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Oppose Ruling Class Parties in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh- which will also be very important
for their bid to return to power at the Centre in 2019. But their govts. in these
Assemb
Assemblly Elections in states have done nothing to address problems of the people, they have served
the interests of the big capitalists and big landlords. They have made all
Five Sta
Fiv tes
States
attempts to communally polarize the people in order to retain power and have
organized attacks against the Muslims and Dalits strengthening Brahmannical
upper caste control over social life. RSS-BJP had come to power making a lot
Assembly elections in five states are being held at a time when people are of promises e.g. to peasants, to youth but have abysmally failed in fulfilling
groaning under the increased burden due to the Govt. policies, unemployment promises. In fact they have nothing to show as their achievement on this
and rise in prices of essential commodities which have added to the people’s score. Now they are intensifying their communal conspiracies to divert the
burden. Conditions of the vast masses of people – peasants and workers are people's attention from their failures. Their drive to erase history by changing
worsening. Along with these hardships for the common people, oppressed names of cities in the states ruled by them and their attempt to bring the issue
sections of people - minorities particularly Muslims, Dalits and tribals - are of Ram Janmbhoomi again to the fore are such attempts. Their so-called
facing increased assault on their lives and livelihood. However, conditions of plank of development has fallen by the wayside. Corruption, whose exposure
the people and the assault faced by oppressed sections are not concerns for had played a big role in turning the people against Congress, has further
the ruling class parties, particularly main contenders of power, who are doing grown under RSS-BJP role. An organized loot of public exchequer and public
everything to divert the attention of the people from these issues. As the sector banks (PSBs) has been under way under RSS-BJP rule with a number
economic crisis deepens and the quest of corporate for higher profits grows, of people have been helped to get out of the country to evade dues to PSBs.
ruling class parties are increasingly trying to resort to diversionary tactics NPAs have grown at a faster pace under RSS-BJP rule owing to their filling
having little scope to offer sops to the people. the corporate coffers and now they are eyeing reserves of the Reserve Bank
of India. Exposures in Rafale Deal which Modi himself struck are a saga of
The present situation is marked by increasing agrarian distress which is open and shameless loot of public funds in the name of national security.
increasing resentment and anger among the peasants including middle and
rich peasants, intensifying exploitation of workers seen in increasing The most sinister aspect of RSS-BJP rule has been their systematic attempt
contractualization, increasing loss of jobs and fewer rights, increasing to capture different state institutions in a bid to intensify its fascist offensive.
privatization of health services and education while unemployment reached This effort to capture all wings of state machinery and monopolize their control
new heights with Govt. abdicating the responsibility of creating jobs. The over all state institutions has created a deep crisis affecting different wings of
Govt. is increasing tax burden on the people with very high indirect taxes. The the state. One such attempt has led to sharp conflict in CBI which has brought
measures like demonetization, GST have attacked even small businesses the rampant corruption in this investigative agency to public knowledge. RSS-
and have served only the big capitalists. In the name of maintaining high BJP Govt. has intensified repression on the people's movements, particularly
growth rate, money is being thrown to the big capitalists which has created revolutionary movement. In order to crush the democratic rights' activists
serious crisis for public sector banks and alarming growth of their NPAs. who stand for and defend the democratic rights of the struggling people, RSS-
While ruling class parties serve these exploiting classes, they do not allow BJP Govt. has launched a sinister attack branding them as "Urban Naxals".
questioning of these policies. They only pay lip service to the distress and
In these states i.e. MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, main electoral challenger
problems of the common people, but do not address the causes for this distess
of RSS-BJP is Congress. Congress represents the same economic policies
rather stand for continuing the policies which are at the root of this distress
rather it prides in projecting itself as the initiator of these policies. Even in
and increasing hardships of the people.
opposition to RSS-BJP Hindutva, Congress is projecting itself as a Hindu
For the ruling RSS-BJP these elections cover three of the states- namely party giving up pretense to 'secularism'. It is apposing its so-called soft Hindu
Other ruling class parties too subscribe to anti-people pro-imperialist economic CPI(ML)-New Democracy has fielded candidates for ten assembly
policies. They do not have any alternative economic policies rather they too constituencies in Telengana including Yellandu wherefrom the Party has
implement these 'new' economic policies when they come to power. Nor do won on six occasions in the past. Party has fielded Com. Gummadi Narsaiah
they have any solution to the basic problems being faced by the peasants who had won this seat on five occasions, as its candidate from Yellandu .
