Opinion View from the LEFT
The lead editorial in the latest issue of CPM mouthpiece Peoples Democracy claims that the strategic relationship with the US is reducing India into a subordinate ally...
Americas little helper
The lead editorial in the latest issue of CPM mouthpiece Peoples Democracy claims that the strategic relationship with the US is reducing India into a subordinate ally of US imperialism and it is becoming evident in many spheres. There are two areas however where such succumbing to US pressures will mean greater disaster for the overwhelming majority of the Indian people who are already groaning under the burdens of the neo-liberal economic policies. These are related to Indias positions and resistance to the demands of the industrialised world in the ongoing Doha negotiations in the WTO and on the issue of combating climate change, it says.
On WTO talks,it says India has for the first time accepted the time-table drawn up by industrialised nations to conclude the Doha round of negotiations by 2010 while disputes between developed and developing countries over special safeguards mechanism for agriculture and domestic support and export subsidies remain.
This is a very serious issue as far as we,in India,are concerned. Unless these safeguards are firmly negotiated,we shall be exposing our farmers to ruination in the face of unbridled access given to the developed world to dump their highly subsidised agricultural products.
Surely,the concerns for farmers distress suicides and the granting of loan waivers cannot be accompanied by succumbing to the pressures of the developed world by making our agricultural sector completely defenceless, it says. On India accepting the target of reducing global temperatures by 2 degree celsius,it says the problem is not in accepting such a target but in the methods being thrust upon the developing world by the advanced countries to achieve this. Pointing out that the imperialist logic of equality and justice in cutting emissions cannot be accepted,it says India must insist,that the criteria of per capita emissions must be the basis for a solution.
Rooking Rajasthan
A report from Rajasthan talks about corruption in state-sponsored welfare schemes in the tribal areas and alleges that leaders and workers of both the Congress and the BJP are engaged in an open,mutual competition of minting money. It says the panchayat-related schemes,self-help groups,the tribal rights legislation,the rural employment guarantee scheme,the loan waivers for the peasants,the bank loan schemes for the unemployed are all suffering the same fate. It also talks about the CPMs plans to launch an agitation to protest government inaction to check corruption.
Though a very local issue,the more-than half a page of space given to the report shows the importance the CPM is attaching to issues in Rajasthan where the party hopes that it can expand its base. This,especially,after the party increased its tally from one to three in the last assembly elections.
The peoples word
The buzzword in the CPM after the election rout has been that the party should revive its connect with the masses.
Recently in Kolkata to address a rally to mark the centenary of Communist stalwart E.M.S Namboodiripad,he said the CPM would go to the people as in the past,learn from them and battle ahead,defeating all adversities. The party would learn from the people the correct lesson to drive forward in the days to come,he said.
A report in the edition quotes Karat as saying that CPM was currently under assault from the forces of reaction,both indigenous and foreign. In West Bengal,he pointed out that the attack is covert and in the guise of Maoism.
Share
