Man of the Match - Achuttanandan

 

As Mamta Rolls into Red Bastion
Achuttanandan emerges ‘Man of the Match’ 

Joseph Stalin, also  known as ‘Uncle Joe in certain circles emerged as a great WWII hero when his army steam rolled into Berlin in the face of a fierce Natzi resistance. However, Mamta rolled into the Red Bastion of West Bengal without any resistance despite self deluded Buddhdeb Bhattacharya’s ludicrous  claim of victory on the eve of counting of votes. In fact, this was one of the worst humiliating defeats plunging the CPI (M) below the Congress with a record low of 40 seats since 1967 when it forged the left coalition under its leadership. In sharp contrast, in spite of a narrow defeat in assembly election and internal sabotage, charismatic veteran leader Achuttananadan emerged as ‘Man of the Match’ in the game of bourgeois democracy. The wafer-thin UDF victory in Kerala was largely attributed to prolonged feud between two factions in the CPI-M led by Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan and party state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan backed by Prakas Karat, Brinda Karat, Sitaram Yechuri, and the NRI ‘mafia’.  The infighting among front partners before the poll has  undoubtedly contributed to the LDF reverses. Although Achhutanandan was branded as old fashioned hard line Marxist, he proved his opponents wrong both in and outside the CPI (M). Left front got 68 and was short of only 4 seats to form the government. Some supporters of outgoing chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan have reportedly complained to the central leadership that the anti Achhutanandan group led by state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan had sabotaged the party's chances, especially in Vijayan's district Kannur where at least 5 seats were lost with a narrow margin of 500-700 votes. In fact, UDF will be forming the Govt with a margin of 1456 votes. [Yechuri, CPM Politburo].                                

The election debacle in W.B. was obvious to everyone with the exception of the CPI (M) leadership. Arrogance of the leadership and nepotism in the CPI (M) run government in West Bengal had left the party with very few friends. In fact, both the Right (BJP) and the left CPI (M) were facing the isolation in electoral  politics. Obviously, given right wing ideological position of the BJP it couldn’t warm up to the Congress, but CPI(M) still had something to hang on to for renewing its flirtation given the so-called secular and progressive face of the Congress which it did resort to albeit with no corresponding result.  Surprisingly, the issue of Civil Nuclear deal did not figure at all in the election campaign. The CPI (M) prospects of success in the assembly elections were badly marred due to government’s poor performance and takeover of the CPI (M) politics in WB by the lumpens and goons. Flirtation with Congress (became obvious with Sita Ram Yechuri's remark that Manmohan Singh had on the whole performed well)  as well as Karat’s attempts to capitalize on the interview with well known Marxist historian Eric Hobsbawm backfired (What is the difference between the CPI and the CPI(M)? Answer: None).  Instead of concentrating on good governance and enhance connectivity with the people by reigning in the party cadre’s excesses the CPM tried to take recourse to gimmicks.  “How come he is defeated even after throwing out of WB in order to get Muslim votes was most apt observation was made by Bangladesh exile writer, Taslieema Nasreem.  [Buddhdeb after Election Results].  

In West Bengal, the CPI-M-led Left Front managed just 61 seats, of which the CPI-M got 40, in the 294-member assembly. Mudslinging has already begun, not only against the capital-based leaders, but also against the Bengal-based ones. Razzak Mollah, a senior party leader and former minister who has been reelected, stated that Nirupam Sen, a politburo member and West Bengal's outgoing industry minister, was the main culprit for the Bengal defeat as he had ignored earlier warnings by colleagues. In fact, Sen continued to defy party’s own criticism of handling situation in Nandigarm and Singur and instead pledged to acquire land for capitalists for so-called industrialization. In his address to Chamber of Commerce, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, said, “I am against strikes. Unfortunately, I belong to a party, which calls for strikes. I have been silent for a long time. I will not remain silent anymore.”  No wonder he lost his safest seat by a wide margin in the recent elections. Although after the parliament and civic poll this was the third defeat in West Bengal the CPI (M) central leaders tried to interpret the defeat in an illusive manner.                  
"It was a vote for change in West Bengal," said politburo member Sitaram Yechury, attempting to explain the absolute rout in the state. "The people desired a change and the main beneficiary of the people’s desire for change has been the Trinamool Congress," he said with a grin trotting out a facile analysis of the most crucial question for the party’s destiny.