and workers. Land reforms, which are the striving of landless poor peasants,
have long disappeared from the agenda of the ruling class parties. Ruling CPI(ML)-New Democracy is contesting these elections on its own strength.
class parties other than Congress and RSS-BJP are also mostly aligning with CPI(ML)-New Democracy is exposing the policies of the ruling class parties
one or the other to seek their share in power. in Telengana namely, TRS, Congress, TDP and revisionist parties like CPI
and CPM.
While elections to these state assemblies were due, TRS Govt. led by KCR
in Telengana dissolved the state assembly to hold early elections. KCR wanted
movement is well known to the people of Telengana. CPI is part of this alliance
to avoid holding state assembly elections along with parliamentary elections
but CPM has forged another alliance in the name of Bahujan Left Front.
to avoid polarization among the main contenders of power at the Centre as
well as retain his options for bargaining with either of them depending on the Mizoram is the fifth state going to the polls. This north eastern state had in
outcome of parliamentary elections. TRS which came to power in Telengana the past a strong nationality movement. It is still under Armed Forces (Special
on the strength of the movement for separate state of Telengana, has only Powers) Act (AFSPA) and hence security forces have a much larger say in
implemented the policies of its predecessor govts., adding a few schemes of determining the outcome in the state. Here too BJP, which was non-existent
its own. But the people of Telengana struggled for the separate state in the earlier, is making a bid to gain strength by winning over regional forces and
hope that this would lead to addressing their problems. These hopes have opportunist elements.
been belied. TRS has betrayed the aspirations of the people of Telengana
which had been aroused during the movement. On the other hand, TRS Govt. These elections will be an important harbinger of the trends for the coming
launched serious offensive against tribals by dispossessing them from their parliamentary elections. The ruling class parties which are contending for
lands in the name of 'Harithharam' and crudely suppressed their resistance power do not represent any alternative policies. Repression of the people's
against such dispossession. TRS Govt. has targeted our Party to suppress struggles, deception by throwing some superficial schemes and division of
the resistance of tribal people. They have foisted cases against our comrades the people on parochial basis are their stock in trade. People should see
under UAPA and have invoked Preventive Detention Act against our comrades. through their designs and build their struggles. CPI(ML)-New Democracy calls
TRS tried to monopolize power encouraging defections from other ruling class upon the people to support candidates of only communist revolutionary
parties. TRS is mostly controlled by family of KCR. TRS is having an alliance organizations in these elections.
with AIMIM in Telengna.
On Building Joint Struggles challenge posed by RSS-BJP offensive is much more serious because
they want to even formally abolish the constitutional rights of the people.
Though some sections of the state are still to fall in line, but this offensive
(This paper was presented on behalf of the Central Committee of has already achieved an ominous form.
CPI(ML)-New Democracy at a Seminar organized by CPI(ML)-Class
There is a broad agreement among the communist revolutionary
Struggle at Hyderabad on September 9, 2018) organizations that India is a semifeudal, semicolonial country which is
being oppressed by imperialism, feudalism and comprador bureaucrat
We thank the Central Committee of CPI(ML)-Class Struggle, organizers capitalism. Hence the task before the revolutionaries is to overthrow the
of this Seminar, for inviting us and present our views. The topic of the rule of big bourgeois big landlord classes subservient to imperialism. CR
Seminar is “Challenges Faced by the Forces Struggling to Change the organizations agree that Indian revolution is a New Democratic Revolution
Present System in India” and the objective formulated by the organizers is i.e. a democratic revolution led by working class. CR organizations also
“to find a common ground in the present situation and thus having long agree on forging an alliance of four classes with worker-peasant alliance
term sustaining united action among us against the ruling classes and as its axis and agrarian revolution as the main aspect of this revolution.
