Thursday 28 May 2015

ML Update | No. 22 | 2015


ML Update

A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine

Vol.  18 | No. 22 | 26 MAY - 1 JUN 2015

One Year of Modi Rule:

The Acche Din Hype Unravels 

The self-congratulatory cacophony generated by the Modi government and the BJP to celebrate the first anniversary of Modi's 2014 ascent to power makes us wonder if the BJP believes that time stood still for the last one year. Even as the heat wave claims hundreds of lives across the country, large sections of the people reel under the burden of deepening distress and soaring prices, and the opinion polls reflect growing disappointment of the people who had voted Modi to power a year ago, the BJP propagandists have launched a massive campaign patting their own backs. The government has issued a 180 page booklet listing the government's 'achievements', and in the coming days and weeks the country will be bombarded with 200 rallies and 5000 public meetings. It almost sounds like a rerun of the India Shining propaganda blitz which had boomeranged spectacularly in the 2004 elections.

Modi set the tone of this arrogant and absurd hyperbole when addressing the Indian community during his recent trip to China and South Korea, he said till his government came to power NRIs were ashamed to admit that they were Indian. Indians, according to Modi, used to curse themselves for the sins they must have committed in their previous lives to have merited the shame and punishment of being born in India. Back in India, Modi continued in the same tone. Addressing a rally in Mathura on 25 May, Modi said what his government had already performed was a veritable miracle. Announcing the arrival of 'acche din', he said only looters, thieves and power brokers were complaining of 'bure din' or bad days!

Now in real life, 'acche din' has actually become a joke, a metaphor for the misery that most people find themselves subjected to on a daily basis, whether on account of economic distress, callous governance or dysfunctional basic services. The non-implementation of the tall electoral promises made by Modi and his men has become the talking point among the common people across the country. Even in Modi's own constituency of Varanasi, surveys have revealed widespread disappointment. Apart from some cleaning up operation in two out of Varanasi's eighty-odd ghats, the residents of this VIP constituency have not experienced any improvement in the first year of the Modi government. A few weeks ago, the agriculture minister of Haryana's BJP government, who was earlier president of the farmer organisation of the Sangh Parivar, had dubbed farmers committing suicides as cowards. Now Modi calls people complaining of bad days corrupt!

While the people are waiting for the Modi government to fulfil the basic promises Modi and the BJP had made during the 2014 election campaign, the Sangh parivar is busy advancing what it considers its 'core' agenda. 'Ghar wapsi', 'love jihad', sermons to Hindu women to produce ten children, ban on beef and so on and so forth – BJP ministers and MPs have been working overtime to enforce this agenda. During the election campaign Giriraj Singh had voters who did not want Modi to become PM to go to Pakistan. He has found his place in the Modi cabinet. And now Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, another Modi minister asks those who want to eat beef to go to Pakistan! For other items of the 'core agenda' like Ram Mandir and removal of Article 370, Amit Shah has asked the people to give 370 seats to the BJP so the BJP could amend the Constitution as it wished.

For all the propaganda blitzkrieg of Modi and his men, the actual experience of the first year of the Modi government will go a long way in exposing three mega myths that have played such a central role in making the BJP the number one party in India. Beyond the core support base of the Sangh Parivar, the myth of the Gujarat model and the so-called Modi magic now evokes growing scepticism. The thesis of the mythical metamorphosis of the BJP into a 'normal' rightwing party which will contain, if not shed, the communal agenda is also being questioned by many liberal sections of the middle classes who had thrown their weight behind the BJP in the 2014 elections. And last but not the least, the BJP's 'nationalist' farmer-friendly trader-friendly image has been severely dented with the unmasking of the corporate-encircled FDI-begging real face of Narendra Modi.

For a party like the BJP which has always sought to camouflage its communal agenda as 'cultural nationalism', it is indeed revealing that Modi's first year in office has been overshadowed by the foreign factor – making foreign trips and soliciting foreign investment. As many as eighteen foreign trips claiming two of the twelve months that Modi has been in power have been the highlight of Modi's first year. And on the economic front, Modi has turned out to be a devout worshipper of FDI. Those who argue that 'Make in India' is about creation of jobs and increasing the share of manufacturing in India's GDP do not tells us why FDI has to be at the centre of this strategy. If job creation and manufacturing growth were the real objective, why is the government systematically dismantling the public sector and privileging FDI and private corporate participation to the neglect of the labour intensive small and medium enterprises that can be the real platform for creation of jobs?

It is significant that while the BJP leaders were busy congratulating themselves on the first birthday of the Modi government, peasants, workers and students were out on the streets against the government's policies. The people's experience of the first year of the Modi government will be the biggest ammunition as we take on the corporate-communal offensive of the BJP in the coming days.

A report on CPI (ML)'s Solidarity Visit to Quake-Hit Nepal

Comrade Prabhat Kumar and Com. Dhirendra Jha, on behalf of the CPI(ML) Politburo, made a solidarity visit to Nepal, that is struggling to recover from the quake of Himalayan proportions. During the visit, they attended a volunteer training convention that had been organized by the CPN (UML) and presented a cheque for 1 million INR towards the natural disaster relief fund to CPN (UML) Chairman KP Sharma Oli and Party General Secretary Ishwarchandra Pokhrel.

The disastrous earthquake on 25 April caused indescribable havoc in Nepal. 75 districts including Kathmandu have suffered terrible loss and damage. 8519 lives have been lost and even today 500 people are missing. 638 people were killed in the second quake on 12 May. Most of the dead are women and children. More than 2 lakh buildings have been damaged. Historical heritage sites are in ruins. Cracks are visible in the Army HQ, Rashtrapati Bhawan, PM's house, Parliament, and most government buildings.

The UML Party office has suffered huge damage and has been declared abandoned. The office now functions in a small building, although even this has cracks. Essential work is also going on in tents put up on the campus.

Heavy damage has been suffered by Nepal's oldest school Durbar school (established in 1854) and Trichand College. Around 7000 school buildings are unfit for use.  This devastating earthquake occurred on a Saturday which happened to be a holiday in Nepal and the schools and colleges were closed; otherwise, the loss of lives would have been even greater. The regular aftershocks occurring in Nepal are terrifying for the people. 

Kathmandu appears to be a city of tents. The road sides and maidans are lined by long rows of blue tents. Water supply has been regulated to an extent and electricity has been restored.

Heavy destruction has occurred in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bharatpur, Gorkha, Chadig, Rasua, Nuakot, Sindhupal, Dolkha, Kabhi, Ramechhap, and other districts. Important tourist destinations such as Langtang and Bhaili have been totally damaged. More than half the people in these areas have been killed. Heartrending scenes of destruction due to landslides can also be seen at Sindhupal near the Tibet border.

The CPN(UML) has formed a coordination committee for relief and rehabilitation, under the leadership of the General Secretary, which includes Party leaders as well as leaders of mass organizations. This committee started immediate relief operations, playing a significant role in rescuing trapped families, taking the injured to hospital, arranging food, water, and medicines for affected families, and making funeral arrangements for the dead. The Party has taken initiatives to form different groups to attend to arrangements for food, sanitation, medical aid, rescue, damage assessment, and other such tasks. Area wise survey teams have been formed for damage assessment. This survey report will be submitted to the district administration as well as to the national disaster committee formed by the government. 

The rainy season is imminent. A large portion of the population continues to remain bereft of shelter, and most buildings are damaged. In this situation, providing permanent or temporary accommodation for such a vast number is a big challenge. The CPN(UML) plans to press 10,000 volunteers into service in 50 constituencies of 14 districts with the express task of providing shelter. Work in this direction has already started. Money and resources are being collected.

CPN(UML) has already collected more than Nepali Rs 1 crore. In our presence, the Nepali Trade and Industrialists Association donated a cheque for Nepali Rs 10 lakh. Various organizations and people from unaffected areas are contributing generously. 

Talking informally, several Nepali intellectuals, journalists, and social activists said that the immediate cooperation and help from India was very heartening. However, they said their self-respect was hurt by the attitude of some of the Indian media and the publicity war in connection with aid to Nepal.  

On the road from India to Nepal via Janakpur, and back from Kathmandu to India though the difficult hilly roads via Veerganj, it felt as if not only the earth has been shaken, but the people themselves have been left shaken. The beautiful valleys of Kathmandu are in mourning. Nepal faces the dual challenges of making its Constitution, as well as the difficult task of rebuilding the country.

Bandh called by CPI(ML) in Naubatpur and Bihta over farmers' suicide

A series of farmers' suicides has begun in Patna district in Bihar. Most recently two farmers, Gajendra Singh and Ramesh Singh, who were reported to be heavily in debt, were forced to commit suicide in Maner and Naubatpur respectively. During the course of the movement launched under the banner of 'Peasants affected by the Mega Technological Park', to demand compensation for the survivors of the farmers who had committed suicide, the peasant leader Kaushal Baba also passed away. Agitated and enraged by the death of Kaushal Baba, increasing spate of farmers' suicide in Patna district and the continued apathy of the central and the state governments, a massive bandh was called by the CPI (ML) in Naubatpur and Bihta. Protest demonstrations were also held in Paliganj. The main demands raised included waiving off the debts of the farmers and compensation for the family of the farmers who have died. CPI (ML) leaders while addressing the protestors highlighted the increasing agricultural crisis in the country and the increasing incidents of farmers' suicides. They pointed out how the policies of the current Modi government such as 'Make in India' and 'Land Acquisition' had added to the woes of the farmers. They questioned if the Modi government that had recently announced a channel for the farmers or the Nitish government in the state will only confine themselves to rhetoric on the issue of farmers' suicide while continuing to remain apathetic to their state, or will they dare to show some concrete action on ground.

