People's Democracy

assam

CPI(M) rally calls FOR fight AGAINST  terrorism and communalism

Isfaqur Rahman

Addressing a massive state-level rally in Guwahati on December 14, 2008, CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat has said that the twin menace of terrorism and communalism have become the greatest danger for the nation and we must unitedly fight and defeat both the evils. Since communalism and terrorism feed on each other, we cannot succeed in combating terrorism without defeating the forces of communalism and religious fanaticism, he added.

The CPI(M) rally in Guwahati was organised by the Assam state committee of the Party to mobilise public opinion against terrorism and communalism and to highlight the burning problems faced by the people. The rally was held at a time when Assam is still bleeding. It has been experiencing the horrors of bloodbath associated with terrorism and extremism for quite a long time. The shock and horror of the serial bomb blasts in Guwahati, Barpeta Road, Kokrajhar and Bongaigaon on October 30, 2008 still grips the people. At least 89 people were dead and scores injured in this terror attack. There has also been escalation of communal violence in the two districts of Darrang and Udalguri in the first week of October. The communal clashes in these two districts were no less horrifying and at least 55 persons have been killed and tens of thousands were affected. More than 50,000 people are still languishing in relief camps due to the fratricidal clashes. In the aftermath of terrorist outrage in Mumbai, the Guwahati rally assumed greater significance.

While resolutely opposing terrorism and communalism, the CPI(M) rally also focussed on certain specific demands. It raised demands like arresting the rising prices of essential commodities and strengthening the PDS, proper implementation of NREGA schemes and Forest Rights Act, granting of Scheduled Tribe status to six backward communities of Assam, recognition of the problems of flood and erosion in Assam as a national problem for seeking a permanent solution, detection and deportation of illegal migrants and complete sealing of the Indo-Bangla borders, immediate updating of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), speedy implementation of the national projects, including the Railway projects in Assam etc. Peace and development of the state was the central focus of the rally.

The massive rally, held in the Assam Engineering Institute's playground, was chaired by the senior CPI(M) leader and central committee member Hemen Das and was addressed, among others, by CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and Bengal state secretary Biman Basu. The public meeting began with a resolution paying homage to all those killed in the recent terrorist attacks in Guwahati, Mumbai etc. It also condoled the death of victims of communal clashes in Darrang and Udalguri districts.

Explaining the objectives of holding this rally, state secretary of the Party, Uddhab Barman narrated the woes and sufferings of the people of Assam and stressed the need for a united struggle against the enemies of the country as a whole.

In his speech, Biman Basu thundered against US-led imperialist forces and their aggressive designs. Referring to the global economic crisis, he held the imperialist driven neo-liberal policies responsible for the present mess. �The United States of America, which had been dictating its economic blueprint to the world, is itself caught in a deep crisis. The Left parties, the trade unions and working class movements in India have fought relentlessly to ensure effective financial sector regulation and so today we are better off than some other countries. The impact of the global economic crisis on India would have been much worse and disastrous if the successive governments led by the NDA and UPA at the centre were allowed to implement the so-called financial sector reforms�, the CPI(M) Polit Bureau member asserted.

On the terror-strikes, Biman Bosu said terrorism had no religion, language, caste or creed. He attributed the growth of terrorism across the globe to US imperialism.

TERRORISM HAS NO RELIGION

Addressing the rallyists, CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat said there was no such thing as Islamic terrorism or Hindu terrorism. It was a fact that certain extremist elements from within the Muslim community were resorting to terrorist activities. But there were extremists within the Hindu community too who were practicing terror. The investigations conducted by the ATS in Maharashtra into the Malegaon blast had unravelled the fact that certain Hindutva outfits were also involved in terrorist activities. He criticised the BJP leadership for making the dangerous argument that no person affiliated to Hindutva organisations can be investigated for terrorist offences.