This was not the first time Sitaram Yehcuri came out with a clever repartee. In 1989 he was in Romania when the mob stormed President Ceausescu's palace. Yechuri was reported to have said, "It happened so fast that I couldn't understand". I guess he does not understand now either. 

Further, the left parties, particularly, CPI (M) has not come forward with an honest self criticism except either rationalizing its wrongs or lashing out on senior comrades. In contrast, CPI leader Gurdas Dasgupta admitted openly that the left has failed to read the mood of people for a change. It is shame that CPI (M) has not been able to consolidate its mass base although it has been in power in West Bengal since 1977 and in Kerala and Tripura too over a long period. Rather it has bogged down into bourgeois democracy in which every time the Ruling click beats them which was clear even from Yechuri's own public admission following defeat of their cut motion in  parliament. Even their potential third front partners JD, SP and BSP betrayed them. In fact, Mulayam Singh was with Late Com Surjeet Singh, not because of any ideological alliance but due to close business partnership between their grand children in Canada. That alliance is over since the sad demise of Com Surjeet. However, regardless of the hobnobbing, senior CPM leadership had been quite seasoned and  articulate. It had a public stature that no one could dare to ditch them once a deal was struck by them. Rather than using the bourgeois democracy for the cause of the proletariat it has used the CPM and kicked them out. 

In contrast Maoists in Nepal have made best use of bourgeois democracy and not only consolidated their militia but increased their ranks although they were in power only for a brief period. Recent call for an ongoing Bundh till government steps down confirms their commitment for the cause of people. This was only possible because unlike the CPI (M) Maoists in Nepal did not completely rely upon the false premise of bourgeois democracy. Hopefully, CPI (M) leadership, particularly those coming from Ivory Tower Marxist background will learn lessons from Nepal rather than being the brokers for the bourgeoisie to persuade Maoists to join into ‘national main stream’.  Although Yechuri said that the Maoists needed ideological introspection recent events have sent a loud and clear message that it is he who needed ideological introspection.     

Time has come when the Ivory Tower JNUINE leadership comprising Karat-squared and Yechuri get a grip on hard reality on the ground and take the following genuine course:

1. Ask the Party members to declare their shares in companies;                                 

2. Come out with genuine self criticism for their election debacle;

3. Tender genuine apology to people for their anti people and pro-capitalist stand in Singur and Nandigram;

4. Apology for ongoing recent pledge by Nirupam Sen and others to bring Tata back to Nadigram;

5. Forget the idea of creating special economic zones and take the lead from Achhutanandan;

6. Develop a mechanism to oversee the Central Committee and Politburo and under go ideological introspection, if leadership is alienated from the people.

Not only CPI (M) became stagnant it is finding difficult to hold its mass base in its strongholds in West Bengal. In fact, so far CPI (M) appears to have worked for Corporate Socialism (acquiring land for bourgeoisie, ban on Hartals and Bandhs, CPM leaders/members trading shares, and collecting protection money) rather than preparing for a peoples' democratic revolution. 
Hopefully, steps will be taken to rectify the wrongs rather than rationalizing them and humiliating veteran members for the leadership's failures. Earlier CPI (M) expelled Com. Nipen Chakraborty of Tripura and other senior leaders in WB who contributed to sustained trouble free Left Rule for decades with public mandate, Abdullah Kutty, CPM (MP) and then Com Somnath Chatterjee Speaker (MP). Surprisingly, CPI (M) accepted its own investigation into corruption charges against Vijayan. Moreover what we have been often taught as students of Marxism that communists have nothing to hide. They owe transparency to the people. It is not simply a routine organizational matter when you are dealing about a comrade whom you had projected before them to repose faith in him. The credibility of the whole organization is at stake. Even if one does not go by the bourgeois definition of corruption still the reasons and findings with supporting material including answers to Achutnandan's stand should be made public.
Prakash Karat, CPM, GS

