NEW AGE

March 11—17, 2018

Weekly

Central Organ of the Communist Party of India

Vol. 66

No. 10

(Total Pages 16)

New Delhi

March 11—17, 2018 Price:Rs.7

OnOther Other Pages On Pages1 „ S t a t u e s R e p r e s e n t Ideology............3 „ International Women’sDay, 2018..............8–9

CPI Kerala State Conference Creates Histroy

CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy addressing the public meeting Malappuram, the agrarian capital of Kerala state entered the golden history of party conferences by beautifully organising the state conference ahead of the 23rd Party Congress to be held in Kollam, (Kerala) during April this year. On the evening of February 20, 23 flag marches taken out from the memorials of party leaders were received by veteran party leader.E P Mohammed Ali at Comrade Koladi Govindankutty Nagar in the presence of the national and state leaders of the party and thousands of party

CPI Condemns Tripura Violence The Central Secretariat of the Communist Party of India issued the following statement on March 6, 2018 condemning the violence in Tripura: True to its character the BJP-RSS and their allied organisations have unleashed unprecedented violence against Communists and their supporters in Tripura. Party offices of Communist Parties are being destroyed and burnt. Hundreds of party offices have been captured by RSS-BJP goons. Houses of hundreds of Communist workers have been burnt in number of places. This is nothing but vandalism and goondaism of RSS-BJP that need to be condemned by all democratic forces. Bulldozing of Lenin’s statue and destruction of other monuments are highly condemnable. Lenin and his ideas live in the hearts and minds of people world over. It cannot be eliminated by bulldozing one statue. If the government fails to stop the violence in Tripura, the Communists will take it as an ideological challenge and give a befitting reply.

K Dilip Kumar workers. The captain of the flag march from the Antikkad martyrs’ memorial was Adv K Rajan MLA and it was received by Sathyan Mokeri, assistant secretary of the CPI state council. The flag pole was brought to the venue led by V Chamunni, the state general secretary of Kisan Sabha and received by Adv K Prekash Babu, assistant secretary of CPI state council. The flag was hoisted by veteran party leader E P Muhammadali. After the flag hoisting the veteran P K Medini, the nightingale of the revolutionary movement was felicitated. The meeting inaugurated by K Raju, minister of forests was presided over by T V Balan as C N Jayadevan, MP, P K Gopi, Dr Vallikkavu Mohandas, Lilly Thomas and Adv A Shajahan participated. It was followed by a music concert. On March 1, CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy inaugurated the state delegates session at Com E Chandrasekharan Nair Nagar (Rose Lounge Auditorium). The flag was hoisted by C A Kurien, national control commission member and veteran party leader. General secretary S Sudhakar Reddy while inaugurating the session said that “Fighting the BJP and Sangh Parivar by joining hands with secular and democratic parties, without sacrificing the left unity is the need of the hour.” As much as 75 per cent of the channels are in the hands of the corporates controlled by the BJP and

spreading lies for BJP. He added that “Indian democracy is under threat. The Constitution should be protected and all democratic forces should be brought on a larger platform.” Organising committee chairman K P Rajendran welcomed the gathering. The general secretary further said that while fighting against threat of fascism, we cannot exclude any secular democratic party or organisation. He charged that the media is spreading lies. The torch to be lighted at the venue was brought from the memorial of Prof Sreedharan by Kamala Sadanandan, national council member and was received by K P Rajendran, state executive member and chairman of the organising committee. The cultural evening was attended by prominent writers like Alamkode Leela Krishnan, Kureepuzha Sreekumar, Rafeeq Ahammed and K P Ramanunni. It was followed by the presentation of KPAC drama Eadipus. On Page 12

Kerala state secretary Kanam Rajendran addressing the public meeting New Age Weekly

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March 11—17, 2018

Message from Tripura The much unexpected, rather shocking results from Tripura has generated anger and annoyance, not only among the supporters of the Left but generally among all those who cherish democracy and want to defend the democratic set up from the well organised and well planned onslaught of the RSS and its various outfits fully backed by the Narendra Modi government. The Tripura poll was marred by the unimaginable money power used by the BJP, shameless misuse of administration and virtual “economic blockade” imposed by the Central government since last two years that had crippled all the welfare schemes including MNREGA of the state government. BJP exploited the anger and RSS utilised all its religious, chauvinistic, caste and ethnic hate weapons to win the elections. The anger and annoyance among the democratic people is reflected in the posts in social media where people are referring to expertise of BJP in manipulating the EVM and misusing the administrative machinery. It is true that manipulation of EVM has started playing important role and most of the non-BJP parties have demanded that the poll process should revert to ballot paper. But it should not confine to that. Political parties must demand comprehensive electoral reform. It should include ridding of the poll process of money and muscle power that plays a role which is as dangerous as the manipulation of EVM. Without wasting time mass pressure be built for comprehensive poll reform and the initiative has to be taken by the Left parties. They are the worst sufferers of the evils like money-muscle power and manipulation of administration and EVM. Media is propagating about Modi Lahar. BJP has won just two seats in Meghalaya

in a house of 60 and is not the single largest party in Nagaland. But it has formed governments in both these states. It played the same trick it had used earlier in Manipur and Goa. Modi Lahar is of course visible in violence against communists and bulldozing of statues in Tripura. But the results from Tripura have posed certain questions for the Left forces. The danger of fascist take over of the country is becoming obvious with every passing day. To term this threat merely as BJP’s bid for “centralisation” of power or to its authoritarian tendency will be gross underestimation of the threat the country is facing. In 2014, CPI had pointed out that formation of the Modi government is not ordinary transfer of power from one bourgeois formation to another. We have characterised this government as one

democratic platform to launch struggle for ousting the BJP from power without any delay, the Left has also to launch massive campaign against the antipeople, neo-liberal policies. For that, much closer Left unity in action is required. The draft Political Resolution of the CPI for its 23rd Party Congress has rightly described the struggle against neoliberalism and for pro-people economic policies under the banner of united Left as struggle for preserving the identity of the Left.

representing the interests of Corporate and Finance capital with extreme rightist ideology and worst form of communalism with fascist tendencies. Since its victory in state elections, particularly in UP, the RSS has directly taken over the reins of power. It is controlling all wings of governance and penetrating them. It is not merely reflection of fascistic tendency but emerging as a real threat.

Captive media and elements in the bourgeois political parties will no doubt try to link every attempt for opposition unity with the parliamentary elections next year. No doubt the next parliamentary poll will be decisive but for that the ground for unity of all anti-fascist forces has to be prepared from now onwards. It can be done by organising struggle on both fronts—first mobilising all secular democratic and left forces against fascistic onslaught of Narendra Modi government and simultaneously on economic policies by the united Left. Other non-Left anti-fascist forces have to be forced to agree on an agenda of minimum possible steps for implementation of pro-people measures, particularly in the sectors of employment, education and public health.

It is true that the fight against fascist threat cannot confine to building broadest possible secular democratic platform. After all it is economy that determines politics. Fascism has its own economic goal that is imposition of neo-liberalism and hegemony of finance capital. Unfortunately, most of the bourgeois political parties have swallowed the prescription of neo-liberalism. Hence, while making all out effort to build the broadest possible left, secular and

As for as electoral alliance or adjustment is concerned, the draft Political Resolution of the CPI has pointed out that there cannot be one electoral tactics for the entire country. It has to be state specific keeping in view the objective realities and co-relation of the political parties in a given state. It will be finally given shape as and when we face the election and without any reservation or commitment to any particular political party.

Editorial

Comrade Jam Saqi Is No More Former general secretary of the Communist Party of Pakistan, Comrade Jam Saqi passed away on March 4, 2018 at Hyderabad in Pakistan.

CPI national council secretaries Shameem Faizee, Atul Kumar Anjaan and national executive member Pallab Sengupta with president of Vietnam in New Delhi on March 4, 2018, who was on a state visit to India New Age Weekly

Comrade Jam Saqi who emerged as a legendary figure in the struggle against military dictatorship of both Ayub Khan and Zia-ul-Haque was a source of inspiration for the younger generation of his time in the sub-continent. During Zia dictatorship he was

imprisoned for nine years. The case of sedition was slapped against him, which was rallying point for democratic forces in Pakistan. Almost all political and social organizations intervened in the sedition case and prominent leaders deposed in the case. CPI national council secretary Shameem Faizee in a message to Imdad Qazi, general secretary of CPP condoled the death and termed it a big loss for the progressive movement in our sub-continent.

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March 11—17, 2018

Post–poll Violence by BJP Goons in Tripura

Left Submits Memo to PM A delegation of the Left Parties MPs submitted a memorandum to prime minister on March 6, 2018 in Parliament detailing major incidents of such attacks that clearly demonstrate, once again, that the RSS/BJP rely mainly on unleashing political violence as means to advance their inherent antidemocratic agenda. In solidarity with the Left Front and the democratic peace loving people of Tripura and Comrades who are facing these attacks, call has been issued to

all across the country to organise protest actions exposing the inherent antidemocratic, anti people character and activities of RSS/BJP.

