Opinion Alternative agenda

He argues that any alternative must mean a disturbance of the given situation. The alternative proposed by the Left,he says,“cannot of course be just a call for socialism,for that would be empty rhetoric… the alternative will be in the nature of what Lenin had called a ‘transitional demand’,which does not go beyond the system but which the ruling classes are incapable of fulfilling in the given situation,” he says.

Elaborating on the “transitional demand” concept,he explains that while not asking for an immediate overthrow of the system and hence,in principle,being within the system,the Left’s alternative must visualise a trajectory different from the one being pursued by the ruling classes — one that carries forward the interests of the people.

He observes that the Left has raised a number of demands that together amount to an alternative economic agenda. Among them are universal access to food and employment,free and compulsory primary education and free and universal access to healthcare,old-age pensions and care for the handicapped and disabled. “To be sure,these do not constitute the core of the Left’s alternative agenda where radical land redistribution and other similar structural measures occupy the place of pride. But the alternative only starts with the institutionalisation of universal access to a set of basic provisions,” he says.

CORRUPTION FIGHT

THE CPI journal New Age criticises activist-turned-politician Arvind Kejriwal over his method of targeting individual leaders,arguing that such tactics do not help to fight corruption. “The fight against corruption cannot be fought in isolation. Like price rise,unemployment… and [the ever-increasing gap between [the rich and [the poor,corruption on [an unimaginable scale is an inevitable product of the policies of neoliberalism,” the editorial says.

It argues that economic neoliberalism,which is being advanced as the only path to development,is premised on the idea that first,finance capital has the right to maximise its profit by any means and second,that “the rulers must pave way for [the loot of national and natural resources.” It makes the case that people must be made aware of the real nature and causes of corruption,for which “targeting this or that leader to hog headlines in the media” is unhelpful.

DAMAGED BJP

The CPI(ML) weekly ML Update refers to the allegations that have surfaced against BJP chief Nitin Gadkari and the controversy over the shifting of Jaipal Reddy from the petroleum ministry.

An editorial argues that the image of the BJP as a “party with a difference”,free from corruption,was damaged when Bangaru Laxman was caught on camera accepting “donations” in exchange for arms deals when the NDA was in power. “The journey from Bangaru to Nitin is the story of how corruption — and the BJP as a party — has evolved from the act of accepting dubious donations to running an intricate business-politics nexus. Indeed,the nexus between business,big corporations and politics,is at the heart of corruption in neoliberal India,” it says.

The editorial alleges that Jaipal Reddy’s move from the petroleum ministry to a “punishment posting” in a relatively obscure ministry has been done at the behest of a corporation. It concludes that a genuine political alternative can only emerge from a firm resistance to the neoliberal policy regime that promotes the corrupt business-politics nexus and cronyism.

Compiled by Manoj C.G.