Is Indian state proxying for the Hindutva project of militarization of the majority? | hastakshep news

Is Indian state proxying for the Hindutva project of militarization of the majority? | hastakshep news

It is Time to Learn from Lenin instead of Denigrating him

It is Time to Learn from Lenin instead of Denigrating him

-SR Darapuri, Spokesperson, All India Peoples Front

Recently, I came across an article in The Indian Express by writer, teacher and social activist Apoorvanand. It was rejoinder to some article. Initially, it appeared to me to suggest that there is no need to imitate Lenin's model of revolution in India.

But when I went through the whole piece, I was astonished and highly disappointed. He not only denounced Lenin and the October revolution, but asserted that for the last 6 years, Indians are undergoing the same treatment which was meted out to Russian people by Lenin.  Meaning thereby that Soviet government was as bad as Modi government.

Some liberals among us have a problem that they completely turn their eyes away from the class reality of state and the government. How come, someone, in one's senses, may compare the Soviet state with India's bourgeoisie-landlord state? On the one hand, the Soviet state represented workers, peasants, and the exploited and oppressed masses; while on the other hand, here is the Brahmanical government of rabid feudal, corporate capitalists.

We have studied the writings of many liberal thinkers and leaders, even Gandhiji, Lohia and JP but none has dismissed October revolution and Lenin in such a manner.  After all how can one even think of it! The role of October Revolution in human history is immortal as it heralded a new era of world history and humanity; it gave birth to a new civilisation and culture. Writers and intellectuals have every right of debate and discussion in the realm of philosophy and concepts. But politics operates in the arena of realities and possibilities.

Capturing power in the land of great French revolution of 1789 which gave the mantra of liberty, equality and fraternity to the humanity, autocratic emperor Napoleon demolished all the values of the revolution. The revolution of 1848 failed in Europe, Paris Commune was crushed.

The Russian experiment of democracy by Socialist Revolutionaries and Mensheviks was not only of very low quality but also it was destined to fail. It was in this background that Lenin learning from the experience of failed European revolutions carved the path of a transformative politics in Russia, the October revolution which changed the course of world history.

It was the October revolution which showed a new light to the liberation struggles in many of the then dependent countries like India and helped them achieve their freedom. It was the legacy of Lenin's politics which defeated Nazism and Fascism of Hitler and Mussolini and defended liberalism and humanity. If the Soviet Union had not shouldered this historic responsibility to defeat fascism at that time, it is difficult for me to imagine what would have been the fate of liberals like us today.

Agreed, Lenin, too, might have committed mistakes. But, one must ponder over those circumstances, too, where he was surrounded by forces inimical to humanity. It's true that Lenin led the phase of War Communism from 1918 to Ambedkar 1921, where some excesses were committed, but it was the same Lenin who experimented a New Economic Policy for the Soviet Union.

     Lenin was the first successful political experimentalist of Marx's great conception of a society where there will be no state, where man himself will be the subject/master of his destiny and where he will live a wholesome life. Lenin's experiment generates this confidence in humanity that the coming generations will definitely build a stateless society someday, where the dignity and sovereignty of man will be supreme.

Lenin was clear that without annihilation of class, humanity and mankind can't be saved. It was Lenin who laid the foundation of today's civil society based on diversity and pluralism. It was Lenin who gave the clarion call for man-woman equality. That's why, the women's movements, world over, regard Lenin as their guide, even today.

In India, Dr. Ambedkar, too, felt that it is the castes here which represent classes and without annihilation of castes, civil society can't be built, the ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity can't be realised. It is in the classless society that annihilation of castes takes place and it is through the annihilation of castes that classless society is built. Struggle against class and caste is one single whole, these two can't be pitted against each other.

    For emancipation from Brahmanism and casteism, Buddha, too, laid emphasis on the knowledge of this world and the individual and said “Be your own torchlight" This great philosophy too, was defeated by Brahmanism in India, but its role in the service of humanity is not exhausted.

