for the Hill produce, sugarcane, silk cocoon, affirmative action in favour of linguistic minorities like Bengalis and Nepalis etc.

It has been decided that a joint convention will be held in January by the CPI and the CPI(M) to be followed by a joint state rally in the state capital later on these demands. It would be the attempt of the two Left parties to involve other secular and democratic formations including UKD to create a strong platform for struggle to defeat the manoeuvres of the BJP to stage a comeback.

October 10, 2004