People's Democracy

LOK LEHAR: FIRST EDITORIAL

TODAY you have before you Lok Lehar, a central weekly organ of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). Fourteen years ago, from Delhi, the Lok Lehar had made its first appearance; it was issued by those workers of the united Communist Party who later reorganised the party as the Communist Party of India (Marxist) --- with the purpose of conducting a struggle at the nationwide scale against revisionism and for reorganising the party on a revolutionary basis. At that time, Lok Lehar played an important role in organising the communists in the Hindi belt on the basis of Marxism-Leninism, to rebuff the policy of class collaboration and organise mass struggles here. However, while we were able to mobilise the communist workers under the banner of Marxism-Leninism after the seventh party congress, the government of the bourgeoisie and landlords suddenly unleashed an attack against the revolutionary party of the working class. Leading cadres of the party were hauled up behind the iron bars of various jails, under the Preventive Detention Act. So much so that the comrades working in the editorial and managerial offices of the Lok Lehar could not escape the wrath. Continuation of the Lok Lehar, thus, became impossible in those circumstances. But the role it played in so short a span left its permanent imprint on our work to strengthen the party.

The central office of the party was later shifted to Calcutta and the Hindi weekly Swadhinata continued to play the role of a party organ. But, as the struggles and organisations of the workers, peasants, students, youth and other toiling sections began to grow rapidly in the Hindi areas and the party�s influence also grew along with it, it was felt that publishing a separate central organ of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) for the Hindi speaking states has become essential.

Last year, while taking stock of the political situation at the Jalandhar party congress, it was realised that our party could play its due role in taking the democratic movement forward and forming a democratic front in the country only when it was able to overcome its weaknesses in the Hindi areas. We felt that there are big possibilities of expanding the party in the Hindi speaking areas in the light of the place it now occupies in the country�s progress.

Subsequently, when there took place inner-party discussions on the question of strengthening the party organisation, it came out with full force that the dreams of a people�s democratic revolution could not be fulfilled without strengthening the democratic movement in the Hindi speaking areas. Therefore, a plenum of the Central Committee, held in Salkia in December end, decided to pay special attention to taking the party�s work forward in the Hindi areas. It was also decided that, among other things, a Hindi weekly must be published from the party centre in order to overcome our weaknesses; it is to implement that plenum decision that we are now bringing to you the Lok Lehar, within one month and a half of the time that decision was taken.

●Lok Lehar will take the tradition of the earlier Lok Lehar and Swadhinata, of defending the principles of Marxism-Leninism against any dilution. It will keep high the banner of proletarian internationalism and arm the working class with the principles of internationalism. It will propagate the principles of a proletarian revolution and rebuff the opposition to the principles of proletarian dictatorship. It will stress the need of working class leadership in Indian revolution and play its role in forging and preserving a worker-peasant alliance that is essential for the formation of a people�s democratic front. Lok Lehar will always have before itself the objective of a people�s democratic revolution.

● Lok Lehar will always have before itself the class outlook of the proletarian class for a solution to the economic, social and political problems facing the country, and rebuff the policies of class collaboration. It will always fight the influence of alien ideologies, and defend our secularism and democracy while resisting religious fanaticism, superstitions, the caste system and communalism.

● Lok Lehar will everywhere forge ahead mass struggles and play a leading role in intensifying the class struggle against the anti-people policies of the bourgeois-landlord governments.

● Lok Lehar will conduct an uncompromising fight against the forces of dictatorship and authoritarianism, and will mobilise all such forces as may be mobilised for the defence of democracy. Lok Lehar will play an effective role in strengthening the anti-imperialist, anti-feudal and anti-monopoly forces and intensifying their struggles.

● Lok Lehar will strive to play its role in creating a Leftist and democratic alternative to the parties of the bourgeois and feudal classes whose basic policies are not different.

● The influence of decadent imperialist culture is growing in the Hindi area. Lok Lehar will play its role in destroying this destructive influence.

● Lok Lehar will work as an agitator and organiser to mobilise the people in the Hindi areas behind the theoretical and political understanding of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

● Lok Lehar will strive to bring to you the knowledge of international events and tell you how the crisis of imperialism, which has entered its third stage, will lead to its downfall.

● Lok Lehar will help you comprehend the political events taking place at the centre and in the states from the proletarian class outlook.

● Lok Lehar will bring to you full knowledge of the struggles being fought by the proletarians, peasants, students, women, youth and other toiling people in the entire country and in the Hindi area in particular.

● Lok Lehar will strive to play its role in strengthening the mass organisations and mass struggles as well as in expanding the party in the Hindi areas. But this is possible only when the readers of Lok Lehar, party units and other forces having a democratic thinking give it their support. Lok Lehar will strive to play its duty while facing all odds, and at the same time expects you to bring to us all news of class struggle and the intervention of alien ideas in your area. We can fulfil our obligation only when you take the Lok Lehar to every village, every mohulla, every factory and every institution within your reach. That we must meet out obligations and you must fulfil your responsibility --- this is the message of Lok Lehar.

February 18, 1979