HER WAY to GO COJ\IJ\IE'\'TS the Prime Minister Has Laid Down a Bitter-Sweet Recipe for West View Ftom Delhi Bengal-First Bitler Then Sweet

Vol. 3: No. 18 J() I.Y 25, 1970 PRICE: 35 PAISE

On Other Pages HER WAY TO GO COJ\IJ\IE'\'TS THE Prime Minister has laid down a bitter-sweet recipe for West View fTom Delhi Bengal-first bitler then sweet. The Centre is ready to help the GROPING FOR ALLIES hapless State with a bulging purse ot how many erores of rupees even FROM t\ POLITICAL CORRES- she does not know; schemes are ready to transform CalCUitta from a PO-'l(wvr .5 nightmare to a dream city; bustee-dwellers will have neat little tene- Kerala ments now beyond the reach of the middle-class; the unempl6jed wiII PREPARING FOR THE FRAY have work, the peasant land to tiIJ, and, what is most amazing. the civic RAM)l 6 bodies enough funds which wi]], after the customary loot, leave a surplus for amenities to citizens. The political parties have not been forgotten INDIA-CHINA DISPUTE AND either; they have been promised a general election, the ultimate panacea, THE SOVIET UNION so that the fortunate among them may once again wallow in power. But P. C. DUTrA 8 all this after normalcy has been restored; the dam of Central goodwill and munificence will burst if law and order returns. loll selecting the CONSULTA~CY SERVICES IN I1\'DIA order of priorities for the State the Prime Minister gave precedence to FROM A CORRFSPONDENT ] ] the Home lVlinister in her, and all her talking hours were occupied wi th devising measures to curb lawlessness and violence. Her retinue CALCUTTA DIARY consisted of the top brass of the Union Home Ministry, experts in smelling GYAN KAPUR ]2 Chinese and Pakistani rats in politically inconvenient opponents of the ruling party; they held their little summits with their men in Calcutta PSYCHEDELIC OIINEMA and State Government officials furtively, while attention was focussed MRIGANKA SEKHAR RAY ]3- on J\hs Gandhi's activities. The upshot of these talks may be a grand LALAN FAKIR Hrategy against the lawless and the anti-social which, in the code of the ABHl)IT MUKHOPADHYAY ]4 Government and the political parties recognised by the Establishment, mean N axalites. The details of the stra tegy will gradually emerge, but CLIPPINGS 14 there is no doubt that repression will be more ruthless and i,ndiscrimi_ nate. The Centre will be more generous with arms aid to equip the LETTERS 17 police, the CRP, and the Border Security Force which will scour the State. So much for the success of the latest bandh and the gloating< over it. Neither the Prime Minister nor anybody connected with the imple- Editor: Samar Sen mentation of her law-and-order plan has cared to explain what "normalcy" PRINTED AT MODERN INDIA PRESS, means. In J 966, she and her now-denigrated colleague, Mr GulzarilaI 7, RAJA SUBODH MULLICK SQUARE, CALCUTTA-13 AND PUBLISHED WEEKLY Nanda, had to rush to Calcutta to pacify the angry and by no means FOR GERMINAL PUBLICATIONS (P) LTD. peaceful State. She is peeved at last week's bandh," but there were many BY SAMAR SEN FROM 61, MOTT LANE, CALCUTT A-1 J more four years ago; yet the general election could be held in early 1967. TELEPHONE: 24-3202 Despite recent attempts to rehabilitate Mr Dharma Vira, there was more

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FRONTIER the mini-front mmlstry w'ill be able set to work on this line on the For- to record some achievement with ge- labour trouble in West Bengal in ward Bloc, for' it is principally the \neroUis assistance from the Centlre. 1968 than in the preceding year Forward Bloc which has stood all The Prime Minister and her asso· when the United Front reigned. But these months between President's rule iate parties are out to bully and that did not come in the way of a and a mini-front ministry. To make suborn the recalcitrant into accepting mid-term poll in February 1969; it their plea convincing they may even their policy. 1£ Mrs Gandhi were would have been held three months declare that a mini-front ministry will serious about continuatiQ1l of Presi- earlier but for the North Bengal be [or a short period only; it will dent's rule the Assembly would have floods. The existence of the Shiv assume office only to outmanoeuvre been dissolved forthwith and within Sena and its violent antics do not de- the Prime Minister and recommend [ortyeight hours of her visit Mr Ajoy tract from normalcy in Maharashtra; immediate dissolution of the Assembly Mukherjee would not have met the nor does the daily incidence of vicious and holding a mid-term poll; and Governor to discuss ministry-making. crimes in the city where Mrs Gandhi even during its short spell in office resides. 'West Bengal has always been an unquiet State, though lawlessness here is o[ a different type. Peace Moves It is more political than criminal, and the Government will have to wait till there has been growing evidence of the - eternity if it plans to hold the next Last week the sultry air of New Soviet isolation from the liberation election only when the State becomes Delhi was thick with rumours of struggle in Asia and the resulting politically quiet. West Bengal will another peace offensive in Indo- frustration may have turned the Rus- never be quiet in that sense; nor non- China. The Soviet Deputy Foreig\1 sians towards a peace ,that would stop violent, for violence has entered the Minister, Mr Nikolai Firyubin, who the spread of revolutionary ranks in soul of all political parties in the was on a "friendly visit" to "New Asia under thc leadership of Peking. State, the Prime Minister's own party Delhi, was said to be carrying the Pravda in fact has given vent to its not excluded; no party is left out of proposals for a new Geneva confer- frustrations by accusing China of the all-in bomb-making and bomb- ence for peaceful setttlement of the In- isolating the national liberation strug- throwing spree. All that the Gov- do-China war. Once the Americans gle in Asia from its "genuine allies- ernment can and will do in the name have given a firm pledge of with- the countries of the socialist commu- of restoring normalcy is to indulge dra'vving all troops from Indo-China, some parties and try to suppress nity, the international communist as Mr Firyubin reportedly hinted, all and workers' movement. That revolu- others. the liberation fighters in Indo-China The Prime Minister's plea of law- tionary forces in Asia have been would hurry to negotiate. Although warned in nO uncer,tain terms to be lessness is a ruse. She has gained there was nO confirmation of the ru- time for her allies to continue their on their guard against the imperialis- moured move, New Delhi managed efforts for a mini-front ministry with tic designs of Peking. But in a pointed to find a . place, however small, on the support of her party and ,\"in disregard of ,thc Soviet warning Hanoi the diplomatic map as a relay station over the recalcitrant among the form- applauded :Mao for his "immense en- er constituents o[ the UF who are between \Vashington and Moscow. A couragemcnt and firm support" and &till squeamish o\'er sharing power hangover from the Nehru era. Soon pledged to follow his a{lvice to with the Congress. The Prime Min- however it was discovered that the "persist in and cncrgetically promote ister is banking heavily on the lust Russians have _no reason to the fight to completely defeal~-- for power that the left parties have use India as a go-between when U.S. aggression". General Giap who developed in the last three years; their man in \Vashington, Ana- is frequently dubbed pro-Moscow ancl she hopes that they will surrender if toll' Dobrynin, finds himself very an opponent of protracted war furthcr threatened with deprivation of office much at home there and the hot line underlined Hanoi's faith in Maoist for long. Her reluctance to have any is active. strategy in an article in Nhan Dan. election until normalcy has returned However, the possibility that 1\los- "\ Ve are unafraid of a protracted is an elaborately laid trap. The cbw is out to peddle yet another war", he said. "As proved by reali- Forward Bloc practically walked into peace plan cannot be ruled out. In ties, our strategy of fighting protract- it when its leaders argued with her April last while thousands of Viet- edly has prevailed over the enemy's that law and order could not im- namese civilians Wele being massacred strategy of fighting and winning ra- prove under President's rule because in Cambodia not much by way of pro- pidly." Prince Sihanouk and his permanent officials hesitated to be test was heard from Moscow. Instead guerillas have also refused to slacken firm in a transitional regime. As the it came out 'wlth the proposals for their armed effort. Prime Minister is not going to order calling a new Geneva conference-to The Russians are fast losing their an early poll, the only course open be withdrawn only when Hanoi's hos- cool. In a rec~nt speech in Tokyo to the Forward Bloc to end lawless- tility .to the idea became apparent. the Soviet Japalwlogist, Dmitri Pet- ness and President's rule is to form The latest noise about a peace propo- rov, implied that Moscow does not a mini-front ministry. Parties in sal mayor may not be genuine but tune with the Prime Minister will nOW JULY 25, 1970 FRONTIER

