Singur Resurgence and Mass Movement Reality
Troubled Galaxy Destroyed Dreams: Chapter 34
Palash Biswas
We witness a Singur Resurgence unexpected while the Tata Motors declares to produce Nano from the most controversial project before Durga Puja.
Mamata flares up the Singur battle again, ND TV reports:
Bano Haralu, Monideepa Banerjee
Friday, August 01, 2008, (Kolkata)
Emboldened by Trinamool's recent victory in the Panchayat polls in Singur, Mamata Banerjee on Friday reiterated her demand that the Tatas must return 400 of the 1000 acres allotted to farmers who had parted with their plots unwillingly and have not yet accepted compensation.
Even Tata Motors MD Ravi Kant had recently indicated that their patience was running out at Singur.
"It will be a good gesture for them if the Tata industry cooperates and returns back the forcefully occupied land. I am not talking about 600 acres of land. I am talking about the 400 acres of land. They should return the forcefully occupied land to the farmers," Mamata said.
In recent weeks, the Trinamool led Krishi Raksha Commitee has asked outstation workers at the Tata factory to leave Singur. One engineer has also been beaten up.
With Trinamool threatening to strengthen their agitation in the coming weeks and Tata Motors expressing serious concerns, the West Bengal government is walking the tight rope.
"I think the Trinamool leaders and others opposing must understand the implications of their agitation. The state government is always ready to talk to them so that we can have an amicable solution on this issue and we are not averse to any discussion to settle the matter. The government will see that construction goes smoothly and the state government will leave no stone unturned to maintain the law and order situation there," said Nirupam Sen, Minister for Industry & Commerce, West Bengal.
The big question is will the Nano role out of Singur or will Singur make international headlines as the location of a prized project gone horribly wrong
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080059585&ch=8/1/2008%208:54:00%20AM
The West Bengal government has said that land acquired in Singur for the Tata small car project cannot be returned to their owners. Instead, the state government has appealed to all political parties and stakeholders concerned to come to the negotiating table and deliberate on how the vexed issue of land acquisition for the Tata Nano project can be resolved with a view to ensuring that the Nano rolls out of the Tata Motors’ Singur factory as scheduled later this year. Addressing a news conference in Kolkata on Thursday, Nirupam Sen, West Bengal’s Minister for Industries & Commerce, said the state government would take all administrative measures required to ensure that work at the project site continues without any hindrance.The issue would be appropriately addressed at the political level, too, he said.
I have been writing on the Killing Fields of India and insisting on strategies of survival as the global ruling Class uses us the Indigenous People as targets only. The power politics of the Ruling Brahminical Hegemony and the Gestapo decide the nature of Landscape as well as Human scape. Powr Hegemony and Resistance Hegemony are the two sides of the same coin only. We have no opportunity of empowerment, enlightenment, autonomy, participation,sharing and representation. We the people, deprived of Human Rights, Civil Rights, Citizenship, Land and Livelihood. We the majority Indigenous, Enslaved people. Ruling Hegemony chooses the issues of Convenience only. That is why we had to wait full thirty years just for the Marichjhanpi Exposure. We still wait the Voice for Justice and Equality, Liberty, Liberation and Fraternity. Autocracy understands the language of Money and Muscle power only. Media and Mass Movement have to clarify their stance as the Political Ideologies and democratic Institutions have failed miserably. We are Predestined people with a psyche of Solar Eclipse. We never understand Obamania, Pentagon, Nasa, MNCs, Politics, economy, History and Post Modern Manusmriti Apartheid Galaxy Order led by US Corporate Imperialism with a unholy alliance of Hindu, Zionist, White forces worldwide. The latest scientific find , Water On MARS is nothing but an Armament of Complete space dominance!
Excitement and curiosity filled the air as thousands, including children and adults, gazed at the sky to see the total solar eclipse. Sky gazers were in for a spectacular view as moon literally overshadowed sun for nearly two hours. The clouds, however, played the spoilsport briefly.
In India, the eclipse was visible partially while people in northern parts of the world, including Russia, China and Canada were able to view a total eclipse.
After a successful campaign at the IAEA, India on Friday said the next target is to get "a clean and unconditional waiver" at the NSG, besides finalising an Additional Protocol with the IAEA "as soon as possible".
Meanwhile, the demise of Comrade Surjeet has ended an age of Communuist movement represented by Jyoti Basu, Nambudaripad, Randive and Surjeet after the great split in 1964. Only Comrade Basu survives among the Famous Four. I would be writing on comrade Surjeet separately sometime.
On the other hand, having won the trust vote in Indian Parliament, Supreme Slave Comrador Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh is running absolute Blind to operationalise the Indo US Nuke Deal while the Deal terror strikes India most violently as the War Zone of War against Terrorism escalates right into the heart of this bleeding divided geopolitics with troubled Indian Ocean with strategic realliance led by United states of America.
The Left has failed miserably to pull down the government of India involved in an act of Sedition! It has failed to stop the Deal as well. It has failed to keep intact its branded Vote Bank with en block Muslim and dalit support in left ruled states! The Left projected the face of a Dalit Queen MS Mayawati as the Next Prime minister to regain the Bases lost. But ruling Hegemony supported by regimented gestapo in Bengal as well as Kearala reacted quite violently.
CPIM had no way but to retreat and disown Mayawati tag.
Meanwhile, the ousted Shanitiniketan Don, the topmost veteran Brahmin Marxist , the UPA Speaker opens Mouth! As Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee on Friday raised the debate over the political affiliation of the person occupying the Constitutional post, the BJP today said the post should be "non-partisan" but he is not expected to be a "non-party" man.Chatterjee, who was expelled from the CPI(M) on July 23, on Friday suggested in a statement that in view of the controversies now being raised, a member should temporarily resign from the party during his tenure as Speaker and not face a situation which compromises the position of the Speaker vis-a-vis his party.
"A speaker is expected to be non-partisan but not to be non-party man," party spokesperson Ravi Shanker Prasad said here.
Infact, if the Speaker has raised this point then it needs to be widely debated and a political discussion should be carried on the matter, he added.
"What is the guarantee that a non-party man would be unbiased and can conduct the proceedings of the House without any influence,?" Prasad said.
The Speaker could also invite action under the 10th schedule if he leaves the party in whose symbol he is elected, he added.
In New Delhi,I had to react on the ongoing discussion of Media Role and space for Mass Movement in the Media Mass Movement discourse organised by NAFRE People`s movement.
I said,` Media houses have become dumping grounds of Used condoms due to FDI and hire and Fire policy. ‘ The friends from UNI shared their experience in the New Agency and the preempted attempt of take over by an electronic Media Don. I demanded that the mass movements and media persons should stand united. Mass movements complained en masse about the space crunch in media. But the friends fighting and committed never get the expected support from mass movements. I told the audiences about some events involving the great journalists persecuted and internal management scenario of Media. Mass Movements never recognises the friends in Media and opt for PR and gift culture. They contact the management and spineless faces of media but never recognises the friends.
Some beautiful ladies and young girls representing Delhi Young journalists` League, women`s Lib and Mass movement were among the audiences and I dared not to say that the Media itself has converted into an Unused Condom! Everything written in Post Modern Literature and Journalism never communicates. never mobilises. But the sponsored items targets the Under Wears! It never touches the Heart and mind! But I told all these things quite metaphorically. Fortunately, there was no protest from the ladies at least.
It was an opportunity to meet old friends. I averted the topic related to working conditions and internal management in Media in earlier sessions. While the mass movements alleged blindly, I had to react why they did not resist FDI! Why they never demanded for Freedom of Expression and ban on FDI? If there is no freedom of expression or no democracy, how dare you to mobilise the people? our friends are being branded as Maoists, naxalites and even terrorists. sedition charges are in abundance. Anand Swaroop Verma, the man involved to create an Alternative Indian Media for no less than four decades spoke on the details of the phenomenon in the first session itself. He presented enough graphics and details.Dr Lenin from Banaras, and friends from North East, south India and Eastern India shared their experiences. Salman Ravi from BBC challenged the role of Mass Movements. The Pandora's`s box was open.
How do we know which are mass movements and which are funded projects only?
How to distinguish?
A media participant from Nandigram, Indraneel told his experiences in Nandigram.
We friends informally accepted that Nandi Gram and Singur insurrections were highlighted overblown just because of Anti communist and Anti Left Media!
Why Navi Mumbai was never in Focus?
Why Kalingnagar and Posco are underplayed?
Why Gujrat and Karnataka spared?
Why we don`t get any details from North India, Himalayan Zone North East and down from south?
We support the Insurrections in Nandigram and Singur. We stand united rock solid with the resistance SEZ. But the media role of Discrimination may not be overlooked.
Almost everyone among us took it granted that Singur is captured by Marxist Gestapo and the rest of the story is all about Corporate War. We saw Nandigram to hold on. And we saw with fear that Singur failed.
Now, singur is once again full of all the Smoke and fire!
Ms Mamata Bannerjee and Medha Patekar are set for a new race ahead. Mamata has been constantly in contact of Singur people. Trinamul congress dislodged the ruling left in panchayat elections in Nandigram and Singur. Entire Bengal felt the Tremors! But something was missing to re mobilise the people in Nandigram and Singur.
Old ally of the Marxists, Samajvadi Party has sided with Ms Mamata Bannerjee to stop Mayawati. Neither Mayawati nor Mamata Bannerjee has to do anything with dalit Liberation! It is a power CESS. Mayawati remains the Grand Master and Mamata has to get the first norm as yet! An out sider Player Like Amar Singh changed the scene immediately after a joint press conference with Mamta Bannerjee.
Hitherto, Congress led by Pranab, Somen and Dasmunshi were quite detached with either Singur or Nandigram! Just after the Trust Vote, it is an environment that Sonia Gandhi might be active in support of Nandigram and Singur.
It revitalised Singr as well as Nandigram Insurrection. The known Killingfields of this Geoplotics have been chosen for another Civil War! Sunrise for the Marxists as well as MNCs seem to be converted into a perfect Sun Set as the Brahmin Ladies are crazy to snatch the leadership of the Ruling Brahminical Hegemony once again!
This pure political development has to do nothing with the subaltern, Indigenous people bleeding and deprived of life, liberty, equality and livelihood!
