Saturday 12 December 2015

ആൾ ഇന്ത്യാ പീപ്പ്ൾസ് ഫോറം (A I P F )


ആൾ ഇന്ത്യാ പീപ്പ്ൾസ് ഫോറം (A I P F )
സ്ഥാപന രേഖയും കാഴ്ചപ്പാടും പ്രിന്റ്‌ രൂപത്തിൽ
മലയാളത്തിൽ ഉടൻ പ്രസിദ്ധീകരിക്കുന്നു 




Sunday 8 November 2015

ബിഹാർ നിയമസഭാ തെരഞ്ഞെടുപ്പ് ഫലങ്ങൾ : സി പി ഐ എം എൽ പ്രസ്താവന

ബിഹാർ നിയമസഭാ തെരഞ്ഞെടുപ്പ് ഫലങ്ങൾ : സി പി ഐ എം എൽ  പ്രസ്താവന
ബി ജെ പി യുടേയും നരേന്ദ്ര മോദിയുടേയും വിഭാഗീയ രാഷ്ട്രീയത്തിന്നും വിനാശകാരിയായ നയങ്ങൾക്കും ചുട്ട മറുപടി നല്കുന്ന ഒരു വിധിയെഴുത്ത് നല്കിയ ബീഹാർ ജനതയെ  സി പി ഐ എം എൽ  ഊഷ്മളമായി അഭിനന്ദിക്കുന്നു .ബീഹാർ മുഴുവൻ രാജ്യത്തിന് വേണ്ടിയും സംസാരിച്ചിരിക്കുകയാണ്.  ചരിത്രപ്രാധാന്യമുള്ള  ഈ ജനവിധി രാജ്യത്താകമാനം ജനാധിപത്യം സംരക്ഷിക്കാൻ വേണ്ടി കർഷകരും തൊഴിലാളികളും വിദ്യാർഥികളും എഴുത്തുകാരും ശാസ്ത്രജ്ഞരും ബുദ്ധിജീവികളും   ഇന്ന് നടത്തിപ്പോരുന്ന വൈവിദ്ധ്യപൂർണ്ണമായ പോരാട്ടങ്ങൾക്ക് ഉത്തേജനവും കരുത്തും പകരുന്നതാണ്.
 ഇങ്ങനെയൊരു ചരിത്ര പ്രധാനമായ തെരഞ്ഞെടുപ്പ് വിധിയെഴുത്തിനു പ്രാഥമികമായി കളമൊരുക്കിയത് മഹാസഖ്യം  ആണെന്നത് തർക്കമറ്റ സംഗതിയാണ്. എന്നാൽ 
കാതലായ ജനകീയപ്രശ്നങ്ങൾ ഉയർത്തുന്ന പോരാട്ടവേദികളിൽ നിലയുറപ്പിച്ചിട്ടുള്ള സി പി ഐ എം എൽ  ലും മറ്റ് ഇടതു പാർട്ടികളിലും ജനങ്ങൾക്കുള്ള ഉറച്ച വിശ്വാസവും പ്രതീക്ഷകളും അസന്ദിഗ് ദ്ധതയോടെ വിളിച്ചോതുന്നതു കൂടിയാണ് ഈ ജനവിധി.
ബിഹാർ നിയമസഭയിലേയ്ക്ക് മൂന്ന് 
സി പി ഐ എം എൽ  അംഗങ്ങളെ തെരഞ്ഞെടുത്ത് അയച്ച സംസ്ഥാനത്തെ സമ്മതിദായകരോട് നന്ദി രേഖപ്പെടുത്താൻ പാർട്ടി ഈയവസരത്തിൽ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നു.  തൊട്ടടുത്ത എതിർ സ്ഥാനാർഥിയേക്കാൾ ഏകദേശം 22000, 10000, 400  എന്നീ ക്രമത്തിലുള്ള വോട്ടുവ്യത്യാസത്തിൽ ബൽരാംപൂരിലും , ദരൗലിയിലും, തരാരിയിലും സി പി ഐ എം എൽ  ന്റെ മൂന്ന് സ്ഥാനാർഥികൾ തെരഞ്ഞെടുക്കപ്പെട്ടു  . ഇതിന് പുറമേ, മറ്റനേകം നിയമസഭാ മണ്‍ഡലങ്ങളിൽ ഇടതുപക്ഷ ത്തിന്റെ സ്ഥാനാർഥികൾ  രണ്ടാം സ്ഥാനത്തും മൂന്നാം സ്ഥാനത്തും എത്തി. ഇടതു പക്ഷം സംയോജിതമായ ഒറ്റ ബ്ലോക്ക്‌ ആയി തെരഞ്ഞെടുപ്പിനെ നേരിട്ടപ്പോൾ ഉണ്ടായതാണ് മേൽപ്പറഞ്ഞ നേട്ടങ്ങൾ എന്നത് ഇടത് പക്ഷ ഐക്യം എന്ന ആശയത്തിന് സാധൂകരണം നല്കുന്നതോടൊപ്പം,  ജനപക്ഷത്ത് നിന്നുള്ള വികസന സങ്കല്പ്പത്തിനും,  നീതിയ്ക്കും അവകാശങ്ങൾക്കും മതേതരത്വത്തിനും വേണ്ടിയുള്ള ഇടത് അജണ്ടയ്ക്ക് കരുത്തേകുകയും ചെയ്യും.

ദീപങ്കർ ഭട്ടാചാര്യ,
ജനറൽ സെക്രട്ടറി,
സി പി ഐ എംഎൽ  ലിബറേഷൻ


Thursday 5 November 2015

ML Update | No. 45 | 2015


ML Update

A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine

Vol. 18, No. 45, 03 ­– 09 NOVEMBER 2015

Accusations of 'Ideological Intolerance' and 'Ideological Terrorism'

Modi Government's Offensive On Dissenting Voices


​T​
he past month has been witness to an unstoppable tide of dissent against intolerance and bigotry patronized by the Modi Government in India. Hundreds of writers, followed by artists, scientists, filmmakers, sociologists, historians and actors have returned awards or otherwise expressed concern at the growing climate of intolerance and violence in the country. In addition, even members of the ruling establishment, including the President of India and the RBI Governor have also expressed similar concerns. The global investment ratings company, Moody's Analytics, also warned Prime Minister Narendra Modi that his failure to "rein in" the intolerance and sectarian violence promoted by members of his party would harm India "domestic and global credibility."

In the face of this all-out loss of credibility for the Modi Government, the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has responded by accusing all the dissenting voices of being "Congress and Left thinkers and activists" who are displaying "ideological intolerance" towards Modi. The Prime Minister, he said, was in fact the biggest victim of this "intolerance." Some days later, the Jharkhand CM from the BJP added that writers returning awards were in fact guilty of "ideological terrorism."

Such a response to dissent, only confirms the accusations of authoritarian arrogance that the Modi Government is facing. Dissent and criticism are crucial for any democracy – and dissent by definition "speaks truth to power." For the party wielding power to claim to be a victim of "intolerance" is laughable. It implies that only possible place the Modi Government envisages for citizens is of cheerleaders. Anyone who does not join the cheering chorus but speaks up in dissent is accused of "intolerance."

Worse, dissenters are accused of being "terrorists" and "Pakistanis." Those who stand up for the right to eat beef or question the killing of Muslims or writers, or criticize Modi in any way are advised by BJP Ministers like Giriraj Singh to "go to Pakistan." The BJP President Amit Shah, in speeches in the Bihar elections, claims that BJP's defeat will be greeted by firecrackers and celebrations in "Pakistan." Such statements slyly use "Pakistan" and "terrorist" as shorthand for Indian Muslims and those who speak up for the rights of Indian Muslims. Citizenship and patriotism are redefined as approval of the BJP and RSS agenda of Hindu Rashtra and corporate appeasement, and every citizen who votes against the BJP, or any activist who agitate against land grab laws or other pro-corporate policies, or stand up for civil liberties, freedom of expression and dignity of minorities can be branded as a "terrorist."

These allegations of "intolerance" and "terrorism" are of course an admission of failure by the BJP: failure to turn the tide of public opinion in their favour in spite of holding all the power. But they are also dangerous – because branding dissenters as terrorists is a ploy to justify cracking down on them.

Jaitley's claim that the "national situation is absolutely peaceful...The country is not intolerant," and wave away incidents like the Dadri lynching as an aberration are belied by facts. Dadri-style lynchings of Muslims on the pretext of 'cow slaughter' happening thick and fast, accompanied by open threats of violence and murder by BJP MPs, Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states and Sangh Parivar leaders against "those who promote beef or eat beef." One BJP leader in Karnataka has threatened to behead the Chief Minister if he dares to keep his word and eat beef.

The very statements of no less than the Prime Minister in the Bihar elections confirm rather than allay the apprehensions of growing intolerance and Hindu-Muslim polarization. Modi has tried to inject communalism into caste-based reservations, by claiming that he will "stake his life" before he allowed Muslims to benefit from such reservations.

It would befit a Prime Minister to say that he would "stake his life" to make sure that no Muslim man is lynched for his supposed diet, and no Professor or a rationalist is murdered in his home for his views, or Dalit children burned alive. Instead the Prime Minister has staked the life of peace, tolerance and democracy in India, to seek votes in the Bihar elections and to allow the Sangh Parivar to push India towards the goal of a Hindu Nation.

But no matter how much the BJP and Modi may issue threats and abuse dissenters, the growing sense of anger, disillusionment and dissent against the Modi Government is unmistakable. The writers, scientists, and other intellectuals have shown the way – and this wave of protest in defence of democratic values is fast growing stronger. 


 Occupy UGC Movement Gains Strength and Spreads Across Cities and States
​T​
he #OccupyUGC movement begin on 21 October 2015, following the shocking decision taken by a UGC committee (constituted for enhancement of non NET fellowship) to scrap the non NET fellowship being currently provided to researchers pursuing M. Phil. and Ph.D. in Central Universities. In the memorandum submitted to the UGC by JNUSU (including representatives from AISF and AISA), it was demanded that the decision to scrap non NET fellowship be immediately revoked; the scholarship amount be increased from 5000 to 8000 for M.Phil. and from 8000 to 12,000 for Ph.D.; that the fellowship also be extended to research scholars in all State Universities; and that government of India refuse to sign on the WTO agreement in December this year. However, despite several protests and the refusal of the students to leave the UGC premises, the UGC authorities have refused to address the demands of the students. The Union Minister for MHRD too has refused to meet the protesting students (only choosing to speak BJP's own student wing ABVP and instructing it to confuse and demobilise student movement). Further, the committee formed by the MHRD as a result of the pressure exerted by the OccupyUGC movement, far from addressing the demands of the students, aims to further restrict the scope of the fellowships by subjecting them to various merit and income based conditions. The students have outrightly rejected such diversionary tactics of the government to not address the real issue.

