• Elections to 5 state assemblies:
  Reject the "choice" of voting for BJP or the Congress Party!
  Build the united front of struggle against the bourgeoisie and its program!

• Condemn the Israeli military strikes on Syria!

• ASEAN Summit in Bali, Indonesia:
  Efforts of South-East Asian Nations to strengthen Asian unity

• Problems in water sharing between India and Bangladesh

• World-wide protests against occupation of Iraq and in defence of the Palestinian people

• Letter to Editor

• Ensuring security to women

• Proposal for Reservation for "Economically Backward Classes"
  A clear admission by the Indian ruling class that it cannot ensure livelihood for all!

• Indo-Pak rivalry serves game plan of US

• Ban on strikes opposed

• Coal Workers oppose privatisation

• Indo-US joint naval exercises in Arabian Sea

Elections to 5 state assemblies:

Reject the "choice" of voting for BJP or the Congress Party!

Build the united front of struggle against the bourgeoisie and its program!

Elections to the four states of Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh will be held on December 1, 2003. The elections in Mizoram will be held on November 20. These elections promise to be the scene of fierce fighting between the two main parties of the bourgeoisie, the BJP and the Congress. The Congress which is in power in the first four states is fighting to retain power. According to the Congress Party, its rule has been of "sushasan", which means that it has provided "good governance". Each of the State governments ruled by the Congress has reeled off statistics to prove how the lives of the people have improved. On the other hand, the BJP has issued "charge-sheets" in each of the states against the state government. It has accused the Congress of "kushasan" or mis-governance.

All kinds of projects and concessions have been announced by the BJP-led Central Government and the Congress-led State governments to "woo" the electorate. The Central Government has announced that it will procure bajra, of which a bumper crop is expected in Rajasthan.The Rajasthan Government has announced extension of the Indira Gandhi canal to benefit new regions.The Madhya Pradesh Government has waived power arrears for farmers until the end of the year. The Chattisgarh Government has announced fresh recruitment for government jobs. The BJP government at the Centre has declared that it will amend the Constitution to ensure reservation of government jobs for "economically backward" people of "forward castes".

None of these promises can hide the fact that the Congress Party and the BJP are united in implementing the program of the bourgeoisie. This is the anti-social program of capitalist globalisation through liberalisation and privatisation. It is a program that has led to massive attacks on the livelihood and rights of workers and peasants and other working people. On the other hand, it has led to the enrichment of the biggest Indian monopoly houses and the foreign imperialists.

The BJP and Congress both want to take credit from the bourgeoisie for their loyal implementation of the liberalisation and privatisation program. At the same time, in these state elections, the BJP wants to utilise the discontent of the masses with Congress ruled governments. However, the facts show that the Central Government led by the BJP is pursuing the very same policy that the state governments led by the Congress are doing. This has created a situation wherein neither of these parties has any credibility with the workers and peasants. Neither of them have anything essentially different to offer.

The political system and political process of parliamentary democracy is such that elections mean choosing between different parties of the same bourgeois class, to implement the same bourgeois program. The electorate does not have any say in setting the program itself. As a result, the political process of Indian democracy has become extremely discredited.

The ruling bourgeois class in India is desperate to shore up the credibility of the electoral process, through the intervention of such bodies as the Supreme Court and the Election Commission. It is in this light that one must view the recent announcement by the Election Commission that all candidates will have to file an affidavit indicating their criminal antecedents, their wealth and educational qualifications.

Neither the Supreme Court nor the Election Commission can curb the growing corruption and criminalisation of the polity, which are integral parts of the economic and political system. The fact that the Courts will now be the arbiter of the eligibility of candidates will only increase the infighting amongst the political parties of the ruling class. They will hurl charges against one another before and after the elections, each in an attempt to unseat the other. The criminals will continue to contest and win, and corruption will increase, as these are endemic to this system. Most importantly, the single program of the bourgeoisie will continue to be implemented by whichever party comes to power.

In this situation, the challenge before workers, peasants, women and youth is to organise themselves around their independent program. All over India, the working class and people are increasingly realising the futility of being cheer leaders or vote banks for this or that party of the bourgeois class. They are increasingly recognising the need to organise themselves.