Text of the Memorandum to Prime Minister After the election results to the Legislative Assembly in Tripura are out, the goons of the BJP have unleashed a reign of terror and all-round attack on the members and supporters of the Communists, their houses, Party offices

and mass organization offices throughout the state. 514 individuals were injured, 1539 houses were attacked, 196 houses were set on fire, 134 Party offices were attacked and 208 Party offices were captured. Many mass organisation offices also were attacked and captured. The attacks are continuing. We request your immediate intervention to stop these attacks and violence and to maintain peace and normalcy in the state before the situation gets further worsened.

Four Ambedkar Statues Vandalised in Uttar Pradesh After Lenin’s statue was removed in Tripura and Periyar’s statue was vandalised in Tamil Nadu, statues of B.R. Ambedkar were vandalised and damaged in parts of Uttar Pradesh, say reports. At least four such incidents have been reported from Aligarh and Meerut in the past two days. The latest incident was reported from the Mawana area of Meerut, where an Ambedkar statue was damaged early on March 7, 2018.

Periyar statue vandalised in Tamil Nadu

It led to an agitated group of Dalits protesting and blocking the main road. The police have filed an FIR against unidentified culprits and replaced the damaged statue with a new one. The situation is now under control. The statues of Ambedkar in the Gandhi Park area and in a park in the Ghantaghar area of Aligarh were found broken on March 5.

Ambedkar statue destroyed in Uttar Pradesh Some unidentified miscreants had broken the raised finger of the

statues in both the places.

Protest demonstration by CPI in Hyderabad against desecretion of statues

Lenin’s statue demolished in Tripura As the news broke, a large group of Dalits staged dharnas outside the parks and later blocked a national highway, leading to minor skirmishes between protesters and officials. The protesters were persuaded to call off the protest after officials fixed the statues with a new finger. Local BSP workers registered an FIR and demanded that the district administration

pay six months’ wages due to the night guards deployed at the parks. Last year, the Dalit community’s call to install a statue of Ambedkar and the objection of the Thakur community to the proposal led to major caste violence.

CPI Condemns Vandalising of Periyar Statue Secretary Tamilnadu

of

the State On Page 14

Protest demonstration by left parties against desecretion of statues at Trivandrum New Age Weekly

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March 11—17, 2018

Labour Law Amendments

Dilution of Pro-worker Provisions All India Trade union Congress, Bangalore district committee and Karnataka state committee of Indian association of lawyers organised a seminar on the theme of ‘Labour law amendments Emerging Challenges’ at Gandhi Bhavan. M Deepak, president, AITUC, Bangalore, welcomed the speakers and the participants. The seminar was presided by MD Harigovinda, general secretary, AITUC, Bangalore. Prof. Babu Mathew, visiting professor, NLSUI, spoke about the dangers of the central government’s proposal to consolidate

44 central labour laws in to four labour codes. The purpose is not to simplify but to dilute the proworker provisions of the existing laws. Further the rich legal jurisprudence of the present laws will be buried forever. He said that the proposed industrial relations bill will only ensure that no strike in the country will be legal. The right to strike, right to freedom of association and collective bargaining will be curbed. Vilas Datar spoke about the ominous notification to the industrial employment standing orders brought recently by the central government to introduce

“Fixed term employment” in all spheres of employment. This move will greatly endanger job security

and social security of the six crore employees in the formal sector. In a situation where the employment generation has slumped to a few lakh jobs every year, fixed term employment

What the Others Say…

Men of God have to respect the law When people start taking themselves far too seriously, they start believing that they can work miracles, do things that others can’t, sometimes even things that they themselves shouldn’t be doing. Consider Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who has appointed himself mediator-in-chief in the Babri masjidRam Janmabhoomi case that is currently before the Supreme Court. On Monday, he said the Supreme Court order will not solve anything, offering a rationale for his efforts to get involved in the issue. This is a strange comment for several reasons. One, it is contempt of court (Indian judges have usually reacted strongly to more innocuous comments than this one). Two, all parties to the dispute have so far maintained that they will accept the court’s verdict. Three, neither Hindu nor Muslim groups have been receptive of Ravi Shankar’s offer to mediate (the Vishva Hindu Parishad has said it will have none of it). It isn’t clear what Ravi Shankar’s locus standi in the case is – unless, as a man of God, he sees himself as someone not bound by boundaries that define a person’s right to get involved in an issue. It is also not clear whether Ravi Shankar, who knows Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah, has the government’s tacit support. The government hasn’t said so; nor has the BJP. Both are clearly waiting for the court to rule on the issue. Ravi Shankar’s efforts to find a resolution could end up being counterproductive. His argument that neither side will accept a verdict from the highest court that goes against it is as frightening as his near-flippant dismissal of the sanctity of court orders. This goes against the very essence of the Constitution. Courtesy: The Hindustan Times New Age Weekly

will kill existing permanent jobs as well. Employees will be forced to seek jobs at least eight times over a period of 30 years.

Muralidhara, national general secretary, Indian Association of Lawyers, in his address elaborated on the overall economic, political and technological climate that is leading up these

anti-worker labour law amendments. He explained that the first causalities and the victims of the free market are always workers and farmers. The way forward is united protests and struggles of the working class combined with political awareness in order to defeat the attempt of the Modi Government to push these amendments. MD Harigovind informed the audience that 12 Central Trade unions have called for a massive nation-wide protest against the antilabour policies of the Central Government. Marlingaiah thanked the audience. „

At stake in Shopian The killing of three civilians in army firing in Shopian on January 27 was not the first incident of its kind in Kashmir in which the state police registered an FIR against the Army. From 2001 to 2016, the Jammu and Kashmir government sent 50 requests to the Ministry of Defence for prosecution of soldiers in various cases — custodial deaths, killing of civilians, disappearances, rape and molestation. The government told the Rajya Sabha earlier this year that the MoD refused sanction in 47 cases, three are awaiting a decision. What this means is that in Kashmir, the filing of an FIR is not unusual, and the dead-end every FIR runs into a certainty. This is because the Army and paramilitary forces are protected by the immunity provisions of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act. The protection has been invoked even in rape cases. In a rare case or two, the Army has conducted courtmartial proceedings against errant soldiers. The Shopian FIR would have run the same course as its predecessors, hit the same dead-end. Now the Supreme Court, acting on a petition by the officer’s father, has stayed the investigation until final orders on April 24. As a report in this newspaper has detailed, every request by the J&K police to the Army to co-operate in the investigation so far has been stonewalled. In Kashmir, it is an open secret that soldiers will never be prosecuted. But in a general climate of alienation, an FIR and an investigation against a soldier involved in an episode of questionable civilian deaths hold the symbolic promise of due process, if nothing else. In Kashmir, as Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti rightly pointed out, peace and justice are two sides of the same coin. In this sense, the SC’s stay seems both unnecessary and unfortunate. The case before the SC will be watched for any implication it might have for this law, which is in force not just in Kashmir, but also in the Northeast, especially in Manipur, where military impunity for excesses against civilians has created a huge reservoir of resentment. Courtesy: The Indian Express

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March 11—17, 2018 Look at the incidents taking place in the North-East and South. Elections are nothing new in India. As a democratic country, parties may win or fall according to the verdict of people. Sometimes, in some places clashes take place once the results are out. Usually political leaders of both sides intervene to pacify their supporters so that peace is not restored. That is the minimum level of democracy on which the political structure of the country is built. But after the cooked up victory in Tripura, the Sangh Parivar is in a frenzy to disrupt the basic structure of democracy itself. It had happened in Bengal earlier when the Parivar let loose series of attacks on cadres of the left front, mainly those of CPI (M). This time too, when in Tripura, BJP registered its first ever victory in the North Eastern states, party offices of the Left were vandalized, red flags were burned, goons were given a free hand to do whatever they wanted. As if all this was not enough, RSS managed to provoke its unruly supporters to vandalize the statues of Lenin in various parts of the state. Drawing inspiration from Tripura, RSS-BJP leaders and activists came out giving vent to their anger against Periyar and vandalized his statue in Tamilnadu. The desecration of the statues of historical figures is not to be taken in light vein. Statues represent certain ideals for which those great men lived and struggled. By demolishing such statues the Sangh Parivar is reflecting its bitter animosity against the ideas itself. These attacks on statues of Lenin and Periyar remind the people the happenings that took place in Afghanistan when the Taliban came into power. One of their first targets to demolish was the gigantic statue of Buddha which was