After a brutal lathi charge afflicted on protesting students on 27 October, where several common students and student activists including several from AISA, the students have remained undeterred. Not only have they refused to end the movement, they have courageously continued to occupy the UGC and turn into a site of day and night protest. In the last week, several eminent scholars and teachers have gathered at ITO to express solidarity with the students. Members of JNUTA, DUTA, AUTA, faculty members from Jamia, IIT, former members of UGC like Prof. Yogendra Yadav, have regularly been joining the protesting students in an expression of solidarity. Several teachers like Prof. Janaki Nair, Dr. Naveen Gaur, Prof. Hargopal have been conducting open classes at the barricades on topics ranging from 'Feminism and the Democratisation of Higher Education' to 'Science Research in Times of Fund Cuts. The open classes are being accompanied by regular performances by various cultural groups like Sangwari, Swar, Janrang and others. Movie screenings have also been organised at the site of protest. The arrival of winters has failed to dampen the zeal of students, as lighting fire on the streets near ITO, they continue to OccupyUGC.

The last week has not just witness the movement intensify at the UGC office but also the spread of the movement across the country. The movement has spread to colleges and universities across the country like Hyderabad, NEHU Shillong, Sikkim, Gujarat, Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, Wardha, Allahabad, Pondicherry, Chandigarh, Sagar, Rohtak and elsewhere. Regional offices of the UGC across are being bombarded by students. Over the past two weeks, the OccupyUGC movement has received inspiring solidarity from #FeesMustFall movement of South Africa, FTII and also various other progressive sections. However, as in case of Delhi, the spread of movement in other places too have been met by brutal crackdowns. On 2 November 2015, an occupy UGC call was given by AISA, USDF, PERIODS, RADICAL, SFI, AISF, AISB, PSU and AIDSO. As the protest began, the students were mercilessly beaten up the state police and several students including AISA activists like Com. Abhishek and Com. Ipsita were brutally beaten up. 26 activists were arrested and taken to a police station whose location was not disclosed to them. Unfortunately for the state and central governments keen to sell out education, as was witnessed in Delhi, the state crackdown failed to deter the students who are continuing their protest in even larger numbers.

As the December deadline approaches for signing the WTO agreement which will confirm the status of education as a tradable commodity, the OccupyUGC movement that is gaining strength with every passing day has shown the firm resolve of the student community in India that will not allow access to higher education and opportunity for knowledge creation to be converted into privileges for some and denied to others. CPI (ML) salutes the student movement and expresses solidarity with them. 

First AIPF Conference in Tamil Nadu

The All India People's Forum held its first Tamil Nadu State Conference at Tirunelveli on 11.10.2015. The Conference began with a Presidential address by Comrade G Ramesh. In the run up to the Conference, activists of the various AIPF constituent groups campaigned vigorously in various parts of Tamil Nadu. There was enthusiastic participation from working people, and intellectuals and activists from all over Tamil Nadu. A large number of women from the anti-nuclear Koodankulam movement participated.
The Conference was inaugurated by CPI(ML) Politburo member Kavita Krishnan, who spoke about the Modi Government that was at the same time selling out India, and dividing India too. Both the corporates and the RSS are trying to make hay while the Modi sun shines. There were several inspiring instances of anti-corporate and anti-communal resistance. And the AIPF had emerged out of a felt need for uniting various streams of fighting forces.

Vasanthi Devi, former Vice Chancellor of Manonamanian Sundaranar University, said that Hindutva politics was founded on Brahminical patriarchy, and stressed the need to draw on the resources of Ambedkar and Periyar to combat it. S Balamurugan of the PUCL spoke about the challenge of resisting the all-round attack on activists, movements and freedom of speech. Prof. Murali, former Principal of a Madurai College, spoke about the moves to make education a tradable commodity under the WTO, and the moves afoot to discipline and morally police college students in order to produce campuses compliant with the WTO regime.

Leader of the anti-Koodankulam PMANE, Dr SP Udayakumar said that the AIPF Conference was the beginning and not an end in itself. He stressed the need for mutual unity and solidarity. He spoke of the experience of the Koodankulam women activists who had not been silenced or scared by killing, arrest, or sedition charges. He spoke on the dangers of nuclear energy. Com. Deebak of December 3 Movement, a Disability Rights Alliance, spoke very inspiringly about the rights of the disabled and the need for all platforms of people's movements to be sensitive to those rights.

Others who spoke included A Simson, writer Samsudeen Heera, scientist Dr Lal Mohan, omrade KM Sherif of Tamilnadu People's Democratic Party, Comrade Kathiravan of Athi Tamilar Katchi, Comrade Arivalagan of Dalit Research Centre, and Comrade Sujatha Modi of NTUI, Comrade Bharathi of Democratic Advocate's Association, Comrade Thirumalaisami of TTSF, Comrade RR Srinivasan of Kanchanai Film Society, Comrade Mukilan of Makkal Sananayaga Kudiarasu Katchi,Comrade Pandiarajan of AISA, Comrade Abdulrahman of Satta Panjayathu Iyakkam, Comrade Jawahar of AICCTU, Comrade A Chandramohan and Mangaiyarselvan, AIPF NCCM members, and Com Balasundaram Tamil Nadu State Secretary CPI(ML). Comrade S Kumarasamy, PB member of CPI(ML) also attended the Conference. A State-level Council, Campaign Committee and Advisory Committee were elected from the Conference.

Effigy Burning of the State Govt by All India Kisan Mahasabha in Bindukhatta

On 23 October 2015, the All India Kisan Mahasabha burnt the effigy of the state Congress government at Car Road in Bindukhatta to protest against the government's move to hand over 350 naali land in Dwarson (Almora) to the corporate and against the repression and crackdown unleashed on the protestors.

Addressing the protestors after the effigy burning, the area secretary of CPI (ML), Com. Lalit Matiyali said that during the time of the previous BJP government led by Khanduri, this 350 naali of barren land not owned by anyone, was recovered after ceiling. However, the control over the land was kept in the hands of the state government. At that time the CPI (ML) had demanded that the authority to manage and distribute this land recovered after ceiling from Dwarson and other areas be handed over to the Gram Panchayats, else the state government would hand it over to the land mafias and the corporate. Today when the Congress government has handed this land to the Jindals, the concerns of the CPI (ML) have been proved right. The Congress and the BJP have been conspiring to sell the entire land of the state to the corporate at throw away prices. He also added that despite massive protests by the people, it was extremely shameful that the Chief Minister still decided to go for the inaugural function of Jindal Group's International School.


Com. Matiyali appealed to all the democratic forces to raise their voice against such anti-people policies of the state government. Com. Gopal Singh, district committee member of the All India Kissan Mahasabha said that the state government is only keen to protect the interests of the land mafia and the corporate, when it also had the option of giving this land to those who had been affected by the calamities. He added that the crackdown on the protestors and their arrest by the state police only exposes how the state government has turned dictatorial. The dictatorship of the Congress government had also come to light during the lathi charge unleashed on protestors who had earlier gathered to protest against the inauguration of Bindukhatta municipality and it had been proved once again.

 AIARLA Viluppuram District Conference Held

AIARLA district conference of Viluppuram district of Tamil Nadu was held at Ulundurpet town in a Hall named after Com. Ammaiappan. A four Member presidium comprising of Comrades Kaliyamurthy, Babu, Dakchinamurthy and Kannammal conducted the proceedings. Com. Venkatesan, state Deputy General secretary of AIARLA and Com. Balasundaram, state secretary of CPI (ML) addressed the delegates. Several resolutions were passed in the conference, which included among others, the demands to- (i) disperse the arrears of MGNREGA wages, (ii) withdraw the cases booked against the workers protesting for this demand, (iii) evict occupiers from Panjami land and redistribute it to Dalits, (iv) stop the loot of natural resources, (v) Implementation of Forest act in Kalvarayan hill areas, (vi) take steps to release tribal prisoners languishing in Andhra jails, (vii) establish rural based industries, (viii) provide house site pattas and houses to the rural poor, (ix) provide potable water , and (x) establishing primary health centres and schools with increased teacher strength, proper kitchen etc. 


Hunger Strike by Inmates of J.P. Central Jail Demanding Release;

CPI (ML) Dharna in Support

​​

In support of the hunger strike started by the inmates of the J.P. central jail in Hazaribagh district, CPI (ML) and AIPF staged a dharna in front of the deputy district magistrate on 17 October 2015. The protest event was conducted by Sudhir Yadav and several AIPF and CPI (ML) leaders addressed the participants. The leaders handed over a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister through the dharna and demanded that the inmates' demands be met and the hunger strike be brought to an end.

The leaders who addressed the dharna shared that 56 inmates who had completely their sentence in the Jai Prakash Central Jail, had sat on a nine day, demanding that they be released now. In their support, nearly 650 other convicts who were still serving their sentence too had come forward. Several women inmates along with their children to had joined the hunger strike in solidarity. The hunger strike started on 6 October and continued till 15 October, during which health of several hunger strikers got deteriorated. With several hundred inmates joining the strike in solidarity, the work of the jail had come to a standstill. Printing press, powerloom, handloom, agriculture, kitchen, tailoring and several other works involving participation of the inmates remained shut. This added to the difficulties of the jail administration. The inmates demanded to know why those who had completed their sentences were not being released. Was the government waiting for their death?

CPI (ML) leaders pointed that at the time of sentencing the date on which the sentence would be over was fixed. There was no legal provision for keeping inmates locked up after their sentence was over. The fact that despite there being no such provision, inmates were languishing in jails exposed the weakness in the legal system. At present, nearly 6000 innocent poor tribals were languishing in jails of Jharkhand but the state government had no concern for them. The AIPF has been running a continuing campaign against such negligence by the state. CPI (ML) leaders demanded that besides immediate release of inmates who had completed their sentence, the jail manual be implemented properly and completely and also that there be quick execution of cases involving innocent under trials.

On 17 October, CPI (ML) and AIPF also organised a march in Ranchi from party office (Com. Mahendra Singh Bhawan) to Alberta Ekka Chowk, followed by a sabha. The combined pressure built by the movements inside and outside the jail forced Chief Minister Raghuvar Das to visit the jail and get the inmates to break their fast by assuring them that their demand would be met.

AIPF Protest Convention in Delhi on 'Politics of Fear & Hate unleashed by RSS-BJP'

AIPF organised a protest convention against the reign of terror of the RSS-BJP combine on 29 October at the Gandhi Peace Foundation in New Delhi. The speakers included Manglesh Dabral, Asgar Wajahat, Prof. Shamsul Islam, Cultural activist Kapil Sharma, AIPF leader Com. Girija Pathak and CPI (ML) activist, Com. Aslam Khan, among others. The cultural group Sangwari also sang songs of protest during the convention.