can sider Peking to. be the anly trau- Madame Binh raised expeotatians In Bharat Sevasram and Sriguru Sangha. ble-maker in Asia. All the three the minds· af certain leftist circles Gavernment afficials are tao. busy cauntries-that is Vietnam and Karea that Mrs Gandhi might utilise the making surveys, calculatians and ex- as well as China-cantain peaple, he appartuni,ty to. bring India claser to. planatians and cannot be bathered said, who. are indifferent to. the dan- Hanai and the Provisianal Revalutia- with pebty problem'S like providing gers af waT. It is therefare up to. nary Gavernment af Sauth Vietnam. immediate relief. Russia and Japan, as industrialised These circles, who. always see a straw Mrs Gandhi's Gavernment, haw- cauntries \Wth the mast to. lase, to. in the duststarms af Delhi, will ever, feels immcnsely satisfied that take cancerted actian to. ease tensians blame Mr Swaran Singh, whase it can persuade six State Gavernments in Asia and prevent any new wars. 'persanal guest' Madame Binh is, far to. agree to. rehabilitate the refugees. Camrade Petrav just fargot to. men- the incivility af nat having turned Trainlaads af -refugees are leaving tian that other nan-industrialised up at the airpart to. receive her. But West Bengal far Orissa, Andhra, cauntries af Asia fram Sauth Karea the incivility mus'" have had the Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar to. Thailand are no. less interested in sanctian af the Cabinet headed by 'Pradesh and far the first time, Bihar. the kind af peace he has in mind. Mrs Gandhi: It is time peaple ceased By July 15, it is afficially stated, to. have any illusians abaut the role 81,000 have been despatched. Mrs Back at hamc, it scems India has tha,t India has decided to. play-the Gandhi's abligatians are presumably very little to. cantribute to. the anti- role af a lackey af "'he twa super- avert; same cash accasianally and' imperialist struggle. The visit af pawers. heaps af advice and hapes will make her canscience clear. Nat that the refugees shauld have expected any The New Refugees royal welcame. The mare clever af them left Pakistan lang ago. and established themselves in India through Mr Triguna Sen thinks that the and Pakistan. The Nehru-Liaquat deviaus meanS. These new refugees, refugees who. have becn crossing into. pact, the Tashkent declaratian all paar peasants, knaw nathing ex- West Bengal since January this year and all the agreements in between cept the land they livcd an and cam- are daing so. because the Pakistani were nat meant far the safety and ing to. India do. nat knaw what to. ecanamic situatian has became un- security af the Muslims in India ar chaase: refugce camps submerged in bearable. The implicatian is, the Hindus in Pakistan but far /the peace rainwater ar same questianable shel- refugees are caming aver simply in and hanaur af the gentlemcn in ter amang unsympathetic peaple. search af faad. This aver-simplifica- seats af pawer and prestige. The leftists here have been suggest- tian is likely to. antaganise peaple in The West Bengal Gavernment has ing all alang ,that the refugees be set- general in Wes,t Bengal. Even the refused ,tJO accammadate new refu- tled in the Andamans, where agri- mast kindhearted in West Bengal ac- fees. It has af caurse its reasans. cultural laud can even naw absarb cepted the refugees in the past with Since 1947, 44 lakh peaple have cros- all the new refugees, that ,the refu- the greatest reservatians; the refused aver the barder and mast af them gees shauld nat be scattered all aver gees wcre always cansidered, probably have settled in ,~his Stak In the ab- India and expased to. absalutely un- with same justificatiari, a great bur- sence af any canstructive approach certain prospects. The Gavernment ...•....den 'an West Bengal's ecanamy. tawards the problem, the Gavern- af India wauld nat dare, hawever, The State's ecanamy has been sunk ment tried to. dispase af it by giving to. make a new cansalidated cal any irretrievably and the new exadus will aut dales and laans which have been in the Andamans which through its make the canfusian canfaunded; causing a strain an its finances. A proximity to. vVest Bengal may turn peaple here, fallawing Mr Sen's state- new burden is evidently beyand its red and create same imaginary stra- ment, will develap same mare anta- pawer to. bear, but to. hurl a blatant tegic handicaps far the Cangress. ganism tawards rthe hapless refugees. refusal right in the face af the miser- Mr Mujibar Rahaman testifies that able refugees is simply beastly. The the new refugees have been driven three refugee camps at Hasnabad, For FRONTIER readers In beyand the Pakisltani barder by the Basirhat and Petrapal have became Pakistani Ootaber .electian machina- glaring instances af haw innacent West India can contact tians. The ruling clique fears that peaple are paying far the crime cam- many vaters wauld vate against it. mitted by the canspiratars af parti- S. D. CHANDAVARKAR The reasans far the present exadus, tian. Twenty-nine thausand refugees it appears, are nat mainly ecanamical are herded at Hasnabad, 26,000 at 10. K anara House but palitical, nOit the unreasanable Basirhat and 6,000 at Petrapal and preferences af the refugees but ,the all the peaple who. are· warking to. Mogal Lane, )\fahim palitical failure af the bankrupt pali- provide them with faad and clathes cies af the Governments af India belang .to.: the . Ramkrishna· Missian, nom b

