PRICE 30 PAISE

e ".President's Address • Save Us From U.S. E~ ts "Maoists" In Jf'riters Bui~lding • Unh!lppr ~iz(J e PKI' Experiment In Indonesia . The I)icide y Calcutta Diary: Congress And Muslim

THE·NEW UNPOLICY Vol.3: No. 25:: March 24, 1967 ARDLY anybody had hoped that. the new Congress Government at On Other Pages H the Centre would have a clearer sense of purpose or greater courage and ability to face the natiQn's tasks than shown by any of its predeces- COMMENTS 4 sors. But we did not quite expect its first statement of policy to be so melancholy a: mixture of evasion, platit.ude and false promise as was THE ASSAM CABINET contained in the President's address to the new Parliament. The Presi- By A CORRESPONDENT 6 de,nt was not quite accurate when he said that State Governments with CALCUTTA DIARY political complexions different from that of the Centre had been formed J. MOHAN 8 for the first time; perhaps the first Communist Government in Kerala DELHI LETTER is better forgotten. The Union Government, he said, would not discri-' HER MAJESTY'S OPPOSITION minate against them, nor show any disrespect for the constitutional FROM A POLITICAL provisions. But surely it is not time yet to forget Rajasthan. Dr Radha- CORRESPONDENT 9 krishnan himself expressed dist.ress over what had been done in that "FAIR" ELECTIONS IN State. The alternative to the Congress there has such influential sup- KASHMIR porters in New Delhi and elsewhere that President's rule may well be By A SPECIAL CORRES- PONDENT II revoked soon; it is doubtful if violation of constitutional propriety in States like Kerala or West Bengal would be as vehemently opposed by THE "HERO" OF MAHA- the upholders of parliamentary democracy. RASHTRA D. G. SATARKAR 12 The new Government, the President announced, had res'olved to do all that was possible t.o check the rise in prices, which he attributed to a CHINA AND OUR shortfall in agricultural and industrial production. The erratic monsoon MANDARINS MONITOR 13 was predictably the villain of the piece, although shortage of foreign exchange was also mentioned. It is remarkable that. not a word was said THE PRESS about the effects of devaluation, which had been advertised as the supreme PRESIDENT'S RULE IN RAJASTHAN 18 solution of the country's economic iUs. The stark outcome of the SLOGANS economic policies pursued by New Delhi in recent. years is there for all NIRMAL KUMAR SEN 20 to see in the interim Budget estimates; yet Mrs Gandhi's new Cabinet A LYRICAL PAINTER had no sense of shame in asking th~ President to announce that it would By AN ART CRITIC 21 ensure such progress that there would be no need for foreign economic assistance after 1976 or· for food aid after 1971. Will Mr Johnson be LETTERS 21 pleased? A regime which has made itself entirely dependent on foreign help and abjectly subservient to dictates from abroad still tries to deceive

EDITOR: SAMAR SEN. PRINTED BY the resentful public by talking of achieving self-sufficiency in five or ten IUM AT MODERN INDIA PRESS, years; its hypocrisy really knows no bounds. 7 RAJA SUBODH MULLICK SQUARE, CALCUTTA.13AND PUBLISHED BY HIM That the Government itself knows such promises to be t.otally mean- FORNATION TRUST FROM 54 GANESH ingles,Swill be clear from the fact that there is not the slightest indication CHUNDEIl AVENUE, CALCUTTA-13. TELEPHONE: 24-5713. of exactly how i~ proposes to fulfil them. All the cliches about tackling the food problem on an emergency basis and improving irrigation, credit Subscri ption (INLAND) and fertilizer supply have been uttered, although, significantly, such Yearly Rs. 15.00 unpleasant subjects as land reforms are no longer even mentioned. The Half- Yearly ,. Rs. 7.50 Fourth Flan, we are told, is sljill being reviewed in the light. of the effects FOREIGN MAIL RATES of drought, rising prices and prospects of additional internal and-here By Air Mail comes the crux-external' resources. But the Government, we have been Europe Rs. 104 or 13 dollars simultaneously assured, will eliminate the need for all foreign assistance. Asia Rs. 72 or 9 dollars It will probably soon embark upon a heroic international campaign America Rs. 152 or 19 dollars begging for aid to end all aid. In the meantime, there was a clear enough hint in the President's address that not. much. further industrial invest- By Surface Mail ment in the publiC sector was envisaged; on the' plea of consolidating the. All countries: Rs. 32 or 4 dollars NOW

existing public sector enterprises and care to pronounce on the whole sub- questions' almost as soon as they true in improving their efficiency, the private ject again, in precise and unequivo- arrive. It is a sad thought that, from try and sector-increasingly controlled by cal terms? now on, we will be hard put to sorl a grea foreign money-will probably be al- out pure knowledge-seeking enquiries among lowed to expand and even enter into How Many U.S. Experts? from evil-motived CIA-type prying~ . wake 0 fields hitherto reserved for State own- The Americans, at least a large ma- United ership and management. Private en- ,According to a recent count, near- jority of them, are born do-gooders: all lev trepreneurs must also have been de- ly 350 American "experts" ar~ ad- from now on, we will hardly know share f lighted to learn that "unnecessary" vising the Union Ministry of Food how to distinguish a lover of other gal. F controls will be removed; no doubt and Agriculture. There is almost the peoples and other lands from I the ex they, or perhaps the U.S. State De- same number in t!he Ministry of sneaky coloniser. a hom partment, will be the best judge of Health and Planning. Give and take We can commisserate with the goo~ what is unnecessary. a few scores, in each of the other well-intentioned Americans. We agtte When such is the direction of the Ministries too, the Americans are in- that it is all a great pity. But at the Government's unpolicy at home, it stalled in near-equal proportions. same' time, we cannot simply affo The is not surprising that the President's Since about anything is now possible to be polite at this stage.. Alre~dJ In th address contained little of substance under Mrs Gandhi's regime, it could there has been too much of erOSIOB Congr about foreign affairs, certainly noth- 'well be that a f<1'WAmerican "ex- of our national sovereignty. The best, ing that might displease its powerful perts" are tucked away insi~e even Union Government's alacrity in misd patrons abroad. The platitudes about the Ministry of External AffaIrs: we steadily bartering away our preroga- on t non-alignment, peaceful co-existence will know only when we are able to tives for independent decision-mal shout and friendly relations were prefaced find out. ing has already done enough harm men by the proud declaration that "the Here in Calcutta, the Calcutta Those who can must now try to relief foreign policy of India has stood Metropolitan Planning Organisation the process. In recent years, the who the test of time", which may come bristles with Americans. The Insti· has been too much of imposition leade to be regarded as one of the most tute of Public Administration, New American mores on our system furth remarkable pronouncements in his- York-which is directly subsidised by education, on our administration, well tory. If it had been made by a per- the Central Intelligence Agency-has our system of industrial managemen of t son less re1ipected than Dr Radha- a branch office somewhere south of on the framing of our agricultu dow krishnan it could have provided a Park Street, and is supposed to pro- policy. There is an excess of se The great deal of immediate entertain- vide "advice" to the CMPO. Every lity in the air, a servility which is ment; coming from him, it only made day, there are more and more of the more sickening because it is us sad. But let that pass. If was them: management consultants, con- irrational. For, let there be no flin pleasing to l~arn that the Govern· traceptive experts, seismography spe- ing of words here, by and large m ment would seek understanding, good. cialists, bridge engineers, marine tech- of the American "experts" who ha will and amity with Pakistan, but nicians, psychologists, cardiologists, been swarming this country are this declaration of intent carried professors of economics, political of-the-mill specimens, they will set little conviction in the context of pre- scientists, international relations ex- river on fire. vious performance which, too, had perts, lovers of oriental arts, cultural It is no xenophobia when we been accompanied by periodic ex- anthropologists, ballet teachers, coach- , that the Americans are not inf pressions of such pious resolve. In es in dramatics, food technologists, ble, or that their value system n siti fact, the friendly references to Pakis-· rodent specialists, hybrid seed breed- not be altogether to the good of as tan might have been meant primarily ers, pisciculturists, plain sports buffs. country. It is again no manif to satisfy Washington and possibly The hotel rooms stay overcrowded, tion of xenophobia when we s Moscow, both of which came in for house rents rocket to the sky, domes- that the free import of Ameri honourable mention in the Presi- tic help grows scarcer with every day, wheat has done more harm to dent's address. As for China, it, was our flimsy, ill-maintained roads crack country's economy that all the 0 made sufficiently clear that New Delhi under the impact of heavily built conceivable factors put together. did not intend to make any effort to American cars. month's elections have left behind improve relations. China, the Presi- This is the International Tourist least one moral: people have g dent said, had rejected the idea of Year, and visitors are welcome. But weary of the Congress model of t peaceful co-existence. North Viet- they are welcome qua visitors, not dependence, for food and wh nam and the majority of the South qua interlopers. We say this more' withal, on Americans. They wa Vietnamese, whose existence is now in sorrow than in anger: given the respite. in grave jeopardy, .could tell him that recent revelations about the doings We hope that, within its limi the threat to co-existence comes from of the CIA, we honestly have no way orbit, the new Government in a different quarter. But Vietnam is of gauging which visiting fireman Bengal will respect this mandate f an embarrassing subject, on which from the T.JSA is a genuine scholar, the people. Local talent, if ~t the President confined himself to and which one is a fake. It is a tra- furnish~d with even one-twentiet stating that the Government adhered gedy, and one for which the good the funds that were advanced to to the policy enunciated on several Americans can only blame their own Americans in the CMPO, would, occasions. We must have been un- Administration. In this country have no doubt, have done a m pardonably negligent, for we can re- there are already too many of tQ.em. better, more pragmatic, more member no clear .or consistent state- By nature, the Americans are inqui- tive job of metropolitan plann . ment. of policy. Will Mrs Gandhi sitive creatures. They start shooting in Calcutta. This will be eq NOW

