People's Democracy

Despite enemies all out efforts to obstruct us, we are forging ahead. We are confident we will foil all their attempts. The communist movement in the country is growing. Strengthen it further with the unleashing of struggles in defence of people’s interests. This is the main task before the Party today."

This was the message of the former CPI(M) general secretary, Harkishan Singh Surjeet to the thousands of people who gathered for the public meeting in New Delhi on April 11. Marking the successful conclusion of the 18th Congress of the Party, this impressive public meeting was held in Ramlila Maidan, rechristened as Major Jaipal Singh Nagar. People in thousands came from Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana and in lesser numbers from even far-away states like West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala etc. There were kisans, mazdoor, women and youth in large numbers. Some women were seen carrying their small children on their shoulders and engrossed in the speeches being delivered. The entire sorroundings of the maidan were draped in red – red flags, red banners, festoons hoardings etc. The orderliness with which the entire mass of people converged at the ground – without the common feature of traffic jams one witnessed during such gatherings in Delhi – surprised many bourgeoisie media persons who are used to cribbing about "nuisance" of such meetings.

The public meeting was presided over by Harkishan Singh Surjeet, while reception committee chairman Jogendra Sharma conducted the proceedings. On the dais were the newly elected top leadership of the Party and fraternal delegates from foreign countries. The crowd cheered loudly when the fraternal delegates were introduced by W R Varada Rajan.

Jogendra Sharma in his remarks stated that the Party Delhi state unit had taken it up as a challenge eight months back when it was decided to hold the Party congress for the first time in Delhi. He said the congress and the rally in this Hindi-speaking area were both successful. He then introduced the new general secretary and the new Polit Bureau to the crowd amid loud applause.

When Joginder Sharma announced that Surjeet will speak next, the crowd greeted it with a long applause and thundering slogans of "Red Salute To Comrade Surjeet". He was escorted to the podium by the newly-elected general secretary, Prakash Karat. Though looking very frail, Surjeet delivered a powerful and brief but inspiring speech. Expressing satisfaction at the large gathering — after a long time in Delhi – Surjeet said the Party was forging ahead overcoming many obstacles. Surjeet warned the people to recognise the designs of the ruling classes who were hand in glove with imperialism in plundering them. It is the conspiracies of these forces which have at times hurt the communist movement and the advance towards socialism. But the CPI(M) has proved that it can successfully defeat these conspiracies and forge ahead, said Surjeet. He gave a stirring call to the Party workers to march ahead towards socialism by building strong movements. "There is no other way except socialism. March ahead towards it".. with these words he ended his speech.

When the newly elected general secretary, Prakash Karat was called on to address, the crowd gave a rousing cheer. Karat in his speech announced that a nationwide movement will be launched on the three important issues of land, food and employment, the programme of which will be finalised by the newly elected central committee of the Party. He said this while referring to the track record of the UPA government in the last 10 months of its rule. Karat said this record made it clear that to get this government to implement the pro-people promises made in the CMP, pressure is needed to be applied. Therefore the Party would take a lead in mobilising the people on these vital issues concerning their livelihood.

Pointing out to the unique process of democracy within the Party, which found expression in the just-concluded Party congress, Karat said the congress reviewed the line adopted in the previous congress and found its correctness as one of the major reasons in achieving the success. The Hyderabad congress had called on the Party to work for ensuring the defeat of the BJP-led NDA government which was carrying out a two-pronged attack on the people by its communalism and anti-people economic policies. Karat noted the positive role played by the CPI(M) in uniting all forces to ensure BJP’s defeat. He said though the CPI(M) had fundamental differences with the Congress, it extended outside support for formation of a secular government, which was the mandate of the people. He underlined that the mandate also made it imperative for the government to adopt policies which help the oppressed sections. And that is why the CPI(M) saw to it that employment guarantee and such other pro-people measures were incorporated in the common minimum programme.

Karat said the 18th congress decided that the Party must continue its fight against communalism even while intensifying the struggle against neo-liberal economic policies. At the same time the Party will also project alternative policies. He warned the people to beware of imperialism’s designs to promote tension between India and Pakistan so that it can intrude into our nation. He referred to the reecent decision of the US to sell its fighter planes to both Pakistan and India. Saying that the peoples of both countries want peace, Karat asked the UPA government not to come under the pressure of imperialism. He wanted the government to follow an independent policy.

Karat underscored the need for a real alternative to the BJP and Congress led fronts and asserted that the Party will continue its efforts to build such an alternative front in the coming period. He ended his speech with a call to all the 9 lakh members of the Party to go among the people and prepare them for struggles.

CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury in his fervent speech stressed that socialism is alone the future. He lambasted those who wrote Marxism off saying there is no future for the Red flag. "Today no government at the centre could have been formed without the support of the Left. This strength of the Left is due to the Red flag. As long as our blood is red Marxism remains relevant", he said. Yechury said that the Party will be concentrating on Hindi-speaking region now as a priority area since without having a presence here it is not possible to bring about change in the correlation of forces. He called for intensifying struggles on social issues and link them with the ongoing class struggles. It is only then will people rally people behind the Red flag, he said. Referring to Manmohan Singh government’s continuation of Vajpayee government’s economic policies, Yechury asked the prime minister to remember that whoever implemented such neo-liberal policies, be it Chandrababu Naidu, S M Krishna or Digvijay Singh, they were voted out by the people. He also pointed out that no prime minister who followed these policies has ever been re-elected. Referring to former prime minister and BJP leader Vajpayee's statement that they are not prepared to sit in opposition for 5 years, Yechury said as an old man Vajpayee has the right to his delusions. He said it is only the Left which takes the lead in thwarting the designs of the saffron forces in the country. Yechury ended his speech calling upon the Party members to intensify struggles in order to pressurise the Manmohan Singh government to implement the pro-people policies promised in the CMP. The 18th congress of the Party provides a clear political line which needed to be implemented with gusto, he said.

Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya spoke at length on the work being done by the Left Front government in Bengal, the result of which is the unprecedented continuation of that government for nearly 30 years. He said whenever journalists and others ask him for the secret behind this, he asks them to visit the rural areas in the state and look for it. Buddhadeb said that land relations in Bengal had a vast difference from the rest of the nation in that the state government had distributed nearly 11 lakh acreas to the poor, particularly to dalits and minorities. It was the first government in the country to pioneer panchayat raj system, by which there is a real rural governance in the state. All this has resulted in the state today topping the states in agricultural production, fish, poultries etc. The percentage of people living below poverty line has been brought down from 56 per cent to 24 per cent by the LF government. Though a big achievement, Buddhadeb however said the LF was not satisfied with this and would strive further to reduce it. Contrasting this with the opportunistic NDA, for which only getting and remaining in power was paramount, Buddhadeb said the Left Front emerged out of long struggles of peasasnts, working class, youth and students in the state. "We fought for justice, for land, for food.. involving all downtrodden sections. These struggles are the main strength of the LF even today", he said.

Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar at the outset said the communists fight for a society free of hunger, caste, religious discrimination, women inequalities etc. He said the reason behind the people of Tripura choosing overwhelmingly the Left Front in all elections is the movement of the Left and its struggles on the basic issues of the people. He pointed out that these struggles were being waged in the teeth of people's enemies violence. The extremists' designs are being defeated with the support of the people. Sarkar alleged that even the CIA is behind the efforts to disrupt the Left Front government and its leader, the CPI(M) as they saw a threat of growing support of the people for the Party.He expressed confidence that with the support of the people all these conspiracies will be thoroughly defeated. Sarkar said the Congress party was losing ground in the state rapidly.