JULY 25, 1970 3 . n "...... _.I'f& __

Being a politician he did not care to At Daggers Drawn remember: how many extremists have died at the hands of his partymen. young are fed up with demonstrations Mr Promo de Da~ Gupta also has de- A .correspondent writes: whieh end up in meetings, meetings clared that if ,the police do not in- Few could :magine two to three which end up in resolutions, and re- tervene, the Marxists will be able to years ago that even stud,ents would solutions which lead to nowhere. tackle the Naxalites on their own kill fellow-students to sort out politi- Besides, the idea of secret cells and terms. The scenario o~ popular re- cal differences. How to explain this cadres with a definite task to perform sistance is being written, cadres are phenomenon? Passionate partisans satisfies the craving for individual said to be selecting their areas of argue that this is a symptom of the initiative, which participation in meet- action. extreme, inevitable-and welcome- ings and demonstrations does not. As we all seem to live in worlds of polarisation that is taking place; that All this is understandable. But our own, the Naxalites, who an- violence among students, cven at thi~ aren't all sorts of people, with their nounce that the liberation army will juncture when d1C ruling classes are local interests to serve, trying, not to march in West Bengal in 1970-71, sitting pretty, is unavoidable. be like guerillas among the people- are unlikely to be daunted, though Thc phenomenon is pcrhaps an ex- fish in water-but to fish in troubled outnumbered. But preoccupmn with tension of the bitter inter-parly strug- waters? Inevitably, many provoca- 'action' is not enough, parJicularly gle that marked the UF regime. teurs are active. And there arc when some of the actions are unor- Confined at the beginning to the reasons to believe that, as psychologi- thodox in the extreme. These are countryside, it later erupted in some cal preparation, many stupid and seldom explained in political terms mining and plantation areas. It was mischievous acts-attacks on 'small but just mentioned in passing, as a the ruling parties, eager to extend their hospitals, vaccination centres etc- tribute to student revolt. Too bases, which were involved. In Cal- will be performed to bewilder and many unexplained experiments, too cutta also signs of an arrogance of antagonise the general public before many brainwaves may be counter-pro- power were evident, a desire to teach 'popular resistance' begins. ductive and result in a backlash. the extremist opponents a quick les- There is yet time for the rank and son. Violence leading to murder of Mr Sundarayya of the CPM is said file of the warring parties to take stock political opponents belonging to the to have told reporters that, in view of what they have been doing. Force same class began to be accepted as of the number of CPM workers kil- is the midwife ... ,yes; but is any part of the class struggle; notorious led by the' NaxalLtes, his party will kind of force the answer to elements who had served the Con- now have to fight, tooth and nail. everything? gress joined the various parties and became the vanguard when it was a question of attacking opponents. Experts in the scicnce of assault and The French Left killing and given an ideological cover, they have trained up many young M. Jean-Jacques Servan-Schrei- economIC cnSIS. The leftists have men to fight to kill. It was ,the rank ber's ideas are a bundle of contradic- lost the key to the future and are and file which suffered, not the lea- tions ; 'nevertheless his' diagnosis of groping in the dark. What else it ~ ders. When ,the dominant parties re- the impotence of the French official could do when it is committed tu play- sorted to bombs and daggers, those left mer~ts attention. The left has ing the parliamentary game according outside the UF were forced to pay not been able to repudiate society as to rule; HS-S says the French left them back in their own coin. it is, being entrenched in it. It should go the whole hog in revisio- Vvest Bengal is in a state of unrest draws strength from the future to nism to evolve a concrete strategy. and confusion. The most mobile ele- overcome insuperable.. obstac1ies, but The presen't vagueness of its aims ments, the young activists think that is incapable of dealing with the leaves an impression of confusion, they are attacking the rotten system present. It is split between opposi- and deviousness. But if it falters, when they ,turn on educational ins- tion and responsibility. In the eco- if it finds it difficult to openly titutions, statues. and other targets. nomic sphere, whenever a particular repudiate the revolutionary idea- People in their forties or fif,ties are line of operation gets into trouble lism in which it has no longer not in a position to judge the depth the leftists will suggest the remedy any faith, it is because of the fear of of their frustration, anger, and deler- of State take-over or some fiscal losing its identity. J-JS-S has his mination to do something different, stringency, even though in theory eyes on sixty or seventy members of to break through in an atmosphere they are opposed to bureaucracy and the National Assembly who like him vitiated by ,the ceaseless squabbling the bourgeois system. It escapes believe that revolution is impractical and buffoonery of the aged polLticians . them that the affiiction of an area of or inopportune in highly industria- who have ,their hearts set on the As- the economy forebodes a national lised countries. 1£ the parliamentary sembly and the Secretariat. The JULY 25, 1970 4 constellation he is chasing proves to View from Delh i be a mirage, it is because his candid- ness is embarrassing to many. J-JS-S does not masquerade his reactionary Groping For Allies ideas with progressive laces. The MPs wearing leftist plate-marks are FROM A POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT unlikely to find in him the right man to fonn a third force around. NEVER on this side of the Con- The confusion on the left is worse. This is reassuring to both the Gaul· gress split have issues been so The CPI feels rewarded for its tout- lists and the communists who con- ing for the ruling Congrcss ann the sider that :french politics is fast blurred and politics so bankrupt as they are now. For Mrs Indira CPI(M) nOw feels obliged to take a polarising. between them. tough line against Mrs Indira The barnstorming J-JS-S introduced Gandhi, an early Lok Sahha poll is Gandhi just to demarcate itself from new mores of campaign in the by- both off and on. It is part of her rthe revisionist CPI. Mr E. M. S. election at Nancy. It started over psychological warfare against party Namboodiripad might object to the the difference between M. Souchal detractors and her pulitical opponents. minority ministry that was ruling and the Government over the deci- 111e gimmick has paid off because Kcrala (now it is ruling without a sion to build the Paris-Strasbourg while no party wants a snap poll, legislaturc !) but he had no inhibi- autoroute through Metz bypassing every party is preparing for the con- tions about supponiJing a minority Nancy. Lorraine and Metz have tingency of an election early in 1971. at thc Centre. Time was when Mrs strained relations for centuries. The But neither the Syndicate's plan for Gandhi wanted thc CPI and CPI citizens of Nancy have been smart- a Grand Alliance nor Mr George (M) to be united-on the question ing undcr the discrimination against Fernandes' Janus-faced strategy (of of supporting her. That phase ended them by the Central Government. alliance with the right and simulta- thc moment she knew she could Paris with all the trappings of Napo- neously with the left) has got off ditch the CPI (M) and its 19 mem- leonic grandcur is unapproachable. the ground. bers in the Lok Sabha and survive Little initiative is left for the local At the end of the Jana Sangh any vote. It is in hcr interest now Government. J-JS-S could judge the conelave in Chandigarh this weekend, the SSP pow-wow in Bangalore, the to kecp bOt~h the right and the left local mood correctly and turn the parties dividcd so that there is no electionecring which the Gaullists Swatantra huddle in Madras, and room for non-Congressism of the hoped would be based on local issues, finally the Syndicate's summit at pre-1967 vint~ge at the n'ext poll. into a fusillade against the inert Tirupathi, one might be able to This is the rationale of her selective Govcrnment in Paris. He did not hazard a guess. Only a guess because support to the CPI in its aetempts run as a Radical Socialist Party can- a certain tentative quality has come to playoff its political vendetta didate, although he is the secretary- over panty politics. Every party is against thc Marxists. gcneral of the party, but as a Euro- timid, nervous and unsure and does Mrs Gandhi is not everything in pcan for the dcvelopment of a not want to commit itself to any her party. Mr Jagjivan Ram has his Frcnch province. The party main- electoral strategy prematurelYl. Mrs own strategy and he is dead set tained a distance before the election, Gandhi perhaps was trying to force against any opcn alliance with the for it was sceptical about the Nancy the Opposition to lay its cards on the table by engineering rumours of CPI evcn at thc impending Kerala venturc. This helped J-JS-S in Assembly poll. Mrs Gandhi will find a way. As thc candidate of local an early: poll. that things do not go exactly to her intercsts, hc had an edge over For instance at the Jana Sangh plan. Or she might hcrself begin M. Souchal.· On thc eve of the conference, thinking was in favour of a limited legislative front against realising that an open alliance with election J-JS-S announced the forma- the CPI and the Muslim League in tion of the Societe Europeenne the ruling party and the leadership is not prepared to go farther than Kerala and the CPI in West Bengal de la Lorraine and guaranteed some might be a liability in the Hindi belt. 700 new jobs. His victory speech this at the moment. The Swatantra Her entirc stratcgy is based on centred round the theme that the party has suggested such limited joint functioning in Parliament and in all wresting majority in thc Hindi belt. people had wrested power from the Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pra- capital, the State and the party bosses. likelihood, ,this is about all that the Syndicate's Grand Alliance plan desh, Rajasthan and Delhi Union Will there be a nationwide shake- rl'erritory account for four-tenths of up in the municipal election next would achieve to begin with. Thc wily Mr Rajagopalachari might try to H1e Lok Sabha seats. If she has to year and the parliamentary elections cmerge as the leader of the largest in 1973? The Gaullists as well as psyche the DMK into joining the single party (she has no hopes of the communists can draw comfort Grand Alliance eventually but this would undercut Mr Kamaraj in winning independent majority) she from the fact that there is only one has to win ovcr h81£ the scats in the J-JS-S and Nancy is unique for its Tamil Nadu. European outlook. JULY- 25, 1970 ••• 1. FRONTIER to hasten the split in a communist Hindi belt at anYi cost. Together Nadu as long as the DMK retains party through a policy of seleotive with a series of opportunist adjust- power in the State and supports Mrs arrests. The CPI (M)' s taotie of pro- ments with the satraps of the periphe- Gandhi at the Centre? A similar viding polling agents for Mr Giri ral States, she hopes to head a coali- understanding with the Akalis, the may come home to roost. It is a tion after the ,elections. There can BangIa Congress, the BKD or even strange spectacle, I~heparty demand- be no inhibition over ideology. It the Shiv Sena is perfectly logical, ing an immediate poll in West Bengal could be a left coalition or a right given the only goal-Mrs Gandhi's re- and asking for a late pon in Kerala c<),alition. This is one reason why turn to power at the head of any kind while supporting a minority Ministry the Congress-R would shun a pro- of coalition, formal or informal. grammatic alliance or a joint front at the Cel1!tre. July 19, 1970 based on any programme at this stage. So far the strategy has succeeded. The main challenge to her in the Deadlocked Parliament Hindi belt is from the Jana Sangh It would be well to recall the and the right. But the right has Kerala leadership's attitude to such sugges- been successfully divided by isolat- tions in the past. At the pre-split ing the Jana Sangh. The command Preparing For The Fray Faridabad plenary session, Mr C. performance at the June AICC and Subramaniam circulated his famous later from Chandni Chowk was de- RAM]! thesis on the possibility of a dead- signed to isolate, "the Sangh from the locked Parliamen f in 1972 and the rest of the right by raising the com- means of averting it. His thesis was munal bogey, which would also ap- THE Election Commissioner has rejected with contempt by Mr Y. B. peal to the left allies. The left shows " come and gone and it is more Chavan on behalf of the bosses and no trend towards unity. The two or less certain that the elections will the Congress talked of politics of communist parties will be kept snip- come off during the first week of commitment and a resolve to fight "ing at each other while the SSP and September. This is what the mini- things single-handed. Once again, the PSP can never unite. If any- fronters want and since they enjoy at t11eJune AICC of the ruling Con- thing there is a chance of the two so- Mrs Gandhi's patronage they are gress, Mr C. Subramaniam raised the cialist parties splintering into four. likely to get what they want. The issue but it was ignored by the leader- The established leadership in both more so, as the Marxists are vehe- ship. Nobody so much as referred these parties have seen to it that mently clamouring for elections in to the danger of a deadlocked Parlia- there is no chance of merger and the Deccmber. The Marxists point out ment. Mr Stibramaniam had said leaders would rather prefer bod1 the that the voters' list is not yet ready that 'though the hme before them parties splitting so that there are and that thousands and thousands of was ItOOshort, they could still hope three if not four socialist parties. Mrs voters were left out during the enume- to avert a deadlock. Gandhi can always choose her allies ration mainly Ibecause they, mostly Mrs Gandhi takes a deadlocked hom among the fragmented factions. peasants and workers, were neck-deep Parliament for granted. In fact she in their struggles when the enumera- would like one so that she is the No Clear Pattern tion took place. If the elections leader by a manipulated consensus. As of now, it looks as though no come off in September there would A clue to her thinking could be clear pattern of alliances will emerge be no time for scrutiny of the voters' found in a little-noticed article by except on the eve of a poll. No party list, filing of objections for deleti her chief tactician, Mr D. P. Mishra. wants to make a prior commiItment or addition and publication of revised The former RSS storm-trooper turned and the approach of each paftty is voters' list. The ,time available for PSP leader and now an apostle of timid and halting. What may all this would be just a week or so. democratic socialism says that if the eventually prevail will be unprincipl- There is justice in the Marxists' con- Hindi region has to have its domin- ed, opportunist regional alliances tention :that under such circums~ ance over national politics, it is neces- with no regard for programme or po- tances, with lakhs of voters left out, sary to re-clect the Congress-R from licies and [the ruling party will set the elections would be a farce. the region. The election strategy of the fashion for the new political per- The various political parties are busy the ruling Congress will be missiveness. If winning the majo- getting ready for the fray. The oriented to winning a majority in the rity in the Hindi belt requires ban- main preoccupation now is not elec- Hindi belt and going in for oppor- ning the CPI (M) it would be done tion propaganda but getting as many tunist power adjustments with the because the June AICC resolution is allies as possible into one or the right and left in the peripheral States, aimed against what is imprecisely other of the various fronts that are even if it means letting down the described as left adventurism. It can taking shape. The CPI-led mini- party in the non-Hindi States. '\That be interpreted to cover the CPI (M) front succeeded in patching up, if Mr Subramaniam is finished and or a section of the CPI (M) . It has for the time being, the dif- there is no Congress-R left in Tamil always been the ruling class's strategy ferences between the PSP and