So in this phase, when fascism in its heinous form, is busy engulfing Indian state, society and human life, there is need to learn from Lenin and not dismiss him. Neo-liberalism is a rotten and cruel mode of production which is preparing fertile ground for fascism in our country. Liberal ideas and capitalist system seem incapable in combating it. So, for building a new egalitarian economic, political and social order, one can learn a lot from Marx and Lenin, as we can learn from the experiments of Dr. Ambedkar, Gandhi, Lohia, and JP.

Even Gandhiji committed many mistakes, but we can't dismiss him today in the battle against fascism.

Note: Here is the link to the article of Apoorvanand: https://indianexpress.com/…/apporvanand-d-raja-lenin-democ…/

27/5/2020

Modi Government has lost the Moral Authority to Rule the Country

Akhilendra Pratap Singh, Swaraj Abhiyan

 

The working class,  which successfully accomplished revolutions in many countries in the modern age, which played its invaluable role in productive growth in India, too, since freedom movement, undergoing such tragic and inhuman suffering today in the days of Corona pandemic, is a matter of shame for independent India. However, it can't erase the role of working class from history. Even, in their returning home, the workers have exposed the class cruelty of Modi government. This state of working classes against the fascist politics will give birth to new political equations. These workers had not migrated just to earn their livelihood, but they, too, had their dreams of decent life and modern values. Workers are not hapless, helpless creatures. They very well recognise those faces and forces that neither made arrangements to send them home, nor provided them economic help to survive. They will definitely punish them politically when the time comes. Even in their worst crisis, the workers are not dependent on anybody's mercy; rather they are exhibiting indomitable courage and determination.  Working class, even today, has infinite ability to register political protest and it is capable of providing a new democratic political system to the country. What is needed is its education and organisation.

    Their returning back to homes is not their nature but they are forced for it.

        Compelled by the circumstances they, along with their families and children, have set out for long journey to their homes on foot. To hold them responsible for it and their harassment by police on the way is barbaric. There is still time, the government must ensure to send them home safely. The government has no dearth of resources.

It is also true that if the government had made arrangements to send migrant workers and others to their native places before declaration of lockdown, it would have helped in containing the spread of Covid.

Now, it is incontrovertible that the government of the ‘superman’ has miserably failed not only in dealing with the Corona pandemic but also the devastated economy. Modi government's economic package of 20 lakh crore or 10% of GDP (as claimed) in the name of bringing back the economy on track is a hoax. Most of the economists are of the view that to stimulate economy and deal with the rising unemployment, there is need of direct cash transfer instead of loan fair so that demand increases in the economy. According to the economists, out of this declared 20 lakh crore, the government has given only around 2 lakh crore from its treasury which is less than even 1% of GDP.

 

     It is well known that many countries are transferring substantial amount of cash to their people from the government exchequer.  Modi government's slogan is 'local to global' but in practice, the government is handing over all public property to the foreign forces. Jokingly, people say that self-reliance of Modi government means self-protection and serving the Reliance.

     Its propagandists may call it the government of 'superman', but the reality is that this government is scared and extremely weak. It may be putting into jails those who are raising people's issues and are active in democratic movements, but it is completely helpless before its corporate friends and cronies. Let alone impose inheritance tax and wealth tax on the corporate houses, this government is even scared of increasing the limit of fiscal deficit which is urgently needed today. It is afraid that it will weaken India's global economic rating and result in flight of foreign capital.

How can the foreign capital fly away if Modi government dares to decide that no capital can fly away for 5 years? It is also afraid that if the deficit increases, then the corporate houses would be annoyed because then they would be forced to repay more against their foreign borrowing from international market.. However the economists are of the view that one need not worry about the devaluation of rupee as it will enhance our export. Let the economy of the country be destroyed, but the corporate houses must not repay more- this is the policy of Modi government which urgently needs to be reversed today.

To meet the challenge of demand and make economy self-reliant, agricultural investment must be increased, remunerative prices to the tune of 150% of the cost price must be given to the farmers, investment must be made for cooperative farming of the small land- holdings, agro-based industries must be encouraged for job creation, government must directly spend for MSME sector, concession should be given  for the loans they are given , they must have control over the market and there should be complete ban on the import of the items produced by the MSMEs. Cooperatives of workers and entrepreneurs should be formed and workers participation must be ensured in running the enterprises.        