Despite my friendly advice and forewarning to Prakash Karat way back in September 2007 and suggestion to sideline Buddhdeb Bhattacharya, his colleague like Nirupam Sen, a Politburo member continue to pledge to acquire land for industrialization should they return to power. In contrast, Achuttanandan stood firm against special economic zones and land acquisition for industrialists. Sitaram Yechuri and Prakash Karat reflect two seemingly opposite views, but both are far from reality. Now Karat is trying to look for a safe exit from General Secretaryship by proposing a two terms tenure. Rather than offering to resign to show a gesture of responsibility, Karat emphatically said, "I am alone not responsible, “elections are neither the beginning nor the end for us.” Then one wonder why his party spent so much time this process?  He added an insult to peoples' mandate. I am not a big fan of bourgeois democracy, but it behoves a leadership which has spent so much time in practicing bourgeois democracy opt for elections by secret ballot within the Party to make it transparent.
If CPI (M) wants to consolidate its cadres and reemerge with credibility it should elect Achhutanand as next General Secretary, which will be a befitting tribute to the last remaining veteran leader who still continue to enjoy the trust of the popular masses.


By Dr S Deman, Editor

Acknowledgement

I am grateful to Prof Devendra Kaushik, Professor Emeritus  for constructive and very helpful comments which has improved the quality of the election analysis to a great deal.

Shambhav - A Cause for Action

SAMBHAVE COMES OUT WITH FLYING COLOURS
By Priyadarshani

The ‘Sambhav’ Movement: Sambhav, as the name implies, is something which ‘is possible’. Over the last six years or so, SAMBHAV has grown to become a major event of inclusive arts in the Indian national capital. It showcases inclusiveness of Indian society and also brings together such efforts by physically and mentally challenged artists in other countries and has established this as an annual event, providing a unique platform. A.L.P.A.N.A. was launched in 2003 as a registered Society and within a short span of its coming into being, it has made significant contribution to its espoused cause.

A.L.P.A.N.A., the name stands for Association for Learning Performing Arts and Normative Action’ one among the few selected organizations which trains specially gifted (Mentally and Physically Challenged) persons in Indian classical and folk dance forms for their holistic development and inclusive growth. The purpose of the above event was to celebrate and show case holistic development and inclusive growth of physically and mentally challenged persons in the society. It is planned to be a unique demonstration of the ‘will to win’ for the Specially Gifted persons irrespective of the region and culture they belong. It is an attempt to establish global synergy for serving this section of society.
Guru Alapna

A.L.P.A.N.A. is led by Guru Alpana Nayak, an accomplished Odissi dancer, who was awarded the ‘Nritya Visharad’ degree in 1980. She is on the panel of Indian Council for Cultural Relation (ICCR), Ministry of External Affairs and she earned the unique distinction of conducting workshops for challenged persons in Japan during her ICCR sponsored tour in 2006. She has performed at Nehru Centre, London in 2000 as a special invitee of ICCR, London. The author of this story had a privilege of attending the event in London. I had a attended While dedicating herself to serve the specially gifted persons, she has been the inspiration and steering force for our organisation’s ceaseless efforts to help the Physically and Mentally Challenged persons to join the mainstream of the society.

The chief guest for this occasion was Shri B.L. Joshi, HE the Governor of Uttar Pradesh and the inaugural session was presided over by Ambassador Suresh K Goel, Director General ICCR. The Chief Guest for the Art Exhibition was Shri Kapil Sibal, Hon’ble Cabinet Minister for Human Resources Development, Government of India and the exhibition was inaugurated in the IIC foyer by Shri Wajahat Habibullah, Former Chief Information Commissioner of India. 

Over the last seven years A.L.P.A.N.A. has organized sixteen performing arts events by specially gifted (mentally and physically challenged) persons at major venues in Delhi. The society presented Sambhav- 006, Sambhav-2007, Sambhav-2008 and Sambhav-2009 events of classical and folk dances by specially gifted persons and these events were timed with the Children’s Day. While Sambhav-2006 and Sambhav-2007 were held at India International Centre and were inaugurated by His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Sambhav-2008 was a South Asian Event with the participation of experts and specially gifted performers from five countries. SAMBHAV-2009 was the fourth event in a row and was conducted as an international event with the participation of ten countries – Nigeria, Mauritius, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar besides Indian states like Nagaland, Chennai, Rajasthan, Orissa and Delhi.