their policies.” There is further agreement that the path to be followed to accomplish this
Communist Revolutionaries struggling to change the present system democratic revolution in India is the path of protracted people’s war. Within
i.e. revolutionary transformation of society, are facing a complex situation. this broad framework, the communist revolutionaries also have some
The imperialist system is going through an unprecedented and protracted differences relating to aspects of programme and path. However, among
crisis and the policies of rulers of imperialist powers are increasing the the forces which genuinely uphold the above orientation, the aspect of
hardships and the miseries of the people the world over. Resentment and unity is primary howsoever serious the differences may appear at this time
anger is growing among the people in different countries and the situation on any of the aspects.
for the development of revolutionary movement and people’s struggles is There are changes brought about the imperialist exploitation of the
becoming more favourable. All the major contradictions of the imperialist country and policies of ruling big bourgeois, big landlord classes, though
system are intensifying and new hotspots of conflict and war are emerging these changes have not changed the basic fabric of the society i.e. its
in different parts of the world. US imperialism is trying to stop decline in its semicolonial, semifeudal structure. However, these changes have to be
share of world production by launching trade war targeting its rivals and properly understood and factored into the tasks of the revolutionary forces.
even traditional allies. Globalization has received a setback with the growth Correct and timely appreciation of the changes is necessary for the
of protectionism. revolutionary organizations to lead the struggle for the victorious advance
In our country too, economic crisis is deepening. Value of the rupee of the New Democratic Revolution. A scientific approach towards such
has declined sharply while NPAs of nationalized banks are growing changes which is aimed at serving the cause of revolutionary transformation
continuously. Fudging the data cannot hide the stark reality of the growing of Indian society will also help in overcoming some of the differences among
difficulties of the overwhelming majority of the people. Condition of working the communist revolutionary organizations.
class and peasantry is worsening while unemployment is growing. People All the problems being faced by the communist revolutionary forces
are rising in struggles for their rights. The ruling classes are not able to rule and all the differences among them existing on the various aspects of the
in the old way. RSS-BJP, having a majority of their own for the first time, line should definitely be debated and discussed among the communist
have unleashed an offensive to impose fascist dictatorship over the country. revolutionary organizations. Such debate and discussion has to be
In semifeudal, semicolonial India, ruling classes generally resort to fascist necessarily conducted among communist revolutionary organizations only
repression on the revolutionary movement and people’s struggles, but the who share common perspective on the basic aspects of programme and
Assessing the potential of like NREGA, as much it is with their ability to help obviate the societal
conditions which harbour dependence of the poor.
MGNREGA to alle via
allevia te po
viate ver
pov ty in
erty False dichotomy between the realms of production and distribution
India’s political econom
India’s economyy The underlying assumption behind programmes like NREGA, which were
launched to usher in an ‘inclusive growth’, is that the ‘realm of production’
Vikas Bajpai (economic growth) is independent of the ‘realm of distribution’ (the
redistributive social sector schemes); and that ensuring a sustained high
In essence, poverty and wealth in a society are a consequence of the economic growth rate is crucial to generating economic resources for
socioeconomic and political structure of the society rather than being an implementing the redistributive social sector policies like NREGA in order
inadvertent result of its multifarious economic processes. It is a chimera to ameliorate poverty. This convenient assumption seeks to absolve the
to expect that poverty, especially on the scale present in India, can be ‘neoliberal economic policies’ of culpability in fueling humongous inequalities
remedied by some redistributive policies without having to tinker with the and social discord leading to further marginalization of the poor.
