• Historic meeting in Jalandhar marks the 88^th anniversary of the founding of the Ghadar Party

• Restoration of unity of Indian communists is the need of the time in order to realise the ideals of the Ghadar Party

• Condemn the state terror unleashed in Kashmir!

• FBI to open office in India

• The life and work of V.I.Lenin are immortal!

• LRS programme in Ulhasnagar on Martyrs’ Day

• Another people’s initiative to oppose hostilities between India and Pakistan

• Land struggle in Zimbabwe

The lawns of this most beautiful, inspiring and moving memorial to the glorious martyrs who gave up their all for the freedom of the motherland and the emancipation of her people, were greeting with the freshness and beauty of spring, all those who came to participate in this function. The flowers were blooming, showing in their own way their love and respect for the martyrs and their anticipation for a beautiful and truly historic program. The flag of the Ghadar Party, the flag that inspired the Ghadaris to brave the greatest hardships and court the biggest sacrifices with the song of freedom and liberation on their lips, was fluttering aloft all the posts in the complex. Bright banners in Punjabi proclaimed the spirit of the ghadaris and the tribute of the succeeding generations to these fighters for freedom and liberation. A truly inspiring backdrop to an extremely important function indeed!

Over two thousand communists and progressive people from all walks of life, mostly workers, peasants, women and youth, had gathered to celebrate the Ghadar Foundation Day and participate in the program and deliberations of the day.

At 11 am, the flag of the Ghadar Party was solemnly unfurled by Baba Bhagat Singh Bilga, veteran Ghadari baba and President of the Desh Bhagat Yaadgaar Committee.

Following this, the public meeting was held in the auditorium of the Memorial.

Veteran Ghadari Comrade Chain Singh Chain conducted the public meeting on behalf of the Committee. Welcoming the gathering he called on Baba Bhagat Singh Bilga, President, and Baba Gandharva Sen, General Secretary, to come to the stage. He then announced the names of the invited speakers one by one and called them on to the stage.

In his opening remarks, Comrade Chain Singh Chain pointed out that the Ghadar Party’s aims were complete emancipation of India’s and the world’s peoples, democracy, people’s rule, secularism, education and jobs for all and establishment of a society based on justice and equality. The Ghadaris dedicated themselves to make every sacrifice needed for the achievement of these aims. Comrade Chain Singh Chain said that today's meeting was to discuss "the relevance of these aims of the Ghadar Party in the situation facing our country today".

Comrade Chain Singh further pointed out that people from many communist parties and groups as well as all who upheld the aims of the Ghadari babas had been invited to the program. The slogan for the day he said, was "Ghadar shaheedon ka yahi hai paigaam, Jaari rahega lok sangram".

Following his brief remarks, Comrade Chain Singh Chain called upon Baba Gandharva Sen to address the gathering. In a moving and inspiring speech, Comrade Gandharva Sen pointed out that the mission of the martyrs was far from fulfilled. The times demanded the unity of communists and all progressive forces. He further pointed out that todays meeting had been organised by the Desh Bhagat Yaadgaar Committee to contribute to this goal.

Comrade Chain Singh Chain then called upon the President of the Yaadgaar Committee, Baba Bhagat Singh Bilga to address the gathering. In an impassioned speech, comrade Bilga pointed out that the Ghadaris worked with both hosh and josh. They worked with singleminded devotion to the cause. Today dark clouds were hovering over the motherland. The need of the moment was for all patriotic forces to unite in a single party of revolutionaries and patriots.

Following this, the invited speakers addressed the gathering. Amolak Singh (General Secretary) Lok Morcha, Punjab, Darshan Singh Khatkhat (General Secretary) CPIML Janshakti (Punjab), Ram Lal Chitti, former MLA, Surjit Singh Minhas, former Speaker, Punjab Assembly, Prakash Rao, spokesperson of the Central Committee of the Communist Ghadar Party of India, Jagjit Singh Lyallpuri (General Secretary) MCPI, D. Bhattacharya (General Secretary) CPIML (Liberation), Raj Babbar (Member of Parliament) and leader, Samajwadi Party, AB Bardhan (General Secretary) CPI and Harkishan Singh Surjit (General Secretary) CPIM addressed the gathering which listened with great attention to all the speakers.

