Ringing out the Red Regime
Ringing out the Red Regime
Sheshadri Chari
Organiser
December 26, 1999
Title: Ringing out the
Red Regime
Author: Sheshadri Chari
Publication: Organiser
Date: December 26, 1999
The Communist Party (Marxist)
who is fast losing whatever popular base it had is now engaging in violent
conflict with its political adversaries. On the other hand at various places
its very survival has become doubtful. Consequent upon the recent elections
the Election Commission has initiated' the process of withdrawing the party's
recognition. For their part the party's veteran leaders who have been sidelined
by the current leadership have issued an ultimatum that they would float
a new outfit. Whereas in Kerala the comrades have targeted the Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers as
victims of their political violence, in, West Bengal the Trinamool Congress
alongwith the BJP as well as the CPM's allies in the Left Front are the
victims of Marxist violence. As per official figures between January 1
and November 16, West Bengal witnessed 305 violent political clashes which
accounted for 147 casualties and injuries to 10 12 people. The areas targeted
were mainly Midnapore, Burdwan, Hooghly, South 24 Parganas and Murshidabad.
An analysis of the figures pertaining to political violence and the affected
areas reved that violence erupts wherever the CPM's stronghold is found
to crumble. North and Central Bengal are comparatively free from violence
because the CPM still continues to hold its sway in these areas. In South
Bengal the comrades are shaken because of the growing clout of the Trinamool
Congress. Similarly Howra and the North and South 24 Parganas have been
witnessing a continuous growth of the Trinamool Congress and the BJP. Midnapore
and Hooghly are the worst victims of Marxist violence. Burdwan is fast
changing into a stronghold of the Trinamool Congress and the BJP. Government
agencies fear that with the approach of the State Assembly elections the
current violent trend is likely to assume frightening proportion. Actually
election are not due before early 2001 but the CPM is contemplating to
advance them to the beginning of the year 2000 The last election results
have ma de it clear that the Trinamool-BJP have already acquired sufficient
influence in 26 parliamentary constituencies. Out of these 26, 10 seats
are already with the combine and. they are the runners-up on the remaining
16, which account for 182 of the 294 State Assembly segments. If the Trinamool-BJP
combine make further inroads into the 112 Assembly constituencies the invincible
Marxist fortress that West Bengal has been for the last 22 years will be
overrun. Marxists are perturbed by this prospect, which has been obliging
them to resort to violence. In West Bengal Marxists have taken to unmitigated
violence. In order to save their citadel in Kerala they have stooped to
the level of wild beasts, thanks to the popular support slipping from under
their feet. lie Marxist violence and goondaism have turned State's Kannur
district into a veritable killing field. Over the years this one district
has accounted for more than 200 political killings. During the last three
years Marxists goons have liquidated 48 persons associated with the BJP.
and the RSS. Out them 40 were former Marxists who had left the CPM and
joined nationalist organisations. It is worth noting that Kannur happens
to be the home district of the State's Chief Minister E.K. Nayanar who
holds the Home portfolio.
The fact is that this
erstwhile stronghold of Marxists is being progressively overwhelmed by
the growing influence of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Bharatiya
Janata Party. It has thoroughly shaken the Marxists. Even otherwise the
Communist Parties' influence is now confined to only three States, West
Bengal and Kerala being two of them where the party is fast shrinking.
Even in Andhra Pradesh, supposedly under Communist influence, the recent
elections have inflicted heavy losses on the Communist parties, reducing
their strength to a couple- of seats in the State Assembly where earlier
they had 16 legislators. As a result their recognition as a national party
is jeopardized. As per the conditions laid down by the Election Commission
which are still in operation the Marxist party has been short of expected
votes in four States. Under the circumstances the Commission will be obliged
to withdraw the CPM's recognition as a national party. After their defeat
in the legal battle Marxists now appear to launch a political offensive
to save their face. Said a member of the politburo that the Commission
should now revise its rule that the process of according the status of
a national party to a political unit only after the results of parliamentary
polls am declared. Instead the process should be initiated only after election
results in all the States.
Whatever the Commissions
response to Marxist leader's argument, one thing is certain that the Commission
will not be in a position to determine the 'status' of any party for the
simple reason that elections in various States continue to be held all
the time. Actually it has been a Marxist policy not to face reality and
whet its anger against their opponents. Besides the political rivals who
become the victims of their violence, even cadres who do not agree with
the party bosses have to face similar fate. Remember the fate of K.R. Gauri
and M.V. Raghavan of Kerala who were attacked after failing out with the
high command? Is it not proof enough? Tripura is one place where the Marxists
are In power. Being themselves votaries of violence they are not able to
put down the violence of the State's marauding outfits and blame the Centre
for their own administrative failure, although they get all the help they
have been asking from the Centre.
But still the Government
of Tripura fails to deliver. The four RSS activists kidnapped by the notorious
Church-sponsored organisations in collaboration with the Marxists are yet
to be traced. lie Marxist attitude towards political violence is dubious
as is evident from the following instance Safdar Hashmi, a Marxist stage
artist, was some - time ago assassinated by Congress workers at Gaziabad
near Delhi when the Congress was in power. Of course the comrades have
not forgotten the killing. And that's right. But should not they, feel
as strongly about other killings as they do about 'their own' man's? Perhaps
it does not fit into Marxist ideology. It is their double standards that
have formed a question-mark on their very survival. With the last of the
twentieth century's year the end of the Marxist party in these three Indian
States appears to be not very distant. Maybe the desperate Marxists would
become all the more violent. But - they hid better remember that violence
begets violence, it seldom takes your nearer your goal. No wonder, the
Communists steeped in alien philosophy, and inspired by alien ideals and
alien heroes now prostrate before an alien Congress 'leader'. Let no one
be surprised if the blood of innocent political workers of West Bengal
and Kerala spells the Red Salute unto the Communists.
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