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Indus Treaty January 1, 2017 Kuldip Nayar

Indus Treaty January 1, 2017 Kuldip Nayar

Established 1946 1 Pages 16 Price : Rupees Five

Vol. 71 No. 48 Indus Treaty January 1, 2017 Kuldip Nayar

Islamabad has asked the World Treaty is an example before the world Bank to honour the Indus Water that it held the ground even when the Remembering Viswabharan Treaty executed between and two countries went to war. Varughese George Pakistan in 1960. This is in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Modi’s off-the-cuff remark has remark that India is free to use the created consternation in Pakistan, water which flows into the sea. This forcing it to appeal to the World Bank is not correct because according to the to “fulfill its obligation” relating to A ploy to retain power by treaty India cannot use more than 20 the treaty. In a letter to World Bank confusing citizens percent of the Indus water. President Jim Yong Kim, Pakistan Sandeep Pandey Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has Rahul Pandey The World Bank spent many said the treaty did not provide for a years to persuade New Delhi and situation wherein a party can ‘pause’ Islamabad to reach an agreement. I performance of its obligations and recall that afterwards Prime Minister this attitude of the World Bank would and Martial Law prejudice Pakistan’s interests and Demonetisation: yet another Administrator General Mohammad rights under the treaty. huge fraud on the people - II Ayub travelled in the same car Mian Neeraj Jain Iftakharuddin suggested if they I think that the fear of Pakistan could sign an agreement on Kashmir is exaggerated. The country does in the same spirit, both remained not want any alteration in the treaty. silent. Iftakharuddin was then the In its reaction, the World Bank has top Muslim League leader who had said that it has paused its arbitration joined it after being a Congressman in the water dispute between India Editor : for many years. and Pakistan, saying it is doing so G. G. Parikh to protect the Indus Water Treaty. According to the treaty, India could India would take no unilateral step Managing Editor : Guddi draw water from the Ravi, the Beas to stop the water going unused into and the Sutlej while Pakistan from the Arabian Sea. However, there is a D-15, Ganesh Prasad, the Indus, the Chenab and Jehlum. case where the two countries should Naushir Bharucha Marg, Even though both counties felt that sit and hammer out another treaty - 400 007. they could utilize the water which because the old one is outdated. Then was flowing through their country, it was thought that the water given to Email : [email protected] they refrained from doing so because Rajasthan would be utilized by the of the treaty. In fact, the Indus Water rest of the country because the state, 2 JANATA, January 1, 2016 part of the desert would not be able to do so. But this has turned out to Remembering Viswabharan be wrong. The state has utilized the water allotted to it and wants more. Varughese George

When Prime Minister Modi wants to have good relations with Pakistan P. Visambharan who led the Socialist Party was formally formed and has wished his counterpart socialist movement in Kerala for P. Viswambharan was appointed Nawaz Sharif on this birthday last several decades passed away at the District secretary of the party. week, Modi would not take any his ancestral home in Kovalam Meanwhile th step which would harm Pakistan. in Thiruvanantapuram on 9 deputed T. S. Ramaswamy from There were enough of provocations December, 2016. He entered public Nagercoil to help socialists in from Islamabad like the attacks on activity through Travancore Students Trivandrum to organize unions Pathankot and Uri that killed many Congress that was affiliated to All in unorganized sectors. T. S. civilians to act unilaterally. Even India Students Congress. That was in Ramaswamy was a student of otherwise, it is in the interest of both mid-1940s. Though the country was Lucknow University and an activist countries that peace should prevail preparing for national independence, of All India Students Congress. in the region. Both would benefit. in Travancore the Diwan Sir C. With Ramaswamy`s help Juba P. Ramaswamy Aiyer had been Ramakrishna Pillai organized the Kashmir is the problem meditating about an independent Scavengers’ Union, S. M. Noohu which divides the two countries. Travancore insulating it from Indian formed the loading and unloading Representatives of both countries nation. The progressive forces in workers’ and P. P. Wilson and should sit across the table and sort Travancore were fighting the Diwan Subbayya mobilised the estate it out. Nawaz Sharif unnecessarily against this idea and suppression workers. Thus the social base of the harangued Kashmir on the Pakistan of civil and democratic rights was party was slowly being expanded television networks that Kashmir rampant. Travancore Students in Trivandrum District. In 1954 belonged to Pakistan and there Congress convened its first state elections to the Travancore-Cochin would be no peace in the region until conference at Trivandrum in August Legislative Assembly eight party it became part of his country. 1947 and Asoka Mehta was to have nominees including P. Viswambharan inaugurated the conference, but won from Trivandrum District that This irresponsible statement, the Diwan imposed a ban on the helped the formation of the first coming as it does from a country’s conference and clamped a black law socialist state government in the Prime Minister, has affected the country led by Pattom Thanu Pillai. forbidding assembly. But students tourist season in the valley still P. Viswambharan was elected the held the conference violating further. So much so that even Syed secretary of the legislature party. the ban at Trivandrum Railway Shah Geelani, the pro-Pakistan station premises. The President of Hurriyat leader, joined a procession In the elections to the Kerala Travancore Students Congress, K. to appeal to the tourists to return Assembly in 1960 P.Viswambharan Prabhakaran and Secretary N. D. to the valley. Both he and Yasin was elected from the Nemom Malik, who wants the valley to Jose were arrested. P. Viswambharan constituency for the second time. be independent, were part of the was the moving spirit behind the In elections of 1967 procession. They were particular that conference. P.Viswambharan was elected from the message should reach New Delhi Trivandrum constituency. He was so that it takes steps to see that the At that time he was a BA also the secretary of Praja Socialist tourists return to Kashmir. student of University College, Party in the state during this period. Trivandrum. Asoka Mehta, who In September 1973 socialist Party The separatists in the valley had to wait at Madras due to the and CPI(M) began consultations do not realize that the tourists ban came to Trivandrum since then on making a joint platform to fight flocked to the valley as if they were and confabulated with the young the anti-people policies. The two visiting part of India. The demand socialists about constituting the parties decided to form united Trivandrum District committee (Contd. on Page 6) of Socialist Party. In 1948 when (Contd. on Page 11) JANATA, January 1, 2016 3 A ploy to retain power by confusing citizens

Sandeep Pandey Rahul Pandey

Although some people, including to most orders and there was little put a limit of Rs. 24,000 and Rs. one of the authors of this article, coordination between the ministers, 2,000 which could be withdrawn had been advocating withdrawal of including the Prime Minister, and from banks and Automatic Teller bigger denomination notes for quite the banks, including the RBI. In Machines, respectively, how did big some time, the intent was different the entire process the RBI has lost amounts make public appearance? from the one with which what the whatever autonomy it had carefully Could it have been possible without Narendra Modi government is doing built over the years. It is literally the connivance of bank officials? now. It was believed that, in spite of dancing to the tune of Prime Minister In the period since demonetization the fact that cash comprises only 6 % and FM now. was enforced we have heard about a of total black money in India, with number of people caught with lakhs banning of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 While on the one hand people and crores of rupees, part or full in notes it would become inconvenient were given freedom to deposit new currency, but we hardly came for people to hoard large amount of whatever they had including black to know about any action against black cash as well as to pay huge money with a 49.5 % tax, whenever bank or RBI officials as culprits sums as bribes. It was never the somebody came up with big amounts for the release of big amounts in suggestion to reintroduce bigger the Income Tax authorities were after new currency. No prominent big denomination notes. They were that person. People who would queue businessman or business group, supposed to be banned permanently. up in front of banks found that they especially among politically By bringing in new Rs. 500, Rs. 1000 could not withdraw even the limited influential ones who are known to and Rs. 2000 notes the government amount of their own money that the deal in black money, has been raided is creating new opportunities for government was promising them. To either. hoarding and corruption. avoid long queues people who went later to deposit old currency more So, we have a bizarre scenario. Utter mismanagement than a week before the officially Ordinary citizen is being treated The manner in which decisions declared deadline of 30th December, as a culprit in her dealings with the have been changed almost every 2016, were being questioned about banks and big offenders are not even day regarding limits and rules the source of money. With the being touched. for depositing old currencies and exception of , never withdrawal from bank has made a before in the history of independent Major source of mockery of the functioning of the India the government has held the corruption unquestioned entire financial system. One among system hostage in this manner. Nor did we hear of any raids on big the many ludicrous moments was The government is not willing to politicians or political parties when when the Reserve Bank of India honour its own announcements and a fundamental reason why black (RBI) directed the banks not to keeps going back on promises. The money exists and is encouraged in accept amounts bigger than Rs. credibility of the entire banking our economy, institutionally, is that 5000 with more than a week to go system has been eroded for a long it is used for contesting elections. It before the period during which one time to come. Now people will is a known fact that of all political could deposit old notes was to expire remain ever suspicious of this parties, and the Finance Minister (FM) institution and its decisions. (INC) and Bhartiya Janata Party said there was no limit but people (BJP) are the top two recipients of should deposit whatever they have Within days of new notes being unaccounted cash donations. Over only once. After a confusion which introduced large amounts started the past decade both parties have prevailed for a couple of days both being recovered from people, even reported to have received a total decisions were withdrawn. There in new currency. A question to be of Rs. 5,450 crores from unknown was no well thought out rationale asked is, when the government had sources, most of which is likely to be 4 JANATA, January 1, 2016 black, i.e., tax on which was not paid. 11.24 cr. to INC was contributed by as BJP, are funded heavily by large A significant portion of these funds 859 individuals. PAN details were corporations too. Therefore they would likely have been contributed missing for Rs. 8.11 cr. donations push for policies favourable to their by big businessmen and corporate from 318 donors to INC and for Rs. major funders, even at the expense houses. Corruption in government 2.19 cr. donations from 71 donors to of hurting interests of the poor schemes and projects is another BJP. From the above facts it is clear and ordinary folk. It was not very big source of funds, especially for that BJP, which started receiving long ago when Modi government ruling parties. Government officials, more donations than INC only since unsuccessfully made three attempts who act as agents of parties, most the last three financial years, has now to weaken the land acquisition having assets disproportionate to five times more private corporations law. Compared to politicians like their known source of income were contributing more than seven times , who disallowed Reliance also spared. to it than to INC. Similarly BJP has Fresh stores in UP and Nitish Kumar, fewer but bigger individual donors who prevented entry of Special This has a serious meaning. than INC. Interestingly, BJP donors Economic Zones in , BJP will Since no action has been taken are more adept at working with the have to play more to the corporate against people who were involved in system which implies they’ll most tune. hoarding big amounts in black which easily adjust to the cashless economy is used for contesting elections, than, for example, traditional donors While the black money which the system of corruption and black to BSP. The cash donations, of Narendra Modi promised to bring money financing the political parties amounts in excess of Rs. 20,000, from foreign banks never came, would go on. In other words, the were Rs. 1.17 cr. to INC whereas the government has increased the cycle of corruption would continue only Rs. 51,000 to BJP. limit under ‘Liberalised Remittance as before and the governance would Scheme’ to $ 2,50,000 per year from keep getting compromised. Then At the same time the real culprit, $75,000, allowing more money to what was the purpose of all this the total cash donations in amounts leave the country, which doesn’t drama. less than Rs. 20,000 by each donor, as have a role in national economy after reported by BJP and INC, comprise it is gone. A recent survey by Association more than half to four-fifths of their for Democratic Reforms (ADR) total reported donations. In 2014-15, Grim present and grim future and National Election Watch shows out of total of Rs. 970 cr. donations Therefore, in the short run, the that BJP received the most amount to BJP, Rs. 505 were from unknown entire demonetisation exercise in donations, Rs. 76.85 crores, in sources. For INC the corresponding has caused only a temporary amounts above Rs. 20,000, from figures were Rs. 593 cr. and Rs. 445 inconvenience to a few small and 613 donors whereas the INC got Rs. cr. As per Election Commission mid-sized black money hoarders 20.42 crores from 918 donors in the norms such donations have to be and none whatsoever to big financial year 2015-16. The amount merely reported and their details are businessmen, bankers, politicians received by BJP was three times not required to be disclosed. and political parties. On the bigger than combined donations of contrary, it has allowed innumerable the remaining six national parties In reality the total black money black money hoarders to launder including Communist Party of fund of these parties is likely to be their cash into white, as almost all India (Marxist), Communist Party much more than what they report. of the high denomination old notes of India, Nationalist Congress have come back to the banks. In the Party and All India Trinamool Truth is all parties use black future all corrupt and black money Congress. BahujanSamaj Party did money in elections. This is the related activities will continue not receive any donation bigger than reason they got together to scuttle the unabated. Rs. 20,000 for the 11th consecutive formation of Jan Lokpal Bill during year. Significantly, BJP received ’s anti-corruption The push for digitisation is likely Rs. 67.99 cr. from 283 corporate movement. Many parties, especially to increase online transactions and donors while INC got Rs. 8.83 cr. the ones at the state level, rely on make them accountable, however, from 57 donors. Remaining Rs. such donations largely from mid- that will be only a blip in the face 8.86 cr. to BJP was contributed by sized merchants, businessmen, mafia of overwhelming reliance on cash 330 individual donors while Rs. and criminals whereas others, such among the small businessmen, JANATA, January 1, 2016 5 shopkeepers, farmers, traders, for a national cause, should these they had done cumulatively in the distributors, less skilled workers deaths not be compensated in the preceding nine years. At present the and informal sector entrepreneurs. same manner as the sacrifice of a top ten corporate groups owe close In any case, enabling people to adopt soldier on border or death even in to Rs. 6 lakh crore to state-owned digitisation and making economic some accident or natural calamity? banks and financial institutions. transactions accountable requires Chief Minister of , According to the Finance Ministry, drastic upgrade of infrastructure AkhileshYadav, has taken the the total outstanding amount in rather than demonetisation. initiative to give Rs. 2 lakhs each to 2,071 accounts in state run banks families of 14 such ‘demonetisation that have been classified as non- The short term effects of victims,’ but it is the responsibility of performing assets or bad loans is demonetisation – positive or the central government to undertake Rs. 3.88 lakh crore. Thousands of negative – are going to be eclipsed such an exercise nationally. crores of loan write-offs of some by some deeply damaging impacts of the wealthiest businessmen were in the medium-to-long term. We are While all this ought to generate announced recently. All this stands listing below some of these impacts outrage and trigger emergency relief in glaring contradiction to post- only briefly: measures, what we have witnessed demonetisation acts of making lakhs instead are highly muted reports of ordinary citizens go through the (a) Shifting the focus of in the mainstream national media distress of cash crunch, lost jobs development and governance from and absolutely no words of grief and reduced incomes and temporary “welfare of people” to “sacrificing from the Prime Minister or his small-time raids on some mid-sized the poor for fabricated nationalist senior ministers. Real suffering of cash hoarders. causes”. people solely due to incompetent management of demonetisation is Forcing vast deposits of public At least 100 people have died being justified, even glorified by money into banks, a minor since 8th November directly because some, as a minor cost in return for percentage (but significant amount) of mismanaged cash supply. Many greater future gain. By all realistic of which might remain with the poignant videos available on the analysis, the purported future gain banks for a long time, will relieve the social media show how some persons remains a figment of imagination. banks: they can tide over their bad committed suicide because they debts, and thus pave the way to grant could not draw money for urgent (b) Damaging the reliability of further loans to the same defaulter family needs, some could not save key institutions of economic and companies. This will severely their loved ones as private hospitals financial governance. compromise financial governance. refused to treat them without deposit Rather than strengthening the of fee, several aged people could not As mentioned before, large-scale due process of monitoring non- survive the exhaustion of standing laundering of black cash into white performing assets, making defaulter in long queues, countless daily has happened since 8th November. debtors accountable and tightening wage workers have lost jobs and Well connected touts, some bank the discipline of lending and other desperately cut daily intake of executives and politicians have acted banking activities, the current move food in their families, and many – as efficient conduits in this process. sends a wrong message that largest mostly the poor and low income The government’s failure to prevent defaulters can be let off the hook citizens – have been subjected to or even control such large-scale and easily, the banks need not become humiliating experiences of being widespread laundering has shown it more independent and fiscally part of disorderly crowds and melee to be administratively incompetent. responsible, and short cut measures outside banks. A few deaths and Pathetic planning and execution can be relied on to rescue both. This unruly queues at banks are still of cash replenishment has only is akin to a banana republic. being reported every day by some reconfirmed this fact. local media and activists even after (c) Farmers and small and mid- 45 days of banning old notes. If the During financial years 2013- sized businesses affected. government would like to propagate 14 to 2015-16, twenty-nine state the myth that all these people are owned banks wrote off a total of Lack of cash in the economy foot soldiers in the fight against Rs. 1.14 lakh crore of bad debts, the affected the livelihood of farmers corruption, i.e., they are suffering largest so far and much more than and small businesses. The farmer 6 JANATA, January 1, 2016 was not able to sell her produce and and fallen incomes on the health and the strategy that is being pursued procure seed, fertiliser, etc. for the well-being of families of daily wage by the government, i.e. series of Rabi crop season. Similarly, small workers and small farmers will events managed with nationalist and mid-sized businesses which rely be prolonged over several months propaganda, will probably keep on cash for purchase and sale were or more than a year. Fabricating many people confused for longer badly affected, some had to close emotions of patriotism around periods and delay the process of demonetisation has helped to divert down. People lost their income by getting the focus firmly back on standing repeatedly for hours in attention from its real impacts. the real development priorities of front of banks and ATMs, which citizens’ health care, education and was a terrible national waste. The Some of these adverse socio- arbitrary rules now force people to economic impacts might eventually employment. But for how long can make a number of visits to banks for become irreversible or the cost of the people’s discontentment due to tasks which used to be accomplished recovering from them could be absence of security and economic in a single trip. The banking system extremely high. This is so because opportunities be contained? came to a stand still for some of its It must be said to the credit of regular activities like opening of (Contd. from Page 2) Vajpayee that he took a bus to new accounts during this period of of independence or the threat of madness. Lahore. I was sitting behind him disturbance has scared them. They when he showed me New Delhi’s (d) Legitimising “reactionary have picked up some other hill telegram which said that several decisions and event management resorts in India which may not be as had been killed near Jammu. combined with nationalist beautiful as the valley but compares He said he did not know how the propaganda” rather than “serious favourably with it. They would wait country would react about his trip pursuit of development policies” as and see whether the peace had really to Lahore but he was determined a solution to nation building. returned before drawing up their to pick up the thread with Nawaz itinerary for the next year. Sharif. The rest is history. In these last two and a half years the Modi government has no It is in the interest of Kashmiris The Indus Water Treaty can be worthwhile result to show. New not to disturb the status quo until replaced with another treaty but the employment generation in 2015- they can have something better. This consent of Pakistan is necessary. 16 has been the lowest in the past is possible if the three parties, India, When it has not been willing to allow seven years, and both investment Pakistan and the people in Kashmir, getting electricity from the run of the and exports have seen a decline. come together for a dialogue. New river it is difficult to imagine that it would agree to the use of rivers Budgets of public health care and Delhi is not prepared for that because in the Indus system even though education have fallen in spite of Islamabad has gone back on its water from them is pouring into the India’s pitiable performance in these promise not to allow its territory to Arabian Sea without being used for crucial sectors and an urgent need be used by terrorists. for upscale. All major initiatives either irrigation or hydroelectric projects. of this government such as Make This was also agreed upon In India, Swachh Bharat, and Start when Pakistan was under General Up India have been utter failures. There is a tendency in Pakistan Musharraf’s rule. He went to Agra They have sucked up thousands of to link everything with Kashmir, and almost signed an agreement with crores of rupees with no significant which is a complicated problem Prime Minster Atal Behari Vajpayee, outcome on the ground. and it would take many years to until news had leaked, that India’s solve. The revision of Indus Water While demonetisation too is then Information Minister Sushma Treaty, which can satisfy both the an event backed with similar changed the draft agreement countries, would add to the peace government propaganda, it is the omitting Kashmir from the text. Since prospects. Let the treaty be discussed most tragic so far. It has caused then the two countries have stayed separately. The rest can follow. The enormous distress to the poor and distant. Mushraff’s misadventure at only point to be taken into account is likely to impart a big dent in the Kargil only aggravated the matter is how the two countries can come economy. The impact of job losses further. closer to each other. JANATA, January 1, 2016 7 (Contd. from Page 2) Triple talaq is neither constitutional opposition fronts in all states and in Kerala it was known as Left nor a Quranic form of divorce Democratic Front. P. Viswambharan was the first convener of LDF in Irfan Engineer Kerala. The elections to the national executive of Socialist Party were held in Calicut in December 1974 The observations of Allahbad or separate with kindness. It is during the national conference and High Court on Thursday stating that not lawful for you, (men), to take P. Viswambharan who was also the Muslim personal law on triple back any of your gifts (from your the Chairman of the Kerala state talaq didn’t give unbridled authority wives), except when both parties committee had lost the election. to a Muslim male to unilaterally fear that they would be unable to Affirming moral responsibility he divorce his wife would be welcomed keep the limits ordained by Allah. resigned the post of convener of by Muslim women who have been . If you (judges) do indeed fear that LDF. victims of misuse of the provision they would be unable to keep the in particular, and to Muslim women limits ordained by Allah, there is When Emergency was declared in general, who face the threat of no blame on either of them if she in 1975 P. Viswambharan showed capricious use of the authority not gives something for her freedom. his true mettle and courage. He granted to men by the Quran. These are the limits ordained by activated all party units against the Allah; so do not transgress them, if Emergency and co-ordinated party Though the court refused to any do transgress the limits ordained and underground campaign against comment on the legality of triple by Allah, such persons wrong Emergency. Along with veteran talaq enabling Muslim men to (themselves as well as others)”. Gandhians he toured all districts and unilaterally divorce their wives by conducted meetings against forty uttering the word “talaq” thrice, Pronouncing talaq in one sitting second constitutional amendment. its observations are a tight slap on was a pre-Islamic practice which A distress relief fund to help the Muslim Personal Law Board, which was not validated by the Quran. The families of political prisoners was had claimed in its affidavit before the second khalifa Hazrat Umar invoked formed with M. M. Thomas as Supreme Court in a writ petition filed this pre-Islamic form of divorce and President and P. Viswambharan by Shayara Bano case that the court made it irrevocable to punish men as secretary along with Rev. M. J. had no jurisdiction to hold triple who would cheat their second wife Joseph as treasurer. He was also the talaq as invalid from of divorce and they wanted to marry. They would secretary of Peoples Union for Civil claiming protection of Article 25 of claim that they had divorced their Liberties and Democratic Rights the Constitution, under which every first wife by pronouncing “talaq” during this period. Later he became person is entitled to freely profess, thrice knowing that it was not valid the president of Janata Party and practice and propagate religion. divorce. Janata Dal in Kerala. He retired from The right granted under Article 25 active politics since then. He was a is subject to other provisions of the This is not the first time that a great benefactor of Janata weekly chapter on fundamental rights in high court has held triple talaq to be and wrote about Kerala politics on the Constitution. Right to practice invalid in law. In Rukia Khatun’s several occasions. On 10th December religion is therefore subject to Article case, the division bench of Gauhati evening his body was cremated with 14 — right to gender equality. High Court at para 13 held that the full state honors in the compound of correct law of talaq, as ordained by his house at Kovalam. Severing marital relations Quran, is: (i) that “talaq” must be instantly by pronouncing the word for a reasonable cause; and (ii) that “talaq” thrice is not only anti- it must be preceded by an attempt of janata constitutional, it is also anti-Quranic. reconciliation between the husband is available at Quranic verse 2:229 states: “A and the wife by two arbiters, one divorce is only permissible twice: chosen by the wife from her family http://lohiatoday.com After that (the parties should either and the other by the husband from hold together on equitable terms, (Contd. on Page 10) 8 JANATA, January 1, 2016 Principles of Socialist Party (India)

1. All human beings are equal. 4. Individual enterprise and 11. Socialist Party (India) believes Discrimination and divisions innovation should be encouraged in promoting rational thinking. based on caste, religion, gender, keeping in mind overarching nationality, ethnicity, age, socialist principles. Trusteeship 12. We need to ensure that we are qualification etc. are human principle of not straying away from the created concepts. Socialist Party should prevail over the idea of enshrined principles in our (India) considers elimination private ownership. constitution’s preamble. of inequality and prevailing of a sense of justice in society, 5. Education and healthcare 13. All laws made during English among human beings as its main should be equal and free of regime should be abolished objective. cost for all. and new laws based upon the founding principles of 2. All human beings have an equal 6. Food, clothing, housing, water, human rights and democracy right to the natural resources energy, communication and be passed and ratified. of the earth. Natural resources transportation, the basic needs should be used to meet the of each family, should also be 14. Land acquisition should be needs of the human race and not taken care of. done in cultivable land instead to earn profit. We believe that the land on which industries/ human being, the last arrival 7. The security of people should institutions that have shut on earth, is embedded in nature be based on mutual trust and down should be first acquired. and will survive only when the not on weapons and violence. nature thrives. We dream of a world which is 15. Until internal party free of arms and ammunition. democracy becomes a reality, 3. The purpose of economic strengthening democracy in policy should be to provide 8. Production and consumption the country is not possible. employment to all and GDP processes should be sustainable, If parties cannot function growth should be a result of low-carbon, and non-polluting. employment generation and The principle of ‘Reduce- democratically then we should equitable distribution of Recycle-Reuse’ should be consider the option of party- resources. The income of the the basis of human activities. less democracy. working class, which includes Socialist Party (India) likes to farmers, labourers and artisans, describe itself as the green party To support us, please make should not be less than those in of India. regular contributions in the the business and service sectors name of Socialist Party (India), of the economy. According to 9. We envision a world free from Bank, Hazratganj the Lohia’s tenets, the ratio alcoholism, tobacco and drugs Branch, Lucknow, Account of lowest and highest income abuse. Number: 50084256339, IFSC No.: should not be more than 1:10. ALLA0210062. Contact phones: Instead of defining below 10. We want to build a society 0522-2286423, 9795000546 poverty line we should rather which is free of political and (Pawan Singh), 9839422521 set the upper income line. administrative corruption. (Chunnilal) Issued by: Dr Shuchita Kumar, Zeenat, Meera Vardhan, Munnalal, Girish Kumar Pande, Janki Prasad Gaur, Adv. Md Shoaib, Adv Tej Pratap Singh, Satish Agarwal, Adv Sahdev Singh Gautam, Suresh Vikram Singh, Hafeez Kidwai, Sharad Patel, PD Gupta, Anil Mishra, Prashant Pandey, Sudhanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, Rajesh Maurya, Devesh Patel, Bobby Ramakant, Chintamani Seth, Kuldeep Saxena and Dr Sandeep Pandey JANATA, January 1, 2016 9 Manifesto

If Socialist Party (India) wins individual with 14 kgs of food made by the farmers. We will the 2017 Vidhan Sabha elections grains, daal and dry fruits. We establish Farmers Commission to form the next government in will implement the scheme which will decide this price. UP, then it will: universally. Farm labourers will get their wage from Mahatma Gandhi Deliver the following within 1 3. Reduce public transport fares National Rural Employment for the women and children month: Guarantee Scheme so that farm under 14 years of age just like 1. Implement ban on liquor labourers are ensured minimum it is done for senior citizens. We immediately and effectively wage at least and the burden is control addictions will increase number of vehicles driven by female drivers. not on the farmers. Likewise prices of other commodities in 2. Ensure that the corruption ends 4. Create new employment the market will not be allowed to in government offices as well opportunities for the young be more than 1.5 times of their as extortion made by police and people and women. We will also manufacturing/ producing cost. touts ends provide employment guarantee for 100 days every year to the 9. Ensure that the pension amount 3. End the category of Very people in urban areas just like it for widows, senior citizens Important Person (VIP) and is offered to those in rural areas, and those who are physically Very VIP (VVIP). We will also and to unemployed educated challenged is Rs 5000 per month. end the use of red and blue people from urban-rural areas. beacon lights on vehicles If government is unable to 10. Implement 50% reservation provide employment then it will in jobs and Vidhan Sabha for 4. Call upon central government offer respectable unemployment women. We will demand 50% to make social, economic and compensation. reservation for women in the caste-based population survey Parliament. Reservation policy of 2011 public 5. End the tradition of manual will take into account the scavenging and stop human 5. Latest order pertaining to sale of beings from going inside sewers diversity in terms of religion land belonging to a will be for cleaning purposes. Tasks that and caste. We will give special changed back. are detrimental for human health attention to those who are will be done by machines. physically challenged and 6. Stone and sand mining will be transgender people. strictly regulated so that illegal 6. Ensure that the food given in mining comes to an end. schools and anganwadi is of 11. Ban use of loudspeakers at good quality and nutritious so all religious places and also 7. Foreign Direct Investment will that malnutrition affecting half prohibit organizing private- be banned altogether. of children of this country can be public programmes on roads. eliminated. We will also make it Efforts will be made to stop Deliver the following within 1 mandatory for every religious lavish weddings and no public year: centre to run ‘langar’ for people programme will be allowed 1. Implement right to property of all religion and caste. which may cause inconvenience to common people. of female child to father’s 7. Ensure that the minimum wage property. Register wife’s name of contractual employees is Rs 12. End caste-based discrimination in all movable and immovable 18000 per month. Likewise property of husband. minimum daily wage of in all educational institutions, labourers should be Rs 720 per workplaces and public places 2. Implement public distribution day. by enacting Rohith Vemula Act. system by making woman as family head and providing every 8. Ensure that the minimum support 13. Allot available land in Gram family with wheat at Re 1/kg price of food grains should be at Sabhas to landless farmers and and rice at Rs 2/kg, and every least 1.5 times of the investment families. 10 JANATA, January 1, 2016

14. National Vendors’ Policy will High Court order that children strengthen syncretic cultural also be implement in Nagar of those who are receiving heritage by helping Mahant Palika, Town Area. salaries from the government Yugal Kishore Shastri’s attempt and all elected representatives to convert his temple into a 15. Encroachment on water bodies should compulsorily study in Sarva-Dharma-Sadhbhav such as ponds, rivers etc will government schools. Likewise Kendra in Ayodhya. Followers be removed and efforts will be all those who receive salary of all religions, even atheists, made to rejuvenate these water from the government and are will be welcome from around bodies. elected representatives, and all the world at this centre. those dependent on them, will 16. Implement the recommendations 8. Judicial reforms will be initiated of Sachar Committee. have to seek healthcare from government healthcare facilities so that justice is delivered in 17. Process of disbursing loans only. time-bound manner. by banks will be improved so 4. Ensure that education and 9. Those people who are innocent that poor people are not getting healthcare is made free for and are in the jail since a long harassed and rich people as well everyone in government time, will be released. as private companies are not institutions. Government will allowed to manoeuver undue In 2017 Vidhan Sabha elections take over all private educational benefits. Loans of farmers will in UP, at least half of the candidates and health institutions. We will be waived off when necessary of Socialist Party (India) will ensure there is no shortage to prevent suicides. be women and elections will be of teachers and healthcare contested by spending much less providers. We will ensure that Deliver the following within 5 amount than prescribed by the there is one small hospital in years: election commission. If Socialist every gram panchayat and 1. Take effective measures to curb Party (India) gets to form the ‘mohalla’ in ubran areas. violence against women and next government then the Chief girls and transgender people in 5. Strengthen panchayat and urban Ministerial candidate will also be a all forms. local bodies by implementing woman and most ministries will also 73rd and 74th amendments of be headed by women. 2. Construct a toilet in every house our constitution. within 5 years so that no woman Please come forward to support 6. Plan for meeting energy needs has to go to defecate in the open. a first-ever genuine women from renewable clean energy government in UP in 2017. Please sources such as solar, biogas, 3. Ensure every child goes to school. cast your vote in favour of Socialist biomass, etc. We will strictly stop child labour. Party (India) candidate and support We will implement Allahabad 7. support the initiative to them.

(Contd. from Page 7) Janata Subscription his. If their attempts fail, “talaq” may be effected. filing of the written statement in the Annual Rs. : 260/- court”. Three Years : 750/- Upholding these observations of Demand Draft / Cheque on the Gauhati High Court, the Supreme Triple talaq is neither constitutional Mumbai Bank Court in the case of Shamim Ara nor a Quranic form of divorce. in favour of v/s State of UP held, “A plea of Observations of the Allahabad High JANATA TRUST previous divorce taken in the written Court would be before the Supreme D-15, Ganesh Prasad, statement cannot at all be treated Court for consideration in the writ Naushir as pronouncement of talaq by the petition filed by Shayara Bano Bharucha Marg, husband on the wife on the date of strengthening the petitioner’s case. Mumbai 400 007 JANATA, January 1, 2016 11 Demonetisation: yet another huge fraud on the people - II

Neeraj Jain

This much amount of black Dhan accounts opened by the poor, Past experience money - Rs 3 lakh crore - is just 3% 3 crore accounts have seen a total of This is not the first time that of the total black income generated nearly Rs 29,000 crore in increased demonetisation has been done. In in the economy this year (Rs 93 lakh deposits. The tax department simply 1978, the Government crore), and 1% of the black wealth does not have the infrastructure too had demonetised currency, but (assuming black wealth to be a low or resources to investigate these 3 it had only demonetised high value Rs 300 lakh crore). Even assuming crore Jan Dhan accounts.18 Modi’s notes - Rs 1,000, Rs 5,000 and Rs that the government is completely pet project of financial inclusion has 10,000 notes. In 1978, Rs 1,000 was successful in eliminating this Rs itself become a robust platform for a lot of money. The step did little to 3 lakh crore of black money, that money laundering! curb the black economy, but at least means it is only eliminating a very it did not affect the ordinary people. small fraction of the total black So, in all probability, the That is because ordinary people income generated in the economy government will not be able to did not use these high value notes; this year, and an even smaller demobilise even Rs 3 lakh crore; the notes demonetised accounted fraction of the black wealth. at best it may demobilise Rs for only 0.6% of the currency in 50,000 to Rs 70,000 crore. This circulation; so the impact of this Assuming that only the top 3% is precisely what is happening. By demonetisation was not felt by the of the population has black money, mid-December, of the Rs 15.44 lakh common people, and life went on this means 3.6 crore people have crore of notes in circulation, around as usual. However, even then, the black money - of around Rs 3 Rs 13 lakh crore had already come then RBI Governor I.G. Patel had lakh crore. That means an average back to the banks, and experts are pointed out that “such an exercise black money holding of less than predicting that it may all end up seldom produces striking results” Rs 1 lakh per person; and the with nearly 90–95% of the money since people who have black money government is permitting people on a substantial scale rarely keep it coming back—so very little is to deposit Rs 2.5 lakh per person in cash. “The idea that black money actually going to get demonetised.19 without questions being asked! or wealth is held in the form of notes Of course, not everyone in the top tucked away in suit cases or pillow To quote Prof. Arun Kumar, “If 3% of the population has black cases is naïve.”22 incomes, and so many would have the bulk of the money comes back black money more than this limit into the system it will be seen as Can demonetisation specified by the government. But the most foolish decision by the curb black economy? then, they are finding innovative government involving all pain Be that as it may, what is even ways of converting their black and no gain.” He stated that the more fatuous about the government’s money into white. Thus, on the day whole exercise will then simply exercise of demonetisation is that it the demonetisation announcement be described as replacement of is aimed at demobilising only the was made, jewellery shops were current stock with negligible black money (that is, the illegal 20 reported to be open till 3 am, issuing demonetisation. cash) stored with people, which is backdated receipts for purchase only a fraction of the black income of gold, jewellery, etc. People And on December 6, Revenue generated in this year, and is an are also resorting to stratagems Secretary Hasmukh Adhia too even smaller fraction of the black like employers paying employees admitted that the government was wealth accumulated in the economy salaries for several months in expecting all scrapped notes of Rs over the past several years. The advance, or giving money to the 500 and Rs 1,000 to come back government is not taking any steps to poor to deposit in their Jan Dhan into the banking system,21 implying eliminate, or even curb, black income accounts, to be returned later as that the government has failed in generation. So, even assuming that a white money. Of the 25 crore Jan achieving its third objective too. part of the black income generated 12 JANATA, January 1, 2016 this year will be demobilised by is like the police calling all the and pressurised other parties to demonetisation, black income is residents of the locality to the police declare their sources of funding going to be generated in the coming station to investigate as to whose too. As per the law, parties don’t year too, and the year after that, hands have bloodstains, or whose have to reveal the names of donors and so on, and it may even be eyes are bloodshot, or who was for donations of amounts below Rs more than that generated this year. where at the time of the crime, and 20,000; taking advantage of this Be it narcotic drugs or charging so on. The correct way to pursue loophole, all parties, including the capitation fees, or be it hiding of the case is to diligently investigate BJP and the Congress, declare most incomes by lawyers and doctors, or all the leads available, and then of their donations as being below this be it understating real estate deals or call in for questioning only those amount. Modi could have moved to understating industry profits, or be it who are the suspects. Similar is the change this law, and asked every under-invoicing and over-invoicing case with black money. If there is party to name each donor, no matter in international trade - all that is an honest tax administration that how small the donation, and thus going to continue in the coming operates without interference, it can bring in transparency in political years too. Black money in the form through painstaking efforts unearth funding. of cash will again be generated in substantial amount of black incomes all these transactions. And since the and black wealth. Irrespective of A large part of the black money government has introduced notes of how high and mighty a person is, generated every year is parked an even higher denomination, that is if he/she is prosecuted and sent to in land and gold /jewellery. The Rs 2,000, storage of black money is jail for tax evasion/black activities, government can easily monitor going to be that much easier! that will act as a deterrent to others. big land deals and gold-jewellery This is what is done in all countries purchases, and put them under There is another reason why the that have taken some effective steps scrutiny. Then again, our intelligence black economy cannot be attacked to curb the black economy, such as agencies are tracking export deals by demonetisation. As the classical the US or UK - they have acted to on a daily basis. A political economists, Adam Smith curb the black economy by serious analysis of RBI data, gleaned and David Ricardo had pointed out, investigation and prosecution. from 1972 to 2015, shows that long before Marx, that capital always 1,88,605 export transactions were flows from the less profitable to the In contrast, the Indian government, not remitted home, and involved more profitable activities. Therefore, in the name of curbing black money, exports worth Rs 17 trillion.23 This till the government takes steps to has through demonetisation put into means that the government has the make black income generation enormous hardship all people with details of the deals through which unattractive, and so long as “black cash, a majority of whom actually money is being funnelled abroad. activities” remain profitable, they are have white money. At the same If the PM wants, he can easily stop going to attract capital. time, it is wilfully not taking any this outflow. As discussed above, a action against those who really are known way of storing black money Is the government serious? deeply involved in black income is by sending the money abroad, and Many people will argue: even if generation and have huge hoards of then bringing it back to invest in demonetisation cannot significantly black wealth. This is evident from securities through ‘P-notes’, which curb the black economy, at least the so many examples. do not require the buyer to reveal Modi Government has shown its his/her identity. Both the UPA and willingness to attack it, and will soon For instance, black money is the supposedly anti-corruption come up with more steps to eradicate generated in election funding. It is BJP have been reluctant to impose this menace. estimated that probably nearly Rs curbs on P-notes. Even after the 30,000 crore was spent by parties government recently amended the To begin with, even assuming in the 2014 general election. A Indo-Mauritius Double Taxation that the government initially wanted major part of this was spent by Avoidance Treaty, taxation of to tackle black money only (and Narendra Modi for his high-voltage P-notes was left untouched.24 not black income generation), the electioneering. If the government method adopted, of demonetisation, was serious about curbing black Another obvious step that the is bizarre. To give an analogy, if money, it should have declared the government can take is to go after there is a crime in a locality, this sources from where it got its funding, those who have stashed their money JANATA, January 1, 2016 13 abroad. In February 2012, the Journalists (ICIJ). The documents Changing narrative director of India’s Central Bureau of show the myriad ways in which the to cashless economy Investigation stated that an estimated world’s rich exploit secretive tax The point we wish to make $500 billion or Rs 24.50 lakh crore havens to hide their wealth. The leak, is that the real purpose of the has been stashed away by Indians that became infamous as the Panama demonetisation exercise is not to in foreign tax havens, more than Papers scandal, contained the names 25 curb the black economy. Had the any other country. Modi had in of 500 Indians who have links to government been serious about fact promised to bring this back in offshore firms, including politicians, it, it could have easily gone after his election speeches, to the point businessmen and films stars. The those responsible for generating and that people had actually believed names include those of Amitabh storing black incomes both inside the that the government was going Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, DLF country and abroad. to deposit Rs 15 lakh in each of owner K.P. Singh, Garware family, their Jan Dhan accounts. But after Nira Radia, Harish Salve, and This is also being borne out by winning the elections, the BJP Gautam Adani’s elder brother Vinod a recent change in the government government made a complete U-turn Adani, to name a few.29 In February tune. On November 8, when the on the issue and has even gone to 2015, Indian Express released the government issued its first press the extent of refusing to divulge the list of 1195 Indians account holders release announcing demonetisation, names of foreign account holders in and their balances for the year the release spoke extensively on the Supreme Court. Commenting 2006–07 in HSBC’s Geneva branch, the black money issue, and made on the application moved by the in what has become infamous as no reference to moving towards a attorney general on behalf of the the ‘Swiss Leaks’. The names cashless society. PM Modi’s speech, government in the Supreme Court, include several prominent Indian also delivered on the same day, senior advocate Ram Jethmalani, businessmen - Mukesh Ambani, Anil where he announced the decision who was the petitioner in the case, Ambani, Anand Chand Burman, to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes stated, “The government has made Rajan Nanda, Yashovardhan Birla, from the banking system, also an application which should have Chandru Lachhmandas Raheja been filed by the criminals. I am projected that the major focus and Dattaraj Salgaocar - and the amazed.”26 of demonetisation was war on top diamond traders of the country black money, terror funding and Actually, this shouldn’t be - Rusell Mehta, Anoop Mehta, corruption; the speech also did not surprising. Journalist Josy Joseph, Saunak Parikh, Chetan Mehta, make any major reference to shifting author of the book A Feast of Govindbhai Kakadia and Kunal to a cashless economy. Vultures, writes that the biggest case Shah. A year earlier, in April 2014, of black money parked in offshore the government disclosed to the Now, a month after this so-called havens being investigated by Indian Supreme Court the names of 26 ‘war on black money’ was launched, authorities is that of business tycoon people who had accounts in banks the government has shifted its Gautam Adani.27 Considering the in Liechtenstein, as revealed to rhetoric to pushing for a cashless close relations between Adani and India by German authorities - adding economy. In his Mann Ki Baat Modi, and the fact that Adani grew three names later. Each time there speech on November 27, Prime from being a small time businessman has been a leak, all that Modi and Minister Narendra Modi shifted his to one of India’s biggest business Jaitley have done is to order an focus from the drive against black tycoons during just the decade when investigation.30 money to exhorting the people to Modi was Chief Minister of Gujarat, make the transition fist to a ‘less- it is obvious that Adani will never be The action so far? HSBC whistle- cash economy’ and then later a prosecuted.28 blower Herve Falciani, talking to ‘cashless’ economy. He urged people media in November 2015, said to start using cash substitutes like In 2016, 11 million documents the Indian government “had not debit cards and digital wallets. The held by the Panama-based law firm used information on those illegally RBI Governor, after maintaining a Mossack Fonseca were leaked by stashing away black money in stoic silence on the note ban ever an anonymous source, and obtained foreign bank accounts, and still since the decision was announced, and made public by the International millions of crores were flowing too shared his “mann ki baat” on Consortium of Investigative out”.31 the same day, and urged people 14 JANATA, January 1, 2016 to migrate to a cashless society.32 is less than that of India; according The real motive The government has pushed its to the RBI data, the currency in If demonetisation is not going departments to shift from cash circulation in India is 12% of the to lead to a reduction in the black 35 transactions to cashless transactions; GDP. Nevertheless, hundreds of the economy - and the government for instance, the Urban Development biggest US corporations have used obviously knows this - then Ministry has announced that people all kinds of accounting gimmicks to what is the real motive behind will have to make e-payments in show their profits as having being the demonetisation exercise and matters of property tax, professional earned by subsidiaries in offshore now the push towards a less-cash tax, utilities like water, power and tax havens, so as to avoid paying economy? The real purpose is: to gas, fee and licensing charges, US taxes. According to one estimate, destroy India’s informal economy, etc. On December 8, the Finance at least 303 of the Fortune 500 US especially agriculture and small Minister announced a slew of corporations collectively hold a scale retail trade. For those who incentives to encourage people to whopping $2.4 trillion of profits have become ‘Modi bhakts’ because move towards cashless transactions, offshore, and thus are avoiding of the media propaganda, this may including: waiver of service tax on paying up to $695 billion in US sound unbelievable, but all the facts 36 digital payments amounting to less federal income taxes. point to this. than Rs 2,000; discounts on petrol and diesel purchases, suburban The situation in Europe is no The overwhelming number railway tickets and toll payments at different. In the Eurozone countries, of the Indian people depend on Toll Plazas on National Highways cash is 10.63% of GDP; and yet, tax the unorganised sector for their if payment is made through digital evasion in Britain every year totals livelihoods. Ever since India began means; and issuance of ‘Rupay around 16 billion pounds; while globalisation in 1991, despite Kisan Cards’ to farmers to enable the French Parliament says that tax the massive entry of Western evasion costs France between 40 and multinational corporations into the them to make digital transactions, 37 as well as installation of two PoS 60 billion euros a year. economy, and despite the Indian machines (swipe machines) free in 1 Already, in India, cashless economy having expanded at a rapid lakh villages with population of less transactions exceed cash transactions rate of 7.3% per annum during the 33 than 10,000. in value terms. At the end of fiscal decade 2000–10, this has not led to 2015, electronic transactions at Rs a generation of formal or organised The Finance Minister is claiming 92 lakh crore topped paper-based sector jobs. The total organised that as the economy moves towards ones at Rs 85 lakh crore transactions. sector employment constitutes only a cashless economy, black money This January, over 188 million 15.8% of the total employment 39 will come down, and tax evasion transactions were carried out through in the country. And even within 34 and corruption will decline. But electronic fund transfers of a value of the organised sector, firms have in reality, there is no connection Rs 7.09 lakh crore. By October 2016, adopted a policy of systematically between a cashless economy and this had risen to over 133 million replacing permanent workers with tax evasion and generation of black transactions of a value of over Rs contract workers or subcontracting incomes. Currency notes are not 9.5 lakh crore.38 And yet, there out work to smaller units in the necessary in generation of black are no indications that the volume informal sector, because of which money. Most of the black incomes of black economy has reduced actual formal employment within the or tax evasion or corruption in even marginally. This again proves organised sector constitutes only 8% 40 economy are indulged in by the rich that there is no relation between of the workforce. or the big corporations. And they proportion of cash transactions in use all kinds of legal accounting The two biggest components of the economy and black income India’s vast unorganised sector are:41 gimmicks to do so, using banking generation. channels. Agricultural sector, on which Therefore, the new drive of the 53% of the population depend for Thus, in the USA, according to the Modi Government to further push their livelihoods; Federal Reserve, as much as $1.48 towards an even more less-cash trillion is in circulation, which works economy is not going to lead to a Small-scale or unorganised retail out to approximately 8% of its GDP. reduction in tax evasion or reduction sector, which accounts for around The cash to GDP ratio of the USA in the black economy. 9% of the total employment. JANATA, January 1, 2016 15

Newspapers are full of reports at the mandis do not have cash to and pay their labourers - and they about how these sectors are being pay to the farmers for their produce need cash immediately, because the devastated by demonetisation and the (or they are forcing farmers to sell agricultural season does not wait push towards a less-cash economy. at half the price); even if they pay upon humans. The extent to which Demonetisation was announced in cheque, farmers are not able to the rabi crop is going to be affected just as the kharif crop was being encash them as banks are facing is evident from one newsreport, harvested and sowing for the rabi a cash crunch. The other source according to which the disbursal crop was about to begin. This has of funding for farmers, disbursal of crop loans in has pushed the farmers into a difficult of loans by village-level credit been badly hit. By November end, situation. Business at the mandis cooperative societies, has also been only 17% of the earmarked outlay is down, by anywhere from 25% to affected due to restrictions imposed had been disbursed, despite the fact 70%, as there are no buyers - the cash by the RBI on these institutions. And that this year, the water situation is crunch has affected shopkeepers, so, farmers do not have the money satisfactory across the state due to hotels and restaurants, and even the to buy seeds and fertilisers, and to the good monsoon after two years small street vendors. And so, traders hire tractors and other equipment, of weak season.42

18. M.K. Venu, “There May Not be Any Demonetisation at the End of It All”, December 1, 2016, http://thewire.in. 19. Ibid.; “Demonetisation: Shifting Goalposts to Show Success has Kept Focus Away from Real Problems”, Arun Kumar, December 15, 2016, http://scroll.in. 20. M.K. Venu, ibid. 21. Khushboo Narayan, “Expect All Demonetised Money to Come Back to System: Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia”, December 8, 2016, http://indianexpress.com. 22. Jayati Ghosh, The Political Economy of Demonetising High Value Notes, op. cit.; Jahnavi Sen, “Decision to Demonetise Currency Shows They Don’t Understand Capitalism: Prabhat Patnaik”, November 12, 2016, http://thewire.in. 23. Appu Esthose Suresh, “In 44 years, India Lost At Least Rs 17 Trillion to Tax Havens”, November 2, 2016, http://www.hindustantimes. com. 24. “No Change in Tax Treatment of P-Notes Post India–Mauritius treaty: Hasmukh Adhia”, May 12, 2016, http://indianexpress.com. 25. “$500-Billion Stashed Away Abroad by Indians: CBI”, February 13, 2012, http://www.thehindubusinessline.com. 26. Dhananjay Mahapatra, “Now, Modi Govt Too Refuses to Name Foreign Bank Account Holders”, October 18, 2014, http://timesofindia. indiatimes.com. 27. “What Exactly is Black Money, and Can Demonetisation Make a Dent in It?” November 12, 2016, http://www.thenewsminute.com. 28. Siddharth Varadarajan, “The Cult of Cronyism”, March 31, 2014, http://newsclick.in; Lola Nayar, Arindam Mukherjee, Sunit Arora, “All Along the Waterfront”, March 10, 2014, http://www.outlookindia.com. 29. “Panama Papers: From Amitabh Bachchan to Adani’s brother, Names of 500 Indians Leaked”, April 4, 2016, http://www.business- standard.com; “Exclusive: Panamagate India”, April 8, 2016, http://www.theindianeye.net. 30. Ashish Mehta, “Surgical Strike? This Was Aspirin for Cancer”, November 9, 2016, http://www.governancenow.com; Ritu Sarin, “Exclusive: HSBC Indian List Just Doubled to 1195 Names. Balance: Rs 25420 Cr”, February 9, 2015, http://indianexpress.com. 31. Ashish Mehta, op. cit. 32. “Demonetisation: How Narendra Modi Changed Narrative from Black Money to Cashless Economy”, November 28, 2016, http:// www.firstpost.com. 33. “Government’s Digital Push: Top 11 Incentives for Cashless Transactions”, December 8, 2016, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com; “Govt Forcing Move to Cashless Transactions Rather Than Changing Spending Habits”, November 27, 2016, http://indianexpress. com. 34. “Demonetisation, Cashless Economy to Reduce Taxes, Graft in Future: FM”, December 13, 2016, http://www.deccanchronicle.com. 35. Jennifer Spencer, “Jaitley Right–and Wrong–On Currency in Circulation”, http://factchecker.in; “US Currency in Circulation”, https:// ycharts.com. 36. “Fortune 500 Companies Hold a Record $2.4 Trillion Offshore”, March 4, 2016, http://ctj.org. 37. “Will Making Transactions Cashless Completely End Black Money Hoarding?” op. cit.; “UK Tax Fraud Costs Government £16bn a Year, Audit Report Says”, December 17, 2015, https://www.theguardian.com; “Tax Evasion Costs France Between 40 and 60 Billion Euros Per Year”, October 12, 2015, http://www.humaniteinenglish.com. 38. “India Sees More Cashless Transactions Through Internet, ATM, Etc as Consumers Favour Virtual Payment”, May 25, 2015, http:// economictimes.indiatimes.com; “Vanishing Note, Yawning Chasm”, November 21, 2016, http://indianexpress.com. 39. Santosh Mehrotra et al., “Turnaround in India’s Employment Story”, Economic & Political Weekly, August 31, 2013, http://www. epw.in. 40. See: Spectre of Fascism, Lokayat publication, 2016, pp. 42–43, available on internet at www.lokayat.org.in. 41. Santosh Mehrotra et al., op. cit. 42. “Amid Cash Crunch, Only 17% of Rabi Crop Loans Disbursed”, December 21, 2016, http://indianexpress.com; “At Delhi’s Azadpur Mandi, Lack of Money is Slowly Choking Business and Also Workers”, November 18, 2016, http://thewire.in; “Demonetisation Impact: Vegetables, Fruits Trade Halves in Mumbai”, November 19, 2016, http://www.firstpost.com; “RBI’s No Exchange Rule for Cooperative Banks Hits Farmers”, November 18, 2016, http://economictimes.indiatimes.com; “Crisis of Credit: An Omission Most Untimely and Unfair”, December 9, 2016, http://indianexpress.com; “Vegetables Growers Hard Hit by Demonetisation”, December 8, 2016, http://www.business-standard.com. R.N.I. NO. 1855/1957 16 JANATA, January 1, 2017

Postal Registration No. MCW/275/2015-2017. Published on Sunday, January 1, 2017 & Posted on Wednesday January 4, 2017 at Mumbai Patrika Channel, Mumbai GPO-1

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Vol. 71 No. 49 Simultaneous Elections - January 8, 2017 not possible and against federalism

Message of Dipa Karmakar Rajindar Sachar Sandeep Pandey Prime Minister Narendra Modi has because of the for last six months kept a continuous domination of family. South Asia faces the refrain for holding simultaneously The exposure by the Supreme Court threat of climate change Lok Sabha and State Assembly polls of telecom and Coal scandals had Bharat Dogra and the supposed advantages that made BJP’s task easier. By itself would flow from it. As was to be BJP under leadership of other than expected number of newspapers and Modi (helpd fully by RSS) may Remembering Raj Narain persons are picking up this matter. It is not have done that well. But Modi Anand Kumar unfortunate that Election Commission had created such an illusion of of India and Nitee Aayog should strong and honest government in have gone along with this suggestion Gujarat that people were willing Exit, Obama! without regard for even the minimum to ignore or even forget one of the Jawaharlal Jasthi constitutional requirement of a public worst periods under Modi, namely debate and seminars – and more the state supported mass slaughter unforgivably without discussions of of Muslims in 2001. Such was the Demonetisation: the matter with other major political communal passion aroused by RSS fraud on the people - III parties and the State governments. In that the country which was already Neeraj Jain order to have a worthwhile debate, disgusted with the corruption and it is necessary to know the legal and inefficiency of UPA government factual situation at present. and also by the split amongst the Anupam Mishra various political parties that Modi Harsh Mander The present life of Lok Sabha romped home with overwhelming expires in May 2019. Modi’s majority of seats in Lok Sabha but Editor : repeated emphasis on simultaneous with just 31 per cent of votes – of G. G. Parikh poll is actuated by the realization course greatly helped and boosted that the mood of exhilaration by corporate funding. Managing Editor : Guddi that he was able to create in 2014 Parliamentary poll is diminishing That illusion has now been D-15, Ganesh Prasad, very fast. The background situation exposed. Even ardent supporters Naushir Bharucha Marg, from 2004–2014 of UPA regime of Modi now do not place hundred Mumbai - 400 007. had exposed so much scandals, percent bet on Modi winning Lok both financial and administrative, Sabha polls in 2019 - that is why the Email : [email protected] that people were sick of goody effort of Modi to work out a strategy but not-visible Prime Minister to keep his rivals caught up with State 2 JANATA, January 8, 2016

Assembly polls so as not to be able to put combined pressure on him in Message of Dipa Karmakar Lok Sabha polls. Sandeep Pandey But this strategy of Modi is not constitutionally possible. After Because of the fantastic We should not blindly imitate the the Emergency, Constitution (44th performance in Gymnastics in West for our development. Some Amendment) has provided in the Rio Olympics in 2016 Dipa of its ideas may not be suitable for Article 83 and Article 172, of the Karmakar was chosen along with our country. Nobody would have Constitution that Lok Sabha and P.V. Sindhu and Sakshi Malik, returned a BMW in the West. We State Legislatures of the State shall the two medal winners, by the should keep the conditions of our continue for five years from the Hyderabad Badminton Association country in mind when making a date appointed for its first meeting to be awarded a BMW car which choice. The technology which is not and no longer. Thus the factual was presented by . appropriate for people should not be situation at present will show that Dipa has now returned the car saying forced upon them. It will result in it is constitutionally not possible the roads of Tripura where she lives wastage of resources. For example, to hold simultaneous polls in May are not broad enough for this car maintenance would have cost Dipa 2019. and there is no BMW service centre Karmakar a lot if she had decided to there. She has decided to buy a less keep the BMW. This is because it would require expensive car which is suitable for extending the term of Assemblies the conditions where she lives. She D e m o n e t i s a t i o n w a s in Sates of Chhattisgarh, Madhya requested V. Chamundeshwaranath, implemented in this country Pradesh and Rajasthan (by 5 the President of HBA, who actually without adequate preparation. months), Mizoram (by 6 months) sponsored the cars, to either Midway through the process in and Karnataka (by 12 months) which compensate her with the amount of which people were returning is not constitutionally possible. Of the car or give her whatever amount old notes the government came course the terms of State Assemblies he thinks appropriate. up with the idea of cashless of Haryana and Maharashtra (by 5 economy. The government wants Dipa’s honesty is commendable. months), Jharkhand (by 7 month) people to use mobile phone apps, When she took a decision to return excepting NCT of Delhi (by 8 cards and computers to carry the car it was not certain that she months) could be curtailed as these out transactions. Narendra Modi will get its value back. She had no states are under BJP governments, has appealed to educated people expectations from the sponsor of but Delhi would not agree. Punjab to teach the uneducated how to the car. In contrast when Sachin and U.P. must go to polls in the next operate the mobile apps. Maybe Tendulkar was given a Ferari by Fiat 2 months. Obviously no one can Narendra Modi should have asked company upon equalling the record expect Tamil Nadu, Bihar, J & K, the educated to first make the of 29 centuries of Don Bradman in West Bengal and Kerala, all ruled uneducated literate. by opposition parties, to agree to test cricket he tried to get the Rs. 1.13 crores tax waived, which was advance elections as their terms are India claims a literacy rate of ultimately paid by the company, up to 2021. Assam can go to polls 74 per cent although the quality and then sold the car to a Surat in 2019 though due in 2021 as it is of government schools makes this businessman. Dipa too could have BJP - will Modi agree to curtail its figure a suspect. We can safely sold her car. But probably her legislative term when BJP has for the assume that roughly the same conscience didn’t allow her. She first time come to power in the State? number of people as are uneducated put the entire matter before V. also do not keep mobile phones and Chamundeshwaranath in a manner The Central government whose do not have bank accounts. This which would not hurt him. Dipa terms would expire by 2019 cannot implies that one-fourth to one-third Karmakar has set new moral standard continue thereafter without holding of population either is illiterate, for professionals. This act of her is fresh elections in May 2019. doesn’t have a bank account or many times superior to her Olympics doesn’t keep a mobile. Only one performance. If however Modi is so keen on out of the three situations or two out holding simultaneous polls even There is a message in this act of three may apply on some people (Contd. on Page 3) of Dipa Karmakar for the country. but most among these would fulfil JANATA, January 8, 2016 3 all three conditions. Now, how is an ups now you’re expected to eat in made in English where people can’t uneducated poor who doesn’t have standing posture. The expressways understand it. a mobile going to become part of connecting cities are being built cashless economy? Out of the about only for 4-wheeler fast moving We should learn from Dipa 22 crores Jan Dhan accounts which motorised vehicles whereas most Karmakar that country should were opened, for 33 per cent it was people in this country use other develop only according to its needs, not their only account and there was means of transport. At many public habits, etc. no activity in 28 per ccnt accounts. places announcements are being For an uneducated poor a bank account is akin to BMW for Dipa (Contd. from Page 2) of India (1951) specifically held: “The State legislature under our Karmakar. A poor probably spends with some States he can do so by Constitution is not a delegate of the all of what he earns every day on dissolving Parliament in 2017 and union parliament. Both legislatures the same day. He is not comfortable then hold simultaneous polls by derive powers from the same dealing with bank. Maybe he needs dissolving also at the same time Constitution. Within its appointed cash to buy material to do business BJP-led Sate Assemblies whose sphere, the State Legislature has next day. The time when he earns terms are not yet over as mentioned plenary powers”. is also the bank opening hours. above. If he is not willing to take Standing in bank queues would this step, is Modi trying cover his Modi wants to deny this mean an income loss for him. In any government failures by conjuring strategic advantage of States and case, after 8 November, 2016, you up such illusory undemocratic need to spend more time at banks weaken decentralization which solutions. even for simple transactions. is the core of our constitutional But a greater principle of jurisprudence. The rulers must realise that only democracy is involved in systems suitable to poor should be simultaneous polls of parliament and Examples of other countries like implemented. The country doesn’t state assemblies unless by fortuitous U.S.A. and Europe would show belong to a miniscule number of circumstances the five year period that it is constitutionally recognized rich. Poor would be uncomfortable of Parliament and State Assemblies that the priorities and interests of with most arrangements for the rich. States in day to day governance In addition to mobile phone apps happen to coincide. But to bring about such a situation by contrivance are emphasized differently. Thus like pay-tm, various kinds of cards, in U.S.A a rather extreme position computers. A good example is water has very dangerous implication and is against the basic structure prevails where Law and Medical fountains on air ports which have degrees of one State are not even been copied from the US. Tomorrow of our Constitution. According to the Article 1(1) India is a Union of recognized in the rest of the States. they could be installed at other As far as elections they have public places. You’ve to drink from a States which means a federation of different laws in each State. They stream coming up from the opening. States. have separate laws for poll for People used to drinking water President’s election and separate from taps where it comes down by Our Constitution specifically gravity may find it inconvenient provides exclusive List-I empowering laws for elections for Senate and to drink from a stream coming up the Central government which alone House of representatives and also into their mouth. At least they may can legislate on certain subjects separate. not be able to drink to their heart’s in list-I in Seventh Schedule. The content. People used to defecating States alone can legislate on List- We wisely did not go that far. Also by sitting on ground find the chair II - Parliament cannot. Both Centre the distinction between the priorities type seats uncomfortable. Now at and State can legislate on subjects in of Centre and the States are different. some places there is no option of List-III. State List-II includes very The sooner Modi relinquishes this ground level seats. In sleeper class important subjects like agriculture, idea of simultaneous poll it is better. coaches railways has followed a law and order, etc. on which only Simultaneous poll gives unfair practice of providing only one out State can legislate and Centre has no advantage to national parties as of 4 chair type seat toilet. In this jurisdiction. Obviously voters have against state parties and distorts the country people are used to eating by different priorities when voting for sentiment of voters that government keeping their plate on ground or on State Assemblies than when voting be close to the people of area some platform. In many modern set for Parliament. Supreme Court concerned. 4 JANATA, January 8, 2016 South asia will need cooperation to face the biggest threat of climate change

Bharat Dogra

At a time when various threats of boundaries, resentments and Global mean sea level rise by the hostile actions have been exchanged conflicts. last two decades of the 21st century between India and Pakistan, it is (as compared to sea-level in 1986- important to remind these two All this taken together needed 2005) is likely to be in the range of countries and indeed the entire South very well planned economic 26-55 cm. under a low-emission Asia region that the biggest threat development, careful governance scenario, but 45-82 cm. for a high- to their people and environment and a firm commitment to peace emission scenario—with total sea- in future is likely to come from to ensure that the needs of all level rise of up to 98 cm. by 2100 escalating natural disasters and other people can be met on a sustainable under the later scenario. The IPCC adverse impacts related to climate basis. Such planning, governance has warned that this magnitude of change. While the threat of war and commitment were for the sea level rise by the century’s end including nuclear war can hopefully most part in short supply in this implies significantly increased risks be avoided by better comprehension region, leading to persistence for South Asian coastal settlements, of the most terrible implications by of deprivation and conflicts on particularly if this is combined the leadership of the two countries the one hand and aggravation of with increases in cyclone intensity helped by international advice and ecological ruin on the other hand. and frequency. Low lying, densely pressures, the ability at this stage populated areas will be at increased to avoid the big threats related It is in this already disturbing risk of strong surges, putting many to climate change is much lesser situation that climate change millions at risk. Low elevation but certainly much can be done to related factors are being introduced coastal zones will be most at risk. reduce the damage caused by such and will do so on an increasing threats. This in turn will depend to scale and with greater frequency In addition more rapid melting of glaciers can first lead to more a significant extent on the capacity in the near future. As the Inter- severe floods and later to more for mutual cooperation and peace govenmental Panel on Climate among the various nations of South severe droughts. Due to subdued Change (IPCC) has indicated, Asia. winter or early spring the ripening South Asia is likely to be among of a very important crop wheat can the regions that are more badly 21 per cent of the world’s people be adversely affected over vast areas live in South Asia which however affected by climate change. South while there can be other adverse has only 3 per cent of the world’s Asia has a very long coastal impacts on other important food land. South Asia has also been on zone, islands, vast snow covered crops like rice such as much higher the wrong side of history in modern and other mountains as well as damage from droughts and floods. times as its major part suffered vast deserts and other arid areas Then there is the increased risk of from colonial exploitation and likely to be more vulnerable many health problems which needs plunder for two centuries from mid- in times of climate change. to be much better understood before eighteenth century to mid-twentieth Projections indicate that compared it is too late. century, a crucial historical period to the average in the 20th century, for development. For perpetuation average annual temperature could The IPCC in its fifth assessment of their rule based on extreme rise by 2 degrees C over land in report has made an important injustice, colonial regimes most of South Asia by the mid-21st observation that the effects of aggravated existing divisions century and exceed 3 degrees C, up climate change depend as much among various communities and at to more than 6 degrees C over high on the inherent vulnerability of the time of their hurried departure latitudes, by the late 21st century left behind many artificially created under a high-emissions scenario. (Contd. on Page 8) JANATA, January 8, 2016 5 Remembering Raj Narain

Anand Kumar

The socialist stream of Indian Narendra Dev, Lohia and JP and the promoting of Indian languages and freedom movement, particularly promises of the national movement. Angrezi Hatao as a continuity of its initiatives to organize students- He was equally comfortable with the principles of Gandhi and Lohia youth, Kisan and workers and the national leaders and grass roots towards decolonization of the Indian heroic role of the socialist leaders workers which made him one of the education and the intelligentsia and during the most accessible leaders of our time. that earned him rejection from the (9th August, 1942-1946), attracted He trained countless students-youth, urban elite. Politically, he was never many courageous and patriotic Kisan activists, trade unionists and forgiven by the authoritarian and students and youth leaders towards other men and women and helped bureaucratic forces for defeating it on the eve of independence from in their evolution into political and helping JP in his foreign rule. Such young patriots leaders in the Indo-Gangetic zone quest for Total Revolution during got associated with the Congress of national politics. the 1970s. He invited violence Socialist Party (CSP) and occupied from the followers of Rashtriya leading roles after the party decided Raj Narain ji was an example of a Swayamsewak Sangh for resisting to leave Congress to work among de-caste and de-class leader. He was the takeover of state apparatus the masses to take India towards very sensitive to the issues of caste during the Janata Raj and pulling complete Swaraj. Raj Narain (1917- atrocities of the dominant castes and down the Morarji Desai Government 1986) was one of such student communal discriminations against on the issue of ‘dual membership’ leaders, who came from Banaras minorities. He led the movement for with the help of Congress in 1980. It Hindu University and became temple entry for the ex-untouchables made everyone ignore his pro-people famous for his role during the August at Kashi Vishwanath Temple and health initiatives and transparent Revolution forcing the British to end was badly beaten by the Pandas functioning as a union minister. their colonial rule by 15th August, and police. The orthodox forces On the other hand, he was not 1947. He chose the path of peoples’ took revenge with him by defeating forgiven by the Communist parties politics under socialist banner after him in 1980 when he contested for for challenging them on the issues of independence. His sincerity, courage Lok Sabha from Varanasi. He was their role in the national movement, and honesty made him one of the one of the first national leaders including the Quit India Movement, architects of socialist movement of to reach any site of communal their support for the Emergency Raj post-. violence and always encouraged of Indira Gandhi and his unqualified the programs of communal harmony support to Jayaprakash Narayan ‘Netaji’, as he was fondly in all circumstances including the and his efforts against corruption addressed, Raj Narain was an Indo-Pak war of 1965, communal in 1974. Of course, he was always iconic socialist mass leader, who riots during the SVD Governments criticized by a section of socialists was a movement in himself for and Janata Raj. He was subjected for being a Lohia loyalist and then justice, dignity and equality. Most to physical removal from the UP Charan Singh’s Hanuman in the of the time, either he was touring Assembly for demanding relief post-Lohia years of his public life. the country in rail or agitating for from famine for the rural masses. He faced these expected adversities a peoples’ problem or in jail. He His mobilizations against landlords with stoic indifference. But he felt was as relaxed during multiple made him a class enemy of the rural betrayed and deserted after many of imprisonments for one cause or rich. He was also a ‘caste enemy’ his time-tested colleagues left him to the other as he was in parliament. for advocating and promoting the fend for himself in the last political He converted his jail terms into cause of Backward Classes and Dalit battle of his selfless public life when training camps for his colleagues. communities. he parted ways with Charan Singh On the other hand, he used the floors after the electoral debacle of 1980. of UP Assembly and Lok Sabha At the same time, he always and for educating attracted ridicule from the middle Of course, his politics was not fellow politicians about the visions classes for his rural ways in public always a series of successes. He and approaches of Marx, Gandhi, sphere. He was very adamant about had his share of victories and 6 JANATA, January 8, 2016 defeats; failures and achievements; in most adverse circumstances. In Dr. Sampurnanand at Kashi controversies and conflicts; alliances his eventful political journey of more Vidyapith, the nursery of freedom and splits. He never cared for than five decades as a selfless and fighters and socialist activists. It personal gains and popularity. He fearless militant socialist leader from inspired him to become member of was almost indifferent to his family anti-imperialist struggle to post- the Congress Socialist Party which members. His volunteers always colonial socialist movements, there gave him opportunity to receive received generous support. But all were many moments of historical training in political leadership from of his children and grand children significance. But 1977 was his ‘year two of the most charismatic socialist remained nearly strangers for him. of global glory’ when he achieved leadrs - Jayaprakash Narayan (JP) and Politics is often associated with electoral victory against Prime Dr. Rammanohar Lohia. Retirement power and glamour but he was Minister Indira Gandhi in most of JP from party politics in 1954, and almost indifferent to personal fame insurmountable circumstances of split in the Narendradev-led Praja and power; to electoral successes dictatorship. He had already got Socialist Party made him closely and defeats. He was twice successful her disqualified in a landmark court associated with the Lohia line of (1952, 1957) and then defeated twice judgment for electoral corruption socialist politics. After untimely (1962, 1964) in the contests for UP in June, 1975. But she had refused death of Dr. Lohia in 1967 he took Vidhan Sabha. He came to Rajya to resign and put total opposition command of socialists and made bold Sabha in 1966. But faced defeat in leadership including Raj Narain in moves for the next nearly twenty his second attempt due to split in jail for long 19 months without trial years in pursuit of Lohia’s call of socialist votes in 1972. Similarly under the provisions of ‘internal ‘Congress Hatao-Desh Bachao’. he was four times un-successful in emergency’. He was one of the few He led the socialists through several national electoral battles: in 1971 examples of the efficacy of ballot movements and electoral alliances against PM Indira Gandhi, in 1974 power which catapulted him from after Lohia till complete uprooting against fellow socialist Madhu prison to not only parliament but of Congress Raj in 1977 national Limaye, in 1980 against veteran also gave him one of the front seats election. It has to be appreciated that freedom fighter Kamlapati Tripathi, in the national government from much maligned Raj Narain was one and in 1984 against his close ally 1977 to 1980. of the main architects of the Janata and leader Charan Singh and only Revolution (1974-1977) under the one time successful in 1977 against He made his mark very early leadership of Loknayak Jayaprakash PM Indira Gandhi in his efforts in the politics of socialism by to enter Lok Sabha. If he was getting elected to Uttar Pradesh Narayan, after nineteen dark months passionate about making alliance to VIdhan Sabha in 1952 from rural of Emergency. promote a cause then he was equally Varanasi and establishing himself merciless in breaking bonds to as an impressive parliamentarian There is no denying that Raj protect a principle. But he was never who was equally effective as a Narain ji was an extra-ordinary blamed for casteism, communalism, Satyagrahi socialist. He was one socialist who pursued path of nepotism or corruption. He always of the main socialist leaders who socialist mass politics in selfless and maintained cordial relations with made and socialist inspiring way by transcending the his adversaries in his own child politics synonymous in India after barriers of caste, class and religion like ways. But he was uniquely independence. He was an example in most fascinating manner. He also unfortunate about loyalty of his of courage of conviction on issues achieved great fame as one of the colleagues which made him a lonely of caste, communalism, colonial pillars of socialist politics in post- warrior in the last years of life as mind set, national unity and power colonial India. It is expected that the he unsuccessfully tried to resurrect to the people. A law graduate and centenary year of such a hero will be the banner of socialism in the era of post graduate in political science, an occasion of studying his complex ‘identity politics’. Raj Narain was born in a landlord life journey and its ever changing family of Varanasi. He belonged contexts. So that there is learning But his tragic last days did not to the lineage of Maharaj Balwant of appropriate lessons to be able diminish the significance of his Singh, the founder of the princely to meet the present challenges of outstanding contributions towards state of Banaras. He received his Indian politics and society, including politics of social transformation as first lessons of patriotism and the much fragmented socialist pillar of socialism through a judicious socialism from the founders of movement and politics in its multiple combination of civil disobedience Indian socialist movement like manifestations from electoral battles movements and parliamentary power Acharya Narendra Dev and to social mobilizations. JANATA, January 8, 2016 7 Exit, Obama!

Jawaharlal Jasthi

Barak Obama, the gentle Meanwhile FBI was playing on the he came with an “Audacity of President of the United States of e-mails of Hillary during her tenure Hope”. He promised to close the America has become a bit wild in as secretary of state. The head of prison in Guantanamo Bay. Close the last month of his presidency. FBI was a Republican. So it was the unwanted wars in which the Stumping helter-skelter unmindful presumed he revealed it deliberately country was involved and also of consequences and his status at that particular time. solve the Palestine problem. He did as the leader of the lone super not succeed in any of those areas. power. Perhaps he started realizing Until the results of election were The African Americans were too that he failed to achieve anything out on the night of 8 November, enthusiastic to welcome him as the substantial during his tenure as 2016 everybody, including herself, President as they considered him as President in spite of receiving the took for granted that Hillary would one of themselves. But they had to Nobel Peace Prize. On the other be the winner. It was also rumored cry that “Black Lives Matter”. But hand he displayed audacity to that Michelle Obama may be getting the President could not do anything claim that he would have won the an important position in the cabinet to help them, not even an open third term but for the constitutional of Hillary Clinton. The President statement to condemn the atrocious restrictions. What else he would be himself was aggressively involved behavior of the police in that regard doing in his third term is not clear. in canvassing for Clinton unmindful during the eight years of his stay in He only implies that he would have of propriety and telling the voters the White House. On the other hand prevented Donald Trump win the that Trump is not a man worth being his presidency resulted in a reaction presidency now as if that itself would President of the country. The hope among the white supremacists be a great achievement. He is angry was based more on the bad mouth to take back the presidency for with Putin of Russia for spoiling of Trump than on anything positive themselves. They could not accept the chances of Democrat Hillary on the part of Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton to serve that purpose Clinton by exposing the secrets Trump was outspoken even in his as she was openly supported by behind her campaign. Hacking is indiscretion while Hillary was Obama calling Trump names. definitely a crime. What happened secretive and scheming expecting by hacking was revelation of certain the voters to react to the behavior of In regard to the Palestine problem, facts that were committed sinisterly Trump. But people saw openness in he failed to bring any pressure on to prevent Bernie Sanders from Trump and secrecy and unreliability Israel to stop building settlement in getting Democrat nomination. They in Hillary. His aggressive speaking West Bank. On the other hand he was influenced the National Democrat was so untraditional that even offering billions of dollars of military Committee to do it and tried to some of the senior members of assistance as usual. Now and then he hide it. Of course, that is what his Republican party blamed him used to advise Netanyahu to stop every contestant in elections tries openly. But what he said was the settlement. At one stage he was just to do – to hide adverse facts. But true convictions of the Republican pleading him to heed his advice. He election needs that electorate know Party. The only difference is he was did not say anything about his stand all the facts. To that extent what blunt and did not try to hide it to even during the campaign for Hillary the hacking has done is a service to woo the voters as happens during and tried to avoid the problem as election process but it was done by election time. it will get confrontation with the an alien. That is a matter of grudge. Jewish votes. Hillary herself was The leaks never stated that Hillary The defeat affected Obama, sitting on the fence regarding that shall not be voted or that Trump shall equally if not more, than Clinton problem. After the defeat, Obama be supported. Even then the hackers as he took upon himself to see could not contain himself from were alleged to have done it with that Clinton wins and Trump gets blaming Netanyahu for going on intention to help Trump in election. defeated. When he became president with settlement constructions as 8 JANATA, January 8, 2016 if it was a problem that had arisen to Putin which again is shown as a enemy for the other. The diplomatic then only. We can be sure that he proof of collusion between the two. drama goes on, on the world stage. would not have said it so openly if Hillary Clinton won the presidency. It does not mean that Russia and The only regret is that Barack That betrays the character of Obama America (Putin and Trump) are Obama exposed himself at the end than anything else. Not taking a going to be friends in the long run. of his presidency and adopted a stand on the Palestine issue would Both of them need enemies, not scorched earth policy. His behavior ensure support of Jewish votes to friends. Each of them is the best is unbalanced and undignified. Hillary Clinton. He expected Israel to be friendly with Hillary when (Contd. from Page 4) she wins. Once it is clear that she social and ecological systems but not the least, it needs to be re- did not win, he became aggressive as on the magnitude of climate emphasised that such challenges can about Israel. That creates problem change. In other words if socio- be effectively met only in conditions for the successor. It is obvious economic inequality and injustice of peace and stability. On the other that Netanyahu would not care, are high, if social harmony of hand escalating mutual hostility nevertheless he said it. It is crooked various communities is disturbed or can only lead to the relative neglect politics that dominate the West. If if various forms of ecological ruin of even such obvious priorities as America failed to exercise veto, are already high, then the suffering climate change. Britain could have done it. But they caused by climate change related did not. At the same time the Prime factors will be much higher. From Minister had the cheek to find fault this perspective the situation in much with Obama for not applying the of South Asia is a disturbing one. veto. Hypocrites all! The IPCC in its fifth assessment The reaction of Obama for the report has also said that heavy losses hacking of Democrat computers is from extreme weather in South Asia also excessive and irresponsible. suggest that current strategies are The intelligence is stated to have unable to deal with existing climatic tracked the hackers to Russia. It threats. Overall the preparations to is believed that it could not have face the impending threats of climate happened except with connivance change and related or other disasters of the leader Putin. It is a surmise. are quite weak. There is no public proof of Putin’s involvement. Even then he felt it Clearly much more attention necessary to make wild allegations needs to be given to climate change against the person of Putin. He did adaptation as well as mitigation. not dare to make such allegations The adaptation aspects in particular against Netanyahu in spite of the need to be seen beyond the Paris fact that he never cared for his framework also because many Price: Rs. 20/- overtures. He has gone to the extent existing policies and favoured of expelling about 35 members of projects of these governments are Janata Trust Russian establishment. In normal at variance with the real needs of D-15, Ganesh Prasad, Naushir Bharucha Marg, circumstances such an act would adaptation and important corrections Grant Road (W), Mumbai 400 007. invite tit for tat. But Putin played are needed. It is also clear that the game with circumspection. He cooperation among various South restrained himself from retaliation. Asian countries for facing the It might be because of the fact that challenges of climate change will janata Trump, an ally, is coming to the seat not just bring shared benefits to is available at in a few days. Or it will give him all of them but in addition this a better image as head of a state. cooperation may become of critical http://lohiatoday.com It made Trump pay complements importance in crisis situations. Last JANATA, January 8, 2016 9 Demonetisation: yet another huge fraud on the people - III

Neeraj Jain

Likewise, India’s small scale This then is the real objective recorded wave of such deaths in retail sector is also being decimated of demonetisation, and the push history.44 The Modi Government’s by demonetisation. India has towards a cashless economy - to policies of the last two years have more than 14.9 million retail destroy India’s informal economy. further worsened this crisis. It has outlets, the highest in the world. It is an acceleration of a policy that cut the budgetary allocations for India’s retail sector is presently has been implemented in the country agriculture related sectors, from overwhelmingly dominated by for the last more than two decades, 1.07% of the GDP in 2014-15 BE small retailers, consisting of local known as globalisation. Its aim is to to just 0.92% of the GDP in 2016- kirana shops, owner-manned corporatise the Indian economy, and 17 BE - for a sector on which over general stores, furniture stores, allow big corporations, both foreign half the population depend for chemists, hardware-footware- and Indian, to acquire decisive their livelihoods.45 Consequently, garment-cutlery shops, stationery control over it. This requires the farmers’ suicides in 2015 recorded shops, bakeries, vegetable and destruction of India’s informal a 40% increase over the figure for fruit shops, paan and beedi shops, sector. 2014!46 Now, demonetisation is hand-cart hawkers, pavement probably going to be the proverbial vendors, etc. According to the Thus, in agriculture, where the last nail in the coffin of the small Confederation of All India majority of the Indian peasants are farmers. Traders - one of the largest trade small farmers with landholdings of associations in India - businesses less than 1 hectare, the objective As regards the retail sector, after in markets across the country of the economic reforms under coming to power, the BJP has given has reduced by a whopping 75% globalisation is to slowly strangulate up its opposition to the previous UPA since the government announced these small farmers and drive Government’s agenda of opening demonetisation on November 8 them out of their lands so that up the retail sector to giant foreign night. People simply don’t have big agribusiness corporations can multinational retail corporations. the cash to buy even essentials, take them over. And so successive The entry of giant retailers like and even if they have cash, it is governments have been reducing Walmart, TESCO, Carrefour and a Rs 2,000 note that most small public investment in agriculture, Metro from abroad into India’s retail traders cannot accept as they do cutting subsidies given on major sector will decimate India’s small not have enough change.43 inputs needed for agriculture (such retailers. That is because these MNC as fertiliser, electricity and irrigation retail giants are huge, much beyond The push to a less-cash economy subsidies), gradually eliminating our imagination: for instance, in is going to further destroy these output support to agriculture (in 2009-10, Walmart alone had total sectors. PM Modi expecting the the form of public procurement of global sales of $405 billion, meaning pavement tea-seller or a roadside agricultural produce), gradually that Walmart alone sold more goods fish-seller to have a PoS machine phasing out subsidised credit given than all of India’s 1.5 crore retailers with which to accept payment to agriculture by public sector banks, combined! These big retailers have from the credit card of a daily and allowing imports of heavily the financial muscle to source wage worker, or expecting a street subsidised agricultural produce their supplies from the lowest cost hawker to sell a dozen bananas and from the developed countries into producers at the global level, like accept payment through Paytm, India. These policies have pushed China. Therefore, they will be able or expecting a small farmer to Indian agriculture into deep crisis, to sell their products at cheaper rates make payment to his labourers and driven the hardy Indian farmers than the small retailers - if necessary, by cheques, is akin to Marie into such despair that more than 3 they will even sell at a loss. Not just Antoinette asking Parisians to go lakh farmers have committed suicide the kirana stores and street vendors eat cake. since the reforms began, the largest will be forced out of business, 10 JANATA, January 8, 2016 the entire network of wholesalers has destroyed the livelihoods of 1.05 lakh crore.49 and distributors will be displaced. lakhs of people, a large number of There is absolutely no exaggeration people have been befooled by the Loan write-offs, however, make in this, it is happening all over the propaganda and continue to believe bad news, both for corporate houses world. Small retail has virtually that demonetisation is indeed going and banks/government. So public been wiped out in the developed to curb the black economy and that sector banks are adopting a new countries. And it is in the process of finally, achhe din are around the stratagem to provide succour to these being wiped out in those developing corner. ‘helpless’ rich - they ‘restructure’ their countries that have opened up their loans. That’s the buzz word today, economies to these giant retailers.47 However, the reality is that the ‘Corporate Debt Restructuring’ Small retailers have waged powerful Modi government is even more (CDR). Under its name, the payback struggles against FDI in retail. So, in pro-corporate and anti-poor than period may be extended, interest order to break their resistance, the the previous UPA government. Over may be waived, and/or a part of the BJP Government has resorted to the the last two and a half years it has loan may be converted into equity; stratagem of pushing for a cashless been in power, it has drastically cut the corporation is even given another economy - it will destroy small- government welfare expenditure loan to tide over its ‘crisis’. Private scale retail and push people to go on the poor, while simultaneously corporations whose loans have for shopping to big malls. There, it transferring lakhs of crores of rupees been approved for restructuring is possible to have tea and snacks, or of public funds to the coffers of the include some of India’s most well- buy fruits and vegetables and other rich under various guises. known names. Public sector banks daily necessities, with a credit card. had cumulatively rescheduled/ Once the backbone of small retailers Transfers to the rich restructured loans worth Rs 4.03 is broken, it will be easy for Walmart Union Budget documents reveal lakh crore under the CDR scheme to set up shop in India. that successive governments at till March 2015.50 While we do not the Centre have been giving tax have figures of the amount of loans Most anti-people government exemptions to the rich to the tune restructured under the Modi-Jaitley Just like his other slogans such of lakhs of rupees every year. These regime, all indications are that this as Make in India and Skill India, tax exemptions have reached a new legal transfer of public funds to PM Narendra Modi has covered high under the Modi government. the corporate houses in the name his demonetisation policy and In 2014-15, the Modi government of ‘loan restructuring’ is gathering drive towards a cashless economy gave away Rs 5.49 lakh crore in tax speed under the new government. too with a coat of nationalism. exemptions/ deductions/incentives While on the one hand the bad With the corporate controlled to the very rich; in 2015-16, these loans of Indian banks have gone up media firmly backing him, the tax exemptions touched Rs 5.51 to Rs 6 lakh crore (90% of which BJP’s ‘indoctrination’ machinery lakh crore!48 is on the books of public sector has launched a huge propaganda banks), at the same time, in June campaign calling it a ‘surgical strike’ Ordinary people defaulting on 2016, the Reserve Bank of India against black money and terrorism, bank loans have their house/scooter/ relaxed guidelines for restructuring while labelling those criticising other assets seized, and farmers bad loans of large borrowers so that the government decision as being are driven to suicide for not being banks can restructure them more anti-development and hoarders able to pay the instalments on their easily.51 of black money, and even anti- bank loans. But when the super-rich national. Despite having to stand default on their (public sector) bank Another ‘innovative’ way in which in queues for hours to withdraw loans, nothing happens to them. The public funds are being transferred to their own money - and that too banks simply write-off their loans! the private sector is under the guise only in limited amounts in Rs 2,000 The Minister of State for Finance of what is being called ‘Public- notes - for more than 40 days now, recently admitted in the Rajya Sabha Private-Partnership’. Under this, the despite the mounting evidence that that during the first two years of the government invites the private sector demonetisation is having ruinous Modi government, public sector to invest in infrastructure, provides consequences for agriculture, retail banks have written off loans given the private investor a direct subsidy trade and small businesses, and to the super-rich to the tune of Rs of up to 40% of the project cost, JANATA, January 8, 2016 11 gives it land and other resources at school education budget so severely husband. In India, a crime against concessional rates, guarantees the that the budget allocation for 2016- a woman is committed every 100 private partner a minimum rate of 17 is lower than 2014-15 BE by as seconds: a woman is molested every return on its investment, and as if this much as 32% (in real terms)!55 7 minutes, raped every 15 minutes, was not enough, even the investment a case of cruelty committed by money is also often provided by the India is the disease capital of the either the husband or his relatives government in the form of long term world. More than 2 lakh people in occurs every 5 minutes, and a dowry loans at concessional rates. (And yet the country die of malaria every year, death occurs every 65 minutes (all it is called free market capitalism!) In while TB kills 3 lakh. India accounts figures for 2013).58 And yet, the his Union Budget 2016–17, Finance for nearly one-fourth of the deaths Modi Government’s allocation for Minister Jaitley allocated Rs 55,000 in the world due to diarrhoea, more the Gender Budget (this captures crore for construction of roads and than one-third of the deaths due to the quantum of budgetary resources highways in partnership with the leprosy and more than half of the earmarked for women by various private sector under the PPP model deaths due to Japanese encephalitis. departments and ministries) for - implying that this is the amount India’s under-five child mortality 2016-17 is lower than that for 2014- that is going to be given as subsidy rate is the highest in the world; India 15 by 7.6% even in nominal terms.59 to the private sector to build roads also accounts for one-fifth of the and highways in this financial year. maternal deaths in the world. India More than six decades after the Last year, the amount transferred to is also in the grip of an epidemic Constitution outlawed the practice of private corporations under this head of chronic diseases, which account untouchability and discrimination on was Rs 43,000 crore.52 for more than 50% of the deaths in the basis of caste, and guaranteed that the country. This “crisis” gripping every citizen shall have equality of These are just a few examples India’s health system is because of status and opportunity, the scheduled of the mindboggling amounts of low public expenditure on health, castes and scheduled tribes continue public funds being transferred to due to which the country’s public to face many forms of untouchability the private corporate houses under health system is in a bad shape, and practices as well as social, economic the Modi regime under various hence the people have to depend on and institutional deprivations. Not guises. And on the other hand, the the private sector for treatment - and only that, they are also subjected to BJP Government in its three budgets obviously, only the rich are able to enormous atrocities, ranging from presented so far has made steep cuts afford good quality health care in abuse on caste name, murders, in government spending on welfare costly private hospitals. The solution rapes, arson, social and economic schemes meant to provide essential is to raise India’s public expenditure boycotts, to naked parading of SC/ services like education, health, on health care - India’s public health ST women, and being forced to drinking water and sanitation to the spending is amongst the lowest in drink urine and eat human excreta. poor at affordable rates. the world, with the country ranking And so the government in the 1970s 171 out of 175 countries in this.56 launched the Scheduled Caste Sub Withdrawal of However, Finance Minister Jaitley Plan (SCSP) and Tribal Sub Plan subsidies to the poor in his latest 2016-17 budget has kept (TSP) to ensure the flow of targeted In a country where more than 40% the budget allocation for health at the funds from the general sectors in of the children drop out of school same level as two years ago, which the Central Ministries towards without completing elementary implies a cut in real terms by around the development of the and education;53 where even for those 13% (taking inflation at 8% for both Adivasis. The guidelines under these going to school, the conditions of the the years).57 two programmes clearly state that schools are so pathetic and quality the allocations for them should be at of education is so bad that 52% of India is one of the world’s worst least in proportion to their share in Class V students are unable to read places to be a woman. She may be the total population. The population Class II-level text and 49% cannot killed even before being born, or share for the Dalits is 16.6% and solve simple two-digit subtraction as an infant or a little girl. If she for Adivasis is 8.6%, according to problems (that they are expected to survives, there is every possibility the Government of India Census learn in Class II);54 an insensitive that as she grows up, she may be 2011. However, the Manuwadi BJP Modi Government has slashed the molested/raped/tortured by her Government’s budget allocations for 12 JANATA, January 8, 2016

SCSP and TSP in 2016-17 are lower to a lowly 4.36% of the total Plan policy framework of the various than the allocations made in 2014– expenditure for 2016-17.60 governments that have come to power 15 BE by as much as 23-26% even at the Centre since Independence, the in nominal terms. Consequently, the There is no doubt. While one present NDA-BJP Government led allocation for SCSP has fallen to just may have strong disagreements by Narendra Modi is undoubtedly 7.06% and the allocation for TSP with the overall orientation and the most anti-people of them all.

43 “How Demonetisation has Hit Small Traders Hard”, November 15, 2016, http://www.financialexpress.com; “Demonetisation: Small Businesses Hit Hard”, December 5, 2016, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com; “Widespread Distress as Demonetisation Hits Small, Medium Businesses Hard”, November 24, 2016, http://www.millenniumpost.in. 44 For more on this, see: Spectre of Fascism, op. cit., pp. 54–59; Neeraj Jain, Globalisation or Recolonisation? Lokayat publication, 2006, available on internet at www.lokayat.org.in. 45 Based on figures given in Union Budget documents available at: Union Budget 2016–17, http://indiabudget.nic.in; for actual calculation, see: Spectre of Fascism, ibid., p. 59. 46 “Farmers’ Suicide Up by 40 Pc Due to Drought in 2015; Maharashtra Worst-Hit”, August 19, 2016, http://www.indiatvnews.com. 47 For references to these facts and more details on this issue, see: “FDI in Retail: Development for Whom?” in Neeraj Jain, Essays on Contemporary Indian Economy, Aakar Books, Delhi, 2016. 48 Union Budget documents, available at http://indiabudget.nic.in. 49 “PSU Banks Write Off Rs 1.54 Lakh Crore Bad Loans”, December 8, 2016, https://yourstory.com. 50 Corporate Debt Restructuring (Cdr) Cell, Progress Report (as on March 31, 2015), http://www.cdrindia.org. 51 “RBI Eases Stressed Asset Restructuring Rules for Banks”, June 14, 2016, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com; “RaghuramRajanImpact: Indian Banks’ Total Bad Loans Swell to Rs 6 Trillion in March”, June 8, 2016, http://www.firstpost.com. 52 “Budget 2016: Roads and Highways Sector Back on Growth Path”, March 2, 2016, http://economictimes.indiatimes.com; FAQs – Public Private Partnership in India, Ministry of Finance, Government of India, http://pppinindia.com; Union budget documents, available at http://indiabudget.nic.in. 53 Statistics of School Education 2011–12, MHRD, Government of India, 2014, http://mhrd.gov.in. 54 Annual Status of Education Report (Rural) 2014, January 2015, http://img.asercentre.org; for more on state of our school education system, see: Neoliberal Fascist Attack on Education, Lokayat publication, 2016, www.lokayat.org.in. 55 Union Budget documents, available at http://indiabudget.nic.in; see also Neeraj Jain, Union Budget 2016–17: Achhe Din for Whom? published by Janata Weekly, Mumbai, also available on the Lokayat website, www.lokayat.org.in. 56 Neeraj Jain, Education Under Globalisation: Burial of the Constitutional Dream, Aakar Books, Delhi, 2015, pp. 253–55. 57 Union Budget documents, available at http://indiabudget.nic.in; see also Neeraj Jain, Union Budget 2016–17: Achhe Din for Whom? op. cit. 58 Crime Against Women – National Crime Records Bureau, http://ncrb.gov.in. 59 Union Budget documents, available at http://indiabudget.nic.in; see also Neeraj Jain, Union Budget 2016–17: Achhe Din for Whom? op. cit. 60 Ibid. Non-productive assets

While going through the against the Boards of Directors Party (India) should start raising Economic Resolution of the of banks in PSU, borrowers and voice against such anti-people Socialist Party (India) published guarantors, the reason for which is policies of the Government. Such in Janata, issue of 11.12.2016 it is best known to them. But one thing policies amounf to cheating but observed that the resolution did not is clear that public funds have been nobody is held responsible or mention about NPA in banks in PSU. misused to the disadvantage of poor accountable. The demonetization This is one of the important issue people. When a particular industry is of high currency notes cannot root which should have reflected in the likely to go in NPA such industries out corruption in public life. resolution. It has been observed that i.e. borrowers has been granted neither UPA nor NDA government concessions under restructuring of I, therefore, appeal to the Socialist has taken this issue as a serious one. loan just to avoid any action. Such Party (India) to raise voice against On the other hand the governments looters of public money and national the economic crimes committed by under UPA and NDA have wealth are moving in the society the government authorities, banks in strengthened the financial position with “respect and honour”. This PSU to save public funds which are of the banks in public sector. The shameless act must be condemned misused by the authorities with the governments under UPA or NDA by political parties like the Socialist support of the government. were afraid of taking drastic action Party (India) in future. The Socialist - R. D. Prabhu JANATA, January 8, 2016 13 Anupam Mishra leaves behind a rich legacy of knowledge

Harsh Mander

Gently and with the quiet dignity studies in Sanskrit in Hindu College, requesting the community to open that characterised the way he lived , and volunteered to its doors for their peaceful return to his entire life, Anupam Mishra left work with the towering Jayaprakash normal life and the government to the world on December 19, 2016. Narayan’s campaign for the consider their cases sympathetically. He was 68, felled after a long voluntary surrender of dacoits of For six months, JP conducted his and painful battle against cancer. the Chambal valley. This charismatic ‘Operation Persuasion’ not as a He leaves behind a massive and movement caught the imagination spiritual leader but as a social fertile legacy of knowledge distilled of the country at that time, because worker. Except for the dare-devil from centuries-old indigenous folk it powerfully demonstrated the Madho Singh, his contacts with the wisdom, about the ways that we application of Gandhian ideas to dacoits were through the Chambal must live with our planet if our world crime and punishment, building on Ghati Shanti Mission. Assisted and we are to survive. the possibility of reform of even by Pandit Lokman Dikshit, and dreaded criminals through a change Tehsildar Singh (ex-dacoits) and I was privileged to know of heart. This association led to Madho Singh they worked day Anupam Mishra from the days of Anupam’s first book, Chambal Ke and night, not caring about their the Emergency, more than 40 years Bandooke, Gandhi Ke Charanon personal safety. The dacoits had ago. The Gandhi Peace Foundation Me, written with journalist Prabhash to be traced in their hideouts, deep in Delhi in those days was a hub of Joshi and Shravan Kumar Garg. in the jungles and ravines. The resistance to the Emergency, and Madhya Pradesh police had created also a nucleus for the propagation The book is out of print, but I an undeclared peace zone to make and generation of Gandhian ideas. could find an extract: mobilisation easier. JP came into As a university student and for personal contact with the dacoits some years after, I volunteered with “(T)he Chambal Valley – a when he camped at the Pagara Dak the foundation. Anupam Mishra place… enough to strike terror Bungalow 70 kilometres away from had joined it a few years earlier, in one’s heart – for this area has, Gwalior and situated atop a hill. The and he became in those days a through the ages, been an ideal dacoits with their families had been close friend and thoughtful guide. sanctuary for people who, for camping in the village of Dhorera I knew rural India too little at that various reasons, have turned down the hill. Dhorera, an otherwise time, except from books. With his outlaws. The martial background of sleepy village, won world-wide encouragement and direction, I the people, their fight against alien fame almost overnight. The first to began to travel, and spent a few years invaders and rulers, and the immense come to meet JP was Mohar Singh trying to experience and understand socio-economic disparities, have who carried the highest reward of Rs India’s rural people and life, and combined to produce rebels or 2 lakh on his head. The government also the intolerable inequities and ‘baghis’ – a name also given to was sceptical about his desire to deprivations that characterised our the dacoits… In 1971… Jagroop surrender because, unlike Madho countryside. Singh, an emissary of Madho Singh, Singh’s, his gang was intact and he another notorious dacoit… traced was equipped with most modern These were the initial years of my JP [Jayaprakash Narayan] to Patna. arms. He told JP that his only politicisation. I was attracted to the In spite of his preoccupations and condition for surrender was that ideas of the Left, but also to Gandhi. ill health, JP, sensing a genuine he should be the first! The dacoits Many of my learnings and insights change of heart and desire to solve formally surrendered in batches at about Gandhi came from long the problem of dacoity, agreed the Mahatma Gandhi Seva Ashram conversations with Anupam. He to take up the challenge. He… in Joura, on 14 and 16 April 1972. had immersed himself in the Lohia issued an appeal on 13 December Thousands watched them lay down movement after his post-graduate 1971, advising them to surrender, their arms in front of a portrait of 14 JANATA, January 8, 2016

Gandhiji, and cheered them as they I left the Gandhi Peace Foundation influenced two generations, not shouted ‘Mahatma Gandhi ki Jai’, to join the Indian Administrative just of environmentalists but also ‘Vinobaji ki Jai’, ‘Jaiprakashji ki Service in 1980, and since I spent students, engineers, social workers Jai’. A wave of relief seemed to my subsequent years mostly in far- and thinking, concerned citizens. sweep the Valley of Terror.” off corners of Madhya Pradesh and His writings on this subject have Chhattisgarh, Anupam Mishra and been translated into 19 languages During the years that we spent I lost contact, although I remained from India and around the world, together at the Gandhi Peace informed and influenced by his work. including Braille. Foundation, Anupam Mishra was After I finally returned to Delhi and greatly drawn to the Chipko Andolan especially after the Gujarat carnage of His son Shubham, an architect, led by . With 2002, I became increasingly critical told me about his work in recent Satyendra Tripathi, he wrote The of the foundation and Gandhians in years unearthing and documenting Chipko Movement, which was general for not taking as strong and traditional water conservation, very influential in bringing to the outspoken a stand against communal storage and regeneration systems in attention of both India and the world politics as I would have hoped. Delhi, to which successive dynasties at large this unique movement for The few times I discussed this with contributed. Each contributed to “hugging the trees”. In this evocative Anupam Mishra, he did not dismiss recharging the underground water and effective form of mass non- me as judgemental as many others table, and these flowed into a series violent resistance, women and men did. He listened to me in his gentle, of small streams and rivulets that demanded that if a tree was to be civilised way. crisscrossed the city and then all felled, they should be cut down flowed into the Yamuna. But today, with it. Anupam Mishra remained for these rivulets are dirty nallahs, the most of his adult life a staff member Yamuna a receptacle of all of Delhi’s The carefully researched account of the Gandhi Peace Foundation, mostly untreated waste, and the city described for the rest of the world serving several years at its helm has recklessly built over its multitude this incipient eco-feminist mass as its secretary as well. He retired of wells, tanks and water passages. movement of forest conservation in 2007, but the foundation was Anupam Mishra could not live long that began in 1973. This went not willing to let him go and he, enough to put these into a book, but on to establish a precedent and a therefore, continued to work with it his son is committed to collecting model for non-violent protest in until he left the world. Yet, as pointed and putting up all of these, and India, as well as for many later out by his close friend Himanshu indeed all his books, pictures and environmental movements all over Thakkar, he rarely described himself talks online as an open resource for the world. Their account of this as a Gandhian. He was and remained future generations. It was a matter of mass movement inspired many one of the most credible faces of the principle for Anupam Mishra that all eco-groups around the world to fight institution, which otherwise had its his books were without copyright, deforestation, expose forest mafia, peaks and troughs over the years. and this electronic resource will enhance ecological awareness and, He also edited for many years a likewise be open-source. above all, demonstrate the strength leading journal of Gandhian thought and weight of non-violent and called Gandhi Marg. There are few people who grounded people’s movements and have contributed more to our struggles. Their reports highlighted, Anupam Mishra is, of course, best understanding of not just traditional especially, the role of women as the known for his work in discovering water systems but also people’s own backbone and also the mainstay and chronicling traditional systems knowledge carried over through of such struggles – women were of water harvesting in water-scarce the generations than Anupam the ones most affected by rampant regions like Rajasthan. He celebrated Mishra. His enduring influences deforestation because it resulted the technical and environmental are both on Indian environmental in shortages of firewood, fodder as wisdom and skills of often non- movements and the democratisation well as water for drinking and farm literate creators and maintainers of knowledge itself. Yet, he remained irrigation, and ultimately added to of these extraordinarily complex self-effacing, low-key, deeply the care and collection-based unpaid systems. His books, photographs, committed to immersing himself work burden on them. slides and talks about these have in his chosen work with hard work, JANATA, January 8, 2016 15 study and research. His criticism and judgement. There are few men His passing leaves a large empty of modern science and technology as gentle and civilised as him, a space in India’s eco-democratic and government systems was laced man who was at once authentic, movements, which will be very in irony and wit rather than anger reflective, a fighter, and democratic. hard to fill. R.N.I. NO. 1855/1957 16 JANATA, January 8, 2017

Postal Registration No. MCW/275/2015-2017. Published on Sunday, January 8, 2017 & Posted on Wednesday January 11, 2017 at Mumbai Patrika Channel, Mumbai GPO-1

Printed and Published by G.G. Parikh on behalf of Janata Trust. Printed at Mouj Printing Bureau, Khatau Wadi, Girgaum, Mumbai-400 004 and published at D-15, Ganesh Prasad, Naushir Bharucha Marg (Sleater Road), Mumbai - 400 007. Established 1946 1 Pages 16 Price : Rupees Five

Vol. 71 No. 50 Centre-State relations going sour January 15, 2017 Kuldip Nayar

One development which has Soon after independence, E.M.S. Communal Violence in 2016 gone unnoticed in the confrontation Namboodiripad was the chief minister Irfan Engineer, Neha Dabhade between Trinamool Congress and of Kerala. He differed with New Suraj Nair the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is Delhi, ruled by the Congress. It the delineation of relations between wanted to extend the Preventive the Centre and the states. When the Detention Act. But Namboodiripard Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) argued that it was a way of the Weapon of mass digitisation protected the West Bengal BJP office, British rule and did not fit into the Aseem Shrivastava it gave a message that the Centre was democratic structure of the country. the ultimate authority and it had its He opposed the enactment. Among own force to ensure implementation the chief ministers, he was the only of its word. one to do so. Ten Years of Sachar Committee When West Bengal chief minister Tall chief minister B.C. Roy of Report Mamata Banerjee said that they too West Bengal, present at the meeting,

“were a government,” she threw was so offended that he chided him down the gauntlet to the centre that and said that “you were the only the state was supreme in their own patriot among us.” Namboodiripad Our traditions have celebrated affairs. India is a federal polity. The did not budge from his stand and the ‘argumentative’ Indian, states have their autonomy as spelled merely said that he did not want to not the ‘intolerant’ Indian. out in the constitution. The Supreme join issue with him. But he wanted his Court has said in many judgments that ‘no’ to be registered. When it came to the Centre could not run roughshod his party whether or not to endorse his to suppress the states in their own stand, it gave him full support. Editor : spheres. G. G. Parikh However, it did not take long This is the same old story: the to prove what he had said. Soon Managing Editor : Guddi state’s assertion against the Centre’s. after, the Centre faced the Railways It has happened in the case of certain strike. Kerala government supported D-15, Ganesh Prasad, states earlier. Kerala, which has often the demands of the railways men. Naushir Bharucha Marg, the Communists at the helm of affairs, The encouraged workers in Kerala Mumbai - 400 007. was disturbed many a time by New threatened to set on fire the central Delhi, including imposition of the government’s offices in the state. New Email : [email protected] President’s rule for the first time ever Delhi deployed the CRPF to protect its in the country. properties. This was an odd situation 2 JANATA, January 15, 2016 to face when the state’s police force all possible methods to capture the BJP-ruled centre cannot turn a would not do anything to ensure that power in these states. Prime Minister Nelson’s eye to the developments in no harm came to what belonged to Narendra Modi and BJP president the states, particularly West Bengal the country, not a particular state. Amit Shah will go to any extent where it is the weakest. The daily Fortunately, there was no showdown to extend its rein. Their pre-poll bickering between the Trinamool because the central government speeches in recent times indicate Congress and the BJP will only accepted the workers’ demands and what the party has in its mind. aggravate the situation and drive the strike averted. the people to question the very To a large extent, the BJP cause democratic system itself. The fallout of the threat of has been served by the family feud railways strike led to the creation in the Samajdwadi Party (SP). of zonal councils—East, West, Although Mulayam Singh has said North, South and Central—presided that he was the party chief and would over by the Union Home Minister. see to it that there was unity in SP but The purpose was that the states his brother Shivpal Yadav appears could discuss the matter among to be the spoiler. Chief minister them so that they could iron out Akhilesh Yadav has the majority the differences before it came to of MLAs with him and there is no parliament. The councils lasted question of him being displaced. till the Congress ruled both at the centre and the states. When the other May be, it is only a storm in a parties came to power in the states, tea cup, but it has dented the image the arrangement did not work. The of the party. Akhilesh is bound to experiment ultimately ended in 1977 gain because of his image before when the Janata Party, a combination the voters is that of a clean person of several parties, ruled the centre. It who was trying to run government was given out that the zonal councils transparently. His welfare measures, were not required because the party too, will stand him in good stead. in power represented all of them. Not surprisingly, even the Congress wants to have a pre-poll alliance with Even otherwise, the centre-state the SP to prevent the BJP coming relations have not been cordial, to power. Price: Rs. 20/- particularly ever since the BJP came Janata Trust to power. It tends to enforce its The scenario in Punjab is D-15, Ganesh Prasad, Naushir ideology on states ruled by parties no different. The Akali-BJP Bharucha Marg, other than the BJP. The RSS is its combination may still get a majority Grant Road (W), Mumbai 400 007. foot soldiers. This is resented by the because the Aam Aadmi Party opposition. If the BJP continues to (AAP) does not have a Punjabi formulate such policies which reflect face to project as if it is from the its ideology, the coherence of the state itself. In , the very federal structure is threatened. Congress may scrape through after The elders in the BJP should look how the BJP tried to dislodge the up and take necessary measures so Rawat government before the court’s that the unity of the country is intact. intervention. In Manipur and Goa, janata the local elements may come to is available at But, unfortunately, with five matter the most. But one cannot rule states—Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, out the BJP’s ascendancy when the http://lohiatoday.com Punjab, Manipur and Goa—going to Congress no longer remains the only the polls the BJP is bent on adopting alternative.