6 JULY 25, 1970 FRONTIER

the ISP inside it, through just a of the CPI seats now elaimed by it Indicatc would plump for more than change in nomenclature: the old co- are those where the Kerala Congress 60 seats and would rejcct most of the ordination commiHee has become ,is stronger. seats now offered, since most of these the united fronb committee. Tl1is Behind the facade of the front, are Marxist stronghol~ls. Apart from appeased the ISP which withdrew frantic ao~ivity is going on for per- this, groups have surfaced inside the its objection to the PSP joining the mutations and combinations. The Indicate Congress. Of this, one is front. It may be recalkd that this Kerala Congress is trying to forge an led by Mr C. M. Stephcn, who is for was the iS~le which had threatened alliancc with the Indicate Congress an alliance with the Kcrala Congress to break up the front, and which inc on the one side and the Muslim and through it thc Muslim League duced the Chief Minister, Mr Aelm- League and the Syndicate Congress and the Syndicate Congress, to revive tha Mel10n, to cure the ailment by on the other, to form what is termcd in effect the anti-communist party killing the patient: he got the Assem- a 'democratic front'. The Kerala alignment which took place after the bly dissolved and he and his Minis- Congress wants to ctit the pompous 'liberation struggle'. This section try became representative of none and conceited CPI down to size. The is gathering considerable strength. other than themselves. The leverage picture is changing so fast and fre- A significant feature inside the In- of official position and leadership of quently that it is difficult at present dicate Congress is thc emergence of a the mini-front has induced the CPI to predict the final shape of things. group of youthful Congressmen (not to assume grandiose roles. The CPI Youth Congress) who have formed with just five percent voting strength In A Quandary themselves tnto a Congress Radical in Kerala, is among the diminutive The Indicate Congress, with its Forum, which wants the Congress to parties in this State. But, thanks servile leadership, is in a quandary.' be alive to its strength and to fight to the indulgence of the Governor, After giving all·out support to the the eleotions singlehandcd. Thc Radi- who allows the Chief Minister to mini-front while it was in power and cal Forum-sponsors state that this is continue as such, even though his sihging hallelujahs to, it, it now finds in tune with the resolution of the majority in the Assembly is highly that, according to 'the min,i-:front Kottayam State Convention of the suspect and even though the Assem- rating, it has to take a back seat. Congress in 1968 and since this has bly has been dissolved the CPI image Under mini-front dispensation, about not been revoked by another con- stand,s bloated up. The minHron- 30 seats have becn allotted to it, out vention, the KPCC has no powcr to ters are now evolving their election of 133, on the assumption that it will go against thc resolution. 111is plank, for which a committee is at play the second fiddle to the front youthful section, which is as much work. But, even before the all-party and rcmain as its humble henchman disgusted with the servile attitude of committee met, Mr M. N. Govindan without aspiring to any position in the KPCC leadership as with the Nair, SeCrctary of the State CPI, the government. The silent surren- establishment-qonscious< 'ycsmanship' 19noring tho other partners, begged der of the Indicate Congress, initially, of the Youth Congress leaders who the question by stating that the to the assumption of leadership by have been taken into the KPCC ex- mini-front would be seeking a confi- the mini-front, showcd that it would ecutive, is fast gathering round it a dence vote for the Ministry during be satisfied with this undignified role, considerable section of Congressmen. the eleetionsj This hajS irked the although it commands more popular And if their demand is not met by .••.. other partners who have a larger support than all the mini-front. parties the KPCC, it is certain that they will following. One thing is certain. put together and, next fo the Mar- be putting up candidates of their own, There is going to be quite a lot of xists, it is still the party with the without reference ito the alliance bickering over the division of seats, biggest popular following in the state. committments of the Indioate Con- especially as the CPIt. the .smallest After the initial shock of being takcn gress. The Radical Forum is likely to party, in terms of voting percentage, so much for granted, the Indicate M a lively thorn in the flesh of the is demanding an inordinately large leadership has begun to show some Indicate Congress. The Radicals are share of scats, none of which it can signs of spirit and some consciousness staunch Congressmen and they feel win without the support of others. of its undoubted popular strength. that the Congress has to be rid of The two parties in the mini-front The Indicate Congress President has reactionary leadership if it has to with substantial following, though now stated that if the mini-front 'take its legitimate place in the poli- confined to specific regions, arc the wants a mandate from the people for tical pidture of Kerala. If, as is likely Kcrala Congress and the Muslim the present ministry, it will have to the KPCC lcadership refuses their League. Vv'hile the CPI could easily contest all the seats and that it would demand, they have planned a state- appease, the League ,'by granting it be too much to expect the Congrcss wide convetion, to decide their elec- an adequate number of seats in the to suppo~b an anti-Congress line, tion strategy. And it is quite likely Mal

JULY 25, 1970 7 li'RONTIER ding with any party by the Congress, The Marxists, who do not have collision was the r01l.. of the Soviet it could be only with the Marxists, the benefit of the wide publicity Union. It played a role which no the only party with statewide mass which the other parties, especially the imperialist or reactionary country was following. Fur.ther, the Radical~ mini-fronters, get in the press, are in a position to play. Before evi- maintain that with the socialist ideo- quietly taking stock of their strength. dence is adduced, a brief survey may- logy of the Congress it is logical for With the arrival of EMS from his be useful. India and China were them to be in favour of Marxism, foreign tour, the Marxists are going two friendly neighbours but with bor- although they might not fully sup- to evove their election strategy. ders not formally delimited. The port the Marxist party as such. borders became lively in 1949-50 ; communism on the border has many implications. In the past these borders were occasionally disputed and India-China Dispute And The conflicting claims (along these borders) can draw sustenance from history, ethnography or from com- Soviet Union mon justice. It is indeed difficult to - pinpoint the issue. But this much P. C. DUTTA was certain that (1) the McMahon Line has never been recognised by AO'S warm ha~1dsl;ake .witl~ the bourgeoisie. Not unreasonably did China; the Lhasa authorities of Tibet M Indian Charge d Aff31res 111Pe- Indira Gandhi tell her questioner in disputed it.right in 1947 immediately king causcd not a little surprise. Ir~dia an appreciative mood that the two, after India became independent (Re- has been caught in a state of mmd- communist parties no longer looked port of the Officials of the Govern- less reflex. But what arc the Chinese for foreign guidance. Election poli- ment of India and the Peoples' Re- really up to? The Indian foreign tics allows no scope for risking na- public of China on the Boundary office men asked each other this tionalist-minded middle-class opinion. Question-published by the Ministry question for several days and appa- To an average Indian the handshake of External Affairs, Government of rently ended as short of positive ans- was a good thing jn tha,t it took India), (2) and that the Indian Gov- wcrs as they had started. They place at all; but pessimism persists. ernment was never in actual control plumed for Dinesh Singh's sugges- The expectation got short shrift from of the Aksai Chin area, but China tion that the search for answers the Indian Government spokesman was (Nehru's specch in the Lok Sa- should be left to the officials who in who just dug in and kept insisting bha on February 23, 1961). 'mutual exploratory contacts' might on full recognition of India's border Mao's China and Nehru's India or might not find a basis for more claims as a precondition for any were not hostile to each other. In a formal discussion of India-China fruitful tallks. To people it is no confidential letter in 1950 to India's problems. longer a matter of fleeting policies Representative at UN, Sir B. N. Those about to embark on that or an apparent inability, it is the Rao, Nehru wrote: "There can be search will not have an easy time. State and its institutions that are little doubt that the Chinese Gov- The present diplomatic picture is full more suspect than ever. Retrogres- ernment is trying its best to be of loose ends. With the Soviet sive India will not be allowed to friendly to us. Apart from present- Union and America controlling our conclude peace with revolutionary day conflicts and in the long run I purse, both hostile to China, the China. But a progressive India is am sure that it is of great imporance prospect is not encouraging. They not an immedialte possibility and to Asia and to the world that India would not allow the structure of con- the average Indian looks askance, ob- and elina should be friendly" (quot- tainment of China to collapse. New livious of the dangerous potential of ed by B. Shiva Rao in his article Times' (J une 9) broadside against the situation. 'Nchruand the UN.', The Statesman, China's Asia policy, exploiting the na- The dangerous potential and the December 6 and 7, 1965). The tive distrust of the bourgeoisie of sheer enormity of the tragedy cntail- main task New China set herself was Communist China, indicates that ing enormous loss in men, money to defeat the exploiters at home and Moscow does not want India to go and material, of the quarrel between the menacing imperialists abroad and ahead. The American reaction, too, two friends whose affeotion was to win to her side the waverers. is never tardy. The Indian big heightened by shared captivity until Among the waverers were a whole bourgeoisie found in Mao's gesture they faced each other over the bor- number of newly independent bour- just diplomacy and considered even der, impel us to look back again and geois States which as bourgeois States Indira's mild response, not as reason- again for an explanation of how the detest Red China but as oppressed able but as impuden,t. What the left break came about. States prefer peace wi,th her. This ' parties think about foreign policy One of the most important factors explains the peaceful boundary settle- seems almost the same as that of the that helped to cause the head-on- ments with Burma, Nepal, Pakistan