Everyone wants security of life and livelihood, and a bright future for the children. To realise this, there is only one course. The economy needs to be reoriented. From maximising private profits for the rich exploiters, the aim of the economy must be changed into providing and guaranteeing livelihood and wellbeing of workers and peasants. In order to change the orientation of the economy, the workers and peasants need political power. The first step towards this is to build the united front of struggle against capitalism and the bourgeoisie.

The coming elections are one wherein the bourgeoisie will try to organise one diversion after another, and unleash communal violence and state terrorism, wherever possible. The aim of the bourgeoisie is to paralyse the toiling masses and prevent them from organising around their own program. The toiling people must be wary of this.

The rally of the peasants of Rajasthan last month reported in this paper has shown that it is possible to reject the ‘choice’ offered by the bourgeoisie. It is possible and necessary to build sangharsh samitis in factories and workplaces, mohallas and chawls, villages, universities and schools. All such initiatives, wherever they take place, anywhere in India, must be popularised. All communists must take up this work in earnest, making a clean break with the harmful line of choosing the "lesser evil" between the BJP and the Congress Party.

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Condemn the Israeli military strikes on Syria!

The US far from condemning Israel, has decided to impose sanctions on Syria. This shows that the Israeli attack on Syria has been carried out with the full support of the US. Earlier, on September 8, US President George Bush called on Syria to take steps to stop supporting "terrorism". Syria is on the "hit list" of the US because of its consistent support to the Palestinian cause, and its opposition to US military occupation of Iraq. The US has been threatening Syria with military action for the past several months.

Two days after the bombing of the camps in Syria, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, in complete contempt of world opinion, declared that Israel was ready to "hit its enemies any place and in any way." There has been an escalation of Israeli terror in the occupied territories.

Reacting to these developments, a Palestinian official said: "This step shows that Israel plans to press ahead with its assassinations policy and to give it an international dimension." "Do they think this will scare a group of people who are willing to die for their cause? If so, this is where they are very wrong. I am dead since 1948, and nothing scares me or any Palestinian man, woman or child," he added. "This is a very cheap form of blackmail against Syria because it refuses to bow to U.S. and Israeli pressure," another official said in Syria.

Syrian President Assad, in an interview published with the daily al-Hayat on September 7, said Syria would not yield to U.S. demands to expel Palestinian organisations. Assad told the newspaper that Israel was led by a "government of war" that employs war to "justify its existence." "(The raid) is an attempt by the Israeli government to extract itself from its big crisis by trying to terrorise Syria and drag it and the region into other wars," he said. Talking about the US pressure on Syria, Assad said: "We are not a superpower, but we are not a weak state either. We’re not a country without cards .."

"These circumstances that we go through require us as a people and as a nation to rise to the challenges", said Arafat. In an interview to Associated Press, newly appointed Palestinian Prime Minister Qureia refused to go for civil war amongst the Palestinians, as demanded by the US and Israel.

An extremely grave situation prevails in West Asia. It is clear that the so-called "road map" for peace in West Asia propagated by Bush is in tatters. The US never had any intention of either reining in Israel or ensuring a sovereign Palestinian state. What it has wanted is to advance its own agenda of dominating all the countries of West Asia using Israel as its pistol. All those who stand up to the US are to be destroyed as "terrorists". The occupation of Iraq, the savage assaults on the Palestinians, and the threats against Syria and Lebanon, as well as Iran are part of the one plan.

It is the heroic struggle of the Palestinian people, who have been deprived of their homeland for over 5 decades, and the sympathy and support of the other Arab peoples and countries to this just struggle, that is the major roadblock to the realisation of US plans in West Asia. The Indian working class and people unreservedly support the just struggle of the Palestinian and other Arab peoples.