Whatever the outcome of the polls, (Contd.(Contd. on on Page Page 11) 3) JANATA, January 15, 2016 3 Communal Violence in 2016

Irfan Engineer, Neha Dabhade and Suraj Nair

India continued to be confronted between the communal violence Uttar 61 13 185 with the menace of communal reported by the media and the data Pradesh violence in the year 2016. The of communal violence gathered by West 7 2 18 Centre for Study of Society and the NCRB and MHA. For instance, Bengal Total 278 38 903 Secularism (CSSS) monitors in the year 2015, according to the Source: Statement referred to in reply communal violence tracking five Home Ministry data, there were 751 to part (a to c) of Lok Sabha starred newspapers in two languages – incidents of communal violence in question N0. 35 for 19.07.2016. Showing English and Urdu. Some newspaper which 97 people died and 2264 were number of communal incidents, persons killed/injured therein in 2016 (upto May) reports were then cross checked injured. Whereas the five newspapers For the sake of analysis in this with web portal TwoCircles.net. mentioned above, reported only 47 study we refer only to the aforesaid The newspapers monitored were incidents in the same year in which newspapers and we compare it with Mumbai editions of The Times of 15 lives were lost and 272 suffered newspaper reports of communal India, , The injuries. violence in 2015. Hindu, Inquilab and Sahafat. The MHA data for the year 2016 According to the data from the Violence is a broad term which is available only till the month of aforesaid newspapers, in the year encompasses in its ambit communal May. According to MHA data, upto 2016, there were 62 incidents of attitudes or symbolic violence, May 2016 there were 278 incidents communal violence as compared structural violence and physical of communal violence in which 38 to 47 incidents in 2015. In 2016, attacks resulting in injuries, deaths lives were lost and 903 were injured. The state wise break of the MHA 8 deaths were reported in the or loss of property. However, the newspapers against 15 deaths present report is limited to physical data on communal violence in the year 2016 till May is as under: reported in the same newspapers in violence wherein communal hatred 2015. 435 injuries were reported in motivates attacks on members of States Incidents Killed In- 2015 whereas the number of injuries jured a community only on the basis of reported in 2016 is 676. 323 arrests their religious identity. The report Assam 1 0 2 Bihar 23 0 85 were reported in 2015 in comparison excludes primarily ethnic violence Chhattis- 1 0 3 to 823 arrests reported in 2016. with communal overtones as, for garh instance, in Manipur. This report Delhi 4 0 16 Communal violence 2016: Salient does not include inter-sect or inter Gujarat 16 3 38 trends denominational violence, for instance Himachal 1 0 0 Pradesh Highest incidents of communal within the Muslim community in J & K 4 0 4 violence in 2016 were reported from Kalyan between Barelvis and Salafis Jharkhand 12 5 76 the poll bound state of Uttar Pradesh th on 28 December. Karnataka 40 4 116 (18 out of 62 incidents), followed Kerala 3 0 3 by Bihar (10), Maharashtra (8), Every year CSSS reports Madhya 35 2 110 Pradesh Jharkhand (6) and Madhya Pradesh communal violence on the basis Mahar- 40 4 127 (5). These five states made up for of data and figures released by ashtra nearly 76% of total incidents of National Crime Records Bureau Manipur 4 3 58 violence reported in 2016. (NCRB) and the Ministry of Home Odisha 2 0 26 Affairs (MHA). However neither Rajasthan 16 1 20 State wise break up of number of Tamil 3 0 3 the NCRB nor the Ministry of Nadu communal incidents: Home Affairs has released data on Telangana 3 1 6 Prominent scholars including Dr. communal violence for the year Uttra- 2 0 7 Asghar Ali Engineer and Ashutosh 2016. There is usually a huge gap khand Varshney described communal 4 JANATA, January 15, 2016

Comparison between number of Communal Violence Incidents, and BJP and they ruled in 42% of Deaths, Injuries and Persons Arrested in 2015 and 2016 states where incidents of communal violence were reported.

Regime wise comparison of number of incidents of communal violence The major triggers of communal violence in 2016 have been festivals like Muharram and Durga Puja. The second major trigger of violence was social media. While posts in social media were used as triggers in 7 cases of incidents of communal violence, it was used as a platform violence primarily as an urban of communal violence were reported and tool of mobilization in other phenomenon. We observe communal from states ruled by BJP which incidents too like Peda in Bijnor, UP. violence increasingly spreading made up for 50% of the states where to rural areas as well. The data in communal violence took place. 4.8% The response of the police 2016 shows that out of 62 incidents incidents of communal violence during communal violence has of communal violence, 18 incidents were reported from Karnataka been wanting. The police took took place in rural areas. ruled by Congress. Congress rules preventive action only in 3 out of 62 incidents reported. The police failed to respond effectively in BJP as well as non BJP/Congress ruled states.

Growing incidents of communal violence is increasingly normalizing violence in the society. Citizens are becoming indifferent to communal violence. In such a scenario and taking into consideration the above trends, it can be gauged and In 2016, Punjab witnessed 8% of the states where communal predicted that communal violence communal violence for the first violence was reported. Lastly, 54.8% as a phenomenon in the society will time after the Khalistan related incidents were reported from states continue and there is no end to it in extremism was neutralized. This ruled by parties other than Congress immediate future or short term. time it was conflict between a section of Muslim and Hindu communities. The local Sikhs were in support of the Muslims. West Bengal is witnessing steady rise in communal violence after near riot free regime during the Left Front rule (24, 16 and 27 in the years 2013, 2014 and 2015 respectively according to Home Ministry data for those years).

Regime wise analysis of the data shows that almost 40.3% of incidents JANATA, January 15, 2016 5

Communal violence analysis is generally referred to as the cow were being blamed for desecration As mentioned earlier, the states belt for higher reverence of cows and hurting the sentiments of that have reported the highest has traditionally been the hot site of the Hindus. This misinformation incidents of communal violence are communal violence. was spread to apparently secure UP, Bihar, Maharashtra, Jharkhand the release of Shiva. Later it was Zone wise breakup of incidents of found that some Hindu youth had and Madhya Pradesh. Together they communal violence account for 47 out of 62 incidents of communal violence, constituting 75.81% of total incidents of communal violence.

Uttar Pradesh is slated for Assembly elections in 2017. It has been generally observed by many social scientists that impending elections and political mobilization strategies tend to be along caste and communal fault lines contributing to communal polarization and Triggers of communal violence: desecrated the Dussehra cut off. The communal violence. A number of communal incidents police arrested 5 Hindus and one Bihar has witnessed increasing took place because of the clash of Muslim in this case and prevented incidents of communal violence Muharram and Durga Puja being riots on a large scale. after coalition of JD(U) and BJP split on the same day. Stone pelting in 2013. Maharashtra which falls in and tensions were experienced Festival processions and Social the West zone has been always prone during the processions. Festivals Media were used as trigger events to communal riots. and desecration of places of worship of communal violence. Social media and sacred symbols were exploited posts triggered off 7 incidents of Communal violence in 2016 to trigger communal violence. communal violence. Derogatory claimed 8 lives. 7 out of the 8 In Deoband, UP, locals found posts about Prophet Mohammad deceased were Muslims and the vandalised idols in a temple on or Hindu Gods/Goddesses or other community of the remaining one 27th July. Suspect belonging to the community were circulated on social deceased was not specified. Muslim community was caught media like facebook and whatsapp and beaten up by locals before Zone wise analysis which triggered off violence. In he was handed over to the police. one such instance in Sagar situated Zone wise analysis shows that Officers claimed Sadik appeared in Madhya Pradesh, a nephew of the North zone of the country has to be mentally-challenged. Though an RSS member was found guilty reported highest incidents of violence the gates of a religious structure of of posting objectionable post. One – 42 incidents were reported in the his community was found damaged Muslim youth lost his life and 3 were North zone. West zone reported late at night, police acted proactively injured in the violence that ensued 12 incidents, while South and East and repaired the gates in the night in Ilambazar in West Bengal. 21 zone each reported 4 incidents. itself and the situation was under North zone includes Uttar Pradesh, control. In Shahabad, Karnataka, incidents took place during festivals Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, a youth called Shiva posted an of Durga puja, Muharrum, Ganpati Punjab and Rajasthan. The West zone inflammatory post on facebook procession, Hanuman jayanti and consists of Maharashtra and Gujarat. against the Muslim community and Eid-e- Miladun. Festival related The South zone comprises of states was arrested for the same. Next incidents were reported highest of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka while day a Dussehra cut out was found in UP (8) followed by Bihar (4), the East zone comprises of the states desecrated. Rama Sene and VHP Jharkhand (3), Maharashtra, West of West Bengal and Chhattisgarh. tried to exploit this incident to fan Bengal and Karnataka reporting The North and West zone which communal violence. The Muslims two each. 6 JANATA, January 15, 2016

Losses and damages suffered in why there is no effective deterrence Regime wise analysis: communal violence against communal violence. 6 out of 12 states where communal Muslims suffered more in terms Regime wise comparison of violence was reported are under BJP of deaths, injury and damage of arrests, injuries and deaths of rule, one under Congress and 5 under property. They also suffered more Hindus and Muslims other parties. in terms of coercive force used by the state as a riot control measure, post riot arrests, and launching of prosecutions. Out of 62 incidents, in 12 incidents religion wise disaggregated data of arrests was available. In these 12 incidents, 178 arrested were Muslims and 75 were Hindus.

In the case of injuries, religion wise disaggregated data was available in five incidents. In these five incidents, 46 injured were Muslims and 11 were Hindus. In terms of deaths, religion wise disaggregated data was available in 4 incidents. 7 deaths were those of Muslims. In the case of damage to properties, disaggregated data was available in 3 incidents for vehicles, Regime wise comparison of 40.3% of incidents of communal 6 belonged to Muslims and none property – vehicles, houses and violence were reported from states to Hindus. In the cases of houses shops attacked of Hindus and ruled by BJP comprising of 26% attacked, disaggregated data was Muslims of the total population. 4.8% available in three incidents – 1 house belonged to Hindu and 67 belonged to Muslims. Disaggregated data was available in 3 incidents for shops attacked – 3 houses belonged to Hindus and 56 belonged to Muslims. These figures strike one as odd since the arrests indicate that the Muslims are perpetrators in the communal violence. But if this was the case, then the victims ought to have been the Hindus which should have reflected in the figures related to the number of deaths, injuries, houses/ shops/ vehicles attacked. But the figures tell a different story where major loss has been borne by the Muslims. Communal violence is a double whammy for the Muslim community as targets of violence as well as the consequent police actions. That is JANATA, January 15, 2016 7 incidents of communal violence It has been observed from the data the perpetrators didn’t anticipate were reported in states ruled by and number of incidents reported punitive action against them. Congress which constitute for 3% that in BJP ruled states, there is low of the total population. 54.8% intensity communal violence. There The Congress government incidents were reported from states are no deaths but higher number of in Karnataka was successful in ruled by parties other than Congress injuries (446) in 25 incidents. The preventing a riot in Shahabad where and BJP comprising of 72% of the number of deaths is low so as to one Muslim and five Hindus were population. not attract undue media attention arrested (referred to above). In 2015, or criticism from international the media reported three incidents Regime wise comparison of organizations but communal of communal violence in Karnataka percentage of incidents and violence is allowed to brew sub and in 2016 also this number has percentage of population of states: radar. This sub radar communal remained the same suggesting no increase in the number of communal incidents.

The role of non-BJP and non- Congress governments has been distressing. The Samajwadi Party government in UP has failed to check communal violence though electoral calculations should require it to prevent communal violence. Communal violence benefits BJP as seen in 2014 general elections post-Muzzafarnagar riots. However the role of nationalist actors can’t be ruled out given the hate speeches. The Samajwadi party led government in spite of booking persons allegedly involved in communal violence under the National Security Act and giving compensation to survivors of Number of states ruled by violence is used to impress upon communal violence has by and BJP, Congress and others where the Muslims that they are second large failed to prevent or contain incidents of communal violence class citizens. The higher number communal violence. It was able to took place of incidents is also because that avert one incident of communal violence in Shahjahanpur due to active intervention of the police.

The Mamta Banerjee led government in West Bengal has also failed to arrest communal violence which has undermined the secular Bengali identity and helped emergence of a stronger Hindu identity amongst the Hindus in West Bengal. The failure to check communal violence can be attributed to either the lack of intention to prevent or contain 8 JANATA, January 15, 2016 communal violence or the ability Muslims (see the graphs). In case BJP ruled Maharashtra thus reports to prevent/ contain it. However of states ruled by the non BJP highest number of injuries of the the BJP stands to benefit from the and non Congress governments, police. communal violence in West Bengal religion wise disaggregated data is due to the polarization it achieved. available in 6 incidents. There were Maharashtra police has also Bihar government prevented one riot 52 arrests of Hindus (51 from UP arrested the highest number of in Bettiah. alone) and 6 arrests of Muslims. The Muslims – 156 (Badlapur 21, victim community in these riots was Umerkhed 63 and Malkapur 72) How were riots dealt with? Muslim. out of 179 Muslims arrested in all the Ruling regimes are able to exert communal riots. In Umerkhed for tight control on the state police as 70 police personnel were also which religion wise disaggregated they determine postings/ transfers injured during the riots – 12 each data is available, 25 Muslims were and promotions of the police in Umerkhed and Nandurbar. In all, injured whereas no Hindus were personnel. There is little incentive 27 police personnel were injured in killed or injured whereas 4 houses to the police to act independently Maharashtra. 14 police personnel were attacked whose community is and uphold law and order even were injured in Khodadadpur (UP). not specified. when it goes against the political Comparison between number of arrested from Hindu and Muslim interests of the ruling party. The community from the three areas of Malkapur, Nandurbar and Umarkhed. police action (or inaction) during riots is largely determined either by their own biases and prejudicial attitudes or due to political pressure exerted. It is important to examine the role of police at three different stages of communal violence – prevention, control during riots and post riot actions. We here examine the role of police at all three stages in BJP, Congress and non-BJP/non- Congress ruled states.

The police were able to prevent only 3 incidents of communal Comparison between number of arrested and injured from Hindu and violence and all three states were Muslim community in Umarkhed ruled by non-BJP governed states (Bihar, Karnataka and UP).

At the stage of riot control, the action of police has been inadequate in all states except Karnataka. The observation is based on comparison of religion wise arrests and victim community. In BJP ruled states, religion wise disaggregated data is available in 5 incidents. Out of 189 people arrested in the BJP In Peda in Bijnore, the police accused 2 accused. In other incidents ruled stated for which religion wise though didn’t respond in a timely too, UP Government has invoked disaggregated data is available, manner which allowed the communal draconian law – NSA. However that 18 arrested were Hindus and 171 violence to take place, the police has not proved to be a deterrent as arrested were Muslims even though later arrested 23 Hindus. National high number of communal violence the victims were by and large Security Act was invoked against the persists. JANATA, January 15, 2016 9 Ten Years of Sachar Committee Report

On the completion of 10 years community, one gets a glimpse of sign of terror. We must pay attention of the Justice Sachar Committee the entire Indian society. A person to the education of Muslim children Report, Socialist Yuvjan Sabha needs not just food to live on, but and youth, so must the media and (SYS), Peoples Union for Civil also equality, security, recognition government. Liberties (PUCL) and Khudai and respect. Today, even those in The chair of the second session, Khidmatgar organized a national minority communities who have Prof. Manoranjan Mohanty said seminar in New Delhi on the 22nd of enough resources, are not accorded that all dispossessed communities December 2016. The purpose of the the respect they are entitled to as per including minoroties must be seminar was to find out how much the provisions of the Consitution. systematically studied and worked work had been done according to the when we talk of security we must with. If everyone continues to work committee’s recommendation. The remember that violence is not merely separately, engaging piecemeal with president of the Socialist Party, Dr physical, but also structural and issues at random, it will not lead to Prem Singh introduced the idea of symbolic. Muslims often have systematic, consolidated work. If the seminar saying that this would to face such sort of violence. For one looks at newspapers, books and be the first in a series. In this first instance, calling them ‘beef eaters’ magazines, very little information is seminar on the subject scholars is a living example of psychological available on the social, economic and and representatives of Muslim and mental violence. A Muslim is cultural conditions of Muslims. The organizations have been called as regarded with suspicion. Though rights of minority communities must speakers. Representatives of various inequities are often seen in societies, be regarded carefully. Violence rises political parties would also be called but inequities resulting from being when the rights of minorities are later. So that they are able to tell born in a specific community must threatened. When rights are assured, what extent the recommendations be seen as a serious problem. then through due representation, have been implemented by their social change comes about. governments at the level of the states Syed Mahmood Zafar, who was and centre. appointed OSD by the government Dr. Salim Engineer, general in Sachar Committee, in his power- secretary of Jamat E Islami Hind Addressing the inaugural session, point presentation told that Muslims said that many recommendations veteran journalist Kuldip Nayar in India are 14.2 percent, who are came before the Sachar Committee referring to the report said that 73 percent of the total minorities. report, but this is a different and this report had done the job of Article 46 has provisions for special special report, it is realistic, and unveiling the truth. Muslims should care of weaker sections. According work has been done at ground get their rights. Today the condition to Sachar Committee report, Muslim level. what is the reason that despite of Muslims has gone from bad to society is rather backward on such a widely debated report, no worse. They are not being treated social, economic and educatonal change is happening in the real well. Earlier politics was not linked parameters, and their level has been conditions of minorities. The to religion. But today religion falling since 2006. Only 10 percent reason is the duplicitousness and dominates politics. As per the of the Committee’s recomendation, lack of commitment on the part of Constitution, all citizens are equal. have been implemented so far. governments and political parties. We all need to look into our hearts A big factor in this is the bare In Indian jails, majority of inmates to see what kind of society we really minimum representation of Muslims are of minority communities, want. The Sachar Committee report in adminsitrative positions. out of which 85 % are Muslims. is as relevant today as it ever was. ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’ is an Maulana Mahmood Madni, emotional cliche, reality is quite Prof. T. K. Oommen, who had been general secretary of Jamiat Ulama-I- the opposite. the country is moving a member of the Sachar Committee, Hind, said that there is an increasing from democracy towards fascism. said that this report is a well known trust deficit against Muslims in The identity of this nation is due to historic document. In this report, society. They are socially isolated. its diversity and multipicity, not due through the instance of the Muslim Being a Muslim today has become a to ‘Hindu naitonalism’. 10 JANATA, January 15, 2016

Senior journalist Qurban Ali said that this report has always been Our traditions have always celebrated accused of Muslim appeasement. the ‘argumentative’ Indian not the Madhu Limaye addressing a public meeting had asked, where is Muslim ‘intolerant’ Indian. appeasement happening? Has it happened at social, economic, The , Pranab in our country and freedom of cultural and educational levels? If Mukherjee inaugurated the speech is one of the most important your mentality is discriminatory, 77th session of Indian History fundamental rights guaranteed by you cannot do good work. This Congress at Thiruvananthapuram our Constitution. He said the Indian discrimination happens not only on December 29, 2016.Speaking on History Congress has a creditable at the social but governmental the occasion, the President said an record of standing up for freedom level also. He reminded that the objective pursuit of history requires of expression and asking historians government circular of 1950, which an impartial mind of a judge and not to be faithful to the cause of reason. said that Muslims should not be the mind of an advocate. We must It has often taken cudgels against appointed to sensitive positions, has keep our eyes open for unfamiliar distortions of history. The President still not been changed. ideas and be ready to consider a expressed hope the Indian History range of different inferences or Congress will continue to remain Former minister Manishankar assumptions. This necessarily bars alert and vigilant in the cause of an Iyer said that the accusation of intolerance of contrary opinions objective study of history. appeaement stems from a wrong or judgments. There has been an mindset. When the Hindu personal unfortunate tendency in our country Excerpts from the speech by the law exists, then there ought to be no from time to time to take umbrage at President of India: objection to Muslim personal law. the expression of any view perceived "We must keep in mind that Diversity is the identity of India. the to be hostile to our social or cultural there is no conflict or contradiction motive behind uniform cilvil code is institutions, past or present. between the promotion of regional not equality of all, but destruction history and the pursuit of the history of the Muslim identity. He accepted Similarly, critical appraisals of of our country as a whole. Indeed, that even the Congress governments our heroes and national icons of the the more we know about our regions, did not do enough work on the past have been met with hostility the more we enrich the history of the Sachar Committee recomendations. and sometimes even violence. whole country. My first Master’s however, these recommendations The freedom to doubt, disagree degree is in the subject of History. ought to be implemented. and dispute intellectually must be Kolkata, where I studied, has been protected as an essential pillar of home to some of our great historians Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind’s secretary, our democracy. Nothing should like Sir JadunathSarkar, Professor R. Hakimuddin Qasmi said that lie outside the realm of reason, C. Majumdar, Professor N. K. Sinha, Muslims should take initiative and therefore of discussion and Professor D. C. Sircar, Professor and join everyone in the struggle argument. Such freedom is vital for B. N. Mukherjee and others. They for rights. They should reject the progress in any field, especially a doubtless wrote on Bengal but mentality of fear and pessimism. calling and a craft like history. their eyes were also set on India There are other communities in as a whole. Professor N. K. Sinha India too that are discriminated The President said it is his firm authored a detailed work on the against. The discussion on Sachar conviction that India’s pluralism economic history of colonial Bengal. Committee’s recomendations should and social, cultural, linguistic and Yet, he also compiled the standard continue. He said that people should religious diversity are our greatest biography of the famous Haidar Ali not work with the feeling of revenge strength. Our traditions have always of Mysore, since he held Haider or of defeating anyone else. All celebrated the ‘argumentative’ Ali’s resistance to the expansion of deprived groups must come together Indian not the ‘intolerant’ Indian. British power in India near to his to fight for the progress of their Multiple views, thoughts and heart.This larger concern for the communities and the nation. philosophies have competed with history of the whole of India was (Contd. on Page 11 each other peacefully for centuries shared by prominent historians from JANATA, January 15, 2016 11 other parts of the country as well. or is so massive that the historian with hostility and sometimes even The great authority on South Indian is unable to explore more than a violence. The freedom to doubt, history S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar small part of the available data. disagree and dispute intellectually published important studies of the Personal proclivities of scholars must be protected as an essential Guptas and Gurjaras of Northern such as loyalties to nation, region, pillar of one democracy. India. religion, etc. can influence their choice when evidence suggests not Nothing should lie outside the Whether we focus on regional a single occurrence but a range of realm of reason, and therefore of or national history, what is needed possibilities. discussion and argument. Such the most in our approach to History freedom is vital for progress in any is that we should be as objective as How should one guard oneself field, especially a calling and a craft possible. This is of course true with against temptation in such a situation? like History. respect to all subjects of enquiry I would venture to recommend that and academic activities. Behind reason and moderation alone should It is my firm conviction that many professions of impartiality be our guide. It is natural to love India’s pluralism and social, cultural, may lie deeply rooted sentiments one’s country and see as much linguistic and religious diversity of prejudice or an innate sense of glory in its past as one can detect. are our greatest strength. Our superiority. But patriotism should not result in traditions have always celebrated blinkered approaches to interpreting the ‘argumentative’ Indian not the It is useful in this regard to recall history or a compromise with truth ‘intolerant’ Indian. Multiple views, Edward Said’s influential work in order to justify an argument of thoughts and philosophies have of 1978, Orientalism, whether he choice. No society is perfect and competed with each other peacefully critically scrutinized the claims to history must be also seen as a guide for centuries in our country and objectivity of writing in the west on what went wrong and what were freedom of speech is one of the on Asian culture and history. It the contradictions, deficiencies and most important fundamental rights will be unfair to deny that western weaknesses of the past. The study guaranteed by our Constitution." orientalists introduced a broader of history will be of use to us in conception of history and a more shaping our conduct today only if – Qurban Ali critical attitude towards historical undertaken with objectivity and evidence than our own traditional my impression is that mainstream (Contd. from Page 10) analysts. ‘Orientalists’ deciphered Indian historiography has been quite Giving the concluding remarks our early scripts, they discovered conscious of this responsibility. at the end of the seminar, Dr. Prem Ashoka for us and tracked as well Singh said the Sachar Commitee as translated an enormous amount An objective pursuit of History, report doesn’t merely give statistics, of source material. They deserve our such as our best historians have but also guiding principles of what gratitude for all the valuable work attempted, requires an impartial constitutes a civilized society, and they have done. mind of a judge and not the mind how India should conduct itself vis- of an advocate. We must keep our a-vis the rest of the contemporary However, Edward Said’s work eyes open for unfamiliar ideas and world. Very little work and too serves as a warning against the be ready to consider a range of many promises have happened intrusion of personal prejudice different inferences or assumptions. in response to this committee’s into historical interpretation. In my This necessarily bars intolerance recomendations. We should have view, every branch of knowledge, of contrary opinions or judgments. progressed towards an egalitarian, whether it be one of the so-called There has been an unfortunate democratic and secular soceity, but exact sciences or belongs to the tendency in our country from time to the results are the opposite. Why spheres of humanities and social time to take umbrage at the expression is it that those who sided with the sciences, prospers only when clinical of any view perceived to be hostile British during the feedom struggle objectivity is maintained. It is often to our social or cultural institutions, have found acceptance not only the case in history that evidence past or present. Similarly, critical within politics but also in society? is either so scarce that the room appraisals of our heroes and national for speculation is extremely wide, icons of the past have been met (Contd. on Page 14) 12 JANATA, January 15, 2016 Weapon of mass digitisation

Aseem Shrivastava

One of the least noticed features high executive secrecy - is deeply five years in the digital payments of the introduction of economic reminiscent of the manner in which industry. But this is only if millions reforms in India 25 years ago was the the reform era began in 1991. can be persuaded to abandon cash manner in which addressing a short- as the preferred mode of daily term payments crisis on the country’s Its long-term significance in terms transactions. external accounts became a pretext of digitising the Indian economy in for the government to introduce the global corporate interest should Even if the top half of the Indian - without any debate befitting a not be underestimated. Its far- population can be drawn into the supposedly democratic society - reaching implications are likely to digital net, there are big fortunes sweeping, long-term changes. last much longer than the man who to be made. The bottom half can brought it about. be ignored, unless they become One need not be a votary of the politically restless and vocal. license-permit raj to have observed Those running the larger world the stealthy manner in which have a keen grasp of how policies What lies beneath? international financial institutions favourable to their interests can be enacted through Indian leaders, ever Events of big consequence dictated the key policy shifts of the in history are polysemic in their next decade of what (inappropriately) conscious of their global ratings, no less than of their domestic popularity. significance. Whatever his own came to be called “liberalisation” motivations might have been, in (‘corporatisation’ would be a more It is slowly dawning on a few effect, Modi has been prompted by accurate description). It permanently waking heads that Modi has not the globally-agile digital finance changed the very character of Indian acted as a cashless solipsist in a companies to demonetise and economy and society, not to forget country that runs mostly on cash. drain the liquidity out of the banks the ongoing devastation of the (damaging banking as we have country’s ecology. There are forces much more known it), effectively compelling powerful than him who have hundreds of millions to go digital. Unemployment remains huge, successfully utilised his impatient inequalities have risen alarmingly in political opportunism, his high office this past generation and, ominously, The recapitalisation of Indian and his inflated popular image to banks is temporary and incidental. over 400,000 farmers have push through the demonetisation committed suicide - the last fallout Indian banking is all set for a of currency notes of the highest disruption. The digital disruption of being a direct consequence of the denominations, ostensibly aimed at open-economy agriculture dictated banking is as inevitable as of media removing black money, a shortage and retail have been in the past. by the agreements under WTO. of cash in the country.

Meanwhile, more than 4,000 Their aim? To nudge, and shove Digital payments are a possible multinational corporations are where necessary, Indians well threat to traditional banking doing lucrative business in India beyond the aspirational classes to everywhere now (as this McKinsey today. Whatever else they may have end their digital deprivation and report makes clear). achieved, the stealth reforms since begin making payments for their 1991 have certainly gold-plated transactions electronically. Once digital payments banks their way. have taken over, banking would According to research conducted reach almost every Indian in the Digital coercion: stealth reforms by the Boston Consulting Group next decade (or so we are told) and 2.0 there is an annual jackpot of $500 the mobile would have become a PM Narendra Modi’s recent billion (a quarter of India’s GDP) virtual ATM. Airtel will go where demonetisation call - shrouded in waiting to be made within the next ICICI cannot. JANATA, January 15, 2016 13

Who makes the most? There is a strong constituency of the plank of policies of which A handsome share of this digital both in the corporate sector and demonetisation is likely to be the booty is likely to accrue to the the government which believes it first. The full digitisation of the already wealthy. Two days after the thus has the “solution” to financial economy is the greater goal. The announcement of demonetisation exclusion. The expected windfall of process may take 10-20 years in on 8 November, an important profits is incidental, of course. all, but the globally-agile plutocrats business event took place. have made a daring start in (a Go digital india napping) India. Jio Payments Bank, a “first-of- Modi has always been a digital its-kind” joint PPP venture between enthusiast. With the creation of ‘Black money’ (or busting terrorist Reliance Industries and State Bank of more than 250 million Jan Dhan financial plans) was just the excuse/ India, was incorporated. It aimed to bank accounts for the hitherto pretext to usher in digital coercion. It marry Jio’s mobile subscriber base financially excluded, and its huge is hardly the main goal. Cashlessness and SBI’s vast national database promotion of the Aadhaar card (a will make even plastic obsolete. In to build a formidable distribution creation of the UPA government addition to working as a virtual ATM, network and grow into what is before him) as a means for accessing the mobile will work as a debit (and likely to be one of India’s largest financial services and the transfer in favourable circumstances in the companies in the future. Reliance of subsidies - all that the Modi future, a credit) card too. What Modi has already invested over $20 billion government thinks it now needs in and the digital payments artists in in 4G infrastructure. It is obviously order to push the Indian economy India are doing is completely in line quite sure of making good on the towards cashlessness is a mobile- with the recent World Bank line for huge investment. mediated digital payment system. To developing countries). A World its thinking, Jan Dhan and Aadhaar- Bank Press Release approvingly Jio Payments Bank is one of the linked mobile payment (JAM) will quotes the CEO of Bill and Melinda several other banks slated to occupy achieve the desired goal of digital Gates Foundation: “Governments the digital payments platform in villages - where mobiles are already have to take the lead and drive digital India. Others in the Fintech game available on EMIs. Just like most of financial development forward... with Jio are Airtel Payments Bank, India skipped land-line telephones We need governments to establish Paytm Payments Bank, India Post to acquire mobiles, it is believed the vision, the digital platforms Payments Bank, NSDL Payments that there is no longer any need and the regulatory assurance to Bank, Aditya Birla Idea Payments for physical bank branches across pull the hundreds of millions of Bank, Fino PayTech, and Vodafone the country. Mobile phones will be currently excluded people into m-pesa. These entities have globally enough. full participation in the modern dispersed ownerships, though their economy.” (Bill Gates has himself promoters are Indian. Small wonder then, that the offered an enthusiastic endorsement Recently, IT billionaire Nandan government’s Niti Aayog has of demonetisation). Nilekani, one of the architects of been cooking up schemes to Aadhaar, and now one of Modi’s financially “incentivise” digital And governments are doing just consultants, drew attention to the payments in grassroots India, that. long accustomed to cash. merits of the digital transformation Is this really about black money? of banking by pointing to the key The prime minister’s pro-poor breakthrough of a ‘unified payment rhetoric at his public rallies Nobody - beginning with the interface’ (UPI) launched by RBI notwithstanding, it is perfectly previous Governor of the RBI - with Governor Raghuram Rajan before clear what this government’s actual any knowledge or experience ever he left his job. UPI greatly simplifies priorities are. If some of the poor believed that demonetisation would the transfer of money by consumers. can also be seen to benefit, all the put an end to black money, even Nilekani argues that this will “shift merrier. temporarily. 1The very fact that - the business models in banking from half-way into the 50 days the prime low-volume, high-value, high-cost Cashlessness (“less-cash” for the minister had asked for - most of the and high fees, to high-volume, low- time being) has from the beginning demonetised currency was already value, low-cost and no fees”. been the unstatable long-term goal back in bank deposits, is a tribute to 14 JANATA, January 15, 2016 the resilience of laundering habits which appear to be the final If things had been presented to in the country. If the isolation of destination of much of the wealth the public the other way around, and black money was the main goal of spirited away from the country. the government had been up front demonetisation, as the government Unsurprisingly, the frequency about the objective of achieving a has repeatedly been telling the with which the prime minister cashless India (the removal of black people, it is failing miserably. It has mentioned “black money” or money being but a secondary goal), is the drive towards a cashless “fake notes” has declined sharply there is little doubt that the policy economy which is likely to outlast if one tracks his speeches through would have been immediately the hunt for black money (which can the month of November. At the unpopular. resume its journey after a gap with same time, the objective of moving the help of the new currency notes). India towards “cashless” digital As things are laid out, it will take payments has been heard much a while for the public to see through The assumption, all along, is more frequently in his speeches. The the rhetoric of patriotism. This is that digitising the economy would popular appeal of demonetisation - how stealth reforms are meant to enable a full record of transactions, and the reason why Modi Sarkaar take effect. Meanwhile, just like in robbing the cash-driven parallel still survives despite the criminal 1991, the economy is subject to fait economy of its informal, invisible disruption of the Indian economy - accompli policy-making, digital power. Formalisation of economy rests on the government’s claim that coercion being a necessary part of in this manner, we are told, will it will put an end to black money in the bargain. somehow make human economic the country. –(PNN) behaviour more honest. In fact, a claim could be made quite (Contd. from Page 11) convincingly that digitisation The communalism which came The speakers were welcomed might ultimately greatly increase with the British; which was limited by Dr. Ashwani Kumar in the the scale and impenetrability of to some pockets of cities, has now beginning of the seminar and Faisal the black economy. Technology is spread to small towns and villages, Khan delivered the vote of thanks not known to impart a conscience even to tribal areas as well. How at the end. The first session was to human beings, somehow did it so happen that despite all the conducted by SYS national general rendering them more honest, even institutions being in the hands of secretary Bandana Pandey and the if it sometimes appears to make secular minded people such a lot second session was conducted by cheating difficult for small thieves of space is taken up by communal Dr. Hiranya Himkar. in the short-run. forces? We need to be self-critical too. By way of the new economic Niraj, President SYS In a time of digital opacity, the policies adopted in 1991, neo- risks are particularly high. Don’t imperialism was imposed on the believe this author, just go and country. The current conditions are speak to regulators anywhere who a result of that. The opponents of have to deal with the mounting RSS keep repeating its old agenda. Janata Subscription menace of offshore banking where Whereas it has a brand new agenda astronomical fortunes casually evade of destroying ideology through Annual Rs. : 260/- the hawk eye of governments across technology. When we work together Three Years : 750/- the world. The sums involved make with a fresh perspective on practical Demand Draft / Cheque on the black money the prime minister and ideological level, only then Mumbai Bank has gone after in his stentorian moral will we evolve an egalitarian, civil crusade seem like bashful pennies. society. He put forward a resolution in favour of on behalf of the seminar which was JANATA TRUST Changing goal posts unaimously accepted. The resolution D-15, Ganesh Prasad, Naushir In fact, it is worth asking him calls for de-reservation of Muslim Bharucha Marg, Mumbai 400 007 why he has so far failed to take any majority Vidhan Sabha seats and the action against the large unaccounted constitution of an Equal Opportunity fortunes hidden in offshore accounts, Commision. JANATA, January 15, 2016 15 R.N.I. NO. 1855/1957 16 JANATA, January 15, 2017 Postal Registration No. MCW/275/2015-2017. License to Post without prepayment WPP License No. MR/Tech/WPP-210/West/ 2017 Published on Sunday, January 15, 2017 & Posted on Wednesday January 18, 2017 at Mumbai Patrika Channel, Mumbai GPO-1

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Vol. 72 No. 1 Annual Number January 22, 2017

Republic Day, Sovereignty and the Youth Prem Singh

Fascism: a Mindset, Essentially Anti-Democratic Gauhar Raza

Is the World Leaning Towards Right? Abhijit Vaidya

Need for a Law to Ensure Right to Shelter Bilal Khan

Dalits on the Cross Roads of Independent India Martin Macwan

Present Time and Role of the Socialist Youths Nishikant Mohapatra

Challenges to Idea of India Ram Puniyani

Reclaiming from the RSS Neeraj Jain

Maulana’s Warning Kuldip Nayar

Responding to Kashmir Today Suresh Khairnar

Editor : Managing Editor : Guddi G. G. Parikh D-15, Ganesh Prasad, Naushir Bharucha Marg, Mumbai - 400 007. Email : [email protected] 2 JANATA, January 22, 2016 JANATA, January 22, 2016 3 Republic Day, sovereignty and the youth

Prem Singh

The was adopted on 26th January given to America to interfere in our defence apparatus. of 1950 and we entered the world stage as a sovereign Governments, especially the current government, whips republic. Ever since, 26 January is celebrated as the up nationalistic hysteria to mislead the people, so that Republic Day, a celebration of our sovereignty. Vibrant they are unable to see or comprehend the treason against tableaus of various states and departments are part of the constitutional sovereignty. the nationalist sentiment is parade. But predominantly it is a celebration of the display ususlly whipped up against Pakistan, the country the of military prowess. On careful observation you will find Indian army has always had the wherewithall to defeat. that after the adoption of the new economic policies in Several thousand square kms of Indian territory is 1991—that is after the ruling classes compromised the under Chinese control. The ruling classes never invokes economic sovereignty of the nation—the celebration of nationalism for a military solution to that. All in all, Republic Day has become more and more extravagant. the spectacle parade at the Republic Day has become a During the past three decades, as political sovereignty comprehensive exercise by the ruling classes, its civil got compromised along with economic sovereignty, the society and the common masses to fill the void resulting celebratory extravaganza of Republic Day on Rajpath from the loss of sovereignty. The more the neoliberal reached its zenith. noose tightens around sovereignty, the more extravagant will be this display. Jingoistic nationalism will get more The question is whether our sovereignty has also jingoistic. come of age with the coming of age of these exhibitionist celebrations? A quick look at the decisions taken in This situation is tremendously knotted and depressing. the wake of the neoliberal order makes it clear that the But it also presents an opportunity to salvage and ruling classes have derailed governments from the axis strengthen the sovereignty achieved after a long struggle. of the Constitution, which embodies our sovereignty; Especially to the young. The youth in India do not come and instead mounted them on the axis of neoliberalist from any one domain. There are distinct economic, social institutions of global capital order like the World Bank, and educational domains. Across all these three domains, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organisation, there is a huge army of educated, semi-educated and etc. These agreements and decisions have been taken uneducated unemployed youth. The youth have different at the behest of global capitalist economic institutions perspectives regarding the nation and their place in it. to further the interests of national and international They don’t necessarily even have the same point of view corporate houses, multinational companies and the likes. about the neoliberal assault on national sovereignty. Most The current leadership which claims that nothing has though, want to see India as a superpower. Some indeed been done in the last 70 years, has shown remarkable believe that it already is one. promptness in compromising national sovereignty in just two and a half years of office. They have no concept The youth must understand that a nation which of either freedom or of the sacrifices made by people in cedes its svereignty can never become a superpower. the struggle to achieve freedom for the country, hence They can attempt the difficult visualization that in the they do not care if sovereignty is lost. This is also the neoliberal order, private enterprizes will also have their problem with Narasimha Rao (the then prime minister), tableaus in the Republic Day parade in future. The 100 Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi. Which is why they per cent foreign/ private investment in Defense will turned the party that won the country’s freedom into the also have an imprint on the parade. They must think if party which pawned its freedom. it is acceptable to them? Will they want a share in the neo-imperialist/neoliberal nation? Or will they carry out The ruling class presents military power as the their responsibilities in the sovereign Indian nation? The symbol of the nation’s sovereign power. But it is a false nation’s sovereignty can only be saved if the nation’s reassurance given that now there is 100% foreign direct youth resolve to save it with new preparedness and investment in Defense, and the concessions have been understanding. 4 JANATA, January 22, 2016 Fascism: a mindset, essentially anti-democratic

Gauhar Raza

The plethora of literature that has been produced, and writers has also been equally strong. Even ater sixty year is still being written, on the various aspects of fascism, it remains a subject matter for scholarly as well as public presents a montage that is difficult to comprehend by a debate for two reasons. Firstly, the Second World War cursory scanning. Historians tell us that fascism as an is etched as an ugly scar on human memory and refuses ideology and practice grew in Mussolini’s Italy. National to fade away. Secondly, the fascist consciousness keeps Fascist Party ruled Italy from 1922 to 1943 under the surfacing in various parts of globe, at what would be leadership of Benito Mussolini. Until the end of Second called smaller scale, in post-WWII era, and therefore World War, that is, for the next two years, Republican revisiting the horrific experiences becomes important. Put Fascist Party was in power in Italy. The core of Italian together almost all aspects of fascism have been explored Fascism was constituted by ‘military citizenship’. In the by the best minds during the past sixty three years, yet name of nationalism, it mobilised every Italian citizen it has been difficult to come up with a definition which for World War I by brutally crushing the idea of liberal truly represents the horror unleashed by fascism. democracy. Though fascism has its roots in the First World War and in Italy, most of the post-World War II, Marriam-Webster dictionary defines fascism as literature pegs around Adolf Hitler, German Fascism and ‘a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as the Second World War1. The reason for this is not very that of the fascist) that exalts nation and often difficult to understand. race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by During this period similar developments were a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social taking place in Germany. Hitler (a fiery public speaker, regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition’. full of hate for Jews and Marxists), in July 1921, As expected the class character of a fascist regime assumed leadership of German Workers Party and soon is missing from the Webster dictionary. Georgi renamed it as National Socialist German Workers’ Dimitrov, celebrated Bulgarian communist gives quite a Party (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, comprehensive definition in terms of its class character. NSDAP), popularly known as Nazi Party. Hitler prepared He, in a report presented at the Seventh World Congress a new highly toxic political concoction, by adding anti- of the Communist International (1939) wrote, ‘Fascism semantic hatred and racism to Italian Fascism. It is this is an open terrorist dictatorship of the most reactionary, concoction that is known as German Fascism. This brand the most chauvinistic, the most imperialistic elements of of fascism ignited Second World War II, and gave birth the financial capital... It is an organized massacre of the to Concentration Camps, invented Gas Chambers that working class and the revolutionary slice of peasantry and produced Holocaust which killed more than 11 million. intelligentsia. Fascism in its foreign policy is the most brutal kind of chauvinism, which cultivates zoological The association between fascism and Hitler’s Germany hatred against other peoples.’ Leon Trotsky later in is strong because it revealed itself in the most vicious, 1944, gave another definition of fascism, ‘The historic brutal and ferocious form in that country. It engulfed function of fascism is to smash the working class, destroy almost the entire globe and all spheres of human life. The its organizations, and stifle political liberties when the enormity and expanse of its impact could be judged by capitalists find themselves unable to govern and dominate direct involvement of more than 100 million citizens of with the help of democratic machinery.’ planet earth. Entire Europe, large parts of Asia, Africa and America were sucked into war. The estimated cost Intellectuals like John T Flynn, Ernest Nolte, Umberto of fascism, in terms of individual human life, varies Eco, Emilio Gentile, Roger Griffin, have tried to define somewhere between 50 to 85 million people. No one it in terms of economic, social, political and cultural knows the exact numbers. characteristics, yet a comprehensive definition evades encompassing all aspects of fascism. The evasive Since the brutality unleashed by fascism was character is amply clear by the number of important unprecedented therefore the response of intellectuals, characteristic features which different scholars assign artists, poets, historians, social scientist, filmmakers and to fascism. These vary from a few to more than ten. JANATA, January 22, 2016 5

Umberto Eco, in his article ‘Ur-Fascism’ published in The nation state and individual citizen to identify, report New York Reviews of Book, lists 14 features of fascism. and help in punishing those who participated in ‘project While pointing out that the word fascism has been used fascism’ after WWII. Social, political, literary, military to label and characterise various totalitarian regimes and economic structures build in fascist countries were and movements across the world, Eco points out that demolished by applying external forces. How could same ‘historical priority does not seem to me a sufficient reason set of rules be not applied to a country or a movement to explain why the word fascism became a synecdoche, designated as ‘fascist’. that is, a word that could be used for different totalitarian movements. This is not because fascism contained in Not designating various oppressive governments as itself, so to speak in their quintessential state, all the ‘fascists’, in post-WWII, helped the imperialist forces to elements of any later form of totalitarianism. On the be selective in their relationship towards these regimes. contrary, fascism had no quintessence. Fascism was a For example many oppressive regimes came to power fuzzy totalitarianism, a collage of different philosophical with active help from imperialist countries in Africa, and political ideas, a beehive of contradictions.’ The Latin America and Asia. ‘Mobutu Sese Seko’, a dictator contradictions, which are left unresolved, are propagated who with the help of Belgian support came to power by with the confidence that people will not be able to see overthrowing democratically elected Patrice Lumumba, through them. If an agency, (political organisation, was supported by the imperialist countries, including individual intellectual, citizen or civil society) points United States. Similarly, In Chile Alende’s elected out these contradictions, then instead of accepting the government was overthrown with the active support of anomaly and trying to correct it, the fascists hold those CIA and Augusto Pinochet was installed as the dictator who point it out responsible for it, persecute them, if by USA. Though all such regimes unleashed terror and possible violently annihilate them. horror which Germany had witnessed, they could not have been categorised as ‘fascist governments’ because Fascism as a process they were shamelessly installed and supported by the Let us look at the assertion of Eco. He considers imperialist countries. fascism as ‘fuzzy totalitarianism’, ‘a collage of philosophical and political ideas’ and ‘a beehive of Human history is also history of competing, often contradictions’. He points out that ‘it does not ‘contain... diametrically opposite, ideas. Peace and Violence, all the elements of any later forms of totalitarianism’. freedom and control, materialism or physicalism and This is where I disagree with him. Eco’s assertion does idealism (these terms are used here as in philosophy not consider Italian, German or later forms of fascism categories), religion and , etc., have always as a thought process but looks at it as a finished product, been part of human consciousness since the advent which blurs the vision. The nature, duration and scale of civilisation. Evidence shows that often these of oppressive regimes that came to power in various contradictory ideas peacefully co-exist in the thought parts of the globe post-WWII, were different, which structure of a common human being. In other words essentially means that the finished product was wrapped the thought structure of common citizen, when up in seemingly unlike packages. This forces scholars mapped, is composed of contradictory ideas and value and politicians to create a large number of categories for systems. To operate in a given society or collective, classifying oppressive regimes, such as ‘dictatorship’, depending on the context a citizen invokes an idea and ‘authoritarian’, ‘military dictatorship’, ‘despotic’, when the context changes very different set of ideas ‘autocratic’ ‘oligarchy’, ‘totalitarian’, etc. may be invoked by the same person. This transposition happens with ease and may appear to an individual or From the point of view of resistance movements it was even collective as natural. We experience it happening important to develop these categories for identification around us all the time, at individual, national and at of fraternal groups and mobilisation of various sections international level. The votaries of peace and harmony of society. On the other hand imperialists also needed turn violent swiftly. In a poem Bertolt Brecht points these new categories for simple reason that if these out this contradiction: after the election in Germany, regimes were categorised as ‘Fascist’ then they would he wrote ‘they voted in favour of fascism, because have been obliged to oppose and isolate them. The they believed in democracy’. horror of WWII had resulted in an international moral consensus to collectively punish Italian, German and Fascism is rooted in an urge to control life and Japanese Fascists. It was a moral obligation of every behaviour of other human beings, therefore it is 6 JANATA, January 22, 2016 essentially anti-individual freedom and violentas an of the Race and its culture, Germany shocked the world idea. As a practice the idea takes various shapes, it may by her purging the country of the Semitic Races - the reveal itself in-self inflictions, violent interpersonal Jews. Race pride at its highest has been manifested here. relationships, reinforcing patriarchal family and Germany has also shown how well nigh impossible it is social values, undemocratic movements, oppressive for Races and cultures, having differences going to the governments or a full blown fascist government. In root, to be assimilated into one united whole, a good most societies the idea may remain dormant within a lesson for us in Hindustan to learn and profit by.’2 In predominantly democratic thought structure or prevalent this book of 148 pages Golwalkar refers to Germany among the marginalised group or at the periphery of the and Germans 25 times. On the whole book is extremely political arena. violent and presents a blue print of how fascism could be adapted to Indian conditions. The same is true for a There have always been forces in every society which relatively long book ‘Bunch of Thoughts’ which is an believe that human problems can only be solved when Indianiesed version of Hitler’s book ‘Mein Kampf’. citizen’s way of life and behaviour are strictly controlled, not through consensus but by force. This as discussed In the past ninety years we have witnessed their earlier takes various shapes in society. However, scholars expansion and retreat many a times. The communal riots have proposed to categorise societies based on ‘stages that preceded and followed the demise of in of revolution’. In the recent past index of democracy India, gave these forces opportunity to propagate their has been created and 167 countries have been mapped ideology. They ignited, orchestrated and participated in on a scale of 1 to 10. Fascist thought threatens both, communal riots. Muslim religious and communalists, the liberal democracy and revolutionary consciousness, portrayed as enemies, were in reality, their close allies. therefore those who subscribe to anti-fascist ideas must They committed a blunder by killing Gandhi, following be vigilant. Scholars and thinkers, in any society, must which RSS was banned by the nascent Indian state. But keep assessing the level of propagation and absorption more importantly, shocked public reacted very sharply of fascistic ideas, and continuously devise strategies of and accused RSS members as killers of Gandhi. Post- intervention to counter them. History tells us that waiting Gandhi, communal riots, which they engineered in for end product (fascism) is always disastrous and the various parts of the country, kept RSS and its political costs of reverting back to a civilised society are very high. wing Jan Sangh, alive but only at the margins of dominant national consciousness and national political arena. Indian context There is nothing natural about India being a Emergency, imposed on India by Indira Gandhi, parliamentary democracy. After independence ideas of in nineteen seventies, gave them credibility, and peace, liberty, freedom, brotherhood, unity in diversity, its aftermath brought them to centre stage. Their secularism, scientific temper succeeded over hatred, participation in Government ensured placement of many control, casteism, communalism, regionalism and fascist individuals within the government machinery. violence. However, the breeding ground for sprouting Carriers of fascist viruses were now well placed fascist consciousness did not wither away. Especially especially in education sector, judiciary and media. after Gandhi’s murder by the RSS and Hindu Mahasabha Advani’s Rath Yatra which culminated in demolition of workers, the reaction was so intense that they were pushed a hitherto unknown mosque was an act which succeeded to the periphery of political and social consciousness. in communalising large sections of society. The entire nation was plunged into frenzy and violence. The fascist In India Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ‘Heroes’ to whom Eco refers in their ‘impatience’ to and Hindu Mahasabha which have organisationally serve the cause of Hindutva, sent ‘other people to death’. represented fascist thoughts are more than ninety years The country came to a grinding halt which continued old. There are many other organisations which have been for fifteen days. However, majority did not approve of instrumental in propagating fascist ideas but these two the actual demolition and the violence that followed it. organisations stand alone in terms of their consistency, perseverance and shameless self-proclamation of being For nest ten years, we witnessed relentless attack on fascist. Golwalkar’s book which remains manifesto of minorities. Rise of regionalism and attacks on dalits RSS even today and has not been condemned by it even synchronises with these development. These are the after the organisation developed relationship with Zionist vehicles for propagating fascist idea. The next turning organisations. He in 1939 wrote ‘To keep up the purity point was 2002 carnage in Gujarat. JANATA, January 22, 2016 7

Today they have captured state power and are operating fasces, a bundle ofrods bound around a projecting axehead within the confines of parliamentary democracy. There that was carried before an ancient Roman magistrate by are still spaces left to counter fascist thoughts, future may an attendant as asymbol of authority and power. The name not offer such luxury in future. of Mussolini’s group of revolutionaries was soon used for similar nationalistic movements in other countries that (Endnotes) sought to gain power through violence and ruthlessness, 1. Word History: It is fitting that the name of an authoritarian such as National Socialism. political movement like Fascism, founded in 1919 byBenito Mussolini, should come from the name of a 2. Golwalkar MS.(1939), We or Our Nationhood Defined, symbol of authority. The Italian name of the movement, Bharak Publications, pp 87-88, also available on file:///C:/ fascismo,is derived from fascio, “bundle, (political) Users/GAUHAR/Desktop/We-or-Our-Nationhood- group,” but also refers to the movement’s emblem, the Defined-Shri-M-S-Golwalkar.pdf 8 JANATA, January 22, 2016 Is the world leaning towards right?

Abhijit Vaidya

‘The most surprising event of this political era is to redistributionist progressivism. Opportunity what hasn’t happened. The world has not turned left. progressivism is associated with Bill Clinton and Tony Given the financial crisis, widening inequality, the Blair in the 1990s. This tendency actively uses unpopularity of the right’s stances on social issues and government power to give people access to markets, immigration, you would have thought that progressive through support for community colleges, infrastructure parties would be cruising from win to win. But, instead, and training programs and the like, but it doesn’t interfere right-leaning parties are doing well.’ David Brooks has that much in the market and it hesitates before raising written this bitter truth in May 2015 in New York Times. taxes. This tendency has been politically successful. At that time both the houses of US Congress were ruled Clinton and Blair had long terms. Redistributionist by Republicans though a Democrat, Barack Obama, progressivism more aggressively raises taxes to shift was the President. Once a socialist country Israel had money down the income scale, opposes trade treaties gone surprisingly into the hands of Prime Minister and meddles more in the marketplace. Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party, David Cameron’s Conservative Party had come in power in UK. Oldest Politics of the right talks about aggressive nationalism, Investment Company on Wall Street, Lehman Brothers uses systematic glorification of traditions and culture declared bankruptcy heralding a financial disaster on of the nation, uses race, caste or religion for inflaming the world. This clearly showed the limitations of right the emotions and sentiments of its people. It rejects wing economic policies of free economy. And even then pluralism, inclusive politics and secularism. It first right wing political parties got success after success creates feeling of insecurity in the minds of the people. and captured 26 European countries out of 39 and 30 It impresses on their minds superiority of their religion countries from the Anglo sphere out of 43. This fact raises or race or singular culture. Then projects itself as the a serious question whether the world is leaning towards savior of all these. It talks about prosperity rather than right? Social Register is an annual and its 52nd issue was equality. It vociferously convinces the people that their dedicated to ‘The Politics of the Right’, last year. ideology only can make their country a superpower and world leader. It creates a virtual world and a feeling of Actually the 21st century world with its scientific dejavu and makes people forget their basic needs of life. modernity and communication network should become more and more rational, free from the clutches of Globalization and neo-liberalism have created religions, blurring the boundaries between the nations. unprecedented economic inequality and unemployment The modern world should be free from exploitation and in the world. Our ex-governor of Reserve Bank, Dr inequality, should march towards peace and non-violence Subbarao has said that decision to usher in the policy of should reach the ultimate destination of humanity. But globalization was the first destructive decision (second in reality the world has started a retrograde journey being the demonetization). So the reaction of the world towards religious fanaticism, violence, over-aggressive against these should have been opposite and the world nationalism, political irrationalism and immoralism. should have started leaning towards left. But surprisingly Rise of Modi, in our country and Trump in America are world is reacting in opposite way. Globalization indicators of this fact. Modi is a face of Hindu fanatic widened the gap between the rich and the poor, but it politics marching towards their century-old dream also started blurring the national ethos and identities of Hindu Nation and Trump is a face of superficial, of many social groups. People think that Left politics characterless capitalism marching towards their dream talks about too plural a society, it accepts immigrants, of white racial supremacy. Why is this happening? it talks about a welfare economy but depends too much on public sector even if it becomes a white elephant, it David Brooks has analyzed this phenomenon. He says talks about tax hikes, it encourages trade unions and too that, over the past few years, left-of-center economic rigid labor laws, it talks about sustainable development policy has moved from opportunity progressivism and clean environment but ultimately loses momentum JANATA, January 22, 2016 9 for development, it talks about equality but hardly need of imperialistic mentality and arms manufacturers. about prosperity, it talks about national integration Left talk about gender equality. But even country like but is apathetic towards nationalism. Naturally people America found it difficult to accept Hillary. Left talks start finding politics of the right more acceptable as about secularism but people are still under tremendous they think that right wing economic policies insist on influence of religions. In a country like India left talks small profitable public enterprises, they encourage about annihilation of caste but caste is becoming a new industrialization and production, they are more flexible found identity strengthening the caste system. Jason towards labor laws, they oppose immigrants thus Wilson has said that, “Most right governments are not securing the interests of the locals. This is why even popular. They have not grabbed power on their ideology worker class, once with the left, started leaning towards but have thrived on the weaknesses of the Left. Left lack right. Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Portugal, leadership and right have taken advantage of this.” Left Spain, Switzerland, England, Germany, Netherland, does not allow leadership to grow from within their ranks, Poland, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Romania - all these countries tend to import leadership but right nourishes leadership. have leaned towards right. The only countries which Left lack in the ability to project or define their ultimate are still left are Sweden, Greece, Italy, France, Austria, goals. Croatia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Albania, and Slovenia. Fall of trade unions and rise in self-employment On this background, victory of left in Latin America are also factors responsible for the rise of the right so is remarkable. Left leaders in these countries insisted is the increasing geriatric population. As people grow for basic economic justice and generation of wealth. In older they start leaning towards right. But the younger a capitalist country like America where communism was generation is also leaning towards right because they an enemy and socialist was an abusive word, Kshama think the right only can generate employment and can Sawant could win Seattle Municipal Council taking up achieve development. Right politics always supports the issue of minimum wages and Bernie Sanders could capitalism and market economy which only pushes reach Presidential intra-party finals taking up the issues of world towards economic crisis. Tim Wigmor, an eminent economic inequality and unemployment, both declaring writer of New Statesman says that “One would think the themselves Democratic Socialists. Fall of the world world undergoing economic crisis would lean towards towards right wing politics is moral degradation. This left but has leaned towards right instead.” He thinks is a fall towards capitalism, inequality, unemployment, that, “One big factor is that the centre-left has not been racism, communalism, caste based politics, nationalism, able to answer the question of what it exists for when imperialism, war mongering, fascism and violence. there is no money left. As management of the economy Politics of the right stands for all this. Left politics can has become a much more important issue, right-wing only counter this fall. But left does not mean dictatorial parties have benefited because they “are often labeled communism, left means democratic socialism. Fall of better economic managers”, says Andrew Little, leader left in Russia and China has created negative impact of the New Zealand Labor Party. Thomas Hofer, an on the minds of the people. Left in both these countries Austrian political consultant, says: “In times of crises, has many shades of right in their ways of functioning. conservatives might be trusted more, as they are seen to To succeed, democratic socialism has to shed rigidity keep an eye on a balanced budget. When there’s growth, and frigidity, has to become more fluid and flexible. social democrats are – or were – trusted to spread the Basic human nature is greedy, believes in competitive wealth.” spirit for achieving success, does not believe in equality, can easily nourish animosity and hatred, can fall prey Globalization has given rise to new wealthy middle to violence. Changing the basic human nature is a big class which is afraid that ideas of economic equality spiritual challenge. Political ideology cannot wait for of the left would make them lose their newly acquired spiritual transformations of the people. At the same financial status, industrialists are afraid that they would time spirituality may not go every time in right direction not be able to use natural resources as per their wishes for the humanity, religions have failed to achieve this as left politics is environment protectionist. Workers over centuries. So left has to acquire a modern form are afraid that they will not get opportunity in jobs as considering the fault lines of basic human nature, left accepts immigration. Common man is afraid about problems of the modern world and changing references. the security of the nation as the left talks about cuts in It will have to preserve nationalist spirit avoiding military expenses. People do not realize that wars are the (Contd. on Page 11) 10 JANATA, January 22, 2016 Need for a law to ensure Right to Shelter

Bilal Khan

A shelter is a basic human need but due to the Maharashtra. He initially worked as a construction increased commodification of this basic service, housing worker and later found a job as a home guard constable. is becoming unaffordable to each one of us. Urban poor Santosh as constable, became part of the massive suffers the most due to this unaffordability. The absence eviction drive that took place in the year 2005 which was of an adequate housing forces a poor family to live carried out by the Maharashtra government in an effort in an informal settlement devoid of all basic services to transform Mumbai into another ‘Shanghai’. His job like proper sanitation, clean water supply, electricity, was to provide protection to the municipal authorities ventilation, open spaces and so on. The booming who were demolishing the slums from the angry public real estate backed by black money has furthered this which was opposing the demolition. The government commodification and unaffordibility. Mumbai’s 50% basically wanted to make Mumbai, a slum-free city by population lives in slum due to inability to buy a house. simply demolishing the houses of poor living in informal settlements. However, Santosh resigned from the job Only tall claims and figures are being thrown before the same day when bulldozers steered for his house in people but the actual benefits do not seem to be reaching Sathenagar slum, in opposition to the action being taken the needy under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Housing by the municipal authorities. I think he probably would For All (PMAY) scheme. Even the full implementation have understood the nature of difficulties he was going to of the scheme will not be able to give ‘house to all’ as face after becoming homeless to which he was indifferent the guidelines of the schemes has provided for setting until his own house came to be brought down. up of a ‘cut-off-date’ to provide the benefit. Similarly, there is provision for sanctioning of loans to buy houses Evictions occur by simply branding all the poor under PMAY but there exists a section of the society residents of a slum as ‘encroachers’. This is a commonly who cannot even pay the minimum EMI. There is hardly used legal term by the government authorities and the any city where there are homeless shelters available as judiciary. However, we can only brand anybody as an per the norms set under the National Urban Livelihood encroacher if one is occupying a piece of land with an Mission. So, a seasonal migrant coming to a city as a daily objective to earn benefit out of it but not one who is wage earner, due to unavailability of a shelter is forced living on that piece of land out of compulsion and not to live on footpaths. The problem of housing just cannot by choice. Those living in slums are mostly engaged in be eradicated by a scheme which can merely serve as a unprotected unorganised sector backing the economy jumla rather than a real solution. For a practical solution of the nation but unfortunately their hard work is there has to be a practical policy. not given due recognition. The rising ‘GDP’ has the unrecognised efforts of the toilers from the unorganised Even in the age of ‘Housing For All’ scheme, eviction sector. The ‘Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, without rehabilitation has become the order of the day. 2008’, provides for housing, education, old age homes, It is more frequent in places where ‘smart cities’ are insurance, skill development, provident fund and funeral planned. Evictions might be considered a mechanical job assistance. However, poor implementation of the Act, but the misery which is followed post-eviction can only increases the vulnerability of poor section of the society be expressed by a victim. “If there is no home, there is against all forms of exploitation. This is not to say that no life. Home is everything. Without a home, ‘right to the Act can ensure total social security. Experts have life’ has no meaning. Without a shelter, you are left open gone to an extent of regarding this Act as a toothless to face the extreme weather - the burning heat, freezing one given its inadequate provisions. But I think that cold, storms and rains and with a life in jeopardy”, the full implementation of the Act in the present form says Santosh Thorat, a slum resident from Annabhau may provide some respite and efforts must continue to Sathenagar, Mumbai and also a member of Matang improve the Act. community, one of the most backward communities of the country. He had come to Mumbai city in search I know a single woman in a slum in Mumbai. She of work from Jalna district of Marathwada region in is 60, living all alone in her shack. Her house may be JANATA, January 22, 2016 11 demolished anytime because the Forest Department forcibly homeless, jeopardises one’s life which clearly wants to take back the land in possession of slum violates ‘right to life’ guaranteed under Article 21 of dwellers. When her house is demolished, she has no the Constitution of India. The Government of India has other place to take shelter in but to face all forms of also ratified, ‘housing right’ as a basic human right in difficulties at this old age. Similarly, children living in Universal Declaration of Basic Human Rights and the this community would lose their schooling because of the International Covenant on Social and Cultural Rights but difficulty created due to broken houses. Also, because of has not done anything to ensure it in full spirit. the same reason, the livelihood of the inhabitants of this slum is going to be affected. This is the same story in each So far any attempt to evict a slum has faced people’s slum whenever there is an eviction. The worst scenario resistance. Sometime it works and sometime it doesn’t. is when the evictions happen during heavy rains, in the There is a need to move away from fire fighting mode chilling winters and sometimes the resisting inhabitants for the housing rights movements/organisations and of the slum lose lives including the small children while work towards a more sustainable legislative solution. facing the atrocities committed by the authorities to There is undisputably a long-felt need for a statutory crush the protest. law recognising the human right to housing, which is an integral part of the constitutional right to life. With I contacted Irfan Ali Khan, a colleague in a slum, the growing influence of the capitalist markets and the asking for a quote for this article to just provide the increasing bias and indifference of the bureaucracy, readers the reality, direct from the sufferer. “I am political class and even the judiciary towards the poor handicapped with crippled legs. In a span of twelve years and all those fighting for their rights, it is certainly I have seen multiple evictions of our basti (informal going to become that much more difficult to even garner settlement or a slum). Every time I have to helplessly see temporary ‘respite’ during eviction drives in the absence all my belonging along with my house getting destroyed of a legal remedy. by the municipal authorities and making entire population of the basti homeless in front of my eyes only to be This calls for a national legislation to protect and reminded, being a cripple and poor without a house who ensure ‘right to shelter’. This would ensure a minimum can’t do anything to save his house just because I am shelter to each needy citizen of the country who cannot handicapped and government does nothing to ensure and afford to buy or rent a house and live a dignified life protect my housing right”. He is only 28 years old with with the provision of all the basic amenities of life. This two children and a resident of an informal settlement would also mean a full stop to atrocities committed on called Adarsh Nagar in Shivaji Nagar, Mumbai. the poor homeless families during eviction just because they are homeless and living under a temporary shack To the surprise of all of us, there is no law or policy to provide themselves a shelter. A bench comprising that would protect persons like Santosh, that 60 years old of Chief Justice of Delhi High Court and Justice Dr. single woman, or Irfan or many poor children living as S. Murlidhar best explains the eviction phase when it squatters all across the country under a constant threat states that “what very often is overlooked is that when a of eviction. This is not a new finding. This has been family living in a Jhuggi (slum) is forcibly evicted, each discussed and talked about several times. The Supreme member loses a bundle of rights – the right to livelihood, Court and various High Courts have on several occasions to shelter, to health, to education, to access to civic stated that ‘right to adequate shelter’ is part and parcel amenities and public transport and above all, the right of ‘right to life’. Denial of a shelter or making someone to live with dignity”.

(Contd. from Page 9) instigator spirit even while marching towards world order for the modern living, will have to create welfare state and humanity, has to encourage generation of wealth without loss making public sector, will have to provide while talking about equality, has to find employment modern means for communications and technologies, opportunities in revolutions of modern science, has will have to guard national security through diplomacy. to move towards development while preserving the This modern Avatar of Democratic Socialism has to be environmental balance, will have to invent Spinning attractive enough to be acceptable to masses. Youth all Wheel for 21st century rather than getting stuck up with over the world should try to invent Modern Avatar of Mahatma Gandhi’s Charakha, will have to improve basic Democratic Socialism. But one thing is sure that it only infrastructure while relinquishing the thirst of the masses can stop fall of the world towards right! 12 JANATA, January 22, 2016 Dalits on the cross roads of Independent India

Martin Macwan

Since there are no two opinions in the country about The year was 1995. The police had wrongfully the existence of the caste system in all its discriminatory confined a Dalit youth over a stolen bicycle found in his manifestations today can we conclude that the law has possession in Gujarat. The youth had purchased it for reached its limits to contain caste based discrimination? Rs. 200. What followed was the physical torture tearing Or is there space for the argument that had the reservation apart the back skin and dark bruises on the body. The based on social identity been introduced in higher youth was unable to stand. The police had personified judiciary, the judicial institutions would have made better victim’s younger brother before the court. I had filed a impact on the core subject of fractured identity of its petition on behalf of my organization seeking arrest of citizens into Dalits and non-Dalits, the higher caste and the police in Gujarat High Court. The High Court was the lower caste and the forward and backward? very disturbed to see the photographs of injuries on the deceased and sought to know from the public prosecutor The immediate reactions would un-favor the argument defending the police, what action would the State take with supporting evidence that inability of the law to had the victim been the police? deepen its impact on social evils cannot be confined to ‘Caste’ alone since it equally applies to the issues The prosecutor had replied which I cannot forget after of growing violence against women and the poor in many years; ‘The law differs from person to person’. I general. True. However, the argument itself is validated was less surprised to see the prosecutor continuing in the that the social change requires something more than the office but was definitely surprised to see him elevated on law. the bench in next few months, as the honorable judge of a high court. I was equally surprised by a Dalit medical Intellectuals may have diverse opinions on the subject professional who had noted injuries on the body of the but over the years I have come to hear from almost all victim and the history of police atrocity had testified victims of caste discrimination over and again that the before the court that his remarks on the case papers was law has not been able to kindle a ray of hope in their a ‘slip of the pen’. battered lives. The State for them is alien, not theirs. It has The recent incident of public flogging of Dalit youth taken me years to understand the unshakable and growing before the police station and in the presence of the many folds the faith of the poor and the marginalized mocking police by the cow vigilantes is one of many such in general in the invisible god of destiny. The fate and cases where the police has been either the mute spectator destiny, however irrational they may be, gives them or the conspirator, a reason for the fast and uninterrupted hope as compared to the State and Law giving despair. growth of such private armies taking law in their hand It is ironical that the religion of belief bounding Dalits without authority. The Chief Minister promised speedy in psychological slavery over several centuries has been Justice to the victims at Una, as was done in earlier the source of hope. incident of Thangadh where police had shot down three youth. In latter case the State has filed a summary report It is a common practice though not supported by any with interesting new finding though not convincing. The law of land for many courts to suggest the victims of caste firearms had fired accidentally! atrocities, the possibility of an amicable settlement at the commencement of a trial in total disregard of the spirit How does all these, the failure to get legal justice, the of law. During one of the training program of sensitizing nexus between the State and the perpetrators of the crime session judges having the charge of ‘Atrocity’ cases having political patronage, the widening gap between where I was invited as a speaker at the National Judicial those who have and those who don’t, affect the minds Academy; I heard a senior Judge saying: “Actually we of the Dalit youth who are continuously exposed to the do not need law in this country. If everyone walked on unruly scenes on the streets of Kashmir, or the bombings the path of the Vedas and the Puranas, there would be in the middle east or the black youth using the guns to justice”. shoot the police offices in USA? JANATA, January 22, 2016 13

One of the most serious findings of Navsarjan Untouchability, it would not have grown to its present study, ‘Understanding Untouchability’ to measure the status. The earlier Christian church too cooperated with prevalence of 98 forms of caste discrimination in Gujarat the caste system to widespread itself by converting was that in 54% village public schools Dalit Children Brahmins into Christians and showing contempt towards have been seated separately during the mid-day meal. the untouchables as Hindus. Which direction these children will end to in few years when they will grow adults? Will education hold any India has been walking unfortunately on the path hope for social transformation or will it become one more of becoming confederation of castes. There seems to avenue of frustrating despair? be limited options for Dalits in India for their ‘own’ With all criticism offered to RSS today it must be independence. They have to create their own avenues accepted that had it radically taken up the mission of of hope within their own segregation. Reservation offers cleaning Hinduism of the evils of caste system such as them a ‘special status’ but not ‘equal’ status. v³ee³³e nkeÌkeÀ efceUJetve IesC³eemeeþer DeeefCe mecem³eeb®eer oeo ueeJetve IesC³eemeeþer cegbyeF& yebojeleerue yeboj DeeefCe ieesoer keÀeceieejeb®eer yeuee{îe ue{eT mebIeìvee ì^evmeHeesì& De@C[ [e@keÀ Jeke&Àme& ³egefve³eve, cegbyeF& Heer. ef[cesuees YeJeve, Heer. ef[cesuees jes[, keÀvee&keÀ yeboj, cegbyeF& - 400 038 ³eeb®es leHexÀ Meg Yes ®íe

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meef®eJe Þeerceleer keÀuHevee osmeeF& Þeer. peieVeeLe ceesjs Keefpeveoej meb³egkeÌle Keefpeveoej 14 JANATA, January 22, 2016 Present time and role of the socialist youths

Nishikant Mohapatra

We are in a difficult time. There is a government at Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the financial controller of the centre which is determined to finish the unfinished the country as per its whims. It has been proved during agenda of the Sangha Parivar. Instead of the federal the demonetisation episode that the autonomy of the character of the country and the cherished multi- RBI is severely compromised and it has become an culturalism that has thrived through ages, the Sanghis appendage of the Prime minister’s Office (PMO). Even want unitary, authoritarian India. The majoritarian idea in the name of Surgical Strike it has tried to politicise cherishes to user in an era of minority subjugation, the Indian Army and has cornered the achievement of medieval traditional male dominated orthodoxy, caste the army as that of BJP. entrenched social order and promotion of corporate interests. To achieve these unfinished agenda of the Modi government has not stopped at hampering Sanghis the government under Narendra Modi has federalism and killing the autonomy of institutions. It is started its mission of complete dominance. The way it is hell bent upon dividing the society on the basis of caste trying to bypass the state governments through centrally and religion. The murder of Akhlaq in the name of cow sponsored schemes and directly coordinating with the protection and the mob punishment of dalit brothers in district administration is quite worrisome. Even in states Gujrat as well as suicide of dalit Ph.D student Vemula like Uttarakhand, Nagaland, West Bengal and Delhi it at Central University, Hyderabad points to the fact that has tried to harass and unsettle the state governments Sanghis are let loose. Even the vilification of students through handpicked Governors against the clear mandate of Jawaharlal Nehru University and the subsequent to the ruling dispensions there. It has surpassed all blatant arrest of student leaders proves that the Modi previous governments in infringing the autonomy of government is targeting all spheres of freedom, learning constitutionally vital institutions. and institutions where there is scope for dissent. The tactics is to brand any criticism of present government’s The Modi government is assiduously assaulting all policies and programmes as antinational activity. BJP the independent institutions of the country and in the leaders like Sadhvi Rutumbhara, as process degrading the status of these institutions. It is also well as Bajaranga Dal, Sriram Sena, Gosuraksha Dal, a peculiar time when the intelligentsia and paid media etc. have become the prominent mascots of the social are proactively allying with this design for destruction. unrest that has started with the government’s patronage. We have witnessed the Planning Commission being Even the increasing attack on personal freedom and rechristened as Niti Ayoga without any clear mandate opinion through social media has been mostly attributed regarding its role. Similarly instead of repeated pleas by to BJP. Whether it is trolling after Karina Kapoor’s son the Supreme Court, the present government is stalling the named Taimur or Irfan’s son named Imran or of Amir appointments of the High Court judges on the pretext of Khan’s intolerance statement, everywhere you will find unsuitability and demands a larger say of the government a nefarious design to vitiate the social fabric through in these appointments nullifying in essence the role of hatred and rumour by the Sanghis. The state’s silent the collegium of the Supreme Court. Even in case of support is obvious. BCCI versus Lodha Committee, BCCI President Anurag Thakur, an MP from BJP defied the directions of the Not only the federal character, institutional autonomy, Supreme Court till he was kicked out of the Board by cultural pluralism and social fabric is under stress due the Supreme Court. Again notwithstanding the desired to Modi’s authoritarianism but also the economy of the autonomy of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), country has faced unparalleled challenges under the Modi government has appointed to it an ad hoc director present dispensation. Modi government has written Rakesh Asthana, who was investigating the Godhra riot off more than one lakh crore rupees of corporate loans case and is known to be very close Gujarat cadre IPS and has ensured a free passage for the King Fisher boss officer to Modi. Not only the present government is trying Vijay Mallya. It is working overtime to bring benefits to to manage the Planning Commission, Supreme Court, corporate giants like Ambanis and Adanis. It has become CBI and other agencies, but also it is trying to drive the synonymous with corporate interest. At the same time JANATA, January 22, 2016 15 the policies and programmes of Modi government are their convenience, availability and leisure rather than killing the farmers, labourers, small industries, pretty determined effort and action plan to build up socialist businessmen, youths and the middle class. During India. We are happy to enlist a number of institutions, demonetisation of 1000 and 500 currencies alone there individuals and movements on our platform to showcase were more than 150 deaths of the poor and farmers, that we are increasing by leap and bound. Big names and and more than 4 lakh labourers lost their jobs. Farmers spent forces having little space for emerging ideas, having were compelled for distressed sale as the market lacked no fire for meeting the ambition of the new generation cash and were left with no option but to suffer. With a and maneuvering over old tools cannot resurrect socialist slowing down economy it is predicted that the poor will movement any more. further suffer. Arvind Kejriwal, the founder of Aam Aadmi Party Role of the socialist youths has demonstrated how in a short period the youths can In this context, the questions for the socialist youths bring in organizational skills and can fight the entrenched are very sharp and focused. What will be their role forces. Similarly, there still are some socialist leaders in challenging the divisive forces? What can they do although in their 90s have demonstrated how youths can to defeat the fascist political forces? How can they be mobilized across the country towards the socialist effectively communicate in the emerging communication values and can carry on the baton of socialism to the next paradigm dominated by social media? How can socialist generation. The underlying fact is that there should be youths come out of dogmatic positioning on socialism a design to build up an independent, organised socialist and ensure mass mobilization of the public? How can force and simultaneously there should be efforts to co-opt effectively they defend the interests of the poor and the socio-political forces as practicing tools of socialism. The downtrodden vis-à-vis the corporate and state onslaught? present governments of Delhi and Bihar can be put in the co-opted category. Nevertheless, an independent socialist Socialism in Indian discourse at different times as movement is the need of the hour. Some youths should propounded by , Acharya Narendra take the charge and strive hard to build up an all-India Dev, Jayaprakash Narayan and Dr. Rammanohar Lohia socialist movement. had a profound impact on the politics of the country. Whether it is Dalit empowerment, gender equality, The movement while aggressively working on social safety network schemes, educational inclusion, organization building must take on the fascist forces head nationalization of banks or constitutional guarantee for on. It should use all the modern tools of communication cultural and religious independence, everywhere we find as well as social media effectively to counter the the imprint of socialist thought. But of late socialism has mainstream paid media. Even legal recourse on certain become a term of abuse as the products of the socialist matters should be pursued. In a complex game where the movement failed to live up to the expectations. Mulayam fascist and corporate agents are playing all kinds of dirty Singh Yadav, Ram Vilas Paswan and Laloo Prasad games, misinformation, slander and stories, we will have Yadav and leaders who were the products of the socialist to be very careful in our approach. We have to use various movement of the country degenerated to such an extent tools and enlist support of professionals from different that the public carried a sorry picture of the socialist fields to be successful in countering the propaganda and ideology. They are more famous for family politics and to spread the socialist outlook among the new generation. Gundaraj than governance. Later on so-called socialists Public funding and support must be revitalized to also became synonymous with corruption and political make the socialist struggle sustainable. So not only the opportunism. Therefore, to claim that “we are socialists” traditional, recognised Dhoti-Kurta leader but also the is not going to be the solution for declining socialist common youth with a passion for change should be the movement and thought. The youths who look forward face of the new socialist movement. The present time towards socialism as a way of life i.e. “society first” have requires the socialist youths to recalibrate their strategy to work hard to get demonstrative results. Symposiums, as the leader of new socialist movement in terms of seminars, youth camps, token demonstration, ideological organization building and effective intervenvention in write ups, flags and badges apart, they have to emerge as the fast changing socio-political paradigm. You can a viable alternative force in the socio-political discourse take inspiration from the glorious past of the socialist of the country. We are witnessing a tendency of socialists movement but the future has to be shaped in the context to amalgamate all kinds of forces depending upon of the emerging challenges. 16 JANATA, January 22, 2016 Challenges to idea of India

Ram Puniyani

During the campaign for general elections 2014, included literary giants, scientists and film makers. Even the then Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi such tall personalities were looked down by RC and it stated that he was born in a Hindu family and that he was alleged that they were doing it for political reasons is a nationalist. So he is a Hindu nationalist(1). This was or for money.(6) a very overt statement of the BJP-RSS about the type The overall structure of government started being of nationalism which they envisage and around which controlled by the Prime Minister, taking charge of the they will build the country. During last close to three total power, reducing the cabinet to the role of a puppet. years this agenda is being unfolded in various policies The authoritarianism came to supplement the communal of the government. Their intent came in the form of politics. The educational institutions’ autonomy came pronouncements of the leaders of BJP and associated under big hammer and incompetent people started being organizations of RSS (to be called RSS combine, RC), appointed as the head of the institutions like in FTII, ICHR these came out openly in their utterings. Giriraj Singh, and in different Universities the ones owing allegiance who is currently a Minister in the Government, said to ideology of RC started being appointed despite the that all those who don’t vote for Modi should go to lack of serious academic contribution by them. The Pakistan.(2) Another present Minister Sadhvi Niranjan case of JNU, HCU and IIT Madras in particular shows Jyoti made the binary distinction between Ramjade ki the total violation of the norms of academic autonomy Sarkar (BJP) and Haramjade (illegitimate) (referring being replaced by the control by MHRD and labeling to non-BJP formations).(3) These are just the samples, the student leaders as ‘anti-national’. This is what led from the trend of utterances which went on becoming to the forced and arrest of increasingly intimidating during last couple of years. The (7) voices dissenting from the policies of the Modi sarkar, and his colleagues of JUNSU The started being labeled as ‘anti-national’. academic curriculum is being refashioned under the guidance of RSS, turning the educational system to the Social space: emotive issues , to the imagined ‘glorious past’ as central core of the curriculum. The social space was already having the presence of issues like love Jihad and Ghar Wapasi.(4) Any The emotive issues like ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’, singing inter-religious marriage where the boy is a Muslim of national anthem in Cinema houses came to the fore. and the girl is a Hindu is derogatorily referred to as The prime minister is promoting Gita as the national love jihad and is criticized and opposed. The issue of book by gifting it to overseas’ dignitaries, while Ghar Wapasi, where the claim is that the conversions External affairs minister has overtly (8) took place in India forcibly and so there is a need to demanded it being declared as the national book. bring back these Muslims and Christian converts to This is gross violation of our Constitution where there Hindu fold had already been there. ‘Hate speech’ is is equal respect for all religions and state is not to be the hallmark of the RC, making derogatory comments guided by religion. The national icons like Nehru are about religious minorities. These issues were made being sidelined while some of those who were not part more assertive. The issue of beef eating, cow slaughter of freedom movement and did not subscribe to Indian became one more identity issue to be brought to the Nationalism, like Shyama Prasad Mukherjee are being fore. The build up around this issue led to the incident brought to the fore. Now a political situation has come of Dadri where one Mohamed Akhlaq was lynched by about where due to patronage from the top the workers the mob. Further continuation of this trend manifested of RC are becoming more aggressive and assertive. In a in the incident of Una where dalits were tied to the SUV very clear way the issues related to identity are coming and mercilessly beaten on the charge of killing a cow. to the fore while the issues pertaining to livelihood of (5) The overall attack on freedom of expression fed the people like those related to food, shelter, employment, atmosphere of intolerance forcing many leading lights health, agriculture and plight of the poor are being put of the country to return their well earned honors. They on the margins of the society.(9) JANATA, January 22, 2016 17

Social welfare undermined envisioned a future where all had equal rights and all got One recalls that the dominance of issues related to justice. This formed the base of freedom movement of identity is not new. Issues of identity have been coming India which got articulated in the Constitution of India. to the front from 1980s, with Ram Temple movement, the Here religion became a personal matter and many of the identity issues are being made more important and being leaders of this stream, like Mahatma Gandhi and Maulana brought to the fore. They are no more marginal as they are Azad harped on morality of religions. Others like Phule hogging central space. During this period there has been and Ambedkar struggled against unjust social norms a see saw battle with BJP-RSS forcing the identity issues imposed in the garb of religion. Still the likes of Bhagat to the fore while the other political parties in some way Singh focused on the suppression of rights of the working have tried a bit to keep up the material-welfares issues masses. Here the identity of religion was not a matter of as an a part of their agenda. Tough not very satisfactory importance at all. Some from these streams were very still the UPA during last ten years was forced to bring religious but not running after rituals. They respected in the provisions like ‘Right to information’, ‘Right to morality of all religions, like Gandhi and Azad. This is food’, ‘Right to Education’ and ‘Right to health’. We the nationalism which was supported by broad masses of can clearly see the correlation of the votaries of Indian India; these people were the central part of the freedom nationalism articulating, though still weakly, the issues movement. Freedom movement was yet another ground of living versus the emphasis on identity issue, issues, which deepened the bonds of amity between people of which also create emotions-hysteria, by the practitioners different religions. of Hindu nationalism. The ones coming from the declining sections like the landlords-kings threw up the organization which Nationalisms later went on to culminate in the formation of Muslim Hindu nationalism and both League, Hindu Mahasabha and still later around the emerged during the freedom movement, during colonial ideology of Hindu nationalism, RSS. While the initiators period. The British colonizers were out to plunder of this stream were elite landlords and kings, later the world, including India. They enslaved India by a section of educated and upper castes came to lead and by. They unleashed the social changes leading to these movements. These are the ones which articulated modernization, Industrialization and introduction of Muslim nationalism and Hindu nationalism. They were modern education. These upcoming classes, industrialists, not concerned with the humanistic teachings and aspects workers and modern educated classes were the base of of religions but highlighted only the identity aspects of Indian nationalism. In different countries, particularly religion. These were the streams which picked up the in Europe with coming modern changes the new classes communal historiography, looking at history through overthrew the rule of old classes of landlords-kings and the prism of king’s religion, introduced by British and the feudal values into the dustbin of history. The rule started spreading hate against the ‘other’ religious of feudal classes of landlords was given legitimacy by community. This is what formed the basis of communal the clerical elements of the society. This legitimacy was violence. They also took up identity issues like holy given by the institutions of religion - Church, Maulanas, cow and dirty pig, among others. They harped on the Acharyas - who were hand in glove with the feudal glorious past and not only kept aloof from the national powers. Since these latter classes were not abolished, the movement for independence but also kept creating a continuation of these classes led to the rise of politics in glorious past hiding the earlier darkness of caste atrocities the guise of religion, nationalism in the name of religion; and subjugation of women prevalent at that time. The Muslim nationalism and Hindu nationalism. central concern of these political tendencies was to retain Broadly the rising Indian nationalism was represented their social-political-economic hegemony. For them the by various streams like that of -Socialists, rights of the average people were never the concern and the ones who focused on economic justice, Jotirao Phule the question of rights of dalits, workers, women were and B. R. Ambedkar, striving for social justice and the not the issue. The citizenship and empowerment was stream leading national movement like Maulana Azad, the focus. Essentially theirs was the attempt to keep and Mahatma Gandhi, the Indian National up their social superiority of upper caste male under Congress, the stream which united India as a nation. the guise of religion, in newer circumstances. Identity This rising streams focused on freedom from colonial issues as practiced by these streams are a cover for powers, issues of justice and rights of citizens.(10) They bringing back the status quo of feudal times. While the 18 JANATA, January 22, 2016

Indian nationalists believed in geographical nationalism, It first used the JP movement to get legitimacy. It has inclusive values, the Muslim and Hindu nationalists were been piggy back riding on Anna Hazare-Ramdev and exclusive in their approach. Hindu nationalists talked of Kejriwal movements to broaden its reach. It also rode culture as the basis of nation. on the back of agitation around Nirbhaya to further the electoral prospects of BJP. Post-Independence There are multiple doubts about various secular parties. After independence the Muslims nationalists mainly These have been well exploited by RC in conjunction migrated to Pakistan, leaving ineffectual remnants here. with opportunist parties and leaders to increase its grip The Hindu nationalist RSS, after one of its Swayamasevak on society. The battle today is not between Hindus and assassinated the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi, Muslims or Christians, The battle is to undermine the went into slight decline for few years(11) It came up later idea of secular democratic India. The assault is by Hindu and got legitimacy particularly after it joined Jayaprakash nationalism of RSS combine led, by Narendra Modi. The Narayan (JP) led movement and since then has been assault is against the idea of India, which came up as a going from strength to strength. It raised the issue of beef part of national movement and is enshrined in Indian and ‘Indianization of Muslims’ earlier also. Meanwhile Constitution. The politics, which kept opposing Indian its progeny and predecessor of present BJP, Bhartiya Jan nationalism and kept aloof from freedom movement, the Sangh, came up to oppose cooperative model of farming politics of RC, the notion of Hindu nation is now trying and public sector enterprises. It was pro-America right to grab the driving seat. from the word go. In 1980s RSS-BJP hit their goldmine in the form of Ram Temple movement, which began in Path ahead the aftermath of Shah Bano controversy and picked up For all those believing in secular democratic values, steam with Mandal commission being implemented. these are trying times. As a ray of hope in these dark The rath yatra and demolition of Babri Mosque by these times, last couple of years has seen the movements formations was the major attack on Indian nationalism which came up in the wake of Modi Sarkar’s blatant and violence accompanying this it polarized the society Hindu nationalist politics. These movements are the ones deep down.(12) which came up around Rohith Vemula’s suicide, around With this BJP became the major player in the electoral Kanhaiyya Kumar’s arrest and in the aftermath of Una arena, grabbing the power in 1996 and then in 1998. atrocity. The latter is best represented by Opportunism of many opposition parties was and is the and other young leaders demanding land rights for weak link as they allied with the Hindu nationalists, and dalits.(14) These movements are a great hope for helped them come to power. The last elections (2014) democracy, for the inclusive idea of India. What is have been a major mark on the history of the country heartening is that some political parties are becoming as this time; backed by Corporate resources and RSS aware of the dangers of Hindu nationalist politics. Many manpower; Modi could get 31% of votes and 282 (over of these parties are coming together and are making 50%) of seats in Lok Sabha giving them full control on electoral understanding despite their inflated egos and the levers of power. The RSS progeny has been working opportunism. There is need to cultivate and promote all through last close to a century, communalizing social and political platforms for promoting secularism the social space through various educational/cultural and democracy. The ongoing social movements for land mechanisms. It has also been spreading hatred against rights, wages, social and gender justice need to be stepped minorities through these channels. With BJP becoming up by creating a alliances which can take their common the major party ruling the centre they have got unlimited issues and unite the large section of society for their access to various conduits through which their agenda rights and dignity. There is an urgent need to remind us of Hindu nation is being brought in. The policies of the of the ‘Secular-Democratic Idea of India’, and strive for central government coupled with intensified RC work is the values which were the dream of national movement. a major threat to the idea of India as it developed through freedom movement, as outlined in Indian Constitution(13) Foot Notes 1. http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/yes-i-am-a-hindu- Centre of power nationalist-narendra-modi_861777.html In the last few years RC has done a clever game by 2. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/Those-opposed- to-Narendra-Modi-should-go-to-Pakistan-BJP-leader- strengthening the popular opinion against secular parties. (Contd. on Page 27) JANATA, January 22, 2016 19 Reclaiming Swami Vivekananda from the RSS

Neeraj Jain

Ever since the (BJP) came to secular. In fact, in 1896 Vivekananda even proclaimed power at the Centre in 2014, the RSS, that controls the himself a socialist. BJP, and the dozens of fundamentalist outfits spawned by it, have been pushing ahead their communal agenda At a time when a spectre of fascism looms over with great speed. The declared intention of the RSS is the country, at such a time, it is important to spread to subvert India’s democracy and secular structure and Vivekananda’s true thoughts and ideas among the transform India culturally, politically and socially into a people, who stood for ideals exactly opposite to those Hindu Rashtra, based on the Manusmriti and the caste of the Hindu fundamentalist forces. This essay has been system. inspired by the writings of Dr. Dattaprasad Dabholkar, where he has brought forth the true thoughts of Swami According to the Anthropological Society of India, Vivekananda. Indian population comprises of more than 4,000 distinct communities, marked by differences in customs, Scientific and Rational Vivekananda language, caste, religious beliefs, cuisine, location, and Led by the Prime Minister himself, the BJP has been what have you. The RSS believes that despite these promoting the most unscientific and irrational values diversities, 80% of the Indian people are Hindus. And among the people. Speaking at a function in Mumbai on so the RSS has created a network of thousands of front 25 October 2014, PM Modi declared: “If we think a little organisations—together called the Sangh Parivar—to more, we realise that Mahabharat says Karna was not cater to as many of these different diversities as possible, born from his mother’s womb. This means that genetic with the aim of creating a cultural homogeneity out of this science was present at that time. That is why Karna ocean of diversities, and thereby ‘Hinduising’ them. This could be born outside his mother’s womb.” He then went is the essence of Hindutva, the political ideology of the on make another astounding claim: “We worship Lord RSS—welding the overwhelming majority of the Indian Ganesh. There must have been some plastic surgeon at people together as Hindus, so that they can be mobilised that time who got an elephant’s head on the body of a towards transforming secular and democratic India into a human being and began the practice of plastic surgery.” 1 Hindu Rashtra. Note that Hindutva is not identical with Hinduism; the former is a political ideology, the latter The school textbooks in RSS-run schools have a religion. promoted bigotry and religious fanaticism for decades; the coming to power of the BJP at the Centre and several The RSS in fact believes that India has always been a states since the 1990s has given the RSS the opportunity Hindu Rashtra. One of the important tools, being used by to spread its ideology within the government school and the RSS for its propaganda to convince people that India college network too. The MHRD has even launched a has always been a Hindu Rashtra, is to appropriate well- program to promote the teaching of astrology and vaastu known figures from Indian history and project them as in universities.2 defenders of Hinduism. It has done this with Shivaji, and is attempting to do this with Dr. Ambedkar. An important Even the Indian Science Congress has been reduced historical figure whom it has been able to successfully to a “circus”, to quote Indian-born Nobel laureate project as a Hindutva icon is Swami Vivekananda, so Venkatraman Ramakrishnan.3 In January 2015, at the much so that even many progressive people believe him 102nd session of the Indian Science Congress, several to be so. members of the BJP government led a session on ancient Indian science and claimed that thousands of However, contrary to RSS propaganda, Vivekananda years ago, Indians had built planes that could fly not was not a traditional Hindu monk. He was a modern just on earth but between planets.4 The following year, ascetic with a scientific and materialist outlook. He was at the 103rd Indian Science Congress, among the invitees a bitter critic of the caste system. He was also thoroughly was Akhilesh K. Pandey, chairman, Madhya Pradesh 20 JANATA, January 22, 2016