The entire function was organised in a solemn and extremely disciplined way, befitting the occasion. The Communist Ghadar party hails the initiative of the Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Committee in organising this function as an invaluable contribution to the cause of restoring communist unity as well as the political unity of the workers and peasants around a program of deep going transformation. We print below the presentation of the Central Committee of the CGPI at the occasion, which was delivered by Comrade Prakash Rao.

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Dear Comrades of the Presidium!

Dear Comrades who have come from far and wide to celebrate the 88^th anniversary of the founding of the Ghadar Party!

The Communist Ghadar of India hails this initiative of the Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Committee to celebrate the 88^th anniversary of the founding of the Ghadar Party. This morning, we saw the beautiful and simple ceremony of the hoisting of the flag of the Ghadar Party. This hoisting of the flag of the Ghadar Party is imbued with the greatest significance, as all of you know. It is not merely acknowledging the contribution of the Ghadari babas who shed their blood and sacrificed their all for the highest ideals. More, it is a clear statement that 88 years after the founding of this party, and 53 years after the formal independence of our country from British rule, the ideals of Ghadar Party remain yet to be fulfilled. Complete emancipation of India’s and the world’s peoples were the goal of the Ghadar Party. What do we communists of today have to offer to the Indian people and the world’s peoples as a way to fulfill these aspirations? — This is the important question we are duty bound to address today.

Today, the ghost of partition still haunts our country, Pakistan, Bangladesh and all the peoples of South Asia. We have the spectacle of the leader of US imperialism and world capitalism, Bill Clinton, coming to our region to further the imperialist strategy; to exacerbate existing conflicts and foment new ones; to enslave our peoples. All this is being done under the sign-board of "peace making", of "ending terrorism", of "democracy and human rights", of "partnership" between the rulers of India and US. It is not coincidental that the bloody and bestial massacre of innocent Sikhs was organised just on the eve of the talks between Clinton and Vajpayee.

53 years ago, the British imperialists forcibly organised the partition of our country to divide two of the biggest nations on earth, the nation of Punjab and the nation of Bengal. The leaders of the Congress and Muslim League capitulated to the imperialists and accepted partition. They were more afraid of the specter of revolution that was haunting the subcontinent at that time than anything else. Bloody massacres of Punjabis, Bengalis and others were organised. The partition of Bengal, Punjab and Kashmir has been the condition for fomenting of perpetual conflicts amongst the peoples of this region. Whenever there is terrorist violence in Kashmir or other parts of India, fingers are pointed at Pakistan. Some even point fingers at the imperialists. But how come there are so few with guts to point fingers at the Indian State? Is it possible that terrorist attacks can take place in India on a daily basis without the active participation and organising by the Indian State? The point to note is that the Anglo-American imperialists, as well as the rulers of India and Pakistan are in league with each other in keeping alive the divisions, in fomenting conflicts. There is no innocent party amongst them. All of them are more afraid of the unity of the peoples of the subcontinent, of the specter of revolution, then anything else. If today, any of us is silent about the role of the Indian State and the Indian bourgeoisie in the terrorist violence and communal conflicts that are daily being organised, this means we are guilty of capitulation to the Indian State and world imperialism. This means we are guilty of treachery to the highest ideals of the ghadari babas. The Indian people will never forgive such capitulation and treachery.

Respected and Dear Comrades,

The Ghadar party was founded in the early part of the 20^th century with two fold aims—the liberation of the motherland and the complete emancipation of its people; and the defence of the rights of Indians abroad from racist attacks and racial discrimination. The Ghadari babas fought for these twin aims honourably and with great success. Following the collapse of colonialism at the end of the second world war and the triumph of the worlds peoples over Hitlerite fascism, a new situation arose in the sixties of this century. Fresh waves of Indian emigration to Canada, Britain and other countries was followed by a fresh wave of racist violence. The rulers of India and Pakistan, far from raising their voices in defense of their fellow countrymen who had been forced to emigrate abroad, instead collaborated and continue to collaborate with the racist states in the capitalist countries in oppressing South Asians. In these conditions, to fulfil the twin aims of the Ghadari babas, the Hindustani Ghadar Party (Organisation of Indian Marxist-Leninists Abroad) was founded thirty years ago under the leadership of Comrade Hardial Bains. In order to accomplish the aims of the Ghadari babas in modern conditions, it was necessary to organise on the basis of the most advanced science, Marxism-Leninism—this was the basis of the work of the HGP(OIMLA).