Referring to the horrific terror strike in Mumbai, Prakash Karat said the dismal failure of our security and intelligence system was exposed as ten men came from Pakistan by sea. Making a distinction between various types of terrorist violence, Karat added that we should not overlook the other types of terrorist violence that existed in Assam and North-eastern region "This is the time for all sections of the people and political circles to rise above any sectarian interest and ensure that the unity and integrity of the country is safeguarded by curbing all forms of terrorism whatever their source", the CPI(M) general secretary said.

On the impact of the global financial and economic crisis on India, Karat said that in the coming six months India would be hard hit and farmers and workers would be the worst affected. Had the Left parties not prevented the UPA government from opening up the banking and insurance sectors, and provident fund to the private sector, the impact of global crisis would have led to closure of banks and insurance companies in India too, he claimed. Karat reiterated the CPI(M) stand that the government must not proceed with legislation such as the Banking Regulation Amendment Act, the Bill for increasing FDI cap in Insurance and the Pension Bill. The Left parties would oppose such anti-people measures inside the parliament, he asserted.

The CPI(M) leader also demanded special fiscal package to increase public expenditure, which would in turn increase income and consumption of the working people, massive public investment in sectors which are employment intensive, protection of jobs, boosting of foodgrain production and public procurement etc. to tackle the unfolding economic crisis.

Referring to the backwardness of Assam, Prakash Karat asserted that no government at the centre had ever taken the problems of the state seriously. He demanded complete sealing of the Indo-Bangla border to check infiltration. Similarly, the problems of flood and erosion in Assam should be treated as a national problem and solved on a priority basis, he added.

Prakash Karat said that the Left parties had been striving for a common understanding of non-Congress and non-BJP parties as an alternative to the Congress-led UPA and the BJP-led NDA. Karat pointed out that the CPI(M) had reached an understanding with the TDP in Andhra Pradesh and the AIADMK in Tamilnadu. He appealed to the secular and democratic forces of Assam and other North-eastern states to help form the third alternative. Such an alternative had to be based on pro-people policies. It should be opposed to the economic policies of the Congress and the BJP. The third alternative should also strongly oppose communal and divisive forces and should fight for an independent foreign policy.

Karat underscored the necessity for all regional parties having a secular trait to come together and resist both the communal forces and the forces that compromised with the country's independent foreign policy. He regretted that the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has decided to join hands with the BJP, reminding that the BJP was opposed to a federal system that has been recommended by experts for a country like India. "Assam is a mosaic of cultures and communities and a federal system is most suitable for states like Assam", said Karat.

Cross-section of the people from far-flung areas of the state came to participate in the rally. Cutting across religions and ethnic lines -- Hindus and Muslims, tribals and non-tribals -- all joined hands and displayed rare unity and action. The ten-thousand strong rally mirrored the unique mosaic of multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-ethnic state of Assam and the people's determination to fight out evil forces of terrorism and communalism and also to build up mightier struggles on democratic lines for a just social order.

ENHANCE INCOME  OF WORKING PEOPLE

Addressing a press conference at Guwahati Circuit House on December 15, Prakash Karat has demanded that the UPA government must ensure massive spending at the centre and the states to overcome a possible slowdown of the economy due to global financial meltdown. He also asked the government not to further open up the financial sector to foreign capital. Karat told reporters that a much higher public expenditure was required to generate employment and enhance income of the working people.

On the proposed federal investigating agency to investigate terror incidents, Karat said that the CPI(M) has already conveyed its stand to the UPA government that such a national investigation agency must involve the state governments and state agencies. Furthermore, he underscored the need for revamping and strengthening the intelligence machinery and security system. It was necessary to have coordinated intelligence to prevent any terror strike, he added.

Karat also underlined the need to step-up diplomatic pressure on Bangladesh after the formation of a new government there to ensure that its territory is not used by North-east extremist and insurgent outfits. The press conference was also attended, among others, by the Polit Bureau member Biman Basu, state secretary Uddhab Barman and central committee member Hemen Das.