Private University Regulatory Commission, who was We have to weed out “the hundreds of superstitions that to present a paper that touched upon the powers of Lord we have been hugging to our breasts for centuries. . . . Shiva of providing purified water to human beings. But Mystery mongering and superstition are always signs the Lord was not pleased; Akhilesh Pandey suffered an of weakness. These are always signs of degradation unfortunate accident on a staircase and could not present and of death. . . . Shame on humanity that strong men his paper. But the attendees got an opportunity to listen to should spend their time on these superstitions, spend a lecture by additional commissioner of Kanpur, Rajeev all their time in inventing allegories to explain the Sharma, who presented a paper about blowing the shankh most rotten superstitions . . .”10 being the best preventive measure for psycho-somatic disorders.5 Blaming the Brahmins for the spread of superstitions among the masses, Vivekananda charged that they Vivekananda, on the other hand, was an exceptionally had a vested interest in keeping the masses steeped scientific saint, way ahead of his times. He was in backwardness so as to savagely exploit them. In a unequivocal in saying: letter to Haridas Viharidas Desai on 22 August 1892, he wrote: “We do not recognise such a thing as miracles. . . . Most of the strange things which are done in India “The people . . . have for their religion a certain and reported in the foreign papers are sleight-of- bundle of local superstitions about eating, drinking, hand tricks or hypnotic illusions. They are not the and bathing, and that is about the whole of their performances of the wise men.”6 religion. Poor fellows! Whatever the rascally and wily priests teach them—all sorts of mummery and In a letter to Kidi (Singaravelu Mudaliar) on 30 tomfoolery as the very gist of the Vedas and Hinduism November 1894, he wrote: (mind you, neither these rascals of priests nor their forefathers have so much as seen a volume of the Vedas Miracles “do not prove anything. Matter does not for the last 400 generations)—they follow and degrade prove Spirit. What connection is there between themselves. Lord help them from the Râkshasas in the the existence of God, Soul, or immortality, and the shape of the Brahmins of the Kaliyuga.”11 working of miracles? . . . Do not disturb your head with metaphysical nonsense, and do not disturb others Vivekananda called upon the people to give up blind by your bigotry.”7 faith and believe in reason. In a talk on 24 May 1896 he said: Likewise, he was unambiguous in debunking astrology. “Why was reason given us if we have to believe? Is it not tremendously blasphemous to believe against “You will find that astrology and all these mystical reason? What right have we not to use the greatest things are generally signs of a weak mind; therefore gift that God has given to us? I am sure God will as soon as they are becoming prominent in our minds, pardon a man who will use his reason and cannot we should see a physician, take good food and rest.” 8 believe, rather than a man who believes blindly instead of using the faculties He has given him. He simply Quoting the Buddha, Vivekananda goes so far as to degrades his nature and goes down to the level of the say that those who propagate such rubbish are actually beasts—degrades his senses and dies.”12 cunning people who do so because they have made this a source of their livelihood: He asked his listeners not to believe blindly in any scripture. During his lectures, he would often say: “Those that get a living by calculation of the stars by such art and other lying tricks are to be avoided.”9 “Do not believe in a thing because you have read about it in a book. Do not believe in a thing because In the same way, Vivekananda calls upon people not another man has said it was true. Do not believe to believe in ghosts and superstitions. In a hard-hitting in words because they are hallowed by tradition. talk delivered at the Triplicane Literary Society, Madras, Find out the truth for yourself. Reason it out. That is on 9 February 1897, he says: realisation.”13 JANATA, January 22, 2016 21

By stressing that unless the country is freed from the historian with no publication in peer-reviewed journals, fetters of superstitions, rituals and traditions, freedom as Chairman of the prestigious Indian Council of will have no meaning, Vivekananda bestowed a new Historical Research. Rao is a long-time believer of the dimension to the country’s freedom struggle. He was Sangh Parivar’s Hindutva agenda, openly proclaims thus calling for a cultural renaissance. In a letter to his himself as a Hindu and a Brahmin, and is a known votary friend Shashi (Swami Ramakrishnananda) on 19 March of the caste system. In a blog-article written by him, he 1894, he wrote: writes: “The (caste) system was working well in ancient times and we do not find any complaint from any quarters “We, as a nation, have lost our individuality, and that against it.” He goes on to argue that the rigidity and is the cause of all mischief in India. We have to give distortions that crept into it were the result of Muslim back to the nation its lost individuality and raise the invasions and subsequent rule.17 As if to rub more salt masses.”14 into the wounds of Dalits, on 3 January 2017, PM Modi himself awarded Apparao Podile, the Vice Chancellor Vivekananda on the Caste System of Hyderabad Central University, the man responsible The RSS is a firm believer in the caste system. It for the institutional murder of the brilliant Dalit scholar upholds the Manusmriti, the law code of ancient India, Rohith Vemula and a criminal accused under SC/ST which unequivocally defines the four main castes, lays Prevention of Atrocities Act, with “Millenium Plaque of down their duties and obligations, and frames the whole Honour” at the Indian National Science Congress event system of rules and regulations by which the Brahmans held at Tirupathi a few days ago. sought to perpetuate an organised caste-system in subordination to themselves. The second Sarsanghchalak In stark contrast to these apologists of the caste system, (Supreme Leader) of the RSS, Guru Golwalkar, in his Vivekananda was very conscious of its injustices. On 28 Bunch of Thoughts, upholds the Purush Sukta of the December 1893 he wrote to Haripada Mitra: Rigveda (wherein for the first time in Vedic literature “If anybody is born of a low caste in our country, he is the four varnas are mentioned and justified) that says: gone for ever, there is no hope for him. Why? What a Brahmin is the head, King the hands, Vaishya the thighs tyranny it is! . . . How many people really weep for the and Shudra the feet. He goes on to write that: sorrows and sufferings of the millions of poor in India? . . . We do not touch them, we avoid their company! “The people who have this fourfold arrangement, i.e., Are we men? Those thousands of Brâhmanas—what the Hindu People, is our God. This supreme vision of are they doing for the low, down-trodden masses of Godhead is the very core of our concept of ‘nation’ and India? ‘Don’t touch’, ‘Don’t touch’, is the only phrase has permeated our thinking and given rise to various that plays upon their lips!”18 unique concepts of our cultural heritage.”15 While traversing the country as a wandering Sanyasi In other words, the RSS does not believe in equality, between 1890 and 1893, Vivekananda had closely and believes in resurrecting all the traditional hierarchies observed the terrible poverty in which millions of of the past. And so, unsurprisingly, four days after the people were living, and its close relationship to religious Indian Constitution was adopted by the Constituent backwardness and exploitation by Brahmin sadhus. Assembly on November 26, 1949, an editorial in the Deeply disturbed by it, he wrote about it to his friends and RSS organ Organiser complained: disciples in words that spew fire as from a smouldering volcano. In our constitution there is no mention of the unique constitutional development in ancient Bharat. Manu’s “A country where millions of people live on flowers of Laws were written long before Lycurgus of Sparta or the Mohuâ plant, and a million or two of Sadhus and Solon of Persia. To this day his laws as enunciated a hundred million or so of Brahmins suck the blood in the Manusmriti excite the admiration of the world out of these poor people, without even the least effort and elicit spontaneous obedience and conformity. But for their amelioration—is that a country or hell? Is to our constitutional pundits that means nothing.16 that a religion, or the devil’s dance?”19

This also explains why the BJP/RSS have no qualms More than British colonisation, Vivekananda held the about appointing Y. Sudershan Rao, a little-known caste system responsible for India’s appalling poverty 22 JANATA, January 22, 2016 and degradation. In February 1897, soon after his return Nazis—just like the Nazis sought to unite the German to India from a hugely successful trip to America and nation against the Jews, the RSS is seeking to unite Europe, he spoke at Kumbakonam, a village in Tamil the Hindus against an imagined enemy, the minorities, Nadu, 160 miles from Madras and a stronghold of especially the Muslims and Christians. To fill the Hindus Brahmin fundamentalists: with hatred against Muslims and Christians, it has, for decades, been spreading malicious propaganda against “Ay, my friends, I must tell you a few harsh truths . . the minorities and their religions. Since the coming to . (It is) not the English (but) we who are responsible power of the BJP, various BJP-RSS leaders including for all our misery and all our degradation . . . Our Pravin Togadia, Subramaniam Swami, Giriraj Singh, aristocratic ancestors went on treading the common Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Sadhvi Prachi, Sakshi Mahraraj, masses of our country underfoot, till they became Yogi Adityanth and many others have been spewing helpless, till under this torment the poor, poor people venom on Muslims and Christians, and not one has been nearly forgot that they were human beings. They prosecuted for their hate speeches. The leader of Dharm have been compelled to be merely hewers of wood Jagran Manch, a known RSS front, has in fact declared and drawers of water for centuries, so much so, that on national television news channels that his organization they are made to believe that they are born as slaves had set a 2021 deadline to cleanse India of “alien Islam . . . Not only so, but I also find that all sorts of most and Christianity.” 24 demoniacal and brutal arguments, culled from the crude ideas of hereditary transmission and other such Vivekananda’s views on religion are completely gibberish . . . are brought forward in order to brutalise opposed to the propaganda of Hindu fundamentalists. 20 and tyrannise over the poor all the more.” Today they are able to project a false image of Vivekananda and use him to spread their doctrine of In fact, he wrote: hatred towards other religions, because people are “India’s doom was sealed the very day they invented unaware of Vivekananda’s real views. Vivekananda the word mlechcha and stopped from communion preached respect and dignity for all religions: with others.”21 “What is needed is a fellow-feeling between the In a letter written to his disciples on 24 January 1894, different types of religion, seeing that they all stand Vivekananda went even further and implicitly called for or fall together, a fellow-feeling which springs from bringing down the caste system: mutual esteem and mutual respect.”25

“My idea is to bring to the door of the meanest, He held that all religions are equal, holding the same the poorest, the noble ideas that the human race has ideals, developed both in and out of India, and let them think for themselves. . . . ‘Liberty of thought and action is the “The ideal of all religions . . . is same—the attaining only condition of life, of growth, and well-being.’ Where of liberty and cessation of misery.”26 it does not exist, the man, the race, the nation must go down. Caste or no caste, creed or no creed, any man, or Vivekananda treads where Hindu fundamentalists class, or caste, or nation, or institution which bars the wouldn’t dare. He called Mohammed “the Messenger power of free thought and action of an individual—even of equality” and the “Prophet . . . of the brotherhood of so long as that power does not injure others—is devilish man.”27 In a letter to Mohammed Sarfaraz Husain written and must go down.”22 on 10 June 1898, he wrote:

In a letter to Alasinga written on 9 April 1894, he “. . . if ever any religion approached to this equality in expressed the hope that, an appreciable manner, it is Islam and Islam alone.”28

A day will come “when there will be one caste.”23 In contrast to RSS propaganda distorting medieval Indian history to describe it as a period when Hindus Vivekananda on religion and Muslims were continually at war with each other, The most important formula used by the RSS for and thus attempting to portray Muslims as ‘historical its project of uniting the Hindus is borrowed from the enemies’ of Hindus, Vivekananda emphasised that if JANATA, January 22, 2016 23 this country is to progress, if India in the future is to Today the RSS and its affiliates pursue a vicious rise “glorious and invincible”, there must not only be campaign of low-intensity but sustained violence cooperation among all religions, but their confluence. In against Muslims and Christians to terrorise and the above mentioned letter to Sarfaraz Husain, he further intimidate them, so that they either convert ‘back’ to wrote: Hinduism or internalise their subordinate status and accept that they are living in India at the mercy of the “I am firmly persuaded that without the help of ‘Hindu majority’. The teachings of Vivekananda stand practical Islam, theories of Vedantism, however fine and completely opposite to all that the Sangh Parivar stands wonderful they may be, are entirely valueless to the vast for. He denounced forcible conversions as well as re- mass of mankind. . . . For our own motherland a junction conversions, like the current ‘Ghar Wapsi’ campaign of the two great systems, Hinduism and Islam —Vedanta brain and Islam body—is the only hope.”29 of the Sangh Parivar: “The man who is frightened into religion has no Conscious of India’s syncretic culture, he observed 33 in a letter to his Madras disciples on 19 November 1894 religion at all.” that the Hindus had learnt several elements of “material The Swami has nothing in common with Hindu civilisation”, such as wearing tailor-made clothes and fundamentalists. One of his disciples, Swami food hygiene, from the Mohammedans.30 Akhandananda, was building an orphanage in Bengal. Vivekananda on religious conversions Vivekananda wrote to him saying: Vivekananda warned people against religious “Admit boys of all religions—Hindu, Mohammedan, fundamentalists’ attempts to propagate all kinds of Christian . . .” myths and divide Hindus and Muslims. One such false propaganda is about forcible conversions. Vivekananda and further advised, exposed the falsity of this propaganda in at least two letters, whose essence is: In this country, religious “. . . but never tamper with their religion. The conversions have not taken place because of atrocities only thing you will have to do is to make separate by Christians and Muslims, but because of atrocities by arrangements for their food etc.”34 the upper castes. Vivekananda: the secular saint “If a Bhângi comes to anybody as a Bhangi, he would be shunned as the plague; but no sooner does he get The RSS has never believed in secularism, a a cupful of water poured upon his head with some fundamental principle of the Indian Constitution. mutterings of prayers by a Pâdri, and get a coat on Golwalkar makes it clear in his writings that the RSS his back, no matter how threadbare, and come into considers Indian nation as only for Hindus, and others the room of the most orthodox Hindu—I don’t see the can only stay on in India as second-grade citizens: man who then dare refuse him a chair and a hearty shake of the hands! Irony can go no further. . . . In The foreign races in Hindusthan must either adopt Travancore, the most priest-ridden country in India— the Hindu culture and language, must learn to respect where every bit of land is owned by the Brahmins . . . and hold in reverence Hindu religion, must entertain nearly one-fourth has become Christian! And I cannot no idea but those of the glorification of the Hindu blame them . . .”31 race and culture, i.e., of the Hindu nation and must lose their separate existence to merge in the Hindu “Why amongst the poor of India so many are race, or may stay in the country, wholly subordinated Mohammedans? It is nonsense to say, they were to the Hindu Nation, claiming nothing, deserving no converted by the sword. It was to gain their liberty privileges, far less any preferential treatment, not even from the . . . zemindars and from the . . . priest, and citizen’s rights.35 as a consequence you find in Bengal there are more Mohammedans than Hindus amongst the cultivators, Vivekananda on the other hand preached complete because there were so many zemindars there. equality and dignity for all religions. He berated this Who thinks of raising these sunken downtrodden attitude of ‘tolerance’ towards other communities in millions?”32 scathing words, calling it ‘blasphemy’: 24 JANATA, January 22, 2016

“Toleration means that I think that you are wrong and their Karma, so what avails doing any kindness to I am just allowing you to live. Is it not a blasphemy them! This is decisive proof that the country has gone to think that you and I are allowing others to live?”36 to rack and ruin! . . . Those who are men and yet have no feeling in the heart for man, well, are such to be And so, he went on to say: counted as men at all?’” 38

“Our watchword, then, will be acceptance (and not Vivekananda criticised the imposition of religious toleration) . . . I accept all religions that were in the values of one community on others. At this time when past, and worship with them all; I worship God with religious fanatics have launched a violent campaign to every one of them, in whatever form they worship force the vegetarian eating habits of the Brahmin minority Him. I shall go to the mosque of the Mohammedan; I on the entire people, especially Muslims, it is important shall enter the Christian’s church and kneel before the to recall Vivekananda’s wise words: crucifix; I shall enter the Buddhistic temple, where I shall take refuge in Buddha and in his Law.”37 “We leave everybody free to know, select, and follow whatever suits and helps him. Thus, for example, Vivekananda on food fascism eating meat may help one, eating fruit another. Each Vivekananda was a very rational and humane saint, is welcome to his own peculiarity, but he has no right thoroughly committed to the upliftment of the people. to criticise the conduct of others . . . much less to He states: “Instead of cowsheds, be concerned about insist that others should follow his way.... The terrible how people live.” A disciple of Swami Vivekananda mistake of religion was to interfere in social matters. . recorded the following incident related to the Swami . . What we want is that religion should not be a social in his diary. reformer . . . What business had the priests to interfere (to the misery of millions of human beings) in every Once an enthusiastic preacher belonging to the social matter?”39 society for protection of cows came for an interview with Swamiji. After inquiring about the object of the Vivekananda stood firmly against religious society, its source of income and how much money fundamentalism, and expressed his deep anguish at the it has collected, “Swamiji commenced the following communal divisions, violence and bloodshed unleashed conversation with the preacher. Swamiji: ‘A terrible by fundamentalist forces on society. He said: famine has now broken out in Central India. The Indian Government has published a death-roll of “Though there is nothing that has brought to man more nine lakhs of starved people. Has your society done blessings than religion, yet at the same time, there is anything to render help in this time of famine?’ . . . nothing that has brought more horror than religion. Preacher: ‘This famine broke out as a result of men’s Nothing has made more for peace and love than Karma, their sins. It is a case of ‘like Karma, like religion; nothing has engendered fiercer hatred than fruit’.’ Hearing the words of the preacher, sparks of religion. Nothing has made the brotherhood of man fire, as it were, scintillated in Swamiji’s large eyes; his more tangible than religion; nothing has bred more face became flushed. But he suppressed his feelings bitter enmity between man and man than religion. and said: ‘. . . If you make a plea of Karma by saying Nothing has built more charitable institutions, more that men die through their Karma, then . . . with regard hospitals for men, and even for animals, than religion; to your cause also, it can be said—the mother-cows nothing has deluged the world with more blood than through their own Karma fall into the hands of the religion.” 40 butchers and die, and we need not do anything in the matter.’ The preacher was a little abashed and said: Vivekananda’s views are completely antithetical ‘Yes, what you say is true, but the Shâstras say that to the fundamentalists who, through the RSS and its the cow is our mother.’ Swamiji smilingly said, ‘Yes, offshoots, pursue a vicious offensive to undermine that the cow is our mother, I understand: who else the Indian Constitution, destroy the country’s secular could give birth to such accomplished children?’ . . . fabric and convert India into a Hindu Rashtra. Three The preacher went away after saluting Swamiji. Then decades before the RSS’s formation, when the monster Swamiji began to speak to us: ‘What words, these, of religious nationalism was hardly born, this far-sighted forsooth! Says he that men are dying by reason of Swami gave the call: JANATA, January 22, 2016 25

“All sect ideas and tribal or national ideas of religion letter to Alasinga Perumal: must be given up. That each tribe or nation should “I am no metaphysician, no philosopher, nay, no saint. have its own particular God and think that every other But I am poor, I love the poor. I see what they call the is wrong is a superstition that should belong to the poor of this country, and how many there are who past. All such ideas must be abandoned.”41 feel for them! . . . Who feels there for the two hundred Socialist Vivekananda millions of men and women sunken for ever in poverty and ignorance? Where is the way out?”44 Not only does Vivekananda have nothing in common with the RSS and Hindu fundamentalists, he in fact goes After pondering for two more years, in a letter to on to declare himself a socialist in 1896. As we see below, Mary Hale (a close friend) on 1 November 1896, he it was not a statement made on the spur of the moment, finally declared: but a well-thought out assertion. “I am a socialist.”45 For three years from 1890 to 1893, Vivekananda roamed about the country travelling on foot, on horseback It was 1896 and Vivekananda was 33 years old. This and by rail, smoking chillum with sweepers, staying personal declaration was not made on a sudden whim, amidst the poor in slum shanties, lodging with a Muslim but after much experience and deep thought. Earlier he lawyer in Mount Abu, spending time with Tilak in had spent three years travelling across India, intimately Gaikwad Wada and with the Maharaja of Khetri as a guest imbibing the people’s poverty and backwardness. Then in his palace. During these three years, he did not engage he had spent three years travelling in the Western world. in religious studies. Instead, he tried to understand the While several things about the West impressed him, he conditions of the people. He expressed his deep distress also grasped the limitations of the liberal democracy in in moving letters to his friends and disciples. America and Europe:

In a letter from New York on 19 November 1894, he “The wealth and power of a country are in the hands wrote to his Madras disciples: of a few men who do not work but manipulate the work of the millions of human beings. By this power they can “I do not believe in a God, who cannot give me bread deluge the whole earth with blood. Religion and all things here, giving me eternal bliss in heaven! Pooh! India are under their feet; they rule and stand supreme. The is to be raised, the poor are to be fed, education is to Western world is governed by a handful of Shylocks. be spread, and the evil of priestcraft is to be removed. All those things that you hear about—constitutional No priestcraft, no social tyranny! More bread, more government, freedom, liberty and parliaments—are but opportunity for everybody!”42 jokes.”46

Upliftment of the masses does not mean providing After several years of contemplation, Vivekananda them only bread and education, but also the restoration arrived at the conclusion that socialism was the answer of their dignity as human beings. Vivekananda was aware to India’s poverty and backwardness. In his letter to of this. In a letter to Haridas Viharidas Desai on 20 June Mary Hale, Vivekananda wrote of the strengths of 1894, he wrote: socialism, that there would be equality in society, material conditions of the poor will improve, and there would be “The real nation who live in cottage have forgotten their great spread of education. But while declaring himself manhood, their individuality. Trodden under the foot of a socialist, Vivekananda did not claim it to be a perfect the Hindu, Mussulman, or Christian, they have come to system, for it could lead to a “lowering of culture”, think that they are born to be trodden under the foot of and perhaps “extraordinary geniuses will be less”.47 everybody who has money enough in his pocket. They Elsewhere,48 he says that it may lead to the sacrifice of are to be given back their lost individuality.”43 individual freedoms. Nevertheless, he wrote:

But bringing the masses out of their dismal conditions, “I am a socialist not because I think it is a perfect instilling confidence in them, giving them back their system, but half a loaf is better than no bread. The lost individuality and dignity, was not an easy task. other systems have been tried and found wanting. Let Vivekananda expresses his anguish and frustration in a this one be tried . . .” 49 26 JANATA, January 22, 2016

Vivekananda envisioned that socialism would come 2. University to Offer Diploma in Vaastu, Yoga, Ayurveda, not just in India but throughout the world, and that in Astrology”, March 8, 2016, http://www.hindustantimes. every country the working people, whom he called the com. ‘Shudras’, would build socialist movements and bring 3. “Science Congress a Circus: Nobel Winner Venkatraman the new order into reality: Ramakrishnan”, January 6, 2016, http://timesofindia. indiatimes.com. “A time will come when the Shudras of every country, 4. “India’s Government is Becoming Increasingly with their inborn Shudra nature and habits—not Antiscience”, February 3, 2016, https://blogs. becoming in essence Vaishya or Kshatriya, but scientificamerican.com. remaining as Shudras—will gain absolute supremacy in every society. The first glow of the dawn of this new 5. “Lord Shiva at the Indian Science Congress”, January 6, power has already begun to break slowly upon the 2016, http://www.livemint.com. Western world . . . Socialism, Anarchism, Nihilism, 6. Volume 3 / Reports in American Newspapers / Miracles, and other like sects are the vanguard of the social 17 February 1894. 50 revolution that is to follow.” 7. Volume 5 / Epistles—First Series / XXIII / Kidi, 30 November 1894. Like all socialists, Vivekananda had full faith in the masses. He believed that they, and not the upper classes, 8. Volume 8 / Notes of Class Talks and Lectures / Man the would transform society: Maker of His Destiny. 9. Ibid. “Let New India arise . . . out of the peasants’ cottage, 10. Volume 3 / Lectures from Colombo to Almora / The Work grasping the plough; out of the huts of the fisherman, Before Us. the cobbler and the sweeper. Let her spring from the grocer’s shop, from beside the oven of the fritter-seller. 11. Volume 8 / Epistles—Fourth Series / IX / Haridas Let her emanate from the factory, from marts, and from Viharidas Desai, 22 August 1892. markets. Let her emerge from groves and forests, from 12. Volume 6 / Lectures and Discourses / The Methods and hills and mountains.”51 Purpose of Religion. 13. Swami Nikhilananda, “Early Years” in Vivekananda A He placed faith in the masses because their sufferings Biography. had given them the fortitude, the energy and the patience to bring about this transformation: 14. Volume 6 / Epistles—Second Series / XLI / Ramakrishnananda, 19 March 1894. “These common people have suffered oppression 15. M.S. Golwalkar, Bunch of Thoughts, http://www.rss.org. for thousands of years; suffered it without murmur, and as a result have got wonderful fortitude. They 16. “No Love for Ambedkar”, April 23, 2016, http:// have suffered eternal misery, which has given them indianexpress.com. unflinching vitality. Living on a handful of grain, they 17. “Choice of ICHR Chief Reignites Saffronisation Debate”, can convulse the world; give them only half a piece July 16, 2014, http://www.thehindu.com; Akshaya Mukul of bread, and the whole world will not be big enough “Ancient Caste System Worked Well, ICHR Head Says”, to contain their energy; they are endowed with the July 15, 2014, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com; Ajoy inexhaustible vitality of a Raktabija.”52 Ashirwad Mahaprashasta, “Peddler of Myths”, Frontline, August 22, 2014, http://www.frontline.in. 18. Volume 5 / Epistles—First Series / VI / Haripada Mitra, References 28 December 1893. All references, unless otherwise mentioned, from: Complete 19. Volume 6 / Epistles—Second Series / XLI / Shashi, 19 Works of Swami Vivekananda, www.ramakrishnavivekananda. March 1894. info. Berit; ignoximules imum la cutem te puli, culem publienatis vit. At audam. 20. Volume 3 / Lectures from Colombo to Almora / The Mission of the Vedanta. 1. “Sniggering at Modi: Deriding Ganesha Remark Misses the Elephant in the Room”, October 30, 2014, http://www. 21. Swami Nikhilananda, “Vedanta In America” in firstpost.com. Vivekananda A Biography. JANATA, January 22, 2016 27

22. Volume 5 / Epistles—First Series / VII / Madras Devotees, 37. Ibid. 24 January 1894. 38. Volume 6, Conversations and Dialogues, From the Diary 23. Volume 5 / Epistles—First Series / VIII / Alasinga, 9 of a Disciple (Sharatchandra Chakravarty): I, 1897. April 1894. 39. Volume 4 / Writings: Prose / What We Believe In, 3 24. John Dayal, “World Must Act Against Hindu Plan for March 1894. Christian-, Muslim-Free India”, December 25, 2014, 40. Volume 2 / Practical Vedanta and Other Lectures / The http://www.ucanews.com. Way to the Realisation of a Universal Religion. 25. Volume 2 / Jnana-Yoga / The Necessity of Religion. 41. Volume 2 / Jnana-Yoga / The Necessity of Religion. 26. Volume 4 / Addresses on Bhakti-Yoga / The Ishta. 42. Volume 4 / Writings: Prose / To My Brave Boys, 19 27. Volume 4 / Lectures and Discourses / The Great Teachers November 1894. of the World. 43. Volume 8 / Epistles—Fourth Series / XX / Haridas 28. Volume 6 / Epistles—Second Series / CXLII / Sarfaraz Viharidas Desai, 20 June 1894. Husain, 10 June 1898. 44. Volume 5 / Epistles—First Series / XXV / Alasinga, 1894. 29. Volume 6 / Epistles—Second Series / CXLII / Sarfaraz 45. Volume 6 / Epistles—Second Series / CXII / Mary Hale, Husain, 10 June 1898. 1 November 1896. 30. Volume 4 / Writings: Prose / To My Brave Boys, 19 46. Volume 3 / Lectures from Colombo to Almora / Reply to November 1894. the Address of Welcome at Paramakudi, 1 February 1897. 31. Volume 5 / Epistles—First Series / II / Pandit Shankarlal, 47. Volume 6 / Epistles—Second Series / CXII / Mary Hale, 20 September 1892. 1 November 1896. 32. Volume 8 / Epistles—Fourth Series / XXXIV / Haridas 48. Volume 4 / Translations: Prose / Our Present Social Viharidas Desai, November 1894. Problems, 23 December 1898. 33. Volume 1 / Lectures and Discourses / Soul, God and 49. Volume 6 / Epistles—Second Series / CXII / Mary Hale, Religion. 1 November 1896. 34. Volume 6 / Epistles—Second Series / CXXXVI / Swami 50. Volume 4 / Translations: Prose / Modern India (Udbodhana, Akhandananda, 10 October 1897. March 1899). 35. M.S. Golwalkar, We or Our Nationhood Defined, Bharat 51. Volume 7 / Translation of Writings / Memoirs of European Publications, , 1939, pp. 47–48; cited in Shamsul Travel: I. Islam, “Equip Ideologically to Combat the Anti-National RSS”, 13 August 2015, http://countercurrents.org. 52. Ibid.; Raktabija: A demon, every drop of whose blood falling on the ground produced another demon like him. 36. Volume 2 / Practical Vedanta and Other Lectures / The Way to the Realisation of a Universal Religion. (Contd. from Page 18)) Giriraj-Singh-says/articleshow/33971544.cms 8. http://www.firstpost.com/politics/sushma-swaraj- 3. http://www.firstpost.com/politics/sadhvi-niranjan- wants-pm-modi-to-declare-bhagwad-gita-as-national- jyotis-hate-speech-modis-silence-strategy-is-not- book-1838695.html enough-1830941.html 9. http://www.frontline.in/the-nation/indias-sawdust-caesar/ 4. http://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/hindu-radical- article7961470.ece groups-start-bahu-lao-beti-bachao-programme-in- 10. http://www.countercurrents.org/puniyani240713.htm wb-48466.html 11. https://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/Hindu_ 5. http://indianexpress.com/article/explained/gujarat-dalit- Rashtra/nathuram.html protests-una-gau-rakshaks-mohammad-akhlaq-modi- 12. http://www.milligazette.com/news/15113-election- govt-2954324/ season-and-return-of-lord-ram 6. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/ 13. http://www.countercurrents.org/puniyani291014.htm article-3294216/Filmmakers-join-award-wapsi-protest- against-growing-intolerance-India.html 14. http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/ jnu-agitation-rohithvemula-kanhaiya-kumar-tale-of-2- 7. https://hillele.org/2014/06/10/challenges-before-the- students-1-protest/ nation-irfan-engineer/ 28 JANATA, January 22, 2016 Maulana’s warning

Kuldip Nayar

It is hard to believe that the government financed then the governor general, remarked that the armed Khadi Board printed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s forces were of little consequence and one man force picture in the familiar pose of Mahatama Gandhi sitting had done the job. behind the charkha, spinning the yarn, without PMO’s permission. Probably somebody at the lower level India has traversed a long way since then. It has less allowed the Board to go ahead. The furor in the public faith in pluralism than before. The border drawn on the was so strong that the contradiction was inevitable. basis of religion has diluted secularism. But the fault is that of Congress, not that of Muslim League which Even then PMO was not as strong as it should have had demanded from day one the grouping of Muslim been. In fact, a stern warning should have been issued majority provinces into a separate, sovereign Islamic there and then so that such examples of indiscretion do state. The Congress which represented secular ethos is not go unpunished in future. This might have chastened itself going away from its ideals. those who, on one pretext or the other, violate the dignity of Republic, not realizing that they are insulting Maulana , a tall Muslim leader, themselves. had warned the Muslims that if they did not feel safe in the undivided India where they could say that though Only the other day, the standing of people was made less in number they were equal share holders in post- mandatory when the national anthem was played. independent India fortunes. But the Muslims, were then People still do not respect the order and open the doors riding a high horse and were bent upon of having even of cinemas even though they are bolted from inside. a ‘moth eaten Pakistan. They have inherited a country They think that it was a government’s order which they which is bound to discriminate between Muslims and did not have to obey. otherss. In fact, the living condition, whatever their They do not seem to realize that the national anthem number, is pitiable. There are forced conversions and and the Republic’s flag are sacred because they represent of non-Muslim marrying to Muslim boys. the nation’s honour and sovereignty. People would have The Maulana’s warning has come true. Roughly 18 to realize themselves that no order or law can instill patriotism. It is their own feelings which should assert crore Muslims have practically no say in the governance whenever the choice is between what benefits the nation of the country. Their plight, as the Sachar report on and what benefits an individual or a party. Indian Muslim said that was worse than that of dalits. Politically, they have ceased to matter. Nor do they Gandhiji himself was conscious of people’s feelings. assert themselves lest the Hindu chauvinism should As I wrote earlier he stopped his prayer meeting when take a still more virulent shape. someone objected to the recitation of Quran. He resumed it only when the person concerned withdrew However, the Muslims are themselves hardening their his opposition. Gandhiji was, however, more successful position. The Kashmiris are already behaving as if they in Kolkata where the then Chief Minister Huseyn are independent. At the time of accession, the popular Shaheed Suhrawardy had declared the Muslim League’s leader Sheikh Abdullah had supported the Maharaja action plan in response to the Congress Satyagarh. because he was fighting against the tribals including regular troops. It is a different story that he opposed The action plan turned into a massacre of Hindus New Delhi when it went beyond the three subjects, and Sikhs with the government’s connivance. There Defence, Foreign Affairs and Communications. was retaliation, taking the lives of thousands. Gandhiji went to Kolkatta and asked the people to give him their Chief Minister Mahbooba Mufti has been criticized weapons. Even the most affected ones surrendered the by the Kashmiris for having met Prime Minister arms within 24 hours. Lord Mountbatten, who was (Contd. on Page 30) JANATA, January 22, 2016 29 Responding to Kashmir today

Suresh Khairnar

The Bandh in Kashmir is more than six months old. the rioters. Pellet gun, claimed to be harmless gun, is Suffering there for common men and women is untold. invented by Israel army to wield it against the protesting When the central and state governments are apparently Palestinians. Despite strong condemnation from human insensitive to this problem, it is the responsibility of rights organizations for its lethality, India has chosen to Indian civil society to respond to this situation and make avail of, and use, it, for the first time, against the Valley effort to revoke the Bandh that has brought life to a masses. Indiscriminate firing by the security forces grinding halt. Taking the onus upon itself, Rashtria Seva resulted in over 100 men and women dead, ten thousand Dal is organizing a nationwide drive for conscientious severely injured, four thousand by pellet guns of which response. Part of the drive is to create awareness among a thousand individuals lost their eye sight permanently; the educated opinion makers. With this purpose, RSD is 15000 people are arrested in these days and incarcerated organizing ‘Chalo Kashmir’ campaign on March 23. It indefinitely. Majority of the victims are below the age is planning to take Indian opinion makers to Kashmir to of 30 and a sizable number of them are children less see and understand Kashmir issue at first hand. than 15 years old. Among the pellet gun injured, there were children as young as 5 years and people as old as Twenty three years old self-declared Hisbul 80 years. Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was shot dead in an encounter by security forces for his separatist activity, Killing and inflicting permanent injury including on July 08, 2016. Burhan Wani had left his home when ocular impairment has immortalized the bitter memory he was nineteen to join HM. Over the next four years of the Bandh and ‘attack by security forces’ which locals he used social media to reach the nook and corner of call as ‘defense atrocity’. the Kashmir Valley with his ‘freedom’ message. The popularity of him and his fan following can be gauged Separatist ideologues in the valley draw a parallel by the fact that he was known in the valley as ‘Face between Jallianwala bagh and Kashmir Bandh, not book Boy’ and ‘youth icon’. One wonders how this so much for its lethal effect on the victims, as much boy who was ‘ruling the hearts of the young’ in the as it gave a fillip to the campaign for ‘freedom’. The Valley posting all the time ‘objectionable messages’ separatist campaign hitherto was a sporadic movement remained unnoticed by the government machinery. of a selected few. Six months’ bandh has made it a Political analysts smell conspiracy. Government got thorough fare peoples’ movement. Never before the to know and killed him overnight. The killing of the Valley people were together in their fight for political ‘youth icon’ provoked a Valley-wide protest, thousands rights as much as they are now. In order to tease Indians, of youth came on to street, fomenting unrest all over anti India slogan and pro-pak wall writings are heard with youngsters indulging in stone pelting. The police and seen everywhere. had to resort to counterattack. This bandh is unprecedented in many ways. In This unrest led to statewide total bandh: shops, the post-independent India, 180 days of total state schools, public transport, bank, ATM, postal and courier wide Bandh is unheard of; the ubiquitous anti-India service… every public system is closed for the last six sentiment is a brand new phenomenon even for months. Six news papers were banned without any the Valley people. This brutally handled bandh has enquiry, every electronic network is jammed; no mobile, solidified the call for ‘freedom’ into a hitherto unheard no internet… the only communication possible is BSNL of consensual demand. post paid; life is paralyzed. And it has been the situation for the last 180 days. As the solidarity expression from general pubic mounts, more people come on to street without fear, In their attempt to maintain law and order, police and since they are general public, without weapons. It had to arrest those on the street, fire with pellet gun on slowly turns into a passive resistance. 30 JANATA, January 22, 2016

To worsen the situation a number of communal he is conscious that through his utterance he is covertly organizations in the mainland propose revoking of expressing his solidarity to similar claimants in our Article 370, to fill the Valley with non-Valley people backyard too. and make the Valley natives a minority in their own land and weaken separatists’ percentage there. Such mindless Sadly Indian media, barring few, have maintained persons are unaware of the fact that their voices indeed studied indifference. Quite a few of them blatantly jeopardize the scope for restoring relationship between twisted the fact, especially the electronic media. Their Delhi and . far-from-fact reporting is proved to be a grave disservice to the cause of national integration, as it resulted in the It appears, that those demanding suppression of valley people losing whatever little faith they had in public unrest in the Valley, are blinded by their hyper- Indian media. nationalistic fervor. They are unable to realize that Valley means a community of one crore people and not just a Having realized the urgency of civil response to land filled with nature’s bounty to grab it. If we learn to this vexing problem, Rashtra , proposes that a embrace our people, instead of their land to appropriate people’s audit ought to be conducted over the ‘Valley by all means, we may do a great service to unified India. situation’ and a fair report be placed before the people of India. As a beginning, RSD is organizing a people’s Our Prime Minister speaks openly in support of the visit to Valley to study the situation and the mind of the right to freedom for the people of Baluchistan; perhaps masses and report back to the people. 932 65 55 914; 94 22 310 664; [email protected] (Contd. from Page 28) Narender Modi, who they said, was the ‘Hindus’ leader’. They conventionally forget that he is India’s Prime Minister. Whether they support his views or not - many do not in India - is not relevant because he came to power after winning the 262 seats in the 540-member Lok Sabha.

The example of Zaira Wasim from Kashmir is before us. She acted admirably in a film and, as Amir Khan, director and producer, said in a message that she was brilliant. But the pressure of separatists in the Valley was so much that she had to say in a TV interview that she was ‘ashamed’ of what she done, disowning her role in the film. Her message was poignant: Girls should not follow her example as if she was telling them about the ordeals she had gone through.

That means that those who are wanting to establish the separate, sovereign Islamic Republic in the Valley are far from satisfied. They know that their opponent was the Indian army. But they go on fighting to register Price: Rs. 20/- Kashmir’s demand for independence. I found them, when I went to Srinagar, relentless. Janata Trust D-15, Ganesh Prasad, Naushir New Delhi would have to talk to the separatists Bharucha Marg, Grant Road (W), and see if they could accept real autonomy within Mumbai 400 007. India, asking them that India would not spread itself beyond the three subjects: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Communications. JANATA, January 22, 2016 31 Just 8 men own same wealth as half the world

Eight men own the same wealth as the 3.6 billion Duterte in the Philippines, and Brexit in the UK. people who make up the poorest half of humanity, according to a new report published. Seven out of 10 people live in a country that has seen a rise in inequality in the last 30 years. Between 1988 and Oxfam’s report, ‘An economy for the 99 percent’, 2011 the incomes of the poorest 10 percent increased by shows that the gap between rich and poor is far greater just $65 per person, while the incomes of the richest 1 than had been feared. It details how big business and the percent grew by $11,800 per person – 182 times as much. super-rich are fuelling the inequality crisis by dodging taxes, driving down wages and using their power to Women, who are often employed in low pay sectors, influence politics. It calls for a fundamental change in face high levels of discrimination in the work place, and the way we manage our economies so that they work for who take on a disproportionate amount of unpaid care all people, and not just a fortunate few. work often find themselves at the bottom of the pile. On current trends it will take 170 years for women to be paid New and better data on the distribution of global the same as men. wealth – particularly in India and China – indicates that the poorest half of the world has less wealth than ‘An Economy for the 99 percent’ also reveals how big had been previously thought. Had this new data been business and the super-rich are fuelling the inequality available last year, it would have shown that nine crisis. It shows how, in order to maximize returns to their billionaires owned the same wealth as the poorest half of wealthy shareholders, big corporations are dodging taxes, the planet, and not 62, as Oxfam calculated at the time. driving down wages for their workers and the prices paid to producers, and investing less in their business. Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of Oxfam International, said: Oxfam interviewed women working in a garment factory in Vietnam who work 12 hours a day, 6 days a “It is obscene for so much wealth to be held in the week and still struggle to get by on the $1 an hour they hands of so few when 1 in 10 people survive on less than earn producing clothes for some of the world’s biggest $2 a day. Inequality is trapping hundreds of millions in fashion brands. The CEOs of these companies are some poverty; it is fracturing our societies and undermining of the highest paid people in the world. Corporate tax democracy. dodging costs poor countries at least $100 billion every “Across the world, people are being left behind. year. This is enough money to provide an education for Their wages are stagnating yet corporate bosses take the 124 million children who aren’t in school and fund home million dollar bonuses; their health and education healthcare interventions that could prevent the deaths of services are cut while corporations and the super-rich at least six million children every year. dodge their taxes; their voices are ignored as governments sing to the tune of big business and a wealthy elite.” The report outlines how the super-rich use a network of tax havens to avoid paying their fair share of tax and an army Oxfam’s report shows how our broken economies are of wealth managers to secure returns on their investments funnelling wealth to a rich elite at the expense of the that would not be available to ordinary savers. Contrary to poorest in society, the majority of whom are women. The popular belief, many of the super-rich are not ‘self-made’. richest are accumulating wealth at such an astonishing Oxfam analysis shows over half the world’s billionaires rate that the world could see its first trillionaire in just either inherited their wealth or accumulated it through 25 years. To put this figure in perspective – you would industries which are prone to corruption and cronyism. need to spend $1 million every day for 2738 years to spend $1 trillion. It also demonstrates how big business and the super-rich use their money and connections to ensure government Public anger with inequality is already creating policy works for them. For example, billionaires in political shockwaves across the globe. Inequality has Brazil have sought to influence elections and successfully been cited as a significant factor in the election of lobbied for a reduction in tax bills while oil corporations Donald Trump in the US, the election of President in Nigeria have managed to secure generous tax breaks. R.N.I. NO. 1855/1957 32 JANATA, January 22, 2017 Postal Registration No. MCW/275/2015-2017. License to Post without prepayment WPP License No. MR/Tech/WPP-210/West/ 2017 Published on Sunday, January 22, 2017 & Posted on Wednesday January 25, 2017 at Mumbai Patrika Channel, Mumbai GPO-1

Printed and Published by G.G. Parikh on behalf of Janata Trust. Printed at Mouj Printing Bureau, Khatau Wadi, Girgaum, Mumbai-400 004 and published at D-15, Ganesh Prasad, Naushir Bharucha Marg (Sleater Road), Mumbai - 400 007. Established 1946 1 Pages 16 Price : Rupees Five

Vol. 72 No. 2 The meaning of being Gandhi January 29, 2017 Sandeep Pandey

Judicial conundrum: the prudent way out A controversy erupted recently The fact is that if there is one man M. G. Devasahayam when Narendra Modi’s photo most people in the world associate appeared behind the Charkha in India’s identity with, it is Gandhi. Electoral process a calendar of Khadi and Village There are probably more followers is a secular activity Industries Commission where people of Gautam Buddha but Buddhists Ram Puniyani are used to seeing Mahatma Gandhi. and the world doesn’t view Gautam Some Modi supporters are asking Buddha as being restricted to India Rohingyas: why was there no controversy when alone. However,Gandhi has been a the boatmen of the East Modi used broom, also a symbol source of inspiration for struggles all Mrinal K. Biswas taken from Gandhi, for his Swachch over the world where the marginalised Bharat campaign. After all, Gandhi are fighting the powerful for their Aftermath of demonetisation spectacles appear on all Swachch basic rights. Some environment R. D. Prabhu Bharat publicity material. movements also draw their inspiration from Gandhi. People must speak out Gandhi has no monopoly over Kuldip Nayar either broom or charkha. Everybody But Narendra Modi must understand Wider consultation has a right to get themselves that by being photographed with on river links badly needed photographed with either of the broom and charkha people will not Bharat Dogra items. And if Narendra Modi has start viewing him like they do Gandhi. started considering Mahatma as his Gandhi’s influence on people has Relevance of Gandhi’s ideal what can be better than this? been due to the values he represents, holistic approach He also travelled in the train from the values which he lived in his life Ravi Bhatia which Gandhi was thrown out in – and died for. In Gandhi’s ashrams South Africa to the famous Phoenix cleanliness was keenly observed and settlement when he visited South all people used to clean toilets. People Editor : Africa last year. Narendra Modi’s were supposed to wear khadi from the G. G. Parikh mother organisation, the Rashtriya yarn that they spun on the charkha. Swayamsewek Sangh does not have The philosophy of behind the spinning Managing Editor : Guddi a very kind view of Gandhi and in on Charkha was to use local material D-15, Ganesh Prasad, fact their ideology is responsible for to produce items of daily need for Naushir Bharucha Marg, Gandhi’s assassination. If Narendra people using technology which would Mumbai - 400 007. Modi has understood the importance provide jobs to people, that is Swaraj. of Gandhi and can help change the The global experience has shown opinion of RSS about Gandhi it would that the neoliberal economic policies Email : [email protected] indeed be a great thing. that Narendra Modi is implementing 2 JANATA, January 29, 2017 have increased the gap between the rich and the poor. Gandhi gave Judicial conundrum: importance to local resources, Modi the prudent way out is attracted by foreign investment.

But broom and charkha are M. G. Devasahayam material items. Gandhi is not known for these items alone. He has a place Amidst the intense cry and integrity, would be followed. in people’s heart because of the cacophony over ‘demonetisation’, values of truth and non-violence grievous governance wounds that 2) Power to reject candidates: that he espoused and the tool of are bleeding the nation are getting Government proposes to retain satyagraha that he gave to the world. side-lined. Most important among power for rejection of candidates The path of truth is difficult and long. them is the Central Government- recommended on grounds of There is no scope for compromises Supreme Court impasse on the national security/public interest. or short cuts to achieve success. appointment of High Court judges. Collegium is opposed to this, saying There is no glamour in this path. it amounts to interference in its One has to appear as s/he is without For quite some time the Central functioning. resorting to exaggeration. One can’t government and Supreme Court hide one’s shortcomings. Collegium have been locking horns 3) Writing down Reasons: on this issue. The Chief Justice of Government wants that in case a Non-violence is a natural state for India (CJI) has been blaming the senior Judge is being overlooked human beings. But human beings government for not doing enough for elevation to the Supreme Court, use violence to serve their vested for appointing judges with the the reasons for the same be recorded interests. Probably every ruler Union Law Minister responding in writing and the views of all five has had to use violence to some with a counter accusation. The bone judges of the Collegium must be degree. But one who believes in non- of contention is the Memorandum made known to the government. violence doesn’t terrorize people of Procedure (MoP) which will be Collegium says this will be counter- nor create an atmosphere of fear. the Rule governing appointment productive and could affect the S(he) doesn’t talk about war and of judges. Strange as it may seem concerned person’s future career as weapons. Nobody is considered an India’s higher judiciary, which well as duties as judge. enemy. The best way to eliminate adjudicates every law and rule in the an enemy is to make friends with country, is itself functioning without 4) Binding Recommendation: As him/her. Gandhi’s relationship with any rule! The Supreme Court, in a per the existing system, Collegium’s the British should be remembered. judgment, struck down government’s recommendations can be sent He did not consider any individual proposal to set up a National Judicial back but if it reiterates the same, his enemy but resolutely fought the Appointments Commission (NJAC) it is binding on the President. empire. This is why the British also for appointment of high court and Government says three important had a respect for him. supreme court judges. Since the judgments of 1993, 1998 and 2015 judgment, the government and the on appointment of judges do not give Gandhi was for Hindu-Muslim Collegium have not been able to absolute powers to the Collegium. unity. But during Narendra Modi’s draft the MoP. Instead, they ask for “participatory rule the distance between the two consultative process at the highest communities has widened. When This is because of sharp level”. the right wing activists carried differences of opinion between the out their attacks, the government two on many issues: 5) Three-judge Quota: by not restraining the miscreants Government proposed that up to extended its support to them. When 1) Seniority and Merit: three judges may be appointed the country achieved independence Government wants the criteria from the Bar or from distinguished Gandhi was trying to douse the of seniority, merit and integrity jurists with proven track records. communal fire in Noakhali whereas while promoting a HC judge to And that all judges of the Supreme the SC. Collegium says the criteria Court should be open to recommend (Contd. on Page 4) of seniority, subject to merit and names for these postings. Collegium JANATA, January 29, 2017 3 is not in agreement and says this CJI. Signatories included former There also needs to be does not fall within the framework Supreme Court judges and High transparency in the selection to of the Constitutional provisions. Court Chief Justices. prevent arbitrariness or nepotism. Minimum transparency would 6) Consultative Mechanism: The senior-most among them, require that the criteria for Government proposes to set up a Justice Kuldip Singh, former selection of judges and standard of committee to assist the Collegium Supreme Court Judge had this to evaluation of candidates be made in evaluation of candidates. It say: “There is no alternative (to known and names of shortlisted/ wants two retired judges of the SC Collegium). It’s fool proof, if it is selected candidates announced and an eminent person/jurist to be transparent and accountable. You before appointment, so that those jointly nominated by the CJI and the see, the judges know who all are who have relevant information government. Collegium feels this is good and fit for appointment as about the candidate can send it not necessary. sub-judges, high court judges, and to the appointing authority. Basic even Supreme Court judges. The criteria to judge the competence 7) Candidates” Database: judges are the best selectors.” This of a candidate should include Government proposes a secretariat contention needs to be taken with integrity, competence, judicial under the law ministry that several pinches of salt! temperament, common sense and maintains a database of judges, sensitivity towards the problems of schedules Collegium meetings, One of the signatories-Justice the common man, among others. maintains records and receives Manmohan Singh Liberhan (former A system modelled on the British recommendations and complaints CJ of Madras and Andhra High Judicial Appointments Commission, related to judges’ postings. Courts)-however cautioned that this which follows a method to evaluate Collegium is okay with the idea of unbridled power assumed by the candidates based on predetermined secretariat so long as the forming Collegium should not make Supreme and set criteria, could be suitable and functioning of it is left to the Court a “second sovereign”, because for this. CJI and it should be under the ambit in a democracy people alone are of the Registrar of the Supreme So, the tussle is between an sovereign. He concedes that the Court. ex-officio group called Collegium collegium system was not much of a and a fulltime Commission, both success and tongue-in-cheek admits This is the ongoing ‘tug-of- non-constitutional entities. Hence that true transparency would lead to war’. Subsequent to the Collegium the crisis and the conundrum that recently brushing aside Central loss of respect for judiciary! Indeed, has happened due to a historical Government’s objections to 43 as the adage goes: “Familiarity blunder. At the time of Independence candidates and reiterating all the breeds contempt.” there were two All India Services names for appointment as judges (AIS)-Indian Civil Service (ICS) this has turned in to slanging match Proponents of NJAC argue that and Indian Police (IP). ICS was between the two high constitutional selection to the higher judiciary doubling as civil servants and entities. Tensions continue must be made by a full-time (not ex- judges. Since Constitution of India to flare with both sides-Union officio) body, which is independent brought in separation of powers Law Minister and CJI-cautioning of the government and the judiciary between executive and judiciary this each other against crossing the and which goes about the selection arrangement was no longer tenable. ‘lakshmanrekha’. The former rubbed in a rational and transparent manner. it in by stating that while high courts The business of selecting hundreds Accordingly, Article 312 of the had shown “great courage” during of judges in a year to the higher Constitution mandated Parliament the Emergency, Supreme Court had judiciary, if done properly, would to create one or more AIS. Due to failed the people by endorsing it. require at least a thousand candidates intense efforts by SardarVallabhbhai The unsavouryCollegium Vs NJAC to be considered and comparatively Patel, Deputy Prime Minister in spectacle is not going to end soon. evaluated over multidimensional charge of Home Ministry, two of Because, not only the sitting judges criteria in a fair and rational manner. them were promptly covenanted in but also the retired heavy weights of This would require a full-time body, the Constitution itself: “The services higher judiciary are leaning in favour which could totally devote itself known at the commencement of of the former and have conveyed the to this process, with professional this Constitution as the Indian same in a Memorandum sent to the support. Administrative Service (IAS) and 4 JANATA, January 29, 2017 the Indian Police Service (IPS) shall time, 18 high courts out of 24 had prudent way out of the deepening be deemed to be services created responded to the proposal, and most morass and brooks no delay. by Parliament under this article.” of them had opposed it. [312(2)] But BR Ambedkar, the (Contd. from Page 2) It looks as if the decades old Law Minister allowed the matter during Narendra Modi’s government plan of setting up IJS is again to drift and frittered away the in Gujarat communal riots went on in the limelight. This is evident opportunity. So, till date there is no unrestrained for three days in 2002. from a note prepared by the Law Indian Judicial Service (IJS) since Will Modi accept responsibility for Ministry’s justice department in Parliament empowered to enact a this? law for the purpose has failed to September, 2016: “The matter has been discussed at the highest do so. Narendra Modi says he has level in the government and the judiciary. It has been decided that sacrificed his family life for his This perhaps is the main reason public life. But Gandhi showed how why there is such crisis in judiciary the Honourable Chief Justice of India would convene a meeting one can include family in public life. and huge number of vacancies. Even though his family members Creation of IJS keeps cropping up of the Chief Justices of the High Courts to arrive at a consensus on were opposed to some of his ways off and on. In 2010, three eminent he tried his best to take them along. jurists–Justice MN Venkatachaliah, formation of IJS.” In the present Justice JS Verma, Justice VR surcharged atmosphere, it will be interesting to see how CJI and the Every step of Gandhi was taken Krishna Iyer–examined the issue keeping in consideration the poor. in some length and opined thus: High Courts react to the proposal which, according to sources, has The policies of Narendra Modi “We agree with the urgent need to government are benefitting the rich constitute the IJS as envisaged by been significantly tweaked to convince the judiciary that it would more than the poor. In fact, the Article 312 of the Constitution of poor are increasingly feeling more India, at par with the other All India remain free of government control. insecure in his regime. services like the IAS. to attract the This can be achieved by making Supreme Court as cadre-controlling best available talent at the threshold Without making the values for the subordinate judiciary, which authority for the IJS. espoused by Gandhi part of his own is at the cutting edge of the justice Though the Constitution has life if Modi tries to superficially delivery system to improve its placed “Justice, social, economic use Gandhi for enhancement of his quality. Moreover, the subordinate and political” at the epicentre of image it would not help. Gandhi judiciary is important feeder-line India’s democratic governance, for had no ambition for political power. for appointments to the High Court. the people at large this has become He ruled people’s hearts and still The general reluctance of competent a rare, time-consuming and costly continues to do so. People show lawyers to join the Bench even at ‘commodity’ to access. And the way the higher levels adds an additional respect to a person in power only so courts and judges are functioning long as s(he) is in power. Once the urgency to the problem. IJS will, things are going from bad to worse. in due course of time, also help to person leaves power people tend to This cannot be countenanced and forget him/her. improve the quality of the High a solution has to be found. The Courts.” sooner, the better because higher Whatever Gandhi did was part judiciary cannot be a rule-less entity of his holistic view of life. As part Various law commissions (1st, in perpetuity! 8th, and 11th) had also suggested the of some management thinking we creation of IJS. Even the Supreme All things considered, the best can’t adopt some of his things while Court, in two of its judgments long-term solution for this sensitive leaving out the rest. If Modi wants to in 1991 and 1993, had endorsed and vexatious issue is to abide by the be seen as endorsing the philosophy the setting up of IJS. Yet it is constitutional scheme of things and of charkha he can’t be helping his mysterious that this Service has not establish the IJS with appropriate friend Ambani to set up a defence materialised. In November, 2012, a rules and regulations without any business venture. If leaders and Committee of Secretaries chaired by further loss of time. In the interim, workers of his party continue to the Cabinet Secretary had approved judiciary can adopt the extant All- bully people and make inappropriate a “comprehensive proposal” for India Service Rules with suitable comments unhindered, Modi can’t creation of the service. At the modifications. This seems to be the be viewed as a world leader. JANATA, January 29, 2017 5 Electoral process is a secular activity

Ram Puniyani

The word secularism has been The judgment has been Hindutva and to escape being brought to disrepute during last few welcomed by many political punished under provisions of decades. Secularism stands in India streams, including the one’s which people’s representation act. This for equal respect for all religions and have been questioning the secular discrepancy is not welcome as the principle that the state policies values and which have built their the major communal streams will not be dictated by religions. electoral strength on the identity can merrily indulge in the use of This is the central theme of Indian issues of religion. While it has religion for electoral ground and at constitution. Its flawed practice by shown the path for plural India, the the same time to escape the penal ruling parties has been used as a India where the dignity and rights of provisions of law. Secondly, use pretext by communal elements to all are respected at the same time, at of “religions’ identify” has been downgrade it and the very principles the same time many challenges also the ground on which violence of secularism itself have been need to be envisaged in the practice and polarization has been taking questioned. The Supreme Court of this verdict. place. Take for example the issue seven bench judgment that electoral of Ram Temple or beef; it gives a process is a secular activity comes as The whole exercise which clear communal message. The use a big relief for all those who uphold brought in this judgment began with of this for political mobilization the underlying currents of justice the interventions which wanted has been the major phenomenon inherent in the values of pluralism. the court to revisit the notorious over last over three decades. The The judgment says that India is a “Hindutva Judgment’ of 1995, Court verdict has nothing to say Secular State; elections in a secular associated with the name of Justice on these types of issues, which state must not violate Principles Varma. That judgment held that are an appeal to mobilize the of Secularism. It states that the Hinduism-Hindutva is multifarious, community in the name of religion. Misuse of Religion for Political diverse, ‘difficult to define’ so it is This political abuse of religion’s ends --violation of Section 123 of a ‘way of life’. The confusions on identity for electoral power is the Representation of People’s Act which that judgment was based are antithetical to secular values. How amounts to a corrupt practice under due to the very nature of Hinduism, does the country get over these Indian election law, and further that where there is no single prophet and emotive issues which create a the onus of preserving the sanctity diverse and conflicting religious political malpractice in a deeper and purity of the election Process lies traditions prevailing in this area sense? Unless these are addressed not just with the candidate contesting have been brought under the the political tendencies will keep the election, but his/her agent, the umbrella of Hinduism. Still all said finding more and more ground to manifesto on which he/she contests. and done Hinduism is a religion appeal in the name of religion, by all theological and sociological though this appeal will be more The judgment states that the considerations, as it has holy books, subtle but will be having the same function of an elected representative rituals, clergy, Gods-Goddesses and outcome. must be secular in both outlook most other parameters for calling it and practice as these values also a religion. This time the Court has One recalls that before the general emphasize that there should be not opined on this crucial aspect of elections of 2014, NarendraModi In affirmative action for the religious the 1995 judgment, which needs to one of his speeches in Mumbai said minorities; this is as well the part be revisited and revised keeping in that ‘I am born in a Hindu family: ingrained in the values of justice, mind its perception as a religion I am a nationalist, so I am a Hindu which forms the foundation of among the millions of Hindus. nationalist’. Massive hoardings secular democracies. This judgment were put up all over Mumbai to gives a new rejuvenating strength to Not addressing this issue has give this message. Will it come the inherent principles of secularism left the ground open for the section under corrupt practice or not? which the founding fathers of Indian of communalists to continue to The hate speeches like the ones’ Constitution envisaged. appeal in the name of Hidnuism- of AkbarUddin Owaisi and the 6 JANATA, January 29, 2017 large section of RSS combine like Yogi Adityanath, Pravin Togadia, Rohingyas: the boatmen of the East Sadhvi Nirnajan Jyoti and their ilk is a deeper appeal to the religion of Mrinal K. Biswas the electorate. Should it amount to corrupt electoral practice or not? In a queer turn of events forcing displacement of 30,000 There is a lot of symbolism which repression-fighting Nobel laureate people. Unsheltered Rohingyas are gives the message of religion, like Aung San Suu Kyi is looking the desperately seeking escape routes. using Islamic symbols by some, and other way when her country’s using Hindu symbols, Hindu gods persecuted Rohingyas are deserting Status-less minority and goddesses in the posters of the Myanmar under duress. The Rohingyas are perhaps the candidates. Some candidates have world’s most persecuted minority been comparing themselves this or Boatmen of the East are the Muslim people of about 50 million that god or goddesses, where will Rohingyas of Myanmar. They Burmese population mostly we put such a practice? Some time are fleeing the country by sea. If living in the poorest north-west ago, UP BJP Chief K P Maurya fortune favours their illegal, highly Myanmar’s Rakhin province of 3 was shown posing as Lord Krishna hazardous voyage the persecuted million inhabitants. About 140,000 facing the Kauravas of Yadav Rakhine provincials can touch the Rohingyas in Rakhine live in ghetto- family were put up, how does one coastal lines of Thailand, Malaysia, like camps but with government let it pass if elections and politics the Phillippines and even the permission only. They are kept out of are secular enterprise? Indonesian islands to seek refuge. Myanmar’s official list of 135 ethnic On the other side will come the Surprisingly, India’s Andamans groups, hence denied citizenship issues related to the marginalized islands still remain out of bounds and treated as Bangladeshi illegal sections of society. Demands for the for the unfortunate Rohingyas. How immigrants. The hapless Rohingyas neglected poor deprived sections many unlucky boatmen will fail to do not have rights to study, work, may be related to caste or religion. reach their uncertain destinations is travel, marry, practice their religion Since the beginning of republic anybody’s guess. and their access to health services some communities have remained are restricted. disadvantaged or victimized due to Their tragedy multiplies as multiple factors. Adivasis, Dalits Border Guard Bangladesh (BGD) The Rohingyas remain inferior and religious minorities do fall in vigorously prevents any crossborder to the step-sons and step-daughters this category. There are enough entry of Rohingyas. Groups of of Myanmar despite living in that reports showing the plight of them with great number of women country for years. They have never these sections, Sachar Committee and children were more than once been given any status of citizenship report being one example. These pushed back into inhospitable by the essentially Buddhist country sectional demands fall under the Myanmar. In desperate moves some of Burma, which the British annexed category of ‘affirmative action’, Rohingyas could sneak through in 1937 to make it a British India which is integral part of the land routes to go to far off areas province, and was ultimately given secular democratic nature of our like Jammu in India with a few of independence in January 1948, a few Constitution. They cannot be them joining midway extremist months after we got independence. labeled as an appeal to religion or groups like Jamaitul Mujahidden Burma was later renamed Myanmar caste in any way. Bangladesh (JMB) to operate in by recalling a piece of history. its secret arsenal-making bases in While Supreme Court has shown West Bengal with the pan-Islamic The Rohingyas speak a Bengali the way, overcoming the existing idea of creating a greater Muslim dialect, are Muslims by faith, and lacuna in the practice of secular Bengal state. The latter’s ISIS are contemptuously called Bengalis values need to be restored in the connection is not ruled out. Inside because of their dark-skinned society, and that will pave the way Myanmar, alleged Muslim militants appearance by the fairer Buddhist for justice and peace in the real attacked border posts reportedly Burmese population. As ill-luck sense. inviting Burmese army reprisals would have it the Bangladesh people JANATA, January 29, 2017 7 also refuse to treat them as kindred the citizenship rights. Since then the illegal Mujahidden working spirits, though the Rohingyas officially stateless Rohingyas at Khargagarh of West Bengal. originate from Bengal. living ‘’illegally’’ in Myanmar J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba are targeted to be deported. The Mufti admitted that some 5,743 Bengali Muslims military and Buddhist attacks on Rohingyas are living in shanties History shows a Burmese ruler the Rohingyas increased without of Jammu while a few of them had in the fifteenth century ceded some any sign of abatement even after a been registered for various offences. territory to the Bengal Sultan to kind of democracy sets in Myanmar Reports say that Rohingya Abdul make it the Muslim state of Arakan in this early 21st century. In October said his persecuted community, (which is now Rakhine) in which 2012, in the wake of violent riots, forced out of Myanmar, sought Muslim descendants’ Burmese President Thein Sein asked UN to refuge in Jammu’s Narwal area Kamein ethnic groups originated. resettle them in other countries. to “live peacefully here and earn What is established is the fact “We will take care of our own ethnic a decent living by working as that after first Indo-Burma war of nationalities but Rohingyas who labourers or do menial jobs. 1826 the British colonials annexed came to Burma illegally are not our Arakan and brought in Bengali ethnic nationality and we cannot Aung San shocker Muslim farm workers there. All accept them.” The big question is what Aung their descendents and immigrants San Suu Kyi, Myanmar foreign in Arakan were described as the The most recent violent incident minister endowed with real power Rohingyas of Rakhine province took place on October 9, 2016 when after a deal with the military junta who made the Buddhist Rakhine a militant Rohingya group made following her National League population immensely suspicious of lethal attacks on the Burmese army of Democracy’s emphatic poll them. There was a Arakan massacre resulting in severe counter-attacks victory in November 2015, is in 1942 giving up two unfortunate as a consequence of which the going to do with the Rohingya developments: The Burma Buddhists Rohingyas are fleeing in whatever question. She is quite aware of the as a whole became extremely hostile directions they can go. The clash Buddhist and Military hostility of to “alien” Rohingyas and a section of toll was 17 Myanmar security the Rohingyas. Even in the midst the Rohingyas began a Mujahidden personnel, at least 70 Rohingyas in of growing international cry of rebellion for a separatist movement village areas while Myanmar police human rights violations affecting in 1948. Things became complicated arrested some 500 villagers on the the Rohingyas this Nobel Lauterate as Rakhine Buddhists also launched border line of Bangladesh. But the said the Rohingyas are the Bengalis. an Arakanese independence attacks on the Rohingyas continue It has to be seen whether they can be movement sometime then. despite diplomatic interventions. considered as citizens of Myanmar.

In the midst of all these the Long inhospitabIe Myanmar She also justified the measures Rohingya heads increased by forced Rohingyas to flee in whatever taken against the Rohingyas as Muslim immigrants from East directions they can go. According lawful. Herself suffered long under Pakistan after Burma freed herself to the UN refugee agency, since army rule Aung San Suu Kyi’s from the British rule in 1948 and 2012, estimated over 110,000 people statement astounded the liberal a large number Bengali Muslims dangerously left in flimsy boats from world.There is a suspicion that fleeing to Myanmar in the wake of obscure Myanmar coastlines whose she is bound to take this stand 1971 Bangladesh liberation war. An fearful movements are believed because she is under some kind of estimated 1.23 million Rohingyas continuing. political duress. The numerically are found settled in Myanmar in large, politically strong Buddhist 2013, most of them in Rakhine. While some others are clergy once fought the military clandestinely going into junta but now disfavours Aung San The military rulers of Myanmar neighbouring Bangladesh and Suu Kyi for her being too soft on thrust heavily on the Rohingyas onwards. national issues. Her ambivalence when in the 1980s Gen. Ne Win has disappointed her very wide enacted Burmese nationality law in The Rohingyas are noticed now. international supporters and human 1982 which firmly denied Rohingyas A few of them were found among rights activists. 8 JANATA, January 29, 2017 Aftermath of demonetisation

R. D. Prabhu

On the November 8, 2016, Prime guaranteed by the Constitution of MPs lost this golden opportunity. Minister Narendra Modi suddenly India. The voters are not happy with the declared demonetization of currency irresponsible behaviour of their notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000. It was After declaration of the decision representatives in both the houses shocking news for the common man. of the demonetization of currency of Parliament particularly with MPs The Prime Minister claimed that notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000, it was in the LokSabha. I congratulate Shri the decision was taken to route out expected that the Parliament session Panda of BJD for his decision. corruption and black money. The would be stormy. But both the Government having agencies like the treasury benches and the opposition PM v/s CBI, Income Tax Department, etc. parties belied the hopes of voters. My After announcement of the under their control are well aware submission is that though the smooth decision of demonetization of of the possession of black money by functioning of the Parliament is the high valued currency notes, Rahul capitalists did not touch for the last responsibility of the government Gandhi, MP and Vice President of so many years but these agencies but at the same time it is also the Congress Party started attacking are now active to raid the houses of responsibility of the opposition NarendraModi, for making the capitalists who were on their radar. parties to respond it in democracy. I common man suffer without any But the common man is affected and submit that in A democracy, dialogue prior notice. This can be termed is facing untold difficulties while and discussion is very important. as Mini Emergency because very withdrawing his hard earned money Because in the democracy issues livelihood of poor man is at stake. As from his bank account, because can be settled with discussions pointed out by BhavnaVijArora and of the government’s restrictions and in recently concluded sessions Zia Haq in their article published in on withdrawals. Even today the of the Parliament there were no the OUTLOOK of 26th December condition is critical in economic discussions on this vital issue of 2016 issue title “Chance of sphere. demonetization. In this recently Lightning or Just Thunder”, that concluded session of the Parliament “Demonetization had provided him The effects of demonetization the country has lost precious time the fire power. A senior Congress were so grave that social and and huge public funds. In spite of leader says Rahul has a single point economic life of entire nation came this undemocratic behaviour, all the agenda – to leverage the public to standstill. The Government Members of Parliament will receive anger against demonetization that alternatively introduced circulation their salaries with usual allowance has created a cash crunch and of currency note of Rs 2000 but this for NO WORK. But yet there is a become a cause of harassment to added to the cash crunch. In the hands ray of hope in this battle. From the the common man specially those of common man when he goes to the press reports, it is observed that who survived on cash economy.” market in order to purchase essential Shri Panda, anHon’ble M.P of BJD Rahul Gandhi, a responsible leader commodities merchants are selling declared that he would not accept of the Congress Party should take goods on condition that the customer his salary for the period the recently extra care while leveling charges of purchases substantial commodities, concluded session of the Parliament serious nature against any leader in only then the merchant is willing without transacting any business. I public. He should not invite trouble to accept the Rs 2000. Thus, the submit that all the MPs have misused for himself and the party. Rahul common man faces difficulties their rights. The voters all over India Gandhi must have thought that this to maintain his family in such voted their representatives to raise is a golden opportunity to embarrass economic curbs at the mercy of this their grievances against the anti party in power but at the same time democratically elected government. people policies, against injustice he should come prepared with home So it can be concluded here that the done by the government on the floor work and concrete evidences. The government denied right to life as of the house. But unfortunately our charges he levelled against the Prime JANATA, January 29, 2017 9

Minister NarendraModi should be supported with valid evidences. Now People must speak out RahulGandhl as MP should learn how to use various Constitutional Kuldip Nayar methods in the LokSabha and for that purpose he should have command on When distinguished writers and denser in the country. Political language i.e. oratory skill. For that artists return to the Academies the leaders seem to be promoting or purpose he should go through the speeches of the first Prime Minister awards, which had been conferred patronizing it. The government is Shri Jawarla1 Nehru, veteran on them, the question to ask is not only running down the artists and Parliamentarians such as Nath Path, why they did not do it earlier, say, at writers. Freedom of expression is the MadhuLimaye, MadhuDandavate, the testing time like the Emergency. foundation on which the structure of SomnathChatterjee, DrLohia etc. Writers and artists are a sensitive lot. democracy has been built. The entire At the same time he should remain They react when they feel like and building would come down crashing present in the LokSabha whenever in how they feel like. if it is tinkered with. Unfortunately, session. But in short, Rahul Gandhi this is what is happening. it seems is making attempts to attack It is, in fact, the duty of the the government on burning issues. government to find out why they This feeling of suffocation felt that the situation had come has emerged after the advent of In this connection, I wish to to such a pass that they have no Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reproduce a relevant extract from alternative except to return their government. There is fear to express the article ‘Cynicism over corruption award. Nayantara Sehgal, Jawaharlal a different point of view. One feels charge against PM’, by Anil Sharma Nehru’s niece, who was the first to that the fanatic fringe in the Hindu published in the Free Press Journal return the award, said that the space community has become bold and (Mumbai) dated 26.12.2016 for in the BJP government for dissent has been indulging in acts, which information of all the readers of had shrunk. Many artists followed are opposed to secularism, which JANATA. suit. instill fear in the minds of minorities.

Now here is a Prime Minister who In a letter to the Academi authorities The Dadri incident is too shameful is waging war against corruption and the poet Manmohan, while to be even recalled. A Muslim youth black money. His single decision of returning the award, maintained was lynched because they had kept demonetization ostensibly aimed at that the current trend of “curbing beef in their refrigerator. This was de-hoarding the black money that is the voices of dissent and freedom on the basis of rumours which were with the corrupt, has brought untold of expression, which was evident found to be factually incorrect. miseries of millions of masses, in the recent murders of intellectual ordinary citizens have been denied writers Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Whether one should eat beef or free access to their own money kept Pansare and M.M. Kalburgi” was not, is a matter of personal choice. in banks. Millions have been forced disturbing. The has to stand in queues in front of banks also endorsed this viewpoint. Not and ATM to get their own, only to “Indians have experienced to many among the minorities eat be turned back after hours with cash register protests. Several writers and it because of the accommodative signs. Does such a Prime Minster artists have recently returned their culture the country has developed. have the moral authority to unleash Academi awards and prizes in protest For the same reason, the Hindus such pain on people when he is against the prevailing situation. I too do not take pork out of respect personally accused of corruption?” am also returning the award to the for the Muslims’ belief. In fact, Haryana Sahitya Akademi,” the India has survived as a nation, It is stated that the cruel effect writer states in the letter. despite its diversities, because it has of this monetization is that number respected the different sensitivities of people i.e. account holders have Indeed, an atmosphere of and identities. Otherwise, a vast died while standing in queue for communal polarization, hate crime, country like India would have (Contd. on Page 10) insecurity and violence is getting disintegrated long ago. 10 JANATA, January 29, 2017

I recall in my brief stint as India’s religion. People have to keep in mind I agree with Naidu on one point. High Commissioner in London, the sentiments of others and eating is Some of these writers, who are the admiration which then Prime a personal choice of people,” he said. queuing up to return the awards, Minister Margaret Thatcher had for failed to react when the Emergency the country. She told me once that But what surprised me the most was imposed in the country or India was an example for the world was how Naidu disposed of the when the anti-Sikh riots took place - how the country had remained Dadri incident by passing on the following the assassination of Prime democratic and united despite the buck to the state. He said that it was a Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984. law and order issue concerning Uttar backwardness. She asked me once Over, 3,000 Sikhs were massacred what reason I attributed to it. I told Pradesh and chief minister Akhilesh in the aftermath of the incident in her that we in India did not think that Yadav and the Samajwadi Party Delhi itself. things were either black or white but should be questioned on it instead we saw a vast grey which we want of putting the blame on the BJP-led However, I cannot understand the expanding. This was our pluralism government at the centre. silence of Prime Minister Narendra or secularism. Similarly, on the issue of writers’ Modi who, all the time talks of an Unfortunately, the ideology of protests over growing intolerance inclusive government. I wish he the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party is and returning their awards he had spoken on the raging issues. the anti-thesis of pluralism. The said that it was a “systematic and Likewise, I also cannot fathom why party believes in polarization. Take malicious campaign against the the Sahitya Academi has kept mum the case of Haryana chief minister government to divert its focus from on the issue. In a nation’s history, Manohar Lal Khattar’s recent development and to derail Prime there come certain occasions when comments. His reported remarks Minister Modi’s efforts of making people must speak out. If they don’t, to a national newspaper were that India develop and progress further.” the nation is doomed to suffer. “Muslins can continue to live in this country, but they will have to give (Contd. from Page 9) up eating beef” because “cow is an hours together for getting their article of faith here.” hard earned money in bank. What Footprints of No doubt, the remarks of Haryana about future of their families? The A Crusader chief minister trigged an outrage government should come forward with the Congress calling it a sad to grant them compensation to lead (The Life Story of day for Indian democracy and them a respectable life in society. slamming for his “unconstitutional” Otherwise the opposition parties Mrunal Gore) observations. Yet, as was to be should come forward and raise expected, the BJP leader said his relief funds for welfare of those who words had been twisted. “I never have sacrificed their life in this anti- made such a statement. But if the people struggle. by sentiments of anyone have been hurt Rohini Gawankar with my words, I am ready to express Finally, it is concluded that my regret,” said Khattar. workers in unorganized sectors rely Understandably, the BJP on cash to maintain their families and Published by : dissociated itself from the views of not on cashless methods. It is obvious Kamalakar Subhedar Khattar saying that this was not the the Prime Minister Modi is leading Secretary, Samata Shikshan party’s stand or view. Soon after the this country towards authoritarian Sanstha, Pareira Wadi, Mohili furor, Parliamentary Affairs Minister rule and the opposition leaders Village, Sakinaka, Ghatkopar(W), M. Venkaiah Naidu said that the are not using every opportunity to Mumbai 400072. views expressed by Khattar were not fight him. This is dangerous step Mobile: 9820092255 that of the party. “I will talk to him for this democratic country. All the Contribution: Rs.300+ and will advise him. It is not correct democratic forces must retaliate to link anyone’s eating habits to anti-people economic reforms. JANATA, January 29, 2017 11 Wider consultation on river links badly needed

Bharat Dogra

The most worrying aspect of To raise the money she said we’ll a densely populated country like the National Interlinking of Rivers see how we can commercialise India. Significantly the government programme is that all the adverse irrigation, try the PPP mode, or get authorities do not appear to have opinions as well as concerns about the private sector involved. reliable information on this. In the disruptive impacts voiced by many interview quoted above when the well-informed and senior persons, On the time-frame the Minister minister was asked about the project including those who have occupied said that the first project of Ken- affected people she said , “ we are senior positions in the government Betwa link will be completed in unable to calculate the numbers in water, environment and related seven years. The Daman Ganga- now, but don’t look at the project- areas, have not led to the need for Pinjal and Par-Tapi Narmada affected people, look at the benefits greater caution on the part of the projects will also be completed of this project.” A figure of about 15 Union government. The only factor in seven years. The fourth one lakh people likely to be displaced that appears to act as some sort of Chambal-Kalsind is also likely to and about one lakh hectare of forest restraining influence on the gung-ho be completed within this period likely to be submerged has often spirit of the Union Ministry for Water despite reservations of states. As been mentioned as a rough and Resources and River Development for the other projects more time is ready calculation, but this is likely is in the form of objections and needed for convincing states and to be an underestimate if we are reservations expressed by several completing studies but, the Minister careful to include all the indirect state governments. Despite added, “ I can say with certainty that impacts as well ( one million=10 this, however, the dominant we can complete these projects in lakhs). official position remains one of maximum 20 years.” In addition, marching ahead speedily with the the minister said, “ I have spoken Finding all the adverse impacts highly controversial river-links with surface transport minister in a reliable way for such a programme. Nitin Gadkari and asked him to gigantic programme involving include the 31 inter-link river canals the construction of hundreds of For the record the National River in the list of 101 inland waterways dams and relacted structures and Links (NLR) programme involves he is working on.” many thousands of kms. of canals the linking of 37 rivers using 30 river will be a complex exercise which links by creating a vast network of If this sounds mind-boggling will require a lot of expertise and dams and 15000 km. canals. The it actually is. If all this actually time, but it appears from the way authorities claim that this will happens, then this will be the that time commitments are already increase irrigation and domestic biggest ever human-made changing set that the impact studies will be water supply significantly, while of the geography and ecology of more of a formality and will not be also making substantial additions rivers to be carried out within such a accorded adequate importance in to hydel power generation. In fact narrow time span of two decades. If deciding about the various projects huge additions of 34 gigawatts of this project is estimated today at Rs. or sub-projects. electricity and 34 million hectares 11 lakh crore one can imagine what of irrigation have been promised. its final cost will be given the cost Perhaps the most vexing part of These figures were recently cited escalations normally associated the entire project is that reliable by the Union Water Resources with such projects. estimates of deficits and surpluses and River Development Minister are not available yet in most cases Uma Bharti in an interview. In this What about the social and and hence the entire basis of the interview the Minister also said environmental costs? The issue of project is questionable from this that the gigantic project’s cost has people displaced by dams and canals point of view. Even in the very first now gone up to Rs. 11 lakh crore. has always been a troubling one in and hence so far the most studied 12 JANATA, January 29, 2017 project the Ken- Betwa project the official position on surplus and Relevance of Gandhi’s holistic approach deficits areas has been questioned time and again. Ravi Bhatia

There is a very clear need to Disparities, deprivation and farmers and the countryside were make a distinction between the discrimination around the world are deplorable. In his small 90 page natural confluence of rivers and the too visible to be ignored in today’s booklet called Hind Swaraj that forced human made linkages such globalised world. These are of Gandhi wrote in 1908 while he as the ones being attempted in this different types—economic, social, was returning to South Africa from project. The natural confluences and educational and health related. England, he has dwelt in a concise of various rivers evolved over While the rich have all the comforts manner why India was poor and thousands or even lakhs of years in in terms of housing, educational deprived. keeping with the overall geographic facilities, nutritious food and other and topographical situations. The necessary requirements of a good He laid the blame squarely biodiversity of the river and nearby life, the poor and marginalized upon the British colonialism that areas was thus well adjusted to peoples are deprived of basic had impoverished the country. He this. However changing natural human rights and needs. was against modern civilization river flows for forced linkages that then prevailed in the world’s are different and can play havoc These marginalized populations richest country. England at that with the bio-diversity of both exist in many parts — in Africa, time not only exploited its various rivers. Due to changed river paths Latin America and Asia, but colonies but was exploitative and diversions, water availability disparities especially economic within the country itself. Gandhi including water recharge over vast and social are not confined to these wrote that modern machinery had areas can be adversely affected. regions alone. Even USA perhaps made life comfortable for the well Rivers may show resistance to the the wealthiest country in the world, to do populations of England at forced change in paths, in which has large economic disparities as the expense of factory workers case more destructive floods may highlighted by their Nobel Prize and miners who toiled in risky be unleashed. winner Joseph Stiglitz. He writes and unhygienic conditions. Even ‘American inequality didn’t just women were forced to work in Hence some basic justifications happen. It was created’. these poor, unhealthy conditions. of this very costly project are so questionable that it can easily land The reasons for the economic and For Gandhi, machinery was us in a terrible mess. A decade of social disparities are too complex an instrument of exploitation and its implementation at the speed to be adequately described in this destitution of people especially being indicated now at the minister small essay, but the political system in the Indian countryside since it level will create a massive mess and the capitalist, neo-liberal displaced labour. He wrote in Hind which will be difficult to repair, economies of thesecountries are Swaraj “Machinery is the chief and an additional argument will be dominant factors for the conditions symbol of modern civilization; it given then that as so much money prevailing in many parts of the represents a great sin”. has already been spent we have to world. somehow complete this project. So As an example he wrote about much before the situation reaches Poverty, discrimination and the displacement of village weavers this stage, we should strive to oppression in one form or another who could not compete with the create conditions in which better have existed in the world since cloth mills that manufactured cloth sense will prevail and at the very prehistoric times. A hundred years rather cheaply. While Manchester least an impartial review of the back when Gandhi was on the in England prospered due to its controversial project involving the scene in the Indian subcontinent cloth mills, the Indian towns and best available talent on this subject (present day India, Pakistan and villages that fabricated cloth by can be obtained. Bangladesh), conditions of the simple handlooms were adversely JANATA, January 29, 2017 13 affected and became impoverished. Darkness is the only end for Machinery was also affecting the the Dam Tunnels Indian farmers who used to work with simple tools and their bullocks “Black Spot” - A film made on the in World Bank fostered projects. for ploughing their farmlands. impacts of Vishugaad – Peepalkoti This is the way of neglecting the Gandhi wanted to promote village tunnels on the Alaknanda River. much required expenditure on activities not only those of making The affected peoples have rehabilitation and other issues. cloth by handlooms, but also soap declared, “We have been ignored “We get the threats of arrest if making, paper making, tanning etc. and treated merely as a character to we resist and protest for our This would not only be a source of laugh at. The tunnel is being built rights. Are the Ganga dam affected adequate income for the villagers beneath our houses. How much region not in India?”, questioned but would also maintain their damage will it do, nobody knows. Rajendra Hatwal. dignity and promote friendship and The compensation of previous harmony. damages have not been made yet. Narendra Pokhariyal has been If we will protest then we will have struggling for years for security Perhaps Gandhi’s attitude to face the court cases. The Court of his Village and constant flow of towards machinery would appear has made restrictions on people’s the River Ganga but got only false not only outdated butextreme visiting the Dams working sites.” promises and increased confusion. in today’s context. However the Now what to do?”, asks Ramlal, World Bank and State government conditions of farmers in India are a residence of Durgapur Village. is responsible for not giving the really bad due to several factors Durgapur village is the part of right solutions of the issues. The apart from the issues of machinery Village Panchayat where dalit film “Black Spot” made by Media and many of them resort to suicide families reside. The THDC, Collective tried to cover all these to escape their ordeal even today. Dam Construction Company, is aspects. This Hindi film with According to Professor building/ constructing tunnels subtitles in English is made by PulinNayak, economist of Delhi for Vishnugaad – Peepalkoti Hagen Desa. School of Economics, Hind Swaraj Hydro Power Project Power This film reveals the reality ‘aimed for self rule in a context House. Cracks have appeared of tunnel projects through the where the twin principles of on the walls of houses present above the tunnels due to high issues prevailing in Vishnugaad satyagraha and non-violence were intensity blasts happened during - Peepalkoti Dam affected area. the core postulates’. the construction of tunnels, the When there is planning to bind Poverty, discrimination and future has become uncertain. Ganga – Yamuna – Kali - Saryu oppression visible at present The condition of the Harsari hamlet and all their tributaries in tunnels, are, as indicated above, due to of Haat Village is also the same. then this film reveals the grim complex factors. But even today the The other project affected villages realities and likely impacts in conditions of not only farmers but are also facing the same threat and front of development planners, the tribal peoples living in remote uncertainties. What is the guarantee government agencies and financial regions are bad and grim. Tribal that everything will be secure once institutions like World Bank. We people, who have survived for the projects will be completed? expect that they will learn a lot centuries in their so called primitive The tunnel of Vishnuprayag dam from this and bring subsequent conditions, are victims of modern have already brought disaster changes in their attitude taking developmental paradigm as their in Chai –Thai Village after people’s and environmental forest lands have been encroached years where NEPI Company issues on higher priorities. upon and they are forced to evacuate had denied claims of any losses. This film has been released their habitats. Gandhi, who lived in There has been no evaluation done by the villagers in Gopeshwar a simple manner, was careful in of the impacts of these tunnels headquarter of Chamoli district. (Contd. on Page 14) Reena Devi Vimal Bhai 14 JANATA, January 29, 2017 not exploiting nature that has now needs and skills. Such a system is even today for his holistic approach resulted in environmental pollution necessary even today if we want in promoting a just economic and climate change. all sections of the population to and political system, skill based live harmoniously, with their basic education and an environmentally Gandhi advocated a system that requirements fulfilled. friendly system for preserving he called Swaraj or Home Rule nature and not over exploiting that was conducive for all peoples Does the present globalised neo our earth. Albert Einstein had said and was inclusive in nature, where liberal economic model produce that future generations will hardly people had opportunities to live these conditions? The answer can believe that such a man ever walked in a harmonious manner keeping only be in the negative. Gandhi on this earth! Truly, we need in view their specific conditions, who was killed in 1948 is relevant Gandhi more than ever today. –TRANSCEND Media Service

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Vol. 72 No. 3 Budget Reality February 5, 2017 Neeraj Jain

Economic Survey 2017 The Prime Minister and many Calculating these exemptions given Arun Kumar leading intellectuals have praised the to the rich based on the earlier budget as pro-growth, pro-poor and methodology, these exemptions pro-farmer. The reality is, however, (excluding the exemptions given in Union Budget 2017-18 exactly the opposite of all these personal income taxes, which are Delhi Solidarity Group epithets. more oriented towards the middle classes) work out to: 83,492 (corporate While total budget outlay has taxes) + 250,642 (customs duties) + Political Party Funding increased over the figure for 2016- 224,940 (excise duties) = 559,074 through Electoral Bonds 17 budget estimate (BE) by 8.5%, in or Rs 5.59 lakh crore. (In making Venkatesh Nayak fact, as compared to the GDP, it has these calculations, the customs duties fallen from 13.13% to 12.74%. This exemptions has been calculated as is an indication that the government below: TheStatement of Revenue Times are a-Hanging is curbing its budget spending. Can it Impact of Tax Incentives under Ram Puniyani be called a pro-growth budget? the Central Tax System: Financial This year, the Finance Minister, in Years 2015-16 and 2016-17 in the order to deflect criticism as regards budget documents gives the the total Why Viceroy Mountbatten the concessions being given to the estimated customs revenue impact fixed August 15, 1947 as the country’s richie rich in the form of of tax incentives for 2016-17 as Rs. deductions/exemptions given on 307,707 crore by the old methodology, Rajindar Sachar corporate taxes, customs and excise and from this the revenue impact of duties, has changed the methodology input tax neutralization schemes is for calculating these deductions, deducted, which stands at Rs 57,065 crore, to give the customs duties Editor : and has thereby drastically brought exemption by old methodology of Rs G. G. Parikh down the custom and excise duties exemptions. Even with the new 250,642 crore. Similarly, the excise Managing Editor : Guddi methodology, the figures show that duties exemptions are calculated in the following way. The statistics D-15, Ganesh Prasad, the exemptions are higher than that of the previous year, and have gone given in section no. 2.8 and 2.9 in Naushir Bharucha Marg, up from Rs 2.25 lakh crore to Rs 2.38 theStatement of Revenue Impact of Mumbai - 400 007. lakh crore, a rise of 5.8%. Tax Incentives under the Central Tax System show that the revenue impact Email : [email protected] The earlier methodology was of tax incentives on the Central Excise being followed for the last 11 years. side for 2016-17 (estimated) is the 2 JANATA, February 5, 2017 same as that for 2015-16 (actuals). Therefore, to estimate the excise Economic Survey 2017 duty concessions for 2016-17 by old methodology, we have assumed that Arun Kumar they have remained the same as the 2015-16 budget estimate made in the The survey does not lift the While the organised sector is less budget statement of 2015-16, that is, mist of confusion over India’s affected the unorganised sector has Rs 224,940 crore—this is actually macroeconomic situation after been hit badly. The latter employs an underestimate, as normally the demonetisation, while the 94% of the workforce and produces excise duty concessions have been conservative fiscal stance proposed about 45% of the output. increasing every year by at least 10% will only lead to an aggravation over the previous year’s estimates.) of the problems confronting the Yet, the Economic Survey projects economy. a growth rate for 2016-17 of 6.5%. The total concessions to the richie How is this arrived at if there has rich for 2016-17 are the highest ever, Economic surveys assess the been negative growth in large parts even more than the record level of Rs performance of the economy in of the economy since November 5.51 lakh crore for 2015-16. the financial year. They identify 2016? The survey itself admits that the problems faced. They also give Another important subsidy to the unorganised sector data are not some inkling as to what the official big corporates is in construction of directly captured in the Index of thinking is about how these problems Industrial Production (IIP) because roads and highways, for which the may be tackled in the following year it does not directly measure this total allocation has gone up from and especially via policies in the sector’s contribution and assumes Rs 58,000 crore in 2016-17 BE to Budget that is to follow. However, it to be in proportion to that in the Rs 64,900 crore in 2017-18 BE. it is often the case that the Budget organised sector. Demonetisation Obviously, a major portion of this does not address these problems, or has led to a delinking of the growth is going to be transfers to corporate not in the way that may be presented rates of the two sectors, so that IIP houses in the form of PPP—which in the survey. does not anymore reflect the growth is nothing but a transfer of public rate of industry. resources to the private sector. Real rate of growth The Economic Survey 2016- Under different assumptions – And on the other hand, while 17 needs to ask and answer some specifically about the impact on the media has praised the budget crucial questions about the year that the organised and the unorganised as a pro-poor one, the figures speak has just passed in which a major sectors of the economy since otherwise. While in absolute terms, economic event occurred, namely, November 2016 – it can be shown there has been some increase in demonetisation. Field reports that the rate of growth of the the total social sector spending suggest that the wholesale trade is economy would drop sharply from of the government, which is only even now down by 20% to 30% 7% pre November 2016 to about 2%, to be expected if inflation is to be which suggests that retail demand is 0% or even negative for the year as a accounted for, the total social sector still slack two and a half months after whole. Just how low the growth may expenditure of the government (Rs demonetisation was announced. be is hard to estimate at present due 492,635 crore) as a percentage of Immediately after the announcement, to the limited data available. the GDP is only a low 2.92%. It is wholesale trade was reported to have definitely not such a large sum for declined by anywhere between The problem is further the budget to be called pro-poort. 60% to 80%. Such a sharp decline compounded when it comes to And it continues to be below the in trade and other reports from the predicting the rate of growth for the level of 3.23% that was budgeted field from industry suggest that the coming year, 2017-18. What should by the Finance Minister in his first economy is facing recessionary the projection be based on? The budget of 2014-15, and is also conditions. Output and investment average of the previous year (2016- below the level of 3.43% that was are reported to have contracted 17) or the trend from November 2016 estimated in the budget of the UPA and unemployment has increased when the big shock to the economy (Contd. on Page 13) especially in the unorganised sector. was delivered? The average of JANATA, February 5, 2017 3 very disparate numbers is not the and make the problem worse. The Survey suggests that stamp representative number to base one’s duties should be lowered in the hope projection. Further, the conditions A conservative fiscal stance that black income generation in real that prevailed before November The survey has talked of a cautious estate would decline. However, this 2016 were very different from those fiscal stance. What is forgotten is that is based on the false premise that after that month. Hence they are in 2008, when the economy was real estate generates black income. no more relevant for projecting the hit by the global recession, what Actually, it circulates black money numbers. saved the day for India was a rapid since the incomes earned here are increase in the fiscal deficit and in the nature of `transfer incomes’ Irreversibilites have set in massive expenditures in rural areas where assets change hand and It is suggested by the survey under various schemes. India was production does not take place. that the situation of the economy not alone in that. All the countries Analytically, this is not understood would reverse quickly once cash in the world boosted their public in the Survey so lowering of stamp shortage is over in a few months’ expenditures by boosting the deficit duties would not deter black income time. However, it is not taking into in the budget. China in fact went in generation in real estate. account the irreversibilities that for a $600 billion rural infrastructure the economy encounters whenever programme and so on. In the present How long will the pain last? there is a large shock. An economy situation of recessionary conditions, The pain related to cash shortage is about society and people and not a cautious stance would lead to a maybe getting less (although rural about some science experiment decline in demand since tax revenue areas are still hurting more) but the where one can replicate conditions would not be buoyant given the bigger problem now is the recession. for an experiment. slowdown in the economy. The public is curious to know how much black money demonetisation When employment falls, profits The survey also talks of giving unearthed but the government is fall and investments are cut back. tax concessions to the corporates not providing any answer to this That is when irreversibilities arise. by accelerating the promised cut in as yet. The irony is that those who After November 8, 2016, demand their tax rates. There has also been never generated black incomes have was hit all round, production slowed talk of giving concessions to the faced all the pain while those who down, profits fell and all of that middle class and the rich by lowering generate black incomes and have led to unemployment and decline income tax rates. These would lead black money have escaped through in investments which leads to to a fall in the tax collection in the various devices. They have largely long-term effects. Even if the note present situation of slowdown. managed to recycle their old notes shortage becomes less, as it is bound This would mean that either the to happen, demand does not revive into new notes in connivance with fiscal deficit would rise or there on its own and the cycle does not the corrupt in the system. No wonder would be cut back in expenditures. reverse. according to unofficial reports, most The former is ruled out by the of the old notes have come back into Clearly, the government is not survey under the rubric of a fiscally the banking system. willing to admit (for political conservative stance and the latter can reasons) that there has been major only deepen recessionary conditions. It also needs to be kept in mind pain in the economy and therefore, The Budget therefore is in a pincer. that cash does not automatically it is still talking of a 6.5-7.5% rate of The government has to make bold mean black money. A lot of cash growth. This means that it is planning choices but the survey rules that out. is used in the white economy for on the basis of incorrect data. If purposes of transactions, working the Budget is also based on these The black economy, if tackled capital by businesses and also as incorrect figures and understanding effectively, could have given precautionary motive for any illness of what is happening in the economy, additional resources for the Budget. or an emergency. The banks cannot there will be serious consequences However, the Survey does not give declare the money deposited with for the economy. It also implies that a lead as to how that could happen. them as black. The income tax the government will not do what is Demonetisation has not managed to department has to do that but after required to be done to overcome the unearth any major chunk of the black following procedures. They can ask current problems. This could further economy or make it come into the for the source of the cash deposited deepen the recession in the economy formal economy. in a bank and that may lead to some 4 JANATA, February 5, 2017 past concealed income but it is usually difficult to establish that. Union Budget 2017-18

Often, the cash is explained away Delhi Solidarity Group by businesses as working capital. If the money is in the account of poor persons and if they claim it to be Following the ritual, Government cannot be taken as the metric for their money, there is little that the of India presented its budget with analysis. This increase must be income tax officer can do. Most much fanfare, claiming it to be compared with the allocations made of these sums are so small that pro-poor, but the larger question in the previous few years and should they would be below the taxable that looms is whether it will really also be evaluated in comparison limit and not worth pursuing for change the lives of the marginalized to the total GDP growth that has the department. Those who have sections of the society. For a country been recorded. What must also be misused the accounts of the poor like India which is ‘democratic, kept in mind is that whether the usually have them under their thumb socialist, sovereign, republic’ government has been able to utilize so they cannot double cross without working towards the ‘welfare’ the budget of the previous year that facing social consequences or losing of its citizens, one, either out of was at its disposal. Presence of their job. The cost would not be innocence or honest belief, tends unutilized budget, especially in the worth the double cross. to assume that the key areas of categories of social sectors like rural priority for the government will be development, health, education, etc. The survey does not lift the social sector, health, education and signals towards government’s failure mist of confusion on the macro livelihood. One might also assume to channelize the money into these situation of the country and that a substantial proportion of the sectors even after huge promises of does not provide clarity on what budget shall be allocated to the implementing thousands of schemes happened due to the big shock aforementioned sectors. However, are made in the Parliament during to the economy on November 8, on a close analysis of budget the budget presentation. 2016. It is in a state of denial and presented by the Finance Minister that is what is creating a problem on 1st February 2017, despite rushing To understand this further, for the economy. The conservative the budget presentation to February we shall have a small tour of the fiscal stance being proposed will for reasons they only know, one Economic Survey and the budget only lead to an aggravation of the cannot help but be disappointed in presented on 1st February 2017 in problems confronting the economy. the way the wealth of this country the Parliament. The government and the country is being put to use. The budget has are trapped because demonetisation not only failed to give due share Economic Survey was ill-advised. It does not check the to the Dalits, Adivasis, working black economy but the government In this document, presented in class, women and children but has pretends that it does. It is causing the Parliament on 31st January, also failed to take concrete steps to the Indian economy to slip into several changes have been made. resolve the economic crisis prevalent a recession and that is hurting 1. In the Economic Survey 2016- everyone and especially the poor in the primary sector of the economy, 17, the terms Scheduled Castes who had nothing to do with black i.e., agriculture. Instead of providing and Scheduled Tribes have income generation. But the pain of the farmers with substantial financial been removed. It clearly points the marginalised (not captured by the relief, they have been left in a world to the priorities of the present Index of Industrial Production) is far of false hopes and promises. Also, greater than can be ameliorated by education and health have not been ruling dispensation which the few sops that are offered to them. provided with the kind of attention perhaps want to convey that they badly need. indicators of development of One needs to admit the problem to SC and ST communities are no solve it and that is not forthcoming For a common person looking at more the indicators for national in the Economic Survey 2017. the budget, it is very important to warn development, all the while beforehand that the absolute increase claiming that their budget is pro- - in the amount of money allocated poor one. JANATA, February 5, 2017 5