I knew no NGO in Uttarakhand before 1980. Suddenly, there was a Rush for it. It happened just after the Soviet Investment and Involvement in Tehri Dam Project. We did oppose the project. I wrote a Novelette, NAI TEHRI PURANI TEHRI, NEW TEHRI< OLD TEHRI long before the submergence of Old Tehri and entire Bhagirathi valley. Local People abused me as I was opposing the so called development.
I was also involved in Chipko Movement. We had no NGO to support in seventies.
Suddenly I saw, Chandi Prasad Bhatt, Kuwanr Prasoon, Pratap Sikhar,narendra Rautella and dozens of the leaders I knew personally were rushing for NGOs.Within ten years, while USSR was disintegrated, thousands of NGOs were active. people like Girda and shekhar Pathak joined NGO.
I never saw Medha Patkar or Arundhuti Roy landing in the Himalayan Zone inflicted by nationality crisis. Mass movements always evaded the nationality question like our political parties.But I see mass movements very active in North East and south India. All our friends in Jharkhand, Orissa, Andhra, Chhattisgargh, MP, UP, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Rajsthan and Punjab have joined NGOs and they mobilise the Mass Movements also.
Now, the burning question remains how do you judge the Real Mass Movements?
What Medha did with her Sardar Sarovar, Narmada and Polavaram resistance?
Why she does not concentrate as Aruna Roy does?
Why media focus invites the Icons of Mass Movement only?
What Ulka Mahajan Did in Navi Mumbai?
Why anti Posco Movement lacks sustenance?
Why the Coast Line is neglected by Mass Movements?
Why Narendra Modi is spared and only Buddhadeb is targeted?
I believe, without answering these question in true spirit, it just is like the hypocrite Ideologies Rightist as well as Leftist , we boat so mush of our Commitment to Indigenous People!
Condolence
The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, has condoled the passing away of veteran communist leader Sardar Harkishan Singh Surjeet. In his message, the Prime Minister said:
“I was deeply shocked and pained by the news of the passing away of Sardar Harkishan Singh Surjeet. Surjeet Saheb was a great political leader, a true patriot, a man committed to the welfare of the downtrodden, a great Indian and above all a dear friend. I greatly valued his friendship and his guidance. As I said recently in Parliament, he was one of the architects of the United Progressive Alliance.
Sardar Harkishan Singh Surjeet dedicated his entire life to the communist movement in India. He was one of its leading lights in Punjab and for many years an outstanding leader of the communist movement in India. Under his leadership the communist movement came into the national mainstream and contributed to giving a progressive orientation to our social and economic policies. I always valued his advice and reached out to him for support and guidance in managing the UPA Government.
I wish to convey my sincere condolences to all the members of his family, to the millions of his supporters and admirers and to all those who looked up to him for leadership.
I join the people of India in deeply mourning his passing away.”
Tatas face threat of militant movement at Singur
Tata Motors is under threat of militant movement. The organisers of the movement announced that if the state government and the Tata group do not pay heed to democratic movement, they would go for militant one..
SINGOOR IS getting ready to be another Nandigram before the pujas, the scheduled time for the birth of Tata Motor’s most hiped product Nano, the ’Ek-Lakhi family car’. The Krishijami Raksha Committee (KRC) has announced a greater movement from Sunday, August 2. They have even declared that if the situation demands, they are ready to go for a militant movement and Singoor will become another Nandigram.
The controversial project venue that was becoming cooler slowly in the past few months has suddenly changed into another war-spot immediately after Tata’s MD Ravikant issued a statement and reacted to the movement being organised by KRC. It gathered more momentum when the West Bengal Industry Minister Nirupam Sen announced that no land could be transferred back to the farmers unwilling to sell for the project because the land once acquired can not be transferred legally.
The committee convener and local panchayat saha-sabhapati Becharam Manna has announced in tune with the Trinamool Congress (TC) supreme Mamata Banerjee that they will be going for a greater movement soon, if necessary even for a militant movement, because they have understood that neither the state government nor the Tata Motors are ready to pay any heed to democratic movement for the legitimate claims of the local farmers.
The situation has started deteriorating from bad to worse since the Communist Party of India-Marxist [CPI(M)] was defeated very badly to TC and Congress in the locality and surrounding areas in the recently concluded panchayat elections. This added fuel to the submersed grievances to the local being dictated by the Trinamool led KRC.
In the current week, the committee urged the workers including the locals and the outsiders, to leave Singoor. A section of them have already left and those who opposed were beaten.
The committee has decided to gherao the whole Tata project by human chain despite the state government’s announcement to tackle the situation both politically and administratively. Banerjee said that they would not allow the Tata or the state government to continue their activity unless the farmers are given back the 400 acres of land for which the farmers have not accepted the acquisition price.
Now the whole area has been rounded of by armed police force. State industry minister Sen has assured the Tata Motors management that they will look into so that Nano comes out of the factory gate in scheduled time. But the job does not seem so easy.
http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?title=Tatas%20face%20threat%20of%20militant%20movement%20at%20Singur&articleID=138633
Singur situation bad but Nano plans are in place: Tata Motors
30 Jul, 2008, 2240 hrs IST, REUTERS
MUMBAI: Tata Motors on Wednesday reiterated that it would roll out its wonder car Nano during October-December quarter even though the company said the situation is Singur, where the company manufactures the Rs one lakh car, is bad.
Tata Motors Managing Director Ravi Kant also added that the situation not so bad that the company shift out.
Speaking to reporters while releasing the first quarter results on Wednesday Tata Motors Managing Director Ravi Kant said the company would roll out Nano from the Singur plant in West Bengal during October-December quarter.
Referring to the recent disturbances at the plant, he said, "Some elements are causing problems there. The situation is bad. But we are moving ahead."
When asked for how long the company will bear this kind of opposition, he said, "We will continue as long as our patience lasts." But he indicated the situation is not so bad that the company should shift out.
When asked whether the company has plans to manufacture Nano from its new plant in Uttarachal as well, Ravi Kant said the company will not stop at Singur given that the estimated demand for the car is very high.
Referring to the recent flare up in oil prices, he said Nano is the right product at the right time. He said the company has taken a bold decision to locate the plant at Singur despite an advice to the contrary.
"We could have set up the plant anywhere else. But we decided on West Bengal as we want this part of the country to see development, he said."
Cameras to ease site surveillance
Rajib Chatterjee
KOLKATA, July 30: Worried over continuous attack on Singur small car project site by agitating farmers, administration in Hooghly is considering a proposal to install close circuit cameras on the boundary wall of the site.
"A proposal to install close circuit cameras on boundary wall has been mooted by police authorities. It was discussed last week at a meeting which was held to examine the security system of the project site. We are considering the proposal. No decision, however, was taken in this regard," Mr Prasenjit Chakraborty, block development officer (BDO), Singur, told The Statesman. Matters related to security of the project site was discussed at the meeting, Mr Chakraborty said.
It was learnt that senior police officers have discussed security related aspects with senior officials of the Tata Motors during the latter's visit to the project site a few days ago. "Officials of Tata Motors said that they will install close circuit cameras at structures inside the project area to strengthen the security of the factory," Mr Kalyan Bandyopadhyay, sub-divisional police officer, Chandernagore, said.
The proposal to install close circuit cameras on boundary wall of the project was made in the wake of a rise in attack on the project site in the past couple of months. Police have also received a tip off that Maoists are also planning an attack on the project site. Both civil and police administration in Hooghly suspect that attack on the boundary wall will increase in view of the statement of the state industry minister, Mr Nirupan Sen, that the state government wouldn't return lands to farmers under any circumstances. Mr Sen made the comment in the state Assembly last week. The industry minister's statement has triggered a strong response from agitating farmers who said that they would intensify their movement under the banner of Singur Krishi Jomi Raksha Committee (SKJRC). Local youths working on the project have been requested not to join at work from tomorrow and extend support to farmers spearheading a movement against Singur "land grab", Mr Becharam Manna, convener, SKJRC, said. He claimed that about 70 per cent local workers have responded positively to the appeal by abstaining from work today. A SKJRC supporter was detained for allegedly forcing a worker from entering the project site today. He was released after farmers threatened to block Singur police station in protest alleging "police highhandedness."
"The state government has become so scared that it has decided to install close circuit cameras on boundary wall of the project to thwart attack," Mr Manna said.
Land protesters beat Singur engineer senseless
OUR CORRESPONDENT
Singur, July 29: An engineer at the Tata Motors plant here was thrashed this evening, allegedly by activists of the Trinamul-backed Save Farmland Committee who were protesting the arrest of a fellow member at the site on theft charges.
An unconscious Manish Khatua, whose firm Shapoorji Pallonji and Company is building the Nano plant, was brought to a private hospital in Calcutta with head injuries, police said. Khatua, in his 30s, regained consciousness on the way to the hospital, Shapoorji sources said.
The trouble began when Sailen Hambir, 40, a resident of Bajemelia bordering the site, was accused of entering the plant to steal and held. Trinamul leaders said Sailen was a supporter of the committee, which wants land taken from unwilling farmers for the project to be returned.
Priyabrata Bakshi, officer-in-charge of Singur police station, said those who assaulted Khatua had come to steal rods. “Those who attacked the engineer are supporters of the committee. They had come to steal rods from the site and while escaping beat up the engineer.”
However, Manick Das, the Trinamul zilla parishad member from Singur, said Sailen had entered the plant around 6pm to “roam around”.
“He was a landloser and sometimes entered the site through slits in the boundary wall to roam around. Today suddenly, the policemen on duty accused him of stealing and arrested him.”
According to the police, nearly 200 villagers from Bajemelia, including women, rushed to the plant site with rods and sticks as soon as word about the arrest spread and demanded that Sailen be released. The police had to chase away the protesters with canes.
“On their way back, they (villagers) came across the engineer and beat him up,” another police official said. Rajeev Mishra, the police chief of Hooghly, of which Singur is a part, confirmed one arrest.
The attack occurred on a day security for the project was reviewed after crude bombs exploded last night at Singur station and at a lodge occupied by Tata plant workers.
“We reviewed the security for the Tata Motors factory,” Bengal home secretary Asok Mohan Chakrabarti said after a meeting in Calcutta chaired by chief secretary Amit Kiran Deb and attended by police chief A.B. Vohra.
Patrolling has been stepped up on the 5km stretch between the plant and Singur station. More policemen have been deployed at Kamarkundu and Madhusudanpur stations, used by the workers.
