The first meeting of the General Council of CITU, after the 13the All India Conference in Chandigarh, held in Nasik, Maharashtra, from the 8th to 11th of January 2011, has called upon the CITU unions and its members as a whole for a countrywide political campaign in March 2011. This campaign “against the onslaught of rightwing policies of the Govt. and the ruling class and in support of Left forces” is an important task entrusted to us by the General Council.
In the era of neo-liberal offensive all over the world against the working people, one of the most notable features is that there is an emergence of rightist policies. No part of the world is an exception to this. Added to this is the anti- Left, anti-working class offensive both political and ideological. In India, this offensive against the Left has been sharpened with the attacks on the Left led Govts. In West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura. In view of the ensuing elections to the state legislatures of West Bengal and Kerala, along with Tamilnadu, Assam and Pondicherry these attacks against the Left are being orchestrated in a big way.
CITU General Council has noted the immense political significance of these elections for the working class and democratic movement in this country as a whole. It has called upon the working class movement to take on this political battle with all seriousness. CITU has to take the lead for a countrywide campaign for victory of Left forces.
ALTERNATIVE TO NEO-LIBERAL POLICY
Left forces in the country have always been the defenders of interests of the working people in the country. We need not go deep into the past to prove this point. Recent experiences are more than enough. Working people in India have been continuously agitating against the illeffects of neoliberal policies for the last 20 years. Is there any political force, other than the organized Left, which have supported these struggles and also, on their own, taken up these issues and conducted countrywide movements, campaigns and struggles?
The experience of the working people and the Trade Unions during the UPA-I regime, when the ardent followers of the IMF – World Bank diktats were depending on the support of the Left in Parliament for survival, makes it very clear. The Left used these opportunities to pressurise the Govt. not to go ahead with anti people legislations and put road blocks on many of their pet schemes of LPG policies. The experience of the working people during the last 20 years, with various alliances and fronts in power at centre has not been of much difference. Every party, National or Regional wanted to go ahead with the neoliberal policies. This has also been our experience with various state govts. during this period.
The only exceptions have been the Leftled governments of West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura. These Govts. have been in fore front of putting up an alternative policy line; before the people of the country. Starting with the 1st Communist Govt. in Kerala from 1957 to 1959, the united front govts. in West Bengal and Kerala during 1967-69 and the later on LF Govt. in West Bengal from 1977, LDF Govts. in Kerala and Left front govts. in Tripura have shown to the whole country, what an alternate policy means! With the limited powers of State Govts., under the weakening federal system in the country, these govts. took up the issues of toiling masses like peasants, agricultural workers, workers in both the organized and unorganized sections, govt. employees, teachers, the small scale entrepreneurs and retail traders.
LAND REFORMS
The efforts for land reforms which were taken up from 1957 in Kerala and the leading role of the Left front govt. in West Bengal changed the face of the rural society in these two states. The radical land reforms in West Bengal resulted in the distribution of 1.3 million acres (13 lakh acres) of land among landless. Even by a very modest estimation, this land transfers meant that lands worth Rs. 13,000 crores were transferred from the rich landed gentry to the poor Agricultural workers! Over 3 million landless and marginal cultivator households were benefitted.
‘Operation barga’, a scheme of registering bargadars (share croppers) resulted in bringing 11 lakh acres of land under the control of 15 lakhs of share croppers! West Bengal with a population of 8% of the country, having only 3.5% of country’s agricultural land accounted for 22% of total ceiling surplus land distributed in the country. A further 16,700 acres were distributed between 2007-10.
This is the record of a Govt. which is being targeted by the reactionary forces as anti-peasant! The land reforms in Kerala have reached a situation where there is no surplus land Left under ceiling laws! Are there any other states than the 3 Leftled states, where the real land reforms have been taken up to empower the rural power? Added to this was the decentralization of powers of govt., through panchayati raj systems; which were implemented in its true spirits in West Bengal, a full 17 years before the 73rd and 74th amendments to the constitution was undertaken.
The implementation of 3 tier panchayat administration meant a real transfer of power to the exploited and deprived sections, who with the involvement of people created new history in the Leftled states. Various social welfare schemes were implemented in such a way that the social indicators now show the result in health, education and other sectors!
DEFENDER OF DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS
As far as the workers are concerned, Left led states follow clear class oriented policies – on trade union and democratic rights, welfare schemes. A long list of achievements of these govts. for the working people – the unorganized sectors, organized sectors, govt. employees etc needs separate articles for explanation. These welfare schemes, even to those of the workers in closed establishments as in West Bengal has been model schemes. These are the governments, which declare that the rights of working people will be ensured under all circumstance! Another hall mark of the Leftled governments have been their stead fast defence of secularism and communal harmony. Very many instances have been quoted to show that these states have been insulated from the poisonous.efforts of various disruptive forces, only because of the hold of the Left among the people. While at the centre, the govts. have been postponing the enactment of 33% reservations for women in state legislatures and in Parliament, West Bengal and Kerala has ensured 50% reservation for women in local bodies. The Leftled govts. backed by powerful popular movements, have been in the fore front of championing of peoples rights, with their standard of living eroded by the neoliberal economic policies of the Central Governments.
CONCERTED ATTACK ON THE LEFT
The consistant anti-imperialist policies of the Left, has also resulted in all the pro-imperialist forces coming together to target the Left in the country. This is being reflected in the attack against the Leftled govts. in the country, by all the reactionaries from the Left to the right of the political spectrum. In West Bengal, as has been noted by the 13th conference and by the recent General Council of CITU, there have been planned mass murder of supporters and activists of Left parties and mass movements with nearly 400 men, women and children being killed during the last 2 years alone.
With the elections nearing, these attacks and anti Left campaigns has increased. But the people are also mobilizing themselves and resistance is being built up. These efforts of the reactionary forces have to be met. It is the responsibility of the working people and especially those of CITU to be in the fore front of these campaigns to help the people understand the real intention of the campaign against the Left.
LET US MOVE AHEAD
The Leftled govts. are results of the massive struggles of the workers and toiling masses! These govts. are the real defenders of the interests of the working people. Weakening of these govts., will weaken the Left movement as a whole and will be a real threat to the working class movement. Let us move ahead! Let the campaign begin with an observance of a week from 21st to 27th March. Let this campaign in defence of the Left continue and carry the political message all over the country that the working people are determined to defend the Left in the country! Let us do our best to build up an alternative line of policies that will help the toiling masses in their march to the goal of a new exploitation free India!
Courtesy: www.citucentre.org/
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