2. Universal Basic Income: India—octroi duties, entry taxes, the comparison between WTO Paragraph 9.1 states that Central Sales Tax (CST) to name a rules and the provisions of the “……….. ‘wiping every tear few. The most egregious example Constitution is not inappropriate. from every eye’ is about a lot of levying charges of services ……” The language used in more than being able to imbibe a coming from other states is the Economic Survey of India can few calories. And the Mahatma cross-state power surcharge that be better judged by the readers understood that better, deeper, raises the cost of manufacturing, themselves. and earlier than all the Marxists, fragments the Indian power market messiahs, materialists market and sustains inefficient The Economic Survey has gone and behaviouralists. He intuited cross-subsidization of power beyond principles of Democracy, that it is also about dignity, within states……..” Several Economics, Assyriology invulnerability, self-control Constitutional references have (principle and theory of language), and freedom, and mental and been cited. However, nowhere Constitution, and everything is psychological unburdening. the documents mention, let alone interpreted in connivance with ……..” Para 9.2 states that“…… explain, about mechanisms to corporate world and according to UBI has three components: tackle the heavily underplayed the will and wishes of Corporate universality, unconditionality, problem- Revenue Foregone to World. Industries are necessary, and agency (by providing support corporate sector, tax exemption but industrializing cannot mean in the form of cash transfers to to Stock Exchanges, etc. cultivating human values for respect, not dictate, recipients’ the industrialists to be exploited choices).” The concept of 4. In the chapter 11 named “One for profits. Industries are for UBI might have been derived Economic India: For Goods and the collective development of from the teaching of Mahatma in the Eyes of the Constitution” mankind and mankind can’t be Gandhi. However, the ‘tear’ there are some interesting facts. forced to sacrifice their lives mentioned in the survey report It starts with the quotation of for industrialists. The current does not distinguish between Ravindranth Tagore, “Where the dispensation’s will and wish tears of Rohith Vemula and tears world has not been broken up into reflected in the Economic Survey of Vijay Mallya; the former’s fragments by narrow domestic of India 2016-17 clearly indicates scholarship was stopped and walls.” Thereafter, paragraph 11.1 appropriation of principles in then he was forced to commit states,“When, several decades favor of corporate world throwing suicide whereas the latter was ago, an earnest Raj Kapoor public interest to winds. awarded by exonerating him of famously sang “Phir bhi dil hai the corporate crime of willful Hindustani,” (“Still, my heart is Budget defaulting, by the way of loan Indian”), he was expressing what 1. SC and ST Allocations: waiver. There are tears of other in hindsight appears to be a deep Deviating from the established norm people that don’t count to the insight on comparative national of presenting Plan and Non-Plan present ruling dispensation such development. ……..” Paragraph components separately, they are as the tears of the people related 11.51 states that “But there is a merged in the Budget of 2017-18. to those killed and injured in third and much weaker standard This will affect allocation for SC/ arbitrary firing at Hazaribagh by which Indian rules should be ST meaning, allocation for them recently. assessed: the WTO. The WTO has is also to be merged or mingled a membership of 164 countries and reflected in the expenditure 3. Section 2: One India: Paragraph with widely varying income of establishments. In previous 11.37 states that “The GST levels and political systems: for budgets, allocations for SC/ST was was justly touted as leading to example, the ratio of per capita mandated for programs covered for the creation of One Tax, One GDP of the richest countries is plan period only and expenditure Market, One India. But it is worth more than 60 times that of the of establishments after the expiry reflecting how far India is from poorest, while the corresponding of plan period were booked under that ideal. Indian states have ratio within India is less than 5. Non-Plan heads. Thereby, in the levied any number of charges on ……….” Paragraph 11.52 states figures given in the budget 2017-18, goods that hinder free trade in that “If that is reasonable, then population proportionate allocation 6 JANATA, February 5, 2017 for SC/ST is applicable in total even 16.6% of the actual 16.6% So, the total amount denied to SC budget of Union of India. It is (Rs.3, 56,402 Cr) it did allocate. and ST communities is Rs. 4, 56,731 also important to note the purpose Modi might have shed tears on Cr. (Table 1) for which notions assigned to the the perpetrating killing on Rohith term “Plan” and “Non-Plan”, in Vemula but no pretence of even Merging contents and redefining the context of SC/ST is abandoned shedding tears for such abysmal them in Economic survey of India henceforth from this budget. Such allocation. and Budget is another game plan to being the underhand mathematical complicate and make people difficult jugglery, we shall see the allocations Population of ST: 8.6% (Census to understand the riddles of budget. made under Scheduled Caste Sub- 2011) The Jumla of Demonetization, Skill Plan to and Tribal Sub-Plan. India, Startup India, Shining India, Allocation made under Tribal Make in India, and many more Total Budget Size - Rs. 21, 47,000 Sub-Plan: Rs. 31,920 Cr proved noting but waste of human Cr capital of the country. Now these In previous year 2016-17 Jumla have been well incorporated Population of SC- 16.6% (Census allocation for ST was Rs. 24,000 into the Economy and Budget Cr in Plan budget. 2011) terminologies. Due Share of ST in total budget Allocation made under Special 2. Allocation to Fisheries: We including all sorts of expenditure: Component Plan- Rs. 52,393 Cr have seen the gross injustice in Rs. 1, 84,642 Cr allocations to Scheduled Castes and In the previous year 2016- Scheduled Tribes. Now, it is the turn 17allocation was Rs. 38,338 Cr in Shortage of allocation for ST in of Fisheries. Before this we have to the plan budget only. the budgetary allocation: Rs. 1, 52,722 Cr understand one crucial similarity Due Share of SC in total budget between members of Scheduled including all sorts of expenditure: A government whose parent Tribes and Fisher folk. Members of Rs. 3, 56,402 Cr. organization runs schools Scheduled Tribes and Fisher folk for Vanvaasis (RSS version of depend almost solely on Forest Shortage of allocation for SC in pronouncement of ST) with and Sea produce, respectively. We the budgetary allocation: unknown funds cannot even allocate are seeing the continued attack Rs. 3, 04,009 Cr. the meager 8.6% of the funds it on forests in the name of mining is supposed to. The allocation despite strong Constitutional and So, this is a government that made is mere 17.3% of the Legislative checks in place. The had named its digital payment actual allocation it is mandated abysmal situation of granting Forest application as BHIM (BHARAT to allocate (1, 84, 642 Cr). One Rights coupled with utter dis-regard INTERFACE FOR MONEY). question that forcefully comes to for PESA and Samata judgment This whatsoever BHIM has no our mind is - does such meager is rendering the lives of Tribals link with Dr.Ambedkar; a mere allocations have anything to do with much more vulnerable. Now, with camouflage allocates 14.7%of successful running of unaccounted the advent of ‘Ocean Grab’ the what it is mandated to allocate. Not VanvaasiKalyanAsharams? situation of fisher folk is taking Table 1 S . Total Budget Community Population Allocations Actual Shortfall No (Rs. in crores) Percentage to be made Allocations (Rs. in Cr) (in crores) Rs. in Cr (%) 1 21,47,000 Scheduled 16.6 3,56,402 52,393 (2.44%) 3,04,009 Castes

2 21,47,000 Scheduled Tribes 8.6 1,84,642 31,920 (1.49%) 1,52,722 Total 25.2 5,41,044 84,313 (3.93%) 4,56,731 JANATA, February 5, 2017 7 the same trajectory. The grand is dependent on fishing majority of called Ministry of Textiles which ambitious plans such as Sagaramala, them are dependent on fishing. As supposedly takes care of both the proliferating Nuclear Power mentioned above with such massive Handloom and Power Loom. An Plants, the Industrial Corridors that threat of displacement looming over estimate of 4.3 million people are are crisscrossing mainland India, the inhabitants of coastal regions of engaged in Handloom sector. The proposed Coastal Economic Zones, India, one would earnestly expect following table clearly explains Coastal Corridors, huge projects increase in the allocations. What the attention Handloom as a sector such as PCPIR will, if materialize, fisher community got in fact is receives when we compare with the eventually displace millions of reduction! overarching ministry of Textiles. fisher folk. That being the precarious (Table 3) situation, one would expect the 3. Handloom Sector: We have government to make alternate seen what happened with allocation The above table clearly shows arrangements for the displaced to deprived sections. Another the decreased funding to Handlooms to lead a dignified life. Alas! As deprived section which generally all the while when the funding to the following numbers show that goes unnoticed is the community Ministry of Textiles has increased. is not the case. Forget increasing of handloom weavers. We all like There is 35.5% increase in allocation the budget allocation, they have to romanticize the exoticness of the to Textile ministry where as there in fact decreased the allocation handloom products and well-off is 15% decrease in allocation to for Fisheries. The following is the even find a sense of guilt reduction handloom sector. Simple math tells comparison table for allocations in purchasing exotic handloom us that Handloom is under-allocated to fisheries in last few years. The products. However, what generally by 37.2% or 358 Cr on proportionate question that has to be asked is for as a matter of fact escapes the view basis. who benefits from fisher folk’s loss? of many of urban well-off Handloom (Table 2) purchasers is the abysmal working We have seen the pattern where conditions and the marginality each and every sector we have The above table tells us that in of their existence owing to the touched by now is under-allocated. previous years even the meager cheap products produced by power On the other hand the total budget amounts allotted were not spent. It looms. It is ironic that when we has increased. Then the natural is estimated that some 360 million are talking about the contradiction question is where is the increased people live in coastal areas. Though between handloom and power loom amount going to? Looking into not everyone living in coastal area we have an overarching ministry Revenue and Expenditure statement Table 2 Allocation for Fisheries Sector and entire Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairy & Fisheries Year Budget of Department of Animal Budget for Fisheries Sector Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries Plan Non-Plan Total Plan Non-Plan Total Budget 2014-2015 2174 92.3 2266.3 422.56 38.74 461.30 Budget 2015-2016 1491.14 94.29 1585.43 410.69 40.45 451.14 Expenditure 2015-16 1410.12 449.97 Budget 2016-17 1600 281.51 1881.51 450 125.34 575.34 Budget 2017-18 2371.00 549.13 Table 3 Budget Allocation for Handloom Sector 2016-17 Year Textile Ministry Total Handloom Plan Non Plan Total Plan Non Plan Total Budget 2014-15 BE 4831 866.4 5697 242 72.51 314.5 Budget 2015-16 BE 3523 751.5 4275 360 80 440 Budget 2016-17 BE 3350 1245 4595 612 98 710 Budget 2017-18 BE 6227 604 8 JANATA, February 5, 2017 tells us a lot. The following is the over the borrowings along with for SC/ST is available. For OBC it table of Revenue and Expenditure revenue forgone further widen the is not given in detail. Information on for the past few years. fiscal deficit which again compels budget allocation available for the us to new borrowing. If this is to year 2017-18 is as follows: 4. Trend in GDP, Budget, continue, what we will have is Expenditure and other liabilities: unending vicious debt cycle. ….. 1. National Fellowship for One can see the trends of indicators Who benefits from this debt?? The Other Backward Classes to justify the economic development answer lies in who are siphoning and Economically Backward and its impact observed in the off the benefits from Revenue Classes Rs. 40.00 Cr society. (Table 4) One thing that Forgone. It is so clear that they are 2. Free Coaching for SC and immediately catches our eyeballs Corporates and Well-off sections…. OBC Students Rs. 25.00 Cr in the above table is expenditure Then glaring question is ….. if it 3. N a t i o n a l O v e r s e a s always outnumbering Revenue. is not privatizing public good and Scholarships for OBCs Rs. The following natural question is socializing private debt, what else 4.30 Cr why do we always lack in raising it can be?? 4. National Commission for required Revenue? The answer to Backward Classes Rs. 5.50 this question lies in the same table. 5. Allocation for Backward A glance at Column 5 explains a Classes and DNT/Nomadic Tribes Cr lot. The revenue forgone, which by Ministry of Social Justice & 5. National Commission for includes Corporate tax incentives, Empowerment Denotified Tribes Rs. 2.50 Cr Corporate tax waivers, Import Tax There is no clear identifiable 6. Schemes for Backward Class incentives and Waiver, Customs figures at this stage. The clear Rs. 1193.00 Cr duty incentives and waivers, has figure of allocation can be traced 7. Scheme for Development of been increasing along with the out from Detailed Demands for Denotified Nomadic Tribes fiscal deficit. In fact, the vicious Grants. DNT and Nomadic Tribes Rs. 6.00 Cr cycle is so visible here. The huge are classified within Scheduled 8. Update with more insight revenue forgone compels us to Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other will be made available within borrow and the interest payments Backward Classes. The allocation 2-3 days –This brief update is prepared by Umesh Babu, Rohit Gutta, Anirudh Rajan, PMARC Table 4 Year Budget GDP - Revenue Interest Fiscal Deficit Advance Foregone Payment = Borrowing Estimate Estimate Expenditure 2008-09 BE 7,50,884 8,83,956 53,21,753 4,58,516 1,90,807 1,33,287 2009-10 BE 10,20,838 10,24,487 61,64,178 4,82,432 2,25,511 4,00,996 2010-11 BE 11,08,749 11,97,328 78,77,947 4,59,705 2,48,664 3,81,408 2011-12 BE 12,57,729 13,04,365 89,12,179 5,33,583 2,67,986 4,12,817 2012-13 BE 14,90,925 14,10,372 100,28,118 5,66,235 3,19,759 5,13,590 2013-14 BE 16,65,297 15,59,447 113,55,073 5,72,923 3,70,684 5,42,499 2014-15 BE 17,94,892 16,63,673 126,53,762 5,89,285 4,27,011 5,31,177 2015-16 BE 17,77,477 17,90,783 135,67,192 6,11,128 4,56,145 5,55,649 2016-17 BE 19,78,060 150,65,010 3,95,192 4,92,670 5,33,904 2017-18 BE 21,47,000 168,47,455 523078 5,46,532 JANATA, February 5, 2017 9 Political Party Funding through Electoral Bonds - Backward Leap to the Era of Secrecy

Venkatesh Nayak

While presenting the budget in evolve a transparent method of b) Political parties will be entitled the Lok Sabha (Lower House of funding political parties which is to receive donations by cheque or Parliament) the Hon’ble Finance vital to the system of free and fair digital mode from their donors. Minister made some announcements elections. An attempt was made in about the manner in which he sought the past by amending the provisions c) As an additional step, an to make donations to political parties of the Representation of Peoples Act, amendment is being proposed to the more transparent. If the proposals the Companies Act and the Income Reserve Bank of India Act to enable to amend the relevant laws are Tax Act to incentivise donations the issuance of electoral bonds in approved by Parliament, from April by individuals, partnership firms, accordance with a scheme that the 2017 onwards, donations in cash HUFs and companies to political Government of India would frame can be made up to Rs. 2,000 only parties. Both the donor and the in this regard. Under this scheme, by any person; payments of higher donee were granted exemption a donor could purchase bonds from value will be permitted only through from payment of tax if the accounts authorised banks against cheque cheques or digital mode and donors were transparently maintained and and digital payments only. They will be able to buy ‘electoral bonds’ returns were filed with the competent shall be redeemable only in the that will be sold through commercial authorities. Additionally, a list of designated account of a registered banks under the regulations made by donors who contributed more than political party. These bonds will be the Reserve Bank of India. `20,000/- to any party in cash or redeemable within the prescribed cheque is required to be maintained. time limit from issuance of bond. An analysis of what the The situation has only marginally Government is proposing and what improved since these provisions d) Every political party would it means for transparency of political have to file its return within the time party funding is given below were brought into force. Political prescribed in accordance with the for readers to understand better parties continue to receive most without having to trawl through of their funds through anonymous provision of the Income-tax Act. the Finance Bill, 2017. In short, if donations which are shown in cash. Needless to say that the existing the amendments are approved by Parliament, political party funding 165. An effort, therefore, requires exemption to the political parties is likely to become largely opaque to be made to cleanse the system of from payment of income-tax would in future. political funding in India. Donors be available only subject to the have also expressed reluctance fulfilment of these conditions. This The extract from the speech of in donating by cheque or other reform will bring about greater the Hon’ble Finance Minister made transparent methods as it would transparency and accountability in in the Lok Sabha on the subject of disclose their identity and entail political funding, while preventing transparency of electoral funding is adverse consequences. I, therefore, future generation of black money.” reproduced word for word below: propose the following scheme as an effort to cleanse the system of The sub-heading related to “Transparency in Electoral funding of political parties: political party funding and the last Funding sentence of this section of the speech 164. India is the world’s largest a) In accordance with the indicate that the moves proposed are democracy. Political parties are suggestion made by the Election for greater transparency in political an essential ingredient of a multi- Commission, the maximum amount party funding. party Parliamentary democracy. of cash donation that a political Even 70 years after Independence, party can receive will be `2000/- What amendments to which law the country has not been able to from one person. are actually being proposed? 10 JANATA, February 5, 2017

In order to achieve the (ii) in clause (c), the word “; III. AMENDMENTS TO THE aforementioned objectives the and” shall be inserted at the end; REPRESENTATION OF THE Finance Bill proposes to amend PEOPLE ACT, 1951 the following laws in the following (iii) after clause (c), the following “135.The provisions of this Part manner. The extracts from the clause shall be inserted, namely: shall come into force on the 1st day Finance Bill are reproduced below ‘(d) no donation exceeding two of April, 2017. along with a brief explanation of thousand rupees is received by what they imply: such political party otherwise than 136. In the Representation of the by an account payee cheque drawn People Act, 1951, in section 29C, in I. AMENDMENTS TO THE on a bank or an account payee bank sub-section (1), the following shall RESERVE BANK OF INDIA draft or use of electronic clearing be inserted, namely:–– ACT, 1934 system through a bank account or “133. The provisions of this Part through electoral bond. ‘Provided that nothing contained shall come into force on the 1st day in this sub-section shall apply to the of April, 2017. Explanation.: For the purposes contributions received by way of an electoral bond. 134. In the Reserve Bank of of this proviso, “electoral bond” India Act, 1934, in section 31, after means a bond referred to in the Explanation to sub-section (3) of Explanation.––For the purposes sub-section (2), the following sub- of this sub-section, “electoral bond” section shall be inserted, namely: section 31 of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.’; means a bond referred to in the “(3) Notwithstanding anything Explanation to sub-section (3) of contained in this section, the Central (II) after the second proviso, the section 31 of the Reserve Bank of Government may authorise any India Act, 1934.” scheduled bank to issue electoral following proviso shall be inserted, bond. namely: “Provided also that such political party furnishes a return Section 29C of the RP Act, 1951 for which the NDA Government Explanation. : For the purposes of income for the previous year in claims credit during the Vajpayee-era of this sub-section, ‘’electoral accordance with the provisions of requires all recognised national and bond’’ means a bond issued by any sub-section (4B) of section 139 on State level political parties to make scheduled bank under the scheme or before the due date under that annual declarations of contributions as may be notified by the Central section.”. [emphasis supplied] Government.’’. received from individuals and companies in excess of Rs. 20,000/- Section 13A of the IT Act, In other words, the RBI Act is The Election Commission of India 1961 relates to special provisions sought to be amended to allow for publicises the contribution reports of regarding the income reported by the issuance of electoral bonds that recognised national political parties individuals and companies can buy political parties registered with as well as those of the recognised through commercial banks. or recognised by the Election State political parties on its website Commission of India. Section as and when it receives them. II. RELEVANT AMENDMENTS 139(4B) of the IT Act contains the The Association for Democratic TO THE INCOME TAX ACT, 1961 reporting requirement for political Reforms has recently disseminated a “11. In section 13A of the parties. detailed analysis of the donor reports Income-tax Act, with effect from submitted by political parties for the the 1st day of April, 2018,— In simpler terms, the IT Act is financial year 2015-16. (I) in the first proviso,— sought to be amended to exclude (i) in clause (b),— donations received by these In other words, the import of the (A) after the words “such political parties through “electoral amendments proposed to the RP Act, voluntary contribution”, the words bonds from being reported to 1951 is that political parties will not “other than contribution by way of the IT Department every year in be required to disclose the identity electoral bond” shall be inserted; order for them to continue to avail of individuals and companies who (B) the word “and” occurring at the exemption from paying income make donations through electoral the end shall be omitted; tax. bonds bought from the commercial JANATA, February 5, 2017 11 banks. through a bank account or through term “electoral bond” which is electoral bond; consequential in nature. The Finance Bill contains the following justifications for amending (ii) it furnishes a return of income This amendment will take effect these three laws: for the previous year in accordance from 1st April, 2017.” with the provisions of sub-section “Clauses 133 and 134 of the (4B) of section 139 on or before the If approved by Parliament, the Bill seek to amend section 31 of the due date as per section 139. combined effect of the amendments Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 to the RBI Act, the IT Act and the RP relating to issue of demand bills It is further proposed to provide Act is likely to be as follows: and notes. that any contributions received by way of electoral bond shall be 1) Many political parties are likely It is proposed to insert a new sub- excluded from reporting as per to strive to receive cash donations section (3) to the said section so as to clause (b) of said section. below Rs. 2,000 only. Thanks to provide that the Central Government Section 29C of the RP Act which may authorise any scheduled bank It is also proposed to define the applies to donations of Rs. 20,000 to issue electoral bond as referred expression “electoral bond”. or above only, these will not be to in the proposed clause (d) of the required to be reported to the IT first proviso to section 13A of the These amendments will take Department or to the Election Income-tax Act. effect from 1st April, 2018 and will, Commission of India. accordingly, apply in relation to the It is also proposed to define the assessment year 2018-2019 and 2) As donations received through expression “electoral bond”. subsequent years.” electoral bonds are exempt from being included in the annual This amendment is consequential Justification for amending the reports of political parties to the in nature. RPA Act: IT Department or the Election Commission of India, these This amendment will come into “Clauses 135 and 136 of the amounts will also not be reported. force from 1st April, 2017.” Bill seek to amend section 29C of the Representation of the People 3) Only such contributions received Justification for amending the Act, 1951 relating to declaration of about Rs. 20,000 through cheques IT Act: donation received by the political or digital mode of payment will parties. be required to be reported to the “Clause 11 of the Bill seeks to IT Department and the Election amend section 13A of the Income- Sub-section (3) of section 29C of Commission of India. tax Act relating to special provision the Representation of the People Act, relating to incomes of political 1951, inter alia, provides that every So the combined effect of parties... political party shall furnish a report the amendments is that political to the Election Commission with parties will be under no obligation It is proposed to amend the said regard to the details of contributions to disclose any donation or section so as to provide, inter alia, received by it in excess of twenty contribution that they receive at that political party shall be eligible thousand rupees from any person in all, unless it is made electronically for exemption of income-tax under order to avail the income-tax relief or through cheques. section 13A if,— as per the provisions of Income-tax Act,1961. Keeping the Rajya Sabha out of the (i) no donation exceeding decision-making loop two thousand rupees is received It is proposed to provide that the The process through which these otherwise than by an account payee contributions received by way of changes are proposed to be made cheque drawn on a bank or an “electoral bond” shall be excluded are also hugely problematic. the account payee bank draft or use of from the scope of sub-section (3) Finance Bill is a Money Bill within of section 29C of the said Act. the meaning of that term under electronic clearing system It is also proposed to define the Article 109 of the Constitution. 12 JANATA, February 5, 2017

Rajya Sabha being the Upper House has no powers to vote on make Times are a-Hanging any amendments in money Bills. However the definition of “Money Ram Puniyani Bill” as provided in Article 110 of the Constitution is crystal clear. It cannot and must not include matters As we pass the republic day many their effort to preserve their feudal other than those relating to the questions haunt our mind. What has social and political privileges. They imposition of taxes or matters related been the direction of our politics in kept aloof from freedom movement to the Consolidated Fund of India. last few decades, does it conform to and helped the British policy of The amendments proposed to the what was expected of our Republic ‘Divide and rule’; this is what led to RBI Act, the IT Act and the RP Act as outlined in our Constitution? the tragic partition of the country in clearly do not fall within this criteria. Are we living up to the dreams and to Pakistan in the name of Islam and So once again the Government is visions of the freedom fighters and India as a secular democratic state. trying to bulldoze amendments the founding fathers of India? to other laws through legislation Indian Constitution is the labelled ‘money bill to prevent What we need to recall is that core of Indian republic. It is the any actionable dissent in the Rajya Indian Republic came to become one Sabha. The political parties connived document which expresses the through the long period of struggle aspiration of national movement. to a similar action in 2016 when against the colonial powers, the the Foreign Contribution Act was The Constitution makers referred British rule.. Those participating amended to permit political parties to most of the modern constitutions in the struggle were people of all to receive donations from Indian of the world and came up with this subsidiaries of MNCs. That proposal religions, all regions; women and document, calling us as ‘India that was also pushed through a Finance men both. The movement itself was is Bharat’ and its directive principles Bill. This is grave constitutional founded on the principles of equality and fundamental rights outlined and justice. While those who were impropriety to say the very least and the rights and duties of citizens part of the upcoming India, the seems to be becoming a habit. and of the state. Lately its directive industrialists, the workers, the principles and fundamental rights educated classes, the peasants, the Is this a step forward in political have come to be questioned. During party funding or a leap backward Adivasis, and dalits, aspired for the last four decades many a basic tenets into the era of secrecy ordained by Republic based on secularism and of the Republic are being challenged. law (and not absence of a law as was democracy. All these sections had the case earlier? the longing for the modern values of The first major value of the liberty, equality and fraternity, away republic which came to be criticized As political parties are refusing from the prevailing feudal values of is the one related to pluralism, to be covered under The Right to birth-based hierarchy of caste and diversity and secularism. Globally Information Act despite a June 2013 gender. order of the Central Information right wing politics has been asserting Commission, citizens will not be able These sections were the itself; the rise of Ayatollah Khomeini to access information about political mainstream of the anti-colonial was the first major indication that funding through that channel either. movement, the movement for ‘India vested interests are going to use So while the regulating agencies as the nation in the making’. In the cover of religion for retrograde- like the IT Department and the contrast sections of feudal elements, pre-industrial political values. With Election Commission are deprived the demise of Soviet Socialist states of their powers to make political Kings and landlords were opposed and the emergence of US as the party funding transparent, citizens to the values of equality; they threw sole super power, globally the will also not have any means to find up the politics of feudal values, out which party has collected how couched in the language of religion. politics started being asserted around much money and form whom. The In contrast to ‘India as the nation in identity issues particularly identity entire exercise of demonetisation the making’ they wanted to build a of religion. This politics is built to is also not likely to help bring in Muslim Nation or a Hindu nation. undermine liberal-democratic ethos any transparency in the funding of For them glorification of the past and globally and undermines the essence political parties. its norms were the central point of of democracy. JANATA, February 5, 2017 13

As such the decade of 1980s has religious minorities in particular. back the policies of social welfare been a major turning point in the While earlier India was sort of an and the policies of affirmative action history of mankind. From the early example for marching towards a for weaker section, minorities in decades of twentieth century the path just society, during last two decades particular. Countries like Pakistan leading to values of equal rights of in particular, the march has been had been dominated by such politics citizens were coming up. Inspired reversed. The factors reversing all through. The matter of concern by the Soviet Revolution many a this march are within the republic now is that Indian republic, which countries came forward to put an as well as there are global factors had shown the way to South Asia in end to the feudal values, the values affecting this march. Worldwide matters of values of justice, is mired prevalent at the times of kingdoms. we see that those leaders having more in issues of identity. Policies While the language was that of rightward shift, those influenced by which are giving more powers socialism, the agenda was that of narrow nationalism are coming up, to corporate sector are becoming ending landlordism and promoting it may be Italy, France, Turkey or the norm and social control on the industries with the assistance even United States for that matter. these matters is coming down. It’s of the state. China, Vietnam, Cuba It is precisely in these times that time that we shift the focus back being the major examples. In India in India, the secular democratic to issues of average people and the inspiration of Socialism guided republic is being challenged and weaker sections of society along the state policies to bring in public Hindu nationalism is being asserted. with nurturing back pluralism and sector, which in turn promoted This Hindu nationalism is pushing diversity. creation of vast number of jobs paving the way for participation (Contd. from Page 2) of dalits, women and Adivasis in particular in the so far forbidden Government in 2010-11. In this is a question of priorities. The total public space, It opened up the space context, it needs to be recalled that spending on all agriculture-related for vast industrial and educational the total social sector spending of the sectors is just Rs 1.65 lakh crore, development of the country, this governments at the Centre and States which is just 30% of the total tax is what gave an edge of India as a combined is a mere 7% of the GDP, concessions and exemptions given major economic power in times to which is far lower than not only that to the rich this year! So much so for come. of the developed countries (30% it being a pro-farmer budget! and more) but also other emerging Initial three decades of the Indian market economies like the Latin republic were dominated by the American countries who spend as issues of the society; the problems much as 18% of their GDP on the of the downtrodden were on the social sectors. Janata center stage. Apart from industrial Subscription production, green revolution and Coming to the total spending on white revolution also lifted the agriculture (including Ministry of country from a backward country Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare, Annual Rs. : 260/- to frontline economies in the World. Ministry of Rural Development During these decades the republic and Ministry of Water Resources), Three Years : 750/- focused mainly on the libertarian while this too has seen some increase values, equity and dignity for all. in absolute terms in this year’s The fundamental rights and directive budget, in actual terms, it continues Demand Draft / Cheque on principles were interpreted in the to languish at 0.98% of the GDP – Mumbai Bank direction of concern for the rights even below the level of 1.07% of the of all citizens. During the decades GDP reached during Jaitley’s first in favour of of 1990, globally and nationwide, budget of 2014-15. And this for a JANATA TRUST the globalization of economy led to sector, on which more than 50 per D-15, Ganesh Prasad, Naushir the dominance of corporate sector cent of our population depend on Bharucha Marg, Mumbai 400 007 leading to decline in the concern for their livelihoods. It is not that the for rights of average people and government does not have funds; it 14 JANATA, February 5, 2017 Why Viceroy Mountbatten fixed August 15, 1947 as the Independence Day

Rajindar Sachar

Some people have attributed factual position. out hypothetical and insubstantial Congress acceptance of partition information. There was definitely of India in 1947 to the fact that In fact a reference to the socialist a hole in the corner aspect of this “the persuasive voice of Gandhiji leader, who was present in that business. Mr. Nehru and Sardar Patel which made the working committee final Congress working committee had obviously between themselves accept the partition and which meeting, Dr. Rammanohar Lohia’s, decided that it would be best not but for Gandhiji’s intervention, book “Guilty Men of India’s to scare Gandhiji away before working committee might not have Partition”, gives a correct factual the deed was definitely resolved approved”. position. upon. Keeping turned towards Messrs Nehru and Patel Gandhiji This is grossly unfair and presents Dr. Lohia who along with made his second point. He wanted a wrong picture of final efforts Jayaprakash Narayan attended that the Congress party to honour the by Gandhiji to prevent partition meeting has written, “I should like commitments made by its leaders. throughout up to the final stages. especially to bring out two points He would therefore ask the Congress In fact it is now well known that that Gandhiji made at this meeting. to accept the principle of partition. when Jinnah was insistent, Gandhiji He turned to Mr. Nehru and Sardar After accepting the principle, the made a last desperate attempt by Patel in mild complaint that they Congress should make a declaration asking Nehru and Patel to step aside had not informed him of the scheme concerning its execution. It should and let Jinnah be the first prime of partition before committing ask the British government and minister of undivided India and themselves to it. Before Gandhiji the Viceroy to step aside, once the also let him form his ministry, the could make out his point fully, Congress and the Muslim League way he likes, including the choice Mr. Nehru intervened with some had signified their acceptance if he wants to have only Muslims passion to say that he had kept of partition. The partitioning of league Ministers in the Central him fully informed. On Mahatma the country should be carried out Cabinet and assuring him that the Gandhi’s repeating that he did not jointly by the Congress party and Congress will not object. One cannot know of the scheme of partition, the Muslim League without the say what Jinnah’s reactions would Mr. Nehru slightly altered his earlier intervention of a third party. This have been. But considering that observation. He said that Noakhali was, I thought so at that time and Jinnah is on record on insisting that was so far away and that, while still do, a grand tactical stroke. Much his house in Mumbai/Delhi be not he may not have described the has been said about the saint having declared evacuee property because details of the scheme he had broadly simultaneously been a tactician, but he wished to have good Indo-Pak written of partition to Gandhiji...... I this fine and cunning proposal has, relations and would like to spend will accept Mahatma Gandhi’s to my knowledge, not so far been put one month every year in India and version of the case, and not Mr. on record...... there was no need for continue his contacts, it would Nehru’s and who will not? One anyone else to oppose the proposal. have been worthwhile trying. But does not have to dismiss Mr. Nehru It was not considered. I am writing this suggestion could not be given as a liar. All that is at issue here is this to put record straight”. a concrete shape because Nehru whether Mahatma Gandhi knew and Patel forthrighty responded in of the scheme of partition before Gandhiji anguish at the partition negative to this proposal. So for Mr. Nehru and Sardar Patel had of the country was so unbearable many of us who were quite grown committed themselves to it. It would that he refused to be in Delhi on up at that time this reference to not do for Mr. Nehru to publish 15th August – what nobility that Gandhiji’s acceptance of partition is vague letters which he might have the greatest fighter for the freedom painful and does not represent true written to Mahatma Gandhi doling of India refused to share this glory JANATA, February 5, 2017 15 and left Delhi to fight against the Had this schedule been observed Of course now one knows why communal carnage taking place at necessary and detailed arrangements this sudden announcement by Calcutta and to give solid assurance for the safety of millions of Mountbatten at a press conference of safety to the Minorities. population moving from both sides in June 1947 fixing 15th August 1947 of India and Pakistan could have as Independence Day was made. There is another aspect which been made. The real reason was the vanity and is not so publically commented, self-glorification of Mountbatten, namely that though I accept that No doubt, pain, slaughters and who had accepted the surrender conditions in the country had reached mutual hatred would still have been of Japanese Navy on 15th August a level that it was not possible to there. But both the governments 1945, when he was the Supreme prevent partition, but yet we have could have made safe arrangements not given sufficient thought to the for exchange of population and Allied Commander, South East fact that millions of death, most kept the government machinery Asia Command (SEAC), of Allied immeasurable destruction in the intact for doing the needful. But powers. process of partition could have been no, it did not happen – and the averted if the leaders of the parties reason was the unexpected unilateral Our politicians were had shown statesmanship in carrying announcement by Mountbatten in unfortunately too self-obsessed out the process of partition. It is well June 1947 that Independence Day with ignorance and vanity and as a known that Prime Minister Attlee would be on August 15th 1947, which consequence kept ominous silence had given June 1948 as the date by left no time for any adequate and resulting in the death of millions which British government will leave safe arrangements to be made for and the destruction of massive India when Mountbatten was sent to such unprecedented large migration property. Can history forgive them India in March 1947. of population. – I doubt very much. R.N.I. NO. 1855/1957 16 JANATA, February 5, 2017 Postal Registration No. MCW/275/2015-2017. License to Post without prepayment WPP License No. MR/Tech/WPP-210/West/ 2017 Published on Sunday, February 5, 2017 & Posted on Wednesday February 8, 2017 at Mumbai Patrika Channel, Mumbai GPO-1

Printed and Published by G.G. Parikh on behalf of Janata Trust. Printed at Mouj Printing Bureau, Khatau Wadi, Girgaum, Mumbai-400 004 and published at D-15, Ganesh Prasad, Naushir Bharucha Marg (Sleater Road), Mumbai - 400 007. Established 1946 1 Pages 16 Price : Rupees Five

Vol. 72 No. 4 Politics no different in south February 12, 2017 Politics in the South is no different the disproportionate case against from that of the North. The personality Sasikala and her mentor Jayalalithaa Status quo budget cult dominates in both. People go mad is awaited. The apex court has already Kuldip Nayar over the leaders they prefer and even indicated that a judgment will be go to the extent of self-immolating delivered within a week. Whether themselves in frenzy. The government she wins or loses, her stock is already Peace and friendship has banned the practice but it has waning. ceremony at Wagha failed to stop it. Saeeda Diep As for Sasikala, she has been a Sandeep Pandey V.K. Sasikala in Tamil Nadu has long-standing friend of the former become such a figure having been a chief minister and by virtue of being close aide of former chief minister J. close to Jayalalithaa she wielded Jayalalithaa. Today, she is the general enormous power. But she was never Jallikattu : secretary of the AIADMK and the nominated by her as successor. A cultural ideal we desire? party has elected her as the leader Sasikala’s claim to fame can be Neha Dabhade of its legislature wing. The outgoing attributed to the proximity with chief minister O. Panneerselvam was Jayalalithaa. There were occasion asked to put in his resignation. He was when even the former chief minister not even present where the decision was so annoyed with her friend that Budget 2017–18: was taken. she choose to keep her away. pro-farmer budget? Neeraj Jain But the sudden turn of events in Considered part of the Mannargudi Tamil Nadu has sent everyone into mafia, Sasikala rubbed people on the a tizzy. Panneerselvam, the close wrong side which had on occasions confidant of the deceased chief embarrassed Jayalalithaa. M. minister, has come out strongly Natarajan, Sasikala’s husband, was Editor : against Sasikala, accusing her of seen to be behind what she did and trying to usurp power. The swearing- ultimately he was sidelined not only G. G. Parikh in ceremony, which was to be held on by Jayalalithaa but also Sasikala later. Managing Editor : Guddi Tuesday, seems to have been put It is an open secret that Sasikala rose off for the moment as the governor, to accumulate so much wealth and D-15, Ganesh Prasad, apparently at the instance of Union was convicted, along with the former Naushir Bharucha Marg, Home Ministry, is dragging his feet. chief minister by the special court. Mumbai - 400 007. Even otherwise, this is not the Whenever Jayalalitha was either Email : [email protected] opportune moment for a change of in jail or during her brief period of guard in the state as verdict over wilderness owing to cases in the 2 JANATA, February 12, 2017 court, it was Panneerselvam whom The current turmoil in the state is an successor. But she depended on and foisted him on ideal situation for the BJP to make was too popular to be ignored. the chief minister’s gaddi. And, as a inroads but the 37 AIADMK Lok Therefore, then Congress president loyal party worker, he had kept the Sabha members are crucial for it to K. Kamaraj settled matter when he seat warm all the time and vacated get a bill or motion passed. announced that it would be Shastri it when she would return. first and Indira Gandhi later. Morarji Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Desai never accepted that and was Not only that, Pannerselvam strategy seems to be keeping a close revered Jayalalithaa so much that watch. Maybe, the Supreme Court the first to throw his hat in the ring he would never sit on the chair verdict against Sasikala would end after Nehru’s death. which she occupied and instead the speculation one way or the other. Indira Gandhi preferred to split would have another chair to sit. He However, it will be their endeavour had her photo in the chamber apart to register their presence in the the party than to accept Desai. She from the one he always carried in his state. Sasikala’s husband, Natarajan even sidelined Kamaraj after he had pocket to express his blind loyalty in confabulations with Congress put her in the gaddi. Learning from to her. He became so dependable leaders may also have triggered BJP the experience, she combined the that every time there was a problem, president Amit Shah to take stock posts of Prime Ministership and the Jayalalithaa chose him as the of the situation. He is said to be in party president. In the same way, ‘caretaker’ chief minister. favour of Panneerselvam, an affable the split in the AIADMK ranks man. The party hopes to ride on his seems imminent even though it Indeed, Jayalalithaa was so tall shoulders to make a future presence is stage managed. The legislature that nobody else came anywhere in Tamil Nadu. members want Sasikala to be both near. This was like Jawaharlal party general secretary and the chief Nehru who, like a banyan tree, did What seems to be going in favour minister. not allow any other plant to grow. of Panneerselvam is the public mood She, singlehandedly, carried the against Sasikala who was blamed for How this entire drama would party and her government despite a not allowing Jayalalithaa’s niece to unfold is difficult to say. But strong opponent like the DMK with visit her ailing aunt. She has already one thing certain is that Sasikala patriarch M. Karunanidhi, still in formed a party and has threatened to is a force to reckon with. So is party chair. divulge several secrets soon. People, Panneerselvam. Fortunately for however, resent all this because of the latter, the public is behind him. The ruling BJP at the Centre has Sasikala’s antics to rise to the place At least that is what it looks like at very little following of its own in where she is today. Tamil Nadu because it is considered this juncture. However, the fate of a party of the North. In the last Lok All this is familiar in politics Sasikala hinges on the court verdict. Sabha, the BJP won only one seat in the North. Nehru wanted her Sasikala is no Jayalalithaa and DMK as compared to 37 by AIADMK. daughter Indira Gandhi to be his is waiting in the wings.

Status quo budget

Howsoever prudent the budget, in resorting to such method. But the collar job, even though the salary is the fact remains that it encourages the adverse effect is obvious. low. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley status quo. Probably, Prime Minister admits that the budget has not Narendra Modi’s government had Today’s India is crying for created jobs. But his defence is that UP elections in view. There is no jobs. Thousands and thousands of if and when the economy picks up, new tax proposal, nor is there any graduates have no employment. the jobs will come. long term plan of how to collect The private sector has not expanded revenue. The dependence is on the enough to absorb them. Agriculture It is no consolation to the college indirect taxation and the curtailment is growing up, as much as 4.1 per quitting students that the jobs would of subsidies. There is nothing wrong cent. But the graduates want a white come sooner or later. Some relief JANATA, February 12, 2017 3 has been given to the small scale balanced picture before the country. in the world. This will streamline and industry. But this is not adequate for Therefore, touching the contribution cleanse electoral funding. Banning giving fillip to the sector. The public to the political parties was essential. cash transactions over rupees 3 enterprise, which was supposed to lakhs will allow the banks to focus touch the commanding heights, has Markets have heaved a sigh of on value based banking rather than failed to do so because it is starved relief with Sensex zooming by purely transaction banking. of funds. 486 points when the budget was announced. There is, however, no Abolition of Foreign Investment The biggest drawback is that there any long-term capital gain tax on Promotion Board (FIPB) may is no planning. When the Prime shares trading as many feared. Still streamline funds coming from Minister Narender Modi assumed the government should have in its abroad. Providing infrastructure the reins of government he wound mind some upper limit. It cannot be status to affordable tenements and up the Planning Commission. He free for all. True, there is no planning ratinalization of area will make the did not believe in planning and commission, nor a socialistic pattern housing sector more competitive. thought it fit to spend as much of society, as India’s first Prime It is good that the builders who do money as required. There is nothing Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had not deliver the houses on time are in such thinking except that there envisaged. But to have some contours punished through the obligation is no rhythm in expenditure. The for the economy are necessary. to give back part of money to the government has felt the need but has people who have given the advance. left to the ministry concerned to plan To the common relief of the its own expenditure. middle class, the government has Modi’s government is half way proposed to halve the income tax to from the general election. It has There is still an obsession with 5 per cent for those earning between probably some prospective in view. us that deficit financing should be rupees 2,50,000 and rupees 5,00,000 But it is not visible and that is going curtailed. When the inflation hovers per annum. This will increase the to affect adversely the outcome of around 3.5 per cent, there is no harm number of tax payers because to next general election. No doubt, in spending more. The system can hide money is also a great hazard. he would like to have another take it. Only by spending more, the Many experienced it when they were term. His task has been made easy country can have new enterprises, exchanging the currency notes of because Congress Vice-President private and public. rupees 500 and 1000. In the black Rahul Gandhi is not a formidable market, they were sold at half the opponent. What has weighed with the finance price. The Medicare scheme is minister is fiscal management, noteworthy. not political maneuvering. That The tragedy of reelecting Modi is is the reason why the Rashtriya The government’s decision to strengthening the Hindutva. Those Syamsewak Sangh has criticized the have the joint budget, the general who take order from Nagpur, the budget, arguing that expectations and the railways, is a departure headquarters of the RSS cannot serve have not been met. Arun Jaitley was from the practice of many-many the country which has secularism as thinking of country’s fiscal health, years. If I am not mistaken, this is its ethos. The constitution which even at the risk of annoying those the first time that joint budget has rules the country gives equal right who control the Bhartiya Janata been presented before parliament to Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Party. since independence. If nothing else, Christians. The BJP cannot challenge it will keep railways out of politics. the letter of the constitution because By bringing down the of the Supreme Court which recently contributions to the political parties, Reducing corporate taxes for held that religion or caste cannot from rupees twenty thousands to companies with an annual turnover be used for propaganda purpose two thousands, he has risked the up to Rs. 50 crore will benefit 96 during the elections. It is not the annoyance of all political parties, per cent of companies. The idea of letter but the spirit which counts. including the Leftists. But he had introducing electoral bonds is a novel The economy will have to change his eyes fixed on presenting a one and possibly the first of its kind accordingly. - Kuldip Nayar 4 JANATA, February 12, 2017 Peace and friendship ceremony at Wagha

Saeeda Diep Sandeep Pandey

The Indian government has Bet in Sui village. should be allowed to meet for an decided to increase the number of hour or two unrestrained. seats at the stadium on the India- Even though the two countries Pakistan Wagha-Attariborder, where are officially sworn enemies, • Proper checking can ensure that a joint beating retreat ceremony is their people meet each other very no disruptive element like the held every evening, from 5000 to warmly, showing that there might be suicide attacker who caused a over 13,000, at an estimated cost of aggression between the governments fatal incident on the Pakistani side Rs.24 crores. on the diplomatic front, people- on 2 November 2014 is allowed to-people relation between India to slip in. Every evening, the Pakistan and Pakistan has inclined towards Rangers and Border Security mutual acceptance, love and peace, • To ensure that people return to Force (BSF) of India, practice a which could bring the two nations their respective countries, one coordinated exercise and lower their closer if the governments had acted of their valued identities like the flags before closing the gates on the in a more innovative way. passport, National Identity Card respective sides. The drill starts with or voter’s card may be deposited performance of aggressive brisk The continued rift between India as a security. parade with knees raised up till nose and Pakistan has enforced lifelong • People should be allowed to height and slamming on the ground, sufferings and miseries for people, exchange harmless gifts and staring at each other fiercely, ending whose families are now divided by sweets. with unwilling hand-shake and the border. Families, who cannot be with their loved ones in times of slamming the steel gates in mock • People should be able to perform aggression. happiness and grief, only because impromptu joint short musical they happen to be on the other side items. The ceremony attracts visitors of the disputed border, are the real from both sides and evokes victims of the conflict. • Similar activities should be nationalistic zeal. Patriotic slogans allowed at Gujarat-Sindh, bordering on jingoism are raised on As peace activists from two sides, Rajasthan-Sindh, Punjab-Punjab, both sides. we propose a different model for the Kashmir-Kashmir borders. border programme. Increased tension between India The peace and friendship and Pakistan sours the emotions • Instead of an aggressive military ceremony will have a calming effect among people also. After the Indian performance during the evening on the relationship between the two surgical strike inside Pakistan on 29th ceremony, there should be a countries. The degree of enmity September 2016, the Indian side of ceremony with a flavour of between the two countries will be the border was closed to visitors for peace and friendship between reduced, if people are allowed to ten days. the citizens of two countries. meet freely.

In order to ease the tension and • People from both sides, who The people share a common aggression displayed on the borders desire to meet each other, culture and speak the same language of India and Pakistan every day, but cannot because of a very on either sides of border. Those, who Gujarat government has decided to strict visa and permission from came from the other side during develop the border with Pakistan as a their respective Home/Interior partition, have separated families on tourist location and intends to start a Ministry (even after one has a the other side of the border, whom ‘seemadarshan’ programme at Nada visa from the other side) regime, they have not been able to meet for JANATA, February 12, 2017 5 years and have been longing to meet. With the proposed initiative all such Let us unite to wipe out people will get a chance to freely communal hatred meet their desired persons from the other side. A C o m m u n a l H a r m o n y Hatred, violence and massacre of Symposium was organized jointly human beings are becoming order While exhibition of military by Socialist Party (India), Gujarat of the day. It is the common man aggression has been the way of MazdoorPanchayat and Self- who suffers the most. He cannot flexing muscles by both India and employed Labour Organisation earn his bread when there is social Pakistan, its people can take pride at Maniben Patel Hall in strife and disorder . Every thinking in non-military achievements which SardarVallabhbhai Patel Smarak, and sensitive person is greatly they’ll be too happy to share with the Ahemedbad on 28thJanuary 2017. perturbed. Dr. Rammanohar Lohia, citizens of the other country. Veteran Socialist leader, Pannalal the great Socialist thinker, had Surana was in the chair. Ram Sagar said that “religion is a long-term Under the proposed programme Singh, activist of the CPI, urged politics while politics is a short students, artists, children, literary the audience to shed lethargy and term religion”. Religion is supposed personalities, women, professionals rise up for effective action to forge to expand area of goodness and and activists can undertake joint communal unity. Referring to the politics is to fight back evil. It is constructive activities. There can sliding strength of socialist and the duty of every sensitive person be joint cultural activities involving communist forces in Gujarat and in to gather courage in both hands and citizens of all ages. Long term the industrial city of Ahemadabad in rededicate himself/herself to the friendships can be built. particular Singh exhorted the old as valuesof Justice, Liberty, Equality well as young people to join hands and Fraternity that are enshrined The positive effects it will have to reinvigorate progressive forces in in our Constitution. We should not on the consciousness of people the society. allow our faith in these values to undoubtedly outweighs any benefits dilute in any measure. which may accrue from the distorted Nippon Saha, who is a resident mentality, which some of our citizens of Nagaland, said that Socialist Religion calls upon every human harbour for the other country. Yuvajan Sabha is holding meetings being to treat every fellow citizen with love, truth and benevolence. for this purpose at various places in Ghosts of falsehood, ill-will, We hope that if these peace and Kerala, Maharashtra, Delhi, etc. friendship points are opened up it conspiracy, and hypocrisy must be buried once and forever. No will not only help lower the cost as While delivering key-note discrimination as between citizens compared to military performance address, Jayanti Panchal, General and citizens on the basis of caste, expenditures, it will lead to an Secretary of the Gujarat Mazdoor creed, religion, gender, etc. We Panchayat said, “We are passing eventual situation where the two should warn the people to be aware through difficult times. Exploitation, countries may open the border of the mischief-makers in the name injustice, atrocities, instead of allowing free travel across without of religion or caste. In particular, receding, are assuming dangerous any requirement of a passport-visa they should keep all those people proportions. We have gathered here regime. Before the border is opened at arms’ length who talk of cultural up for people, they could be opened to make a firm resolve to take up nationalism which is nothing but for free (unrestricted) trade, as a these challenges and strive hard to stark communal hatred. first step. realize the dream of ushering in just, humane and progressive social order. Democracy cannot flourish The arms race that the two without political parties and political countries are presently engaged in There is increasing pollution parties cannot exist without well can only lead to destruction, with the ignited in the name of religion. thought out policies and programs. possibility of a nuclear conflict. Both It has become a profession with Political parties should spell out India and Pakistan should enter into some elements. During the last policies that can help eradicate arms control treaties like the US- few years, politics of religion has ignorance, poverty and inequality. become very aggressive. Communal (Contd. on Page 9) riots have become too frequent. (Contd. on Page 8) 6 JANATA, February 12, 2017 Jallikattu- A cultural ideal we desire?

Neha Dabhade

Hundreds of thousands of examining the issue of Jallikattu and breeds from extinction to how it is protestors poured out on Marina the related politics. central to Tamil identity! beach in Chennai in January to protest against the ban on Jallikattu in Jallikattu is a sport where a bull At the outset the issue is Tamil Nadu. There was sloganeering is let loose and the males compete significant in the way how the against the political establishment to hold on to the hump of the bull State and the Central governments at the Centre and the state. The and go a particular distance. The have undermined the rulings of media reported that the protestors winner gets a bag of money attached the Supreme Court by passing were mainly youth, college going to the hump of the bull. In order to subsequent ordinances. In order students and intellectuals making it make the sport exciting and giving to please the populist demand, the ‘people’s movement’ (Janardhanan, it heroic proportions, the bull are governments have breached the 2017). Various issues were raised, infuriated and made more aggressive principle of separation of judiciary, all viewed as hurting Tamil pride by prodding them with sharp objects executive and legislature. What and culture. But Jallikattu remained like spears, bitten, tails mutilated, the judiciary struck down based at the core of the protests. The bitten or twisted, chilli powder put on constitutional reasoning, the state witnessed such massive in their eyes, the bulls are dragged by executive and the legislature sought to ‘spontaneous’ unprecedented the ropes in their nose which leads to undo. This is an alarming precedent. protests. The implications of this bleeding and administered alcohol. In the future, similar ordinances reaction must be discerned more This makes the bull agitated and can be passed to give legitimacy to comprehensively. dangerous adding more adrenaline other harmful practices in the society factor and attaching the notion of which violate fundamental rights of There is a lot written about male valor to it (The Wire, 2017). citizens and constitutional values. Jallikattu from two different Looking at the gruesome treatment Untouchability is still practiced in all perspectives. One is about the cruelty meted out to the bulls, the Supreme parts of India. So are honor killings. meted out to the bulls involved and Court in 2014 had banned the These issues evoke strong emotions how it can’t be ethical normative sport along with other similar and are argued to be part of culture. precedent for our society. Other sports like rekla, kambala and So by applying the same yard stick, argument is how Jallikattu is part manjuvirattu. But there have been will these also be made legal? It of Tamil tradition and now of Tamil persistent demands for continuing must not be forgotten that lives of identity and pride. While both of the sport. The Central government many youth are lost in Jallikattu arguments are built on a number issued an ordinance which allowed violating their right to life enshrined of facts, arguments and counter Jallikattu to be held albeit some in the Constitution. The two lives arguments, it is important to dwell restrictions. This was challenged lost in Jallikattu this year are not so deeper into the sport, the ban and in the Supreme Court by animal widely written about in the media. the subsequent ordinance by BJP activists and the Supreme Court Why are there no protests for their government at the Centre to analyze stayed the notification. This led fundamental rights? these issues beyond the pivot points the Tamil Nadu State Assembly to of animal cruelty or traditions/ pass amendments in the Prevention What is perhaps interesting is culture. Jallikattu is also a signifier of Cruelty Act of 1960 to allow that the ban could mobilize so many of the culture we want in our society. Jallikattu. Emboldened by the youth on the marina beach. There are Do we want a culture steeped in protests against the ban and the still debates if the youth gathered violent and masculine ideas of Central government giving into spontaneously or the Marina beach entertainment at the cost of mute, it, there are similar demands from protest was engineered by political helpless, tortured animals or a other states like Maharashtra and parties. Though Jallikattu was peaceful inclusive society based Karnataka to legalise bullock cart only symbolical and the ire of the on the values of compassion and races and kambala. Arguments crowd was directed at the political equality? This is the framework for Jallikattu range from how it establishment for a range of issues this article wants to adopt while contributes to protecting native including the perceived unfairness JANATA, February 12, 2017 7 in the distribution of Cauvery thinking and message of selfless to men in a patriarchal tradition. water to Tamil Nadu. The general surrender to God. The essence of This notion of masculinity which is perception of marginalization the movement is shedding of all not inclusive of nature around and and discrimination of the Tamils identities of caste, gender, class, propels a violent culture is against by the Centre snowballed in the region etc. The message was of the very values that form the basis massive mobilization. Yet it needs simplicity and surrender to God. for the movements against caste, to be examined that why an issue equality, liberty. Gandhi’s idea of of jallikattu and not employment or As opposed to these messages society in harmony with nature drought or floods which are more which have left an indelible mark on or Periyar’s struggle against caste pressing issues did not become the the cultural map on India, Jallikattu are incompatible with such hyper rallying point for the youth or the stands for a virulent underlying belief macho practices which hold so much masses. How jallikattu assumes such that spilling of blood on the land will sway over the youth and create a centrality in Tamil identity and the bring prosperity. The philosophy dominant discourse in the society to implications of such demands and of Jallikattu is based on the idea of be emulated. protests must be analyzed. control and supremacy over animal and other human beings. Instead Not only is Jallikattu symbolic of Its important at this juncture to of respecting the age old ethos of patriarchy prevalent in our society look at the character of Tamil Nadu living in harmony with nature and but also symbolic of a caste ridden and the influences that have shaped submitting oneself to the Divine society. A strong voice of protest has the dominant culture of the state. with others on the earth, such sports emerged from the Dalit community While Jallikattu is often touted as the promote hierarchy and bloodletting in Tamil Nadu which points out only tradition indigenous to Tamil where animals are degraded for that Jallikattu has a caste character culture, what is invisibilized is the vested interests. While the messages and is a vestige of caste divided contribution of Bhakti movement of the Bhakti saints resonate in Tamil society. Jallikattu still takes place to the cultural ethos in South India Nadu through generations which in districts where caste Hindus where the Bhakti movement actually reflect in a strong movement against are dominant. Dalit youth who started. The philosophy of stalwarts caste, Jallikattu takes place in merely attempt to participate in the sport like Basavanna and Alvars/ Nayanars 20 villages in southern districts in are attacked(Yamunan, 2017). If holds prominence in the literature Tamil Nadu. This deflates the claims the bull is tamed by Dalits it leads and culture of the region of South of Jallikattu being an integral part of to clashes. Even as spectators they India. Alvars were saints devoted Tamil culture. There are many facets have to stand only in the earmarked to Lord Vishnu and Nayanars were to Tamil culture, most of which are area and are forbidden to share devotees of Shiva. They gave a clear inclusive and humane. Jallikattu is the same space with other caste message of selfless devotion and wrongly selectively portrayed as Hindus (Indian Express, 2017). How compassion. Their contribution to being the dominant one. can Jallikattu become the mascot the Bhakti movement is immense. of Tamil identity when a large Bhakti movement was a movement At the risk of repetition of the section of the Tamil society has been against tradition and rituals which obvious point, I would like to excluded from the practice and is started in South India and spread point out at the masculine and penalized for their participation? The all over India. It laid emphasis on patriarchal nature of Jallikattu. The Dalits view Jallikattu as one of the single minded devotion to God. idea of Jallikattu is entrenched in instruments to reinforce the already The most significant aspect of violent masculinity. Earlier the deeply entrenched caste hegemonies the movement however was the winners of Jallikattu were honored by claiming it to be part of Tamil values it sought to spread. These by bull owners by marrying off culture. values were love, compassion and the daughters of bull owners to the equality primarily. The Bhakti victors. Women have very little to do While the emotions of the masses saints were against the Brahminical with the sport than to rear the bulls. ran high in the protests, the positions order that reigned supreme in the In this sport both, the women and the taken by the political establishment then society. Brahminical order bulls are objectified- bulls become is quite ironical. The Central prevalent was characterized by objects to be tamed and subdued government passed an ordinance rituals, ceremonies and blind faith. and women become objects to be to allow Jallikattu to continue The Bhakti saints on the other hand given away as prizes, in effect taking (discussed above). This is not in countered these practices with a away agency from both and placing keeping with BJP’s stand on beef. narrative of humaneness, rationale them at the subservient position Ironically the Hindu nationalists 8 JANATA, February 12, 2017 see Jallikattu as Hindu practice and and brutal culture where fellow and faith in compassion and equality its ban as interference with Hindu living beings are treated with cruelty it can extend to fellow living beings. religion and culture (Indian Express, for entertainment and reinforcing Our society has given us more 2016). It doesn’t come as a surprise supremacy over other human beings humane framework and ideals that considering that they feel Sati and is being promoted. Notwithstanding can be celebrated and highlighted. caste system also are part of Hindu its casteist and misogynist overtones, Can all practices be claimed as part culture. But what is incongruent is the State is bending over backwards of culture? And doesn’t culture that BJP treats bovines as sacred and to appease the “Tamil pride’ for evolve or is it static? Why can’t thus brings about ban on slaughter electoral gains by selectively taking we choose a more humane culture? of bulls in states like Maharashtra, a stand on bovines. The pride of any These issues should be debated and Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and culture or group must be its emphasis discussed in a democratic way. Haryana. The cow has become –Secular Perspective an icon of Hindutva politics. Gau Rakhshaks like in Una beat up Dalits (Contd. from Page 5) for skinning dead bovine. Innocent persons are lynched to death merely During the last few years, in A few of the participants made on the suspicion that they store our country a number of political speeches endorsing the feelings beef at home. Bovines are revered parties have sprung up on the basis expressed by Jayantibhai. to that extent. But such rampant of caste or region or such other cruelty to bulls is not objected to, parochial aims or considerations In his concluding speech, in fact any attempt to stop it is of caste exclusions. A party can Pannalal Surana said that we need taken as an interference on Hindu help the nation to progress in the not get overpowered by the high culture. This can be explained by the direction of bettering the lot of the sounding speeches of the pracharaks electoral interests that BJP nurtures common people only if it adopts a of Hindutwa. While condemning in Tamil Nadu. For sake of populism set of policies that aim at eliminating the heinous crimes committed by which it hopes will get it electoral exploitation and enhancing well- organisations like ISIS, we should success, BJP has abandoned its being of the people as a whole. stick to our guns of secularism. “concern” for the bovines which Let us not forget that the Hindu otherwise forms a backbone of Therefore, it is the need of the fanatics got only 31 per cent of the its idea of India and nationalism. hour to resist the forces of fascism popular votes in this land where Communities that depend on bovines in the garb of cultural nationalism more than 80 per cent persons for livelihood and food are vilified .We should also fight out the forces are born in Hindu families. We and stigmatized as anti-national of capitalism who are bent upon would do well to remember that since cows are sacrosanct. However enslaving the toiling masses. All virtues like mutual tolerance and it sees no problem with unspeakable out efforts must be put in to protect understanding and adjustment have cruelty to bulls for entertainment the social, political and economic been nourished by centuries-old and merriment. This amounts to rights of the people. Non-communal traditions in this land of Buddha, selective protection to bovine for approach, equality, liberty and social Mahavir and Gandhi. During the last its own vested interests and shows justice must be the pillars on which Lok Sabha elections many people its insincerity to ‘cause’ which has the magnificent edifice of social wanted to give vent to their anger become a litmus test of nationalism order that can ensure truth, beauty gathered over innumerable scams for the whole country. and goodness for all. True, it is perpetrated by the Congress rule of an uphill task to build up political ten years. Now, people have grown Jallikattu has come to represent party that can become a weapon of brute majoritarianism where wiser, particularly by failure of regardless about the ethics of the bringing about basic transformation Modi dispensation in fulfilling the matter there are persistent demands of society. But there is no short cut. promises given during the elections. for populist measures. The serious We should put in herculean efforts ramification of the issue was how to build up a party of socialism, the In addition, they have gone the Supreme Court’s judgment Socialist Party(India). We should through the uncalled for torture in was systematically undermined. give an inspiring message: Insanka the form of Note-Bandi. Let us held Jallikattu is a merely a symbol. insan se ho bhaichara, yehi paigam our heads high and thunder out the Through demands in favour of hamara. slogan of Jai Samajwad. Jallikattu, a kind of atavistic, violent -JSP JANATA, February 12, 2017 9 Gandhi’s martyrdom saved India

On January 31, 1948, a former Nehru and Patel had a series of that one of their own had killed the Indian Civil Service officer named sharp disagreements. Both were greatest living Hindu. The attacks Malcolm Darling, then living in contemplating resigning; neither on Muslims ceased, the desire retirement in London, wrote in his was prepared to work with the other. to match Pakistan in its savage diary: ‘Gandhi was assassinated Gandhi had a long conversation with treatment of its own minorities was yesterday. ...Very difficult to say Patel before his prayer meeting on tamed. It would be a decade and what will happen, but it is as if the 30th; and he was due to meet with more before India next witnessed a ship has lost its keel. Further Nehru after the prayers were over. a serious Hindu-Muslim riot. disintegration seems inevitable, Gandhi’s assassination made the This diminution of communal and what happens to the 40 million two sink their differences. ‘With passions allowed Nehru, Patel Muslims left in India now, now Bapu’s death,’ wrote Nehru to Patel, and their colleagues to focus on that they have lost their chief ‘everything is changed and we have giving the country a democratic protector? ...I wonder if sooner to face a different and more difficult Constitution, bring the princely states or later we will have to go back.’ world. The old controversies have on board, and lay the foundations of By the standards of his tribe Darling ceased to have much significance and independent foreign and economic was an extremely enlightened man. it seems to me that the urgent need policies. While serving in the Punjab he of the hour is for all of us to function – Ramachandra Guha in had been a sensitive administrator, as closely and co-operatively as Hindustan Times sympathetic to Indian aspirations. possible... .’ Patel, in reply, said he But the horrors of Partition made ‘fully and heartily reciprocate[d] the (Contd. from Page 5) him re-think his ideas. Now, with sentiments you have so feelingly Soviet Union/Russia Strategic Arms the murder of Gandhi, he was even expressed... Recent events had Reduction Treaty and Strategic Arms contemplating the British returning made me very unhappy and I had Limitations Treaty models or the to take charge of what seemed to written to Bapu ... appealing to him Nuclear Weapons Free Zone model be a forever unruly sub-continent. to relieve me, but his death changes in existence in five areas of world. Darling’s fears were widely shared. everything and the crisis that has Other Western observers thought that overtaken us must awaken in us a Promotion of love through Peace India would go back to the pattern of fresh realisation of how much we and Friendship ceremony is the the 18th century, when its territory have achieved together and the urgent need of the hour. was carved up between dozens of need for further joint efforts in our small and large chiefdoms. At any grief-stricken country’s interests’. Saeeda Diep is based in Lahore rate, they expected the bloodletting Meanwhile, both Patel and Nehru [email protected], between Hindus and Muslims to went on All India Radio to calm [email protected] and further intensify, now that the pre- tempers. Patel appealed to the people Sandeep Pandey in Lucknow eminent peace-maker was no more. not to think of revenge, but ‘to But none of this happened. One carry the message of love and non- Janata immediate consequence of Gandhi’s violence enunciated by Mahatmaji. Subscription martyrdom was the patching up ...We did not follow him when he of a potentially disastrous rift was alive; let us at least follow his between his two main lieutenants, steps now he is dead’. Indians, said Annual Rs. : 260/- Jawaharlal Nehru and Vallabhbhai Nehru in his broadcast, had now ‘to Three Years : 750/- Patel. Nehru served as prime hold together and fight that terrible minister (and concurrently as foreign poison of communalism that has Demand Draft / Cheque on minister) in the government of killed the greatest man of our age’. Mumbai Bank newly-independent India; Patel Remarkably, the message was as deputy prime minister (and heeded. Far from leading to further in favour of concurrently as home minister and rioting and bloodshed, Gandhi’s JANATA TRUST D-15, Ganesh Prasad, Naushir minister for the Princely States). murder led to a cessation of the Bharucha Marg, Mumbai 400 007 In the weeks before Gandhi’s death, violence. Hindus were horror-struck 10 JANATA, February 12, 2017 Budget 2017–18: is it indeed a pro-farmer budget?

Neeraj Jain

It is now well established that phasing out subsidised credit given last year’s budget. We examine the demonetisation has had a crippling to agriculture by public sector banks, claims made by the Finance Minister impact on the Indian economy, and allowing imports of heavily and the Prime Minister about the and in particular, has sent the subsidised agricultural produce from pro-farmer nature of Budget 2017– informal sector into a coma. The the developed countries into India. 18 and repeated sycophantically by informal sector consists of small These policies have driven the hardy the media in this article. scale manufacturing, most of the Indian farmers into such despair construction industry, perhaps three that more than 3 lakh farmers have Doubling farmers income? quarters of the remainder of the committed suicide since mid-1990s, In his budget speech, the Finance services sector, and the agricultural the largest recorded wave of such Minister has repeated his promise sector. Among the worst hit was the deaths in history. made last year to double farmers’ agriculture sector. incomes in five years, a promise that Two consecutive years of has also been repeated by the Prime The globalisation–liberalisation– drought, made worse by Modi Minister. But just like last year, privatisation policies being Government’s anti-farmer policies, Jaitley has not clarified whether he implemented in the country by further worsened this crisis. And means to double nominal incomes successive governments that have then, in the third year (2016), just or real incomes; and just like last come to power at the Centre since when farmers were hoping for better year, there is no roadmap of how 1991 had already pushed Indian days due to a better monsoon, and he plans to make this happen. In agriculture into deep crisis. The were about to harvest their kharif fact, a member of the official NITI majority of the Indian peasants are crop and begin preparations for the Aayog, Bibek Debroy, clarified in small farmers with landholdings of sowing of the rabi crop, they were a television interview last year that less than one hectare. An important hit by the cyclone of demonetisation, the doubling was meant in nominal, objective of the agricultural resulting in huge losses and pushing not real, terms, that is, not after reforms being implemented in the them further into debt. discounting for inflation.1 In such name of globalisation is to slowly terms incomes could double anyway, strangulate these small farmers and It was therefore expected that the even without “aiming”! In other drive them out of their lands so Finance Minister would announce words, the declaration is a complete that big agribusiness corporations measures to compensate farmers for fraud. can take them over. And so, for the losses suffered by them due to the past two decades, successive demonetisation, and also take steps To get an idea of the crisis gripping governments have been reducing to address the acute crisis gripping Indian agriculture, the following public investment in agriculture, the agricultural sector, in his Budget statistics should suffice: For nearly cutting subsidies given on major 2017–18. 70% of Indian small farmers who inputs needed for agriculture (such have land holdings of less than as fertiliser, electricity and irrigation True to form, the mainstream 1 hectare, total income from all subsidies), gradually eliminating media has hailed the latest budget sources (cultivation, farming of output support to agriculture (in presented by Jaitley as a pro-farmer animals, non-farm business and the form of public procurement of budget one that would give a fillip to wages) was less than consumption agricultural produce), gradually agriculture. Just like it had done for expenditure (Table 1).

Table 1: Small Farmer Households, All India, 2012–13 : Average Monthly Income and Expenditure Size class of land possessed Number of households as Total Income from all Total Consumption % of total sources Expenditure <0.01 ha 2.6% 4561 5108 0.01 – 0.40 ha 31.9% 4152 5401 0.41 – 1.00 ha 34.9% 5247 6020 JANATA, February 12, 2017 11

This has led to a huge increase made no attempt to pass on the sharp going to cities. For example, 40% of in rural indebtedness. The most fall in international oil prices to the agricultural credit in Maharashtra extensive survey of farm households farmers—it has instead used the fall goes to Mumbai! So far as those who to date conducted by the National to increase its revenues by increasing are actually farmers are concerned, Sample Survey Office (NSSO) in excise duties on the petroleum most of them are actually not eligible 2012–13 found 52% of the total sector: while annual average price for farm loans from banks—tenant agricultural households in the of crude oil sharply fell from $105 farmers do not get bank loans, and country to be in debt. The average per barrel in 2013–14 to around $46 neither do a large number of women debt is Rs 47,000 per agricultural per barrel in 2015–16 and 2016–17, farmers as they do not have land household, in a country where the the retail price of diesel (in Delhi) titles in their name—and nearly yearly income from cultivation per came down slightly from around 50% of the farmers are women.6 The household is Rs 36,972.3 Rs 55 per litre in March 2014 to Rs Finance Minister has turned a blind 48 per litre in March 2016, and has eye to these issues. These statistics make it clear that once again risen to Rs 59 per litre by to tackle the agricultural crisis, which end-January 2017.5 Insurance scam is pushing thousands of farmers As regards increasing public to commit suicide every year, the The farm credit fraud investment in agriculture, some government needs to make farming The Finance Minister does isolated announcements have been profitable by reducing input costs by not even make a mention of the made. Thus, one issue that caused increasing subsidies on fertilisers, growing indebtedness gripping a lot of hoopla in the media was the electricity, water, etc., providing Indian farmers, forgets about taking allocation of Rs 9,000 crore for the output price support, increase public steps to waive their debts. On the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna investment in agriculture—which is other hand, Jaitley’s announcement (PMFBY). The scheme aims to absolutely essential for agricultural that farm credit target is being provide financial support to farmers growth, and take big bang steps revised from Rs 9.5 lakh crore in suffering crop loss/damage arising to tackle the debt crisis gripping 2016–17 to Rs 10 lakh crore in out of unforeseen events. It has Indian farmers by waiving their 2017–18 hit the headlines in several a uniform premium of 2% to be debts in a big way, and freeing small newspapers. But this is actually a paid by farmers for all kharif crops farmers from the stranglehold of farcical announcement! This number and 1.5% for all rabi crops (for moneylenders and taking steps to does not appear anywhere in the commercial and horticultural crops, make institutional credit available budget. Why? Because, it is not a the premium is 5%). The rest of the to them at subsidised rates. government allocation. but simply a premium is paid by the government. target for the banks to provide loans. Actually, the allocation for this year BJP U-turn for this scheme has actually fallen— Budget 2017–18 addresses none The Centre’s actual contribution is it had been allocated Rs 13,240 crore of these issues. The BJP has made a through the interest subsidy provided in 2016–17 RE. Despite this fall, complete U-Turn on its its election on these loans. Interestingly, the the government claims that the total promise made at the time of the budget for interest subsidy remains number of farmers covered under 2014 Lok Sabha elections to provide the same at Rs 15,000 crores, even this scheme is going to be increased farmers Minimum Support Prices though the credit target has been from 26.5% of all farmers to 40% of (MSP) that would ensure them a raised. So, farm subsidies are not farmers. That is strange mathematics 50% profit over cost of production. being increased here too. indeed! There is no mention of remunerative prices in the budget. MSP of most More importantly, who does More importantly, the Rs 13,240 crops are far below even the cost this Rs 10 lakh crore of credit go crores spent in 2016–17 under this of production. There is complete to? In 2015, the BJP government scheme have not gone to farmers; silence on the issue of strengthening removed the distinction between this amount is actually the subsidy public procurement of farm produce, direct lending and indirect lending, on insurance premium that has and expansion of storage. While making it possible for these loans been paid to private insurance fertiliser prices are sharply rising, to be given to agri-businesses like companies. It was thus a bonanza fertiliser subsidy stands still at Rs Reliance Fresh and not to farmers. for the insurance companies; the 70,000 crore in 2016–17 RE and As studies have indicated, much of farmers will benefit from this only if 2017–18 BE.4 The government has the agricultural credit is actually they get insurance claim payments. 12 JANATA, February 12, 2017

How many farmers benefited under Record allocation for MNREGS available for MNREGS have been this scheme? The Finance Minister Probably the allocation that spent. Additionally, the expenditure was silent on this in his budget drew the biggest cheer was the for February and March 2017 has speech, as the government has allocation of Rs 48,000 crores for still to be made, and to honour only nothing significant to report on the employment guarantee scheme, the approved budgets for these two this. No wonder that the allocation MGNREGS—a scheme that had months, an additional nearly Rs for PMFBY is only discussed in been derisively dismissed by PM 10,013 crore is required. Therefore, TV studios and the Parliament; no Modi only two years ago. Arun total pending liabilities at the end farmer’s organisation said a word of fiscal 2016–17 under this scheme Jaitley proclaimed in his budget about this scheme. So much for the would be Rs 13,482 crore. Add to speech that this allocation was the government’s flagship scheme for this an additional Rs 3,800 crore on highest ever, and was a big increase farmers. account of inflation (at 8%), and that over the allocation of Rs 38,500 means that to keep the allocations at crore for this scheme made in Another big ticket announcement the same level as 2016–17 RE, the the 2016–17 budget. But what he was the doubling of the long-term total allocation for 2017–18 needs forgot to mention was that actual irrigation fund with NABARD— to be 47,499 + 13,482 + 3,800 = Rs from Rs 20,000 crore that was expenditure under this scheme 64,781 crore. The actual allocation allocated in 2016–17 to Rs 40,000 in 2016–17 was Rs 47,499 crore, for 2017–18 is actually 26% less crore in 2017–18. According to the implying that the increase over last than this! Finance Minister, this has been done year’s revised estimates was only to fast track the implementation Rs 500 crore, or 1%. In real terms, In fact, the Supreme Court has of incomplete major and medium factoring in inflation, it is actually stated that the entire demand of the irrigation projects. Another corpus a decline! states for work should be met by fund of Rs 5,000 crore was announced the Centre—which comes to nearly for micro-irrigation. But the Finance Even this large expenditure of last Rs 80,000 crores! The reality is that Minister was silent about how much year is no credit to the government. the Centre is actually discouraging of this corpus was spent in 2016–17, It was forced by the Supreme Court the states from providing work, and what irrigation facilities were orders in the Swaraj Abhiyan case inordinately delaying the release created with this money. on the drought. of funds, with wage payments to workers delayed by two to three The Finance Minister also Furthermore, even this allocation months.7 announced the setting up of a Dairy of Rs 48,000 crore is actually very Development Fund with a corpus insufficient for a full roll-out of the Let us now take a look at the of Rs 2,000 crore, so as to expand scheme. MNREGS is a demand total allocation for agriculture. This the availability of milk processing driven scheme, adequate resources is ultimately the most important facilities and other infrastructure need to be made available for aspect of the agricultural budget. for farmers. But again, like most of it whenever there is a demand. In actuality, as can be seen from his pronouncements, he was only Presently, 22 of 34 states and union the Table 2, as a percentage of indulging in window-dressing; actual territories have negative balances the GDP, total allocations for all allocation for animal husbandry was in their MNREGS accounts. Their agricultural related sectors have only Rs 2,371 crore in 2017–18 BE total liabilities have piled up to actually declined in 2017–18 as compared to Rs 1,994 crore revised Rs 3,469 crore. But according to compared to the revised estimates expenditure of 2016–17. the government, 93% of the funds for 2016–17. Table 2: Allocations for Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Resources 2014–15 Actual 2015–16 Actual 2016–17 RE 2017–18 BE 1 Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare 25,917 22,092 48,073 51,026 2 Ministry of Finance, Interest Subsidy on Short term 6,000 13,000 – farm credit 3 Ministry of Rural Development 69,817 78,945 97,760 10,7758 4 Water Resources 5,480 6,862 4,756 6,887 5 Total: 1+2+3+4 = 5 1,07,214 1,20,899 1,50,589 1,65,671 6 GDP 1,24,33,749 1,36,75,331 1,50,75,429 1,68,47,455 7 Total Agriculture Spending (5) as % of GDP 0.86 0.88 1.0 0.98 JANATA, February 12, 2017 13

As a percentage of GDP, total Excrerpts from spending on all agriculture related Oxfam Briefing Paper 2017 sectors is just 0.9% of GDP. This, for a sector on which 60% of Growing Inequality the population depend for their livelihoods! As growth benefits the richest, • The incomes of the poorest 10% Clearly, Modi and Jaitley are not the rest of society – especially the of people increased by less than interested in alleviating any of the poorest – suffers. The very design $3 a year between 1988 and 2011, distress caused by the disastrous of our economies and the principles while the incomes of the richest demonetisation policy decision of our economics have taken us 1% increased 182 times as much. of November 8, 2016, and are to this extreme, unsustainable and A FTSE-100 CEO earns as much ruthlessly continuing with the unjust point. Our economy must in a year as 10,000 people in neoliberal agricultural reforms that stop excessively rewarding those working in garment factories in are strangulating Indian agriculture at the top and start working for all Bangladesh. and pushing lakhs of farmers to people. Accountable and visionary • In the US, new research by committing suicides. governments, businesses that work economist Thomas Piketty shows in the interests of workers and that over the last 30 years the References producers, a valued environment, growth in the incomes of the 1. “A Budget Amid Agrarian Crisis, women’s rights and a strong system bottom 50% has been zero, Pt. I”, Research Unit for Political of fair taxation, are central to this whereas incomes of the top 1% Economy, https://rupeindia. more human economy. have grown 300%. wordpress.com. • In Vietnam, the country’s richest It is four years since the World man earns more in a day than the 2. Source: “A Budget Amid Agrarian Economic Forum identified rising poorest person earns in 10 years. Crisis Pt. III”, Research Unit for economic inequality as a major Political Economy, https://rupeindia. threat to social stability and three Left unchecked, growing wordpress.com. years since the World Bank twinned inequality threatens to pull our its goal for ending poverty with the societies apart. It increases crime 3. “Farmers Indebtedness: Into the need for shared prosperity. and insecurity, and undermines the Abyss?”, January 30, 2015, http:// fight to end poverty. www.downtoearth.org.in. Since then, and despite world leaders signing up to a global It leaves more people living in 4. “Union Budget 2017–18: A Betrayal of goal to reduce inequality, the gap fear and fewer in hope. From Brexit the Peasantry”, People’s Democracy, between the rich and the rest has to the success of Donald Trump’s Vol. XLI No. 07, February 12, 2017, widened. This cannot continue. presidential campaign, a worrying http://peoplesdemocracy.in. As President Obama told the UN rise in racism and the widespread General Assembly in his departing disillusionment with mainstream 5. Prasenjit Bose, “Modi Government’s politics, there are increasing signs Budget Estimates Expose Lack speech in September 2016: ‘A world that more and more people in rich of Gain from Demonetisation”, where 1% of humanity controls as countries are no longer willing to February 3, 2017, https://thewire.in. much wealth as the bottom 99% will never be stable.’ Yet the global tolerate the status quo. Why would 6. Kirankumar Vissa, “Why the Budget inequality crisis continues unabated: they, when experience suggests that is Deceptively ‘Pro-Farmer’”, • Since 2015, the richest 1% has what it delivers is wage stagnation, February 3, 2017, https://thewire.in; owned more wealth than the rest insecure jobs and a widening gap Vidya Venkat, “Will Budget Help of the planet. between the haves and the have- Double Farmers’ Income?” February • Eight men now own the same nots? The challenge is to build a 6, 2017, http://www.thehindu.com. amount of wealth as the poorest positive alternative – not one that increases divisions. The picture in 7. “Modi Government’s Budgetary half of the world. • Over the next 20 years, 500 poor countries is equally complex Allocation for MNREGA is Barely and no less concerning. Hundreds of an Increase”, By The Wire Staff, people will hand over $2.1 trillion millions of people have been lifted February 1, 2017, https://thewire.in; to their heirs – a sum larger than out of poverty in recent decades, Kirankumar Vissa, “Why the Budget the GDP of India, a country of 1.3 Is Deceptively ‘Pro-Farmer’”, ibid. billion people. (Contd. on Page 14) 14 JANATA, February 12, 2017 Remembering Srilata Swaminathan

Veteran social activist Srilata So while there is absolutely At a personal level I will like Swaminathan breathed her last at no doubt that Srilata ji led a most to recall the help and hospitality Udaipur on February 5. She was meaningful life with immense I received from Srilata ji and 74. At various times she was the contributions, there is also need to Mahendra ji when I was reporting President of the All India Progressive reflect on why such brilliance and repeatedly on the problems of tribal Women’s Association, the Vice commitment could not lead to even areas of Rajasthan several years President of the All India Council wider contributions . back. of Trade Unions and a member of –Bharat Dogra, the Central Council of the CPI-ML. (Contd. from Page 13) Coming from a distinguished an achievement of which the world the government revenue of 180 family of freedom fighters rooted should be proud. Yet one in nine countries combined. in Kerala and Tamil Nadu she people still go to bed hungry. chose to make Rajasthan, and Businesses are the lifeblood of more particularly the tribal areas of Had growth been pro-poor a market economy, and when they Rajasthan, the main area of her work, between 1990 and 2010, 700 work to the benefit of everyone although earlier she also contributed million more people, most of them they are vital to building fair and to various struggles in other parts women, would not be living in prosperous societies. But when of the country including Delhi. She poverty today. corporations increasingly work for was also imprisoned during the the rich, the benefits of economic Emergency and later contributed to Research finds that three-quarters growth are denied to those who need the establishment of civil liberties of extreme poverty could in fact them most. In pursuit of delivering organizations. be eliminated now using existing high returns to those at the top, resources, by increasing taxation and corporations are driven to squeeze During her earlier times in cutting down on military and other their workers and producers ever Rajasthan she helped to establish a regressive spending. harder – and to avoid paying taxes voluntary organization Sanchetna. which would benefit everyone, and Apart from being involved in various The World Bank is clear that the poorest people in particular. struggles for socio-economic justice without redoubling their efforts to along with her husband Mahendra tackle inequality, world leaders will While many chief executives, Choudhry, Srilata Swaminathan was miss their goal of ending extreme who are often paid in shares, have also known for her keen interest in poverty by 2030. seen their incomes skyrocket, wages eco-friendly farming and alternative for ordinary workers and producers health therapies. There is no getting away from the have barely increased, and in some She combined brilliance of fact that the biggest winners in our cases have got worse. The CEO of intellectual work with willingness global economy are those at the top. India’s top information firm earns and capability for mobilizing people. Oxfam’s research has revealed that 416 times the salary of a typical over the last 25 years, the top 1% employee in his company. Despite all these immense have gained more income than the capabilities and many assets bottom 50% put together. In the 1980s, cocoa farmers including willingness to work very received 18% of the value of a hard and to make sacrifices, one has Far from trickling down, income chocolate bar – today they get just an uneasy feeling that her potential and wealth are being sucked upwards 6%. for social change was not adequately at an alarming rate. What is causing realized and the reason for this is this? Corporations and super-rich In extreme cases, forced labour or to be found in our confused times individuals both play a key role. slavery can be used to keep corporate regarding the path of social change Corporations, working for those at costs down. The International and the wider alliances we need the top Big businesses did well in Labour Organization estimates to make for this to realize our 2015/16: profits are high and the that 21 million people are forced objectives in difficult conditions. world’s 10 biggest corporations labourers, generating an estimated together have revenue greater than $150bn in profits each year. JANATA, February 12, 2017 15

ueeskeÀe³ele De.¬eÀ. HegmlekeÀe®es veeJe efkebÀcele De.¬eÀ. HegmlekeÀe®es veeJe efkebÀcele 1 meeJe&peefvekeÀ efJecee #es$e efueueeJeele 5 25 peeieeflekeÀerkeÀjCe keÀer veJeer iegueeceefiejer? 150 2 ³es efoue ceeBies ceewle 5 26 JewéeerkeÀjCe ³ee Hegve:DeewHeefveJesMeerkeÀjCe? 150 3. le©Ceebvees efJe®eej keÀjeue lej 5 27 Public Sector Insurance for Sale 5 (uesKekeÀ : efÒevme ¬eÀesHeeseqlkeÀve) 28 Rationalist, Scientific, Socialist 10 4. osJeUeb®ee Oece& DeeefCe Oecee&®eer osJeUs 5 Vivekananda (uesKekeÀ : ÒeyeesOevekeÀej þekeÀjs) 29 Fight FDI in Retail 10 5 ceer veeefmlekeÀ keÀe Deens (uesKekeÀ : Yeiele efmebie) 5 30 Palestine, Israel and the Arab-Israel 10 6 keÀesUer DeeefCe ceeMeer (uesKekeÀ : efJeunsce efueyeefveMì) 5 Conflict 7 ns ceuee ceenerle nJeb! 5 31 Union Budget 2015-16 10 8 efJeJeskeÀJeeoer, efJe%eeveJeeoer, meceepeJeeoer efJeJeskeÀevebo 5 32 Budget 2016-17: Acche Din for Whom? 10 9 veesìeyeboer : keÀe³e keÀceeJeues? keÀe³e ieceeJeues? 5 33 The Crisis of Global Warming 10 10 legcner yeskeÀej keÀe? 10 34 Demonetisation: 10 Yet Another Fraud on the People 11 ue{e Jee@ueceeì&Meer 10 35 Yeh Dil Mange Maut 15 12. keWÀêer³e yepesì 2015-16 : peveslesmeeþer ³eele Deens lejer keÀe³e? 10 36 Let’s Rise from the Shadows 15 13 Jee@ueceeì& YeieeDees Kegoje #es$e ye®eeDees 10 37 Unite To fight Nuclear Madness 20 14 Deej Sme Sme uee DeesUKee (uesKekeÀ : MecMegue Fmueece) 10 38 India Becoming a Colony Again 20 15 cegueiee cnCepes? cegueieer cnCepes? (uesefKekeÀe : keÀceuee Yemeerve) 10 39 Is the Government Really Poor? 20 16 Menero Yeieleefmebie®es le©Ceebvee DeeJeenve 15 40 Who was Shivaji? 20 17 peieC³ee®³ee nkeÌkeÀe®es Deeboesueve 15 (Writer: Com. ) 18 Fjeos keÀj yeguebo 15 41 Spectre of Fascism 20 19 efMe#eCee®eer jeKejebieesUer 15 42 Neoliberal Fascist Attack on Education 25 20 Yeejle Hegvne SkeÀoe iegueeceerkeÀ[s 20 43 Globalisation or Recolonisation? 150 21 DeeeqCJekeÀ Jes[sHeCee 20 44 Education Under Globalisation 225 22 mejkeÀej Kejb®e iejerye Deens keÀe? 20 45 Nuclear Energy: Technology from Hell 250 23 osMeeJej He@ÀefmePece®es mebkeÀì 20 46 Essays on Contemporary Indian 275 24´ Gþ ceeCemee 30 Economy

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Vol. 72 No. 5 Pandering to Dictates February 19, 2017 of Global Finance

Neeraj Jain

Just a month ago, the Modi–Jaitley government had once again massaged the GDP figures, for the second time in two years, to make them look even better. The earlier revision had made them to be 5.1% in 2012–13, 6.9% in 2013–14, 7.2% in 2014–15 and 7.3% in 2015–16. The revision—caused by Acharya Narendra Deva a change in the method of measuring GDP—had made the economy grow (October 31, 1889–February 19, 1956) at more than 7% for 2014–15, making India one of the fastest growing Anil Nauriya economies in the world. Then, in January 2017, the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO) revised the figures once again to make them look like a perfect stepladder of sustained growth—5.6% / 6.6% / 7.2% / 7.9% respectively. The growth rate for 2015–16 had been revised to a high of 7.9%.1 Racial Discrimination Returns to UK Kuldip Nayar Table 1: India, Growth Rates, as Revised by BJP Govt in 2015 and 2017 (%)

2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 Growth Rates, 5.1 6.9 7.2 7.3 2015 Estimates Growth Rates, 5.6 6.6 7.2 7.9 2017 Estimates Editor : G. G. Parikh The absurdity of these figures becomes obvious from just one statistic. The Index of Industrial Production data show that growth in factory output Managing Editor : Guddi in the country had slowed down from 2.8% in 2014–15 to 2.4% in 2015–16, and the manufacturing sector, which accounts for over 75 per cent of the D-15, Ganesh Prasad, index, grew at meagre rate of 2% in 2015–16 compared to 2.3% in previous Naushir Bharucha Marg, year. However, the CSO in its calculations has considered the manufacturing Mumbai - 400 007. component of the GDP to have suddenly jumped from 5.5% in 2014–15 to 9.5% in 2015–16!2 Email : [email protected] 2 JANATA, February 19, 2017

However, demonetisation has had such a crippling measures to alleviate their suffering by directing effect on the economy that even the CSO has been forced significantly increased spending towards the poor, through to admit that the economy is expected to slow down in measures like increasing social sector spending, and 2016–17. Predictably, the CSO has attempted to downplay increasing government expenditure on sectors like the impact, saying that it expects the economy to grow agriculture. at 7.1% in 2016–17 as compared to 7.6% the previous year. Almost immediately, other forecasters challenged Jaitley and fiscal deficit its figure, with Icra expecting it to fall to 6.8% and HSBC projecting it to fall to 6.3%.3 Unfortunately, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has done none of this in his Budget 2017–18. To please global Other figures actually project that the slowdown is finance, he has continued with the policies of neoliberalism much worse than that indicated by the above figures. that he has so assiduously been pursuing for the past Thus, for instance, factory output, measured by Index of three years and that were also pursued by the previous Industrial Production, actually contracted by 0.4% in UPA Government. A key element of budget making under December 2016, driven by contraction in consumer goods, neoliberalism is reining in the fiscal deficit. And so, Jaitley capital goods and manufacturing. It had risen by 5.7% in has declared that he is going to further bring down the November 2016.4 Another set of data that again gives fiscal deficit to 3.2% of the GDP in 2017–18, from 3.5% an indication on slowing economic activities is bank credit achieved in 2016–17 and 3.9% in 2015–16.7 This policy growth numbers. RBI data show that non-food credit of “fiscal prudence”, which constitutes the cornerstone growth slowed down from 6.7% in October 2016 to 4.8% of the government’s budgetary strategy, is staggering in in November and 4.0% in December. These figures were its implications for the common people—who have less than half of the corresponding figures for 2015— already been devastated by the cyclone of non-food credit growth increased by 8.8% in November demonetisation. and 9.3% in December 2015.5 Fiscal deficit is just another term for government Demonetisation particularly hit the informal sector borrowings of various types. The government borrows hard, sending it into a coma. The informal sector consists when its expenditures exceed its receipts of all types. of small scale manufacturing, most of the construction That India must bring down its fiscal deficit to near zero industry, perhaps three quarters of the remainder of the if it wants to become an economic superpower in the services sector, and the agricultural sector. While there near future has become an economic gospel today. All are no official estimates of the number of jobs lost due the leading establishment economists, each and every to mass scale closure of small scale industries following economist associated with international financial demonetisation, it is for certain that lakhs of workers institutions, every renowned management guru—all are have been rendered unemployed and have had to return in agreement that high levels of fiscal deficit relative to to their villages.6 GDP adversely affect growth. Former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram in fact criticised Jaitley for not striving Having saddled the economy with an entirely to bring down the fiscal deficit to 3% in this financial unnecessary slowdown in growth and massive rise in year.8 unemployment through demonetisation, the Central Government had a chance to partially undo the damage The fact is, the economic theory that the government through Budget 2017 by significantly raising its must balance its expenditure with its income, that is, must expenditure relative to GDP, especially in those sectors bring down its fiscal deficit to near zero, is plain humbug. most hit by the note ban. If ever there was a case for a John Maynard Keynes, considered by many to be the more expansionary fiscal stance to revive demand in the greatest economist of the twentieth century, had economy, it was now. This would have helped increase demonstrated way back in the 1930s that in an economy demand in the system, and given a boost to employment where there is poverty and unemployment, the generation. government can, and in fact should, expand public works and generate employment by borrowing, that is, enlarging In particular, since the economic pain caused by the fiscal deficit; such government expenditure would demonetisation was felt disproportionately by the poor, also stimulate private expenditure through the “multiplier” the Central Government was expected to take special effect. Even the governments of the developed countries JANATA, February 19, 2017 3 like the United States and Japan, when faced with Receipt Budget in the Union Budget documents, and is recessionary conditions, have resorted to huge levels of titled: Revenue impact of Tax Incentive under the public spending and high fiscal deficits.9 Central Tax System. We have compared the tax exemptions to the rich with the fiscal deficit for that year Despite this theory being a complete fraud, it is one of in Table 2. (The write-offs as mentioned in the budget the conditionalities of the Structural Adjustment Loan statement are in corporate tax, personal income tax, taken by India from the World Bank way back in 1991, customs duties and excise duties. In the data on tax when India was in the throes of an external debt crisis. exemptions given in Table 2, we have excluded the These World Bank dictated economic reforms, amount forgone on personal income tax, since this write- implemented dutifully by every government that has come off benefits a wider group of people.) to power at the Centre since 1991, have been given the grandiloquent name of globalisation.10 Table 2: Revenue Forgone by Central Government Due to Tax Exemptions, and Fiscal Deficit If this theory is humbug, why is the World Bank so (Rs lakh crore) keen that India reduce its fiscal deficit, and why is the 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 Total Government of India so keen to implement this Revenue 5.49 5.51 5.50 16.5 conditionality? The only reason why Jaitley is harping Forgone upon the theme of fiscal discipline is because it gives him an excuse to reduce government expenditures on Fiscal 5.13 5.35 5.34 the poor and transfer the savings to big corporate houses! Deficit RE This of course is going to sound amazing to Modi Bhakts—after all, Modi keeps singing Sabka Sath, [Note: Sabka Vikas. Therefore, let us explain this in slightly A note on tax exemptions given to the rich in 2016–17 greater detail. is required here. Just like it has changed the methodology for calculating GDP, it has changed the methodology for The fiscal deficit is the excess of the government’s calculating tax concessions given to the rich in this year’s expenditures over receipts. In all his three budgets (2017–18) budget documents. Under the new methodology presented so far, Jaitley has doled out lakhs of rupees as adopted by the government and explained in the 2017–18 subsidies to the very rich. Had he really been concerned Budget documents, the Centre has differentiated between about the fiscal deficit, he could have easily reduced these what it calls “conditional” and “unconditional” exemptions. mindboggling giveaways. But the government dubs these Unconditional exemptions will no longer be considered subsidies to the rich as “incentives”, and justifies them in for the purpose of calculating revenues foregone or the the name of promoting growth–development– revenue impact of tax incentives. The new methodology entrepreneurism. On the other hand, the social sector does not affect the calculation for corporate taxes, but expenditures of the government are given the derisive sharply brings down estimated revenue forgone in case of name ‘subsidies’ and are being drastically reduced in customs and excise duties. the name of containing the fiscal deficit. Not only that, these essential services are also being privatised— Obviously, the distinction made between conditional resulting in fabulous profits for the private sector. and unconditional exemptions is an artificial concoction, meant to bring down the estimation of tax exemptions Just a look at the extraordinary concessions given to given to the rich. The statement on revenue forgone has the rich in the name of tax incentives in Jaitley’s budgets been there in the budget documents since 2006–07; presented so far will make our point clear. obviously, had there been some justification for excluding ‘unconditional’ exemptions from the calculation for Tax incentives to the rich revenue forgone, the previous UPA Government would definitely have used it too to lower the estimation for Every year, for the past several years, the budget revenue forgone. documents have included a statement on the estimated revenue forgone by the government due to exemptions We have therefore used the older methodology to in major taxes levied by the Centre in the past year. This estimate the revenue forgone due to tax exemptions given statement is included in the annexure attached to the in the case of customs and excise duties, based on data 4 JANATA, February 19, 2017 given in the statement on revenue forgone given in the richie rich that India’s tax revenues are low, because of 2017–18 budget documents. which our combined tax-to-GDP ratio for Centre and States put together is amongst the lowest in the world. In case of customs duties, as per the older This is admitted even by the Finance Minister in his budget methodology, the estimated customs revenue impact of speech this year. The Economic Survey of last year tax incentives is calculated based on data generated at (2015–16) admitted that India’s tax-to-GDP ratio at the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). This system does 16.6% is lowest among BRICS and lower than both the not capture the full data of imports, and so suitable Emerging Market Economy (EME) and OECD averages, adjustments are made. From this, revenue impact on which are about 21% and 34% respectively. India’s tax account of Export Promotion Concessions is deducted, ratio is the lowest even among economies with to get the net impact of tax incentives on customs duties comparable (PPP adjusted) per-capita GDP such as revenues. As per EDI data, the total estimated customs Vietnam, Bolivia and Uzbekistan.11 revenue impact of tax incentives for 2016–17 (annualised) came to Rs 307,707 crore. The EDI In fact, the government’s revenues would have been captured 95.01% of the gross customs revenue. After in a far worse state but for the fact that the government extrapolation for data not captured by EDI, the estimated was able to take advantage of the fall in international oil customs revenue impact for the whole year comes to: prices to hike excise duties on crude oil and petro- Rs 323,868 crore. Deducting from this net revenue products from 1.02% of GDP in 2014–15 to 1.61% of impact on account of input tax neutralization schemes GDP in 2016–17, an increase of 0.6% of the GDP! It is (Rs 57,065 crore), we get the revenue impact of tax because of this that despite giving away such huge incentives on customs duty side for 2016–17 by the old amounts in tax concessions to the rich, the Modi methodology to be Rs 266,803 crore. Government’s gross tax revenues as a proportion of the GDP have risen from 10% in 2014–15 to 11.3% in 2016– In the case of excise duties, as per the older 17 RE. The Modi Government has increased excise methodology, this is calculated based on data generated duties petro-products by nine times since coming to power by the Automated Central Excise & Service Tax (ACES) in 2014. The Central Government currently charges Rs system, to which is added revenue impact due to the 17.33 for every litre of diesel and Rs 21.48 for every operation of area based exemption schemes. For 2016– litre of petrol as excise duty.12 17, this works out to Rs 199,838 crore [Rs 180,502 crore (general exemptions, conditional and unconditional) + Rs Table 3: Contribution of Petroleum Sector to 19,336 crore (area based exemptions)]. Exchequer (% of GDP)

Therefore, based on the older methodology, the total 2013– 2014– 2015– 2016– projected tax exemptions for the year 2016–17, excluding 14 15 16 17 exemptions given on personal income taxes are: Central taxes/duties on crude oil & petroleum 0.94 1.02 1.53 1.61 • Corporation taxes = Rs 83,492 crore products • Excise duties = Rs 199,838 crore Out of which, excise 0.69 0.8 1.31 1.41 • Customs duties = Rs 266,803 crore duty • Total = Rs 550,133 crore] The Finance Minister had given several interviews in The total tax exemptions given to the country’s uber December 2016/January 2017 highlighting that rich by the Modi–Jaitley government in the three years demonetisation had led to a jump in tax collections, and it has been in power total Rs 16.5 lakh crore! That is an had even given detailed data showing that direct tax mop- amount that equals 86% of the estimated gross tax up increased by 12.01% while indirect tax revenue grew revenues of the Central Government for the financial 25% during the period April to December 2017.13 year 2017–18. However, the budget papers belie his claims! They do not reflect any significant increase in tax revenues in the Low tax revenues current financial year. In fact, the corporate and income tax numbers for the budget estimates and revised It is because of these huge tax giveaways to India’s estimates of 2016–17 are almost the same; while the JANATA, February 19, 2017 5 revised estimates for 2016–17 show an increase in advanced by a month this year, because of which it is indirect tax revenues by only 10.1% over the budget possible that the government does not have proper revised estimates. This, despite demonetisation and the two estimates for tax collections for this year, it also means income disclosure schemes announced in the current that the government expects revenue gains from all these financial year! Even though the Union Budget was measures to be negligible. Table 4: Gross Tax Revenues of Central Government, 2015–16 to 2017–18 (Rs crore)

2015–16 2016–17 2016–17 Increase, 2017–18 Increase, (Actuals) (BE)(1) (RE)(2) (2) – (1) (BE)(3) (3) – (2)

Gross tax revenue 1,455,648 1,630,888 1,703,243 4.4% 1,911,579 12.2% Corporation tax 453,228 493,924 493,924 0 538,745 9.1% Income tax 287,637 353,174 353,174 0 441,255 24.9% Union excise duties 288,073 318,670 387,369 21.6% 406,900 5% Customs duties 210,338 230,000 217,000 – 5.7% 245,000 12.9% Service tax 211,414 231,000 247,500 7.1% 275,000 11.3% Non-tax revenue 251,706 322,921 334,770 3.7% 288,757 – 13.7% GDP at Current Market 13,675,331 15,075,429 15,075,429 16,847,455 Prices (2011–12 series) Gross Tax 10.60% 10.82% 11.30% 11.34% Revenue as % of GDP

The 2017–18 budget estimates too do not indicate any a fall in overall investment. The Survey admits that GFCF significant rise in gross tax revenues over the 2016–17 has slipped into negative territory in first half of 2016– RE figures. The Finance Minister estimates the gross 17—and this was before the storm of demonetisation hit tax revenues to go up by 12.2%, mainly powered by an the economy.14 increase in income tax collections of 25%. This however seems to be too optimistic a projection. This is more so It is elementary mainstream economics that with the because the projected nominal increase in GDP of investment falling, what is needed to pull the economy 11.75%, on which the direct tax growth will depend, also out of the deepening crisis is an expansionary budget, seems to be on the higher side, as nominal growth in that is, the government needs to step up public GDP has ranged between 10% and 10.7% during 2013– investment. However, the ‘ultra-nationalist’ BJP 14 to 2016–2017. Government, led by the Modi–Jaitley duo, is more interested in pandering to the whims of India’s foreign Fiscal contractionary path creditors and multinational capital, rather than protecting the nation’s interests. The gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) in the economy has been falling ever since the BJP Government On the one hand, the Finance Minister is seeking to came to power. The Economic Survey 2016–17 admits: reduce the fiscal deficit to please global finance. On the Private investment, which had been soaring at the height other hand, Jaitley continues to generously pay back the of the boom, slowed sharply to a 5% growth rate by debt the BJP owes to the big corporate houses and the 2010–11. By 2015–16, it had actually started to shrink, wealthy for funding its 2014 Lok Sabha election and in 2016–17 so far it seems to have contracted by campaign, by continuing to give them enormous tax more than 7%. To cushion the impact on the overall concessions. With the result that despite receiving a economy, public investment has been stepped up bonanza on account of petroleum duties, the government’s considerably, but this has still not been sufficient to arrest tax revenues continue to be very low, much lower than 6 JANATA, February 19, 2017 other emerging market economies. Despite admitting that budget outlay for 2017–18 has actually fallen to its lowest GFCF is contracting, the government’s budget outlay for level since the BJP came to power in 2014, and is much 2017–18 has not seen any significant rise. As a lower than the 13.9% reached during the last year of the percentage of the GDP, the government’s projected previous UPA Government.