New front to oppose pro-corporate policies- Angry Farmers, workers, and small retailers launch joint struggle

Reeling under the anti-people policies of the central government, farmers, workers, and small retailers in Punjab came together on a united platform to raise their voice. The "Kaarobaar Bachao, Rozgaar Bachao (Save business, save employment) conference was organized on 12 April, 2015 at Manasa in Punjab by the Mazdoor-Kisan-Dukandar-Karmchari Sangharsh Committee. The conference was addressed by Punjab Kisan Union State President Raldu Singh, Kirana Association (Manasa) President Suresh Nandgarhiya, Aadhati Association Secretary Ramesh Tony, CPI-ML (Liberation) Punjab State Secretary Rajvinder Singh Rana, and Mazdoor Mukti Morcha State President Bhagwant Singh.

Speaking on the occasion, Com. Rajvinder Singh Rana said that the people must once again unite to rid the country of the second Company Raj that the governments are trying to inflict upon them, and this effort is an initiative in that direction. The special guest at the conference, Dr. Baldev Singh, an economics professor in Punjabi University Regional Centre Talwandi Sabo, explained in detail how the green signal for FDI in retail is accelerating the process of destroying small shopkeepers and traders.

PKU State President Raldu Singh welcomed the coming together of workers, farmers, small shopkeepers, traders, and karmacharis to protect their rights against the government's destructive policies. He stated that through this united struggle they would stop the homes, shops, and livelihoods of recession-affected shopkeepers and traders from being seized or auctioned,

Kirana Assocation President Suresh Nandgarhiya said that the homes and shops of several shopkeepers (who are unable to repay loans) in danger of imminent auction can be saved through the leadership of this joint committee. Retailers' leader Ramesh Toni said that the governments of the country are responsible for looting and ruining the retailers.  Prof. Bikarjeet Singh Sadhuwala of the Educational Reforms Committee pointed out the loot being perpetrated by private school owners and called upon the people to participate in the ongoing struggle against this loot. The conference was also addressed by Bhagwant Singh Samaon, Sikandar Singh Gharangana, Darshan Singh Khiyala, Vijay Nandgarhiya, Vir Singh Bhasse, Advocate Balkaran Singh Balli, Vasudev Garg, Sukhdarshan Singh Natt, and Sukhbir Khara.

AISA observes National Protest Day against CBCS, RUSA and Central University Act in campuses across the country!

Holds Protest Demonstration in front of MHRD Against Imposition of CBCS in DU!

The All India Students' Association (AISA) observed a 'National Protest Day' in campuses across the country against the imposition of CBCS, RUSA and Central University Act and against bringing education under WTO-GATS. 

As part of the National Protest Day against these policy offensives on higher education by the central government, AISA held a protest demonstration in front of the MHRD in New Delhi and submitted a memorandum.

The protest was held at MHRD, because there is a clear attempt to impose such policy change as the CBCS by the MHRD and several notices are being sent to universities across the country. The protest was also held at a time when the DU administration is once again showing hurriedness in introducing a fundamental change in the course structure without taking the opinion of academicians, teachers and students. The admission process has started in DU; and yet till now, no one, neither the new students and their parents nor the teachers are clear about what would be the curriculum for the upcoming session. Moreover, there is no clarity about the syllabus that will be taught in the upcoming session. Addressing the protest Om Prasad, Delhi State Secretary, AISA said, "Senior DU officials are telling the media that they are waiting for UGC letter to implement CBCS from the next semester. We would like to ask them, will a directive from the UGC or the MHRD solve the problem of complete unpreparedness of the DU administration to introduce such a policy change? Where is the syllabus that will be taught? Where is the infrastructure needed to ensure 'mobility' of students under CBCS? Where are the classrooms and the teachers required, if real 'choice' is to be offered?" A memorandum raising these concerns was also submitted to the MHRD and the delegation met the Jt. Secretary Mr. Mohanty and shared the concerns.

Niraj Kumar, VP, Delhi AISA, said at the protest, "Enough ill-conceived experiments have already been done with DU students through FYUP. When more than 50 staff associations, the DUTA and several students groups have rejected the implementation of CBCS, why is the DU administration and MHRD so desperate to go ahead with CBCS? CBCS is nothing but FYUP brought in through the backdoor, as the course structure aimed at dilution of academic content is the same in CBCS as was in FYUP." A memorandum was also submitted to the MHRD.

In parts of the country too AISA activists held protest demonstrations and in some places effigy of Modi in whose prime ministership these onslaughts have been unleashed with renewed vigor, was also burnt.

5th district conference of Nainital unit of CPI (ML) held on 24 May 2015

The 5th district conference of Nainital unit CPI (ML) concluded on 24 May in Ambedkar Hall in Laalkuan. The session began by observing a minute's silence to remember the comrades who had been martyred in the time period between the last conference and the ongoing conference. Addressing the inaugural session of the district conference, the state secretary of CPI (ML) - Uttarakhand , Com. Rajendra Pratholi said that on the completion of the first year of the Modi government, even as the government was aggressively engaging in proclaiming false achievements all over the media, the truth was that the first year of the Modi government was spent in implementing anti-peasants and anti-workers' policies and serving the corporate masters. He added that the peasants and workers had been regularly organising and agitating against the anti-people policies of the Modi government and that a movement founded on a broad unity among peasants and workers alone can provide a new direction to this nation. Only this unity can destroy the corporate-fascist agenda of the Modi government and its' efforts to re-establish company raj in this country. Speaking about the Harish Rawat government at the state, he said that the state government too following the steps of the central government was busy in looting the land of the people and Bindukhatta was a clear example of this. Despite the fact that the residents have time and again thronged the streets to reject the declaration proclaiming Bindukhatta to be a municipality, the state government under the influence of the land mafia has become deaf to the demands of the people.

The conference resolved to double the membership by the next conference. A 7 member district committee was also founded with Com. Kailash Pandey as the secretary.

District conference of AICCTU affiliated ASHA health workers' union held in Nainital

The Nainital district conference of the AICCTU affiliated ASHA health workers' union concluded in the Press Club in Nainital on 21 May 2015.

Addressing the conference, the national Vice President of AICCTU, Com. Raja Bahuguna said that the central government wanted to pulls its hand off the responsibility of the ASHA workers who formed the axis of a fundamental sector such as the health sector. By putting the entire responsibility for ASHA workers on the state, the centre government was creating crisis for the ASHA workers. He added that the governments in this country had only one slogan for the women workers- "Jam kar lenge pura kaam, nahin milega pura daam" (Will fiercely take full work, and not give full wages). The leaders speaking at the conference pointed out that the Uttarakhand government was a pro-mafia government that sacrificed the interests of the workers at the behest of the mafia and hence a united women workers' movement should be built and intensified in Uttarakhand so that that government can be forced to work on our agenda. The state President of Uttarakhand ASHA Health Workers' Union, Kamla Kunjwal said that it was only by building a unity among the union members and developing a feeling of a collective leadership that we could fight the- anti women policies of the state and the central governments.  She added that it was on the basis of unity and struggles of the union that the state government had been forced to provide an annual incentive amount and in future also, on the basis of this we could win the fight for the monthly wages. A new district team of ASHA workers' union and office bearers were also elected during the conference.


Friday 22 May 2015

ML Update | No. 21 | 2015


ML Update

A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine

Vol. 18, No. 21, 19 ­– 25 MAY 2015

Distress and Despair Everywhere–

Tall-talk Government Completes One Year!

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t is now one full year since Narendra Modi became India's Prime Minister. The government continues to indulge in tall talks, but the rhetoric is sounding increasingly hollow. Modi and his men stand exposed on almost every promise they had made to the people.

This was supposed to be a year of respite from rising prices. When diesel and petrol prices dropped initially, though in much less proportion than the global decline in petro prices, BJP leaders went to town claiming it as a gift from the Modi government. Modi himself described it as a sign of good luck he is bringing for the people. But as Narendra Modi completes his first year in office, repeated hikes in diesel and petrol prices have again become the order of the day. Fares and freight rates have gone up; even platform tickets have not been spared, the rate has doubled from Rs 5 to Rs 10!

Agrarian distress is spreading like an epidemic. Farmers' suicides are being reported from all corners of the country, not only from the old suicide belts of southern and western states, but increasingly now from states in northern and eastern zones, and even right in the middle of a rally near the Indian Parliament. Untimely rains have damaged crops heavily across the country and while farmers await compensation to cover their huge losses, central and state governments are only trying to outdo each other in making complacent claims.