l the)' true in the fields of education, indvs- Constitution. In fact, though the villages on either ~de of Varangthe- t, from try and agriculture. There has been Ministers have been quick in repeal- Aij'al-Lungleh road are being re- to sort a great resurgence of aspirations ing repressive measures, releasing so- settJed in larger and easily accessible qu.iries among the people of this State in the called offenders and reinstating the villages so that they may be under )rYlOgs.• 'wake of the election victory of the victimised, their hesitation in formu- constant care of the Indian Army. 'ge ma- United Front: men and women at lating hard policies has been' un- The majority of them have already :><>ders: all levels want to contribute their expected. Food, for instance. Rice been transferred, and the operation r know share for the building of West Ben- is being fast mopped up by those is scheduled to be completed before If other gal. For a change, let our people be who can afford it in Calcutta and the onset of monsoon. This will not :rom a the experts. Let the Americans take elsewhere. The hoarders still find mean a respite for the other opera- a home leave. the going good and no popular com- tion, which continues relentlessly for tle good, mittees have been set up to watch over a year as reports of frequent agree ve The H Maoists" them. Consultations with the Centre ambushing, not always a one-sided It at the and the Food Corporation are neces- affair, bear out. "Operation Secu- )' afford The lady is protesting too much. sary, but there is no reason why levy rity" appears to have the limited ob- Already In the West Bengal Legislature, the operations should be kept in abey- jective of keeping the district's only . erosion Congress party has decided that the ance. Another instance is the milk road worth the name clear for army ty. The best way to divert attention from the supply scheme. We are having the movement by depriving hostiles of :rity in misdeeds of so many years is to go best of both worlds-sandesh and milk shelter and food which they were preroga· on the offensive. In doing so, in ~with the result that milk supply is said to be forcibly securing from the lion-mak- houting about no-corruption, their threatened with a breakdown. In inhabitants of the villages along the ,h harm. men and women provide some comic some spheres at least the Government road. The regrouping will not solve :y to halt relief. There is not a soul so dead should be in a hurry, take courage the MilO problem, for there will be lrs, there who does not know how the Congress in both hands and act. Incidentally, still some 600 villages for hostiles to e>sition of leaders have used public money to it is much better for Ministers to sponge on, if that is really the man- system of further their interests, personal as address mass allies as often as possi- ner in which they are subsisting. ration, on well as political. One of the tasks ble, despite banter in certain quar- To regroup all these villages or to nagement, of the present Government is to pin ters, than w attend receptions given keep them under surveillance is an rricultural down the guilty as soon as possible. by shady characters. impossibility. ~ of servi- Their number being legion and their While thl}units of the United Front It is doubtful if "Operation Secu- hich is all records stretching over years, sorting have yet to organise their cadres for rity", now in its final stage, has been ie it is so out is not so easy. But, as we said action, the Congress is mobilising able to make much of an impact on : no flinch. last week, it should not take long to powerful vested interests. Business, hostile activities. The president of large most haul up some of the big fish. One it is true, is dull and no one knows the outlawed MilO NatIOnal Front, who have of the reasons the voters kicked out how long the Centre will take to de- Laldenga, is reported to have escaped ')' are run- the Congress was corruption, and liver--Or throttle-the Fourth Plan to Britain to secure support for his will set no exposure of the corruption of politi- which, if it comes into existence, is demand for an independent Mizo cians and officials would strengthen most likely to be an Indo-American State as did PhilO years before him. ~en we say the democratic front. bastard. But how is it that the en- For obvious reasons all that is hap- hot infalli· A diversionary tactic of the oppo- gineering industry, just after the elec- pening in the district cannot find 1stem need sition is to paint the Chief Minister tions, is so determined to layoff or their way to the Press; but whatever 'ood of this as a good man fallen amongst Maoists. retrench thousands of workers? The is appearing shows that the situation I manifesta. The aim is to divide and return to big firms which have made huge pro- is far from peaceful. The dusk-to- 'll we state power, if not through the front, the fits over the years should, if neces- dawn curfew in Aijal town, the head- i American hack door. But the Chief Minister sary, be made to fall back on their quarters of the district, continues; arm w this is most unlikely to be taken in by reserve funds for a while-a famous movement by day may be free but II the other this holy horror expressed by a cor- steel enterprise is reported to be do- not. always safe. Nor is there any sign ,gether. Last rupt and {dIscredited party even if ing so. Besides, most industrial and that hostiles are losing in number. ft behind at it puts up a show of cleaning up,. business concerns are staffed at the Nearly one thousand suspected hos- have grown and allows some members to cross the top with people who do little but tiles, including some top leaders of odel of total floor. As for Maoism, Mr Jyoti Basu draw fat salarie~. There should be the M TF, have so far been arrested; and where- (Finance) cannot undo capitalism propordonate suffering, if suffering this would have had some effect on [hey want a with the help of his portfolio, Mr there must be. Maoists or no Mao- hostiles if thev had no fresh accretion .Iyoti Bhattacharya (Education) can- ists, people should not allow perks of strength. They still enjoy a mea- ~ its limited not close down schools and colleges at one end and privations at the sure of sympathy of the local people; lent in West to inaugurate a cultural revolution, other. otherwise groups of suspected rebels, oandate from Mr Konar (Land Revenue) cannot including some MNF leaders, could 1t, if jt were Rivethe slogan of 'iand to the tiller', Lesson UnI.earnt not have escaped from Aijal jail, :-twentieth 01 Mr Subodh Banerjee (Labour) can- situated in the heart of the town, ,anced to the not ask workers to take over mills More than two months have passed early this month or from Silchar jail 0, would, we and factories. Their colleagues in since the launching of "Operation a few days later.. The immediate sus: lone a much other departments also are too busy Security" in MilO Hills district os- pension of all employees of Silchar , more sensi· clearing files and Congress garbage tensibly to extend protection to vil- jail by the Assam Government will tan planning to cook up a conspiracy a~ainst the lageI'S harassed by hostiles. About appear pointless unless the suspicion I be equally existing social order, sanctified by the 60.000 people from more than 100 is that ~b.eyhan a hand in the escap.e.

MARCH 24, 1967 '.1) NOW

The crux of the Mizo problem is man 111 Assam. Several "certain" only mediocre records of performance or not :;0 much to isolate· the hard-core names are not on the list while seve" in tasks in which they had been em- sa hostiles from the rest of the popula- ral others which were not even men- ployed till the day of the swearing- sh tion as to wean the latter from what- tioned by anyone are there. There in. Unless these gentlemen can reo 10 ever association they may have with has been surprise, for most people cast their image by a genuine spirit lit the MNF. The demand for indepen- thought that Mr Chaliha would have of service, Mr Chaliha will find it di ?ence can' be countered only by creat- to placate the minor factions which difficult to meet the onslaught of the l1f Ing a sense of belonging among the had supported him in his leadership 54 Opposition members, a go~d num- ar MilOS. That this sense is still lacking contest with. Mr D. K. Borooah, the ber of whom are able parliamenta- OF is clear from the non-participation of former Education Minister. But ians and have a reputation for out- pl Mizo voters in the last general elec- Mr Chaliha was no.t much influenced spokenness. to tion. "Operation Security", what- by factional pressures, ·although he th ever may be its value from the army had to make roam for at least two se, point of view, can hardly conduce to individuals in the Cabinet whom he Adrift With The Bung ar the growth at this sense. No doubt would probably have liked to ex- it the uprooted villagers are getting faci- clude but could not because of the The realisation will not please the ---,w. lities in the new settlements which need for their support in keeping PKI, but it has been made abundant- h~ are the envy of the majority of the Mr Borooah's ambitions at bay. ly clear that it flourished in Indo- WI people of this country. Their scale The non-inclusion of a Cabinet- nesia because Bung Soekarno, for th of ration is the highest in India. and rank Muslim in the first list has been his own reasons, held out his umbrella p;: they are getting it all free. More another big surprise, but it is almost over the Communists. With three than 200 tonnes of ri.ce and wheat are certain that a place for one in the million members,. the party, calling vt being distributed to them per week, Cabinet will be made soon. The de- itself the vanguard of the working ca and nobody knows for certain how- feat of a large number of Muslim people, aspired to control the State. it long ·this anangement will continue, Congress candidates in the elections if only God helped it. It was season- for it will take tlme for the ~ettlers to and the siding of the group led by ed by a 45-year-old struggl~ but when grow their own food. Riceless Kerala Mr Moinul Haque Choudhury, a matters came to a test, It was no and West Bengal have ample reasons former Minister, with Mr D. K. match for ·a comprador army. If to feel jealous. But such benefits are Borooah, created a problem for Mr ls~me people want to see an illust:..~ ye poor recompense for unrooting. Chaliha in selecting an able Muslim f~on ot the 'pr~)Cessat peaceful tranS1- a Years may pass before they live down for a Cabinet post. But if Mr Cha- tIOn to SOCIalIsm, the PKI could •.lie lUI their trauma, even if the official claim liha considers the future of the Con- QUe. cr that the villagers have. moved to the gress in Assam he can hardly afford The story of the PKI is not definitely 111; new areas of their own accord and to run the State for the next five years one of choosing the wrong tactics. M without persuasion is not challenged. without a Muslim colleague. The The PKI's own analysis of the mis· PI After all, "Operation Security" is not Muslim (together with the tea gar- carriage explains but not all. It it a unique experiment; maybe, it is den labour community) vote had failed, as it said, in the August Re- we somewhat different from what was been the chief factor in the massive volution of 1945 because it did not wI tried in Malaya and Vietnam, for Congress successes in the past. The ally itself with the peasants and did In the troops in Mizo Hills are not aliens swing of Muslim sympathies away not smash the colonial bureaucracy. go trying to bolster up a foreign regime. from the Congress-clearly indicated ~t failed in 1965 because it consi1er- \1"1 But this distinction is reduced to by the defeat of II of the 20 Mus- ed the imperialists as its mam enemy pa legal hair-splitting if Mizos do not lim candidates put up by the party- and not the national bourg-eoisi~. wI regard themselves as part of the In- cut down the Congress majority in he analysis does explain the failures it dian nation. It is precisely that atti- the Assembly. (The Congress lead but does not 'explain the complete \1( tude of MilOS, or at least a sizable over the Opposition in the previous rout of t~e. PKI. " en section of them, which has given rise lO5-member Assembly was 60; in The AIda leadershIp Improved the J.o; to the MilO problem. Regrouping of the present 126-member House it is party's political fortunes by increas- th( villages may solve partially the mili- 20) . ing the membership from 5000 in , ( tary aspect of the problem but it has However adroitly Mr Chaliha may !951 t~ three mill~ons in 1965-an fit complicated immediately the politi- have withstood group pressures in ImpreSSIve record lon terms ·of pure ev( cal aspect. That there can be no forming his Ministry and strengthen- numbers .. It ~rew the bulk of the io military solution of problems of this ed his reputation for shrewdness, it peasantry In.to It~ fo!d and because.it th nature has been proved in Nagaland. is not at all certain that his team succeeded In ISSUIng membershIp Ce It seems the lesson is being unlearnt will be able to remove from among cards it made a fetish of "small but er in MilO Hills. the people of the State, least of all s~ccessful actions". The party cham- 01 its youth, the desperate feeling of be- pIOne? the cause .of the squatters who he The Assam Cabinet ing left behind in all major walks of occ~pled plantatIOn and for~st lands C life, The Ministry includes one who dunng th<; ]apanes.e of cup at lOn, sup- CI .t1 correspondent writes: has a reputation fQr dampening local ported claIms for hIgher rent for cane Sll entrep5eneurship, another for caring lands to be leased out by the peasants Mr Chaliha has confounded many much too much for creature comforts, to sugar mills, agitated for confisca· observers by his new Ministerial a third who was booed by young men lion of the land belonging to the list and thereby retaJned hiS' reputa- at election meetings for his past pub- Dar,uI Islam rebels, claimed reduction a tion of peing the shrewdest Congress- lic activities and several others with of 1I1terest rates on peasants' loans. \\

6 MARCH 24, t967 NOW

Irmance organised mutual assistance for pea- clern realities in the country. As for don of Indians has taken the recent ~en em- sant households, campaigned for Hindi, the Dravida Munnetra Kazha- goings-on in the London School of ~eanng- sharecropping. Thus it enlisted the gam in Madras has made clear where Economics. The LSE has indeed pro- can re- love and votes of the peasantry but it is going to put that bit of the duced dozens of pseudo-revolution- e spirit' little else. Even the Madiun affair Constitution. From Trivandrum have aries in six continents; at least in find it did not wake it up. In their eager- come indications that the policy of Harold Laski's time through the insti- t of the ness to stay above ground it created Prohibition, which was never total tution blew what was yet to be called Ki num- an image of a patriotic party, amiable, in Kerala anyway, is going to be fur- a wind of change, although his suc- menta- 0JlJlosed to the use of violence in the ther modified in the direction of re- cessor, Cakshott, shot the idealism or out- pmsuit of its objectives, sympathetic laxation. West Bengal has always down in flames and brought in the towards religion and representative of been sensible on Prohibition; and the "municipal" view of government as the whole people rather than of a new Government should make clear distinct· from the ideological. But section. It allied itself with the PNI to the Government of India that the Harold Wilson is not Harold Laski; mg and acquired national respectability; time has come for doing away with in the former's Britain protest today it begged the tolerance of Soekarno, such nonsense as a weekly