8 JULY 25/ 1970 FRONTIER and Afghanistan. The same is true ther tied up with the relations bet- greater help to India than all the mi- of China's negotiations with India ween Lndia and China. I see that litary aid received from the West in because the basis is almost identical. both the USA and the UK on the those days" (Source: Indian Commu- Her policy is to group around herself one hand and the USSR on the other, nism, Split within a Split by Mohan those capitalist countries which are for entirely different reasons are not Ram). About who star,ted the fight- strangled by imperialism. That is anxious that India and China should ing even some Anglo:American news- why her proposal of concessions to a be friendly towards each other. That papers hostile to China gave diffe- number og countries has more than itself is a significant fact which has rent versions. For example, the Sun- a capitalist significance. She distin- to be borne in mind" (quoted by day Telegraph on October 21, 1962 guishes b~tween big dangers and B. Shiva Rao, 'Nehru and the U.N.', reported: "India made a secret high little danger and incurs the les- The Statesman, December 6 and 7, level approach to ,the West for sup- ser dangers rather than the greater in 1965) . port shortly before launching her order to consolidate and strengthen Nehru kept this significant fact in offensive against the Chinese on the Himalayan border, it is now learned revolution in conditions of gherao by in mind throughout and tried to cash ..... ". The New York Times of the imperialist powers and eventual in on it as far as he could. The more April 19, 1963, quoting a UPI dis- conflict. The fundamental condition, anti-Chinese he became, the more patch from Washington, reported: however, for the pcrmanent security aid did he get not only from America "Gen. Maxwell D. Tayl,ar, Chairman and victory of a socialist country is but also from the Soviet Union, to of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, indicated world proletarian revolution, but that tide over domestic difficulties. The in secret congressional testimony revolution necd not be expor,ted Nchru Government secured two So- made here today that India might is an objective law. Therefore, for viet credits 'totalling 350 million have started. the bordcr fight with China to pursue peaceful co-exis- roubles (Rs 3,000 million) right after Communist China .. " (Source: The tcnce with India was neither inconsis- the Indian Government had support- Wall Has Two Sides, by Felix tent with her revohttionary declara- ed the counter-revolutionary uprising Greene) . But the 'brother Soviet tion nor difficult. in Tibet, thus creating the first breach Union', but for a brief spell during For Nehru New China originally in India-China friendship, disregard- the Caribbean crisis in 1962 (when in appeared to be not a State of the ing the principle of non-interference. anticipation of Chinese help she de- classical communist type but a pea- It was about this time that Nehru nounced the 'notorious' McMahon sant-nationalist one and certainly not had the first communist State gov- Line-Pravda, October 25) conti- a satellite of Soviet Russia. A partly ernment in Kerala ousted. As the nues to hold China responsible to materialist, partly metaphysical Chi- Sino-Soviet rift which began from this day (New TimC6, June 9,1970). ncse communism was to Nehru an the 20th Congress of the CPSU on The Soviet authors and journalists essential manifestation of China's the ques

10 JULY 25, 1970 FRONTIER

The suggestion that the / Soviet rica? After years of 'cooperation' and ing with steel, and other metallic in- Union protected India from falling 'aid' what a secure independent ecoc dustries. Onc of these, an American into thc American camp is not borne nomy India has! India has become firm which came to this country dur- out by faels. Along with collabora- now the largest dumping ground for ing the first fivc year plan, tagged - hon, confrontation bctween the two Soviet military goods. Indo-Soviet 'India' to its ta.iI and parted with an super-powcrs docs take place, but friendship has so over-reached itself insignificant portion of the share, but only when one power treads a little and become so burdened that the actually .its operation is still controlled too near the other's backyard. Con- people are becoming restless and see by the American principal. Even the fron ta tion-and let-it-not-be-forgot- clearly that in concept, form and re- technical works are severely limited ton, withdrawal. Brezhnev says that sult the Soviet aid can hardly be dis- to copying the blue-prints and calcu- the Third World cannot 'secure the tiqguished from the American aid, lations from the drawings and basic establishmen t of their independent the Brezhnev collective security plan design work done in its Anlerica economy' unless they 'cooperate' with from the Dulles plan. office. In other words, the fund.i,on the Soviet Union and this 'coopera- of the Calcutta office with its huge tion', aCQording to Kosygin, will Indo-Soviet friendship has landed air-conditioned rooms arid a fleet of enable the Soviet Union to 'purchase India into an unenviable position. Indian cngineers, among whom those in these countries increasing quan- Not even a diehard supporter of w.ith qualifications from American tities of their traditional export com- _ Indira Gandhi would suggest that un;versities draw twice the salary of modi ties' and 'variety of manufactu- India cuts a very fair figure so far in- their Indian counterparts, is simply red goods'. In ,the eyes of the Soviet ternational politics is concerned. Des- that of a post office. Despite the leaders, the people of the Third pite stupendous 'aid' from ,the two glut of qualified and trained techni- World are only to supply them witil super-powers India is passing through cal personnel .in the country, techni- 'these traditional export commodities' the worst economic crisis in hcr cal personnel who are called 'experts' froni. generation to generation. Does history. are being brought from America for. not this theory boil down to thIs-in- Mao )s not so thoughtless as to cxccution of contracts at high salaries dustrial Soviet Union but agricultural shut his eyes to the possibiliIties of and facilit.ies. The U.S. Govern- Asia, Africa, Latin America; industrial fresh attempts to win India, now ment's specific stipulation that for the Soviet Union-subsidiary processing strangled by the two biggest assistance given to any project an workshop, Asia, Africa, Latin Amc-- imperialisms. American consultancy firm must be appointcd gives an added leverage to these firms to extract contract works within restricted competition, and 'at. Consultancy Services In India the same t.ime to export back a considerable part of the aid money' to By A CORRESPONDENT America. Another firm, though very. Indian in appearance, is .in fact also a post CONSULTANCY firms who offe- ing off the earmngs of the private rcd their services to the projects sector. office of America, West Germany being undertaken in the public and other Western countries. The The consult.ing engineering firms sector raised an outcry in the press main planning, clesign, drawing and that came into existence SOOn after as soon as the decision of the Govern- basic calculations are .mostly copied the beginn,ing of the five year plans from American and other Western ment of India to undertake the plan- are, by and large, American, Indo- n.ing, design, procurement and other countr.ics and purchased at fabulous American firms or firms set up by the engineering works for Bokaro Steel' prices. It is said to have some con- Western countries. In .SOme cases departmentally under the Central nection with Tatas. the names of the foreign coIl abo rat- , Design Bureau of HSL was anno- In the western part of India, of ing firms have been deleted aftcr- unced. The undertaking stated to two firms, both under Tatas, one was wards to make them look more Indian have been given by the late Mr Nehru renamed to make ,it look more Indian-. but the fact rema,ins that the pur- is sometimes recalled, as .if the follies But it remains as American in COn- chase, outright or otherwise, of tech- and foibles of a dead Prime Minister tent and approach as previously. The nical know-how and importat,ion of detrimental to the interesC's of the second firm deals with nuclear, aero-. technical personnel, often with no country cannot be remedied. nautical and other advanced mecha- theoretical qualifications and under There is little justification for pub- nical and electrical engineering. the dubious designation of 'experts' l.ic unease. What is happening is Thus, four big firms in India des.ire at exorbitant pr.ices continued unabat- simply that one more portion of the to capture the field of consultancy ed. In the eastern part of India project works is now being under- services between themselves just Gs there are finns specialising in the taken in the publ.ic sector, thus slash- in monopoly capitalism. power field and in the projects deaI- TIle chief functions of the consul- JULY 25, 1970 "-"'.? 11 tancy firms are to advise and suggest are offered depend-on the 'amount of Calcutta Diary to their clients in India, mainly the contract value they>helped the consulting firms to gain or on their value State and/or Central Government un- " GYAN KAPUR dertakings, the feasibility of projects,. as contact men for negotiating con- the adoption of· correct designs and tracts with their previous employers. THE mixture as before-this sums processes, and help in the purchase No less important is the .fact that up the situation in general in and procurement of equipment from sons of ambassodors or h.ighly paid this city. No doubt then:] are a few different available sources, preferably officials in foreign service or in Cen- changcs hastily scribbled on the mar- .indigenous. That is to say, their tral and state secretaria~'.s are prov.id- gin of the prescription now and then. advice and suggestions should be un- ed with lucrative jobs for obvious rea- Of these the most novel has come biased and not .motivated. What sons. They give the necessary tips at from the Corporation of Caleutta happens actually is quite the con- the opportune mo!nent and help them whose contribution to original think- trary. The advice and' suggestions are in bagging contarcts for themselves ing, nOlt'to speak of work, is not ex- more often than not couched in and their satellite manufacturing and language and technical jargon so as to construction firms. pected to be much. The mayoral chair of the Corpora- force the purchaser to keep his choice Incidents and illustrations can be tion apparently has some of the quali- limited to manufactures of Western multiplied to show that the vicious. ties of the Judgment seat of Vikra- countr.ies or to indigenous manubc- c.ircle that has been set up by the madi,tya and these are passed on to turers who have set up their facto-. camarilla of the consultants, advisers whoever occupies it. Otherwise it is ries in collaboration with capitalists and senior government officials is really serving the interests of the neo- difficult to explain the present doings from the Western ~ountr~es and of our Mayor, Mr Prasanta Sur, who America. Secondly, the rank and file colon.ialist powers who are now hav- started in a businesslike way to bring of the engineers of the governments, ing heyday in India thanks to the five year plans executed under 'mixed some sort of order out of the Cor- except those who are in the top poration mess. Incidentally, Mr Sur superintendent, managing director, economy'. The advisers whose functions are rather obscure are really the happens to be one of the few elected echelons, like chief engineer, general representatives on the contemporary technical director, financial director, key men in the chain. Being direct contact men of consulting firms and scene who goes about in trousers which etc., are kept absolutely inactive ex- today is much nearer the dress of the cept signing bills and minor adminis- as also the advisers of the Central or State Governments they have un- common run of employees and trative works and have no say in workers than the supposed national technical matters. This, ipso facto, limited power and privilege to select men in top positions in projects and dress of the other leaders but which engenders frustration and dillusion- is really the dress of the exploiting ment. In addition, each project has .industries who would readily fall in line with their opinion without de- landed gentry. In spite of good be- 'advisers' whose functions are rather ginnings, however, Mr Sur has fallen dubious. The chief engineers, super- mur and thus faci1.itate landing on contracts by firms of their choice. prey to delusions of grandeur from intendents, etc are generally the pro- which successive mayors have suffered. teges of these advisers. Thus through In the circumstances the decision of It is difficult to explain otherwise secret mutual arrangements deci- the Mayor's serious attempts to sions are taken on vital matters by the Government of India to take up the work of the consultants themselves open a luxury hotel on the site of the managing directors, chief engi- the present New Market. With his neers, etc on procurement .of mate- departmentally, such as, by the Cen- tral Design Bureau or HSL or by the undoubtedly greater drive and ability rial, machinery, design, acceptance to get things done he has even got of tenders without even having the newly set up Government firm, Con- sultancy Services (India) Ltd under promises of the money required from feasibiJit.ies or technical suitabilities the LIC Neither the Mayor nOr the examined by the departmental engi- Water and Power Development is welcome. But then, with 'socialism LIC apparently thinks, that a few neers. In one word, they retain ab- crores of rupees of the policy holders solute say in all matters but at the going downhill' as evident from the Centre's volte face in the case of could be put to any better use than same time their responsibility is vir- building a hotel to woo international granting licences to Birlas for Goa tually nil, protected as they touris,ts to see the doubtful charms are by the advisers and con- Fertiliser Project or to Tata's Mitha- pur Project despite the Dutta Com- of this city. Housing in the city re- sultants. For this self-impos- mains a chronic problem for those mittee's emphatic recommendations ed, often willing, helplessness, high not entitled to get free company to the contrary, there is .not much salaried officials from publ.ic sector quarters. The much-vaunted hous- projects or the senior engineers who hope that any fruitful result will be obta.ined eventually. Ultimately the ing loan scheme of the LIC proved get caught in some shady a trap for the unwary middle income Centre is bound to succumb to the deals find berth, after their retire- people, some of whom spent a few pressure of the aid giving countries. ment or in times of difficulty, in these hundred rupees without even getting consultancy firms. The posts they And that is the price of aid. JULY 25, 1970 12 FRONTIElt