1700 years old in Bamiyan valley, at the foot of Hindu Kush Mountains. Religious fundamentalists of Taliban had no hesitation in setting aflame tens of thousands of valuable books preserved in the Buddhist library. Fascism of all creeds never has (had) any regards for knowledge out of which revolution emerge. Great thinkers and revolutionaries are also born from the womb of knowledge. Burning them into ashes, fascists and fundamentalists are killing down the aspirations of social change, as they are the protagonists of primitive thoughts and deeds. Looking at the happenings in Tripura, Tamilnadu and elsewhere, we can say without any hesitation that RSS is the Taliban of Hindutva creed. It is not surprising that prime minister Narendra Modi kept a cautious vigil on the incidents over the first day. His silence was conspicuous carrying its own meaning. The calculative swayam sevak in Narendra Modi was on evaluation of the situation, whether he will benefit or lose, because of the acts of vandalism. Some of his lieutenants were proactive in justifying the RSS goons. Certain ‘learned’ leaders of the parivar were eager to depict Lenin as a terrorist and they pleaded that there is nothing wrong in dismantling statues of Lenin who is a ‘foreigner’. For them Hitler and Mussolini are always close to their ‘national’ sentiments, unlike Lenin or Marx. One of their celebrated leaders from South exhorted that after Lenin it would be the turn for Periyar to get demolished. BJP spokespersons in TV debates all over the country were aggressively supporting the demolition as if it was something great for the nation. Their body language was telling the

Statues Represent Ideology people that fascism has an arrogant face on such occasions. The governor of Tripura, nominee of RSS whitewashed his Sangh brethren saying that a new government can undo all that the previous government had done. On the second day gauging the public mood Modi came out with an appeal for restrain. The timing and the tone of the appeal shows that it’s only a half hearted one. The Sangh

see the victory of Soviet Union, the land of Lenin. The freedom loving sons and daughters of mother India were upholding an uncompromising antiHitler position, all along those years till fascism was finally defeated. It is natural that RSS, trained in the ideological classrooms of Hitler and his theory of racial hatred, nurtured the

hardcores on the one side supported vandalism but at the same time the prime minister who is a constitutional authority due to obligatory c o m p u l s i o n s disapproved it! It was yet another example of double talk, one of the basic features of fascism. There is no sense in asking Narendra Modi and his fellowmen to study world history, in which the role of Lenin has been highlighted in golden words about how he developed a society where the poor and oppressed became masters of their destiny. The anti colonial freedom movement of India led by Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru was always supporting the cause of great October Socialist Revolution. They were not Marxists but could understand and appreciate Lenin. Sangh Parivar should understand that during the Second World War Indian freedom movement was eager to

politics of destruction and demolition. They are incapable to grasp the greatness of Lenin and the evolution of world history influenced by the ideals of democracy, secularism and socialism. It is exactly because of this that they rushed to demolish the Lenin statues in the name of an electoral victory. It once again revealed how immature and naïve they are. The pluralistic ethos of the country will never forgive them. Same is the case with the enmity towards the statue of Periyar Rama Swamy Naykkar. As the famous Tamil actor Satyaraj stated, ’Periyar is not a mere mortal, he is an ideology”; his ideology with deep roots in Dravidian cultural heritage was a nightmare for caste Hindus. Periyar unleashed many a war against superstitions imposed by Brahminic hierarchy. The teachings of Periyar were strongly in support of the poor and the oppressed in Tamilnadu.

Binoy Viswam

They inspired them to stand up and question the injustice prevailing in the Hindu religion. The self respect movement initiated by him was a sort of renaissance as far as Tamil culture is concerned. BJP which is the political spearhead of Brahminical oppression against dalits and downtrodden, is in fact afraid of Periyar. RSS ideology was always in conflict with the teachings of Periyar including his firm position in support of women empowerment. Hence BJP leaders jumped upon his statue once they got an opportunity. It is nothing but the worst form of communal hooliganism which no civilized society could tolerate. People of India very well know that BJP is the party that is keen to politicize statues according to their shallow whims and fancies. Soon after coming to power they are busy with building a gigantic statue for Sardar Vallabh bhai Patel in Narmada Valley. Its sole purpose is to degrade the greatness of Nehru and blow up the image of Patel. Sangh Parivar has built statues for Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee and others with one or another pretext. They even crave for building statues and temples for none other than Nathuram Godse, the man who killed the Father of Nation. When the very same forces raise their hands to demolish the statues of Lenin and Periyar the country would come in unison to tell an emphatic ‘NO’ to them. The country belongs to crores and crores of people with varied cultural-religious and political faith. Under the cover of a manufactured electoral victory, RSS should not be allowed to undermine the rich and varied heritage of this great Nation. „ New Age Weekly

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March 11—17, 2018

Farewell to Com Prabodh Panda

Beloved Leader Leaves Amidst Tears, Flowers KOLKATA: It was an untimely passing away, and we lost him when days continue to be very difficult. Prabodh Panda, an illuminating personality in the state and country’s political arena, passed away in the early morning of February 27, 2018 at his room in Bhupesh Bhaban, the state CPI headquarter here. Com. Prabodh Panda, secretary of CPI West Bengal state council left Bhupesh Bhaban forever amidst tears and flowers. Not only leaders and followers of CPI from branches to state level but also the leaders of other left parties of state and common people paid their last respects to the departed leader. Apart from left, there were leaders of other parties were also there to pay their respect to Com. Panda. At about 10.15 am, the body of the departed leader was brought to Bhupesh Bhaban from Peace World. People began assembling at Bhupesh Bhaban from 9 am onwards. As soon as the body of Prabodh Panda reached Bhupesh Bhaban, deputy general secretary Gurudas Dasgupta, national council secretaries D Raja, MP, Atul Kumar Anjaan, national executive member, Pallab Sengupta and former state secretary Manju Kumar Majumdar laid the red flag on the body of Prabodh Panda. Gurudas Dasgupta, D Raja, Atul Kumar Anjaan, Pallab Sengupta, state assistant secretary Swapan Banerjii, Manju Kumar Majumdar, Himanshu Das, Kalyan Banerji, Ujjwal Chaudhuri, Ranajit Guha, Prabir New Age Weekly

CPI leaders paying final tributes Deb, Apurba Mandal, Tarun Das, Shyamasri Das, Tapan Ganguli along with other state CPI leaders paid floral tributes to the departed leader. K D Singh, on behalf of Jharkhand Party, Ramkrushna Panda, on behalf of

Odisha party, Ranjit Majumdar, on behalf of Tripura party, Satya Narayan Singh, on behalf of Bihar party paid their respects to the departed leader. Biman Basu, chairman, Left Front, Surya Kanta Mishra, sctate secretary, CPI(M), Ramchandra Dom, Mahammad Salim, MP, Rabin Deb, Sridip Bhattarcharya, Dipak

Subodh Datta Sarkar, Shyamal Chakrabarti, Sujan Chakrabarti of CPI(M), Kshiti Goswami and Manoj Bhattacharya of RSP, Debabrata Biswas

and Naren Chatterji of Forward Bloc, Mihir Bayen and Subhas Ray of RCPI, Prabodh Chandra Sinha and Nazrul Islam of DSP, Saibal Chatterji of Workers’ Party, Anuradha Putatunda of PDS, Kartik Pal and Partha Ghosh of CPI(ML) Liberation and Saumen Basu of SUCI(C) paid floral tribute to Prabodh

Panda. Ajit Kumar Mukherji of AIKS (BBGanguli Street), Tara De and Farzana Chaudhuri of PBMS, Lina Chatterji, Nawal Kishor Sribastab and Arun Chattaraj of AITUC, Subodh Datta of BTEA, Tapas Tripathi of

Joint Committee, Gautam Panda of BPTA, Rajen Nagar and Kamal Bhattacharya of BPBEA, Tapas Sinha of AIYF paid their deep respect to the leader offering flowers. The whole programme was conducted by Amitabha Chakrabarti, general secretary, IPCA. At 12.30 noon, the body of Prabodh Panda was taken to Medinipur where he started his political career joining All India Students Federation. The vehicle carrying the body of Prabodh Panda stopped at Panskura CPI party office where people including chairman of Panskura

Municipality, district leaders of CPI and mass organizations and leaders of other parties paid respect to Prabodh Panda. The body of Prabodh Panda reached his residence where his wife, Madhuri Panda,

son Prasun, daughterin- law Piyali and grand son Pratik paid their respects with tears and flowers. The body was brought to Paschim Medinipur district party office where Chittaranjan Dasthakur, Santosh Rana, Biplab Bhatta, Manaranjan Ghosh, along with other leaders paid floral tributes to the departed leader. The body was cremated at the burning ghat of Shilabati amidst International Song. There were also chants like ‘Long live Comrade Prabodh Panda’, ‘Com. Prabodh Panda Lal Salam’. „

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March 11—17, 2018

Origins of International Women’s Day

When Woman Creates a Home without Walls “It is true that a woman’s day is centered around her home and motherhood but home should mean the whole country and not be confined to three or four rooms of a city or a state”, observed Charlotte Perkins Gilman while addressing a huge crowd in New York on February 28, 1909 when the first national women’s day was observed.

Inspired by the garment workers strike of 1908 in Manhattan, New York where women picketed and marched demanding and finally achieving improved working conditions and in commemoration of this first political activism to protect women’s rights that National Women’s day was first time observed in USA in 1909.

International Women’s Day was born at the turn of the 20th century at a time when common people, for a better life, were engaged in intense struggle leading to a great social turbulence. In the late 19th century, women in the industrial west had entered the factories and office jobs in large numbers but were paid very poorly. They were channeled into gender s e g r e g a t e d manufacturing jobs and domestic services. Trade Unions were developing and although the new unions were not permitting women to join, strikes broke out among sections of women workers.