24, 1967 MARCH 24, 1907 }& "N-' r~~ ~ .~~ " L -- h wJ- t..o ~ 'YO'.C'yy: ~~ oW slstent. wIth self-respect in going for of LSE have done something to ilve their votes In his favour and the an English education, although many down the degradation introduced in- nearly 9000 others who were on the ( Indians would not stick a~ anything to Britain by Wilson & Co., an in- voters' list had voted against hiIfl? 1 for one; but now the humiliation is competent. and dishonest managing Did he use his position as the Chief complete-t.he Immigration Act, in- agency for an East India Company Minister to examine the numbers all creased fees and now insults from that exist.s no more-in spite of its the ballot papers and check them soccer referees. At least the students proliferating compradors around us. against the numbers Ol~ the voters' list marked by the Polhng Officers? If his figures were not based on in· formation and constituted a mere Calcutta Diary guess, was it not irresponsible in the extreme for a former Chief Minister to openly air his opinions giving J. MOHAN them all the semblance of verified facts? T HERE are no signs that the gress leaders. The mere fact that in It is surprising that democratic Congress whether at the Centre some districts the Congress has been opinion in the country has not taken or the State level has learnt the able to win a maj

8 MARCH 24, 1967 There is, I understand, a group of at the Centre can still award to old Delhi LettQr Congress MLAs w{J.ich is now quite faithfuls. hopeful of being able to loosen the The United Front Government has grip of this clique on the organisa- done well in refusing to be rushed Her Majesty's tion. They take satisfaction in the in the matter of concretising its poli- fact that the Syndicate has been cies on food, rehabilitation, and other Opposition humbled at the all-India level. With issues. While the people are eagerly Sanjiva Reddy's election to the Lok awaiting the Government's decisions Sabha speakership the Syndicate may in this regard the Government needs FROM A POLITICAL be dissolved. This may result in a time to assess the situation and get CORRESPONDENT further deflatioh of the great Ban- acquainted with the details. Any geswar. These developments have, . hasty step that fails· ·to take into ac- it is reported, led to the emergence' count all the facets of a complicated IT is an amazing coincidence that of two main trends in the West Ben- situation could prove disastrous. both. Mr C. Rajagopalachari and gal Congress. There is however one sphere where the Left Establishment in New Delhi On the one hand, the narrow cir- the Government cannot afford to wait close to Mr Kamaraj think alike on cle still led by the three A's and the very long in evolving its policy. This one subject. Neither of them would three B's is lannin to sta e a come- is in respect of the crisis affecting a have welcomed a total Congress col-

back b hoo 0 croo T a number of industries in this State. lapse at last month's elect.ions because usy atching- plots to disrupt the The situation in the Engineering in- the Opposition would not have had United Front, discredit the present dustry is particularly serious. The t~e time to get closer to fill the poli- Government and create conditions in decision of the Railway Board to cut tIcal vacuum. No wonder the coin- which they may be able to take over down orders for railway wagons, the cidence in their thinking extends the administration once again; the general recession in industry that be- further. Both of them think the other group seems more concerned gan soon after the war with Pakistan Congress Government would not last in the immediate future with cleans- and has been continuing ever stuce, long at the Centre. The Swatantra ing the organisation and bringing to the failure of the Government to get Party is happy that a national gov- the top a less corrupt leadership. It the Fourth Five-Year Plan off the ernment of all talents would be in- is only by doing this, they feel, that ground, have all brought about a ~vit~ble if the ~ongress means stay- there is any chance of improving the situation where thousands of workers 1I1g 111office, willIe the Left Establish- image of the Congress in the State are threatened with retrenchment ment thinks the precarious Congress which is the essential prerequisite to and lay-off. majority at the Centre need not force an bid for a com -b It is tue that there is little that it to look to Swatantra support if it The former Chief Minister has yet the State Government can do directly d.oes something radical to make pos- to take his position with one or the in this matter and only action at the SIble the support of a certain section other of these two groups. He has, Central level can ease the crisis. of t.h~ left to the Congress. Mr Ka- f I am told, not yet quite recovered Nevertheless the United Front Gov- mara] has been trying to get this idea from the shock of recent events and ernment must play a more positive of the Congress turning t.o the left r spends most of his time moping. He role than that of a mere onlooker for support sold in so many forms. t is believed to be having sec;ond intervening only when the situation True, if Mrs Gandhi and her ex- thoughts about the wisdom of his de- gets out of hand in a particular fac- panded kitchen Cabinet had a say cision to identify himself completely tory. It must take the initiative in in the matter early in t.he day, what with his old friend and colleague, the calling tripartite meetings where re- happened in Rajasthan would not great A, and is apparently very re- presentatives of industry, labour and have p.appened. A certain Big Busi- y ceptive to suggestions that people Government could get together and ness house which wanted Mrs Gandhi t have great regard and sympathy for work out proposals that could be elected as Prime Minister also want- '1, him and it was only the hatred earned presented to the Centre-proposals ed a Swatantra-Ied Government in 1 by the Atulya clique that was res- that would be viable and practicable. Rajasthan. It was no accident. that S ponsible for his defeat. In view, In the absence of such a move there the very first act of the new Cabinet Y however, of his continuous associa- is a danger that workers Or employers was to clamp President's rule on tion with t.he Congress administra- will resort, out of sheer frustration, Rajasthan so that the Opposition tion from the very beginning and the to desperate measures which could could be allowed to form a govern- bct that he has held all these years lead to unpleasant situations such as ment. there later without much loss the very portfolio,. food, which has have occurred in a number of places o.f face. It is now a matter of pres- been the target of public censure and in and around Calcutta recently. It tIge for the Government, and Presi- the very centre of corruption in the is only in the background of a con- dent's Rule cannot be revoked imme- administration, there is little likeli- certed and constructive effort of this diately without a loss of face, either. hood that he will be able to shake nature that the Labour Minister's So the deadlock continues. himself free from the influence of his appeal to labour to refrain from ad- But .last Wednesday, when' Mrs ,s notorious colleague or that even if venturist. actions that only strenljthen GandhI called t.he Opposition leaders ,t he does he will ever be able to reha- the hands of the enemies of the Gov- for. a meeting to discuss ways of en- If bilitate himself in the public esteem. ernment and to employers to desist sunng smooth conduct of Lok Sabha e Under the circumstances he had from precipitating measures leading ~us!~ess, the clash between the Op- a better accept one of the many sine- . to changes in the status quo can have pOSItIOn .and the ·Government began l. cures that the Congress Government real effect. . at the very outset. .

7 MARCH 24, 1967 NOW,

The Prime Minister has been talk- tion from power and the failure of Centre wanted it. Or it may be that ing rather patronisingly of the Ceh- Mr Kamaraj to have any of his men the Centre felt that the DIR eon- tre's readiness to co-operate with the inducted into the Cabinet have re- ferred such sweeping powers on the Stales which have non-Congress Gov- sulted in a mediocre, lack-lustre Chief Ministers that some of them ernments. But after all, she was the Council of Ministers which can be might use them to the detriment ot Congress President who was behind stampeded into doing anything .. the Congress. But a little known the subversion of democracy in Ke- fact in India is the damning report rala in 1959 through what was euphe- Hindi Lobby of the International Commission of mistically described as a "mass up- The ability of Mr Morarji Desai Jurists on the DIR. Continued sus- T surge". On Wednesday, tlle Prime or Mr Kamara j to topple the Gov- pension of democratic rights in the [erell Minister began the meeting with a ernment would depend on the na- count.ry came in for' a severe indict- rest, platitudinous preface to the Centre's ture of the national crisis the Prime . ment in the latest issue of the Com- even anxiety to have the friendliest of re- Minister would be required to face 'mission's bulletin. wheI lations with the Opposition and the in the next few months. Or, a party A problem of inter-State relations protl non-Congress Governments ,run by it. crisis might achieve this end. No worrying the Centre obviously is re- not 1 Thereupon, Mr A. K. Gopalan told non~Congress Chief Minist.er has garding the co-operation between the bayo her that all this sounded unreal after clashed with the Centre yet but this Central and State Intelligence agen- of a what the Government 'had done in is no proof they would not. The cies. Some of the State Governments leva] Rajasthan. Prof Balraj Madhok Centre is anxious to avoid a show- are doing away with the obnoxious atm< told her that the entire atmosphere down with the DMK Government in practice of police verification for Gov-' I1 had been vitiated by the Govern- .Madras by introducing the Bill to ernmeht jobs. But for UPSC jobs, whi< ment's action over Rajasthan. In provide for continued use of English the Centre would have to depend to a short, she was told that if she wanted as an associate official language. But on State intelligence agencies for such rity- the Opposition's co-operation in the what would be the reaction of the verification. There is an instance ot fillel House, the first thing the Govern- Hindi lobby in the Congress Parlia- a candidate selected [or the lAS get- stre) ment had to do was to revoke Presi- mer1tary Party to such a concession ting past the security screening -th den t's rule. to the South? A threat of party re- though he was at one time a [ull- led The Swatantra Party's stake is volt dissuaded the late Mr Lal Ba- time functionary of the Communist The the highest in Rajasthan. But it has hadur Shastri from carrying out. a Party of India. The Communist-led thos been playing the role of Her Majes- promise IlWlde by the late M r Nehru. Government in Kerala cleared him sent ty's Opposition, of a party on the President Radhakrishanan's address every time the Union Home Minis- Iron try referred his case and the Centre point of joining a national govern- to the MPs promised legislation on ~~ ment of all talents. The Swatantra this soon. The Hindi lobby's reac- had to appoint him. The only way pi!; Party did not abstain from the Pre- tion has to be wat,ched. A revolt in the C;ent.re could now solve the whi sident's address while all the other the party, with the help of the Hindi pFoblem is to expan,d its own intel- \,..Mal Opposition parties, including the )obby outside, might prove Mrs Gan- ligence agencies in non-Congress tad' DMK, did on Saturday. The Swa- dhi's undoing. States to obviate the need to depend rV tantra Party did not sponsor any no- A continuing crisis of one form or on the State agencies. und confidence motion against the Gov- the other in Centre-State rela- It would be well to recall here that :swe; ernment while the Jan Sangh, which tions is inevitable now. The Presi- when the EMS Ministry took over in titu is onlY a junior partner in the Ra jas- dent's address said so much about Kerala 10 years ago, there were even lacl than alliance, tabled the motion. food but there is no direct reference vague suggestions in New Delhi for SOIT The Congress-Swatantra detente, ,to the national food budget. This is a federal police. It would certainly tha possibly a prelude to a national gov- anot.her explosive issue. be worth watching how the Centre by ernment the Americans have been Mrs Indira Gandhi's viability as goes about this job now. The State do waiting for, is coming soon. In the Prime Minister would largely depend Governments could certainly launch tha: long run, the detente at the Centre on extra-party acceptability. The inquiries into corruption charges pro could be extended to make room for present Central Government is now even against Central Ministers if they Ind Congress-Swatantra coalition govern- most acceptable to the Swatantra are connected with a particular State. tro\ ments in Rajasthan and Orissa. It Party and the U.S. State Department, But the Central Bureau of Investi- whi is difficult to predict the next step. to whom the only alternative to a gation was in the past aTleged to have acCf Mrs Gandhi said in her broadcast snap general election in about eigh- prepared dossiers against several Con- 1 last week that India was a stable and teen months is a national govern- gress Chief Ministers and other dig- stri going concern. Bu t the Congress is. ment of all talents. nitaries if only for the edification of Ka: certainly not a stable and going con- certain Ministers at the Centre. For fin: instance, after Mrs Gandhi's election cern. The Swatantra strategy is to D1R tha The Centre's decision to revoke as leader in 1966, some Chief Minis- use its 43-member block in the Lok sio Sabha ::IS a lever to force the Con- l.h'e state of Emergency except in cer- ters tr!ed to prevail upon her not to tain areas appears to be aimed at include Mr Nanda in the Cabinet, ces g-ress further to ,the right. The apo- aJ litical character of t.he kitchen Cabi- forestalling the demand from some much less as Home Minister, because of tli'e non-Congress State Govern- they feared he had got dossiers pre- va net makes such a Swatantra mano- Tl euvre possible., Young blood there ments for scrapping the DIR. It pared against them through the CBI is in plenty but the prerilium is on was possible that in several States the and would not forgive them for pro- bu political dilettantis'm. ,Th~ virtual Governments would have refused to ~otil1g her election as Prime Min- pro elimination of the Morarji Desai fac- execute DIR arrests even where the Ister. March 19, 1967 ce! ke 10 MARCH 24, 1967 NOW

