People's Democracy

Yechury Calls Upon Students To Rise To The Challenges

Ritabrata Banerjee

A three-day training camp of SFI for activists of the Hindi speaking states started in New Delhi on October 2, 2007. Around hundred delegates from ten states participated in the camp.

Inaugurating the camp, former all India president of SFI, Polit Bureau member of CPI(M) and MP, Sitaram Yechury spoke at length urging the activists to take up the challenges and respond to the call of time. He said that from the formative years the membership of SFI has been concentrated mainly in five states. After the post emergency period, SFI registered emphatic victories in the student’s union elections in many of the Hindi speaking states. The victories in the three universities of Punjab, agricultural university in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh university and Allahabad university, have been a matter of great significance in the history of the SFI. Yechury said that the overall situation of the country has a direct impact on the campuses. And it is up to the SFI to decide how to make use of it. He remarked that after the last Loksabha elections it was impossible for anybody to form the government at the centre without the support of the Left parties. The Left parties have been consistent in forcing the Congress led UPA government at the centre to pursue policies that would benefit the ‘aam admi’ of the country. As for the education sector is concerned, it was the pressure of the Left that recorded increase in the budgetary allocations though it was not sufficient to cater to the required need. The students in the Hindi speaking states have to be organised with specific demand charters. Strong movements within the students, demanding the fulfillment of the promises made in the NCMP have to be organised effectively, Yechury added.

Sitaram said that when the Congress placed the first draft of the NCMP, the Left opposed it as it spoke of having a strategic alliance with the US. The Left parties categorically said that improving relations with every country has to be incorporated in the NCMP and accordingly it was done. The NCMP said that the UPA government would pursue an independent foreign policy keeping in mind its past traditions. This policy will seek to promise multi-polarity in world relations and oppose all attempts at unilateralism. But today the government seems to forget the promises as it is heading speedily to be a junior partner of the US. He added that there has been a constant campaign that nuclear energy is very essential to meet the electricity needs of the country. Whereas the fact remains that out of all forms of energy the nuclear energy is the most expensive one. He added that according to the estimates made by eminent scientists, the cost per megawatt of electricity would be around Rs 11 crore from imported nuclear reactors. The prime minister has announced a target of generating 40,000 MW of nuclear power in the future. Of this, assuming that 10,000 MW would be generated from domestic reactors, the remaining 30,000 MW would cost us Rs 3,30,000 crores. Now the same 30,000 MW, if produced through coal, would cost us at best Rs 1,20,000 crores. Using gas or water (hydro-electricity), this would cost Rs 90,000 crores only. By using the nuclear option, India would be spending anywhere beyond Rs 2 lakhs crore more than using the available alternatives. Can India afford such an expensive option? Imagine, this cost difference can build nearly 20,000 fully equipped 100-bed public hospitals, or, 2,50,000 schools like the Navodaya Vidyalayas with full boarding facilities for 100 students. He also said that the cost differential is so huge that, while generating the same amount of electricity from alternative sources, we need not deny 2.5 crore children of quality primary education or 20 lakh people of quality medical care. Apart from all other serious implications, the Indo-US nuclear deal actually denies us the opportunities, very dearly, to improve the livelihood of the aam admi. In the final analysis, thus, this deal constitutes not only an attack on our sovereignty and independent foreign policy but is also patently anti-people. He urged the SFI activists to take up this campaign to the nooks and corners of the institutions. He also added that using the rich resources available in our country we could produce sufficient amount of energy.

He pointed out that in the Hindi speaking areas, the caste-based organisations are very active. These organisations are constantly working to divert the people from mass movements. In these areas, SFI has to fight against the social evils and has to champion the question of social justice. Along with the education movements, participation in the social reform movements is also very essential. He cited the example of the movement in Andhra Pradesh launched by SFI among the hostel students. He also remarked that to continue sustained struggles in this sphere is even more tough than breaking the social barriers. Speaking on the issue of the Sethusamudram, Sitaram pointed out that it was during the BJP led NDA regime the project was taken up. Uma Bharti was the concerned minister-in-charge when the Sethusamudram project was planned. It has been proved by scientists that the Adams Bridge, which the BJP claims to be the Ramsethu, was built by a natural formation. It was not constructed by any human interference. The BJP is playing with the religious sentiments of the common man, Yechury added. He also categorically mentioned that faith must encourage the adventure of ideas and promote scientific enquiry and not reduce itself to fanning communal passions for petty political and electoral benefits.

Sitaram spoke about the philosophy of ongoing ‘Chak De’, which is preaching that old values, ideas and things do not carry any importance. For individual benefit people need only modern advances. He also pointed out that out of the 55 crores of youth (below the age 25) only 6 lakhs work in the IT sector. The vast majority of this country still represents a ‘Suffering India’. The real India demands the utilisation of the rich natural resources for the benefit of the majority. He reminded of the rich legacies of Bhagat Singh, his comrades and numerous others who laid down their lives fighting for the independence of this country.

Sitaram Yechury categorically said that for the last 30 years there have been no orders for the US companies who produce nuclear reactors. Today as the Manmohan Singh government is keen to advance further with the Indo-US nuclear deal the companies are again their lifeblood. This is in accordance with the plans of the present US president George Bush, who has been the most hated and unpopular president of the United States. His close associates, like Britain’s Tony Blair and Japans Sinzo Abe have been forced to quit office. Australia’s John Howard is following the same path. Yechury asked the Indian prime minister not to be on that same track.

Yechury called upon the activists of SFI to utilise the present political situation at its best. He called upon the students to rise to the occasion and accept the challenges.

R Arun Kumar, all India president of SFI presided over the opening session. K K Ragesh, all India general secretary, all India joint secretaries P K Biju, Ritabrata Banerjee, Albeena Shakil and All India vice president Sanjay Madhav were present on the dais. In the later part of the day V Srinivas Rao, Central Secretariat member of CPI(M) took the class on Dialectical Work Methods. On October 3, 2007, Joginder Sharma, Central Secretariat member of CPI(M) took the class on the present political situation. Later K K Ragesh, placed the organisational document, which was earlier placed at Shimla in the organisational workshop. Discussions were held on the report. On October 4, 2007 a seminar was organised on Indo-US nuclear deal in which former all India president of SFI and general secretary of CPI(M), Prakash Karat and eminent scientist Raghunandan spoke. The states of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar attended the camp.