Comrades,

The greatest roadblock to the revolution, to the complete emancipation of the Indian peoples, is the fractured state of the communist movement in India. If there is one single event that set back revolution in India for decades, that laid the basis for the disasters facing the people of the subcontinent today, it is the division of the Communist Party of India in 1964 resulting in the formation of the CPI (M). After that, there has been one division after the other. All communists, particularly the leaders of CPI (M) who championed the first split, are duty bound to answer today as what have the working class and people gained and what they have lost as a result of the split of 1964. The movement for emancipation of the Indian peoples has suffered one setback after another. All of you know that when you start falling down a steep stairway, you will inevitably end up at the bottom with broken bones, if not worse. There is no half - way point. The Indian communist and revolutionary movement has similarly suffered through divisions and splits and we are so to speak at the bottom. We have to see how to climb to the top again, learning from the lessons of the past. Now we have literally hundreds of communist parties and groups all over the country! Can anyone seriously believe that emancipation of the working class and people can be achieved, or even the struggle of the working masses against the onslaught of the bourgeoisie can make any headway in these conditions? No comrades! We have to change this situation. We have to stop finding excuses and justifications for divisions.

Today, India’s workers, peasants, women, youth and the patriotic intelligentsia are fed up with the system. They are asking what is the way to a life of freedom and dignity, security and prosperity for all? We communists must provide them the answer. We must provide them the leadership and the vision. This we can do, only if all of us put restoration of unity of Indian communists most seriously on the agenda. We blame the bourgeoisie, and correctly too, for always dividing the working masses over this or that issue. But should we shut our eyes to the fact that many communists have done the same thing with the working class and peasantry? Can we honestly deny that communists have also divided the working masses like jagirdars, leaving them easy prey to the enemy? We have to stop acting as leaders with a small property outlook, and act as leaders of the entire working class. We must draw inspiration from the word and deed of the ghadari babas. This we can do, only if we recognise one cardinal truth. And we must not only accept this truth in words, but fight with a plan for its realisation. In One country, there is only one working class and the working class must have one communist party at its head.

Comrades

The Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Committee deserves our heartfelt congratulations for organising this important meeting on the occasion of the 88^th anniversary of the founding of Ghadar Party. I think you have a very important message to all of us, in calling leaders of so many communist parties as well as other organisations on one common platform. This is the message that we get our act together and restore communist unity in one single communist party as the condition for victory for the Indian people in their long struggle for complete emancipation. This will signify our true loyalty to the ideas of the Ghadari babas. Or else, India’s working class and people, will never forgive any one of us—be it the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Communist Party of India, the CPIML (Liberation), or the Communist Ghadar Party of India or any other communist party or group.

Dear comrades,

The Communist Ghadar Party of India renews its pledge on this solemn occasion to work in close cooperation with all the Indian communists and patriots to realise the slogan "One country, One working class, One Communist party!" The glorious patriot Shaheed Bhagat Singh, who was inspired by the ideals of the Ghadari babas, has said that India’s revolutionaries must and will never rest content until the real maaliks of this land, its workers, peasants women and youth have political power in their own hands and deprive the exploiters whether, white skinned or dark skinned or both, of political power. This remains our common goal and to realise this, no sacrifice is too great.

Dear Comrades

This morning the beautiful flag of the Ghadar Party was unfurled over this historic place! This flag defines the greatest aspirations of our patriotic and revolutionary people through the ages. We pledge that that we will spare no sacrifice to bring into realisation that bright dawn over our beautiful motherland, when this flag of revolution and national liberation will fly aloft the Red Fort in Delhi, replacing the tricolour. Our Party will work might and main and pour all its energies to the realisation of this glorious aim!

Thank you comrades!

Inquilab Zindabad!

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With great anger, the Communist Ghadar Party of India denounces the carnage by the armed forces of the Indian State in Anantnag, Kashmir on April 3. Opening fire on a demonstration, they killed at least 7 people. The Communist Ghadar Party of India demands that the killers of these innocent people in Anantnag, as well as those responsible for the thousands of innocent people in Kashmir over the last decade should be tried and punished immediately.

