People's Democracy

120th Anniversary of Comrade Ho Chi Minh

Sitaram Yechury Attends International Seminar in Hanoi

THE Communist Party of India (Marxist) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury, presented a paper on 'Ho Chi Minh - National Independence and Socialism' in Hanoi, Vietnam on May 12, 2010. He is participating in a three day international seminar organised by Ho Chi Minh Institute of Public Administration which began on 10th May 2010, celebrating the 120th anniversary of Uncle Ho.

Sitaram Yechury said the victory of the Vietnamese anti-colonial struggle led by Comrade Ho Chi Minh and the Communist Party of Vietnam against France, Japan and in the end against the United States is not only an inspiring movement in world history but also one of the most defining moments in the last century. Yechury also told the gathering that there is a commonality between the people of India and Vietnam, as they both were exploited by colonialists of different shades. He also congratulated the people of Vietnam for taking the anti-colonial struggle to its logical conclusion – the struggle for ending the exploitation of man by man, the struggle for socialism. Yechury brought to the notice of audience Ho Chi Minh’s distinguished character by reminding them that Uncle Ho, as he is popularly called, had intrinsic links with the masses. He always used to advocate that all cadres including the leaders must have organic links among the people, learn from them, serve them and also lead them by developing their consciousness.

Yechury said the collapse of the Soviet Union and East European countries constituted a big reversal for the forces of world socialism. Imperialism, buoyed by this development, launched an offensive in political, economic and social spheres all over the world. Imperialism tries to entrench its hold over post-Soviet world mainly using three means: (a) its economic might (b) its military power (c) its ideological offensive. Imperialism, during these two decades, has, indeed, consolidated its hegemony in all spheres, though not to its desired levels due to growing resistance developing in certain parts of the world. The present global capitalist crisis thus is a setback to imperialism as it severely dented its claim that there is no alternative to capitalism. It had once again ignited the urge among the people to look out for social systems that provide an alternative to capitalism. Karl Marx and his writings are once again being widely read.

Yechury expressed confidence in the fragility of the imperialism by saying, "Though imperialism has strengthened its hegemony and heightened its multifaceted offensive all across the globe, as we have discussed earlier, it is on the brink of a systemic crisis which could prove far graver and more encompassing than the current global recession. However, irrespective of the intensity of the crisis, capitalism does not  automatically collapse. It needs to be overthrown. An erroneous understanding only blunts the need to constantly sharpen and strengthen the revolutionary ideological struggle of the working class and its decisive intervention under the leadership of a party wedded to Marxism-Leninism – the subjective factor without which no revolutionary transformation is possible."