Far from taking urgent measures to mitigate the acute agrarian distress, the Modi government has made it clear that it would like to use this crisis as an opportunity to push more and more farmers out of agriculture and grab their land for greedy corporate without even bothering to ask landowners for their consent. Despite countrywide uproar, the government has re-promulgated the notorious land-grab ordinance for a second time. Along with land and other natural resources, the government is also trying to lure corporate investors with the offer of cheap skilled labour.

The BJP may like us to believe that the ascent of Modi to the PM's post has raised India's international profile and his foreign trips symbolise India's growing stature and role in international affairs, but in reality most of his foreign visits have been aimed at attracting foreign investment. In the process he is also trying to help his Indian corporate cohorts like Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani secure business contracts abroad. The controversial coal mining deal for Adani in Australia, backed by a proposed $1 bn loan from SBI, raised eyebrows in both India and Australia. It is another matter that the deal has run into trouble in the face of powerful protests in both countries,

Indeed, consent-free cheap land, and union-free rights-free cheap labour, are Modi's biggest incentives to attract foreign investment. The so-called move to rationalise labour laws and abolish inspector raj, initiated by the Rajasthan government and now taken up with great gusto by the Union government itself, is a brazen attempt at further tilting India's labour laws and factory and business rules in favour of big capital and against the working class. A similar move is on to legitimise child labour in so-called 'family enterprises', a euphemism for the supply chain of sweat shops for big companies. The cabinet has already approved an amendment to this effect in the existing child labour abolition act.

While the government has thus been busy unveiling and executing its economic vision of FDI-dependent corporate-driven restructuring of the Indian economy, the RSS and its affiliates have been systematically vitiating the atmosphere with their majoritarian agenda of communal nationalism and shrill opposition to the democratic aspirations and assertion of the people in every sphere. From the spoken and printed word to the visual and social media, hate speech has become the signature of the Sangh brigade. While the government occasionally tries to distance itself under public pressure, the practitioners of hate speech and other hate crimes carry on with impunity.

The only reassuring component of the new regime's year one balance-sheet comes not from the government but from the people many of whom had voted emphatically a year ago to install the Modi Sarkar in office. The people are making it clear that they cannot be taken for granted. Farmers are up in arms against the anti-farmer land-grab ordinance and the all-pervasive corporate-friendly anti-farmer bias of the government. Workers have also expressed their readiness to resist the government's anti-worker anti-people moves. After powerful strikes of coal miners, telecommunication and financial sector workers and employees, trade unions across the country have now come together to launch a concerted campaign for the basic rights and demands of Indian workers.

The growing disillusionment with the Modi government has also begun to make its presence felt in election results. After facing a resounding rebuff from the Delhi electorate in the Assembly elections, the BJP has also been snubbed in the West Bengal municipal elections. As the Modi government begins its second year, let us get ready for a more decisive and determined popular resistance.

 

Is the Right to Protest Reserved for Kejriwal Alone, Not for Aam Workers?

DTC Workers' Protests and Ensuing Crackdown

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elhi witnesses a series of protests by DTC workers on a variety of issues in the year 2015. The most recent one was a spontaneous flash strike following the brutal murder of a DTC driver of the Rohini Depot.

The DTC is undoubtedly the lifeline of Delhi's transport network. Contractual employees within DTC face inhuman working conditions and are subjected to tremendous work pressure to meet targets given by the management. As many as twelve thousand of DTC drivers are employed on contract. This means that they are not paid equal wages at par with permanent staff, for the same work and the wages are not regularized. They arrive at the depot every morning – but may be turned away and denied work by the depot manager in case the buses have broken down. So, while they are officially 'employed', they are not even sure of getting work throughout the month! They have no right to a paid or even unpaid weekly off.

Right from mid 2014 onwards, both the permanent staff and contractual workers of DTC protested for their rights. The contractual workers especially, supported the AAP and Kejriwal, based on the AAP's promises to regularize contractual employees.

When the AAP Government failed to keep those promises, the DTC contract workers organized a March to the Delhi Secretariat from the DTC headquarters on 13 April 2015 under the banner of DTC Sangharsh Morcha, comprising of all the different unions working within DTC. The mood of the workers sitting on the dharna outside the Secretariat was so militant that they wanted the programme extended to an indefinite one till their demands were met. Unions affiliated to INTUC and BMS faced open challenge, as they tried discouraging the workers and pressurizing them to call off the ongoing programme. The Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai met the delegation but this had no positive outcome. Comrade Shankaran represented the DTC Workers' Unity Centre in this delegation.

While addressing the CII, Delhi, the CM Arvind Kejriwal had declared that it is not his government's duty to run buses, and the corporates will now be encouraged to run DTC. This open declaration of privatization had certainly disturbed the young DTC employees and disheartened the permanent staff.

Young workers comprising the contractual workforce of DTC took the opportunity of the National Transport Strike on 30th April, 2015, against the proposed Road Safety & Transport Bill 2014 by the Modi Government, to again raise their legitimate demands. After several years, DTC Unions had served a strike notice to their management as well as the Delhi Government, certainly under the pressure of those young workers persuaded by AICCTU affiliates.

These young contractual workers had shouldered the entire campaign all over DTC depots and most of the 'official' unions were seen absconding to avoid the campaign. On 29 April, the Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai had invited all the Unions including the DTC Pensioners' Union (no pension had been paid for the past 3 months to DTC Pension holders) for a dialogue. Once again the AAP Government had no concrete plan for the public transport system of Delhi and DTC workers. Gopal Rai merely assured the workers' representative for a budget provision for equal pay, release of 2 months pension and clearly refused to meet any other demands.

INTUC affiliates immediately withdrew the strike notice and had informed the administration of their withdrawal. BMS affiliates had not withdrawn their strike notice but had sent sms messages asking the workers to join their duties. DTC workers had resolved to go with the strike and organised a sit-in in front of the Millennium Depot. The AICCTU affiliated Unity Centre worked hard for the success of the strike. The strike could only be implemented partially, but it certainly demolished a long-standing inertia and inspired enthusiasm in spite of the backstabbing by some of the DTC unions.

The sit-in in front of the Millennium Depot was well attended, focused and full of hope for the young workers and they resolved to continue with their fight. A leader from the BMS-affiliated union came to address the gathering, and began a communal tirade, mentioning the Batla House killings and branding minorities as terrorists. A young DTC worker and AICCTU activist, Rajesh, spontaneously got up to take the mike away from him and tell him firmly to stop trying to vitiate the atmosphere of the sit-in. The BMS leader, faced with this rebuff, stopped speaking and beat a hasty retreat from the sit-in site.  

Ten days after this sit-in, on May 10th, a Rohini Depot driver Ashok Kumar was brutally murdered in a road rage incident at Mundka while on duty. Workers once again went for a flash strike. Mourning his death, they demanded Rs 1 crore as compensation for the deceased worker, a job for his university-going son, education for his school-going daughter, medical care for his critically ill wife, and security for the DTC running staff. The workers reminded the Government that it had offered Rs 1 crore as compensation to the family of a policeman killed on duty, even though the policeman was not a Delhi Government employee; and also Rs 20 lakhs to the family of the farmer who committed suicide at Jantar Mantar at an AAP rally. Compensation should not be decided by political compulsions and media optics. The workers said that the Government is obligated to compensate the family of a worker murdered while on duty.  

This was neither the first nor the only incident of attack on the DTC running staff. The DTC management as well as the Delhi Transport Minister have been informed of several such attacks. The narrow Delhi roads, without any proper planning for public transport, create a situation where drivers are vulnerable to attacks by angry members of the public. With its fleet size of around 4700 buses, DTC caters to 45 lakh commuters everyday in comparison to 21 lakh Metro commuters daily. Every driver under the standard procedure operates a bus for 110 km in 8 hours, a practice which was set in place almost two decades earlier. So it is easy to understand tremendous pressure on these workers.

The Government has been repeatedly informed of their grievances but has done nothing ameliorative so far to redress issues. In response to the flash strike, the Kejriwal Government invoked ESMA on the 11th night itself without even trying to negotiate with its own striking transport employees. The draconian ESMA was invoked as a first resort! On 12th May, the Delhi Government partially agreed to some of the demands including 10 lakh compensation and release of complete salary for the remaining service tenure of the deceased worker, a Government job for his son, free medical care for his ailing wife and free education for his daughter, and deployment of home guards as marshals in DTC buses. But simultaneously, under the directions of Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai, the DTC management initiated action against the DTC employees. Till now, more than 100 workers, most of them, contractual employees, and many of them supporters of DTC Workers' Unity Centre (AICCTU) were given show-cause notices for not attending duties and participating in the protest, and were asked to reply within 24 hours or face termination.

This action of the Delhi government has further agitated the DTC employees. It seems that for Kejriwal, the worker does not enjoy the status of an 'aam aadmi'. Kejriwal has defended his own right to agitate and hold sit-ins on the street – but denies the common workers of Delhi the same right! In the media, the AAP Government has been rightly criticized for threatening journalists with defamation cases for running stories critical of the Government. But while the right to freedom of expression of journalists is talked about, the media remains silent on the way in which the AAP Government has cracked down on the workers' right to freedom of expression. Do workers, then, have no right to show humanitarian solidarity with a slain colleague, to seek adequate compensation and social and economic security for the family of a driver killed on duty? The DTC workers are determined not to bend to the pressures created by the administration and the management but keep fighting for their rights within the ever shrinking democratic space.