      In these days of Corona pandemic, cash must be transferred to the workers, they must be given jobs. There should be expansion of MNREGA in cities. There must be complete loan-waiver for peasants and the poor. With direct investment in poultry, fisheries, dairy etc. people should be encouraged for production and market must be assured for them. Import in these sectors also should be stopped. The unemployed must be given unemployment allowance. Expenditure must be increased on health and education, government health services must be expanded from towns to village levels.

Government must bear the full expenditure of the treatment of Covid-19 patients. Health employees and Corona warriors must be given life saving PPE kits. Those dead and injured in the pandemic related accidents must be given proper compensation. The Vista project for new Parliament complex, involving expenditure to the tune of 20 thousand crores must be stopped with immediate effect.

All this is possible if Modi government is ready for increasing expenditure by transcending the limit of fiscal deficit in this hour of crisis.

      Economists are of the firm view that if the government directly spends 7- 8 lakh crores and makes cash available for the people, then the crisis of pandemic as well as economic depression can be successfully dealt with and demand can be revived in the economy.

Today country needs a mass movement, a new political discourse. For this, the workers peasants, small-medium entrepreneurs who are facing the crisis today must be organised for political protest.   In fact this is the era of political protests. There is urgent need to mobilise all exploited and oppressed classes, sections and communities in political protest and develop leadership among them. The socialist countries which stopped direct political participation of the masses and even deprived the workers from political activities and right to unionise, had to pay its price and today also, the socialist countries which have isolated the masses from political process will pay its price sooner or later.

So those who want to confine workers only to trade union activities and are unwilling to mobilise workers directly in political action, must learn from the mistakes of socialist countries and must mobilise the crores and crores of workers hitting the streets in political action against Modi government. The mistrust generated among workers because of the failure of Modi government in dealing with the Corona pandemic and their alienation from it must be given political voice because Modi government is losing its moral authority to rule. This is the political dharma of the opposition today.

One thing more, today, there is concerted move to divide the people and impose divisive political, cultural agenda upon them. There is urgent need to combat it. This is organised, institutionalized effort of divisive forces with full state patronage. So, there is urgent need to combat it socially, culturally and politically.

       Constitution is the basis of our citizenship and modernity. It is needed that the values of citizenship percolate down to the lower levels. This is our task, today, to help people stand in their role as citizen and play their human role as a citizen. We must remember that social, political and economic movements are parts of one integral whole and complementary to each other. So the movements must be conducted in a holistic manner.

18/5/2020

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Dr. Ambedkar's message to the working class to get share in the political power

- S. R. Darapuri IPS (Retd), President,  Mazdoor Kisan Manch

Dr.  Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar was not only a great legalist, eminent sociologist and economist, but he was the saviour of the Dalits as well as the working class. Babasaheb himself was also a labour leader. For many years he lived in the labour colony. Therefore, he was fully aware of the problems of the workers. Also, being a respected economist himself, he also knew how to solve those problems. That is why the laws made for workers and reforms made during the time of Labour Minister in the Viceroy's Executive Council from 1942 to 1946 are very important and fundamental in nature. In 1942, when Babasaheb became a member of the Viceroy's Executive Council, he had Labour Department in which there were Labour, Labour Laws, Coal Mines, Publications and Public Works Departments.

Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar's concern for the rights and well-being of the working class is reflected by the words he spoke on September 9, 1943 in front of Plenary, Labour Council on industrialization saying, "Two things in the capitalist parliamentary democracy system are very clear. Those who work have to live in poverty and those who do not work, accumulate immense wealth. On the one the hand political equality and on the other hand economic disparity. Freedom does not matter. In addition to it the government and the working class should try to have cordial relations.