The Performing Art events held at popular venues of New Delhi for two consecutive evenings were major attractions. The Chief Guest for the first evening was Shri Mukul Washnik, Federal Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment while the Chief Guest for the concluding event was Smt. Gurusharan Kaur, wife of Hon’ble Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. Shri Chewang Phunsog, Chairman PESB and Smt. Nirupama Rao, Foreign Secretary attended the cultural programme as Distinguished Guests.
 A.L.P.A.N.A. hosted an International Event at India International Centre, New Delhi under the umbrella of "Sambhav" for the Physically and Mentally Challenged Persons. The objective of two days event was as follows: a) International Seminar on Inclusive Performing Arts and Dance as Therapy for challenged Persons,

b) International Exhibition of paintings and artifacts made by challenged artists, and (c) International Event of Performances by challenged artists.
Representatives from different countries, working for the Mentally and Physically challenged persons shared their views in the International Seminar held at the Main Auditorium of Indian International Centre. Sambhav received widespread attention of public and participation has increased to 17 countries in 2010 event: USA, Russia, China, Mongolia, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, South Africa, Namibia, Nigeria, Iran, Egypt, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Norway, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, India.  Although a deailed report on SAMBHAV 2009 is available at http://www.alpana.in/SAMBHAV09.html , the summary of the report is as follows:
On the first day of the International Seminar Dr Anupama Singh introduced session one to audience on ‘Shared Experiences on Physically and Mentally Challenged Persons & Inclusive Growth’. Mrs. Leela Venkatraman, a Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardee and noted dance critic, chaired the session.
First speaker Ms. Diane Lynn Dupuy, CEO of the Famous People Players (FPP), Canada, deliver the keynote address. She shared her traumatic experienced as a child and from those experiences she found the Famous People Players. She said as a child she was perceived as a slow learner and received failing grades. But it was noting to do with her some sort of disability she was not interested in what was happening in classrooms. She got fed up with the school and ultimately dropped out. She had a very creative mind and began performing with puppets and started entertaining people with her puppet shows and latte formed a company, FPP. She worked with the challenged people who would dress in black and bring a life-size famous person puppet to life. FPP put its first ever performance; they would bring a puppet of Liberace to life and that too before Liberace himself. FPP touched Liberace and he invited the FPP to perform in Las Vegas. The FPP moved on to far greater things like performing at Broadway. Then again they were applauded there.

Next speaker was Dr. Suresh Deman, PhD, Director, Centre for Economics and Policy, London. Dr Deman made a power point presentation to overcome any challenge one might face. He identified two types of disabilities – (i) Natural and (ii) Man made. He highlighted the unfortunate state of the disadvantaged people in India due to lack of anti discrimination laws compared to the western countries. He added that with the work of organizations like ALPANA, India could make a difference. However, we have to develop a new strategy to achieve our goals, e.g., improvement in health status (especially for mentally challenged people) and also getting the NGOs and governmental organizations involved for their help. He then went on identify key strategies for change: (i) giving incentives to companies for having inclusive work force, (ii) educational strategy i.e. making people aware, (iii) need for social activism for change of law, instituting in society moral conduct by creating a culture: ‘stop staring and laughing,’ and ‘they are not one of them but one of us’, and the need for passion rather than compassion. All these were some examples of inclusive strategies not so much for growth but for human development. Dr. Deman believes that without such actions, no program for helping these people will be successful. He ended his talk with various examples of famous people who overcame disability and also cited the example of Paralympics, initiated by USA, England and Canada, which promotes inclusive sports.