 

Khet Mazdoor Sabha Protest in Supaul

The CPI(ML) and the Supaul unit of the Khet Mazdoor Sabha took out an impressive protest march on 20 April 2015 on people's issues like vaas-bhumi (housing land) for urban and rural poor, drinking water, electricity, roads and other problems. After traversing through the main streets of the town, the march culminated in a dharna at the block-zonal office. A public meeting was held at the dharna venue chaired by AICCTU district President Com. Jitendra Choudhury and a charter of demands was submitted to the BDO and Joint CO, Supaul.

The dharna was also addressed by Comrades Jainarayan Yadav and Arvind Kumar Sharma. The speakers pointed out that the Modi Govt. at the centre as well as the Nitish Govt. in the State are both pandering to the corporate houses and ignoring people's issues like housing, land reforms, education, health, water, corruption, electricity, employment, roads, rising prices, etc. The speakers stressed that the need of the hour was to raise our voices against Company Raj.

 

Jharkhand Mazdoor Sabha Demonstration in Saraikela-Kharsawa

About 600 villagers under the banner of the JMS (Jharkhand Gramin Mazdoor Sabha) and holding traditional implements and arms protested in a forceful demonstration in front of the Kharsawa Deputy Commissioner against the construction which has been started at Lakhandih in Kharsawa block. The searing afternoon heat was rent with the sound of hundreds of villagers chanting slogans of "End the conspiracy of dispossessing adivasis". At the Deputy Commissioner's office they raised their voice, warning the authorities that if land was forcibly acquired, it would result in mass agitation and the responsibility for the same would lie with the administration. It is noteworthy that the construction of the reservoir had been stopped under pressure from protests, and further protests would continue for scrapping the project altogether. 205 acres of 5 villages including forest land, raiyaat land and agricultural land will be lost if this project is allowed. A new agitation for scrapping the project was started with a protest march from Kharsawa Bazartand chowk culminating in a dharna and submission of demands at the Deputy Commissioner's office.

Addressing the protest meeting, AIPF council member Xavier Kujur said that the Modi Govt.'s Land Ordinance is a law to destroy adivasis and farmers. The State Govt. is using this Ordinance for the proposed Saraikela-Kharsawa reservoir. JMS leader Gautam Singh Munda said that the Govt. is working for the permanent displacement of adivasis from Jharkhand through forcible land acquisition. Therefore it is necessary to strengthen the agitation for stopping the reservoir construction.

 

Gramin Chowkidar Union District Conference in Deoriya

The first district conference of the Gramin Chowkidar Union was held in Deoriya district of Uttar Pradesh on 10 May 2015. About 100 delegates participated in the conference which was inaugurated by AICCTU national Vice President Com. Premlata Pandey. Speaking on the occasion she said that the Samjawadi Party Govt. has started several populist schemes in the State, but the chowkidars (working in the police stations since British times) who have been termed "graamin police" in the Police Act, have not yet been given the status of government employees. They get a pittance of Rs 1500 as honorarium. They are subjected to inhuman treatment in the thanas, and are made to do jobs ranging from giving massages to the station chief to cooking and washing vessels. Com. Premlata further said that the job of the chowkidars is to go to the thanas twice a month and give news about happenings in the village. However, though their service is usually taken by police authorities for apprehending accused persons, this work is not recorded in their records. They have not even been insured for accidents. If they are killed during action in the police patrol, they will get nothing. The slogan raised at the conference was "1500 mein dum nahin, 15000 se kam nahin" (1500 is a mere pittance, less than 15000 is not acceptable). It was resolved that protests would be accelerated to demand State Govt. employee status for the chowkidars. At the conclusion of the conference, a 25 member district committee was elected with Jitendra as President and Raja Prasad as Mantri. The conference was also addressed by current district President Ramanand Paswan, AICCTU district convener Ramkishor Verma, and CPI(ML) town convener Dr. Shailesh Pandey. The proceedings were conducted by Kaviji Chowkidar.

 

AIARLA 5th TN State Conference Held in Chidambaram

The fifth state conference of AIARLA was held on 15th May in Chidambaram (Cuddalore district). The Conference was preceded with an impressive and enthusiastic procession in which several rural young women and men participated and were joined in solidarity by students and youth. Through their placards and loud sloganeering, the participants stoutly denounced Land grab Bill of the Modi Govt. and demanded its immediate repeal. At a time when the ruling AIADMK is celebrating the Bengaluru High Court Judgment acquitting its leader Jayalalithaa in the disproportionate assets case, the participants questioned their jubilation and raised slogans against corruption and questioned AIADMK's support to the Land Grab Bill brought by the Modi Govt.

The masses congregated into the hall named after Com. Ammaiyappan, Cuddalore district secretary and state secretary of AIARLA, who recently passed away. Com. TKS Janardhanan, the outgoing president presided over the conference. After 2 minutes of silence observed in the memories of Comrade Ammaiyappan, tribal workers who had been killed in fake encounter recently in Andhra, and those who lost their lives in Nepal and India in the recent earthquake, the Central Observer Com. Bangar Rao, delivered his inaugural address. He called upon the state conference to develop Panchayats as platform of struggles.

Com. Rani, one of the Tribal activists narrated the unending woes and sufferings of the jailed workers and their kith and kin. Com. Simpson, member of the National Executive of AIKM and national council of AIPF appealed all to strengthen land struggles. In his message to the conference CPI(ML) State Secretary Balasundaram said that it is an irony that conference was dedicated to the memory of Com. Ammaiyappan who had initiated the preparations for this conference in January despite his ailing health condition. Several leaders stressed that preparations for June 30 struggle should also be a task of building AIARLA units at panchayat level.

The conference adopted several political, movemental, and organizational resolutions. 183 member state council, 27 member state executive and 11 office bearers been elected by the house. Com TKS Janarthanan and S. Janakiraman were elected as State President and General Secretary respectively.

 

Protest against Attack an CPI(ML) Leader

On 29 April 2015, criminal elements made a murderous attack on Com. Umashankar, CPI(ML) leader from Sariya block in Giridih district. However, under pressure from the local MLA, the Sariya police have not yet apprehended the culprits, who enjoy the protection of the MLA. In protest against this inaction, the CPI(ML) took out a protest march on 8 May 2015, from Jhanda Chowk. The protesters went around the entire market and then held a meeting at Jhanda Chowk. Speakers addressing the meeting said that if the police does not take appropriate action, CPI(ML) will further sharpen the agitation.

 

Protest March against Vandalization of Ambedkar Statue

AIPF took out a protest march in Bhagalpur town to protest against the vandalization of the Ambedkar statue by smearing it with "jootha" (leftovers) on 30 April. The protestors shouted slogans against attempts at saffronization of Ambedkar's ideas by the RSS-BJP and demanded immediate action against the perpetrators of the defacement.

It needs to be remembered that one day earlier when the RYA had burnt the effigy of Mohan Bhagwat in protest against the RSS chief's statement that Ambedkar was a Hindutva supporter, the saffron goons of the RSS had torn down all the posters from that place after the RYA activists left.

 

Release Chhatradhar Mahato and Repeal UAPA

On 12 May 2015, Chhatradhar Mahato, a tribal leader of the Lalgarh movement along with five others was sentenced to life imprisonment by a West Midnapore court under the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). A few members of the AIPF were present in the court when he was convicted. Immediately following the sentence, a joint rally was called by APDR and Nagarik Samanyay in which CPI(ML), AIPF and AISA also participated. Over 500 people gathered in the rally and several representatives including Sumit Choudhury of AIPF, Dipankar Bhattacharya of CPI(ML), Sujata Vadro of APDR and several others condemned the verdict.

A protest rally was also called by CPI(ML) in Siliguri on 15 May 2015 demanding repeal of UAPA and unconditional release of Chhatradhar Mahato and others. The rally was led by CPI(ML) Central Committee member and the district secretary of Darjeeling, Com. Abhijit Mazumdar. Several people participated in the rally carrying red flags and placards carrying slogans against draconian laws like UAPA and demanding release of Chhatradhar Mahato. A rally at Jadavpur was also called by common students on 19 May 2015 in which AISA also participated. A fund drive has also been started for carrying forward the campaign as well as the legal battle.

 

Obituaries

 

Prof. Amalendu Guha: CPI(ML) expresses condolence on the demise of Prof. Amalendu Guha, a noted scholar and an eminent historian who worked in the department of History, Dibrugarh University, Assam. Among his several contributions to research on history and in particular history of Assam includes his path breaking work on the rice economy of Assam and his highly acclaimed book 'Planter's raj to Swaraj'. Prof. Guha will always be remembered for the crucial role played by him in the advancement of Marxism and historical studies in Assam.

 

Com. Ramyaad Sharma: CPI(ML) expressed deep shock and pain on the sad demise of Com. Ramyaad Sharma who suffered heart attack on the morning of 10 May 2015. Com. Ramyaad Sharma was associated with Azamgarh unit of CPI(ML) and was also the member of the state committee of the Akhil Bhartiya Kisan Mahasabha, UP. A comrade who was never known to say 'no' for any organizational work deputed to him, Com. Ramyaad Sharma was an embodiment of communist understanding of organizational commitment and discipline. He was extremely active, despite being 80 years of age. The pain of his loss especially among the CPI(ML) comrades of Azamgarh cannot be overstated. He will always remain a source of inspiration for us. Red Salute!!