Table 5: Union (BJP) Budget Outlays of 2014–15 to 2017–18 (Rs crore)

2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2016–17 2017–18 (Actuals) (Actuals) BE RE BE

Budget Outlay 1,663,673 1,790,783 1,978,060 2,014,407 2,146,735

GDP at Current Market Prices 12,433,749 13,675,331 15,075,429 15,075,429 16,847,455 (2011–12 series)

Budget Outlay as % of GDP 13.38% 13.09% 13.12% 13.36% 12.74%

Further, as the increase in tax revenues projected allowed to collect toll charges from the users), by the government seems to be an overestimate, the and as if this is not enough, even the investment revised budget outlay is in all probability going to be money is also often provided by the government lower than this budgeted estimate. in the form of long term loans at concessional rates. What a partnership! More subsidies to rich Social sector expenditures Even if the expenditure growth is slowing down, the budget outlay for the sectors that result in With growth in total budgetary spending slowing huge profits for the corporate houses that control down, and the government continuing to dole out the levers of power in the country cannot be huge amounts to corporate houses, the sectors that affected. One of these sectors is investment in have paid the price for the policy push to reduce the roads and highways. The allocation for the fiscal deficit are the social sectors. construction of highways has been stepped up from Rs 52,447 in 2016–17 RE to Rs 64,900 in But then how come Prime Minister Modi, leading 2017–18 BE, a huge increase of 24%! Virtually intellectuals and the mainstream media hailed Jaitley’s all of this is going to be doled out as grants to the 2017–18 budget as a pro-poor and pro-farmer budget, private corporate houses in the name of Public– and as a budget for the have-nots? The simple Private–Partnership ( PPP). Let us explain this explanation: they are lying as usual. in greater detail. Table 6 gives the BJP government’s social sector The economists sitting in Washington/Paris/ expenditures for all the four budgets presented by London keep coming up with innovative ideas Arun Jaitley, together with the last budget of the about how to transfer government funds to the previous UPA Government. Strictly speaking, the private sector. One such concept that has been figures for 2015–16 and later years are not embraced by the Government of India in a big comparable with the figures for 2013–14 and 2014– way is this so-called PPP. Under this, the 15. The reason is that in 2015–16, the Union government invites the private sector to invest in Government accepted the recommendation of the infrastructure, provides the private investor a 14th Finance Commission and increased the share direct subsidy of up to 40% of the project cost, of the states in divisible pool of Central taxes from gives it land and other resources at concessional 32% previously to 42%, and simultaneously cut the rates, guarantees the private partner a minimum allocations for social sector ministries sharply, arguing rate of return on its investment (for instance, in that these cuts would be more than compensated by the case of highways, the private investor is the increase in states’ share in Central taxes. JANATA, February 19, 2017 7

Table 6: Union Budget, Social Sector Expenditures, 2013–14 to 2017–18 (Rs crore)

2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2016–17 (A) (A) (A) BE RE 2017–18

Total Social Sector Exp.* 302,911 339,014 371,268 395,202 409,758 458,423 Budget Outlay 1,559,447 1,663,673 1,790,783 1,978,060 2,014,407 2,146,735 Social Sector Exp. as % of Budget Outlay 19.42% 20.38% 20.73% 19.98% 20.34% 21.35% GDP at Current Market Prices (2011–12 series) 11,236,635 12,433,749 13,675,331 15,075,429 15,075,429 16,847,455 Social Sector Exp. as % of GDP 2.70% 2.73% 2.71% 2.62% 2.72% 2.72%

*Note that there is no rigorous definition of what means they will barely beat inflation. As a proportion of constitutes social sector expenditures. In our definition, the budget outlay, they are expected to marginally go up we have taken the definition given by CBGA in its analysis by 1%, while as a proportion of GDP, there is no increase. of the Union Budget 2015–16 (Of Bold Strokes and Fine Prints: Analysis of Union Budget 2015–16, Centre On the other hand, the budget documents also show for Budget and Governance Accountability, March 2015, that the total Central transfers to the States and Union p. 9, http://www.cbgaindia.org.), and from this, excluded Territories (including the States’ share in Central taxes) the figures for the Department of Urban Development to as a percentage of the GDP are actually projected to fall arrive at a figure comparable to the figure for social sector in 2017–18 as compared to 2016–17 RE (Table 7). This expenditure given in the 2017 Budget Speech of the fall in devolution of funds to the States is obviously going Finance Minister. Then, to this, we have added the figures to adversely affect their social sector spending. for Department of Rural Development and Food Subsidy. So, our calculation includes the figures for: Ministry of Table 7: Central Transfers to States, 2016–17 Culture, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, RE and 2017–18 (Rs crore) Ministry of Health and Family Welfare+ AYUSH, Ministry 2016–17 2017–18 of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Ministry of RE (BE) Human Resource Development, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ministry of Minority Affairs, Ministry of Total Central transfers to Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Tribal States and UT, including 981,148 1,075,558 Affairs, Ministry of Women and Child Development, State’s share of Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Department of Rural Central taxes Development, and Food Subsidy. A slightly different GDP at current market 15,075,429 16,847,455 definition has been given in the Economic Survey, 2013– prices 14, p. 232, and yet another definition has been given in Economic Survey, 2014–15, Statistical Appendix, Table Total Union Resources 9.9, p. A140. Note also that our definition of social sector transferred to States 6.51% 6.38% spending is a far more liberal definition than that adopted as % of GDP in the Budget papers for 2017–18, where the government has stated that its social sector expenditures for 2017–18 As it is, the total Central and States expenditure on total Rs 195,473 crore. social services in India is very low. As per the Economic Survey 2016–17, this figure as a proportion of the GDP From Table 6, it becomes evident that there is no was 7.0% during 2016–17 BE. This is far below the significant increase in the government’s social sector average social sector expenditures of the 34 countries expenditures. They are projected to increase by only of the OECD, for whom this figure is 20%; for the 27 11.8% over the revised estimates for 2016–17, which countries of the EU, this figure is even higher at around 8 JANATA, February 19, 2017

30% of GDP. It is also way below the social sector on social sectors such as education and health has expenditures of 21 countries of Latin America and the significant positive multiplier effects.15 [The fiscal Caribbean, for whom this figure is 18.6% (in 2009–10). multiplier is an estimate of the effect of government The above data make it clear that the social sector spending on economic growth. A multiplier greater than expenditures of the Centre and States combined for India 1 corresponds to a positive growth stimulus (returning are going to remain at the same dismal level in 2017–18. more than Re 1 for each rupee invested), whereas a multiplier less than one reflects a net loss from spending.] The demonetisation has had a devastating effect on the livelihoods of India’s poor. Had the Modi Government The sole reason why the BJP–RSS Government led had the slightest concern for the common people of the by the Modi–Jaitley duo is not increasing the country’s country, it would have taken steps to increase its social sector expenditures and give a boost to domestic allocations for those sectors that directly affect the people, demand is to please the country’s foreign creditors, who that is, the social sector expenditures. The anti-people are demanding “fiscal prudence”. In the name of reining nature of the Modi government becomes evident from in the fiscal deficit, the World Bank and the giant the fact that the total social sector expenditure of the corporations of the Western countries are demanding Union government, even on the basis of the liberalised that the government reduce its social sector expenditures definition given by us above, at Rs 4.58 lakh crore, is so that the country’s welfare services can be taken over less than the total tax exemptions given to the rich, which by private capital and enormous profits made. And the total Rs 5.5 lakh crore. Modi Government is surrendering to their dictates.

Even if we drop this fact-based critical examination Such is the nationalism of the BJP–RSS. It is confined of the budget from a socialist perspective, and examine to unfurling giant sized flags in universities, and forcing it purely from the perspective of mainstream capitalist people to stand up while the national anthem is being economics, at a time when the rate of investment in the played in cinema halls—while on the ground, it is bowing economy has precipitously fallen into negative territory, to the dictates of international financial institutions and the government should have increased social sector running the country solely for the profiteering of giant spending as it would have helped boost domestic demand. foreign and Indian corporations, betraying the interests It is now fairly well established that government spending of the common people. References

1 Prem Shankar Jha, “This Budget Will Not Relieve the Shock of Demonetisation to the Economy”, February 1, 2017, https://thewire.in. 2 K.R. Srivats, “ CSO Pegs 2015–16 Growth at 7.6%”, http://www.thehindubusinessline.com; “ Industrial Production Growth for 2015–16 Fiscal Dips to 2.4% from 2.8% in 2014–15", May 12, 2016, http://www.newsnation.in. 3 “7.1 per cent GDP Estimate Erroneous, Says Icra”, January 7, 2017, http://economictimes.indiatimes.com; “Modi’s Demonetisation to Hit GDP: Growth to Fall to 6.3% from 7.1% in FY17, Says HSBC”References 4 “Demonetisation Takes Toll on IIP; Output Shrinks 0.4 per cent in December”, February 11, 2017, http:// economictimes.indiatimes.com. 5 Data on Sectoral Deployment of Bank Credit, Reserve Bank of India, https://www.rbi.org.in. 6 For more on demonetisation and its effect on the Indian economy, see our booklet : Demonetisation: Yet Another Fraud on the People, Lokayat Publication, January 2017, available on Lokayat website at www.lokayat.org.in. 7 All figures related to the budget taken from Union Budget documents available at : Union Budget, http://india budget.nic.in. 8 “Chidambaram Calls Union Budget 2017 a ‘Damp Squib’”, February 2, 2017, http://www.timesnow.tv. 9 We have discussed this in greater detail in our book: Neeraj Jain, Essays on Contemporary Indian Economy, Aakar Books, Delhi, 2016, pp. 37–41; also available on Lokayat website. 10 For more on globalisation and the conditionalities imposed by the World Bank on India, see our book: Neeraj Jain, Globalisation or Recolonisation? Lokayat Publication, 2006, available on Lokayat website, www.lokayat.org.in. Also see: Ibid., pp. 32–35. 11 Economic Survey, 2015–16, Vol. I, p. 107, available on the internet at : Union Budget, http://indiabudget.nic.in. 12 Prasenjit Bose, “Modi Government’s Budget Estimates Expose Lack of Gain from Demonetisation”, ebruary 3, 2017, https://thewire.in. 13 “Jaitley Paints Rosy Picture of Tax Mop-Up, Sees No Note-Ban Effect”, January 9, 2017 http:// www.thehindubusinessline.com. 14 Economic Survey, 2016–17, p. 91, op. cit. 15 See for instance: Aaron Reeves et al., “Does Investment in the Health Sector Promote or Inhibit Economic Growth?” Global Health, September 2013, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.,Vol. I, p. 107, available on the internet at: JANATA, February 19, 2017 9

Between The Lines Racial Discrimination Returns to UK

Kuldip Nayar

It’s sheer racialism. Four British nationals of Pakistan The number of people subject to the power, under origin committed a crime of sexual exploitation and were which the Home Secretary can deprive dual nationals of sentenced to imprisonment. But the judge McClosky, in their British citizenship if it is deemed to be in the public his own wisdom, said that after serving the sentence interest, has increased since the coalition government they should be sent back to the country of their origin. came to power. The measure was included in the 2006 Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act as a direct result I wonder if this would have happened to a white man, of the July 2005 bombings in which 52 people died and especially to Europeans. The judge without demur said more than 700 were injured. It was used only four times in his verdict that the convicts’ nationality should be in the following four years, but has been used nine times stripped. The ruling by an immigration tribunal since last year’s general election. subsequently also cleared the way for the Pakistanis to be removed from Britain. They had acquired British The five victims of the gang who gave evidence in citizenship by naturalisation. the 2012 trial were all white, and spoke of being raped, assaulted and traded for sex, being passed from man to According to the Dawn from Karachi, they were man, and sometimes being too drunk to stop the abuses. among nine men of Pakistani and Afghan descent The men, ranging in age from 22 to 59, used various convicted of luring girls as young as 13 into sexual defences, including claiming the girls were prostitutes. encounters using alcohol and drugs. They were based in One British MP had demanded that the four men who Rochdale, in northern England. Five of the dual nationals appeared at the tribunal should be dep-or-ted “as soon deprived of their citizenship were British Pakistanis, while as possible” saying “foreign-born criminals should not two were of dual British and Sudanese nationality. The be able to hide behind human rights laws to avoid remaining six were Australian, Iraqi, Russian, Egyptian deportation.” and Lebanese dual nationals. To this date 10 of the orders have been appealed against. This is somewhat similar to what President Donald Trump did soon after taking over. By an executive order, Among the four facing deportation is ringleader Shabir he temporarily blocked people from some Muslim- Ahmed, sentenced in 2012 to 22 years in jail. The other majority countries from entering the US on visas. This three are Adil Khan, Qari Abdul Rauf and Abdul Aziz. included the Green card holders who have the right to Ahmed, who was convicted of rape as well as other visit the US without having earned the nationality. charges, remains in custody, while the other three men have been released on licence. Khan, Rauf and Aziz Like in the UK case, Trump’s order did say that his were convicted on conspiracy and trafficking for sexual order was to protect the American people from the threat exploitation charges. Aziz was not convicted of having of terrorism or criminal activities. But it doesn’t sexual intercourse with any child. necessarily do that. Instead, it points to the new president’s serious thinking about putting the Islamophobia The judge at the hearing in the upper tribunal of the that was a central part of his campaign into practice. Immigration and Asylum Chamber described their crimes But Hillary Clinton who challenged him in the Presidential as “shocking, brutal and repulsive”. His decision rejected election has replied that they would defend the claims concerning human rights laws and a complaint of constitution of America. It does not debar anybody “disproportionate interference” with their rights. The because America itself is a country of immigrants. case centres on a decision by Prime Minister Theresa May, when she was home secretary, to take away the The very discussion on stripping nationality of a men’s citizenship “for the public good”. country’s citizen is ominous. By declaring anybody anti- 10 JANATA, February 19, 2017 national you can send him back to the country he once of dalits or the minorities. But since the upper casts belonged. This will be very harsh on journalists and dominate the media, there is hardly any mention of the authors. They utilize the freedom of expression to run atrocities committed against the marginalized. down their own country or politicians. When it comes to India, at least there is no racialism. This is happening in India itself. Take the case of an The attackers on the Parliament House and on Mumbai online editor of a publication is facing the wrath of the were tried by various courts and eventually sentenced. Election Commission after the newspaper published the The convicts were Muslims. The emphasis on religion is exit poll results after the first phase of election in UP. As itself bad. Saudi Arabia which is a Muslim country prefers many as 15 FIRs have been filed against the publication. Muslims to be in their midst. It is another story that they Some time ago, even the owner of a national channel prefer Indian Muslims to Pakistani Muslims. Even the was arraigned by the Information and Broadcasting policeman there lets go the Muslims from India for any Ministry when he refused to tender an apology for what traffic violation while the Pakistanis are singled out for the channel had broadcast. punishment.

Some time ago, the ministry also defended the The UK government will be blamed for racial censorship. The minister explained that government had discrimination if the order of the judge to send the convicts only one channel while the private sector had several. to their country of origin. Yet it must be admitted that Therefore, the ministry had every right to use the official racial discrimination is increasingly taking the centre of channel to put across the government point of view. I stage in the UK. wish that this prerogative is used to describe the plight Mahatma Gandhi’s Punyatithi

A function on January 30, 2017 at , believe that such a man in flesh and blood ever walked a Central University in New Delhi, to observe the 69th on this earth.” Prof. Meenai welcomed the guests and death anniversary of the Father of the Nation, was jointly the audience. Dr. Syeda Saiyidain Hameed, noted writer, organised by JMI and the Society for Communal educationist, activist in women’s causes, former Member Harmony set up in 1990 by Dr. BN Pande and the of the Planning Commission and Vice-President of SCH, eminent Islamic scholar Maulana Syed Abul Hasan Ali introduced the subject. She and Dr. S. Farooq, Chairman, Nadwi aka Maulana Ali Mian. An eminent social scientist, Himalaya Drug Company, had coordinated the Prof. Anand Kumar, former Professor at JNU and at programme on behalf of SCH.. Besides other present a Fellow at the Indian Institute of Advanced constructive and positive activities the SCH has launched Study, Shimla, delivered a thought provoking lecture on a programme of observing the birth or death anniversaries Relevance of Gandhi Today. The meeting was co-chaired of some outstanding national leaders who not only played by Dr. Talat Ahmad, Vice-Chancellor of JMI, and the a key role in the freedom movement but also worked doyen of Indian journalists and columnists, Kuldip Nayar, hard to bring unity and harmony among the various creeds President of the Society for Communal Harmony. Prof. and castes in this great subcontinent. Those who have Tasneem Meenai, Dean of Students’ Welfare, JMI, took been presently identified for this purpose comprise great pains to organise the function very efficiently and Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana ensured that the auditorium of the Faculty of Engineering Abul Kalam Azad, Acharya Narendra Deva, Khan Abdul and Technology was fully occupied by the faculty, the Ghaffar Khan, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Sri Ganesh students and some other persons not connected with JMI. Shankar Vidyarthi, Sardar Bhagat Singh, Dr. Bishambhar It was heartening to note the enthusiasm among the youth Nath Pande and Maulana Syed Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi. to know more about and follow the teachings of the The Society invites intellectuals, cultural leaders and the Mahatma about whom Einstein wrote at the time of youth to contribute towards achievement of its noble Bapu’s assassination on January 30, 1948 at the hands objectives of peace and harmony, social justice and of a Hindu fanatic: “The generations to come will scarcely egalitarianism.

– Chandrabhal Tripathi JANATA, February 19, 2017 11 Non-violent Action and Socialist Radicalism : Narendra Deva in India’s Freedom Movement*

Anil Nauriya

The dynamic that linked non-violent movements 1934. The early Indian socialists, like Narendra Deva, for Indian freedom in the first half of the twentieth did not range themselves against the erstwhile Soviet century with socialist participation in these Union or Marxism. The Congress Socialist Party came movements along with socialist initiatives in peasant into being within the Congress as a Marxist party. and workers’ movements is reflected in the Julius Braunthal notes, quite perceptively, that “(i)n its understanding that socialists led by Acharya Narendra origins … the Congress Socialist Party was not simply Deva (1889–1956) developed especially on prevailing a Marxist party in the tradition of the European Social national and international class relations, particularly Democratic parties, but rather a party of the Bolshevik those between the imperial regime and dominant version of Marxism”.2 Narendra Deva stands at the landed interests. While not wishing to confine head of the particular Indian Marxist tradition which themselves within a theoretical frame of truth and was not part of the communist movement, associated non-violence, Socialists theorized their participation itself organically with the national struggle, and also in the non-violent movements. As the pre-eminent remained for a long time open to possibilities of co- theoretician of the Congress Socialist Party operation with other Left groups, including the established in 1934, Narendra Deva’s understanding communists. Narendra Deva remained a Marxist is of significance in providing an alternative Marxist throughout his life. Even as late as 1950 the Socialist and radical understanding of the Indian movement Party was seen as a Marxist group having, in the for freedom.1 In writings on possible areas of words of Braunthal, “evolved from the Bolshevik agreement between Marxism and the Gandhi-led version of Marxism to a Marxist version of movements, Narendra Deva addressed matters humanitarian democratic socialism”.3 In May 1952 at concerning possibilities of convergence of the two the Pachmarhi Convention of the Socialist Party, when strands of thought and method. This discussion Narendra Deva was away in China, Dr. Rammanohar traversed a fascinating range of issues, including Lohia, who was voted to the chair, took the opportunity matters concerning the ideological or organizational to expound his doctrine, widely seen as marking the “ownership” of Marxism itself, ultimately confirming party’s departure from Marxism. In the ideological socialist participation in the Gandhi-led movements ferment and the political developments that followed, including the constructive programme of the Congress Narendra Deva shared his thoughts on 3 September in the pre-independence period. 1952 in a letter to Asoka Mehta, his party colleague, making it clear that he would rather give up the Born in the same year as Jawaharlal Nehru, party than abandon Marxism.4 The position adopted Narendra Deva was to become a scholar of ancient by Narendra Deva, who was to live only for another India and of Buddhism, a lawyer and, after the three-and-a-half years, was in contrast to that of Bolshevik Revolution, a keen student of Karl Marx and other leading figures, like Jayaprakash Narayan, who Lenin. He presided over the founding convention of had by this time already turned their back on the Congress Socialist Party held in Patna in May Marxism.

* Revised version of the paper ‘Non-violent Action and Indian Socialists: A study of Narendra Deva in the freedom movement’ presented at a conference titled ‘Non-violent Resistance in South Asian History’ held at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi, 20–21 February 2014, which was later published as NMML Occasional Paper. 1 He has been appropriately described as “the leading exponent in the socialist movement in India of Marxism”. See Paul Brass, Factional Politics in an Indian State: The Congress Party in Uttar Pradesh, Bombay, Oxford University Press, 1966, p. 38. 2 Julius Braunthal, History of the International, Vol. 3, (1943–1968), London, Victor Gollancz, 1980, p. 224. 3 Ibid., p. 236. 4 Madhu Limaye, Age of Hope, Delhi, Atma Ram & Sons, 1986, p. 335. 12 JANATA, February 19, 2017

Narendra Deva’s place in the history of Marxist movement thereafter was without some significant may be gauged from the remarks made contribution or participation by him. by E.M.S. Namboodiripad, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader, at a function held at Teen Murti in New From a relatively early stage, Narendra Deva Delhi on 19 February 1989 to observe Narendra Deva’s discerned the interconnectedness of many incipient 33rd death anniversary. At this function, held around the developments. In 1921, an agrarian agitation in the United time also of Narendra Deva’s birth centenary year 1989– Provinces culminated on 7 January in police firing at 1990, Namboodiripad recalled that it was with Narendra Munshiganj in the Rae Bareli district.12 At least seven Deva’s speech at the Foundation Conference of the persons were killed and many were wounded in the Congress Socialists held at Patna in May 1934 that he agitation and the firing incident. The kisans (peasants) had first been exposed to Marxist socialism.5 Later he had been demanding restrictions on evictions and on read Jayaprakash Narayan’s “Why Socialism?”, forced labour and abolition of illegal cesses and exactions. published in 1936.6 Another speech by Narendra Deva The movement affected Pratapgarh, Rae Bareli and many that influenced Namboodiripad was the one Narendra districts of Oudh. Narendra Deva did not view the non- Deva made while seconding the Congress election co-operation movement and the peasant risings as manifesto at the All India Congress Committee in 1936.7 competing phenomena; he saw the dialectic between these movements: 2. In the Freedom Movement The strongly organized kisans compelled the Oudh Brought up in an atmosphere suffused with patriotic officials to reconsider the rent-revenue legislations. feeling, Narendra Deva made an early translation into Evictions by notice were stopped. … At that time Hindi of Aurobindo Ghose’s Bengali language articles the non-co-operation movement was at its height. on nationalism.8 He was drawn simultaneously to the The Government did not want the Kisan agitation Indian National Congress and the Home Rule League; to get linked up with that movement. For this reason of the latter Narendra Deva established in 1916 a branch also the Government became more responsive to in Faizabad district, United Provinces, where he was the Kisan demands.13 practicing as a lawyer, and became its secretary.9 Three years later he was a delegate at the Congress session An understanding of this symbiosis between the held in Amritsar in the wake of the political crisis of 1919 national movement and the peasant and workers’ and the massacre at Jallianwala Bagh.10 After the struggles illumines Narendra Deva’s political and Nagpur session of the Congress in 1920, Narendra Deva ideological positions. Narendra Deva’s involvement with suspended his legal practice and joined the non-co- the non-co-operation movement was expressed also in operation movement.11 No pre-independence Congress his association with the “national schools” that emerged

5 Based on notes taken by the author at the meeting. 6 For text see Jayaprakash Narayan Selected Works, Vol. 2, Bimal Prasad (ed.), New Delhi, Manohar, 2001, pp. 1–89. 7 A report of this speech is available in Hari Dev Sharma (ed.), Selected Works of Acharya Narendra Deva, (hereinafter SW- AND), Vol. 1, New Delhi, Radiant Publishers, 1998, pp. 76–77. 8 See “Jatiyata”, in Acharya Narendra Deva Papers (VI to X instalments, printed material, serial no. 2), Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi. 9 See Mukut Behari Lal, Acharya Narendra Deva, Varanasi, Acharya Narendra Deva Samajwadi Sansthan, 1967, p. 1; Vishvanath Sharma, Acharya Narendra Deva, Benares, Samaj Vigyan Parishad, Kashi Vidyapith, n.d.; and Raghukul Tilak, “As a Speaker and Writer”, in B.V. Keskar and V.K.N. Menon (eds), Acharya Narendra Deva: A Commemoration Volume, New Delhi, National Book Trust, 1971, p. 111. 10 Sri Prakasa, “Combination of Greatness and Goodness”, in Keskar and Menon (eds), op. cit., p. 121. 11“Acharya Narendra Deva”, Yusuf Meherally in Socialism and The National Revolution by Acharya Narendra Deva, Yusuf Meherally (ed.), Bombay, Padma Publications, 1946, p. xi (representative selection from political writings of Acharya Narendra Deva). On the evolution of the non-co-operation movement see Indulal Yajnik Papers, (Serial No 16: Loose Articles; Indulal Yajnik, “Memories of Non-co-operation”), Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, Teen Murti, New Delhi. 12 “Kisan Movement in the U.P.”, Congress Socialist, 28 November 1936; reproduced in Socialism and The National Revolution, Meherally (ed.), ibid., pp. 56–61 at p. 60. See also H.N. Mitra (ed.), Indian Annual Register, 1921– 22, Vol. 1, [Reprint], New Delhi, Gian Publishing House, 1990, p. 6 and p. 156. 13 “Kisan Movement in the U.P.”, Congress Socialist, ibid., p. 60. JANATA, February 19, 2017 13 at the time. At the behest of Jawaharlal Nehru, he joined Nehru, his close association with Gandhi dates, the faculty of the Kashi Vidyapith, the national university according to the Congress leader Sri Prakasa, from the founded in Benares in 1921, which evolved into a famous annual convocation of Kashi Vidyapith in 1929 where seminary of the Indian freedom struggle. Of this institution Gandhi delivered the convocation address in the last he became the Principal in 1926.14 week of September.18 Later the same month, within a few days of the convocation at Kashi Vidyapith, Gandhi Associated with the Independence of India League was named as Congress President at the All India established in 1928 by Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Bose, Congress Committee session held at Lucknow, a and others, Narendra Deva became, towards the end nomination which he declined. Thereafter the names of of the year, secretary of its UP provincial branch. In , with the positive glow of his recent the midst of his commitments as an educationist, leadership of the peasant struggle in Bardoli, and of Narendra Deva also played a role in the agitation against Jawaharlal Nehru were in the field for the office.19 the in Benares.15 The all-white Indicating his preference for Nehru, Narendra Deva Commission, intended to gauge India’s “fitness” for joined Balkrishna Sharma of Kanpur in seeking to create further Constitutional development, had visited Benares some pressure, such as it may then have been, on Patel in February 1928. Narendra Deva was thinking not not to let his name go forward.20 This perhaps caused merely in terms of Constitutional advance but also on the first of the strains that would occur between the need for an economic programme that could be taken Narendra Deva and Patel.21 Irrespective of these up or supported. In early 1929 he wrote to Nehru events, however, Narendra Deva was invited to deliver stressing the need for “providing intellectual food for our the convocation address at Gujarat Vidyapith which people”; towards this end he suggested that the followed barely over three months later on 11 January Independence of India League should have a weekly 1930, with Gandhi presiding over the event.22 paper, organize study circles and the like and also have a clear economic programme.16 Later in the year, the Narendra Deva participated in the Civil Disobedience United Provinces Trade Union Conference was held movement of 1930; he was arrested at Basti in the United under the Presidentship of Jawaharlal Nehru at Kanpur Provinces in June 1930 and sentenced to three months on 7 September 1929. At this conference Narendra rigorous imprisonment. News of the nature of the Deva urged that “the future constitution of India should sentence, if not the arrest itself, seemed to have caused pay due regard to the rights of labour” and emphasized some surprise to Jawaharlal Nehru, then already the need to guarantee a minimum living wage, free incarcerated in Central Prison, Allahabad.23 education, and medicine and to declare land as “the Narendra Deva had already involved himself with property of the community and not of any individual”.17 peasant struggles and when, in the wake of the Gandhi- While Narendra Deva had come early into contact with Irwin Pact of 1931, the Congress in UP appointed a

14 “Acharya Narendra Deva”, Yusuf Meherally in Yusuf Meherally (ed.), op. cit., p. vii. 15 Narendra Deva does not refer to this. But Raghukul Tilak, an associate of Narendra Deva, and himself a freedom fighter from the then United Provinces, mentions Narendra Deva’s role in the Simon Commission boycott in his note on Narendra Deva in S.P. Sen (ed.), Dictionary of National Biography, Vol. 3, Calcutta, Institute of Historical Studies, 1974, p. 237. 16 Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru, 9 February 1929, SW-AND-1, p. 3. 17 SW-AND-1, p. 8. 18 Sri Prakasa, “Combination of Greatness and Goodness”, in B.V. Keskar and V.K.N. Menon (eds), Acharya Narendra Deva: A Commemoration Volume, New Delhi, National Book Trust, 1971, p. 123. Sri Prakasa was the son of Dr. Bhagavan Das and close to Jawaharlal Nehru and Narendra Deva. He was general secretary of the United Provinces Provincial Congress Committee at this time. For Gandhi’s convocation address on this occasion, see The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi (CWMG), Vol. 41, pp. 463–466. 19 Indian Annual Register, 1929, Vol. 2, p. 262. Jawaharlal Nehru’s name was proposed by Balkrishna Sharma of Kanpur, Patel’s by Pandit Gourishanker. Apparently on Gandhi’s intervention, Patel declined the consent to Pandit Gourishanker’s proposal. 20 Rajmohan Gandhi, Patel: A Life, Ahmedabad, Navajivan Publishing House,1991, p. 181. 21 Narendra Deva makes an allusion to the September 1929 events a decade later in his statement on the Congress Presidential election of 1939, asking, “… is it not a fact that Mahatmaji experienced some difficulty in persuading Sardar Patel not to contest the … election with Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru”. (National Herald, 28 January 1939, SW-AND-1, p. 146). 22 See CWMG, Vol. 42, pp. 387–390. 23 Jawaharlal Nehru, “Prison Diary”, in Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru (SWJN), Vol. 4, New Delhi, Orient Longman, 1973, p. 367. 14 JANATA, February 19, 2017 committee to inquire into the prevailing agricultural Communists especially after 1928. Writing in 1952, Limaye situation and into such acts of the government as were observed: “Had the communists taken up a friendly attitude in breach of the Pact, Narendra Deva became a member towards nationalism … it is doubtful whether the CSP of the further inquiry committees set up for Gorakhpur would have come into existence at all.”29 In July 1934, and Basti districts.24 The reports on Gorakhpur and on Gandhi visited Benares and a Socialists’ deputation led by Basti documented, inter alia, police and administrative Narendra Deva called on him to press the socialist connivance in the reign of the zamindars and their illegal programme as outlined at Patna.30 They had come to exactions.25 In the following year when he led a batch of express their resentment especially of a Congress Working his students to participate in the no-rent campaign, Committee resolution, adopted in June following upon the Narendra Deva was again arrested in October and socialists’ Patna conference of May 1934, and the imprisoned in Benares District Jail from where he was reference in the resolution to “loose talk about confiscation released in June 1933.26 At the beginning of 1934 of private property and necessity of class war”, which the Jawaharlal Nehru thought of Narendra Deva as a socialists saw as directed at themselves.31 Gandhi offered possible general secretary of the United Provinces to place their suggestions before the Congress Committee Provincial Congress Committee in succession to Sri but advised the socialists “to abide by the Congress decision Prakasa who had wished, for personal reasons, to give without attempting to create unnecessary splits in up the assignment which he had held since 1928.27 Congress ranks or take over charge of the Congress Narendra Deva’s name was considered by Nehru machinery including its executive”.32 The diary maintained particularly in the light of the fact that “the person who by Mahadev Desai, Gandhi’s secretary, suggests that takes up the secretaryship must be prepared to go off to there were at least two such meetings in Benares between prison at any moment”.28 Gandhi and the socialists on this occasion; Narendra Deva had made a number of observations and put some A few months later, in May 1934, the Congress Socialist searching questions.33 For example, he observed : “The Party (CSP) was formed within the Congress with constructive programme you drafted at Wardha is Narendra Deva presiding over its founding convention at unable to lead towards the path of attaining freedom”; Patna. Various factors contributed to its formation, “(t)he Congress has made no effort to organize the including the feeling among its initiators that the Congress Indian labour”; “(f)rom the viewpoint of independence was not doing enough to organize the peasants and a constructive programme is of no consequence”; “(i)f workers. Nearly two decades later Madhu Limaye would the political education of the people or their orientation point out yet another aspect which had contributed to the about the economic principles is undermined, |freedom sentiment behind its formation, related not to Congress might not come for thousands of years”; and that omissions as such but to an attitude taken up by the “(i)f a mass organization of peasants and workers has

24Agrarian Distress in the United Provinces: Report of the Committee Appointed by the Council of the U.P. Provincial Congress Committee to Enquire into the Agrarian Situation in the Province, September 1931, republished, Gurgaon, Prabhu Publications, n.d., p. 49. The report can also be found as an appendix to B.R. Nanda (ed.), Selected Works of , Vol. 5, New Delhi, Oxford University Press, 1996. The province-level committee comprised Govind Ballabh Pant, Rafi Ahmad Kidwai, and Venkatesh Narain Tiwary. The police-zamindar nexus is also well-documented in the report and its annexures. In some other provinces there were at this time still more direct police interventions against the peasantry. See, for instance, Rev. Fr. Verrier Elwin, In the Deserted Villages of Gujarat, Bombay, published by Chimanlal J. Shah, 1931. Elwin wrote this a month before the Gandhi-Irwin Pact. 25 Agrarian Distress in the United Provinces, op. cit., pp. 190–197. 26 SW-AND-1, p. 330. 27 Jawaharlal Nehru to Sri Prakasa, 11 January 1934, SWJN, Vol. 6, New Delhi, Orient Longman, 1974, pp. 84–87. 28 Ibid., p. 85. 29 Madhu Limaye, Evolution of Socialist Policy, Hyderabad, Chetana Prakashan, 1952, p. 2. Cited after Braunthal, op. cit., p. 225. The language in the quote by Braunthal differs slightly from the words quoted by me here from Limaye’s booklet but the meaning is the same. 30 “Discussion with Socialists’ Deputation”, 27 July 1934, CWMG, Vol. 58, p. 253. 31 For the Congress Working Committee Resolution of 17–18 June 1934 see Indian Annual Register, Vol. 1, p. 300. 32 “Discussion with Socialists’ Deputation”, 27 July 1934, CWMG, Vol. 58, p. 254. 33 “Dialogue with Narendra Dev etc…”, 28 July 1934, Mahadev Desai [Mahendra Valjibhai Desai (ed.) ], Mahadevbhai’s Diary, Vol. 19, New Delhi, National Gandhi Museum, 2010, pp. 11–17. JANATA, February 19, 2017 15 to take place, it can be only on the basis of class and Contrary to the oft-projected image of radical political therefore class consciousness must be created”.34 figures being pushed to the margin of Congress politics, Narendra Deva remained, as we shall see, strongly Narendra Deva reminded Gandhi: “Capitalism today is entrenched within the Congress for much of the period sustained by British imperialism. You have already said till March 1948 when socialists parted company with the that you did not object if class consciousness is awakened parent party. In April 1936, Jawaharlal Nehru, who had by non-violent means. We have become socialists only to already had a fairly long association with Narendra Deva, attain freedom.”35 In a letter to Narendra Deva a few included him in the Congress Working Committee that weeks later, Gandhi described the conversations as he constituted as Congress President; Narendra Deva “hearty” but advised him and other socialists to think in would remain on it till March 1938.41 At this time Narendra terms of a “practical socialism” as against their “scientific Deva served also as the President of the UP Pradesh socialism”.36 Yet the dialogue with the socialists gave Congress Committee.42 The years 1937–39 saw impetus to a reflexive thought process in Gandhi, a process Congress ministries being formed in various provinces, already underway in his creative tension with Jawaharlal including UP, under the Government of India Act 1935. Nehru. Fifteen days later Gandhi wrote to Nehru about The CSP had decided not to join these ministries and books that Narendra Deva and his socialist colleague Narendra Deva explained his position at the All India Minoo Masani had recommended: “I have read one of the Congress Committee meeting at Delhi in March 1937.43 books Masani gave me and now I am devoting all my He warned against the notion that the legislatures under spare time to reading the book recommended by Narendra the new Act would be “reservoirs of mass power”; he Deva.”37 And within the next fortnight, towards the end wanted the Congress to engage in such work as would of August, Gandhi had begun to give expression to his idea be “conducive to strengthening the power of the of leaving the Congress.38 In a letter to Patel in the first masses”.44 In fact, the UP Premier, Govind Ballabh Pant week of September, Gandhi explained the reasons: he felt had, in 1937, invited Narendra Deva, who had been he had become a dead weight upon the Congress and his elected to the UP Assembly, to join his government.45 presence was estranging the intelligentsia from it; he Narendra Deva, given his opposition to office acceptance, referred to “the growing group of socialists” among whom naturally declined the offer.46 During these years he he counted many “self-sacrificing co-workers”; and he maintained the stance of a well-wishing critic, retaining desired that their “reason must be set free”.39 Gandhi’s his focus on mass struggle. The All India Congress political connection with the Congress and with many Committee session at Delhi in September 1938 saw leading socialists remained strong despite his formal Narendra Deva lead a walk out on a resolution on civil retirement from the Congress organization which he liberties to which the Congress Working Committee had announced in mid-September and gave effect to at the declined to accept an amendment of concern to kisans.47 end of October.40

34 Ibid., pp. 12–13. 35 Ibid., p. 12. 36 Letter to Narendra Deva, 2 August 1934, CWMG, Vol. 58, p. 274. 37 Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru, 17 August 1934, CWMG, Vol. 58, p. 318. 38 Letter to Vallabhbhai Patel, 26/27 August 1934, CWMG, Vol. 58, p. 371. 39 Letter to Vallabbhai Patel, before 5 September 1934, CWMG, Vol. 58, p. 405. 40 Statement to the Press, 17 September 1934, CWMG, Vol. 59, pp. 3–12; Letter to , 30 October, 1934, CWMG, Vol. 59, p. 270. 41 Indian Annual Register, 1936, Vol. 1, p. 252; see also Pattabhi Sitaramayya, The History of the Indian National Congress, Vol. II, Bombay, Padma Publications, 1947, p. 106. 42 Mukut Behari Lal, Acharya Narendra Deva: Jeevan Aur Siddhanta, Varanasi, Acharya Narendra Deva Samajwadi Sansthan, 1971, p. 14; see also Acharya Narendra Deva Vangmaya, Khand 1, New Delhi, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, 2002, pp. 400–401. 43 Indian Annual Register, 1937, Vol. 1, p. 204. 44 Idem. 45 G.B. Pant to Jawaharlal Nehru, 19 July 1937 in B.R. Nanda (ed.), Selected Works of Govind Ballabh Pant, Vol. 7, New Delhi, Oxford University Press, 1997, p. 189. 46 C.B. Gupta, Autobiography: My Triumphs and Tragedies, Lucknow, published by Umakant Mishra, 2003, p. 51. 47 Pattabhi Sitaramayya, The History of the Indian National Congress, Vol. II, Bombay, Padma Publications, 1947, p. 106; see also Indian Annual Register, 1938, Vol. 2, pp. 278–279. 16 JANATA, February 19, 2017

The resolution moved by Bhulabhai Desai referred to resolutions in 1942. A resolution drafted by Gandhi in the increasing advocacy of violence “in the name of civil April 1942 called upon Britain to “let go her hold on liberty” by “some people, including Congressmen” and India”.53 Of this, Gandhi wrote to Jawaharlal Nehru: reiterated the support to Congress governments on “Acharya Narendra Dev has seen the resolution and measures for “the defence of life and property”.48 liked it.”54 In the course of information-gathering by Narendra Deva and others apparently felt that the British intelligence on the financing of the struggle, at resolution, if passed as it stood, “would give a handle to the end of 1942 it was also reported, inter alia, that the CID and police to harass Congressmen”.49 “according to a CSP worker from Bombay”, Gandhi had in May 1942 handed over a sum of seven hundred Anxious that the national struggle be resumed early thousand rupees, collected from a Bombay businessman after the resignation of the Congress governments in for the Tagore Memorial Fund, to Narendra Deva and 1939, Narendra Deva was keen on the Civil Disobedience other CSP leaders “for the nationalist movement”.55 programme conceived in the following year. However, Whether or not this was true, it attested to the growing he raised questions about the Individual Satyagraha acknowledgement of a closeness between the Gandhi programme which he found wanting in some respects.50 and the socialists. He felt that the proposed agitation ought not to be confined to a mere expression of India’s right to oppose Given the state of his health, Narendra Deva’s the war, as Gandhi’s statement had suggested, but be presidential address at the All India Kisan Conference directed against the utilization of Indian human and at Bedaul, Muzaffarpur in June 1942 had to be read out material resources for the war. Be that as it may, in his absence. He questioned the People’s War thesis Narendra Deva was for a while, until he was arrested in canvassed by the Communist Party of India and asserted January 1941, provincial “dictator” of the individual civil that the World War could cease to be an imperialist war disobedience movement in UP and acting President of only if India “could feel free and obtain a charter of the PCC.51 Narendra Deva was taken from Lucknow, freedom for her millions of Kisans and labourers”.56 where he was arrested, to Gorakhpur District Jail and During Narendra Deva’s prolonged stay with Gandhi at then to the Agra Central Prison; he was released from his Ashram in the summer of 1942 there was much the latter in September. He had reportedly taken ill in interaction between them. Whether or not Narendra Deva prison and Gandhi had expressed much concern over his co-drafted with Gandhi a draft of the resolution asking health during the incarceration.52 The following year for British withdrawal passed by the Congress Working found Narendra Deva in Gandhi’s Sevagram on the eve Committee in July 1942, as one scholar has suggested, of the meetings leading to the Quit India movement and there is no doubt that he exercised appreciable influence he was involved in the drafting of some of the preliminary on Gandhi’s thinking at this time.57 On 8 August 1942, 48 B.R. Nanda (ed.), Selected Works of Govind Ballabh Pant, Vol. 8, New Delhi, Oxford University Press, 1997, p. 305. 49 Ibid., p. 305n. 50 Acharya Narendra Deva, “Vyaktigat Satyagraha Aur Azadi ki Ladai: Mahatma Gandhi Ke Vaktavya par Ek Drishti”, Sangharsha, 28 October 1940. 51 See Bhupen Qanungo, “The Individual Civil Disobedience (October 1940– December 1941)”, in B.N. Pande (ed.), A Centenary History of the Indian National Congress (1885–1985), Vol. 3, New Delhi, All India Congress Committee (I) and Vikas Publishing House, p. 422; and Visalakshi Menon, From Movement to Government: The Congress in the United Provinces, 1937– 42, New Delhi, Sage Publications, 2003, p. 298n. 52 CWMG, Vol. 74, p. 268 and fn, p. 270, and p. 344. 53 “Draft Resolution for A.I.C.C.”, The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi (CWMG), Vol. 76, New Delhi, Publications Division, 1979, pp. 63–65 at p. 64. 54 CWMG, Vol. 76, p. 66. The resolution passed in May 1942 at the AICC meeting in Allahabad, not attended by Gandhi, was less direct, emphasizing merely what India would have done in relation to the War had the country been free. See Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru (SWJN), Vol. 12, New Delhi, Orient Longman, 1979, pp. 276–279. 55 P.N. Chopra, Quit India Movement, Vol. II, New Delhi, Interprint, 1991, pp. 50–51. A year later, the office of the Secretary of State informed a British MP in regard to reports of this kind that these were largely “based on hearsay” and most such information “certainly does not amount to proof” (Chopra, op. cit., pp. 88–89). 56 SW-AND-2, p. 28. 57 For the suggestion that a draft of the CWC resolution was done jointly by Narendra Deva and Gandhi, see K.C. Mahendru, Gandhi and the Congress Socialist Party, 1934–48, Jalandhar, ABS Publications, 1986, p. 272. On this matter, Mahendru relies mainly on oral conversations or indirect materials. A noteworthy suggestion that Mahendru makes is of Narendra Deva acting at this stage as a bridge between Gandhi and Nehru. JANATA, February 19, 2017 17

Narendra Deva spoke at the All India Congress Commission headed by Sir John Simon was also then Committee meeting at Bombay in support of the Quit due to arrive in the UP.64 Hailey’s efforts to build a India resolution and on the following day he was arrested landlords’ party became “the central theme of his and later detained in Ahmednagar Fort.58 He would not governorship”.65 be released until 1945 after being moved in March of that year first to Bareilly Central Prison and next, in June, The essential unity between Narendra Deva and other to Almora Jail. He continued to view the Quit India socialists, therefore, lay in their understanding that the movement as a “majestic struggle” which breathed “a socialist tradition could not cut itself off from or be at lofty spirit of internationalism”.59 cross purposes with the national movement but should instead be in the vortex of it. As Narendra Deva would 3. Narendra Deva’s Theoretical Construct put it at a party conference held at Hardoi, United Provinces, in 1952: “...our party moulded Marxism to It was Narendra Deva’s view that “The Zamindari the conditions of our country and enriched it. Our party system in India could not be destroyed unless British maintained that keeping distance from national Imperialism in India was destroyed. With the end of movements in the colonies was not Marxist but British Imperialism would also end the princely order in opportunistic and reactionary; later the communists also India. It was, therefore, absolutely necessary to accepted this”.66 concentrate on the ending of British Imperialism.”60 That the colonial administration had utilized the landlords as In an article and pamphlet written and published in the “underpinning” of their rule is well-documented.61 1950– 1951 Narendra Deva observed that “no injustice This alliance was not only embedded in the legal and is done to any Marxist principle by accepting Satyagraha. economic structure but was also political. In the United Neither does it amount to a synthesis of Marxism and Provinces too, Narendra Deva pointed out in 1938, the . Marxism has never been fond of violence. If landlords’ party, the National Agriculturist Party, “was the objective can be achieved by non-violent means, born as the result of the midwifery of Sir Malcolm Marxism would give it (non-violence) topmost Hailey”, the Governor of the province.62 That Hailey preference.”67 Narendra Deva’s position was well- had put the weight of the “entire administrative founded in his study of Marx and Marxism. In Marx’s machinery” behind the organization of this party is borne speech at a meeting held in Amsterdam on 8 September out by the evidence.63 These efforts by Hailey went back 1872 at the time of The Hague Congress of the virtually to the time of his appointment as Governor in International Working Men’s Association, he had said: 1928 and were made in the wake of the Report of the (nationalist) Committee to determine the We know of the allowances we must make for Principles of the Constitution of India, which had the institutions, customs and traditions of the various recommended adult franchise entailing, if implemented, countries; and we do not deny that there are enfranchisement of millions of tenants; the Statutory countries such as America, England, and I would

58 A gist of Narendra Deva’s speech at the Bombay AICC on 8 August 1942 appears in The Indian Annual Register, July– December, 1942, Vol. 2, pp. 247–248. 59 Yusuf Meherally (ed.), op. cit., p. 187. 60 SW-AND-1, (Speech at Kisan Conference in Motihari, 29 February 1940), p. 212. 61 See, for instance, P.D. Reeves, “Landlords and Party Politics in the United Provinces, 1934–7”, in D.A. Low (ed.), Soundings in Modern South Asian History, London, Wiedenfeld and Nicholson, 1968, p. 262. 62 “Lecture on Political Parties in India”, Kanpur, 31 August 1938, SW-AND-1, p. 132. 63 Reeves, “Landlords and Party Politics in the United Provinces, 1934–7”, in D.A. Low (ed.), Soundings in Modern South Asian History, op. cit., p. 265. 64 John W. Cell, Hailey: A Study in British Imperialism, 1872–1969, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1992, pp. 156–161. 65 Ibid., p. 161. 66 Acharya Narendra Deva, “Hardoi Socialist Sammelan Mein Bhashan”, Acharya Narendra Deva Vangmaya, Khand 3 (1947– 1956), New Delhi, Nehru Smarak Sanghralaya Evam Pustakalaya (NMML), 2004, p. 386. My translation of this speech was published as Acharya Narendra Deva, “The Socialists Prevented Perversion of Marxism”, Janata, 25 April 1993. 67 Prem Bhasin, “The Heritage of Acharya Narendra Deva”, Janata, 21 February 1971. Bhasin quotes from Mukut Behari Lal, Acharya Narendra Deva: Yug Aur Netritv, p. 290. See, however, for the original source, Acharya Narendra Deva, “Marxvaad Aur Socialist Party”, Acharya Narendra Deva Vangmaya, Khand 3, op. cit., p. 241. 18 JANATA, February 19, 2017

add Holland if I knew your institutions better, where entry of Gandhi into national politics, gradually become the working people may achieve their goal by the backbone of the Congress support structure. The peaceful means. If that is true, we must also role of the unlabelled Congress in bringing this about was recognize that in most of the continental countries significant. This was a point that Narendra Deva it is force that will have to be the lever of our recognized when he said in 1939, while warning of the revolutions; it is force that we shall some day have dangers of “peasantism” that the “Congress, if it claims to resort to in order to establish a reign of labour.68 to be a national organization, will have to become pre- eminently a Kisan organization because the Kisans Marx’s implication was clear: the existence of certain constitute the bulk of the organization”.71 In this context circumstances obviates resort to violence.69 This is why it may be noted that the expression “Left” even now is Narendra Deva insisted that acceptance of Satyagraha occasionally used, restrictively, for the communist did not mean a synthesis of Marx and Gandhi. Even in tradition alone. Many members of the Communist Parties later years, the Congress Socialist tradition was prepared are not even aware of the unlabelled Congress and to conceive of situations where force might be required. Congress socialist contribution because their party The democratic socialist Asoka Mehta seems also to literature seldom mentions it.72 Moreover, many socialists agree with the Narendra Deva’s interpretation when he themselves now use the term “Marxist” interchangeably writes: “As I have already said, this is true of negative with “Communist”. That there was a strong and vigorous states (i.e., states without democratic traditions: A.N); Marxist tradition outside the Communist Parties in their case there is no other alternative. Surely, you therefore is seldom acknowledged. There is also a post- cannot capture Nepal from the infamous Ranas by independence nomenclature complication connected with winning elections, for there are no elections! You have prevalent tendency on the part of many to identify the to resort to extra-parliamentary, even insurrectionary socialist movement in India almost exclusively with the methods in Nepal.”70 Lohia tradition. While Lohia was a prominent socialist leader before independence, the ideology associated with In studies on the period, many scholars have in recent his name is largely a post-independence development. years tended to employ a vocabulary that denies a Historically speaking, it is not synonymous with the Indian prominent place to the Congress Socialist and to socialist tradition. The Congress Socialist Party (CSP), unlabelled Congress traditions in the organization of the founded in 1934, was defined expressly in Marxist terms. peasantry. This is probably a mistaken approach as in The socialist retreat from Marxism came much later, most provinces the peasantry had, especially after the and largely after 1947.73 Narendra Deva, the doyen of

68 Marx and Engels, Selected Works, Vol. 2, Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1977, pp. 292–294 at p. 293. 69 Narendra Deva refers to Marx having “cherished the belief that in democratic England and America socialism could be achieved without recourse to violence”. (Address of Acharya Narendra Deva, Chairman, Reception Committee, Fifth Annual Congress Socialist Party Conference, Cawnpore, 1 March 1947, reproduced in SW-AND-2, pp. 160–165.) 70 Asoka Mehta, Democratic Socialism, Hyderabad, Chetana Prakashan, 1954, p. 63. 71 “Presidential Address at All India Kisan Conference”, Gaya, 9 April 1939, SW-AND-1, p. 169 and p. 176. 72 For example, in his The History of the Kisan Sabha, Harkishan Singh Surjeet makes short work of the All India Kisan Conference held at Meerut in January 1936 under the Presidentship of the socialist Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay at which the decision to establish an “All India Kisan Congress” was taken. Surjeet writes: “The formation of AIKS was preceded by a meeting in Meerut in 1936 where the necessary preparations were made…”. (see Harkishan Singh Surjeet, The History of the Kisan Sabha, National Book Agency, Calcutta, 1996, p. 25). Yusuf Meherally, on the other hand, writes: “On the occasion of the Second Annual Conference of the Socialists at Meerut in January 1936, a Convention of Kisan workers from all over India was also held. Out of this meeting grew the .” “Acharya Narendra Deva”, Yusuf Meherally in Yusuf Meherally (ed.), op. cit., p. xiii. The general secretary’s report at the Socialist Party’s annual conference in 1948 stated : “It was mainly on the initiative of the Party, assisted powerfully by Swami and later by Professor N.G. Ranga, that the All India Kisan Sabha was created”. (Report of the Sixth Annual Conference held at Kotwalnagar, Nasik, March 19th to March 21st, 1948, Bombay, Socialist Party, p. 88). In Sumit Sarkar’s ‘Popular’ Movements and ‘Middle Class’ Leadership in Late Colonial India: Perspectives and Problems of a ‘History from Below’, (Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta, K.P. Bagchi & Co., 1983) the Congress Socialist Party (CSP) is mentioned a couple of times in 95 pages, though about half the work is concerned with the 1930s and 1940s, and seen essentially as a “legal cover” for the activities of leaders such as P. Krishna Pillai, E.M.S. Namboodiripad, and A.K. Gopalan. 73 Even in 1948 aspects of the report presented by Jayaprakash Narayan, the Socialist Party general secretary, at the Nasik session of the party, were criticized by party members as tending toward abandonment of Marxism. See “Debate on the report JANATA, February 19, 2017 19

Indian socialists, did not give up his commitment to stage.”78 He wanted an intertwining of the emerging Marxism.74 forces and the national movement, urging that working class struggles and Congress struggles must synchronize: As we have noted, Narendra Deva’s speech and later “All the great national struggles that have been conducted Jayaprakash Narayan’s Why Socialism? brought E.M.S. by the Congress have been preceded by strikes and other Namboodiripad to Marxism and Congress socialism. In forms of industrial unrest. It is only when the two struggles his contribution to the Narendra Deva Birth Centenary have synchronized with each other that the national Volume, Namboodiripad wrote: struggle has reached its highest water-mark.”79 In 1919, for example, the agitation against the had The first memory that comes to my mind is of the coincided with railway workers’ strikes.80 The same had speech that he delivered at the first preparatory been the case during the non-co-operation movement in meeting of the Congress Socialist Party held at the early 1920s especially in the south.81 Likewise, when Patna in May 1934. Listening to his speech was, in the workers of the Assam-Bengal Railway went on strike fact, my first exposure to the ideology of socialism in 1921 Gandhi had lent support to them.82 as applied to Indian conditions. That was long before I read JP’s Why Socialism?75 Narendra Deva saw how the working class movement and the national movement’s mobilizations in the The text of the 1934 speech by Narendra Deva was countryside could lend strength to each other. Explaining later published in Yusuf Meherally’s classic compilation.76 the benefits of policy co-ordination, Narendra Deva Narendra Deva’s address at the founding convention of argued: “One more advantage would have accrued to us the Congress Socialists at Patna in May 1934 created, in as a result of such a policy. In India where the labour Yusuf Meherally’s words, “quite a stir”.77 Narendra Deva force is drawn from villages and where the industrial stressed that “The Russian experiment is slowly though worker remains a villager at heart the worker can act as surely helping the masses to take the centre of the world a standard bearer of revolution in villages.”83 of the General Secretary presented at the Sixth Annual Conference of (the) Socialist Party, Nasik, 19–21 March 1948”, in Bimal Prasad (ed.), Jayaprakash Narayan Selected Works, Vol. 4, New Delhi, Nehru Memorial Museum & Library / Manohar Publishers and Distributors, 2003, pp. 452–454. 74 This is acknowledged, for example, in (i) N.G. Goray, “Father of Democratic Socialism in India”, in B.V. Keskar and V.K.N. Menon (eds), Acharya Narendra Deva: A Commemoration Volume, New Delhi, National Book Trust, 1971, p. 88. Goray was a leading socialist; (ii) Brahmanand, “A Marxist who understood the Indian situation”, Sunday, Calcutta, 27 January 1980, pp. 28– 29. Brahmanand had edited Towards Socialist Society, a compilation of some of Narendra Deva’s writings, published by the Centre of Applied Politics, New Delhi, in 1979; and (iii) Hari Kishore Singh, “The Rise and Secession of the Congress Socialist Party of India (1934–1948)”, in Raghavan Iyer (ed.), South Asian Affairs: Number One, (St. Antony’s Papers: Number 8), London, Chatto & Windus, 1960, pp.116–140 at p.131. 75 E.M.S. Namboodiripad, “Acharya Narendra Deva: The Scholar Politician”, in Prem Bhasin, Madhu Limaye, Hari Dev Sharma, and Vinod Prasad Singh (eds), Acharya Narendra Deva: Birth Centenary Volume, New Delhi, Radiant Publishers, 1990, p.18. In his earlier work, How I became a Communist (Trivandrum, Chinta Publishers,1976), Namboodiripad mentions the Patna Socialist Convention and Narendra Deva’s address (p. 163). He does not here mention its influence upon him, while acknowledging further on the fact that Jayaprakash Narayan’s Why Socialism “became our guiding document in our day-to-day activities for quite some time” (p. 166). However, this is spelt out in Namboodiripad’s contribution dated 16 October 1956 sent to the editor of the socialist journal Sangharsh. Here Namboodiripad refers to various speeches by Narendra Deva, including the May 1934 speech, as having inspired not only him but all anti-imperialist young people who like him came into the socialist struggle in the fourth decade of the century. (E.M.S. Namboodiripad, “Ek Samyavadi Neta Ka Patra”, Sangharsh [Acharya Narendra Deva Ank], 1956, Number 26, p. 126). 76 Yusuf Meherally (ed.), op. cit., pp. 3–29. 77 “Acharya Narendra Deva”, Yusuf Meherally in Yusuf Meherally (ed.), ibid., p. xii. 78 Yusuf Meherally (ed.), op. cit., p. 7. 79 Ibid., p. 10. 80 See, for example, Lajpat Jagga, “Colonial Railwaymen and British Rule: A Probe into Railway Labour Agitation in India, 1919– 1922”, in Bipan Chandra (ed.), The Indian Left: Critical Appraisals, New Delhi, Vikas Publishing House, 1983. 81 See, for example, C.S. Krishna, Labour Movement in Tamil Nadu, New Delhi, K.P. Bagchi & Company, 1989, especially pp. 173– 177. 82“Speech to Railway Workers, Chittagong”, 31 August 1921, CWMG, Vol. 21, pp. 24–28. 83 Yusuf Meherally (ed.), op. cit., p.11. Interestingly, when in the aftermath of the Meerut-Maliana incidents in Uttar Pradesh in the late 1980s this writer, along with some others, met the CPM leader, B.T. Ranadive, to urge a working class intervention, the 20 JANATA, February 19, 2017

There was yet another vital factor. While admitting movement. This was in accordance with the precepts “that the Congress today has defects and shortcomings”, initially set out in 1920 by Lenin,86 whose writings had Narendra Deva argued that “yet it can easily be the been studied very closely by Narendra Deva. The 1934 greatest revolutionary force in the country”, reminding address also charted out the key role that peasants were the delegates that “We should not forget that the present expected to play in the Indian struggle. A few weeks stage of the Indian struggle is that of the bourgeois before the Bombay session of the Congress, Narendra democratic revolution and therefore it would be a suicidal Deva advised that “mere diffusion of knowledge of policy for us to cut ourselves off from the national socialist theories would not do” and it was necessary to movement that the Congress undoubtedly represents.”84 move beyond a mechanistic approach : “We have also to There was here not merely depiction of the ideological study the Indian problems in a new light, i.e., from the stage of the national movement; there was also some Marxian point of view. We should not lose sight of the introspection about those who made up the Left and what Indian background.”87 That is, Marxism had to be applied they themselves had gained from their involvement in to the specific conditions of time and place.88 This did the national movement: “Most of us today within the not mean that he was prepared to give up on the essentials Congress are only intellectual socialists, but as our long of a Marxist understanding. Significantly, he opposed the association with the national struggle has repeatedly proposal at the Bombay Congress in 1934 that “truth brought us into intimate contact with the masses, there and non-violence” be substituted for “legitimate and seems to be no danger of our degenerating into mere peaceful means” in the Congress creed.” 89 theorists and doctrinaires.”85 Narendra Deva delivered the Presidential address at The 1934 speech by Narendra Deva is a basic and the Gujarat Congress Socialist Conference held at foundational document of Indian socialism, frankly Ahmedabad on 23 and 24 June 1935. Skillfully maintaining Marxist in approach and hailing the Russian experience the balance between internationalism and nationalism, he as “slowly though surely helping the masses to take the addressed the criticism that as internationalists they could centre of the world stage”—a point Narendra Deva not be depended upon in the fight for independence. reiterates in 1939 at Gaya—and yet firmly locating the Narendra Deva asserted that there was “no antagonism socialist forces in India in the vortex of the Indian national between independence and socialism.”90 latter echoed a similar thought about the Indian working class being only “half a working class”, that is, rooted in the peasantry. The difference was that while Narendra Deva saw this fact as a basis for revolutionary mobilization in the villages, Ranadive used it to explain or plead for non-intervention by the working class in an inter-communal conflict. However, the mobilization done in the 1980s under the leadership of Shankar Guha Niyogi in the Chattisgarh area appeared to exhibit the possibilities that Narendra Deva had outlined in his 1934 speech. See in this context, Anil Nauriya, “What Chattisgarh Movement Means”, Economic and Political Weekly, 30 November 1991, pp. 2735–2736. 84 Yusuf Meherally (ed.), ibid., p. 4. 85 Ibid., p. 23. 86 See G. Adhikari, (ed.), Documents of the History of the Communist Party of India, Volume I, (1917–1922), People’s Publishing House, New Delhi, 1971 for Lenin’s. Theses on National and Colonial Questions at the Second Congress of the Communist International in 1920 and also for M.N. Roy’s supplementary theses and the changes made by Lenin in the latter. See also M.N. Roy, Memoirs, Delhi, Ajanta Publishers, 1964 (Reprint 1984), p. 379. There is some discussion of Lenin’s and M.N. Roy’s views on the role of Communist Parties in relation to nationalist movements in colonial countries, in my articles “Gandhi and the Indian Resurgence”, Janata, Bombay, 27 February 1983 and “Criticising Gandhi”, Mainstream, New Delhi, 27 January 1996. 87 Acharya Narendra Deva, “The Task Before Us”, Congress Socialist, 29 September 1934, SW-AND-1, p. 36. 88 This point was made repeatedly by Narendra Deva till the end of his life. In June 1952, speaking at a provincial party conference at Hardoi he argued: “…our party moulded Marxism to the conditions of our country and enriched it. Our party maintained that keeping distance from national movements in the colonies was not Marxist but opportunistic and reactionary; later the communists also accepted this”. See my piece, “The Ideology of Narendra Deva”, and translation of Narendra Deva’s speech in Janata, Bombay, 25 April 1993. Nor did the early socialists nurture an allergy towards the Soviet Union or Marxism. The CSP organ in undivided Punjab during the Second World War, for example, was known as the Bolshevik and was produced by socialists like Yamin Dar (see K.L. Johar, Unsung Torchbearers: Punjab Congress Socialists in Freedom Struggle, New Delhi, Harman Publishing House, 1991, pp. 368–370). 89 SW-AND-1, p. 38. 90 “Presidential Address at the Gujarat Congress Socialist Conference”, Ahmedabad, 23–24 June 1935 by Narendra Deva, Yusuf Meherally (ed.), op. cit., p. 67. JANATA, February 19, 2017 21

As a matter of fact, socialism cannot be built mighty political force and can establish hegemony over without the conquest of power and in the present the national movement”.94 He identified 1928 as the conditions of India the anti-imperialist struggle is juncture in time after which the working class leadership only a prelude to socialism. We are not lacking in initiated its isolationist policy: “Ever since 1928 they have national pride either. Of course we hate chauvinism followed a policy of isolation and it is this suicidal policy and do not subscribe to the notion of “my country which has isolated them not only from the working right or wrong”…. Lest it should be doubted in masses but also from the national struggle …”95 Opposing certain quarters whether I am correctly stating the such sectarianism, Narendra Deva argued that “A party socialist position, I would like to fortify myself with which that wants to establish its hegemony over the the following passage from the writings of Lenin: national movement must send its members to all the “Is the emotion of national pride foreign to the classes….”96 “We regard ourselves as custodians of Greater Russian Class–conscious proletariat? Congress honour …”, Narendra Deva declared.97 Certainly not. We love our language and our native Narendra Deva’s address in Gujarat was very well land ... and it is for that reason specially that we received, recalled Dinkar Mehta who had participated in regard with a peculiar hatred our past serfdom…. the Salt Satyagraha in Gujarat, was Joint Secretary of (and) … our present serfdom.”91 the all-India CSP between 1935 and 1940 and who later joined the Communist Party.98 Even so, the address did Narendra Deva responded also to another concern, not, Mehta maintains, help soften the attitude of the local raised “from the right”, about the socialist role in the Congress in Gujarat towards the CSP and Narendra Deva national struggle: “The other criticism is that we are was viewed by some of the, presumably regional, disrupting the struggle for independence … by raising newspapers as a “communist agent”; Mehta suggests the issue of class struggle at this stage. We may be that it was on account of the unsympathetic attitude of forgiven for pointing out that under present conditions it the local Congress that he himself started to spend his is impossible to win independence without mobilizing the organizational time mostly outside Gujarat and often in workers and peasants for the political struggle….”92. south India.99 It was not merely one end of the political spectrum that was difficult to bring around. Problems of To the Congress he urged that it pay greater attention socialist unity would continue to frustrate Narendra Deva to the working class; to the working class he issued the throughout his career. In 1938 we find Narendra Deva reminder that it was still weak. He advised that lamenting: “… our Communist friends were not prepared to concede the Marxist character of our party. Efforts … the working class can extend its political influence at unity hence prove futile but they show that the CSP only when by using its weapon of general strike in the has ceaselessly striven for unity in (the) socialist service of the national struggle it can impress the movement from its inception”.100 He often recalled that petty bourgeosie with the revolutionary possibilities the Nazis in Germany had benefited from disunity among of a strike….Unfortunately some of the working class socialists and communists.101 leaders do not seem to accept this point of view.93 In the August 1936 speech, mentioned by Labour, Narendra Deva believed, could “with the Namboodiripad, Narendra Deva described the Congress application of proper tactics … easily develop into a Election Manifesto of 1936 as a revolutionary and not a

91 Idem. 92 Yusuf Meherally (ed.), ibid., p. 68. 93 Yusuf Meherally (ed.), ibid., p. 70. 94 Idem. 95 Idem. A similar idea had been expressed by Narendra Deva in his Presidential address at the First Session of the All-India Congress Socialist Conference at Patna on 17 May 1934; see “Socialism and the Nationalist Movement” (1934), Yusuf Meherally (ed.), ibid., p. 10. 96 Ibid., p. 72. 97 Ibid., p. 73. 98 Dinkar Mehta, Oral History Transcript, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi. 99 Idem. 100 SW-AND-1, p. 120. 101 Narendra Deva, “Fascism ka Vastavik Roop”, in Rashtriyata aur Samajwad, Banaras, Gyan Mandal Prakashan, 1949, p. 719. 22 JANATA, February 19, 2017 reformist document.102 Narendra Deva made a point here and the people of India is that of exploiter and also about the “communal award” announced in 1932 by exploited….”107 Narendra Deva was conscious of the the British Prime Minister, Ramsay Macdonald, setting limitations of the political and statutory framework in out, inter alia, the proposed legislative seat shares among which these governments functioned. In his presidential various religious communities and, within the majority speech at the Gujarat Congress Socialist Conference in community, a demarcation on the basis of caste. June 1935 he made a thorough criticism of the 1935 Act Narendra Deva said he was aware that “a few handful and more particularly for its protection of vested of people whether Moslem or Hindu” wished to take interests.108 In his speech on the Tenancy Bill in the advantage of the “award” and asserted that “... a few United Provinces Assembly on 11 November 1938, Hindus who had been strongly opposing the ‘award’ Narendra Deva attacked the Zamindari system. The would be the first in the field demanding separate Zamindars had been given rights not based on equity electorate as against joint electorate”.103 The Congress and these rights must now go. manifesto according to him had taken these facts into consideration and was crafted in a manner “as not to The Zamindars were not doing anything for give a handle to any reactionaries”.104 On “office promoting the good of the society. They were merely acceptance” (in the provincial governments established tax gatherers. The Congress was out to kill under the Government of India Act of 1935), Narendra imperialism and since landlordism was the creation Deva differed with the election manifesto, saying that of Imperialism both of them must perish. In fact the question should be decided by the Faizpur Congress landlordism would live in India so long as coming up in December 1936 rather than after the Imperialism lasted. There should be no sympathy provincial legislative elections were over.105 We have for the landlords who had all along joined hands seen above that Narendra Deva declined to join the with Imperialism to crush national movements.109 Congress Government that came to be formed in the United Provinces in 1937. Pleading for abolition of Zamindari (which happened subsequently) Narendra Deva declared that the Kisans 4. Kisans, Land Reforms And Land Struggles were not satisfied with the Tenancy Bill.110 Even so, Narendra Deva had, as member of the Select Committee With the enforcement of the Government of India Act, which examined the Bill’s provisions, influenced the 1935 and particularly as a sequel to the provincial elections drafting to no small extent. who, as that followed in which Congress governments came to Parliamentary Secretary in the Congress government, power in several provinces, peasant expectations from had helped steer the Bill through the Legislative Assembly, the new dispensation grew exponentially. The would recall: “There was not one proposal which he had constitutional and political background to these made that was not accepted, and there was no proposal developments was set out prior to government formation which he had disapproved that was included; yet when in a note by Narendra Deva, K.T. Shah, and Jawaharlal Rafi asked Narendra Deva to sign the Select Committee Nehru.106 This reiterated the Congress Working Report, he declined. We felt annoyed. What other reason Committee resolution of 7 July 1937 which had clarified could there be except that the Congress Socialists wanted that although the Congress would accept cabinet to show off their extremism?”111 responsibilities, it did not subscribe to the doctrine of partnership as according to it “the proper description of Actually, Narendra Deva’s concerns lay outside the existing relationship between the British Government committee rooms on the need to strengthen the

102 SW-AND-1, pp. 76–77. 103 Idem. 104 Idem. 105 SW-AND-1, p. 77. 106 “Note on the Constitutional Impasse”, SW-AND-1, pp. 250–253. 107 Ibid., p. 252. 108 Yusuf Meherally (ed.), op. cit., pp. 78–84. 109 SW-AND-1, p. 141. 110 Ibid., p. 142. 111 Ajit Prasad Jain, Rafi Ahmad Kidwai, Bombay, Asia Publishing House, 1965, pp. 49–50. JANATA, February 19, 2017 23

movement outside. Although various kisan demands at Kisan meetings.114 As President of the All India Kisan were pressed on the Congress, it is quite evident, as we Conference held at Gaya in 1939, Narendra Deva have seen, that Narendra Deva was conscious of the returned to the theme, acknowledging that it is the statutory constraints within which the Congress peasants’ support which had placed the Congress in governments were functioning. He did not wish to cede power.115 He was able to add now that “Kisans the opposition space to others. In his tour of UP in constitute the bulk” of the Congress.116 Narendra December 1938, Narendra Deva described the Hindu Deva’s brief survey, in his address, of the growth of Mahasabha and the Nationalist Agriculturist Party as peasant organizations across the country and the origin “dead organizations which had failed”; they “had no of the All-India Kisan Sabha is significant as one of the programme for the uplift of the masses, who were being authoritative socialist accounts of the growth of the kisan ruthlessly exploited by capitalists and taluqdars and the movement.117 In an article in November 1936 and in the zamindars with the help of British Imperialism”; the Gaya address of 1939, the role of the non-communist reason for their failure lay in the fact that “the leadership and even pre-socialist peasant organizations is of those bodies was in the hands of capitalists and mentioned and frankly acknowledged by Narendra wealthy persons who hardly found time to attend to the Deva. N.G. Ranga, a leading socialist and peasant needs of the masses”.112 Earlier, in April 1938 Narendra leader in the pre-independence years, has also written Deva had spoken at the Delhi Provincial Congress lucidly about the path-finding struggles by peasants in Socialist Conference. He stressed the need to build south India and elsewhere.118 class organizations and was equally firm that these organizations must not lose their anti-imperialist thrust Interestingly, Narendra Deva, in his Gaya address lauds by getting into an antagonist relation with the Congress. the Bihar Kisan movement as the “best organized unit of On the contrary, they must strengthen and reinvigorate the All-India Kisan movement.119 “The Kisans of Bihar,— it. They must also “quicken the pace of the social men, women and children–have fought the grimmest fights struggle in this country”.113 Similar points were being against the Zamindar and have won many victories.”120 made at this time by Jawaharlal Nehru in his speeches About the United Provinces, Narendra Deva observed: 112 “Speech at Partabgarh”, National Herald, 17 December 1938, SW-AND-1, p. 142. 113 SW-AND-1, p. 124. 114 See e.g., an official report of Nehru’s meeting with peasants at Doiwala, in 1937 [subject files: Part IV, (D) Reports (1937), serial No. 22, Jawaharlal Nehru Papers, NMML]; for Nehru’s meetings in Bihar see Walter Hauser, “Bihar Provincial Kisan Sabha, 1929–1942: A Study of an Indian Peasant Movement”, Doctoral dissertation, Chicago, 1961, p. 126 (Microfilm, NMML, New Delhi). 115 SW-AND-1, p. 163. 116 Ibid., p. 176. 117 See, SW-AND-1, especially pp. 170–178. 118 See, for example, N.G. Ranga, Revolutionary Peasants, Amrit Book Co., New Delhi, 1949. In North India, particularly Bihar and UP, organizations going by the name Kisan Sabha were active by 1928. The Bihar Provincial Kisan Sabha and the UP Kisan Sabha were represented at the All Parties National Convention held at Calcutta in 1928. The fact of pre-Congress peasant mobilizations (i.e., say, pre-1917 mobilizations) is more readily acknowledged in current writings than the fact of simply Congress or even Congress Socialist mobilizations of peasants prior to independence. A somewhat rare reference—to the role of Khan in relation to the Punjab peasantry—is to be found in Master Hari Singh, Punjab Peasant in Freedom Struggle, Vol. 2, New Delhi, People’s Publishing House, 1984, p. 187. The Frontier Gandhi’s visit to rural Punjab in August 1931 drew more than a lakh persons, mostly peasants. Bilga came to be known as the “Bardoli” of Punjab. Ryot Sabhas were set up in several Assam districts by the 1930s largely on Congress initiative. (See K.N. Dutt, Landmarks of the Freedom Struggle in Assam, Gauhati, Lawyers’ Book Stall, 1958, pp. 69–70.) Also, Purshottam Das Tandon, identified in later years primarily as a “Hindiwallah” and conservative, emerged on the political scene in UP as a mobilizer of the peasantry. (See, for example, Majid Hayat Siddiqi, Agrarian Unrest in North India: The United Provinces, 1918–22, New Delhi, Vikas Publishing House, 1978, pp. 121–122; for the 1930s see also, “The Allahabad Tenants’ Conference”, Indian Annual Register, 1931, Vol. 2, pp. 304–308). Narendra Deva acknowledges Tandon’s role in taking up the cause of the Kisans (SW-AND-1, p. 171). Similarly, socialist leaders like Yusuf Meherally were also constantly on the move in later years. Meherally “had presided over a big Kisan conference held in Central Punjab in mid-1936”. (See Prem Bhasin, “Yusuf Meherally”, Janata, Bombay, Annual Number, 1997.) The Utkal Congress Samajwadi Karmi Sangh was formed in February 1933. This later became the provincial branch of the All-India Congress Socialist Party and the promoter of the Krushak Sangh in the province. 119 SW-AND-1, p. 171. 120 Ibid., p. 170. 24 JANATA, February 19, 2017

Since the Congress took the reins of administration the two regions? In his speech at the kisan conference in its hands in these provinces the Kisan movement at Motihari in February 1940, Narendra Deva made a has looked up. The Kisans of U.P. are politically critical point, often lost sight of in many later studies of developed and can easily become the backbone of pre-independence peasant struggles: “The Zamindari the peasants’ fight for economic freedom but they system could not be destroyed unless British Imperialism have lacked organization so far. in India was destroyed.”125 According to him, “(i)t was This drawback is being remedied by the re- impossible to remove poverty and unemployment organisation of the U.P. Provincial Kisan Sangh, without first removing British domination over which has started functioning effectively.121 India”.126 Essentially, as Narendra Deva maintained in his Gaya address in 1939, “the colonial exploitation He identified Bengal as “a weak spot” in kisan from which the peasant suffers cannot be ended organization and advised kisan organizations there to without achieving complete independence” and “as work with the various socialist parties and as far as he cannot enjoy political freedom without political possible with the Krishak Praja Movement.122 It is power, so long as India is in bondage it is necessary noteworthy that he does not in this context in Bengal that peasants should strive for national freedom in co- suggest alliance with the Congress as a whole. The operation with other classes”.127 So the Congress, as reason was obvious. The Congress in Bengal was the “biggest anti-imperialist front working in India for known to be landlord dominated. In his address Narendra the last 54 years” had to be strengthened: Deva acknowledged contradictions between the Congress and kisans in some areas where “the We have great expectations from the Congress. Congress organization is controlled by professional men, If a few Zamindars manage to enter into this merchants and moneylenders of the city and as their great organization, there is no danger; but, when interests collide with those of the rural population, they the number is large and the Congress organization cannot be expected to safeguard the interests of the is captured and its policy and programme guided peasantry”.123 He recognized that by the Zamindars then the danger becomes grave. It would be a bad day when Kisans and the level attained by the Congress organization is Kisan Sabha workers would sever their uneven in different provinces and as several connection with the Congress. They should committees are controlled by Zamindar elements… continue to be with the Congress in spite of the (i)n such places, peasants will not receive that grave provocation. They could not alter the assistance from the Congress committee to which Congress programme by walking out of the they are entitled…. It is exactly in such places that Congress. (emphasis added)128 the existence of the Kisan Sabha will be mostly needed….”.124 Particularly after the outbreak of the Second World War, Narendra Deva was keen on resumption of the These inter-provincial comparisons need pursuing anti-colonial struggle; he found it odd that the United especially because of the paradox that Congress-initiated States, otherwise closely aligned with England, “is land reforms fared badly in Bihar where the Kisan Sabha, neutral while India is dragged into the war!” and according to Narendra Deva, was strongest; the reforms attributed this to India’s status as a “slave country”.129 were relatively more successful in UP both before and While deploring the delay in resuming the struggle, he after independence. Was this related in part to the criticized “attempts to lower the Congress in public differential strategies pursued by kisan organizations in estimation”:

121 Ibid., p. 172. 122 Ibid., p. 174. 123 Ibid., pp. 168–169. 124 Ibid., p. 162. 125 Ibid., p. 212. 126 Idem. 127 SW-AND-1, p. 164. 128 SW-AND-1, p. 212. 129 SW-AND-1, p. 213. JANATA, February 19, 2017 25

We have full confidence in the Congress. We can annas in the rupee.132 In Madras province the Congress make our voice intensely heard and its influence government was considering that in the areas under the keenly felt through this great organization of ours. Permanent Settlement the ryot was the “owner of the We can change its leadership if required, but we soil” and also opted for restoration of the levels of rent should not disturb the solidarity of the same. Let us existing in 1802 when the Settlement was made.133 This strengthen the Congress. Let the organization feel could not be implemented before the Ministry resigned. our strength. It is a bad policy to have a separate The UP Tenancy Act of 1938 provided for security of organization other than the Congress. The Indian tenure by giving all statutory tenants hereditary rights and National Congress is the only all-India Indian placing restrictions on resumption of lands by the political organization on national lines. This is the zamindars.134 Provisions for arrest on failure to pay rent only national organization. The Kisan Sabha is a were done away with.135 In the Bihar legislation rent class organization, but class organization is not the increases made since 1911 were done away with, as only thing which is wanted; what is wanted is a were provisions for damages on arrears; interest was truly national organization competent to speak in also reduced by 50 per cent.136 The rent relief in Bihar the name of the nation as a whole and this is the was given on the basis of an assessment of areas where Congress. (emphasis supplied)130 the rents had gone up steeply; in such cases rent reduction could go even to eight or ten annas in the rupee.137 Congress initiatives on reform of land relations in the Occupancy tenancies were protected and ejectment for immediate pre-war were not inconsiderable; so also were non-payment of rent was restricted.138 Sub-tenants could peasant expectations from the Congress, often without become tenants if they had been cultivating the land for adequate consideration for the statutory restraints under 12 years.139 Illegal exactions by landlords became penal which Congress regimes functioned. In provinces like the offences.140 Transfer of holdings by Kisans was made UP, the reforms had the support of the bulk of the Congress. lawful subject to a fixed rate of commission to be received Some of the ground had been prepared for this by the from the tenant upon the transfer.141 Rajendra Prasad report of the Congress Agrarian Enquiry Committee which claimed that the reforms in Bihar were “a solid submitted its report in November 1936.131 It was not achievement which perhaps no other province could boast always smooth sailing. In Orissa the reform Bill of 1938 of” and that “had the kisan leaders acted more wisely and was reserved by the Governor for consideration by the in greater concert with the Ministry, they might have Governor General under Section 299 of the Act of 1935 gained even more”.142 This claim can be questioned and and assent was withheld. The Bill had sought to reduce it has been suggested that in Bihar, where the reforms rents in Zamindari areas in parts of Orissa to the rate of were based on a compromise arrived at with the landlords, land revenue payable in the nearest ryotwari areas with it was not possible for the peasants “to extract concessions a compensation for the zamindars to be computed at 2 like their UP counterparts”.143 This is to some extent a

130 Idem. 131 The Committee, appointed by the U.P. Provincial Congress Committee in May 1936, was headed by Govind Ballabh Pant and had as its members, Purushottam Das Tandon, Sampurnanand, Venkatesh Narain Tiwary, and Lal Bahadur Shastri. 132 Reginald Coupland, The Constitutional Problem in India, [Part II: Indian Politics, 1936–1942], London, Oxford University Press, 1944, pp. 137–138. 133 Ibid., p. 137. 134 Ibid., p. 138. 135 Ibid., p. 139. 136 Idem. 137 Rajendra Prasad, Autobiography, New Delhi, National Book Trust, 1994 (First published, Bombay, Asia Publishing House, 1957), p. 456. 138 Coupland, op. cit., p. 139; See also, Rajendra Prasad, Autobiography, op. cit., p. 457. 139 Thomas A. Rusch, Role of Congress Socialist Party in Indian National Congress, 1931–42, Doctoral dissertation, Chicago, (Microfilm, NMML, New Delhi), p. 232. 140 Idem. 141 Rajendra Prasad, Autobiography, op. cit., p. 457. 142 Ibid., p. 459. 143 Kaushal K. Sharma, “Nationalist Struggle and Agrarian Movement in Bihar, 1927–1947” in Kaushal Kishore Sharma, Prabhakar Prasad Singh, and Ranjan Kumar (eds)., Peasant Struggles in Bihar, 1831–1992, Patna, Centre for Peasant Studies, 1994, at p. 112. 26 JANATA, February 19, 2017 paradox because of the strength of the kisan movement Narendra Deva had, as we note below, foreseen trouble in Bihar to which Narendra Deva drew attention. One in Bihar on account of the attitude of some Congressmen major source of conflict in Bihar was provided by the there. It is probably true that many kisan leaders too did inability of the provincial government to prevent zamindars not adequately recognize the constitutional constraints from keeping fallow such lands as they had purchased in under which the ministries functioned. Interestingly, this execution of court decrees so as to prevent the creation omission continues to be reflected in some contemporary of any other tenancy rights upon them.144 An effort was scholarship which proceeds on an implicit assumption of made to deal with this problem through the Restoration of unlimited possibilities of reform and even revolution within Bakasht Land Act of 1938 which was intended to restore a constitutional context of colonialism. The thought that lands sold in execution of decrees for arrears of rent it might have been useful and even rational to keep some during the depression years.145 Bakasht lands were the measures for legislation in an independent India (much “lands in possession of landlords, in which tenants had as several aspects of land relations in China would change acquired occupancy rights … which would be revived if after the 1949 revolution) does not figure significantly or given to settled Ryots”.146 The working of the Act of 1938 at all in the scholarship on the period; there is a tendency was weakened on account of certain provisions of which to categorize the Congress-oriented movements into two the landlords took advantage.147 Narendra Deva spoke in mutually exclusive camps, usually described as “left” and support of the struggles in Bihar for restoration of such “right” (or classified as non-compromising, revolutionary lands “to the actual tillers of the soil” and in this connection or, “popular” on the one hand and “compromising”, condemned the incident at Amwari, in Saran district, where “reformist” or ‘elitist’ on the other), these appellations there had been a “ brutal and cowardly assault, in police being determined merely or mainly on the basis of custody, on the renowned Buddhist scholar Shri Rahul positions taken by specific individuals or groups within Sankrityayan by the goondas of the local Zamindar”.148 the colonial context of the 1930s and 1940s.150 This Narendra Deva paid tribute also to the “brave and dauntless tendency is to some extent a reflection of the specific Kisans of Rewara, where the biggest Bakasht fight was left-wing politics of this period which often, by not paying fought and won….”149 adequate attention to the limitations of the colonial context, virtually outed itself by the time, on conclusion of the One difference in the Bihar and UP situations was in colonial period, that the new objective context might have the psychological atmosphere created by the Congress enabled such political groups to have made a greater in UP; Narendra Deva’s observation in his presidential difference.151 address at the All India Kisan Conference at Gaya in April 1939 about kisans constituting the bulk of the Given the colonial ambit within which the provincial Congress organization was especially true of the United governments functioned, the debt relief measures Provinces. In a letter to Nehru sixteen months earlier, proposed by the Congress governments were also fairly

144 Rajendra Prasad, Autobiography, op. cit., p. 459. 145 Kaushal K. Sharma, op. cit., at p.118. 146 Narendra Deva’s Presidential address at the All-India Kisan Conference, Gaya, 9 April 1939; SW-AND-1, p. 171. 147 There is an illuminating discussion in Kaushal Sharma’s work, cited above, of some aspects of this legislation. One provision was that the land in question would not be restored to the original tenant if it had already passed to another tenant. This also enabled landlords to introduce dummy tenants and defeat the legislation. See Kaushal K. Sharma, op. cit., at p.118. 148 Narendra Deva’s Presidential address at the All-India Kisan Conference, Gaya, 9 April 1939; SW-AND-1, p. 171. 149 Idem. On the struggle in Reora (Rewara) and the role of Jadunandan Sharma, see Sho Kuwajima, “The Reora Satyagraha (1939): Its Contemporary Relevance”, in William R. Pinch, Speaking of Peasants: Essays on Indian History and Politics in Honor of Walter Hauser, New Delhi, Manohar, 2008, pp. 233–246. 150 See, for instance, D.N. Dhanagare, Agrarian Movements and Gandhian Politics, Agra, Institute of Social Sciences, Agra University, 1975; Gyanendra Pandey, The Ascendancy of the Congress in Uttar Pradesh: Class, Community and Nation in Northern India, 1920–1940, London, Anthem Press, 2002; and Maya Gupta, Experiment with Swaraj: The U.P. Legislative Politics, 1937– 1939, NMML monograph, New Delhi, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, 2003. For Narendra Deva’s account of post-revolution land reforms in China, see “Land Reform in China”, Bulletin No. 19 of the National Geographical Society of India, Benares, May 1953, being the text of his lecture delivered at the Society on 20 November 1952; also reproduced in SW-AND-4, pp. 3–8. 151 This is precisely the denouement that Narendra Deva had wished to avoid, but which in the end would overwhelm the socialists as well in 1947–48. JANATA, February 19, 2017 27 drastic. In UP, for example, the Congress Agrarian from the Sabha by 1944. After the 1942 movement in Enquiry Committee Report in 1936 had paid special particular, with the arrest of those then engaged in the attention to this matter, apart from questions of land struggle against British rule, the Kisan Sabha had come tenure, tenancy, rents, and illegal exactions.152 An to be dominated by those who were affiliated with the examination of some of the debt relief legislation brought communist movement. Narendra Deva expressed his forward at the time suggests appreciable progress in this deep disappointment with this state of affairs at a meeting sphere.153 The UP Agriculturists and Workmen Debt of kisan leaders at Bombay after his release in 1945. A Redemption legislation and the Money-Lenders’ short report regarding this is reprinted in his Selected legislation of 1939 sought to scale down debts according Works.159 It is based on M.A. Rasul’s account.160 scheduled rates of interest between 5 per cent and 8 per Narendra Deva’s concern was understandable. The cent; it was also provided that debts would not exceed implications of this disarray in the Kisan movement would “the difference between twice the principal and the be serious, especially in the context of the evolving CPI amount paid by the debtor towards the principal or line on the Pakistan scheme. Even otherwise, the split in interest, or both of the loan”.154 The Madras Debt Relief the kisan movement between the socialists and Swami Act of 1938 abolished outstanding interest on debts Sahajanand, the leader of the Bihar Provincial Kisan incurred before 1 October 1932 until 1 October 1937.155 Sabha (BPKS), was “reflected by 1941 in the division of The North West Frontier legislation closely followed the the BPKS”.161 This year marked also the break between Madras law with some variations.156 Caps were specified Congress Socialists and the Communists in the All India to the rates of interest at 6.25 per cent simple interest in Kisan Sabha, with rival organizations coming into Madras (as in the North West Frontier Province) and 9 being.162 This was prior to the still more severe socialist- per cent in Bihar.157 communist differences which surfaced over the Quit India movement initiated in August 1942. As Walter Bad health dogged Narendra Deva. His Presidential Hauser points out about the break in 1941: address at the All India Kisan Conference in June 1942 at Bedaul, Muzaffarpur had to be read out in his absence. This left Sahajanand alone at the head of the Bihar A report with some details of the Bedaul address has movement and when he assumed the anti-national been reproduced in the second volume of his Selected ‘People’s War’ position with the communists in Works.158 According to Narendra Deva, the Second 1941–42 and stood apart from the popular August World War could cease to be an imperialist war only if rising, the BPKS was to all intents and purposes India could “feel free and obtain a charter of freedom dead; it could not sustain the loss of popular support for her millions of Kisans and labourers”. However, such which the Swami’s actions incurred despite his differences over the characterisation of the war cast subsequent break with the communists and his their shadow over the Kisan Sabha. Tall leaders like N.G. effort to seek new associations with the Ranga and Indulal Yagnik had dissociated themselves Congress.163

152 Report of the Committee Appointed by the U.P. Provincial Congress Committee to Enquire into the Agrarian Situation in the Province, 1936; republished Gurgaon, Prabhu Publications, n.d. 153 K.G. Sivaswamy, Legislative Protection and Relief of Agriculturist Debtors in India, Poona, published by D.R. Gadgil, Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, 1939. 154 Ibid., pp. 367–368. The sequel to the Debt Redemption Bill was the UP Debt Redemption Act, 1940 which was enacted with changes by the Governor under his special powers in 1940, after the Congress ministries had resigned on India being dragged, without proper consultation, into the Second World War; the legislation was re-enacted after Indian independence through U.P. Act XIII of 1948. There are some differences in the interest rates specified in the original legislative proposals and the Act as passed. 155 Ibid., p. 237. 156 Idem. 157 Coupland, op. cit., p. 140. 158 SW-AND-2, pp. 27–28. 159 SW-AND-2, p. 89. 160 M.A. Rasul, A History of the All India Kisan Sabha, National Book Agency, Calcutta, 1989, p. 339. 161 Walter Hauser, “Bihar Provincial Kisan Sabha, 1929–1942: A Study of an Indian Peasant Movement”, op. cit., p. 35. 162 N.G. Ranga, Kisans and Communists, Bombay, Pratibha Publications, n.d., p. 4. 163 Walter Hauser, “Bihar Provincial Kisan Sabha, 1929–1942: A Study of an Indian Peasant Movement”, op. cit., p. 35. 28 JANATA, February 19, 2017

There was now hesitation even in the Krishak Praja It must be borne in mind by all concerned that I Party in Bengal to associate with Sahajanand. Humayun want very much and am trying my level best for Kabir, representing the Krishak Praja Party, put his finger the consolidation, if possible, of both the Congress on the crux of the problem when he assessed the post- and the Kisan Sabha, the former as the national 1945 scenario: organ of Indian people fighting for complete freedom and full democratic rights and symbolizing Our party is the strongest organisation composed our collective revolt against and resolve to fight out of Kisans alone. It has been there since 1936–1937. slavery and subjugation and the latter as the Our party fought the elections in 1936 and is going independent class organ of the Indian peasantry, to do so this time. When Swamiji visited Bengal, fighting for their rights and interests and symbolizing we told him we were ready to affiliate with his their revolt against and resolve to fight out AIKS but not now. We will do so after the elections. feudalism, capitalism and their allies and We have to fight the League in the elections, supporters.168 and affiliation at this moment will have an adverse effect on us. The question of Pakistan In the event, these developments perhaps came too is to be decided in Punjab and Bengal.164 late in the day to make an adequate impact on the now (emphasis added) fast-moving developments.