the loan. Municipal housing is com- had gone up. Finally, the work was the City. This also was founet:1 mOn in many countries, even in capi- completed and the stallholders shift- reasonable thing, and took away the talist Britain. It is really strange thalt ed. By now it was estimated that other half of the floor. the nationalised LIC and the commu- the cost of the hotel would go up After all this, free lunches and din- nist Mayor could not agree on any-, by 50%. The LIC refused to grant ners for ,the Councillors, their fami- thing better to spend the money than further loans. Ultimately, the State lies and guests were accepted as a On a posh hotel to cater to the needs Government came to the rescue. matter of routine not worth of tourist~, mainly Americans. At the weekly meeting of the Cor- discussing. If it was a sure thing to augment poration a bi,~ter debate took place TIle first fivc floors were occupied the Corporation's finances, the scheme as to what should be the name of the in due course to the satisfaction of might be thought to be a necessary hotel. Some leftist members wanted all concerned. But the opening of evil like octroi. But the luxury hotel it to be called Lenin Interna,tional the last three floors which made up business is not so much of a certainty Hotel. But Congress members in- the hotel was delayed over a vital as a moneymaking proposition, not sisted that it should have the name point. What should be the entertain- to spcak of the Corporation's ability of Ganclhiji, the father of the nation. ment? Ultimately, all foreign 'things to run it. Only in the recent past Forward Bloc members were equal- were debarred and it was decided that onc hotel has started functioning with ly insistent tha,t it should be called there would be ooly purely native ( loans from ,the ratepayers' money after Netaji. Both Congress and culture. Only songs of Rabindranath granted by the Central Government. Forward Bloc membeils walked out would be allowed and, of course, According to reports, it is not faring and threatened they would launch a kirtans. very well. Another one is on the way satyagraha and not allow construction The hotel's inauguration was an- to completion. By the time the Cor- to go on if ,their demands were not nounced with a fanfare. Anyone poration comes up with its own, of accepted. Ultimately, as a compro- who was anything in the City tried course, the tourist trade may pick up. mise the name of Chi~taranjan was to get an invitation and cards were But that is a far-fetched possibility. ,accepted by all as being non- sold in the blackmarket. However, In the end the Corporation is sure controversial. the great evening at last came. Un- to be left with a white elephant and Construction was stalled for over a fortunately, there was one point a loan of a fcw crores of rupees adding year as there was some delay in pay- which had been overlooked by all further to its proverbial hard up ment from ,the LIC and the contrac- concerned. Eleotric bills worth a few finances. But leaving all that aside tors refused to supply any more ma- lakl1S of rupees had not been paid let us take a ride into the future and terial without payment. Ultimately, for years and notice of disconnection imaginc the course of events as they the Mayor in one masterly of supply had been ignored. Just as may very well take place. Over, then, stroke solved :the problem. He leased the Mayor was praising the Corpora- to the time machine and watch the out two entire floors to the contrac- tion and himself on this fine venture ft,ln unroll itself: tors against 'their bills at half the which had already put the city a few Notices were served on the stall- market rates. cfores in the red, the suppliers of holders to vacate their stalls so that As construction neared its finish, a electricity chose this moment to act construction work on the new hotel new problem arose. The Corpora- and cut off supply. could start. As might have been tion employees demanded that the The mike went dead, the lights eXipected, the staH-holders joined entire headquarters be shifted to the wcnt off and the pandemonium that forces and challenged the Corpora- new building. Efficiency would im- resulted gave thc hotel a publicity tion's authority to eject them. After provc, they maintained, in air-condi- which killed it at its birth. a bitter legal battle lasting over two tioned comfort. In the interests of ycars, thc Calcutta High Court finally citizens this was the least the Corpo- gave the verdict in favour of the ration could do. Finally, they had Corporation. But the stallholders theiI; way and another two floors were Psychedelic Cinema still refused to vacate. They launch- allotted for the Corporation's own cd satyagraha, lying down in Lindsay offices. Four out of the eight floors MRIGANKA SEKHAR RAY Strcet and Jawaharlal Nehru Road pa- were already accounted for. TRUTH, Antonioni seems to sug- ralysing traffic and clashing with the Some of the Councillors now pro- gest in his Blow-Up, is stranger police. They wanted alternative ac- posed that wid1 so many receptions than photography. I'n fact, truth in commodation on a suitable si,te. being accorded by the Corpombion, this film has' a relative, multi-faced Ultimately, after protraobed negotia- they should have a separate hall re- character. It is like blown-up reality, tion it was decided to fill up the served for this. Half the floor went the expressionist's delight. As Anto- pond in front of Lindsay Street and for this. As for the other half, others nioni remarks aptly, "We are sur~ build a temporary site there at a cost thought that ,the Councillors should rounded by a reality which is not of Rs 50 lakhl.>. By the time tenders each have a room at least where they defined or corporeal. I'llSide of us, were finalised and work started costs could entertain guests from outside things appear like dots of light on