While addressing the audience, the speakers focussed on how the atmosphere of hate and fear was being created by the RSS-BJP and their associated groups. The current times have seen the attacks unleashed by the reactionary forces become more organized and brutal. From the genocide in Muzzafarnagar just prior to General Elections in 2014 to the cold blooded murders of Com. Govind Pansare and Prof. M.M. Kalburgi and the continued attacks on minorities and dalits taking place throughout the country, are clear indicators of this well thought out majoritarian ploy to instill fear in the minds of minorities and Dalits by spreading hatred. The social political fallout of the growing failure of the Modi government in fulfilling its election time promises to people is being sought to be covered up by stoking the communal card and spreading the politics of fear, hatred and violence. In response to this onslaught, people have been protesting throughout the country and for the first time since independence, India has seen so many writers, intellectuals, academics, scientists and artists return their awards and give up their posts to announce very clearly their principled opposition to the present onslaughts. The speakers also expressed their solidarity with all those who had taken a stand to voice their protest against such onslaughts by returning their awards.


Edited, published and printed by S. Bhattacharya for CPI(ML) Liberation from U-90, Shakarpur, Delhi-92; printed at Bol Publication, R-18/2, Ramesh Park, Laxmi Nagar, Delhi-92; Phone:22521067; fax: 22442790, e-mail: mlupdate@cpiml.org, website: www.cpiml.org


Saturday 31 October 2015

ML Update | No. 44 | 2015


ML Update

A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine

Vol.  18 | No. 44 | 27 OCT - 2 NOV 2015

Students Occupy UGC To Protest Cutbacks in Fellowships

In a historic action, students of various Universities occupied the premises of the University Grants Commission in protest against the UGC's move to scrap all non-NET fellowships for research scholars. The protests continue even after the students were evicted from the UGC premises and severely caned by police, several students were severely injured while dozens were taken to police custody. The Modi Government, rather than speak to protesting students, have instead chosen to rain batons on defenceless students.

Ironically, it was a Committee appointed to address the students' demand to increase the paltry fellowship in keeping with steep inflation rising costs of higher education and living which announced the scrapping of the fellowship, effectively excluding the vast majority of scholars from pursuing research.

The massive wave of protests – intensifying in Delhi and spreading now to Universities all over the country and supported by teachers' unions and intellectuals – by students comes in the wake of other significant protests by students and intellectuals. First, there was the successful resistance by the Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle in IIT Madras against an attempt at muzzling dissent, followed by the ongoing FTII students' protests against attempts to impose a saffronized and ill-qualified management. Then, there has been an upsurge of dissent and protest by writers and intellectuals against the Government's patronage for forces involved in intimidation and murders of minorities and dissenting voices. The Occupy UGC protests are another powerful chapter in these growing voices of protest against the Modi Government's destructive attitude towards creative arts, research and institutions of education.

The move to scrap the fellowships and restrict fellowships only to those scholars who clear the National Eligibility Test (NET) was correctly diagnosed by students as a move tailored to fit the Modi Government's plans to accept the WTO grouping of higher education under GATS as a "tradable service". The UPA Government had already made an "offer" to this effect in 2005 and in the WTO Ministerial talks due in December, the Modi Government plans to seal this "offer" and accept "binding commitments" to make India's higher education a tradable service. It is well known that if India indeed accepts these "binding commitments" under WTO-GATS, the Indian Government would be "bound" to cut subsidies in public-funded higher education, since such subsidies would be seen by WTO as a violation of its "commitments" to provide a "non-discriminatory" "level playing field" for domestic and international traders in education. Scrapping or restricting the non-NET fellowships in higher education is a move very much in keeping with the plans to comply with the WTO-GATS "binding commitments."

The students of Delhi University, JNU, Jamia Millia Islamia, and Ambedkar  University have shown remarkable resilience and farsightedness, braving both cane-charges and detention by the police and abusive violence by the RSS-BJP student wing ABVP.

The attempts by the ABVP and the Modi Government's HRD Ministry to spread disinformation and break students' unity have also been recognised and rejected.

The HRD Ministry tried to diffuse the protests by "assuring" that the fellowships would not be scrapped. But the students rightly recognised that the statement implied only that students already receiving fellowships would continue to do so - but in future, students would only get fellowships based on 'merit' or 'economic' criteria. Moreover the HRD Ministry made this 'assurance' by a tweet, without any discussion with protesting students. Rather they did so only after talks with ABVP leaders - as though the whole issue could be settled within the cozy confines of the 'Sangh family.'

Rejecting such 'assurances', the Occupy UGC movement continues to fight for the rights of existing as well as future research scholars and higher education itself. Students have joined the protests at the UGC from Aligarh Muslim University, Mahatma Gandhi International Hindi University, Punjab University Chandigarh and MD University Rohtak. Also protests are being organized in various Universities of the country like Central University Gujarat, Allahabad University, NEHU Shillong, University of Hyderabad, EFLU Hyderabad and Aligarh Muslim University and in Kolkata. Students from across the country are also planning to come to Delhi and join the Occupy UGC Protests .

The protesting students in India can take heart and inspiration from the spirited countrywide shutdown of universities achieved by the ongoing struggles of South African students against fee hikes and privatisation/outsourcing of University services. The resonances between the struggles of Indian and South African students against policies of privatisation is a significant counterpoint to the dominant State-led narrative on the ongoing third India-Africa Summit in Delhi.

More power to the students whose protests are striving to defend not only their rights but the inclusive and democratic character of higher education and the country's autonomy.

 CPI(ML) Protests Burning Alive of Dalit Children and Increasing Anti-Dalit Violence in Haryana

On 20 October 2015, two dalit children, one aged three years and the other all of nine months, were burnt alive when as some upper caste Rajputs set their home on fire. Their parents too suffered injuries and the mother was admitted to hospital in a critical condition. Soon after this horrific incident, on 22 October 2015, the CPI (ML) Team comprising of CPI (ML) Haryana in charge, Com. Prem Singh, CPI (ML) activist Aslam Khan, National Secretary of RYA, Com. Omprasad, AICCTU activist Com. Abhishek and journalist Raziv Raaz, visited the Sunped Village where this gruesome incident had occurred. The team met the villagers and family members of Jitendra, the father of the two children who were burnt alive, and spoke at length with them. The team is of the opinion that the Haryana Government. must take responsibility for this barbaric attack as Jitendra's Family was under Police Protection when the attack happened. The team will release a detailed report very soon.

CPI (ML) also held a protest outside Haryana Bhawan on 24 October 2015. The protestors not only expressed anger over the burning alive of the two children and the failure of the government to protect them, despite the awareness that the life of the family was in threat, but also over increasing atrocities against Dalits in Haryana. Soon after this gruesome incidence of violence against Dalits that had taken place on 20 October, On 23 October 2015, yet another incident of violence against Dalits was reported. A 15-year-old Dalit boy, who had been charged with theft of a pigeon, was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Haryana's Gohana town today. The boy of the family alleged torture by the police, however, even before the post-mortem report was out, the Haryana Chief Minister went on record backing police claims that the boy had committed suicide. CPI (ML) leaders addressing the protestors pointed out how such incidents of violence against Dalits had been increasing in Haryana. They also pointed out that not only had the BJP government in Haryana failed to protect the Dalits in the state, the statements being issued by the Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar and ministers like V.K. Singh had further exposed BJP's real intentions.

The protestors demanded that the Minister of State for External Affairs V. K. Singh be sacked for his insensitive and shocking remarks comparing deceased Dalit children to dogs and the burning alive of humans to pelting stones at dogs.

Activists from AICCTU and AISA also joined the protest.

 

#OccupyUGC: 
A Massive Student Movement to Withdraw Non-NET Fellowships Spread Countrywide Despite Continuing Repression


In a meeting held on 7 October 2015 with enhancement of non NET fellowship as one of the agendas, the University Grants Commission (UGC) shockingly decided to completely withdraw the UGC non-NET Rs 5000/8000 fellowships. As soon as the news about this anti-student decision came to public, the National leadership of AISA condemned the move and called for a massive protest. In a press statement released by AISA, Com. Ashutosh, Delhi State Secretray, AISA said, "If this fellowship is discontinued, it will be impossible for a vast majority of the country's students to engage in research and knowledge creation". The statement also pointed out that – "The recent decision by UGC is another step in BJP-led central government's series of moves to cut budgetary allocation in education and restructure higher education to make it inaccessible and destroy its quality. This must also be seen in the context of the impending negotiations of the GoI with WTO to commit Indian higher education as a tradable service in the upcoming Xth Ministerial Conference in Nairobi this December".

 In Jawaharlal Nehru University, the JNUSU immediately gave a call for a protest at UGC office on 21 October afternoon to demand an immediate withdrawal of this decision. On 21 October, students from JNU, JMI, DU and AUD gathered in huge numbers outside the UGC office to register their protest however the UGC chairperson refused to meet the students. Instead, the protesting students were beaten and several of them were injured. Delhi AISA leader and former JNUSU Vice President Com. Anant Prakash Narayan and DU AISA activist Yashaswini were among those who sustained severe injuries. JNUSU office bearers from AISF and AISA submitted their demands to the UGC officials demanding- revocation of the withdrawal of the non NET fellowship, enhancement of the current fellowship amounts of Rs. 5000 for M.Phil and Rs. 8000 for PhD and extension of non NET fellowship to all state and Central Universities. By evening when the UGC chairperson continued to deny meeting the student delegation, the students from across universities began an #OccupyUGC movement and decided to not leave the premised till the decision was withdrawn.

It is to be noted that JNUSU office bearer from ABVP was not a part of the JNUSU delegation that submitted the memorandum. Instead the ABVP tried its best to demobilise the student community first by claiming that their demands had been met by the MHRD in an exclusive meeting between the minister of MHRD and the ABVP activists, and when the agitating students refused to end the OccupyUGC movement till an official circular to this effect was released by the MHRD and the UGC, the ABVP goons reached the UGC office at night to threaten the common students. However, the students continued to occupy the UGC office on two successive nights, singing protest songs and painting slogans against sale of education in the UGC premises.

On 23 Morning, after having been subjected to ABVP lumpensim the entire night, as the students were waiting for more students to join them, scared by the student might, the Delhi Police detained the protesting students who had been up all night in UGC office and took them, not to the nearest station, but Bhalsava police station on the outskirts of Delhi. However, much to the disappointment of UGC authorities and Central Government, the news of detention only encouraged more and more students in Delhi and outside to join the movement. As students gathered to block the ITO, a brutal lathi charge of students followed.

In the last couple of days, protests against UGC have been held in North-Eastern Hill University (Shillong), Aligarh Muslim University, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Hyderabad Central University and many others. Students have carried protest marches in Wardha, Mumbai and elsewhere. AISA activists organised protest in Allahabad and also an effigy burning Minister of MHRD, Smriti Irani.