Narendra Deva and Humayun Kabir understood the 5. Religious-Sectarian Questions critical role that the Kisan movement could have played by strengthening forces that may potentially have helped Narendra Deva had warned in his Presidential address keep the subcontinent together. N.G. Ranga has written at the All India Kisan Conference in Gaya in 1939: about the anti-sectarian struggle that had to be waged at this time in the Kisan movement.165 Con-gress Socialists In certain parts of the country, where the bulk of waged a spirited struggle among peasants and workers landowners are not of the same religion as the mass in the 1946–47 period against the divisive ideologies. of peasants, Kisan organizations have assumed a Obviously disillusioned with the erratic policies pursued communal character. Such organizations have come by the CPI, Sahajanand resigned as President of the All- into existence chiefly because the Congress India Kisan Sabha in March 1945 and established an all organization of the province grossly neglected the India Kisan body of his own.166 By this time Sahajanand interests of the peasants. The All-India Kisan Sabha was veering round to Narendra Deva’s position on has to contend with real difficulties in such places.169 Congress-Kisan relations. In January 1945 Sahajanand, in a letter to the Gujarat-based peasant leader, Indulal Religious-sectarian questions became important and Yajnik expressed satisfaction at a statement made by would have a bearing on aspects of the Kisan struggles the latter: “I am also glad that you emphasized the point as well as the manner in which the socialists and the that the Kisan Sabha would not come in conflict with the Left as a whole would relate themselves with the non- Congress in matters political and this also appeared in violent struggles for freedom. Narendra Deva was the Press.”167 A few days later in a statement of his forthright on the religious-sectarian question. In June own, Sahajanand said on 17 February 1945: 1934 he had demanded that no member of any communal

164 M.A. Rasul, op. cit., p. 340. As is evident also from Rasul, op. cit., p. 329, Swami Sahajanand developed differences related to such issues as the CPI’s policy on the Pakistan scheme and this contributed to a schism in the All India Kisan Sabha at least by February 1945, if not earlier. 165 See N.G. Ranga, Revolutionary Peasants, New Delhi, Amrit Book Co., 1949. 166 Rakesh Gupta, Bihar Peasantry and the Kisan Sabha, New Delhi, People’s Publishing House, p. 177. Gupta acknowledges: “Another crisis came in AIKS when Swami Sahajanand left it on questions relating to ‘organization’ and Communist Party’s policy on ‘Pakistan’.” 167 Indulal Yajnik Papers, File No. 23, “1942–45: Correspondence exchanged between Indulal Yajnik and Swami Sahajanand Saraswati regarding All India Kisan Sabha”, (Letter dated 25.1.1945 from Swami Sahajanand Saraswati to Indulal Yajnik), pp. 16– 17, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, Teen Murti, New Delhi. 168 Indulal Yajnik Papers, File No. 23, “1942–45: Correspondence exchanged between Indulal Yajnik and Swami Sahajanand Saraswati regarding “All India Kisan Sabha”, pp. 20–21, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library. 169 SW-AND-1, p.168. JANATA, February 19, 2017 29 party should be a member of the Congress. He stressed from the Congress. He would have preferred the economic factor in resolving the Hindu-Muslim Congressmen not to contest these elections at all. Hence question. Speaking at a public meeting in New Delhi, he the loud thinking on a possible “bloc” with the League. was reported to have attacked the Hindu Mahasabha The proposal is not made without reservations; he was who had no following and whose only aim seemed to be not sure if the arrangement would be “feasible” and was straining the relations between the communities170 not quite clear about its desirability. Narendra Deva shared his doubts with Nehru over the question of a larger The UP Provincial Hindu Sabha and National alliance: Agriculturist Party, he saw in 1936 as being the “bulwark of reactionary forces”.171 It is clear in my mind that there can be no question of a compromise with the Muslim League as it is According to M. Hashim Kidwai, among others, the constituted today. That will mean compromise with proposal for a coalition government between the the fundamental principles which govern us today Congress and the Muslim League in UP in 1937 fell for although the League has changed its creed and through on account, inter alia, of the opposition of broadened its programme the truth is that there is “Congress-Socialists” and “Congress Communists”, both no fundamental change either in its objective or in of whom feared that the land reforms programme of the its programme. The leadership continues to be Congress might be stalled as a result of such a reactionary as before and unless it is altered no coalition.172 This question, of whether to oppose the one can believe that the new programme will be League or to ally with it, remained a classic Congress put into action or honest efforts will be made to dilemma. Hashim Kidwai names Narendra Deva from achieve the new objective.176 among the Congress-Socialists, and Dr. Ashraf and Dr. Z.A. Ahmad from among the “Congress The suggestion made by Narendra Deva in December Communists” as being partly responsible for the alliance 1937 with regard to local bodies (in contrast to his proposal not coming through. Jawaharlal Nehru wrote position in June– July 1937 when Ministry-making in the to Rajendra Prasad on the subject on 21 July 1937. Nehru province as a whole was being discussed) appears to referred to a meeting between himself, Maulana Azad, have been based on the expectation that the rest of the Narendra Deva, Govind Ballabh Pant, and others in which League could be isolated from its leadership. Ironically, it was decided to “offer stringent conditions to the UP while this may have been a possibility in UP in and around Muslim League group…”.173 Interestingly, the June 1937 it was perhaps no longer so in December 1937 autobiography of Dr. Z.A. Ahmad is silent on the even on a limited local body scale. subject.174 Narendra Deva questioned the position of the Muslim On 10 December 1937, Narendra Deva suggested in League and other communal-sectarian organizations with a letter to Jawaharlal Nehru that in the elections to the growing emphasis in the next few years. The crunch local bodies due in 1938 possibilities might be explored appears to have come with the land reform legislation of for a “bloc of the Congress and the League for the the UP Government. By November 1938 the Tenancy specific purpose of these elections on the basis of a Bill was before the UP Legislative Assembly. Narendra common … programme”.175 The letter is noteworthy Deva made some hard-hitting points. Continuing a theme for many reasons. Narendra Deva wanted to avoid a he had dwelt on in May 1938 when he questioned the clash with the League in the elections to the local bodies. Muslim League’s commitment to independence, he saw He was wary of Congressmen doing anything that might the League as being the “props and pillars” of the give a “handle” to the League to alienate the Muslims Zamindari system. He argued that if the League was

170 SW-AND-1, p. 34. 171 SW-AND-1, p. 80. 172 M. Hashim Kidwai, Rafi Ahmad Kidwai, New Delhi, Publications Division, Government of India, 1986, p. 104. 173 See Valmiki Chowdhury (ed.), Dr. Rajendra Prasad: Correspondence and Select Documents, Vol. I, 1934–38, New Delhi, Allied Publishers, 1984, pp. 63–67. 174 Z.A. Ahmad, Mere Jeewan Ki Kuch Yadein, Lucknow, Sankalpa Systems, 1997. 175 SW-AND-1, p. 109. 176 Ibid., pp. 108–109. 30 JANATA, February 19, 2017 really in sympathy with the kisans as claimed in its Hindustani with Sanskrit or Arabic words would manifesto, there was no reason why it should not support succeed.181 (emphasis added) the proposals made.177 Narendra Deva emphasized the role and importance A month later Narendra Deva was in Partapgarh, also of other Muslim organizations apart from the League. declaring that organizations like the Hindu Mahasabha He noted, for example, that the “Shias had disclaimed the and the National Agriculturist Party were being exploited Muslim League and so also (had) the Momins”.182 Earlier, by zamindars with the help of British imperialism. Yet, in May 1938, he had observed that the Shias led by Wazir while criticizing the Muslim League, he had still not lost Hassan disfavoured separate electorates because with hope. He was reported to have said that “the day was Sunni predominance they “had no chance of being not far off when both the Congress and the League would returned”.183 Later, in June 1945, he reiterated the authority march hand in hand, forgetting all communal differences, of the Shia Conference to speak in the name of Shias.184 with the common object of fighting British imperialism The British authorities, in their bid to strengthen the League, and capitalists alike.”178 never conceded this and similar facts. In his lecture on the communal problem in 1940, Narendra Deva stressed the A year later, in October 1939, he was moved Colonial role in dividing the communities, a continuing increasingly to stress the similarities between the League theme in Narendra Deva’s writings and speeches. and the Hindu Sabha, both of which he saw as representing vested interests.179 In a lecture in February Narendra Deva differed sharply from the communist 1940 on communal problems, Narendra Deva observed line after 1940 of equating Hindu-Muslim unity with that the League’s demands “were not only increasing “Congress-League unity”. According to him, “…unity but were being changed from time to time with the result between communities is essentially the result of a long that the League… was seriously thinking of dividing process of integration. Pacts are, however, temporary India….”180 expedients to serve temporary ends. But the unity of communities is a different affair. It is a slow and painful Unlike the organized communist movement, he saw process”.185 through the fallacy of defining ‘nation’ on the basis of religion. As a Marxist, he realized that this was not secular Pakistan, he maintained in June 1945, was no solution: nationalism. He therefore emphasized other factors in “Pakistan or no Pakistan, the communal problem will addition. He argued: have to be tackled all the same and can be tackled only by laying emphasis on the economic issues which equally The language of the communities was not different, affect the Hindu and Muslim masses of the country.”186 and in provinces, like Bengal and the Punjab, Hindus and Muslims spoke Bengali or Punjabi. Even in UP, He added: where the problem of Hindi and Urdu was more acute, the two languages were really one, I shall no doubt welcome a settlement of the possessing the same grammar, the same style and communal question with the League, but this does the same vocabulary. In any literature which had not mean that I should advocate unity of action in to be written for the masses, this difference had the political field. Without identity of outlook and to cease and neither of the tendencies to enrich objectives such a unity will be either short-lived or

177 SW-AND-1, p. 141. 178 SW-AND-1, pp. 142–143. 179 SW-AND-1, p. 200. 180 SW-AND-1, p. 207. 181 SW-AND-1, p. 208. 182 SW-AND-1, p. 209. 183 SW-AND-1, p. 135. 184 SW-AND-2, p. 69. Wazir Hasan’s concern at the propagation of the idea that there were very few Muslims in the Congress and that the League was the true representative of the Muslims was set out early in his letter dated 11 February 1938 to Jawaharlal Nehru. (See A Bunch of Old Letters, Bombay, Asia Publishing House, 1960, pp. 276–277.) 185 SW-AND-2, p. 68. 186 Idem. JANATA, February 19, 2017 31

will only end in strengthening the reactionary forces Zamindari and nationalization of the industries, which in the country. Congress-League unity in the would ameliorate the lot of 98 per cent of the Hindu political sphere will prevent a new orientation in masses who are at present being exploited by barely 2 the League itself and will stabilize the present per cent of supporters of the Sabha?” reactionary leadership. This, of course, does not exclude a joint front with the League on specific And that: issues on which an agreement is possible.187 “The Sabha is trading on communalism of the middle In October 1946, he repeated this position.188 classes who were fighting for the crumbs of petty offices for amongst the masses there was no difference between At the Meerut Congress, in November 1946, Narendra a Hindu Kisan or Muslim Kisan as both were equally Deva spoke at length on the nature of the League and exploited by Hindu and Muslim Zamindars.”195 characterized it as a “fascist body” with “gangster (To be concluded) methods”. “The present hate complex must be ended. Mr Jinnah on the one hand says that he deplores riots but in the same breath says if Pakistan is not conceded the present riots will continue.”189 Interestingly, Subhas Bose’s understanding of the League had been similar. He had described it as a backward clique with plutocratic vested interests.190 While agreeing with Abul Hashem of the Bengal Muslim League that “the British imperialistic hand was behind the Bengal riots” (of August 1946), Narendra Deva was not willing to exculpate the Muslim League Ministry.191 At the same time, speaking at the Meerut Congress, Narendra Deva warned Hindus against a tit-for-tat policy. The Bihar riots had taken place only a few days before the Meerut session.192 Narendra Deva’s critique of Colonial policy on the inter-communal question and of communal-sectarian parties including the League and the Hindu Mahasabha is relentless.193 He criticized the Hindu Mahasabha as a preposterous movement “launched by a group of reactionaries to mislead the masses in the name of religion”.194 “Where were these people,” he asked, “when Mahatma Gandhi launched his campaign against untouchability and rejuvenated about six crores of Hindus?”

And further:

“Will these reactionaries support the economic programme of the Congress Government for abolition of

187 Idem. 188 SW-AND-2, p. 121. 189 SW-AND-2, p. 133. 190 T.R. Sareen, Subhas Chandra Bose and Nazi Germany, Delhi, Mounto Publishing House, 1996, p. 301. See also, Subhas Chandra Bose: Pioneer of Indian Planning, New Delhi, Planning Commission, 1997, pp. 138–139. 191 SW-AND-2, p. 130. 192 Report of the 54th Session of the Indian National Congress, Meerut, 1946, pp. 80–81 (Microfilm) Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi. 193 For example. SW-AND-2, p. 130 and pp. 141–46. 194 SW-AND-2, p. 191. 195 Idem. R.N.I. NO. 1855/1957 32 JANATA, February 19, 2017 Postal Registration No. MCW/275/2015-2017. License to Post without prepayment WPP License No. MR/Tech/WPP-210/West/2017 Published on Sunday, February 19, 2017 & Posted on Wedenesday February 22, 2017 at Mumbai Patrika Channel, Mumbai GPO-1

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Vol. 72 No. 6 RSS–biggest threat to democracy February 26, 2017 Once again the forces using terror campus to commemorate last year and violence have prevailed over the hanging of Afzal Guru when a Seeming peace on border culture and tradition of reason, huge controversy broke out. Khalid Kuldip Nayar debate and discussion. It is a dark and four others Anirban day in the history of Indian higher Bhattacharya, Anant Prakash educational institutions. Akhil Narayan, Ashutosh Kumar and Voting choices are based Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad, a name Rama Naga were charged with on needs, greed and security now becoming synonymous with sedition. , former Vice Irfan Engineer vandalism on academic campuses, President of JNU Students’ Union, forced the cancellation of seminar was part of the student agitation on ‘Cultures of Protest’ organized by demanding their release. Umar Non-violent Action and a literary society of the English Khalid is on bail. His charge has not Socialist Radicalism Department at Ramjas College in been proved yet. How can he be Anil Nauriya Delhi on 21 February, 2017. Umar called anti-national? Is he more anti- Khalid and Shehla Rashid of national than Dhruv Saxena, the Jawaharlal Nehru University fame Bhartiya Janata Party’s Information Veerendrakumar, were two of the scheduled speakers. Technology cell district coordinator now an octogenarian Others included Professor Bimol of Bhopal recently arrested by Varughese George Akoijam, also of JNU, and film- Madhya Pradesh’s Anti-Terrorist maker Sanjay Kak. ABVP was Squad for links with Inter State objecting to as a Intelligence, the Pakistani Remembering speaker. intelligence agency? Why doesn’t Kaci Kullmann Five ABVP protest against DhruvSaxena B. Vivekanandan Why is the ABVP, student wing who was a real threat to the country? of Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh, Comparatively, Umar Khalid is a averse to engaging in intellectual harmless intellectual. Editor : dialogue to express their different viewpoint if they think they have ABVP and mainly its parent G. G. Parikh anything of substance to say? Merely organization, the RSS, should reflect Managing Editor : Guddi raising ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ and on what they are doing. By curbing ‘Vande Mataram’ slogans does not academic freedom they want to D-15, Ganesh Prasad, serve the purpose. Do Umar Khalid produce individuals who would be Naushir Bharucha Marg, and Shehla Rashid as citizens of this either incapable of rational thinking Mumbai - 400 007. country not have a right to express or afraid of expressing their opinion, their opinion? Umar Khalid was both of which will take the society Email : [email protected] organizer of the event on JNU intellectually backwards. There is no 2 JANATA, February 26, 2017 genuine academic activity possible Ramjas College who have dared to Liberty, Equality and Fraternity without the freedom to think. With stand up to this hooliganism have embodied in our Constitution have the kind of parochial thinking and the exhibited rare courage which is informed our freedom movement. arrogance of a legacy of some needed to protect the right to They are the foundation stones of superior tradition that prevails in RSS, freedom of speech and expression, Indian nation. Nationalism based on it can lead only to mediocrity. There spirit of enquiry and culture of any other ideology contrary to these will be no creation of new dissent, all of which are essential to values is anti-Constitutional. knowledge nor be any innovation. existence of democracy as well as There will be no development of for an enlightened society. RSS and its various affiliates can science and technology. We will never understand the importance of continue harping on our great past How could we have achieved our ‘culture of protest’ as they never and keep importing knowledge and freedom without a culture of participated in the freedom struggle technology from rich countries. The protest? All the stalwarts of freedom and got a free ride during the JP RSS is causing permanent damage struggle were engaged in dissent movement. JP is criticized by some to the autonomy and quality of against the British government. Had for having accorded legitimacy to the academic institutions. They probably there been no culture of protest RSS. Now they have captured power want institutions which can produce Mahatma Gandhi could not have using a democratic system which more of their type, who can at best given a call for boycott of British itself is a product of freedom struggle parrot statements about some vague goods, could not have taken out the and now they want to stifle the soul glorious past. After all, slogans and Dandi march or Bhagat Singh could of democracy. By cannily using an symbols can take you only so far. not have undertaken a revolutionary idea of religious nationalism they The proponents of the right wing exercise. Nor could Dr. B. R. have confused the people in the ideology must think whether they Ambedkar have been able to launch process of mobilizing their support. want to remain limited only to his Mahad movement for So that people don’t question their exhibitionist display of knowledge or emancipation of dalits. There would actions they have a system of want the educated to acquire some have been no Civil Disobedience doctrination for their cadres which depth in thinking? movement nor the Quit India conditions them to accept movement. Neither Jayaprakash regimentation. It is hoped that people This madness in the name of Narayan would have been able to will see through this design otherwise cultural nationalism must stop. The free this country from the clutches democracy may become a history in battered professors and students of of Emergency. The ideals of Justice, our country.

Mayawati set to return in Uttar Pradesh

Six months prior to the 2017 Then after a series of family remain loyal to Shivpal if it came to assembly elections the battle for melodramatic incidents Akhilesh choosing between him and Akhilesh. power in the north Indian state of Yadav was catapulted from the However, Akhilesh proved Uttar Pradesh was seen as between status of half chief minister to a full everybody wrong and now is the (BSP) led by chief minister and the sole leader of undisputed claimant to the office of Mayawati and Bhartiya Janata the party. Earlier he was often chief ministership on behalf of Party (BJP), which is presently taunted to be half in the four and a Samajwadi Party with Shivpal and ruling at the centre. BJP’s chances half chief ministers UP had, his father even Mulayam having been had slightly dwindled after its state Mulayam Singh Yadav, uncle marginalized. The state has vice president Daya Shankar Singh ShivpalYadav, another uncle Ram witnessed a silent coup by a serving made some inappropriate comments GopalYadav and senior leader Azam ruler who has been able to unshackle against the dalit leader of BSP. Khan being the four full chief himself now. At this point Samajwadi Party, ministers. There was an impression the party presently in power in the that since Mulayam Singh was There is a perception in the society state, was predicted to be out of publicly taking the side of his brother that this was a drama masterly race. Shivpal, the party cadres would scripted and directed by Mulayam JANATA, February 26, 2017 3

Singh to end all challenges to his son SP and offer support to it. Rahul of big denomination notes. UP is not from within and outside the party. Gandhi has already indicated that he like the home state of Prime Minister. There is no doubt that Akhilesh has respects Mayawati as the leader of In Gujarat people may not have an emerged as a mature leader dalits. option and tolerate any improving upon his ‘please all’ but inconvenience to them. But people weak image prior to the drama. The reason BSP has an edge over in UP have been irritated by the ban Additional gain was free publicity in SP-Congress is an allegation against on old Rs. 500 and 1000 notes terms of the space taken up by SP that it did not do anything to because of the inconvenience it family controversy in media to prevent the communal riots in caused them. Long queues and compete with the hi-tech campaign in which Muslims repeated visits to Banks has been a of his opponents. were clearly the losers. President of humiliating experience for many. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Moreover, the purpose of the AkhileshYadav started making Muslimeen, Asduddin Owaisi has exercise doesn’t seem to have been public pronouncements even while claimed that there was no difference fulfilled. Narendra Modi’s closeness the controversy was on that he between Gujarat in 2002 and with emirs of United Arab Emirates would be able to win over 300 seats Muzaffarnagar in 2013. About and Qatar, when he and his party and if he were to have an alliance with 50,000 people, mostly Muslims, were parent organization, Rashtriya Congress Party, the fourth contender displaced from their villages, many Swayamsewak Sanghare avowedly for power in the state. It is unusual of whom have not been able to anti-Muslim, is perplexing. for a bigger party to seek alliance return. with a smaller party, in terms of Because of listless performances number of seats the two parties were Akhilesh Yadav failed to prevent of Akhilesh Yadav in UP and expected to win. Whether it was the communal and criminal incidents, Narendra Modi at the centre, it strategist Prashant Kishore working some of them involving his ministers, appears that people are not averse behind the scenes or the and thus rule of law did not always to giving another chance to understanding that it would make prevail in his regime. He was, Mayawati, who has dealt with law easier for Muslims to choose however, forthcoming in and order and communal situations between Bahujan Samaj Party and disbursement of compensation after with a heavy hand in the past, their alliance, AkhileshYadav and the incidents as a relief to the families something which goes in her favour Rahul Gandhi finally struck an of victims. He’ll go down in history at this point. alliance and immediately they were as a ‘compensation chief minister’. in the race for power. He overdid the act and also gave awards to people who were openly Janata Subscription Now BJP slipped to the third place flouting important laws like the Right and question was who would finish to Free and Compulsory Education Annual Rs. : 260/- first, BSP or the SP-Congress of Children. Bharti Gandhi, the alliance? The Muslims have belied owner of the largest commercial Three Years : 750/- the hopes of SP-Congress and chain of schools in Lucknow, City chosen BSP as an instrument to Montessori School, received honours Demand Draft / Cheque decisively defeat BJP. The from the state after she and her on uncertainty in SP till the last moment husband Jagdish Gandhi refused before the election made them take admission to children from Mumbai Bank an early decision to support BSP this disadvantaged Valmiki community of time. Mayawati has not spared any sanitation workers on an official in favour of efforts to get Muslims to her side by order. After 13 children from this reassuring them that she will not community were admitted by a court JANATA TRUST enter into an alliance with BJP at any order in 2015, Gandhis refused to cost to form the government. In the again admit 58 students in 2016. D-15, Ganesh Prasad, event of BSP falling short of majority Naushir Bharucha Marg, by some seats it is quite likely that On the other hand BJP is Mumbai 400 007 Congress will break its alliance with suffering from the setback of change 4 JANATA, February 26, 2017

Between The Lines Seeming peace on border

Kuldip Nayar

The good news from the India- chief is superior to the elected Prime The observers in Pakistan are well Pakistan boundary is that it is calm. Minister. The pictures that show aware that the action against the Defence Minister Manohar Parikkar Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also Lashkar-e-Taiba chief is not a new has said in an interview that “the depicts that the person in khaki is step or the most serious measure temperature has come down on the the real boss. The Pakistan Prime taken against him over the past two border.” This could mean that India Minister has accepted the decades. Since 2001, the LeT chief and Pakistan seem to be settling arrangement. has been in and out of detention at down to a relationship which was least on five occasions. If, indeed, expected 70 years ago when Islamabad’s worry is that the Pakistan is too serious about the UN partition took place. Taliban are using the soil of list, action against Saeed should have Afghanistan to attack Pakistan. been initiated in 2008 itself when he If this is the case, both countries Islamabad is no longer safe. Every and Jammat-ud-Dawa were put on should cut down on the defence second day, one incident of bombing the UN list of terrorists. expenditure. We have not introduced or the other takes place in Pakistan, the real cut which, at present, is only killing several innocent people. The recent action seems to have marginal. Unfortunately, the defence There has been exodus from the been timed for the Financial Action minister’s statement of “India much insecure Islamabad to other parts of Task Force’s meeting to be held in better armed than before” indicates Pakistan. Paris where the Pakistan’s terror how much we are still spending on funding record is likely to come up. the defence. Pakistan, too, has not Thanks to UN pressure, China Even otherwise, Prime Minister made any significant reduction in its has agreed to declare Hafiz Saeed Nawaz Sharif must be worried with defence expenditure. This reminds as a terrorist. Pakistan’s defence the decision of US President Donald me of cold war era when America minister Khawaza Asif has admitted Trump who has banned travel from made the Soviet Union to spend most that Pakistan faces danger from seven Muslim countries. For of its resources on the defence. The terrorists like Saeed who is now Pakistan, its nationals will be given result was that there was very little under house arrest. This has been a visa only after a close scrutiny. left for schools, hospitals and sham so far but the number at the people’s councils. UN Security Council was Muslims living in America are a predominantly for declaring him as worried lot because they could also This led to the disintegration of the a terrorist. be sent out if the President decides Soviet Union and the country got to include them on the banned list of divided into several parts. For Now Islamabad has finally realized Muslim countries. In the case of example, Ukraine became that Harif Saeed is linked with Indian Muslims, there is no apparent independent. The Soviet President militancy in some way but it is to be danger but the immigration officials Vladimir Putin has said many a time seen how long Islamabad can keep may think different and tar them with that Ukraine is part of Russia. But him under house arrest. In fact, in the same brush. There are sad the independence movement belies 2008 the mastermind of Mumbai occasions when top Indian actor his statement. Most of the Russian attacks was placed under house Shah Rukh Khan was stripped and troops are posted on that front. arrest but was freed by a court in the Indian embassy had to intervene 2009. The question before all of us is to get his entry into the US. The effect on Pakistan has been whether we should read too much the dilution of whatever democracy into Pakistan’s arrest or take defence I, too, had a tough time some exists there. Now the new Army minister Asif’s statement seriously? years ago while entering the US from JANATA, February 26, 2017 5 the west coast. I had a diplomatic things have not moved further unless there was a foolproof passport but still they insisted on because New Delhi asked guarantee on curbs against terrorists’ searching me bodily. The Islamabad to ensure that the operation from their soil. immigration official explained that Pakistani soil would not be used by most of my visas stamped on the the terrorists. But then incidents Probably, India may wait and passport were to Pakistan and like Uri and Pathankot attacks watch for a while before moving Bangladesh. He could not make out have falsified hopes. ahead. Even Israel has wished it. why I should be often visiting these Nevertheless, it is in the interest countries. Now that Pakistan has detained of both India and Pakistan to sit Hafiz Saeed and Defence Minister across and thrash out the issues. I wish New Delhi has picked up Asif’s admission of the dangers from Pakistan, on its part, should put the the thread from where it had left terrorists like the LeT chief, the Kashmir issue on the backburner off when Nawaz Sharif met Prime dialogue can probably resume for the time being. They should, Minister Narendra Modi the last between the two countries. To go instead, address the immediate time in China. They were reported forward, India may have to resile its problems of poverty, hunger and to have a positive dialogue. But position that it would have no talks unemployment.

Remembering Kaci Kullmann Five

B. Vivekanandan

Kaci Kullmann Five, Chairwoman also the Deputy Chairman of the herself to take-up higher of the Norwegian Nobel Committee Norwegian Conservative Party. responsibilities in Norway’s national in Oslo, which annually awards life. The sense of purpose in her basic Nobel Prizes to distinguished As soon as I reached the approach to politics was very much achievers in the world, is no more. Storting to meet her, she took me discernible at that time itself. She She passed away on Sunday, 19 straight to the Parliament Canteen vehemently championed the causes February 2017, in Oslo at 65. She is for lunch, where I got my first of gender equality and women’s survived by her husband, Carsten O surprise. Unlike in the Canteen at the rights, and was quite active on issues Five, and two children, Christine and Parliament House in New Delhi, pertaining to environment and Christian, and four grand-children. where a plethora of waiters are kept ecology. She was a strong supporter to take orders from MPs and serve of the Norwegian membership of the My meeting with Kaci Kullmann them food on the table, like in a feudal European Union. Five was on 26 July 1985, during my set-up, this Parliament Canteen had first visit to the Scandinavian a self-service system for MPs and During our discussion on countries - Sweden, Norway, their guests who had to collect their Norway’s party politics, she gave me Denmark and Finland - for writing requirements themselves from the an insight of how principal political my book, Pathfinders: Social counters. After taking lunch together, parties in the country had given up Democrats of Scandinavia. During we got into a serious discussion on taking extreme positions, and built- that visit, she invited me to meet her, the texture of Norwegian politics. up an ethos of consensus politics, and over lunch, in the Storting Being a graduate in Political Science how the Welfare State system got (Norwegian Parliament). She was, as well as in Law from the Oslo rooted in the country as a result. She then, a 34-year old dazzling, young University, she had a good grasp of made it clear that, by and large, these and up-and-coming Member of how the political system in Norway political parties had come down to Parliament, with great promise, worked. That was the time when I the middle ground, to play centrist radiating enormous confidence, saw the grace, wisdom and dignity of politics, with slight tilt towards right wisdom and humility, brimming with this charming woman member of or left. This metamorphosis has enthusiasm. At that time, she was parliament, who was equipping considerably reduced, she said, the 6 JANATA, February 26, 2017 gap between the Norwegian Labour Party (1991-94), a decision maker who could make a notable impact on Party (DNA) and the non-socialist in the Norwegian Nobel Committee developments in the world during the parties on a number of important (since 2003), and, finally, the first last four decades. As the Norwegian issues, including on the Welfare Chairwoman of the Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg rightly State system. By reeling out several Nobel Committee (2015). Since said, “she was a role model for many examples, she summed up that, as a 2009, she was one of the seven key young women” of our times. She result, the differences between the Board Members of the Nobel was a wonderful human being, Labour (DNA) and Conservative Foundation, which has the overall straightforward and unpretentious. Parties in Norway are mainly on responsibility of all five Nobel Prizes. There was no false touch in this details, rather than on fundamentals. For 16 years, from 1981 to 1997,She great unifier. Though Cancer caused And, they accept the same infra- was a Member of Parliament. the untimely death of this great structure, including the Welfare State daughter of Norway, she will be System. Though three decades have remembered for long as a lodestar passed after my meeting with Kaci of generations to come. My meeting with Kaci Kullmann Kullmann Five in Oslo, the grace, the Five took place long before she warmth, the humility, wisdom and From India, my heart-felt attained new heights in her career. vision which she radiated during our condolences to the bereaved family, It was much later that she became conversation remain fresh and green and to the people of Norway, over a Cabinet Minister (1989-90), the first in my mind. Undoubtedly, she was the premature loss of this great Chairwoman of the Conservative an outstanding world stateswoman, world stateswoman. JANATA, February 26, 2017 7 Veerendrakumar, now an octogenarian

Varughese George

M. P. Veerendrakumar, who became a full time activist of the united opposition at the national level was decisive in shaping the course Socialist Party taking a cue from his to counter the authoritarian and of the socialist movement in Kerala father. His house in wayanad was capitalist policies of the Congress. for decades turned eighty years. an amiable abode for socialist In Kerala it was known as LDF and His father, Padmaprabha, a planter leaders including JP and Lohia Veerendrakumar became its was an activist of Socialist Party during their sojourn in Malabar. convener after P. Viswambharan. and the first to have started a Padmaprabha‘s death at the age of When national Emergency was branch of HMS in Wayanad. To forty eight was a cause of great declared the party asked rescue plantation workers from the sorrow for the socialist community Veerendrakumar to go underground exploitation of kankanis, who were in Wayanad. The party itself was and the government confiscated his ruthless supervisors, Padmaprabha going through threefold split including house and estate. Later he was organized plantation workers and PSP, SSP and ISP. In the elections arrested and put in Central Jail, widened the base of HMS. to the Kerala legislature in 1970, Kannur till the relaxation of Wayanad was part of Madras these three parties together secured emergency. Other socialist leaders which was a British Province and twelve seats. Veerendrakumar was including K.Chandrasekharan, when the Madras government elected to the national executive of K.K.Abu, P.K.Sankarankutty, decided to evict farmers from their SSP the same year and appointed V.Kuttykrishnan Nair, V.K. cultivable land in Noolpuzha, he the national treasurer. Achuthan, Abraham Manuel and organised the peasants and resisted K.P.Muhammad were also kept at it. When the peasants had launched After the formation of broad the Kannur Central jail. an agitation in Muthukad in Calicut united front by the party in 1971, for ownership rights, Padmapraba Veerendrakumar was asked to It was a decade since then sent volunteers from Wayanad to contest for Lok Sabha from Calicut Veerendrakumar stood for election Muthukad to help their struggle. though the chance was least. He and in 1987 he won with a huge Veerendrakumar‘s mother was accepted the decision of the party majority from Kalpetta to the Kerala Marutha Devi, a pious lady. and contested unsuccessfully but Legislative Assembly. He was sworn this was the beginning of the joint in as minister for forests in the In the elections to the Madras opposition movement against the E.K.Nayanar ministry. His first legislature in 1952 Socialist Party Congress and SSP candidates were order was to ban tree felling from delegated Padmaprabha to contest the symbols of it. The three socialist Kerala‘s depleted forests and he from Wayanad constituency. The parties that suffered heavy resigned within forty eight hours from Congress candidate was electoral defeats since then had the cabinet due to an internal rebellion Kozhipurath Madhava Menon, a realigned at the national level and of three legislators who were senior Congress leader and formed the Socialist Party in 1971. aspirants to that post of ministership. minister in Madras government. In Kerala also the three parties His close friend Ramakrishna Hegde For this reason the contest united and formed an ad hoc was so sad that he had asked attracted national attention and committee of SP with P. Veerendrakumar to withdraw the Jayaprakash Narayan came to Viswambharan as chairman and resignation, but he did not yield to Calicut to campaign for Veerendrakumar as secretary. In the affable pressure. Padmaprabha. He was elected to the first state conference of SP that Madras legislature for a majority was held in Calicut in 1973 this In 1993 Veerendrakumar became of 18000 votes. election was ratified. the president of Kerala unit of Janata Dal. This was the launching period Veerendrakumar, after his higher In September 1973 SP and studies in United States, also CPI(M) together decided to form a (Continued on Page 10) 8 JANATA, February 26, 2017 Voting choices are based on needs, greed and security

Irfan Engineer

The assembly elections in UP agenda in order to win over the Demonizing the Muslim began on 11th February 2017 in youth. The Prime Minister also community has led to high several phases. The Samajwadi arouses aspirations of the people occurrence of communal violence in Party in alliance with Congress is through jumlas to make a point that UP. The state of UP has the dubious hopeful of second term under the those benchmarks were not achieved reputation of highest number of leadership of the incumbent Chief by the incumbent government and communal violence every year and Minister Akhilesh Yadav. Chief that his party would fulfil them. For particularly as election approaches. Minister Akhilesh Yadav recently example, number of jobs, There were several instances of emerged victorious in the family feud investments, infrastructure like communal violence, particularly in sidelining his uncle Shivpal Yadav and roads, electricity,etc. Other BJP the western region of UP since 2013 leaving no option for his father but leaders and RSS – ideological parent Muzaffarnagar riots which resulted to hand over predominant role in of the BJP – indoctrinated leaders in 64 deaths and displacement of running the party to him. The SP- have been kicking up every possible about 150,000 Muslims. In the year Congress alliance is campaigning on issue to communally polarize the 2016, of the 8 deaths were reported the programme of development. The electorate since a while in run up to in media monitored by CSSS in SP traditionally relied on the Muslim- the Assembly elections. BJP MP communal riots all over India. As Yadav social alliance with some Hukum Singh claimed that Hindus many as 6 took place in UP alone. other OBCs also being mobilized. were forced to migrate out of UP also returned highest number of Akhilesh seemed to have won over , a Muslim majority town in incidents of communal violence the bulk of support of the Yadavs as , by Muslim gangsters and reported in the media in the year well as Muslims along with a section their extortion racquet. Sakshi 2016 – 18 out of 62. Most of these of youth, campaigning on the issue Maharaj has been problematizing riots were in Western UP. of development, implementation of higher population growth rate of Communal violence had led to welfare schemes like distribution of Muslims which, according to them, rupture in the social fabric in laptops, service of ambulances for would demographically marginalize Western UP, particularly between the sick, etc. Hindus. Sangeet Som and Suresh the jats and the Muslims. BJP Rana, BJP MLAs from western UP leaders have been accused of The BJP, which had won in 71 out stigmatized Muslims as cow abetting, instigating and/or leading of the 80 Lok Sabha constituencies slaughterers and supported the lynch the riots, e.g Sangeet Som in in the year 2014 in 16th General mob of Dadri killing Mohammed Muzaffarnagar and Ismaria Elections and two more for its Akhlaq and seriously injuring his son. Choudhary in Bijnor riots. alliance partner - Apna Dal -, is They have been stigmatizing Muslim fighting a tough challenge to win youth as eve-teasers, entrapping Projecting Muslim community as majority or near majority in this Hindu women into marital alliances an existential threat to Hindus, the election, let alone repeating its for sexual exploitation and BJP intends to position itself as the performance in the General demographic advantage. BJP defender of “Hindu interests” and Elections. The BJP is trying every leaders have been exploiting the mobilize votes of all castes without trick in the book – rubbishing the issue of triple talaq and promising jeoperdizing caste based hierarchy claims of development done by the Uniform Civil Code as a measure to and hegemonic interests of elite of SP government and asserting that it “Hinduize” the Muslims. BJP has upper castes. In fact, by posing alone is capable of developing UP. raised the issue of Ram Mandir in Muslims as existential threat to Ayodhya in order to assert the Hindus, the BJP undermines the There seems to be a neat division political hegemony of “Hindus” struggle of the dalits and the of labour within the BJP. Prime undermining the Constitutional oppressed sections of OBCs for Minister Modi talks of development pledge of equal citizenship. equality and blunts their JANATA, February 26, 2017 9 consciousness despite having equal Muslim community is divided along for the purpose of this elections, put political rights guaranteed by the caste lines as well. Muslims are from the communal conflict and violence Constitution. The BSP is trying to Rajputs, Jats, Gujjars, and there are associated with it behind them. They achieve social alliance of Dalits and other backward biradaries among too, like the Jats did not buy the Muslims by distributing large Muslims. propaganda that demonetization number of tickets to Muslim leaders would ultimately lead to benefits of – over 98 out of 403 seats (more Talking to various members of any significance to the nation or the than 24% of seats) even though the Muslim and Jat communities, it economy and underlined the Muslims constitute 19% of the appeared that they have put the hardships caused by the measure. population. communal riots in 2013 behind We talked to two groups of Muslims them. The Jats said they were – one were group of Rajput Muslims Visit to Western UP misled by the BJP leaders and and some dalit Muslims. The Rajputs recalled long history of fraternal were staunchly supporting the Our visit to Western UP on bonds between the two Rashtriya Lok Dal party and desired 4th and 5th February 2017 was communities. They remembered Jat-Muslim unity to revive the RLD’s undertaken to understand the participation in each other’s fortunes as in the past. electoral process, mobilization of marriages, last rites and festivals communities and its impact on inter- and had shared cultural ethos. The However, there was equally strong relations between various shared cultural ethos includes voice in favour of SP-Congress communities. The exercise was keeping women in veil (the nature alliance supporting the developmental neither to survey nor to predict of veil may change), no marriages work done by Akhilesh’s Governentt. electoral outcomes. We visited and within the village, restricted liberties When asked what development the talked to members of various castes to women, etc. Both the Govrnent had done, they pointed out and communities in groups to communities were mobilized towards distribution of laptops, understand their perspectives and together on issues faced by the ambulance service, electric supply issues they thought were important farmers. and better roads. Abdul Waris influencing their voting choices. Khan’s supporters were equally The members of Jat community confident that Muslims would vote The notion that Muslims were perturbed by the for them. Waris Khan is a Rajput constituted one community or the demonetization in particular and Muslim contesting from the BSP. In community behaved as a vote bank marginalization of the peasantry in the last elections in 2012, Waris Khan melted away in no time. The general. The fundamental issue for lost to BJP’s Suresh Kumar Rana community neither voted as a vote them was un-remunerative minimum but polled 50001 votes whereas bank in last elections nor did it support prices for farm produce or Suresh Kumar polled 53,719 votes appear it would do so in this election. lack of it. Waiver of loans did not and Ashraf Ali Khan of RLD had The Muslim community is as diverse attract the Jats we talked to, on polled 53454 votes. Waris Khan won as any other community is – along account of their inability to pay back in 2007 contesting on RLD ticket. caste lines as well as class lines and loans as the incomes of the farmers In 2012, Suresh Kumar of BJP their electoral choices are influenced had taken a big hit in the last 2-3 won only by a thin margin of by their social location and not only years. The Jats were certainly not 265 votes as Muslim votes were on their religion. In the last Assembly inclined to support the BJP. They divided between Waris Khan and elections, Suresh Rana, BJP won the seemed to be divided on whom they Ashraf Ali Khan – both being Rajput Assembly elections from Thana would vote for – Rashtriya Lok Dal Muslims. Bhavana Constituency in Shamli (RLD) seemed to the choice of District even though Muslims majority but some were also The poorer and labouring class constitute about 55% of the supporting Sudhir Panwar, SP- Muslims seemed to be supporting electorate with a narrow margin of Congress alliance candidate and a the BSP – seen as a dalit party. The 265 votes! Muslim votes were Jat himself. upper caste Rajput Muslims nurture divided between Rashtriya Lok a separate community feeling and Dal’s Abdul Waris Khan and The Muslims we talked to too solidarity with the land owning Jats Samajwadi Party’s Kiran Pal. The seemed to have at least for now, and and Rajputs when there is absence 10 JANATA, February 26, 2017 of communal polarisation whereas educational institutions, and other Conclusion: they seek solidarity of the backward institutions were cornered by the caste Muslims when communal other regions being represented by The above discourse shows that polarization is heightened. the politicians of the ruling clan in no community or caste is a vote general and Yadav-Muslims in bank. There is diversity and voting When we visited SP-Congress particular. They felt alienated and choices are dependent on variety of alliance candidate – Sudhir marginalized from the state power factors, including religious, socio- Panwar’s (a Jat) election tent in (though they appeared much better cultural and economic factors. Social Thana Bhawan, we saw Jats, off in reality). The youth location of the individual influences Muslims, Sainis in the tent planning problematized reservations in jobs, voting choices and not religion alone. for election campaign. The Muslims education and other affirmative There are three factors that can in the tent were sure overwhelming action. To them it was unfair influence voting choices – need, majority of them will be voting for discrimination against the upper greed and security. Those whose the Alliance. The Jats in the tent too caste youth and reservations should basic human needs are not met, they were confident of the Jats voting only be based on economic criteria. are dependent on welfare. State Sudhir Panwar who was contesting They supported BJP and trusted provides only a tiny fraction of social on the plank of communal harmony that BJP’s victory would lead to welfare needed by large sections of and peace as one amongst many development of Western UP on poor in the country. Through whom others. priority basis as political leaders social welfare can be accessed may from the west would dominate. determine the choice of the needy When we visited the upper caste There was no talk of justice or voters – dalits, adivasis, landless, etc. Hindus – Sainis and Rajputs, their equality – only perceived Those whose needs are fulfilled, issues in the elections were different injustice and aspiration of reversing need social networks to access their than that of the Muslims or Jats we the equations – belief that BJP’s aspiration for upward mobility and met. They were problematizing victory would lead to reverse more riches and privileges. Which regional issues. Western UP was discrimination. Now they needed to social network helps this objective kept backwards by the ruling benefit from political nepotism may determine electoral choices for dispensation as they were largely with their leaders being in power. some. Victims of communal and from the Eastern UP. They felt left According to them, demonetization caste violence and high handedness out of the development agenda of was a good action though it of security forces vote for the party the state. All the jobs went to the temporarily led to problems. In the or leader that promises security to youth from Eastern UP and long run, demonetization would them. These factors were playing particularly to the Yadavs and check corruption, black money and the voting choices of the people we Muslims. All the state contracts, counter terrorism. met and interacted with.

–Secular pespec5tive;

(Continued from Page 7) of the policies of globalization in India In 1996 and 2004 relationship with Janata Dal by the P.V.Narasimha Rao Veerendrakumar was elected to (Secular) and Veerendrakumar took government. Veerendrakumar was Lok Sabha from Calicut Parliament initiative in electing a new president, a vociferous critic of globalization constituency. He was also the Surendra Mohan in a large gathering and the book he wrote along with deputy minister for finance and at Trivandrum. Since then the Kerala Prof. P.A.Vasudevan, GATTt and its later minister for labour with unit led by Veerendrakumar merged unseen ties became the text book independent charge in the Deve with Janata Dal (united) and of anti-globalisation activists in Gowda ministry. But when Deve presently he is a member of Rajya Kerala. Hundreds of party men and Gowda‘s son H.D.Kumara Sabha from Kerala. He is a versatile women went to jail in Kerala Swamy made an alliance with BJP writer in Malayalam and a recipient protesting the policies of in Karnataka, the Kerala unit of the of many distinguished awards globalization. party immediately insulated its including Kendra Sahitya Academy. JANATA, February 26, 2017 11 Non-violent Action and Socialist Radicalism: Narendra Deva in India’s Freedom Movement–II

Anil Nauriya

6. Beyond Non-Violence of significance that it was the socialist Narendra Deva on whose name the contending sides had been in At this stage we may take a step back and consider agreement. Narendra Deva’s own sympathies were Narendra Deva’s positions in relation to Subhas Bose initially with Bose. In a statement issued in January 1939 (1897–1945?) as these provide an interesting study in he said “(w)hen elders are not ready to take up the his political perspectives on modes of struggle. As Subhas burden, Mr Subhas Chandra Bose seems clearly marked Bose was a votary of militant and even armed struggle, out for the Presidential gaddi”.198 the extent to which the socialists were or were not willing to ally with him, and he with them, is revealing. Gandhi At the Tripuri Congress session in 1939, Narendra had suggested the name of Narendra Deva, among Deva’s approach differed with both groups. He was not others, for the Congress President towards the end of prepared to accept the Bose group’s description of certain 1938 (for 1939). In January 1939 Subhas Bose also members of the Working Committee as “Rightists”. offered to withdraw from the contest for the Congress While not abjuring this usage in his own speeches and President if Narendra Deva were chosen.196 writings, Narendra Deva sought to relativise such expressions to the struggle at hand. According to the Jawaharlal Nehru wrote in February–March 1939: Press report of his speech at the Tripuri Congress on 9 March 1939: Indeed, so far as Gandhiji was concerned, he expressed his wish repeatedly in my presence that Defining the Rightists, he said that they were he would like a socialist as President. Apart from those who were prepared to align with British my own name, he mentioned Acharya Narendra Imperialism and if anybody could think that a Deva’s name. But… I did not like the idea of a member of the old Working Committee could be socialist President at this stage.197 called a Rightist in that sense, there could be no hope of freedom for this country. They were not Evidently, the contest for the presidency of the Rightists, they were anti-Imperialists to the core Congress between Bose and Pattabhi Sitaramayya in and revolutionaries. The question of Rightists and 1939 had been avoidable. It obviously weakened the Leftists could only arise after there was a social Congress at a critical time in India’s history. It is therefore revolution.199

196 D.G. Tendulkar, Mahatma: Life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Vol. 5, New Delhi, Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, First edition, 1952, pp. 29–30. NMML Occasional Paper 197 Jawaharlal Nehru, The Unity of India: Collected Writings, 1937–40, London, Lindsay Drummond, 1948, p. 127. 198 “Statement on Congress Presidential Election”, SW-AND-1, p. 148. 199 “Speech at the Subjects Committee Meeting”, SW-AND-1, p. 148. Jawaharlal Nehru wrote similarly to Subhas Bose on 4 February 1939: There has been a lot of talk of Leftists and Rightists, of Federation etc., and yet, so far as I can remember, no vital matters affecting these questions have been discussed by us in the W.C. during your Presidentship. I do not know who you consider a Leftist and who a Rightist. The way these words, were used by you in your statements during the Presidential contest seemed to imply that Gandhiji and those considered as his group in the W.C. are the Rightist leaders. Their opponents, whoever they might be, are the Leftists. That seems to me an entirely wrong description. It seems to me that many of the so-called Leftists are more Right then the so-called Rightists. Strong language and a capacity to criticize the old Congress leadership is not a test of Leftism in politics. (Jawaharlal Nehru, A Bunch of Old Letters, Bombay, Asia Publishing House, Second Edition, 1960, p. 318). This caution against mechanical labeling is not infrequently encountered in the Congress context. Seven years later, in 1946, P.R. Ramachandra Rao, an artist, advocate, and progressive intellectual, was sent by V.V. Giri, then Minister for Planning in the Government of Madras, to tour Congress-ruled provinces and “make a report on their plans”; on his conversation with Keshav 12 JANATA, February 26, 2017

Yet Narendra Deva had misgivings at the time about with the British Government over the issue of the the Congress “high command”, which he set out in a war. Today, he asserts that the Constituent Assembly letter to M.R. Masani, one of the founders of the CSP, can only be convened after the conquest of power. written a few days later, on 19 March 1939: But he conveniently forgets what he wrote in his Undue condemnation of Subhas Bose and praise organ, the Forward Bloc on September 9, under of the High Command should be ruled out. I do not the caption ‘Lead from Wardha’. He says there understand why we should go out of our way to that the ‘Congress must press the national praise them when we know that they have no demand on the government and insist on its consideration for us. Is it not clear to you that when immediate fulfilment’. In the same article he they talk of purge they mean to eliminate the left- proceeds to observe: ‘Let not our leaders who wing from the Congress?200 are now deliberating at Wardha ask for a whit less than what is our inherent birthright. If they But Narendra Deva became increasingly critical of are called on to negotiate, let them do so the positions taken by Subhas Bose thereafter. In 1940, honourably.’ a Congress Socialist tract by Narendra Deva offered this sharp comment: A year back at the Malda Divisional Conference and the Bengal Provincial Conference held at It is difficult to grasp the theory that underlies the Jalpaiguri, Subhas Babu framed a resolution which activities of Shree Subhas Chandra Bose…He talks foreshadowed the possibility of the government of an immediate struggle and does all that lies in his conceding the demand of the Congress, in which power to make it difficult…If one were to believe event a Constituent Assembly was to be convoked him, the greater obstacle today is the present for framing a Constitution to be embodied in a treaty leadership of the Congress and not British of alliance between India and Great Britain. This, imperialism.201 according to him, could happen very well without recourse to a struggle. How can he now condemn There is in this tract a passage which may be quoted Gandhiji for meeting the Viceroy or negotiating with at greater length because it represents a point of view him? now seldom referred to: It is [sad?] however, that such things appeal to It is difficult to say how much of his (Subhas–A.N.) the average Leftist. He has been fed upon anti-compromise talk is serious. It may, of course, slogans and his political education has been just be a good stick to beat the Congress High neglected. He is politically immature. He acts, Command with. Shree Subhas Chandra Bose has therefore, as an unwise ally. Proper schooling of not always stood out against compromise like this. political workers and youngmen is the greatest During his Presidentship he was for negotiations need.202

Deva Malaviya, a leading radical Congressman from UP, Rao would write : “In U.P., he said, the Rightists were more Left than the Socialists…” (P.R. Ramachandra Rao, First Person Singular, Hyderabad, Akshara, 1989, p. 37). Whether this was actually so or not, Malaviya’s remark was a reflection of the fact that on kisan issues the mainstream, or “unlabelled”, Congress in UP (and many other provinces) was itself in the forefront of the struggle. It was often such leaders who had reached the peasantry first and organized it though not necessarily or always on a class basis. This is evident in the case of UP also from accounts even by CPI figures such as Z.A. Ahmad (see Z.A. Ahmad, Mere Jeewan Ki Kuch Yadein, Lucknow, Sankalpa Systems, 1997). The matter is not free from ambiguity and there is yet another aspect that may be worth bearing in mind in the context of Malaviya’s remark. A scholar of 20th century UP writes about the Narendra Deva, Rafi Ahmad Kidwai, Tandon relationship: “Acharya Narendra Deva and his band of followers, strangely enough, were closer to Tandon than to Kidwai.” (Paul Brass, Factional Politics in an Indian State: The Congress Party in Uttar Pradesh, Bombay, Oxford University Press, 1966, p. 39.) Had Brass expanded the geometry by adding Nehru, to whom too Narendra Deva was close, it might have puzzled him even more. If academic “types” or categories break down often, it may be because these are too rigidly applied in the pre-independence context, or because, alternatively, the “types” themselves might require greater scrutiny. 200 SW-AND-1, p. 151. 201 “The Indian Struggle: Next Phase”, SW-AND-1, p. 219. 202 SW-AND-1, pp. 223–224. The source has “said” in place of “sad” and is possibly an error. JANATA, February 26, 2017 13

Narendra Deva’s critique of Bose in the 1940 tract democracy and of fascism. But he will indeed be a centered on the need to maintain the unity of the Congress bold man who would say that the present war is as an instrument of the anti-colonial and anti-imperialist being fought to destroy imperialism. That would struggle: mean that the British and the American governments are waging war to destroy themselves.207 This is our grievance against Shree Subhas Chandra Bose. We had trusted that he would not try to break He refers to a similar argument made at the time of the integrity of the Congress. The passionate appeal the First World War and Lenin’s refutation of it.208 for unity that he made at the outbreak of the war is Narendra Deva reiterated this view three days after his still ringing in our ears. He opposed in the past the release from prison on 15 June 1945. present leadership but never worked against the Congress itself. A great change has come over him A couple of months later followed the report of Subhas since. He seems to be bent upon splitting the Bose’s death and Narendra Deva in his statement did Congress now. not gloss over their differences. The whole nation mourned Bose, he said: “Though they did not agree with He wants the present Congress to be converted some of the methods of Mr Bose, nobody could question into a rightist Congress out and out and asks leftists the purity of his motives. India would feel strengthened to leave the Congress and help him in creating a in the idea that the memory of Mr Bose would be new Congress of leftists. He seems to have taken cherished and the lessons of his life learnt.”209 a dangerous turning on the road to independence.203 While with Bose there were differences in method, In this tract Narendra Deva asserted that the “task is with the communists Narendra Deva’s differences to move the entire Congress” and this required working turned on their dismissive approach in treating the for unity.204 Congress organization as bourgeois in opposition to which another organisation was required to be built. Towards the end of the 1930s, Bose had desired that Although he felt that a healthier Communist attitude the national struggle be resumed early. As the Congress towards the Congress had emerged after 1936–37, gradually veered around to this position in the next three this too had undergone a relapse with the old years, Bose, and also Gandhi, came to a relatively greater communist line having resurfaced during the Second appreciation of each other’s role. This is reflected in World War. Narendra Deva rejected as illogical the their statements and particularly, on the part of Bose, notion of “united front from below”, that is unity from the time of his broadcasts from Tokyo and Bangkok with the Congress “rank and file as against the on 24 June and 2 October 1943.205 In the 1940s, how did leaders”.210 He argued that “…it should be plain to Narendra Deva view the struggle being conducted the meanest understanding that it is impossible to overseas? For much of this period Narendra Deva himself call the Congress-minded masses to a common was in prison successively in Ahmednagar Fort, Bareilly, struggle without the co-operation of those to whom and Almora (1942–45). But we have his perspective on they give their confidence and look up for the war through a pamphlet he wrote in 1942.206 Here guidance”.211 This idea, Narendra Deva pointed out, Narendra Deva refutes the people’s war thesis: was self-defeating: “In short, they aspire today to acquire influence over the masses in the fold of the A genuine people’s war should lead to the Congress by attacking the present leadership and destruction of both imperialism and of capitalist trying to undermine its influence. They seem to stand

203 SW-AND-1, p. 223. 204 Ibid., p. 224. 205 Selected Speeches of Subhas Chandra Bose, Publications Division, Government of India, New Delhi, 1962, pp. 170–173 and pp. 200–204. 206 “The War: Imperialist or People’s”, SW-AND-2, pp. 8–23. 207 Ibid., pp. 17–18. 208 Ibid., p. 18. 209 SW-AND-2, p. 80. 210 “The Indian Struggle: Next Phase”, Bombay, Congress Socialist Party, 1940, reproduced in SW-AND-1, p. 218. 211 Idem. 14 JANATA, February 26, 2017 for an immediate struggle but, in effect, they produce others… (who) were subjected to various forms disorganization in the forces of struggle.”212 of torture… (He) made a feeling reference to the INA men and said that there was widespread This understanding governed also Narendra Deva’s resentment amongst all sections of people against attitude towards M.N. Roy (1887–1954), a leading figure their trial.216 in international communism and intellectual who had on return to India gradually branched out to establish the It was not of course a philosophical commitment to Radical Democratic Party in 1940. At least till 1940 both the idea of non-violent struggle that made Narendra Deva Narendra Deva and Roy, so far as acceptance of the carefully mark out his positions in relation to Bose, the Congress as an instrument for struggle was concerned, communists, and M.N. Roy, though of course, his seemed to be on the common ground “that ultimately by preference was to accord primacy to the non-violent a process of transformation the Congress can become a struggle. It would be relevant to recall Narendra Deva’s fit instrument for the achievement of our objective”.213 opposition at the time of the Bombay Congress in 1934 The vital difference between them was that Roy believed to the proposal that “truth and nonviolence” be substituted that no relentless struggle was possible until there was a for “legitimate and peaceful means” in the Congress change in the leadership of the Congress.214 For creed.217 No one has ever suggested that falsehood ought Narendra Deva, on the contrary, it was the struggle itself to be part of our creed, he argued. Nonviolence, he that would throw up new leaders. In the socialist view maintained, was subject to varying interpretations and as propounded by Narendra Deva, Roy appeared to was a metaphysical concept. If in substance and meaning disregard the impact and dynamics of mass struggle. it did not differ from “peaceful means”, there was no Narendra Deva argued that: need for the new phraseology. Three years after the Bombay Congress, Narendra Deva had written on 10 The pressure for struggle releases forces that move December 1937 to Jawaharlal Nehru: “Truth and and metamorphose the leadership. New leadership nonviolence are noble ideas and as such every decent is created in the course of the struggle. A mass man must have high regard for them. But I feel that they struggle always throws up new leaders of the are so much being misused today in India that the day is masses. It is only by showing qualities of leadership, not far distant when they will begin to [stink] in our by leading the masses from victory to victory, that nostrils.”218 Narendra Deva’s approach to the question one can win their confidence and achieve a place of relations between the Congress and the kisan in the national leadership.215 movement was different from that which characterized the movement in places like Bihar. He thought that both A practical demonstration of this would come about violence and consequent tensions between kisan in the next round of struggle in 1942 when socialists organizations and the Congress could be avoided with emerged as prominent leaders of the national some tact, sensitivity, and vigilance. In his letter to Nehru, movement. For Narendra Deva the Quit India Narendra Deva remarks: movement of 1942 was an advance in the national struggle. He acknowledged also the role played by So far as the agrarian situation is concerned I have the (INA). In November 1945, every hope that with a little goodwill combined he reportedly remarked: with firmness we can succeed in avoiding a conflict with the peasant organizations. The way …had the revolution of August 1942 not taken in which some of our Behar Congressmen are place, there would not have been so much proceeding is the sure way of inviting trouble enthusiasm in the country… He made particular which is bound to weaken the Congress reference to Mr Jai Prakash Narain, Dr Lohia and organization.

212 “The Indian Struggle: Next Phase”, Bombay, Congress Socialist Party, 1940, reproduced in SW-AND-1, p. 219. 213 Ibid., p. 220. 214 Ibid., p. 216. 215 Ibid., p. 221. 216 SW-AND-2, p. 97. 217 Congress Socialist, 29 September 1934, SW-AND-1, p. 38. 218 SW-AND-1, p. 106. JANATA, February 26, 2017 15

We can also easily prevent outbreaks of violence in in May 1930 he had himself organized charkha training the countryside if we only tighten up our organization classes in Banaras in support of the khadi, that is, hand- & keep a watch on the activities of our workers.219 spun cloth, promotion programme.224 In this matter the socialists came gradually to be influenced by Gandhi. Yet, so far as the colonial power was concerned, Likewise, Gandhi too kept evolving and expanding his Narendra Deva was prepared to countenance a degree conception of constructive work. Born essentially out of of violence. In his reminiscences Narendra Deva recalls the non-co-operation movement of the 1920s, the telling Gandhi when he met him in Poona in 1945, after programme was later explained in a small compendium being released from Ahmednagar Fort Prison and Almora by Gandhi in December 1941 listing activities connected Jail, that while truth was fine, he did not think that state with communal unity, removal of untouchability, prohibition, power could be snatched from the British without resort khadi, other village industries, village sanitation, new or to a modicum of violence.220 basic education, adult education, women, education in health and hygiene, leprosy, provincial languages, national 7. Socialists and Constructive Work language, that is, Hindustani (inclusive of Hindi and Urdu), economic equality, kisans, labour, adivasis, and students.225 Narendra Deva had given up his legal practice after This was further revised and enlarged in 1945.226 The the passage of the resolution on non-co-operation at the political implications of such constructive activities were Nagpur session of the Congress in December 1920.221 vividly underlined by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, the Associating himself with the reconstruction effort to nurture “Frontier Gandhi” as he was known, at the Bombay session national educational institutions, he joined, at the suggestion of the Indian National Congress in 1934. Referring to his of Jawaharlal Nehru, the faculty of the newly-established tour of Bengal, the leader from the North West Frontier Kashi Vidyapith.222 Narendra Deva found the work here Province said that in subdivisions where the khadi more to his taste than the legal practice at Faizabad; later, programme had reached, resulting in some increase in in 1926, he would succeed Dr. Bhagvan Das as the head incomes howsoever small, people were willing to come of this national institution. Although Narendra Deva had forward to attend Congress meetings; the contrary was been involved with the educational aspects of the national true in other subdivisions where charkha activities had movement, even as late as 1929 he had observed that “the not reached and where people were fearful of associating constructive programme of the Congress is regarded as with Congress activities.227 dull & tame” by many who “cared more for a live programme of immediate work”.223 This did not, however, It was Gandhi who had in 1934 initially drawn the prevent his involvement in these activities. For example, attention of socialists through Narendra Deva to what

219 SW-AND-1, pp. 107–108. 220 “Mere Sansmaran”, Rashtriyata Aur Samajwad, Banaras, Gyan Mandal, 1949, p. 691. An account of this visit to Pune by Narendra Deva, along with Suraj Prasad Awasthi, also an MLA, and some of this conversation with Gandhi in late August or early September 1945, appears in CWMG, Vol. 81, pp. 209–210. Narendra Deva and Awasthi had inquired whether the Hindustan Mazdoor Sevak Sangh like the Indian National Congress could use the words “peaceful and legitimate” instead of “truth and nonviolence”. Gandhi told them that “truth and nonviolence” were also political terms though “in the political context, the words ‘peaceful and legitimate’ were considered to be more appropriate”. Reminding them that even these latter words had been introduced by him in the Congress constitution, Gandhi seemed to indicate, in answer to their query, a preference for the expression “truth and nonviolence” as, in a working class context, the “workers must be told in a straight and direct way as to what they should or should not do”. 221 “Mere Sansmaran”, Rashtriyata Aur Samajwad, Benares, Gyan Mandal, 1949, p. 686. For the text of the non-co-operation resolution passed at the Nagpur session, see CWMG, Vol. 19, Appendix 1, New Delhi, Publications Division, 1966, pp. 576–578. 222 “Mere Sansmaran”, Rashtriyata Aur Samajwad, op. cit., p. 686. 223 Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru, 9 February 1929, SW-AND-1, p. 3. 224 Jagdish Chandra Dikshit, Acharya Narendra Deva, Lucknow, Soochna Evam Jansampark Vibhag, Uttar Pradesh, 1989, p. 27. 225 CWMG, Vol. 75, pp. 146–166. 226 M.K. Gandhi, Constructive Programme: Its Meaning and Place, Ahmedabad, Navajivan Trust, 1945. 227 Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan’s speech reproduced in Report of the 48th Session of the Indian National Congress: Proceedings, Bombay, 1934, pp. 111–112. By this time the spread of the movement for handspun cloth was widespread enough for the Viceroy Irwin to acknowledge after the Gandhi-Irwin pact that “although the boycott has been dropped as a political weapon, Lancashire must realize that the movement against foreign cloth has attained great influence which it is going to retain”. (Irwin to Viscount Goschen, 30 March 1931, National Archives of India, Halifax Papers, Microfilm, Accession No. 3898.) 16 JANATA, February 26, 2017 he described as a “glaring omissions” from their draft view. Possibly, if we had come into the field of programme; these omissions included, according to constructive work we might have developed aspects Gandhi, untouchability removal, communal unity, khaddar or types of it that would perhaps have enriched it. and prohibition.228 Having been more attentive to Gandhi But whether that would have happened or not there and the evolution of his ideas than many writers and is no doubt that we have impoverished ourselves a ideologues of the communist tradition, Narendra Deva, great deal by keeping out of that valuable field of like most socialists of his time, was aware, for example, activity, which would have given us experience and of Gandhi’s attempts at breaking social barriers and of wider mass contact and enabled us to understand his critique of caste.229 He pointed out that Gandhi rural India in a more intimate manner.232 advocated “interdining and intermarriage not only between different castes but between different Many aspects of the “constructive programme” communities”.230 Narendra Deva noted of Gandhi that formulated by Gandhi gained the support of Narendra “He is in no sense an orthodox Hindu. On the contrary, Deva who was included in the body set up by the he breaks almost every rule and practice enjoined by Congress to prepare a plan for the development of orthodox Hinduism. He does not believe in the institution Hindustani.233 Narendra Deva urged also that the of caste and its observances and practices. He advocates educational system be remodeled “on the lines suggested widow marriage…He has devised his own marriage ritual by the Wardha scheme”.234 This was the scheme drawn and in this matter pays no regard to the existing laws.”231 up, on Gandhi’s inspiration, by a Committee appointed in 1937 with Dr. Zakir Husain as its President, for free and It is true, however, that leading socialists did not accord compulsory education and with emphasis on handicraft/ the importance to constructive work that many others in vocational training.235 This was reflected in Narendra the Congress were prepared to give it. Years later Deva’s work on basic education in the United Provinces Jayaprakash Narayan would recall: and in the report of the UP Primary and Secondary Education Reorganisation Committee (1938), headed by Looking back it seems to me that we would have him. This report had potentially significant ramifications. done well to associate ourselves with the The Committee came down heavily against the distinction constructive work of the Congress to a far greater between “vernacular” and “Anglo-vernacular extent than we did. We were responsible—and I education”.236 After the Committee submitted its report more than others perhaps—in creating the feeling in February 1939, the United Provinces Government that all constructive work was unrevolutionary and, recorded in August that it had “already accepted the for socialists, a waste of time. I should like to put on proposal of the Committee regarding the introduction of record that that was an immature and mistaken Basic Education—a term embracing education through 228 Letter to Narendra Deva, 2 August 1934, CWMG, Vol. 58, p. 274. 229 SW-AND-2, p. 119. See also Madhu Limaye’s work, Manu, Gandhi and Ambedkar, And Other Essays, New Delhi, Gyan Publishing House, 1995. One may make an instructive comparison between this work and B.T. Ranadive’s Caste, Class and Property Relations, Calcutta, National Book Agency, 1982. While Ranadive’s understanding of Gandhi’s position on untouchability, caste, and on varna distinctions remains frozen in the early 1930s, the socialist leader Limaye makes an attempt to understand the evolution of both Gandhi’s and Ambedkar’s ideas. In his Atmakatha (New Delhi, Bharatiya Prakashan Sansthan, 1998, p. 229), Limaye makes the point that the weaker Dalits, even in Maharashtra, which was Ambedkar’s base, were not against the Congress. 230 SW-AND-2, p. 119. 231 Idem. 232 Bimal Prasad (ed.), Jayaprakash Narayan Selected Works, Volume 4, New Delhi, Nehru Memorial Museum & Library/ Manohar Publishers and Distributors, 2003 pp. 229–230. More than forty years later this would be echoed by the socialist Limaye, who said of Gandhi: “Through his constructive programmes he penetrated the village India.” (Madhu Limaye, “Gandhi, Nehru and Quit India”, Janata, Quit India Number, Bombay, 1991, p. 13.) 233 See Indian Annual Register, 1938, Volume 2, p. 279. 234 SW-AND-1, p. 140. 235 The report of the (U.P.) Primary and Secondary Education Reorganisation Committee is a document of abiding relevance, even today, nearly eight decades later. Its observations on (i) compulsory and primary, that is, basic education, (ii) the unnatural distinctions between education intended for rural and urban populations, (iii) the examination system, and (iv) the high drop-out rate in schools, could have been made with today’s situation in mind. 236 Report of the Primary and Secondary Education Reorganisation Committee, Lucknow, Government of the United Provinces, Department of Education, 1939, p. 35. JANATA, February 26, 2017 17 concrete life situations and co-related with one or more Movement” that “should have in view the removal of forms of manual and productive work and the social and the cultural backwardness of the people” so as to give cultural environments of the child”.237 The first Basic them “new aims and aspirations and developing co- School was established in Begumsarai near Allahabad operative and democratic habits among them”.243 and speaking at inauguration in August 1939, UP Premier Govind Ballabh Pant said: “Gandhiji must be thanked for On the question of inter-communal relations, a cardinal the idea, and Acharya Narendra Deva for the scheme element in the constructive programme, Narendra Deva, and Mr Sampurnanand for putting the system into practice like Gandhi and Nehru, accorded importance to local in U.P.”238 The Committee’s proposals were actually not neighbourhood-level work. Speaking in September 1946 confined to U.P. alone but were formulated with a view at a meeting of Faizabad residents, Narendra Deva to being useful for other Indian provinces as well. As the emphasized the need to organize Mohalla Committees: U.P. Government noted: “Among the several “…it was the poor people who suffered most during a recommendations made by the Committee one of the communal riot. Educated gentlemen goondas, more most important is that compulsory primary education than anybody else, were responsible for riots. It must should be imparted on a nation-wide scale free of charge be the concern of every Mohalla Committee to prevent and should extend for a period of seven years beginning communal disturbances from breaking out or extending from the age of seven.”239 In the south, N.G. Ranga too to that Mohalla” (emphasis added).244 The importance accorded great significance to the constructive work of such neighbourhood groups has been neglected in movement and its impact. According to Ranga, “Gandhi recent decades as was evident yet again in the events in and the nationalists outstripped the Liberals through Muzaffarnagar in 2013 where neighbours were incited revolutionary action and constructive work…”.240 In to turn upon their neighbours. Orissa, Malati Choudhury and Rama Devi had been active in the salt satyagraha and the former played an 8. The Socialist Departure from the Congress important role in establishing a branch of the Congress Socialist Party; Malati Choudhury was active also in the Soon after Indian independence in August 1947, the Kisan movement, presiding over various peasant All India Congress Committee met in November at Delhi conferences in 1938.241 This positioning fitted well with where the then Congress President, Acharya Kripalani Narendra Deva’s perspective. He appreciated and announced his resignation. Gandhi, who attended the supported constructive work but felt that unless these Working Committee meeting at which the new President activities were supplemented by mass organizations they was to be chosen, suggested Narendra Deva’s name as could not lead to mass action.242 The villages, according Kripalani’s successor.245 It was the second time that to him, needed to be the focus of a “New Life Gandhi had proposed Narendra Deva’s name, the first

237 Paragraph 4 of the Government of U.P., Education Dept resolution, 4 August 1939. 238 B.R. Nanda (ed.), Selected Works of Govind Ballabh Pant, Volume 9, New Delhi, Oxford University Press, 1997, p. 250. 239 Paragraph 5 of the Government of U.P., Education Dept. resolution, 4 August 1939. 240 N.G. Ranga, Outlines of National Revolutionary Path, Bombay, Hind Kitabs, 1945, p. 132. 241 Bina Kumari Sarma, Indian Historical Review, Volume XXI, Numbers 1–2, pp. 78–112 at p. 94. 242 The Swarajists in the 1920s had taken a similar position though without the emphasis on mass action that Narendra Deva had in mind. Motilal Nehru wrote in 1924: “We believe in the Constructive Programme, but we do not believe that by itself and without any other activity it will or can lead to Swaraj within a reasonable period of time.” See Ravinder Kumar and Hari Dev Sharma (eds), Selected Works of Motilal Nehru, Volume 4, New Delhi, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library/Vikas Publishing House, 1986, p. 223. Such reservations served to explain the focus of interest evinced by particular groups but do not appear to be moot or germane as Gandhi’s own political activities made it amply clear that he himself did not believe that the constructive programme, by itself, would bring about swaraj. 243 Acharya Narendra Deva [Yusuf Meherally (ed.)], Socialism and The National Revolution; Padma Publications, Bombay, 1946, p. 183. 244 SW-AND-1, p.117. Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Shah Nawaz Khan make similar suggestions. See (i) Harijan, 2 April 1938, 18 June 1938, and 15 September 1940; extracts compiled in M.K. Gandhi, The Way to Communal Harmony, Navajivan Trust 1963, pp. 288–291; and (ii) Jawaharlal Nehru’s and Shah Nawaz Khan’s statements after the Calcutta riots in 1946, Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru (SWJN), Volume 15, New Delhi, Orient Longman, 1982, p. 316 and Indian Annual Register, 1946, Volume II, pp. 112–113. 245 D.G. Tendulkar, Mahatma: Life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Volume 8, New Delhi, Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, New Edition, 1963, p. 191. 18 JANATA, February 26, 2017 occasion having been in the late 1930s. This episode and Congress. Jayaprakash Narayan had charged Home Gandhi’s reasoning are recorded by his secretary and Minister Patel with communal bias and also with biographer, Pyarelal: neglect of Gandhi’s security.249 Meanwhile, the changes in the Congress constitution ensured that Gandhiji would have liked a Congress Socialist to be though persons belonging to non-communal the President as there was no outstanding Congress organizations could enrol as members of the Congress, leader outside the Government to take charge and they could not hold any office in it. The socialists saw he did not want the Congress to be turned into a this as affecting their influence in the party.250 Instead mere rubber-stamp of the Government in power. of resisting and seeking to reverse this change, they He suggested the name of Acharya Narendra Deva decided to quit the Congress. On the eve of the but it was not acceptable to the Congress leaders.246 socialists’ departure, the Sixth Annual Conference of the Socialist Party was held at Nasik from 19 to 21 According to Kripalani’s own account, this time March 1948. Narendra Deva spoke his mind: Gandhi’s choice of Narendra Deva had been supported by Nehru but was opposed by Sardar Patel.247 There is a vast disparity between what the Congress stands for and what the Congress governments do. What kind of India was to be built? Tensions between The Congress claims that communalists have no the socialists and Sardar Patel in particular had been place in it. And yet rank communalists are members mounting. The Congress Socialists were usually in of the government. Sardar Vallabhai Patel assures dissonance with Patel and resented his influence over the capitalists by telling them that Shanmukham the Congress organizational machinery. As Narendra Chetty (the Union Finance Minister—A.N.) is their Deva appeared to have foreseen, there was a symbiotic representative and therefore they need have no relation between the Left-wing propensity to plough their apprehensions. He wants the Leaguers to disband own respective furrows, in isolation from the national the League and join the Congress. He welcomes struggles, and the growth in “right-wing” influence within Hindu Mahasabhaites into the Congress. He pats the movement and party. On his part, Patel viewed the the RSS and welcomes them too. By one door the socialists as the “sappers and miners of the Communist Congress expels the socialists. Through another, it Party” in the context of the united front the socialists admits in capitalists and communalists. God alone had formed with the communist group at the end of the can save the Congress.251 1930s.248 The widespread resentment that came about within the Congress on account of the attitude of the One who was a strong defender of the Congress as Communist Party of India both on the Pakistan question the country’s premier anti-imperial organization was now and on the Quit India movement of 1942, came ironically preparing to sever his ties with it. Eight years earlier, to be translated into a resentment against the socialists Narendra Deva had cautioned some of those in favour as well even though the latter by now shared the negative of leaving the Congress that as a result of their actions sentiment towards the communists in even greater the party could be “converted into a rightist Congress measure than did the rest of the Congress. out and out”.252 Now he was on the verge of following suit. The logic of his politics so far had implied that once Gandhi was assassinated on 30 January 1948. British power was removed, the Congress including the Barely eight or nine weeks after the assassination, socialists would fashion the country along the lines of the socialists resigned from the Indian National the economic programme that they had conceived and 246 Pyarelal, Mahatma Gandhi: The Last Phase, Part 2 [Volume X], Ahmedabad, Navajivan Publishing House, First Edition, 1958; Reprint, 1997, p. 520. 247 J.B. Kripalani, Gandhi: His Life and Thought, New Delhi, Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, Revised Edition, 1991, p. 297. 248 M.R. Masani, Bliss Was It in That Dawn …: A Political Memoir Upto Independence, 1977, New Delhi, Arnold-Heinemann, p. 96. 249 Jayaprakash Narayan’s speech at Surat, 29 February 1948, reproduced in Bimal Prasad (ed.), Jayaprakash Narayan Selected Works, Volume 4, New Delhi, Nehru Memorial Museum & Library/Manohar Publishers and Distributors, 2003, pp. 219–221. 250 Hari Kishore Singh, A History of the Praja Socialist Party, Lucknow, Narendra Prakashan, 1959, p. 99. 251 SW-AND-2, p. 225. 252 “The Indian Struggle: Next Phase”, Bombay, Congress Socialist Party, 1940, reproduced in SW-AND-1, p. 223. JANATA, February 26, 2017 19 supported. The socialists had emerged as nationally violence, were resorting to violent methods in acclaimed personalities, especially after the Quit India Jamshedpur. Sardar Patel wrote to the Socialist and trade struggle. Had they dug in their heels, it would have been unionist, Prof. Abdul Bari, cautioning him about this.254 difficult, if not impossible, for anyone to dislodge them Prof. Bari was not only a founder, along with Rahul from the Congress. Yet Narendra Deva’s strategy of Sankrityayan, Jayaprakash Narayan, and others, of the ‘moving the entire Congress’ had apparently come to Bihar Socialist Party formed in July 1931, but was also naught, perhaps not for any intrinsic fault of his own but the first President of this party, a precursor of the for causes and reasons that he was unable to control, Congress Socialist Party.255 Sardar Patel appears to have effectively influence or perhaps even foresee. had a high opinion of Prof. Bari.256 Apparently, Prof. Bari had developed differences with Jayaprakash In the couple of years immediately before Narayan and Bari’s appointment as President of the Bihar independence, the Congress leadership had been in talks Provincial Congress Committee in 1946 became a sore seeking to bridge the gulf even with the CPI; suggestions point with Narayan in his relations with Patel.257 had been made by both Nehru and Patel that if the CPI’s Incidentally, Prof. Bari was assassinated in March 1947 Pakistan line could be given up, past issues such as in an unconnected incident.258 Sardar Patel appears also differences over the Quit India movement, would be put to have accepted official reports that the Congress aside leaving little to hinder normal relations between Socialists were undermining police discipline in Bihar and the CPI and the Congress.253 These efforts did not felt embarrassed by these as a member of the Interim fructify as the CPI appeared to be unwilling to change Government.259 As prospects for independence grew, its line. But considering the fact of this approach towards Patel took an interest in efforts to bring the non- even the CPI, a question arises as to what precipitated communist trade unions together under one platform and the breach between the Congress and the Socialists and this led to the formation of the Indian National Trade whether this breach need necessarily have resulted in Union Congress. In this connection he appears to have an organizational rupture. been put out by the fact that “Socialists, except Pandit Harihar Nath Shastri of Cawnpore, have not been able Apart from Sardar Patel’s general resentment towards to make up their mind to join the INTUC”.260 The matter the Left-wing as a whole, differences between him and seems to have assumed some importance for Patel as a the Socialists had been growing over individual issues in week later he wrote to the Congress General Secretary the post-war period. In August 1946 there were reports about it and referred to “the direct or indirect hostility” that some workers’ unions affiliated to the Hindustan of the socialist group.261 A few weeks later Patel wrote Mazdoor Sevak Sangh, which was committed to non- to Sampurnanand, a socialist and at the time Minister of

253 Javeed Ashraf, “Pakistan Movement and the CPI”, Secular Democracy, March 1997, pp. 13–18. 254 Sardar Patel to Prof. Abdul Bari, 15 August 1946, in G.M. Nandurkar (ed.), Sardar’s Letters—Mostly Unknown, Volume IV, Ahmedabad, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Smarak Bhavan, 1977, p. 288. 255 Hari Dev Sharma, “The Formation of the Congress Socialist Party”, Samata Era, 1984, Volume 4, Nos 5–7 (Special Issue on Fifty Years of Socialist Movement in India), pp. 1–13, at p. 2. 256 For Sardar Patel’s opinion of Bari and his work, see letter from Patel to Jayaprakash Narayan, 15 August 1946, reproduced in Durga Das (ed.), Sardar Patel’s Correspondence, Volume 2, Ahmedabad, Navajivan Publishing House, 1972, p. 400 and letter from Patel to Bari, 12 June 1946, reproduced in G.M. Nandurkar (ed.), Sardar’s Letters—Mostly Unknown-I, Ahmedabad, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Smarak Bhavan, 1977, p. 287. On the establishment of the Bihar Socialist Party in 1931, see Hari Dev Sharma, “Acharya Narendra Deva: A Biographical Sketch”, in SW-AND-1, p. xxix. 257 See Jayaprakash Narayan to Patel, 29 May 1947, in Bimal Prasad (ed.), Jayaprakash Narayan Selected Works, Volume 4, New Delhi, Nehru Memorial Museum & Library/Manohar Publishers and Distributors, 2003, pp. 153–158. Clearly, the Patel–Socialists’ dispute had wheels within wheels. 258 For Gandhi’s warm tribute to Prof. Abdul Bari on 29 March 1947 upon his death earlier in the month, see Harijan, 13 April 1947, CWMG, Volume 87, pp. 177–178; see also Bimal Prasad (ed.), Jayaprakash Narayan Selected Works, Volume 4, op. cit., p. 156n. Earlier, the internment on 28 January 1945 of Abdul Bari (who was then Deputy Speaker of the Bihar Legislative Assembly), along with some other Bihar leaders, “on the charge of open preparation for another struggle” had led to an eloquent defence of Bari and others by Gandhi who said they were only carrying out the constructive programme (see CWMG, Volume 79, pp. 129–132). 259 Sardar Patel to Lord Mountbatten, 8 May 1947 and Sardar Patel to Sri Krishna Sinha, 8 May 1947 in Durga Das (ed.), Sardar Patel’s Correspondence, Volume 5, pp. 100–101 and pp. 102–103. 260 Sardar Patel to Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant, 14 May 1947, in Durga Das (ed.), Sardar Patel’s Correspondence, Volume 5, p. 330. 261 Sardar Patel to Shankarrao Deo, 22 May 1947, in Durga Das (ed.), Sardar Patel’s Correspondence, Volume 4, p. 98. 20 JANATA, February 26, 2017

Education and Finance in U.P.: “If our friend Narendra has not arisen”.267 The Kanpur decisions do not appear Dev could be persuaded to change his attitude, the to have been thought through and were obviously self- Socialist Party would throw in its weight” in favour of contradictory. The changes were made in the wake of the INTUC.262 Apart from such organizational matters, criticism that the socialists were acting contrary to the socialists had also been in disagreement with Congress policies. If the Socialists wished to retain the Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel over the attitude to Congress connection as before the decision to admit be taken towards the proposals made by the British non-Congressmen into the party was quite illogical. Cabinet Mission to India in the summer of 1946.263 The The decision to drop the appellation “Congress” and to socialists were not enthused by the proposals or by the admit non-Congressmen was consistent only with kind of Constituent Assembly that was under preparing to break the organizational link with the consideration; they therefore wanted to prepare for Congress. That break came at Nasik a year after the another round of struggle.264 Even in February 1947, Socialists’ Kanpur session of February–March 1947. Narendra Deva insisted that it was “by pinning our faith The resolution passed by the socialists at Nasik referred on the organized strength of the masses and not in to the “role of the Congress as a joint front of the negotiations that we shall win”.265 In July 1946 Sardar Indian people” as having come to an end and also Patel in a letter to D.P. Mishra, a Congress leader from maintained that the “new constitution of the Congress the Central Provinces, had remarked sarcastically in an specifically outlaws, for the first time in its historic obvious reference to some of the Socialists and their career, organized groups and parties from functioning role in 1942: “The underground variety of Congressmen, in the Congress”.268 Though the onus for the break who call themselves ‘Augusters’, think they created the was sought to be placed in Nasik largely on constitutional August revolution. Like a dog walking under a fully loaded change within the Congress, Kanpur had already paved cart they feel that the whole load is on their shoulders the way for it. How did Narendra Deva, given his and they are dragging the whole cart”.266 ideological understanding throughout the years of struggle, countenance the internal inconsistency of the With the approach of independence, pressure was Kanpur decisions taken a year earlier? Narendra Deva’s brought upon the socialists to make certain changes in speech as chairman of the reception committee at their organizational functioning. Changes were made at Kanpur furnishes no clue to this as it focuses primarily the Annual Party Conference of the Socialists that on the question of democracy being consistent with took place at Kanpur in late February and early March socialism and on problems of socialist unity.269 The 1947 after a gap of nine years. The word “Congress” socialist Madhu Limaye who was present at the Kanpur was now dropped from the name of the Congress session has shed some further light on Narendra Deva’s Socialist Party and a decision was taken to admit non- position. Replying to the debate at Kanpur on the Congressmen also into the party. At the same time it question of continuing relations with the Congress, was claimed by Jayaprakash Narayan on behalf of the Narendra Deva had denied that the decisions being socialists that “(o)ur relation with the Congress will taken there were a first step towards leaving the remain the same as before and, and the question of Congress.270 According to him the reference to the snapping the bonds of the Socialists with the Congress Congress was being deleted from the name of the

262 Sardar Patel to Sampurnanand, 18 June 1947, in Durga Das (ed.), Sardar Patel’s Correspondence, Volume 5, pp. 331–332. 263 Bimal Prasad (ed.), Jayaprakash Narayan Selected Works, Volume 4, New Delhi, Nehru Memorial Museum & Library/ Manohar Publishers and Distributors, 2003, p. 18. 264 Jayaprakash Narayan’s speech at Public Meeting, Bombay, 11 May 1946 reproduced in Bimal Prasad (ed.), Jayaprakash Narayan Selected Works, Volume 4, New Delhi, Nehru Memorial Museum & Library/Manohar Publishers and Distributors, 2003 pp. 11–12. 265 Narendra Deva’s interview to the Press, National Herald, 24 February 1947, reproduced in SW-AND-2, p. 159. 266 Sardar Patel to D.P. Mishra, 29 July 1946 in Durga Das (ed.), Sardar Patel’s Correspondence, Volume 3, p. 155. 267 Bimal Prasad (ed.), Jayaprakash Narayan Selected Works, Volume 4, New Delhi, Nehru Memorial Museum & Library/ Manohar Publishers and Distributors, 2003, pp. 117–118. 268 Report of the Sixth Annual Conference held at Kotwalnagar, Nasik, March 19th to March 21st, 1948, Bombay, Socialist Party, pp. 39–40. 269 Address of Acharya Narendra Deva, Chairman, Reception Committee, Fifth Annual Congress Socialist Party Conference, Cawnpore, 1st March 1947, reproduced in SW-AND-2, pp. 160–165. 270 Madhu Limaye, Atmakatha, New Delhi, Bharatiya Prakashan Sansthan, 1998, p. 492. JANATA, February 26, 2017 21

Party only because some Congress members had said It is not that we are in a hurry to quit the Congress. that socialists tend to misuse the Congress name; he The Congress is compelling us to get out of it. Once indicated also that the change was being made after the Congress President asked us to drop the prefix consultation with leading Congress figures.271 Narendra ‘Congress’ from our Party name. He also pleaded Deva in fact maintained at Kanpur that the Congress that our Party doors be thrown open to non- still had great capacity to serve as a vehicle for change Congressmen. He suggested that this would enable and for running the state in a proper manner.272 Madhu us to continue in the Congress. We did all that at Limaye records that listening to Narendra Deva at Kanpur. Today they have adopted a constitution Kanpur he understood the meaning of the whole of which has left us no other alternative.277 Narendra Deva’s speech; but Limaye himself doubted whether the fast-changing situation would permit the If Narendra Deva did not wish to leave the Congress, socialists to remain in the Congress for long.273 Clearly, it was apparently a somewhat strange and counter- Narendra Deva was not inclined towards the socialists intuitive piece of advice for him and the socialists to leaving the Congress. There were other forces pushing have accepted from the then Congress President, J.B. and pulling in that direction. Minoo Masani, who tried Kripalani, resulting in the changes made at Kanpur. As in vain to prevent a split, hinted at this in a letter to Limaye’s account of Narendra Deva’s speech at Patel requesting him to ensure that a lack of contact Kanpur indicates, Narendra Deva was in fact reluctant between Patel and the socialists did not result in a new to part company with the Congress. It went against alignment which “would be unfortunate for both the what he had stood for; yet he ultimately went along Congress and the country”.274 At this time Patel was with the dominant view among socialists as represented pre-occupied with negotiations that would lead to the by Jayaprakash Narayan who had by now burnt his itself. Indeed, the acceptance of the boats with Patel and the organizational machine of the Mountbatten plan would also become a point of parent party. Later Narendra Deva would write that it contention between the socialists and the Congress was the new rule that was sought to be introduced in leadership, particularly Patel. Gandhi told the socialists the Congress constitution that made him decide to quit; that the need of the hour was to counter communalism, for him that became the litmus test after which “all my not create new parties: “You have simply not understood doubts cleared up”.278 Years later Jayaprakash what socialism means…. Even in Russia their policies Narayan would have second thoughts. He was reported have not succeeded completely. Why don’t you try to in July 1964, a few weeks after Nehru’s death, to have save the country from the calamity that has befallen it said that “leaving the Congress in 1948 to form the today? So long as this communal virus has not been Socialist Party” was a mistake committed on account eradicated, socialism will never come.”275 He asked of “the wrong assessment of the character of the them to talk things over, writing in July 1947: “If we do Congress”.279 According to him “(m)ost of his partymen not unite and work together, I think neither the Congress thought at that time that the Congress would slowly nor the Socialists will succeed.”276 develop into a conservative-cum-liberal party just like ‘what the Swatantra Party is today’. But history belied In the following year Narendra Deva in his speech at this assessment”.280 Ironically, the then assessment the Nasik session of the Socialists would say: may have provided an accurate description of the later

271 Idem. 272 Madhu Limaye, Atmakatha, op. cit., pp. 492–493. 273 Ibid., p. 493. 274 Minoo Masani to Sardar Patel, 26 May 1947, reproduced in Ganesh M. Nandurkar (ed.), Sardar’s Letters—Mostly Unknown, Part 2, Ahmedabad, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Smarak Bhavan, 1980, pp. 214–215. 275 Discussion with Socialist Workers, 7 June 1947, CWMG, Volume 88, pp. 96–97. 276 Letter dated 22 July 1947, CWMG, Volume 88, p. 396. 277 SW-AND-2, p. 224. 278 Narendra Dev, “My Recollections”, in B.V. Keskar and V.K.N. Menon (eds), Acharya Narendra Deva: A Commemoration Volume, New Delhi, National Book Trust, 1971, p. 16. This piece is a translation of Narendra Deva’s article, “Mere Sansmaran” published in Janvani, in September 1948. 279 The Hindustan Times, 4 July 1964, cited in Girja Shankar, Socialist Trends in the Indian National Movement, Meerut, Twenty- First Century Publishers, 1987, p. 294n. 280 Idem. 22 JANATA, February 26, 2017

Congress towards the last two decades of the twentieth to offer another ideological framework which came to be century. By then, several possibilities and alternate associated with later Indian socialists. The principal policies the socialists could have meaningfully expanded intellectual reason for this retreat was the increasing and expounded and to which they might conceivably material that was becoming available on political have made a greater contribution, were lost to them. intolerance and restriction of individual liberty within the Soviet Union. The Pachmarhi Convention of the socialists 9. Some Further Post-Independence Developments in May 1952 which was presided over by Lohia can be said to mark the socialist break with Marxism. Not all socialists left the Congress. Many stayed on but this is not the place to trace their story. We may conclude Narendra Deva and Lohia had had close personal this essay, without going into subsequent organizational relations from the days of the latter’s father Hiralal Lohia and electoral twists and turns, with a brief reference to who had been jailed in various nationalist struggles.284 In such post-independence developments as may be his writings, such as Saptakranti, or “seven revolutions”, necessary to appreciate how socialist politics came published in 1963, Lohia may be seen in relation to subsequently to stand in the context of Narendra Deva’s Narendra Deva somewhat as Antonio Gramsci may be ideas. Narendra Deva reiterated the relevance of non- in relation to Karl Marx, that is, in certain respects, an violent struggle and Satyagraha even in the post- extension, though by no means a replacement.285 independence years. In 1949, on the occasion of the Narendra Deva (and Lohia in such writings), placed agitation carried on by Ram Manohar Lohia in favour of emphasis on the dissolution of caste which the former the democratic forces in Nepal, Narendra Deva quite clearly regarded as an anti-democratic institution. commended Lohia not only for the peaceful satyagraha Both believed that in a socialist society civil liberties ought that Lohia led outside the Nepal embassy in Delhi; he to be deepened, not curtailed. In actual policy and praxis backed Lohia also on the civil liberties questions about the the differences between the approaches represented by way the protest was handled by Delhi’s Police.281 In later them become further marked for, in his anti-Congressism, years too, Narendra Deva lent support to Lohia on various Lohia later sought and pursued alliances even with forces civil liberties issues such as those related to the that Narendra Deva had shunned. Farrukhabad peasants’ agitation and the struggle for democratic rights in Manipur in India’s north-east in Both Narendra Deva and Lohia had come into close 1954.282 The differences between them over a political contact with Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. But Lohia crisis that arose in Travancore-Cochin and on other matters has left behind among his followers a largely post- that soon followed were also marked. Some of these independence legacy of often bitter anti-Nehruism, issues, which assumed an organizational-disciplinary form, which tendency is absent in Narendra Deva. With have been dealt with adequately elsewhere and do not fall Narendra Deva’s political life in the pre-independence within the scope of this essay.283 In post-independence Congress entwined with Nehru’s, the two remained Indian socialism, Lohia was the principal figure associated personally close even after the socialists as a party left with the socialist retreat from Marxism and the attempt the Congress in 1948.286 On their geopolitical

281 Narendra Deva, “The Weapon of Satyagraha”, National Herald, 26 June 1949, reproduced in Acharya Narendra Deva, Towards Socialist Society [Brahmanand (ed.)], New Delhi, Centre of Applied Politics, pp. 362–364. 282 “Statement on Dr Lohia’s Arrest”, National Herald, 28 July 1954, SW-AND-4, pp. 67–68; “Statement on Manipur Satyagraha”, 24 December 1954, published in Janata, 2 January 1955, SW-AND-4, pp. 84–86. 283 See, for example, Hari Kishore Singh, A History of the Praja Socialist Party, Lucknow, Narendra Prakashan, 1959, pp. 200–215 and Hari Dev Sharma, “Acharya Narendra Deva: A Biographical Sketch”, in SW-AND-1, pp. xl-xliv for two interpretations of the events that led to an internal split among the socialists. 284 SW-AND-2, p. 98. 285 For a broad summary of some of the ideas in Lohia’s Saptakranti, see “Seven Revolutions”, Janata, 9 August 2009 (excerpted from the latter part of the preface to Lohia’s, Marx, Gandhi and Socialism, Hyderabad, Rammanohar Lohia Samata Vidyala Nyasa, 1963). He refers to various “revolutions”, including that for national freedom, the satyagraha against weapons and armed might, the social revolution, including the struggle for gender equality, and the struggles against caste and against racial and colour discrimination, the economic struggle of the poor against the rich and the “revolution” aiming to protect privacy against encroachment by the collective. 286 See also in this connection Narendra Deva’s article on Nehru, written in April 1949 more than a year after the former’s departure from the Congress: SW-AND-3, pp. 147–154. JANATA, February 26, 2017 23 perspectives, the differences between Narendra Deva’s implausible to utilize Khrushchev’s revelations to set ideas and those of Ram Manohar Lohia can, of course, Narendra Deva on a posthumous path of anti-Marxism be discerned in their stated ideological positions; but and pro-Americanism of the kind that a section of these become more visibly evident in the actual post- later Indian socialists took. He had made a sharp Narendra Deva political trajectory of the socialists. critique of American imperialism and, in his Narendra Deva was not inclined to embrace the Western correspondence with Asoka Mehta, had also made it alliance even as a response to what he saw as some clear that he would rather leave the party than give up grave provocations to Indian nationalism and Indian Marxism. Narendra Deva’s article in Janvani on socialism from the pre-independence Indian communist “America’s New Imperialism” was published in 1947.289 movement which had sought simultaneously to claim a Even prior to Indian independence, when the United sole-spokesmanship on behalf of Marxism. Although a States had appeared in the 1940s to be pressuring critic of certain aspects of Soviet development, Winston Churchill on Indian independence, Narendra Narendra Deva was emphatic that socialist criticism of Deva cautioned against relying too much on the US: the Soviet Union must be friendly and must not lower “The tendency exhibited during the war to count too her image in the eyes of the world. This did not, of much on the goodwill and support of the USA is to be course mean that he was uncritical of the Soviet Union. deprecated. It seems as if in the days to come the For example, in his presidential address at the Bihar USA would more and more refuse to interfere in the Congress Socialist Party Conference on 16 February domestic affairs of the British Empire.”290 In like 1947 he had referred disapprovingly to the manner, though Narendra Deva left the Congress in “undemocratic nature of the Soviet Russian 1948, he was not prepared to be pushed on the rebound administration”.287 Two weeks later, in his address at into unsavoury alliances or platforms that could the Kanpur session of the socialists on 1 March 1947, encourage or politically strengthen the sectarianism of Narendra Deva was again critical of the absence of any religious community or other group whether for political freedom in Soviet Russia.288 As Narendra Deva electoral or for other tactical purposes. He had died a few days before Khruschev’s disclosures in understood also the complexities of peasant movements February 1956, this has given rise to hypothetical and warned against acquiescing in the development of propositions about how he would have reacted to these; these struggles along casteist or religious-communal but given the criticisms he had already made, it is lines.