The demonstration that was fired on in Anantnag town was one opposing the terror of the state. In particular, they were demanding an inquiry into the carnage in Chhatisingpur and the events thereafter. On March 20, 2000, about forty people belonging to the Sikh faith were massacred in Chhatisingpur. This incident sent shock waves round the country and indeed the world. The governments of India and Pakistan have been blaming each other for the carnage. On March 25, the Indian Army announced that it had killed five "terrorists of foreign origin" who were responsible for the Chhatisingpur carnage. Soon after this, the real face of the government got exposed. The government had claimed that the five who had been killed were "foreign mercenary terrorists" hiding in Panchalathan village and they had been killed in an "encounter". The village residents however vocally asserted that five villagers had gone missing the previous day, and they were fully convinced that these innocents had been done away with in a fake "encounter".

After March 25, despite imposition of curfew and encampment of the Indian army in most of the towns in the Kashmir valley, the people of the valley have been organising several demonstrations and protests. A powerful movement against state terror has been taking shape in Kashmir, in which organisations of lawyers and others, besides the All-Party Huriat Conference, have taken part.

The Indian State has not spared any efforts to crush underfoot the aspirations people of Kashmir through state terror and other forms of violence. It has made all attempts to portray the struggle of the Kashmiri people as a secessionist movement, and declared it to be one which is foreign and alien. It hopes by this to prevent the working class and toiling people of India from supporting the struggle of the people of Kashmir, converting the toiling Indian people into a reserve of the Indian bourgeoisie. The workers and toiling people of India should never forget the truth – that India can never be really free from domination, as long as any part of the country, any community or nation, is exploited or dominated. Hence it is the duty of the working class to vigorously oppose the state terror in the Kashmir valley and demand that all the forces responsible for the murder of innocent people in the valley should be immediately punished.

Following closely on the heels of US imperialist chieftain Clinton’s state visit to India came the announcement that the notorious Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the US was to be allowed to open a full fledged office in India. The FBI director, Louis Freeh, was to visit India in April 2000 for consultations with the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). On its part, the US government claims that the measure will help combat "terrorism and narco–terrorism".

The FBI has a long and bloody history of crimes against the peoples of all continents. As one of the undercover arms of the US State, it has, in the first place, been involved for decades in all types of attacks on individuals and organisations working to uphold the rights of the toiling American people, particularly communists. US imperialism has also used it widely for sabotage and espionage activities, especially against nations and peoples who have dared to fight for freedom from imperialism and their right to have economic and political systems of their choice. The FBI has also been involved in subversive activities in many countries where US imperialism has had strategic interests. In India, the IB and CBI has performed similar functions for the Indian State of the big bourgeoisie–activities directed against individuals and organisations that dare to fight for the rights of the toiling people, the communists in the first place.

The opening of a FBI office in New Delhi indicates close collaboration between the Indian and American states. It is well known that US imperialism is the chief sponsor of terrorism on the world scale, and the FBI is deeply involved in drug trafficking. In India, the IB has played a similar role. It is known that the Indian State has been the organiser of terrorism to smash the struggles of the toiling masses. When these two agencies decide to collaborate, two things emerge. One, that terrorism will increase against the fighting peoples of India. Two, the persecution of individuals and organisations fighting for fundamental transformations in favor of the people, primarily communists, but also others will escalate to new heights.

People’s Voice condemns the establishment of the FBI office in New Delhi and calls on all communists and progressive forces to expose and condemn the criminal anti-people motives of the Indian State.

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April 23 is the 130^th(?) birth anniversary of the great Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, the towering leader of the international proletariat and one of the immortal classics of Marxism-Leninism. Leading the Russian proletariat and people to overthrow the rule of the bourgeoisie in 1917and establish the world’s first socialist state, Lenin left a decisive imprint on the entire course of the twentieth century. All over the world, millions of proletarians and oppressed people were inspired by the heroic example set by Lenin, the Bolshevik Party and the October Revolution, to rise up for their emancipation and for the cause of social revolution and national liberation. Today, at the start of the new century, we, the Indian communists, working class and working people, as well as all those who aspire for emancipation from the brutal system of capitalist and imperialist exploitation, salute with profound respect the inspiring memory of the remarkable V.I.Lenin. We continue to be guided by his teachings in our work to usher in revolution and socialism on our soil.

