People's Democracy

Encountering Challenges: CPI(M) In West Bengal

  Anil Biswas

WEST BENGAL maintained its position as the advanced outpost of the democratic movement in the country through continuous and arduous struggles. The period since the 17th congress of CPI(M) has witnessed increased complexities as well as intensified and sometimes unique response to the challenges.

SPECIAL SITUATION

The continued existence of the Left Front government has created a special situation in West Bengal. In the context of liberalisation policies pursued by the central government; the working of the Left Front government has become more difficult. The scope of effective intervention of the state government, particularly in safeguarding the interests of the weaker sections, has been severely reduced. The Left Front government has to operate within the limitations of all-India economic policies even though we oppose many of those policies in principle. The limitations in taking an independent stand have increased manifold. One of the major reasons is the acute financial crisis due to the policies of the centre. The Left Front government cannot offer or implement a socialist programme, even Left and democratic alternative programme and bypass the natural, inevitable consequences of capitalism without accomplishing the people’s democratic revolution. Still the Left Front government is committed to defend the rights and interests of the toiling people in general, and the weaker among them in particular, while pursuing the task of implementing alternative policies as stated in the CPI(M) party programme.

The strategic reorientation of the Left Front government in this situation was discussed and decided in the 20th state party conference in 2002. The basic understanding was to prioritise the work for the poorest of the poor, those most affected by the onslaught of liberal economic policies. At the same time we wanted to pursue a development policy with emphasis on employment, literacy, health, diversification in agriculture, increasing investment in industry, more decentralisation. 

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS

There have been major achievements in meeting the challenges. Based on the success of land reforms, diversification in agricultural production has already gained a significant speed. The state government has taken serious initiatives to draw private investment and new investments are coming in the areas of information technology, iron and steel, food processing, downstream petrochemical units and different sectors of infrastructure like housing. Gradually industries are being developed in the industrially backward districts too. At the same time, some restructuring of perennially loss-making state-owned units is being done, safeguarding the interests of the working class. Even an enlarged amount of investment cannot provide enough employment in this period of job less growth. Therefore our emphasis was on the development of self-help groups among poorer sections, particularly among women. More than two lakh such groups have been formed in the last three years. Apart from enrollment drive in primary schools, “Shishu Sikhsha Kendra” or centers for child education under panchayat supervision have attracted an increasing number of students.

Despite the successes, the party and government are well aware of the fact that there is intense poverty in some areas of the state. The whole country is witnessing economic, social, regional and gender disparity, and West Bengal cannot remain completely protected from this trend. Therefore the party and the government have called for increased initiative in development with class orientation. Nothing can be achieved without mass initiative and people’s mobilisation. In West Bengal today, the development of productive forces and implementation of development projects are part of developing class struggle which would help bring in further changes in the correlation of class forces.

FIGHT AGAINST ANTI-PEOPLE FORCES

The existence of the Left Front government and the growth of the party are reflections of movements and mass actions, resisting the designs of the reactionary forces. In last three years, Trinamool Congress, one of the major opposition parties in the state, has tried disruptive tactics by aligning with either BJP or Congress from time to time. In many issues, they have tried to impede developmental activities but have continually been alienated from the people. Communal politics was a major challenge, particularly during the NDA rule at the center, and the Left forces in West Bengal had taken the challenge very seriously. RSS and its organisations have been very active through schools and sakhas in new areas. Trinamool Congress helped them to infiltrate. Minority fundamentalist forces were also active, particularly in border areas, their target being the Communists. A continuous ideological-political campaign at the grassroots has weakened these forces but the danger was not at all eliminated.

The party has to fight a grim battle against the secessionist and terrorist forces. In North Bengal, Kamtapur Liberation Organisation, in association with ULFA, conducted murderous attacks against CPI(M) leaders and activists. More than 35 comrades have been killed by them. However the party could mobilise people successfully against these forces and alienated them to a large degree. Again, these forces are protected and abetted by the Congress, TMC and BJP.

In some parts of South Bengal, the naxalite extremists are trying their best to infiltrate. Already many of the leading activists of CPI(M) have been killed by them. Terrorist activities have been encouraged after the formation of CPI (Maoist), particularly in tribal dominated areas. They have attacked police, blasted mines to stop developmental projects, terrorised villagers. Their main aim is to delink tribal people from broader democratic movements. While fighting them politically, CPI(M) and the Left Front government have also emphasised the need to quicken the pace of development in these areas.

The opposition parties, despite their professed differences at the national level, have always been in conjunction against the CPI(M) in West Bengal. In the panchayat elections in 2003, there was a virtual “mahajot” or grand alliance comprising the TMC, Congress and BJP.

The party in West Bengal has successfully thwarted these forces, which has been reflected in election results too. In the 2003 panchayat elections, CPI(M) won 59.87 per cent of seats in three tiers which was eight per cent more than the 1998 elections. Left Front as a whole won 67.28 per cent seats which was again an increase of more than 9 per cent. In the Zila Parishad (District Council) level the Left Front got more than 50 per cent votes in 14 districts. This result has been achieved despite a virtual alliance of all the anti-Left forces.