Some workers at the vendor park inside the site didn’t turn up yesterday after alleged threats from the Save Farmland Committee. The situation was normal today, Singur BDO Prasenjit Chakraborty said.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080730/jsp/nation/story_9619840.jsp
Amar stands by Mamata
31 Jul 2008, 0237 hrs IST,TNN
KOLKATA: With CPM general secretary Prakash Karat shaking hands with Mayawati soon after Mulayam Singh Yadav joined the UPA, Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh didn’t miss the opportunity to call on CPM’s arch-rival Mamata Banerjee at her Kolkata residence to checkcmate the Left.
On the other hand, Mamata — a lone voice in Parliament — was badly in need of a strong backing, particularly after she chose to maintain equidistance from the UPA and the NDA. Known for his smooth operations, Singh came to her rescue and offered her full support.
“Mamata should not feel alone. I will come down to Kolkata whenever she calls me and our 56 MPs will stand by her when she will be voicing the demands of the Singur farmers,” Singh said. The SP leader also promised to join Mamata’s rally on September 1 against the entry of big business in retail trade. Criticising the Left that have been deriding the SP’s volte-face on the nuclear deal, Singh upped the ante against the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government at a joint press conference with Mamata.
“The Left in Bengal are taking a right turn. And Mamata has been taking a pro-farmer stance since long. She has also stood by the hapless traders threatened by the entry of big business in retail trade. My heart was with Mamata though my brain was with the Left. Now, I have decided to join hands with her. If Leftists like Aparna Sen can do so, what’s the harm in my supporting her struggle for the poor,” Singh said.
Trinamool Congress, on the other hand, wanted Singh to take up the Singur land acquisition issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. “Let us be very transparent. We talked politics. I requested Amarda to take up the matter with the Prime Minister and Soniaji. We are not against industry. But the state government should return the land taken from unwilling farmers. I don’t support the setting up of SEZ, too. I have expressed my views in Parliament,” the Trinamool chief said.
But why is Mamata banking on Amar Singh when Congress president Sonia Gandhi is keen on talking to her? In fact, the Congress president wanted to know about Mamata’s rally in Kolkata, when RJD leader Lalu Prasad made a reference to Mamata’s rally during the debate on the trust motion in Parliament on July 22. Some of her partymen feel that she doesn’t want to side with the Congress and the UPA before the LS polls.
Both Mamata and Singh recalled the good old days when the latter used to go to her Delhi residence and Mamata used to cook for him. “She used to avoid talking politics and cooked food for me as a sister does for a brother,” Singh said. Mamata, on the other hand, reminisced the days when Singh was a Congress leader from Burrabazar. “At that time, Amarda used to frequent Subrata Mukherjee’s Kolkata office. I saw him there on quite a few occasions,” she said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Kolkata_/Amar_stands_by_Mamata/articleshow/3308092.cms
Tata Motors net slips 30% on input cost rise, forex fluctuations
– Shashi Ashiwal
Mr Ravi Kant (left), Managing Director, Tata Motors, and Mr P.M. Telang, Executive Director-Commercial Vehicles, at a press conference in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Our Bureau
Mumbai July 30 Volatility in foreign exchange rates, inflationary pressures and a steep increase in input costs pulled down automobile major Tata Motors’ net profit for the quarter ended June 30, 2008 by 30.13 per cent as compared to the same period last fiscal.
The company reported a net profit of Rs 326.11 crore during the quarter, compared to Rs 466.76 crore in the year-ago quarter.
The company had a notional foreign exchange loss of Rs 199.88 crore, compared to a gain of Rs 205 crore in the corresponding quarter of last year, reflecting the volatility in forex rates impacting its long-term funds raised through issue of foreign currency convertible instruments.
Its consumption of raw materials and components increased sharply to Rs 5,025 crore from Rs 3,994 crore in the year-ago period, applying a further squeeze on its margins.
Its net revenues however rose 14.4 per cent to touch Rs 6,928.44 crore (Rs 6,056.82 crore).
While its sales volume for passenger cars and utility vehicles was flat at about 52,450 units, sales of commercial vehicles increased to 71,409 (61,633) during the quarter. Although exports fell from 13,889 to 9220 vehicles during the quarter, its total sales volume grew by 3.9 per cent to cross the 1.3 lakh mark.
Mr Ravi Kant, Managing Director, said the growth in its passenger car segment could not match that of the industry rate mostly on account of the delay in launch of the new Indica. “Yes there has been considerable delay in the launch of this product. But you have to understand that it is a whole new vehicle. However, most of the problems are behind us now and we are closer to its launch, although I cannot give you a time frame,” he told press persons after announcing the results.
Mr Kant admitted that the current fiscal would be challenging one not only for Tata Motors but for the entire automobile industry, with input costs rising and interest rates hardening.
Singur plant
On the recent disturbances at its up-coming Singur plant, Mr Kant the West Bengal authorities were seized of the matter and were taking action. “It is ultimately for the people of the State to decide whether they want industrialisation or not. Our (Rs one lakh car) Nano project has attracted world wide attention. People of West Bengal should feel proud that such a product is coming out of their State,” he said.
He added that Tata Motors had taken a “bold step” to set up the manufacturing facility at Singur, despite many advising against it. He, however, said the company was trying its best to meet the scheduled deadline for the Nano launch.
Asked how long would the company wait for things to settle down at Singur, he said “We will continue as long as our patience last.”
Tata Motors’ Rs 10 shares closed nearly 5 per cent up on the NSE at Rs 415.80 on Wednesday.
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/07/31/stories/2008073152140200.htm
Mainstream, Vol XLVI No 32
Confidence Motion and Communists
Wednesday 30 July 2008, by Chaturanan Mishra
I don’t mind Communists voting with the BJP because I think in the parliamentary system such a situation is unavoidable particularly as the BJP has acquired the position of one of the biggest all-India parties. But this time it was our own creation. We demanded a confidence motion in the Lok Sabha. Communists did not realise that their withdrawal of support to the Manmohan Singh Government will please the corporate sector and they will do their best to see that the Manmohan Government wins the trust vote. They did not conceal it and openly spoke of it in the media. Hence bribing the MPs was a foregone conclusion and it happened. While supporting the Union Government, Communists did not try for any law to check this kind of phenomenon to the extent possible. In fact Communists did not seek to frame such a law and bring about administrative reform to check allround corruption from top to bottom in the administration and government. It was not in our agenda though people suffer most because of this development. This is not the first time that legislators have been purchased.
It is high time now to review our stand of not joining the government and supporting it from outside though the Communist leaders were attending the lunches and dinners hosted by the government. In Europe, Communists are joining coalition governments. This time it was possible to have five or six Cabinet members and in that case they could have done a lot for the people including checking the price rise. This is my experience as the Union Agriculture and Food Minister. During the UF Government under I.K. Gujral, a movement helped by the State governments of Punjab and Haryana was organised in those two States for not selling wheat to the government. Even the Maharashtra kisan leader, Sir Sharad Joshi, was in Punjab to lead this movement. The price of flour went to Rs 12 per kilo when I was given charge of the Food portfolio as well. The Agricultural Prices Commission had increased the price of wheat to Rs 35 per quintal but when I took charge of the Food portfolio I gave a bonus of Rs 60 per quintal; so it was increased to Rs 95 per quintal and farmers began selling wheat to the government to the utter disappointment of the State governments and Sri Sharad Joshi. I am sure if Communists would have been in the current UPA Government the present high price of food articles would not have happened. Unfortunately the Communists did not make the high price of food the main reason for their withdrawal of support to the government. They made the nuclear deal, which the people were unable to understand, the main issue.
?
Making the nuclear deal with America the main issue of withdrawing support is based on an old thinking of the Communists that a country led by the bourgeois party can once again be enslaved. This thinking originated in the Sixth Congress of the Communist International although the Comintern’s Seventh Congress corrected it by giving the call of building Popular Fronts. Due to this old and wrong thinking eminent leaders of the freedom struggle were called British agents, there was no participation of Communists in the ‘Quit India’ movement of 1942, and the freedom that dawned in 1947 was described as false independence. That thinking persists and this time we were told that by implementing the nuclear deal with the US India will lose its freedom. The fact is that as the baby has been delivered, it cannot be put back into the womb again; likewise India cannot be enslaved once more. Moreover the defects in the Indo-US deal could have been minimised, if not removed, had the Left parties’ representatives been in the Cabinet.
Communists are again speaking of a Third Front. This is an old slogan. When the CPI advanced this slogan a decade back, I told the party’s National Executive that it is not feasible. Communists join hands with such parties and time and again break up the alliances in the name of struggle, but such struggles never take place—so people call us opportunists; as a result we are losing our base in the heartland of the country. Now we talk of farmers committing suicides. But who prevented us from launching a sustained movement in those areas where the suicides are taking place even when we were supporting the government for over four years? The Communists supported a Congress-led government at the Centre but never launched any joint mass movement with the Congress even against communalism. Despite its mistakes the Congress is still the party having the largest segment of secular forces. It has never participated in any government wherein the BJP is a partner. It has a long record of this tradition. That is not realised.
If the Communists want to have an effective say in national politics they should first form a united party of the Left. They should first merge all their mass organisations in one trade union, one kisan sabha and the like, and allow non-Communists to join such mass organisations as had happened when those were first organised. Judging by the present stand of the Left their thinking seems to be that in the present birth they will have only an ideological struggle and in the next birth they can think about an all-India political organisation. By uniting and organising State level mass movements alone can we build a Left base that would play an effective national role.
The author, who was the Union Agriculture Minister in the United Front Government at the Centre (1996-98), functioned as the AITUC President for several years.
Nation Bruised, Democracy in Peril
On CPM Leadership and Somnath Chatterjee
Judge the Nuclear Deal on Facts, not Convictions
Who is Worried about the National Interest?