Renowned German socialists Luise Zietz and Clara Zetkin were inspired by these developments and the role of American socialists in it. They came out with a proposal to observe International Working Women’s Day regularly.

In 1908, a strike of 30,000 garment workers in the US, mainly migrant women, almost shut down the garment industry. It lasted for three months in the severe cold days of November, December and January when these women workers continued to be on the streets facing all kinds of attacks. Ultimately, they won most of the workers demands including the right to organize and bargain collectively and for improved wages and fair working conditions. This struggle has shown their determination, zeal and commitment to fight for their rights.

The proposal was laid in the general meeting of the ‘Socialist International’ in Copenhagen, capital of Denmark in 1910. Delegates, including 100 women from 17 countries, agreed with the proposal to promote equal rights and suffrage for women. Against a backdrop of ambivalence from male unions, women had been organizing for decades. Cap makers, match girls and laundresses had all picketed at the turn of the 20th century and as Zetkin and Zietz made their proposal, the “uprising of the 20,000” was drawing worldwide attention. It was under these stimulating events that the context for the decision to organize International

Dr Vijaylakshmi Women’s Day was prepared. The present day events try to make one forget that IWD has a radical socialist history of women determinedly marching for their rights and once it even helped spark a revolution. It was on March 19, 1911, that International working women’s Day was observed for the first time in Germany, Austria, Denmark and Switzerland. Over one million men and women participated in rallies demanding right to vote, to hold public office, to vocational training and to end discrimination on job. This was on the day

of the 40th anniversary of the Paris commune, to publicize the need for women’s rights and suffrage. A million leaflets calling for votes for women were distributed throughout Germany on the day. In Vienna Women marched around the Ringtrasse, carrying banners including red flags commemorating the Commune’s martyrs and demonstrating in favour of female suffrage. Throughout the Austro- Hungarian empire, there were 300 separate women’s’ demonstrations. Similar protest struggles were carried on in different countries, but the most dramatic celebration of IWD was in 1917 in

Russia. The women’s main complaints were about the deteriorating living conditions as the First World War was getting dragged on. When the workers were locked out of the Putilov armaments plant on March 7 – February 23 on a Gregorian calendar, woman took to the streets demanding an end to the war and poverty. They demanded “Bread and Roses (meaning peace and life with dignity)”. This march led to a series of food riots, political strikes and demonstrations. Two days later the Tsar abdicated and the February Revolution began. As the massive struggles were launched by women, they were absorbed into the mainstream in the Soviet Union in 1917 and were given the voting right. Along with that March 8 was declared as International Women’s Day and a national holiday. Later, slowly in many other countries women’s voting right was attained and women’s struggles took different modes. Soon, observing International Women’s Day became more of a celebration of past successes, rather than an opportunity to organize beyond. The growing international women’s movement which has been mostly promoted and strengthened by international women’s organizations like WIDF (women’s International Democratic Federation) has assumed a new global dimension for women in developed and developing countries alike. The day was recognized by United Nations and since 1975, it has been observed every year, helping to

make the commemoration a rallying point to build support for women’s rights and ensuring their participation in the political and economic arenas. Though the UN and other governmental organizations may consider the day as a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women, who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities, the men and woman in the social movements should realize that it is to be remembered also as inspiration to launch struggles to achieve the rights and to promote them further. It is not for the individual achievements, but for the equal rights of both the genders in any society. It is a welcoming feature that the UN has announced the theme for the International Women’s Day, 2018 as “Time is Now: Rural and Urban activists transforming women’s lives”. This comes at a juncture when the global movement for women’s rights, equality and justice is on its heels. Let everyone join hands to transform the momentum into action, to empower women in all spheres, rural and urban and to celebrate the activists who are working relentlessly to claim women’s rights and realize their full potential. The message of the UN Secretary General on this event is also very apt, which reads: ‘Achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls is the unfinished business of our time and On Page 12 New Age Weekly

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March 11—17, 2018

International Women’s Day, 2018

It is Time for Revolution: Now and Always

M

arch 8 is the day of h i s t o r i c significance, for the women of the world in the Southern hemisphere as well as in the Northern; a day of historic significance for the women of all regions, religions, colour, race, ethnicity. It is the International Women’s Day when the world pays its tributes to the militant women workers who had stepped out in rebellion against the exploitative system. Notwithstanding the distinctly qualifying class orientation, its socialist origins and militant character, it is a dichotomy that in the 21st century, International Women’s Day is celebrated globally, even by the capitalist class. United Nations is prompt in giving out catchy slogans to reflect on progress made (!), to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their respective countries and communities. Theme of the UN for the year 2018 is, “Time is Now: Rural and urban activists transforming women’s lives”. All sound too heartening indeed. But the aim of UN declaring themes for International Women’s Day and the imperialist powers greeting women of the world is nothing but an imperialist appropriation with a design to take away the working class history connected with it. With this borne in mind shall we ask, after more than 100 years since the registered rebellion, are women equal to their male counterparts? A big and emphatic NO is the answer. The inequality between men and women would take 100 years to close at its current rate, revealed the World Economic Forum reveals and adds that women have to wait for 217 years before they earn as much as men and are equally represented in the workplace. In the background of such a dismal reality isn’t the hoopla and ballyhoo so deceitful? Despite the fact that women have made strides into the erstwhile male bastions New Age Weekly

why are they pushed to endure the disparity in the economic, political and social spheres for two more centuries? The suggestions and reports emanate from the desks of the capitalists’ office rooms, so much pruned should they be. Reported estimates may even be understatements, but are like the proverbial liver sausage that should make the women burst out with anger and indignation. Seething anger at the exploitative world order shall ignite the indignation into flames to burn down the capitalist world order and usher in an era of socialism where alone women’s equality is assured. To ignite the flame of revolution is the firm resolve of women on the International Women’s Day 2018. Not just the year 2018, the present era of neo liberalism and its inhuman onslaught attaches unique significance to this period. Every year we also make it a point to dedicate our writing and oratorical excellence to celebrate the militant women soldiers who had sown the seeds of revolution. But the history beckons us with more urgency now. Now is the time when the women workers of the world prepare for the transition to socialism hitting back at the regressions of barbaric capitalism. For, women workers are almost at the nadir, at the depths of despair caused by the brutality of capitalism. For we do not believe in the wandering charlatans offering curative potions, we are no charmers neither do we possess clairvoyant vision. We are women of the working class. We shall be the spark of a revolution and we shall be the engines that drive it. Now is the time for the spark to ignite. Just as in the 18th century, when women workers had risen against the exploitations of the early industrial capitalism, now is the time to take up the cudgels against the more barbaric system that boils in the cauldrons of neo liberalism. The hardnosed and pernicious neo liberal capitalism is no less brutal than the early industrial

capitalism. The theory of neo liberalism, claiming mainly an unregulated capitalist system recommends dismantling of all the remains of a welfare state. Neo liberal economic world order is alien to the very idea of justice. Neoliberalism, the dominant and political trend, in its pursuit to maximize profits intensifies pauperization of the working class through its blatant denial of legal rights. Wielding political influence over nation states, the global finance capital influences the industrial and labour policies which in practice result in the denial of the constitutional commitments and privileges. While capitalism thrives in inequality, neo liberal philosophy ferments the divides and widens the gulf. Thus intensifies the worst form of gender disparity, impoverishing women into the verge of slavery within the class which is already marginalized to the rims of deprivation. It is not to mean in simple terms that capitalism or neo liberalism affect women more. It is the deeper philosophy of creating ‘power structures’ within the society that perpetuates gender bias and the deep rooted patriarchal ideology. The system feeds on gender discrimination and effectively uses the traditional patriarchal values to demean and exploit women further. To quell and crush the mass resistance of women workers, capitalist class manipulates cultural conservatism and solidifies its dominance even over the society. Under patriarchy, attempts of women to politicize and resist are crushed. Women have fought this capitalist suppression combusting the flame of freedom from the chimneys of the factories, spewing the rage from the wheels of the mills and even from the hearths of the household. Now after more than a century, when the world working class is at the verge of insurrection, there are workers uprisings where women take the lead role. Capitalist world order is in deep crisis. Though it has the

Vahidha Nizam powerful wherewithal to resurrect itself, the crisis of the current period has put capitalism into tumultuous disarray. Working class protests and struggles are increasing. The time is ripe for the working class to prepare for a revolution to overthrow capitalism. Women workers should prepare for the war pat as they have always done. History is replete with revolutionary women who have initiated the spark of rebellion. Even before 1000 AD, women warriors have wielded swords against the male combatants. From the women warriors like Joan of Arc, the maid of Orleans, Harriet Tubman who led slaves to freedom, Veeramangai Velu Nachiar, the first Indian queen to fight the British colonial powers through the revolutionaries such as Madam Bhikaiji Cama, who had the guts to hoist the Indian National Flag in Struttgrad, Rosa Luxemburg the German revolutionary, Clara Zetkin who had proclaimed the International Women’s Day, Alexandra Kollantai, the Russian revolutionary and millions of the unsung heroic women revolutionaries to the rebellious women of the present day such as those who led the Jayuya army in Puerto Rico, the Zapatista army of National Liberation of Ciapas, Mexico to the latest Asma Mahfooz who led the Egyptian uprising and the largest multitude of militant women have made their indelible mark in the human history revolting against oppression and injustice. Women were a powerful presence in the Midland Revolt of the 17th century England about which William Shakespeare has made a mention in his play. It was the revolt against the land enclosures initiated by women. When the failed harvest had hit women and children hard with famine and despondency, women started to revolt against the land enclosures of the feudal lords. The revolt spread to the other parts of England