Patnaik are themselves in trouble in forgotten his part in keeping the tistics are well known. What is how varying degrees.. . Sheikh behind bars. But since he is ever relevant is to see how.the Can· Bakshi had counted upon making the only leader of stature active in gress has managed ,to win the cIec· an impact at the elections; he evi- the ,opposition, he draws to himself tion. dently Calculated that his success support from even those who have Mr Chavan is the strongman 0 would make Sadiq's patrons in New strong reservations about his integrity Maharashtra. The Congress victory 'Delhi think again. This did not or his basic political posture. has been officially attributed to hi happen largely because Sadiq's cau- Bakshi, one can be sure, wiII ex- popularity and leadership .. It rna cus,pre-empted a very large number ploit this situation to maximum ad- therefore be interesting to take h' of seats for itself by the' simple ex- vantage: He will be out to create constituency, Satara, as a case stud pedient of getting Opposition candi- trouble for Sadiq using whatever and see how the election mac;hine dates disqualified on dubious means, fair or foul, that are avail- of the Congress had worked there. grounds. The bulk of those debar- able. The greatest danger is that he The Satara Lok Sabha constituenc red belonged to the National Confer- might contrive to create another is made up of six Assembly constitu ence-over 80 out of the' 118 aspi- situation similar to that following encies. I had an opportunity of visit rants whose nomination papers were the mysterious and stilI unexplained ing three of the latter before, durin rejected. The others were -either In- theft of the holy relic to engulf Kash. and after the poll. I have no dOll dependents or belonged to minor mir in an upsurge of religious sen· that Mr Chavan would have wo parties with, sufficient local influence ,timent. easily under any circumstances bu to cause worry to the Sadiq caucus. The caucus is not unaware of this even if a modicum of convention , In the event 21 seats out of 42 in danger. But its only plan 'for me t-.,- fairness were maintained his margi the Valley went uncontested to the ing such a situation is to put Baksnio. of victory would certainly have bee Cpngress_ In a good many of the in prison at the first sign of trouM, very much less. He polled abou remai·ning seats in both the Valley This will make him even more of a 208,000 votes as against his neare and Jamml,l, the success of Congress threat than he already is by invest- rival polling a paltry 80,000 votes ,.andidates was facilitated by the eli· ing him with the halo of martyrdom. In several places, the~e was bogu mination of their most important The other alternative of taking Bak- voting. In many booths, people wh rivals. As a result, the National sm on in an open fight is not open went to vote were not given baUo Conference is left with only eight to the' caucus because it is bound to papers to stamp; somebody else di seats out of the 14 it held in the As- bring up the basic _ issues that the the stamping for them and they we sembfy, an outcome which Bakshi rulers in both ,sri nagar and New politely told to fold the stampe cannot be expected to take lying Delhi are anxious to dodge. ballot paper and put it in. In Kore down. gaon, the taluka town, the Congre agents, the 'Dadas, were canvassin FOCDS of Discontent right in front of the poJIing booths Even before the polling, Bakshi , The 'Hero' Of when I remonstrated with one sue knew he had been outmanoeuvred; Dada, he replied wit.h the choice he was openly denouncing the rig- Maharashtra. four-letter words. The police wer ging of the election by the Sadiq cau- either unable or unwilling In tak cus in "collusion", as he maintained, action against these Dadas. In D, G, SATARKAR with New Delhi. It is possible that number of villages, the polling agen his tirades against both Sadiq and 01: the candidate opposing the Can his patrons may now become more MR Y. B. Chavan is probably the gress were either intimidated or bri strident. This would of course make happiest Congressman today. ed or both. The way was thus mad him ail the more acceptable to po- For him, the triumph has heen per· clear for an "overwhelming" Congre pular opini~n; he might well become sonal. His leadership has been vindi- victory. The local Congressmen ha a focus fot all the discontent and dis- cated, and the Congress returned to in fact, announced a reward a affection simmering in the Valley. power with a thumping majorit.y in Rs. 500 for every village which waul The Sadiq caucus fondly hopes Maharashtra. Mr Naik, the Chief record a 100% pro-Congress vote. that it can undo Bakshi by sensa: Minister, who had said in one of his Money was not the 'only thing i tional disclosures of his misdeeds in election meetings that the Congress circulation. Koregaon Taluka wa office. The report of the one-man had dug a ditch of 6' by 3' for the off prohibition for at least two week commission appointed to probe into opposition, did not have to rue his before the elections. Dining an Bakshi's affairs is just about to com- statement. While everywhere else the wining became quite common. Pr plete its work. But no matter what Congress was crumbling, Maharashtra bably the Congressmen felt som it says, Bakshi's capacity for mischief stood by it and put the old guards pangs of conscience about this an will remain unaffected. The people in power again. the vice-president of the Zilla Parisha of the Valley may be willing, it This is the impression one forms tried to offer an apologia in one 0 seems, to overlook his defaults as from outside of the election results his election meetings. Referring to th long as he presents himself as a David in Ma:larashtra. To what extent is opposition criticism of this sudde battling against the'Delhi Goliath. this impression right? What are the spurt of dining and wining the VOl The role he has assumed is of causes of the spectacular Congress ers, he said: "We defied the British course totally implau$ible. This does win? I am not going to quote statis- during the independence movement. nQt mat~er too much even' though tics to demonstrate the undisputed 'It was we who fought the British. It Kashmiri opinion can scarcely·, have .supremacy of the Congress. The st:!- is out of affection for us and admira ]2 NOW

how· tion for 'our courage then that the in Chavan's strq,nghold; had to be Chavan's leadership, have resisted Can· people are treating us to these par- taught a lesson. He thus made it ap- the rise of the lower middle and poor elec- . ties". pear that it was not so much a fight peasants. It must be recorded here Much has been said and written between the Ssp' and the Congress that this has happened in spite of m of about the stone that hit Mrs Gandhi as between a Brahmin and a Maratha. the opposition parties and not be- 'ctory at Bhubaneswar. However no Con- The strategy was thus transparent. cause of them. The Opposition parties fa his gressman ever expressed any regret Use intimidation where it works, use in Maharashtra, and more particu- t may about the stones which were thrown money where it works, and use caste larly the Leftist parties, have not at Ie his' at every sing-Ie public meeting which where it works. all been active in any public educa- study the SSP had in Mr Chavan's consti· tion activity. Except for Maratha inery tuency. Mr Chavan speaking at an Poor Peasants from Bombay, there is not a single ere. election meeting on February 10, What happened in Sa tara dis- leftist daily in Maharashtra, whereas uency went so far as to suggest that it was trict largely explains the spectacular the Congress has several dailes to its nstitu- an SSP man who threw the Bhuba- wins of the Congress party in the' credit. The rate of literacy in Ma: f visit- neswar stone at the Prime Minister. rural Maharashtra. And yet the op- harashtra is very high and people ~uring At the end of the meeting-, a woman position was not doomed. It has read newspapers, most of which are doubt stood up and challenged his' state!- improved its position from 42 in the owned by pro-Congress capitalists. won ment. Mr Chavan was quite indig- last Assembly to 64 in the new one. Maratha, in its turn, abuses and cur- .s bul nant. "I haven't seen the label on In 1962 Maharashtra returned only ses the Congress but rarely addresses Itional the stone". His intentions were two opposition MPs; in 1967, the itself to the problem of public edu- i!largm quite clearly to discredit the SSP since number has gone up- to eight. Most cation. It is very rarely, therefore, e been he was speaking in a constituency of the successful opposition candi. that the Marathi reader ever gets to about where it was a candidate of this party dates belong to the leftist parties. know what the opposition has to say nearest who was opposing the Congress. The There is also a pattern in this suc- on vital issues, and the Establish· votes. Home Minister was, however, aware cess. The Konkan (coastal belt) ment Press makes it a point to dis- bogus that the insinuation alone would not and the Marathwada areas, which are tort its news. Maratha answers with Ie who help. In Koregaon he found that the comparatively poor, l].ave returned a abuses and curses. The Peasants and ballot SSP candidate was a Brahmin and larger number of opposition candi· Workers Party, the largest opposi. Ise did therefore caste prejudices could be dates. It is the poorer peasant who tion group in Maharashtra, has not y were well exploited. Speaking at Kore- has asserted himself. The middle even got a weekly journal through amped gaon, he asked whether the SSP can- and the rich peasants, under Mr which it can talk to the people. Kore- didate belonged to the Hindu Maha- ng~ess abha. The inference was obvious, vassmg ince in Maharashtra the Hindu ooths; Mahasabha and the Jan Sangh cadres China And Our Mandarins e such consist almost entirely of Brahmins choicest and people are aware of this. Speak- 'e were ing at another meeting in the same 3. Marxism Or Anarchism, ? take constituency Mr Chavan commented In a that it was true that the Congress MONITOR ~ agents candidate was not a highly educated ,e Con- man while the oppositi