Nuclear Deal—Another Client State of USA
India’s Roughshod Ruling Class
Globalisation and India’s Economic Identity : An Overview
Indo-US Nuclear Deal: India Backtracks on Disarmament
Pasmanda Movement and the Question of Secularism
India-Specific Safeguards Agreement
Problems of mass movements in India
At the open session of the All-Bengal Youth Conference under the auspices of the Democratic Youth Organization on 20 June 1975 at the district town of Suri in West Bengal, just on the eve of the clamping of emergency rule by the Indira Gandhi-led Congress government at the Centre, Comrade Ghosh made this analysis of the then political situation and the problems before democratic mass movement in India elaborating the main problems the country faced. He also outlined the unavoidable preconditions and irrefutable tasks of accomplishing revolution in the country. Prior to his speech, Shri Jayprakash Narayan, respected veteran mass leader who was present at the meeting, had elaborated his concept of ‘total revolution’
Comrade President, revered mass leader Jayprakash Narayanji, Youth Delegates present and Friends,
With much patience you listened for long to the speech of Jayprakashji, one of India’s veteran mass leaders. He has placed before you in the easiest and simplest possible way his views regarding movement as well as the thoughts and ideas relating to his ‘total revolution’. If the main object of the total revolution he is speaking of is to take the country forward and open the door to an all-round uplift and advancement of the entire country in the interest of all-out development and progress of the common people through a radical transformation of the social system as it is prevailing at present in our country, the political, or for that matter, the state structure as obtaining here, the very socio-economic system as it is operating, the way the government administrative machinery is running, the state to which our democratic institutions have been reduced — if the main object of this total revolution is to bring about a radical transformation of all these, that is to say, to accomplish a fundamental change of the present capitalist economic and social system and state structure, replacing it by a socialist system on the basis of scientific socialism, then we are agreed. But we differ with him as to how this total revolution will come about. That is, however, not so important at the present stage of movement.
To me, and to our party as well, what is of utmost importance at the present juncture for the accomplishment of this radical transformation of the whole of society is to free the students, youth and the people through this mass movement from the degenerated state of morality as manifested in their selling themselves out for petty considerations and money, petty cravings for securing jobs, yielding to intimidation by the government, hooliganism and to various temptations. Simultaneously, they must be organized on the base of a newer and higher morality and culture, keeping a correct political object steadfastly in view. Then alone will they be able to act as a ‘directive force’ or a ‘motive force’ to usher in this revolutionary transformation of society. Hence, we are at one with Jayprakashji when he is speaking about the urgency of rousing the students, youth and the people by imbuing them with higher morality for developing mass movements. However, mutual exchange of opinion is required and an understanding has to be reached concerning concepts of this morality, ethics and politics.
During our talk at Patna1 , this is what I categorically told Jaiprakashji. I told him, if the ‘total revolution’ he wishes to bring about by peaceful means is considered possible, at least for argument’s sake, even then it will necessitate giving birth to the political power of the people — people conscious, united, and organized on the edifice of higher culture and morality, down from the grassroots level up to the highest level. If through people’s movements we are able to give birth to this people’s power in the form of political mass committees, right from the village level up to the national level, politically conscious and erect standing upon the edifice of higher ethics, morality and culture, being conducive to revolution — that is, if we succeed in giving birth to what we call in our Marxist or revolutionary parlance the toiling people’s political power—then and only then will it act as a directive force or a motive force for this social transformation. But, no matter how many times the agitational form of movement are organized centring round various economic and democratic demands, and whatever militant character they assume that alone will not suffice to accomplish this task spontaneously or automatically. During our discussion at Patna I felt that he had come to fully agree with me on this point.
Now, when we speak of giving birth to this political power of the people organized on the edifice of higher moral and cultural standard, it does not necessarily mean that we will be able to make the people of the whole country, I mean, ninety per cent of the population, politically conscious at a time and elevate them to a strong moral position. For, whatever moral degradation we are witnessing in the society is stemming from the present reactionary and decadent capitalist system. Hence, so long as this reactionary and moribund capitalist social system will continue to exist, we will be raising some people on a moral base by striving hard and conducting painstaking political movement, on the one hand, and, on the other, moral degeneration will at the same time go on degrading hundreds of thousands of them constantly and continuously in the general atmosphere of reactionary capitalist mode of living. This process will simply continue like this as long as the capitalist state machine lasts. Under these circumstances, the thought that revolution can be accomplished by slowly bringing about a total ethical, moral and cultural change in the majority of the people, I mean, 90 per cent of them, keeping the capitalist state intact, is completely unscientific and impractical. So, in order to fulfil this task, a fundamental change of the present capitalist social system has to be brought about first of all, through a political revolution. But, if the people, being organized on the basis of a distinct ideology, object, political line and outlook, want to bring about a fundamental change of the present capitalist social system by peaceful means and the state power tries to resist it with its armed coercive machinery, will that movement still remain peaceful? History records, it does not. Nowhere and never has it remained so.
Jayprakashji is saying, what is the harm to experimenting if this change could take place by peaceful means? I say, Gandhiji, too, had made this kind of experiment. Let him also do the same if he likes. Our only request, please see that the people’s struggle committees, to be formed through mass movements, right from the village level up to different wards, factories, schools, colleges and everywhere, are made politically conscious and developed morally and culturally in such a manner that they can offer resistance in the event of armed onslaught. For this, what is of paramount importance is to give birth to the political power of the people, right from the grassroots level up to the highest level, comprising the forces of students, youth and the masses, made politically conscious and equipped for revolution through arduous political battles based on class struggle. You should bear in mind that isolated spontaneous movements can very easily be built up centring round public resentment. But giving birth to the political power of the people, the way I said, is far more a time-consuming and painstaking task. Today I would not like to waste your time by continuing my speech any further on this point. You have long been waiting. You have also displayed exemplary patience. Now, I will only present before you in a few words the way I have understood the major problems of our country, and I will also try to discuss in brief the task ahead of you in this condition.
What is the main problem facing us? The main problem with which we are faced today is that we are unable to maintain uninterrupted development of industry in our country. Affected with recurring slumps, the progress of industrial development is getting hindered. We are unable to ensure an uninterrupted development of production. In mills and factories lay-off and retrenchment are the order of the day. Ours is but a poor country. We are in want of capital. Despite this small amount of capital, we cannot utilize even fifty per cent of whatever productive capacity are at hand in mills and factories, in engineering industries of our country. That is remaining idle. Why? Indiraji2 is saying, our country is poor; capital is wanting, so industrial progress is not taking place. My point is : this statement of Indiraji can in no way be a matter of serious discussion because the question remains as regards why capital — whatever capital is accumulating every day through trade and commerce and agrarian economy — is remaining idle? Why are the productive capacity at hand in industry remaining idle in our country? Had it been true that in our country industrial development is not taking place or production is not increasing due to want of capital, then why in an underdeveloped country like ours the working force and the installed capacity of the machines for production at hand in mills and factories are being kept idle? Why is lay-off taking place in mills and factories here? This lay-off means actually that productive forces are getting idle. This question has to be answered. Then and only then will it be understood whether it is the very want of capital Indiraji is citing as the main obstacle in the path of industrial progress of our country or it is the capitalist economic system of our country, that is, the capitalist-worker relation in production and the objective of earning maximum profit as the motive force of production which stand as the main stumbling block before the advance of industry and production. This question cannot be resolved till then.
If you go deep into the problem, you will see that the capitalist economic system obtaining here is the main obstacle in the path of an unhindered development of industry of our country. What is meant by this capitalist economic system? Capitalist economic system is said to operate wherever production is run on the basis of wage worker-capitalist relation and earning maximum profit is the motive force of production. Production policy is determined here not with an eye to the progress of society and the needs of the people but with an eye to earning maximum profit. This system is what prevails in our country. The capitalist amasses this profit by exploiting the worker, by robbing him of his legitimate wage. Hence, in this condition the purchasing capacity of the people and the workers of the country cannot but dwindle. And if the purchasing capacity of the people gradually declines, the uninterrupted development of industry in a capitalist system in today’s world-wide crisis of the capitalist market is in no way possible.
On the other hand, have a look at our villages. You know, our country is an agriculture-based country. 75 to 80 per cent of the total population of our country live in villages. Again, 80 to 83 per cent of this vast multitude living in villages are proletariat or semi-proletariat. I do not want to give a detailed description of the subhuman condition of the living they are eking out. It is not possible to understand this simply by listening to the radio or going through the dailies. This majority of the rural population do not have any fixed job throughout the year. Save at the time of sowing and harvesting the majority of the population is rendered jobless the rest of the time. Belonging to this section is a good number who remain out of employment all round the year. Crowding the cities in search of jobs, they are swelling the number of the urban unemployeds and by taking to porterage or beggary they somehow scrape a living. Many of them again return to the villages after some days. This 80 to 83 per cent of the rural population are practically without any purchasing power. This being the condition, how will industrial development take place in our country? Why will the capitalists produce goods if the people have no purchasing power and there is no demand in the market? So what are they doing? They are out to grab their profit by producing lesser quantity of goods and selling them to a fewer number of people at higher prices. Hence, there is no industrial development in our country.
It is thus seen that the main problem confronting our country is how to open the doors of this uninterrupted growth of industry. The second problem is to scientifically modernize the agricultural economy of our country, without which the doors of industrial revolution cannot be opened and without which the mode of living of those attached to rural economy cannot be brought to the level of modern man. In that case, the gulf of difference between towns and villages cannot be removed. If the villages of our country are to be made into modern ones from the utterly backward and primitive state they are in today, if the raw materials of industry are to be supplied, if the food problem is to be done away with in such a vast country, then modernization and mechanization of agriculture is necessary. But in this present era under the capitalist system this cannot materialize due to the fact that the doors of production are already closing because of the capitalist production relation, and whatever installed capacity for production is there at hand is getting idle owing to dearth of market. Industries are winding up; lay-off and retrenchment are on the rise. In such a situation people who are set free from the agrarian economy in the event of mechanization in agriculture cannot be provided with employment. It is impossible for any capitalist state machine, within its reactionary and decadent capitalist economic framework, to cope with the threat of millions of people turning into an army of unemployeds by one stroke in the event of mechanization of agriculture, when in cities the number of the jobless is already rising at an alarming pace due to absence of job opportunities.
So, what is the Congress, the party of the ruling capitalist class of our country, doing? By fixing the land ceiling and with plans to distribute small plots of land, they are seeking to keep the rural people confined as far as and as long as possible to these small holdings. And they are prescribing palliatives such as green revolution; that is, they are taking recourse to quack cure in agricultural economy. Their purpose is to keep the surplus rural population arrested within that very agrarian economy in half-fed, half-clad condition so that the capitalist system can be sustained as long as possible. This is the conspiracy going on here and this is what is being passed off as a programme of progressive agrarian economy. There are many who, in their greed for getting a few bighas of land, even tend to consider this to be a progressive programme and, knowingly or unknowingly, are falling into the trap of this sinister design of the ruling class. But they cannot understand at all that if the present exploitative capitalist social system continues to exist, then just as the lands of poor and middle peasants went out of their hands and became concentrated in the hands of a few, so also today following the same process of capitalist exploitation this land, too, will go out of their hands. Hence, whatever importance it may bear to the ruling class as far as causing deception and confusion, for the time being, among the people no solution of the problems of village life in the genuine interest of the people can accrue from this. Moreover, astonishingly enough, even many left parties, claiming themselves to be progressive and Marxists, cannot understand or they refuse to understand this very simple truth that this so-called progressive scheme, pursued by the bourgeoisie, is nothing other than the conspiracy of breeding fascism in the crisis-ridden capitalist system.