JULY 25, 1970 13 backgrounds of fog and shadow. Our and may be at peace with himself. concrete reality has a ghostly, abs~ Antonioni's film,. a projection of his Clippings tract quality." Blow.Up has all the own personality, is full of excellent ingredients of those bright, lumi- images and the fascinating colour ·nous, psychedelic paintings, with photography captures the characters Russians In Prague their spell-binding, ; hallucinatory and the backgrounds with the right charm effecting an expansion of mind, kind of feeling. Textbooks on stratcgy say that it a stretching of emotions, as happcns is not enough simply to conquer a in <\ Llrcam. The' film begins quite country: the e.onqueror 1;1US!v' know simply with its gentle evocation of how to occupy it. The Russians in the city atmosphere and a band of Lalan Fakir Prague might be tempted to invert student-mimes playing about and we .this proposition-it is not enough sim- see Thomas, a fashion-photographer ABI-IIJIT MUKHOPADHYAY ply to occupy a country: the occupier of the cool generation, rushing for must know how to conquer its peo- his studio after a hard day's photo- TO write a serious play On Lalan pIe ... Thc Russians sowed folly: graphing session in a poor peoples' Fakir, the nineteenth century they arc reaping silent fury ... There lodge. But his studio is another Bengali minstrel whose music and world, the world of unreality, with are some phrases that you can no phl1osophy influenced to a great de- longer usc in Prague without provok- its glass-caged models a\1d the queer. gree the shaping of Tagore music, is shaped photographic gadgets and ing a burst of bitter laughter-ph_ ;:I hard task. The more so, when bio- futuristic furniture. For Thomas, rases like the "international brother- [,raphical data are so scarce. Obvi- each exposure in the camera is a hood of the proletariat", for example. '>usly the playwright Manmatha Roy discovery, a revelation of additional ... The reactions of the Czechoslovak had to face this hurdle. To cross it ~imensions to inner reality. Photo- public in the theatrcs and the cinemas he could have worked like a resear- graphing a model has the soothing are unpredictable ... sometime ago ... chcr. Mr Ray~ however, oj;tcd for elIect of a wholesome and healthy one of Prague's few actresses to have the beaten track. As a result the coitus. Like most of Antonioni's given evidence of sympathy to the play becomes another run-of-the-mill, protagonists, Thomas is also a casual, "brothers" (Russians) had to prono- detached observer of life. Bu~ his sloppy, sentimental product, not un- unce the line: "All right then, yes-I shell of complascent non-involve- like those On Antony Firingee and am a whore!" It was a good five Mukundadas. ment is shattcrcd when hc finds, in miI1utes before the cheers the cat- It can yet reasonably be said that, the blown-up ncgativcs of somc snap- calls and the whistling died clown shots he has taken in a park, that had Lalan Fakir been changed to a and the performance was able to unconsciously his camera has seen full-scale musical with a little effort, resume. (Claude Roy in Lc Monde). a murder. Some silly objections rais. it could have given us a much-needed ed regarding ,the technical validity of respite lrom tearjorking' dramatics, Yanks in Singapore such blowing~up operations can be It would have been more in tune '}'here is one good reason for Mr summarily dismissed, for Antonioni with the talents of Rupakar which has Lee's (Singapore Prime Minister) is hardly bothered about the physi- such wonderful voices like Sabitabrata , relative unconcern about the details cal\ty of the dramatic incidents in Dutta and Rasaraj Chakrabarty. Pre- of the continued British military pre- his films, and Thomas' search for the sumably the playwright failed to sence (Cllfittr the Tory victory) . details of the murder l1as a much think of this possibility. American business in Singapore is deeper significance than the superfi- expanding so fast that it is likely cial whodunit chores. His is a Sabitabrata Dutta, the director, to provide a much more lucrative voyage of discovery rousing the peo- failed to maintain a high standard source of income than the British ple from an enforced stupor and of production. The crude jatra type army wives' purse. In the next ten pointing Out the truth beneath the acting had at times a disturbing effect, years American oil companies alone, surface of reality. In course of the only exception being Sm Tripti pro~pcct'ing and I. operatirl;g rigs off Thomas' sojourn, Antonioni shows Mitra. Trite remarks would fail to Indonesia and Malaysia, are expected us bits of modern England as he sees evaluate her pcrformance as Matibibi, to spend over half a billion dollars. it, the frenzied, restive world of mo- the consort of Lalan. It is an expe- Singapore's boom seems guaranteed dern youths in a beat club, shadowy rience to go and see her as Matibibi. to continue with or withou~ the almost faceless figures in a pot party Mr Dilip Bandyopadhyay as Bhuban, British presence. (The Economist) and lovers' embrace to be climaxed the postman, and Sm Kamala Bandyo- a brutal murder. In this futile, _by padhyay as Fatema, also acted with Japan's Century? degenerate world, no cause is s,trong some understanding. enough to sustain itself and Thomas' Most American and European eco- efforts end in a cul-de-sac and when nomists who predicted that the 21st The lighting has proved once more century will be Japan's will have to he picks up the imaginary tennis. that of late even the gimmicks of ball, he is thrust back to his old life revise their predictions if the current Tapas Sen fall flat on the audience. mood of this country is to prevail in 14 JULY 25, 1970 • FRONTIER

the coming years. Most of the eco- had more than 25 percent of their conduits are available for feeding such nomic projects that Japan has plan- labour force dependent on Pentagon analys<:;s to. the manipulative organs ned have gone out of gear because of orders. They were: ordnance and of the United States Government, the unforeseen developments in accessories (76.8 per cent); machine and adequate numbers of social sci- South-East Asia. Japan's aid pro- shop prodUdts (27.8 per cent); entists stand ready to serve in the gramme was conducted at th~ ex- electronic components and accessories formulation and execution of state pense of the people (at home). With (38.6 per cent); miscellaneous elec- policy. (Satish Saberwat in The the common man calling for bigger trical machinery, equipment and Economic and Political Weekly). government investments in eradica- supplies (33.8 per cent) ; aircraft and ting social hazards for a better living parts (72.4 per cent); and other A Flop environmcnt, most ec,onomists be- transporta1tion equipment (26.4 per Enemy planes would have heavily lieve that Japan will have to concen- cent). A few States account for bombed Delhi and blown up most of trate on internal problems rather more than half of military industry- the major installations during ... (a Ithan on those involving foreign Massachusetts, Connecticut, New countrics. recent) "blackout." Almost all the York, New Jersey, Texas and Cali- peripheral towns were flood-lit. Ex- Some of the praise that has been fornia and Washington. Finally, ecutive Councilor A. C. Shubh, who lavished On Japan in the past was there is a concentration of certain flew over Delhi in a Dakota during taken by the Japanese with a smile. 'occupations in military work. Defense the exercise, commented: "It seemed The Japanese by nature like to hear workers made up 6.1 per cenb of as if people were celebrating Diwali. foreigners, especially if they are visi- the nation's employment in 1968, Most of the car drivers had (the tors, talk good about them. But but here are the percentages of cer- headlights on. A large number of now when foreign visitors talk highly tain skilled occupations in military houses were lit as usual. And sur- about the Japanese economy and industry: All engineers 20 per cent; prisingly, the entire compound of other aspects of their country, they aeronautical engineers, 59 per cent:; Union Finance Minister Y. B. Cha- are quick to point out the "wrong electrical \engineering, 22 per cent; van's bungalow presented a festive impressions" of foreigners. When mechanical and metallurgical engi- look with all the lights on. This the Japanese aid programme to be neers, 19 per cent; draftsmen, 14 was the nin th exercise in Delhi and dispensed in the 1970s (al ways Japan cent, and skilled metal workers, 10- was termed "the worst" by Mr plans for the distant future) was 25 per cent. .. More than half of the Shubh and the Director-General. made public most papers here were nation's research and development (HindusthaJ1 Time'S). quick. to point out that the problems budgets and manpower work for the involved were assessed without taking mihtary. The combined effect in- Naked Protest "realities into consideration." The cludes elaborate technology for mi- Disciplinary action is to be taken "reality" they pointed out was the litary purposes and depleted techno- against students who. frolicked in the dual structure of the Japanese eco- logies in many industries. (Seymour nude on the campus at Keele Uni- nomy: well-dressed people driving Melman in The New York Times cars on superhighways but living in Weekly Review) versity (England). a 9 feet by 9 feet rOOm without a Professor Roy Shaw, speaking on bath or a sewerage system. (HinduiS- "Social Scientists" behalf of Professor Campbell Stewart, the vice-chancellor, said that ... he be- than Standard). ... during the past fifteen years North lieved that Keele was a scapegoat for American social scientists have sue· the frustrations of militant students U.S. Economy ceeded in persuading the Pentagon angered by the war in Vietnam and The industrial economy of the and other controllers of purse strings, other areas. He added: "The uni-' United States has not been prepared that heavy investments in the social versiJy is the most accessible faml of for peace. In 1969, ( 3.4 million sciences-and in research abroad-will the capitalist society and ,they are Americans worked in industry on yield rich dividends. Early samples venting their frustration on it". The Pentagon orders, 1.1 million civilians of the goods offered included the students' nudity had done more to were on :the Pentagon paw-oIl and Area Handbooks which summarised embarrass the university authorities 3.4 million Americans served in the -informa tion (about several parts of than anything else. (The Times) uniformed armed forces. Adding Afro-Asia) of potential interest to. those whose livelihood is indirectly the US army, produced under the Frontier is sold by dependent on the 7.9 million Penta- direction of renowned scholars at a gon and military-industry employees, series af distinguished seats of lear- PROLETARIAT BOOK about 20 percent of the United States ing, under the overall charge of the labour force of 77 million (exclud- Human Relations Area files of Yale AGENCIES ing the armed forces) is economi" University. This was in the mid-50s. cally dependent on the Department Since then ... such ties have multi- 22/6, S. B. Raha Lane, of Defence ... In 1968, six industries plied rapidly. Today innumerable Asansol JULY 18, 1970 15 WE ARE SOLE DISTRIBUTORS FOR EASTERN INDIA OF : MURPHY Radio and Transistor AHUJA P.A. Equipment, Hi-Fi DEPEND Stereogram, Tape Recorder ,ON PYE Car Radio US ... 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I " l Hlurphy radio i OEB::~:;.~TEDCALCUTIA • GAUHATI • PATNA CUTIACK • JABALPUR ~ • Letters is deepening, dhcontent is growing, cular1y dull and repellent but it is yet we are told that the people do impotent; the Left CPI's is insidious not want change, do not want revo- and therefore more dangerous. Role Of The CPM lution. The truth is, it is not the masses but this aged conventional lead- True, miracles have happened here. Mr Prabir ICr. Mukherjee's and ership that is not prepared. I do not Lakhs of people went to the Brigade Miss Sumita Banerjee's complai'nt think the CPM has any definite orien- Parade Ground to hear Promode (June 20) about Ashok Rudra leads to ! alion and direction, It dithers to- Da'gupta. Everybody in West Ben- no quarrel 'with nie b~caus,e their day to the left, tomorrow to the gal is communist except the Naxalites. roncerns are' not mine. But I find nght. It is ::dl confusion and help- But this communism was a form of it difficult to resist the temptation lessness, limping after the right CPI, expression 'Of the oppos~tion senti- of taking up issue with them on the. combined with futile efforts to dis- ment of all, nbt excluding the bour- CPM's role. The question of class sociate itself from it. The CPM con- geoisie. The chief preachers of com- slnlO'0']e is one of the fundamental fines class struggle to a wage increase munism in ':Vest Rengal are well- que;tions of Marxism and it is on of 'five kopeks 0'n the rouble' and meaning' middle class vouths who are this question, the CPM claims, it has makes naive efforts to make the more o~ less furious with the govern- lOme out of the 'class collaboration~st' bourgeoisie ashamed of being the bour- ment. But communism is not mere- !\ ITUC. It is, therefore, worthwhile geoisie. P. Ramamurti quoted figures ly oppositional sentiment and social- examin ing the concept of class strug- in his report to the All 'Ilndia Trade ism is not capitalism plus a Iyoti ole and the Left cprs role in it. Tn Union Conf.erence at Ranji Stadium, Basu-Namboodiripad cabinet at the his article "Liberal and Marxist con- Calcutta, May 28-31, 1970 and went Cel~tre. About shedding b(!ood the ceptions of class struggle" Lenin into ecstasies describing the distress less said the better; and about deeds said-'Marxism recognises a class arisi,ng out of the inevitable crisis of this is what Lenin said-"He who s!ruggle fully developed, "nation- capitalism. But what, one asks, is knows that there is no reformist path wide", only if it does not merely em- the use of quoting figures if the ex- and passes that knowledge on t.o brace politics but takes in the most ploitation is attributed not to the o\thers is doing a thousand' times significant thing in politics-the 01'- bourgeois organisation of the social mone in deed ..... than those who • ganisation of state power.' Does the economy but, say, to Congress poli- (hatter about reforms and do not be- CPM's tactical programme take in cies and to the tyranny of adminis- lieve what they themselves say." the lmost significan t thing ,.i).e., the tration?What is the use of ex- establishment of the dictatorship of pounding the theory of class struggle What are the left CPI's deeds? the proletariat, the destruction of anc! its corollary-violent revolution Prior to 1967 there was a price-rise the bourgeoisie, i.e. the existing state? --if one tries to find ways to com- resistance movement but with the par- It does not. The CPM too recognis- m unism other than through violent ticipation 'in ~administration by the es the class struggle in the sphere of revolution? It is extraordinarily ins- leftists it has been completely para- politics, but on one condition-the tructive to note that the figures quot- lysed although the prices have been organ isation of state power, i.e. vio. eel by Ramamurti show the exact op- soaring higher and higher. It is not lent revolution, should not enter into posite-that reforms or 'modest relief' hard to un derst3'nd that \11heIpros- that sphere now. According to Marx as they say, are not possible. The pect of facing the same music subse- and Lenin, class struggle necessarily whole wage increase has been and is quently obliges the leftists not to leads to revolution, and the organi- being negatived by the price rise. In indulge in food politics. The strike sation of state power. According to the process the poor man has b~- in the jute, tea and textile indus- the CPM, it leads to Governor Dha- 'come even poorer. No Marxist re- trie~ and the nominal rise in wages van, to elections and to the organi- jects partial demands. That is non- of workers following it are cited as sation of non-Congress governments sense. But we oppose the deception great achievements. Yet a cursory in the States and at the Centre- of the people by the idle talk about glance will reveal, here too, reform- that is participation in the adminis- modest relief.. 'i\T e rejeot the left ism in all its vileness. lIn the ju.(e tration of the State, the very organ CPI's theory of modest relief in industry alone about 60,000 workers of class oppression which class strug- presen t-da y India as being utopian, were laid off and retrenched and gle is supposed to destroy! From this self-seeking and false. This does not there was great industrial unrest. does it not follow that the CPM is square with the theory of the crisis Hut with the conclusion of the peace eq ually class-collaborationist? Its of capitalism enunciated by Rama- treaty, against a nominal rise in the class struggle is .like marking time murti. The CPM tones down Marxist pay packet everything else was laid to in military drill-but the company slogans to 'partial demands', tries to rest, the rell enched workers remain- never seems to get on the march. fit them into their narrow reformist ed where they were. Has the position The CPM leaders conceal their utter yardstick acceptable) to' the middJe of peasants improved or worsened? bankruptcy and opportunism-peI- class who are an important consti- They are poorer today and are be- haps even from themselves, by cons- tuent in vote politics and thus spreads ing ruined, while the jotedars and tant allusions to the unpreparedness bourgeois ideas' among the workers. capitalists through the price rise of the people. The economic crisis The Right CPl's reformism is parti- rake gold in shovelfuls.