Beginning on 26 October, a joint call for ReOccupyUGC was issued and this time students from across the country have joined. While students from universities like Mahatma Gandhi International Hindi University, Punjab University, Aligarh Muslim University, MD University, Rohtak have arrived in Delhi to join the OccupyUGC call, several others have been holding protest demonstrations in their own universities and cities.

Once again, just prior to the ReOccupyUGC call, the MHRD and the ABVP tried to confuse the student community and demobilise them by issuing confusing circulars. However their farce was again seen through by the student community. Soon after the MHRD circular was released, AISA immediately released a press statement pointing out the several flaws and problems in the circular. Terming the MHRD circular as fraud, it was pointed out how the MHRD was trying to introduce economic and merit criteria in the award of fellowships, which as per students' demand must extended to all researchers. Rejecting the attempts to restrict the scope of the fellowship, the movement continues and the students have vowed to strengthen it till their demands are met. Since 26 October, the students in much more numbers have once again occupied the UGC office and the slogans that had since then be wiped out have been repainted.

On 27 October, the protesting students were lathi charged yet again and several had to be rushed to G.B. Pant hospital. Several students have been detained and taken to police station even as several hundred more continued to join.

The message of this historic student movement, where for the very first time in history of India have the students occupied the office of the most important educational body in the country, is clear- Education is Not for Sale!! CPI (ML) salutes the revolutionary zeal of the students and expresses solidarity with the movement.

Democratic Advocates' Association's day long fast demanding Democracy in Judiciary

Recently, 14 advocates who had been protesting to demand that Tamil be made an official language of High court of Madras were  suspended from practicing by the Bar council of India. In another case, contempt proceedings were initiated against Madurai Bar association President and Secretary for criticising judgements and leading protests aimed at exposing corruption in Judiciary. In light of these events, the Democratic Advocates Association organised a day long fast in Chennai demanding democracy in Judiciary and pressing for the following specific demands- (i) to revoke suspension orders of advocates, (ii) declaring Tamil as official language in High court of Madras in the interest of common people and (iii) for filling up of vacant posts of Judges in High court. The protest event was presided over by Com. Bharathi, state organiser of DAA. Com A. S. Kumar, state committee member CPI (ML ) inaugurated the event. More than hundred advocates participated from various parts of Tamil Nadu. The protest was also attended by Advocate Senthamil Selvan who had been recently released from prison in the struggle for Tamil as official language of High court. Com Vidya Sagar and Com. Jawahar on behalf of AIPF, Com Seetha of AISA, Com. Rajaguru of RYA, Advocate Gini Immanuel , Vice President of Madras High court Advocates' Association, Comrades Sivakumar and Pradhaban of AILU , Advocate Athiyaman along with DAA activists  and also scores of advocates from other left and democratic streams took part.

 

CPI(ML) March in Gurdaspur District in View of Increasing Tensions in Punjab


In view of the increasing tensions in Punjab and the rising communal tensions, a march was organised by the CPI (ML) in Gurudaspur district appealing that for calm and restoration of peace. The several hundreds who joined the march also condemned the increasing atrocities against Dalits in Haryana and condemned the state and central government ministers who instead of taking initiatives for peace, had only been fanning communal and casteist sentiments and adding to the existing tensions. Com. Gurmeet Singh Bakhutpur addressed the march.

 Demonstration against the Death of Two Workers by Asphyxiation


Two contract labours of Madurai Corporation died due to asphyxiation when forced to enter into underground drainage. They had not been provided with any protective equipment by the contractor and corporation officials. The Workers' right movement affiliated to AICCTU unit of Coimbatore organised a demonstration before the taluk office demanding the arrest of Contractor and Corporation officers, and also a compensation of Rs.25 lac for the families of the victims. The protestors also demanded-  (i) Government employment (other than scavenging work) be provided to one of the family members of deceased, (ii) strict implementation of 'The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavenging and their Rehabilitation Act 2013'   and (iii) 3 cent House site pattas within corporation limits. Com S. Kumarasamy, Politburo Member of CPI(ML), state committee members Comrades N. K. Natarajan and Venkatachalam, District secretary of CPI(ML) Com. Balasubramanian, AICCTU District General Secretary Com. Damodharan addressed the protestors. Hundreds of workers including sanitary workers of Coimbatore corporation took part. They have also decided to observe strike on 26th October on the same demands.

 United Left Protest in Haryana against Hike in Electricity Tariffs


CPI (ML), CPI (M), CPI and SUCI (C) held a joint protest at Shakti Bhawan, Panchkula, Haryana against the hike in electricity tariff. Thousands of people joined the protest. The changes in the slab system, increase in rate of electricity and the increased surcharge in the fuel rates had been effected in April 2015 as a result of which there has been a considerable increase in the electricity bills of people. Despite some changes in slab system made by the Electricity Regulatory Commission, there is no respite for those consuming under 500 units of electricity as they would get a relief of a mere 50 to 70 rupees. As a result of this there is a considerable anger among the rural and urban poor, workers, peasants, small shopkeepers and small artisans.

The leaders pointed out that since 1997, when the electricity board was broken down to five corporations, the situation had only got worsened. A memorandum consisting of the following demands was also submitted which included the demands to- (i) Withdraw the increase in the electricity rates and fuel surcharge and reinstate the old slab system; (ii) Cancel the arrears of the new rates effected from April; (iii) Revoke the decision to give 23 sub divisions on contract; (iv) revoke the condition to not give tubewell connections to farmers with land only upto 2 acres; (iv) review the decision to form corporations in order to put an end to the process of privatisation and contractualization; (v) reduce administrative expenditures and put an end to massive corruption in the corporations; (vi) stop the theft of electricity in big industries and commercial enterprises; among others.

Com. Prem Singh Gehlawat, Com. Kanwaljeet, Com. Mahendra Chopra were among those who participated.

 AIPF Demonstration in Puducherry


In view of the unabated activities by some communal groups leading to insults, attacks and horrible murders of progressive intellectuals, Dalits and minorities, on 23rd October 2015 at Puducherry, AIPF held a massive demonstration near Periyar Square, against silencing of progressive thoughts, hate campaign, intolerance, killings and imposition of food code. The protest demonstration was led by Prof. M. L. Thangappa, the Advisory panel member of AIPF. Com. S. Balasubramanian, State Secretary (CPIML), Com. Liqat Ali, AIPF advisory panel member, and R. Murugnandham, K. Mohanasundaram, National council members, S. Thamilmani, Friends of Earth movement also participated in the demonstration and addressed the protestors.

Com. S. Balasubramanian strongly condemned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over these continued attacks and demanded stern action against the culprits. He also demanded withdrawal of beef ban in some states which had created undue advantage for Hindu communal forces. A large number of activists, workers took part in the demonstration.

 

CPI(ML) Salutes the Historic #FeeMustFall Movement in Africa


CPI (ML) salutes the historic #FeeMustFall movement that has been launched by students in South Africa against the 10-15 percent fee hike that will be come to effect in 2016. Expressing their anger towards attempt to exclude a large section of students from the ambit of education, students have managed to mobilize thousands of students from across different province in the country through a social media campaign to turn out on the streets and resist fee hike. From Europe to North America to Asia and elsewhere, the students are now coming out on streets and protesting the universal sale of education. In times when WTO is compelling countries to convert higher education into a tradable service good, the students across countries are coming out in protest.

CPI(ML) expresses solidarity with #FeeMustFall movement in Africa, #OccupyUGC movement in India and all such student movements across the globe against privatization and marketization of education.

 Obituary

TKS Janarthanan


Comrade TKS Janarthanan, CPI(ML) State Committee member and Vice President of All India Agricultural and Rural Labour Association (AIARLA) passed away around 10.35 pm on 27 October 2015. We express our condolences and pledge to carry forward on the path where he had been our comrade in arms since 1970s.

Red Salute to Comrade TKS Janardhanan !


Thursday 15 October 2015

ML Update | No. 42 | 2015


ML Update

A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine

Vol.  18 | No. 42 | 13 -19 OCT 2015

Writers And Artists Speak Truth To Power In India

Writers and artists in India are making a powerful statement against the Modi Government's patronage of assaults on dissent and pluralism, by returning prestigious awards and resigning from posts in cultural institutions. These gestures of protest come in the wake of the horrific lynching to death of a Muslim man in Dadri on the allegation that he ate beef, and the murders of noted Kannada writer Prof MM Kalburgi, rationalist Narendra Dabholkar and communist Govind Pansare. They are protesting against the fact that India's ruling Government and party are stoking hate to create an India where a person can be killed for what they eat, write, speak or believe.  

Hindi writer Uday Prakash was among the first to return his Sahitya Akademi award, followed by Nayantara Sehgal, Ashok Vajpeyi, and Rahman Abbas. Since then, the spate of protests by writers and artists continues unabated. Kerala writer Sara Joseph; Hindi poets Manglesh Dabral and Rajesh Joshi; four Punjabi writers – Gurbachan Singh Bhullar, Ajmer Singh Aulakh, Atamjit Singh, Waryam Sandhu; Kashmiri writer and poet Ghulam Nabi Khayal; noted Gujarat-based literary critic Professor Ganesh Devy; six Kannada writers – Veeranna Madiwalar, T. Satish Javare Gowda, Sangamesh Menasinakai, Hanumanth Haligeri, Shridevi V Aloor and Chidanand Sali and Aman Sethi, winner of a 'Yuva Puraskar' award for young writers, are among those who returned Sahitya Akademi awards, while dancer Maya Krishna Rao returned her Sangeet Natak Akademi award. Writer Shashi Deshpande, poet K Satchidanandan, Kannada writer Aravind Malagatti have quit Sahitya Akademi posts in protest. Carnatic singer TM Krishna has written an open letter to the Prime Minister calling the bluff of his non-response to the Dadri lynching. Novelist Salman Rushdie has expressed support for India's writers and expressed concern about the future of freedom of expression in India.  

The writers and artists are protesting not only against the lynchings and murders by Hindu-majoritarian outfits emboldened by the Modi Government; they are also protesting against the explicit rationalization, even celebration and stoking of such acts by Ministers of the Modi Government and elected representatives of the ruling BJP, and the tacit, implicit support of the Prime Minister himself for such acts of violence and the accompanying hate-speech. They are also protesting against the fact that the 'autonomous' cultural Akademis are silent on the killing of writers and the attacks on pluralism led by the Culture Minister of the Modi Government.  

The Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma commended the Dadri lynch mob for not having raped the victim's daughter) and described the lynching as an 'accident', and had earlier called for 'cleansing' of cultural and educational institutions of 'foreign influence' (read dissent and plurality). Responding to the writers' protests, he taunted them, saying 'Let them stop writing, then we will see.' In a blatant espousal of impunity and injustice that has now become the hallmark for the Modi Government, Minority Affairs Minister Najma Heptullah has said that Dadri is now past and India needs to look to the future.

