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People’People’People’Voice of the sssIndian MarchMarchMarch Revolution

NANDIGRAM : Slap in the face of CPI(M) Social-fascists Armed Resistance Assumes New Form Contents PEOPLE’S MARCH Vol : 8, No4,May 2007, Rs. 12 Voice of the Indian Revolution 12 May Day 2007 Call:

16 3 No genocide can Update: kill the rebellious Dandakaranya – spirit of the people qualitative leap in of Nandigram peoples’ war

Political Martyr Column:

Growing informalisation of Singur people resist cpm’s Red homage to comrade labour amidst a supposedly Raghavulu 24 social-fasicist terror 6 thriving Economy 21

Sezs—a shameless attempt Seminar on the ‘path of In Memory of Com. to snatch away rights of Chandrasekhara Rao 26 development’ 31 working class 23

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EDITOR: P. Govindan Kutty E-mail: [email protected] Mobile No. : 93886 22939 [email protected] [email protected]

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2 PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 NO GENOCIDE CAN KILL THE REBELLIOUS SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE OF NANDIGRAM Samya ANDIGRAM witnessed higher Nakchirachar, Sonachuri Jalpai, Boli khal i.e, Khejuri, from launches as also from level of struggle than that of Brindabanpur, Balipota Sahebnagar, the house of Sankar Samanta, a CPM leader NSingur. Nandigram learnt from Osmanchak, Gar Chakraberia, Gokulnagar, living in a sprawling bungalow on the the experience of Singur and initiated an Kesabpur, Baranagar, Kalicharanpur, Sonachura side. They killed three members armed mass resistance movement the like Soudkhali, Dinabandhunagar, Nilpur of the Krishi Jami Ucchhed Birodhi of which has not been seen in West Bengal etc.(Dainik Statesman, 2,3 January 2007). Protirodh Committee, namely, Bharat for a long time. On 3 January 2007, when the news of a Mondal, Biswajit Maity and Sekh Salim and Ever since the WB government made meeting being held in the Panchayat office injured many. True to their hooligan colour, public its intention of handing over at Gar Chakraberia Bazar on the issue of they went on a looting spree in four or five thousands of acres of land in Nandigram land acquisition spread, many villagers shops, broke furniture and decamped with and adjoining areas to the notorious gathered and shouted slogans against the cash and goods. The intruders, however, Indonesian upstart capitalist Salem for the government order, Lakshman Seth and the did not go unpunished. According to setting up of a SEZ (in reality, Slave Panchayet pradhan. Sensing trouble, the unconfirmed reports, a total number of Economy Zone or a Special Exploitation CPM pradhan sought police help. The about 17 persons lost their lives, of which Zone), the people of Nandigram, police came and started firing on the the majority belonged to the CPM goons. irrespective of their religious, gender or villagers, as a result of which four persons Sankar Samanta, whose house was used political affiliations, swiftly organized were badly wounded. The peasants quickly as one of the places for launching the attack themselves under the banner of Bhumi retaliated by attacking the police force, and who himself was involved in it, was Uchhed Protirodh Committee(Committee dragging some of them from the police van lynched by the angry crowd. His granary, Against Eviction from Land) to put up when the van, in its hurry to leave the area, betel-leaf field and the two-storied house resistance against any attempt to grab their hit a light post and caught fire. The were burnt down by the crowd. Unlike the land. Among those who joined hands on policemen were beaten up and thrown into CPM goons who indulged in looting, there this common issue were a small section of the nearby river and they could escape was no looting in his house. It was a case local CPM cadre, TMC, Jamiat-e Ulema-e further thrashing only after tendering an of typical crowd action where the people Hind, CPI, some CPI(M-L) groups, Maoists apology to the angry crowd. The villagers did not touch anything in the house. From and others. In 38 mouzas (mouza is a knew from their experience that soon more early January till 13 March 2007, Nandigram revenue division comprising some villages) forces would be coming. So they started was in the hands of the people themselves. under Nandigram Block 1, regular meetings putting up barricades on the road by felling They set up a parallel administration in the were organized to mobilize public opinion trees, digging roads and placing massive area, formed resistance groups to protect against land acquisition. Women took a stones on the roads at regular gaps so as themselves from the police and the CPM leading role and formed resistance groups to prevent the entry of police jeeps. It was goons. The methods the people used to with whatever traditional weapons they a spontaneous movement of the people defend themselves were somewhat similar could lay their hands on, viz, sickles, sticks, and within one night everything was to those used by the revolutionary people iron rods etc. complete. The land of Nandigram is well- of this region during the Quit India known to have a rich revolutionary heritage movement of 1942 when a parallel ‘National HOW IT STARTED in both anti-feudal and anti-imperialist Government’—‘Tamralipta Jatiyo Sarkar’ On 28 December 2006, the notorious struggles from the days of yore, and the had been in existence for 17 months. Laksham Seth, the sitting MP of the CPM form of resistance they put up was clearly GENOCIDE OF 14 MARCH declared on behalf of the Haldia in conformity with that heritage. All the Development Authority that about 14,000 CPM activists and leaders, who were trying What took place in West Bengal ruled acres of land would be acquired from the to deceive the people by saying that over by a ‘left-front’ government will put villagers for the creation of a ‘mega chemical industrialization would bring more to shame all previous acts of genocide hub’ for the Salem group(10,000acres), for employment opportunities, were compelled anywhere else in West Bengal, if not in a shipbuilding centre for the Ruia to leave their villages in the face of the India, Jallianwallabagh massacre included. group(2,500acres) and for the deposit of people’s wrath. There were regular armed It was a military operation ordered by silt after dredging in the Haldia dock skirmishes on the Sonachura-Khejuri side Buddhadev Bhattacharya and planned and area(2,000 acres). The formal notice was put when CPM hoodlums — hired from carried out by the home secretary, Prasad up on 2,January 2007. Twenty-nine Keshpur, Gorbeta and other areas — tried Roy, Arun Gupta, the IGP, the DIG(West mouzas—as a whole or parts of them— to enter through that point. Medinipur Range), Anil Srinivasan, the SP would be acquired from Nandigram Block 1 The climax was reached in the early of East Medinipur. Laksham Seth, the MP and Khejuri Block 2. These include, among hours of 7, January on a foggy day when who sent armed goons and the various others, Kendemari Jalpai, Jadubarichok, the CPM hooligans attacked the villagers zonal and local CPM leaders and lumpens. Chakchilinga, Kanchanagar Jalpai no.7, with arms from the other side of the Talpati Biman Bose, the CPM leader, knew

PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 3 everything and approved of the action. state forces will enter Nandigram any day They were attacked by the police on that Binoy Konar, the other CPM leader, who after the end of the school-leaving day, mercilessly beaten with lathis and had all through been threatening to bring Madhyamik examination and the beginning somehow remained alive only to recount hell to the people of Nandigram was also in of the Higher Secondary examination and the story of state brutality. It was reported the know. According to press reports, the would capture Nandigram. In the morning in some of the TV channels that as many as whole operation was planned well in of 14 March, the EFR, IRB jawans and the 50 dead bodies were found on the char land advance on 9, March in the hall of the guest policemen started firing indiscriminately on river Haldi, and that gharials (crocodiles) house of the Kolaghat Thermal Power Plant without any previous warning. Women, of the Sunderbans have got a scent of it behind closed doors (Sambad Protidin, 19, boys and girls who were in the front were and are moving through the Haldi. It was March, 2007). Of these criminals, Anil shot down. Women were chased, beaten reported in the newspapers that the CPM Srinivan is the person who rose to notoriety with sticks and then raped by the state leadership—and the finger is definitely by torturing Prof. Koushik Ganguly and forces and the CPM cadres. In the pointed at Lakshman Seth—had hired 300 many political prisoners accused of being Bhangabera area, children were kept by their ruffians at a cost of Rs.2 lakhs each for this connected with the Maoists and was mothers and they were playing in the field, operation, 10 of whom had recently been promoted by the WB government to the when the killing army came. Many children caught by the fact-finding CBI team. rank of superintendent of police after years were beheaded, some had their limbs torn The carnage in Nandigram will go down of oblivion. The force consisted of the apart, some were killed by being thrashed in history as the worst of its kind in Bengal, Eastern Frontier Rifles, the Indian Reserve against the wall and the dead bodies were if not in the history of India. During the Battalion—an army wing created to crush loaded in the trucks brought for the food movement in 1959 in West Bengal, 79 the Maoist rebellion — as also more than purpose and taken away to be dumped into peasants were killed by the police of the 20,000 police forces equipped with the sea. One woman burst into tears when Bidhan Roy-led government. In 1971, in the sophisticated weapons (Dainik Statesman, she related to a fact-finding team how her Cossipore-Baranagar area of Kolkata, more 15-3-2007). The Telegraph in its issue of 17 baby was pressed on the oven. An than 200 youth and students owing March, 2007, produced a list of lethal unspecified, but definitely large number of allegiance to the Naxalites, were killed by weapons that the force took with them:1) women were raped and tortured by the the Congress and police in collusion with Prahari (anti-riot tear smoke grenade); it CPM goons and the police. Elderly women the CPM during the Siddhartha Ray-rule in emits smoke for 30-50 seconds. Designed had their breasts torn by sharp weapons. West Bengal. For sheer brutality, that to prevent lobbing back. Canister made of Two of the main culprits identified by many carnage was unparalleled. The people of plastic that melts during explosion. 2)51- villagers were Asok Guria and Naba Marichjhanpi who refused to go to mm tear smoke bomb; can be fired up to Samanta — both local CPM leaders. As time Dandakaranya, were massacred under Jyoti 800 metres. Helps avoid close contact and goes by and more and more investigation Basu’s rule in West Bengal. During the averts drastic steps like firing. Emits gas teams, consisting of civil rights bodies, governorship of Siddhartha Sankar Ray in for 3 to 4 minutes. 3) Agnivarsha (multi- doctors, other democratic associations, are the Punjab when Ribeiro was the police barrel launching system); capable of going to Nandigram, more and more ghastly head, nearly 1,500 people went missing. In launching seven shells simultaneously or stories are coming to light. As the report the state of Chhattisgarh in recent years, in in single bursts. Ideal to disperse large goes to press, the total number of people the name of Salwa Judum, the state had crowds. Quick loading and electric firing who are untraced or ‘missing’ stands at killed and raped villagers with beast-like mechanism ensure high rate of fire and something between 800 and 900, and the brutality in large numbers for a long period efficiency. number of children butchered is more than of time and forcibly confined them in This huge force was dispatched by 100. These are unconfirmed reports, but as concentration camps to crush the Maoist Buddhadev & Co. to suppress the just time passes by and if the missing persons movement. People were butchered with rebellion of the people of Nandigram with still remain untraced, the suspicion of them savage-like ferocity, women raped and killed utmost brutality. The force was ordered to being butchered will, no doubt, gain and many of them had their limbs cut off, kill all, rape all, maim all and loot all. Behind ground. However loudly might the home houses burnt, property looted. The their back entered the CPM goons (in police secretary state about the return of the American GIs adopted this policy in uniforms) trained by Lakshman Seth & Co. missing persons, hundreds of people are Vietnam to crush the national liberation war. to be beastlike in their ferocity. The ruling still missing and they are possibly dead, The Chhattisgarh state government, toeing party, as always, worked in close collusion many of whom are children. the line of their imperialist masters, pursued with the state machinery. In the 19, March edition of the Bengali the same policy to wipe out the heroic It was obvious that the people, who had daily, Ekdin it was reported that five struggle waged by the Maoists there. The been fighting against land acquisition, women—Kajal Gayen(40), Lali Mindal(50), Jallianwallabagh massacre perpetrated by totally underestimated the ferocity of the Susmita Das(30), Sitabala Gayen(70) and the British rulers, took a toll of more than enemy. In the first row stood women and Khukurani Das(55) could save themselves 400 people of all ages, children included, children thinking that the enemy would by taking shelter in the Jellingham jungles, and left thousands wounded in a matter of pause before attacking them. But their somehow kept themselves alive without hours. The situation in each case has its hopes were belied. The home secretary had any food for four days and crawled their own features. Whether this carnage at been giving press statements regularly that way back only to be rescued by members Nandigram would surpass them all in of the Bhumi Ucchhed Protirodh Committee. brutality, depth, magnitude, loss of lives, 4 PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 nature of the terror, the trauma that it has prevent the militant crowd which had been ‘Butcher Buddha’. Many well-known caused only the near future will be able to carrying the bodies of Supriya Jana and theatre artists and intellectuals such as tell. And the state-sponsored intimidation Ratan Das in a procession. The crowd Bibhas Chakraborty, Bratya Basu, Koushik and terror continues even today. Today pelted stones at the police; some of the Sen, Monoj Mitra resigned from the Natya Buddha plays the role that General O’Dyer policemen were seen pleading with the Academy. Poet Sankha Ghosh resigned pla!yed in Jallianwallabagh many decades protesters, while the rest fled in fear. They from Bangla Academy. Nabarun ago or that Mahendra Karma sought to recaptured Sonachura and brought back all Bhattacharya returned the Rabindra prize play in Chhattisgarh. However, the irony those who were forced to leave, to their to the WB government and declared that of history is that the more the terror and homes. At the time of going to press, they he would donate the money to the oppression, the more the resistance of the have declared their resolve to capture the Nandigram relief fund. Well-known people. Mahendra Karma has had a bitter two mouzas of Khejuri which fall under the historians Sumit Sarkar and Tonika Sarkar taste of it in recent months. Buddhadev will SEZ plan and from which the CPM goons also returned the Rabindra prize and also have to gobble the same bitter pill in had been launching their attacks. Very donated the money to the people of near future recently, the government was compelled to Nandigram. Kabir Suman, through his TERROR CANNOT KILL THE declare that there would be no SEZ in public speeches and regular programmes INDOMITABLE SPIRIT OF THE Nandigram but did not say anything about in the TV channels assailed the WB PEOPLE OF NANDIGRAM it being set up in some other area. government and its chief minister. An While the people of Nandigram Artists’ and Intellectuals’ forum has also Within 48 hours of the bloodbath of 14, depended primarily on themselves to carry been formed with such eminent people as March, the heroic people of Nandigram on the relentless battles, people of all walks Tarun Sanyal, Aparna Sen, Saonli Mitra and wrested control from the CPM. As many as of life rose in protest, and their protests others. The TASAM—forum of teachers twenty thousand villagers braving all odds took many forms. The opposition led by and scientists—organized processions and stormed into Sonachura village on 16, the TMC called a state-wide bandh on 16, many individual teachers, doctors March and recaptured the area. Men and March which was spontaneous and total. contributed in their own ways to this battle women, armed with sticks and iron rods, Intellectuals, teachers, youth and students, against the SEZ and land acquisition. chased out the CPM cadres. The para- artists, theatre personalities, poets, singers Students in Jadavpur University, military forces were restrained because of and many other people organized Presidency College and many other the public outcry that the 14, March carnage demonstrations and demanded the institutions under the banner of such has caused. The police did not dare to resignation and even the hanging of Continued on page 6

A THIRD BATTLE FRONT IS SET TO OPEN FTER Kalinganagar and making active preparations to defend their drew a blue print to face police action.” Nandigram another lands. Their action plan, as reported by the Abattlefront against forced Taking cue from the victorious media, will be two tired. The police have displacement is set to open in struggles of the people of Kalinganagar to first face a children’s army, Sishu Jagatasinghpur district of Orissa. People and Nandigram, they sealed all the entry Sagrama Samity. They also formed a from the villages of Navgaon,Gadakujang and exit points of their villages and posted women volunteers force to resist the and Dhinkia are rising in revolt againsthe volunteer guards at these points. These police. setting up of a heavy steel plant by the volunteers also patrol the streets in batches Meanwhile, the state government is South Korean MNC, Posco, evicting of 8 to 10. They maintain round the clock making hectic preparations to seize the people from their lands. The Navin vigil. Each family offers one resistance lands by force, creating a bloodbath. Patnaik government of Orissa, signed an guard. They also dug up the roads at Nearly 16 of platoons armed police forces MOU with the above-mentioned MNC, several points to prevent the entry of armed have been stationed in Gadakujung since promising to hand over 4004 acres of police into their villages. One of the April 18th, while some more platoons are land from the above villages to it, among resistance guards told the media that the stated to be on the way. The states’ other things. check posts were set up to keep away the Director General of Police made the The people of these villages whose police, government and Posco officials. governments’ intentions clear, threating lives and livelihoods are at stake as their The leader of the organization told the the villagers that they are acting in an very fertile lands are being stolen from media that “ we are prepared for sustained unlawful manner, which will compel the them by the government, only to gift struggle against one of the largest foreign police to use force. With Prime Minister them to an MNC, announced their firm direct investment in history. There is no Manmohan Singhs’ assurance to Navin resolve that come what may they will not scope for a compromise as our positions Patnaik that his government will do allow the state to rob them of their lands. are poles apart. We will never allow everything in its power to see that Posco They organized themselves in to a “ anyone to disposes us nor we are going gets the land, the battle lines are clearly Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti ‘ and are to accept any rehabilitation package. We drawn. 30

PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 5 SINGUR PEOPLE RESIST CPM’S SOCIAL-FASICIST TERROR Rudra INGUR in the district of Hoogly completing the expressway’s arc into a economy and society revolve round this in West Bengalcouldwellturnout circle. land area. And any disturbance in the Sto be the watershed in the long The total number of legal owners in existing system would affect not just the history of democratic struggles in West this area is 11,029. The land there is very landowning peasants, but also a far larger Bengal. For the last few months it had fertile. Heavy rainfall leads to the flooding number of non-owners. grown in strength and the issue had of vast areas every year, accumulation of How did the WB-government forcibly already become a national issue. The alluvial deposits and increase in the fertility acquire nearly 1000 acres of land from the people of Nandigram drew lessons from of the soil. There is a huge reservoir of owners of the soil in Singur? They took the Singur experience and initiated what water beneath the soil and on the surface advantage of the Land Acquisition Act of has been acclaimed as a higher form of there are ponds, canals and rivers. The 1894 — an imperialist Act passed by the struggle. In these days when internet whole zone, quite naturally, is a multi-crop British colonial government to promote facilities are available to both the people zone, yielding grains and vegetables such their commercial and imperial interests. and their enemies, there is no surprise in as rice, potato, ladies’ finger, cauliflower, This Act of 1894 — the final form that it the fact that Singur issue turned out to be jute and some other vegetables. It is a 3-4 took after a series of amendments an international issue. crop zone and the people naturally are more in1824(Bengal Regulation I of 1824), What is happening in Singur? About prosperous than those living in many other 1850(Act I of 1850), 1857(Act VI of 1857) 997 acres of land are being acquired by the areas. Some among the landowners are and 1870—empowers the government to WB government by deceit and coercion absentee landlords living in towns and acquire land—held or owned by the from the villagers and handed over to Ratan cities while there are others who live in peasants—for “public purpose” and for a Tata of the Tata big bourgeois group for their own villages. Besides the non-state body like a company. The the supposed construction solely of a landowners, there are also a large number government has to give notice to the motor car factory. The farmland earmarked of sharecroppers—both registered and owners of the land and compensate them for the Tata project stands alongside an unregistered — and a far large number of according to the “market value” of the arc of the Durgapur Expressway near the day-labourers, who are tribal women property. The owners can challenge the Ratanpur crossing with NH1 The area coming daily from outside and whose day- acquisition, but the government can comprises six moujas such as Bajemelia, to-day existence depends on this land overrule them by citing the ground of Beraberi, Khaser Bheri, Gopalnagar, mass. Moreover, there are a number of van, “public purpose”. And once it is done, the Joymollar Bheri and Singher Bheri. They rickshaw drivers who carry both men and acquisition itself cannot be questioned. stand on the other side of the project cargo from one place to another. The whole Although the owners can challenge the Continued from page 5 grace will come with launching a massive “However, cooperation and coordination forums as Chhatra Chhatri Sanhati Mancha, attack on the fence around the project site between intelligence agencies on topics Forum for Arts Students or Independent and bringing it down”. In the meantime, of mutual interest also figured during the Consolidation organized demonstrations in the villagers of Deganga in North 24- discussions”, Prasadranjan Ray said (The their campuses and took to the streets, Parganas have vowed to resist all attempts Hindustan Times, 17 March 2007). marched through the streets shouting at land acquisition. Everything seems to Meetings such as these no doubt have slogans against government barbarity in go awry for the CPM since Singur. sinister implications. Nandigram and even formed street The question is: wherefrom does the On 16 March, 2007, the Bengali daily, barricades along with teachers. CPM draw its strength or why is it so Dainik Statesman carried a news based on Meanwhile, the peasants of Singur got compelled to carry on the land acquisition an intelligence source who wished to emboldened by the Nandigram struggle and programme when everyone barring a few remain anonymous, that 150 Maoist under the banner of the Singur Krishi Jomi of its stooges stands against it? The answer guerrillas divided into five squads had Raksha Committee(SKJRC) broke down seems to lie in a meeting between two top entered Nandigram through jungles and portions of the boundry wall being US intelligence officials—David Gordon, mountains to fight beside the people constructed for the Tata car plant site. As vice chairman, National Intelligence against land acquisition. While news such reported in The Statesman of 19 Council and Nancy Powell, ambassador and as these are ludicrous and had no basis at March,2007, the SKJRC have decided to National Intelligence Officer, (South-east all and are spread in order to justify the go for “guerrilla warfare” to fox the state Asia) and American consul-general in presence and stay of para-military forces government and police. “The movements Kolkata Henry V.Jardine with the home in Nandigram for a longer period, it has also in Singur and Nandigram have proved secretary, Prasadranjan Ray and the chief its silver lining. This is the clear admission that unarmed villagers cannot score over minister, Buddhadev Bhattacharya in the of a hard truth. That is, the Maoists are the an armed police force. We are looking at Writers’ Buildings on 16 March. The only force the people could look forward employing sustained guerrilla tactics for discussion on a wide range of topics to for their liberation as all other attempts two months. This will definitely lower the included the law and order situation arising had failed. 30 morale of the policemen. The coup de out of resistance against land acquisition. 6 PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 compensation decided by the government, land to the Tata Housing Development they regard as their mother), habitat, the Act allows the government, in the case Company(THDC) in the Rajarhat area and culture, society and economy by the of urgency, to acquire the land even the adjoining Rajarhat New Town area, for ‘Marxist’ chief minister of WB to enable a without waiting to hear any objection to building an IT and residential township shark, Ratan Tata by name, to devour the acquisition. In this Act, as in many along with WBIDC as a partner. The “gift” people and mint millions. other Acts, there is no room for people’s has been made with the idea that the profit In a typical Goebbelesian way, the WB choice. The Act of 1894 is cruel and takes that THDC and WBIDC would make here government through its main media-guide, no consideration of the sufferings, will be used for subsidizing the Ananda Bazar Patrika and the CPM hardships, mental trauma and the cultural manufacturing cost of the first series of party’s mouthpiece Ganashakti went on shock that the peasant has to undergo the Rs.1 lakh cars to be made by TML at declaring from September to November because of this uprooting from the soil. Singur. The Tatas had sought this “gift” 2006, to make the false appear as true, that The WB chief minister, Buddhadev so that they are able to provide a cross- more and more people were giving their Bhattacharjee who occasionally expresses subsidy for keeping the cost of their first consent to acquisition and receiving anti-imperialist verbiage in public rallies to series of 1,00,000 cars within the Rs.1 lakh cheques as compensation for the sale of dupe the people, utilized the very same Act price target. This “gift”, incidentally, is their own plots of land to the government. passed by the colonial rulers, to serve the over and above the Rs.140 crore that These statements, false as they were, were comprador Tata house. Realizing that any Buddhadev has already committed from refuted by the farmers themselves in their direct hand-over of land to the Tatas would the state exchequer to pay compensation rallies as also in their written lead to a public furor and legal to about 12,000 peasants whose 1,000 acres representations to the Chinsurah DM that complications, he tried to deceive the of highly fertile multi-crop land have been they would not sell their lands to make way people by acquiring the land in the name acquired for the car project. Dr. Sen made for industry. The Telegraph in its 14-7-06 of the West Bengal Industrial it clear that the government made such issue reported that around 600 farmers Development Corporation (WBIDC) for behind-the-scene-dealings with the Tatas owning 500 acres of land, submitted their “public purpose” and then hand over the as seeking budgetary support for documents related to their lands at the DM same land to Ratan Tata, whether on lease “infrastructural assistance” would attract office. The Krishi Jami Bachao Committee or on any other term on which the chief legislative scrutiny and censure by the formed to oppose acquisition of minister kept mum. Thereby, he has made CAG because providing such exclusive agricultural land in Singur, also refuted a mockery of the Right to Information Act assistance to any private company’s government and the CPM party claims. passed recently by the central government. project is against the declared policy of After prolonged delay, the WB While being questioned about the terms the left Front government. government finally came out with a Status of the contract with the Tatas, Buddhadev, This is not the end of the story. The Report on Singur in which it claimed that in a truly fascist manner, bluntly replied money for the project is to be obtained from till 4-12-06, 952 acres of land were being that that was a “trade secret”. What that a IT township complex to be developed willingly given away by the landowners of “trade secret” was, was revealed in The jointly by WMIDC and THDC on 50 crore Singur to the government. That such Statesman on 20-1-2007. The “trade acres in the Rajarhat New Town at HIDCO’s statements are based on deceit and secrets” are as follows. expense and another 600 acres in an area falsehood is attested by several public It is clear from the letter of Dr. in Rajarhat other than the New Town area. forums such as the Krishi Jami Bachao Sabyasachi Sen, principal secretary of Remember, WBIDC is not at all a partner in Committee, Gana Unnayan o Jana Adhikar WB’s commerce & industries department the Singur project, and its involvement in Sangram Samiti, Sanhati Udyog, APDR, to the HIDCO(Housing & Infrastructure it was restricted only to make available land Utsa Manush, Nagarik Mancha, Chhatra Development Corporation) dt. 12, October, to TML to avoid the costlier route of land Chhatri Sanhati Mancha, Teachers and 2006 that both Buddhadev Bhattacharjee acquisition for a private company as Scientists Against Mal-development, as and Sabyasachi Sen are “committed to provided under chapter 7 of the Act of 1894. also university teachers, students provide” for the Singur small-car-project “Of the over 1600 acres of land to be given intellectuals, youth and activists both from “upfront infrastructural assistance” to the Tatas in Singur, Rajarhat and within West Bengal and outside, to name possibly worth over Rs.160 crore. The BRADA(Bhangar Rajarhat Area only a few. amount is equivalent to the 16% excise Development Authority) areas, only 300 to Sanhati Udyog, “ a forum of people’s exemption that the Tata Motors Ltd(TML) 350 acres at Singur will be needed for the organizations, citizens’ rights, cultural would have got if it had set up its small-car car factory. The rest will be utilized for real organizations, little magazines and plant in Uttaranchal—a state that enjoys estate purposes and earning a high profit concerned citizens in support of the zero excise duty benefit—instead of in WB. by the Tatas”, a senior state government farmers’ movement to save farmland in This commitment for “significant support official said. Singur’, Kolkata, made a survey of 400 in the form of upfront infrastructural These, in a nutshell, are the terms of households consisting of 335 landholders assistance” was made by the chief minister the behind-the-scene-deal made between and 65 landless peasants spread over all “to make the TML investment in WB a master and a stooge in the name of the affected moujas, whose total area attractive”. Buddhadev’s commitment also “industrialization”. Thousands of people comprised 261.49 acres. Of these included a virtual gift of 650 acres of prime are to be evicted from their land (which households, only 20 landholders holding

PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 7 24.36 acres were willing to part with/or had land acquisition. In that rally, women were dressed up in RAF uniforms and already parted with their land, while 315 between 14 and 70 years of age took an actively involved in the attack. Many households holding 237.19 acres were active part in large numbers. They raised wounded men and women—arrested on unwilling to do so. The reasons cited for slogans, held their heads high and carried that day and taken to Chandannagar police handing over land were family pressure/ banners of different types all the way to station, were left all alone for long hours other business/cannot fight CPM & the their destination. On 24 , July, they resorted without any treatment. Rajkumar Bhul, a Tatas/single-crop land. On the other hand, to the blockade of the Durgapur Express youth, was beaten up so mercilessly that the reasons cited for being unwilling to Road, one of the main arteries of he succumbed to his wounds on the next hand over were: what will we eat/ communication. On 18, August the fascist day. Rajkumar was the first martyr of the forefather’s property/cash will not last/too WB government issued a formal state-sponsored terror in Singur. many dependents/will wait till the last notification for grabbing the land from the However, the murderous attacks by the moment ( ‘People’s Survey’ Facts from the peasants. The peasants in protest totally state machinery and CPM henchmen could Field, Sanhati Udyog, November 2- boycotted the government hearing on 22, not cow down the people. On 27th they 20,2006). August. On 25, August the BDO attempted organized another protest procession in STATE TERROR AND to hand over the formal notice of Singur and the opposition parties called a acquisition to the peasants, but failed. general strike on 9, October in West Bengal. PEOPLE’S RESISTANCE Sensing that the situation might get worse In such an atmosphere of state terror and This land-grab movement of the WB for them, the government officials the terrible prospect of displacement from government did not go unchallenged. The withdrew their camp. Meanwhile, their ancestral habitats and land, the Durga peasants of Singur refused to be cowed demonstrations had been going on almost Puja festival (WB’s main festival) could not down by this threat, and this ushered in a every day. On 1st and 2nd September when be held in Singur this year. The day, 3rd of process of prolonged resistance that made the district officials went to distribute the October, was observed as a no-cooking- Singur truly the watershed in the long final notice to the owners, they had to face day (a traditional form of mass protest history of democratic struggle of the people demonstrations at their office, in which which is called arandhan) in Singur and of West Bengal. women took the leading role. Ultimately, throughout the month of October the The news of the land acquisition bid the officials were forced to retreat without people resorted to various forms of protest. in Singur spread like wild fire. The any success. For the first time after many years, a unity representatives of the Tatas were What took place on the night of 25, was forged between the village and the prevented from making investigations in September beggars description. At the cities and a series of demonstrative the area on 25, May 2006 by a large number Singur BDO office, government officials programmes were held in Kolkata and of villagers, many of whom were women. started distributing cheques to those who neighbouring areas. Sanhati Udyog In fact, women in a big way were were willing, of course under heavy police consisting of a number of democratic and conspicuous by their presence in the and RAF protection. The people gheraoed civil rights organizations was formed in whole movement. On 29, May, when the the office and demonstrated. The TMC Kolkata and this forum sent its industries minister, Mr.Nirupan Sen leader Mamata Banerjee joined them. At representatives to Singur to register their addressed a gathering in defence of their about 1.30 on 25-26 Sept night, solidarity with the people of Singur. In fact, ‘industrialization’, about 1000 peasants Buddhadev’s police, to whom any hardly a day went by which was not organized black-flag demonstrations opposition to their deeds was unbearable, witness to any such protest programme. against him. On 1, June, several thousand suddenly and without any prior warning On 27th October in Gopalnagar, a people’s peasants gave a deputation to the BDO whatsoever, started beating up all those commission hearing was held in which office in Singur with bullocks and demonstrators. Hundreds of women, men, Mahasweta Devi and members of various agricultural implements. Many women who old men and women, children were mass organizations were present. The joined it were carrying brooms in their attacked mercilessly, the attackers tore off farmers of Singur joined in large numbers hands. In fact, brooms in the hands of the women’s garments, molested them in to register their opposition to the state women became the symbol of protest in every conceivable manner. Many women attempt at land grab. Singur. The Singur Krishiraksha Committee had to jump into nearby ponds and were The CPM leader Biman Bose did not that was in the forefront of struggle forced to remain there throughout the sit idle; in his habitual filthy language he comprised of TMC, SUCI and some other night to escape the police attack. Nobody was pouring venom against the people and political parties as also some democratic present there was spared. Mayarani Kolay, the opposition and raised the bogey of organizations—all of whom worked under a woman above 50 years, had to have her ‘outsiders’. What perturbed the ruling this broad forum to oppose land head stiched in seven places. Even a three- party and the so-called left-front acquisition attempts made by the year-old baby in its mother’ lap was not government was that they were beginning government. The movement gradually took spared from the rod of Buddhadev’s police. to feel that the façade on which they had a militant turn. On 13 and 17 July 2006, The whole attack was the handiwork not built their empire was gradually being several thousand peasants held a spirited just of the police and para-military forces, eroded by this popular storm. They sent march to the office of the DM at Chunchura but also of the CPM hoodlums. These their armed cadres to crush the opposition to register their written objection against hoodlums, according to available reports, by hook or by crook. The democratic

8 PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 people in the urban areas stood up in faithful lackey of imperialism and the questions put to him by the Kolkata TV defence of the rural people and showed comprador big bourgeoisie, the CPM chief channel whether he too was an outsider in black flags when Biman Bose & Co minister of West Bengal, through the state his early days when he had to work addressed a gathering in Singur on 29, police, directed the combat forces to crush underground and move from one place to November with van-loads of outsiders. On the resistance mercilessly, beat the people another for organizational work. the very next day, a mammoth procession up brutally, so that never again in future At the end of the day, Buddhadev was organized by the Krishi Jomi Raksha could they think of resistance to the will of defended the police action by saying that Committee. In order to thwart this the State. APDR reports that a student of they had to employ mild force as acid bulbs gathering from taking place the state took class VI took a sling and marbles to fight and bombs were thrown on them. The chief recourse to another repressive measure; it against the police. A small village boy minister, like a professional liar that he truly imposed section144 which prevented more carried with him a packet full of chilli is, stated in Kolkata that in the face of than four people to move in Singur powder which he thought he would be able instigation by a handful of ‘outsiders’, the together. Incidentally, this section was to hand over to his aunt so that she could police had to act, but that they acted with imposed in this part of West Bengal for an throw it in the eyes of the police when considerable restraint. On that fateful day, all-time record of 40 days without any break attacked. 49 persons were arrested of whom six were from end November 2006 to early January What happened on that day was seen from other areas and the rest, villagers of 2007. It was imposed again in early at least partially on the screen of some TV Singur. The arrested included 18 women February and continued for some days channels. Most of the print media and TV and 31 men. Any comment is superfluous. until the Calcutta High Court made bitter channels, who had all along been busy If Buddhadev thought he would be criticism of state policy and condemned it projecting Buddhadev as the symbol of able to bend the peoples backs by as a misuse of power. The imposition of ‘development’ — made no coverage of it unleashing police and cadre terror, then section 144 was made necessary in order at all. On the other hand some newspapers he was thoroughly mistaken. All West to facilitate the process of land acquisition gave wide coverage of the barbarity Bengal rose in protest against what the with fencing and then the raising of walls perpetrated by the CPM-led government. state machinery did on 2, December, 2006. on all sides. The armed forces attacked the people with It developed into a real people’s movement. On 2, December, 2006, the people of their batons, made the women particular The students of Jadavpur University, Singur, nay, West Bengal, were witness to targets of attack and molestation, rubber Presidency College and some other the most barbarous attack on the people bullets were fired indiscriminately, tear gas institutions barricaded the streets. recorded in recent years (until the March smoke filled the air, windows of peasants’ Opposition parties organized 14th massacre at Nandigram) by huts were broken and women and girls demonstrations in many places. The Buddhadev’s police force and the CPM were dragged out and tortured intellectuals called a mass protest meeting hoodlums. According to eye-witness barbarously, paddy stores (gola) and in College Street which was attended by accounts and media reports, as many as timber — the main source of food— were many people from different walks of life. 20,000 RAF, police and para-military forces burnt down and filthy languages of every Mamata Banerjee, MP, TMC continued her gathered in Singur to crush the unarmed conceivable type were used by the police indefinite fast at Dharmatolla under the resistance of about 15,000 people on that forces of the ‘more developed left-front banner of Krishi Jami Raksha Committee. day. The ratio between the people and the government’. On hearing of these Teachers and Scientists formed their own police was clearly in violation of what the brutalities, some civil rights organizations forum on the Singur issue— state’s law permits. Instead of the ratio, in rushed to the spot; they were literally lifted, TASAM(Teachers & Scientists Against such cases, being 6 persons to 1 policeman, arrested (though they called it detention, Mal-development). The peasants of Singur it stood at 1 person to 1 plus policeman. It which of course was illegal as there is no overcame their initial setback and is clear that they were ready to take any provision for detention in the penal code) commenced their battle. Many villages chances. The resistance, whatever the and then sent to Kolkata. Biman Bose, initiated a programme of mass hunger form, should be crushed at all costs. It was Buddhadev again raised the bogey of strike. Black flags were raised atop many an unequal encounter, no doubt. ‘outsider’. The urban people who went to rural homes. The farmers submitted their Thousands of unarmed men and women Singur to express their solidarity with the memorandums in the Chunchura court of all ages assembled at a field close to tortured people of Singur, were described testifying that they had not given up their Beraberi Purbapara Khaser Bheri and Uttar as ‘outsiders’; but to Buddhadev and his land, though the CPM leadership claimed Bajmelia and defiantly marched hand-in- henchmen, Ratan Tata, armed forces and to the contrary. Meanwhile a student’s hand with slogans that rent the air. Even the armed CPM cadres were not organization—RSF—broke down the though they were without any arms, they ‘outsiders’, but Singur’s sons of the soil. glass-panes and damaged other furniture were rebels for a just cause. They showed This provoked much ridicule from the in the Tata Lexpo shop in the heart of a resolve unseen in recent years in this intellectuals, artists and many other people. Kolkata in protest against the state land long-suffering state of West Bengal that, Binoy Kongar, the CPM leader, who acquisition policy. come what may, they would never give up recently earned much notoriety because As all the previous repressive methods their lands. Buddhadev’s police force did of his comments during the Nandigram proved futile, the CPM hoodlums and the what exactly they were expected to do. A rising, was forced to stammer in the face of state machinery sought to apply other

PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 9 methods to crush the resistance of the clothes. Many of the attackers were drunk. cultural doyan-cum-chief minister people. They decided to kill Tapashi Malik, The women were dragged by the hair and Buddhadev Bhattacharjee. What the who was in the forefront of the struggle. pushed into the police car and subjected police of the Congress-led Siddhartha-led When in the early morning of 18 December, to all types of verbal abuse. They government did in the 1970s was being she went out of her house to answer the threatened to rape them. Bharati Das has done by the ‘Marxist’ Buddhadev-led nature’s call, she was killed and burnt. related how CPM cadres dressed as government today. All this strengthen our Local people have a strong suspicion that policemen beat her inside her house. Those resolve to get rid of this man-eating system she was raped before being killed and ruffians must have been from nearby altogether that generates such beasts from burnt. All evidence leading to her death villages; otherwise they would not have among the people. were destroyed by the CPM and local known her name and her son’s name. They RESPONSE FROM AN police force. She was attacked, raped and called her chutia, haramjadi, shuorer killed by the night-guards who were CPM baccha(pig). One policeman put his hand UNEXPECTED QUARTER cadres in collusion with the police. (See inside her petticoat from the waist and The forcible acquisition of land and also box on page 11) dragged her by it and kept pushing his lathi police brutality have provoked some criticism even from the partners of the ‘left- SPECIFIC CASES OF in her belly. Anuradha Talwar, Swapna Tripathi, Ashtabala Maity, Namita Gayen, front’ government such as the RSP, ATROCITY AND SEXUAL Jamila Khatun and Jaba Murmu of the Forward Block and the CPI. However, very HARASSMENT OF WOMEN IN Shramajivee Mahila Samiti and Juthika Pal recently, criticism was expressed by a of the All India Mahila Sanskritik section of the police force itself. The TOI THE HANDS OF THE POLICE Sanghathana had been protesting against in its 8-1-07 issue carried a news item quite AND CPM HOODLUMS land acquisition outside the acquired area unexpected. In Suri, district Birbhum, the Paschimbanga Khet Majoor Samiti in Beraberi, Singur on 4-2-07 when the “go-as-you-like” event in the annual interviewed some women who were police force arrested them using physical sports of the police department created an subjected to various kinds of sexual force. Male policemen injured Anuradha on embarrassing situation for the district harassment. While some among them her right hand. Juthika Pal was brutally police administration. A minor girl posed agreed to relate, many others felt ashamed grasped by her arms and legs and thrown as Singurer Garib Chashir Ma(The Poor to do so. Maya Das of Beraberi related how on the ground. Ashtabal Maity was Mother of Farmers of Singur). A youth the male police force entered her house, dragged by her hair. Swapna Tripathi was acted as Nandigramer Hatabhaga Garib tore off the clothes of women and used kicked on her waist and dragged by her Chashi (The Ill-fated Poor Farmer of filthy languages that she could not hair. Everybody was physically violated Nandigram) and a lady constable, describe. Rupa Kohle of Beraberi was and wounded to some degree. They were Mousumi Roy Mallik, attached to Bolpur badly beaten up. When she started running also verbally abused and threatened to be police station, described herself as into her house, two policemen threw their raped. Debashis Ghosh, the OC DIB, Singurer Gramer Chashir Bou(The Wife lathis and grabbed her. They pressed her Hooghli district and Asit Pal, ASP, Hooghli of a Poor Farmer of Singur). The lady breasts and tore her clothes on the streets. even gestured with their lathi saying that constable declared over the microphone, Other policemen standing around were they would have the same fate as Tapashi “You see, we are innocent housewives of cheering and encouraging them. The police Malik. Two police officers were specifically Singur. But they did not spare us. We are goondas dragged her by her hair, called her mentioned as the perpetrators of such tortured and feel helpless. We do not know a whore and threatened to rape her. They barbarity. One is Kalyan Mukherjee, SDPO, what to do and where to go to”. The youth, had also beaten up her aunt. Another victim Channagar, who not only used foul who acted as the farmer of Nandigram, was Asta Rani Kohle. When she went to language as mentioned in the testimonies, carried a dagger in his hand. The event resist the erection of a fencing, she was but also instigated other policemen to do clearly indicated that a section of the police beaten on the breast, vagina and belly. so. The other one is the notorious Harmeen is sympathetic to the agitators of Singur They called her a ‘whore’ and threatened Preet Singh, the IG of Police and the prime and Nandigram. to rape her. Sanju Das had her house accused in the Bhikari Paswan case (Bhikari At present, the Tatas have started broken, glasses, TV and all. Buddhadev’s was a struggling jute-mill worker who was erecting a wall all along the boundary of police beat her, her parents-in-law, son and picked up by Singh, tortured and then the land grabbed by Buddhadev’s police daughter. They taunted them and killed) facing trial for 13 years, and the main on their behalf. Meanwhile, the WB threatened to rape. The attackers kept perpetrator of atrocity against Raj Kumar government has declared that it will grab showing lathis to them, saying that they Bhool, who succumbed to police torture. other areas also in Nandigram, Shalboni, would put those lathis inside their vaginas, In fact, police brutality is everywhere Baruipur, Dankuni, Kharagpur etc. and if they tried to resist. Krishna Bagh went to the same. Abuse and rape of women are create SEZ(Special Economic Zones) under join the sit-in-demonstration with her 2 year integral parts of police torture, either in the the Salim, the upstart capitalist from plus baby in her arms on 25, September. police lock-up or outside. In fact, there is Indonesia. SEZ which, in reality, is a Slave She was hit by the police, her sleeping girl nothing to be surprised at such Economic Zone or Special Exploitation was dragged from her arms and the police happenings. This is the culture of the West Zone, has been discussed at some length kicked her, pulled her hair and tore off her Bengal police, fed and nourished by the in some back issues of People’s March and

10 PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 so we are not going into it in this article. The first phase of the Singur struggle probably, was its greatest limitation. The This much can be said that for a period of is over. The Tatas have started people of Nandigram learnt from the more than six weeks from 4, January, the construction work at the site. That, of Singur experience, fought with arms in people of Nandigram have been course, does not mean that the future hand and successfully beat off all attempts successfully resisting entry of the para- would be smooth for them. Even this first at encroachment into their zones and military forces and the armed CPM cadres phase of the Singur struggle will definitely finished off at least some armed CPM with such mass support that was be regarded as a watershed in the history goondas who dared to attack. Let us hail unthinkable in an area which was till of democratic struggle of West Bengal. the heroic Singur peasants and all those recently a strong bastion of the CPM party After a long time, Singur had definitely who fought and are still fighting by their itself. They have cut roads, destroyed united the people of the city and the village; side. Let a revolutionary storm rise up and bridges, raised all sorts of obstructions on the Hindus and Muslims have joined send imperialist forces, domestic the entry of police jeeps and armed CPM hands; women are conspicuous by their compradors and slaves like Buddha- ruffians and running a parallel presence in large numbers.It was an Biman-Nirupam-Binoy-Laksham and administration in Nandigram (See article in unarmed movement no doubt. This, others to their graves. 30 same issue).

RAPE & BRUTAL MURDER OF TAPASI

APASI had gone out of her “Jokhoni gaan gaaibe, gala phatiye, jore, Trinamul Congress meeting. “Back in house to answer nature’s call bhalo kore gaaibe (when you sing, never Singur, Tapasi went about liaising with Tearly on Monday. “Later, the hold back, give it all),” the 18-year-old the committee’s top leaders, including villagers found the half-burnt body of urged the young boys and girls at Nayantara Dhara, who wrote the lyrics Tapasi. She was raped, throttled and then Sunday’s sit-in, which she had taken the for the protest songs,” said Haradhan her body was set on fire. Policemen and lead in organising. Patra of Gopalnagar. CPM workers can’t deny responsibility Members of the Krishi Jomi Banchao The murder of Tapasi Malik has further as Tapasi’s body was found inside the Committee, the pivot of the protests in angered the school students who have already-fenced area earmarked for the Singur where land has been acquired for a been fighting against forcible acquisition Tata factory. Tapasi slept with her niece Tata Motors factory, said the words of the of land since July. Aparna Dhara on Sunday night. Around murdered girl reflected her spirit. Without The numerical strength of the Singur 4:30 am, she told Aparna that she was her efforts, the six-hour show from 10 am Krishi Jomi Raksha Sahayak Chhatra going out to relieve herself. “This is usual on the day at Baro Haath Kalitala off Committee, loyal to the Singur Krishi Jomi for her. For, she woke up early, to cook Bajemelia — an effort to get local students Raksha Committee, has gone up from 35 for her father and brothers, who leave for and youths to join the protest — would in July to 600 in March 2007. About 400 work early in the morning. But on Monday have been a non-starter, committee member girls and 200 boys from schools in the morning, she didn’t return even after 90 Ganesh Chakrabarty said. In Beraberi, affected moujas have joined the minutes,” Aparna said. By then, a few Gopalnagar and Bajemelia Tapasi was a SKJRSCC, said Prakash Hambir, a Class villagers from Khanserbheri coming to hero in the war against the government. VI student of Beraberi Suryanarayan Bajemelia Paschimpara, noticed Ganesh Chakrabarty, who sees the Tatas’ Memorial School. The SKJSCC’s chief something burning, barely inside the “dream project” as a harbinger of doom, advisor and Hooghly district secretary of fence.”When we came here, we smelled said: “Tapasi was a bundle of energy. She the Democratic Students’ Organisation, burning flesh. The remains — only the mobilised contacts in other villages — she Mr Dipak Singha, said the girls, from face and the limbs were visible — was was a natural organiser.” Beraberi Suryanarayan Memorial High lying in a five-feet long pit”. Tapasi had dropped out of the local School, Daulatpur-Doluigacha School, Tapasi’s father said, “She was Beraberi High School after Class VIII Gopalnagar Harharia High School and murdered. I can’t fathom who’d do it. I because father Monoranjan could not Gopalnagar Kumud Ranjan High School, don’t suspect anyone.” He said both he afford the fees. Still, she was the most were organising rallies separately. and Tapasi had been opposing the land educated in her family. “She did the Students of the primary schools in the acquisition. The mother said, “She household chores, helping mother Molina. moujas too are active, he said. Bajemelia (Tapasi)was raped before she was She got up early to prepare food for her Dakshinpara’s Tushar Ghosh, a Class VIII murdered. Why else would anyone burn teenage brothers Surojit and Subhas, who student of Beraberi Suryanarayan her so savagely? She had no enemies. work as carpenters in Calcutta,” said Memorial High School, said: “We are We are poor people who survive on our Saraswati Mitra, a relative. Her debut as fighting as our parents’ livelihood is in meager earnings.” an activist came the day Tata officials were danger and in spite of our teachers’ stiff Twelve hours before her body was stopped near a club, Ujjal Sangha, in resistance. There were only 35 of us when found in flames in Singur’s fenced area Bajemelia, yards from her home. On our outfit was formed on 26, July with a on Dec 18, 2006, Tapasi Malik had been September 25, she joined the gherao of the rally promising to help the local farmers’ pushing a crowd of young land- BDO’s office with her mother. Then movement. There are now 600 of us,” he acquisition protesters to sing louder. followed a trip to Calcutta to attend a said. 30

PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 11 May Day 2007 Call: INTERNATIONAL PROLETARIAT ARISE TO LEAD THE FIGHT AGAINST THE UNPRECEDENTED OFFENSIVE OF IMPERIALISM, PARTICULARLY US IMPERIALISM Arvind N the occasion of this May implement their imperialist-dictated declined. An estimated 30 million workers Day we find the world been policies of pushing mining interests, SEZs, have lost their full time jobs over the last O hurtled to new wars by the infrastructural projects, et al. To do so they two decades and today permanent jobs are aggressive designs of US imperialism. will not stop at killing, murder and scarce. After Iraq and Afghanistan now Iran is mayhem...... killing 12 at Kalinganagar On this May Day we find such are the on the verge of being attacked and open and injuring over 50 to serve the Tatas; conditions in the world where the threats are being given out to Syria and massacring over 200 in Nandigram to serve oppressed are being deprived on a scale Lebanon. the interests of the Indonesian mafia rarely seen before in order to fill the coffers This May Day also witnesses the group, Salim; and killing over 300 in Bastar of the rich and powerful. Let us now delve world being polarised, as never before, under the banner of Salwa Judum to clear in greater depth into the situation to see in into extremes of the rich and poor — both the land of tribals in order that Tatas, Ruias which direction events are unfolding so within every country and between the and host of other mining interests can rob that the proletariat of the respective capitalist/imperialist countries on the one the rich mineral wealth of the region. All countries of the world can prepare for the hand and the backward countries on the these massacres have been accompanied oncoming battles. other. In addition, the contradictions by brutalities of a medieval kind, including NTERNATIONAL amongst the imperialist powers and their gang-rapes, mutilating limbs, and utilising I lackeys are growing, and the scramble for the most brutal tortures. Conditions within SITUATION markets and sources of raw materials the country have probably never been as The main aspect of the world situation (particularly oil and gas) are intensifying; acute in post-1947 India. is the growing economic crisis and, as a this is particularly to be seen between the Besides, we see both in India and result, the increasing imperialist contention US on the one side and the other abroad the worst possible extremes and frenzied military preparations, imperialists competing amongst between the rich and the poor. The income particularly of the US. themselves to oust the US’s prime gaps have never been as acute as they are position. Finally, the imperialists are today. Economic Stagnation seeking to shift the burden of the crisis In India on the one hand, the number After the severe recession of 2001 and on to the backs of the people of the of billionaires are growing at a pace faster some halting recovery since, the imperialist backward countries through their policies than in any other country of the world, economies are once again being hurtled of imperialist globalisation and the most while on the other hand roughly 20,000 are towards recession, crisis and decline. ruthless robbery of these countries since being pushed to suicide each year. Today, Today, while Europe and Japan continue World War II. India has the largest number of billionaires with their state of economic stagnation, In short all the major contradictions in Asia; even more than Japan. The the US has once again gone into decline, in the world are intensifying; a result of combined worth of just the 36 Indian and the only economy that has shown the growing crisis within the imperialist billionaires was $191 billion; equivalent to some new buoyancy amongst the economies of the world, particularly that one-forth of India’s entire GDP. On the imperialist countries is that of Russia. of US imperialism. With this, we witness a other hand 80% of India’s population live China continues its economic expansion growing militarisation of the economies under $2 per day; 38% of our children are threatening markets of the imperialist of the world, with the US in the lead, stunted and 46% are underweight; and the countries. The backward countries of the whose military budget is today half of the overall conditions are worse than most world (whatever may be their ‘high’ growth entire world’s military expenditure. countries of sub-Saharan Africa. rates) are being robbed by the imperialists India too is caught in this cesspool of Even at the world level we find that the on a scale not seen in the post WWII the imperialist crisis with the Indian rulers 946 billionaires have a combined wealth of period. The much-hyped high growth rates totally bowing at the feet of the $3.5 trillion or 5 times India’s GDP. In the of the countries like India, Brazil, etc are imperialists, particularly that of the US. world’s major imperialist country, the US, nothing but the result of high capital These Indian agents, while enriching the disparities have reached levels that inflows that help service the imperialist themselves, are facilitating the gigantic existed during the Great Depression, and industries and that of their local loot by the imperialists which is causing continue to grow. While middle incomes compradors. havoc in our country and to the lives of have risen by11% since 1980, the incomes The world economy has been facing the oppressed masses. The ruthlessness of the top 0.1% rose four-fold in the same the typical crisis of over-production. For of this offensive is to be seen in the period. In 2005 while the top 1% income example the world auto industry was able viciousness displayed by the rulers to rose 14% that of the bottom 90% actually to sell only 74% of the vehicles made last 12 PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 year and losses have been piling up of the The US while it continues to remain the of dollars”. Gazprom is also negotiating $3 major US auto manufacturers. Steel global biggest economy in the world, soaking up billion investments in Bolivia.. excess was 20%, at 200 million tones. In commodities from all over the world, it is China has already ousted Japan as the telecommunications the utilisation rate of exceedingly fragile and is steadily losing largest economy in Asia and its markets telecom networks is around 3% and of its ability to affectively compete have swept most of south and SE Asia. undersea cables around 13%. Even in worldwide. The share of the US global China has also made a big economic push China, it is estimated that after the mid- wealth has been declining since the 1970s. in Africa; the highly sucessful China-Africa 1990s 70% of China’s industries are The external debt of the US now stands at Summit was witness to the growing plagued by over-capacity and average a gigantic$ 6 trillion (its total debt is an economic ties. China is also taking a 40% profit rates have plunged by half. unbelievable $ 70 trillion). To balance these share in Venezuela’s heavy crude project; The crisis has once again led to a huge and increasing debts the US is after Chavez ‘nationalised’ oil production, massive frenzy of Mergers and dependent on the large inflow of foreign stripping US corporates of their majority Acquisitions with the larger/stronger funds (particularly from China and Japan) shareholdings. companies swallowing up smaller/weaker which is threatened by the continuous The crisis in the imperialist countries companies. It has reached a gigantic $1,130 weakening of the US dollar. The dollar has is resulting in even more ruthless loot of billion in just the first quarter of the current lost 20% over the past five years vis-à-vis the economies and raw materials from the year. In Europe too this trend is to be seen the euro and now stand at its lowest ever backward countries in the name of with buy-out deals having increased from at $1.36 to the euro. It is estimated that the liberalization, privatization and $108 billion in 2002 to $542 billion in 2006. US has already spent a massive $3 trillion globalization. The most extreme form of In the last few years GDP growth rate on the Iraq war. And with a defence budget this can be seen in the Iraq puppet in Europe has been stagnating at about accounting for half the entire world’s government’s recent approval of a new 1.5%. It is unable to come out of this near military spending the US economy is more petroleum law to hand over the country’s recessionary-level growth rates. In and more based on the powerful military- most lucrative oil and gas fields to the addition Britain now faces high rates of industrial complex, which is the backbone MNCs. {It should not be forgotten that inflation, which is the highest since the of the Bush administration. the US, in 1965, assassinated the Iraq last 16 years. This has had its political Russia’s new assertion is primarily president when he tried to nationalize the implications with Europe becoming less linked to the temporary boom in its country’s oil and gas reserves}Now, 6½ assertive in its political contention with the economy due to the hike in oil and gas lakh lives lost since 2003 and millions earlier US in the past year. In addition the inability prices. Today it is the second largest have been lost in IraQ and the country of the EU to adopt their new Constitution exporter of oil in the world and the largest devastated in order to hand over this rich (with two countries voting against it) their producer of gas. It is seeking to form a gas wealth to US multinationals. Similar unity is temporarily effected, particularly OPEC between Russia, Iran and Qatar policies, to varying degrees, are being affecting their ability to stand upto the US. (which between them account for 60% of adopted all over the world; if the local Japan which was afflicted by over a world oil) and Venezuella, Algeria and the regimes are compliant, the policies are decade of negative growth and deflation Central-Asian gas exporting countries. imposed ‘peacefully’, if not, it is imposed finally witnessed minor partial growth for Russia is also making a big economic push through bombs and missiles. a year. But this was not due to a growth of into many backward countries even The above economic scenario is internal demand but due to growing outside its traditional sphere of influence, resulting in growing economic tension, not demand from China. But in Sept. 2006 it particularly with a big jump in sales of only for markets, but also a desperate and once again slipped into deflation when military hardware. An example of this is ruthless scramble to dominate energy spending recorded a plunge of 6% Putin’s big push in Latin America, resources of the world. The US is finding compared to the previous year. particularly Venezuella. Chavez has signed it more and more difficult to sustain its In the US there was once again open a $ 3 billion military deal with Russia for worldwide supremacy. Pushed to the wall, talk of the economy going into military aircraft; Russia will set up two it is resorting to increasing military recessionary conditions with housing in manufacturing units for AK rifles and adventurism to maintain its world decline and the housing bubble expected ammunition; and further plans are there for hegemony. This goes under the banner of to burst any time (which had sustained the the purchase of Russian submarines, air- ‘war on terror’. growth after the burst of the IT bubble). defence missile systems, infantry fighting War Clouds & Growing Industrial production recorded a zero equipment, etc. Gazprom will help growth in Aug. 2006 and negative growth Venezuala develop its huge but largely Contention in September. Spending has been dropping untapped natural gas reserves. Gazprom Not only is the US bogged down in and business inventories piled up in Jan. will also take part in the construction of both Iraq and Afghanistan, unable neither 2007. Corporate profits fell in the last the 8,000 kms gas pipeline to link to win the war nor to retreat, Israel faced a quarter of 2006. The March 07 fall in the Venezuela’s gas to Argentina, Brazil, resounding defeat, for the first time ever, stock exchange index was a result of the Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay. Putin at the hands of the Hizbollah. Yet, given looming fears of defaults on home loans recently said that investment in Venezuela the needs of the military-industrial and poor retail sales for Feb. 2007. could reach “hundreds of million, billions complex and geo-political compulsions, it

PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 13 seeks to continue its war mania with an hosts US bases on the border with Bolivia Tartus. Putin’s earlier visit to Saudi Arabia, impending attack on Iran. It is also building and is so much in the US pocket that the Qatar and Jordan saw Russia forge energy up its own hi-tech arsenal and is promoting Bush family alone owns 2.7% of the territory and defence deals in a region which has wars even in other parts of the world to as their personal property. About 40,000 long been the exclusive preserve of the US. enforce pliant regimes. troops are stationed in Latin America. The Russian Oil giant, Lukoil, announced Us War Preperations In the East its main fear comes from plans to invest more than $2 billion in new For the first time ever the US plans to China’s growing influence in the region. gas fields in Saudi Arabia. Russia’s deploy an anti-missile base outside the US Besides strengthening its existing military weapons-cum-energy diplomacy has been by the setting up of the missile defence bases, it is particularly seeking to utilize most effective in Algeria, where Lukoil and system in East Europe. This too it says is India as its front paws in the region. It has Gazprom gained exclusive access to some only a beginning and plans to expand this also been firming up its defence ties with of Algeria’s largest oil and gas fields. The continuously. The US has also enhanced its traditional allies, Japan and Australia. deals are part of an agreement that involved its first strike capability, installing the Russia’s New Assertion the supply of $7.5 billion worth of Russian high-precision multiple war heads on the arms to Algeria. Russia has also opposed With the EU unity in a mess and the the UN’s plan for Kosovo’s conditional Minutemen ICBMs, equipping its nuclear stagnant European economies it has been submarines with more accurate and deadly statehood. So infuriated was the US with Russia that has been seeking greater this opposition that it warned that Trident II D-5 missiles, and fitting its B-52 assertion against US worldwide bombers with nuclear-armed cruise “bloodshed may return to the Balkans”. domination. The EU has been more We have already seen Russia’s big missiles. It is also setting up military bases concentrating on rebuilding its unity and in Bulgaria and Romania. In Jan. 07, the push into Latin America. regaining its economic strength, while Though Russia’s defence budget is a Pentagon relocated the Cobra Dame Russia has not only ousted the US from Floating Radar (biggest in the world) from small fraction of that of the US (the US’s is much of its backyard (CIS countries) but 25 times that of Russia), it has quadrupled Hawaii to the Alent Island, within 300 kms is making inroads particularly into West of Russia. It is also seeking to establish in the past 5 years and has approved a Asia and Latin America in a big way. huge $190 billion re-armament programme another Radar station in the Caucasus. In a speech at a security conference in Besides it is instigating wars through 2015. Russia is also developing Munich on Feb.10, Putin launched a frontal highly sophisticated missiles that it claims throughout the world, utilising its client attack on the US saying that their concept states like Israel, Ethiopia, etc. After its can break through the US shield. It has of a unipolar world was “unacceptable and also threatened to withdraw from a 1987 humiliating defeat in Lebanon it is once impossible”. Russia has now used its two again pushing the country into a full- treaty with the US banning medium-range major weapons — energy resources and ballistic missiles and would resume fledged sectarian war to crush the defence technology — for its greater Hizbollah. It did the same in Palestine production if the US goes ahead withy its assertion against the US. Russian arms anti-missile plan for Europe. utilising the stooge Fatah to launch sales have surged from $3.4 billion in 1999 attacks on the Hamas after the latter won So, today we find that Russia is once to $6.5 billion in 2006 and is expected to again seeking to assert its imperial power the election and has now forced a coalition touch $7 billion this year. Moscow defied government. Sectarian strife is being and is locked in growing contention with the US and supplied $700 million worth of the US. promoted also in all other countries of Tor-M1 advanced air-defence missile West Asia, particularly Iraq, between systems to Iran last year. Flash-point in west asia Sunnis, Shias and Kurds. Moscow has utilized its energy The sudden and summary execution In Africa the US has utilized Ethiopia resources to consolidate its leadership of Saddam Hussain by the puppet courts (with one of Africa’s largest armies) to send overt the ex-Soviet States. In Europe, only showed the extent of US desperation occupation forces into Somalia deploying Russia has offered lucrative energy deals in Iraq. Saddam was defiant till the end its full range of tanks and warplanes to Germany, France and Italy, thwarting US and in his last speech called on the Iraq against local Islamic forces, mainly efforts to build a common European front people to unite against the US. This was equipped with small arms. In most other against ‘Russian expansionism’. In March followed by the hanging in March 2007 countries of Africa the US is locked in Russia signed a much-delayed deal with of the Iraqi vice-president, Taha Yassin contention with Europe (and now China), Bulgaria and Greece to build a Balkan Ramada. He was in US custody and was each of whom are instigating sectarian pipeline to bypass Turkey’s crowded handed over to the Iraqis only one hour wars all over the continent (as in Congo, Bosporus Straits. The pipeline will before the hanging. But these illegal Dafur, Nigeria, etc) in order to seize Africa’s strengthen Russia’s position in the killings have not in any way stemmed the rich mineral and oil wealth. France too has European energy market further and tide of Iraqi resistance which continues 18,000 troops in Africa stationed in various undercut US plans to promote alternative to intensify inspite of the US’s best parts under various pretexts. export routes for Caspian Oil. attempts to turn it into sectarian strife. In Latin America, the US has enhanced Russia has rebuilt close ties with Syria, Today it cannot even trust the Shia’s, its military ‘aid’ 34 times since 2000, to $122 has resumed arms supplies and plans to particularly its leader Al Sadr who is said million. Columbia has US-funded military set up a naval base in the Syrian port of to have taken refuge in Iran. bases on Venezuela’s border. Paraguay 14 PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 Notwithstanding this, the US has raised In the last year as far as militant hand, in marginalization of vast masses, the tensions with Iran to feverish pitch. It struggles go in the imperialist countries, it on the other, in the compradors and MNCs has sent two aircraft carriers to the Gulf. In was of the immigrant proletariat of France enriching themselves beyond all early March US illegally arrested Iranian that shook Europe. The pitched battles expectations. This results in sustaining the officials from an Iranian official building in between the workers and the police went backward semi-feudal relations while at the the Kurdish stronghold of Irbil, in northern on for weeks. Once again in March 07 same time pushing the country deeper and Iraq. Iran retaliated by seizing 15 British violence erupted where the youth fought deeper into the arms of the imperialist Naval personnel that strayed into Iranian for seven hours utilising urban guerrilla octopus — particularly that of the US. Gulf waters. Iran also denounced the war methods of resistance. France has not Economic Retrogression March 24 UN resolution 1747 where the witnessed such militancy since the student UN Security Council unanimously imposed revolt of 1968. And it does not look as & Fake Development fresh sanctions on Iran. We are beginning though this is going to die down, but only Over the last year the rulers have been to see a repeat as to what happened in intensify as the days go by and the portraying a booming economy with a high Iraq!! immigrants find themselves more and more GDP growth rate; artificially boosted by War clouds are deepening over West marginalized. the huge flow of foreign funds. They Asia and contention between the In the backward countries of the world portray as though India is poised to imperialist power is growing worldwide. there is growing resistance to the become an economic powerhouse that will Growing People’s imperialist-dictated polices of soon catch up with the developed countries of the world. This is a big hoax Resistance globalization. We see a veritable tide of people’s movements in Latin America played on the people of the country to th As the Iraq war entered the 5 year in which, for the lack of an alternative, has dupe the middle classes into thinking that March 07 lakhs of demonstrators flooded been channelised into electoral politics and India is on the road to ‘progress’. It hides the streets of Washington, London, Spain, the rise of social democratic parties to the extremes of backwardness and poverty Hungary, Australia, Greece, Turkey, power. This is bound to implode soon once being generated by the existing model of Cyprus, South Korea, Chile, Sweden, even these have been shown to be unable to imperialist-dictated growth. Iraq and elsewhere in a surge of protests. provide the answers. There is also a There are two Indias — the first is that Ten thousand protested in Sadr City and resurgence of other national liberation of malls, multiplexes, 5-star entertainment, on that day itself 7 US soldiers were killed movements as that of the Tamil Tigers in etc. The other is the vast backward and 5 injured in Iraq. A few days later the Sri Lanka. Their latest attack by aircraft has countryside and filthy slums. The first Iraq’s deputy premier was attacked and created a panic amongst the ruling classes cater to barely 5% of the population, while injured in Iraq’s top security green zone. of entire South Asia. about 90% live an existence in utmost Afghanistan has witnessed a The Maoist forces of the world comprise poverty, which increases by the day due resurgence of the Taliban in the last couple the most advanced detachment of the to government policy. The unheard of of years. In 2006 4,000 were killed and the above struggles. While some of the older levels of suicides in the country is only number of suicide attacks quadrupled movements have faced a setback there is a the tip of the iceberg; but it brings out the compared to 2005. The growing strength new hope with the rise of new Maoist extent of destitution of a vast section of has resulted in the Taliban shifting from movements as in Indonesia. Others the population, the kind of which the guerrilla war to conventional warfare. In continue to advance in the face of the most country only witnessed during colonial Feb.07 they briefly seized and held the town brutal attacks and genocidal killings. rule. Then, thousands died of famine and of Masa Qala in Helmad province. In March Unfortunately the vast ant-imperialist hunger due to British policy; now 07 a suicide bomber attacked the entrance movement around the world are, as yet, thousands die of suicides, hunger, disease of the high-security Bagram Base when not under proletarian leadership. Yet, the and destitution. People are being Dick Cheney was inside. The strength of ripe objective situation throughout the displaced by the lakhs in order to hand the Afghan army which was 80,000 has world and the growing discontent, has over prime land to real estate sharks, now got reduced to a mere 20,000 and the created an excellent fertile ground for a business mafia and foreign robbers. US once again has to rely on the notorious massive new revolutionary upsurge. If the In this model of growth the market is warlords to maintain its control over the Maoists are in the forefront of the struggles sought to be extended in the luxury sector country. President Karzai’s fiat does not and use creative and effective methods of by giving the rich huge concessions and extend beyond Kabul and his protection struggle and organisation there is bound thereby enhancing their purchasing power. and survival is totally dependent on US/ to be a new worldwide awakening. This is done by extracting more and more NATO forces. from the already impoverished masses In the rest of West Asia we find the THE INDIAN SITUATION who cannot even afford two square meals Hizbollah prestige continues to remain The Indian situation is complex with in the day. So it is not surprising to see high amongst the people, due to its an intermix of acute rural stagnation that car sales in the domestic market have resounding defeat of Israel. In Palestine coupled with oasis of urban ‘modernity’. skyrocketed from 2,65,000 in 1995 to a the Hamas could not be tamed as yet as The imperialist-dictated policies of massive to nearly 10 lakhs in the current they did to the Fatah. economic reform are resulting, on the one Continued on page 19

PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 15 Update: Dandakaranya – Qualitative leap in Peoples’ War MASS RALLIES AND ARMED RESISTANCE TO DEFEAT Sukanta HE January 2007, issue of the in the affected villages and it must not movements of the marauding Salva goons Peoples’ March covered some extend it to new areas. In all the villages of and the states’ armed forces. Of course, Treports about the mass 5 districts of the erstwhile undivided their own armed forces, the PLGA has been resistance and advancement of the Bastar thousands of people are coming offering them protection and was also peoples’ war. Now for this issue we have out, protesting against the brutal SJ assisting them in their production work. In received some more reports which are campaign and are actively participating in this way, according to the revolutionary glowing examples of how the masses are all forms of resistance. peoples committees’, the peasantry participating on the one hand, in mass REFORMS AND FORCED ploughed their lands in the Khariff season political mobilizations and protest rallies DISPLACEMENT while on the other hand actively participating in the resistance activities. and on the other hand are offering mass Earlier Bastar was only one compostite People of Bastar by participating directly armed resistance under the leadership of district. Later it was divided into 3 revenue in a class war are getting to see what is their own Janatana Sarkars districts and 5 police districts. Now the what? (Revolutionary People’s Committees), an two police districts of Narayanpur and embryonic form of peoples government Bijapur have been upgraded as revenue THE RAOGHAT RAILWAY which is making a new history. districts also. So ultimately one district LINE Q UESTION MASS RALLIES was divided into five, only to felicitate the The proposed 264 KM Raoghat railway Revolutionary peoples’ committees at deployment of more armed forces and line work was pending for more than two various levels have been rallying the administrative personel with the sole aim decades but now the government is masses in interior areas and roadside of rooting out the revolutionary gearing up its mechanism with all haste to villages. The adivasi masses, who have movement. But the fact is that in no form complete the project. Actually, the reason been opposing sarkari julum are now of the states’ administration is able to behind all this sudden speed with which coming out openly and in big numbers to function freely in the entire Bastar area. the normally sleepy government protest against the barbaric atrocities of The revolutionary forces are waging a war mechanism took up the task of the Salwa Judum goons lead by Mahendra on the existing rulers, advancing through construction of the rail line was the MOUs Karma. On 15th November 2006, around a stiff resistance by the peoples armed it signed recently with comprador big one lakh people, mobilizing under the forces. bourgeois houses like Tatas, the Essars banner of All India Adivasi Manch, held Cooking utensils, blankets, playing etc. Apart from handing over vast tracts of a powerful protest rally in Dantewara town. equipment and imparting of karate training mineral rich forest lands to these rapacious It is a massive gathering in the midst of an to the youth etc. such is the list of the exploiters, the state had the additional enormous white terror unleashed by the government reforms programme. Neither responsibility of providing them with the para military forces and Salwa Judum land nor productive materials, capital for cheapest mode of transport, that too at goons. The slogans, ‘salwa judum i.e. cultivation find a place in these public cost, to carry away the rich iron ore sarakri julum. down down; stop salwa programmes though the masses are in dire deposits from Bastar, Nanganar and judum etc. reverberated in the four corners need of such an assistance. The adivsi Lohariguda. While this being the case the of the town . peasant masses who have been herded state in order to cover its subservience to Sukma town, the administrative and into the government camps by force have the interests of the CBB, is bringing forth business center was turned into the on their heads a loan burden of around all sorts of arguments like, the construction headquarters of the Salva goons, traders, 200 crore rupees even at a conservative of this railway line will bring many benefits contractors and others who are now acting estimate. As they were forcefully herded to the people of Bastar, that it will mainly as the leaders of the SJ. On 15th January in to these camps and as they are not being serve the iron ore requirements of the 2007 a special rally was organized by allowed to cultivate their lands by the Salva public sector Bhillai Steel Plant etc. But women in which all the 5000 participants goons and the state they are demanding the people of Bastar are not taken away by were women. In many villages and Block the state, to right off these loans. While these arguments and are determined to centers people are mobilsing and are this happens to be the plight of those oppose this in order to save their mineral organizing protest rallies against the SJ herded in the camps, the revolutionary resources and forests. The Special Zonal campaign. These protest rallies are fast masses who chose to defy the Sava Judum Committee of the CPI (Maoist), in a press spreading to even those areas where SJ campaign and to resolutely protect their statement, called on the people to oppose activities have not spread as yet. The revolutionary gains, come what may, have the railway line as, it is being built with the general demand of the adivasi masses was been conducting their cultivation sole aim of draining out the wealth of the that the state must stop the SJ campaign operations keeping an eye on the region to serve the interests of the

16 PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 T AND SMASH SALWA JUDUM OR SARKARI JULUM!

imperialists and their Indian lackeys, the The police big wigs pompously paraded 13 people were brutally killed by the states CBB and it vowed that it will, with the active 79 ‘Naxals’ before the media in Raipur. But armed police forces is continuing, without backing of the people, obstruct the all this show came unstuck when the let up, facing the state terror. So, it is no construction of this project. leadership of both the ruling and wonder that the adivasi masses of DK, PEOPLE’S R ESISTANCE opposition parties protested against this who, themselves are being driven out of The Chhattishgarh state government, drama saying that the police paraded their traditional homelands by the state and operating along with the JOC, set up under workers of their parties as surrendering who are fighting tooth and nail against this the leadership of the central government, “Naxals’ offering them monetary and other fascist state onslaught, saw comrades-in- has been adopting many new forms of benefits. Soon after their shameful drama arms in the valiant fighters of Kalinganagar, offensive in all fronts in an effort to smash got exposed a police officer himself responded enthusiastically to the above the ongoing people’s call and enforced a war led by the CPI Bundh, bringing all (Maoist), but the people MAOISTS BLOCK ROADS IN activities to a standstiil. of Bastar are offering CHHATTISGARH TO ENFORCE STRIKE Though, the state made resistance in a massive hectic preparations from way by all means at their AOISTS of the banned Communist Party of India-Maoist (Maoist) the end days of December disposal. Andhra Mdug up roads and placed landmines at several areas in to thwart the Bundh, Chhathisgarh to enforce their weeklong strike to protest the sixth Pradesh – Maharastra – deploying additional anniversary celebrations of the state’s formation. Chhattishgarh special contingents of armed The strike by the CPI(Maoists) in the southern parts began Nov. 1, to armed police are police and issuing threats coincide with the Nov 1-7 government functions at the headquarters of conducting joint to shopkeepers and all the 16 districts. The functions are being held to showcase the operation regularly transport operators all development and progress achieved by the state since it was carved out under the guidance of from Madhya Pradesh in Nov 1, 2000. over the state. It is Greyhounds forces of Maoists have flooded the interior and inaccessible forested parts of heartening to note that Andhra. Andhra model the 40,000-sq-km Bastar region that includes the worst-hit Dantewada not only adivasi masses police killings through district, with banners and posters asking people to boycott anniversary of DK but people from all false encounters celebrations. walks of life from the four became a norm here. 14 They have announced to completely halt normal life in Bastar during corners of the state, people, including the the celebrations and most transporters kept their vehicles off the road responded warmly to the members of the mass on the first day of the strike Wednesday. Bundh call. organistions, party According to home department officials, the Maoists have blocked The people of DK, cadres and PLGA roads in the interior Bastar areas with trees and dug up roads in some while on the one hand are fighters were killed in areas. They have also placed landmines at several busy places, especially going on with mass this fashion during the where police and paramilitary forces are deployed. political mobilizations month of January. On “The CPI-Maoist asks people of Bastar not to join in the government’s and protest agitations 25th December 2006, a anniversary celebrations as it is fighting for a separate liberated Bastar have been on the other new forum ‘Forum state,” said banner and posters of the rebels. hand participating Against False enthusiastically in acts of Encounter Killings’ was formed to mobilize circulated a detailed note to the press stiff armed resistance against the states’ vast sections of the people in protest explaining how the police department brutal campaign of suppression. The against these extra-judicial killings. On that prepared the drama. CM Raman Singh, in peoples’ forces have dealt telling blows day around 5,000 people, moving under its a face saving exercise ordered a on the states armed forces and on the Salva leadership blockaded the Bande police departmental enquiry on this episode. goons during the past six months period. station. On December 31st a massive rally The Dandkarnya Special Zonal During this period 24 para-military of 20,000 people was conducted. The Committee of the CPI (Maoist) gave a call personell were killed and another 40 were people also observed a highly successful to the people of that area to observe a wounded in the operations conducted by Bundh on 8th January, 2007 taking out Bundh on January 2nd, to commemorate the the peoples’ forces. About 50 SPOs and massive rallies. first anniversary of the heroic struggle of more than 50 Salva goons were also killed Apart from the false encounters, police the people of Kalinganagar of Orissa, during this period. enacted a drama of fake surrenders in against forced displacement due to the On January 7th the PLGA forces killed 7 Raipur, the state capital, in mid January. setting up of a SEZ. This struggle in which CRPF men through a landmine explosion.

PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 17 On February 7th the guerillas successfully PLGA forces of the Maoists launched a discrimination and slavery they face in the ambushed a combing party, killing 4 Naga surprise attack on this camp. A fierce battle name of duty. Considerable sections of IRBP men and 2 state armed policemen. In went on for a couple of hours during which Jawans of different types of armed forces another incident four policemen were the Maoists forces were able to kill 68 are killing their own class brethren in gravely injured and one SPO died on the police men (of whom 40 were SPOs), and various parts of the country in the name of spot when a booby trap set up by the militia injured 12 others. The Maoist forces service to the country. But due to lack of a exploded while the police were trying to captured around 50 weapons like correct political outlook instead of defuse it SLRs,AKs ,LMG etc. The Maoists lost 6 revolting against their higher officials, THE R ANIBODILI RAID of their comrades, including a divisional rulers and anti people forces they are The PLGA force of the Maoists struck committee member. True to their ending their own lives. About 25-armed a major blow on the armed suppression commitment to the people the Maoists took police personal ended their lives in this campaign going on in the DK area by utmost care to ensure that not a single way in Bastar. Apart from this, 4 jawans of wiping out a police camp in Ranbodili child got even a single bruise during the the IRM-Mizo battalions died due to village in Dantewada District. The state set fierce battle they waged on the police improper treatment when they suffered ill up a base police camp in a girls school in forces, which went on for hours health. In Salwa Judum camps also more the above village, housing 55 SPOs and 24 Recently suicide deaths among the than a dozen people’s died during the last jawans of the Chattisgarh armed police various armed police personnel deployed rainy season due to non availability of forces. There were 28 young girl students in the DK area for the counterinsurgency medical attention. Not only that, 32 para- in the hostel building. The police and the operations are on the rise. Earlier in J & K military personnel died of malaria and Salva hoodlums, ie, the SPOs were without and elsewhere in the country army and about 500 men were down with Falciperum. any shame, using these children as human paramilitary personal killed themselves This is all what they get from the rulers for shields.In the early hours of March 15th a with their service weapons to escape from all their loyal service to the exploiters 30 contingent of about 600 fighters of the the oppression, suppression,

SALWA JUDUM RAPE & MURDER CONTINUE UNABATED! N Feb.9 2007 night the brutal and Mizo battalions, CRPF, SPOs and region. Recently 4 new police camps have forces of the Salwa Judum — Salwa Judum hoodlums — have killed been set up in the Maad region. Each is Ocomprising the local SPOs, about 100 villagers and six guerrillas. manned with 100 CRPF personnel. Three Naga Battalion and CRPF — Those killed were mostly members of the years back the government began building surreptitiously crossed the Indravati river mass organisations and the local people’s large ‘schools’. These were then allowed and lay in wait for the tribals who would committee members. These goons by the Maoists. It is now these ‘schools’ come to harvest their crops. Some adivasi continue with their gang rapes and the that have been turned into police stations women came out from the forests and burning and looting of villages and crops. using the students as human shields!!! It began harvesting their crops. Those salwa Now there are 14 CRPF battalions, one is reported that about 140 such ‘schools’ goons pounced on them and managed to Naga battalion in operation there, one are now functioning as police stations, grab five young women; the rest escaped. Mizo battalion and there have been 9,000 using the children as human shields. Three were brutally gang-raped, new recruits to the State Armed police in In fact, ever since the Salwa Judum mercilessly killed and their bodies were just the last one year. Additional camps began some 1½ years back, the people of thrown into the river Indravati. Two more are being set up, each with 100 armed this region have been living a life of acute were also gang-raped and dragged to the forces in a policy of ‘carpet security’. deprivation and insecurity. Because of the police station. These women belonged to There are 8,000 para-military forces in just terror of the SJ forces entire villages have the villages, Netravalli, Takleer and Utleer the Bijapur police station area of fled to the interior forests. They live there in the Byramgadh region of Dantewada Dantewada district alone. In addition, at a Spartan existence not knowing when district. The crops that were harvested the Jungle Warfare School set up by the they would be attacked; living under the were also burnt. Not only that, the Salwa Army in Kanker 2,900 para-military forces protection of the village militias. They also goons sought to use the dead bodies as have been trained in guerrilla warfare since have no source of income. Last year their bait to trap those who would come to August 2006. Also the Greyhounds of AP crops were mostly destroyed by the SJ collect them. They laid in ambush but were have been launching attacks from across and they are unable to sell the forest spotted by the militia. Finally, the people the border in the South of the area. produce. Here, the elderly to the little could retrieve the bodies only on Feb.15, These forces of terror, in a planned children some how eke out an existence. in a highly putrefied and bloated state. way, have been seeking to entrench This year at least they have managed to This is just a recent example of the themselves in this area, adjacent to the harvest some of their crops. Yet, their murder and mayhem that continues to be Maad region. Maad is said to be the centre moral is high as they have tasted freedom perpetuated by the state forces in Bastar. of the Maoists movement in the area. for the first time ever and are willing to do Since October 2006 these forces — Naga They are attempting to encircle the Maad anything to protect it. 30

18 PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 Continued from page 15 to 27%. According to some studies year; the retail price increase was even fiscal year — an over four-fold increase. (Outlook Apr. 9, 07) over 3% jobs were lost more. Similar was the situation with all other The bulk of this was through easy credit in the manufacturing sector in the past essential items. Besides there was a drop from the banks which now no longer go to decade. India’s unemployment rate is in production in 2006/07 of tur (arhar) dal the primary sector but for such luxury estimated at 30%, or over 20 crore people. by 4%, jowar by 9%, maize by 8% and ragi items. 89% of vehicles purchased were on Even for all the talk of a booming by 50%. Total cereal production has been bank loans which have more than doubled economy we find that India has one of the stagnating for a number of years, around in three years — from Rs.46,020 crores in largest fiscal deficits even among the other 195-200 million tones. 2002-03 to Rs.1,08,840 crores in 2006-07. backward countries. In 2005 India’s fiscal Inspite of the suicides and the acute The figures on home loans is even higher; deficit was 7.5%, compared to Brazil’s 3.3%, distress in the rural sector the government but here with interest rates having been Malaysia’s 3.8%, China’s 1.2%, Mexico’s is aggressively pushing private sales of increased by as much as 2-3% in just the 0.1% and Indonesia’s 0.6%. Even the agricultural commodities with the aim of last one year and the middle classes are Current Account Deficit (trade deficit + dismantling the public distribution feeling they have been cheated. services), while in the rest of Asia was network. In the worst hit region, Vidarbha, According to official data there are positive, in India it was minus 3%. India by mid Dec.2006 while private traders had about 50,000 households with an income still amounts to a mere 0.8% of world trade bought 45 lakh quintals, the government of over Rs.1 crore per year (Times of India compared to China’s 6.4%. Together with had purchased a mere 6 lakh quintal. Both March 23 07); and government policy is this the trade deficit for the 11 months were paying the farmer Rs.1,700-1,800 per geared to increase this number to 1,40,000 ending Feb.28 07 rose by a phenomenal quintal compared to Rs.2,500 per quintal a by 2010. Massive tax holidays, subsidies, 49% over the previous year to reach a few years ago. This year MNCs and big etc are given to this elite section in order figure of $56 billion. Not only that, once business have been buying up the wheat to achieve this increase. The EXIM policy again the external debt has begun to crop of Punjab on a massive scale. With announced at the end of April 2007 has skyrocket from $136.5 billion (Rs.6,27,112 such policies, the peasantry of the country, given additional huge concessions to crores) in end Sept. 2006 to $142.7 billion already ground down in the cesspool of service sector exports. Massive (Rs.6,32,051 crores) by the end of the year semi-feudal stagnation, is being further infrastructure ‘development’, which is the — a rise of $6 billion in just three months. marginalized and pushed to destitution. chief focus of government ‘development’ So what is this nonsense of India rising to The working class is facing an equally is geared to create the ‘right’ environment be a new global power? disastrous situation with the for big business — whether Indian or Much of the much-hyped ‘growth’ is informalisation of most labour in the foreign. The rulers are only interested in being generated through the speculative country — whether in industry, mining or enhancing the coffers of such business economy and the gigantic increases in the even the service sectors. Organised labour houses; thereby creating a totally lopsided defense budget. Merely “futures” turnover has been dropping drastically and the economy where the bulk of the GDP comes (one of the derivatives) rose by a massive unorganized sector is enveloping the bulk from the service sector, while agriculture 59% in 2006/07 to cross Rs.1 lakh crores. of the labouring masses on virtually is declining and manufacturing stagnant. The mere capital expenditure of the military starvation wages. Today even in Besides whatever growth there is, is was hiked in the current budget by 22%, manufacturing, 85% of the workers are from without the creation of jobs. to a huge Rs.41,922 crores. Of this Rs. the unorganized sector. In this Even according to the latest Economic 21,000 crores will be foreign purchases to unorganized sector the workers work for Survey the growth of employment in the fill the coffers of the international arms long hours with little pay and no benefits organised sector between 1994 and 2004 dealers. India is today one of the biggest what-so-ever. No labour laws apply to this actually declined by 0.38%, though GDP importers of arms in the world. vast mass. And now, with the arrival of the growth rates averaged at about 6-7%. On the other hand expenditure on social SEZs, the workers will officially be While services accounts for 55% (it has welfare for the masses have been deprived of all their rights. Though the grown from 37% in 1990) of the GDP, it continuously dropping. The Economic workers have been fighting back, the formally employs just 20 lakh people, or Survey for 2007/08 has pointed out that stranglehold of the reactionary and less than 0.5% of the country’s labour force education expenditure has been stagnant revisionist trade unions have time and of over 40 crores. Besides, while over 60% at 2.8% of the GDP for the last 3 years. again led to the betrayal of their struggles. of the population continues to survive on Where GDP growth rate was 9% and the Today the most frightening aspect of agriculture its share in the GDP has now official inflation rate was 8% the the model of development is the dropped below 19%. And, of this, about expenditure on health and family planning ruthlessness with which the ruling classes 87% of landholdings is that of marginal grew by a mere 1.3% (amounts to a relative are displacing lakhs and lakhs of people to farmers. (Frontline Feb.23, 07) Such drop of about 15%). In addition, prices have seize prime agricultural and urban land for lopsided growth is clearly unsustainable. been skyrocketing in the last year, big business sharks and the foreign Between 1990 and 2005, industry’s particularly of essential commodities, vampires. The massacre at Nandigram by contribution to the economy remained making life even more miserable for the the CPM shows the extent to which they more or less stagnant, crawling from 25% masses. For example the wholesale price are prepared to go to seize the land — in of pulses (dals) rose a massive 35% last this case for a mafia Indonesian business

PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 19 house. In Bastar so far 300 have been And together with this frightening Anand Rathi Securities. The list goes on massacred and over 400 villages scenario we witness the country going and on……. destroyed to clear the land for Tatas, deeper and deeper into the hold of the It is clear where the country is heading Ruias and other mining projects. Mining imperialists. — greater and greater neo-colonisation of projects, SEZs, big dams, ‘infrastructural Hardly a day passes without the the country, destruction of agriculture and development’, urban renewal, et al; are takeover of some company or the other by local business, with impoverisation of the all taking their toll in the displacement foreign capital or the increasing masses reaching unprecedented levels and marginalization of lakhs of people in penetration into existing ones. Today the together with the ruling classes amassing their own country. Earlier it was only the big comprador houses are so completely wealth on a scale not even seen in colonial slum-dweller and poor peasantry; now it tied to the apron strings of foreign capital India. The country is heading towards an is even the middle and rich peasantry, that the two are barely distinguishable. explosive situation. traders, small businessmen, kirana shop And the grip is getting tighter and tighter Battle Lines Are Being owners. The entrance of the retailing with the government allowing in FDI and giants have already begun to force the FIIs on a bigger and bigger scale and Drawn closure of lakhs of small kirana shops. pushing fast towards capital account On the one side stand the moneybags Barely a few months after the entry of convertibility. — both Indian and foreign — together Reliance Fresh into Chennai, the In late March the Cabinet increased with the massive state machinery that wholesale market claimed it faced a drop the FDI allowed in Telecom from 49% to protects them; on the other side stand of 40% in its sales and called a one day 74%. Most telecom companies are already the vast masses of oppressed people of bandh; the plight of the small retailers in foreign control, just as the IT the country, together with all patriotic would be even worse. There are today companies. The biggest comprador house, and democratic people. The entire mass four crore people working in 12 million Reliance, is already tied up deeply with media are in the service of the former, retail outlets, most of which are family foreign capital. But, with each day the with the TV, films, newspapers, radio, etc labour; many will soon face destitution. bond tightens further. In March 2007 RIL creating the atmosphere glamourising Ofcourse the worst hit are always signed an MoU with the US-based the degenerate lives of the big and those at the bottom of the ladder — the specialty chemicals major Rohn & Haas powerful and hiding the real condition poorest of the poor, the dalits, women, for setting up an acralyic monomer of the masses. They openly propagate tribals. Economic retrogression is being complex in Jamnagar. In mid-March it lies and falsehood to dupe the masses accompanied by cultural and social handed over 25% of its equity in Reliance and condemn their struggles. They degeneration. Feudal and imperialist Exploration and Production, the holding portray patriots and revolutionaries as culture and social values have seen a company for RIL’s foreign oil and gas terrorists; and the corrupt and mafia resurgence reflected in numerous ways projects, to the US giant Chevron. The rulers as heroes. — particularly upper caste superiority major so-called Indian pharmaceutical Yet the truth breaks out. It cannot be and exclusiveness, brahminical elitism companies depend on foreign markets for suppressed indefinitely. Reality is more and increasing dalit oppression/ the bulk of their revenue — Ranbaxy’s potent than paper reports. Nandigram violence. Women are at the receiving end foreign sales increased from 66% in 2005 tore off the fake progressive mask off the of both the feudal and imperialist cultural to 79% in 2006 (36% from the US); Reddys CPM and showed them up for what they resurgence. The former is reflected in Lab gets 88% of its revenue from abroad really are — social fascists; i.e socialism growing dowry deaths, increasing (50% from the US). What is Indian left in words fascists in deeds. The bulk of incidences of violence on women, infant about such companies? Quite naturally the other parliamentary parties are feticides, warped sex ratios, etc; the latter the Technical Expert Group on Patent already known to be mere agents and tools of the imperialists, comprador big is reflected in the massive Laws — Mushekar Committee Report — business and the big feudal elements. commoditification of women, presented in March 2007 fully echoes the Today, it is the Maoists that are emerging prostitution, child sex, etc to service the interests of the powerful MNCs and big as the true people’s alternative in the tourist and fashion industries. comprador houses; which, if implemented country. They are gaining recognition Today, no one is safe from these will have a devastating impact on the from more and more quarters throughout vultures, preying off the flesh of the pricing of medicine. Even small and the country. They are being seen as the common man. Never before have the medium sized companies are selling big real fighters and liberators of the country TNCs, Ambanis, Tatas, Wipros, etc made stakes to foreign capital. Examples of from the imperialist and feudal yoke. Their such gigantic amount of profits as they these can be seen daily in the business People’s Liberation guerrilla Army acts are able to today due to these newspapers — like, in March 2007 the as the backbone to defend the people’s government policies. And every year the Chennai-based N Trust Infotech sold 50% interest and take on the fascist and brutal government gives these tycoons further of its share capital to the US based forces of the state. Let all the concessions. The recently passed EXIM management consultant, Real Foundation; progressive, democratic and policy is yet another example where the in the same month French Banking major revolutionary forces of the country unite commerce ministry announced a slew of BNP Paribas picked up a stake in Geojit into a massive tidal wave that will wipe tax benefits for export in the service Financial Services, and the US bank away all reaction from this country. sector. Citigroup bought 20% in Mumbai-based Justice is bound to prevail. 30 20 PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 GROWING INFORMALISATION OF LABOUR AMIDST A SUPPOSEDLY THRIVING ECONOMY Rashmi the period 1993-94 to 1999-2000. This is less proprietary or a partnership basis and NDIA is poised to enter the 11th than one-third the rate of the previous period employing less than 10 persons”. five-year plan (2007-2012) with a 1987-88 to 1993-94. In fact, it turns out that What this means is that if someone seemingly impressive rate of I this is the lowest rate of growth of rural opens up a STD booth or starts a tea stall, growth of GDP in excess of 8 %. The employment in post-1947 history. such kind of activity and employment would approach paper to the 11th plan targets at The decade of 1990s clearly shows that come under the informal or the unorganised even higher growth rates. The fastest the high GDP growth did not contribute to sector. Also if a large enterprise outsources growing sector is the service sector, commensurate growth in employment. the work of packaging or binding or making particularly communications. This showed The data from the 61st Round of NSS washers to a small unit with 5-6 workers, a growth rate of 22.8% in 2004-05. In the (2004-05) shows that there has been some the latter would again fall in the same same year, the growth rate of manufacturing growth (3% per annum) in employment category. Here, there are no fixed hours of sector was 9.1 % whereas agriculture between 1999-2000 and 2004-05. But partially, work, which usually becomes a basis for showed 0 % growth. But this growing this growth is a reflection of low base of exploitation of labour. These are also those economy has no jobs to offer to the people 1999-2000. (If rate of growth were calculated enterprises where the workers are not of the country. Till date, around three-fifths using a low initial base, the growth rate covered by any protective labour legislation of our population depends, directly or would be higher). The increase in the such as the Minimum Wages Act or the indirectly, on the slowest growing sector of workforce (those employed) was Maternity Act etc. Nor do they enjoy any the economy i.e. agriculture. The only new accompanied by an increase in the number social security such as pensions. jobs, which are being created, for people at of unemployed showing that there were Agricultural operations fall almost large, are low quality jobs without any more people looking for work relative to entirely in the unorganised sector in our protection and with no floor to wages. those who found work. However, what is country whereas roughly 80% of the The decade of 1990s saw a decrease in more worrisome is the fact that even this workforce in the non-farm sector is informal. the rate of employment generation. This has growth in employment has largely been of In recent years, not only has the size of been true both for the urban and the rural low quality. By now, it has become an informal sector been growing, but areas. At that time, the ruling classes undeniable fact that only 13 percent of enterprises within the organised sector are dismissed this by claiming that the effects India’s workforce is engaged in the also sub-contracting work implying that of reforms would take some years to work organised sector and this sector is not there is a growing informalisation of workers through, and that it was too early to come creating any new jobs. This means that the employed in this sector too. According to to any judgement. But the recent results of bulk of India’s workforce is employed in the various estimates, nearly 92-93% of surveys conducted by the National Sample unorganised sector. India’s workers have informal employment. Survey Organisation (NSSO) have shut up Either they are employed in the informal the loudest votaries of reforms. ORGANISED AND sector itself, or they are part of growing The results of 55th Round of NSS that UNORGANISED SECTORS numbers of casual and contract labour was conducted over 1999-2000 provide the The process of LPG has led both to the working for the organised enterprises. In first comprehensive estimate of changes in increase in the size of the unorganised other words, they lie outside the ambit of employment growth and patterns over the sector as well as to more and more any kind of labour protection. According 1990s. These reveal a sharp, and even casualisation of workers employed within to NCEUS estimates of 1999-2000, 86.2% of startling, decrease in the rate of employment the organised sectors. The dividing line the workers were in the informal sectors of generation across both rural and urban between organised and unorganised sectors the economy. Of the 13.8% in the formal areas. The per cent of rural population, both is not very sharp and differs from country sector, 6% or almost half were not covered male and female, showing some usual status to country. Formal or organised enterprises by any labour protection. More and more employment (employment of more than 180 are those, which have been legally workers are being thrown outside the ambit days in a year), has not only declined over registered. Generally, these are the of formal workforce increasingly. the 1990s, but in 1999-2000 was at the lowest enterprises which are expected to file returns, During the decade of 1990s, while level in thirty years. Even in urban areas, maintain formal accounts and most employment in the formal sector had been there is evidence of decline since 1993-94, significantly whose employees are covered stagnant, employment had largely been although the levels are not the lowest over by protective labour legislations. In India, created in the informal segment of the the period as in rural areas. Thus, the fall in the National Commission for Enterprises in economy. The overall annual growth in employment has come in a period during the Unorganised Sector (NCEUS) was set employment was 1.99 per cent but the same which economic activity in the aggregate is up in 2004 and it defines unorganised for the organised sector was only 0.34 per supposed to have accelerated. enterprises as, “all unincorporated private cent. And this also includes the growth of Some economists have estimated the enterprises owned by individuals or informal workers within the organised annual rate of growth of rural employment. households engaged in the production and sector. If one were to look only at the rate of It had fallen to as low as 0.67 per cent over sale of goods and services operated on a growth of formal workers within the

PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 21 organised sector, it would be close to zero! workers. These are unemployed people top of it, people dependent on agriculture GROWTH RATE OF engaged in an economic activity for part are being divested of their livelihood by ORGANISED AND of the year. Women are entering the large-scale land acquisition to serve this very UNORGANISED SECTOR workforce in both full-time and part-time section of monopoly capitalists. When the capacities. There is also a growth of part- employment statistics show any growth in EMPLOYMENT time self-employed activity in urban areas. employment, it is mostly these people who It can be seen clearly that although This kind of employment certainly does are thrown out of agriculture and have no growth rates declined for both the not qualify as dignified employment. The other means of subsistence and thus take organised and the unorganised sectors in informal sector workforce and the informal up all kinds of odd-jobs, on the worst the 1990s, the latter has acted as a buffer component of the workforce even in the possible terms, in order to survive. for the decline in the employment formal sector have no rights whatsoever. As we approach another May Day, it opportunities in the organised sector. They do not enjoy any protective needs to be recognised that while big legislations, nor are they capital is using all possible means to unify Year Organised Unorganised All covered by any kind of against the workers (forums like CII, FICCII 1983 to 1987-88 1.25 2.05 1.99 social insurance. There is etc), all rights of the workers, won through 1987-88 to 1993-94 1.26 2.43 2.34 no floor to their wages. decades of struggles, are being taken away. 1993-94 to 1999-2000 0.34 1.25 1.99 In fact there are studies In such a situation, there is a greater need (In per sent) indicating the for the workers to come together and The sectoral break up indicates that the redistribution of incomes away from these collectively fight this onslaught. share of unorganised employment is quite workers and in favour of profit incomes Today, it is this gigantic mass of informal high across the board. and remuneration of white collar, regular workers who are the real revolutionary SHARE OF ORGANISED AND employees. The participation of women in potential in the battle against capital and UNORGANISED SECTOR home-based, low paying self-employment this inhuman system. The existing EMPLOYMENT ACROSS is an indicator of distress rather than establishment trade unions, of the ‘left’, INDUSTRIES 1999-2000 assertion of their identity. Employment in centre and right, ignore this section and activities such as bangle making, bindi focus all their efforts on the organised Between 1993-94 and 1999-2000, the making, selling tea or cheap foodstuff on a sector, whose conditions are also transport, storage and communications cart, pulling a rickshaw, cleaning cars at deteriorating due to the anti-labour policies sector experienced the fastest signals and a myriad of such activities is a of the ruling classes and the capitulationist informalisation of labour employed. This reflection of an attempt to somehow make policies of the unions. The need of the hour can be seen in the increase in number of ends meet. is to organise this vast mass of populace STD and phone booths, migrant workers Thus we have a situation where output living on the fringes of society in the urban, coming to the towns and plying rickshaws growth in the economy is concentrated in semi-urban and even rural areas into a those sectors, which do powerful revolutionary force. For, it is they Industry Organised Unorganised Agriculture, hunting, forestry and 0.6 99.4 not contribute very much who truly have nothing to lose but their Mining and Quarrying 43.2 56.8 to employment. The chains. They have a world to win in the Manufacturing 14.9 85.1 Primary Sector revolutionary re-organisation of society. Electricity, gas and water 79.0 21.0 contributes roughly 20 % 30 Construction 6.5 93.5 to the GDP, the secondary Correction Trade, hotels and restaurants 1.2 98.8 sector 25 % and tertiary In the February Issue of the Transport, storage and communica 21.5 78.5 sector 55 % or more than magazine we printed an APCLC report on Services 34.8 65.2 half of the total GDP. The the massacre killing of AP State (In per sent) picture however Committee secretary and others without becomes vastly different or even youths buying or hiring auto verifying the contents. The following when one looks at the contribution of different rickshaws and plying them. comrades who were said to have been sectors to employment. The bulk of our Manufacturing also shows that 85 % of killed are still alive — coms. Viswanath, employed continue to be absorbed by the the workers are unorganised. This Uday Kumar, Eswar and Syamala. The agricultural sector or have to make do with indicates the increasing trend of sub- error regarding the names arose as the low paying, bad quality, informal sector jobs. contracting and hiring casual and contract bodies were not handed over to the To talk of economic growth in this context is workers. parents until a big movement was nothing but a cruel joke. The growing The recent period of 1999-2000 to 2004- initiated and by the time they were economy has virtually nothing to offer to 05 has been no different in terms of the received they were disfigured beyond the large masses of this country. The growth nature and quality of employment recognition. As mentioned in the report of the economy has become synonymous generated. Using the data of the 61st Round eight comrades were killed, but their with the growth in the profit share of of NSS, some studies have pointed out the names are: Coms. Madhav, Ramesh, imperialists and compradors. The private worrisome feature of the recent growth in Madhavi, Suseela, Parvati, Mamta, Sita, corporate sector has little jobs to offer. On employment namely the growth of part-time Mallikarjun. We apologies for the error. 22 PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 SEZS—A SHAMELESS ATTEMPT TO SNATCH AWAY RIGHTS OF WORKING CLASS Rashmi The entire area has the look of an against their empCoyers. maternity benefits etc. And these annual impregnable fortress. There are high walls In complete contravention of the reports can be easily fudged. and only one gate. The guard at the gate Industrial Disputes Act, the Labour In accordance with the SEZ policy of checks and frisks everyone before letting Commissioner would have no conciliatory the centre, the states have formed their him or her in. This is no jail but NEPZ or authority in the SEZs. The disputes own SEZ policies – each state trying to now NSEZ i.e. Noida Special Economic between management and labour in SEZs out compete others in initiating labour Zone. This treatment is not restricted to are to be decided by the Development ‘reforms’ in the race to attract private outsiders, even the workers who enter this Commissioner (DC), unlike in the rest of capital. Different states are giving gate every morning to go to their factories the country where the Labour exemptions so that establishments are have to undergo this check twice a day— Commissioner (LC) resolves them. DC is allowed to hire contract labour even when once while entering in the morning and part of the SEZ Authority along with three there is no emergency (presently, again before leaving in the evening. Here, officers of the central government and two exemptions are allowed only in cases of there have been instances of workers being entrepreneurs of the SEZ. This Authority emergency). Now outsiders will be barred fined when they have gone to the toilets is supposed to “undertake such measures from becoming office-bearers in the trade without tokens (which are too few as it thinks fit for the development, unions inside SEZs. compared to the number of workers). The operation and management of the Special Tamil Nadu’s SEZ policy clearly says same workers, whose blood and sweat Economic Zone for which it is that “labour laws/ rules will be examined would yield massive profits to imperialists constituted.” An officer placed under the and steps taken to simplify the same”. In and compradors are treated with contempt supervision and control of the DC will addition, the reporting system will be and suspicion. There is also large-scale function as the Registration Officer, simplified. The number of forms/registers, use of contract labour in this SEZ. These Conciliation Officer, as well as Inspector filing of returns and their periodicity shall contract workers often work long hours under various labour laws to provide be totally revamped. Inspection below minimum wages. It is not as though single window service. Incidentally, one requirement shall be kept at minimum level. the situation of workers is much better of the main functions of the DC is to New concepts like self-certification, flexi elsewhere, but the SEZs are already promote the growth and functioning of his time, working time for women etc., would becoming a means for institutionalising SEZ and to woo investment. Thus it is quite be introduced. non-applicability of labour laws. evident that DC’s main allegiance would In Maharashtra, agencies like the After Nandigram, SEZs or Special be towards the investors and it most Directorate of Steam Boilers and Economic Zones have attracted attention certainly will not act as a neutral Directorate of Industrial Safety & Health from all quarters. The perpetrator of the conciliatory agency. cannot conduct inspections without prior massacre, the CPI(M) has come up with a As a part of the liberalisation process permission from the DC. Given the fact that number of proposals to make SEZs seem for filing returns, a Consolidated Annual Development Commissioner or the DC is more acceptable. The central government Report (CAR) has been designed, part of the SEZ authority along with has been forced to bring in some consolidating various periodical returns representatives of capital, the implications amendments such as a cap on the land to (quarterly, half year, etc.) under the are obvious. be acquired, (which is again being following Acts – Workmen compensation Andhra Pradesh, apart from giving reversed) government not acting as a Act 1923, Payment of Wages Act 1936, exemptions under the Minimum Wages Act mediator in the process of land acquisition Factories Act 1948, Minimum Benefit Act 1948, will also amend the relevant Acts so etc. But none of these proposals for 1948, Maternity Benefit Act 1961, Payment as to make possible 365 days working for changes in the SEZ policy talk of reversing of Bonus Act 1965, and Contract Labour 24 hours a day, provided suitable overtime the attack on rights of labour. (Regulation and Abolition) Act 1970. Units allowance is paid. Andhra Pradesh has laid In the name of flexible labour laws, in SEZ will be required only to file annual down rules, which prohibit outsiders in SEZs represent the most blatant snatching CARs to the DC, SEZ. The units in the SEZ unions, thereby significantly reducing the of all protection from labour. They will take will not be required to file periodically scope of collective bargaining. away from labour, whatever little rights they separate returns. For inspection relating The most dangerous fact is that sooner have today. Not only this, soon they will to workers’ health and safety, units will be or later, these SEZs would become ‘models’ become the torchbearers to wean away permitted to obtain inspection reports from to be emulated on a countrywide scale. In from workers all rights and protection in ‘accredited’ agencies notified by the state other words, these islands would soon the non-SEZ areas as well. government. This means that lapses on pave the way for scrapping protective For completely inexplicable reasons, part of the employers will become a routine labour legislations all over the country. SEZs have been granted the status of and there will be no mechanism to keep SEZs are nothing but a death warrant for public utility services. It means that periodic checks. The units in the SEZs will labour. Private capital always wanted to workers working in these SEZs would have have to report only once a year about be able to exploit labour and extract surplus little scope to protest or go on strike payment of minimum wages or granting of to the maximum and SEZs would allow just that. 30 PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 23 RED HOMAGE TO COMRADE RAGHAVULU OMRADE Raghavulu, a four siblings he grew up herding goats and deeper theoretical understanding through member of the AP state cattle and attending to farm work while the political classes conducted as a part of Ccommittee of the CPI (Maoist) continuing his school studies This family those campaign programs. He became a was killed along with 8 other comrades back ground enabled him in gaining an professional revolutionary in 1984. (five of them were women comrades and understanding about class and cast From that time onward he worked in two were district committee members) by oppression in the rural areas. He developed different areas as per the decisions of the the blood sucking AP Police in a brutal a strong empathy to wards his class party, the erstwhile CPI (ML)[PW], as on one-sided encounter on 8th November, brothers and sisters. This empathy organizer of the youth in his home town, 2006, in a forest area near Vallelavari Palem naturally led him to search for an Narsaraopeta, as an organizer of a rural village of Cuddapah district in AP.The ‘ organization that will lead him and his class center, Tripurantakam, abutting the People’s March ‘ bows its’ head in towards emancipation. His search finally Nallamala forest, as an organizer in reverential red homage to the eternal ended when he was able to contact the Phirangipuram, and as an organize in memory of these Peoples’ Heroes. organizer of the Radical Students Union, in Gurajala town in Palnadu area. Here he was Comrade Raghaulus’ (Elaga Appa Rao- 1983. At that time comrade Raghavlu was arrested and sent to jail. The harsh jail life Obilesu) revolutionary career spanning studying Intermediate (+2) in a collage in could not dampen the revolutionary in him; more than two decades represents a phase Narsaraopeta town in Guntur district. From instead he turned that period in to a period in the revolutionary movement of Guntur of deep study to improve his theoretical district of Andhra Pradesh during which knowledge with the help of fellow it reoriented it self from an urban comrades in the jail commune. He came out movement into a militant armed rural of the jail in 1988 and immediately plunged agrarian movement, spreading, in to revolutionary activities with renewed establishing firm roots and turning the energy and enhanced understanding. This backward Palnadu area into a guerilla time the party sent him to the area, which zone. Comrade Raghavlus’ dedicated he was raring to work right from the start revolutionary work played a pivotal role of his career, the Palnadu area. Now, here a in this process of transformation. In fact, few words about the Palnadu area. one can say for sure that comrade PALNADU –A GUERILLA Raghavlu is one of those comrades who ZONE WITH A GREAT laid the foundations and through years REVOLUTIONARYLEGACY of hard work and personal sacrifices built up the Palnadu movement which by the Palnadu lies in the western part of the closing years of the 90s grew into a coastal district. Guntur. Though the coastal mighty movement challenging the state areas of the district are highly developed, by way of militant peasants and workers Palnadu remained and still remains as one movements and by way of series of of the most backward areas of the state, military actions launched by the fighters though it has vast mineral resources like of the PLGA forces of the CPI (Maoist) limestone etc. Much of its area is covered against feudal lords and against the by Nallamala forest, though not thick. states’ armed police forces to defend the that time to the moment of his martyrdom Feudalism is deeply entrenched here with gains of the revolutionary movement. there was no looking back for that comrade upper cast landlords (Kamma, Reddy) Comrade Raghavlu continually developed in more than two decades of revolutionary owning hundreds of acres of land running his skills and knowledge all through out life. He became one of those great virtual fiefdoms in their areas of influence. the above period of transformation, so as revolutionary leaders who left their imprint Thousands of acre of Temple Endowment to be able to meet the demands of the on the revolutionary movement of Andhra lands are in their absolute control. They growing movement, to lead and guide it to in general and of Guntur district in particular. rule every aspect of the lives of the toiling masses, exploiting them ruthlessly by the next stage. Starting his revolutionary EARLY GROWTH career as a student organizer comrade every possible means. Raghavlu grew up to become a member of Right from the time he came into contact Like the landlords, forest officials here the state committee through hard work, with the RSU, comrade Raghavulu started used to run their own kingdom squeezing revolutionary dedication, practice and playing an active role in its activities. He money and appropriating livestock like study and good leadership capabilities. enthusiastically participated in the “ chickens, goats etc of the masses by way Assembly Election Boycott Campaign “ of fines, levies and through exhort ions. A COMRADE FROM A POOR and the “Go To The Villages Campaign “ With such an exploitation going on for PESANT BACK GROUND the RSU conducted in December 1983 and centuries, the people of this area naturally It no wonder that comrade Raghavulu the summer of 1984 respectively It was had a glorious history of waging anti- took to the revolutionary movement as fish during the course of the later campaign that feudal, anti-imperialist struggles. This area takes to water since he was born in a poor he decided to dedicate his life in the service stood as one of the strong rears of the Great peasant family from a backward cast of the revolution, having been enthused Telangana Peasant Armed Struggle. After (Yadava). He lost his mother in his by his experience among the masses during the outbreak of the Naxalbari Peasant childhood days itself. The youngest of the campaigns and having obtained a more 24 PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 Armed Revolt and the formation of the CPI of the task of building strong bodies of military matters as he was with the (ML), the AP state committee of that party the party and of the mass organizations. organization of militant mass struggles. was constituted in the presence of Under his focused guidance and The famous military actions executed by comrade Charu Majumdar in leadership, organizers and members of the the fighters of the PLGA units of Guntur Guttikondabilam village of Palnadu. guerilla squads assiduously built party such as the raid and seizure of riffles from Taking the social conditions, history cells and organs of the mass the NCC godown of SSN Collage of and the terrain of this area in to organizations. Thanks to his dedicated and Narsarao peta, the successful raids on the consideration the district committee of the focused work, a network of strong party police stations at Addanki, Nandigama and erstwhile CPI (ML) [PW] started earnest and mass organizations came into Chilakluripeta, the Kottur militia ambush efforts to spread the revolutionary functioning all through out the area of his and the attack on the Gray Hounds police movement to this area during the middle work. in Adigoppula village were all executed 80’s. That party was able to gain the Comrade Raghaulu was co-opted as a under his careful planning and direction. confidence of the people by 1987. The member of the district committee in 1993. guerillas of that party were able to STATE COMMITTEE He was re-elected as a member of the DC MEMBERSHIP AND THE penetrate among the peasant masses, in 1995. mobiles and organize them in to series of ENTRUSTING OF anti-feudal struggles and struggles against REJUVENATING THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE the corrupt and oppressive forest officials. MOVEMENT IN THE ROYALASEEMA REGION Strong mass organizations got established DACHEPALLI AREA Comrade Raghavulu was co-opted in in many villages. Much enthused by the work and to the AP state committee and was It was at this stage, the party decided capabilities of comrade Raghavulu the entrusted with the responsibility of the to send comrade Raghavulu as an district committee entrusted him with the Royalaseema region of AP. As a dedicated organizer of a rural center, the Bollaplli responsibility of re-juvenation of the and disciplined member of the party he center, in a 1+2 formation. movement in the Dachepalli area, which took up the responsibility..In the one year incidentally was the center of the he was able to work there before his ULL BLOOMING OF F revolutionary movement in that area and martyrdom, he tried by all his might to REVOLUTIONARY where the movement was on the ebb since revive the movement there. But before he OTENTIALITIES P 1991.Comrade Raghavlu took the task the could gain a real grip over the situation The fast growth in the revolutionary party entrusted him as one more challenge there and before he could re-juvenate the movement in the Palnadu area, gaining and worked hard to re-kindle the movement movement there as he successfully did in more depth and intensity brought along there, which incidentally had a strong party the Dachepalli area he became a martyr, with it new challenges and problems at and mass organizations structure. Soon his succumbing to the bullets of the fascist every step, which were in way a new efforts bore fruit and a new wave of mass Andhra police. experience as well as a test for his struggles shook that area. The people A LEADER WITH MANY leadership capabilities .To his credit, moved in hundreds in such struggles as comrade Raghavlu passed this test with QUALITIES WORTH the occupation of Temple endowment EMULATION flying colors, by deep study and dedicated lands; the struggles against exorbitant hard work and bringing in to full play all rates of interests; struggles for Comrade Raghavulu was the son of an his capabilities and potentialities. With his enhancement of wages of agricultural ordinary peasant from a backward cast excellent leadership qualities, his deep and labor etc. The movement soon grew to a who grew up in to a top leader of the Maoist penetrating analysis of the problems and stage of the revolutionary masses movement in India by sheer dedicated methods for solving them and his enforcing a ceiling on the land holdings of revolutionary work,.prctice and study. A exemplary revolutionary behavior toward the landlords and occupying the surplus life that was dedicated solely to the service the masse, he soon won the love and land. The masses occupied thousands of of the oppressed masses of the country, a affection of the revolutionary masses of acres of land. Village development burning hatred towards the exploiters and that area. That area soon witnessed series committees and genuine people’s co- oppressors of the people, a great heart of militant mass struggles on diverse operative societies were formed in several which forever was ready to accept his issues, the important ones being, the villages, as for-runners of the revolutionary shortcomings and mistakes, a discipline struggles against the oppressive forest organs of peoples’ power. Comrade that befits only a great communist, a great officials, land occupation struggles, Raghavulu made strenuous efforts to sense of self-sacrifice, these and other such struggle for enhancement of rates of improve him self in a way he can give able great qualities which stand as the collected Tendu leaf, struggle for a ban on and efficient leadership to the ever- touchstones demarcating the genuine the sale of country liquor, trade union intensifying class struggle and paid revolutionaries from the fake ones, are the struggles etc. In fact, the party particular attention to gain more in-depth qualities comrade Raghavulu acquired organizations and mass organizations of knowledge from the raging mass struggles. during the curse of his two decades of that area took up all most all issues revolutionary life. Any true tribute to the concerning the life and livelihood of the AN EFFICIENT MILITARY memory of that comrade will ring true only peasant masses and of workers, mobilized, COMMANDER one sincerely tries to emulate them as far s organized and waged successful struggles A fact that must be mentioned while possible. under his guidance and leadership. paying tributes to the eternal memory of Long live the memories of the fallen Comrade Raghavulu never lost sight the exemplary revolutionary, comrade people’s hero- comrade Raghavulu. 30 Raghvulu is that he is equally adept in

PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 25 IN MEMORY OF COM. CHANDRASEKHARA RAO

N Nov. 22, 2006 Com. Vemuri under police surveillance. Even in those continues to act to this day as one of the Chandrasekhara Rao (alias days, on this count he showed no best teachers of dialectical materialism for O Ravi, Duryodhan, Buchchi, liberalness, and worked his way to the ordinary cadre. Besides, he wrote and Khateeb Ansari) passed away at the survival. Being a brilliant artist, and getting numerous articles in magazines like Frontier age of 62, as a result of an attack of dengue. to know the ways of a big metropolis, he and Aruna Tara (Telugu). He was also a Ravi was one of the main initiators of the devised the art of paintings on egg-shells poet giving poetic expression to his deep Maoist movement in Maharashtra, having and sea-shells, selling them in the market. feelings on many facets of life. He was an been steeled in the fire of the historic With this he was able to earn proper meals extremely intense person. Srikakulam movement in Andhra Pradesh and stay in some dingy slum room on rent. Many of his qualities were a model for during the late 1960s. Though he distanced But even through this agonized existence, communists to emulate. He was highly himself from the Party in the mid-1980s, he he did not lose his revolutionary ideals, principled and never resorted to any petty remained a sympathizer of the movement and soon got in touch with workers and intrigues; he was most forthright and till his last days. developed a core of Maoists who began straightforward and said exactly what he Comrade Ravi was born in a village in spreading their ideology and organization felt; he had a very critical mind and did not Krishna District of Andhra Pradesh into a in some major factories of Mumbai. He also accept anything at face-value and sought middle-peasant family. From his youngest initiated contacts amongst Telugu workers to go into the essence of phenomena (and days he lived by his ideals and principles. and built an extensive base amongst them, individuals); he studied voraciously and Initially he was attracted by Gandhiism, particularly amongst the textile workers. He sort to go to the roots of all questions and but, by the time he reached college, he drew initiated a Telugu workers’ magazine called problems; and, most important of all, he close to Marxism and became an active ‘Karmika Vargam’, which brought Maoist was a patient and effective teacher, always member of the SFI. While he was studying politics to the working class. Later, it was educating and raising the consciousness at the Bapatla Agricultural College in these working class cells that merged with of the cadre. Guntur district, the thunder of the Naxalbari the rising revolutionary student movement Ironically, it was this depth for seeking uprising echoed in Srikakulam, inspiring in Mumbai that became the embryonic form answers that led to his distancing himself an entire generation of youth. Students at of a Maoist unit in Maharashtra. from the Party after the restoration of the Guntur Medical College were among This was a period of ideological capitalism in China and the setback to most the first to be inspired by the new confusion with various forms of rightist of the communist revolutions. He was revolutionary upsurge in the country. The and left sectarian trends dominating the seeking answers to various ideological Srikakulam upsurge attracted the cream of then M-L movement; and Ravi, with his issues, including the bureaucratization and the students from AP, and Guntur was a depth of ideological and political dangers of power corrupting communist major centre. The most brilliant students, understanding, was able to steer the leaders after the victory of all the fired by the ideals of revolution, like the incipient Maoist movement of Mumbai revolutions, leading to the rise of a new gold medalist, martyr Dr Chaganti Bhaskar away from these pitfalls. And as the bourgeoisie and capitalist restoration. Rao, gave up their studies and picked up revolutionary movement began to spread Also, his health problems were serious. the gun. Another such student to go to extensively amongst the workers, slum- Yet, even after leaving the Party he Srikakulam was Chandrasekhara Rao. From dwellers and students, Ravi established could not cut himself off from the 1969 to early 1971 Ravi was tempered in links with what was to become the movement and never went against it and the fire of the ongoing armed struggle and CPI(ML)(PW). Convinced by the continued his life as an agriculturist/ he witnessed the best of his fellow standpoint the PW took, he translated the gardener in Andhra University at comrades falling to enemy bullets. He, now Telugu PW documents into English. This Visakhapatnam till his retirement. known as com. Chandram, grew to become helped the process of the Mumbai group Meanwhile, he had married a fellow a sub-centre commander under the being absorbed into the then comrade and they had two children. His leadership of Vempatapu Satyam, the CPI(ML)(PW), once it was formed. health was improving and had begun to legendry leader of the Srikakulam Being a prolific reader with an write again when dengue tragically took movement. He was one of the accused in insatiable thirst for knowledge of all kinds, his life. A memorial meeting in his village in the notorious Parvatipuram Conspiracy he wielded the pen as effectively as he did Krishna District was widely attended by a Case and an important target for the enemy. the gun in Srikakulam. He wrote extensively varied spectrum ranging from the CPI, to By late 1970 the best of the leadership in both English and Telugu under various various comrades from ML groups and the in Srikakulam were martyred and the pseudonyms. Particularly important was Maoists. movement was facing serious problems. his intervention in the then ongoing Comrade Ravi was a person whose Without a rupee in his pocket, avoiding debate on the mode of production where simplicity, honesty and the intelligence network of the AP police, many a Left intellectual sought to portray straightforwardness endeared him to all he went to Mumbai (a place he had never the Green Revolution as having those who live by principles. His was an seen), with the aim of spreading the transformed India into a capitalist society. important contribution to the communist revolutionary message. Writing under the name of Khateeb Ansari, movement in India in the period when the In the early days, he lived a life of semi- Ravi conclusively proved that India M-L was in a state of confusion. He will be starvation, working as a hotel boy washing continued to be semi-feudal. His particular remembered by those who knew him for all dishes and living on the streets. He could interest was philosophy and his article, ‘We these values and as a patient teacher. not approach any relative as all would be Must be Good at Our Philosophy’, 30 26 PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 Continued from page 32 squad was poisoned and shot at point He and the police conspired and got her writers and artistes among those killed. blank range in Sundupalli, 6 women hacked into 17 pieces. They tried to Most of them were uneducated who learnt comrades were killed along with three dispose these pieces in various places but to read and write after joining the others. The second time, on 9th Nov 06, the after a lot of agitation from the people movement. They had fought the same ghastly method was used to kill a finally the truth came out. This was one of patriarchal feudal attitudes at their homes squad of 9 in which the State committee the most gruesome murders in the history and in the villages and had stepped out member Com. Obuleshu was killed with 8 of AP, and that too of a woman. This was into the movement to change their lives others. Com. Chandana, who became a in 1999 when Chandrababu Naidu was the and those of the people for the better. For terror in the hearts of the Prakasam district Chief Minister of AP. example Sangeetha who got killed along police, was among the martyred. She The Narsa Cobras were formed after with Com. Madhav (A.P. State Secretary) continuously made headlines in the district the CPI (Maoist) guerillas killed a Congress was a young widow from Medak district. papers while in Nallamala. It is reported MLA Narsi Reddy in August 2005. The She had to face many hardships for being that she was a district committee member Kakatiya cobras, Nallamala cobras and so ‘inauspicious’ as to loose her husband and recently shifted to Rayalaseema. Four many others followed suit. These Cobras at a young age. She came to Hyderabad women were martyred in this incident. have killed Kanakachary, a teacher on not only in search of work but also in On July 23rd when Com. Madhav got August 24th 2005 and Mannem Prasad, a search of a dignified life. She was an killed 5 women comrades were also killed bank employee on 10th September 2005 and illiterate and used to wash dishes for a along with two men. Police harassed the Dasari Muneppa, a teacher and District livelihood. Her search for dignity for herself family members who had to agitate for four convenor of the Holiya Dasara Sangam on broadened into the search for the dignity days to get home the bodies of the 22nd November 2005, for being active in of the whole womankind which led her to deceased. Though the Home Minister Jana democratic organizations and lending their join the revolutionary armed struggle. Soon Reddy gave his word in public that they voice to the cause of the oppressed. Of she learnt to read and write and became a will preserve the bodies they shamelessly these three, Muneppa was killed just member of the JNM squad. violated it and as a result the bodies were because he condemned the killing of Though it has been proved time and disfigured and highly decomposed. The Mannem Prasad bravely inspite of the again that the AP police are the most police didn’t even bother to take threats from the killer gangs. There were notorious in inventing new methods of photographs to identify the bodies. They 10 others who were silently condemned to killing, the recent mass murders of armed didn’t allow the photographers to take death by these gangs in different methods. squads by poisoning them before pumping close up shots. The family members could Some were killed in the name of the CPI bullets into their bodies is very appalling. not identify their dear ones in that (Maoist) also. At a later date the party It started with the Manala mass murder on horrifying state. The confusion regarding leaders clarified that it is the handiwork of 7th March 2005. Under the guidance of the the identity of the women comrades these Cobras. Not stopping at that, they police a covert mixed poison in the food of persists till date. have been issuing death threats to many the CPI (Maoist) guerillas of Nizamabad Apart from killing in ‘encounters’ many democrats and activists of mass district. The police caught ten state sponsored black gangs with different organizations. Releasing long lists of their unconscious guerillas, tortured them in a names sprang up to ‘tackle’ the democratic targets to the press, calling them and their very cruel and ghastly manner and killed movements. Earlier it was different types family members on the phone, trying to them. Three of them were women - Shobha of tigers, like the green tigers, Rachakonda terrorize them by asking them to resign or was a commander; Sunitha was a deputy tigers, Nallamala tigers etc, now it is the face death, following them in a threatening commander and Sneha a squad member. Cobras. The AP police and SIB have been manner etc — are some of the terrorizing Only one person, who escaped alive by floating black gangs to create terror among tactics of these Cobras. hiding under a rock and coming out only the sympathizers and revolutionary After killing the above mentioned after the press reached the spot, later masses and revolutionary and democratic democrats they did not stop there. They revealed that the police raped Sneha, who mass organizations since a decade. They went on calling all the activists of different was injured and lying helpless and then convert some renegade naxalites into mafia organizations and threatened that nobody killed her. Premalatha and Manjula got gangs and use them as black gangs to should attend the funerals and conduct injured in an encounter in Nalgonda district threaten and also to kill democrats. These memorial meetings. The “hit list” was so on July 25, 2005. They were raped and killed gangs never even spared women. Since AP long and includes many women too, like: by the police as alleged by the people of has a rich tradition of women participating Sujatha, the General Secretary of APCMS; that area. in revolutionary and democratic Jyothi, President of APCMS; Pavana, State YSR comes from Kadapa district and movements since the Great Telangana Joint Secretary of the APCMS; Jaya, State to keep him safe the most loyal police Armed Struggle days, it is not surprising EC member of the APCMS; Devendra, started ‘cleaning’ Kadapa of its RED color. that the police target them through these State EC member of APCMS and also the The more they tried to wipe it the darker it gangsters also. Working Group member of CAVOW became, but with the blood of the sons One of the first victims of these gangs (Committee Against Violence on Women), and daughters of the revolution. The had been the people’s singer, the a nationwide Organization; and Sandhya, “Maanala”-type incident was repeated nightingale who expressed the anguish of an EC member of Stree Chaitanya Sravanthi twice in Kadapa, which took 18 lives of the Telangana people — Belli Lalitha. The in Mahaboobnagar district, a constituent revolutionaries of which 10 were women. first and most notorious of these member of APCMS. Swarupa, a local leader Once on 24th April 2006 when the whole gangsters, Nayeem planned to murder her. of Stree Chaithanya Sravanthi, was PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 27 arrested and booked in the Narsi Reddy’s progressive movements, while the armed Mahalaxmi is a 21 year old destitute who murder case just because she lives with struggle is being suppressed with lives in a village in Prakasam district. She her family in Makhthal where the MLA got ‘encounters’. has nobody except her old father whom killed. Her husband who is an activist of Sneha, Kasim and Ramu, the state she has to feed. She was arrested in another mass organization (KNPS) was leaders of the Telangana Student Front, February this year on the charges that she also jailed in the same false case. Their STD went to Rayalagandi temple in Amrabad is a naxalite and extorting money. A.P police booth was ransacked by the Cobras while mandal in Mahabubnagar district to attend think themselves to be too smart. So they they were participating in the funeral of another TSF member’s, Raghu’s, marriage. added some more charges like destruction Kanakachary. They were picked up by the police and kept of government property etc on the poor The state co-convenor of the ‘Martyrs in illegal custody for one day and were lady. She was remanded and got bail relatives and Friends Committee’, Padma released after a major protest by the subsequently. But where is the money for Kumari’s name appeared many times in the students. The police accused them of her to pay the security deposit? There was ‘hit list’ of the Cobras. She was even attending a secret meeting with the no one to stand as a guarantee either. She threatened by them that her head will be Maoists in the temple and to plant land remained in the jail for 9 months. Finally chopped off and hanged at the entrance mines in the nearby forest in the guise of the district judge who studied her case took of Warangal if she continues to fight for attending the marriage. They even booked sympathy on her and released her on the dead bodies to be handed over to the them under false cases in which they personal bond. families. That, of course, is another story alleged that these people have the “hit list In another incident, Dhanikonda Jyothi where movements with the relatives and of important police officials and ministers became the victim of state violence. She friends had to be built up even for the fight who are to be eliminated” by the central belongs to a poor basket weaving family. for the dead bodies. The police simply and committee of the CPI (Maoists). They even Her family could not make a living with the shamelessly say that even dead bodies will alleged that these people are assisting the traditional basket weaving work and hence “agitate” and hence they will not give the central committee in their task. shifted to masonry work. She migrated to bodies. The Home Minister himself said The attack on Laddah, the S.P of Nandyal (Kadapa district) along with other this recently in front of the media. It is Prakasam district, was used as the pretext masons. One day she was stopped by the indeed true in A.P. People defy any police to unleash violence on the legal mass police while returning from mason work order, however cruel it is, and just go organizations that are active in Prakasam along with three other women. They got bravely to pay homage to their beloved district and are in no way connected with suspicious that she is a Maoist (for no leaders. such actions. The state president, reason) and picked her up. She was kept in Padma Kumari, Vengalamma, Anjamma, D.Prabhakar, and the Prakasam district illegal custody for 15days and tortured like Bharathi, Venkata Subbamma, the leaders secretary of KNPS were picked up from hell. When they could not get any of this committee in various districts, were their respective homes in Chimakurthy of “information” they realized their “mistake.” continuously under the threats of the Prakasam district on May 9th 2005 and were But there is no problem for them. It is Cobras and the police. Venkata kept in illegal custody for 11days. always easy for them to tackle “women”. Subbamma’s son Jeevan and daughter Meanwhile their arrest was denied by the They booked her under the “Immoral Nagamani laid down their lives for the police. So Prabhakar’s wife Kusuma and trafficking act” and sent her to jail. But by people. Her husband Uppu Krishna who Venkatarao’s wife Adilaxmi went on hunger that time that poor woman lost all energy is the convener of the ‘Martyrs relatives strike in front of the MRO’s office, on 12th due to the police “treatment” and became and Friends Committee’ was also on the May 2006 demanding the release of the unconscious in jail. She was rushed to the list. Some months ago he was severely two. The police instead of producing the hospital with numerous injuries on her beaten by the gangs with iron rods. He leaders arrested these two women also on body and she was suffering from blood had multiple fractures. And later he was 15th May. Suseela an activist of the KNPS stools. Her turmoil did not end there. She kidnapped by the civil police, and was only from Aalakurapadu was tortured for 3 days was chained to the bed in the hospital and produced in court under false charges after along with 8 other mass organization two cops kept vigil on her. They were the activists agitated for his release. leaders. Mahabubnagar district secretary worried that the semi conscious woman will Venkata Subbamma tried to stop the plain of KNPS Laxminarayana was threatened “escape” from the hospital. A reporter clothes police when they were abducting and forced to resign from the organization. photographed the scene and enquired into her husband. She bravely questioned them He was later booked under false cases. the details and found the true story. Next and she too was kidnapped along with him. They did not even leave his wife day the chains were removed but not the They were in a bus after attending Com. Ramulamma. She was booked under false cases foisted against her, leave alone the Obuleshu’s funeral when this incident took cases just because she is the wife of punishment for violating human rights. place. The teachers of DTF (teacher’s Laxminarayana. Similarly Leelamma was This is just the tip of the iceberg. All organisation), the activists of KNPS (anti- booked under a false case just because she the incidents quoted here in no way give caste organisation), members of RWF, is the wife of Balaiah a leader of APCLC. us the complete picture of the state Members of PDF (anti-imperialist front), There are several incidents to show violence on women in AP. These are just a and activists of TSF (Telangana how even ordinary persons are being documentation of some of the most movement), APCLC and HRF (civil liberties harassed by the police just for living in the publicized events or those that managed organisations) are the regular targets of movement areas. We are mentioning only to make it to the papers or magazines. In these gangs. These gangs are mainly used two or three incidents just to understand fact, we could not even get all the details to suppress the democratic and the nature of such repression. Gopavaram of the women who died in encounters. This 28 PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 report would become a book if we it not state violence? hunger strike he would be killed. She mention all the information available There is another angle also to this state replied: “okay you will die in their hands with us. But one more incident is worth repression. It is the story of those women I will die on the hunger strike. But both of mentioning as it represents another who are not members of any party or mass us will die for the same cause.” That is type of killing. There was a small organization but face state violence just how the women of AP are continuing their hospital in Appapur (perhaps the only because they are the members of the family fighting spirit creating their rightful space one) which is close to the Nallamala of party cadre or mass organization in half the sky. forest. But this is the only hospital to members. We have not added all that here. Whether it is the women who are which many Chenchu tribes usually go. If we add the sufferings of the wives, braving the bullets or the “nameless” A good hearted doctor was posted to mothers and daughters of the mass women who mean just nothing for the this hospital and she was booked under organization members who were State, they have become a source of a case that she was treating naxalites. continuously threatened by the Cobra inspiration for many. It is these brave In AP performing one’s own duty is gangs and the like; the anguish of the women who stood like a mighty wall in also a crime. When it is so difficult for female members when they lost their dear Mangapet when the police tried to disturb male doctors to face such charges one ones; the violence they have to face just the funeral of Com. Madhav, that are the can imagine the plight of a female because they relate to those who were ray of hope in this darkness. It is the doctor, the additional pressure from her targeted; the picture becomes grimmer. But strength of the hundreds of mothers and family and society. She left the job these brave women of the fighting land of sisters and wives of the martyred who are months ago and no other doctor dared AP are painting the State red with their fighting for their rights to perform funerals. to join till date. The Chenchu resistance. It is their mass mourning in a land where population is falling drastically and a Let us end this article with an incident even tears are banned that gives us the major reason of death is malaria, of protest. When an activist of KNPS was courage to defy any unscrupulous law or besides malnutrition. In the past one arrested and kept in illegal custody his wife their so-called order. This is the added decade the population has reduced went on hunger strike with the support of strength for the men and women who are from 10,000 odd to 7,000. Who is many activists. The police made him call already fighting for their just rights and an responsible for these silent deaths? Is her and tell her that if she will not end the egalitarian society. 30