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ASEAN Summit in Bali, Indonesia:

Efforts of South-East Asian Nations to strengthen Asian unity

During his visit to Bali, Vajpayee has signed a Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Co-operation. This Framework Agreement provides for a Free Trade Arrangement between India and ASEAN to be implemented in 10 years. India has offered unilateral trade preferences to some of the ASEAN countries like Vietnam, Kampuchea and Laos. India has offered to build a rail line linking New Delhi to Hanoi and a road link between India and Kampuchea through Myanmar.

The ASEAN used to be part of the camp of US imperialism during the period of the bipolar division of the world, acting as a bloc against the camp headed by the Soviet Union at that time. Since the disintegration of the Soviet camp and the end of the bipolar division, the role of ASEAN has significantly changed. Since the end of the cold war, Vietnam, Laos, Kampuchia and Myanmar have joined ASEAN, making it truly an economic association of all Asian countries east of India and south of China. The financial crisis that hit these nations in 1997 led to widespread opposition among their peoples to the growing domination of imperialism and finance capital. In recent years, the ASEAN has been acting as a bloc in trade arrangements with other nations and countries. It has been negotiating with India, China, Japan and South Korea separately so far in ASEAN + 1 meetings. The 2003 summit at Bali is the first time that an ASEAN + 4 meeting is being held.

Trade amongst the EU members as well as between the NAFTA members (US, Canada and Mexico) are on a preferential basis. These groupings act as a bloc with respect to trade with countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. They place the countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America at a disadvantage in the sphere of international trade. This is the objective basis for growing recognition for the need for greater co-operation and united action on the part of the nations and countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America. The failure of the United States and the EU to impose an agreement among members of the World Trade Organisation at Cancun has given a fresh impetus to various efforts to strengthen regional trading arrangements. The Bali summit is to be seen in this context.

The dominant view prevailing amongst the peoples of ASEAN countries is that US imperialism played a central role in organising the crash of the economies of ASEAN countries in 1997. The dominant mood is also that the "war against terrorism" of US imperialism is aimed at undermining the sovereignty of independent nations and peoples. Bali was the scene of a most terrible terrorist massacre in the recent period. The significance of the Bali summit is the fact that the cause of Asian unity is being promoted by a group of nation states of Asia that feel threatened by the imperialist system. The ASEAN group is seeking opportunities for mutually beneficial trade between Asian countries. It is part of the efforts of the Southeast Asian nations to seek ways to reduce their economic dependence on imperialism and the big powers.

The Indian working class and people must support every initiative that seeks to strengthen economic co-operation and political unity among the nations and peoples of Asia, against the aggressive designs of imperialism, headed by the United States.

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Problems in water sharing between India and Bangladesh

India and Bangladesh share the waters of seven rivers. These are the Teesta, Dharla, Dudhkumar, Manu, Khoai, Gumti and Muhuri rivers. The Brahmaputra, the biggest river in India, flows through Bangladesh to the Bay of Bengal. In addition, the Ganga flows into Bangladesh where it is known as the Padma. The signing of a 30-year treaty in 1996 between the two countries to regulate water sharing had helped to resolve problems on this front to some extent, but not completely.

As the upper riparian state, India has the power both to provide assistance and on the other hand to cause serious damage to Bangladesh, the lower riparian state. Bangladesh being one of the most flood-prone countries in the world, is naturally sensitive to anything that India does that affects water flow in its territory. One of the issues about which Bangladesh is currently concerned is some changes that India is making on the Muhuri River that can lead to erosion of river embankments on the Bangladesh side. Bangladesh would also like greater cooperation from West Bengal in flood warning beyond the 56 hour notice currently being given about the danger of floods to Bangladesh territories downstream.

However, the real thorny issue at this time seems to be the Vajpayee Government’s grandiose plans of interlinking various rivers. All the Himalayan rivers flow through neighbouring countries as well. The government of India has thus far refused to discuss the plans of interlinking rivers with the other countries that will be affected if these proposals were to be carried out. As the Bangladesh Minister justifiably pointed out, the plan to link ‘India’s’ rivers actually concerns several international rivers that flow through other countries as well, and that no such plans should be made without consulting other states that will be affected. It is with great reluctance that the Indian side agreed to talk with Bangladesh about this matter in the JRC meeting, after it had tried its best to prevent it being listed on the agenda. The Indian delegation then tried not to include this discussion in the minutes of the meeting. The disagreement and tension was visible throughout the proceedings, and a delayed joint press conference could be held by the two water ministers only after several hours of closed door meetings between the two.