Meanwhile the Prime Minister has remained totally silent on the serial murders of rationalists and writers, even in the wake of evidence that the suspected killers are from Hindu-majoritarian groups that Modi himself has approved of and endorsed. On the Dadri lynching, the Prime Minister remained silent for long. And when he eventually spoke at an election rally, he refrained from any mention, let alone outright, unequivocal condemnation of the lynching. What was needed from any democratic leader was a simple, forthright affirmation of the right of every Indian to eat, speak, write or believe without fear of being killed for it. What was needed was a clear condemnation of his camp followers who sought to rationalize the lynchings and murders. Instead, Modi merely said that Hindus and Muslims should decide whether they wished to fight themselves or fight poverty. He appealed to people not to listen to hate-speech – but significantly refused to ask his own Ministers and BJP MPs and MLAs to refrain from uttering hate-speech! And in other election speeches in Bihar, Modi himself used 'beef' as an excuse to stoke divisive politics. His words were quickly echoed by Bihar BJP leader Sushil Modi, who said Bihar's voters must "choose between beef-eaters and those who would ban beef." The very politics that killed Akhlaque in Dadri, is being used by the PM and the BJP in the hope of garnering votes in Bihar.

Modi Minister and BJP leader from Bihar Giriraj Singh has gone even further in venomous and sexist hate-speech; saying that the difference between mutton and beef is like that between a wife and a sister. The BJP seems unaware that such statements reveal that to them, women are like meat – items for consumption.

What must be stressed is that the 'beef ban' and 'meat ban' agenda of the BJP is merely a pretext, a cynical alibi for anti-Muslim hatred. It has emerged that BJP MLA Sangeet Som who made vicious provocative speeches on beef and meat in Dadri, is himself an owner of a company that exports meat and buffalo meat!

At a time when the Modi Government and BJP-RSS leaders are openly trying to turn India into a Hindu Nation with no room for plurality and dissent, it is heartening to see the courage of the writers and artists speaking truth to power. More strength to their pen and their voices!  


Left Initiatives in Midst of Communal Tensions in Ranchi

The Sangh Parivar has once again been trying to disrupt the communal harmony in Ranchi. On 25 September 2015, during a brief period of power cut at night between 9.30 pm to 10 pm, an incident involving throwing of prohibited meat pieces in two temples located in Shivpuri area took place. An uproar followed once the power was restored at 10.30 pm. While it remains unknown as to who threw the meat pieces and who informed the rest about this occurrence, at about 11 pm a massive mobilization of Hindu groups took place to block the roads. According to the sources, however, the pieces of prohibited meat that had been found had been pasted with light colour clothing on animal skin.

Within no time, the gathered group set on fire an egg-selling shop and a hut like club belonging to people from minority sections. They started demanded a ban on sale of prohibited meat in Manitola. People belonging to both Hindu and Muslim religions reside on the Patthar road in Manitola. Soon the communal tension escalated to a level that deafening silence and turning off lights began to mark Muslim mohallas. VHP and Bajrang dal goons begin to incite people by provocative speeches even as the state administration continued to watch in silence.

Incidents of communal violence begin to take place in presence of police forces which had gathered to watch in silence. On 26 September, a popular news daily in Ranchi carried a provocative story that further accelerated the communal tension in Ranchi. On 26 September itself, goons belonging to RSS and VHP tried to further vitiate the atmosphere.

On the same day, on the initiative of CPI (ML) state secretary, Com. Janardan Prasad an urgent meeting of left forces including CPI, CPI (M), CPI (ML), MCC, Forward Block, besides others, was called. Following the decision taken during the meeting, immediately a team of left leaders met the district authorities and demanded arrest of the goons who had been trying to create communal tensions in the state.

On 27 September 2015, a massive peace march was carried out in Ranchi under a united left banner. A fact finding team comprising of representatives from the left parties was also sent to Doranda. Another meeting of left parties took place on 28 September and from 29 September to 1 October 2015, pamphlets appealing for peace were distributed. A team also met the Governor to hand over a memorandum.

On 2 October 2015, on the eve of Gandhi Jayanti, another massive peace march was organized by the left parties. The initiatives taken by the left played a crucial role in foiling the attempts of Sangh Parivar to engineer major communal violence in Jharkhand and influence the Bihar elections through such attempts at communal polarizations.

NHPC Contract Workers' Struggle in Uttarakhand

On 15 September, a contract worker, working in National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) met with an accident while returning from work and died. He was also a member of the NHPC contract workers' union (affiliated to AICCTU). Since the accident had taken place while returning from work, the union decided that the NHPC pay compensation to the deceased worker's family and his dependent also be given a job. It was further decided that each Union member should deposit one day's salary with the Union towards financial aid for the family.
On 21 September, however, it came to light that the Union President, Com. Uday Singh had been removed from work. The workers at Power House spontaneously left their duties and by the afternoon workers in the project's residential colony, dam site and at the project headquarters had also left their duties. On 22 September a decision was taken to go on an indefinite strike till the reinstatement of the Union President and compensation paid to the family of the deceased worker.  The strike went on for six days during which the NHPC management did not call the workers for talks but tried to break the strike in connivance with officials from permanent workers' unions BMC and INTUC.  Contract workers were denied NHPC bus services. NHPC cut the water and electricity connections in the Nigalpani housing colony and put the blame on the contract workers. The management also gave a complaint against the union officers in the Dharchula kotwali. At night attacks were made upon union members living in the colony and their tin sheds were stoned, after which a complaint was immediately registered with the police the following day. However, soon the momentum of the struggle and support received from various places forced the NHPC management to enter into dialogue with the contract workers' union, district AICCTU leaders, trade union coordination committee members, CPI (ML) district leaders and others. The pressure built finally resulted in the management of NHPC agreeing to reinstate Union President Uday Singh and to take all necessary steps to assure compensation to the family of the deceased. 
On fulfillment of their demands, the contract workers gathered at the Dharchula headquarters and after a gap of 1½ years the Dharchula tehsil was once again covered with red flags.
Left
​ 
Parties Continue Protests in Uttar Pradesh against Dadri Incident
On 28 September, Mohd. Akhlaq, a 50 year old resident of Bisahada village in Dadri was dragged out of his home and lynched to death, and his son critically injured, on a conspiratorially-manipulated allegation that he and his family had stored and eaten beef. Soon after the incident, CPI (ML) sent its fact finding team and released the report and a strong condemnation of the incident. Thereafter, several protests have been collectively held by the left forces against the increase in spate of communal lynchings, hate mongering and communal violence in Uttar Pradesh.

CPI (ML), CPI (M), and CPI jointly held dharnas and demonstrations on 5 October 2015 at various district headquarters in Uttar Pradesh to protest against the murder of Mohd. Akhlaq in Dadri (Greater Noida). In the capital city of Lucknow, the three parties staged a dharna at GPO Park in Hazratganj.  CPI (ML) activists took out a march up in Gazipur. In Allahabad, CPI (ML) and CPI (M) took out a march, held a meeting at the Collectorate and submitted a memorandum to the District Magistrate. The three parties also jointly burnt PM Narendra Modi's effigy at Mau. SUCI (C) joined the three parties at Moradabad in a protest at the District Sessions Court. Protests were also held at Mathura, Jalaun and several other districts and memorandums were sent through the DMs.

It may be noted that most of the accused arrested so far in the Dadri incident are sons and relations of local BJP leaders. The BJP is defending the accused to the hilt, and is ceaselessly engaged in spreading poison against the minorities. Akhilesh Yadav government has once again failed to provide security to the minorities in the state.

Joint protests have also been held in various other parts of the country including Delhi.

Fourth State Conference of Jharkhand Gramin Mazdoor Sabha (JHAMAS)

On the occasion of Com. Ibnul Hassan Basru's Memorial Day the Jharkhand Gramin Mazdoor Sabha (JHAMAS) organized its 4th State conference on 29 September 2015 at the Com. Arun Pandey auditorium in Mirzaganj (Ibnul Hasan Basru Nagar) in Jamua block of Giridih district.

Prior to the conference thousands of rural workers led by CPI (ML) General Secretary Com. Dipankar Bhattacharya, Comrades Janardan Prasad, Manoj Bhakt, former MLA Vinod Singh, sitting Dhanwar MLA Rajkumar Yadav, Parmeshwar Mahto, Usman Ansari, and others took out a 5 km march from Jamua chowk, culminating at the conference venue.

The opening session of the conference started with songs presented by cultural teams from Bengal and Jharkhand. Inaugurating the conference, Com. Dipankar Bhattacharya said that Ibnul Hassan Basru had dedicated his whole life to carrying forward the struggles of the rural workers of Jamua and nearby areas, and he always emphasized the need to strengthen the CPI (ML) for the freedom of rural workers. Referring to the current scenario, he added that the BJP government is working in the interests of capitalists and big multinational companies, and prices are skyrocketing in this regime. The common people were not being benefited in any way. He called for a concerted struggle and emphasized the need to build the rural workers into a force to reckon with.

Com. Rajkumar Yadav and Com. Vinod Singh highlighted the anti-people policies of the BJP governments in the state and at the centre which included rampant loot of resources, huge cuts in food security, price rise, cuts in MNREGA, weakening of CNT and SPT acts, policies facilitating land grab of the poor and increased state oppression. Jharkhand State Secretary, Com. Janardan Prasad said that the rural poor under the banner of Jhamas would play a decisive role in the forthcoming panchayat elections and in fighting for the political claims of the rural poor.

The delegate session was conducted by a board chaired by eight members and attended by 300 delegates. Currently Jhamas is active in 14 districts where 1 lakh family memberships were targeted, out of which 41,000 memberships have so far been achieved. At the conclusion of the conference a 70 member State Council and 21 member National Executive were constituted with Com. Parmeshwar Mahto as General Secretary and Com. Devki Nandan Bediya as President.

The following responsibilities were undertaken by the Conference: 1. To fight against forcible land acquisition- to oppose any tampering with SPT-CNT Act and ensure implementation of 5th schedule; to fight for distribution of ceiling, gairmajrua, unutilized government land, agricultural, and housing land among the poor; 2. To ensure passing of food security bill and guarantee of 50 kg grains, 5 liters kerosene, and other necessities at affordable prices for the poor; to oppose scams in ration-kerosene distribution; 3. To demand housing; house construction funds in proportion to rising prices and housing for all the poor who do not come in the BPL list; 4. To fight for 200 days' work under MNREGA; fixing minimum wage at Rs 300; ensure weekly payments, and fight attempts to link this with Adhar card 5. Guarantee of free health and education through health centres in every village; appointment of doctors in each health centre; to fight for improvement in quality of primary education; 6. Guarantee of clean drinking water, roads, and other basic amenities in every tola; 7. To fight for social security pension for the aged and helpless even without BPL.

