November 16 - 30, December 1-15, 2006

Statement of the Delhi Regional Committee of the CGPI, November 7, 2006

The Communist Ghadar Party of India condemns the decision of the Central government and Delhi State government, following the Supreme Court order, to renew the sealing campaign from today.

The CGPI hails the bold decision of the All India organisation of traders, which has called for an indefinite Delhi bandh in protest.

For almost a year, the Central and state governments, the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP, have been making out how their hearts bleed for the plight of the traders and small shopkeepers of Delhi. For several months, they tried to fool the traders and small shopkeepers with the illusion that government would take care of their interests. They tried to reduce the militancy of the agitation, by targeting different sections of traders and shopkeepers at different times. Now, all the people of Delhi, all sections of traders and shopkeepers, all the workers working in these establishments, as well as all the hawkers and slum dwellers are becoming clear of the reality — the Central and state governments, the ruling Congress and opposition BJP are all their enemies. All of them are now going back on the promises they had made to the traders and shopkeepers and feigning ‘helplessness before the Court order’. The illusions have been shattered. The traders and small shopkeepers are out on the streets.

The government’s argument before the Court, against immediate resumption of sealing and “in defence of the traders” was that there would be a “law and order problem”. The Supreme Court’s answer to the government is that it should use force to crush the traders. This reveals the kind of democracy we have! The issue of sealing is an issue of the livelihood of lakhs of people of Delhi. The issue of slum demolitions, the eviction of street hawkers and vendors, is an issue of livelihood of lakhs more people. It is an issue of rights. It is a political problem. Every political party and political force has to answer the question -- do traders and small shopkeepers have the right to run their business to earn their livelihood or not? Do hawkers have the right to work for their livelihood? Do slum dwellers have the right to shelter and civic amenities or not? Does the government have the responsibility to ensure that people are guaranteed a livelihood and decent human living conditions or not? They cannot hide behind the worn out slogan of “law and order”. It is precisely because the powers that be do not want to address this political problem that the crisis is developing. The government, the ruling and opposition parties, as well as the Courts are the ones who are creating a “law and order problem” — not the traders and workers.

Behind the drive for sealing and demolition is the greed of the monopoly bourgeoisie and the multinationals. They want to monopolise retail trade as well as whole sale trade, establish and run the big shopping malls profitably. They do not care for the livelihood of the ordinary people. All this is being covered up by grand slogans of “turning Delhi into a world class city”, implementing the “masterplan”, carrying out “urban renewal” and so on.

Yes, the people of Delhi want urban renewal, they want Delhi to be a world class city. But they do not want this over their graves and the graves of their children. For nearly 50 years, the rulers of Delhi in league with the building mafia have played havoc with the city in the name of “master plan”. They manipulate this plan according to their needs. In reality, the master plan for Delhi is but another name for looting the population of Delhi and making them live on tenterhooks, at the mercy of the rulers. The time has come to end this. The traders of Delhi, the small shopkeepers of Delhi, as well as all the working people of Delhi must reject any government imposed master plan. The Comunist Ghadar Party of India openly declares that it is the working people of Delhi who should plan the present and future of Delhi, not the rulers of today.

These are difficult times for the people. At the same time, they are challenging times. They call for sober analysis combined with action, in order to turn the tables on the enemy. The CGPI is confident that the people of Delhi have the courage and wisdom to do so.