socioeconomic and political structure of the society and the power relations
embedded within it. This constitutes our departure point for the purpose of This dichotomous understanding also bears the imprimatur of the political
analysis presented here. core of Gandhian development philosophy as embodied in Gandhi’s concept
of ‘Trusteeship.’ Raja Chelliah, who was chosen in 1991 to suggest tax
Even though Modi government has been less than lukewarm towards reforms towards ushering in the structural reform of the Indian economy,
implementation of MGNREGA (NREGA for short), with Mr. Modi himself alluding to Gandhi’s idea of trusteeship, wrote in his book ‘Political Economy
ridiculing the programme on the floor of the house by projecting it as a of Poverty Eradication in India and Essays on Fiscal Reform’, thus:
testament to the failure of the erstwhile UPA government, there
nevertheless remains a large constituency of well-meaning activists, Gandhiji while appreciating the need for the state to play a crucial
academicians, researchers and common people along with sections of role was of the conviction that the more fortunate citizens should become
ruling classes, who firmly believe in the potential of such programmes to the leaders of civil society, and civil society had a major role to play not
alleviate the sufferings of the people. Indeed, NREGA was projected as only in changing social attitudes of the people but also in the spread of
nothing short of a revolutionary Act by its proponents when it was first ethical principles. He had also advocated the principle of trusteeship of
enacted. It then makes sense to do a reality check on this possibility. holding wealth. ……………. The masses, still suffering from poverty
and lack of opportunity to be touched by modernization, need the help
Conceptual percepts for assessing NREGA and other such of the educated elite and the economically well-off sections of the
programs population. Until the masses become strong, the intermediate groups
that rise to power tend to act in unlawful ways (emphasis added)
Given the levels of poverty, hunger and want that persist in India, the (Chelliah, 2010, p 27-28).
need and the scope for reaching out all manner of help to the indigent
population, from individuals, various governmental and non-governmental It would seem class contradictions, exploitation and the multifarious
agencies remain acute even in the best of times. There is no denying the societal mechanisms grinding the overwhelming majority of India’s poor to
fact that any material help to the poor could provide some relief from their dust are nothing but an exercise in make believe. Rather than being the
immediate want. But using the dependence of the poor to create more motivating force for ushering in social change, the poor can’t help but be
dependence would amount to an oppressor tactic, and hence our concern condemned to patiently await the elite's benevolence. Hence, the elite
here is not as much with provisioning of immediate relief from programs honestly persevere to create wealth; guiding the poor in their labour, and
Source: Table 1 for ‘All social categories’ given on pages A 125, A 147 The inability and the profound lack of will on the part of India’s ruling
and A 168 for Haryana, Punjab and India respectively in NSSO (2013). classes to cure this pathology mandates destroying their grip over state
power as a necessary condition for ameliorating the poverty of India’s
It ought to be expected that the classes owning maximum land would working masses. However, bringing about such a change would entail a
be the ones most keen to develop their agriculture along capitalist lines; long-drawn struggle; however, the enormous difficulties of the people cry
however, the findings of Table 6 seem to suggest much to the contrary, for relief now, and as a society we can ill-afford to be found wavering in
especially so with respect to Punjab. Those owning more than 10 hectares providing this relief. The crucial question therefore is how to provide this
of land seemed to spend a paltry 9.6 percent of their monthly surplus in relief without rendering the struggle for larger change secondary or incidental
productive investment; though, one might still draw some solace from the to provisioning of much needed relief?
investments being made by the class owning between 4 to 10 hectares.
The situation in case of Haryana however is decidedly torpid. The same We shall do well to remember that even in their purest form the purpose
Not just this, officials like ADG Meerut zone, DM and SP Meerut went The Lucknow ‘Encounter’ Murder
overboard to please their political masters by sprinkling rose petals on
On top of this happened Apple Regional manager Vivek Tiwari’s murder
Kanwariyas from a helicopter. The govt sanctioned Rs 14 lakhs for this.
by the trigger-happy police force. An upper class, upper caste executive
Aligarh’s Videographed Encounter without any history sheet and a witness who refused to be gagged, Yogi
govt had to concede the murder and file an FIR against the cops. The
People were shocked on September 20 this year when several TV reaction of significant sections of cops, mostly young entrants- wearing
channels, and later also covered by the print media, showed live videos of black badges, sending out Wattsapp protest messages, collecting funds
two ‘criminals’ being killed in an encounter. The master of this ‘ceremony’ for the accused- speaks volumes about the direction in which this police
was SSP Aligarh, Ajay Raj Sahni. At 6.30 am more than 50 media men force is being trained. Their reaction highlights the kind of assurance they
witnessed and recorded it. As reported a few policemen walked randomly have got of not being punished for whatever they may do.