The conference resolved to take up the struggle for these issues by developing them as the focus of the struggle of the rural poor.

Public Hearing organized by AIPWA in Kolkata

The incidents of sexual violence have increased in the past few years and most of the accused continue to roam free. Far from showing a resolve to address the increase in sexual violence, the government has more often been found to engage with blatant victim blaming. Time and again, the people of Bengal have been made to witness threats of sexual violence by those in power. It in this context that AIPWA organized a public hearing against violence on women and for demanding justice on 29 September in Dharmatala Y-channel . The survivors of Kadambagachi [near Barasat, N24parganas], Jagacha [Howrah], Hoogly, Bidhan Sarani[Kolkata]and from several other places of Bengal took part in the public hearing.  The face of women's movement like Mousumi and Toompa from Kamduni, Pramila Ray from Sutia(sister of the slain school teacher Barun Biswas') and Aminul's family members were also present in the hearing. The women's movement activists like Soma Marik and Ratnaboli Ray, advocates like Rangta Munshi, Chandranath Banerjee, Ajanta Sarkar, Sharmila Dey, Nisha Biswas, and Dr Debasish Dutta were present as judges. AIPWA general secretary was also present during the hearing. The survivors shared their pain and agony and the form of violence they faced. They also described the problems they faced while lodging complaint in the police stations and while trying to get proper treatment in hospitals.

Rama Karmakar from Hoogly shared how during the court procedures when she clearly said that she had been raped by her brother-in-law, the public prosecutor advised her to compromise. Expressing her anguish she asked as to when will the courts focus on delivering justice rather than suggesting survivors to compromise.

Parboti, from N24parganas informed that though her daughter was killed by her in-laws, the culprits got bail. The women of Kadambagachi vividly described how she was tortured, her dress was torn apart making and how the culprits tried to insert bamboo stick into her vagina till she got senseless. All these were done by her in-laws in full public view on a road. Shockingly, the hospital denied her medical examination and also misguided her that if she does these medical tests she would face physical problems.

The director of transgender organizations 'Kolkata Rishta' , Dr Santosh Giri mentioned that not only women , transgender people also face sexual violence, however no discussion takes place on the subject and there are no demands for justice. Aditi, an organizer with Anjali [organization working for the rights of people having mental problems] said that nobody thinks about the people with mental problems. She pointed out that several of them were subjected to torture in government hospitals and even sexually harassed. Swati Chatterjee who deals with the acid attack cases said that if hospitals seriously follow medico-legal directives, the way to achieve justice would be smoother but most of the hospitals are not aware of the directives. The girl student of Bidhan Sarani Rape Case confirmed that the hospital did not follow health directives while doing her examination.

The representatives from domestic workers, mid-day meal workers, ASHA workers and construction workers also shared that sexual harassment often took place at their workplaces and they were regularly deprived of their proper wages .The stage of the public hearing became a stage of protest.

Toompa and Mousumi of Kamduni movement raised their voice of protest while saying that they were marked as Maoists as they protested against the rape cases and added the WB CM Mamta Banerjee had failed to keep her promise that she had made in front of the villagers.

The activists also strongly condemned the recent incident in Bakura Khayerberi Gram Panchayat where a class 12 student was killed in a salisi sabha [kangaroo court ] organized by Trinamool Congress for having an affair.    

Towards the end of the hearing and protest, state AIPWA secretary Com. Chaitali Sen assured that this demand for justice would be turned into a powerful movement and to ensure swift action, a gherao of CM's office would be called.          

Victory for tea workers in North Bengal

The tea garden workers in North Bengal had been fighting for their bonus since a prolonged period. Several rounds of talks were held between the trade union leaders, including members of the Terai Sangrami Cha Shramik Union (Affiliated to AICCTU). After nearly five rounds of fierce debates between the trade union leaders and the tea garden owners, on 7 October 2015, the owners were forced to agree on paying twenty percent bonus to the tea workers. This is an important victory for the workers' towards getting an increased bonus packet calculating the increased daily wages since 1 April 2014. Com. Basudeb Basu represented the Terai Sangrami Cha Shramik union at the last bipartite talk that was held at Bengal Chamber of Commerce, in Kolkata on 7 October.

Comrade Nagbhushan Memorial Day

The 18th Nagbhushan Memorial Day was commemorated on 9th October as "Smruti Divas" at Nagbhushan Bhawan in Bhubaneshwar. Many left leaders and intellectuals of different streams spoke on "Necessity of left unity in the present political juncture" on this occasion. Prominent among them were Kshitish Biswal, Radha Kanta Sethi and Ashok Pradhan from CPI(ML), CPI state secretary Dibakar Nayak, CPI(M) state secretariat member Dushmant Das, SUCI(C) leader Raghunath Das and Forward Bloc State convener Purna Padhi, Prof. Birendra Naik, senior journalist Rabi Das, Samadrusti editor Sudhir Pattanaik and many others. Com. Yudhisthir Mohapatra chaired the programme. Comrades paid tribute to the great revolutionary.

At Gunupur, Comrades Phanibhushan Pattanaik, Tirupati Gomango, James Sabar, Anasim Sabar and many others led a procession from Union office in memory of comrade Nagbhushan Patnaik and garlanded his statue. This was followed by a mass meeting.

Obituary

Com. Virendra Kumar Singh

CPI(ML) Supaul district committee member and Khet Mazdoor Sabha district President Com. Virendra Kumar Singh passed away due to a heart attack at 2 AM on 12 July 2015. On hearing the news of his death a pall of gloom descended on district party workers and well-wishers in his village Rajeshwari. Com. Virendra had plunged into student politics while he was a student at Patna Law College. He was arrested during the emergency and after his release in 1977, he became a member of the CPI(M) dedicating himself to people's struggles. Fighting against the personality-based and bureaucratic tendencies in the CPI(M), he finally left the party in 1994 and became a member of the CPI(ML), taking active part in the people's struggles initiated by the party.

Workers in large numbers took part in his funeral procession and the condolence meeting chaired by Com. Achhe Lal Mehta.

Red Salute to Com. Virendra Kumar Singh!

Wednesday 14 October 2015

ദാദ്രി ആൾക്കൂട്ടം നടത്തിയ കൊല - മോഡി സർക്കാരും ബിജെപിയും പ്രോത്സാഹിപ്പിക്കുന്ന വിദ്വേഷ-കൊലപാതക രാഷ്ട്രീയത്തിന്റെ ഒരു പരിണിതഫലം

ദാദ്രി ആൾക്കൂട്ടം നടത്തിയ കൊല -
മോഡി സർക്കാരും ബിജെപിയും പ്രോത്സാഹിപ്പിക്കുന്ന വിദ്വേഷ-കൊലപാതക രാഷ്ട്രീയത്തിന്റെ ഒരു പരിണിതഫലം
ബീഫ് തിന്നു വെന്ന് ആരോപിച്ച് ആൾക്കൂട്ടം ഒരു മുസ്ലിം മത സമുദായാംഗത്തെ തല്ലിക്കൊന്ന സംഭവം രാജ്യത്തിനാകെ നല്കിയിരിക്കുന്നത് അതീവ ഗൌരവമുള്ള ഒരു വിപൽ സന്ദേശമാണ്. കേന്ദ്ര സർക്കാരും രാജ്യത്തിലെ പ്രമുഖ ഭരണ കക്ഷിയും ചേർന്ന് ഈ രാജ്യത്ത് പടിപടിയായി പടുത്തുയർത്താൻ ശ്രമിക്കുന്ന വിഭാഗീയതയുടെയും ഹിംസയുടെയും രാഷ്ട്രീത്തിലേക്കാണ് ദാദ്രി സംഭവം വിരൽ ചൂണ്ടുന്നത്.
ഇതിനെ ശരിയായി തിരിച്ചറിയാനും തിരസ്കരിക്കാനും രാജ്യത്തിലെ ജനങ്ങൾ ഇനിയൊട്ടും അമാന്തം കാട്ടിക്കൂടാ.
പശ്ചിമ യു പി യിൽ ദാദ്രി ജില്ലയിലെ ബിസാഹ്ഡാ എന്ന ഗ്രാമം ഡൽഹിയിൽ നിന്നും വളരെ അകലെയല്ല. അവിടെയുള്ള ഒരു വീട്ടിലേയ്ക്ക് ഇരമ്പിക്കയറിയ ഒരാൾക്കൂട്ടം അക് ലഖ് എന്ന വയോധികനെയും മകൻ ഡാനിഷിനെയും വീട്ടിൽ നിന്ന് വലിച്ചിഴച്ച് പുറത്ത് കൊണ്ടുവന്ന ശേഷം ഇഷ്ടികകളും കല്ലുകളും ഒരു തയ്യൽ മെഷീനും കൊണ്ട് ഇടിച്ച് അക് ലഖിനെ കൊലപ്പെടുത്തുകയായിരുന്നു. ഗുരുതരമായി പരിക്കുകളോടെ ആശുപത്രിയിൽ പ്രവേശിപ്പിക്കപ്പെട്ട മകൻ ഡാനിഷ് തലച്ചോറിന് രണ്ടു അടിയന്തര ശസ്ത്രക്രിയകൾക്ക് വിധേയനായ ശേഷം ഇപ്പോഴും മരണത്തോട് മല്ലിട്ട് കഴിയുകയാണ്.
അക് ലഖ് ഒരു പശുവിനെ മോഷ്ടിച്ചു കൊന്നുവെന്നും ബീഫ് തിന്നുവെന്നും സമീപത്തുള്ള ഒരു ക്ഷേത്രത്തിലെ പൂജാരിയെക്കൊണ്ട് ഉച്ചഭാഷിണിയിലൂടെ അനൌണ്‍സ് ചെയ്യിപ്പിച്ചതിനെത്തുടർന്ന് ആണ് ആൾക്കൂട്ടത്തിന്റെ ഹിംസ അരങ്ങേറിയത് എന്ന് റിപ്പോർട്ട്‌ കൾ സൂചിപ്പിക്കുന്നു. അനൌണ്‍സ്മെന്റ് സത്യമാണെന്ന് ജനം വിശ്വസിച്ചതുകൊണ്ട് അങ്ങിനെയെല്ലാം നടന്നുവെന്നാണ് സംഘ് പരിവാറിന്റെയും ബി ജെ പി നേതാക്കളുടെയും ഇപ്പോഴത്തെ ഭാഷ്യം.
എന്നാൽ ,സംഭവത്തിന് പിന്നിൽ കൂടുതൽ വ്യാപകമായ തലത്തിൽ ഒരു ഗൂഡാലോചന നടന്നിട്ടുണ്ടെന്നാണ് പിന്നീട് പുറത്തുവന്ന റിപ്പോർട്ടുകൾ സൂചിപ്പിക്കുന്നത്. ആർ എസ് എസ്സിന്റെ അനുബന്ധ സംഘടനകളിൽ ഒന്നായ 'സമാധാൻ സേന' ഈ പ്രദേശത്ത് വർ ഗീയ സംഘര്ഷം ഉണ്ടാക്കാനും മുസ്ലിങ്ങളെ ആക്രമണ ലക്ഷ്യമാക്കാനും വേണ്ടികുറേക്കാലമായി ശ്രമങ്ങൾ നടത്തുന്നുണ്ടായിരുന്നു ഈ ശക്തികളെ സംബന്ധിച്ചിടത്തോളം 'ബീഫും' 'പശു'വും മുസ്ലിങ്ങളെ കൊല്ലാനും അവര്ക്കെതിരെ വർഗീയ ആക്രമണങ്ങൾ അഴിച്ചു വിടാനും ഉള്ള കേവല ഉപാധികൾ മാത്രമാണ്.
സംഭവത്തെക്കുറിച്ച് പ്രധാനമന്ത്രി മോദി പുലർത്തുന്ന തികഞ്ഞ മൌനവും, ഒപ്പം ആർ എസ് എസ് നേതാക്കളും മോഡി മന്ത്രിസഭയിലെ അംഗങ്ങളും ബി ജെ പി എം പി മാർ ,എം എൽ എ മാർ തുടങ്ങിയവരും ആൾക്കൂട്ട ഹിംസയെ ഫലത്തിൽ അനുകൂലിച്ച് നടത്തിയ പ്രസ്താവനകളും കൂട്ടിവായിക്കുമ്പോൾ കിട്ടുന്ന ചിത്രം ദാദ്രിയിൽ നടന്ന കൊല ഒരു ഒറ്റപ്പെട്ട സംഭവ മല്ലെന്നതാണ്; നേരെ മറിച്ച് ബി ജെ പി പിന്തുടർന്നുപോരുന്ന വിദ്വേഷ പ്രചാരണത്തിന്റെയും വർഗീയരാഷ്ട്രീയത്തിന്റെയും ഭാഗം തന്നെയാണ് അത്.
 ബീഫ് തിന്നുന്ന എല്ലാവർക്കും അഖ് ലഖിന്റെ അനുഭവമായിരിക്കും  ഇനിയുണ്ടാകുക എന്നായിരുന്നു