The Union Water Minister Arjun Charan Sethi tried to explain his government’s reluctance to discuss the river interlinking plan with Bangladesh by saying that it must first be discussed within India. This is a totally unacceptable reason. It reflects the imperialist outlook of the Indian bourgeoisie. Well known international laws govern the sharing of rivers between sovereign states. The Indian government must sit on the table with the Bangladesh government and decide on the basis of these international laws all problems concerning sharing of waters of rivers that flow through both countries.

The fact that the Indian government has not discussed the river linking plan with the affected states of India reveals the imperialist stance of the Indian bourgeoisie towards its own people. Many months have gone by since Vajpayee made his surprise announcement about linking India’s rivers as a long-term solution to drought and floods in the country, but practically nothing has been done within our country to initiate a public discussion on this matter, or even to put forward a reasonable plan that could be discussed. In the meantime, many experts, environmentalists, economists and others have raised very serious objections to the proposal to link the rivers. The lives and livelihood of millions upon millions of people, as well as the environment both in India and in the neighbouring countries are directly dependent on the rivers of this region, and any attempt to interfere with their natural flow should be taken only after the most serious consideration and with the agreement of those most concerned.

The Indian working class condemns the chauvinist and imperialist stand of the Vajpayee government to the people of Bangladesh.

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World-wide protests against occupation of Iraq and in defence of the Palestinian people

Over one hundred thousand people took to the streets of London on Saturday, September 27, 2003, to vigorously condemn the criminal Anglo-US aggression against and continued occupation of Iraq, as well as to demand freedom for Palestine. The demonstration from Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square was marked by its militant slogans. "George Bush, Uncle Sam, Iraq will be your Vietnam", "Self-determination—Freedom for Iraq and Palestine", "Power to the People", "This War on Terrorism is Bogus", "Stop American Corporate Dictatorship", "Enough of Bush and Co - Let’s Share the World’s Resources" and "Invest in Caring not Killing" were all slogans which gave voice not only to the people’ s opposition to the present state of affairs but also to their aspirations for a new world based on justice. London Mayor Ken Livingstone told a packed Trafalgar Square the way to secure peace in the Middle East was to "Get out, get out, get out."

Nearly 3000 people marched through Paris, demanding that Bush should be punished as a war criminal and that US imperialism should get out of the Middle East. In Beirut, Lebanese and Palestinian people came out in thousands, demanding that US forces leave Iraq and that Israel stop its attacks on the Palestinian territories. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat expressed his solidarity with the demonstrators from his headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Outside the US Embassy in Athens, Greece, more than 3000 demonstrators fought pitched battles with the riot police and raised slogans, "Occupiers out!" and "Freedom for Palestine!" Protests were also organised in other parts of Greece and on the island of Crete, outside the American naval base at Souda Bay which supports the American 6th Fleet and spy planes. In the Spanish capital Madrid thousands protested against Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar’s support for the war. Marching behind a banner calling for the withdrawal of 1,300 Spanish soldiers sent to help keep the peace in post-war Iraq, the crowd chanted: "No to war" and "Bush, Aznar out of Iraq".

In Seoul, South Korea, thousands protested against the US request to send South Korean troops to Iraq, shouting anti-war slogans and carrying huge banners proclaiming "End the occupation of Iraq!" and "Oppose the plan to dispatch South Korean combat troops to Iraq!". In Ankara, the capital of Turkey, more than 4000 people demonstrated, shouting slogans and carrying banners demanding an end to the US-led occupation of Iraq as well as in support of the cause of the Palestinian people. Several hundreds gathered at a similar rally in Istanbul, where American and Israeli flags were burnt as a mark of protest against the US occupation of Iraq and the Israeli attacks on the Palestinian people.

About 12,000 people demonstrated in Brussels, 400 in Berlin and 250 in Stockholm, against the continued occupation of Iraq and in support of the Palestinian cause.