is accused of being a disciple of those the necessity or otherwise of .the dic- 77 of the German edition published anarchists whom Marx fought-par- tatorship of the proletariat as a step by Europaische Verlagsanstalt, Frank- ticulilrly Proudh<>;n and Bakunin. to the final withering away of the furt am Main), Now Proudhon and Bakunin, what- State. That is, while the -anarchists Finally Mao's Marxism is ques- ever be' their .faults; can never be ac- stood for the ~bolition of the State tioned on still another ground. Mohit ,(used of upholding either the perso- "overnight", Marx and Engels recog- Sen is of course extremel y kind to nality cult or the party dictatorship. nised that this abolition could not be Mao to whom he condescendingly al- Both of them were against authori- effected on the morrow of the seizure lows some "element,s of Marxism". tarianism in any form. Proudhon, in of power by the proletariat. Between But then whatever- Marxism was t«ere particular, was not a preacher of vio- the seizure of power and the final in Mao was not unalloyed. ·It was lence though he might have admitted withering away of the State there lies in fact "Leninism which Mao absorb- its inevitability under given circum- a whole historical' epoch, the epoch ed". Indeed I We did not know that stances. Bakunin, on his part, was of the dictatorship of the prole~ariat. Marxism and Leninism r- interested not so much in the con- Again, the necessity of utilizing the a e. All this genius for analysis quest as in the destruction of State existing. State for revolution is re- iSi10t something very original. In power. Unlike Proudhon he was cognized by the Marxists but denied this, as in so many other things, convinced of the necessity of violence by the anarchists. (Lenin-State and Mohit. Sen is faithfully following in but violent revolution, according to Revolution in Selected Works, vol. II, the footsteps of his Grand Masters- him, contrary to what Mohit Sen F.L.P.H. Moscow, 1947, p, 176, 219). the "well-known Marxist intellec- thinks, should precisely be a spon- We suspect that these "Marxists" tuals" of the Second International. taneous work of the masses and not may have another meaning of anar- To "prove" that Mao is not a full- the work of a group or even of mili- chism in their mind, that is bandit- fledged Marxist he remarks that tary forces since political and mili- ism. This would of course be a vul- Marx and Engels are not "pervasive- tary domination would certainly lead gar interpretation of the doctrine. ly present" in Mao's writings. This, to a class dictatorship, thus paving Plekhanov, in spite of his great work he says, is in contrast with Lenin. .the way for the formation of a new on the history of anarchism, also Mohit Sen then traces the reason for -State to. which ·he was passionately seems to have committed the same Mao's "degeneration" to his "lack of opposed.! mistake for which he was justly cri- grounding in the original works of Thus the statements of Bhowani ticised by Lenin as a "philistine." Marx and Engels". What in effect Sen and Mohit Sen about anarchism (Ibid, p. 121). this "demonstration" amounts to is do not corre~pond to the doctrine Now about the material part of the that only the textual citations from passirig by that name. One very statement. Marx and Engels can prove some- small point can, however, be conced- body's good grounding in Marxism. ed in their favour. The superman Is Mao An Anarchist? This conclusively proves that those cult of Nietzsche can be said to be Can Mao seriously be accused of .of us who so long thought that a faint echo of another strand in anarchism? This would indeed be a ,Marxism is not an abstract doctrine anarchism, that develo]?ed by the strange accusation against a man who or a dogma but a guide to action, young Hegelian Max Somer in the is very much "authoritarian" in the .and that the ultimate test of the form of an extreme individualism. sense of believing in strict Commu- assimilation of Marxism lies in one's However, in their famous polemic nist. discipline and leadership in the against Stirner, Marx and Engels did,'· ft~~olution and who is inflexible 0 not particularly raise these points.2 the question of consolidating and -Perhaps Messrs Mohit and Bhowani further -strengthening of the dictator- Sen hav.e not r~ad. their Marx and ship of the proletariat in order to Lenin· on this point or, what is more prevent a return to the old order. In .likely, have conveniently slurred over this respect Mao, however, is in good ..the essential texr.s. company. Bernstein, the father of re- Contrary. to what they appear to vision ism, confused Marxism with .think, there is. no total opposition be- Proudhonism by equating Marx's tween Marxism and. anarchism. Marx theory of destruction of the State agreed with Proudhon' and Bakunin power with Proudhon's federalism. on the nece.ssity of smashing the exist- (See Lenin's discussion in State ing State machine. Marx differed and Revolution, Ed. cit., p. 175-76). with them mainly on the question of Plekhanov, in his turn, accused Lenin of Bakuninism and of "confusing the .' In the absence of the texts of Proudhon dictatorship of the proletariat with and Bakunin before us we have drawn on the dictatorship over the proletariat". _the following secondary sources:- Plekhanov also referred to "Lenin (a) Oscar Jaszi-Anarchism (Encyclo- and the Nietzscheans ... surrounding .paedia of the Social Sciences); (b) C. him" as "supermen", It may also be Bougle-Proudhon (Paris, 1928); (c) Max added that even the great revolution- A Product or Nettlau-Bakunin (Encyclopaediq of the .ary Rosa Luxemberg accused Lenin The 8ritlsh India Corpn.ltd., .Social Sciences). . of installing a party dictatorship in the North West Tanl'lery Branch. Kanpvr • . '.Die Dettlsche Ideologie-p. 108 ff in the name of a proletarian dictatorship. 'German e,dition of.Dietz Verlag (Berli'1). (Die Russische Revolution-p. 75 and NOW

capacity to make a concrete analysis rialist· can-and we think must- the detailed proof' of the theorem as .shed of a concrete situation and not in stress ideology (i.e. materialist. ideo- an exercise for progressive Congress- -ank- being able to cite textually Marx logy) without losing his materialism men and non-dogmatic Communists) . and' Engels, were obviously wrong. by an iota. Otherwise Marx and As to the main charge itself, that ques- Naturally the Russian Mensheviks- Engels themselves could be .accused of st.ressing ideology, Mao of course {ohit were even greater Marxists than of having "idealist ingredients" in is guilty of it. But Mao is most cer- .d to Lenin inasmuch as, according to Le- their thought. We are of course re- tainly not guilty of the other, non- ly al- nin himself, they knew "all the quo- ferring to idealism and materialism equivalent, charge of believing that ·sm". tations from Marx and Engels", (Pro- in the Marxist sense as, for example, "ideology on its own could do any- ftere letarian Revolution and the Rene- given in the second section of Ludwig thing" (our italics). Mohit Sen twas gade Kautsky in Selected Works, vol. Feuerbach by Engels. cannot prove it. As a matter of fact )sorb- II, p. 359). and poor Fidel has prac- As to the second count, "idealisa- Mao holds the totally contrary opi- tically no claim to Marxism compar- tion" as such is not idealism either. nion. "Any ideology", says he, "even ~t ~r- ed to Anibal Escalante who has con- Idealisation refers to the act of mak- the very best., even Marxism-Lenin- lalysis tinued to cultivate Marxism in East- ing ideal. If ideals are the monopoly ism itself, is ineffective unless it is In ern Europe as Cuba was much too of idealism, materialism becomes linked with objective realities, meets hings, small for him. As regards Mohit Sen vulgar, it ceases to have anything to objectively existing needs and has ng in himself, the great Talmudist, o( do with scientific socialism. Ideal is been grasped by the masses of the ,ters- course whatever he writes is Marxism that which is not real for the mo- people. We are historical materialists, tellec- and, for him, any reference to the ment but ardently aspired after. of)posed to historical idealism". tional. classics of Marx and Engels is abso- Thus socialism is an ideal for the [Bankruptcy of Idealist Conception a full- lutely superfluous. Indeed compared working class under capitalism. We of History (1949) in Selected Works that to the Russian Mensheviks and Es- leave for later treatment the question (F.L.P. Peking, 1961), vol. IV, p. 457] vaSlve- calante and Mohit Sen, lesser Marxists whether Mao in fact idealised the (our italics). What is the nature This, and non-Marxists like Lenin, Mao peasants. of this ideology that Mao is guilty Lenin. and Castro have all "degenerated", We have, before us, a profound dis- of stressing? Is it idealist or material- ion for that is they have made revolutions. covery. The Chinese Revolut,ion, ist? Has Mao at any time reverted lack of Mohit Sen says, was led by the CCP the basic Marxist tenet and said that Irks of which itself was led by Mao Tse- it is consciousness that determines tung. So by the property of transiti- being or that idea is primary and L effect s to is 4. Materialism Or vity the revolution was led by Mao, matter secondary? Unless the ans- IS from , as is indeed implied in Mohit Sen's wer is in the affirmative he cannot be : some- Idealism? articles. Now, what was the philo- accused of idealism. On the con- arXlsm. sophy of Mao? It was an amalgam trary, it is dialectical materialism that those of the "Marxist elements". and the has been his consistent world out- Mao is next accused of idealism it that "idealist, voluntarist and anarchist look ever since he became a Marxist- by both Bhowani Sen and Mohit loctrine ingredients". Put more simply, it Leninist. Even a cursory glance at Sen. Not satisfied with the simple action, was a fusion of dialectical materialism his published works shows this. It word "idealism", Mohit Sen intro- of the and idealism (dialectical or metaphy- cannot thus be the idealist ideology duces another word "voluntarism". in one's sical ?) _ This amalgam of material- that Mao has been stressing, it is ma- There are, he says, "idealist, volun- ism and idealism was the ideology of terialist, Marxist-Leninist ideology. tarist and anarchist ingredients" in the CCP not only during the first Following Antonio Gramsci we here Mao (our italics). How being a stage of the Revolution, i.e. the bour- define ideology as a historically or- Marxist intellectual he can separate geois democratic or new democratic ganic (storicamente organiche) sys- voluntarism from idealism he does' stage but also during its second stage, tem of ideas. (ll materialismo storico not t.ell us. Voluntarism can of course i.e. t.he socialist stage. (That China e la filosofia di Benedetto Croce, be a particular form of idealism. But had established socialism before the Giulio Einaudi, 1955, p. 48). from the expression just quoted'it present "decadence" set in is evi- What, then, is materialist ideology? does not seem that Mohif Sen uses dently admitted by Mohit Sen by his It is that ideas form a part of the the concept in this sense. He uses specific reference to "degeneration of superstructure of society and as such it as a dist.inct concept, different from socialism" and "ideological regression are ult,imately determined by its base hoth idealism and anarchism. Vo- in a socialist society"). All this leads which is constituted by the mode of luntarism, as we know, is the theory to a great discovery and a great con- production and reproduction of real that the ultimate nature of reality is tribution to "creative Marxism" that life. But once born, the system of to be conceived as some form of will. we state as a theorem: Integral dialec- ideas "reacts in its turn on the eco- Thus understood it is nothing but tical materialism is not a necessary nomic base (wieder auf die okono- idealism. condition for the establishment of rnische Basis zuriickwirkt) and may, To what extent is Mao an ideal- socialism. • within certain, limits, modify it". ist? It seems that Mao is an ideal- Mohit Sen begins his discussion by [Engels--Letter to Conrad Schmidt, ist on two counts. First, by 'his stating that he is out to "develop a Oct. 27, 1890 in K. Marx, F. Engels OES "stress ·on ideology" (our italics) and thesis". He is obviously mo~est. It -Ausgewahlte "Schriften-B.II (Dietz secondly, by his "idealisation of the is in fact not a thesis but a meta- Verlag, Berlin) S. 462. See also peasants" (our italics). Now how t.hesis, established, again, not by a Gran:sc!-Op_ c~t., pp. 96-97]. That I., can the "stressing of ideology" by anpur. simple Marxist but by a far superior constltl.ltes rreGlsely the supreme Im- ~ itself constitute idealism? A mate- being, a metamarxist. (We kave portan'ce a ideology. What is the MARCH 24, 1967 15 NOW