Inaugurating a departmental meeting of Labour Officers held in the first week of December 1945 at the Bombay Secretariat, Babasaheb said, "Three things are necessary to avert industrial disputes: (1) Proper organization, (2) Necessary reforms in the law and (3) Determination of minimum wages of workers. Industrial peace should be based not on the strength of power but on the elements of justice policy. Workers should know their duties. The owners should also pay fair wages to the labourers. At the same time, the government and the labour society should also try diligently to keep their mutual relations amicable. "

 Babasaheb was fully aware of the problems of the workers. Therefore, as the Minister of Labour, he made many laws or made amendments for the welfare of workers, among which prominent are Indian Trade Union Act, ESI Act, Industrial Disputes Act, Compensation Act, 8 hours of work and maternity benefits etc. are prominent. Despite the British opposition, he banned women from working in deep mines. He was trying to implement the recommendations of the International Labour Organization strongly. The rights and facilities were obtained by the labourers in other countries with much difficultly Dr. Ambedkar made laws and provided them to the labourers during his tenure as Labour Minister. In fact, most of the labour laws presently were made by Babasaheb for which the working class of India will always be indebted to them.

Babasaheb was also very keen on the welfare of the Safai Karamcharis (Cleaning Labourers) and for organizing them, whereas Gandhiji used to teach them to remain Bhangis and considered their strike as unethical. Modi says that in this work they get spiritual pleasure. Babsaheb first organized the Safai Karamcharis of Bombay Municipal Corporation and organized their trade union. He also wanted to establish a similar organization in other parts of the country and wanted to give it a pan-India look. For this purpose, he also formed a two-member committee and asked it to go to various provinces and study the status of the cleaning labourers and the applicable laws and report. It is clear from this that how much Babasaheb was trying to provide justice to the cleaning labourers and organize them on the lines of other trade unions.

Babasaheb himself had been a Labour leader. Most of the untouchables were small-scale labourers in fields, factories, mills etc. Babasaheb had lived in the same labour settlements during his struggle. He also understood their problems and suffering very well. He used to say to labourers, "It is not enough that you limit your struggle to  get good facilities, bonus and good salary only. You must also struggle to seize power. “It was with this intention that he created the Independent Labour (Swatant Mazdoor Party) in 1936 and also won 17 seats in the first election of 1937. Through this, he inspired the working class to get a share of political power.

Presently under the new economic policy, labour laws are being relaxed all over the world in the era of globalization and corporatization. In our country too, Modi government has relaxed many labour laws to attract foreign investment. Working hours are being increased. Salary is being linked to production. Contract System is being implemented in place of regular appointments of labourers, which has already been implemented to a large extent. The Modi government has ended 44 different laws and codified it in only 4. With this, the rights and protection given to the workers by the labour laws will be limited to a great extent.

During the current Corona Crisis, the lock-down implemented arbitrarily and without any deliberation and planning has completely exposed the poverty and fragile conditions of the workers. During this, how many labourers have fallen victim to hunger and how many who had left for their homes on the way died on the way, had to stay hungry and had to suffer the brutality of the police. During this time the government neither made proper arrangements for food and drink nor gave them proper financial support. The so-called quarantine camps have indeed proved to be torture houses. Now the issue  of sending these poor migrant labourers to home is going on,  the central government is not ready to arrange to run special trains to transport them and has put the responsibility of making all the arrangements in the neck of the state governments. There is a possibility of an even bigger crisis and disorder getting worse.

It is also contemplated that what will happen to the migrant labourers who will return to their villages and the employment of the labourers who are already there? There is no plan for how their livelihood will work. You already know that there were already attacks on the workers, which this crisis of Corona epidemic has increased further. On the whole, the current economic crisis is very deep, which is the result of continuous economic-industrial policies. It may be noted that these anti-worker, anti-people policies have been pushed forward by the entire political system. The capitalist parties will not fight it because they have a general consensus on these policies and the leftist parties who oppose it are very limited in their strength. In such a situation, there is a need to create a new democratic socialist politics.

You still see that the migrant labourers are in worse condition. Therefore, this may be the message of this May Day that only the working class will have to advance mass politics to build a people-friendly political system. This is simply not possible in the realm of trade union. The working class has to force the government to increase expenditure on public welfare while fighting for its rights. Restructuring the economy, strengthening public health services, education and ensuring people's livelihood has to be ensured. Only then can crisis situations like the Corona epidemic be countered. It will have to mobilize all those oppressed sections of society, including farmers, in favour of this mass politics. Therefore, Dr. Ambedkar's message to the working class to get a share in political power becomes even more relevant today.