9

March 11—17, 2018 against land enclosures. “Bread, bread”, the vociferous slogans by the nearly 7000 French women to the Palace of Versailles in October 1789 was a decisive moment in the struggles that brought down the power of the French Monarchy. The women who initiated the march were called “Mothers of the Nation”. Importantly, the march wasn’t only a turning point for the Republicans, but also was crucial that had rung the alarms for gender equality. Women led the attacks on the factories in the Luddite movement, (which gave birth to the expression luddite to mean anyone who hates new technology) which emerged during the harsh economic climate of the Napoleonic Wars, which saw a rise of difficult working conditions in the new textile factories. Luddites objected primarily to the rising popularity of automated textile equipment, threatening the jobs and livelihoods. Two sisters Mary and Lydia led the attacks on a factory in Bolton on April 24, 1812 and destroyed the factory. French women took to the streets in a militant vigor in 1871 during the Paris Commune, a radical experiment that lasted for 72 days. In stark contrast to the supposed fragility of women, the militant anarchist and feminist, Nathalie Lemel called women to militant action during the Commune: “We have come to the supreme moment, when we must be able to die for our Nation. No more weakness! No more uncertainty! All women to arms! All women to duty! Versailles must be wiped out!” was the exhortation of Nathalie Lemel that saw women surging out in militant rage. The Great October Socialist Revolution was sparked by the Women workers of Russia. It was in October 1917 when women factory workers in St Petersburg marched to see Lenin in the Smolny Palace where he worked, and asked him to “Take power, Comrade Lenin, that is what we working women want.” Lenin had famously said, “It is not I, but you - the workers - who must take power. Return to your factories and tell the workers that”.

Working women of the Soviet Union never failed the trust of Com Lenin. From the beginning of the February strikes, political slogans against the war were woven into the protests, with audacity and determination of the women workers. They realized that at the root of their problems, was the absence of the workers’ unity, and the need for organizing the soldiers in support of the revolt. Women workers of the Soviets made all round contribution in the revolution. Women tram workers having the clear grasp of the necessity to enroll the support of the armed soldiers in the revolt convinced the soldiers guarding the tram depots to join them in the revolt. Trams were overturned to be used as barricades against police.

After the February revolution, women’s disillusionment with the provisional government led to further strikes, again led by women. Some forty thousand women laundry workers, members of a union led by the Bolshevik Sofia Goncharskaia, struck work for more pay, an eight-hour day, and improved working conditions: better hygiene at work, maternity benefits and an end to sexual harassment. As historians Jane McDermid and Anna Hillyer describe: “With other female activists from the union, Goncharskaia had gone from one laundry to another persuading the women to join the strike. They would fill buckets with cold water to douse the ovens. In one laundry, the owner attacked Goncharskaia with a crowbar; she was saved by the laundresses grabbing him from behind”. In

August,

faced

with

General Kornilov’s attempts to crush the revolution, women rallied to the defense of Petrograd, building barricades and organizing medical aid; in October, women in the Bolshevik party were involved in providing medical aid and crucial communications between localities, some had the responsibility for coordinating the rising in different areas of Petrograd, and there were women members of the Red Guard. McDermid and Hillyer describe another Bolshevik woman’s involvement in the decisive moments of October: “The tram conductor, A.E. Rodionova, had hidden 42 rifles and other weapons in her depot when the Provisional government had tried to disarm the workers after the July days. In October, she was

responsible for making sure that two trams with machine guns left the depot for the storming of the Winter Palace. She had to ensure that the tram service operated during the night of 25 to 26 October, to assist the seizure of power, and to check the Red Guard posts throughout the city”. For the working-class and peasant women, questions of oppression and equality were not posed in the abstract, but emerged concretely from the process of fighting to improve their lives and those of their men and children. Those who became overtly political and more confident became members of the Bolshevik Party. The unflinching contribution of women workers in initiating the revolutionary zeal in the soldiers cannot but be recorded better than Trotsky himself as, “A great role is played by women workers in relationship between workers and soldiers. They go up to the cordons more

boldly than men, take hold of the rifles, beseech, almost command: “Put down your bayonets – join us.” The soldiers are excited, ashamed, exchange anxious glances, waver; someone makes up his mind first, and the bayonets rise guiltily above the shoulders of the advancing crowd”. Regression of capitalist barbarism and the military aggression of the imperialist powers have made the world into a heap of miseries. Poverty, terrorism, racism, refugee crisis, war all at once inflict untold miseries on the women and children. Capitalism is destined to be overthrown by the working class. Women workers have a decisive role to play. Now is the time to prepare ourselves politically and ideologically. V I Lenin has emphatically insisted on the role of women workers in any transformation process as, “there can be no real mass movement without the women….we cannot exercise the dictatorship of the proletariat without having millions of women on our side. Nor can we engage in communist construction without them. We must find a way to reach…the mass of women who feel exploited, enslaved and crushed by the domination of the men….bourgeois society is unable to provide a satisfactory answer to their questions. Only communism can do it. We must rouse the consciousness of the broad masses of women in the capitalist countries” There is no alternative. There are no shortcuts. For us the theme of the International working Women’s Day should be, “The time is now to prepare for a revolution”. An insight into the Russian Revolution and the resultant Socialist state that had chalked out policies to empower and emancipate women demonstrates that more than anything the struggle for socialism is central to women’s liberation. Therefore, in the overthrow of capitalism, in socialism lies the answer for the women’s question. It is the working class struggle that only can achieve it. We should start preparing for the transformation now. „ New Age Weekly

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March 11—17, 2018

Republics for Kshatriyas In his article, ‘Denying Nehru his due,’ Ashutosh Varshney (IE, February 14) has rightly contested the assertion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that democracy is integral to the Indian nation and that there are many examples of its rich democratic traditions dating back to centuries. Modi’s braggadocio is inspired by the obsolete ideas of the historians who frequently spoke of ancient Indian “republican” polities before Independence as part of their project to unduly glorify ancient India and to explode the colonial myth of Indian despotism. These polities existed in the Indus basin where they were survivors of the early Vedic tribes, and in the Himalayan foothills in eastern Uttar Pradesh or Bihar, where, inspired by the tradition of a varna-less

Prof D N Jha egalitarian society unoppressed by the hereditary monarchies in the remote past, they emerged as a reaction to the steadily growing Vedic orthodoxy. This is borne out by the legendary account of the origin of the Shakyas, the tribe to which Gautama Buddha belonged. They are said to have descended from the Koshalan royal family which expelled its members — four brothers and four sisters — who went to the subHimalayan region where they married among themselves so as to maintain their purity of blood. The founders of the so-called republics broke away from their parent stock and moved to new areas. This may have been the case with Videha and Vaishali, which were monarchies transformed into

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“republics”. The chief feature of the “republican” governments was their public assembly (santhagara) attended by the representatives of the tribes and the heads of the families and presided over by one of the representatives called the raja or senapati. All important issues were placed before and discussed by the assembly where decisions were taken unanimously. This has given rise to the much trumpeted notion of a republican tradition of ancient India and may have been the basis of PM Modi’s boastful statement. But knowledge of history has never been a strong point of the RSS from whose ranks Modi has risen to become the prime minister. Had he any familiarity with ancient Indian history he would have known that the tribal assembly

(santhagara) was dominated by oligarchs and that nonKshatriyas, slaves and wage earners had no place in it. Members of the assembly bore the title raja or king; in the case of the Licchavis 7,707 rajas, all Kshatriyas, sat in the assembly and the head of their state was a senapati, the term denoting commander in a monarchy. Far from being a democracy, the Licchavi state was an oligarchy. Further, the strict control exercised by the “republican” states through executive edicts and legislation exposes their undemocratic character. When, for instance, the Buddha visited the city of Pava, the Mallas, another c o n t e m p o r a r y “republican” tribe issued a decree that a general welcome should be accorded to him and any defaulter would have to pay a heavy fine. According to a Buddhist Jataka story there was

a ban among the Shakyas on the marriage of girls even with a king of supposedly low status. The gana of Vaishali formulated a rule which related to the marriage of girls in different wards of the city. Similarly, inter-dining among the people of unequal birth was also prohibited. Rules such as these were no better than those evolved by the Brahmin authors of the Dharmasutras. A closer scrutiny, for which there is no space here, would show that the governments of the Licchavis, Shakyas and Mallas possessed all the paraphernalia of a monarchical state. One would expect that the prime minister of the largest democracy in the world is better informed about the country’s past before articulating his effete and obsolete ideas and misleading the people of the country. (The writer is former professor and Chair, Department of History, University of Delhi)