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287 SW-AND-2, p. 158. 288 SW-AND-2, pp. 162–163. 289 An English translation was published decades later. See Narendra Deva, “American Imperialism”, Janata, Bombay, 15 January 1989. The 1947 article, America Ka Naya Samrajyavad, was translated from the Hindi by H.B. Mehndiratta. 290 Narendra Deva, “India and the Post-War World”, Amrit Bazar Patrika, Annual Puja Number, 1945, reproduced in Yusuf Meherally (ed.), op. cit., pp. 162–167, at p. 164. R.N.I. NO. 1855/1957 24 JANATA, February 26, 2017 Postal Registration No. MCW/275/2015-2017. License to Post without prepayment WPP License No. MR/Tech/WPP-210/West/2017 Published on Sunday, February 26, 2017 & Posted on Wedenesday March 1, 2017 at Mumbai Patrika Channel, Mumbai GPO-1

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Vol. 72 No. 7 Budget 2017–18 and the Social Sectors March 5, 2017 Neeraj Jain

We had pointed out in our allocations for two of the most previous article on Jaitley’s Budget marginalised sections of Indian 2017–18 that despite the society, Dalits/Adivasis and devastating impact of women. demonetisation on the livelihoods of the poor, the government’s social No country in the world has sector expenditures—aimed at developed without making providing essential services to the provisions for providing free, Politics at studies poor at affordable rates—have not compulsory, equitable and good Kuldip Nayar seen any increase. A significant quality elementary education to increase in these welfare ALL its children in the initial expenditures could have provided stages of its development, and some relief to the distress caused later expanded it to secondary and Violence in Delhi University by this disastrous policy. On the higher secondary education. (And Niraj Kumar, other hand, the government all developed countries have done Bandana Pandey continues to dole out huge subsidies this entirely through public funding; to the rich, in the name of ‘tax they are aware that the private incentives to promote growth’, sector will only invest for profits.)1 ‘Public–Private–Partnership’ and so Unfortunately, India has not been on. Just the tax incentives/ able to provide this to a majority concessions to the rich amount to of its children after seven decades an astronomical Rs 5.5 lakh crore, of independence. The Twelfth an amount that is nearly three times Plan (2012–17) admits that even the government’s social sector after three years of the passage Editor : expenditures (Rs 1.95 lakh crore) of the Right to Education Act which is supposed to guarantee G. G. Parikh as mentioned in the finance minister’s budget speech. free and compulsory education to Managing Editor : Guddi all children in the age group 6– In this article, we first take a 14, the drop-out rate at the D-15, Ganesh Prasad, closer look at the two most elementary level is still as high as Naushir Bharucha Marg, important allocations within the 42.39%!2 According to freshly Mumbai - 400 007. government’s social sector released 2011 Census data, of the expenditures, on education and total school age population (age Email : [email protected] health. After that, we examine the group 5–19 years) of 38.01 crore 2 JANATA, March 5, 2017 children in the country, as many as 6.54 crore their high fees are able to access college children (17.2%) have never attended any school, education. while another 4.49 crore (11.8%) have dropped out of schools in the last decade.3 But the government is unconcerned. It is simply not interested in spending on education. The overall budget Even for those going to school, the conditions in a for the education sector (2017–18 over 2016–17 RE) majority of the schools are so bad that it is a national has been increased by just 8.3%, which means no increase shame: in real terms. And as compared to the GDP, it has actually decreased from 0.49% in 2016–17 RE to 0.47% in 2017– • More than 50% of the primary schools in the 18 BE. country are single, or at best, two teacher schools! And 57% of the primary schools function Let us examine the budget allocations for school with 3 classrooms or less. Implying that a single education. The school education budget for 2017–18 has teacher is teaching two or three different classes actually suffered a cut in real terms: it has been increased at the same time in a single room, in a majority over the revised estimates for 2016–17 by a mere 5.6%. of the primary schools in the country! In his previous budgets, Jaitley had slashed the school education budget so sharply that the budget for this year • A shocking 19% of all regular teachers in is more than the budget for 2014–15 (Actuals) by just elementary schools in the country are not 1.4%! professionally trained; another 14% teachers are working on contractual basis, of whom The Parliament passed the Right to Education (RTE) more than one-third are not professionally Act in 2009, whose declared objective is to provide trained. ‘free and compulsory’ education to all children in the age-group 6–14 years. The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan • 35% of elementary schools do not have usable toilet (SSA) is the main scheme of the Central government facilities, and 44% do not have separate toilet for implementing this Act and universalising education. facilities for girls—an important reason for girls Six years after the passage of the RTE Act, barely 7 dropping out of schools. 10% of the schools are RTE compliant. But the government is simply not willing to allocate funds for this scheme. Its allocation has been increased by only • 24% of all elementary schools in rural India do Rs 1,000 crore over 2016–17 RE; in the previous not even have functional drinking water facilities. years, Jaitley had actually reduced the allocation for this scheme so steeply that the allocation for 2017–18 • Given this state of our schools, is it any wonder continues to be less than the allocation for SSA made that a survey found that 52% of Class V students in 2014–15 even in absolute terms! were unable to read Class II–level text and 49% could not solve simple two-digit subtraction The allocations made for the SSA by the Centre problems (that they are expected to learn in Class are much less than the amount of Central funds II)!4 sought by the Ministry for Human Resource Development (MHRD) for implementation of the So far as higher education is concerned, the Gross RTE Act. The MHRD prepares a budget for Enrolment Ratio or GER (number of students as a implementing the SSA every year, which is based on percent proportion of the youth population in the annual work plan and budgets prepared by the age group 17–23/18–24) is way below the developed districts and submitted to their respective states. A countries—the GER in India is only around part of this budget is supposed to be funded by the 20, whereas for developed countries it is above Centre, as its share of the SSA budget. The gap 5 60, with several countries having a GER above 70. between the Central funds sought by the MHRD and Globalisation has led to the transformation of the actual allocation by the Centre for SSA has been higher education into a business; a majority of increasing every year, and in the four budgets the higher educational institutions in India are now presented by Jaitley so far, has fallen from 78% in in the private sector, and only those able to afford 2014–15 to just 43% this year. JANATA, March 5, 2017 3

Table 1: Budgetary Allocations for Education, 2014–15 to 2017–18 (Rs crore)6 2014– 2015– 2016– 2016–(2) 2017– (3–1)/1 15 (A) (1) 16 (A) 17 BE 17 RE 18 BE (3) %

Department of School Education 45,722 41,800 43,554 43,896 46,356 1.4% and Literacy of which: Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan 24,097 21,661 22,500 22,500 23,500 –2.5% Mid-Day Meal Scheme 10,523 9,145 9,700 9,700 10,000 –5.0% Department of Higher Education 23,152 25,439 28,840 29,703 33,330 44.0% Ministry of Human Resource 68,874 67,239 72,394 73,599 79,686 15.7% Development: Total GDP at Current Market Prices 12,433,749 13,675,331 15,075,429 15,075,429 16,847,455 (2011–12 series) MHRD Budget as % of GDP 0.55% 0.49% 0.48% 0.49% 0.47% Higher Education budget as 33.6% 37.8% 39.8% 40.4% 41.8% % of total MHRD Budget

Table 2: Central Allocation for SSA vis-à-vis Demand from MHRD8 Budgetary Funds sought allocation (BE) Allocation as % by MHRD for SSA for SSA by of approved (Central Share) Ministry of Finance outlay (Rs crore) (Rs crore)

2013–14 31,016 27,258 87.9%

2014–15 36,391 28,258 77.7%

2015–16 40,200 22,000 54.7%

2016–17 46,702 22,500 48.2%

2017–18 55,000 23,500 42.7%

The Mid-Day Meal Scheme is another very All this clearly indicates that the Centre is just not important scheme for elementary education, designed interested in universalising elementary education in the to combat the huge malnutrition levels among children country. We have argued in detail in our earlier writings in the country; another equally important purpose is that the aim of the Right to Education Act passed by the to improve school enrolment and child attendance in previous UPA Government was never to universalise schools. The allocation for this has been marginally elementary education in the country; on the contrary, its increased this year, implying a cut in real terms, and aim was to abandon the Constitutional obligation to as compared to the budget three years ago (2014– provide free and compulsory education of equitable 15), has actually fallen by 5%. The country’s ruling quality to all children in the country, subvert the classes are not willing to spend money even on Unnikrishnan Judgement of the Supreme Court making providing a decent nutritious meal once a day to the education a fundamental right, and create conditions for country’s children! demolishing the government school system and gradually 4 JANATA, March 5, 2017 privatise school education—thereby fulfilling the dictates RE; in other words, the allocation for it has fallen by half of the World Bank imposed Structural Adjustment in two years. Programme.9 The BJP Government has continued with this anti-child and anti-nation policy of the UPA So, in case of higher education too, Modi and Jaitley Government. It has in fact accelerated privatisation and have their priorities clearly set out. The aim is to commercialisation of school education by a simple gradually strangulate the country’s government funded stratagem—squeezing the already low allocation of funds higher education system by reducing government for school education. grants to colleges and universities, so that conditions can be created for its privatisation. With education Coming to higher education, this year, the allocation becoming a commodity and higher educational has been increased by about 12%, or Rs 3,600 crore, institutions becoming business firms, the quality of over last year’s revised estimate. education is bound to suffer. But the country’s corporate houses need at least some good quality Usually, an increased allocation for higher education engineers and managers—and so government funding would be a reason to cheer, but if we look at the various is being concentrated on the country’s premier higher components of the allocation made for the MHRD, it educational institutions like the IITs, IIMs and Central becomes clear that this increased allocation is a case of Universities. misplaced priorities and is very iniquitous. This is so for two reasons. Firstly, it is evident from the last column in The neoliberal model looks at everything, including Table 1 above that the BJP Government is clearly shifting education, from the perspective of maximising corporate its priority to funding higher education as compared to profits. There is no need to look at education from the school education. Within the budget allocation for perspective of human development, as a means of MHRD, the allocation for higher education has been unlocking the inherent potential of human beings, so that steadily going up, from 33.6% in 2014–15 to 41.8% this they can enjoy an enhanced quality of life. All this is year. In other words, this increased allocation for higher gibberish. The sole aim of education must be to prepare education is at the cost of reduced allocation for school youth for employment in the assembly lines of education. multinational corporations. For this, the youth must be imparted the necessary skills, so that they can become And secondly, of this increased allocation of Rs 3,600 cogs in the corporate wheel. crore for higher education, more than Rs 3,000 crore is for the 23 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and 31 This philosophy also fits well with the fascist National Institutes of Technology (NITs). These premier philosophy of the BJP–RSS regime, which wants to engineering institutions account for 37% of the total outlay transform our youth into mindless automatons in the for higher education in 2017–18! On the other hand, service of virulent Hindutva. The youth of the country Jaitley has shown no interest in increasing funding for can only become so, if they do not read, gain improving the quality of the average engineering colleges, knowledge, develop critical thinking, expand their which account for the overwhelming majority of the mental horizons. engineering colleges in the country. The All India Council for Technical Education, the regulator of engineering And so, while on the one hand, the Modi–Jaitley education in India, got only Rs 485 crore this year, as regime is slowly strangulating our higher educational compared to Rs 481 crore last year (2016–17 RE), a cut institutions by starving them of funds, on the other in real terms. hand, the government has hugely increased funding for skill development. The BJP Government Similarly, while the country’s most elite universities, inaugurated the Ministry of Skill Development and the Central Universities, got Rs 6,486 crore this year, Entrepreneurship soon after coming to power in 2014. the University Grants Commission, that is supposed to Its main program is the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas regulate the higher educational institutions in the country Yojana, whose allocation has more than tripled in the and provides grants to more than 10,000 institutions, has last two years. In his budget speech, Jaitley proposed been allocated only Rs 4,692 crore (an increase of Rs to extend the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras from 200 crore over 2016–17 RE, again a cut in real terms). the 60 districts at present to more than 600 districts The UGC had been allocated Rs 9,315 crore in 2015–16 across the country. JANATA, March 5, 2017 5

Table 3: Allocation for Skill Development (Rs crore) Finance Minister Jaitley in his budget speech last year. 2015– 2016– 2016– 2017– On December 31, 2014, the Union Government 16 (A) 17 BE 17 RE 18BE released the draft National Health Policy (NHP) 2015. Pradhan Mantri 991 1,771 2,140 2,924 The draft NHP set three major objectives for the public Kaushal Vikas health sector: expanding preventive health services, Yojana assuring universal availability of free, comprehensive primary healthcare services, and significantly reducing Allocation for health out-of-pocket expenditure by ensuring affordable secondary and tertiary healthcare services. But the India’s health system is in “crisis”. India is the disease government toned down these booming objectives in the capital of the world: draft document itself, saying that “taking into account the financial capacity of the country”, the country could • More than 2 lakh people in the country die of malaria only afford a public health expenditure of 2.5% of GDP every year, while TB kills 3 lakh; to meet these targets, of which 40%, that is 1% of GDP, would be spent by the Centre. Health experts have • According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), pointed out that considering the appalling state of public India accounts for nearly one-fourth of the deaths in healthcare services in the country, such a low level of the world due to diarrhoea, more than one-third of public health expenditure is inadequate to make available the deaths due to leprosy and more than half of the decent quality affordable public healthcare services for deaths due to Japanese encephalitis; the entire population.14

• India’s under-five child mortality rate is the highest In all the three budgets presented by Jaitley since the in the world, with 12 lakh such deaths in 2015; a draft NHP was made public by the government, the funds majority of these deaths are preventable; sanctioned by him for healthcare are way below the minimalist fiscal target of 1% of GDP proposed in it. • India is also in the grip of an epidemic of chronic diseases, which account for more than 50% of the Thus, in the 2017–18 budget, there is an increase in 10 deaths in the country. the allocation for the Department of Health and Family Welfare by 24%, or Rs 9,010 crore. This increase appears It is possible to address these health challenges, but significant only because the allocation for health in the that would call for strengthening of the public health previous years has been very low. Even after this increase, system. The WHO recommends that countries should the allocation is just 0.28% of GDP, way below the target allocate at least 5% of their GDP for public health of 1% set by the Union Government in the draft NHP. services; India allocates barely 1%. India ranks 171 out Of this increase in the budget for the Department of 11 of 175 countries in public health spending. Consequently, Health and Family Welfare, the major increase is in the public health system is in bad shape. Even by secondary and tertiary care sectors, ignoring the standards set by the government, there is a shortfall of orientation suggested in the draft NHP, which calls for about 20% in sub-centres, about 22% in primary health giving first priority to providing access to free and centres (PHCs) and about 30% in community health universal primary healthcare services to all. Thus, nearly centres (CHCs); and there are only on an average of one-fourth of this increase (Rs 2,006 crore) is allocated 1.14 district hospitals per district. Where these health to upgrade district hospitals into new medical colleges centres exist, a majority of them are deficient in under National Health Mission, and another 22% of the 12 infrastructure, with even doctors not available. This increase (Rs 2,022 crore) is on the Pradhan Mantri dismal state of public healthcare has forced citizens to Swasthya Suraksha Yojana, which is for setting up new depend upon the private sector for treatment; of the total AIIMS and upgrading medical colleges. This is not to health spending in the country, public health spending argue that new high quality public tertiary care hospitals 13 accounts for only 28%, households undertake the rest. are not needed—the point is that this should be done not Because of the lack of affordable medical services and at the cost of neglecting the primary sector. The present high costs of private healthcare, six crore people are rush at the district and high-end hospitals can be much pushed into poverty each year—a fact admitted by reduced if the facilities at the PHCs and CHCs are 6 JANATA, March 5, 2017

Table 4: BJP Government Allocations for Health, 2014–15 to 2017–18 (Rs crore) 2014– 2015– 2016– 2016– 2017– 15 (A) 16 (A) 17 BE 17 RE 18 BE Dept. of Health and Family Welfare (including Department of AIDS Control) (1) 30,626 33,121 37,062 38,343 47,353 Dept. of Health Research 911 993 1,145 1,345 1,500 Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: Total 31,537 34,114 38,207 39,688 48,853 Ministry of AYUSH 617 1,075 1,326 1,307 1,429 Total Health Budget (2) 32,154 35,189 39,533 40,995 50,282 GDP at Current Market Prices (2011–12 series) (3) 12,433,749 13,675,331 15,075,429 15,075,429 16,847,455 Total Exp on Health and Family Welfare as 0.25 0.24 0.25 0.25 0.28 % of GDP (1/3) Total Exp on Health as % of GDP (2/3) 0.26 0.26 0.26 0.27 0.3 improved; if primary level health services are good, most will be transformed into ‘health and wellness centres’, illnesses can be taken care of at this level itself, and this whatever that means. In other words, the huge shortfall will not only improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of 35,110 sub-centres, 6,572 PHCs and 2,220 CHCs of delivery of public health services, it will also improve across the country is going to continue.15 the overall health status of the people. The NRHM’s urban counterpart, the National Urban On the other hand, the budget marginalises primary Health Mission (NUHM), is yet to take off properly. For healthcare. While the budget for strengthening the the period 2012–13 to 2016–17, its average yearly National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) has been budgetary requirement was estimated to be Rs 3,391 increased by Rs 2,870 crore, simultaneously, the budgets crore per year from central funds; this year’s allocation for reproductive and child health (including immunisation) is only Rs 752 crore. This allocation is a sharp cut from and communicable diseases have been reduced, while the previous year’s budget allocation of Rs 950 crore.16 the budget for maintenance of existing infrastructure has been kept at virtually the same level as last year. (And It is well established that providing free/affordable yet the finance minister has announced that the public healthcare services is a much better way of government has set a target of reducing the country’s providing universal healthcare to the people rather than high maternal mortality rate from 167 in 2011–13 to 100 providing them health insurance coverage and by 2018–2020, and infant mortality rate from 39 in 2014 reimbursing them hospitalisation costs—the latter only to 28 by 2019—probably by manipulating statistics here benefits private healthcare providers and private too). Therefore, on the whole, the budget for NRHM insurance companies. Be that as it may, last year, the has been increased by Rs 1,727 crore (over the revised government made a big bang announcement of providing estimates for 2016–17), which is a modest increase of people Rs 1 lakh insurance coverage for all Below 8.9%, barely enough to beat inflation. Poverty Line (BPL) card holders under a National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS)—this scheme was also This means that existing public health and primary announced by PM Modi from the ramparts of the Red care facilities, particularly the PHCs and CHCs, will Fort in his Independence Day speech of August 15, 2016. continue to underperform and lag behind the rural This was essentially a revamp of the earlier Rashtriya population’s health needs due to shortage of funds. In Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) that had been launched his budget speech, the finance minister has kept mum on in 2008 and which was also a publicly funded health the huge shortage of health sub-centres, PHCs and CHCs insurance scheme providing hospitalisation coverage to in the country and the severe shortage of infrastructural BPL patients in private or public hospitals for up to Rs and other facilities at the existing centres—all that he 30,000. Upscaling the RSBY to NHPS is estimated to has announced is that the 1.5 lakh health sub-centres cost Rs 24,000 crore for five years or an average of JANATA, March 5, 2017 7

Rs 4,800 per year. However, the finance minister separate budget head/subhead for these sub Plans, and sanctioned only Rs 1,500 for this scheme in 2016–17, that these allocations as a proportion of the Plan spent less than half of this during the year, and in the expenditure should be at least in proportion to their share budget estimate for this year, has cut the allocation for it in the total population. The population share for the Dalits to Rs 1,000 crore. PM Modi has now stopped mentioning is 16.6% and for Adivasis is 8.6%, according to the 2011 this in his speeches. Clearly, this is another announcement Census, implying that the allocations for the SCSP and that is also going to remain on paper only. TSP should be at least 16.6% and 8.6% of the total Plan expenditure respectively. It is another matter that the Table 5: Budget Allocation for RSBY / actual allocations for these sub Plans never reached the NHPS (Rs crore) stipulated norm. During the BJP regime, the allocations 2014– 2015– 2016– 2016– 2017 have fallen to even below the low levels of the previous 15 (A) 16 (A) 17 BE 17RE 18 BE UPA Government, and were 7.06% and 4.36% of the Plan expenditure respectively in the 2016–17 budget RSBY / estimates (Table 6)! NHPS 551 – 1,500 724 1,000 Worse, of the total allocations for SCSP and TSP, only Allocations for Dalits and Adivasis a small proportion of the funds were directed or targeted to benefit the SC/ST communities. An analysis done by The budget documents show an increase of over 30% the National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR) in the outlay for the welfare of the scheduled castes found that in the 2016–17 budget, only 18% of the total (SCs) and scheduled tribes (STs). In his budget speech, SCSP allocations and 37% of the TSP allocations were Jaitley announced that he had allocated Rs 52,393 crore direct/targeted allocations. A majority of the funds were for the SCs for the next financial year against Rs 40,920 allocated for schemes and programmes that were very crore in 2016–17 RE, and Rs 31,920 crores for the STs, general in nature and had no direct impact on the against Rs 24,602 crore in 2016–17 RE. These appear development of the Dalits and Adivasis. Thus, not only to be significant increases, but a closer look tells a was the allocation of funds for these two programmes different story, the same story of massaging statistics to less than half of the stipulated norm, even this reduced make them look good that has become a hallmark of allocation was being done in such a way that allowed the Arun Jaitley. diversion of funds for schemes that did not directly contribute to the actual development of these Till last year, these budget outlays were designed to be communities. This was actually a violation of the policy from the Plan outlay, and hence were known as Scheduled guidelines to these programmes, that clearly state that Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) and Tribal Sub Plan (TSP). These “SCSP and TSP funds should be non-divertible”.17 sub Plans were launched in 1979 and 1974 respectively to ensure the flow of targeted funds from the general The same trend has continued this year too. A NCDHR sectors in the Central Ministries towards the development study found that this year too, the majority of the of the Dalits and Adivasis, so as to bridge the development allocations are for general, non-targeted schemes. Worse, gap between these communities and the rest of society. this year, the BJP Government has abandoned the SCSP The guidelines under these two programmes clearly stated and TSP, and replaced it with “Allocation for Welfare of that each ministry/department must allocate funds under Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes.” This innocuous

Table 6: BJP Government’s Budgetary Allocations for Dalits & Adivasis (Rs crore) 2013–14 (A) 2014–15 (A) 2015–16 RE 2016–17 BE Plan Budget 453,327 462,644 477,197 550,010 Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) 34,722 30,036 34,675 38,833 SCSP as % of Plan Budget 7.66 6.49 7.27 7.06 Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) 22,039 19,921 20,963 24,005 TSP as % of Plan Budget 4.86 4.31 4.39 4.36 8 JANATA, March 5, 2017 sounding change actually signifies a paradigm shift in even these inflated allocations are much less than the policy, as now Plan and non-Plan expenditures have been stipulated guidelines for SCSP and TSP. Even though an merged. This has enabled the government to include accurate comparison is not possible because of the administrative/non-Plan expenditures like salaries of merger of Plan and non-Plan allocations, let us make a employees who belong to SC/ST communities in various rough estimate of the under-allocations this year. For institutions, and pension of retired lecturers and professors this, let us take last year’s ratio of Plan and non-Plan who belong to these communities, as spending for welfare expenditure as the benchmark for allocations. Last year, of SC/STs. This is contrary to the entire rationale for as per the guidelines of the SCSP and TSP, the due creating these special programmes; these people are not allocation for SCs (16.6% of the Plan budget) should beneficiaries of special welfare schemes directed at SC/ have been Rs 91,302 crore, and due allocations for STs STs, they work/worked for the government like the rest (8.6% of the Plan budget) should have been Rs 47,301 of society, and are eligible for pensions like their non- crore. These amount to 4.62% and 2.39% of the total SC/ST colleagues.18 Budget expenditure for last year respectively (see Table 7 for the calculation). Jaitley claims that he has allocated Rs 52,393 crore for the welfare of SCs for the next financial year against Table 7: SCSP and TSP as Mandated by Policy, Rs 38,833 crore in 2016–17 BE, an increase of 34.9%; 2016–17 BE (Rs crore) and Rs 31,920 crores for the welfare of STs in 2017–18 2016–17 RE against Rs 24,005 crore in 2016–17 BE, a 33% jump. But Jaitley is manipulating data; these expenditures are Total Budget Outlay (1) 1,978,060 not comparable, as the expenditures in 2016–17 were Plan budget 550,010 from the Plan Expenditure, and not total Budget Outlay, whereas in the allocations for this year, the distinction Amount mandated by policy for 91,302 SCSP: 16.6% of Plan budget (2) between Plan and non-Plan expenditures has been eliminated, and the two have been merged. Thus, in the SCSP as % of Budget Outlay (2/1) 4.62% allocations for welfare of scheduled castes and scheduled Amount mandated by policy for 47,301 tribes this year, schemes that were earlier reported under TSP: 8.6% of Plan budget (3) non-Plan head and were not included under SCSP and TSP have been included, such as Employees Pension TSP as % of Budget Outlay (3/1) 2.39% Scheme, 1995 (allocation Rs 767 crore and Rs 388 crore Now, taking these percentages (4.62% and 2.39%) respectively), and Interest Subsidy for Short term credit as the benchmark for allocations, this means that in to farmers (allocation Rs 2,430 crore and Rs 1,200 crore the 2017–18 Budget, the scheduled castes should have respectively). Then, it is also not clear why, all of a sudden, been allocated Rs 99,179 crore and scheduled tribes certain schemes that earlier were not included under Rs 51,307 crore. But instead, Budget 2017–18 SCSP and TSP have been included this year in the allocated Rs 52,393 crore for SCs and 31,920 crore statements giving allocations for welfare of SCs/STs— for STs. This means a total of Rs 46,786 crore for these include schemes such as Rashtriya Krishi Vikas SCs and Rs 19,387 crore for STs has been denied by Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana. the Central Government (Table 8).

Till last year, the various ministries/departments had Allocation for women to report budget allocations under SCSP and TSP, based This is also known as the Gender Budget. First on which these sub Plans were drawn up. But this year, introduced in Union Budget 2005–06, it captures the with these sub Plans being scrapped and no new quantum of budgetary resources earmarked for women framework being drawn up to replace them, how have by various departments and ministries. The Gender the various ministries reported the allocations for welfare Budget Statement (GBS) is prepared on the basis of the of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes within the information furnished by the Ministries/Departments. different schemes is also not clear.19 In a country where a crime against women takes place Finally, even if we ignore the above manipulations being every 90 seconds, an insensitive Modi Government had indulged in by the manuvadi BJP Government to inflate slashed the gender budget so sharply during the previous its allocations for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, JANATA, March 5, 2017 9

Table 8: Desired Allocation for Budget constitutes 73% of the total budget under Part Welfare of SCs and STs, 2017–18 (Rs crore) A (Rs 31,389 crore). 2017–18 BE Part B includes spending for those schemes where Total Budget Outlay 2,146,735 allocation for women constitutes at least 30% of the provision. All important ministries claim that 30% of Desired allocation for scheduled 99,179 their allocations are for women, and this is routinely castes welfare: 4.62% of shown as such in Part B of the Gender Budget. Thus, Budget Outlay in the 2017–18 budget, the Department of Health and Actual Outlay 52,393 Family Welfare has claimed an allocation of Rs 19,288 Shortage in Outlay 46,786 crore for the Gender Budget, the Department of School Education and Literacy Rs 13,335 crore, Desired allocation for scheduled 51,307 Department of Higher Education Rs 9,777 crore, and castes welfare: 2.39% of Budget so on. No attempt is made to ensure that this much Outlay allocation is targeted to benefit women, neither do these Actual Outlay 31,920 ministries attempt to make an estimate of how many women have benefited from these women-oriented Shortage in Outlay 19,387 allocations. two years that even after increasing the allocations for Let us now take a look at some of the schemes women in 2017–18 by 25% over 2016–17 BE, the mentioned in the GBS which are genuinely targeted at allocations are below the allocations for 2014–15 BE in women. In his budget speech, the finance minister real terms! This is also reflected in the gender budget announced the expansion of the Indira Gandhi Matritva allocation as a percentage of total budget outlay—this Sahyog Yojana, a pilot scheme introduced in 53 districts year’s allocation of 5.28% is below the allocation for all over the country in 2010, to cover the whole country. 2014–15 of 5.46%. The allocation for this scheme, now renamed as Maternity Benefit Programme, has been increased from Rs 634 The GBS is in two parts. Part A details schemes in crore in 2016–17 RE to Rs 2,700 crore in this year’s which 100% provision is for women, Part B reflects budget. The scheme provides financial assistance of

Table 9: BJP Government’s Allocations for Women, 2014–15 to 2017–18 (Rs crore) 2014–15 BE 2015–16 BE 2016–17BE 2017–18 Gender Budget 98,030 79,258 90,770 113,327 Ministry of Women and Child Development 21,194 17,352 17,408 22,095 Budget Outlay 1,794,892 1,777,477 1,978,060 2,146,735 Gender Budget as % of Budget Outlay 5.46% 4.46% 4.59% 5.28% schemes where the allocations for women constitute Rs 6,000 to pregnant women for “hospital admission, at least 30% of the provision. A closer look at the vaccination and nutritional food”.20 GBS makes it clear that a large part of the allocations shown under it have actually nothing to do with the This upscaling was much needed, even though the welfare of women. Thus, in Part A of the GBS this quantum of assistance being provided needs to be year, which includes allocations for schemes that are increased—for instance, Tamil Nadu provides Rs 12,000 supposedly exclusively for women, there is an to all pregnant women below the poverty line from its allocation of Rs 23,000 crore for Pradhan Mantri Avas own state resources. India’s maternal mortality rate is Yojana. Even if women are given joint ownership of the highest in the world. According to the World Health houses built under this scheme, how can this be a Statistics (2016), nearly 5 women die every hour in India scheme that is meant to benefit women exclusively? due to pregnancy and delivery related complications.21 The allocation for this under Part A of the Gender Unfortunately, the finance minister has introduced 10 JANATA, March 5, 2017 conditionalities such as institutional delivery and full becomes clear from the fact that of the low allocation vaccination for women to be eligible for this financial of Rs 100 crore in the 2016–17 budget, only Rs 43 assistance. These conditionalities actually end up crore was spent. Ninety crores have been allocated excluding 60% of the country’s women, because they for setting up of ‘One Stop Crisis Centres’ across don’t deliver in hospitals, and/or are unable to vaccinate the country to provide assistance to women victims their children. But they are the ones who need these of sexual assault; they were to have been set up in maternity benefits the most, as they include women from 2015, in 2016 Maneka Gandhi announced that 17 such the poorest sections of the population, belong to Dalit centres had been set up, but news reports point out and Adivasi communities, and live in the remotest areas that many are only in name.24 Even the National of the country. They are unable to deliver in hospitals or Commission for Women, a statutory body that vaccinate their children, because of the terrible state of investigates complaints related to deprivation of government health services in the country.22 Instead of women’s rights, has been allocated just Rs 25 crore. focussing on improving facilities in government hospitals, and making hospitals more accessible for the poor (by But what reveals the government’s total unconcern improving ambulance facilities), the suit-boot sarkar’s towards women’s safety, despite the newspapers daily finance minister and prime minister are putting the blame carrying reports of rapes, acid attacks and domestic on the victims of our dismal public health system, and violence, is the under-utilisation of the Nirbhaya Fund. excluding them from receiving maternity benefits! Following the brutal gang rape of a young girl in Delhi in December 2012, that shook the conscience of the nation, In any case, despite the increased allocation this year, this fund was announced by the then Finance Minister P it is not enough to make the scheme genuinely universal. Chidambaram in his 2013 Union Budget to support It is estimated that about 2.7 crore births take place in initiatives by the government and NGOs that support the India each year. This means this scheme would require safety of women in India, with a corpus of Rs 1,000 crore. about Rs 16,000 crores. Assuming centre–state cost Jaitley too added Rs 1,000 crore to this fund in both the sharing to be 60:40, this would therefore require an 2014 and 2015 budgets, and then reduced it to Rs 500 allocation of Rs 9,700 crore in the Union Budget to cover crore in the 2016 and 2017 budgets. But what is most all pregnant women in the country.23 The finance minister astonishing is that most of this money has remained has allocated just 28% of this. unutilised. Most of the schemes announced by the government for implementation with these funds have Several other schemes exclusively meant for women remained only on paper. In fact, in May 2016, even the are mentioned in Part A of the GBS under the allocation Supreme Court issued notice to the government for the Ministry of Women and Child Development. questioning why the Nirbhaya Fund has been left largely The allocation for the ‘Scheme for Adolescent Girls’, unused!25 also called SABLA, has kept at the same level as last year, Rs 460 crore—it had been allocated Rs 700 crore The most important allocation within the Ministry in 2014–15. For several other schemes, the allocation of Women and Child Development is for Integrated is so low that it is obvious that they are going to remain Child Development Services or ICDS. Within this, on paper only, and have been announced for Anganwadi services have been allocated Rs 15,245 propaganda purposes only. Thus, the Central Social crore, which is even less than the allocation of 15,433 Welfare Board, that is supposed to run several crore in 2015–16 (Actuals). This cut has been made, important programmes for the welfare and despite a damning Niti Ayog Report of 2015 showing development of women and children, especially in rural that around 41% of the Anganwadis have inadequate areas, has been given a measly Rs 71 crore; while the space, 71% are not visited by doctors, 31% have no Rashtriya Mahila Kosh, that is supposed to provide nutritional supplementation for malnourished children micro-loans to women for livelihoods, micro- and 52% have bad hygienic conditions.26 With the enterprises, etc. has been given a nominal Rs 1 crore. government reducing the allocation, the conditions are The allocation for women’s helpline has been reduced only going to get worse. It is indicative of our ruling to Rs 10 crore from Rs 25 crore in 2016–17. The regime’s complete insensitivity towards the crores of allocation for the much tomtomed Beti Bachao Beti children in the country who are malnourished (39% Padhao Abhiyan has been doubled to Rs 200 crore; of children under five are stunted and 28% but the government’s seriousness about this scheme underweight) and the more than two crore pregnant JANATA, March 5, 2017 11 women and lactating mothers. It also means that the studies show that this is a huge underestimate: Anganwadi workers who are being paid a pittance will continue to work at their very low wages. • Basing herself on official NSSO data, the noted economist Utsa Patnaik has shown that the Additionally, in his budget, the finance minister percentage of persons in rural areas who could not announced a grand scheme of setting up Mahila Shakti consume enough food to obtain the minimum Kendras in all the 14 lakh ICDS Anganwadi centres. He recommended calorie norm (2,200 calories/day) was stated that they will provide one stop convergent support 75.5% in 2009–10. In urban areas, the percentage services for empowering rural women with opportunities who could not consume enough food to obtain the for skill development, employment, digital literacy, health norm (2,100 calories/day) was 73%. and nutrition. Ambitious indeed! But, the total allocation for these 14 lakh Kendras—a princely sum of Rs 500 • The Oxford Poverty and Human Development crore. That works out to just Rs 3,571 for each Kendra! Initiative of the Oxford University devised a Global Furthermore, these services are to be provided by the Multidimensional Poverty Index, which used low-paid Anganwadi workers—as an additional duty, weighted indicators relating to education, health and without any additional pay! Implying that this scheme is standard of living to arrive at a measure of a mere eye wash. multidimensional deprivation. It found that in 2005– 06, 53.8% of the population was ‘Multidimensionally Consequence: growing inequality Poor’, and another 16.4% was ‘Vulnerable to Poverty’, totalling 70.2%. The acceleration of neoliberal policies in the country under the Modi regime has worsened the inequality in • The Socio-Economic and Caste Census (2011) data the country to extreme levels. A study released by Oxfam relating to rural households are now available. They in January this year showed that the country’s richest show that for nearly 75% of rural households, the 1% people now owned more than 58% of the country’s income of the highest earning member is less than wealth. This figure was 49% in 2014, when the Modi Rs 5,000/month; and for 92%, it is less than Rs 10,000 Government assumed power.27 a month. For more than half of rural households, the main source of income is manual casual labour— “India’s billionaires have never had it so good”, to the most insecure, deprived and sweated type of quote a magazine that keeps track of these worthies. employment.30 The number of dollar billionaires in the country has gone up by a record 50% in just two years, from 56 in 2014 to Despite this extreme inequality and terrible 84 in 2016, as per the latest global ranking of the uber marginalisation of the overwhelming majority of the rich by Forbes magazine. They collectively own a mind- country’s population, the government is reducing its boggling $248 billion, or 8% of the country’s total wealth already low welfare expenditures on the poor, and of $3,100 billion. As a percentage of the country’s GDP, transferring the savings to the rich! In the 2017–18 their collective wealth, at Rs 16.6 lakh crore (taking budget, the total allocation for the Department of School $1=Rs 67), is equivalent to 11% of India’s GDP for 2016– Education, the Department of Health and Family Welfare, 17! The top 57 billionaires have more wealth than the for all agriculture-related sectors and for the Ministry of bottom 70% of the population.28 Women and Child Welfare totals Rs 46,356 + 47,353 + 1,65,671 + 22,095 = Rs 281,475 crore. This amount is No wonder the rich are elated with Modi–Jaitley; roughly half of the total tax concessions given to the rich achhe din have truly come for them! With India now last year! And apart from tax concessions, the rich are having the fourth largest number of billionaires in the being given so many other breathtaking subsidies—loan world, they have declared that India is on its way to write-offs, loan restructuring, allowing them to plunder becoming an economic superpower.29 mineral wealth of the nation virtually for free, grants of public funds as ‘incentives’ to investors in the On the other hand, the poor have never had it so bad! infrastructural sectors, and so on. While the Economic Survey of 2015–16 claims that the incidence of poverty in the country has declined from The Modi Government is undoubtedly the most pro- 37.2% in 2004–05 to 21.9% in 2011–12, a host of other rich government in the history of independent India. 12 JANATA, March 5, 2017

References

1 Neeraj Jain, Education Under Globalisation: Burial of the Constitutional Dream, Aakar Books, Delhi, 2015, pp. 3–4, 76–77. 2 Twelfth Five-Year Plan: 2012–17, Vol. III: Social Sectors, p. 53, http://planningcommission.nic.in. 3 Neera Sanotra, “What 2011’’ Census Report Says About State of Education in India”, November 4, 2016, http://examswatch.com. 4 All figures taken from: Neoliberal Fascist Attack on Education, Lokayat publication, available on Lokayat website, http://lokayat.org.in; see also: Neeraj Jain, Education Under Globalisation: Burial of the Constitutional Dream, op. cit., pp. 14–19. 5 J.B.G. Tilak, How Inclusive Is Higher Education in India? 2015, http://www.educationforallinindia.com; see also: Neoliberal Fascist At tack on Education, ibid. 6 All figures related to the budget taken from Union Budget documents available at: Union Budget, http://indiabudget.nic.in. 7 Ambarish Rai, “Extreme Neglect of Primary Education in Budget 2017", February 2, 2017, https://thewire.in. 8 What do the Numbers Tell? An Analysis of Union Budget 2017–18, Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability, February 2017, pp. 21–22, http://www.cbgaindia.org. 9 See: Neeraj Jain, Education Under Globalisation: Burial of the Constitutional Dre am, op. cit. 10 All figures taken from: Neoliberal Fascist Attack on Education, op. cit.; see also: Neeraj Jain, Education Under Globalisation: Burial of the Constitutional Dream, ibid., pp. 254–55. 11 David Coady et al. (edited), The Economics of Public Health Care Reform in Advanced and Emerging Economies, International Monetary Fund, 2012, pp. 23–34, http://books.google.co.in; Nirmala M. Nagaraj, “India Ranks 171 Out of 175 in Public Health Spending, Says WHO Study”, August 11, 2009, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 13 Infrastructure, NHM Components, National Health Mission”, February 2017, http://nrhm.gov.in; R. Ramachandran, “Retreat of the State”, Frontline, October 16, 2015, http://www.frontline.in. 13 World Health Statistics 2013, World Health Organisation, 2013, Switzerland. 14 Sourindra Mohan Ghosh, Imrana Qadeer, “An Inadequate and Misdirected Health Budget”, February 8, 2017, https://thewire.in. 15 Infrastructure, NHM Components, National Health Mission”, op. cit.; R. Ramachandran, For Private Plunder”, Frontline, October 16, 2015, http://www.frontline.in. 16 Sourindra Mohan Ghosh, Imrana Qadeer, “An Inadequate and Misdirected Health Budget”, op. cit. 17 Dalit Adivasi Budget Watch: 2015 to 2017, National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights – Dalit Arthik Adhikar Andolan, http:// www.ncdhr.org.in. 18 For more on this, see: Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty, “Dalit Rights Activists Slam Budget, Say Allocation for SC/STs in Violation of Jadhav Guidelines”, February 4, 2017, https://thewire.in; N. Paul Divakar, “The 2017 Budget is Taking SC/ST Welfare Backwards”, February 2, 2017, https://thewire.in. 19 What do the Numbers Tell? An Analysis of Union Budget 2017–18, op. cit., pp. 47–50. 20 “PM Narendra Modi Announces Maternity Benefit of Rs. 6,000 for Pregnant Women”, December 31, 2016, http://www.ndtv.com. 21 “5 Women Die Every Hour During Childbirth in India: WHO”, June 16, 2016, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 22 Dipa Sinha, “Budget 2017 Disappoints, Maternity Benefit Programme Underfunded, Excludes Those Who Need It the Most”, February 3, 2017, http://everylifecounts.ndtv.com; Maya Palit, “So Glad You Mentioned Pregnant Women, PM-ji. How About We Tell You What We Know About These Schemes?” January 4, 2017, http://theladiesfinger.com. 23 Dipa Sinha, ibid. 24 See for instance: Sharanya Dutta, “A Gurgaon Hospital Gets a New One-Stop Centre. And We’re Still Confused About How Many of them Exist”, October 21, 2016, http://theladiesfinger.com. 25 “We Cried for Nirbhaya, But the Fund Named After Her is Under-Utilised While Rape Victims Continue to Suffer”, February 17, 2017, https://thelogicalindian.com; Asmita Ghosh, “It’s Been 4 Years – What has the Nirbhaya Fund Done So Far?” December 29, 2016, https://feminisminindia.com. 26 Sourindra Mohan Ghosh, Imrana Qadeer, “An Inadequate and Misdirected Health Budget”, op. cit. 27 Barun Jha, “57 Indian Billionaires Own Wealth Equal to Bottom 70% of Country’s Population”, January 16, 2017, https://thewire.in. 28 Ibid.; “India’s Billionaires List Rises to All Time High of 56: Forbes”, March 4, 2014, http://www.vccircle.com.. 29 “84 Indian Billionaires on Forbes 2016 Richest List”, March 2, 2016, http://www.forbesindia.com. 30 “Constructing Theoretical Justifications to Suppress People’s Social Claims”, Aspects of India’s Economy, No. 62, January 2016, http://www.rupe-india.org. JANATA, March 5, 2017 13

Between The Lines Politics at studies

Kuldip Nayar

There was politics even during the they feel handicapped in The scenario in UP only period when I was in college before withdrawing money. underlines the Modi’s or, for that partition. But it was not on communal matter, the BJP’s thinking. True, lines as it is today. Then the enemy This may be true. But the Hindus are in a preponderant was the British and all were at a Muslims do not point out at the real majority in India but the country is struggle to oust them. It was the reason. They lost their importance ruled by the constitution which 1940s when Qaid-e-Azam after the creation of Pakistan which gives the voting rights to every Mohammad Ali Jinnah came to the was founded on the basis of religion. individual without any distinction. Law College at Lahore and exhorted Congress leader Maulana Abul When this clause was discussed at all of us to make a joint effort to drive Kalam Azad fought a lonely battle the Constituent Assembly, Sardar out the British. against this thinking during the Patel was willing to give British period itself. He would say reservations to Muslims. But the Subsequently, things came to that if the Muslims felt unsafe or community refused it on the ground such a pass that even water was insecure in a large country like India, that such thinking would again divided into Hindu pitchers and they would feel still more unsafe in result into another division. Muslim pitchers. We, the students, a partitioned India because the were not contaminated at that time. Hindus would tell the Muslims to go Nonetheless, the appeal to voters We would eat together at the same to Pakistan after having taken their is still on the basis of caste and creed. table, ordering food from the Hindu share. Although the Election Commission kitchen as well as from the Muslim has banned invoking the name of kitchen. This is precisely what happened. religion or community, the political It was Jawaharlal Nehru who was leaders continue to use them so Today the polarization has able to stop the exodus. Along with blatantly because they knew that the contaminated Hindu community, Sardar Patel, who was not Muslims did have a say when it dividing it into castes. Prime Minister enthusiastic about Muslims staying came to elections. Narendra Modi did not recognise this back in India, appealed to the Hindus and recently talked about that Mahatma Gandhi who freed We could see leaders of all hues kabaristan and samshanbhoomi. India from bondage would say that and parties trying to woo the Muslim He unnecessarily brought in the India would continue to be a country voters during the recent election religion saying that why there is no where there will be no distinction campaigns in UP, without saying power at samshanbhoomi while it between Hindus and Muslims. anything to ameliorate their was available at kabaristan. conditions which is worse than that The Muslims community has lost of dalits according to the Sachchar State chief minister Akhilesh its importance in government affairs Commission report. The offer of Yadav corrected the Prime Minister after partition. They number about freebies, including electricity and and stated that Uttar Pradesh had 17 crore in India but have no writing off loans to farmers, is the electricity for 24 hours and important portfolio in the Narendra routine traits adopted by all political both kabaristan and samshanbhoomi get Modi cabinet. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi parties. This once again goes on to constant power supply despite the was the lone Muslim face until M.J. prove how the Muslims are used as fact that the state had been facing Akar was inducted as the second a vote bank. severe power cuts. The complaints minister of state. This does not, the Muslims make is that there are however, cover up the tilt towards Unfortunately, all these last until fewer ATMs in their localities and Hindutva. the polling dates. Soon after, different 14 JANATA, March 5, 2017 parties go their own way and the However, none of them agreed to At the same time a Muslim does elected government once again turns my plea that one of them should not get accommodation or think of a blind eye towards the betterment have a tattoo of OM. They said that buying a property in a decent locality. of Muslims. The wishes and they would be beaten up at their They do not even agitate for it lest aspirations spelled out in the home if they did. they should be misunderstood. But constitution becomes only a mirage. there are instances of Muslims having The Muslims are pushed into the We have come a long way bought properties in a Hindu locality background to be brought back to the from that time. Today, the society after the court’s intervention. Of forefront before another set of is so polarized that the question of course, there are some misguided elections. tattooing other religion’s symbol elements among Muslims throwing does not arise. He would be a their weight about. I witnessed a similar scenario brave man who dares the when I left my hometown Sialkot. community by violating its code. However, despite Hindutva factor There was no difference during Muslims prefer to live in a locality people in India are realizing that they those days and we lived as citizens, where their community’s people have to live together as they have not as Hindus and Muslims. I had are concentrated. They do not feel done centuries before. That is the even got the Crescent tattooed at safe in a mixed or secular idea of India and most people are the bidding of my Muslims friends. habitation. clutching at it.

Violence in Delhi University

Socialist Yuvjan Sabha (SYS) Under the umbrella of the power elections after a long hiatus in 2013 condemns the violence that broke at the Centre Akhil Bharatiya and 2014 and received good support out in Ramjas College of Delhi Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the from the student community. SYS University a few days ago. SYS student wing of RSS/BJP, is believes that in the university condemns similar bouts of violence indulging in routine ruckus in the campuses, the fight for the freedom happening in other universities. name of nationalism and culture. In of expression should not be The tragic suicide of the reaction to this, the communist transformed into a fight for promising research student Rohith students’ organizations lead protests hegemony. Vemula of Hyderabad University for freedom of expression in the too could be viewed as the result campuses. In the battle for It is a matter of great concern that of this trend of violence in student supremacy between Sanghis and in the wake of the Ramjas incident politics. SYS believes that communists, the general lot of some communist comrades openly universities are a platform for the independent, liberal, non-violent, advocated violence on social media. freedom of expression and the democratic, secular students, and The ill effects of violence are usually holistic development of students. those who advocate social justice borne out by the students from the The future of the nation is shaped naturally stand against ABVP’s weaker sections of society. SYS in its universities, where students retrograde agenda. But the believes that university campuses sharpen their intellectual acumen communist student organizations should be no place for violence of to lead a more meaningful life for often try to use them for their own any kind from any quarter. the nation and society. But the limited agenda. This weakens the Consequently, SYS unequivocally pervasive violence witnessed first struggle which benefits the ABVP. opposes the violence. The time has at JNU and now in DU has Communist student organizations do come when all student organizations diminished the stature of the not actually lead these groups; this must agree to follow the path of non- universities. This has caused was proven beyond doubt with the violence advocated by thinkers like insecurity for students (especially BAPSA’s impressive demonstration Gandhi, Bhagat Singh, Acharya those who have come here to study in JUNSU elections when it Narendra Deva, Yusuf Meherally, from far-flung areas) and has contested for the first time. SYS had Kamla Devi Chattopadhyaya, Dr. disrupted their academic career. fielded its panel in the DUSU Ambedkar, Frontier Gandhi Khan JANATA, March 5, 2017 15

Abdul Gaffar Khan, Dr. Lohia, JP context, the following statements ‘When students do not and Kishan Patnayak. by Bhagat Singh and Dr. Lohia are participate in politics they tacitly pertinent: support governmental politics and The Ramjas incident has become in this way do politics indirectly.’ an alibi for some people to speak ‘They (the students) should study. (Dr. Lohia) against student politics. What is the They must study. Along with it, they need for politics in university should also acquire political Come; let us all join hands to premises, they ask. SYS believes knowledge, and jump into politics if free education and educational that the right kind of political and when the need arises, and institutions from the clutches of training can happen only in the dedicate their lives to its cause.’ neo-liberalism. environs of universities. In this (Bhagat Singh) –Niraj Kumar, President ; Bandana Pandey, General Secretary

The author of two articles ‘RSS–biggest threat to democrocy’ and ‘Mayawati set to return in Uttar Pradesh` published in the last issue at Janata is Sandeep Pandey.

–Mg. Editor

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Vol. 72 No. 8 Between The Lines March 12, 2017

Narendra Modi compromises Is judiciary in peril? his stature in UP elections Sandeep Pandey Kuldip Nayar Prime Minister should visit Palestine along with Israel Delhi University teacher G. N. people, by adhering to their thesis, Saibaba has been sentenced to life would benefit. Why mock at the Harvard academicians? imprisonment for his links with Pannalal Surana Maoists. With due respects to the India is not alone in facing the court, I beg to differ with the challenge. All over the world, The legitimacy and morality of punishment. Maoists are ultra-left especially after the election of Prof. Saibaba’s conviction and most people in India do not like Donald Trump in America, people Prabhakar Sinha their philosophy. Some who follow feel insecure in pursuing their right them can be criticized, but cannot be to espouse views. As his rival Hillary Shall the world economy remain imprisoned for their views and that Clinton said, they would adhere to US Dllar slave forever? Jitendra Kumar Sharma too for life. what the constitution of America says on individual rights. The US Children of lesser God It appears that the courts are also President should know that the Devinder Sharma getting influenced by the party in popular movement against the Soviet power. The ruling Bhartiya Janata system which brooked no other voice The vision of Swami Vivekananda Party (BJP) believes in Hindu was brought down by the people B. Vivekanandan Rashtra. Conceded that it is not themselves. The popular sentiment doing anything in the form of a bill was that expression of views should Rabi Ray Syed Shahabuddin or any order to impose Hindutva, but be free and without fear. Germany the very fact that the Prime Minister also proved this point. It had the best Qurban Ali Narendra Modi supports the cause of constitution which guaranteed Editor : does carry weight. free speech in every way, but a G. G. Parikh person like Adolf Hitler used the The Maoists should be fought on same constitution to found the worst Managing Editor : Guddi the ideological ground. The BJP of rules. It took a full-fledged war to should present its case that the Hindu oust him and his philosophy. D-15, Ganesh Prasad, philosophy would bring more Naushir Bharucha Marg, prosperity than that of the leftists’ Even now Germany takes Mumbai - 400 007. which promises an egalitarian different stringent steps to see that society. In fact, the left itself has to the ghost of Nazism does not Email : [email protected] sell what it believes in and how the surface. Nazis’ swastika has been 2 JANATA, March 12, 2017 found scribbled on the walls of Narendra Modi compromises his Berlin. It seems that some Germans are still dreaming about ruling the stature in UP elections entire Europe. Economically, the country does dominate but politically it has not yet learnt to take its turn. Sandeep Pandey

It is surprising that Maoism has very little following although it is the With indications of major voting that Ashok Singhal did not say this same kind of philosophy which does in favour of Bahujan Samaj Party when became not entertain another point of view. (BSP), led by strong dalit leader the PM, the tallest leader of BJP so Nationalism in Germany is so deep Mayawati, in the early round of far. Vajpayee was not seen as that it does not allow any other polling in Uttar Pradesh Assembly communal and was the only thinking which may be embracing elections, it is quite strange that major important national BJP leader absent other parts of Europe. The country newspapers, quite suspiciously, are from the site when Babri Masjid has allowed some immigrants who predicting a Bhartiya Janata Party demolition was taking place in 1992 have become a great burden on (BJP) government just before the in Ayodhya. Greece. Berlin is now vigilant. It is results are to be out on 11 March, not now possible to migrate to 2017. We have seen this kind of Since before the campaign for last Germany even on humanitarian phenomenon during the last general general elections when it was clear grounds. elections in 2014 when Narendra the Narendra Modi would be the PM Modi was swept to power riding on candidate it was decided between New Delhi is unnecessarily a high profile publicity campaign. Narendra Modi and his handpicked worried. The idea of India counts so However, it is quite unlikely that 2014 BJP chief Amit Shah that the former much with the people that there is will be repeated when BJP bagged will only address development issues no room for any other thought to 71 out of 80 Lok Sabha seats from and the latter may, when felt germinate. It is probably this Indian- UP. The apparent wave in favour of necessary, raise communal issues like ness which binds people from BJP is limited to media and appears he did prior to the Muzaffarnagar riots Kashmir to Kanyakumari. The to be sponsored. It is also likely that in 2013 and made reference to Maoists cannot penetrate. some media houses have been Kasab, the now executed Pakistani armtwisted to toe the rudely involved in 2008 Mumbai terrorist Democracy is more than a faith authoritarian rule to which India is attack, recently in the UP campaign. with the people. It was seen how the now getting used to. This arrangement was made to popular leader, Indira Gandhi, was project an image of Narendra Modi, swept off her feet soon after lifting In fact, Prime Minister Narendra widely acceptable by all sections of of the Emergency in 1977. She too Modi’s desperation was visible when population since he was to be a was defeated at the polls. The voters he stooped to the level of talking national leader. It must be granted did not like the authoritarian rule and about more electricity being given on that he did control his communal revolted against it when they got the Ramzan than on Diwali and how tendencies and went out of the way opportunity. Hindus also deserve space in to make friends with some heads of Shamshaan like the Muslims get in states of Muslim nations like the The ruling BJP, which was then Kabristan. It became clear that he United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jan Sangh, also suffered and its was speaking as the Prime Minister Afghanistan and even made a visit to followers were put behind bars. Even of Hindus and not the whole Pakistan, opposition to which is a then Delhi Mayor Hansraj Gupta was population. The now deceased cornerstone of BJP and Rashtriya not spared. Members of the Jan President of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Swayamsewak Sangh politics, to Sangh and the Gandhites shared the Ashok Singhal, had claimed in 2014 attend a private event in Nawaz same cell. The Janata Party was born after Narendra Modi’s elevation to Sharif’s family. Even though he was in the jail itself. The credit, however, the PM’s post that Hindu rule was not forthright in condemning goes to Raj Narain, a socialist, who back in India after the Mughals communal incidents like the murder (Continued on Page 3) invaded the country. It is interesting of Mohammad Akhlaq in 2015, he JANATA, March 12, 2017 3 never uttered anything explicitly a Chief Ministerial candidate and Even if the BJP manages to pull communal. He was trying to project projecting Narendra Modi and Amit through a victory by fluke in the UP himself as a statesman in the mould Shah as the only credible leaders in assembly elections it would have of Jawaharlal Nehru, a hugely the party, it has once again annoyed caused serious damage to the secular popular PM internationally as well. the state leaders, some of whom are fabric of the state. The BJP is working But the fear of losing UP elections senior to both the Gujarat leaders. It on replicating the Gujarat model of weighed heavily on him, especially did not learn from Mohan Bhagwat’s segregating the Muslim population by after the humiliating loss in Bihar in anti-reservation pronouncements in victimizing them and then denying 2015. The self-discipline gave away. the middle of the Bihar campaign in them their basic rights. It doesn’t He betrayed his true colours and response to which the PM had to go portend well for the future of the state appealed to the baser instincts of out of the way to claim that he will and the country. This campaign has Hindu population, which was not lay down his life to protect the also proven that Narendra Modi does expected of a PM. He even claimed, reservations system. This time not have the mettle to be the Prime out of the blue, that terrorists from a Manmohan Vaidya, another senior Minister of the country. At best he is neighbouring country, quite obviously functionary of RSS, repeated the a chieftain of a section of the majority referring to Pakistan, were behind a mistake at an international literary community which subscribes to a railway accident which took place festival in Jaipur held in January 2017. sectarian view of cultural nationalism. sometime back. It was patently clear that he lost his self-confidence. But (Continued from Page 2) he could not have quit midway and challenged Mrs Gandhi for her poll Ultimately, it would come to what therefore continued to campaign with malpractices. The Allahabad High Maoism means. In a country where a bold face. The strategy to pump Court debarred her from occupying the constitution guarantees free money into media or pull levers to from any elected post for six years. speech and expression, the views of project a BJP victory was adopted She, however, imposed the a particular philosophy cannot be subsequently. Emergency but that is a different story. banned. But there should be no exhortation to violence. The manner It was feared that BJP may even The DU teacher and four others in which the killings have taken place resort to provoking a communal riot, who were sentenced for life did not in Bastar indicates that the Maoists if needed, to polarize the votes commit any heinous crime to deserve have no respect for life and would further. That did not happen but the the punishment for having mere links use any method to ensure that their evening before the last day of polling, with the Maoists. Even otherwise, I idea is not opposed. on 7 March, 2017 an encounter took believe that the Maoists should have place in Lucknow in which Saifullah, a say and express their viewpoint as The court should not be influenced with alleged connections to ISIS, citizens of this country. It should be by what the Maoists preach or not was eliminated. With technological left to the citizens to choose or reject because I find that verdicts are advancement terrorist incidents have their philosophy but the criterion becoming dependent on the replaced communal riots and have should be that they would not incite philosophy that the ruling party the same effect in mobilizing public violence. espouses. It is healthy to see that opinion. A number of questions have appointment of judges is now by the already been raised about this The experience has been that once collegium of senior Supreme Court encounter and in all probability it was you make leeway in one case the judges. Yet my experience says that staged to give BJP some advantage demand would be that the same the chief justices come to be in the polling the next day. Recently attitude should be exhibited in other influenced by those in power. This a number of individuals accused in cases. The precedent will be quoted was not the case till recently. The terrorist incidents in Delhi and and the court would have to decide judges were appointed by the Gujarat have been acquitted on whether the case was similar or any government and they delivered some account of insufficient evidence. different. Fortunately, the victims of the best of verdicts. It is no use would most likely appeal in higher recalling time but taking necessary It will be obvious to any outside courts and it all will depend on what steps to create the same atmosphere observer that BJP is repeating its the verdict of the higher judiciary is of independence returns to the mistakes in Bihar. By not announcing going to be. court. 4 JANATA, March 12, 2017

Notebook Prime Minister should visit Palestine along with Israel It has been officially announced, in the land that is legitimately that area including that which is few days back, that the Indian Prime claimed by Palestine. In the Gaza occupied by Israel. It was Minister will visit Israel, but not strip Israel has encouraged machinations of British colonialist that Palestine. construction of big colonies. UN sizable chunk of the Arab land was Security Council has passed a handed over to Israel, a State of the Shri Narendra Modi had taken resolution calling upon that country Jews that was established in 1932 great pains to befriend UAE. That not to expand colonization program and received recognition of the Allied will certainly pay dividend. India also on the western bank. Powers from the middle of the 20th has to cultivate friendly relationship century. Indigenous people of all with Iran which can supply oil in Thanks to erstwhile President countries suffering from European adequate quantity at reasonable Barack Obama, that resolution could imperialist occupation have been price. These days in the world be passed because US did not aspiring for sovereign nationhood. market the price of oil has started exercise its Veto. Israeli Prime Israel should not indulge in arrogant spiraling upwards. That would be Minister Netanyahu had given vent dealings with the Arabs. And Indian very harmful to India. The balance to his anger but it must be noted that interests can best be served by of payments deficit has been even the newly elected US President cultivation friendly relations with increasing all these years even Donald Trump has openly advised Arabs and other Muslim countries of while the oil prices were in the Israel to help accelerate peace talks Western Asia. India has been range of 29 to 40 dollars per barrel. with Palestine and agree with the accepted as leader of the NAM Now it has crossed dollars 55. If this proposal of two States. Netanyahu movement consisting of 65 countries. trend continues India will have to is insistent upon having only one State It is under moral obligation to take bear very heavy burden because in that region so that the Jew sections, along all the underdeveloped countries our exports have become stagnant having substantial military strength of the world. In addition, that can be while imports are not declining and and the backing of the money pots in beneficial to India for getting assured their prices are rising. It is a well- USA can easily cow down the Arab supply of oil. And Pakistan can be known fact that Iran is at population which are much larger in contained in ways more than one. loggerheads with Israel which has number but weak in material Therefore Shri Narendra Modi should acquired nuclear weapons and has resources. History stands witness to make it a point to include Palestine in been pursuing expansionist policies the claims of the Arab people to all his planned tour. Why mock at the Harvard academicians? In the last week Statistical India to first place in the world as it into cheap demagogy. One of the Organization of India suddenly could record 7 % growth rate in GDP. senior officers of SOI has publicly publicized that the rate of GDP stated that rate of growth during Q3 growth in the Q3 was 7 % and not 6.5 The facts are there, known to the can be computed only after full data % as was mentioned in reports of the economists, industrialists and also would be available by March end. A RBI and also in the Economic Survey their organizations like ASSOCHEM, sane person does realize that common published by Finance Department of that have pointed out loss of 46 lakh man of the country is really under the GoI on the eve of the Budget. Next man-days due to Notebandi. There evil effects of unemployment on one day the was also contraction of credit by the hand and price rise of manufactured started mocking the academicians of banks to the industrialists. Sales of and imported goods on the other hand. Harvard (read ) and durable consumer goods had The captain of the Central Govern- dancing boastfully on election daises declined. So also prices of ment owes it to the people of the claiming that Hard Work people are agricultural produce like pulses, soya country to devise policies to over- much wiser than those academicians. bean and vegetables and fruits. Then come these two hurdles and make He also said that a boy hailing from how can the growth rate record a things easy for the man on the street. a poor family could achieve rising trend in that quarter? Modi impressive performance by raising should have abstained from indulging –Pannalal Surana JANATA, March 12, 2017 5

Obituary Rabi Ray

Noted Gandhian socialist leader General Secretary of Socialist College in Cuttack, where he was and former Lok Sabha Speaker Rabi Party, Rabi Ray became General the president of the students union Ray passed away on March 6th at Secretary of All India Samajwadi and kept at Lohia Bhavan in the SCB Medical College and Yuvak Sabha. In the year 1960, he Bhubaneswar for the people to pay Hospital in Cuttack following became the first general secretary their last respects before it was taken prolonged illness. Rabi Ray was 91 of Socialist Party founded by to his native place. and is survived by his doctor wife, Rammanohar Lohia. Saraswati Swain. Son of Late Rabi Ray’s nephew lit the funeral Ghanshyam Ray, Rabi Ray was born In 1967, Rabi Ray was elected to pyre at Bhanragarh village in the at Bhanragarh village of Khurda fourth Lok Sabha 1967-71, from Puri presence of hundreds of people district of Odisha state on November Lok Sabha constituency and was the including Chief Minister Naveen 26, 1926. He shot into the limelight leader of Samyukta Socialist Patnaik, his Bihar counterpart Nitish in 1946-47 when he was arrested Parliamentary Party while Lohia was Kumar, former JD-U president along with others for lowering the a member of Lok Sabha. During the Sharad Yadav, Bhubaneswar MP Union Jack and unfurling the socialist movement he was Prasanna Patsani, Food and Supplies Tricolour at the Ravenshaw College imprisoned many times in connection and Consumer Welfare Minister (now University), Cuttack. with the various Sanjay Das Burma and Athagarh launched by Socialist Party during MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain. Rabi Ray was one of the closest 1960-74 and was imprisoned during associates of Rammanohar Lohia the Emergency, 1975-76. In 1974 he Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and one of the founders of the was elected to Rajya Sabha. condoled, Rabi Ray’s death and Young Socialist League or described him as a veteran socialist ‘Naujawan Samajwadi Sangh’ in During 1977-79, he was General leader. “As a union minister and Lok 1949. Lohia’s visit to Odisha in Secretary of Janata Party and from Sabha Speaker, Ray had established 1948 and his advice to address 25th January 1979 to 14th July 1979, a rich tradition in the conduct of the the unprivileged touched Ray’s and 28th July 1979 to 14th January, House. He worked with commitment heart. Following socialist principles, 1980 he was Union Minister, Health for socialist ideas and moral values he even refused to mention his and Family Welfare under Prime in life,” Navin Patnaik said. Ray’s caste in the examination form he Minister Morarji Desai and Charan death marked the end of an era, had to fill at the Ravanshaw Singh respectively. However, his Nitish Kumar said anhd added that College, where he did B.A., moment of glory came between 1989 the former Lok Sabha speaker was (Hons.). In the year 1953, he was and 1991 when he became the like a guardian for him and for many elected joint secretary along with Speaker of the 9th Lok Sabha and others in the socialist movement. Ladli Mohan Nigam and Rangnath first one from Odisha, during one of Odisha government declared one- as general secretary in the the most tumultuous periods of Indian day state mourning in his honour on foundation conference of politics. He was elected to Lok Tuesday. Samajwadi Yuwak Sabha, held at Sabha in 1991, for the third time. Kashi Vidyapeeth, Varanasi. In the Rabi Ray was a towering year 1955, Rabi Ray organized The mortal remains of Rabi Ray personality in national politics, who SYS conference at Puri in Orissa were consigned to flames at his believed in socialist ideology till the and it was inaugurated by Madhu native village Bhanragarh district end and inspired many young Limaye. In 1956, Rabi Ray, under with full state honours on 7th March politicians from Odisha as well as the the leadership of Dr Rammanohar 2017. According to Chittaranjan country. During his six decades long Lohia, founded the Socialist Party Mohanty, a close associate of Rabi political career, Rabi Ray did many in Orissa. In the year 1957-58, Ray, his body was first taken to developmental works in the district when Godey Murahari was elected Ravenshaw University and M S Law including the establishment of Krushi 6 JANATA, March 12, 2017

Viganya Kendra and Navodaya When Rabi Ray was the Speaker, high standards maintained by him. He Vidyalaya. Rabi Ray was a champion VP Singh was the Prime Minister and had widely travelled as leader of of socialist politics and made was Leader of the various Parliamentary Delegations significant contribution to socio- Opposition. He was liked and and was editor, ‘Chaukhamba’ economic development of people of respected by members cutting across (Hindi) fortnightly and ‘Samata’ the State, party lines in the Lok Sabha for the (Oriya) monthly journals.

Syed Shahabuddin

Former Indian Foreign Service known to be a Leftist in my views are many ways of finding out what (IFS) officer and parliamentarian and still am a socialist by a police report says and I managed Syed Shahabuddin, who was conviction’. to get hold of its text. What it said suffering from a prolonged illness, was that Shahabuddin had led the passed away on 4th March, 2017, at On being asked about his student agitation (in 1955), which NOIDA (near Delhi). Son of Syed controversial selection in Indian was true but then added a blatant Nizamuddin, Syed Shahabuddin Foreign Service despite being a left lie that I was a member of the was born on 4th November, 1935, winger, Syed Shahabuddin explained Communist Party, which I was not. at Village Itki in Ranchi district of how then Prime Minister Jawaharlal But then the intelligence report went then Bihar, now Jharkhand State. Nehru’s intervention made him on to say that for the past one year He was educated at Haridas diplomat. “It is true that there was I had been teaching in the university Seminary, Gaya, St. Xavier’s a police report against me and that and had not come to any adverse College, Ranchi, Science College, is why my letter of appointment to notice. I suppose that was the Patna and Law College, Patna. He the IFS was delayed. Actually there saving grace. I had seen Jawaharlal stood first in Bihar State in were ten vacant spots in the Foreign Nehru during the disturbances, so I Matriculation, first in the University Service in 1958, nine were filled. immediately wrote to him that I was in I.Sc and did M.Sc., B.L. During Muchkund Dubey, who was my a socialist by conviction but I had his student days he was General contemporary in the University, was never been a member of any Secretary, Bazme-Sukhan, Science a year senior to me in the Service political party. I don’t know what College Patna, 1953-54, Vice- since he became eligible for taking action Nehru took or if he took any President Science College Debating the exam a year before me, wrote action at all but within a week or so Society, Patna, 1954-55. Convener, to me, while I was teaching at I happened to meet General Patna University Students Action Patna University, to tell me that nine Shahnawaz Khan who was very Committee, August 1955, General probationers of 1958 batch had fond of me, as he used to visit the Secretary, Bihar State Students joined the training school and that, university very often to preside over Council of Action, December, 1955. according to his information, one debates and distribute prizes. He Member, Patna University Students spot was being kept vacant for me. advised me to go and see Mr Union Steering Committee, He asked me to find out what had Humayun Kabir. Humayun Kabir represented Patna University in gone wrong. The top man in Bihar asked me to state my case in black English and Urdu Debates. He was police intelligence at that time was and white. I said that all I wanted Secretary, Patna University Mr S.P. Verma whom I knew was an opportunity to see Mr Nehru Students Relief Committee, Literary because of my involvement in the because he would recognize me. I Society, United Nations Students Patna student Firing Disturbance in got a call a day later saying that the Association, 1955-56, Secretary, 1955. So I requested him for an file had already reached Nehru’s World University, Service National urgent meeting. I asked him what table and I should see Mr Committee, 1955-56. he had written against me. He Chakravarty, then Secretary in the laughed and said he couldn’t Ministry of External Affairs, later Long time ago when he was disclose that. But he assured me the Governor of Haryana. So the asked in an interview about his that the police report wouldn’t next day I went to see him. ‘The political ideology he said, ‘I was finally go against me. In India, there Prime Minister has ordered your JANATA, March 12, 2017 7 appointment,’ he said, ‘but he has accompanied him everywhere West University, Chicago in asked me to give you a talk on the including the official dinner at the November, 1980 and invited to responsibilities of the Civil Service.’ PM’s House at Teen Murti, which address University of Oxford on He then asked me a few questions is now Nehru Museum and Library. Power Politics, in July, 1982 and about what had happened in 1955 After the dinner when the guests Islamic Medical Association of the and what I had told the Justice Das were sipping coffee on the open USA. Commission of Inquiry. I told him terrace, I suddenly felt a hand on that in protest against police firing my shoulder. I turned around to Syed Shahabuddin was Member on the students, I had organized a face Nehru who said affectionately, of Rajya Sabha, 25-7-1979 to 9-4- procession of 20,000 students from ‘So you are that naughty boy from 1984 and elected to eight and tenth the university area to the airport to Bihar’. In my youth I had no formal Lok Sabha in 1985 to 1989 and 1991 greet Jawaharlal Nehru with black connection with any political party, to 1996 respectively from flags. It was raining. So along with but I was certainly a Leftist and Kishanganj in Bihar. He was a few others, we saw Pandit Nehru socialist in my views. This explains General Secretary, Janata Party at the Raj Bhawan. I still recall his why in my 15 years in Parliament, 1980 to 1986. He contributed many words, ‘Goli chalana buri bat hai almost never I took a line different articles in the national Press and par jab goli chalti hai to kisi na from the Left parties on the floor of was founder Editor, ‘Muslim India’ kisi ko lag jati hai.’ He was the House. The same is true of my monthly since 1983. Syed referring to the killing of Panday, a entire public life.” Shahabuddin was a Teacher, student. Later that evening, some Diplomat, Advocate, Political banners in Gandhi Maidan, planted Before joining Foreign Service Worker and Journalist. He married by a Congress leader, obstructed Syed Shahabuddin was Lecturer in on 30th January, 1958 to Shaher Nehru. He lost his temper and Physics, at Patna University, 1956- Bano and had one son and five threatened the students with 58 and while he was in Indian daughters. punishment if they were found to be Foreign Service, 1958-78, he served –Qurban Ali in the wrong. A few days after, I in Indian Missions in New York, saw Mr Chakravarty, and got my Rangoon and Jeddah, as Charge d’ letter of appointment. I joined the affaires in Caracus, Venezuela, IAS Training School at the Metcalf 1969-72, and as Ambassador of Janata Subscription House in the Civil Lines, Delhi in India to Algeria and concurrently to May 1958, about a month later than Mauritania, 1973-75.He was my batchmates. So while it is true Deputy Secretary, 1966-69 and that there was a police report Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Annual Rs. : 260/- against me, which delayed my External Affairs in-charge of S.E. appointment, it’s also correct that Asia, 1975-78, but opted for pre- Three Years : 750/- Nehru overruled it. Nehru had mature voluntary retirement from written in his own hand on my file the Indian Foreign Service in Demand Draft / Cheque “I have known Shahabuddin during November, 1978. on the Patna disturbances. His participation in the disturbances was He was Member, Aligarh Muslim Mumbai Bank not politically motivated. It was an University Court, 1981, Vice- expression of his youthful Chairman, Haj Committee, Bombay, in favour of exuberance.” So Nehru had given 1981-84, Vice-President/Acting me a clean chit. Subsequently, nine President, All India Muslim Majlis- months later, when I was about to e-Mushawarat, 1981-90, Convener embark on my first posting abroad, Babri Masjid Movement JANATA TRUST as a probationer back in Delhi after Coordination Committee, 1986 D-15, Ganesh Prasad, my district training, I was deputed onwards. Member, Working Naushir Bharucha Marg, to serve as Liaison Officer for the Committee; All India Personal Law Mumbai 400 007 UN Secretary General, Mr Dag Board, 1980 onwards and invited to Hammarskjoeld, on his visit. I deliver Inaugural Address by East- 8 JANATA, March 12, 2017 The legitimacy and morality of Prof. Saibaba’s conviction

Prabhakar Sinha

I would not express any opinion is blind enough to say that he can fire against the repressive government. on the legality of Prof. Saibaba’s from a gun sitting in his wheelchair. Tilak was also awarded six years of conviction and the award of a term He cannot kill, maim or break bones. transportation (imprisonment in for life in prison because I have not Prof. Saibaba at best or worst can Andman Nicobar ). read the judgment, have not gone only be a non-violent revolutionary through the evidence before the due to his physical handicap. He has Compared to the award of six years court and most importantly am not a not been found guilty of any violent of imprisonment to Tilak and Gandhi legal expert. But I would like to act, but has been convicted of for sedition by an imperial court, the examine its legitimacy and morality unlawful activity. Even the judgment life sentence awarded to Prof. because the judgment’s legality is not says that the accused had conspired Saibaba by a court of democratic the only question that concerns the ‘to create violence, cause public India appears as nothing short of people. If the legality of a law and disorder and spread disaffection judicial lynching. Our judges in such judgment were all that should be of towards the central government and cases appear so devoid of human concern to the people, then the the state government.’ The court feelings, sense of proportion and sense racial segregation in South Africa does not find him guilty of inciting of morality. The case of Tilak and was sound, Hitler’s anti-Jew laws any particular violent incident, but Gandhi should be the measure for causing death of millions of Jews inciting violence because of his ideas, judging the justness and legitimacy were sound, slavery was sound, which support the use of violence by of a sentence in cases in which no anti-Hindu and anti-Christian laws the Maoists. I do not know if the violence is planned or committed by in Pakistan are sound. By the same finding of the court is true, but would an accused and is held only guilty of token, the Rowlatt Act enacted by accept it for the time being to make inciting hatred or disaffection against the colonial government to suppress my point. the government. the ‘revolutionary movement’ was also sound; but the people of India Mahatma Gandhi was Our criminal jstice system is a did not think so, rose in protest prosecuted and charged with criminal injustice system. Several against it, which led to the massacre sedition (Raj Droh,1922) for creating thousand innocent Sikhs were openly of more than a thousand peaceful hatred and disaffection against the butchered in Delhi following Indira men, women and children, who had government of India .He confessed Gandhi’s assassination, but the then gathered at Jallianwala bag to protest to the court that he was the biggest Prime Minister, Rajeev Gandhi, and against the black law. And the rebel against the British Raj. He also his men continued to rule the roost Rowlatt Act was a very liberal and confessed that he was in a way despite the public knowledge that his just law compared to the draconian responsible for the violence at hands were blood-stained. Hundreds laws enacted by democratic India. Chaura Chauri and in Bombay of Muslims were butchered in It is not enough that a law should be despite his commitment to non- Gujarat riots of 2002, but Modi legally sound but it must also be violence. He was prosecuted for his remains innocent in the eyes of law morally sound and legitimate, must seditious articles published in the because no court has found him ensure justice. A law and its Young India. The punishment for guilty of the shedding of innocent operation, which do not deliver justice sedition was imprisonment for life, blood of the Muslims. But the people is immoral and illegitimate and not a but Gandhiji was sentenced to just know the difference between truth proper law. six years. was and judicial truth. The best example also charged with sedition (1909) for is the case of Md.Shahabuddin, three Prof.Saibaba of Delhi University a number of articles published in the or four time Member of Parliament is 90 per cent physically challenged Kesari he edited. He had expressed froim Siwan, and probably the most and is bound to his wheelchair. He is the view that violence by the young cruel and savage criminal known. incapable of a violent act unless one revolutionaries was a reaction But he, too, was an innocent and JANATA, March 12, 2017 9 respectable leader like Rajeev and Shall the world economy remain US Modi till the arrival of Nitish Kumar as Chief Minister, whose government Dllar slave forever? got him convicted of the crimes he had been committing with impunity Jitendra Kumar Sharma The State follows a double standard in the application of law. Has the American Dollar enslaved to gold reserves began to rise. The With the coming to power of Modi, the financial world? The US gold-parity US dollar could not rein the terrorists associated with the contribution to world GDP is only in unbridled US paper dollar. US Parivar, who were charged with the 18% but the US Dollar’s throttlehold dollar’s national goal and its bomb blast at Malegaon, Samjhauta on the international money system is international role “as sole provider Express and Ajmer, are being bailed total!China’s pie in the world GDP of the reserve currency” were at is now 16%; other emergent cross-purpose. In March 1973, out or acquitted with the open support economies add up about 60% to however, the US dollar was of the government. The NIA global output. A new financial pattern compelled to float along with other persuades the Public Prosecutor to is clearly visible but is not reflected major currencies and the US dollar help the terrorists involved in the in the prevailing reserve currency depreciated.The USA remained bomb blast at Malegaon and arrangements where US dollar foolhardy and printed its dollar even Samjhauta Express secure dominates the financial world. more recklessly and the world acquittal.The NIA did not oppose the Carmen Reinhart, Ethan Ilzetzki, grabbed and gobbled it even more bail application of Pragya Thakur, an Kenneth Rogoff study shows “the greedily like the proverbial Gargantua. accused in Malegaon terror attack. US dollar has retained its dominant The US of America had to resort to The public prosecutor, who had been position as the world’s reserve current-account and fiscal deficits. conducting the case, resigned currency – and by a significant Now the USA cannot get out of because she was being persuaded margin. Over 60% of all countries these deficits as long as it remains to collude with the accused. The (accounting for more than 70% of the sole supplier of reserve culprits of 2002 Gujarat riots are world GDP) use the US dollar as currency.Thus, enslavement to US receiving full protection of the State, their anchor currency”.The euro, dollar will continue as long as no and the state agencies are changing another western reserve currency, other currency is willing to step their stand to help the accused. has failed to match the US Dollar. forward to become an alternate Euro has receded from its African provider of reserves. Does the USA There is discrimination in dealing zone; so also Euro’s global importance dare reduce its deficits? Will China with the people accused of the same has declined.The hiatus between the venture to be international supplier or similar crimes. The policy being world production trends and finance of reserves? If the US does reduce followed is to kill and rape those who should be a cause for concern, its deficits, China will suffer capital especially for China and India for loss on its US Treasuries. With rising are suspected to be Maoists or their future strength and expansion of their distrust of both USA and China, the supporters and to protect those who economies.Oddly, “a relatively world may be looking for a third do the killing, maiming or raping and smaller US economy supplies reserve option. Maybe, the emergent markets also to instigate the police to kill, rape assets in step with rising global lose their appetite for US reserve and maim with impunity in Bastar, demand for them (primarily from which China’s capital flight is Chhattisgarh as has been discovered emerging markets)”, points out already initiating. Undoubtedly, the by the National Human Rights CARMEN REINHART. Between world economy is becoming Commission. Prosecute Zakir Naik 1950s and 1970s, global trade restless about the endless serfdom for ‘spreading communal hatred’ and expanded and demand for reserves of world currencies to USA’s give a free hand to the RSS, BJP increased. The gold-backed US paperdollar. Will the enlarging and the other members of the paper dollar then colossally walked emergent market throw off the Pariwar to not only spread over the gold-starved world and yoke of single currency imperialism? communal hatred but to engineer prevailed.In the 1960s, the Belgian Answer to this question holds the communal riots. economist Robert Triffin espied the key to the economic liberation of risk in the strident US paper dollar our increasingly democratizing (Continued on Page 11) as the ratio of “paper dollar” reserves world. 10 JANATA, March 12, 2017 Children of lesser god

Devinder Sharma

Farmers are being treated unfairly V Thomas, has stated that naming opportunistic behavior,’’ the article as their small loan defaults are being and shaming of such corporate says. handled with an iron fist while big houses may help financial institutions corporate debtors are being petted get back their money. In a report The work is biased. It is a blatant with velvet gloves. published in The Indian Express effort to present a flawed hypothesis (March 06), Thomas said that out of that debt waivers will leave farmers It is not the first time that default the Rs6.8 lakh cr of non-performing either in exactly the same or a worse on loans has piled up to Rs6.8 lakh assets (NPAs), which actually is a situation. crore. Every two or three years, misnomer for bank default, 70% are defaults grow so large that a those of big corporate houses, hardly If loan waivers are bad for significant proportion of it is written one per cent of it belongs to farmers. farmers, why are loans of corporates off and the balance is restructured. being written off year after year? He goes on to say: ‘’In case of Won’t debt waivers hurt big State Bank of India (SBI) recently farmers or small traders, banks act businesses in the long run? If debt announced the auction of the tractors strongly and they go to their houses waiver is a bad idea for farmers, how owned by farmers from Bundelkhand to recover money. They even get come it is always welcome for in UP for defaulting on loan their names and photographs corporate? repayment. At the same time, reports published in newspapers. But when indicate that debts of crores of it comes to corporate houses, they It is not the first time that default rupees held by top companies are don’t reveal names.’’ The PAC has on loans has piled up to Rs6.8 lakh likely to be written off. now decided to give names of such crore. Every two or three years, big defaulters who owe money to defaults grow so large that a Why does the law that applies to banks, in its reports to be presented significant proportion of it is written the farmer not apply to big to Lok Sabha before the end of off and the balance is restructured. industrialists? All these years, rich budget session. borrowers have been treated as Perusal of data reveals that at Maharajas and farmers and petty This is certainly welcome. But we least Rs10 lakh cr has either been traders as lowly people who have to must watch whether the PAC does waived in full or restructured, which abide by the law. Loan default submit the names of big defaulters in financial language means banks becomes a crime if you are a farmer, and, if it does, what action the have to underwrite much of the but a right when it comes to rich government initiates. Big businesses outstanding loan. This has happened defaulters. have taken academic efforts to in the past few years. And again, the provide a neat cover-up for the banks have piled up bad loans of Credit rating agency India massive swindle of public money Rs6.8 lakh cr as the PAC has shown. Rattings, in a recent estimate, they have perpetrated. Isn’t that a bad idea? And why does showed that of the Rs7.4 lakh cr debt it coming back repeatedly? owed by companies between 2011 In an article in & 2016, at least Rs4 lakh cr will be (March 04, 2017), researchers It is because mainline academic written off. At the same time, 19 Prasanna Tantri and Sankar De have research and public discourses are farmers whose tractors are being argued that a blanket waiver of farm tailored to believe that defaults by auctioned March 21, collectively loans, which is being proposed by all big companies are inevitable as these owe Rs63 lakh to banks. political parties campaigning for UP enterprises depend on extraneous elections, is likely to harm farmers circumstances over which they have This is gross discrimination. Even more than benefiting them. ‘’Sooner no control. And of course, the sale the chairman of the Public Accounts or later, voters will see through this of assets of these big companies will Committee (PAC) of Parliament, K and punish the political class for such also result in layoffs, which means JANATA, March 12, 2017 11 unemployment. These are well- sell their produce of 2000 kilos for and fall into debt. And yet, if their crafted arguments that we tend to Re1 a kilo or when hundreds of tomato tractors have to be put on public accept without question and protect farmers dump tomatoes on the streets auction for default on loans, does it the big defaulters. as they fetch poor prices, these people not smack of utter are not doing it for fun. They throw discrimination? Aren’t farmers being Default on loans by farmers, too, their produce, which is the fruit of penalized just because they are poor? is an outcome of extraneous factors. hard labour, as a mark of protest. Farmers are indeed being treated as When potato growers are forced to They don’t get the price they deserve the children of a lesser god.

–OrissaPost

(Continued from Page 9) Communalism has become the And finally, why is the judgment maze of technicalities created by the ‘Raj Dharm’ and its adherents are in Prof. Saibaba’s case devoid of Executive, which has made justice above the law while the minorities legitimacy and morality? Because captive to serve its interest . and the Maoists are the enemies while Tilak and Gandhi, the towering of the Raj, not entitled to the and formidable enemies of the British * I am not a supporter of the protection of the law and to be empire, were awarded only six years Maoists, do not support violence witch-hunted. of imprisonment by the judges of an as a means of solving political imperial government, Prof. Saibaba, problems, but believe in adherence The discriminatory criminal a 90 per cent disabled person and the to the rule of law to ensure justice justice system has robbed the co-accused in the case were to all without discrimination. I judiciary of its majesty and sentenced to life by the court in believe that adherence to the rule credibility and made its judgment democratic India. The judiciary must of law is the way to prevent violence devoid of legitimacy and morality. change its mindset and do justice as emphasized in the Universal It is not in command of the criminal uninfluenced by the ideology of the Declaration of Human Rights in justice system and cannot be blamed power that be if it does not want to the following words: Whereas it is essential if man is not to be compelled for its ills, but it must find some way become a handmaiden of the to have recourse, as a last resort, to to prevent its Cheer Haran government. The judiciary must act rebellion against tyranny and (Disrobing) because Shree Krishna as a protector not only of legal rights oppression, that human rights should would not come to its rescue. but of justice by cutting through the be protected by the rule of law.

Footprints of A Crusader (The Life Story of Mrunal Gore) by Rohini Gawankar Published by Kamalakar Subhedar, Secretary, Samata Shikshan Sanstha, Pareira Wadi, Mohili Village, Sakinaka, Ghatkopar(W), Mumbai 400072. Mobile: 9820092255 / Contribution: Rs.300+ 12 JANATA, March 12, 2017 The vision of Swami Vivekananda

B. Vivekanandan,

During the last many years, I have Ocean they merge with it and, Overnight, he became famous, and been studying the global visions of consequently, dissolve their separate respected, in the United States and outstanding European Socialist identities and become One. That the world. statesmen like Olof Palme, Bruno was music to the ears of that Kreisky and Willy Brandt, who audience, which greeted Swami The lodestar longed for building up a new world Vivekananda’s speech, with a of peace and harmony, based on deafening applause. His speech It may be seen that the lodestar equality and distributive justice. That conveyed that though religions, in of Swami Vivekananda’s thought book has now been published in different names, follow different and actions was the Advaita London and New York, by Palgrave paths, their goals are one and the philosophy, embedded in Indian Macmillan. Through the present same – the attainment of Truth or Upanishads, but had remained analysis, I am adding a spiritual God. Unity in diversity was the dormant, until it was churned out by dimension to it, how Swami quintessence of that speech. It also Adi Sankara in the early 9th century. Vivekananda, a globally acclaimed conveyed that people can attain God When I was awarded the Honorary spiritual beacon, and a self- through their own religions, and, for Doctorate, the highest honour of the proclaimed socialist, had envisioned that there is no need of anyone Helsinki University, in 2011, the first the construction of a new world of changing one’s religion. Further, it Indian chosen for that honour in the peace and harmony, with the support imparted the message of human 350 years history of that university, of Advaita philosophy, India’s great solidarity across the religious the subject I chose to speak during gift to world thought, for overcoming divides. A significant feature of the award ceremony, in Helsinki, divisiveness in the world. Swami Vivekananda’s speeches at was India’s Advaita philosophy. On Chicago was that while other that occasion I told the European The first shot Swami delegates tried to prove the audience that, “All problems of the Vivekananda fired, to unfold his superiority of their respective world emanate from the divisiveness vision of peace and harmony, was religions, Swami Vivekananda spoke in our society. I come from India, through his celebrated speech at about the resemblance of all the country which has provided a Chicago, in the Parliament of religions, and conveyed the message remedy to it, through the Advaita Religions, on 11 September 1893. of universal tolerance and philosophy”. I told them, first in He triggered it, by calling the 7000 acceptance of all religions. His Malayalam, as per the established strong American audience present appeal was to rise above narrow custom, and then in English, that by there, “Sisters and Brothers of sectarianism and bigotry. Without following the Advaita philosophy to America”, which instantly set off a uttering a word of condemnation end the divisiveness in society, and two minutes long standing ovation about any religion, he spoke about among people, countries, and from the entire audience. In the their common destination – continents, can institutionalise peace next five minutes, he presented to attainment of God. He affirmed and harmony in the world. them his tapestry of peace and that all religions are equally effective harmony in the world, by underlining in leading their followers to the What is the core element of the Oneness of the humanity, same destination – God. This all- Advaita or non-dualism ? Advaita, marching ahead towards attaining embracing approach to religions, which was churned out by Sri the same goal. He compared God and his emphasis on universal Sankaracharya, from Upanishads, with an Ocean, and religions of the brotherhood and religious harmony, 12 centuries ago, and presented to world as rivers flowing towards that made Swami Vivekananda the people as a great gift, affirms that Ocean. When they reach the darling of the Chicago Conference. God dwells in all human beings in the

Paper presented at the national seminar on Swami Vivekananda and Global Harmony on 27-28 February 2017 at Kanyakumari JANATA, March 12, 2017 13 form of the life giving human soul, the Supreme Soul to migrate in a religions. The concept of unity in which is a part of God or the human body, it does not discriminate diversity, the core element of Indian Supreme Soul. While the body and the new body on the bases of caste, secularism, has sprung from these the mind are mortal, the soul is creed, colour, gender or geographical exhortations of Swami Vivekananda. immortal and independent, and no location of the body, to which it shoots Therefore, Swami Vivekananda, weapon or fire can destroy it. While out to migrate. Viewed from the indeed, was the progenitor of Indian the mind controls the body and angle of global harmony, what secularism, which exemplifies equal generates all kinds of desires – the Advaita proclaims eloquently is the respect for all religions. The core fountain of sorrow – it has no control fundamental equality and oneness of objective was to ensure that people over the soul. The soul gives life to all human beings, and their universal lived in peace and harmony. the body so long as it stays with the brotherhood. It affirms that there is latter. When it leaves the body, death oneness behind all creations in the As per Advaita all human souls occurs, and the body begins to rot. world. Therefore, Advaita affirms have a duty to respect and help each As per Advaita, nobody dies. The that there is oneness between man other in a framework of solidarity, perceived death is a process of the and God. irrespective of their bodies’ religious soul’s departure from the body and or caste affiliations, or gender its return to the Supreme Soul; and Religious harmony differences. He said that God is the then the soul shoots out again in all embracing Brahmam, and all another direction, to migrate in Swami Vivekananda was a religions, are striving to reach that another body to give it life. So, in promoter of religious harmony. He Brahmam through different paths. every human being, there is an had equal respect for all religions. When they do so, they all follow the immortal part of the Supreme Soul He said that the best way for Advaita philosophy, whether they or God. So, Advaita asserts that strengthening religious harmony is to recognise it or not. Indeed, they all God is present in every human being treat each other with mutual respect. seek the same Truth, God or Thathwamassi is the right He held that the ethical and moral Supreme Soul – through different description of the relationship contents of all religions are more or paths. Therefore, he said that all between humans and God. less the same – be selfless, help religions should have a friendly and others, love others, etc. They all hold mutually respectful relationship Based on his studies of Vedas, certain elements of truth. They all between one another. Indeed, Swami Swami Vivekananda once talked encourage their followers to lead a Vivekananda gave a valid layout for about the form of God, and the righteous life. Swami Vivekananda Indian secularism, long before it relationship between human soul and urged the humanity to look at all became a buzz word in India’s the Supreme Soul. citing Jnana religions from the angle of Advaita, political circles. Yoga, he said that God is like a with love, and with a conviction of formless pool, having countless to- the oneness of the humanity. Advaita In the closing years of his life, and-fro active centres, where human vouches for divinity in every man and Swami Vivekananda felt the need to souls incessantly keep coming in and woman, as each human soul in them lead the humanity in a new going out. It is the sum total of all – a part of the Supreme Soul – is direction, by integrating the essence souls in the world. Invariably, a soul divine. We must accept, he said, that of Vedas and Upanishads, The migrates to a human body to give it all religions are true, and teach people Quran and The Bible, for the life, and remains in it, for varying to be pure and unselfish. Such an simple reason that, consciously or periods, to enable the body to carry enlightened approach towards unconsciously, they all follow the out various activities. When it leaves religions would help people to Advaita philosophy. A deeper study the body, it goes back to the pool, assimilate the spirit of other religions would convince them of that truth, and merges with the Supreme Soul. too, and promote harmony in the he said. It may be recalled that Then it shoots out again to give life world. He said that sectarian fights during his journeys through the to another body. This is an endless in the name of faith are a futile West, he had drawn a plan to build ongoing process. exercise, since all are one with the a universal temple, – a common Supreme Soul – God. Instead of prayer centre under one roof – A notable feature of this process stressing on discordance, the stress where people from all religions is that when a soul shoots out from should be on commonalities of would freely assemble and pray to 14 JANATA, March 12, 2017

God. If constructed, it would have vision. That made him to declare, in Swami Vivekananda said that he been a place of worship, epitomising 1896, publicly that “I am a would not believe in any God or religious harmony. But, he could not Socialist”, at a time when the religion if it did not provide food for fulfil that wish, as he did not live for socialist ideology was little known in the hungry, protection for the weak, long to implement that plan. India. His basic temperament, and or wipe out the tears of the widows. natural affinity for the poor, made If interpreted politically, what Swami Swami Vivekananda had a it a natural choice for him. While Vivekananda envisioned was a universalist political mind, wedded to making the statement that he was cradle-to-the-grave welfare state equality and justice. His a socialist, he said: system, which socialists of compassionate mind always bled for Scandinavian countries like Sweden, the wellbeing of the poor and the I am a socialist, not because Denmark, Norway and Finland have oppressed. During his three-year socialism is a flawless system, but, established during the last 80 years. long journey through India as a it is better that everybody is However, Swami Vivekananda has wandering monk, he saw the ensured of half-a-loaf of bread, succeeded in making Advaita an appalling level of poverty and than nothing. Its principles of effective instrument to fight for exploitation all over the country. As equality, distributive justice and equality and equal justice in modern a result, problems of the poor and provision of good quality universal society. For the socialist principles the oppressed, and their remedies, education are all for the welfare of of freedom, equality and justice remained his constant concern. the people. When millions of people Swami Vivekananda gave a spiritual Indeed, on these matters he was live under poverty and ignorance, it basis and interpretation. He presaged unequivocally on the side of the poor is criminal that those who got that socialism would be the system and the oppressed. How to elevate education at their expense pursue of the world in future, and called for them to higher levels was a main selfish goals without thinking about a socialist transformation of the concern. the poor or working for them. society. He held that this socialist transformation of the society should I am a socialist Moreover, the proximity between be combined with religion and ethics. Vedanta and the objectives of He had a conviction that the masses Establishment of a world of Socialism has also made him to would transform the society that equality, justice and mutual respect publicly declare that “I am a way. That is the political dimension is the best way to promote global socialist”, underlining the imperative of Swami Vivekananda’s vision for harmony. Being an adherent to need of making the study of Advaita building a world of peace and equality and equal justice, Swami a part of the study of socialism. As harmony. Vivekananda was attracted by the per Advaita all human beings of the principles of democratic socialism, world are equals, and are, therefore, Social Disharmony which was gaining ground in Europe entitled to an equal share of the world at that time. It may be noted that resources. That squares well with the Swami Vivekananda had a clear Swami Vivekananda visited France, socialist objectives of building up an insight of how the in-built oppressive England and Germany, the cradle of egalitarian and exploitation-free and exploitative features of the caste the European socialist movement, in society in the world. For building up system, have been systematically 1890s. At that time, he got such a society of equals, it is undercutting harmonious social opportunities to learn more about imperative that people imbibe the relationship in India. He had socialism, and developed respect and spirit and content of Advaita acquired first hand knowledge of it, affinity for that ideology. philosophy. If a socialist society gets during his 3-year long extensive established with a clear travel all over India, between 1890 For an Advaiti and Vedanti, like understanding of the Advaita and 1893, as a wandering monk, in Swami Vivekananda, with his deep philosophy that would provide his drive to discover the Soul of India. attachment to the principle of stability to the new egalitarian During these sojourns though a equality, and a commitment to end socialist society. deeply divided, caste-ridden country, exploitation, and elevate the poor he had innumerable opportunities to and the oppressed, it was natural to At one point, while reiterating his see its manifestations in forms of get attracted to socialist ideas and adherence to distributive justice, untouchability, denial of rights to JANATA, March 12, 2017 15 education, to reading of scriptures, Conclusion Swami Vivekandanda’s love for to wear upper garments for women, India was beyond description. He Sambandham, and so on. During his Undoubtedly, Swami was passionate about it. For him, journey through Kerala in 1893, Vivekananda was a great unifier of India is a holy land and asked all before he reached Kanyakumari, he the world who had striven, all through his followers to love India. He had had a taste of it personally, which his life, to establish global harmony. a vision of a new India, free from included a 3-day starvation under a He embodied the wisdom of the East socio-economic inequalities, a Banyon tree. outside the famous and the West, and for that he has country which moves up towards Kodungalloor Devi Temple, been respected everywhere. Armed a classless and casteless society, following the failure of the privileged with the Advaita philosophy, and the through an evolutionary process. local elite to ascertain the caste of spiritual prowess of India’s He said that widespread education this wandering young monk. He was intellectual tradition, he ventured to would remove inequality in then bearing a non-descript name harness peace, unity and harmony society. He believed that India’s ‘Swami Bibidisananda’, which also in the world. For him Advaita, the greatness lay in her spiritual gave no indication of the caste of the oneness of all beings, is the eternal assets, which would give her in monk. After a futile exercise of Truth. As he found selfishness future the leadership position in the asking some searching questions to standing in the way of spiritual world. Swami Bibidisananda for progress, he said that it was ascertaining his caste, the privileged imperative to discard selfishness and He wanted the elevation of the local elite left him, under the Banyon practice renunciation. He wanted poor and the downtrodden, to a level tree, to starve for three days. He was the restoration of Advaita to its comparable to those who lead not allowed to enter the pristine glory and make it the fulcrum comfortable life in society. He said Kodungalloor Devi Temple either. of all activities in the world. He that serving the poor tantamounted Untouchability was also rampant in prophesied that, in future, all religions to worshipping of God, and urged Kerala at that time. It was after would receive a new orientation from people to work for the welfare of making an insightful study of how Advaita and build goodwill among others. oppressively the caste system had them. He said that the great truth worked at that time in Kerala, that which he had learnt from his He supported gender equality of he made his sharp observation that rumination (tapasya) was that, God men and women. He said that high “Kerala is a lunatic asylum”, and is present in all beings who are, education would liberate women launched his public opposition of the indeed, the manifested forms of one from their bondage. He urged . Holding firmly living deity. He promoted universal people to view women from the on the Advaita, Swami Vivekananda brotherhood based on Advaita. angle of looking at mothers, and underlined the fundamental equality treat them with respect, with a of all humans, the oneness of the Swami Vivekananda personified realisation that, in them too, there humanity, and the oneness of the the combination of a Jnana Yogi and dwells a divine human Soul, which humanity and God. He emphasized a Karma Yogi who sought the is part of the Supreme Soul. He that as god dwells in all human realisation of God through knowledge said that while body has gender beings, in the form of the divine and through actions, bereft of difference, the Soul does not human soul, equality of all human attachment. He had a global vision of recognise that difference. beings is fundamental, and that the building a one world of peace and caste system is inimical to it. Indeed, harmony, encompassing the whole His public statement that “I am a by advancing Advaita, he had humanity. He was a secularist saint Socialist” is a political statement of destroyed the base of the caste who respected all religions, and stated an Advaiti/Vedanti, yearning to system, and gave a powerful plainly that all believers can attain establish a peaceful society based on incentive to the modern world to Truth through their own religions, and equality in all respects, a core remove the barriers created by that there is no need for anyone to element of Advaita. And, caste, creed and colour, and to weld change his/her religion for the undoubtedly, all his thoughts and people together into one humanity, attainment of Truth. He called for a actions were centered on to establish harmony in Indian balance between material prosperity strengthening peace and harmony in society. and spiritual advancement. the world. R.N.I. NO. 1855/1957 16 JANATA, March 12, 2017 Postal Registration No. MCW/275/2015-2017. License to Post without prepayment WPP License No. MR/Tech/WPP-210/West/2017 Published on Sunday, March 12, 2017 & Posted on Wedenesday March 15, 2017 at Mumbai Patrika Channel, Mumbai GPO-1

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Vol. 72 No. 9 Between The Lines March 19, 2017 Discrimination laces democracy

BJP government in UP doesn’t bode well for Kuldip Nayar poor and democracy Sandeep Pandey However democratic we may be, present case. discrimination on the basis of caste The verdict in Uttar Pradesh system has not diminished. Every The media was equally guilty and Uttarakhand because it reported the incident only Apoorvanand day, in some part or the other of the country, there are instances of dalits as a periphery to some other bigger being burnt alive. Only the other stories. This only underlined that the Should Muslims keep away Dadri, near Delhi, was the scene of media persons, generally belonging from electoral politics? a dalit family being consigned to to the upper caste, have the same old Ajaz Ashraf fire. mindset. The youth is supposed to be radical, but this was not the case. In the national capital itself, a JNU A forgotten gender injustice student hung himself because he Obviously, the deceased student’s Rajindar Sachar could not stand the jibe of father and even some students discrimination. The 28-year-old believe that there was some foul play. M.Phil student had dreamt of studying The police was led to record FIR Lohia’s immanent critique in JNU and was fortunate to get under relevant provisions because the of caste police thought that it was a case of Arun Kumar Patnaik through on his fourth attempt. Hailing from the South, Muthukrishnan was suicide. The parents have demanded reportedly a sober personality and a CBI inquiry. I don’t know how it generally kept to himself. would make the difference because the CBI would itself depend on the Editor : Surprisingly, there is very little Delhi Police which is in the dog. impact on the society or, for that G. G. Parikh matter, in India. It was just an incident A similar issue had cropped up Managing Editor : Guddi and forgotten. Instead, the country when Rohith Vermula, a dalit on the whole should have been research scholar from Hyderabad D-15, Ganesh Prasad, shaken. Had this been the case of an University, committed suicide last Naushir Bharucha Marg, upper caste student, there would have year. However, unlike in the JNU Mumbai - 400 007. been many statements calling for student’s death case, there was a big attention notice in parliament. But hue and cry and students took to Email : [email protected] there was not even a whisper in the streets and the agitation even led to 2 JANATA, March 19, 2017 the change of guard at the university’s Scheduled Tribes, 13.5 per cent As much as we admit to the department. Scheduled Castes and 35 per cent persistence of caste discrimination Other Backward Classes. Hindus and stigmatization as a problem Incidentally, Muthkrishnan had alone accounted for about 85 per cent plaguing higher education campuses, recalled Rohith’s death and of students, followed by Muslims (8 there is also a constant denial or condemned Hyderabad University’s per cent) and Christians (3 per cent). attributing the suicides to incident- alleged role in the dalit scholar’s And yet, 23 out of 25 suicides were specific situations with total disregard suicide. The JNU student had a of dalits. for links with the larger social milieu Facebook post in which he had of exclusion. True, there are incident- criticized JNU’s new admission There are several researches specific reasons, but it cannot be a policy, obviously recounting several which indicate that experiences of coincidence that out of 25 cases of instances where he had to face discrimination, exclusion and suicide, 23 were of dalits. Thus, the discrimination. humiliation are the predominant first thing for policymakers is to come reasons. After analyzing some cases out of denial mode. What do these incidents in of suicide, the conclusion seems to varsities indicate? We need to apply be that there seems to be more than No doubt, the situation may have our minds to address the problems enough evidence to believe that caste improved. But the shame of caste that dalit students face in institutions discrimination played a significant role system continues in one form or the of higher education. Not long ago, in driving these extraordinary other. Relations between the dalit the Hyderabad University had to individuals into committing suicide, students or, for that matter, with other revoke the suspension of students and that elite professional institutions students and teachers and after Rohith’s death. Indeed, his are the places where caste prejudice administrators, have always been suicide had caused great shock and is so firmly entrenched that it has questioned. In my view, we need to resulted in outrage, but similar become normal. takes steps to address the problems sentiments were expressed when of dalit or other marginalized students. Senthil Kumar from Salem, another A study in 2010 by Professor Mary The only solution I can think of are student from the University of Thornton and others of five higher the legal safeguards against Hyderabad, killed himself in 2008. educational institutions in India and discrimination, civic education, Muthukrishnan, too, is from Salem in the United Kingdom observed that academic assistance to students who Tamil Nadu. “separation of groups on the higher need support, and participation of education campus is pervasive and dalits in all decision-making bodies of There have been over dozen cases ubiquitous. While some such universities and colleges. of suicide by students, mostly dalits, separation may be for supportive in various institutions in Hyderabad reasons, at other times it is due to Janata Subscription between 2007 and 2013. In the north, overt discrimination on the grounds besides two cases of suicide by dalit of race, region, nationality, caste, Annual Rs. : 260/- students at the All India Institute of class, religion, or gender”. Medical Sciences in Delhi, 14 other Three Years : 750/- cases of suicide by dalit students were In 2013, Samson Ovichegan, in reported between January 2007 and a study on the experience of Demand Draft / Cheque April 2011. Dalits in an elite university in on India, observed that “this It is almost as if we have become university is yet another arena in Mumbai Bank immune to these frequent instances which the practice of caste in favour of of suicide mainly by dalit students. division continues to exist. The The student population on campuses university environment reinforces of higher education has become and maintains a divide between JANATA TRUST increasingly diverse. According to dalit and non-dalit. Dalit students D-15, Ganesh Prasad, 2008 data, of the total number of do, indeed, experience overt and Naushir Bharucha Marg, students in higher education in the covert discrimination based on Mumbai 400 007 country, four percent of them are caste at this premier university”. JANATA, March 19, 2017 3 BJP government in UP doesn’t bode well for poor and democracy

Sandeep Pandey

The shocking victory of Bhartiya This is precisely the Gujarat the pompous claim of Ashok Singhal. Janata Party (BJP) in the north model. Segregate the Hindus and The idea of PM identifying himself Indian state of Uttar Pradesh with Muslims and then deny the Muslims with only one community is also over three fourths of the seats in the of their basic rights. In today’s incompatible with democracy. assembly elections appears too one Gujarat Hindus and Muslims can’t sided to be true. Leader of the BJP live together. Sachar Committee Consolidation of Hindu votes by Narendra Modi has given a slogan report reveals that the social, creating a false impression that other ‘With everybody’s support, economic and educational status of political parties have pampered Development for all.’ However, in Muslims is only slightly better than Muslims is a cruel joke with Muslims. the last general elections for the dalits. If the national level of poverty The reality is that Muslims are a Parliament and in the recently is 22.7% then 31% Muslims and 35% deprived community in India, most of concluded state elections BJP did not SC-ST are poor. 40.7% Muslims fall them self-employed but poor. Now it put up a single Muslim candidate and in the Other Backward Classes is becoming clear that youth from this neither does it expect the Muslims category and constitute 15.7% of the community are made accused in many to vote for it. Muslims constitute OBC population. The condition of bomb-blast or terrorist incidents and 19.3% of UP population. BJP and Arzals in Muslims is as bad as the then acquitted because of lack of its ideological parent Rashtriya Most Backwards Classes. evidence, after having spent a number Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) have of years in jail, completely devastating sent out a clear message that they A politics which boycotts a section their lives. Such ploy strengthens the don’t care for Muslims and can win of population is inconsistent with spirit notion among majority community elections without their support. of democracy. Narendra Modi is the that Muslims are behind all such first Prime Minister of the country incidents as the news about their BJP doesn’t represent one fifth who is establishing himself as a leader arrests are highlighted but not of their of the state population and worse of the Hindus. The kind of statements acquittal. does not want to take any he made during the UP election responsibility on their behalf. campaign – of more electricity being Irom Sharmila securing merely 90 During India’s partition between given on Ramzan than on Diwali, votes in Manipur is as shocking as India and Pakistan communal money given for constructing BJP’s victory in UP. People in UP violence engulfed the sub-continent boundary wall of Kabristan but not have voted Amanmani Tripathi, and people were thoroughly that of Shamshaan and blaming accused of his wife’s murder and communalized. The second phase elements from across the border, whose both parents are in jail on the of communalization started in 1992 implying Pakistan, being responsible murder charge of Madhumita Shukla, from the Ram temple movement for a train accident near Kanpur and dons Mukhtar Ansari and Raja and has created mental gulf which had taken place a while back Bhaiya with criminal backgrounds between the Hindu and Muslim – have not been made by any PM in are MLAs. communities. In India Muslims the past. When Modi became the PM, were insecure then and are the now deceased President of Hence it is clear that people don’t insecure now. This doesn’t portend Vishwa Hindu Parishad Ashok vote in a rational manner. To win an well for the country. The demolition Singhal claimed that Hindu rule was election it requires money – legal and of Babri Mosque in 1992 has back in India first time after the illegal, organisation and even adopting invited the problem of terrorism to Mughal rule. Interestingly he didn’t unethical methods of exploiting the India, the first series of bomb blasts make this claim when Atal Bihari caste and religious sentiments of taking place immediately after the Vajpayee was the PM because people even if it may mean creating demolition in early 1993 in Mumbai Vajpayee didn’t have a communal more friction in society. People may as a reaction to the incident. image. Narendra Modi is living up to (Continued on Page 5) 4 JANATA, March 19, 2017 The verdict in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand

Apoorvanand

Indian parliamentary politics has mother organisation, was to serve as slowly co-opted the Other Backward moved away from the concerns of the springboard for the BJP. Classes and Dalits into its Hindu fold. its minorities. This is the essence of the statement of Rashtriya The time was ripe. The power it This is also a moment for Swayamsevak Sangh intellectual got at the Centre gave it the leverage ideologues to ponder over the Rakesh Sinha who, celebrating the it needed in these areas. Its rhetoric of Ambedkarism, which massive mandate given to the expansion in Odisha, as is evident in failed to anticipate that it was not at Bharatiya Janata Party by the people the results of the panchayat elections all difficult for Dalits to accept a in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, in February, is just an example of party that is run along Manuwadi said: “A Muslim veto institutionalised how the party can rebound in a place (casteist) ideological lines. Is it as an extra-secular mechanism has from where it was effectively difficult to see how the suicide of been demolished. The Sangh’s meta- pushed out only a few years ago. Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula in narrative on nationalism and Hyderabad or the lynching of Dalits Hindutva has emerged as a The emergence of the BJP in by the protectors of cows in Gujarat hegemonic ideology.” Odisha, where the Biju Janata Dal could not stir the Dalits of Uttar had unceremoniously showed it the Pradesh to spurn the saffron party? BJP leaders use the phrase “end door a few years ago, needs to be What prevented democratic parties of caste politics” to explain the understood in the light of what has from talking about these issues and unprecedented vote percentage that happened in Uttar Pradesh. The making them central in their the saffron party has gained in the saffron party has been out of power campaign? The fear that they would state elections this time. Other in Uttar Pradesh for the last 14 years. be seen as practising a partisan observers see a new voter emerging political language? in these elections, one who is weary There were theoretical of instability, is tired of coalition explanations for this. It was believed There have been many reports politics and wants to see decisive that the politics of social justice had of how the BJP worked on the non- governance. This view looks at the made it impossible for the political Yadav castes to carry them along. mandate to the BJP as a language of Hindutva to define It was done in many ways, by pulling continuation of the trend, over the politics. However, the politics of caste groups like the Kurmis, last decade, in Uttar Pradesh that social justice was reduced to, or Rajbhars, Nishads and Mauryas had put Mayawati and Akhilesh remained limited to, giving and non-Jatav Dalits into its fold. Yadav in power with an representation to some sections of Cultural modes were used unambiguous majority in the past. the erstwhile marginalised social effectively. The BJP’s symbolic groups. This meant that all one had campaign in the name of Suheldev, What is evident from the recent to do was to give these marginalised a little-known 11th-century Pasi poll results is that the BJP has social groups a sense of participation king, to dislodge the warrior saint established its pan-Indian dominance in the affairs of politics. If one could Ghazi Miyan from the popular decisively. Many see the BJP’s bring them around by only doing this imagination as the hero of both determination to capture India with much, what prevented the BJP from Hindus and Muslims in eastern admiration. Some others see it with attempting this formula too? Uttar Pradesh, is only one example. fear. Four years ago, when the BJP announced that its focus was on the Thus, the last 10 years have While the leaders of the social North East and East, including Bihar, shown the BJP turning the politics justice plank got complacent with the West Bengal and Odisha, it was not of social justice on its head. While assurance of continued support from taken very seriously. But the political scientists kept calling it the their sub-caste group, they failed to consistent work by the RSS, its party of upper caste Hindu males, it anticipate the aspirations that this JANATA, March 19, 2017 5 would generate in other sub-caste It is also interesting that the only (Continued from Page 3) groups within the wider category of party that spoke in a cultural Dalits or Backwards. language during the election not vote for a candidate like Irom campaign was the BJP. Neither the Sharmila who symbolizes simplicity, That this would ultimately Congress-Samajwadi Party alliance commitment to high ideals like truth generate resentment among these nor the Bahujan Samaj Party moved and non-violence and sacrifice but groups against the dominant ruling an inch away from their economic may prefer to vote for the criminals caste group, which in the case of rhetoric. Their attempt to appeal to who symbolize everything wrong in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were the economic insecurities of people society. Yadavs among the Backwards and did not cut ice as people knew that Jatavs among Dalits. To think that both camps barely differ with regard Some people harbour the illusion with these dominant caste groups to their economic policies. So, the that a BJP government will offer as the nuclei, other sub-caste only thing to make a difference was clean governance or will usher in an groups would keep hovering culture. However, the hesitation of era of merit.137 candidates of the around them was lazy politics. the so-called secular parties in talking BJP in UP elections had criminal Also, as we can now see, the about their cultural platform meant background. Every one in four BJP journey of the politics of social that they had utter disdain for the candidate was accused of serious justice was devoid of democratic people’s striving to find their criminal charges. Every three in four content. A politics that was only the definition of what a good life would BJP candidates were crorepatis. Can language of negotiation with power be. A good life is one that goes anybody claim that the BJP could only lead to where it stands beyond economic compulsions. To candidates spent within the now. Bahujan Samaj Party leader not talk about it is having a dim view prescribed limit set by the Election Mayawati has been reduced to the of people. Commission on election status of a leader of Jatavs, and campaigning? Where did the amount Akhilesh Yadav does not have Analysts have started talking spent over and above the prescribed appeal beyond Yadavs. Their about the 2017 election results the limit, obviously in form of black failure to fashion a universal way they did with the 2014 results money, come from, especially in new language that could compete with of the general election. They call it currency notes? Are these the Hindutva universal is stark. inclusive and a mandate beyond candidates representatives of caste. They seem embarrassed by common citizen, who is neither No human being likes to remain the BJP’s campaign, which was criminal nor rich nor corrupt? It is a confined within the identity brazenly anti-Muslim, casteist and party of the rich and capitalists and assigned to them. We are divisive. will work for them. Like other parties programmed to be transcendental BJP too manipulated the caste beings. What was the promise of The references to the Ram arithmetic by focussing on non- the slogan of social justice in this Mandir, anti-Romeo squads, Yadav OBC and non-Chamar-Jatav regard? It asked Yadavs to remain displacement of Hindus, dalit votes. Alliances with Apna Dal Yadavs and Jatavs to remain appeasement of Muslims at the cost and Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party Jatavs forever. Contrary to this of Dalits and backward castes were were caste based alliances. Keshav brand of politics, the RSS at least raised at the beginning of the Prasad Maurya is BJP President in promised them an opening in the campaign and remained till the end. UP because of his caste. To dispel wider Hindu fold, and more There was hardly a BJP leader who any doubts that caste and not merit recently, pride in being part of a did not use this language. It was most will continue to guide Indian politics more universal national project. certainly not inclusive. we need to go back to Bihar Thus, an ambitionless, narrow elections. Narendra Modi had to identity politics was defeated by a The verdict in Uttar Pradesh and claim in a most melodramatic manner reverse identity politics, which just Uttarakhand is definitely a decisive that he will lay down his life but not reprogrammed these groups, and victory of the ideology of the BJP. dismantle the caste based quota assured them of being part of a The party’s opponents must first system after the RSS chief Mohan larger Hindu nationalist solidarity accept this fact if they are to think Bhagwat made an adverse comment project. about ways to deal with it. against the system of reservations. 6 JANATA, March 19, 2017 Should Muslims keep away from electoral politics?

