The View form the Left

From the front page In 8220;Piercing the veil, defending the Iraqi people was not a crime8221;, party General Secretary Prakash Karat sugg...

From the front page

In 8220;Piercing the veil, defending the Iraqi people was not a crime8221;, party General Secretary Prakash Karat suggests that following the Volcker report, the attack on the UPA government and the Congress by the BJP and the 8220;right-wing media8221; stems from their ideological affinity with the US and its designs on West Asia. In the context of an independent foreign policy, he says the Congress need not be defensive about its ties with Iraq and other Third World countries and organistions that were intent on defending their national sovereignty presumably against US designs. Karat appears to have little doubt that Natwar Singh is being targetted because he opposed the sanctions on Iraq 8212; though he says only an impartial inquiry will bring out the truth. In fact, he believes the 8220;Congress need not be apologetic8221; as the Congress and Natwar Singh, who was the then chairman of AICC8217;s foreign affairs cell, maintained relations with Iraq and the Baathist party while the sanctions were in place and 8220;Natwar Singh had rightly defended his views opposing the sanctions on Iraq and the war on Iraq8221;. Karat is also less charitable towards the Manmohan Singh government when he says with its 8220;newfound dependence8221; on the US, it could find uncomfortable Natwar Singh8217;s assertion that he has been targetted as he did not share the US8217;s hegemonic views.

On the front page, the weekly also carries a report on Left protests against the joint Indo-US military exercise in Kalaikunda and outside the USIS in Kolkata and quotes the CPM8217;s Bengal unit Secretary Anil Biswas as saying how the US aims to take over the national assets of South and South East Asian countries through intervention, military if needed. According to the report, 8220;Kolkata and Bengal which remain deeply in love with the people of Vietnam and Cuba for their heroic struggle against US hegemonic attempts, could never learn about, except in great fulminating anger, the manner in which the UPA government chose to agree to hold the joint military exercises on Indian soil, and that too, on the day of the October Revolution.8221;

From the states

The Him Lok Morcha that was formed in August, organised a rally in Shimla on October 27, demanding special category status to Himachal Pradesh, higher royalty in all hydel projects in the state a major revenue earner for Himachal and an equity share of 30 per cent in all projects being constructed in the state. The Lok Morcha is jointly organised by CITU, Himachal Kisan Sabha, SFI, DYFI, and the People8217;s Science Movement. The Lok Morcha is protesting against service tax in water and health and abolition of vacant government posts 8212; which it says is an attack on the livelihood of the people of the state 8212; and professional tax, which it finds arbitrary. District level dharnas have been planned across the hill state on February 3. The Left Front Committee of Tripura, comprising the CPM, CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc, presented a memorandum to the Prime Minister calling for better infrastructure for the state 8212; better roads, rail and air link, immediate approval for the 280 MW Monarchak Thermal Power Project and better telecommunication services. The committee has asked for special employment schemes. The memorandum also points to the activities of extremist groups, located in camps in Bangladesh with ISI backing, who are trying to create a divide between tribals and non-tribals.

Widening base

CPM8217;s Jaipur unit is now housed in its own building in the Hassanpura area of the city and is called the Kisan Mazdoor Bhawan. There are now plans for the party8217;s growth in the state and Hannan Mollah, in charge of the unit says members are being enrolled for the party8217;s mass fronts.

Tailpiece

Prakash Karat on the 8220;Immortal message of the October Revolution8221; : In the coming days, the struggles against US imperialist hegemony, the aggressive efforts at recolonisation and capture of world resources and the brute use of military force will draw sustenance from the beacon light which emanated from the world8217;s first socialist revolution in October 1917, 88 years ago.

Complied by Ananda Majumdar