ADEH Questions Removal of NPPA Chief Alliance of doctors for ethical healthcare (ADEH) has questioned the motive behind shifting National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) chairman Bhupendra Singh, out of NPPA, who capped the exorbitant price of coronary stents and exposed ruthless profiteering by the private hospitals. ADEH has applauded the great role Bhupendra Singh played in exposing the true colours of private healthcare in India and especially of the corporate hospitals. The very fact that government moved Bhupender Singh so urgently before completion of his term without even filling his post raises skepticism about the intention of the government and ADEH suspects that the government has succumbed to the pressure of the corporate hospitals and pharma lobby. ADEH fears that this transfer will seriously jeopardise the measures initiated by NPPA under Bhupinder

Singh’s leadership to curb unethical profiteering. During his term, Singh has taken many corrective steps to ensure affordability of medicines and medical devices including stents, knee implants for the millions of poor patients. It seems that this has pinched the pharma industry as well as device industry in a hard way. NPPA also exposed of high margins charged by private hospitals to the level of 1192 percent. ADEH suspects that the uproar this fact finding has created in media must have been a reason behind Bhupender Singh’s removal. ADEH fears that the transfer will affect the momentum gained in curbing exorbitant prices of drugs and devises and hence is against the interest of general public and millions of poor patients. ADEH appeals to the government not to succumb to the pressures from hospital and pharma lobbies and revoke the order at the earliest.

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March 11—17, 2018

Services PMI Falls to 6-Month Low in February

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espite the tall claims and highly publicised claims on high growth of all sectors, the ground reality is that things are not encouraging. Our economy according to experts is in a distress state and with deepening rural crisis it is only set to worsen further. The government, however, is not ready to accept the fact and is going ahead with selling of natural assets to domestic corporate houses and multinational corporations, which will have a long standing devastating impact on the national economy. Services, the dominating sector of the economy, contracted to a six-month low in February, as new work orders suffered amid weak demand, showed the widely tracked Nikkei Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) survey. This is the fourth contraction this financial year (2017-18) says a report Business Standard (March 6, 2018). The PMI for services fell from 51.7 in January to 47.8 in February, lowest since August. The index slipped below the 50point mark, which separates expansion from contraction. It stood at 48.5 in November last year. PMI had fallen to 47.5 and 45.9 in August and July, 2017, because of adjustments after the goods and services tax (GST) roll-out. In the second quarter (JulySeptember), PMI services declined in July and August. PMI manufacturing also declined in July. But GDP for the quarter grew 6.3 per cent. In the first quarter (April-June), GDP growth was only 5.7 per cent — though there was no contraction in PMI. Experts are of the opinion that poor underlying demand affected activity. “Both activity and new work declined for the first time since November, with rates of contraction being strongest since August, thereby ending the recent recovery experienced by India’s service sector,” said Aashna Dodhia author of the report. However, firms seemed confident of output growth over the next 12 months. The seasonally adjusted Nikkei India Composite PMI Output Index, which maps both the manufacturing as well as services industry, fell from 52.5 in January to 49.7 in February. On the price front, input cost inflation accelerated to the strongest since November, while charges were raised to the greatest extent since July. An imminent risk to firms’ margins are higher fuel prices, which materialised into the fastest input cost inflation in the overall economy (manufacturing and services) since July 2014, Dodhia said.

CAG Unearths Rampant Rajasthan Illegal Mining Disrespect to court orders and directives as well as violation of accepted norms are becoming the order of the day,

especially in states ruled by BJP. The latest is total boost to illegal mining in the BJPruled Rajastan, says a report. Violating Supreme Court’s orders against mining in the Aravali mountain range, the mines department granted, renewed and extended leases, said the CAG report for 2017. The report of the Comptroller and Auditor General tabled in the state assembly showed that the ministry of environment and forest granted environment clearance for mining leases though the areas were part of the Aravali hills, say reports. About 98.87 lakh tonnes of minerals worth Rs. 204.5 crore were illegally excavated in five districts of Rajasthan between 2011-12 and 2016-17. The mining not only violated rules and regulations but also flouted the Supreme Court’s direction to stop degradation of environment in the State’s Aravalli hills. The report said environmental issues related to mining were not given attention by the department and Rajasthan State Pollution Board. The inspection report of

the department did not focus on environmental issues. The CAG report said that of the 136 leases selected by mining engineers, ’the pollution board inspected only 38 between 2010 and 2017. As many as 136 leaseholders have not submitted reports, and 118 had not submitted the annual environment statements. CAG observed that illegal mining activities were rampant in the state and there were inadequacies in preventing illegal mining. “There was lack of deterrence due to delay in issue of notices raising demand and recovery of the penal amount from illegal miners. Also, there was slackness in implementing policy measures to curb illegal mining.” The inspections revealed deficiencies in fulfilling environmental conditions relating to topsoil, overburden dumps, plantation, construction of garland drain, air pollution control measures, noise pollution control , reclamation and rehabilitation measures, said the CAG report. Mandatory financial assurance amount was not reportedly recovered from four leaseholders who were operating the mines and 20 leaseholders whose leases were cancelled or surrendered. The deposited lease amount of 20 leaseholders could not be spent in the absence of clear directions. Only 25.81 per cent of the environment and health cess was spent during 20112017, the report said. The

department

also

collected

environment management fund of Rs 295.03 crore, which was not utilised in absence of any guidelines.

Factory PMI Slows To Four-Month Low Growth in India’s factory activity slowed to a four-month low in February as new orders eased and weighed on output after manufacturers raised prices at the fastest pace in a year, a business survey showed. That suggests retail inflation could continue to pick up over coming months, pressuring the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to raise interest rates despite concerns that tighter policy could weigh on economic growth. As predicted the banks have already started raising the interest rates on loans. The Nikkei Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index, compiled by IHS Markit, fell to 52.1 in February from January’s 52.4 and was below the 52.8 expected in a Reuters poll. But it held above the 50 mark that separates growth from contraction for the seventh consecutive month. The minutes of the February RBI meeting released last week showed policymakers were increasingly worried about accelerating inflation. “The economic recovery is also at a nascent stage and calls for a cautious approach at this juncture,” RBI Governor Urijit Patel was quoted as saying. While retail inflation eased in January from a 17-month high in the prior month, price rises are still above the RBI’s medium-term target of four per cent on rising energy costs and expectations for an increase in rural spending by the government. The latest PMI data suggests risks for inflation remain on the upside. Amid a stronger oil price forecast and growing fiscal risks, IHS Markit upgraded its CPI forecast to 5.2 per cent for fiscal year 2017/2018. The new orders subindex, an indicator of domestic and export demand, fell to 52.3, the lowest since October. That is well below the long-run mean average of 57.1 for orders and marked the second consecutive month it has fallen. Export order growth, while pulling back slightly, was still solid. While firms remained quite optimistic about future output, the survey’s findings suggested the world’s seventh-largest economy has not completely overcome the disruptions to demand from a ban of high-value currency notes in November 2016 and the implementation of a goods and services tax (GST) on July 1. Although companies raised hiring at a modest pace in February in response to greater production requirements, optimism about future output slipped to three-month low. New Age Weekly

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March 11—17, 2018

CPI KERALA STATE CONFERENCE.... From Front Page The delegate session completed the discussion on draft political and organisational resolutions on first day itself. On March 2, 2018, at Comrade Chandrasekharan Nair Nagar, the delegates welcomed the suggestion of building a broader platform of secular and democratic parties to fight the BJP and Sangh Parivar at all levels. The discussions revealed that all the speakers representing the 14 districts and other mass organisations were unanimous in their views on international, national and state issues. This shows that the party is totally united. After the delegate session, a seminar on ‘Left expectations and possibilities’ was organised. It was inaugurated by Pinarayi Vijayan, chief minister of Kerala and presided

over by Kanam Rajendran, secretary, CPI Kerala state council. Vijayan was of the view that by joining hands with Congress, the Left will lose its credibility in fighting BJP. Kanam Rajendran during his presidential address stated that there is nothing wrong in accepting the help of other parties in defeating the main enemy and the Left should not let down the people who had reposed faith in it and India is not made up of Kerala alone. M P Veerendra Kumar, A K Saseendran, minister for transport, Kadannappally Ramachandran, minister for ports and K Krishnankutty, MLA, participated in the seminar. In the evening a seminar on ‘Issues of minorities’ was inaugurated by K T Jaleel, minister for local self-government. Ram

Origins of International... From Page 7 the greatest human rights challenge in our world.’ Here, what we need to remember is that whatever may be the activism, rural or urban, political, economical or social, there has to be a focal point of convergence. This has to be recognized as the fight for human rights. Women rights are Human rights. This is only a broad mention of a few of the great women’s movements that paved the way for the observation of International Women’s Day worldwide. There have been numerous other women leaders and women’s movements that all deserve attention and they have much to teach the women’s movements of today. Every movement launched by women is inspired by the heroic struggles fought by the stalwarts who have made history. Also must be remembered those faceless women who too have contributed to the struggles but have been lost in the pages of history. It is the responsibility of every woman today to pay homage to the great movements and its participants by standing up for the values of the movements and marching forward together to achieve a truly better world. „ New Age Weekly