Therefore, it is clear that the question of opening the doors of uninterrupted industrial revolution in India is linked up with that of modernization of agriculture and solution of the problem of unemployment as well. And, linked up with this, is the question of removing the gap between towns and villages and accomplishing all-round development of the country, that is, the question of transforming the country into an industrially advanced one. Do you think that by keeping the present Indian capitalist system intact it is possible to resolve these questions? To grasp these, you need to have a clearer and better understanding as to what we mean by the capitalist social system, what we mean by the production system. Today I have no time to enter into any detailed discussion on this point. I have dealt with this point in many of my speeches and writings on other occasions. What I would like to stress here is, how to change this capitalist social system if you really mean it. Who is protecting this system? Do you think that a handful of capitalists have kept this state machine in operation by virtue of their money-power or it is being protected only by bands of hoodlums? Are the hoodlums really bold? No! They are not bold. In gangs they assault the weak; patronized by the police or being engaged with the money of the capitalists they resort to hooliganism. Many believe that they are very bold. They are in fact cowards. They are not at all bold. Bold are those who, when required, can stand against the police and the military forces to resist injustice. Bold are those who, when required, can stake their lives to face ruffians single-handed. Nobody considers those youth courageous who mount attack like cowards. Today the youth of Bengal who are the progeny of Vivekananda, Khshudiram, Subhas Chandra, Rabindranath, Sarat Chandra and Nazrul are found to be oblivious of their heritage. Together in large numbers they beat up a single individual and they proudly regard themselves as heroes and as musclemen. Are they brave? Those who do not feel ashamed to assault the weak are cowards. The youth will have to get rid of this scourge of cowardice.
I get quite astonished to hear Jyotibabu3 say that Congress does not allow them to wage movements. Because Congressite rowdies beat them up if they come out in the locality, there is no movement in West Bengal at present. It means, his point is, since in different localities hooligans backed by the police are attacking them, for that very reason the condition for movement is non-existent in West Bengal. On hearing this, I remarked jestingly: yes, that day they will take to revolution when the police will not prevent them, the rowdies will not resort to hooliganism, when nobody will come to oppose them. When and in which country has revolution ever been accomplished in this way? Actually under the protection and patronage of the police, they have made cowards out of their party cadres. So if again saddled in governmental power with police in their favour or if ever they get an assurance that the state power or the police will not come down upon them with any serious attack, then only will they display heroism. I urge the youth to shun this kind of politics.
I would remind you of one of the sayings of Lenin. Once in Russia he said, "better fewer, but better". That is, no matter if they are few in number, but, let them be men worth the name. If they initiate it, revolution will come, either today or tomorrow. Revolution does come about as the people of Vietnam have demonstrated. But, what did America not do in Vietnam? It used its full military might in Vietnam. In order to suppress the people of such a small country like Vietnam, it spent a much bigger amount of money than what it had spent in the Second World War. It reduced the entire country to a mere desert by using warships and napalm bombs. But did it succeed at all in containing the youth of Vietnam? Was it able at all to break the stamina of the revolutionaries there? Did the revolutionaries of that country argue like Jyotibabu that bombs were being dropped, cannons and guns fired by American military forces — until and unless these were stopped, how could there be any movement in their country? No, they never resorted to such pleas. So, give up all illusion about those bogus parties who make such arguments.
Vietnam has taught that three conditions are necessary for revolution — first, a correct political line, outlook and ideology for revolution; second a correct revolutionary party, that is, a party really capable of providing leadership to revolution; and, third, a well-forged powerful united front for conducting united mass movement. The right time for revolution comes only when these three conditions are fulfilled together. That is, for revolution it is imperative that there is simultaneous fulfilment of the three conditions. It will not suffice that only the people have become united. Or else, have not the people of West Bengal fought united before this? Have not the people of India ever taken to the streets in hundreds of thousands? Have not the peasants and workers, students and youths of this country laid down their lives? Yes, they have and on many occasions. But, that did not leave behind even a scratch on the present social system. Rather what has happened after each and every movement? Feelings of despondency and frustration have gripped the people. The left movement, mass movements have grown weaker, these have been shattered to pieces. The forces of reaction alone, the capitalists, have become continually stronger.
So you see it is not enough to simply get united and wage movements. It is also essential to judge whether the course of movement chosen, the ideology governing it and the very leadership of it – whether all these are correct or not. Besides this, many more aspects are to be carefully looked into in a movement. The parties hobnobbing surreptitiously with the enemy camp are to be identified in a movement. For, bear it in mind that the enemy camp or the bourgeoisie does not simply unleash direct attacks upon a mass movement, they also smuggle their own agents into it. These agents of the enemy camp are after mock shows of a movement over various demands of the people. And sometimes within the fold of a mass movement they pretend to be much more militant than even the true revolutionaries. Again, they at the same time carry on a dialogue with the enemy camp, cause split in the fighting front of the people at the opportune moment and create disruption. In this way, they act on behalf of the enemy camp against the genuine mass movement. This apart, the task which is of decisive importance for the transformation of the present capitalist exploitative social system, that is, formation of the struggle committees of workers and peasants through mass movements right from the lowest up to the highest level as people’s own instruments of struggle in the shape of a united front conducive to revolution — these parties do never allow implementation of this task, and under various pretexts they oppose in one way or the other formation of such struggle committees. Rather, they try to impress upon that increasing the strength of their own party by hook or by crook and creating widespread influence of their party over the people is tantamount to giving rise to the political power of the people. They always try to pass off the superficial agreement reached by the different parties opposed to the ruling party as the struggling front of the people. Thus these parties create direct obstructions in the path of developing revolutionary preparedness and hatch conspiracy to draw the people away from the revolutionary party by confusing the masses through violent movement against the enemy which they sometimes resort to. They constitute the shrewd social democratic forces in the mass movements, who are called, according to the revolutionary terminology, the compromising force between labour and capital. Because of their indulgence in hypocritical talk and their outward behaviour the common people are unable to recognize their true character. It is impossible to give birth to the political power of the people without isolating these social-democratic forces from the people by unmasking their cunning and anti-revolutionary politics in mass movement.
Moreover, the mass movement contains within its fold another section who, without developing necessary revolutionary preparedness, speak of abruptly venturing on something. For revolution they do not think it at all necessary to build up, by conducting painstaking political struggle, the political power and organization of the people conducive to revolution. They hold that once started by any means, revolution will automatically come about. Those who think this way include many genuinely honest individuals who are truly sincere to the cause of revolution. But owing to these conceptions and behaviour born of ignorance, they also create an effective stumbling block in the path of developing revolutionary preparedness in the country, before fulfilling the prerequisites, that is, before acquiring the necessary strength for revolution by way of building up the people’s own political power and organization — so very indispensable for the accomplishment of revolution. They launch untimely attack on the state machine, and by that they not only do not render any help in favour of revolution, but what is more they strengthen the hands of the enemy forces against revolution as well. They should know that the revolutionary party, it is true, provides leadership to revolution; but it is the people who accomplish revolution. Hence if the political power of the people cannot be developed as being conducive to revolution, revolution can never be brought about by a handful of party workers alone, no matter how honest and sincere they may be. And it also has to be borne in mind that the task of evolving this political power from the people and building up such an organization conducive to revolution is very difficult and time-consuming. To grasp these things properly, you need to cultivate revolutionary politics and acquire political consciousness.
Bear in mind, those who just go on harping, without judging these questions "now movement is going on, so there can be no ideological deliberations", they either know nothing of the history of revolutionary movements of the world or even if they have gone through it, they have understood nothing, or they are all political tricksters. They are simply after becoming ministers and big shots by usurping all the sacrifices of the people in the movement. They simply want to exploit the anti-government feelings of the people to derive electoral advantage. They never want to develop the political power of the people through mass movements, right from the grassroots up to the highest level, as an alternative to the present capitalist state power.
You should correctly understand what this state power means. You should know that it is this state power which actually protects the present capitalist social system. This I was discussing when I shifted to another point. This state power rests on three main organs or pillars with the help of which it protects the capitalist social system. These three main organs or pillars of the state power are — the military, the judiciary and the bureaucratic administrative system along with the police. Does the character of these three organs of the state undergo any change at all by change of government through elections ? Remember, the character of these three organs of the state does not change as a result of change of government through elections. Change of government — no matter whether brought through elections or by organizing a coup or through any other means, or by floor crossing in Parliament – does not change these three organs of the state which have grown into a specific mould, as a machine in a specific manner having specific characteristics of its own. Say, for instance, a machine made of different parts is constructed in a specific manner, intended to perform a specific function. No function other than what the machine is made for can be performed, no matter how badly or how well the operator or the engineer runs the machine. Similarly, the capitalist state machine with its mindset, its rules and regulations, its system of organization and its concepts relating to legality and law as well as to democracy, its understanding regarding the country and the people, is designed in a particular pattern intended to protect capitalism, the capitalist system and the rule of the capitalist class. And the government is but the operator running this capitalist state machine. Hence, the character of the state machine does never change through a change of government simply. So, if people’s committees from the grassroots to the highest level, which will emerge through democratic movements, are not made adequately conscious and are not built up on the appropriate moral and cultural edifice in a way that they combine in themselves the capacity to competently discharge the functions of the three vital organs on which rests the capitalist social system, then there cannot be the birth of alternative state power. And this task remaining unaccomplished, revolution can never be made to materialize simply by changing governments through elections. This is what I want to bring home.