 

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


Tuesday 5 May 2015

ആള്‍ ഇന്‍ഡ്യാ സ്റ്റ്യൂഡെന്‍റ്റ്സ് അസ്സോസ്സിയേഷന്‍ (AISA) യുടെ 8 -)മത് ദേശീയ സമ്മേളനംമെയ്‌ 10 ,11തീയതികളില്‍ ന്യൂ ഡെല്‍ഹിയില്‍

ആള്‍ ഇന്‍ഡ്യാ സ്റ്റ്യൂഡെന്‍റ്റ്സ് അസ്സോസ്സിയേഷന്‍ (AISA) യുടെ 8 -)മത് ദേശീയ സമ്മേളനം
മെയ്‌ 10 ,11തീയതികളില്‍ ന്യൂ ഡെല്‍ഹിയില്‍
 

1857 മേയ് 10 ന് ആണ്
ബ്രിട്ടീഷ് കൊളോണിയല്‍ അധികാരികളുടെ 'കമ്പനി വാഴ്ച'യ്ക്കെതിരെ ഇന്ത്യയില്‍ ഒന്നാം സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യ സമരം പൊട്ടിപ്പുറപ്പെട്ടത് . ഇന്ഡ്യയുടെ നാനാ ഭാഗങ്ങളിലുമുള്ള സാധാരണ ജനങ്ങള്‍ അവര്ക്കിടയില്‍ പരമ്പരാഗതമായി നിലനിന്നിരുന്ന ജാതി മത വിഭാഗീയതകള്‍ മറികടന്ന്  ഈസ്റ്റ് ഇന്ത്യാ കമ്പനിയെയും ബ്രിട്ടീഷ് പട്ടാളത്തെയും  നേരിട്ടു.
AISA യുടെ എട്ടാം ദേശീയ സമ്മേളനം നടക്കുന്നത് കമ്പനി രാജ് ഇന്ത്യയില്‍ പുതിയ രൂപത്തില്‍  പ്രതിഷ് ഠി ക്കാനുള്ള ശ്രമങ്ങള്‍ താല്പ്പര കക്ഷികള്‍ ഏറ്റെടുത്തിരിക്കുന്ന നിര്‍ണ്ണായകമായ ഒരു കാലഘട്ടത്തില്‍ ആണ് .
 ഇന്ത്യയുടെ ഭൂമിയും ധാതു വിഭവങ്ങളും കൃഷിയും ആരോഗ്യവും തൊഴിലും എല്ലാം കൊള്ളയ്ക്കും ചൂഷണ ത്തിനുമായി നാടനും വിദേശിയുമായ കോര്‍പ്പറേഷനുകള്‍ക്ക് മുന്നില്‍ അടിയറ വെച്ചിരിക്കുകയാണ് ബി ജെ പി സര്ക്കാര്‍ . ആണവ കരാറുകള്‍  മുതല്‍ ഇന്ത്യയുടെ പേറ്റന്റ് നിയമങ്ങള്‍ തിരുത്തിയെഴുതല്‍, രാജ്യത്തിന്റെ  പരമാധികാരവും ജനങ്ങളുടെ സ്വയം നിര്‍ണ്ണയാധികാരവും സുരക്ഷിതത്വവും സ്വാശ്രയത്വവും അമേരിക്കന്‍ സാമ്രാജ്യത്വ താല്‍പ്പര്യങ്ങള്‍ക്ക്‌ കീഴ് പ്പെടുത്തല്‍ ഇവയെല്ലാം അതിന്റെ ഉദാഹരണങ്ങളാണ് .
വിദ്യാഭ്യാസത്തിന്റെ മേഖലയിലാണെങ്കില്‍ കോര്‍പ്പറേറ്റ് ലാഭ ക്കൊതിക്ക് മുന്നില്‍  പൂര്ണ്ണമായും വിധേയപ്പെടുന്ന നയങ്ങള്‍  ആണ് നടപ്പാക്കിവരുന്നത്‌ .വിദ്യാഭ്യാസത്തിന്നും ആരോഗ്യത്തിന്നും വേണ്ടി ചെലവിടുന്ന പൊതു വിഹിതത്തില്‍ സര്ക്കാര്‍ ഗണ്യമായ വെട്ടിക്കുറവ് ആണ് നടത്തിയിരിക്കുന്നത് .ഇതിനു പുറമേ ,രാജ്യത്തിലെ വിദ്യാഭ്യാസ -ഗവേഷണ പ്രവര്ത്തനങ്ങളുടെ നിലവാരവും സാധാരണക്കാര്‍ക്ക് അതിന്റെ നേട്ടങ്ങളുടെ അഭിഗമ്യതയും അങ്ങേയറ്റം ശോചനീയമാക്കും വിധത്തില്‍ വിദ്യാഭ്യാസനയങ്ങള്‍ ഇന്ന് ആഗോള വിദ്യാഭ്യാസ മാഫിയയുടെ നിയന്ത്രണത്തില്‍ ആയിരിക്കുന്നു . തല്‍ഫലമായി, ആധുനികമായ ഏത് വിദ്യാഭ്യാസ സമ്പ്ര ദായത്തിന്റെയും  മുഖമുദ്രയായിരിക്കേണ്ട ശാസ്ത്രബോധവും യുക്തി ചിന്തയും വളര്ത്തുന്ന സമീപനം ഏതാണ്ട്  ഇന്ന് അപ്രത്യക്ഷമായിരിക്കുന്നു . അതിന്റെ സ്ഥാനത്ത്, അന്ധ വിശ്വാസവും വിദ്വേഷ ചിന്തകളും ശാസ്ത്ര വിരുദ്ധതയും വളര്ത്തുന്ന ഉള്ളടക്കം
നമ്മുടെ പാഠ പുസ്തകങ്ങളില്‍ കുത്തിച്ചെലുത്തുകയാണ്. അതാത്  വിഷയങ്ങളില്‍ വേണ്ടത്ര  പ്രാവീണ്യമുള്ള വിദഗ്ദ്ധരായ അക്കാഡമിക് കളുടെ സ്ഥാനത്ത് ആര്‍ എസ്എസ്‌ അനുയായികളായ വ്യാജ പണ്‍ഡിതരെ ഉയര്ന്ന സ്ഥാനങ്ങളില്‍ ചുമതലകള്‍ ഏല്‍പ്പിക്കുന്ന കാഴ്ചയാണ് നാം ഇന്ന് കാണുന്നത് .
മേല്പ്പറഞ്ഞ വിധത്തില്‍ ദൂരവ്യാപകമായ ഫലങ്ങള്‍ സൃഷ്ടിക്കുന്ന നയ വ്യതിയാനങ്ങള്‍ക്കെതിരെ നമ്മുടെ രാജ്യത്തിലെ കര്ഷക-തൊഴിലാളി ബഹുജനങ്ങളും ദലിത് ആദിവാസി വിഭാഗങ്ങളും വിദ്യാര്ഥികളും യുവജനങ്ങളും സ്ത്രീകളും ഇന്ന് ഉണര്ന്നു പ്രവര്ത്തിച്ചു വരികയാണ്. ബുള്ളറ്റുകളുടെയും ലാത്തികളുടെയും ജെയിലുകളുടെയും രൂപത്തിലുള്ള
ഭരണകൂട അടിച്ചമര്‍ത്തലിനെയാണ് അവരുടെയെല്ലാം പ്രതിഷേധങ്ങള്‍ ഇന്ന് നേരിട്ടുകൊണ്ടിരിക്കുന്നത്. ഇത്തരമൊരു സാഹചര്യം മൂലം, ഇന്നത്തെ ഭരണ സംവിധാനത്തെ കമ്പനി രാജിന്റെ തിരിച്ചു വരവായി ഇന്ത്യയിലെ ജനങ്ങള്‍ വിശേഷിപ്പിക്കുന്നു .
In such a backdrop, the call of the 1857 fighters resonates again for Indian citizens today. This is why AISA is holding its National Conference on 10th May 2015 at Delhi, with the call: ‘10th May Calls Us to the Fore - Company Raj No More!

Speakers-
Dipankar Bhattachrya, Gen Sec, CPI-ML
Prashant Bhushan, Activist and Supreme Court Lawyer
Kavita Krishnan, Sec, AIPWA
Nandita Narain, President, DUTA
Representatives of Left Student Organisations.