US imperialism today stands completely exposed and isolated, for its unilateral war of aggression against Iraq and its continued occupation of that country. Likewise, the zionist state of Israel, backed to the hilt by US imperialism, today stands utterly isolated, even as it continues to rain bombs and carry out its genocidal attacks on the Palestinian and other Arab peoples. The massive protests world-wide on September are a damning indictment of the US imperialists and Israeli Zionists and a clarion call to the workers and oppressed of all lands to unite and defeat these ferocious monsters.

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Letter to Editor

This is to record my appreciation for the detailed report you have carried in the October 1-15 issue of PV on the historic farmer’s rally of September 19, 2003 in Nohar, Rajasthan. Congratulations are also due to all the participants of the rally and to the Lok Raj Sangathan for taking the initiative in organising the rally. You have also pointed out a significant fact that individuals cut across party lines in order to render the rally a great success. You have also pointed out that the participants have universally expressed their belief that the current political system completely marginalises the peasantry in matters of importance to their livelihood and progress. This begs the question as to what is the reason for this and what is the way forward for the Indian peasantry.

It has been pointed out by scholars that the great political theorist Bheeshma recorded many observations in the Mahabharata about the nature of the relations between the rulers and the ruled. Bheeshma also expressed the belief that any taxation system must be fair to the peasant and must not deprive him of his basic livelihood. This stems from the fact that the peasant produces food without which human life is not possible. Such beliefs are also echoed in the work of Kautilya’s Arthashastra, the cornerstone of ancient Indian political philosophy. Unfortunately these truisms have been completely missed by the present day rulers of India.

It might be fair to say that no point in Indian history have small peasants been driven to suicide due to indebtedness to the extent that they have been in the recent past and are continuing to be driven to as this is being written. Instead of acknowledging this and trying to figure out a solution, the Indian rulers mock the plight of the farmers, as evidenced by the Veeresh Committee report in India investigating the matter, which attributed the suicides to alcoholism and other bad habits of the peasants. Even in a concrete matter such as indebtedness, often the sum over which suicides occur is of the order of as little as a lakh of rupees, which could easily be written off by financial institutions or renegotiated. This is not an absurd demand since we live in a system where ‘tax holidays’ and subsidies abound for those who are already wealthy. Agricultural income is exempt from tax, which benefits only those who have sufficiently high income levels, and is of no utility to those who are leading a hand to mouth existence.

Under the rule of the Indian bourgeoisie that came to power in 1947 after a transfer of power from the British Crown one definite outcome for the peasantry has been its immiseration, no matter where. In Punjab, the ‘Green Revolution’ has led to the driving off of the land of millions of small farmers who have ended up on the streets of big cities or who have taken flight from the land to form the backbone of immigrant labour in the advanced capitalist countries. In Andhra Pradesh and Bihar the hated feudal systems continue which have led to the prevalence of what is practically bonded labour. In Assam, the Bramhaputra valley continues to be at the mercy of the forces of nature year after year which leaves the peasants impoverished and unable to control any aspect of their lives. The tale can go on endlessly. It may also be pointed out that the Indian state has even given up the pretence of offering any solution to the problems.

The workers and peasants of India constitute the only true majority of the country. They are completely marginalised in the present political system which has abandoned even the appearance of a social contract between the owners and managers on the one hand and the toilers on the other. The Nohar rally marks a step in the right direction of ushering in a new tomorrow in which this state of affairs will come to an end.

A. Narayan, Bangalore

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Ensuring security to women

Dear editor,

There have been many reports in the press in recent times of young women, girls of a tender age and older women being molested, raped and murdered. The rape of a young girl in Buddha Jayanti Park by the President’s Guard’s, as well as reports from Kashmir and the Northeast are not some "exceptions", as is being made out by the powers that be. They point out to the harsh reality that it is the "protectors" of the people such as the army and police who are first and foremost guilty of such heinous crimes. Noise will be made in the press for a few days. Some time later, things will be allowed to die down without the criminals being punished and brought to book. This is the unfortunate record of the Indian State with respect to women.