 പ്രസ്തുത സംഭവത്തെക്കുറിച്ച്  വി എച് പി നേതാവ് സാധ്വി പ്രാചിയുടെ ഭീഷണിയുടെ രൂപത്തിലുള്ള പ്രതികരണം .അതേ സമയം ബി ജെ പി യുടെ പ്രാദേശിക നേതാക്കൾ ആൾക്കൂട്ട  ഹിംസയിൽ നിന്ന് രക്ഷപ്പെട്ട  മറ്റ് അഖ് ലഖ് കുടുംബാംഗങ്ങൾക്കെതിരെ ഗോവധത്തിനു കേസ് എടുക്കണമെന്ന് ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ടു .മോദിയുടെ സാംസ്കാരിക വകുപ്പുമന്ത്രി മഹേഷ്‌ ശർമ്മയാകട്ടെ ഈ വധത്തെ യാദൃശ് ഛി കമായി സംഭവിച്ച ഒരു അപകട സംഭവമായി ചിത്രീകരിച്ചു .അതിനാൽ ആരെയും ശിക്ഷിക്കേണ്ടതില്ലെന്നായിരുന്നു പ്രസ്തുത മന്ത്രിയുടെ നിലപാട് .ആർ  എസ് എസ് മുഖ പത്രമായ ഓർഗനൈസറുടെ മുൻ പത്രാധിപരും ബി ജെ പി എം പി യുമായ തരുണ്‍ വിജയ്‌ ദാദ്രി ആൾക്കൂട്ടക്കൊലയെക്കുറിച്ച്  എഴുതിയ ഒരു ലേഖനം സംഭവത്തെയാകെ നിസ്സാരവൽക്കരിക്കാൻ ശ്രമിക്കുന്ന ഒന്നായിരുന്നു. മഹേഷ്‌ ശർമ്മ ഒരു പടികൂടി കടന്ന് കൊല നടത്തിയ ആൾക്കൂട്ടത്തെ അവരുടെ 'സംയമനത്തിന്റെ പേരിൽ' പ്രശംസിക്കുകകൂടി ചെയ്തു .അഖ് ലഖിന്റെ പതിനേഴുകാരിയായ മകളെ  ഒരു വിരൽ കൊണ്ട് പോലും അവർ ദ്രോഹിക്കാതെ വിട്ടതിനെയാണ്  'സംയമനം' എന്ന് വിശേഷിപ്പിച്ച് മന്ത്രി പ്രശംസിച്ചത് ! ഇൻഡ്യയുടെ ദൂഷിതമായ സംസ്കാരം വൃത്തിയാക്കുന്നതിനെക്കുറിച്ച് ആവർത്തിച്ചു പറയുന്ന സാംസ്കാരിക വകുപ്പ് മന്ത്രി സ്വന്തം മനസ്സിനെ ബാധിച്ച ബലാത്സംഗ സംസ്കാരം കഴുകി വൃത്തിയാക്കേണ്ട അവസ്ഥയിലാണ് എന്നാണ് ഇത് സൂചിപ്പിക്കുന്നത് .
'ഗോവധ'ത്തെക്കുറിച്ച് പ്രകോപനപരമായി പ്രസംഗിച്ച് വെറുപ്പ്‌ പ്രചരിപ്പിക്കുന്നതിൽ എന്നും മുന്നിൽ  നില്ക്കുന്നത് മോദി തന്നെയാണ് .ബീഫും മാംസവും ഭക്ഷിക്കുന്ന ജനവിഭാഗങ്ങൾ ക്കെതിരായി
കഴിഞ്ഞ പാർലമെന്റ് തെരഞ്ഞെടുപ്പിൽ അത്തരം നിരവധി പ്രസംഗങ്ങൾ മോദി നടത്തിയിരുന്നു. മാംസ ഭക്ഷ്യ വ്യവസായത്തെ 'പിങ്ക് വിപ്ലവം' എന്ന് വിശേഷിപ്പിച്ചതും മൃഗങ്ങളെ കൊല്ലുന്നതും കൊലപാതകത്തിനു തുല്യമായ ഒരു കുറ്റകൃത്യമാണെന്ന് പ്രസംഗിച്ചു നടന്നതും മോദി യായിരുന്നു.
ഇൻഡ്യയെ പ്പോലുള്ള ഒരു വിശാലമായ രാജ്യത്തിൽ ജനങ്ങൾ വൈവിധ്യ പൂർണ്ണമായ ഭക്ഷണ സംസ്കാരം പുലർത്തുന്നത് ഒരു സാധാരണക്കാര്യമാണ്. ബീഫിനും  മറ്റ് മാംസാഹാരങ്ങൾക്കും  ഉള്ള ബ്രഹ്മണിക്കൽ -ഹിന്ദുത്വ വിലക്ക് രാജ്യത്തിലെ ജനതയിലാകമാനം അടിച്ചേൽപ്പിക്കാൻ ആണ് ബി ജെ പിയും സംഘപരിവാറും ശ്രമിക്കുന്നത്. വിവിധ സംസ്ഥാനങ്ങളിൽ ഒന്നൊന്നായി ഭക്ഷണവിലക്ക് ഏർപ്പെടുത്താനുള്ള ഈ ഫാസിസ്റ്റ്  നീക്കത്തെ എതിർക്കേണ്ടതുണ്ട്.
 സംഘ് പരിവാറിന്റെ ആസൂത്രിത നീക്കങ്ങളുടെ പശ് ചാത്തലത്തിൽ നോക്കുമ്പോൾ
യഥാർഥത്തിൽ ബീഫ് ഒരു നിമിത്തം മാത്രമാണ് . രാജ്യത്തിലെ മത ന്യൂനപക്ഷങ്ങൾക്കും ദലിത് ജനവിഭാഗങ്ങൾക്കും എതിരെ ഹിംസ അഴിച്ചു വിടാൻ അത് അവർ ഉപഗോഗിക്കുന്നു എന്ന് മാത്രമേയുള്ളൂ .
ഉത്തർ പ്രദേശ്‌ ഭരിക്കുന്ന സമാജ്‌വാദി പാർട്ടി സർക്കാരിന്റെ 'സെക്യുലർ' നാട്യങ്ങളുടെ പൊള്ളത്തരവും ദാദ്രി  സംഭവം വെളിച്ചത്ത് കൊണ്ടുവരുന്നുണ്ട്.  ഈ നരനായാട്ട് തടയാൻ
യു പി പോലീസ് ഒന്നും ചെയ്തില്ലെന്ന് മാത്രമല്ല, വീട്ടുകാർ കഴിച്ചത് ബീഫ് ആയിരുന്നോ വേറെ ഏതെങ്കിലും മാംസം ആയിരുന്നോ എന്ന് അറിയാൻ അഖ് ലഖിന്റെ വീട്ടിലെ ഫ്രിഡ് ജിൽ സൂക്ഷിച്ചിരുന്ന മാംസം എടുത്ത് കൊണ്ടുപോയി ഫോറിൻസിക്ക് പരിശോധനയ്ക്ക് അയയ്ക്കുകയാണ് പോലീസ് ചെയ്തത് .  വർഗീയ ഹിംസയുടെ ഇരകളുടെ മേൽ കുറ്റം ചാർത്താനുള്ള കുത്സിത ശ്രമത്തിന്റെ ഭാഗമായിരുന്നു യു പി പോലീസിന്റെ ഈ പ്രവൃത്തി. മുസഫർനഗറിൽ മുസ്ലീങ്ങൾക്കെതിരെ ആക്രമണങ്ങൾ നടത്താൻ ജനങ്ങളെ ഇളക്കി വിടും വിധത്തിൽ കുപ്രസിദ്ധ മായ 'ലവ് ജിഹാദ് ' പ്രചാരണം നടത്തിയവരിൽ ഒരാളായ ബി ജെ പി എം എൽ എ സംഗീത് സോം പ്രകോപനപരമായ പ്രസംഗം നടത്താൻ ബിസഹ്ദാ ഗ്രാമത്തിലും എത്തി . കൊലയിൽ പങ്കെടുത്തവർ എന്ന നിലയിൽ ദാദ്രിയിൽ അറസ്റ്റു ചെയ്യപ്പെട്ടവരെ വിട്ടയച്ചില്ലെങ്കിൽ വർഗീയ ഹിംസ ഇനിയും ആവർത്തിക്കും എന്ന് ബി ജെ പി എം എൽ എ സംഗീത് സോം ഭീഷണി മുഴക്കി. വർഗീയ വിദ്വേഷ പ്രചാരണത്തിൽ അറിയപ്പെടുന്ന ഒരു ട്രാക്ക് റെക്കോർഡിന്റെ ഉടമയായ സംഗീത് സോമിനെ  144 -)0 വകുപ്പ് പ്രകാരമുള്ള പോലീസ്  നിരോധനാജ്ഞ ലംഘിച്ചു കൊണ്ട്   പ്രകോപനപരമായ പ്രസംഗം നടത്താൻ യു പി സർക്കാർ എന്തിന് അനുവദിച്ചു? അതും ഇത്രയും ഹീനമായ ഒരു വർഗീയ നരനായാട്ട് ആൾക്കൂട്ടം നടത്തിയ സ്ഥലത്ത്? മുസഫർ നഗർ സംഭവത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ഒരു പാഠവും പഠിക്കാൻ ഇനിയും തയ്യാറായിട്ടില്ലാത്ത യു പി സർക്കാർ  ന്യൂനപക്ഷങ്ങളുടെ സുരക്ഷിതത്വം ഉറപ്പുവരുത്താനോ വർഗീയ ശക്തികളെ അമർച്ച ചെയ്യാനോ ഒരുക്കമല്ലെന്നാണ് ഇത് സ്പഷ്ടമായും നമുക്ക് കാണിച്ചുതരുന്നത് .