Sunday 3 May 2015

അംബേദ്‌കറിനെ വൈകല്യപ്പെടുത്തി സ്വന്തമാക്കാനുള്ള ബിജെപി നീക്കങ്ങളെ തുറന്നുകാട്ടുക

അംബേദ്‌കറിനെ വൈകല്യപ്പെടുത്തി സ്വന്തമാക്കാനുള്ള
ബിജെപി നീക്കങ്ങളെ തുറന്നുകാട്ടുക

  സംഘ് പരിവാര്‍ അജണ്ടയ്ക്ക് ചേരും വിധത്തില്‍ അംബേദ്‌കറിനെ സ്വന്തമാക്കാനുള്ള വിഫല പരിശ്രമത്തിന്  ഉദാഹരണമാണ് ബിഹാറില്‍  അംബേദ്‌കര്‍ ജന്മദിന റാലിയെ അഭിസംബോധന ചെയ്തുകൊണ്ട് നരേന്ദ്ര മോഡി നടത്തിയ  പ്രസംഗം.
സമത , മമത , സംരസ്ത (സമത്വം, മാതൃതുല്യമായ സ്നേഹം, സാമൂഹ്യ ഐക്യം ) എന്നീ മൂന്നു തത്വങ്ങള്‍ ഉയര്ത്തിപ്പിടിച്ച ഒരു മഹാന്‍ ആയിരുന്നു അംബേദ്‌കര്‍ എന്നും അതിനാല്‍  സമൂഹത്തെ വിഭജിക്കാനായിരുന്നില്ല , ഇണക്കിച്ചേര്‍ക്കാനായിരുന്നു അദ്ദേഹം പരിശ്രമിച്ചിരുന്നതെന്നും മോദി പ്രസ്താവിച്ചു.
 അംബേദ്‌കറിനെ ഒരു "ദലിത് നേതാവാ"യി ചിലര്‍ വിശേഷിപ്പിക്കുന്നത് തന്നെ വേദനിപ്പിക്കുന്നുവെന്നും, അദ്ദേഹം യഥാര്‍ഥത്തില്‍ മനുഷ്യത്വത്തിന്റെ നേതാവ് ആയിരുന്നുവെന്നും മോദി പറഞ്ഞു. "രാഷ്ട്രീയ അയിത്തം" കല്‍പ്പിക്കപ്പെട്ട ഒരു നേതാവ് ആയിരുന്നു അംബേദ്‌കര്‍ എന്ന് സൂചിപ്പിച്ച് കൊണ്ട് മോദി പിന്നെ അവകാശപ്പെട്ടത്,  അംബേദ്‌കറിനെപ്പോലെ താനും"രാഷ്ട്രീയ അയിത്തത്തിനെതിരെ" പോരാട്ടം നയിക്കാന്‍  നിര്ബന്ധിതനായ ഒരു വ്യക്തിയാണെന്നാണ് .
ആര്‍ എസ്സ് എസ്സും ,ബി ജെ പിയും കഴിഞ്ഞ കുറേക്കാലമായി അംബേദ്‌കറിനെ വൈകല്യപ്പെടുത്തി സ്വന്തമാക്കാന്‍ ശ്രമിച്ചു വരികയാണ്. വാസ്തവത്തില്‍ ഈ ശ്രമങ്ങളുടെ തുടര്ച്ച മാത്രമാണ് മോദി നടത്തിയ അംബേദ്‌കര്‍ ജന്മദിന റാലി പ്രസംഗത്തില്‍ മുഴങ്ങിക്കേട്ടത് . അംബേദ്‌കര്‍ മുസ്ലിങ്ങള്‍ക്ക്‌  എതിരായി  നിലകൊണ്ട ഒരു നേതാവായിരുന്നുവെന്ന് പാഞ്ചജന്യ , ഓര്‍ഗനൈസര്‍ എന്നീ സംഘ് പരിവാര്‍  ജിഹ്വകള്‍ നേരത്തെ തന്നെ പ്രചരിപ്പിച്ചു . അംബെദ്കറിന്റെ 124 -)മത് ജന്മവര്ഷത്തില്‍ ഉടനീളം "സമരസ്താ യജ്ഞങ്ങള്‍" ജില്ലകള്‍ തോറും സംഘടിപ്പിക്കുന്നത് മുതല്‍ "സാമൂഹ്യജീവിതത്തില്‍  മറ്റുള്ളവരുമായി ഇഴുകിചേരാന്‍" ദലിതരെ പ്രോത്സാഹിപ്പിക്കുന്ന പരിപാടികളാണ്  വിശ്വഹിന്ദു പരിഷത്ത്  പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നത്.
സംഘ് പരിവാര്‍ ശക്തികള്‍ അംബെദ്കറില്‍ ചൊരിയുന്ന പൊള്ളയായ പ്രശംസകള്‍ യഥാര്‍ഥത്തില്‍ ദലിത് ജനതയെ തങ്ങളിലേക്ക് ആകര്ഷിക്കാനുള്ള സൂത്രം മാത്രമാണ് .ഇന്ത്യന്‍ സമൂഹം അന്നും ഇന്നും ജാതിയുടെയടിസ്ഥാനത്തില്‍ ആഴത്തില്‍ വിഭജിതമാണെന്നും ദലിത് ജനത അന്നത്തെപ്പോലെ ഇന്നും സാമൂഹ്യമായ അതിക്രമങ്ങള്‍ക്ക് ഇരകളാവുന്നുവെന്നുമുള്ള സത്യം മറച്ചു വെച്ചുകൊണ്ടാണ്‌  അവര്‍ ഇത് ചെയ്യുന്നത് .ദലിതുകളെ ഹൈന്ദവ മുഖ്യധാരയിലേക്ക് 'ഉല്‍ഗ്രഥിക്കാന്‍  സഹായകമായ ' മതാചാരങ്ങളും അനുഷ്ഠാനങ്ങളും അംബേദ്‌കറിന്റെ
124 -)0 ജന്മവര്ഷാചരണത്തിന്റെ ഭാഗമായി വി എച് പി കൊണ്ടാടുന്നത് അംബെദ്കറിന്റെ ജീവിതവും കൃതികളും നല്കുന്ന സന്ദേശങ്ങളെയാകെ ത്തന്നെ അവമതിക്കുന്നതിനു തുല്യമാണ് .
അന്നും സംഘ് പരിവാര്‍ ആസ്ഥാനമായിരുന്ന നാഗ്പൂരില്‍ വെച്ചായിരുന്നു അംബേദ്‌കര്‍ ബുദ്ധമതം സ്വീകരിച്ചതും ദലിതര്‍   ഹിന്ദു മതം വിട്ട്
കൂട്ടത്തോടെ ബുദ്ധിസത്തിലേക്ക് മതപരിവര്ത്തനം ചെയ്യുന്നതിന്  സ്വയം നേതൃത്വം നല്കിയതും എന്നുകൂടി ഓര്‍ക്കേണ്ടതുണ്ട്. പ്രസ്തുത ചടങ്ങില്‍  വെച്ച് അംബേദ്‌കര്‍ ഇങ്ങനെ പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ചു : "ഞാന്‍ ജനിച്ചത്‌ ഒരു ഹിന്ദു വായിട്ടായിരുന്നെങ്കിലും ഒരു ഹിന്ദുവായി മരിക്കുകയില്ലെന്നു നിങ്ങള്ക്ക് ഉറപ്പു തരുന്നു". ഹിന്ദുമതത്തിലെ ജാതീയ മര്ദ്ദനങ്ങള്‍ക്കെതിരെ ദലിതര്‍ നടത്തിയ കലാപമായിരുന്നു അംബേദ്‌കറിന്റെ നേതൃത്വത്തില്‍ അവര്‍ അന്ന് നടത്തിയ മതപരിവര്‍ത്തനമെങ്കില്‍ , സംഘ് പരിവാര്‍ ഇന്ന് നടത്തുന്ന 'സമരസ്താ യജ്ഞ'ങ്ങള്‍ 'ഘര്‍ വാപസി' കാംപെയിനിന്റെ മറ്റൊരു രൂപമാണ്. മത പരിവര്ത്തനം തടയാനും ഹിന്ദുമതത്തിന്റെ ജാതിവ്യവസ്ഥയിലേക്ക് ദളിതരെ തിരികെ ആട്ടിപ്പായിക്കാനുമുള്ള ഹീനമായ ഒരു പദ്ധതിയാണ് ഇതിലുള്ളത്.അംബെദ്കറിന്റെ പേരില്‍ ഇത്തരം 'യജ്ഞ'ങ്ങളും 'ഘര്‍ വാപസി ', 'സമരസ്താ 'തുടങ്ങിയ പരിപാടികളും സംഘടിപ്പിക്കാന്‍ ആര്‍ എസ് എസ് -സംഘ് പരിവാര്‍ സംഘടനകള്ക്ക് ലേശം പോലും നാണമില്ലാതായിരിക്കുന്നു എന്നതാണ് ഏറെ അത്ഭുതം ഉളവാക്കുന്നത്!
ആര്‍ എസ്സ് എസ്സും ,ബി ജെ പിയും ഹിന്ദു രാഷ്ട്രം സ്ഥാപിക്കാനുള്ള യത്നത്തിലാണ് .എന്നാല്‍  ഹിന്ദു രാഷ്ട്രവാദത്തിന്റെ രാഷ്ട്രീയത്തെ അംബേദ്‌ക
