Respected Editor, Mazdoor Ekta Lahar,
I refer to the article entitled “Necessity for qualitative change in the political system” dated 7th July which appeared on your website.
I am sure every politically conscious person would completely agree with the thoughts expressed in the article. In particular I would like to draw attention to the following para of the article:
“The existing system and political process are designed to defend and maintain the rule of the bourgeoisie, headed by the monopoly capitalists. Rival parties of the bourgeoisie take turns to wield the executive power. When they are in opposition they pretend to be opposed to the monopoly capitalists but when they get the chance to wield executive power they implement the same program of enriching the monopoly capitalists.”
In that connection I would like to give following two examples which illustrate as to how when in opposition various political parties of the capitalist class will make a show of opposing certain policies of ruling government in the name of defending people’s interest but when in power will shamelessly implement the same policies.
Take the case of the current debate going on about new Labour Codes. Various leaders of the Indian National Congress Party are seen shouting against these Labour Codes outside and inside parliament. So also many other parties and their leaders. But look at how they themselves are implementing policies which grant exemption to IT and ITES companies from the Industrial Standing Orders Act 1946.
State | Exemption given | Party whose government was in power when exemption given |
Karnataka | Extended recently on 10th June 2024 | Indian National Congress |
Telangana | In December 2018 | Telangana Rashtra Samithi |
Maharashtra | In September 2015 | Bhartiya Janata Party |
Tamil Nadu | In February 2014 | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam |
Gujarat | In April 2015 | Bhartiya Janata Party |
Another stark example is that of prepaid electricity Smart Meters. Recently in Maharashtra, Congress Party leaders are making a big show of opposing Smart meters in the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha. But see below what the State governments have done when their party was in power.
Installation of Smart meters was started in two cities of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala and Shimla in 2021 when the Bhartiya Janata Party led government was in power. In December 2023, when the Congress led government is in power, Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited ordered more than 80 thousand Smart meters. Now the electricity workers of Himachal Pradesh are unitedly opposing Smart meter installation.
In Rajasthan during the tenure of earlier Congress CM of Rajasthan, prepaid SM installation was begun in 2022. Similarly in Karnataka where Congress led government is in power, in March 2024, The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) notified the “Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (Prepaid Smart Metering) Regulations, 2024” which came into effect from April 1 2024.
This has been the repeated experience with all the political parties of the ruling class. Even then, unfortunately, many progressive forces continue to get deceived by the “talk shop parliament” and fall in the trap of aligning behind one or another party of the ruling class.
Respectfully yours,
Vinod, Mumbai