The people of India have been suffering repeated setbacks because this task has not been accomplished. Over and over again are they joining in struggles; again and again are they plunging into movements. In future also they will be in movements. But if this task is left unaccomplished, the future movements will meet the same fate as they did in the past. Simply because the movements suffered defeats — this is not the only reason why I say this. I know, as the revolutionary leaders of every country knew, and a great revolutionary leader of this era emphasized in one of his famous writings, that at the outset revolutionary movements of all countries meet defeat. Again and again, and still again, they meet defeat. In this way, having suffered defeat after defeat, finally revolution achieves victory. What he drove home with this is that every defeat comes about at the outset because however much might people rally in support of revolution and irrespective of preparations for revolution, whether in the form of either armed struggle or peaceful movement — whichever opinion may one hold — revolutionary movement in its early phase remains weak compared to the mighty state power. Naturally, comes the onslaught, comes defeat. But if the political objective, the political line and the leadership are correct, through each and every defeat people’s organized strength grows stronger, it grows richer in experience and people’s organization gets further steeled. Hence, it gains in strength gradually through every defeat. And through every defeat it weakens the enemy further and causes rift in the enemy camp. Thus, while getting more and more tempered with experience through struggles, revolution goes on gathering more and more strength even amidst defeats, on the one hand, and, on the other, even more acute grow the crises the reactionaries are suffering from, their internal contradictions getting sharpened, the internal crises of their economic system getting much more intensified and enmeshed in so many crises, they gradually become weaker. Thus, revolution ultimately emerges victorious.
But have these defeats in our country been of this kind? Is the left movement, the revolutionary struggle of our country steadily gaining strength through these defeats, or are we rather succumbing and retreating to the underground, our movement getting shattered and divisions setting in? The Congress, the reactionary force which had virtually been on the wane in West Bengal, has returned with flying colours again owing to the wrong political theory, wrong political line and wrong leadership. You know, in the course of conducting movements against the Congress government for a long time, the left and democratic parties had come to governmental power through elections in West Bengal. At that stage of the democratic movement where it was the principal task to unitedly build up people’s struggle committees as the instruments of struggle of the peasants, workers, students and youth, their own, on the model of workers-peasants’ Soviets, from the village level up to the state level, keeping steadfastly in view the objective of overthrowing the present capitalist state, the CPI(M) as the biggest party and the leader of the then Front paid no attention at all to so vital a task. What did it do instead? Rather, guided by the wrong politics of ‘class-based front’, and backed by the police, it engaged itself at that time in a fight for curbing the organizational strength of the other parties who were constituents of the Front, not of course through ideological struggle — for, ideological struggle will be continued within the Soviets also — but by physical force. As a result, it happened that no powerful movement was conducted at that time against the state, the capitalist class, or the reactionary clique. On the contrary, because of the CPI(M)’s bid to anyhow increase its party influence with the politics of loaves and fishes, it all turned into clashes and fights among the constituents of the Front, between workers and workers, among poor peasants themselves. Consequently that united movement of ours itself broke down, and as a reaction to this, the Congress, having had one foot in the grave, returned with flying colours again. Thus, that united movement of ours could not proceed very far. Rather, it is within ourselves that rift set in. So it is seen that it is the reactionaries, it is the capitalist class who time and again have grown stronger after every movement.
Then, where is our mistake? It is that same old point at issue. The path, the ideology, that is, the base political line before our mass movements and the leadership over those movements had not been correct. That is, the correct strategy and tactics of anti-capitalist socialist revolution were absent in the mass movements. Naturally, whatever movements have taken place over people’s demands here have in the main turned out to be some movements for reforms within the framework of the very capitalist state structure and these are being passed off as ‘revolution’ among the people. This is what has led to the kind of movements to be expected in such a situation. Thus the political power of the people conducive to revolution, the instruments of struggle of the toiling people on the model of Soviets have not been built up through all these mass movements here. So while conducting movements, these are matters to be looked into very seriously. It is imperative to pay attention to whether the base political line of the movement is correct, that is, whether it contains the strategy and tactics of the anti-capitalist socialist revolution. This apart, in order to identify the correct leadership in the movement, one has to find out which is the party or who are the forces truly interested in building up struggle committees of peasants and workers on the pattern of the Soviets through these movements as the instruments of people’s struggles. And who are those who in reality create hindrance to the formation of these people’s struggle committees under various pretexts, and in its stead want to mislead the people by passing off the expansion of the party’s organizational strength and the tightening grip of the party over the people as the growth of the people’s political power. Besides all these, for identifying the correct leadership in the movement, it has to be particularly noted that which among the different parties taking part in the movement is the party whose leaders and workers are reflecting, in their day-to-day political struggle, higher ethical, cultural and moral standard conducive to anti-capitalist socialist revolution. If a socialist social system based on scientific socialism is to be established here by overthrowing the present exploitative capitalist social system through revolution, it is incumbent on you to pay attention to these aspects in mass movements.
But see, whereas our society is hard-hit with capitalist exploitation and whereas the fundamental task of revolution is to smash this capitalist state system, the strategy and tactics, as pursued by both the CPI and the CPI(M), are of different kind. Whereas it is the capitalist class or the bourgeoisie which exploits, these parties are not speaking of fighting the whole of the capitalist class or the bourgeoisie. Rather, pointing their fingers at a handful of the monopoly capitalists, they say that these are the enemies. By this they are seeking to paint the rest of the capitalists as friends and are thus trying to shield them from people’s wrath. This way of putting things is as good as hiding the rule and exploitation of the entire capitalist class or the bourgeoisie from the people and putting its total onus upon a select few of the captains of the bourgeoisie. Same is the trick of Indiraji. What is she resorting to? She is devising some schemes in the aggregate national interest of capitalism. Whenever the narrow individual interests of the monopoly capitalists are coming in conflict with this scheme of hers made in the aggregate national interest of capitalism — a conflict quite natural to arise — and whenever they are opposing it as a result, Indiraji, too, is confusing the people by pointing her finger at this handful monopoly capitalists. She is trying to convince the people with the argument that everybody calls her the agent of the capitalists, but the very Tatas and Birlas are criticizing her. Hence, what a great anti-capitalist she is! Wherein lies then the difference between the Indira Congress and these parties? And, if this is their politics, how can they accomplish revolution and how is it possible for the political power of the people, instrumental in anti-capitalist socialist revolution, to emerge through the democratic movements conducted under their leadership?
You have witnessed that Chhatra Parisad4 and Yuba Congress5 also raise anti-monopoly, anti-capitalist slogans. It seems that these students and youths have taken no lessons at all from history. There are many among them who are honest. But, they are utterly failing to understand that nationalization of industry and socialization of industry is not one and the same thing. They do not understand that it is in the aggregate national interest of capitalism that this nationalization is resorted to. Necessitated by the widest aggregate interest of capitalism, it is being restored.
And this aggregate interest of capitalism, due to obvious reasons, comes in contradiction with the interest of individual capital. But there is a group of deceivers who cunningly try to paint this contradiction as the contradiction with capitalism. No. It is nothing else but the contradiction between the commercial interest of individual monopoly capital and the aggregate national interest of capitalism. Those who pass off nationalization of industry within the framework of the capitalist system and state structure as socialism, the worker-capitalist production relation and the law of earning maximum profit as the motive force of production remaining intact, are in fact cunning deceivers, they are evil. They confuse the people. Posing themselves as anti-capitalists thus they seek to hoodwink the entire masses and breed fascism as Hitler did in Germany and Mussolini in Italy. Notwithstanding these precedents in history before us, have students, youths and intellectuals become so ignorant and oblivious that they are not able to understand this?
In Germany, Hitler raised the slogan of national socialism. Who was Mussolini whose party brought fascism to Italy? A social democrat. The slogan of democratic socialism that has been raised by Indiraji is the same as the catchword used by them. History has testified that behind the smokescreen of this so-called progress of national socialism and welfare economic programmes, Hitler introduced the most hated Nazism or fascism in Germany. Students of history know that. That is why I said as far back as in 1948 that social democratism from whose womb fascism once came out has itself now become the last prop of fascism. And this is about to take shape today in India.
I won’t address you any longer today. My last appeal to you all — you, the youth, and people at large who desire to build up movement, should give importance to questions concerning the political line and leadership of movement and, giving due importance to these aspects, you build up mighty mass movements. The object of your movements should not be confined to merely achieving demands or conducting election battles. Through these movements, you should give birth to the organized political power of the people down from the lowest up to the highest level. I like to reiterate, revolution means change of the state itself. State as a whole means those three organs —the military, the judiciary and the bureaucratic system of administration along with the police. These three are patterned in the same mould. If, through formation of people’s struggle committees and conducting democratic movements, birth is not given to organized political power — one that is duly politically tempered and based on high moral standard, opposed to capitalism, which means emergence of alternative state power — then revolution, revolutionary transformation will remain a wishful thinking.
And I do hope the youth of West Bengal will not fall behind the youth of Bihar, Gujarat or other states of India. Once the people of India used to say : the youth of Bengal show the path to India. The question today is : will that youth show India the path of fascism? Or will they show India the path of socialist revolution against fascism. You are to deliver this message to the youth. With this I conclude my speech today.
Long Live Revolution !
http://www.suci.in/works3/massmovements/massmovements.htm
Speech on 20 June 1975.
First published as a booklet
in Bengali on June 24, 1975.
NDTV.com
IAEA clears India-specific safeguards pact
Times of India - 32 minutes ago
VIENNA: The IAEA board of governors on Friday cleared the safeguards agreement with India, a key step for the operationalisation of the Indo-US nuke deal.
Surjeet a big source of inspiration for CPI(M): Yechury
New Delhi (PTI): "It is not who recognises you in the world, but how much do you have your foundations with your people" was the question veteran Marxist leader Harkishen Singh Surjeet always raised with his comrades.
As the CPI(M) received flak from various quarters for its stand, comrades used to seek his guidance as to how to counter it.
"Surjeet's basic point was always that statement," senior CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury told reporters here.
He said Surjeet was a big source of inspiration for him and the party. "I learnt a lot of politics from him. He was a big force in bringing the Communist party to the national mainstream."
Noting that Surjeet was one of the architects of coalition governments, Yechury said the leader's role in the peasants' movements of Punjab was exemplary.
He added that Surjeet's role was not only limited to evolution of the communist movement but also of the national political evolution itself.
"He (Surjeet) was of low formal education background but then also took on the best intellectuals of the world. He was a self-made fighter and even the way he died he fought till the end," Yechury said.
He said, "Surjeet played a key role in making the CPI-M become the single largest contingent of the communist movement not only in India but also in South Asia."
The CPI-M politburo member said that the veteran leader played a crucial role when the Communist party of China and Soviet Union did not accept the Indian Communist Party (Marxist) for about 20 years. And "its a big loss for us for he being not around".
