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Journalism of Courage
Prabhat Patnaik, a leading Left thinker and vice-chairman of Kerala8217;s planning board, has come out strongly against the Left-leaning intellectuals who have now turned against the CPM.
In an article titled, 8216;The Left and its intellectual detractors8217; in the latest issue of People8217;s Democracy, he writes: 8220;What is striking about the attitude of the intellectuals arrayed against the organised Left at present is their complete withdrawal from the realm of political praxis to a realm of messianic moralism. Such messianic moralism is not just politically counter-productive. The withdrawal from the realm of politics that it signifies, strengthens politically the camp of the 8216;enemies of the people8217;. In India, for instance, the attack inspired by messianic moralism that has been launched on the organised Left at a time when the latter is in the forefront of an extremely crucial but difficult struggle against the attempt of imperialism to make India its strategic ally, weakens that struggle, and thereby plays into the hands of imperialism. But messianic moralism, quite apart from its palpable political consequences, is smug, self-righteous, self-adulatory, and, above all, empty. An attitude that does not distinguish between types of violence, between the different episodes of violence, that condemns all violence with equal abhorrence, that places on a footing of equality all presumed perpetrators of violence, amounts in fact to a condemnation of nothing. To say that all are equally bad is not even morally meaningful. This messianic moralism, this withdrawal from politics, is based fundamentally on a disdain of politics, of the messy world of politics, which is far from being peopled by angels. It constitutes therefore a mirror image of the very phenomenon that it seeks to resist, namely the 8216;cult of development8217; spawned by neo-liberalism. Manmohan Singh says: politics is filthy; rise above politics; detach 8216;development8217; from politics. The anti-Left intellectuals say: politics is filthy; rise above politics; detach the struggle against 8216;development8217; from politics.8221;
CRPF vs CPM
The CPM says that the CRPF personnel posted in Nandigram are harassing CPM workers. A report in the latest issue of People8217;s Democracy says 8220;The CRPF posted at Nandigram have been generally engaged in harassing, arresting, and beating up CPIM workers and supporters, with no consideration for the fact that a large number of the latter having returned home after eleven months are yet traumatised. There have been instances where processions with the red flags have been prohibited. Indeed, in places, red flags have been taken down and Trinamul Congress colours hoisted. The CRPF men have also been found teasing women and passing lewd remarks8230;8221;
Middle East standstill
CPM general secretary Prakash Karat 8220;asserted that popular pressure can indeed be brought upon the government to stop this collaboration with Israel till it comes to a negotiated settlement with Palestinians.8221; A report of the seminar on 8216;West Asia: After Annapolis8217; organised by the Committee for an Independent Foreign Policy in New Delhi on November 8, in the latest issue of People8217;s Democracy says that 8220;acknowledging that there are sections in our country who see Israel as our 8216;natural ally8217;, and that both Congress and BJP are united in seeing the strengthening of this relationship, Karat said the recent fight against the Indo-US nuclear deal gives us enough confidence that people can be mobilised on this issue also.8221;
Karat called the recent Annapolis conference hosted by the US a farce which has been further proved by the fact that days after the conference Israel is expanding its illegal settlements.