Many instances can be cited from the recent Gujarat genocide, just as it can be from 1984 and 1993. In every communal attack organised by the State, raping of women is widely resorted to. Eve teasing and molestation in broad daylight is increasing in all the cities. The army and the police, the two arms of repression of the State have always been permitted to commit such crimes and these have always been justified in one manner or another, with none of the laws ever getting implemented.

In my opinion, such violence is part of the overall criminalisation of society. Attacks on women particularly are used to instil fear and horror and to keep them indoors. What kind of society is this where women cannot feel free to come out of their homes, to participate in study, work and be seen in public places? The question to be asked is why is the State not carrying out its responsibility to protect and ensure security for young girls and women. A State, which cannot protect and provide security that will ensure freedom of movement to half of the population, has no right to exist.

Rukmani, Delhi

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Proposal for Reservation for "Economically Backward Classes"

A clear admission by the Indian ruling class that it cannot ensure livelihood for all!

This proposal must be seen in the context of the rising number of unemployed job seekers in the country, including among high school and college educated youth. There is rising discontent among the people of all castes with the lack of opportunities for a secure livelihood. What is the cause of this problem? What is the solution?

The root cause of the problem lies in the capitalist system of production. It lies in the fact that the means of social production are concentrated in the hands of a small minority in society, who are driven by their greed to expand their private wealth. A growing army of the unemployed is an inevitable product of such a system. This was discovered by Karl Marx more than a hundred years ago. He called it the general law of capitalist accumulation. Since his time, capitalism has developed to its highest stage of imperialism. It is a stage when a handful of capitalist monopolies typically dominate every market. Their motive is not just to expand their private wealth, but to do so as fast as possible, by reaping the maximum rate of profit, through the most intensive exploitation and plunder of land and labour. The anti-social program of liberalisation and privatisation is leading to accelerated destruction of productive forces and sources of livelihood on the global scale. Unemployment has reached even higher proportions all over the world.

As the problem stems from the capitalist orientation of the economy, the solution lies in changing this orientation. It lies in building a united front of struggle against capitalism and capitalist reform, with the aim of reorienting the Indian economy to provide for all. If the ownership and management of the land and labour of society are reorganised to fulfil the needs of the entire population, then there will be ample work for all able bodied persons. Production and jobs in India will expand rapidly because there are so many hungry stomachs to fill, homeless families to be housed and so on.

The governments of the bourgeoisie, be it led by the BJP or by the Congress Party, want to hide that the rising unemployment is a result of capitalist accumulation and capitalist reforms. They declare that it is not possible to provide jobs for all, but only to reserve some positions in government service for each caste and class in society. Attention is diverted to India’s growing population. The aim of this lying propaganda is to make the people accept that secure livelihood is not something they can demand as a matter of right. It is to make the people accept that secure livelihood is a privilege that can be made available only to a select minority.

Reservation of jobs in government departments and seats in colleges and universities, for persons of particular castes or classes, has been a favourite ploy of the Indian State. It is a ploy to divert the struggle of the people for their right to livelihood and education, into a fight for privilege for a select few. Fifty six years of such reservation has not prevented the growth of unemployment among the scheduled castes and ‘other backward classes’. Extending the same policy to the poor among the higher castes will not address the problem of unemployment in society as a whole. This is because the reservation of jobs does not touch the root cause of the problem, which is the capitalist orientation of the economy.

The proposal to extend reservation to cover "economically backward classes" is a shameful admission by the ruling class. It is admission of the inability of the capitalist economic system to ensure access to education and secure livelihood for all.

Who really are the "most backward classes" in Indian society? Workers and peasants together constitute the vast majority of the Indian population. They are the most exploited classes. They cannot look for security of livelihood from the very class whose rule is responsible for their misery. Workers, peasants, women and youth must intensify the work to organise themselves around their own independent program. They must refuse to get diverted by schemes like the proposed reservation for "economically backward classes". The aim of such schemes is to prevent the exploited and oppressed masses from uniting against capitalism and the bourgeoisie. It is to prevent them from demanding security of livelihood as a matter of a fundamental right that belongs to every member of society.