Puniyani, Dr Fazal Gafur, Prof A P Abdul Wahab participated. The seminar was presided over by A P Ahammed. It was followed by a music concert. On the third day, the delegate session continued in Com E Chandrasekharan Nair Nagar and the delegates expressed their views. They were all unanimous in their views regarding the improvement to be made in the performance of the Left Democratic Front government in Kerala. While briefing media persons, organising committee chairman K P Rajendran expressed the concerns raised by the delegates and stressed on the need for more intervention of the party in cultural, environment and health care sectors. Kanam Rajendran, in his reply stated that the issues raised by the delegates will be given due consideration. He also stated that the party membership in the state has considerably increased. In the evening a meeting was organised at Koladi Govindan Kutty Nagar inaugurated by Medha Patkar, the icon of Indian resistance against global corporates. P Prasad, state executive member of the party presided over the function. Abhay Sahu the great leader of the tribal resistance to POSCO in Odisha and Kanhaiya Kumar, the symbol of students struggle, addressed the gathering. Mahesh Kakkath, secretary, AIYF, Adv P Vasantham, general secretary, Kerala Mahila Sangham, Subhash Sudhakaran, secretary, AISF also participated in the meeting. The third day came to an end with the cultural programme of IPTA.

On March 4, during the morning session at Com E Chandrasekharan Nair Nagar, K E Ismail, national executive member of the party addressed the delegates, after which the delegates elected the Party Congress delegates and state council members. A 96 member state council with an additional 10 candidate members and a 9-member State Control Commission was elected. Among them 25 are new members. The newly elected state council unanimously reelected Kanam Rajendran as the secretary of the CPI Kerala State Council. Kanam Rajendran who entered public life through AISF later became the state secretary of AIYF in the year 1970. At the age of 25 he was the youngest member in the CPI State Council in 1970. He represented Vazhoor constituency in Kerala Assembly twice. In the evening Malappuram Town witnessed the Red Volunteers march which turned the city into a red sea. Sudhakar Reddy, party national council secretary D Raja and Kanam Rajendran led the march to Com K Damodaran Nagar, the venue of the public meeting. Sudhakar Reddy inaugurated the public meeting and Kanam Rajendran presided over the function. D Raja and Annie Raja, national executive member, addressed the public meeting. Panniyan Ravindran, national council secretary, national executive members, K E Ismail, Binoy Viswam, reception committee chairman K P Rajendran p a r t i c i p a t e d . Malappuram district council secretary and reception committee convenor P P Suneer

welcomed the gathering and C S Noushad conveyed vote of thanks. In spite of the summer heat thousands of comrades and general public attended the public meeting. Inaugurating the meeting Sudhakar Reddy said that the Modi government has become a liability to the common people of the country and communalism in the country has reached unprecedented levels. A broad democratic front should be organised to resist the fascist onslaught of BJP and Sangh Parivar. Kanam Rajendran in his presidential speech said that CPI is the movement which always took honest political stands and all party comrades should stand with the struggles for the betterment of the life of women, children and the downtrodden masses. The CPI Kerala state conference held from February 28 to March 4, 2018 at Malappuram was a great success. The organising committee under the chairmanship of K P Rajendran and the convenership of P P Suneer, district secretary Malappuram and the comrades in Malappuram did a commendable job in organising the conference. Utilising the limited resources available for the party the reception committee was able to organise a conference in a commendable manner, providing excellent facilities for all delegates. The food supplied in the conference was a tasty treat. Moreover the manner in which the organising committee treated the delegates sets an example. The discipline and dignity of the comrades who participated in the conference is also commendable.„

13

March 11—17, 2018

Iraqi Communists, Shia Sadrists Unite Against Corruption, Sectarianism

I

t is perhaps the most unlikely of political alliances, even for a country where electoral rules encourage strange bedfellows. As Iraq prepares for its first post-Islamic State elections, the Communists have thrown their lot in with the Shia conservatives of Muqtada al-Sadr and the result, they promise, is not as bizarre as it may first appear. Although the pairing of religious conservatives in Sadr’s party and the ultra-secular Marxist-Leninists of the Iraqi Communist Party has raised many eyebrows - not least internally - both argue they ultimately draw support from the same social base: the poor, working class and those angry at the rampant cronyism and mismanagement which have seen the country ranked 11th most corrupt in the world by Transparency International. Both maintain headquarters in the eponymous Sadr City, the highly impoverished and frequently attacked district of Baghdad. And both say they are fighting - politically speaking - for the same future for its three million residents, and the millions of Iraqs beyond. Salam Ali, a member of the Iraqi Communist Party’s central committee, told Middle East Eye that the coalition, named the “Sairoun Alliance”, could have a major effect on the nature of Iraqi politics. It is a very important development politically in Iraq and, if successful - and that’s a big if because the challenge is great - it will have an impact on politics in the region as well. The alliance has grown out of on-going street protests largely beginning in August 2015 targeting systemic corruption and advocating political reform. These have seen secular activists, under the banner of the Civic Movement, gathering alongside largely Shia Islamists in common cause. Despite the surprise at the announcement of the coalition, after the communists broke from the secular Civil Democratic Alliancecoalition, Ali said the relationship had been building since 2015. It’s not a sudden change. It is built on cooperation, coordination between this broad civil democratic movement, the protest movement and the Sadrist movement. He said that it created “a greater climate for open campaigning and to be able to reach out to areas in Baghdad, in the provinces as well, where our party and the other civil democratic forces could not campaign as effectively as it is possible now.” “Now there are examples of coordination with Sadrists in these areas, with young people - now they can coordinate on issues, local issues, like services, the provinicial council, elements of corruption here and there,” he said. In addition, the Communist Party has long championed itself as the one genuinely non-sectarian party in Iraq. This has made Sadr’s recent public attempts to cross the sectarian divide and support

a unified Iraqi identity another point of common interest. He said that it was possible that, if successful in elections, a “new political map of coalitions” could be formed in Iraq, with further alliances between left-wing forces and what he described as “enlightened, moderate Islamists”. Sadr himself hit back at criticism of the alliance in January, stressing that he was committed to reform and calling for technocrats in place of corrupt ministry officials. “If we enter into an alliance with the Shia, people say it is a sectarian alliance. And if we enter an alliance with the Sunnis, people accuse me of Wahhabism, Baathism or loyalty to Saudi Arabia. If we enter into an alliance with the civil society stream, they say we are Communists.” “When we enter into an alliance with parties close to Iran, they accuse us of being Iranian loyalists and when we get closer to Arab parties, they say we are secret agents for them.” At one point the Iraqi Communist party was the largest of its kind in the Middle East and in the 1950s and 1960s exerted a lot of influence on Iraqi politics. Following Saddam’s removal after the 2003 invasion (opposed by the Communist Party), the party enjoyed something of a resurgence and although it never regained the influence it previously enjoyed, it is

still a presence in Iraqi politics in a way that other Middle Eastern communist parties could only envy. Despite this, the party still maintains a level of discretion - the internal party structure and membership is secretive. The longstanding perception of communists as atheists and their public criticism of well-connected business interests has made life very difficult in a highly religious and highly corrupt landscape, and the party has had to endure repeated attacks on its offices and the murder of its leaders. Last year, seven anti-corruption activists with the Civic Movement (a number Communist party members) were kidnapped by unknown gunmen.

Italy’s populist parties ahead in election, but will they rule? It followed the so-called “first republic” of the post-war generation, in which Christian Democrats anchored government after short-lived coalitions, cobbled together with the aim of keeping what was then Western Europe’s largest communist party out of power. Italy’s voters have spoken, and the populists ruled the day. But whether these euroskeptics can put aside their distrust and rivalries to rule together was the big question as the nation embarked on a new era following a quarter-century of largely

predictable coalition-formula politics. More than half the ballots cast went to two populist forces that knew how to read the angry mood in a country where the brightest youths must go abroad to find decent careers and where hundreds of thousands of migrants were essentially marooned when many European Union partners slammed the door on these asylum-seekers rescued at sea. The math added up to big dilemma, though. Because no party or coalition captured enough seats to rule alone, and because the populists went into the election as sharp rivals despite their similar “Italy, first,” stances, it was unclear if a government with the potential to last could be forged to tackle Italy’s pressing economic and social problems. Emerging on top — and the pick of nearly a third of those who cast ballots — was the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, founded in 2009 by comic Beppe Grillo and the largest opposition force in the just-ended legislature. The other main player in maneuvers to try to form a government is the antiimmigrant League, led by Matteo Salvini, which expanded beyond its northern base to outpoll the conservative Forza Italia, the party created in the mid-1990s by Silvio Berlusconi. That system had been dubbed the “second republic.” It followed the so-called “first republic” of the post-war generation, in which Christian Democrats anchored government after short-lived coalitions, cobbled together with the aim of keeping what was then Western Europe’s largest communist party out of power. That system crumbled in the early 1990s amid corruption scandals that swept away virtually an entire political class.