CPI compliments UPA govt. on WTO
Kochi (PTI): After parting ways with the UPA on Indo-US nuclear deal and turning its bitter critic, the CPI on Friday complimented the Manmohan Singh government for resisting US pressures on the issue of agriculture tariffs at the WTO ministerial conference.
Serious attempts were made by the US and European Union to 'arm twist' India, China and other developing nations on the issue, CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan told reporters here.
Bardhan said he was 'glad' that India did not fall to this pressure. "This (US pressure) shows the dangers faced by the agriculture sector", he added.
"We should be vigilant and stand together along with China, Brazil and other developing nations to resist these pressures", he said.
The WTO talks at Geneva last week collapsed on the issue of giving safeguards to farmers in developing countries against surge in imports from developed countries. While India and China insisted on sufficient protection for their vulnerable farmers, the US was not ready for a deal.
Bardhan, however, hit out at the UPA governement's move to implement measurers like dilution of equity in banks, allowing foreign capital in banking sector and virtually privatising the insurance sector by handing over pension funds to the corporate houses like Reliance.
"Maneaters of corporate houses have been let loose by the government", he charged.
On the cut in quantum of rice supplied for the above poverty line (APL) category people in Kerala, he said this issue would be taken up with Union Agricultural Minsiter Sharad Pawar and "we will lead a delegation from Kerala to meet him." The Left parties will support the August 20 trade union strike call, he said.
US seeking to turn India into a military base: Brinda
Pune (PTI): The US wants India to be converted into a military base to facilitate refuelling for its planes and recreation for the soldiers engaged in Iraq war, CPI(M) politburo member and Rajya Sabha MP Brinda Karat said.
"By initiating the Indo-US nuclear deal, the Americans are aiming at making India a strategic ally and the US pressure was responsible for a deliberate delay in giving effect to the proposed Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline," she alleged, addressing a public meeting here on Thursday.
"The US wants India to be its military base where the American planes can refuel after bombing in Iraq and the soldiers can have recreation," she said.
Karat, who was in the city as part of the CPI(M) campaign to explain to the people "real nature" of the nuke deal, denied that the Left opposition to the agreement stemmed from its ideological anti-US stance.
"All we want is to protect the sovereignty of people of India and expose the UPA government's hidden agenda of linking the country's foreign policy to the US strategy," she said.
The CPI(M) leader accused the UPA government of slashing the budget allocation to the Atomic Energy Department by Rs 188 crore and neglecting the country's indigenous nuclear development programme while pursuing the deal with the US which would be able to meet just eight per cent of the domestic power demand.
Referring to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's remark in Parliament during the trust vote debate that Left parties wanted to treat him as a bonded slave, Karat said, "by making this allegation Singh has degraded the office of the Prime Minister of India."
Atomic power generation waits for nuke deal cue
New Delhi (PTI): There is no better time than now for the Indo-US nuclear deal to come through, as atomic power plants are running at less than 50 per cent of their capacity for want of fuel, feel Power Ministry officials.
Shortage of nuclear fuel means under-utilisation of installed capacity in general. The generation is less than 50 per cent of the installed nuclear power capacity of 4,120 MW, a senior Power Ministry official told PTI.
The deal with the US would give India access to American nuclear technology and fuel that would allow all its 22 atomic reactors to run in full capacity.
The fuel shortage at present is so acute that some of the nuclear power plants were closed down a couple of months ago. However the country is exploring the possibility of using 'Thorium' as fuel but any breakthrough is not expected in the near future, the official said.
Armed Forces shouldn't be used for law and order: Antony
New Delhi (PTI): The Armed Forces should not be used for dealing with law and order problems, Defence Minister A K Antony on Friday said as he came out strongly against such practice.
"We do not encourage that the armed forces should be used as an extension of para-military forces to deal with law and order problems," Antony said on the sidelines of a function for the release of the new Defence Procurement Procedure here.
As a policy, armed forces should be kept away from policing duties as these forces have to play a vital role in safeguarding the country's long borders, the minister stressed.
He said "we feel states are best equipped to deal with ordinary law and order problems. And if they are not, they always have the option of calling in the para-military forces."
"Calling in of Armed Forces should be in extraordinary situations," he said.
This is the second time within a span of one month that Antony has cautioned against the use of armed forces for tackling law and order problems. Earlier, he had openly opposed using Army to tackle the growing naxal problem in central India.
Manmohan hails IAEA's nod as milestone
Colombo (PTI): Hailing IAEA's approval of the India's specific safeguards agreement as historic, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday said it was an important day for India and thanked the international community, especially the US and the UN energy agency chief for achieving the "milestone.
"I am delighted to hear that the IAEA Board of Governors has decided today, by consensus, to approve the India Specific Safeguards Agreement. This is an important day for India, and for our civil nuclear initiative for the resumption of India's cooperation with our friends abroad," Singh, who arrived here to attend the SAARC Summit, said.
The civil nuclear initiative is good for India and good for the world, the prime minister said, adding "as we move forward towards our goal of sustainable development and energy security, the peaceful uses of atomic energy will play an increasingly important role."
"I am grateful to the members of the IAEA Board of Governors, to our partners and friends abroad, and, in particular, to the USA, for making this important step in the IAEA possible.
Singh noted that IAEA Director General Mohamed El Baradei played "a significant role" and said India was looking forward to working with him and his Agency in implementing this agreement.
"I am deeply appreciative of the historic significance of this milestone in our cooperation with the IAEA and the international community in peaceful uses of atomic energy."
USIBC welcomes India-specific safeguards agreement approval
Washington (PTI): The United States-India Business Council (USIBC) on Friday welcomed the IAEA board approval of India-specific safeguards agreement, saying that this is a big step forward for the country and the international community.
"India needs nuclear power to meet its energy needs for the 21st century. This agreement is good for India, good for the environment, and good for advancing the shared global objectives of nuclear safety and nonproliferation," Ron Somers, president of the USIBC, said in a statement.
"This is a big step forward for India and for the international community," he said.
The council said it will emphasise the need to ratify the "historic" agreement in the 110th US Congress to the elected members in Washington.
The India-specific safeguards agreement was approved by the Board of Governors of the IAEA by consensus in a key step to implement the Indo-US atomic deal.
Western nations promptly welcome IAEA nod
Vienna (PTI): The US and EU on Friday led the international community in promptly welcoming the IAEA's approval of India-specific safeguards agreement, saying it will boost non-proliferation efforts and hoped that the NSG will too give a waiver to New Delhi for nuclear commerce.
"We welcome it. We believe the Agreement to be consistent with the high standards used by the IAEA for safeguards," a White House House official told PTI in Washington.
US Ambassador to India David C Mulford described the approval as a key step in the implementation of the Indo-US nuclear deal and vowed to "vigorously" obtain the exception in the NSG and clearance from the US Congress.
"The approval of India-specific safeguards agreement by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors is a key step towards implementation of the US-India Civil Nuclear Cooperation initiative.
"We will work vigorously with India to obtain an India-specific exception in the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the final US Congressional approval," Mulford said in statement.
Echoing sentiments of the US, Britain hailed the agreement as a "significant contribution to energy and climate security".
"We believe it will make a significant contribution to energy and climate security," British ambassador to the IAEA Simon Smith said in a statement.
"It also represents a gain for the non-proliferation regime by bringing India further into, an thereby strengthening, the broader non-proliferation framework."
The European Union said the agreement will "reinforce" the non-proliferation regime and sought speedy finalisation of the Additional Protocol with IAEA.
The draft India-specific safeguards, taken up by the IAEA Board of Governors today, "will reinforce the non-proliferation regime for which the European Union is committed," a statement issued by France which hold the presidency of the 27-member grouping said.
Gregory L. Schulte, chief US envoy to the IAEA, said it would strengthen nonproliferation.
"Friday's agreement represents a major step forward to opening civil nuclear cooperation with India while strengthening the world's nonproliferation regime," he told reporters.
However, Iran, which is under international pressure over its nuclear programme, accused the US of double standards.
Ali Ashgar Soltanieh, Iran's top representative to the UN agency, said the US policy would continue to undermine the credibility, integrity and universality of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
Basu says Surjeet's death a tremendous loss
Kolkata (PTI): Expressing deep shock at the death of his long-time party colleague, veteran CPI(M) leader Jyoti Basu on Friday said the party lost a 'pioneering leader' and the Left and democratic movement in the country suffered a 'tremendous loss'.
In a message, Basu, who turned 95 on July 8 this year, said "I have heard that Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet is no more. It is extremely shocking to me. We have worked for a long time as colleagues. He was younger than me by two years though in the past two years he was very much unwell and his voice became feeble, which was becoming difficult to accept".
"Therefore at his (Surjeet's) loss, I have become somewhat lonely," the nonagenarian leader, who is also not keeping well for quite sometime, said.
The last party Congress of the CPI(M) held at Coimbatore in April this year saw the exit of veterans Basu and Surjeet from the party's Polit Bureau.
Basu, however, remained a special invitee to the 15-member reconstituted Polit Bureau while Surjeet became a special invitee to the central committee.
The two leaders were members of the Polit Bureau for 44 years since 1964 when the CPI(M) was formed after the split in the Communist Party of India.
Leaders across party lines condole Surjeet's death
New Delhi (PTI): A host of leaders from across the political spectrum, including Congress President Sonia Gandhi, on Friday condoled the death of veteran Marxist Harkishan Singh Surjeet and hailed his contribution to Indian politics.
In a condolence message, Gandhi said Surjeet's death was a loss not only to the Communist movement but to the entire country.
Describing his death as a personal loss to him, Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) Chief Ram Vilas Paswan said, "Surjeet was a trouble-shooter at times of crisis.
"He was a veteran secular leader and his death is a jolt to secular forces," he said noting that he had a 30-year long association with the Marxist leader.
Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, CPI(M) leaders Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechury and Brinda Karat reached the Metro hospital, where Surjeet was admitted, and paid tributes to the departed leader.
"Surjeet had made significant contribution to the evolution of Indian politics and the Communist movement in India. He would be missed dearly," Yechury told reporters.
Former Prime Minister I K Gujral paid floral tributes to the Surjeet's portrait at the CPI(M) office here and said it was a "grievous loss of a life-long friend."
"My association with Surjeet began when we became friends in 1936 when I joined college. He was already a stalwart by then. I distinctly remember that my parents met Surjeet for the first time in the Jalandhar party office when they came to India after partition," Gujral said.