role of ideology in the working class but the bourgeois intelligentsia phant everywhere". In fact they have movement? It is that ideology makes (Kautsky's emphasis) ; it was in the never said so nor have they ever the working class conscious of its own minds of individual members of this thought that th~y are in the situa- nature and of the nature of the so- stratum that modern socialism origi- tion of "the most backward march of cial structure in which it lives and nated ... Thus socialist consciousness history". On the contrary they firm- works .. The working class, further, is something introduced into the pro- ly maintain that the present situa- fights the bourgeois social structure letarian class struggle from without tion is extremely favourable for the or, in other words, becomes revolu- and not something that aro~e within Marxist-Leninists and the other revo- tionary in so far as it acquires this it spontaneously". (Lenin-Ibid, p. lutionary forces of the world i~ their class consciousness. Hence the sup- 65). It follows that the role of the fight against imperialism and modern reme importancel of stressing the intellectuals in the ideological educa- revisionism. Inside China "an en- ideological factor in the battle for so- tion of the working class is ex- thusiastic revolutionary atmosphere cialism. In his preface to the Ger- tremely important. If it was true reigns everywhere" and in the world man edition of 1890 of the Commu- for Germany-with an advanced at large "a new era of world revolu- nist Manifesto Engels was very expli- working class it is even truer tion" has begun "where in spite of cit on this point. "For the final vic- for a backward country where the inevitable zigzags and reverses the tory of the ideas contained in the initially the working class is weak and revolutionary movements of peoples, Manifesto", said he, "Marx relied the socialist movement has a long way particularly those of Asia, Africa and solely and exclusively (einzig U'Yld to go. Indeed "the younger the so- Latin America, develop impetuous- allein) on the intellectual develop- cialist movement is in any given coun- ly". (Communique of the Eleventh ment of the working class". Later try, the more strongly must the work- Plenary Session of the Central Com- Lenin wrote a whole book, What is ers be warned against those bad mittee of the CCP, August, 1966). to be done) to emphasise this impor- counsellors who shout against 'over- So to suggest that Mao wants to turn tant point. So how can Mao be ac- rating the conscious element' ". what he considers to be an unfavour- cused of idealism on this question? Ma6's position in this, as in every- able objective situation into a favour- In this conection it is qu~er to see thing else, is entirely Marxist-Lenin- able one by a revolution whose Chinubabu, the local intellectual, ist. From the experience of China "model is worked out in his brain", accuse Mao of what in effect amounts he long ago concluded that "the pro- that is, by an idealist revolution, is to vulgar economism, in other words, letariat cannot produce intellectuals crass dishonesty. Rather it is the of neglecting the importance of of its own without the help of the excellent overall objective situation superstructure of which ideology is existing intellectuals" ("Recruit Large -in spite of the partial setbacks here a part. For that is the sense of En- Numbers of Intellectuals", 1939, Se- and there-that has, according to the gels's letter to Bloch of September lected Works, vol. II, p. 303) and that Chinese Communists, created the pro- 21, 1890, that he, in his attack on "the revolutionary forces cannot be per atmosphere for launching the pro- Mao, quotes from "memory". It successfully organised and revolution- letarian cultural revolution. Hence means that what passes by the name ary work cannot be successfully con- by attributing to Mao certain posi- of'" the cultural revolution in China ducted without the participation of tions which Bhowani Sen thought is mainly concerned with the Chinese revolutionary intellectuals". ("Chin- could easily be refuted he himself be- economy and has little to do with ese Revolution and Chinese Commu- trayed his own idealism which of ideology. This is obviously in sharp nist Party", 1939. Ibid, p. 322). Of course is vulgar. This is hardly'sur- contrast with what Mohit Sen writes. course Mohit Sen's charge that Mao prising. It is but a particular mani- Here we have a shining example of "relied on declassed intellectuals to festation of the same idealist practice dialectics in operation-the local take the Place of the proletar'iat" (our that "Communists" like Bhowani Sen contradicting the global, the part the italics) is patently absurd. For he have been following ever since the whole. said that "the intellectuals will ac- Communist Party of India came into Mao Tse-tung's emphasis on the complish nothing if they fail to in- existence some forty years ago. They role of the intellectuals in the Chin- tegrate themselves with the workers have always started with a model of ese Revolution also comes under and peasants" ("The May 4th Move- revolution manufactured in their own Mohit Sen's holy wrath. This is best ment", 139. Ibid, p. 239) and that brains (or copied from outside), examined by considering the central the army of intellectuals, however "analysed" the reality in the light of question: how can class-cqnscious- important, "is not the main force" this model and then tried to work it ness be acquired by the proletariat? (our italics), the main force being out in practice. The results of course The proletariat is hardly capable of the workers and peasants. ("Orienta- are well known. being class-conscious by its own efforts, tion of Youth Movement", 1939. Ibid, (To be concluded) at best it can acquire "trade-union p. 245). consciousness". (Lenin-What is to Regarding Bhowani Sen's charge of CORRECTION be done? F.L.P.H. Moscow, p. 50). idealism against Mao, his method is Class-consciousness is generally instil- to impute to his opponent positions In 'China And Our Mandarins' in led into the proletariat from outside. that do not really belong' to him but the March 17 issue the first sentence This is precisely the role of the that are easy to refute and then to on Page 17 should read: "The se- bourgeois intelligentsia. In this con- attack !tim. Thus Mao and the CCP cond is a contradiction between revo- nection Lenin quoted the following. are alleged to believe that "the his- lutionaries and revisionists and henc(1 "profoundly just and important ut- tory of the whole period from 1917 antagonistic whereas the first is a terance" of Karl Kautsky: "The vehi- to 1949 was fruit~ess" and that as a contradiction among revolutionarie cle of science is not the proletariat, result "revisionism is today trium- and hence non-antagonistic". 16 NOW

role of ideology in the working class but the bourgeois intelligentsia phant everywhere". In fact they have movement? It is that ideology makes (Kautsky's emphasis) ; it was in the never said so nor have they ever the working class conscious of its own minds of individual members of this thought that they are in the situa- nature and of the nature of the so- stratum that modern socialism origi- tion of "the most backward march of cial structure in which it lives and nated ... Thus socialist consciousness history". On the contrary they firm- works. . The working class, further, is something introduced into the pro- ly maintain that the present situa- fights the bourgeois social structure letarian class struggle from without tion is extremely favourable for the or, in other words, becomes revolu- and not something that arose within Marxist-Leninists and the other revo- tionary in so far as it acquires this it spontaneously". (Lenin-Ibid, p. lutionary forces of the world in their class consciousness. Hence the sup- 65). It follows that the role of the fight against imperialism and modern reme importance' of stressing the intellectuals in the ideological educa- revisionism. Inside China "an en- ideological factor in the battle for so- tion of the working class is ex- thusiastic revolutionary atmosphere cialism. In his preface to the Ger- tremely important. If it was true reigns everywhere" and in the world man edition of 1890 of the Commu- for Germany-with an advanced at large "a new ~ra of world revolu- nist Manifesto Engels was very €xpli- working class it is even truer tion" has begun "where in spite of cit on this point. "For the final vic- for a backward country where the inevitable zigzags and reverses the tory of the ideas contained in the initially the working class is weak and revolutionary movements of peoples, Manifesto", said he, "Marx relied the socialist movement has a long way particularly tJlose of Asia, Africa and solely and exclusively (einzig u'Yld to go. Indeed "the younger the so- Latin America, develop impetuous- allein) on the intellectual develop- cialist movement is in any given coun- ly". (Communique of the Eleventh ment of the working class". Later try, the more strongly must the work- Plenary Session of the Central Com- Lenin wrote a whole book, What is ers be warned against those bad mittee of the CCP, August, 1966). to be done) to emphasise this impor- couns€llors who shout against 'over- So to suggest that Mao wants to turn tant point. So how can Mao be ac- rating the conscious element' ". what he considers to be an unfavour- cused of idealism on this question? Mao's position in this, as in every- able objective situation into a favour- In this conection it is queer to see thing else, is entirely Marxist-Lenin- able one by a revolution whose Chinubabu, the local intellectual, ist. From the experience of China "model is worked out in his brain", accuse Mao of what in effect amounts he long ago concluded that "the pro- that is, by an idealist revolution, is to vulgar economism, in other words, letariat cannot produce intellectuals crass dishonesty. Rather it is the of neglecting the importance of of its own without the help of the exce]]ent overa]] objective situation superstructure of which ideology is existing intellectuals" ("Recruit Large -in spite of the partial setbacks here a part. For that is the sense of En- Numbers of Intellectuals", 1939, Se- and there-that has, according to the gels's letter to Bloch of September lected Works, vol. II, p. 303) and that Chinese Communists, created the pro- 21, 1890, that he, in his attack on "the revolutionary forces cannot be per atmosphere for launching the pro- Mao, quotes from "memory". It successfully organised and revolution- letarian cultural revolution. Hence means that what passes by the name ary work cannot be successfully con- by attributing to Mao certain posi- of/"the cultural revolution in China ducted without the participation of tions which Bhowani Sen thought is mainly concerned with the Chinese revolutionary intellectuals". ("Chin- could easily be refuted he himself be- economy and has little to do with ese Revolution and Chinese Commu- trayed his ov,:n idealism which of ideology. This is obviously in sharp nist Party", 1939. Ibid, p. 322). Of course is vulgar. This is hardly sur- contrast with what Mohit Sen writes. course Mohit Sen's charge that Mao prising. It is but a particular mani- Here we have a shining example of "relied on declassed intellectuals to festation of the same idealist practice dialectics in operation-the local take the Place of the proletatiat" (our that "Communists" like Bhowani Sen contradicting the global, the part the italics) is patently absurd. For he have been following ever since the whole. said that "the intellectuals wiII ac- Communist Party of India came into Mao Tse-tung's emphasis on the complish nothing if they fail to in- existence some forty years ago. They role of the intellectuals in the Chin- tegrate themselves with the workers have always started with a model of ese Revolution also comes under and peasants" ("The May 4th Move- revolution manufactured in their own Mohit Sen's holy wrath. This is best ment", 139. Ibid, p. 239) and that brains (or copied from outside), examined by considering the central the army of intellectuals, however "analysed" the reality in the light of question: how can class-cQnscious- important, "is not the main force" this model and then tried to work it ness be acquired by the proletariat? (our italics), the main force being out in practice. The results of course The proletariat is hardly capable of the workers and peasants. ("Orienta- are well known. being class-conscious by its own efforts, tion of Youth Movement", 1939. Ibid, (To be concluded) at best it can acquire "trade-union p. 245). consciousness". (Lenin-What is to Regarding Bhowani Sen's charge of CORRECTION be done'! F.L.P.H. Moscow, p. 50). idealism against Mao, his method is Class-consciousness is generally instil- to impute to his opponent positions In 'China And Our Mandarins' in led into the proletariat from outside. that do not really belong to him but the March 17 issue the first sentence This is precisely the role of the that are easy to refute and then to on Page 17 should read: "The se- bourgeois intelligentsia. In this con- attack Wim. Thus Mao and the CCP cond is a contradiction between revo- nection Lenin quoted the following. are alleged to believe that "the his- lutionaries and revisionists and hence "profoundly just and important ut- tory of the whole period from 1917 antagonistic whereas the first is a terance" of Karl Kautsky : "The vehi- to 1949 was fruit~ess" and that as a contradiction among revolutionaries cle of science is not the proktariat, result "revisionism is today trium· and hence non-antagonistic". . 16 MARCH 24, 1967 :y have y ever situa- 11"ch of y firm- situa- for the :r revo- lJETTER SELECTION IN PURCHASE n their nodern an en- IS THE NEED OF THE DAY Dsphere ~ world revolu- ipite of rses the peoples, ica and )etuous- :leventh 11 Com- 1966) . to turn lfavour- favour- For whose brain", Ition, is Durability & Quality is the ituation • cks here In g to the the pro- the pro- Hence Hessian & Bags tin posi- thought ALWAYS RELY ON nself be- rhich of rdly· sur- armani- PREMCHAND PRODUCTS practice wani Sen ince the Manufacturers arne into go. They model of heir own KANORIA COMPANY LIMITED outside) , ~ light of ) work it 9, Brabourne Road, of course CALCUTTA. 'ncluded) Phone: 22-9121/26 (6 Lines) darins' in : sentence "The se- •. ,een revo- llld hence first is a utionaries

