Editorial
The working class of India welcomes the New Year 2013 with a determination to carry forward, with increased unity and intensity, the fight against the neoliberal order to its logical end.
The end of 2012 clearly witnessed the growing divergence between the interests of the working people and the direction of the UPA II government. On the one hand, the government unequivocally declared its intention to go ahead with its neoliberal agenda. It has ensured passage of the Banking bill in the Parliament. It is going ahead with the implementation of the direct cash transfer programme, renamed ‘direct benefit transfer’ programme, despite wide opposition. It has put into full use its abilities to ‘manufacture majority’ in the Parliament on the issue of FDI in retail. It is a disgrace to our Parliamentary system that while the parties who spoke against FDI in retail had absolute majority in both the houses of Parliament, the government was able to muster majority when it came to voting. This also exposes the height of opportunism of these parties who shed crocodile tears for the common people but have no compunction in supporting anti people policies in practice.
The events in 2012 have also highlighted the fact that the two major national parties, the Congress and the BJP are no different as far as their commitment to the neoliberal policies is concerned, which was once more proved with the BJP supporting the Banking bill in the Parliament. Nor are they any different in the case of corruption at high places. While in power they implement these policies in their own class interests; when in opposition they oppose them to gain power so that they can implement the very same policies.
In shark contrast to the Congress, BJP and the many regional parties, it was only the Left parties who have been consistently opposing the neoliberal policies on all occasions, inside and outside the Parliament. However, their depleted strength in the Parliament has enabled the UPA government to ‘manage’ majority in the Parliament to push through the anti worker and anti people policies
2012 was also the year when the working class of the country announced, in no uncertain terms, its strong resolve to resist and push back the attacks of the neoliberal policies. The past two months have witnessed huge sectoral struggles of the working class - the country wide strike of construction workers, the historic ‘mahapadav’ of the scheme workers in Delhi, the country wide strike of the central government employees, of the bank employees and officers. The insurance employees are getting ready for country wide strike when the bill increasing FDI in insurance is introduced. The massive country wide response to the call of the central trade unions for the Jail Bharo programme and the huge March to Parliament as a prelude to the two days’ country wide general strike on 20 – 21 February are but indications of the enthusiasm with which the working class of the country is preparing for the struggles ahead. The decision of the peasants and agricultural workers to strike and organise massive demonstrations on the same days is a welcome development. This unity not only of the working class, but also with all sections of the toiling people needs to be strengthened in the coming days.
Developments worldwide confirm the failure of the capitalist system itself in ensuring decent and just conditions for all sections of working people. Let us usher in 2013 with the determination to carry forward our march towards the establishment of a society free from any exploitation.
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