ര്‍ യാതൊരു അര്‍ഥശങ്കയ്ക്കും ഇടനല്കാതെ തള്ളിക്കളഞ്ഞിരുന്നുവെന്നതാണ് സത്യം. "പാകിസ്ഥാനോ ഇന്ത്യാ വിഭജനമോ" എന്ന തന്റെ ലേഖനത്തില്‍ അദ്ദേഹം ഇങ്ങനെ എഴുതി: ഹിന്ദു രാജ് ഒരു യാഥാര്‍ഥ്യമാവുകയാണെങ്കില്‍ അത് ഈ രാജ്യത്തിലെ ഏറ്റവും വലിയ ആപത്തായി കലാശിക്കും എന്നതില്‍ യാതൊരു സംശയവുമില്ല.അത് സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യം,സമത്വം,സാഹോദര്യം എന്നീ ആദര്‍ശങ്ങളുടെ നേരെയുള്ള ഒരു ഭീഷണിയായിരിക്കും എന്നതിനാല്‍ ജനാധിപത്യവുമായി ഒരിക്കലും പൊരുത്തപ്പെടുകയില്ല. ഇക്കാരണം കൊണ്ടുതന്നെ അത് എന്ത് വിലകൊടുത്തും തടയപ്പെടേണ്ടതാണ്." സ്വതന്ത്ര ഇന്‍ഡ്യയില്‍ 1951 -ല്‍ നടന്ന ആദ്യ പൊതുതെരഞ്ഞെടുപ്പില്‍ അംബേദ്‌കര്‍ നയിച്ച ഷെഡ്യൂള്‍ഡ്‌ കാസ്റ്റ് ഫെഡറേഷന്‍(SCF) അതിന്റെ മാനിഫെസ്റ്റൊ പുറത്തിറക്കിയപ്പോള്‍ ഹിന്ദു മഹാസഭയും ജനസംഘും പോലെയുള്ള പ്രതിലോമകാരികളായ വര്‍ഗീയ പാര്‍ട്ടികളുമായി ഒരുതരത്തിലും തെരഞ്ഞെടുപ്പ് സഖ്യം ഉണ്ടാക്കില്ലെന്ന് പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ചു ( cited in Ambedkar & the BJP, A G Noorani, Frontline, February 21, 2014).
 ദലിത് ജനവിഭാഗങ്ങള്‍ക്കിടയില്‍ മുസ്‌ലിം വിരുദ്ധതയുടെ വിത്തുകള്‍ പാകി മുളപ്പിക്കാനുള്ള ശ്രമങ്ങള്‍ ഫലിക്കാത്തതിലുള്ള നൈരാശ്യം മൂത്താണ് മുസ്ലിങ്ങളെ അവിശ്വസിച്ച ഒരു നേതാവായി  അംബെദ്കറിനെ  ഇന്ന് ആര്‍സ്സ്എസ്സ് ചിത്രീകരിക്കുന്നത്. വാസ്തവത്തില്‍ മുസ്ലിങ്ങളും മര്‍ദ്ദിത ജാതികളില്‍പെട്ടവരും തമ്മില്‍ ഐക്യപ്പെട്ട്‌ പ്രവര്‍ത്തിക്കാനായിരുന്നു അംബേദ്‌കര്‍ല്‍ബോധിപ്പിച്ചത് . "പാകിസ്ഥാനോ ഇന്ത്യാ വിഭജനമോ" എന്ന മുകളില്‍ സൂചിപ്പിച്ച ലേഖനത്തില്‍ അംബേദ്‌കര്‍ ഇങ്ങനെ പറയുന്നു:
"ഹിന്ദു സമൂഹത്തിന്റെ താഴെത്തട്ടുകളി
ല്‍ കഴിയുന്ന ജനവിഭാഗങ്ങള്‍ സാമ്പത്തികവും രാഷ്ട്രീയവും സാമൂഹ്യവുമായ  പൊതു ലക്ഷ്യങ്ങള്‍ ഏറെയും പങ്കിടുന്നത് നൂറ്റാണ്ടുകളോളം തങ്ങള്‍ക്ക് സാധാരണ മനുഷ്യാവകാശങ്ങള്‍ നിഷേധിച്ച ഉയര്‍ന്ന ജാതിക്കാരായ ഹിന്ദുക്കളുമായിട്ടല്ല, മറിച്ച് സമാന അവസ്ഥയിലുള്ള മുസല്‍മാന്മാരുമായിട്ടാണ്..മൊണ്‍ടേഗു -ചെംസ് ഫോര്‍ഡ് പരിഷ്കാരങ്ങളെത്തുടര്‍ന്ന് 1920 മുതല്‍ 1937 വരെയുള്ള കാലഘട്ടത്തില്‍ ഒട്ടുമിക്ക ഇന്‍ഡ്യന്‍ പ്രവിശ്യകളിലും മുസ്ലീങ്ങളും, അബ്രാഹ്മണ ജാതിക്കാരും അധസ്ഥിത ജാതിക്കാരും ഒറ്റ ടീമിനെപ്പോലെ പരിഷ്കാരങ്ങള്‍ നടപ്പാക്കാന്‍ യോജിച്ചു പ്രവര്‍ത്തിച്ചുവെന്നത് അവഗണിക്കാനാവാത്ത ഒരു സത്യമല്ലേ ? അത്തരം സവിശേഷമായ ഒരു സാമുദായിക സൌഹാര്ദ്ദത്തിന്റെ ഐക്യമാണ് ഹിന്ദു രാഷ്ട്രമെന്ന ആപത്ത് ഇല്ലാതാക്കാനുള്ള ഏറ്റവും ഫലപ്രദമായ മാര്‍ഗ്ഗം"
 പശുക്കളെയും പോത്തുകളെയും കൊല്ലുന്നത്‌ നിരോധിക്കുന്ന നിയമം ഉണ്ടാക്കണമെന്ന്
മോദി സര്ക്കാരിലെ ഒരു മന്ത്രി ഇയ്യിടെ ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ടു; പശുക്കളെ കൊല്ലുന്നത്‌  'പിങ്ക് വിപ്ലവം പോലെ  അപലപനീയമായ ഒരു ഹീന കൃത്യം' എന്ന് പ്രധാനമന്ത്രിതന്നെ പ്രസംഗിച്ചു നടക്കുന്നു; മഹാരാഷ്ട്രയിലെ ബിജെപി സര്ക്കാര്‍ ബീഫ് നിരോധനം ഏര്പ്പെടുത്തി. ബീഫ് കഴിക്കുന്നതിനെക്കുറിച്ച് അംബെദ്കറിന്റെ നിലപാട് ആര്‍ എസ് എസ്സിനും ബിജെപിയ്ക്കും പറ്റുന്നതാണോ ? 
ബീഫ് കഴിക്കുന്ന ശീലം വേദകാലത്ത്‌ ഹിന്ദുക്കള്‍ക്കിടയില്‍ സര്‍വ്വ സാധാരണമായിരുന്നുവെന്ന് ഗവേഷണമികവിന്റെ പിന്ബലമുള്ള തന്റെ അനേകം ലേഖനങ്ങളില്‍ അംബേദ്‌കര്‍ വിശദീകരിക്കുന്നുണ്ട് ; മാത്രമല്ലാ  ബീഫ് കഴിക്കുന്ന ജാതിക്കാരെ ബ്രാഹ്മണര്‍ പില്ക്കാലത്ത് തൊട്ടുകൂടാത്തവരായി കണക്കാക്കിയതിന്റെ സാഹചര്യവും കാരണങ്ങളും അദ്ദേഹം വിശകലനം ചെയ്യുന്നുണ്ട് .
ഇന്‍ഡ്യന്‍ ഭരണഘടനയുടെ മുഖ്യ ശില്പ്പിയായ അംബെദ്കറെ ദലിത് ചെറുത്തു നില്പ്പിന്റെയും പ്രതിരോധത്തിന്റെയും നേതാവായ
അംബെദ്കറില്‍ നിന്നും വേര്പെടുത്തിക്കാണുന്നത്തിനുള്ള ദുരുദ്ദേശപരമായ നീക്കങ്ങള്‍ അവഗണിക്കാനാവില്ല. നീതി നിഷേധിക്കപ്പെട്ട ദലിതുകള്‍ക്കും സ്ത്രീകള്‍ക്കും ന്യൂനപക്ഷ മതവിഭാഗങ്ങള്‍ക്കും അവകാശ സംരക്ഷണവും സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യവും ഉറപ്പു നല്കുന്ന ഒരു ഭരണഘടന എഴുതാന്‍ അംബെദ്കറിനു സാധിച്ചതുതന്നെ അദ്ദേഹത്തിന് കഴിഞ്ഞത് തന്നെ അദ്ദേഹം സ്വയം നേതൃത്വം നല്കിയ സമത്വാധിഷ്ഠിത മൂല്യങ്ങള്‍ക്കുവേണ്ടിയുള്ള സമരങ്ങളുടെ ഒരു പശ്ചാത്തലത്തില്‍ക്കൂടിയാണ് .