/ : 24, 1967

- /

iy to be· neither brief nor local. It The Pre$$ was the fear of violence during the. threatened mass march to the Assem- bly at its inauguration which is ad- President's Rule In Rajasthan vanced in New Delhi as the main reason for issuing the proclamation COMMENTATOR of Presidential Rule on its eve. But surely the demonstration could best Oi have been prevented by attempts to of IN one national newspaper at least constituting the advisory committee explore the possibilities of the united po the imposition of President's to assist the Governor administer the Opposition forming a Ministry when lui ,Rule on Rajasthan' pushed to the State on its behalf, it would do well Mr Sukhadia pleaded inability to do oil background the announcement re- not to exacerbate party strife; it so. The decisive factor,' however, fOI garding the new Union Cabinet. should, therefore, leave out of its seems to have been the Governor's of reckoning altogether the appoint- This shows how unexpected the first view that the Opposition was trying IN act of the new Cabinet has been. ment of party members from either to force formation 0f a minority Other papers, however, respected side. The Opposition must not s~ek Government. Whether a Governor, convention and led with the Cabinet expression for its protest which goes who earlier blandly and publicly story relegating the Rajasthan deve- beyond the boundti of democratic ignored the present affiliations of the lopments to the second place. Edi- discipline. It would then be able to Independents when sending for Mr torial comments ranged from out- claim 3:n invincible moral right to be Sukhadia, is entitled to an opinion right condemnation of the Central called upon to form a government may be questioned by some people. action to muted support. Those who with the first clear sign of the State's But what in Heaven's name possess- opposed President's Rule could not return to normal. ed the Centre to accept it before al- agree on which of the two contend- Indirectly blaming the Opposition / lowing the Legislature to be sum- ing groups should have been called for President's Rule Hindusthan moned to find out? The paper says upon to form the Ministry; but those Standard says that the biggest blunder that it is upon the Congress itself supporting the government,al action of the non-Congress aspirants for that the main repercussions will fall. were unanimous that the Opposition power in Rajasthan was to take the It doubts if anyone is going to ex- had invited President's Rule by re- fight for political supremacy to the pect fair dealing in future after the sorting to "methods of the street". st.reets of Jaipur. Nobody could have "present shocLdy little conspiracy". The comments, however, preceded accused them of having used undemo- The paper suggests that an essential the Prime Minister's announcement cratic means to gain political ends it ingredient of the Centre's policy that normal responsible Government they had quietly waited for the sum- should be to recommend to the Pre- might be soon restored in the State moning of the State Assembly and sident to remove Dr Sampurnanand and the parade by the Samyukta Dal then voted the Congress' Ministry under Article 156, unless, like Mr at Rashtrapati Bhavan demonstrat- out of power. That would have been Sukhadia, he has the sense to go of ing its majority in the Rajasthan a crushing reply to Mr Sukhadia his own accord. Assemblv. who maintains that his party is in In li~e with its earlier comments a position to form a stable Ministry, "Soft To Princes" endorsing the Governor's decision to which, in the opinion of the non-Con- For a diametrically opposite rea- invite Mr Sukhadia to form the gress parties, is an untenable claim. son Patriot regards the Union Gov- Ministry and holding the Opposition Indeed, if instead of casting asper- ernment's decision as unconstitution- responsible for the disorders in the sions on the State Governor or orga- al. The paper says that Mr Sukha- State The Hindustan Times says that nising unpeaceful demonstrations dia even in his final letter claimed the Centre found itself in a peculiar they had allowed the Congress party that he was confident of forming a quandary, and it was justifiably con- to take office and the new Assembly viable administration. In view of cerned that calling upon the Oppo- to meet all controversies would have this claim the Central Government sition to form a Government might been set at rest by this time. Parlia- and the yovernor had no right to be easily construed as a surrender to mentary democracy is not a one-party accept the argument that there might violent agitation. The President's show. The Opposition also is cast be bloodshed if a party that claimed proclamation significantly does not in an important role in this high majority tried to take office. This dissolve the Legislature, but. .only drama of popular rule. And whether development exposes more' clearly suspends it for the time being. The in office or out of it, all parties which than any recent event, the shattered Opposition in Rajasthan has, as it have faith in democracy should be- morale of the Congress, and the in- were, been put on probation and have in a responsible fashion, acting capacity of its leaders to think and bound over for good' behaviour for with the utmost restraint even under act collectively. There was, and is, what, it is hoped, will be a brief in- • the gravest provocations. This un- a trend in Delhi that prefers a settle- terim period. The Central Govern- fortunately cannot be said of the ment with the feudal trouble-makers ment would be well advised not to constituents of the' non-Congress and their allies in Rajasthan. The press too hard the exemplary lesson alliance in Rajasthan that seeks to respectful-treatment extended to the it has been obliged to dehver. oust .the Congress from po1.ver. Maharani of Jaipur and the tolera- It must take good care not to Describing the Central action as an tion of interference in the State's po- allow the Opposition:s impression of affront to the people The Statesman litical affairs by the Maharaja who is partioo,IJ.~i.p td gather strength. In warns that the conS'equentes are like- a Union Government servant was

18 MARCH 24, 1967 )Cal. It ing the~ ~Assem- h is ad- Ie mam amation Oil for. ~o~.dtransport ve. But , .~~ ' ',':-''' '00<;/',. t"l.t:~\\7"'~~Lt.',3~!~~~A~.....t. lId best Oil Is an essential factor in the growth and development supplying petroleum and its many derivatives, Including mpts to of the automobile industry. From the obvious motivation lubricants, to meet the increasing needs of Transport. ~ united power in diesel and gasoline fuels to extreme pressure Industry and Agriculture. ry when lubricants in hypoid gears, oil for heat exchangers and ~,~. ~~t"(,;l/ ly to do oil used for annealing stee', there are a host of uses lOwever, for oil in the automobile industry-even in the making 'vernor's of upholstery, paint and synthetic tyres! -a National Trust for EconomIc Prosperity s trying INOIANOIL plays a major role in India's economy by '· riinority ~--~ INDIAN OIL -CORPORATION-+-- -.. -- LTD.!::J overnor, 8",-,{·f publicly .s of the for Mr opinion people. possess- ~fore aI- le sum- per says :ss itself Rill fall. to ex- ft.er the~ ipiracy". essential i policy the Pre- rnanand like Mr ;0 go of

site rea- :m Gov- titution- - Sukha- claimed -ming a view of ernment -ight to re might claimed .. This . clearly hattered the in- ink and and is, a settle- e-makers n. The d to the e tolera- ate's po- a who is ant was

24, 1967 /

- NOW seen by the communal and feudal Mrs Gandhi for having done a fine Mr Mehta, baulked in his progress Clear] henchmen of the princes as a confes- job of Cabinet construction. It towards the Finance Ministry, could slogans, sion of helplessness by the Congress would not be easy to improve on it . not be denied his pre-eminence as poetry a as a whole. But for the fact that one in the prevailing circumstances. The "one of the chief strategists of the them ill section of the Central leadership of old stalwarts have been given a fresh Prime Minister's faction" and had to there WI the party and the State organisation chance to make their maximum con- be compensated with several extra shoutinl were working at cross-purposes, the tribution to the nation's welfare. And portfolios. It is not, however, in the slo~ show of violence' that later became a large numlier of new young men terms of the reapportionment of port- artists, the decisive argument for the intro- have at last been given a chance to folios among the senior men that the call WOl duction of President's Rule would show their true worth. Cabinet will be judged; it is the to prod not have been raised. The Rajasthan Offering qualified ~upport The fresh blood that has been introduced en masli Congress has after all administered Hindustan Times says that the corri- that will be examined. Raja Dinesh Here the State for years on the basis of a dors of powers in Delhi may not be Singh's promotion and the inclusion reasonel majority that was not significantly wholly cleared of their stale and of the Maharaja of Jammu and Kash- In a bigger than what it claimed after musty atmosphere but the new Cabi- mir are certamly an assurance that is mone the present election. At no time be- net does show an atteml?t to let in at least part of the' fresh blood will politica fore has Delhi been so inclined to some fresh air. This IS the first be true blue; but whether that is film, 0: accept the princes and their friends Union Cabinet in which the majo- exactly the quality that the times de- commOI among the tycoons as allies as it is rity of its member~ are new or have mand will be found out only when social now. Weakened by factionalism at risen to it on the basis of their per- the Government starts working and have bl the highest level of its leadership and formance at lower levels. Its compo- the people begin to resporid. Mr V. criticisI frightened of the consequences of sition shows a distinct attempt to K. R. V. Rao and Mr Triguna Sen quarrel radical policies, an important group find suitable persons for· the various are known to be liberal in their out- ly wha in the Congress is seeing dynamism tasks rather than tailor the tasks to look. Whether these two will be ganda" in those effete derelicts who call suit the various persons who must be able to counterbalance the rightward vertisex; themselves princes and is permitting included. Altogether Mrs Gandhi list of the Government is very doubt- Picasso itself to be blackmailed. What hap- has tried to reconcile divergent ful. The proof of the pudding is in mier iJ pened in Rajasthan will be repeated claims and impulses and fuse them the eating; but the trouble with the novels, elsewhere because the Congr.ess is into a composite pattern. At the Cabinet as a whole is that it is very tisemel' looking for reactionary supporters in same time, the paper notes that near- bad to swallow. tional j other States also. ly all important portfolios which give to socil the Government its direction have dinary The New Team been allowed to remain in the hands impell The Indian Express app~ars to be of the "stalwarts". The electorate Slogans But the only paper to commend without had rejected several of the stalwarts inhibi them ~ reservation Mrs Gandhi's new team. last month; Mrs Gandhi has rejected NIRMAL KUMAR SEN She has acted with "remarkable good no more than two. It is a measure of nous victim sense" and has shown that she has a her willingness to accommodate them CROWDS .of men shout, in great loped I mind of her own and is willing to use that even Mr M. C. Chagla, who has pain, or exultation, sensitive it, the paper says. The size of the' shown little talent for either Educa- ing a leaders of men have to listen to these, Th team would be an advantage if the tion or Foreign Affairs, remains where and respond in words as short, and top leadership combines firmness with he is. That a leader with Mr Jagji- this c as telling as the popular exclama· walls tact. Mrs Gandhi has fully grasped van Ram's penchant for personal and tions. the opportunity to infuse fresh blood factional politics should be entrusted It Sometimes, the people in anguish, shoul into her Cabinet. The paper's only with Food and Agriculture at this themselves throw up calls to action, worry is over Mr Asoka Mehta whose juncture is obviously a concession to displa seeking a remedy to an evil situa· pIe to additional responsibilities might not his seniority in the party and not an tion, or if deliverance is in sight, to prove too heavy for a person with his acknowledgment of his ability to deal thing complete the good work they have does n mfinite capacity for work. However, with this vital and difficult problem. begun. his primary responsibility will be as Mr SWaran Singh will continue to o re Sometimes, the cry is only of des· ect Minister of Planning and he will, hold Defence as inconspicuously as pair, or a mere bubbling over of joy therefore, have to deal constantly he has during the past four months. their at the first success in crossing a serie made with Mr Desai at the Ministry of Mr Satya Narayan Singh as Minister of hurdles. Then, the leader has to Finance. Whether Mr Mehta's known without Portfolio, without any speci- pressi give the call to action, or continued Gork views on the size and shape of the fic duties, merely adds bulk to a Ca- action, in words of his own making. Fouth Plan can be reconciled with binet which may be too large for book. These are the slogans. W Mr Desai's known inclination towards efficiency. Slogans have to be warm. The realism is the big question. It is Pat.riot is flisappointed that no ing. men who shout them, in lead or res- Artis obvious that unless there is complete change has been made in Planning. ponse, have to feel, and regenerate understanding between the Ministry Mr Asoka Mehta has practically li- clubs the warmth. Furthermore, if they any of Finance and the Ministry of Plan- quidated the Fourth Plan, and the are to sustain an action en masse, ning the economic crisis might con- paper had expected that another man "peo they must have the quality of labour Tha tinue. Mr Mehta would do well to would be given the chance to try and cries which make many work toge- bear this in mind. The paper says see whether at l~st a gesture of re- spur' ther, in unison, to accomplish a long desir . that one must raise three meers to viving it could be made. Obviously, and difficult task. 20 MA NOW