In the 2004 Lok Sabha Elections, the Left Front won 35 seats out of 42, which was an increase of six from 1999 elections. Congress increased its tally to 6 while the main opposition TMC won only one seat. The BJP was defeated in the only seat they held. The vote share of Left Front increased from 46.74 per cent in 1999 to 50.72 per cent in 2004. Apart from desperate anti-Left innuendos from the media and the opposition parties, a section of special observers of Election Commission played an unprecedented and blatant anti-Left role. For the first time, a section of the election officials was appointed from outside the state. The party does not lose sight of the fact that despite big victories in elections, a large section of the people, including toiling and poor people are still outside the political influence of the Left.

CONTINUOUS MOVEMENTS

The party and the mass organisations were involved in continuous struggles in the period after the 17th congress. The fight against the liberalisation policies naturally dominated the scenario. The trade unions, Kisan Sabha, student, youth, women organisations organised massive campaigns, rallies, demonstrations, particularly against disinvestment, closure of central PSUs in the state, increase of fuel prices, cut in public investment in agriculture, reduction in interest rates in small savings, commercialisation of education etc. After the formation of UPA government at the centre, the campaign to implement the pro-people aspects of CMP has gradually picked up.

One of the important aspects of the movement in this period was the fight to safeguard the right of holding rallies, demonstrations and strike. The court verdict and observations in this regard created an atmosphere of undue intervention in people’s rights. The firm stand taken by the Left in the state has helped in broader mobilisation.

The fight against communalism was another very important element. West Bengal witnessed a massive and spontaneous protest against the Gujarat massacre and all sections of the people expressed their outbursts in different manners. It helped to corner the BJP and its partners.

There had been movements and campaigns on issues and demands of the state like river erosion, against reorganisation of railway zones, problems in tea gardens etc. One of the unique features in this period was the large scale movement in implementing literacy, public health, self-help groups. It has gained a new form and momentum in the context of the serious economic crisis. The party has characterised these efforts as a political task and is playing the catalyst role.

The anti-imperialist movement has also been strengthened, particularly after the US attack on Afghanistan and then on Iraq. Big rallies, demonstrations, human chains were organized throughout the state. Numerous seminars and protest programmes at grassroots level have helped to raise the consciousness of the people about the dangers of imperialism. However, there are shortcomings in intensifying this campaign among the toiling people and linking the anti-imperialist struggle with day-to-day struggles of livelihood.

GROWTH OF THE PARTY 

As has been mentioned already, the party in the state is engaged in multifarious activities ranging from organising people on their economic demands to playing the leading role in implementing developmental programmes. Thousands of CPI(M) activists are involved in running panchayats, municipalities and other elected bodies. After the 17th congress, the campaign and movements against the policies of the NDA government naturally occupied the priority attention. After the defeat of NDA and formation of the UPA government, the content and form of the movement along with the style of campaign needed a change. Discharging these political tasks demands a more developed and qualitatively stronger party.

The party has expanded among the people and gained more confidence of them. This has been reflected in the growth of membership too. On December 2004, the party membership stood at 274921, an increase of 11.25 per cent over December 2001. Along with this, there are more than 17 thousand auxiliary groups in the state. However, the class and social composition of this growth is not altogether satisfactory. Party membership among the organised working class has not increased while there has been progress among the unorganised workers. The party membership among agricultural workers and poor peasants has showed an increase of nearly six thousand and seven thousands respectively between end-2001 and end-2004. But there is some erosion in the share of these basic classes in some districts.

On the other hand, more than eight thousand women have been enrolled as party members during the period. While the share has increased to 9.37 per cent of the total membership, the advance is not at all satisfactory. There has been 21 per cent increase in members from scheduled castes, 13 per cent increase for scheduled tribes and 19 per cent increase among minorities. The party is aware of the fact that divisive forces are active in different forms among the tribal people, with the aim of dissociating them from the mainstream democratic movement. The 21st state conference of the party in February 2005 this year has called for more vigorous work among this section. There is a healthy growth of younger sections coming into the party.

The quantitative expansion of the party is not matched by the qualitative maturity that it should have at this critical juncture. The state party leadership has therefore called for comprehensive ideological-political education at every stage. To maintain the highest standard of a mass revolutionary party, rectification campaign has been continuously conducted. There are objective conditions of the influence of alien ideologies, parliamentary and other deviations in West Bengal. The rectification campaign is being conducted on three levels, namely ideological, political and organisational. While there are weaknesses in conducting this inner-party struggle, some progress has been achieved. More than 20 thousand party members have been either dropped or expelled for reasons varying from inactivity to non-communist conduct during the last two and a half years.

The 21st state conference of CPI(M) has given four calls to advance and consolidate the gains: strengthen unity in the Party, develop class struggle through development, develop the qualitative standard of the party, and expand the mass base of the party with class outlook.