ഹിന്ദു വ്യക്തിനിയമം പരിഷ്കരിക്കാനും അതുവഴി സ്ത്രീകളുടെ തുല്യത ഉറപ്പു വരുത്താനും വേണ്ടി അംബേദ്‌കര്‍ നിയമ മന്ത്രിയായിരിക്കേ അവതരിപ്പിക്കപ്പെട്ട ഹിന്ദു കോഡ് ബില്ലിനെ കോണ്‍ഗ്രസ്സിലെ യാഥാസ്ഥിതിക വിഭാഗവും ഹിന്ദുത്വ രാഷ്ട്രീയത്തെ ആണ് പ്രതിനിധാനം ചെയ്ത ഭാരതീയ ജനസംഘവും ചേര്‍ന്ന് പരാജയപ്പെടുത്തിയത് മൂലം ഉണ്ടായ സാഹചര്യം അംബെദ്കറിനെ മന്ത്രിപദം രാജിവെച്ചൊഴിയാന്‍ പോലും പ്രേരിപ്പിച്ചു. ബി ജെ പി ഇന്ന് വീരനായകനായി പുകഴ്ത്തുന്ന ശ്യാമപ്രസാദ് മുഖര്ജി പ്രസ്തുത ബില്ലിനെക്കുറിച്ച് പറഞ്ഞത് "ഹിന്ദു സംസ്കാരത്തിന്റെ മഹത്തായ ഘടനയെ ബില്‍ ശിഥിലീകരിക്കും" എന്നായിരുന്നു . ഇതിനു പ്രതികരണമായി തന്റെ രാജിക്കത്തില്‍ അംബേദ്‌കര്‍ ഇങ്ങനെ കുറിച്ചു : ഹിന്ദു സമൂഹത്തിന്റെ കാതലായ അംശ മാണ് വര്ഗ്ഗവും വര്ഗ്ഗവും തമ്മിലും, ലിംഗവും ലിംഗവും തമ്മിലുമുള്ള അസമത്വങ്ങള്‍ അതിനെ തൊടാന്‍ പോലും കഴിയാതെ കേവലം  സാമ്പത്തിക പ്രശ്നങ്ങള്‍ക്ക് പരിഹാരങ്ങള്‍ തേടുന്ന നിയമനിര്‍ മ്മാണങ്ങള്‍ തുടര്ച്ചയായി നടത്തിക്കൊണ്ടിരിക്കുന്നത് ഇന്ഡ്യന്‍ ഭരണഘടനയെ നോക്കുകുത്തിയാക്കുന്നതിനു തുല്യമാണ്; ഒരു ചാണകക്കൂനയ്ക്ക് മേലെ കൊട്ടാരം പണിയുന്നതുപോലെയാവുമത്.
ഇക്കാരണത്താലാണ് ഹിന്ദു കോഡിന്
ഞാന്‍ പ്രാധാന്യം കല്‍പ്പിച്ചത്." 
സംഘ് പരിവാറും ഇന്ത്യയില്‍ അങ്ങോളമിങ്ങോളം ഉള്ള ഭരണകൂട ഏജന്‍സികളും ഇന്ന് ജനങ്ങളുടെ ഭരണഘടനാപരമായ അവകാശങ്ങളെ ചവുട്ടിയരച്ചുകൊണ്ടിരിക്കുകയാണ് .സ്ത്രീകളുടേയും ന്യൂനപക്ഷ മതവിഭാഗങ്ങളുടേയും ദളിത്‌ -ആദിവാസി ജനതകളുടേയും ഭരണ ഘടനാദത്തമായ സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യങ്ങളും അവകാശങ്ങളും കടന്നാക്രമണങ്ങള്‍ക്ക് വിധേയമായിക്കൊണ്ടിരിക്കുന്നു. ഡ്രസ്സ് കോഡുകള്‍ അടിച്ചേല്‍പ്പിച്ച്  സ്ത്രീകളുടെ വസ്ത്രധാരണ സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യം നിയന്ത്രിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു . ജനങ്ങളുടെ ഭക്ഷണ സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യവും , മനസ്സാക്ഷി സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യവും യഥാക്രമം ബീഫ് നിരോധനത്തിലൂടെയും മതപരിവര്ത്തന വിരുദ്ധ ആക്രമണങ്ങളിലൂടെയും  ചവുട്ടിയരയ്ക്കപ്പെടുന്നു. അവകാശങ്ങളുടെയും സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യങ്ങളുടെയും രക്ഷയ്ക്കായുള്ള ജനകീയ സമരങ്ങളുടെ സന്ദര്‍ഭത്തില്‍ പരിശോധിക്കുമ്പോള്‍ , ഒരു പോരാളി എന്ന നിലയിലുള്ള അംബെദ്കറിന്റെ സംഭാവനകളും പൈതൃകവും ഇന്ന് ഏറെ പ്രസക്തമാണ്.
വളരെ പ്രധാനപ്പെട്ട മറ്റൊരു കാര്യം കൂടി പരിശോധിക്കാനുണ്ട്. ബിജെപി- ആര്‍എസ്എസ് ശക്തികള്‍ ദലിതുകള്‍ക്കു നേരെ തുടര്ച്ചയായി നടത്തിവരുന്ന ഹിംസാത്മകമായ ആക്രമണങ്ങളെ കാണാതിരിക്കാന്‍ ആര്ക്ക് കഴിയും?ജാതിവ്യവസ്ഥയുടെ ഭാഗമായി മനുഷ്യരെക്കൊണ്ട്‌ മലം ചുമപ്പിക്കുന്ന പ്രാകൃതമായ സമ്പ്രദായത്തെ മോദി അടുത്തകാലത്ത് വിശേഷിപ്പിച്ചത്‌ 'ദൈവങ്ങള്‍ ദലിതരെ ചുമതലപ്പെടുത്തിയ മഹത്തായ ഒരു ആത്മീയ കര്ത്തവ്യം ' ആയിട്ടാണ് !.ആര്‍ എസ് എസ്  പ്രത്യയശാസ്ത്രവും രാഷ്ട്രീയവും പല നിലയിലും പങ്കു വെക്കുന്ന രണ്‍വീര്‍ സേന എന്നു പേരായ സവര്‍ണ്ണ ഹിന്ദുക്കളുടെ സ്വകാര്യ സായുധസേന 1990 കളില്‍ ബീഹാറില്‍ ദലിത് ജനതയ്ക്കെതിരെ കൂട്ടക്കൊലകളുടെ പരമ്പരകള്‍ തന്നെ സംഘടിപ്പിച്ചു . ഈ
രണ്‍വീര്‍ സേനയുടെ തലവനായിരുന്ന ബ്രഹ്മേശ്വര്‍ സിംഗ് 2012 ല്‍ വധിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരുന്നു. മോദി മന്ത്രി സഭയില്‍ കാബിനറ്റ് പദവിയിലുള്ള ഒരു മന്ത്രിയായ ഗിരിരാജ് സിംഗ്   'ബീഹാറിന്റെ ഗാന്ധി' എന്ന് വിശേഷിപ്പിച്ചു ബ്രഹ്മേശ്വര്‍ സിംഗിനെ പുകഴ്ത്തിയത്  അടുത്തകാലത്താണ്.
ബി ജെ പിയും സംഘ് പരിവാറും അംബെദ്കറിനെ വികലപ്പെടുത്തി സ്വന്തമാക്കാന്‍ നടത്തുന്ന ശ്രമങ്ങള്‍ അവസരവാദപരവും തികഞ്ഞ വഞ്ചനയും ആണ് . തന്റെ തലമുറയിലെ ജന നേതാക്കളുടെ കൂട്ടത്തില്‍ ഇന്നും ഏറെ പൊക്കത്തില്‍ നില്ക്കുന്ന ഒരു നേതാവാണ്‌ അംബേദ്‌കര്‍ .അസമത്വത്തിനും ദുര്ബ്ബലര്‍ക്ക് മേലെ ശക്തര്‍ നടപ്പാക്കിയ സാമൂഹ്യ പക്ഷപാതിത്വങ്ങള്‍ക്കും എതിരെ വിട്ടു വീഴ്ച്ചയില്ലാതെ പോരാട്ടം നടത്തിയതിനു  പുറമേ , ഹിന്ദുത്വ പ്രത്യയ ശാസ്ത്രത്തിന്റെ പ്രണേതാക്കളുടേയും  ചാഞ്ചാട്ടക്കാരായ കോണ്‍ഗ്രസ് നേതാക്കളുടേയും രാഷ്ട്രീയത്തെ ഒരു സംശയവുമില്ലാതെ നിരാകരിച്ച സാമൂഹ്യശാസ്ത്ര വിചക്ഷണന്‍ കൂടിയാണ് അംബേദ്‌കര്‍.  സമത്വത്തിലധിഷ് ഠിതമായ ഒരു ഇന്ത്യയ്ക്ക് വേണ്ടി പോരാടുന്ന എല്ലാ ശക്തിക
ള്‍ക്കും പ്രചോദനവും കരുത്തുമേകുന്നതാണ് അംബെദ്കറിന്റെ മഹത്തായ പാരമ്പര്യം. അതേ  സമയം,  വിദ്വേഷ പ്രചാരണം പ്രധാന ആയുധമാക്കുന്ന ഹിന്ദുത്വത്തിന്റെ രാഷ്ട്രീയത്തിന്റെ വഴിയില്‍ അംബേദ്‌കര്‍ എന്നും ഒരു തടസ്സമായിരിക്കും. കൃത്യമായും അതുകൊണ്ടാണ്  അംബേദ്‌കര്‍ എല്ലാവര്ക്കും ഏറ്റവും അപകടകാരിയായിത്തീരുന്നത് !