‘without any visible seriousness’ as if a firing practice was going on, not a
gun battle. Another footage shows a man in uniform casually holding a But the most glaring ‘political’ exposure of encounter sanctions was
firearm and aiming, while the camera person is heard giving instructions – made by the dead man’s wife, who was immediately handed over
‘Don’t look here and there as I am filming the action. Take aim as if you are compensation and a job and who thereafter changed her tone to her remaining
going to fire the bullet.’ responsibilities of bringing up her two daughters. She had, as a knee jerk
reaction made this disquieting disclosure of what was her perception of
The media itself did not report any police injury which was claimed in these encounter killings. She expressed surprise that her husband had
the press conference. Rather Dainik Jagran wrote that a SO and a sepoy been killed even though they had always voted for and supported BJP,
were saved by the skin of their teeth (baal – baal bache). The SSP first revealing a common perception amongst BJP supporters that it is the
acknowledged that the media had been called ‘as there were orders from opponents who are being killed by the Govt. in these encounters.
The third issue is of fighting against the dilution of the labour law
enforcement machinery. In cases of industrial accidents the factory
inspectors should also be booked for negligence. Without this, enforcement
of even minimum safety precautions is impossible. Construction Workers
boards throughout the country must mandatorily supply safety kits to every
registered worker. Safety precautions for workers in sewage plants and for
safai karamcharis must be strictly enforced including making alternative
easy provisions by Govts for citizens to get cleaning of sewage drains
done, in order to facilitate stoppage of manual scavenging. Technology
should be oriented for use in such work rather than concentrating on
unmanned drones.
Not the last is the need to upgrade the provisions of compensation. ESI
Arrests under UAPA- and Milind Ekbote. Both are known RSS leaders of the area. Several similar
FIRs were filed later. On 8th January 2018, an FIR was filed by Tushar
Silencing Voices
Damgude alleging that Maoists were responsible for the violence at Bhima
Koregaon. A Coordination committee formed to assist the police gave a
report that there was sufficient evidence that the clashes were a culmination
Demanding Democracy of provocative acts orchestrated by Hindutva leader Milind Ekbote and
followers of Sambhaji Bhide ‘Guruji’. The Supreme Court rejected the
anticipatory bail application of Ekbote and he was arrested on 15 th March;
On the 28th of August 2018, in a flurry of morning swoops across the Sambhaji was never arrested and recently in October 2018 the Maharashtra
country, Pune police attempted to arrest five activist intellectuals after Govt. has withdrawn all FIRs on charges of communal violence registered
conducting searches in the homes of nine such intellectuals. The cross against him and only the Bhima Koregaon FIR remains.
country multi city swoop was designed to project an image of great Another set of complaints also have relevance to the situation. Vudhu
efficiency, of righteous governance out to instill fear in those against Budruk village lies 30 kms from Pune and less than 5 km from Bhima
‘nationalism’, of a military fashion ‘surgical strike’. The basis of the moves Koregaon. Here there is a memorial to the son of Shivaji, who was killed
was stated to be the second FIR lodged in the Bhima Koregaon violence by the Mughals. There is also a samadhi of a Mahar ( Dalit) who is credited
on 1st January 2018 and those targeted were all termed ‘urban naxals’. as being the person who had the guts to defy the Mughals and reclaim the
body of Shivaji’s son. On the 29th of December 2017, a flexi board was
The Background seen at Mahar Samadhi stating this history. The Marathas of the village
On the 1st of January 2018, to commemorate a 200 year old war, led by the village panchayat protested, saying that the board falsified history
thousands made their way to a memorial in Bhima Koregaon village in and the body was actually rescued by a Maratha. The board was damaged
Pune district (Maharashtra) to remember a battle in which a Mahar (Dalit) as allegedly was the chattri installed over the Mahar Samadhi and all this
army of the East India Company had defeated the Peshwas. This event is allegedly by a large crowd led by the village panchayat leaders. There are
regularly marked by Ambedkarite Dalits. This year, the spotlight was on around 20 Mahar families in the village and over 100 of the Maratha families.