Through his immense work on the front of theory, Lenin defended the teachings of the founders of scientific socialism, Karl Marx and Frederick Engels, from the fierce attacks of their enemies. These enemies included the various brands of opportunists within the working class and socialist movement who tried to take away from Marxism its revolutionary essence. In his profound writings, Lenin reaffirmed that the core or essence of Marx’s teachings was the necessity for the proletariat to carry out the revolutionary overthrow of the bourgeois state and establish the dictatorship of the proletariat in order to carry out the socialist transformation of society.

Lenin further developed the theory of scientific socialism to address the problems facing the communists and revolutionaries in the new conditions of the era in which capitalism had developed into imperialism. Lenin showed that imperialism was the last stage of capitalism, the stage in which all the contradictions of capitalism had intensified, inevitably plunging the world into repeated crises and wars. In this era, Lenin showed, the objective conditions were ripe for the revolutionary overthrow of the reactionary bourgeoisie and imperialism. Preparing and organising to achieve this and to establish the dictatorship of the proletariat was the main task facing the proletarians and communists in each country.

Lenin proceeded to dedicate himself wholeheartedly to the practical requirements of this task in his own country, Russia. In the process, he showed himself to be a master of the strategy and tactics of revolution. One of his greatest contributions was towards creating that instrument, the revolutionary communist party, that was capable of resolutely and skillfully leading the proletariat to victory throughout the complicated conditions of class war and in the fierce class battles against the bourgeoisie. Lenin clarified in theory and practice the organisational principles of the communist party, emphasising that without such a party at its head, the proletariat could never hope to achieve lasting victory over its enemies.

With the Bolshevik Party at its head, the heroic proletariat and people of Russia carried out the earthshaking Great October Socialist Revolution. In the few years that remained in his life after the triumph of the revolution, Lenin and the Bolshevik Party led the work of the initial construction of the socialist state in the Soviet Union. This was not only a colossal work that had no precedent in history, but it was also successfully carried out in conditions of greatest attacks by the reactionary and imperialist states of the world. The Soviet Union was built not just as the fortress of its own emancipated proletariat and people, but as the bastion of world revolution assisting the forces struggling for national and social liberation all over the globe.

For all these reasons, the working class and people all over the world have revered and continue to revere the name and work of V.I.Lenin. In recent years, the bourgeoisie has been trying its best to spread the falsehood that the example of Lenin and Leninism is no longer relevant to the people, that revolution and socialism are things of the past. However nothing could be farther from the truth. As long as the system of exploitation of man by man continues in even a single corner of the globe, as long as the fire to live free from the clutches of the rich moneybags, tyrants and bloodsuckers burns in the hearts of the working people, the life and work of Comrade Lenin will always continue to be the greatest source of guidance and inspiration. The life and work of V.I.Lenin are immortal!

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Ulhasnagar in Thane district is about 30 km from Mumbai. It is a town in which criminalisation of politics is most stark - the representatives of practically all the big parties are either notorious goons themselves, or are intimately linked with them. These goons ensure that people only behave as voting cattle by creating an atmosphere of terror, particularly on occasions such as the recently held local elections, due to which the atmosphere there has been rather tense.

However on Sunday, March 26, a different atmosphere prevailed in an area of Ulhasnagar close to the Vitthalwadi railway station. Some gallant youth, along with some experienced elders organised a program of a different type on the occasion of the martyrdom day of Shahid Bhagat Singh. Inspired by the ideas of Lok Raj Sangathan, these youth and elders had got together and formed the "LRS - Ulhasnagar Committee" which organised an inspiring program on March26, 2000. Hundreds of attractive posters were put up in the area carrying a beautiful portrait of Shahid Bhagat Singh and his immortal words: "Our fight will go on as long as the exploitation of man by man continues. It does not matter whether the exploiters are white or black." The stage was decorated with a splendid backdrop proclaiming, "Hum hai iske malik, hum hai Hindustan, Mazdoor, Kisaan, Mahila, aur Naujawan". ("We are its masters, We constitute India, Workers, Peasants, Women and Youth.")