ogress Clearly, there must be, in such with those who have remained long phere of Rajasthan was evident from could slogans, qualities which are present in in classified isolation. It is likely that the 61 graphics, gouaches and draw- ce as poetry and music. The men who make there would begin a parting of ways ings of Santwana Goswami on view If the them must be sincere, of course, or for those who would remain in their at the Academy of Fine Arts from ilad to there would be no conviction in their cjass-built quarantine. But others March 14 to 20. They were not done extra shouting. to inspire men. But unless shou,ld abandon fear-the fear that a in the style of the old miniatures, as er, in the slogan makers are also creative free expression of their feelings, of a many art students in Calcutta try to If port- artists, trained or untrained, the social kind, in simple unsophisticat- do. Nor did they deal with rajahs Iat the call would not throb like heart beats, ed words is 'propaganda'. and soldiers. But looking at them; is the to produce energetic rhythmic action one could not escape rediscovering oduced en masse. Ingrowing the luminous colours of the old Raja- Dinesh Here is a bridge between art and Many artists live, or pretend, in sthani paintings. Nothing like the ,clusion reasoned action. their art, to live, away from the peo- bright yellow and green in a 'Boy d Kash- In a bourgeois society, the bridge ple. There is also isolation among within an Aquarium' or in the draw- ce that is money-built. Big Business, or their artists themselves. Music, graphic or ings for murals can be found else- od will political agents, hire artists, paint, plastic arts, literature, are als.o kept where. Even gouaches with a sub- that is film, or carve slogans to sell their apart. The result is seen best, daily, dued background, like 'Twilight' had tmes de- commodities, political, commercial, in reviews of exhibitions, musical ga- an eloquent colour scheme. The .y when social or cultural. These efforts therings, dance recitals. These re- burning sands of Rajasthan seemed ing and have been criticised by artists. The views are churned by hack-writers to have come to life in pictures like MrV. criticism has created the unfortunate who set in esoteric, technical jargon, 'Welcoming the Sun' or 'Morning'. ma Sen quarrel: art vs. propaganda. Actual- words which are not read by amateurs, Explaining the bright freshness of the ;leir out- ly what has been misnamed "propa- and not understood by others. hues, Santwana said in his catalogue: will be ganda" in this battle of words, is ad- One often wished that this profes- "I have prepared them out of vege- ightward vertisement. Good works of art, by sionalism, overdone, ended. Specialis- tables, flowers, day and stones.-all 'y doubt- Picasso or Affandi in painting, Dau- ed criticism of this kind inhibits, in very, very common things." jng is in mier in his graphic works, Zola in turn, the artists, into constricted The style followed in the exhibits with the novels, Shaw in plays, are not adver- channels where they become more and is, however, hardly uniform. In some it is very tisement of points of view, but emo- more concerned with t~chnique, and of the gouaches, the delicate lines de- tional responses, in artistic disciplines, this creates a further isolation among Hneating a nude in the abstract, sud- to social situations which they, as or- artists which puts their work outside denly remind one of Matisse. In some dinary men, have felt and which have the zone of comprehension of art again, like the graphic-'Christ with impelled them to expression. lovers. Artists feel the narrowing Ladies'-there are reminiscences of But this quarrel has produced an down of the circle of men with whom Rouaut. I like Santwana's experiments inhibition among artists, and shut they can communicate. with the recurring theme of snakes, them up within the prison of a spu- It would be different if writers be- butterflies, peacocks and female forms. EN rious purity or freedom. The gin to produce their impression of There were also a few beautiful 'gra- victims are prisoners who have deve- other men's art in unorthodox words, phics with suggestions and motifs , in great loped a habit of psychological ingrow- but carrying a response, genuine, of from the old folk art. But one wish- sensitive ing and isolation from "non-artists". "foreign" arts. , The artist is always es him a speedy graduation from the n to these, There is no sense in maintaining happy to know the sincere impressions present stage of a bewildering con- short, and this cordon sanitaire at a time when which his art makes among larger fusion of widely divergent styles. I exclama- walls are collapsing everywhere. . circles of people. He is brought back am looking forward to his next exhi- It is not suggested that arUsts from loneliness to a life where he can bition, when let me hope, he will n anguish, should forthwith begin to make and hear-what he had ceased to hear. bring down the number of exhibits to action, display slogans which guide the peo- and concentrate on a few significant evil situa- ple to action. Artists should do no- styles. in sight, to thing which, in their creative work, they have does not come from inner conviction. A Lyrical Painter No real artist has ever made a dir- IDly of des- ect transfer of social impressions into Letters By AN ART CRITIC over of joy their art. These impressions ,have ling a series made a sympathetic union with ex- ader has to pressive powers in them, and made a UST at a moment when Rajas- The Betrayal r continued Gorky write and a Pudovkin film his J than, seething with mass up- wn making. book. heavals against ruthless police firings Let me congratulate you on your We have lived through a long even- and an unwelcome President's rule, editorial comment "The Betrayal" i\'arm. The ing. All of us cannot yet see its end. seemed to re-enact its historic turbu- (March 10). It is an eye-opener to lead or res- Artists who have belonged to their lent past, it was a pleasure to find a those who are under the illusion of 1 regenerate clubs and corners cannot begin, with young Bengali artist from there re- "Soviet solidarity" with the heroic, Dre, if they anygenuine feeling, to 'belong' to the minding Calcutta that Rajasthan was fighting people of Vietnam. The n en masse, "people", and express their wishes. not only the land of military heroes, Russians are eager for a compromose ity of labour That would be the beginning of a but ;llso of lyrical painters. over Vietnam with the U.S. imperial- r work toge- spurious "peoples' art". All that is That the spirit of the miniatures ists on their terms. While no Marxist- Clplisha long desired is that inhibitions should end and folk art still lives in the atmos- Leninists would always oppose com- ~ltCH. 24, 1967 . 21 CH 24. 1967 -----=-----=---~ ::----~---~-- --- ~ - -'">.lo.,:.I -~ ~ NOW

promise, what is important is the na- cares? Let us write off poor Vietnam. and other people with whom we ture of the compromise and how to Who now remembers Lumumba ? have but very little acquaintance. bring it about. As Lenin said, com- SUB"IMAL Roy So far as South 24-Parganas is promises that are permissible and in Calcutta concerned the channel' of the the interests of the people should be river Bhagirathi and the pros- distinguished from those that are im- What About Culture? perous villages on both its banks 'per'missible and are expressions of are now dead, hut even in the last treachery. By talking about "peace" I am a painter and though my eyes century they played an important part and "peaceful co-existence" with the and ears are keenly open to political in the history of Bengal. There is U.S. the Soviet Union is undermin- happenings and economic problems, ample material to write a history of ing and weakening the revolution- "I had enthusiastically become a subs- this locality but nobody cares. ary struggle of opposed nations. criber of your journal because it an- A. MOKHERJEE The CPSU maintains that the way nounces itself boldly on its cover as Calcutta to defend world peace is not for all a "political and cultural weekly". existing peace forces to unite" and Alas, what frustration, what a be- College Enquiry form a broad united front against U.S. trayal! imperialism and its lackeys but for You have shown 'no interest in I agree with Mr Pradeep Sen the U.S. and the Soviet Union to cultural matters. Let's take one ins- (March 3) that.an impartial enquiry cooperate in settling world problems. tance, the March 17 issue. Dear ah into the grievances of the students Khrushchev once said, "We, the dear-except one bit of drama criti- and a thorough departmental probe USA and the USSR, are the strong- cism, and another on films-there is into Presidency College affairs should est countries in the world and if we no other article, review or discussion be held without delay. The caucus unite for peace there can be no war. on anything else but politics. You in the college which was in collusion Then if any mad man wanted war, have every right to be interested in. with the former Government must we would but have to shake our fin- politics, but no right to hoax us by be removed. The. enquiry should gers to warn him off." This makes calling the weekly a cultural one as be extended to some other Govern- it clear how far the Soviet Union well. There is exhibition after ex- ment colleges. The expelled students has gone in regarding tne enemy as hibition in Calcutta, but you are so must be readmieted into their own its friend. World peace cannot be cultural that you can't find any space colleges. won by "beggmg the Impenahsts" to review them or discuss them. What In· education centres in West Ben- for it. about some articles on art? Alright, gal and the country as a whole, there L. K. let us come to a compromise, you are many Americanised snobs who - Visakhapatnam have them written from a politico- happen to be teachers. The role of economic angle. But, get them the CIA should be investigated in written, why not? this connection. I appeal to the new I congratulate you for your expo- MOHIM RooDRo Chief Minister to take the necessary sure (March 10) of the Soviet role Calcutta steps. Better late than never. in the Vietnam war. The road of re- SISIR K. MAJUMDAR (DR.) volution is not from Moscow to Cal- Academics ]amnagar cutta-via Peking', as Lenin said. The new road is from Moscow to Wash- For about three years, I have been Two Visitors ington via Havana, Leopoldville and travelling in' different parts of South Hanoi. The present Soviet leader- 24-Parganas to collect mateirals to The arrival, immediately after the ship, guided by its pragmatism (or write a history of this locality. I be- Indian elections, of two big mili- calculated betrayal?), started its po- lieve that the first task before our tary personalities, Mountbatten and licy of surrender in the Bay of Pigs historians and also the historians all Zakharov, to India is a significant and in the Gulf of Tonkin. Europe over the world, should be extensive re- event. Whatever be the reason, it must be made a continent of peace I search work in locaL history. I·~rst, should not be taken in isolation from Soviet girls must have enough affiu- know the mode of living of the people the recent Kosygin-Wilson meeting ence to continue their fashion parades. whom you have seen, know their cul- and their joint worry over South- Comrade Evtushenko must recite ture, write about their past and pre- East Asia, the professed anti-Mao poems before Comrade McNamara. sent. But the so-called academic his- stand of Russia, t~ recent success of Washington must be pleased-at any torians ignore these facts. They would the Left Communists in Kerala and cost. And if, meanwhile, thousands write about Chandragupta, Akbar, We~t Bengal and the sinister insinua- of black and yellow people get killed, Aurangzib, the British in India, etc. tions in British newspapers about a it is their dogmatic way of thinking They always choose a broader canvas possible military take-over in future that is resp

22 . MARCH 24, 1967 10m we nee. sanas 15 of the e pros- s banks the last :ant part rhere is WHEN yOU BUY A istory of :es. )KHERJEE Calcutta FLASHLIGHT DO eep Sen YOU ASK FOR ONE enquiry students al probe 'S should WITH A BIG BEAM e caucus collusion nt must RELIABLE should Govern- students eir own SWITCH AND Test Ben- )le, there )bs who STURDY RUST PRO- e role 01 ~ated in the new necessary OF BARREL ,er. AR (DR.) ramnagar OR SIMPLY ASK FOR

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