We are publishing some letters in this issue from among the several letters received from the activists of the Party from different parts of the country giving their suggestions for taking forward the programme of the working class in the context of the coming general elections and to challenge the parties that uphold the interests of the exploiting class
Sir,
We are publishing some letters in this issue from among the several letters received from the activists of the Party from different parts of the country giving their suggestions for taking forward the programme of the working class in the context of the coming general elections and to challenge the parties that uphold the interests of the exploiting class
Sir,
As we all know, the Lok Sabha elections are going to be held this May. The question to be asked is what is the change which is going to be brought about by this election, which has not happened in the last 67 years?
History and the present era show us that there was no change from what was prevailing earlier that occurred after the formal declaration of independence. The only thing is that we were slaves of the British earlier and we are now slaves of a handful of people (big capitalist houses and their governments). We have to bow our heads and accept every law made by them. We have to become despondent with every decision they take. But even though people may be powerless workers now, they are certainly not helpless. They have become conscious of their rights. Their courage to raise their voice against the system which deprives them of their rights is getting stronger. This can be seen from the various movements that are taking place. The strikes of bank workers, struggles of railway workers, struggles of Air India workers, the demands and struggles of Maruti – Suzuki, and many other events occurring in the country and abroad clearly show that people are no longer blind, dumb and deaf. People can see and understand clearly – and they are really angry.
The only thing that is needed is a guide who can show them the correct path. There is none other than the Communist Ghadar Party of India which can fight for the rights of the workers, peasants, women and youth. Not only that, the results of the recent elections in Delhi are proof that people supported the candidates of the Lok Raj Sangathan heartily in preference to the Congress, the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). It is hoped that we can unite the people while advancing their struggles. From this it is also proved that people understand that in the rule of the Congress and other parties for all these years, hunger, unemployment, poverty, corruption and mayhem are on the increase. Life is getting from bad to worse on account of the price rise and new taxes that are being imposed on the people every day.
The laws of the land are being changed every day. Decisions about laws and proposals applicable in the country are being approved behind closed doors, regarding which the common people are kept completely in the dark. The people are totally unaware regarding those who decide who will run the country and how will it be run.
By choosing the ‘NOTA’ (none of the above) option in the recent elections, people have expressed their opposition to this multi – party democracy. People have shown their disgust and anger with this electoral system. Thus it has become clear that the faith of the people in these various processes and systems is getting eroded rapidly.
Now people need a guide who will be able to help them to truly fight for the rights of the workers, peasants, women and youth – one who will fight against the exploiters (capitalists, monopoly houses, greedy politicians) and liberate the working class, one who will help the working class to lead the struggle of the workers and peasants for their rights.
The Communist Ghadar Party of India is fulfilling its duty of empowering the people. The people must not be allowed to go astray in the coming Lok Sabha elections. The truth must be revealed to them. We must do some preparations before these elections and carry out some tasks which will open their eyes and let them take the right decisions and choose the correct path themselves.
Keeping the present situation in view, we must work on a few points to advance the program of the working class so that people can live securely and with dignity.
- People must have secure employment
- People must work only 6 to 8 hours a day, not 12 to 14 hours.
- Health and education must be accessible by all
- Price rise and inflation must be ended, the exploiters must be prevented from making super profits and the rights of the toilers should be guaranteed.
- Schemes should be implemented so that every house has toilets, and adequate supply of electricity and clean drinking water.
- Peasants should be able to get fair prices for their produce. They should have good irrigation and a check should be put on rising prices of seeds and fertiliser. Usurping their land should not be allowed.
- Privatisation should be ended. We have seen in the past that globalisation, privatisation and new economic reforms have only brought in more exploitation for the workers, peasants, women and youth.
- Everyone should be given food security and saved from hunger and poverty.
In sum, the rule of the toilers has to be established.
In order to empower the people, we have to unite them, for which we have to perform many tasks.
- We have to stay in touch with people, discuss with them, make them conscious and increase their political level
- Put local issues on our agenda and work on them involving the people.
- Inform people about their rights, inspire them to fight for them and make them conscious.
- Expose privatisation and other schemes of the profiteers and take the lead in strikes and struggles
- We must increase our membership so that we can form committees in new areas and advance on the path towards our goal
Yours sincerely
Priyanka
Sir
The Lok Sabha elections of 2014 are being held at a time when the people of India are being deprived of even the most basic facilities.
Despite the fact that the people of India are very productive, they are steeped in hunger and poverty. The working people do not accept this unequal distribution of the wealth that they produce and the workers and peasants are uniting to fight against this system.
At this important juncture, it is the duty of the Communist Ghadar Party of India to present an alternative that has the interests of the toilers at the core. Today the people of India are in need of real guidance which the Communist Ghadar Party must provide.
Keeping its basic duty in mind, the Communist Ghadar Party must work to empower the people. If the people trust some other party and bring it to power, then the condition of the people becomes more pitiable with every passing day. A lot of despondency has been spread among the people. The faith of the people in the multi – party system is decreasing all the time.
The common people of the country are very angry with the system of exploitation that prevails here. It has become clear from the results of the elections to the four state assemblies when the people have used the ‘NOTA’ (none of the above) option liberally and it has at times exceeded the votes of the winning candidates.
People in Indian society today are fighting to improve their lot, which can be seen from the struggles being waged on the streets, the strikes in factories and for instance the annual protest that is held on the Ram Leela grounds in Delhi every year in February.
The following issues must be dealt with in the propaganda material that is prepared for the Lok Sabha elections 2014:
- Congress Party or BJP – both are eager to increase the profits of the capitalists
- The experience with the multi – party system that has existed for 67 years has shown that it is clearly not meant for the common people; rather it is designed to further the interests of a few rich houses.