Describing Surjeet as a "great patriot" and a "great communist revolutionary", CPI leader D Raja said "his contribution in setting the country's political course was immense."
"He was a great strategist, a man with great political acumen and as one could see, at the time of the United Front government and also at the beginning of the UPA government, he played an important role," Raja said.
Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said, "I have come here to pay respect to my leader who fought for the common people. He was a leader of the masses. His demise is a great loss".
Party General Secretary Prakash Karat said it was a great loss to the nation.
CPI(M) Central Committee member Nilotpal Basu said "Surjeet was a product of the freedom struggle. His death is not a loss for the party or the Left movement alone but it is a loss for the whole nation. Protecting democratic ethos of the country, he fought like a true patriot".
Condoling the death of Surjeet, Defence Minister A K Antony said "the country has lost a great statesman who believed in pragmatic politics."
"He was a grassroots political leader and played a pioneering role in empowering the peasants in Punjab. As a leader of the Communist Party of India and later the Communist Party of India (Marxist), he played a vital role in defining and shaping their role in the politics of the country for nearly seven decades," he said.
"His pivotal role in the formation of the United Progressive Alliance will be remembered for long," Antony said.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Governor S C Jamir and West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi also condoled the death of the veteran leader.
"A freedom fighter, farmers' leader and an organisation man, Surjeet remained committed to the ideals and philosophy of Communism all his life. As General Secretary of CPI(M), he was instrumental in the formation of various coalition governments at the Centre. In his demise, the nation has lost a grand patriarch of national politics," Jamir said in his condolence message.
Gopalkrishna Gandhi mourned Surjeet's demise and said he would be remembered by a "great plurality of fellow-citizens".
Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh described Surjeet as a veteran Communist leader who played a major role in national politics.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati expressed profound grief over death of Surjeet.
In her message, Mayawati said that Surjeet always fought for the rights of workers, labourers, farmers and other deprived sections of the society.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi expressed shock over the death of Surjeet and said his demise was an irreparable loss to the nation.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar condoled the death of the veteran Marxist leader and said, in his death the country lost a leader who made significant contribution to the evolution of Indian politics.
Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda expressed grief over the demise of the Communist leader and said his death has created a void which could never be filled.
MDMK General Secretary Vaiko, in his message, said the late leader had dedicated his life to the nation and was a great orator.
Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, CPI-M state Secretary Pinarayi Vijyan and other party leaders expressed grief over the demise of Surjeet.
Achuthanandan said Surjeet played a vital role in the party's growth in the country.
Vijayan remembered Surjeet as the architect of major political changes at the national level by bringing together secular forces under the left fold as an alternative to the Congress and BJP.
In his condolence message, CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan said Surjeet always fought for the cause of farmers and working class.
"Surjeet's death is a great loss to the communist movement," Bardhan said in his condolence message.
Condoling the death of Surjeet, the ruling CPI-M in Tripura today deferred it's state committee conference.
Party's state secretary Baidynath Majumder expressed deep sorrow at the demise and said the Tripura unit of the party would observe three day mourning and lower party flags all across the state.
Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, a Polit Bureau member, would participate in the cremation in Delhi on August 3, he said.
Paying rich tributes to the departed leader, AIADMK leader J Jayalalitha said, Surjeet had played the role of kingmaker in Indian parliamentary politics. He had the ability to mend and assemble broad coalitions and was known for his steadfast opposition to Communalism, she said.
"His passing away is an irreparable loss to the farmers and working people of the nation. In his passing away, the people of India have lost an illustrious parliamentarian, a great humanist and a true patriot, who untiringly served the nation," she said.
Punjab's domination in communist movement ends with demise of Comrade Surjeet
Satinder Bains
Friday, 01 August 2008
Badal, Barnala, Bhattal condole the death of Comrade Surjeet
CHANDIGARH: The death of veteran communist leader Harkishan Singh Surjeet at Noida on Friday has brought to an end, the long domination of Punjab in the communist movement to which Surjeet had given a new dimension during his political career.
He was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) from 1992 to 2005 and was a member of the party's Polit Bureau from 1964 to 2008. Till few years back he was known as king maker due to his political maneuvering during crisis in national politics. Though he belonged to Punjab, he had never contested any election from the state. Yet, his writ prevailed in state and national politics for over six decades, perhaps the longest period for any politician to survive in public life.
Born to a Bassi Jat family in Bandala, Jalandhar district, Surjeet started his political career in the national liberation movement in his early teens, as a follower of Bhagat Singh. In 1930 he joined the movement of Bhagat Singh, Naujawan Bharat Sabha. On the anniversary of the martyrdom of Bhagat Singh, Surjeet hoisted the Indian tricolour at the court in Hoshiarpur, an action during which he was shot two times. Later he was punished by the colonial regime. In court he stated his name as London Tod Singh (one who breaks London). In 1936, Surjeet joined the Communist Party of India. He was a co-founder of the Kisan Sabha (Peasants Union) in Punjab. In the pre-war years he started publishing Dukhi Duniya and Chingari. During the war, Surjeet was imprisoned by the colonial authorities. When India became independent and partitioned in 1947, Surjeet was the General Secretary of CPI in Punjab.
Comrade Surjeet Singh's relations with Punjab are not only confined to political activities. He brought about a change in the mind set of local leadership and patronised them to start a daily Punjabi newspaper 'Desh Sewak' which is now considered one of the best vernacular newspapers in the region.
The political leaders across the party lines have mourned the demise of Comrade Surjeet. Punjab CPI secretary Joginder Dayal and CPM general secretary Balwant Singh have expressed their condolences and lauded the role played by Conrade Surjeet in freedom movement and later building a healthy political environment in the country.
Punjab Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal has expressed profound grief over the sad demise of Harkishan Singh Surjit. In a statement Badal described Surjit as a leader who remained committed to whatever ideology he believed in till his death. Badal said that Surjit belonged to that golden era when strength of personal relations was recognized despite differences of political ideologies.
Badal described the death of Surjit 'as a personal loss'. He said that Surjit always maintained close association with Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and also stood with SAD in many battles against draconian and anti democratic measures of then Congress regimes, as in the case of Emergency.
Tamilnadu Governor and veterna Akali leader Surjit Singh Barnala has also condoled the death of Comrade. He said that Harkishan Singh Surjeet was a staunch Nationalist and took active part in our Nation’s Freedom Movement.
He was a multifaceted personality, a great parliamentarian who had dedicated himself for the cause of the farmers and downtrodden. He was a close friend of mine and our association started right from the freedom movement. His death is an irreparable loss to the nation and to me in particular, Barnala added.
Rajinder Kaur Bhattal President Punjab Congress and Leader of the Opposition has also expressed deep grief and sorrow over the death of Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjit after protracted illness.
In her message Bhattal has said that the country has lost a Nationalist and Secular leader who worked for the cause of common man particularly the labour community and fought against the communal and fascist forces all along his life. It is difficult to fill the void created by his death added Bhattal.
Manoranjan Kalia, Local Government & Industries Minister Punjab today expressed profound grief and sorrow over the sad demise of the veteran Marxist leader Harkishan Singh Surjit. Describing him a seasoned Politician Kalia conveyed his heart felt sympathies to the bereaved family members
http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/view/11481/38/
Thomson Financial News
India's July auto sales mixed; auto makers sees higher sales in H2
08.01.08, 10:40 AM ET
MUMBAI (Thomson Financial) - India's automobile sector continues to witness mixed trends in July with four-wheeler sales remain marginally lower and two-wheeler offtake rising, despite tighter vehicle financing conditions and rising input costs.
'It has been a challenging month for the entire industry with the combined effects of increase in interest rates, hike in fuel prices and inflationary pressures affecting market sentiment,' said Arvind Saxena, senior vice president, marketing and sales, Hyundai Motor India Ltd.
Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., a subsidiary of Japan's Suzuki Motor Corp., sold 58,543 units, including exports, in July compared with 57,909 units in the same month last year.
India's second-largest car maker Hyundai Motor India said total July sales, including exports, rose 28.2 percent to 36,152 units. During the month, Hyundai Motor India, a subsidiary of South Korean Hyundai Motor Co., exported 13,201 units.
Multi-utility vehicle maker Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. said its July sales, including exports, fell to 18,407 units from 19,163 units. However, M&M exported 1,105 units in the July compared with 627 units last July.
General Motors Corp.'s Indian subsidiary GM India said July sales increased 25 percent to 5,706 units, mainly on higher offtake of its small car Chevrolet Spark. Chevrolet Spark sales rose 120 percent to 3,570 units.
Honda Siel Cars India, a joint venture between Japan's Honda Motor Co. and Siel India Ltd., said July sales edged lower to 4,339 units from 4,533 units last year taking its cumulative sales from the January-to-July period to 36,849 units, a marginal rise of 0.2 percent, over same period last year.
In July, Honda Siel sold 52 units of its first hybrid car Honda Civic Hybrid, launched in India in June 2008.
The two-wheeler industry continues to report higher sales in July with new product launches and sees better sales in second half ahead of the September-December festival season in India. Two-wheeler makers usually witness better sales during the festival season.
India's largest two-wheeler maker Hero Honda Motors Ltd. said July sales, including exports, rose 39.8 percent to 281,317 units from 201,191 units, last year.
Anil Dua, senior vice president, marketing and sales, Hero Honda, said, managing high double-digit growth in the post-festive season would be a challenge, and the second half of the 2008-09 financial year is going to be crucial to the full year outcome, for the industry as a whole. Dua added the company remains cautiously optimistic about the future.
Bajaj Auto Ltd., the country's second largest two-wheeler manufacturer, reported 7 percent rise in sales, including two wheelers, three wheeler and exports, in July. The company said it sold 813,799 units in July compared with 757,481 units last year.
Bajaj Auto managing director Rajiv Bajaj said the company expects strong double-digit growth for the rest of the year, buoyed by higher festive-season demand and new product launches in 125cc motorcycles.
TVS Motor Co. reported a 13 percent growth in July, mainly on robust exports. During the month the company sold 118,545 units, including exports, from 105,366 units in the same period last year. The company's exports in July rose 41 percent to 16,015 units.
In July, the country's third-largest two-wheeler maker said it rolled out its one millionth unit of its TVS Scooty Pep.
yogesh.sapkale@thomsonreuters.com; TFN.newsdesk@thomson.com
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