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Indo-Pak rivalry serves game plan of US

US President George Bush met separately with the leaders of India and Pakistan at New York. He used the occasion to try and mobilise support in the form of troops to Iraq, in exchange for various favours and concessions. According to media reports, Pakistan is willing to consider the sending of troops to Iraq, provided there is adequate economic ‘aid’ and provided the US does not support India on the Kashmir question. It is reported that the Indian government has indicated its inability to send troops because its troops are engaged in "internal security". India is also reported to have bargained for more weapons supplies from the US.

US imperialism is playing a dirty game with the leaders of India and Pakistan. The US imperialists hold secret talks separately with India and Pakistan, making false promises and striking dirty deals with each, behind the other’s back. They manipulate the historical rivalry between the two states, with the ultimate aim of robbing all the peoples of this subcontinent of their freedom and independence.

India and Pakistan must unite against US imperialism and foil its designs. This is the demand of the times. It is what the workers, peasants and all freedom loving peoples of India and Pakistan desire.

The governments of India and Pakistan are not responding to the demand of the times. They are participating in the imperialist game, each hoping to score over its rival in the region. This is a reflection of the narrow-mindedness of the ruling classes of these countries. The bourgeoisie of India and Pakistan are each trying to benefit from their mutual rivalry. This objectively serves the interests of US imperialism to further its evil designs in South Asia.

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Ban on strikes opposed

Leaders of all major central trade unions and several other workers’ federations roundly denounced this move to deprive the workers of the only weapon they have to defend their livelihood and rights. The convention decided to intensify the movement against the ban on strikes by organising strikes, demonstrations and rallies throughout the country as well as in Delhi.

The Supreme Court order banning strikes is part of the vicious anti-social offensive of the bourgeoisie against all sections of the working people and must be vigorously opposed.

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Coal Workers oppose privatisation

The major demands that the coal workers are agitating for include the demand to stop outsourcing of coalmines to private parties, to ensure proper safety and welfare measures for coal workers, implementation of pending wage agreements, strong action against corruption, theft, other malpractices and illegal mining, to stop closure of mines, arbitrary retrenchment of workers and forcible imposition of VRS on the coal workers.

The program of action adopted includes plans for company level demonstrations throughout October and November and a demonstration in front of the Coal India Headquarters at Kolkata on December 17, to take the struggle forward.

The struggle of the coal workers against privatisation is a significant part of the struggle of workers, peasants and all toiling people all over the country, against the anti-social offensive of the bourgeoisie. The bourgeoisie has no interest in defending the livelihood of the workers, but is only interested in enriching itself by selling off our precious natural resources to private hands. But the working class and people are vigorously opposing this program of the bourgeoisie and militantly fighting to give a new direction to the economy. Coal workers have been one of the most militant and organised contingents of the Indian working class. The heroic battles they waged in the fifties and sixties led to the nationalisation of the coal mines and improved wages and working conditions for the coal miners. Precious natural mineral wealth of society, like coal, belongs to the workers and peasants, women and youth of India, who constitute the vast majority of our population. Coal workers must forcefully challenge the claims of the bourgeoisie to expropriate this national wealth, as they resist privatisation.

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Indo-US joint naval exercises in Arabian Sea

Malabar-2003 reflects growing co-ordination between the US and India in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal region. In the past two years, the collaboration in the air, sea and land has been stepped up. Earlier this year, the Indian and US armies conducted joint exercises in the Ladakh region of Kashmir. Joint exercises have been conducted in Alaska as well as in Agra. India and the US have also held joint naval exercises in the Malacca straits connecting the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Bordering the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, India is strategically placed in the sea route between Europe and Asia. It has a vast land border with China. The US sees strategic importance in co-ordinating militarily with India, in pursuit of its plans to dominate the whole of Asia. The Indian ruling class, in collaborating with the US, is revealing its own imperialist ambitions towards other countries of Asia. Growing Indo-US military collaboration is a factor against peace in Asia, including South Asia. The Indian working class and people must resolutely oppose this.

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