- Whether the rule is by a single party or by a coalition, there has been no improvement in the condition of the people; in other words this oppressive system must be changed.
- There are two classes that are visible in today’s India – one is the class of exploiters, the other is the exploited class. The differences are clearly visible:
- Class of exploiters is becoming richer every day due to its exploitation, even in the present times of economic crisis.
- Exploited class – even though people are working way beyond the stipulated hours of work, they are not able to make ends meet, even though means of production have improved.
- With the new economic policy that has been in force for the last 23 years, people have been exploited and oppressed even more with privatisation and globalisation. Free trade policies have led to job losses
- Both Congress and BJP are playing the role of drug dealers today. In fact both these parties have been working to advance the interests of the capitalists for the last 67 years. Of them, the Congress party has been at work for the last 125 years, under British rule, betraying the interests of the people and today the descendants of those traitors are still ruling the roost (Gandhi and Nehru families)
- People of India are angry with their exploitation and oppression. This can be seen in every state of India. The formation of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) must be seen in this context.
Observing and understanding all these aspects, the capitalists of India and abroad made corruption an issue, used Anna (Hazare), presented Baba Ramdev and are now putting Kejriwal forward. They want to cool down the anger of the people. In this way, a new party has been formed, which has been christened “Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)”. Its purpose is to lead the movements of the people astray.
We must raise the following issues in the elections
- 8 hour working day
- Proper atmosphere to live, eat and stay
- Guarantee of availability of food at affordable prices
- Free drinking water without any conditions
- Electricity at cheap rates 24 /7
- Education in every language free of cost, from primary to higher education
- Children should be born without any debt on their heads and any interest burden
- The commodification of land by the capitalists must be ended
- Women must be made to feel secure and self-reliant
- Care of new born children is not just the responsibility of the mother, it should be that of the whole of society and the government too
- Workers must be allowed to form their unions and labour laws must be observed
- Setting up of new industrial areas, new techniques and technology should be in the interests of workers
- Laws which permit take-over of land belonging to peasants and adivasis (tribal) must be abolished.
The 2014 elections are being held at a time when two classes are waging war to fulfil their aspirations.
The exploiting class has its grip on the existing political system, bureaucracy, legal system and is exploiting the people through this. It is prepared to go to any extent to maintain the status quo.
The exploited class, the proletariat has lost everything and has now nothing more to lose but its chains. It is the force that produces everything in today’s world but has been deprived of the fruits of its labour.
Today the workers are demanding their share and declaring:
“We are the masters of this country, India is ours!
Workers, peasants, women and youth – for all of them this India of ours is more precious than their very lives!”
Yours sincerely
Manoj Desai
Sir,
The elections to 16th Lok Sabha are being held at a time when rate of exploitation of Indian workers has increased rapidly and their standard of living has fallen sharply. But there has been no reduction in working hours or the exploitation. Along with the exploitation, there has been a rapid increase in the mental stress that workers suffer. As a result of increasing working hours a worker is not able to give enough time to his family and there is growing animosity between the workers and it has adversely affected their cordial relationships.
People are definitely looking for an alternative through these elections. But if we look at the results of the assembly elections held in 4 states, it has emerged that over 18 Lakh people have expressed that they don’t trust any of the political parties. These two things are contradictory.
Looking at the results of the assembly elections the bourgeoisie have tried to change their strategy and in addition to the established race horses (political parties) it has brought in one more horse -AAP into the race.
Through sustained campaign and publicity by the media this party has reached to the masses. But soon this party will also get exposed. The way people have responded to the campaign by Anna Hazare and Kejriwal, it is evident that people are looking for a change. We have to present an alternative to the workers and peasants. The illusions that the bourgeoisie and its parties are presenting as “alternative” must be exposed.
During the election campaign we must resolutely present the programme of the working class. We must present an alternative to the existing political system of the bourgeoisie. We must campaign across the length and breadth of the country and mobilize and organize workers and peasants.
These are very challenging times. We must expose the present State and break the illusions about all its institutions. We must place before them the truth about the police, bureaucracy, and judiciary. We must also expose how this election and the present electoral system is a sham.
What will be the nature of election system and process in a workers-peasants state? How can people come to power who will firmly represent the workers and peasants in real sense? We must present such an alternative.
We must systematically take the line of the Party to the people and present an agenda that will build their unity, and lead to the overthrow of the colonial institutions and mechanisms.
It is important that the workers and peasants intensity their struggle for rights. It is important to establish in the workers movement that the political power must rest with the working class. It is quite possible that the bourgeoisie may concede some of our immediate demands for roads, electricity, and housing etc. But that will not fulfill our aim, because the exploitation will not end until the political power is not in the hands of the workers and peasants.
To achieve this aim we must organise in the most advanced sections of the workers in the organised sector. We must mobilize amongst the youth and organise them. The veil of British education must be lifted and they must be taught lessons in Indian history and thought, so that they look at things through Indian eyes and fight against the injustice. We must create an atmosphere of an all round struggle, and reach out to women in the nooks and corners of our country.
We must focus on the workers of large industries like electricity, water supply, railways, insurance. We must challenge the false history being taught in the schools and colleges, and teach them the real history, and mobilize them for revolution, so that they can carry the message forward. Election is the time when people would like to listen to our views. So why not use every opportunity and method to reach out to the people. We must also wake up the communists; otherwise people will also not rise up.
Eight hour work day, roads, electricity, health and medical facility, clean water and education are basic rights and this State might even grant it if we fight. But we must not limit out struggle to these demands alone. We must provide the communist leadership to take this struggle forward and take over state power. We must replace the present state of the bourgeoisie with the state of workers and peasants. That is the only way our conditions will change.
Thanks
Sushant