U.S. trying to interfere in Russian presidential election The Russian Foreign Ministry is monitoring Washington’s attempts to meddle in the upcoming presidential election, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. The U.S. attempts to interfere in our internal affairs have been particularly active over the recent years during campaign and elections for the president and the State Duma (lower house of parliament) according to Ryabkov said at a parliamentary meeting. He added, the other competent departments are dealing with the issue together with the foreign ministry. In addition he said that the United States interfered in other countries’ internal affairs over the past two decades which has caused chaos, wars and collapse of countries. On the same day, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the United States has a “rich tradition” of meddling in other countries’ internal affairs, including in Russia. Russia will hold its once-in-six-years presidential election on March 18. President Vladimir Putin seeks a second consecutive term and fourth term overall. New Age Weekly

14

March 11—17, 2018

Sanchar Bhavan March by BSNL Employees

Thousands Join Protest Demanding Pay Revision To demand immediate pay revision for more than two lakh employees of BSNL and executives with effect from January 1, 2017, all unions and associations of BSNL jointly held a massive march to Sanchar Bhavan, The headquarters of Department of Telecommunications in New Delhi on February 23, 2018 from Eastern Court premises of BSNL More than 5000 employees/ executives of BSNL from all over the country took part in it . The march was preceded by a powerful rally which was addressed by several central trade union leaders including Vidyasagar Giridhar (AITUC) and Tapan Sen ( CITU). In December, 2017, the employees and executives of BSNL unitedly conducted two days nation wide strike demanding immediate pay revision. The management/ government of India are refusing to extend the benefits of 15 percent pay hike as decided by the Central Cabinet to this PSU on the spacious plea that BSNL is not running on profit consecutively for the past three years. Hence the Unions and Associations of BSNL again began agitation from January 30, 2018, throughout the country by means of Work to Rule agitation. As a part of this the Sanchar Bhavan March was organised on February 23, 2018.„

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Four Ambedkar statues .... From Page 3 Council of the Communist Party of India R. Mutharasan issued on March 7, 2018 the following statement decrying desecration of the statue of Periyar at Thiruppattur, in Vellore district: Two persons were arrested for vandalising the Periyar’s statue at Thiruppattur, Vellore District. There are reports in some media, that one of them Francis belongs to the CPI. We firmly state that Francis is not a member of the CPI and has no connection with the party at all. The CPI condemns the barbaric attack organised and induced by the BJP. We call upon our party units to co-ordinate and co-operate with other parties and organisations who condemn this act and hold demonstrations all over Tamilnadu.„

15

March 11—17, 2018

Comrade B Sharma is no More IMPHAL: CPI leader comrade Brajabashimayum Shyamkishore, popularly known as B. Sharma breathed his last after a short illness in the midnight of the first March at his residence, Khongman Mangjil Awang in Imphal East. He had suffered massive cardiac arrest. He was 83 years, and survived by wife Tilotama and three sons. Veteran CPI leader comrade Brajabashimayum Shyamkishore, was born on September 22, 1935 in a poor family in Elangbem Leikai, Imphal West. In his younger days he was attracted towards the socialist party and latter joined CPI. He was brought to the party by the late popular communist leader Thokchom Bira and left his teaching profession to become whole-timer of the party. With immense dedication and sacrifice he did his best for building the communist party in the state. He was very simple and easily accessible communist leader and was loved by every rank and file party members. Since mid 1970s, he became a youthful party leader by his hard, sincere and honest activities. In the late 1970s, Manipur was swept over by insurgence that had its own political agenda for a sovereign state. In such difficult times, the Manipur state council, of the CPI spread the theory and practice of Marxism and also the cardinal principles of social revolution among the Manipuri youth. It was the contribution of Comrade B. Sharma who had led the initiative at a gigantic

On R eco Reco ecorrd... Bajrang Dal men allegedly chopped off the fingers of a Muslim woman in Chhatral town of Gandhinagar district in Gujarat for disobeying the Hindu right wing group’s diktat to remain indoors. Roshanbiwi Syed, 52, had her left thumb, index finger and middle finger chopped off. Her son, Farzan, 32, suffered fractures on his hands and skull. Both were hospitalized and are reportedly stable. According to local activists, communal tension has been high in the area since December 6, when the local Bajrang Dal led a procession through the Muslimdominated Kasbavaas in Chhatral, to mark the 1992 demolition of the Babri mosque. – The Times of India, April 6. *** The gunrunner, who is being interrogated for his alleged links with the killing of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, disclosed that he had sourced the live bullets from Uttar Pradesh. Naveen Kumar alias Hotte Manja, a right-wing activist from Maddur in Karnataka’s Mandya district, who is now in the custody of the special investigation team (SIT), was arrested from a KSRTC bus stand on February 18. Fifteen live bullets were recovered from him. His resemblance to CCTV footage

scale and despite the situation being delicate, the educational activities continued under the leadership of Com B Sharma as in -charge of education department of the state party. As a leading Marxist intellectual and theoretician, he contributed many articles and authored a popular book entitled “The Theory of Revolution” with the Marxist theoretical exposition. His last work “Phurupkee Ihou” (Ethnic Assertion) is in the press. Com B Sharma passed away before he could see its publication. As dedicated party leader, comrade B. Sharma took the huge organisational responsibility for many years, and he went to every party branch for the same. As a party leader, he was aware of the hardships and realities of each and every branch and handled the situation resolving the bottlenecks. He was a beloved leader for every branch and local party functionaries. He could always motivate them in right direction. He was state secretary of Manipur state council for two consecutive terms from 2002-08 and also national council member. Later, he was state secretariat member till 2015. He also became the chairperson of the state control commission. A massive condolence meeting was held at his residence in the evening of March 4, 2018, organised by Manipur state council CPI. Two minutes silence was observed in his honour and all the speakers recalled his sacrifices, dedication and sincerity and shared the sorrow of his bereaved family.

of the biker conducting reconnaissance near Gauri’s house on the day she was killed and two days before landed him in SIT custody. – The Times of India, April 6. *** Eyewitnesses told me that after the statue fell, its head was dismembered from the body. And then, the BJP workers played football with Lenin’s head. In the heart of Belonia town in Tripura’s extreme south,

a statue of Communist icon Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, better known as Lenin, stood at the centre of College Square for the last five years. After the assembly election results were announced, celebrating BJP workers and supporters brought it down with the help of a JCB amid cries of “Bharat Mata ki jai’’. – The Indian Express, April 6. *** Banks have filed suits in different courts against 17,000 borrowers who have defaulted on loan repayments worth Rs 265,908 crore at the end of September

2017. This is just 31.73 per cent of the total defaults of Rs 838,000 crore recorded by banks during the period, indicating that loans on which there have been defaults of over Rs 572,000 crore are still in various stages of resolution or are being taken to the courts. Figures available from Transunion Cibil Ltd show that banks filed cases against 2,000 borrowers for recovery of over Rs 47,000 crore during the 12 months ended September 2017 even as Debt Recovery Tribunals (DRTs) started speeding up disposal of cases. Total suit-filed accounts were 15,220 for defaults of Rs 218,220 crore as of September 2016, CIBIL data says. – The Indian Express, April 6. *** The days of cushy government jobs that offered long-term security without any threat of layoff are numbered now. Steep salary hikes due to the Pay Commission awards and the need for performance-based specialist jobs are forcing state governments to hire workers on contract or just outsource jobs. Several state governments have opted for such steps. It’s not just the lower-rung government jobs in states that would be axed. There would be fewer jobs at the top echelons of the government too. – The Economic Times, April 7. — Compiled by C Adhikesavan New Age Weekly

Delhi Postal Regd. No.DL(C)-01/1274/2018-20 March 11—17, 2018 Licenced to Post without Pre-payment No.U-(C)-47/2018-20 (R.N.I.No.539/57) Posted in NDPSO, Friday & Saturday Date of Publication: 09/03/2018

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New Age, March 11–17, 2018

GLIMPSES OF CPI KERALA STATE CONFERENCE

A VIEW OF THE FLAG-POST JATHA

D. RAJA ADDRESSING THE CONFERENCE

BINOY VISWAM ADDRESSING THE CONFERENCE SUDHAKAR REDDY RECEIVING SALUTE

A VIEW OF THE MASS MEETING HANDING OVER THE FLAG POST

A VIEW OF JAN SEWADAL VOLUNTEERS

JAN SEWADAL VOLUNTEERS’ MARCH

KANHAIYA KUMAR ADDRESSING THE CONFERENCE Printed & Published by Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy on behalf of the Communist Party of India at BFL Infotech Ltd (Media Division), C-9, Sector-3, Noida, Dist. Gautam Budh Nagar, UP. & Published from Ajoy Bhavan, 15-Com.Indrajit Gupta Marg, New Delhi-110 002. Ph: 011-2323 0762. EDITOR: SHAMEEM FAIZEE *E-mail: [email protected] Layout: JANARDANAN. R New Age Weekly