Ajaz Ashraf

Four months before the Uttar “A segment of Hindus hates the remain quiet, to not interfere in Pradesh election results sent very sight of Muslims,” he said. politics.” Nevertheless, Bukhari Muslims in India reeling in shock, “Their icon is Narendra Modi. But went on to announce that Muslims former Rajya Sabha MP 75% of Hindus are secular. Let should vote the Bahujan Samaj Mohammed Adeeb delivered a them fight out over the kind of India Party. speech in Lucknow, which, in they want. Muslim candidates have hindsight, might be called prescient. become a red rag to even secular “Look at the results,” Adeeb said Hindus who rally behind the angrily. “But for Jatavs, Yadavs, and “If Muslims don’t wish to have Bharatiya Janata Party, turning a segment of Jats, most Hindus the status of slaves, if they don’t every election into a Hindu-Muslim voted [for] the Bharatiya Janata want India to become a Hindu one.” Party.” His anger soon segued into rashtra, they will have to keep away grief and he began to sob, “I am an from electoral politics for a while Later in the day, Adeeb met old man. I don’t want to die in a and, instead, concentrate on Congress leader , Hindu rashtra.” education,” Adeeb told an audience who was in Lucknow. To Adeeb, comprising mostly members of the Azad asked, “Why did you deliver Though Adeeb has been nudging Aligarh Muslim University’s Old such a speech?” Muslims to rethink their political role Boys Association. through articles in Urdu It was now Azad’s turn to get a newspapers, the churn among them It isn’t that Adeeb wanted mouthful from Adeeb. He recalled has only just begun. It is undeniably Muslims to keep away from voting. asking Azad: “What kind of in response to the anxiety and fear His aim was to have Muslim secularism is that which relies on gripping them at the BJP’s thumping intellectuals rethink the idea of 20% of Muslim votes? The Bahujan victory in this politically crucial contesting elections, of disabusing Samaj Party gets a percentage of state. them of the notion that it is they it, as do the Samajwadi Party and who decide which party comes to the Congress.” After all, Uttar Pradesh is the power in Uttar Pradesh. site where the Hindutva pet projects At this, Azad invited Adeeb, who of cow-vigilantism, love jihad, and Adeeb’s suggestion, that is was elected to the Rajya Sabha ghar wapsi have been executed with contrary to popular wisdom, had his from Uttar Pradesh, to join the utmost ferocity. All these come in audience gasping. This prompted Congress. Adeeb rebuffed the offer the backdrop of the grisly 2013 riots him to explain his suggestion in saying, “First get the secular Hindus of Muzaffarnagar, which further greater detail. together before asking me to join.” widened the Hindu-Muslim divide inherited from the Ram “We Muslims chose in 1947 not Spectre of a Hindu rashtra Janmabhoomi movement of the to live in the Muslim rashtra of 1990s and even earlier, from Pakistan,” he said. “It is now the A day after the Uttar Pradesh Partition. Between these two turn of Hindus to decide whether election results sent a shockwave cataclysmic events, separated by 45 they want India to become a Hindu through the Muslim community, years, Uttar Pradesh witnessed rashtra or remain secular. Muslims Adeeb was brimming with anger. manifold riots, each shackling the should understand that their very He said, “Syed Ahmed Bukhari future to the blood-soaked past. presence in the electoral fray leads [the so-called Shahi Imam of to a communal polarisation. Why?” Delhi’s Jama Masjid] came to me I spoke to around 15 Muslims, with a question: ‘Why aren’t not all quoted here, each of whom Not one to mince words, Adeeb political parties courting me for introspected deeply. So forbidding answered his question himself. Muslim votes?’ I advised him to does the future appear to them that JANATA, March 19, 2017 7 none even alluded to the steep Samaj Party’s, and Panwar on the most of which is said to have come decline in the number of Muslim Samajwadi Party’s. It was thought from the lower economically MLAs, down from the high of 69 that the anger of Jats against the backward castes. elected in 2012 to just 24 in the BJP would prevent voting on new Uttar Pradesh Assembly. religious lines in an area where the In Devipura, where the Muslim-Hindu divide runs deep. Kashyaps are numerous, the They, in their own ways, echoed Bahujan Samaj Party got 86 votes, Adeeb, saying that the decline in This perhaps prompted Rana to the Rashtriya Lok Dal 42, the representation of Muslims was play the Hindu card, and the Samajwadi Party 1 and the preferable to having the Sangh Muslims who were more inclined Bharatiya Janata Party 433. Parivar rule over them with the to the Rashtriya Lok Dal switched spectre of Hindutva looming. their votes to the Bahujan Samaj In Oudri village, where the Jatavs Party, believing that its Dalit votes are in the majority, the Bahujan “Muslims need to become like would enhance the party’s heft to Samaj Party bagged 343 votes, the the Parsis or, better still, behave snatch Thana Bhawan. Rashtriya Lok Dal 15, the the way the Chinese Indians do in Samajwadi Party 12, and the Kolkata,” said poet Munawwar Communal polarisation Bharatiya Janata Party 22. Rana. “They focus on dentistry or [their] shoe business, go out to vote Sample how different villages This voting pattern was on polling day and return to work.” voted along communal lines. replicated in village after village. Broadly, the Jat votes split He continued: “And Muslims?” In the Rajput-dominated between the Bharatiya Janata They hold meetings at night, cook Hiranwada, the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Rashtriya Lok Dal, deghs (huge vessels) of biryani, and Party bagged 14 votes, the the Muslim votes consolidated work themselves into a frenzy. Rashtriya Lok Dal not a single vote, behind the Bahujan Samaj Party, “They think the burden of the Samajwadi Party seven, and the with the Samajwadi Party getting secularism rests on their shoulders,” Bharatiya Janata Party a whopping a slim share in it, the Jatavs stood said Rana. “Educate your people 790. solidly behind the Bahujan Samaj and make them self-reliant.” Party, and all others simply In Bhandoda, a village where the crossed over to the Bharatiya Readers would think Adeeb, Brahmins are landowners and also Janata Party. The BJP’s Suresh Rana and others are poor losers, dominate its demography, followed Rana won the election from not generous enough to credit the by Dalits, the Bahujan Samaj Party Thana Bhawan. BJP’s overwhelming victory in secured 156 votes, the Rashtriya Uttar Pradesh to Prime Minister Lok Dal zero, the Samajwadi Party Can you call this election?” Narendra Modi’s development nine, and the Bharatiya Janata Party asked Panwar rhetorically. “It is programme. In that case readers 570. Hindu-Muslim war through the should listen to Sudhir Panwar, the EVM [Electronic Voting Samajwadi Party candidate from In the Muslim-dominated Machine].” Panwar went on to Thana Bhawan in West Uttar Jalalabad, the Bahujan Samaj echo Adeeb: “I feel extremely sad Pradesh, who wrote for Scroll.in Party received 453 votes, the when I say that Muslims will have last week on the communal Rashtriya Lok Dal 15, the to keep away from contesting polarisation he experienced during Samajwadi Party 6 and the elections. This seems to be the his campaign. Bharatiya Janata Party 23. only way of ensuring that elections don’t turn into a Hindu-Muslim In Thana Bhawan, there were In Pindora, where Jats are 35% one.” four principal candidates – Suresh and Muslims around 30% of the Rana, accused in the Muzaffarnagar population, the Bahujan Samaj Party The Bahujan Samaj Party’s riots, stood on the BJP ticket; Javed polled 33 votes, the Rashtriya Lok Waris differed. “Is it even Rao on the Rashtriya Lok Dal’s; Dal 482, the Samajwadi Party 33, practical?” he asked. “But yes, Abdul Rao Waris on the Bahujan and the Bharatiya Janata Party 278, Muslims should keep a low profile.” 8 JANATA, March 19, 2017 A forgotten gender injustice

Rajindar Sachar

Sushma Swaraj, usually a calm is not likely to be revived in will meet both the requirement of politician, was so upset that she conceivable future. ensuring one-third quota for women spontaneously blurted out “I will and, at the same time, will not disturb shave my head if a foreigner Sonia But then circumstances of steep the present male seats. Gandhi becomes Prime Minister of price rise, political compulsions of India”. Luckily, Sonia Gandhi saved polls in Karnataka and other Thus, Lok Sabha membership can this embarrassment to Swaraj by impending polls made the then be easily increased to 750, with a intelligently and strategically government to be a little wise and provision that one woman candidate thrusting Manmohan Singh (though decide to refer the Bill to the will mandatorily be elected from a loyalist to the core of the Gandhi Parliamentary Standing Committee. those double-member constituencies, family, but on merit of his own), as Though the innocent amongst the and, depending upon the votes Prime Minister in 2004, women groups were hoping that the received, it may be that even both notwithstanding the protest from Bill would become an Act of elected candidate could be women. scores of Gandhi family loyalists. Legislature, nothing happened until This law was laid down by the 2010. Supreme Court decades ago in Switch to March 2010 and you see former President V.V. Giri’s case. a happy embrace by Sonia Gandhi The Women’s Reservation Bill or The same principle will apply in the and Sushma Swaraj in the precincts The Constitution (108th Amendment) case of elections to the state of Parliament. What happened in the Bill, 2008, is a lapsed Bill in legislatures. interim for such close bonhomie? Parliament of India, which proposed to amend the Constitution of India Space in Parliament is not a Though introduced by Deve to reserve 33% of all seats in the problem. Shivraj Patil, once Union Gowda for the first time on 12 Lower House of Parliament of India, Home Minister, is on record September 1996 in the Lok Sabha, the Lok Sabha, and in all state admitting that space is not a problem no concrete action was taken by Legislative Assemblies for women. if Parliament decides to increase the various governments to effectuate number of seats. the legislation on Women’s The Rajya Sabha passed the bill Reservation Bill in Parliament and on 9 March 2010. It was this event The alternative of double member the state legislatures. Everyone that made Sushma Swaraj and Sonia constituencies can be done by expected the legislation to be passed Gandhi embrace so emotionally. amending Article 81(2) of the immediately. In fact, Prime Minister However, the Lok Sabha never voted Constitution by increasing the I.K. Gujral promised his earliest on the Bill. The Bill lapsed after the present strength, which can be easily priority in passing this Bill but nothing dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha in done if political parties are genuine concrete happened. 2014. in their commitment to the Bill.

When the UPA government came Every time from 1998 to 2014, I know the Delimitation to power in 2004, it announced that whenever Parliament met, women Commission has already marked the the Act would be its first priority. But representatives were assured in all constituencies on the basis of single instead one had total silence on the solemnity by each major political member seats. But I do not think it Bill in the President’s speech on the party that it hoped to pass the Bill in is necessary to redraw the opening day of the Parliamentary that very session. In reality, this was constituencies to make it double. session. This was an open and clear a tongue-in-cheek operation. notice to the women activists that the By a rule of thumb the top one Bill, which had been so proudly That is why one feels that women third of the constituencies having the projected as a commitment to gender should support the alternative of maximum voters in each state could equality, has been quietly buried, and double-member constituencies which (Continued on Page 15) JANATA, March 19, 2017 9 Lohia’s immanent critique of caste

Arun Kumar Patnaik

It may be argued that Lohia’s Lohia’s principle, he hints their presentism. Lohia distinguishes two immanent criticism is outlined by his presence in his elaborate response forms of test followed by modern principle of immediacy. Recent to Yadav’s thesis. Hegde suggests intellectuals to promote their ideals commentators misunderstand that Lohia’s principle of immediacy of progress: the remote test (what Lohia’s principle of immediacy. is about “the world imagined (and may be called ‘transcendental’ Yogendra Yadav’s lengthy essay on lived) from the perspective of will principle) and the principle of Lohia’s intellectual journey (as separate from reason)…..One immediacy (what may be called underestimates Lohia’s method. of the profound weaknesses of this ‘immanent principle’). Where he should notice Lohia’s politics on immediacy is that it has methodological protocols in his no account of the cognitive status Remote test principle of immediacy, he argues of its own history, even though its that Lohia’s principle is morally basic superiority consists in its Thinkers following a remote test relevant against ‘vulgar presentism’ unique compatibility with prevailing or transcendental principle argue (excessively concerned with the and current historical conditions.” that the modern civilisation is about present and indifferent to the future) (2011: 71). Hegde views Lohia’s constant ‘progress’ in production, but does not have any analytical principle as expression of a democracy and even class struggle. significance. Commenting on perspective of will (non-reason) A golden age is expected to come. Lohia’s principle of immediacy, rather than a perspective of reason. The right wing intellectuals may Yadav (Economic and Political In my view, he thus reduces focus on technological progress Weekly, October 2, 2010) argues, analytical import of an immanent whereas the left wing intellectuals “Lohia did not formulate the criticism of history which is may offer a remote justification of analytical part of this insight (the informed of a perspective of reason class struggle. Both may portray a principle of immediacy – my combined with a perspective of will golden age in future. Both have an addition) as clearly as the (non-reason). Do we find a union of over-riding faith in remote tests. normative principle”. Anand Kumar reason and will (non-reason) in Thus, Lohia (2011, Vol. 2: 183) argues (Ibid) tries to argue for an Lohia’s principle of immediacy? Is that the modern world has given rise intersectional understanding of caste Lohia’s principle of immediacy to dichotomies “between spirit and but does not notice that Lohia offers posited in the unitary sense (a claim matter, individual and social, bread an internal critique of caste and made by Hedge, 2011: 70) and is and culture and the like”. As the implies that Lohia transcends caste thus devoid of multiplicity of future appears by suppressing the in order to offer his criticism of meanings? Let us now answer these present, a dichotomy between the caste. Let us discuss this issue at questions. present and the future is posited in length. While responding to Yadav’s this remote method. The right wing position, Sasheej Hegde (Economic What is Lohia’s principle of intellectuals represent one side of the and Political Weekly, September 3, immediacy? What is it opposed to dichotomy (spirit/individual/culture/ 2011) however suggests that it is or different from? How Lohia does technology) and the left-wing possible to argue that in Lohia’s discuss it? Lohia is critical of our intellectuals represent the exact principle of immediacy, ‘some obsession with ‘vulgar presentism’ opposite of it (matter/social/bread/ aspects of this analytical part’ may (obsession with the present) on the humanity). Lohia argues that this is be ‘inflecting at once Lohia’s ethics one hand and ‘vulgar futurism’ (an an unreal opposition. Lohia (ibid: and politics’. What are these excessive concern with a remote 184) suggests, “These dichotomies analytical aspects present in Lohia’s future) on the other and posits the have arisen, because immediacy is principle of immediacy? Though principle of immediacy. In the flouted, because history denies fable Hedge does not explore modernist circles there are two and fable denies history”. True, methodological protocols present in forms of reaction against vulgar Lohia here criticises a rationalist 10 JANATA, March 19, 2017 account of history popular in the Left immediate”. (Lohia, Vol 2: 186) The the subaltern search for autonomy/ and the Right that suppresses fables/ principle of immediacy connects the solidarity here and now and would fictions/myths. He seems to be moment of flux (history) with the want to identify their struggle with giving up reason. But Lohia does not moment of eternity (fables), the subaltern search for autonomy, they celebrate fables/myths. He subjects moment of material force with will lose relevance here and now. myths to a rational scrutiny and moment of subjective will, the Unless socialists identify with the suggests that fables too have moral moment of social with the moment principle of immediacy in production doctrines that impact history in a of individual. The principle of (the will to control production/profits linear form or a cyclic form. By immediacy claims that for each in factory or agriculture), in class suppressing fables, a rationalist single act, we need not look for struggle (democratic participation in history presents partial truth. A transcendental criteria to justify its pedagogy/action rather than typical rationalist account of history course of doing. It can be justified dependence on leadership), in culture is binary and is full of dichotomies. with immanent criteria or by a ‘here (intellectual formation among He is not giving up history for fables. and now’ approach to production, subalterns, approximation to other He is interested in exploring a fruitful governance, culture and class cultures of subalterns and so on), dialogue between history and fables, struggle. Lohia argues, “Compassion socialist movement cannot create the without sliding for one-sided and revolution have to interweave golden age it promises to the analytical protocols popular with the and any preferential loyalty to one subaltern strata. philosophers of history (with moment or the other would heap disaster on of flux in history) or moralists (with the spiritual as well as the material”. Lohia’s thesis is anticipated by the moment of eternity in fables). If (Lohia, Vol 2: 186) Lohia clearly is Gramsci’s immanent criticism of the moment of flux can be analysed unprepared to give up reason for will socialist orthodoxies in Europe. by a perspective of non-reason or or vice versa. He discards the Culturally, his thesis approximates will, the moment of eternity can be golden age of distant future and that of Gramsci’s immanent analysed by a perspective of reason. argues that such an ideal is harmful critique. As in Gramsci, Lohia’s Though reason and will are for left wing movements. For they analytical protocols broaden the field necessary to analyse both the may do many ignoble acts to fulfil of socialist politics. It is not merely moments of eternity (fables) and flux high ideals and think that their acts concerned with the material (history). That is how Lohia breaks can be justified by the outcome of a transformation through the state free from binary of reason and will remote future. If I may rephrase power, it is equally concerned with by combining a critical perspective him, he implicitly suggests that a spiritual change or intellectual of history and fables. He is critical perspective of will focuses on transformation so that subaltern of their dichotomy, critical of their compassion or spiritual realm caste/classes cease to remain gaze over humanity and proposes a whereas a perspective of reason subalterns. It is not merely focused new synthesis. For fables are stories concentrates on material changes in on capturing the state power but that never take place but moralists human life. A socialist ideal of also transformation of social power assume they are internally real. progress must concentrate on a in caste/gender/class/ethnicity/ Historians denounce fables and combined perspective of will and language. Thus, analytically rightly look for moments of flux/ reason. speaking, it is indeed a historic task change and thus ignore what is of socialist movement to explore “externally real” in fables. (Lohia, Lohia’s principle acquires an forms of immediacy in factory/land, 2011, Vol.2: 185) Lohia concludes, added analytical significance in class/caste struggle, governance “If man must learn to live in history, socialist movement to establish and culture. It is possible for a new he has equal need to live outside it”. classless and casteless society by a socialist movement to begin by (ibid) here-and-now approach rather than identifying with these multiple forms a remote approach. The orthodox of immediacy. Thus Lohia’s new The immediacy test notion of progress in socialist circles analytical protocols are laid bare in upholds a rosy future and forgets that his principle of immediacy required Lohia proposes, “We may in fact subalterns want to gain ‘autonomy’ to renew a new socialist movement. be heading for a golden age if we here and now rather than in distant His analysis is simultaneously try to achieve that golden age in the future. Unless socialists identify with political. His new methodology is at JANATA, March 19, 2017 11 once a new political project. Far way-out. Let us examine these pleading for the destruction of caste’s from positing a unitary notion of issues below. exclusionary practices. But it would immediacy as claimed by Hegde, be a terrible mistake to examine Lohia observes a plural notion of Caste as domination Lohia’s account of caste in isolation immediacy so that socialism could or legitimation? from that of Gandhi and Ambedkar. be constructed with multiple Moreover, in terms of genealogy, he trajectories. Since caste is a power structure, should be evaluated as a succeeding it needs to be related to a theory of thinker. If Lohia needs to be Does Lohia apply his own power. A theory of power is usually examined in relation to his immediate method to understand caste caught with a tension between two intellectual context, the antecedent relation? Lohia does it very notions of power: power as a tradition of criticism of caste must acutely. He offers a plural notion hierarchy of domination on the one be placed beforehand so that we can of immediacy to examine caste hand and power as a system of assess his own contributions system and identifies caste in legitimation on the other hand. The fruitfully. It may not be inaccurate relation to gender, language, class former focuses on a hierarchy of to claim that the earlier thinkers such and region. He locates its internal elites and subalterns, structural as Gandhi and Ambedkar describe strength in providing forms of inequalities arising between them and caste as a hierarchy of domination solidarity and security to members strategies to dominate subaltern (untouchability for Gandhi and of a particular caste, though in a strata and so on. The latter focuses graded inequalities for Ambedkar). framework of segregation and on why subalterns give consent to Lohia on the other hand focuses on argues that socialism must the domination of elites and its moral caste as a legitimising system: how articulate similar forms of security and legal paraphernalia. does it draw support of people and and solidarity in non-discriminatory gain acceptability as a system? A non mode. Socialism must adopt and These notions of power represent sectarian view of caste may thus universalise solidarity currents two different sides of power, have to combine these two important practised by caste society, instead sometimes pushing theorists to take views of caste system as these views of pointing towards a distant sectarian positions. That is to say, represent two different sides of caste future of progress. His application theorists of power may merely echo system. of the immanent principle to the one or the other side of power, examine caste system is very failing to notice that there are Ambedkar and Lohia on clear. While this could be seen as actually two sides of power in live Gandhi’s view of Caste part of his analysis of ‘history’, it tension or contradiction between may be useful to hint at this stage each other. A comprehensive theory There is one thing common to both how he analyses fables of Ram- of power will have to engage with Ambedkar and Lohia. Both are Vashistha-Sambhuka story on the these two different tendencies of dissatisfied with Gandhi’s doctrine of one hand and Vashistha-Vamliki power structure. Thus, a broad view least resistance to caste order. Both traditions on the other hand. He of caste power may have to take into argue for the rediscovery of also pays attention to legends of account the hierarchy of domination Satyagrah against caste system. If fishermen or dalit communities and structures of legitimation. It must you recall, Gandhi was wary of that reinforce their subordination break with a binary view that treats Satyagrah against caste inequalities, and points to their inner caste as domination or as legitimation notwithstanding his opposition to the contradictions in these beliefs. In process. British Raj on the grounds of a sense, he offers a subtle Satyagrah. Gandhi does not think it criticism of caste-based legends This paper primarily focuses on would be prudent to place Satyagrah believed by lower castes and Lohia’s accounts which deal with against caste order during the British points towards a new socialist the moral order of caste. He focuses Raj or even after India’s narrative of fables, myths, and on the legitimizing process of caste Independence. Rather, on the caste popular legends prevalent among system and enquires into why caste issues, he proposes the doctrine of the caste communities. He deftly has survived as a social system. He least resistance as a matter of uses these stories to expose caste throws some light on the resilient principle rather than a time dependent contradictions and points out a strength of caste system, while strategy. Gandhi thinks that caste is 12 JANATA, March 19, 2017 an unequal structure between the against caste, Gandhi denies the discovering Satyagraha as a means touchable castes and the relevance of this history to of people’s struggle against injustice untouchable castes. contemporary egalitarians. and for popularizing Satyagraha at a Ambedkar argues that Gandhi’s call pan Indian level. Lohia assumes that He argues for changing the upper for abolition of untouchability due to Gandhi, it would be now caste mentalities by an appeal to their amounts to a case of limited possible to place Satyagraha against change of hearts. He argues that if egalitarianism. Lohia too argues that caste system, even though Gandhi the upper castes could be convinced Gandhi’s Satyagraha may be might have placed “the change of with an appeal to the principle of extended against caste system and heart” doctrine in relation to caste ancestral calling, it would be possible socialism, unlike Gandhism, may or property disputes.3 For, due to for them to believe in the redundancy explore the possibility of policy action Gandhism, Satyagraha is now etched of untouchability. According to this against caste inequalities, a theme on to people’s memory at a national principle, we are doing different in which Ambedkar is equally level. People would never forget its functions as our duties to a village concerned. Thus, we find some relevance in their own social and community as ordained by our common threads in their assessment political struggles. There is no blind ancestors. Through an alternative of Gandhism vis à vis caste order. anti Gandhism in Ambedkar as made education of upper castes, it would Both agree the Gandhism reduces out by his followers today, even be possible to convince them that caste into existence of untouchables though he is sharply critical of different castes do mere duties to and nullifies any concerted policy or Gandhism. their ancestors. So, there is no low political action against caste system. or polluted duty and high or pure duty. Both agree that it would be A system of graded inequalities All caste functions are duties as per necessary to view caste order as the ancestral calling. Once upper power structure and offer an all Let us focus on Ambedkar’s castes are convinced with a notion rounded critique of caste so that it programme of annihilation of caste of duty in every manual labour, it would be entirely abolished. as a prelude to our discussion of would be possible for them to Lohia’s plea for the destruction of remove from their minds that some For both of them, the abolition of caste order. Ambedkar argues groups do menial labour or polluted caste order is more important than clearly: Gandhism has a weak functions. All functions would be the abolition of untouchability of the understanding of caste inequalities seen as necessary duties to Dalits as Gandhism envisages. Both and moreover has a weaker ancestors. Once upper castes are agree that Gandhism is an egalitarian understanding of solutions to caste convinced with this doctrine, they ideology on the caste question but it order. We have seen the latter would also undertake street has limited utilities in a democratic aspect and now shall examine the sweeping and so on as Gandhi nation determined to abolish caste former aspect. Gandhi identifies himself did. That would bring an end inequalities. In fact, Ambedkar, untouchability of the Dalits as a to untouchability. So, Satyagraha unlike his followers, clearly major problem in the caste order. He against untouchability is not demarcates three egalitarian is for the abolition of untouchability, necessary. Ambedkar calls Gandhi’s ideologies against caste: Gandhism, even though he prescribes no doctrine as the one of least Marxism and Buddhism. For him as political action. But, he forgets that resistance.1 also for Lohia, it would be possible untouchability is not simply limited to learn from Gandhism and Marxism to the Dalit’s social experience. Both Ambedkar and Lohia remain while trying to establish an egalitarian Untouchability is also experience of dissatisfied with Gandhi’s doctrine of ideology, even though lessons from the so called touchable castes and least resistance. Both argue that them may have limited applicability all women across caste order. By Gandhi, as a matter of principle, in relation to caste order in India. So, simply ignoring this simple point, denies the relevance of Satyagrah I submit, Ambedkar was not anti Gandhi misses the essence of caste against caste inequalities. If you look Gandhi as made out by his followers system which consists of grades of around India’s history, it is full of such today. In a dialectical thinking, there untouchability against several Satyagraha resistance movements are no pro or anti Gandhi positions.2 human beings, not simply Dalits. against caste system, so argues Caste is defined by untouchability Ambedkar. By denying Satyagraha Both give credit to Gandhi for practiced within “touchable” castes JANATA, March 19, 2017 13 and against untouchable castes group invited proportionate physical question for Lohia, “Castes have rather than by the position of punishment. Such punishment rules endured over thousands of untouchables as Gandhi imagines. varied from region to region. If you years”.55R M Lohia, One of the broadest definitions of recall, Ambedkar’s submission caste system as a system of graded against Gandhi is that the latter He goes on to explore how caste inequalities is thus found in ignores the prevalence of creates legitimation processes so that Ambedkar. In comparison, the untouchability among “touchable” lower castes feel that they are Gandhian conception of caste pales castes. Even non Vedic Brahmins indeed lower, and so on. He goes on into romantic narrow mindedness. and all Brahmin women are not to explore how caste creates Let us elaborate this feature of supposed to know the Vedas. The insurance or social security for caste as captured by Ambedkar Vedas must be kept away from all which people do not have to pay a briefly.4 these groups. Forms of premium. How castes produce a untouchability are practiced across split personality in average Hindus Caste is simply not a system of all “touchable” castes. Even, without a stable and sincere voice inequalities between castes of untouchables are divided by rules of on anything? How castes disunite purity and castes of pollution. Such precedence. Malas think that they and divide masses who witnessed a neat division of labour is not there are superior to Madigas in Andhra several foreign conquests by tiny in the caste system. There are Pradesh and assume that the latter armies whereas vast masses grades of pollution, followed by are untouchables. Not merely in remained passive? No foreign rules of precedence in matters of education but also in all other conquests propelled them for mass education, religion, commensality, spheres of life, such rules of action due to caste divisions. For, he marriage, economy and so on. Such precedence prevail, thus creating a continuously looks for mobilization of rules of precedence exclude not variety of untouchability strata people for socialist action in the midst merely Dalits from various sectors across caste order. That is why of passivity of masses imposed by of human life. They also exclude Gandhi’s call for abolition of caste or in the midst of social security Sudras, Vaisyas, non Vedic untouchability of untouchable castes given by caste? Can socialists learn Brahmins as well as all women or Dalits is a weak solution, further from some positive features by across caste divisions. Caste is thus weakened by his plea for change of destroying the negative features of a hierarchy of grades/ranks of hearts of the upper castes. Thus, caste system? What strategy they people subdivided by the different Ambedkar pleads that all round ought to have to do so? What policy rules of precedence in matters Satyagraha must be conducted to actions are possible under socialism? governing human life, where the destroy the essence of caste which Vedic Brahmin male occupies the lies in varieties of untouchability Provision for social security top of hierarchy with Dalits created by the social system. We occupying its bottom. Let us see shall leave Ambedkar here. It To cite Lohia: “Caste is how rules of precedence occur in should be enough to indicate how presumably the world’s largest education under the caste order. Ambedkar examines caste as a insurance for which one does not pay Vedas and Puranas were seen as hierarchy of power. a formal or regular premium. two different sources of knowledge. Solidarity is always there, when Vedic Brahmins occupied superior Caste and its moral order everything else fails”.6 Caste status over Puranic Brahmins as the provides for social solidarity in matters Vedic knowledge preceded Puranic As I said before, Lohia does not of child bearing, marriage, funeral knowledge. Brahmin male occupied explore how caste is organized as a obsequies, feasts and other rituals. superior status over Brahmin women graded hierarchy. I am not aware if Men belonging to the same caste in matters of knowledge. Women of Lohia knew Ambedkar’s richer assist each other at these decisive any caste and all non Brahmin analysis. Most probably, unwittingly, hours of needs. But Lohia does not males were excluded from he examines what is left out by fail to notice that caste based security education system by caste Ambedkar. Why the caste order for which we may not have to pay practices. manages to survive in the midst of any premium for insurance protection resistance against caste and foreign does also practice “excluding men of Violation of such rules by any conquests? This is most important other castes” who are reduced to be 14 JANATA, March 19, 2017 periphal of such social security Can socialism learn from this other high castes because of their system. This system of insurance community network to weaken caste greater greed and deceit. The without any cost or premium makes order instead of relying on the state current lot of misery is attributed to the system more resilient and durable power to do so as at present? I the unending succession of sacrificial in the eyes of its members only. But assume Lohia is interested in acts for the sake of high principles. it practices segregation in providing inferring such a question from his This sacrifice is seen not as an social security to needy people from investigation into caste system, active principle that seeks change other castes. though I must confess I have not but as a passive submission to the been able to see such an explicit caste order. This sort of mythical I remember one incident from query asked by him. Otherwise, why sacrifices is wide spread among the Aska, a small town in Orissa. One should be a socialist leader interested lower castes. They secure their Komati (trader) family was not able in telling us about this networking subordination.8 to arrange their daughter’s wedding aspect of caste? Lohia does not ask due to financial difficulties. The such a sharp question, as I am afraid, Weakens nation Komati Pentha arranged money for he purely relies on the state/party her marriage and finally arranged a model of socialism to overcome Lohia argues that a great boy for her too. She was “happily” barriers of caste system while misreading of Indian history is that married off after sometime. Such offering social security. His model foreigners could invade and conquer solidarity is found in the caste of solution converges with that of India due to our internal quarrels associations throughout India. Nehruvian liberals and communist and intrigues. This is plain nonsense. Brahmin Associations give parties, even though the way he The single most cause is caste fellowship to the poor Brahmin examines caste system frontally, his system which produced imbecility students in the schools. Kamma analysis differs from them. Lohia and passivity among masses who Sangams do similar things. Do we does not share what he calls their were hardly interested in nation’s ever come across beggars among “wordy opposition” to caste. tragedies. Caste is the single most Komatis or Jat Sikhs? The Langar reason why national feeling, national houses or Penthas take care of such System of moral subordination solidarity and action in preventing people. Such activities provide national tragedies could not develop legitimacy and strength to caste Another aspect of caste system and still do not develop. Unless order. Caste continues to survive is the way it survives with the caste is destroyed new India could despite many crisis points posed by support from lower castes. The not revive. India would remain modernization. This partly explains upper castes do not have to weak, not due to intrigues but due why caste has survived even the dominate them with the rule of gun. to caste inequalities. If political foreign conquests led by Muslims Lower castes justify their parties play with caste cards in and Christians who came to India subordination by discovering folklore electoral democracy, nation would with egalitarian ideologies but got of their own and offer justification remain dormant and docile. India adjusted with caste order. And in fact, of their own subordination through a would not be seen as a developed due to a modernization drive, caste moral discourse innovated by nation. So in Lohia’s estimate caste has managed to survive in urban themselves rather than by upper and nation do have negative areas by getting organized as castes. Lower castes have legends correlation. If one remains strong, associations offering many kinds of and myths that justify their lowly the other remains weak. If caste assistance at times of financial crisis. situation and transform it into a remains strong, people’s languages, The more a caste group has money, symbol of sacrifice and luster. Lohia their housing and general styles of the more it is organized with gives an illustration from fisher folk’s living will remain undeveloped and association offices and schemes of life. The Kaivarts (fisher folk caste) their mind will have imbecility due assistance for needy members of its who presumably number more than to inferiority complexes instilled in own. To use a more fashionable one crore population tell stories about them over thousand years.9 A term, I would say that caste provides their mythical ancestors, who were vibrant India cannot be born in such for social capital networks. But such simple, ungreedy, brave and situations. So the destruction of social capital networks are restricted generous and who lost everything to caste is more important for nation within a particular caste stratum.7 other ancestors of Kshatriyas and building. JANATA, March 19, 2017 15

NOTES 1B R Ambedkar, “An Anti-Untouchability Agenda”, in V Rodrigues (ed.), The Essentials Writings of B R Ambedkar, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 2002. 2Ambedkar would have agreed with Lohia that he is not anti- or pro-Gandhi. See R M Lohia, Marx, Gandhi and Socialism, Rammanohar Lohia Samata Vidyalaya Nyasa, Hyderabad, Second Edition, 1978, p. 364. 3Ibid, pp. 157-158. 4B R Ambedkar, “Annihilation of Caste”, and “Reply to the Mahatma”, in V Rodrigues (ed.), Op. Cit., 2002, pp. 263- 320. 5R M Lohia, The Caste System, Rammanohar Lohia Samata Vidyalaya Nyasa, Hyderabad, 1964, p. 81. 6R M Lohia, op. cit., n.5, p. 80. 7Hans Blomkvist, “Traditional communities, Caste and Democracy: The Indian Mystery”, Paul Dekker and Eric M Uslaner (eds.), Social Capital and Participation in Everyday Life, Routledge, London, 2001. 8R M Lohia, op. cit., n.5, p. 84. 9R M Lohia, op. cit., n.5, pp. 83-84.

REFERENCES V Rodrigues (ed.), The Essentials Writings of B R Ambedkar, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 2002. R M Lohia, Marx, Gandhi and Socialism, Rammanohar Lohia Samata Vidyalaya Nyasa, Hyderabad, Second Edition, 1978. R M Lohia, The Caste System, Rammanohar Lohia Samata Vidyalaya Nyasa, Hyderabad, 1964. Harris Wofford Jr., Lohia and American Meet 1951 & 1964, B R Pub, Delhi, 2002. D D Kosambi, The Culture and Civilisation of Ancient India in Historical Outline, Vikas Pub., Delhi, 1990. R M Lohia, Fragments of a World Mind, Maitrayani, Calcutta, n.d. R M Lohia, Wheel of History, B R Pub., Delhi, 1955. A Pinto, “UN Conference against Racism: Is Caste Race?”, Economic and Political Weekly, (To be concluded)

(Continued from Page 8) be declared double-member. If the With the 2019 Parliamentary Bill, otherwise the joint fight will legislators are sincerely genuine they elections coming, is it not time for continue and openly. They should could even submit an agreed list. the women leadership in both the request Mamata Banerjee and Congress and BJP, through Sonia Mayawati to join hands with them At present, of course, a fresh Gandhi and Sushma Swaraj to on the issue of Women’s process has again to be initiated in jointly clench their fists and warn Reservation Bill. Parliament, because the previous all the parties that they will no Reservation Bill lapsed with the longer tolerate injustice and neglect Let me recall that Dr dissolution of the previous Lok Sabha to continue? They may legitimately Rammanohar Lohia had opined in 2014. continue their differences on other that reservation for women was an subjects in the light of their own instrument of social engineering— In the just finished election respective programmes. he could never have suggested propaganda in Uttar Pradesh, not one splitting the strength of women’s party, including the so-called seculars, But let them give a rallying cry quota by further splitting them in with the exception of the Socialist against the male chauvinists, like sub quotas. Party (India), included the item of the one given by Spanish freedom reservation for women in their fighters in the 1936 Civil War—”no Time is short. Only an effort by election manifestoes. Can such male pasaran, you shall not pass”, i.e. these four women political leaders chauvinism be allowed to exist in our continuing this injustice by not will see through the Women’s country? passing the Women’s Reservation Reservation Bill. R.N.I. NO. 1855/1957 16 JANATA, March 19, 2017 Postal Registration No. MCW/275/2015-2017. License to Post without prepayment WPP License No. MR/Tech/WPP-210/West/2017 Published on Sunday, March 19, 2017 & Posted on Wedenesday March 22, 2017 at Mumbai Patrika Channel, Mumbai GPO-1

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Vol. 72 No. 10 Between The Lines March 26, 2017 Back to Square One

Kuldip Nayar Communalism Trumps Social Justice for Now We are back to square one. The Modi or to the Yogi, who has the Sandeep Pandey Supreme Court has advised the two reputation of being a hardcore parties, those who want the Babri Hindu leader, it shows that Hindutva Musings of a Secular Masjid to be reconstructed and is sweeping the country. Obviously, and Liberal Indian those who claim that the site is that the RSS is behind the move. Uday Dandavate of Lord Rama’s. In its judgment, the court has advised the different In the past, the RSS always parties to sit together and sort out stayed distant although it was the Tribute to Rabi Ray the problems through negotiations. final arbiter. But now it is so Chandrabhal Tripathi confident of the Hindu majority, One surprising part of the advice particularly after the BJP swept is that the Chief Justice of India is elections in UP, that it doesn’t mind Lohia’s Immanent Critique willing to mediate for an out-of- coming out in the open. It is already of Caste – II court settlement. He has said “give preparing for the 2019 Lok Sabha Arun Kumar Patnaik a bit and take a bit. Make an effort elections. Its chief Mohan Bhagwat to sort it out.” He points out that minces no words when he tells the Defeat in UP these are issues of sentiments and swayamsewaks to be prepared to he can even step aside and let his meet the increasing attacks on the brother judges to decider. How can RSS and get ready for the next Lok the chief justice or, for that matter, Sabha polls. his brother judges mediate because Editor : their very office is supposed to be In the face of what has happened in recent assembly elections, the RSS G. G. Parikh above controversies? fears that the opposition parties might Managing Editor : Guddi Yogi Adityanath, a Hindu icon, join hands together to fight it out. In has been elected as the leader of such a scenario, the BJP-led NDA D-15, Ganesh Prasad, the Uttar Pradesh legislative party may lose ground. The RSS, or for Naushir Bharucha Marg, with a huge margin and installed as that matter, the BJP knows that Mumbai - 400 007. chief minister. Whether the credit despite getting 42 percent of vote for securing this majority in UP share in UP, the combined efforts of Email : [email protected] goes to Prime Minister Narendra the other parties fetched 55 percent 2 JANATA, March 26, 2017 of vote share. It means that the Communalism Trumps non-BJP parties would have to come together. This doesn’t seem possible Social Justice for Now at present.

The bigger danger may force Sandeep Pandey them to sink their differences and fight the saffron brigade. As Nani After the implementation of social justice. With this is back the Palkhiwala, the late eminent jurist Mandal Commission recommenda- upper caste dominance in UP said, when the house is on fire you tions by the Vishwanath Pratap politics. It is an irony but had Yogi don’t not think whether to save the Singh government at the centre in Adityanath been declared a chief drawing room or dining room. You 1989 it has been only an Other ministerial candidate before the want to save the entire house. He Backward Class or Scheduled elections it is not sure whether BJP was referring to the looming threat Caste leader in Uttar Pradesh at would have won in an OBC of the erstwhile Jan Sangh getting the helm, except for a five year dominated state. To garner the non a majority in parliament. It is another period from 1997 to 2002 when the Yadav OBS votes Keshav Prasad matter that Janata Party, comprising only Bhartiya Janata Party Maurya was made the BJP most Jan Sanghis, came to power government formed after the Babri President in UP. After the voters at the centre in 1977. But the Masjid demolition had two upper were tricked into voting for the sticking point was to sever relations caste chief ministers, Ram Prakash BJP an upper caste chief with the RSS. Gupta and Rajnath Singh. Post-1989 minister has been imposed because period was called the era of Social that is where the BJP’s core However, the Jan Sangh Justice indicating that communities ideology and hence the vote bank elements which are now a part of which were not politically well lies. However, this vote bank is the ruling BJP, refused to snap ties represented or at least not in insufficient to win elections. BJP with the RSS. Subsequently, L.K. proportion to their presence in also went all out to secure the non- Advani walked out and founded a population got a chance to be in Chamar-Jatav votes from among the separate party, the BJP. Liberal power. A popular slogan of Bahujan dalits this time. elements in the party like Atal Samaj Party was ‘numerically Behari Vajpayee, too, left the Janata higher should have proportionate The elite BJP supporter is under Party. It turned out to be a blessing participation.’ Before 1989 it was the illusion that merit will now take in disguise that his sobering mainly the upper caste, a Brahmin precedence over caste, law and influence did not allow the hardcore or a Thakur, who headed the order will be better and corruption elements to take over when the governments. The social justice will come to an end. It is abundantly party came to power. politics was seen as a successful clear that BJP could not have won example of empowerment of the without caste machinations and has It, however, shows that marginalised sections of society and replaced social justice politics by a secularism has not taken roots in Mayawati’s ascension to chief retrogressive combination of the country. It is unfortunate that ministership was nothing short of a entrenchment of the pernicious the independence struggle, aimed at miracle, probably the rarest example caste system and explosive a secular democratic country that in a democracy where a person communalism. The chief minister included this noble thought in the hailing from the lowest rungs of faces many cases including seven preamble of the constitution, seems society, that too a woman, rose to under seven serious Indian Penal to have gone awry. The Hindutva power based on Constitutionally Code sections. He has two charges elements, slowly and gradually, backed electoral process. UP’s of promoting enmity between swept the country. Today, you can example was quoted as a successful different groups, two charges of see that soft-Hindutva has spread model to fight the politics of injuring or defiling place of worship, even in Kerala where the BJP, for communalism, for example, in the one charge of criminal intimidation the first time, has made inroads. state of Gujarat. But the reverse and more. Once when he was has happened. The politics of arrested by the District Magistrate (Continued from Page 3) communalism has defeated that of of Gorakhpur he wept in the JANATA, March 26, 2017 3

Parliament alleging threat to his life. The abovementioned numbers the leadership of alliance to her as It did not probably occur to him indicate that the game is still not she comes from a more depressed that victims of violence, inflicted by over for SP and BSP if they open background and is a senior leader. his followers, or their families up to each other and revive the This is the sacrifice Akhilesh similarly may have felt threatened. Mulayam Singh-Kanshiram era will have to make if at all he is Deputy chief minister Keshav alliance. Mayawati, for whom serious about displacing BJP from Prasad Maurya has eleven cases political oblivion looms large, will power. against him including 15 serious have to overcome her antipathy IPC sections. 20 out of 44 ministers towards the SP and contemplate an The BJP is trying to subvert the have cases pending against them alliance. In any case she will not Constitutional values of socialism, with 17 of them facing serious IPC have to deal with Mulayam Singh secularism, sovereignty and even sections. 35 ministers in the newly and Shivpal, of whom she may not democracy. There is a need for appointed cabinet are crorepatis. Is have very good memories. Akhilesh parties and people with belief in such it all hard earned money? Did is a fresh face and she may not values to come together and defeat the candidates spend within the have a problem with him. But the mischievous designs of Hindutva limits prescribed by Election Akhilesh will probably have to cede politics. Commission to contest their elections? One can only pity the (Continued from Page 2) gullible BJP supporter. As it is, the party has captured Ayodhya, sooner or later. If the all- BJP secured 39.7 % votes. With the imagination of people which has powerful Yogi has been installed as its allies Apna Dal and Suheldev brought it to power in over dozen chief minister by the BJP high Bhartiya Samaj Party the vote share states. This also means that the command, it must be with a clear- of alliance went upto 41.4%. secular party like the Congress has cut intention. Samajwadi Party and BahujanSamaj been losing its grip in the states which Party together polled 44% votes. it ruled once. Even the regional Whatever may the outcome, the Along with Congress party, the parties are losing their relevance as court cannot decide on what is share of secular alliance becomes it happened in UP. Obviously, the apparently a matter of faith. That 50.2% of votes. Hence the politics BJP has been able to influence the is perhaps why the CJI has offered of social justice still has an upper minds of most people. The Rajya to mediate for an out-of-court hand in UP. Sabha elections look like settlement. But then there have strengthening the BJP’s hands been several attempts since 1986, In terms of seat share if SP and involving five governments of BSP had formed an alliance, as the The assembly elections in states different colours. It was mainly then chief minister AkhileshYadav of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh because both parties seem to be of SP had suggested after the Bihar will really show whether the Lok adamant since they don’t want to election results, they would have Sabha would be captured by the make any compromises. Under the won 239 seats out of 403 and hence BJP or not. However, the future is circumstances, another attempt by would have defeated BJP ominous. The revival of Ram mandir the CJI may not help. convincingly. If we add the issue could shape the future of the Congress party votes to this alliance, country and would polarize the Except for the BJP, none of the number of seats would have gone nation further. Yogi Adityanath has other parties is enthused over the up to 282 and with the inclusion of repeated the Modi words of ‘sabka offer by the Supreme Court bench. other like-minded parties such as saath, sabka vikas.’ It looks as if the apex court also is the Rashtriya Lok Dal and not clear in its mind how to settle Communist Party of India, the But the content of the party the dispute. This long-ranging issue secular alliance would have won cannot change overnight. Though needs a quick solution for the 296 seats. This would have helped the UP chief minister may not be comforts of all parties concerned. realize AkhileshYadav’s aspiration saying it in as many words, he will But, unfortunately, it doesn’t seem of securing 300 seats with the help have to follow the RSS and the BJP to coming, at least in the near of alliance partners. agenda of the Ram temple at future. 4 JANATA, March 26, 2017

Notebook Defeat in UP I should make it clear that this As a first step, socialists should over to private sector. These two piece is not a comment on the recent accept that the victory of the BJP is issues, education and health care, assembly elections, but is an effort the victory of the Gujarat model. In can be defined by socialists as to take note of the defeat of the 2014, on the basis of this model, the essential infrastructure for Samajwadi Party in UP, and draw BJP won the Lok Sabha elections development. some lessons. and now in 2017, it has won again at the assembly level. Once this is Another issue that socialists could The Samajwadi Party has been accepted, socialists have to develop take up is decent work for all. defeated, and defeated decisively. It a feasible road map to counter this Almost all agree that the current was in power for a full term and has model. The Gujarat model is model of development does not met this ignominious fate. While there essentially based on Hindu-Muslim generate jobs. There is growth but it will be many analyses, from simple polarization. The task therefore gets is a jobless growth, and given the to more multi-dimensional and defined as how to prevent such demographic bulge, this can create complex to explain the defeat, but polarization from happening. It an explosive situation. Socialists will with an objective of deducing some should also be realized that the term have to identify and popularize an lessons for the socialists from the fall secularism has taken on a new alternate development model which out, I have relied on common sense meaning in this country, thanks to the generates jobs, jobs for the children rather than highly sophisticated BJP and the RSS. The masses – an of the common man, and not just for analyses. overwhelming number of them – those of the elite. Socialists are in a have come to understand this term better position to do this because their There will be people who will as little else but anti-Hindu and pro- thinking and upbringing has been blame the war in the Yadavpariwar Muslim. And therefore it will be sensitized by the thinking of the or the alliance with the Congress for good for the socialists not to fight freedom movement. That defeat, but those who do this will only their battle against Hindu-Muslim movement had thrown up a large be fooling themselves. Such polarization under the banner of number of ideas for eradication of explanations do not yield an effective secularism. The moment they talk of poverty and for full employment. response to such an overwhelming secularism and posit it against the Unfortunately, the country did not defeat. The first thing that is to be Gujarat model, they walk into a trap pursue these ideas after realized is that this defeat is not just laid by the RSS-BJP. independence and started mimicking the defeat of the Samajwadi Party, the West and forced a model on us but is the defeat of all socialists and The socialists should define a of development, which is capital also of those who call themselves new, different ground for their battle intensive. This needs correcting and secularists. For those socialists who and that can be the bread and butter socialists can do this, should do this. are not with the Samajwadi Party, to issues for the masses, both Hindu point out that the Samajwadi Party and Muslim. Socialists will have to The masses are aware of the was not fully socialist or something identify these issues and obscene inequality that the current similar will be creating an illusion that concentrate on them and fight till development model has thrown up if the party were a little more socialist, the end to solve them. One of these and they will welcome any steps that it could have done better. Let’s realize could be to fight for free, would reduce it. The stoic that in the public mind the Samajwadi compulsory and equal education of acceptance of the pain due to Party was identified as a Socialist quality for all – the rich as well as demonetization should be read not Party and hence all socialists will have the poor. When the children of the merely as welcoming an attack on to accept that the defeat of the rich and the poor study together, the black money but also as a step Samajwadi Party is their defeat too, there is a certainty that the quality towards less inequality. While at least, in the public mind. Once this of education will not deteriorate. demonetization will not achieve more is accepted, socialists will be able to They can demand affordable health equality, socialists should work out draw appropriate lessons. care and oppose its being handed strategies for reducing inequality and JANATA, March 26, 2017 5 press for these. During the freedom Musings of a Secular and Liberal Indian movement people were told that the rich can only have ten times more income than that of the poor. Uday Dandavate Socialists will have to popularize this once again. The masses will readily The victory of BJP in recent governance - what Gandhi called accept this and support any step that elections and installation of Swaraj. It is important to note that reduces inequality. This will require Adityanath, an unabashed proponent Gandhi did not call his vision socialism; planned economy and socialists can of Hindu Rashtra as the Chief the terms and symbols he used in his demand the restoration of the Minister of Uttar Pradesh by political discourse were home grown. Planning Commission. Narendra Modi and Amit Shah has He also was a spiritual person and And they should demand public generated three types of reactions. made a prayer a part of his political housing. Despite all the noises by the Liberal and secular sections of India activism - though the core message ruling parties to provide housing for are feeling a combination of dejection, of his prayer was unity of all sects. the poor, little gets done. The masses rejection and anger. In the streets of The socialists were more drawn should be made to realize that only Uttar Pradesh and in many other to Gandhi’s vision of Swaraj. I truly the state can provide housing to them, states of India there is outpouring of believe that had Gandhi survived, the not the private sector. The latter will celebration that shows an exactly socialists who split from the Congress only invest in housing for the rich and opposite set of emotions - sense of party would have aligned with him. this is precisely what is happening. victory over the traitors of Indian nationalism, unabashed joy at Socialists chose their own course to Socialists should also turn their assertion of Hindu identity and a hope follow on the path of a more egalitarian gaze to rural India and the farmers’ for better times generated by a Prime grass root level democracy suicides. They need to sensitize the Minister who is demonstrating the will championed by Gandhi. While fast growing middle class to the fact and a ruthless resolve to dismantle socialists had their heart in the right that the country’s economic policies the old power structure and replace place and led several mass are yielding agricultural distress and it with his own. I also see a third movements, they could never keep suicides. Not to be conscious and category of Indians, who is feeling their flock together and split like an affected by these daily suicides is victorious with a sense of having amoeba. Also socialists did not to be highly self-absorbed. The reached the finish line in a race to recognize the spiritual ethos of India. middle class, despite all that those capturing the imagination of Indian They could also not translate the who are for the current model, is masses in competition with secular western ideas of democracy, sensitive to pain, to deprivation and and liberal elite of India. secularism and liberalism into locally it will be easy to arouse them to do relevant lexicon as Gandhi could. something for the neglected I have been trying to make sense Socialists could not even cultivate hinterland. But if socialists wish to of what I see. strong leadership from within the succeed in this, they will have to underprivileged masses of India, in I see that the problem begins with spend at least a few days in a year effect turning themselves into an the post-independence era. The to go to the villages and participate isolated group. leadership of the Congress party in the pain of the small and marginal under Nehru was essentially the The Sangh Parivar, on the other farmers and landless. This is what leadership of elite intellectuals hand, remained clear about its the freedom fighters did during the disinclined to follow the path of objective of achieving the dream of freedom movement. They went to Gandhi, who had a more grounded Hindu Rashtra. As much as Gandhi rural countryside and settled down understanding of the realities of poor was a devout spiritual person he there, and it is this that mobilized the and underprivileged India. Had the became an enemy of the Sangh masses for freedom. Socialists have Congress party followed the Parivar for one simple reason - a task cut out for them. Are they up egalitarian vision of Gandhi, it would Gandhi was inclusive. Gandhi’s to it? have succeeded in uniting India and politics struck creatively at the root (Continued on Page 15) offering its own framework of of Sangh Parivar’s core source of 6 JANATA, March 26, 2017 power - hatred of Muslims. Masses Lal Krishna Advani pulled the BJP Looking back at the developments, were drawn to him because he was out of the clandestine phase of I remain unshaken in my beliefs. I perceived as a home grown, spiritual warfare by openly leading the Ram believe in our primary role as person who could unite India. People Janma Bhoomi movement. It was responsible elements of nature’s of all faiths looked up to him. He time to symbolically strike at the real ecosystem. Ecological considerations would have been successful in enemy - diversity of India and replace must primarily drive our sense of nurturing the true spirit of Sarva it with supremacy of Hindu identity. identity. We must respect that Dharma Parivar. Sangh Parivar diversity is the foundation of nature’s never lost sight of its objectives, kept Narendra Modi in the meanwhile design. We must respect the fact that consolidating and cultivating new was fast emerging as the ultimate every living being (that includes every people, while the socialists kept weapon in the armory of the Sangh element of nature) has the right to fragmenting and alienating people Parivar. He was able to harness anti- survive and we hold a responsibility with a rhetoric that seemed to Muslim sentiment and convert it into to contribute to the beauty and challenge the spiritual identity of a Hindu force. There is no doubt that harmony of our environment by an average Indian. Narendra Modi knows how to tap constructively participating in the into modern technology and hire evolutionary process. In this process Though the Congress party were professionals to provide results. there will be conflicts there will be able to get the word secularism Though Narasimha Rao and discomfort but a sense of enshrined in the Constitution, albeit Manmohan Singh initiated policies of accommodation and appreciation for during the Emergency, they failed, liberalization and globalization of the need to preserve the larger and the Socialists too, in getting Indian economy, Narendra Modi was harmony would help us live life people to understand and embrace able to quickly assume the mantle sustainably. the true meaning of secularism - of champion of capitalism and separation of religion and politics convince his followers that he will I believe anyone who espouses and freedom to practice every speed up the development agenda supremacy of one section of the faith (and the freedom to be an and give Hindus a central place in society over another, of one species atheist). The Sangh Parivar was able the new order. over the other, regardless of who to twist the meaning to their enjoys numerical majority is hurting advantage by branding secularism The ethnic cleansing of Muslims the cause of sustainable evolution. I anti-Hindu, liberalism anti-national in Gujarat, in fact, gave the BJP and also believe spirituality (not and environmentalism anti- Modi a political advantage. While his religiosity) gives strength and development. The Indian ethos of role in the riots was not proved, in the purpose to people as they go about Sarv Dharm Samabhav was minds of masses he was seen as the resolving conflicts and finding a sacrificed. one responsible for creating a meaningful path in life. I believe psychological environment in which consideration to local culture and Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s minorities would have to fall in line or language is important when building contribution to the rise of BJP as the perish. The much touted Gujarat a participatory democracy. mainstream party cannot be model of governance acquired a undermined. He made the BJP new meaning and acceptance - a Turning back to the challenges of appealing to the masses and created polity in which Hindus would live with responding creatively and positively a space for increasing the presence dignity and reap the benefits of to the success of Hindu Nationalism of the BJP by gaining respectability development, while others could in India, I believe the solution is to in the company of other political expect a share in the benefits as nurture in people a sense of stalwarts. From being branded the long as they accepted secondary inevitability in developing a society ideology that killed Gandhi to citizenship. Modi conducted the that is glued with love and spirituality becoming a party of contemporary pilot study in Gujarati and scaled it up as opposed to hatred, one that is Hindu nationalism, the BJP usurped nationwide with support from driven to prosper with frugal and the place of home grown spiritual his friends in big business who opened responsible consumption of transformation that Gandhi created their purse strings to provide resources and is committed to but pursued the path that he wanted unlimited cash flow to build the new preserve the diversity around us. It’s India to avoid. edifice. a long path but worth taking. JANATA, March 26, 2017 7 Tribute to Rabi Ray

Chandrabhal Tripathi

On March 15, 2017 a condolence (thrice Chief Minister of Karnataka) Here I would like to mention a meeting was held at India and Surendra Mohan (socialist couple of institutions seemingly non- International Centre, New Delhi, to ideologue). Chandra Shekhar, a political in character but intrinsically honour the memory of the great friend since 1947, who became committed to high ideals of non- unassuming socialist leader, Rabi Prime Minister in 1990-91, was born violence, democracy, social justice, Ray, former Speaker of Lok Sabha. in 1927. equality, peace and communal A large impressive portrait of Rabi harmony with which Rabi Babu was Babu was projected on the screen Rabi Ray was a symbol of inseparably connected. The first of on the stage. No formalities, no Odisha’s culture. The Odiya people these two organisations was Lok chairs on the dais. In consonance are the most peace loving people in Shakti Abhiyan which was set up by with the legendary simplicity of the the country, may be since the days Rabi Babu in 1997 against corruption departed leader even the practice of of Asoka and having developed in high places, excessive offering garlands and flowers at the abhorrence for war like the Japanese centralisation and a decadent portrait of the leader, involving waste and the Germans after World War consumerist culture. of time and money, was done away II. Modern ideas of justice and with. The speakers spoke from the equality and fight against exploitation The other organisation I wish to floor. reflected in political, social, literary mention is the Society for Communal and cultural movements of Odisha Harmony that was set up by Dr. Many speakers who paid rich have contributed towards and tributes to the socialist leader establishment of an egalitarian non- Maulana Syed Abul Hasan Ali bringing out his human qualities violent democratic society in this Nadwi aka Maulana Ali Miyan. included eminent people from diverse cultural region. It produced stalwart Before Rabi Babu became its fields like Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan, socialist leaders like Sarangdhar President in 2001 its past Presidents Kuldip Nayar, Muchkund Dubey, Das, Nabakrushna Choudhury and had been Dr. BN Pande, PN Haksar Prof. Manoranjan Mohanty, Prof. Surendranath Dwivedi. Following in and Sadiq Ali. After the demise of Anand Kumar, Suhas Borkar, Sumit their footsteps Rabi Ray never used Sadiq Ali my old and close friend, Chakravartty, Dr. Sunilam, Dr. Prem strong or derogatory words for Surendra Mohan ji, myself and Abdul Singh. I too was asked to speak anyone and in this respect he was a Mannan approached Rabi Babu at perhaps because among those who follower of Acharya Narendra Deva, his Canning Lane residence to attended the meeting I had the the great Marxist and Indian socialist request him to accept presidentship longest association with him. In 1953 leader, who impressed anyone and of our Society. He was a heart we were among the delegates to the everyone with his ‘shaaleenataa’ and patient and not in good shape. Yet Foundation Conference of the All for whom Rabi Babu had great he agreed to shoulder this India Samajwadi Yuwak Sabha. personal regard. responsibility and despite his not-so- Though I had to join Government good health continued to head this service in the very beginning of 1959 The political class is well aware organisation for fourteen in the Constitutional organisation of of the rich contribution of Rabi Ray years. (Rabi Babu was succeeded Commissioner for Scheduled Castes as a socialist leader and a by Somnath Chatterjee as Pesident and Scheduled Tribes, I continued to parliamentarian culminating in his of SCH and our present President is have regular and cordial relations elevation to the high office of Kuldip Nayar.) with several old socialist friends of Speaker of Lok Sabha where he mine. It is a coincidence that some distinguished himself as a non- On a personal note, I will never of my prominent friends were born partisan but firm presiding officer of forget Rabi Babu invariably four years earlier than me in 1926: the Parliament (Lok Sabha) of the introducing me to anyone, big or small, Rabi Ray, Ramakrishna Hegde biggest democracy in the world. as a person about whom Dr. 8 JANATA, March 26, 2017

Rammanohar Lohia, had written. Ravenshaw College, Cuttack, where There are many good memories With reference to our historic non- they unfurled the national flag in 1946- of this simple, honest, strong, violent democratic student movement 47 at this institution till then unassuming Gandhian socialist in 1953 over the issue of autonomy of considered to be a bastion of the leader which I shall cherish. The students’ unions in Universities, in British Raj. likes of him are rare. which about 14,000 students went to jail, three persons were killed in police Democratise the Universities and Stop Deaths firing and ultimately the powerful State Government under the of Dalit Scholars Like Rohit Vemuala leadership of the towering personality (UoH) and J. Muthukrishnan (JNU) of Pt. GB Pant had to accept our genuine demands, Dr. Lohia wrote a The death of J. Muthukrishnan, consequences of this even at long article captioned ‘The Lucknow allegedly a suicide by hanging, is a institutions of the highest levels of Revolt’ in The National Herald shocking addition to a growing list of education located in modern (Lucknow) and, inter alia, wrote a young Dalit scholars who have been metropolis’s can no longer be ignored. laudatory para about me. It was later pushed towards taking the extreme Claims that modernization and included in one of his books. The step of ending their young and development will themselves lead to prolific and serious writer that Dr. promising lives because of the hostile solutions to these social prejudices environment they are faced with even and hatred only reinforce the Lohia was, he seldom wrote about in India’s premier institutions of higher arrogance of the privileged and individuals. I am aware of the case education. Twenty-eight-year-old weaken any social resolve to fight of a leading kisan leader of Ghazipur, Muthukrishnan, who was from Tamil against such religiously sanctioned Dalsingar Dube, whom the police had Nadu’s Salem district, had completed intolerance. The causes have also to beaten so badly that they left him his MPhil from the University of be sought in the abject failure to thinking him to be dead. Dr. Lohia Hyderabad (UoH) in 2015 before punish the perpetrators of such hate- wrote on him with the caption ‘The joining JNU for his PhD. He had crimes, particularly when they are Hero of Ghazipur’. reportedly been active in the protest occupying positions of political and movement following Rohith Velmula’s governmental power and It was very embarrassing. Rabi death.This can no longer be pushed responsibility. Had the previous Babu would always say to me: aside as an issue of the individual Minister of HRD and the MOS of the “Chandrabhal, you are very lucky. psychology of the scholars, of their Labour Ministry in the Central You were a bright leader but you left being in depression, or of their Government, not been let off by the psychological ability to face ‘tough’ deceitful ploy of denying the Dalit politics and joined Government circumstances. For these scholars status of Rohith Vemula who was service. Dr. Sahab made you famous. have faced and overcome almost driven to suicide by their blatant We laboriously worked with and for insurmountable conditions of poverty, interference and pressure on the him for decades but he has not written oppression and social injustice university administration, a strong anything about us anywhere.” In my throughout their lives to arrive at a enough message would have gone tributes to this senior socialist point where only about 8% of them out that would have intensified the comrade, who always treated me like are even able to reach. So we really struggle for social justice and made his younger brother and always used do not need the patronizing platitudes its crusaders more resolute. The to address me with ‘tum’, I mention and crocodile tears shed by upper recommendations of the Sukhadeo this episode with some hesitation. caste ministers, officials and even Thorat Committee’s report on sections of the academic community discrimination against Dalits in During my posting at obsessed with ideas of their own educational institutions have not been Bhubaneswar (September 1980- prosperous and thriving lives of implemented. Nor has any action ‘meritorious’ achievement. The been taken to move on the formulation March 1985) I regularly met him and causes have to be sought far deeper of the Rohith Vemula Act which his devoted wife, Dr. Saraswati in the disgraceful but persisting caste students from SC, ST, OBC and other Swain, Professor at Cuttack Medical discrimination and oppression in marginalized sections have been College, and our common friend, Hindu society, and the continuing demanding.The Sukhadeo Thorat Kulamani Mahapatra, at Cuttack. endorsement, encouragement and Committee’s significantly Kulmani and Rabi Ray were the two acceptance of this shameful and most prominent student leaders at appalling practice. The devastating (Continued on Page 15) JANATA, March 26, 2017 9 Lohia’s Immanent Critique of Caste – II

Arun Kumar Patnaik

Split personality among Hindus order to have continuity in arise only if we the Hindus (or character, he must believe in a even non Hindus) are committed Caste induces Hindus to commit caste free society, must prove that to the destruction of caste order biggest hypocrisies. Hindus like all s/he is committed to the in belief and social practice. other religious people tell lies to destruction of caste in practice. others. What is however unique That means s/he must have social This theme remained dear to about Hindus is that they lie to networks (friendship, trusts) his writings and personality themselves. A Hindu tells lie to across caste order. Any restriction throughout his life. Let us devote oneself as well as to others and of this will be hypocritical. Lohia time to this issue which was closer feels most comfortable with its gives two more examples from to his heart. He comes back to success. A Hindu mind, due to public life. He gives the cases of this theme in several of his caste, is a bundle of contradictions. the PM and the President. The writings. Lohia’s argument about Unless caste is destroyed in belief PM once over a week told the an average Hindu personality and practice, a Hindu mind will no press that he would resign as believing in caste order as a way seek to develop in him/her self nobody listened to him, even bundle of contradictions was a consistent character and sincere though people respected him. Next anticipated by D D Kosambi, the moral personality. day, he would continue to hold the Marxist historian. Kosambi argues post. Next day, again, he would that the average Hindu is like a There is a very interesting threaten to resign and next python which assimilates discussion between Lohia and moment, he would withdraw. contradictions, without attempting Gandhi. After Lohia returned from Thus, the PM would indicate how to resolve them. Caste order is Germany, he met Gandhi. Gandhi he lacked “sheel”. The President indeed based on this kind of called him a very brave man. Lohia was still worse. He was part of assimilation, without any attempt responded by saying that the tiger the constitutional post which to resolve their contradictions. is also brave. Gandhi called him a believed in prohibition but he was Contradictions surface and learned man. Lohia laughed it away, also the President of the Calcutta resurface, without any attempt to by saying that a lawyer who enjoys Club, founded by Indian resolve them. Contradictions financial benefits as a result of bourgeoisie, where wines flowed between Vedic Brahmin and non people’s growing conflicts is also every evening. A rich Tanti (a Vedic Brahmin, contradiction learned man. Then, Gandhi weaver caste) wanted to join as between Brahmin male and concluded that Lohia had “sheel”, member but was refused as he Brahmin female, contradiction which can best be translated as was not from the families of “the between each Sudra caste trying “continuity in character”. Lohia Tatas and Birlas”.11 And the to claim purity against pollution of kept silence.10 President was still the chief patron other Sudra castes, contradiction of the Club, even after a weaver within Dalit castes and Lohia assumes that once we from upper class was refused its contradiction between Dalits and believe in caste moralities, our membership. Neither the President non Dalits. If we take the case of personalities will remain retarded nor the Prime Minister did even the Lord Shiva’s entourage, it will and under grown. Thus, on my blink that whatever they were be very clear what Kosambi interpretation of his writings, doing was full of contradictions. means. Let us examine closely Lohia thinks that an average Such imbecility of mind occurs what constitutes Shiva’s Hindu mind (I would extend this because of the lack of entourage. In this entourage, we idea to average caste conscious commitment to a caste free have different elements who are Muslims and Christians) may be society. Lohia somehow believed mutually opposed to each other. brave or may be learned. But in that continuity in character can We have a bull, a cobra, an 10 JANATA, March 26, 2017 elephant god with a rat in his marriage rather than pan Indian 1990 (the period of ‘transformism’), convoy. We have Parvathi with a marriage. This is a hypocritical classes shut the door against the lion in her convoy. Quite a few of claim. Such hypocrisies are rampant lower order and develop rigid and these characters induce us to in caste society. Similarly an Oriya exclusive forms. After 1848, the believe in set of contradictions Kandayata gets married with an moment of the spectre of that our caste minds assimilate, Oriya Chasa and calls this inter communism, the ruling classes were without any attempt to resolve caste marriage. This is marriage afraid of assimilating ‘new them. If we go deeper, you may within “touchable” castes and can elements’, so argues Gramsci. find that caste order evolved by hardly be called as inter caste. We (Dainotto, 2013: 84) Gramsci argues subjugating and assimilating can probably think of our that the concept of class alone different tribes with their different contemporary examples. Politically, cannot explain this history. Marxists cults like snake cult, Basava (bull) a Mala may claim that he is a Dalit need to use caste in relation to class cult, elephant cult and so on, thus but does not hesitate to ex in those periods of crisis of produced an entourage of Shiva. communicate Madigas and their hegemony. (Dainotto, Ibid: 85) In the process of preserving their assertions for self identity, thus cults, the tribes got assimilated into debunking his entire claim for a Caste is ‘immobile’ class as Lohia caste based occupations and a Dalit identity. Similarly Madigas may suggests. His formulation is akin to Hindu pantheon was established.12 perpetrate discrimination against what Ambedkar calls caste as Sastras and Puranas began Erukulas and Erukulas against ‘enclosed’ class system. Lohia justifying this caste order and Chenchus. Such hypocrisy - from continues, when Western ruling prescribed rules of precedence for social or political life is plenty in classes develop enclosures against different people differently, a point caste order spreading from its top the initiatives of subaltern strata for we have already seen from to bottom. These are all cases of a equality in market, production, Ambedkar. Caste and Hinduism split personality of a person or a language, culture and politics, caste- are essentially about assimilating group owing to the peculiarity of like structures re-appear in all these contradictions without any attempt caste contradictions whose spheres. Lohia recounts a form of to resolve them. I do not wish to resolution is not sought by them. enclosure (racial) in the market equate Hinduism with caste order. place in the USA. For example, like But there is a caste core of the Classes oscillate as castes India’s untouchable castes, the Hindu social order which is also a American black people live in core of the converts from In a way reminiscent of ghettos and cannot visit hotels Hinduism to Islam and also to Gramsci’s model of reverse marked for white population which Christianity in post Independent appropriation, Lohia suggests that he himself experienced in the USA India.13 Western classes also oscillate when he visited an “all-white” towards caste order, even though cafeteria in Jackson in the Lohia argues that an average caste order is uniquely Indian. Mississippi state in 1964. He was Hindu personality is hypocritical. Gramsci argues that European blocked at the entrance by the Like any other foreigner, he tells ruling classes, after colonial owner, ably assisted by the police, lies to others. But he is more than experiences, readopt caste’s under “the rules of privacy”. By this. He also lies to himself.14 Lohia segregated forms to counter merely having purchasing power is believes that this personality trait is working class aspirations for not enough in such situations. A the product of caste order. If I take equality. Gramsci hints that the culture of segregation, practised by this as a working hypothesis, I find Western ruling classes reinvent one’s colour or birth, exists his argument very interesting. Lohia even caste-like language against everywhere.16 Caste like barriers gives some more examples from class struggle. Caste like rigidities, are created by people in liberal marriage. For example, a Telugu privileges, imbecilities and democratic class societies, even Brahmin boy may marry a Kannada excommunication exist in German, though people may believe in Brahmin girl and may claim that American and Soviet societies.15 equality for everybody. In such their marriage is “pan Indian”. Similarities exist between castes and situations, classes oscillate towards According to Lohia, such a classes in certain matters. Faced castes. So a struggle against caste marriage is actually a pan Brahmin with class struggle since 1848 till barriers is simultaneously a struggle JANATA, March 26, 2017 11 against class inequalities. There is human dignity, then such issues are wholesale opposition to caste order. however a subtle difference. In international rather than national. Lohia prefers the third alternative class struggle, socialism is They have ample scope to learn as the first two groups are basically concerned with equality or about moral, political, ideological hypocrites. True to his character distribution of resources, whereas doctrines of justice from each other. (Sheel), he prefers a broad based socialism is concerned with justice Lohia argues that caste question is opposition to caste involving Dalits, or dignity of each human being in concerned with justice, whereas Sudras, Muslims and women who all anti caste resistance.17 But class class question is concerned with are all victims of caste based struggle must oscillate towards caste equality. So a struggle for equality hypocritical politics. Here, he struggle as classes veer towards must be interlinked with a struggle disagrees with Ambedkar’s strategy caste system. Otherwise, we may for justice, if democratic socialism of relying on Dalits only. Let me end up in socialism as existed in must avoid the disastrous path of elaborate this aspect now. the then Soviet Union, without any Soviet socialism under the concern for justice, so argues Lohia. Bolshevik party which was First, Lohia argues, “The wordy Thus anti caste movements singularly concerned with “class”. opposition to caste is the loudest in concerned with justice issues are Incidentally, Ambedkar raises a respect of such generalized basically international by nature, and similar concern against Marxism, condemnation of caste as it leaves are not just India centered. for the latter is singularly concerned the existing structure almost with equality by ignoring liberty and intact”.20 Raise everybody If we recall, there was a huge justice. Movements for justice must economically, this thesis claims. It debate on this issue in India in 2001. be internationalized along with also argues, the caste denies The World Conference against movements for equality. Internal equality of opportunities. So to solve Racism, Racial Discrimination, oscillation must take place in this problem of denial, we must Xenophobia and Related Tolerance between these two social ensure equality of opportunity to (WCAR), was being organized by movements and must provide everybody irrespective of caste. the United Nations in Durban in feedback to each other. Communists, the PSP and 2001, when the NDA government Nehruvian Congress stand for this was in power. Both the national Reconstructing fables thesis. Any other social and political government and the Sarakari attempt to do away the caste intellectuals did not want to It is indeed Lohia’s creative inequalities is condemned as internationalise the caste question, imagination to have read internal “casteist”. As a result, economic and refused to participate in the caste contradiction in fables or equality for Dalits and Sudras are WCAR in 2001.18 They claimed myths. After discussing a ‘history’ seen as the most important. But this that caste is not same as race and or philosophy of caste, let us now thesis forgets that the policy of equal tried to argue that caste is uniquely pay attention to Lohia’s engagement opportunity in economic sphere has an Indian phenomenon and thereby with fables of Brahminism/Jativad. helped the upper caste people should be delinked from the entrenched into higher positions. concerns of international black Three forms of opposition Only the most talented one from people’s movements.19Even if the among the Sudras and Dalits could history of caste is not the same as Lohia argues that there are three be absorbed in the economic sector. that of race, a point made by kinds of opposition to caste order. Ambedkar against Tamil Dalit First, there are ones who believe in This economic strategy also intellectuals, Lohia would have the wordy opposition to caste like leaves behind caste traditions in argued that the Sarkari intellectuals Nehruvian liberals, the communists marriage and other aspects of life tried to prevent India’s anti caste and the Praja Socialist Party. intact. By condemning anti caste movements to learn concerns of Second, there are those who believe efforts of all other forces by non justice raised by Black movements. in partial opposition to caste by the economic means it fails to see how Sudras like the DK politics in South its economic strategy does not help If they have similar concerns of during his time or Yadava politics elevate lower castes into justice – opposing forms of of the North during our time. Third, economically equal to upper castes. segregation on the grounds of there are those who believe in a It has fostered caste based 12 JANATA, March 26, 2017 inequalities in job sector. As a stands today. A doctrine of Singh Yadav and the Rashtriya result, 80% of jobs are still cornered preferential opportunity in Janata Dal of Laloo Prasad Yadav. by the upper castes who account employment must be followed up Lohia’s attempts in characterising for 20% of population in India. To along with a social and political such partial elevation of Sudras in quote him, “when more than 4/5th programme against caste system. South India should not be forgotten. of nation’s vital leadership is Eighty percent of jobs in the He criticizes the Sudra politics in traditionally selected from among 1/ leadership of political parties, South for being concerned with 5th of its population, a state of national economy and government “partial elevation” of Sudras, for atrophy is bound to ensue”.21 service should be reserved for 3/ alienating itself from Dalits, women, 4th of our population. However, backward Muslims and Adivasis and Secondly, the wordy war on Lohia thinks that there should be for not showing interest in carrying caste is evenly matched by the a distinction between equal out the agenda of destruction of second empty struggle against opportunity in education and caste system. While Lohia’s critique caste led by select Sudra groups. preferential opportunity in of caste must be distinguished from Among Sudras, certain castes are employment. No child must be his followers in electoral field today, numerically powerful. The age of preferred or prevented by a policy his alternative model merely relies adult franchise has placed power while pursuing education. on state action for equality and in their hands. The Reddys, Discrimination should be exercised justice. Mudaliars, Marathas, Yadavas or only in the case of government Ahirs, along with Brahmins and jobs. Educated Dwijas should try There are two major difficulties Khatriyas, are nearly 25% of their luck in other fields. To end in accepting Lohia’s model of population. They still leave out 3/ caste, social measures like mixed socialism. First, there could be an 4th of population. So sectional dinners, and inter caste marriages anomaly in his claim that equal elevation brings about some and economic measures like “land opportunity in education must be changes within the caste system, to the tiller” from among the followed, whereas preferential but leaves the basis of castes lower castes must be encouraged. treatment in employment is to be unaltered. Still worse, sectional Women’s issues like fetching adopted. As Ambedkar argues, elevation is dangerous in another drinking water from distant areas caste has denied education to many way. Those among the lower or building of lavatories for social groups: women, Sudras, castes who rise to high positions women in rural areas must be Dalits and Adivasis. If there is no tend to assimilate themselves to resolved, apart from the preferential policy protecting the existing high castes. In this distribution of property to press education for these groups, it would process, they appropriate baser for women’s rights. Discussions, not be possible for spreading qualities of the high castes. It also plays, and fairs should be education among common people. generates bitter caste jealousies organized.23 Even, in government So any anti caste measure must and intrigues. Caste divisions do jobs there should be reservation aim at affirmative policy on not vanish at all. Caste distinctions for those who marry outside their education, for education alone can reappear. Women are segregated caste. This is a sure way of develop initial capacities of and sacred threads reappear breaking caste barriers. The subaltern strata that were among the non Dwijas.22 socialists must make all efforts historically denied education by towards the destruction of caste caste system. Lohia’s argument Finally, a true struggle against order among Hindus and non for equal opportunity in modern caste is concerned with elevation Hindus. education may reproduce of all rather than one or the other educational inequalities caste wise. section of lower castes. This In retrospect, we must struggle aims to pitchfork the five distinguish Lohia’s critique from Second, he believes in putting downgraded groups such as those followers of Lohia who pressure on the state for public women, Sudras, Dalits, backward surrendered his manifold criticism egalitarian policies through civil caste Muslims and Adivasis, into of caste into the sectional politics liberties movements. So his model positions of leadership, of Sudras in North India through of socialism could be called as state irrespective of their merit as it the Samajwadi Party of Mulyam socialism which ultimately gets one JANATA, March 26, 2017 13 sided in its emphasis for neglecting without exclusively relying on state in order to explore if these thinkers a community organisation of action as Lohia proposes. In Lohia’s may complement each other in the resources that may also weaken state socialism, the state is all withering away of caste order in caste communities and help in the powerful and communities have no future India.2424I would like to emergence of territorial role to play in breaking barriers of propose an eclectic approach to communities with sharing of caste order. Though his model state socialism rather than take side of specific resources at each territorial is a democratic state, the state is state socialism of Lohia and level. By sharing resources at each still the motor of social change. This Ambedkar or communitarian territory from below to a summit is a theme of Jayaprakash’s critique socialism of Jayprakash and others. of pyramid, one can simultaneously of state centered socialism through An alternative construction, retain powers of communities and his concept of Lokniti, which however, may need to be worked also push them beyond caste order, socialists may have to pay attention out later.

NOTES 10 Harris Wofford Jr., “About Lohia”, Lohia and American Meet 1951 & 1964, B R Pub, Delhi, 2002, p. V 11 R M Lohia, op. cit., n.5, pp. 132-134. 12 D D Kosambi, The Culture and Civilisation of Ancient India in Historical Outline, Vikas Pub., Delhi, 1990, pp. 169- 171. 13 Thus it is possible for all non-Hindus (including atheists) to believe in caste just as it is possible for a reformist Hindu to reject caste order. For a long time, Ambedkar thought that as a Hindu it should be possible for him to rejuvenate Hinduism by abolishing caste order internally. Cf. Ambedkar, op. cit. n. 4. Gandhi probably did not understand caste order in details and yet he did not believe in casteism. Ambedkar rightly calls Gandhism or Marxism as an egalitarian ideology against caste order, even though, according to him, there are serious inadequacies in these ideologies. 14 See R M Lohia, “Hinduism”, in his Fragments of a World Mind, Maitrayani, Calcutta, (n.d.), pp. 112-125. 15 R M Lohia, Wheel of History, B R Pub., Delhi, 1955, pp. 33-34. 16 R M Lohia: “I make it perfectly clear. I am not trying something foul in American life. … Such foul spots exist everywhere – also in India.” (op. cit., n. 10, p. 204) 17 R M Lohia, Wheel of History, op. cit., p. 37 18 A Pinto, “UN Conference against Racism: Is Caste Race?”, Economic and Political Weekly, July 28, 2001. 19 A Betteile, “Race and Caste”, Opinion Page, The Hindu, 10 March 2001. 20 R M Lohia, op. cit., n. 5, p. 95. 21 Ibid, p. 97. 22 Ibid, p. 101. 23 R M Lohia, op. cit., n. 5, pp. 136-137. July 28, 2001. A Betteile, “Race and Caste”, Opinion Page, The Hindu, 10 March 2001. Hans Blomkvist, “Traditional communities, Caste and Democracy: The Indian Mystery”, Paul Dekker and Eric M Uslaner (eds.), Social Capital and Participation in Everyday Life, Routledge, London, 2001. R. Dainotto, “Notes on Q6&32: Gramsci and the Dalits”, in Cosimo Zene (ed.), The Political Philosophies of Antonio Gramsci and B R Ambedkar, Routledge, Oxon & New York, 2013: 75-86.

REFERENCES V Rodrigues (ed.), The Essentials Writings of B R Ambedkar, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 2002. R M Lohia, Marx, Gandhi and Socialism, Rammanohar Lohia Samata Vidyalaya Nyasa, Hyderabad, Second Edition, 1978. R M Lohia, The Caste System, Rammanohar Lohia Samata Vidyalaya Nyasa, Hyderabad, 1964. Harris Wofford Jr., Lohia and American Meet 1951 & 1964, B R Pub, Delhi, 2002. D D Kosambi, The Culture and Civilisation of Ancient India in Historical Outline, Vikas Pub., Delhi, 1990. R M Lohia, Fragments of a World Mind, Maitrayani, Calcutta, n.d. R M Lohia, Wheel of History, B R Pub., Delhi, 1955. 14 JANATA, March 26, 2017 The Idea that Pesticides are Essential to Feed a Fast-Growing Global Population is a Myth, According to UN Food and Pollution Experts

A new report, being presented to more agricultural activity on large are usually better protected from the UN human rights council, is scales.” pesticides, farms workers often are severely critical of the global not. In the US, she, said, 90% of farm corporations that manufacture The new report, which is co- workers were undocumented and pesticides, accusing them of the authored by Baskut Tuncak, the UN’s their consequent lack of legal “systematic denial of harms”, special rapporteur on toxics, said: protections and health insurance put “aggressive, unethical marketing “While scientific research confirms them at risk from pesticide use. tactics” and heavy lobbying of the adverse effects of pesticides, governments which has “obstructed proving a definitive link between “The claim that it is a myth that reforms and paralysed global exposure and human diseases or farmers need pesticides to meet the pesticide restrictions”. conditions or harm to the ecosystem challenge of feeding 7 billion people presents a considerable challenge. simply doesn’t stand up to scrutiny,” The report says pesticides have This challenge has been exacerbated said a spokesman for the Crop “catastrophic impacts on the by a systematic denial, fuelled by the Protection Association, which environment, human health and pesticide and agro-industry, of the represents pesticide manufacturers society as a whole”, including an magnitude of the damage inflicted by in the UK. “The UN FAO is clear on estimated 200,000 deaths a year from these chemicals, and aggressive, this – without crop protection tools, acute poisoning. Its authors said: “It unethical marketing tactics.” farmers could lose as much as 80% is time to create a global process to of their harvests to damaging insects, transition toward safer and healthier Elver, who visited the Philippines, weeds and plant disease.” food and agricultural production.” Paraguay, Morocco and Poland as part of producing the report, said: “The plant science industry The world’s population is set to “The power of the corporations over strongly agrees with the UN special grow from 7 billion today to 9 billion governments and over the scientific rapporteurs that the right to food in 2050. The pesticide industry argues community is extremely important. must extend to every global citizen, that its products – a market worth If you want to deal with pesticides, and that all citizens have a right to about $50bn (£41bn) a year and you have to deal with the companies food that has been produced in a growing – are vital in protecting crops – that is why [we use] these harsh way that is safe for human health and ensuring sufficient food supplies. words. They will say, of course, it is and for the environment,” said the not true, but also out there is the spokesman. “Pesticides play a key “It is a myth,” said Hilal Elver, the testimony of the people.” role in ensuring we have access to UN’s special rapporteur on the right a healthy, safe, affordable and to food. “Using more pesticides is She said some developed countries reliable food supply.” nothing to do with getting rid of hunger. did have “very strong” regulations According to the UN Food for pesticides, such as the EU, which The report found that just 35% of and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), she said based their rules on the developing countries had a regulatory we are able to feed 9 billion people “precautionary principle”. The EU regime for pesticides and even then today. Production is definitely banned the use of neonicotinoid enforcement was problematic. It also increasing, but the problem is poverty, pesticides, which harm bees, on found examples of pesticides banned inequality and distribution.” flowering crops in 2013, a move from use in one country still being strongly opposed by the industry. But produced there for export. Elver said many of the pesticides she noted that others, such as the are used on commodity crops, such US, did not use the precautionary It recommended a move towards as palm oil and soy, not the food principle. a global treaty to govern the use of needed by the world’s hungry people: pesticides and a move to sustainable “The corporations are not dealing with Elver also said that while practices including natural methods world hunger, they are dealing with consumers in developed countries of suppressing pests and crop JANATA, March 26, 2017 15 rotation, as well as incentivising risk to children from pesticide “The industry frequently uses the organically produced food. contamination of food, citing 23 term ‘intentional misuse’ to shift the deaths in India in 2013 and 39 in blame on to the user for the avoidable The report said: “Chronic China in 2014. Furthermore, the impacts of hazardous pesticides,” the exposure to pesticides has been report said, recent Chinese report said. “Yet clearly, the linked to cancer, Alzheimer’s and government studies indicated that responsibility for protecting users and Parkinson’s diseases, hormone pesticide contamination meant others throughout the pesticide life disruption, developmental disorders farming could not continue on about cycle and throughout the retail chain and sterility.” It also highlighted the 20% of arable land. lies with the pesticide manufacturer.” –Transcend Media Service (Continued from Page 5) But their task does not end here. happens, the country will see a Congress lost not merely because While doing all this, they should powerful force against the BJP. of corruption but also because they work; work with zeal and dispatch, However, it should be remembered gave up their ideology honed during for their coming together. They that mere numbers do not become the freedom movement; or the should realize that they lost their a force. Those who are ruling us Samajwadi Party leaders could not glory because of splits and they can have never had to go through the resist the temptation to reward their regain it only if they unite. The ends and means debate. For them kith and kin. If the socialists and cadres are all for it, but the leaders any means is acceptable to achieve other like minded groups are able will have to be made to accept it. a goal. In contrast, those who wish to do this, the country will benefit It is difficult, but will have to be to oppose the BJP will have to be and the masses, irrespective of done. United socialists will easily of sterling character. Each group their caste or religion, may get inspire many other non-BJP splinter will have to reflect on its past and Achhe Din. groups to come together and if that make amends. As for example, the –GGP

(Continued from Page 8) recommended an equal-opportunity of Dalits and for the gender studies. recommendations of Thorat cell in all educational institutions to At a protest meet, Dalit teachers and Committee;· facilitate necessary coaching for students from Delhi University, Jamia students from marginalized and JNU rejected police claims that • Immediate negotiations with Dalit communities as well as affordable absence of a suicide note meant that students and faculty including their hostels, free tuition, research grants charges of discrimination could be organizations on steps to meet the and additional capacity development discounted.”Prior to Rohith Vemula, demands for equality and an end for SC scholars.The Central were there any suicide notes in other to discrimination; Government’s approach runs counter deaths? Does that mean there was • Immediate withdrawal of the UGC to this. The latest UGC circular being no discrimination?”A Facebook post policies reducing scholarships and th imposed in the JNU makes it clear by Muthukrishnan dated 10 March intake for research scholars and that the restriction on the number of 2017criticized “discriminatory” undemocratically altering students that faculty can take on for admission policies in JNU:” There is admissions policy; research will not only affect the intake no Equality in M.phil/phd of research scholars, but also the Admission, there is no equality in • Immediate withdrawal of changes in admissions policy doing Viva- Voce, there is only denial of administrative strategies to restrain away with deprivation weightages equality, denying Prof Sukhadeo student protest by withholding and examinations except for Thorat recommendation, denying scholarships, suspending and determining ‘eligibility’ while full students protest places in Ad - block, rusticating students; expelling powers for admission will lie with the denying the education of the them from hostels and university interview committee, will gravely Marginal’s.” When Equality is denied campuses; reduce opportunities for the everything is denied,” he wrote. marginalized and affect any program • Stop withdrawal of funding to for social justice. Further, the central AIFRTE demands centers of Dalit Studies and government is stopping the funding Gender Studies of centers for the study of exclusion • Immediate action to implement –Dr. Meher Engineer and othes R.N.I. NO. 1855/1957 16 JANATA, March 26, 2017 Postal Registration No. MCW/275/2015-2017. License to Post without prepayment WPP License No. MR/Tech/WPP-210/West/2017 Published on Sunday, March 26, 2017 & Posted on Wedenesday March 29, 2017 at Mumbai Patrika Channel, Mumbai GPO-1

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