this annual event because a day earlier a meeting called by the Elgar Milind Ekbote has been regularly visiting the village for years, according
Parishad had protested against the countrywide attacks on Dalits by upper to several reports and had built a youth organization there. Sushma Ovhal,
caste forces and also their vigilante groups with the backing of RSS-BJP who was visiting her brother in that village, filed a complaint under the SC/
led govts. and the state machinery, terming these the 'new peshwas'. ST Act against 49 people including the village sarpanch. Milind Ekbote’s
This meeting took place in Shaniwar Nada, the erstwhile seat of the is the last name. The village panchayat filed a counter complaint saying
Peshwas. the Dalits threatened the Marathas. Within 48 hours the police filed the
chargesheet, with the statement of 10 witnesses, apparently all of one
As people were proceeding towards Bhima Koregaon, apart from several family. Virulent meetings were held in the area on the issue by Hindutva
other obstructions created for them there were violent incidents in which leaders. Thus the atmosphere was already vitiated in the area before either
one person was killed and several injured. Other obstructions included the meeting of the Elgar Parishad or the Bhima Koregaon violence.
closing down of roadside hotels, strike of passenger vehicles etc. all of
which was to try to deter the enormous numbers which finally reached the In March 2018, The Forum for Integrated National Security published a
memorial. On 2nd January the first FIR on the violence was filed by Anita report whose author, Smita Gaikwad, is a retired army officer (Reported by
Sawale, in which it was stated that on the way to Bhima Koregaon on 1st Mridula Chari on 31st August 2018 in Scroll India). This report stated that
January, she witnessed attacks on Dalits at the behest of Sambaji Bhinde the Maoists were responsible for the violence at Bhima Koregaon. The
Deepening Economic nature of this crisis and hoped that with economic growth picking up in
imperialist countries, they could taper off this stimulus. These ‘generous
Loot of People’s Money anger against anti-people policies grew. This anger came forth also in the
form of an anti-corruption movement which did not address the real culprits
behind the massive corruption i.e. foreign and domestic corporate and only
Free fall in the value of rupee, rising NPAs of public sector banks and targeted the party ruling at the time. This was an attempt by the corporate
failing non-banking financial institutions are some of the characteristics of to save the system by sacrificing those earlier representatives. It was in
what is being propagated as the fastest growing economy. The Rupee has this condition that the biggest corporate orchestrated campaign brought
declined by over15 percent in this year and share market, despite its wide Modi led RSS Govt. to power. Corporate had banked that RSS would be
fluctuations, lost 5.5 percent in the first week of October, 2018. The current able to distract the people’s attention from the frank loot and robbery of
crisis is a continuation and deepening of the economic crisis at the root of the people, of the state exchequer and natural resources of the country.
which is the agrarian-industrial crisis. Growing unemployment, rising prices This nexus between corporate and Hindutva demonstrated that ruling
of essential commodities and increasing distress of peasants and workers classes – big capitalists and big landlords- wanted to unleash the weapon
are its impact on the people who are groaning under the burden being of division of the people on a large scale though it had been a pillar of the
imposed on them by the rulers. state policy of the ruling classes along with repression and reforms
(deception) since the beginning of their class rule. Modi led RSS Govt.
Prices of petrol and diesel have increased sharply putting a lot of continued the economic policies of Manmohan Singh led UPA Govt. with
economic burden on the people besides adversely affecting economic renewed vigour, intensifying pro-imperialist pro-corporate policies and
activities. Besides increase in the prices of essential commodities, increase suppressing people’s struggles. The present deepening of crisis is both
in the diesel prices has made agricultural inputs costlier thereby increasing the result of continuing economic policies as well as intensification of these
agrarian distress which was already quite severe. policies under RSS Govt.
At the root of this crisis is the model of economic growth being pursued
This crisis once again demonstrates the continuing dependence on
by the successive govts. This FDI dependent and export oriented model is
imperialism. In the first week of October 2018 alone, stock markets lost
suffering from the lack of demand. The demand in the markets of western
nearly 5.5% on the back of withdrawal of foreign portfolio investments (FPI).
countries has dipped due to continuing stagnation and low growth in those
In September 2018 nearly 21,035 crore rupees were withdrawn from FPI
economies and rise of protectionism there. Domestic demand is stagnant
both from equity market (10,825 crores) and debt market (10,198 crores).
reflecting the continuing abysmal conditions of the overwhelming majority
In the first five days of October 2018, 9,358 crore rupees were withdrawn,
of the people of the country. This has any way not been the concern of
Rs. 7,094 crores from equity market and Rs. 2,261 crores from debt market.
those ruling the country.