Continued from page 31 capitalists are coming now to West Nandigram. Unlike the earlier days, clear-cut ideology to fight against Bengal? He asked. Because, the price of natural scientists are coming to the fore imperialism. There might have been land here is far lower than the price in, in support of the peasants’ struggle mistakes in the struggle for the realization let us say, Noida or Faridabad. The Tatas against the land acquisition policy of the of socialism. But, he added, anti- are coming to West Bengal on their own state. This is welcome. While referring imperialist struggles would have to be and Buddhadev, the WB chief minister to globalization in the context of present- launched on the socialist basis. cannot take any credit for that. They day neo-liberal policy, he said that in the The last speaker, Prof. Ratan would have definitely come had there present-day world, the role of the state Khasnabis talked on the ‘Politics and been so such lackeys as Buddhadev. had not diminished; only that there is a Economics of Globalization’. He spoke in What kind of ‘chemical hub’ are the relaxation in state control. Then he dwelt general terms on accumulation of Salims going to set up in Nadigram? on the anti-globalization struggles in property, rule of property, currency Nobody knows. Is it for toxic chemicals different parts of the world, such as the convertibility, FDI, jobless growth etc. which had been banned by the European Zapatista movement of 1993 in Mexico, The interactive session was chaired by Union? Nandigram could well be the ideal that of Venezuela in 1992, that of 2006 in DR. Meher Engineer, former head of the place to dump those toxic elements. Who Bangladesh—all against land Bose Institute. would benefit from the Tata motor acquisition. The latest is that of Singur. What was generally lacking in the all- factory? Undoubtedly the Tatas These movements were not led by any day-discussions was that important themselves. As it would be a capital- particular political party, but by new questions were not raised. The alternative intensive enterprise, only a small number social and political forces. Nandigram model of development, the nature of it, of people would get employment. That, struggle, no doubt, is a higher form of whether we should import foreign capital in his opinion, could never be called struggle. It is part and parcel of the and technology or part of it, or whether ‘development’; it could only be mal- struggle against globalization. Then he we should be entirely self-reliant, whether development. cautioned against the attempts of some a true model of people’s development The next speaker was Prof. Dipankar political parties to utilize these for petty could at all be feasible without at the same Chakraborty who spoke on ‘Singur and election gains. The more the people stand time getting rid of the present property Nandigram in the light of the global united in this struggle, the stronger the relations altogether—these questions Struggle against Globalization’. He anti-globalization struggle would remained practically unaddressed. Let us started with a comparison between the become. The struggle in Nandigram, in sincerely hope that vital questions such peasant movement of the 1960s and his opinion, is more directly a struggle as these would be addressed by the peasant movement of Singur and against SEZ. However, there should be a teachers and scientists in future. 30

PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 29 LIST OF MAHILA COMRADES KILLED IN AP DURING THE LAST 2½ Y EARS S. No. Date Name Status Place of the incident 1. 8,Jan. ’05 Lakshmi, APCMS State ECM, Prakasam dt encounter 2. 15,Jan. ’05 unidentified comrade Nallamala, fake encounter 3. 15, Jan. ’05 Santha Squad member, Mahabubnagar, fake encounter 4. 23, Feb. ’05 Padma Squad member, Korutla, (Karimnagar dt)encounter 5. 27, Feb ’05 Vasantha VRCSmember ` RamagiriKhila,(krmgr) fake enctr. 6. 7, Mar. ’05 Shobha Commander, Nizamabad, Manala covert operation 7. 7, Mar. ’05 Sunita Deputy Commander, ,, ,, 8. 7, Mar. ’05 Sneha Squad member, ,, ,, 9. 15, Mar.’05 Sudha DCM, CPI(ML)Janashakthi, Wgl dt., encounter 10. 1 ,Apr.’ 05 Pushpa Commander, Mahabubnagar, Fake encounter 11. 17, Apr. ’05 Santhi Squad member, East Division, encounter 12. 17, Apr. ’05 Swarupa Squad member, ,, ,, 13. 17, Apr. ’05 Anitha Squad member, ,, ,, 14. 21, Apr. ’05 Vasantha, Squad member, Guntur, fake encounter 15. 21, Apr. ’05 Sunitha, Squad member, Guntur, fake encounter 16. 25, July ’05 Premalatha, Squad member, Nalgonda, encounter 17. 27, Apr.’05 Madhavi, CPUSI(DBSV)Veeranna gp, Fake 18. 27, Apr.’05 Manjula, Squad member, ,, ,, 19. 26, Oct’05 Rajeshwari, Squad member, Visakha Dt 20. 21, Nov.’ 05 Battu Elisha Squad member, Warangal Dt 21. 22, Nov. ‘05 Ammubai Squad member, Jogapur, Adilabad, encounter 22. 10, Dec. 05 Sruthi, Squad member, Prakasam Dt encounter 23. 27, Dec. 05 Vijayakumari, Squad member, Guntur dt 24. 5, Feb.’06 Eshwaramma, Sympathiser, fake encounter 25. 21,Apr.’06 Bayamma (prajaprathighatana) Bhupathipur,wgldt encounter 26. 28, Apr.’06 Saake Laxmidevi, Sundupalli, Kadapa Dt covert operation 27. 28, Apr.’06 Uppara Chandrakala - do- 28. 28, Apr.’06 Boya Varaalamma - do- 29. 28, Apr.’06 Konanki Nagaveni - do- 30. 28, Apr.’06 Boya Rathnamma - do- 31. 28, Apr.’06 Kumari -do- 32. 30, Apr.‘06 Basupaka Devi Mahabubnagar dt fake encounter 33. 30, Apr.‘06 unidentified Sympathiser, Peddarutla, Prkm dt., fake enctr 34. 22, May ‘06 Chandrakala Malleswari, Prakasam Dt. 35. 31,May’ 06 unidentified Squad mbr, Kalimela.Joint operation Ap.Or 36. 31,May’ 06 unidentified, Squad member, Kalimela. - Do- 37. 18, june,06 B.Suvarna , platoon member,Racharla, Prakasam dt. 38. 20, June,06 K.Salamma squad member, Sagar rd, Nalgonda,fake enctr 39. 21, june,06 Swarupa commander Khammam dt, encounter 40. 27, june,06 Indira ACS, Kalwakurthy squad, MBNR dt, encounter 41. 27, june,06 Swarupa deputy commander -do- 42. 27, june,06 Madhavi squad member -do- 43. 27, june,06 Suguna squad member -do- 44. 27, june,06 Padma squad member -do- 45. 27, june,06 Pushpa squadmember -do- 46. 23, july,06 Rajitha @Suseela ACM, Palutla, Nallamala encounter 47. 23, july,06 Sangitha JNM member, -do- 48. 23, july,06 Madhavi Section commander -do- 49. 23, july,06 Mamatha, Platoon member -do- 50. 23, july,06 Seetha @Parvathi Platoon member-do- 51. 14,sept, 06 Prameela, commander Thadwai, Warangal dt encounter 52. 14,sept, 06 Padma squad member -do- 53. 14,sept, 06 Nirmala squad member -do- 54. 14, oct.’06 Mesram Jangubai DCM, Mangi, Adilabad 55. 9,Nov.’ 06 Prashanthi@Chandana DCM, Kadapa, covert operation 56. 9, Nov.’06 Parvathi @Nagamani Platoon member -do- 57. 9, Nov.’06 Golla Rajyalaxmi squad member -do- 58. 9, Nov.’06 Sujatha @Lalitha squad member -do- 59. 15,Dec.’06 Manjula,(PrajaPrathighatana), Wgl dt fake enctr 60. 27,Dec,’06 Kavitha @Jyothi, Visakha Dt fake encounter 30 PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 RED SALUTES TO MARTYR NATHUNJI

N March 6th 2007 Nevada districts. This was inspite of the fact that Senas. He fought against all these Zonal Committee Secretary of armed contingents were swarming all over valiantly. Not only against the landlord Othe CPI (Maoist), com. Bihar three days before the bandh call. senas, he also had to face the Nathunji (alias Arunji) was wrath of the Liberation party. arrested from Khera village In the 1990s when he had gone while he was recovering to Lithora village the liberation from illness. He was then attacked him so brutally that brutally tortured and beaten they left him for dead. He was to death in police lock-up. grievously injured and just The police sought to cover about managed to survive. up by instituting an official Nathunji was a very inquiry into the death. First dedicated and simple they sought to diffuse the comrade and was very situation when even the popular amongst the people. DIG of police issued a call Wherever he went people to the Maoists not to accepted him as one of their retaliate as a high level own family. His village has inquiry had been ordered always been a centre of the and promised action. But as revolutionary movement. the masses of his area in Working first as an ordinary Gaya-Aurangabad districts member, in 1990 he became a immediately reacted with member of the Zonal bandhs and road- Committee, and later its blockades, the police secretary. changed their story Nathunji was exemplary in propagating that he was his service to the people and involved in numerous cases and had an Com Nathunji began his political life was an example for all communists. The award on his head. The Bihar- Jharkhand as far back as 1980 when he was involved immediate reaction of the masses was an Special Area Committee gave a call for a in anti-feudal struggles against the indication of his popularity. His comrades, Bihar Bandh on March 15th which landlord of his village. In 1984 he was in a statement have vowed to live up to his seriously disrupted life throughout the arrested and spent one year in jail. His area ideals and avenge his killing. 30 state, particularly in Gaya and Aurangabad was the centre for many of the Landlord

SEMINAR ON THE ‘PATH OF DEVELOPMENT’

SEMINAR on the ‘Path of Dendas Banerjee, speaking on Reform: Past & Future’ in West Bengal. He Development’ was organized ‘Debates relating to Development: Recent stated that there is nothing to boast about Aon 10 March by the newly- Perspectives’ started with the neo-liberal ‘Operation Barga’ introduced by the ‘left- formed organization, ‘Teachers and paradigm that seeks to relate development front’ government of West Bengal after the Scientists Against Mal- to the increase in per capita income. He CPM and its allies came to power in 1977 Development’(TASAM) in Sevakendra on then referred to other schools of thought by riding on an anti-Indira wave. Operation Convent Road in Kolkata. The panel of to refute this view and cited examples from Barga was simply a step to record the speakers included Prof.Debdas Banerjee of Punjab, Maharastra, Gujarat and Tamil names of bargadars who tilled other’s the Centre of Development Studies, Nadu to argue that the increase in per capita lands. In 1978, when the three-tier Kolkata, Shri Debabrata Banerjee, a former income did not necessarily imply a Panchayeti system was set up in the official of the Revenue Department of WB decrease in poverty. Human development countryside, the CPM party had a meager government, Prof. Dipankar Chakraborty, should necessarily have to be an all-round 28,000 members, most of whom were from editor of Aneek, a Bengali periodical and development in agriculture, industry, urban areas. Through the new Panchayeti Prof. Ratan Khasnabis of Calcutta education, health and other fields and that system, it expanded its support base University. The session was chaired by there should be some place for among the middle peasantry and the Prof. Debabrata Panda. The session was representative democracy and people’s moneylenders. In fact, a large number of followed by an interactive session where choice. There is no such place of the people CPM members in the rural areas now-a- many of those present in the hall took part. in the neo-liberal scheme of development. days are usurers. Why is it that big It was a well-attended gathering. Debabrata Banerjee dwelt on ‘Land Continued on page 29

PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007 31 YSR’S “INDIRAMMA” OR EMERGENCY RAJ IN AP An Account of brutalities on women Activists in the 2 ½ years of YSR Rule Sangitha and Suvarna r.Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy the just for being a naxalite?”). There is no So it is natural that even they were targeted chief minister of Andhra gender discrimination in the killings. That’s by the state. AP, with its rich natural Pradesh kept on saying that why, 60 women have been killed in the so resources and a thousand kilometer long M called encounters and 54 of them belong coast, has become a favorite place for he will bring “Indiramma’s Raj” again for the people. A farmer in a cartoon wonders to the CPI (Maoist), one to the CPI(ML) imperialist plunder. There is much whether he means emergency. That’s no (Janshakthi), one to the CPUSI (DBSV), two resistance against the mushrooming more a joke now. He more than proved it to the CPI(ML) (Praja Prathighatana) and projects that are multiplying day by day. with so much of bloodshed in the past two two belong to mass organizations and two Women are participating in large numbers and half years of his “police raj” in A.P. sympathizers. in these struggles. But the disturbing fact YSR came to power promising the people In fact, we could not get the complete is that many women who are leading these that he will restore democratic rights, give details of all the persons who were killed masses are being ruthlessly killed. In a free electricity to farmers, hold talks with and have depended entirely on society where it is very difficult for women the naxalites etc. He held the drama of newspapers to write this article, so we do to come out of the house, leave alone democracy for six months and started to participate in such struggles, 60 able shed his masks one after the other. Many women leaders, who could lead the times YSR called the former CM struggling masses, getting killed is of Chandrababu Naidu a stooge of the grave concern. In spite of this fascist World Bank while he was in the repression the revolutionary movement opposition. He not only continued the continuous to draw women. We are giving tradition but also tried to outwit him in in the following list the minimum details no time. He and his favorite DGP (in) Sen available with us, of those women who experimented with many new methods in braved the bullets of the cruel police. All curtailing the revolutionary movement. those belong to the CPI (Maoist) unless Though repression is not new to the otherwise mentioned. Wherever it is people of A.P., still this extent of written ‘fake encounter’ it is already bloodshed is unprecedented even when proved beyond doubt that it is fake. compared to Naidu’s rule. Wherever it is written encounter it is not After the “Talks Drama” was over, his that it is a genuine encounter but it is not government didn’t waste any time. The proved that it is a fake. mayhem started with a fake encounter of Nearly 180 women were killed Lakshmi, a state executive committee during Chandrababu’s nine-year rule. In member of the Andhra Pradesh Com. Karuna, Martyred with CCM Com. BK just two years, the YSR government Chaithanya Mahila Samakhya, a mass killed 60 women. Perhaps this is the only organization working among women. She not know how many are really party sphere where the Government doesn’t was brutally tortured before being killed. members and how many are sympathizers show any ‘discrimination’. Some of the An eyewitness to her postmortem told the or just ordinary women. A decade ago, civil finest women leaders who had dedicated press that she had 16 injuries of torture liberties organizations used to go to the their lives for more than a decade or two in and 5 bullet injuries on her body. Many encounter spots to find out whether it is a the service of downtrodden have been fact finding teams proved that it was a fake genuine or fake encounter. But now there killed in this period. Comrades Rangavalli, encounter. This first ‘encounter’ in YSR’s is no need to go for that purpose, because Nyalakonda Rajitha@ Padma, Aruna@ rule took place on 8th Jan 2005. Since then, any one in A.P knows (or who knows about Lalitha, Suguna@ Latha, Prashanthi @ more than 300 people got killed of which a AP) that ‘encounter’ means to catch and Chandana have been legendary leaders in large number were in fake encounters. (The kill after torturing. The story that the police the areas they worked. Com.Sudha from number went on increasing while gives on these occasions didn’t change a Janashakthi was also a very senior leader. collecting the material, so to be precise, bit in the past three and a half decades. Lives of many upcoming women leaders, this figure is up to 30th December 2006) In Though the situation on the whole is so who emerged from poor peasant or addition many lost their lives at the hands violent and many are laying down their labouring classes and from dalits, adivasis of black gangs, in lockup deaths etc. lives valiantly for the people, this article and backward castes, were nipped in the Needless to say that they were killed only tries to throw light on the state repression bud. Women and girls were killed for being after being branded as naxalites or on women in particular. members of the revolutionary women’s sympathizers to the revolutionary A.P. has an appreciable history of organizations. Apart from Padma of the movement (Though the civil and human people’s movements. Women always JNM (cultural organisation) and Belli rights organizations never get tired of participated in these movements in large Lalitha there have been many singers, asking the question “can anyone be killed numbers and played a very significant role. Continued on page 27

32 PEOPLE'S MARCH, May-June, 2007