The Convenor of the Thane committee of LRS presided over the function. In his speech he congratulated the residents of Ulhasnagar for forming the local committee of LRS and so defying all the forces that keep people away from power. He briefly outlined the history of the founding of LRS. The Secretary of the Ulhasnagar LRS Committee assured the people that if they all united and supported the committee, many of the local issues facing them would be quickly solved. The convenor of LRS, Mumbai then spoke about the outlook of LRS regarding power and elections. Many youth present came forth and supported the view that there was only one way to solve the problem of unemployment facing the new generation and to find a way out of the darkness, - unite and fight. A local journalist came forth and assured the gathering that his pen would always be at the service of spreading the noble ideas expressed in the program. The program concluded with the famous Biraha of Uttar Pradesh, extolling the sacrifices of the martyrs.

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In early April, hundreds of women from India and Pakistan gathered in Lahore to discuss ways and means to end the state of permanent hostility between India and Pakistan and to focus on the common problems shared by both countries. About 40 women from India traveled to Lahore by bus, while about 200 women from Pakistan also participated in the proceedings.

One of the main slogans of this initiative was ‘goli nahi, boli’ (not guns, but talks). The participants focussed on the fact that in both countries, the essential needs of the masses of people were being callously ignored, while enormous amounts were spent on military expenditures. They denounced the constant warmongering, chauvinist hysteria and terror spread by both governments, and also roundly criticised the media on both sides for participating in this. They stressed the need to work jointly for an end to poverty and inequality in both countries and to ensure that South Asia as a whole regains its rightful place in the world as a region of peace and progress for all the peoples.

Participants from India came back extremely moved at the very warm welcome they received from people from all walks of life in Pakistan. At the end of April, 2 busloads of women from Pakistan will travel to India for the next step in this initiative. This is particularly important at a time when tensions in the region are being kept at a very high level and when military expenditure, especially in India, is rapidly escalating.

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Over the last few weeks in Zimbabwe, a country in southern Africa, a movement has been unfolding among the landless cultivators to seize thousands of acres of farmland that are still owned by descendants of former colonial settlers today more than 20 years after Zimbabwe won its independence from Britain.

Zimbabwe was formerly a colony of Britain known as Rhodesia. Under British colonial rule, virtually all the arable land was seized by settlers of British origin, while the original inhabitants of the country, constituting the vast majority of the population, were left dispossessed and deprived of all rights. After a long and hard-fought armed struggle, the people of Zimbabwe won their freedom. However, under the terms of the so-called Lancaster House settlement that was imposed by Britain as a condition of its withdrawal from Zimbabwe, many of the possessions and privileges of the former settlers were left in place.

The result is that anger and frustration among the masses of landless and land-poor cultivators, many of whom are veterans of the liberation struggle, has been mounting. This has culminated recently in large numbers of them taking the initiative to occupy thousands of acres of farmland and refusing to budge until their possession of the land is recognized. So far, there have been practically no reports of physical violence on the part of these people against the white settlers and landowners.

In spite of this, various Western powers, including Britain, the US, Holland, Norway and Sweden, have reacted very strongly against what they call the "anarchy" and breakdown of "law and order" in Zimbabwe. Earlier, in 1998, as the land problem in Zimbabwe was becoming visibly acute, some of these countries had got together to promote what they called (in the words of the US State Department spokesman) a "rational, sustainable and equitable land reform" program. However, the recent mass initiative to occupy the land has put paid to their carefully laid plans. Consequently, these countries are putting every conceivable pressure to put an end to the occupation on the Zimbabwean government, the courts, etc. This includes suspending over Rs 250 million worth of pledged aid to Zimbabwe.

With Zimbabwe’s Parliament amending the Constitution on April 6 to make the land seizures legal and to put the onus for providing any compensation to the owners squarely on the ex-colonial power, Britain, the battle over the land question is hotting up. The US State Department immediately issued threatening noises against Zimbabwe. However, those who finally find themselves in possession of the land after such a long wait are not willing to back down. The Indian working class and people should support the efforts of the people of Zimbabwe to resolve the long-pending land question in their country in the manner they see fit, and oppose any interference and intervention by outside powers.

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