ദാദ്രിയിൽ നടന്നത് ഒരു ഒറ്റപ്പെട്ട സംഭവം അല്ല എന്നതാണ് ഏറ്റവും ആശങ്കകൾ ഉണർത്തുന്ന കാര്യം. വളരെയധികം അസ്വാസ്ഥ്യം ഉണ്ടാക്കുന്നതും ആപൽക്കരവുമായ ഒരു മാതൃകയാണ് അതിലൂടെ മുന്നോട്ട് വെയ്ക്കപ്പെടുന്നത് . ദാദ്രി കൊലപാതകം നടന്നതിനു ഏതാനും ദിവസങ്ങൾ  മുൻപ്    ഒരു മുസൽമാനെതിരെ 'പാക്കിസ്ഥാനി ഭീകരൻ' എന്നാരോപിക്കുന്ന ഒരു ഊഹാപോഹം പ്രചരിപ്പിക്കപ്പെട്ട ഒറ്റക്കാരണത്താൽ  ജനക്കൂട്ടം അയാളെ കൊലചെയ്തു. ദാദ്രി ജില്ലയിൽത്തന്നെ ഈ വർഷം ആഗസ്തിൽ  മൂന്നു മുസ്ലിം യുവാക്കൾ കൊല്ലപ്പെട്ടു. അവർ 'പശുക്കളെ മോഷ്ടിക്കാൻ' നടക്കുന്നവരാണ്  എന്ന പ്രചാരണം അഴിച്ചു വിട്ടായിരുന്നു പ്രസ്തുത കൂട്ടക്കൊലനടത്താൻ ആൾക്കൂട്ടത്തെ സജ്ജരാക്കിയത്.  ഒരു ദലിതനെ ആൾക്കൂട്ടം തല്ലിക്കൊന്ന സംഭവവും കഴിഞ്ഞ വർഷം ആഗസ്തിൽ പശ്ചിമ ഉത്തർ പ്രദേശിനോട് തൊട്ടടുത്ത്‌ കിടക്കുന്ന ഡൽഹി യിലെ നജാഫ് ഗറിൽ  ഇതുപോലെ ഉണ്ടായി. കൊലയ്ക്ക് പ്രേരകമായ സംഗതിയായി ആദ്യം പ്രചരിച്ചത് അയാൾ 'പശുത്തോൽ പൊളിക്കുന്നത് കയ്യോടെ പിടിക്കപ്പെട്ടു' വെന്നാണ്; നഗരസഭാംഗം കൂടിയായ ഒരു പ്രാദേശിക ബി ജെ പി നേതാവിൽ നിന്നും പിന്നീട് ഉണ്ടായ ഭാഷ്യം പശുവിനെ മോഷ്ടിച്ച ഒരു മുസ്ലിം ആണെന്ന് ധരിച്ച് ആളുമാറി ദളിതൻ കൊലചെയ്യപ്പെട്ടതാണെന്നാണ് .
ഹിന്ദു സ്ത്രീകളുമായി സൗഹൃദം പുലർത്തിയെന്നോ പ്രേമിച്ചുവെന്നോ വിവാഹം കഴിച്ചുവെന്നോ ആരോപിച്ച്    രാജ്യത്തിന്റെ പലഭാഗത്തും മുസ്ലിം ചെറുപ്പക്കാർക്കെതിരെ സമീപ കാലത്ത് ആക്രമണങ്ങൾ നടന്നിട്ടുണ്ട് .നഗ്നരാക്കി നടത്തൽ, കഠിനമായ മർദ്ദനം എന്നിവ മുതൽ  തല്ലിക്കൊല്ലൽ വരെയുള്ള കൃത്യങ്ങൾ അവയിൽപ്പെടുന്നു.
 റാഞ്ചിയിലും ബനാറസിലും കഴിഞ്ഞ രണ്ടാഴ്ചകളിൽ സംഘ് പരിവാർ  വർഗീയ ധ്രുവീകരണവും സംഘർഷങ്ങളും ഉണ്ടാക്കാൻ ശ്രമിച്ചു. വർഗീയ സംഘർഷങ്ങൾ ഉണ്ടാക്കാൻ 'ലവ് ജിഹാദ് 'കെട്ടുകഥകൾ ഉണ്ടാക്കി തങ്ങൾ പ്രചരിപ്പിച്ചിരുന്നു വെന്ന് സംഘ് പരിവാർ നേതാക്കൾ കാമറയ്ക്കു മുന്നിൽ പറഞ്ഞത്  വെബ് പോർട്ടൽ ആയ കോബ്രാ പോസ്റ്റ്‌ ഇയ്യിടെ നടത്തിയ ഒരു 'സ്റ്റിംഗ് ഓപറേഷ'നു  ഇടയിലായിരുന്നു . 'ഹിന്ദുത്വ ഭീകരവാദം' വളർത്താൻ ആണ് ശ്രമിക്കുന്നതെന്നും അതിന്റെ ഭാഗമായി  മുസ്ലിങ്ങൾ കൊല്ലപ്പെടുമ്പോൾ ആഘോഷിക്കുന്നതും , തങ്ങളുടെ പരിശ്രമങ്ങൾ പാളിപ്പോവുമ്പോഴൊക്കെ ദുഃഖം തോന്നുന്നതും  സാധാരണ അനുഭവമാണെന്നും അവർ സാക്ഷ്യപ്പെടുത്തി.
2002-ൽ ഹരിയാനയിലെ ഝജ്ജാറിൽ അഞ്ചു ദലിതർ ഒരു ജനക്കൂട്ടത്താൽ കൂട്ടക്കൊല ചെയ്യപ്പെട്ടത് അവർ ഒരു പശുവിനെ കൊന്നതായ ആരോപണം പ്രചരിപ്പിച്ചതിനേത്തുടർന്ന് ആയിരുന്നു. ഒരു പശുവിന്റെ ജീവനേക്കാൾ വില കുറഞ്ഞതാണോ ദലിതരുടെ  ജീവൻ എന്ന  മാദ്ധ്യമ പ്രവർത്തകരുടെ ചോദ്യത്തിന് വി എച് പി നേതാവായ ഗിരിരാജ് കിഷോർ നല്കിയ മറുപടി 'പശുവിന്റെ ജീവൻ വിലമതിക്കാനാവാത്തവണ്ണം അമൂല്യമെന്ന്  വേദങ്ങളിൽ പറയുന്നുണ്ട്' എന്നായിരുന്നു.
കൊലയാളികളായി മാറുന്ന ഈ ആൾക്കൂട്ടങ്ങൾ 'ഊഹാപോഹങ്ങൾ' കേട്ട് സ്വാഭാവികമായി ഇള കുന്നവരല്ല. നേരെ മറിച്ച് , ഇന്ത്യൻ സാമൂഹ്യ ജീവിതത്തിന്റെ ഊടും പാവും തീർക്കുന്ന ഓരോ ഇഴയിലും വർഗീയ വിഷം കുത്തി വെയ്ക്കാനുള്ള ബൃഹത്തായ ഒരു പദ്ധതിയിലെ കണ്ണികൾ മാത്രമാണ് അവർ. ഈ വർഗീയ വിഷവ്യാപനത്ത്തിന്റെ പിന്നിലുള്ള ലക്‌ഷ്യം ഒരു മതേതര രാജ്യമെന്ന നിലയിൽ നിന്നും ഹിന്ദു രാഷ്ട്രമായി ഇന്ത്യയെ പരിവർ ത്തിപ്പിക്കാനുള്ള ബി ജെ പിയുടെയും സംഘ് പരിവാറിന്റെയും പരസ്യമായ അജണ്ടയെ സഹായിക്കുന്ന ഒരു രാഷ്ട്രീയത്തെ പോഷിപ്പിക്കുകയാണ്.
തന്റെ വിദേശയാത്രകൾക്കിടയിൽ നടത്തിയ പല പ്രസംഗങ്ങളിലും പ്രധാനമന്ത്രി മോദി തന്നെ ഇൻഡ്യയുടെ മതേതര പദവിയേയും മതേതരത്വ മൂല്യങ്ങളേയും അവമതിക്കും വിധത്തിൽ പരാമർശങ്ങൾ നടത്തിയിട്ടുണ്ട്. ബീഫും മാംസാഹാരവും കഴിക്കുന്നവർ കൊലപാതകത്തിന് തുല്യമായ കുറ്റകൃത്യമാണ് ചെയ്യുന്നതെന്ന് പറയുന്ന മോദി  ആൾക്കൂട്ടം ഒരു മനുഷ്യനെതല്ലിക്കൊല്ലുന്നത് കൊലപാതകം ആണെന്ന്  അംഗീകരിക്കാൻ തയ്യാറല്ല എന്നതാണ്  പ്രശ്നം. ദാദ്രിയിൽ നടന്ന വർഗീയ നരനായാട്ടിനെക്കുറിച്ച് ഇനിയും വാ തുറന്നു സംസാരിക്കാൻ രാജ്യത്തിന്റെ പ്രധാന മന്ത്രി തയ്യാറല്ലാതിരിക്കെ, വിഭാഗീയതയുടെയും വിദ്വേഷത്തിന്റെയും വർഗീയ ഹിംസയുടെയും ആയ സ്വന്തം രാഷ്ട്രീയത്തിന് പിന്തുണ നല്കാൻ നിർലജ്ജമായി ലോകത്തോട്‌ ആവശ്യപ്പെടാൻ അദ്ദേഹത്തിനു മടിയില്ല .