Further session B – E were chaired by Dr. Sarita Sarangi, Member Secretary, Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Deaconess Linda Olisa Middleton, CEO of the African Theatre Project in Nigeria, Padmashree Guru Smt. Saroja Vaidyanathan, Prof. N.K. Chaddha, HoD, Dept. of Psychology at the Delhi University, Dr. Manjula Krippendorf, Consultant, Pediatrics and Neurodevelopment practitioner, they are eminent people in their own fields. Many others delegates spoke at these sessions: Mr. Prasong Ongpreechakul of Art for All Foundation, University from Thailand, Mrs. Saha began with Bangladesh, Mr. Vilas Janhve, a Resource Person, Theosophical Society Viklang Vidyalaya, Udaipur, Marie Wijeyeratne, Principal, School for the Deaf, Ratmalana, Colombo, Sri Lanka, Ms. Andrea Lucretia Naidoo, Resource Person, from Agulhas Theatre Works (ATW) in Johannesburg, South Africa, Ms. Seinn Mya Thuzar, Principal, School for the Deaf, Mandalay, Myanmar Mr. Vijay Supekar, Resource Person, Shri Chaitanya Parimal, Ms. Judith Schwartz, Resource person from Famous People Players (FPP) based in Toronto, Canada, Mr. Edwin Nathaniel, resource person from the Rhythmic Interactive Spastic Enablers (R.I.S.E.), Malaysia, Mr. Pema Gyalpo, resource person from Tarayana Foundation, Thimpu, Bhutan, Mr. Gankhuyag Namsrai, Resource person from the Art Council of Mongolia, Ulaan Batar, Mongolia, Ms. Aaliyah Rasheed, a Dhrupad singer from Karachi, Pakistan, Ms. Subarna Chitrakar, Resource person from SUNAGAVA, Kathmandu, Nepal, Mr. Aegosa Rakhman, resource person from YPAC, Jakarta, Indonesia, Deaconess Linda Olisa Middleton, CEO, African Theatre Project, Nigeria, Ms. Maria S. Zhiglova, resource person from, the Psychoneurologic home for disabled citizens – 25, Moscow, Russia, and others.

Osama Bin Laden - Beyond Retaliation?

Beyond Retaliation - Wild West - "Alive or Dead"
by Kathy Kelly

This morning, a reporter called to talk about the news that the U.S. has killed Osama bin Laden. Referring to throngs of young people celebrating outside the White House, the reporter asked what Voices would say if we had a chance to speak with those young people.

We'd want to tell them about a group of people who, in November of 2001, walked from Washington, D.C. to New York City carrying a banner that said, "Our Grief is not a Cry for War." Several of the walkers were people who had lost their loved ones in the attacks on 9/11. When the walk ended, they formed a group called "Families for Peaceful Tomorrows" to continually represent the belief that our security is not founded in violence and revenge.

Often, during that walk, participants were asked what we'd suggest as an alternative to invading Afghanistan. One response was that the U.S. and other countries could enact a criminal investigation and rely on police work and intelligence to apprehend the perpetrators of the attack. As it turns out, the U.S. discovered where Osama bin Laden was through those means and not through warfare. How have the past ten years of aerial bombardments, night raids, death squads, assassinations and drone attacks in Afghanistan benefited the U.S. people? Did the carnage and bloodshed bring the U.S. closer to discovering the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden? Have we defeated terrorism or created greater, deeper hatred toward the U.S.?

In the past, President Obama has said that "we stand on the shoulders of giants like Dr. King, yet our future progress will depend on how we prepare our next generation of leaders" (Jan. 18, 2010). In a historic speech, "Beyond Vietnam -- A Time to Break Silence", King said: "We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. The oceans of history are made turbulent by the ever-rising tides of hate. And history is cluttered with the wreckage of nations and individuals that pursued this self-defeating path of hate."

In that same speech, King called for a neighborliness that goes beyond one's tribe, race, class, and nation. We think of that call in light of experiences of a 2010 Voices delegation that visited a rural village in the central highlands of Afghanistan. They sat with women who were close in age to the young people who were celebrating outside of the White House last night. Asked if they had ever heard of a time when a large passenger plane had crashed into a tall building in the United States, the young women were puzzled. They had never heard of 9/11.

They live in a country where 850 children die every day, a country which the UN has termed the worst country in the world into which a child can be born, where the average life expectancy is 42 years of age. The UN says that 7.4 million Afghans live with hunger and fear of starvation, while millions more rely on food help, and one in five children die before the age of five. Each week, the U.S. taxpayers spend two billion dollars to continue the war in Afghanistan.

Matt Daloisio, who co-coordinates the Witness Against Torture Campaign, sounded a note that we find far more authentic than triumphal celebration.

"10 years," Matt wrote. "Over 6000 US Soldiers killed. Trillions of Dollars wasted. Hundreds of thousands of civilians killed. Tens of thousands imprisoned. Torture as part of foreign policy. And we are supposed to celebrate the murder of one person? I am not excited. I am not happy. I remain profoundly sad."

Kathy Kelly, a co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence. Kathy Kelly's email is kathy@vcnv.org