This withdrawal led to one of the sharpest falls in the share prices. In fact
Explosion of world financial economic crisis in 2008 seriously affected since April 2018, i.e. over last six months, there has been negative FPI
Indian economy which was and continues to be subservient to imperialism. (withdrawal) to the tune of Rs. 84,115 crores. This is also a result of the
Indian rulers sought to keep the economic growth rate high by pumping in protectionist policies of Trump Admn. which has seen foreign capital
money, mostly handing over large sums to corporate in the name of including US capital flocking back to US. How Modi govt. is robbing the
sustaining high growth. They did not and could not assess the systemic public money in the interest of foreign capital would be clear from the way
The current ‘me too’ in India- It was the aftermath of 2012 that resulted in a virtual outburst, with
working women in various sectors speaking out against power based sexual
Solidarity Statement violence. Young women journalists spoke then, as did women in institutions
like TERI against their exalted bosses, as did young legal interns against
judges of the Supreme Court itself. The complaints were either converted
Fight to Demolish Feudal Patriarchal culture at into FIRs as support at workplace faltered before power or they came to
workplaces and for Democratic Culture. naught in the absence of internal committees and hesitation in going to the
police. Can one blame the women when not just careers but even the
In India, the “Me Too’ movement exposes that possibility of lasting in the professions is at stake?
forcing law enactments are not enough- The ripples have continued incessantly and women’s speaking up could
Movements alone can ensure implementation not be throttled, only there was not so much focus on them. Since the past
year there have been outpourings of anger in both the Malayalam and Telegu
Brave, angry outpourings from women journalists and women in the film industry. In the first case, when the Cine Artists organization mocked
entertainment industry in Mumbai are reigning over headlines in India. the women by reinstating a powerful actor accused of sexual misconduct,
Comparisons are being drawn with the movement with the same name the women of the industry responded by forming a platform of their own
which burst out over a year earlier in the US and it is being made out that where both women actors and women supporting staff have organized
the inspiration has been drawn from there, but this is only a partial truth. themselves. In the Telegu industry, one woman actor expressed her protest
One struggle lends strength to another. It is also true that it is due to the by a public stripping. (The Malayalam Cine Artists forum has removed the
movement in the US that India's newspapers picked up the issues here. It actor from membership after the current ''me too''picked up steam.)
was after December 16th 2012 that the floodgates of women’s anger in India
burst open in a new way. It was not that women had not spoken about A fresh round of fighting for justice is on as women in various professions
power based sexual violence at workplace or in course of performing duty, recapture relief, recapture the right to be at peace with themselves, by
earlier. The failed attempt at justice in semi feudal India by a saathin in breaking their silence. There are many women who are putting their current
Rajasthan in 1990s became the prod for women’s movements which resulted high positions in the profession, their lives, their families at stake and
in the Vishakha judgement of the Supreme Court. It called for internal voicing their anger and their sense of humiliation at what they were forced
committees at workplace till a law to the same effect was enacted. After to go through so that they could pursue their professions, or how they were
that this Court also set the tone, by violating its own judgement on its own denied opportunities if they refused. Women’s organizations and democratic
premises. individuals and organizations must rally in solidarity, must salute the
courage.
Several women dared to speak out after Vishakha – in the capital city
of Delhi they faced severe backlash despite being sometimes backed by What will become of these voices? The test is of the democratic
support by co workers, with one case seeing a powerful movement; there movement, not of these survivors. The test is of progressive movements.
was similar experience in the rest of the country. Yet, several institutions Some of these voices will become FIRs. Some will be silenced by the
were forced to set up committees. Due to the overall patriarchal and non finger pointings which will inevitably get into action at the behest of the
democratic culture at workplaces, often women complainants were let down powerful accused and other powerful yet to be accused guilty. Feudal
by senior women in the Vishakha committees which existed. Apart from patriarchal values hold sway in this society, the point is the fight against
that, even when the complaint was not directed against very senior people, them. There have to be powerful movements in support of justice for those
the Vishakha committees usually let down the complainant. who have spoken. There must be movements for throwing out of the named