JULY 25, 1970 17 FRONTIER

The left CPI always manages to caps and parading them before thepeo- like a bolt from the blue to the find ways and means to justify what pIe. But here in India the "activists" inactive and reactionary class-collabo- it cbims to abhor-parliamentary spring upon a single man and anni- rators of the PW A when they, with democracy, Indira Gandhi, Soviet re- hilate him on grounds most inade- the aid of the State Government, visionism. the r~pressive measures by quate for capital punishment. The were about to conduct a seminar on the police (of course so long as they crimes of the person annihilated, in "progressive" literature and to .felici- do not touch their membership). some cases, are cited as : tate the revolutionary poe.! Sri, Sri, the author of Mahaprastham'l1J1-,at Can our angry opponents disprove He was an 'absentee' village school- these facts? Hyderabad. It is notewortI} -nit teacher (they are trying to destroy Sri Sri, along with the young 'Pig- A READER schools and' colleges without the pros- ambara" and "Thirugubatu" poets, pect of an alternative educational has boycotted the Government spon- ~ system); he was the village post- sored seminar and refused personal Naxalite Tactical Line master and used to take paise or chi- felicitations. The RW A has been cken for writing moneyorder forms; formed at Hyderabad with Sri Sri as In .his "The Naxalite Tactical he was a usurer etc. etc. Line" (July 4) Mr Abhijnan Sen, its President, Messrs. Kutumba Rao and Ravi Sastry as Vice-Presidents like many of your correspondents, Would Mr Sen enlighten us as to has seen only one face of the "tacti. and Mr Ramana Reddy as the Secre- why schools and colleges are being 'tary. Other office-bearers include cal" wall. His analysis is partial. In raided?, Can peoples' war liberate the re:Ility it has been something like "Digambara" and "Thirugubatu" country overnight and establish a poets. reaching a predetermined target, as is revolutionary educational curriculum? done by most of your correspondents. Such activities will only create an 1.n Mao Tse-tung's writings one finds The bourgeois press publicised the illiterate mass of young men who RW A as "Naxalites in literature" and '10 such call as "physically annihilate will receive neither conventional nor your class enemy" indiscriminately hurriedly published "interviews" with revolutionary education. What edu- reactionaries' in literature like Nor,i in order to organise the peasants. cation helped the so-called revolu- This cannot be a slogan. As regards and Viswanatha. Viswanatha has tionary leaders to understand Mar- gone even to the extent of making a liquidation of the class enemy the xism-Leninism which, however, has call is always defensive. The class sinister suggestion to the Govern/" now been relegated to the background ment that it should take police action enemy will be annihilated in a froi1- by "Maoism?" tal battle. In the history of the com- against the members of the RW A. MRINMAY SEN munist countries nowhere was such Calcutta conspiratorial annihilition carried out. It is a fact that "progressive litera- In his report on the Hunan struggle ture" was useful to many, including ~J Sri Sri, as a passport to enter the Mao Tse-tllng said that the peasant revolutionaries punished the Chinese Writers' New Union cinema, radio and the reac~tionary consciousness and become class counterparts of Indian joteders and The much awaited polarisation has enemies. The formation of the. the rich capitalists strictly according taken place in the Telugu ' literary R W A, thus, became a historical to their crime-in a very few cases world with the s.{)1itin the Progressive there were, however, excesses. rnle necessity. In spite of his revolutio- Writers' Association on July 4, 1970. nary zeal, Sri Sri is known for his punishments he referred to included eating of their ducks, pigs, lying down modesty and oscillating tendencies. Even before its emergence there The youth are carefully watching the on the couches of the rich ladies, were revolutionary writers and poets developments in the RW A. People maki]1g the offenders wear monkey like Subbarao Panigrahi, the warrior hope that it will play a significant poet and ballad-singer, who was shot role in rendering unequivocal support Our agent at Alipurduar dead by the police in an encounter to people's revolution. in the hilly forests of Srikakulam in K. V. SOMAYAJULU Mr SUBHAS BOSE, 1969. Panigmhi had mobilised thel Vizianagram. people wherever he went with his Newtown Library, "Jamukula katha" (a popular folklore form of storytelling) troupe. Nasser NOTICE Alipurduar, P.O., is another revolutionary poet-singer, who is educating people with his Articles cannot be returned Dist. ]alpaiguri, "Burrakatha" (another folklore form) unless accompanied by return troupe. postag-e. West Bengal. Frontier The formation of the RW A came Business ~hnager 18 , JULY 25, 1970 PLACE A REGULAR ORDER FOR YOUR FRONTIER

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