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Contents

Condemn the Terrorist Massacres in Mumbai and Srinagar!

Statement of the Communist Ghadar Party of India, July 12, 2006

Yesterday, July 11, 2006, gruesome terrorist massacres were organised in two far removed cities of the country—Srinagar, and Mumbai. Over two hundred people were killed and several hundred more injured in these massacres. The Communist Ghadar Party of India condemns these wanton terrorist crimes against humanity. The CGPI offers its heartfelt condolences for the bereaved families. The CGPI hails the courageous and selfless role of thousands of people who came forward, unconcerned for their safety, to assist the victims in the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attacks. The CGPI appeals to the people to maintain cool and calm, and not fall for the designs of the terrorists and their masterminds.

The Prime Minister, Home Minister, Maharashtra Chief Minister as well as top police officials in their statements have declared —

  • India will continue to wage “war against terror”
  • Everyone is free to speculate on who is responsible, but the government “unfortunately cannot speculate without investigation”
  • There should be no communal violence (in other words, the speculation is that these terrorist crimes are linked with people of Muslim faith)

The cynicism of the government is such that far from taking responsibility for the loss of lives of hundreds of innocent people, the government calls upon the people not to organise communal violence! The government is trying to cover up that it is not people who are communal or organise communal massacres, but the state, as events have confirmed repeatedly over the years.

Just two days ago, Mumbai and other towns in Maharashtra were rocked by protests organised by the Shiv Sena against the defilement of a statue of their leader Shri Bal Thackeray’s wife. The revenue minister of Maharashtra openly accused the Shiv Sena of desecrating the statue itself. The deputy chief minister, who also holds the home portfolio, dropped hints in the legislative assembly, saying that the Shiv Sena would be embarrassed if he revealed parts of the investigation into the desecration incident. However, he was careful not to reveal these alleged damning parts. In other words, organising mayhem and violence is part of official policy of the state, and investigations are only to be used to settle scores amongst the ruling circles.

It is important, while maintaining cool and calm, to think through who benefits from these terrorist massacres? Only then can one arrive at who is the mastermind behind these bestial crimes against our people.

We must note that these attacks come at a time when the UPA government’s internal and international policies are coming under sharp attack from progressive public opinion and the masses of ordinary people.

The entire course of liberalisation and privatisation, the savage onslaught on the livelihood and rights of people, including demolitions and displacement, massive price increases, are being opposed by people coming onto the streets in protest. Workers, peasants and working people are all denouncing the government as a government of the big bourgeoisie and imperialism which is cruelly riding roughshod over the people and their concerns to transform India into a world class imperialist power.

The strategic alliance with US imperialism, the open collaboration with the Zionist state of Israel as it launches a genocidal attack on the Palestinian people, violating all norms, is facing countrywide opposition. The covert and overt collaboration between the intelligence agencies of India with those of US and Israel, and the penetration of Indian intelligence agencies by the US has hit the headlines in recent weeks. More and more people are questioning whom this strategic alliance with the US serves and why India is collaborating with the Zionist state of Israel.

But, the Indian ruling class is hell bent on pursuing this alliance, which it feels is the best bet at present to acquire the status of a global imperialist power. The fact that the immediate conclusion that the government has drawn is that it will continue to “wage war against terrorism” and the speculation in the media of the hand of “Islamic terrorist groups” behind these blasts is evidence as to the motives of the organisers of these terrorist massacres. These are firstly, to use the terrible tragedy inflicted on the people to mobilise people behind this alliance with US and Israel, secondly to communally polarise the atmosphere and target people of the Muslim faith, and thirdly to prepare conditions for unleashing state terrorism including communal massacres against this or that section of the people.

The Communist Ghadar Party of India calls upon the people to reflect calmly on these issues, and defeat the nefarious plans of their enemies.

The Indian ruling class has vast experience in smashing the unity of the people through various means. One of the preferred weapons of the Indian ruling circles is the unleashing of terrorism including communal violence. For them, this smashing of the unity of the people itself is the biggest way of perpetuating and strengthening their rule. The Indian state, its intelligence services, and all the parties of the ruling class are past masters at this diabolical game, learnt from the British colonisers and further perfected over the years. They use it for the partisan purposes of this or that party or government, and they use it to make sure that the people do not mount an effective challenge to the overall course of the bourgeoisie and do not become a force that threatens its rule. Therefore, the times call for great vigilance on the part of the workers and working people, as they must unite ever more firmly and surely around the alternative to the present system and rule. At this crucial moment, they should not let the ruling class browbeat them through their offensive. Instead, they should actually step up their struggles. They should continue to strengthen their organisations and alliances to meet the offensive of the ruling class with much better preparedness and with the aim of putting an end to state organised terrorism once and for all through the establishment of the rule of workers and peasants.

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Manmohan Singh puts privatisation of NALCO and NLC on hold:

Let us take this partial victory forward towards a complete halt and reversal of privatisation!

Following powerful protests by tens of thousands of workers of the Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) and the National Aluminium Company (NALCO) against the decision to "disinvest" 10% shares of these companies, on July 6, 2006, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has announced a temporary halt to all privatizations. The decision to disinvest 10% stakes in these two PSU's has been withdrawn. This is a victory for the working class. People's Voice congratulates the workers of NALCO and NLC as well as communists and trade unions across the country who took a determined stand against the privatization of these PSUs and refused to fall in the trap set by the government.

It cannot be ignored that the UPA government tried its level best to divide the opposition of the working class to the proposed privatisations through a series of diversions and a disinformation campaign. These included the propaganda that the funds from the disinvestment will flow back into these companies, into loss making PSUs and into the social sector. When workers refused to fall for this diversion or get taken in by the disinformation, the UPA government declared that workers of these companies would be given preferential treatment in buying the shares! However, it is to the credit of the workers of NLC and NALCO that they stood their ground.

The struggle of workers against privatization has driven a temporary wedge into the UPA alliance, by forcing some members of this alliance to oppose the privatisations of these two PSUs. At the same time, Manmohan Singh and Chidambaram have made it clear that they stand committed to privatisation and economic reforms as demanded by finance capital and the Indian big bourgeoisie.

The experience of two years of the UPA government reveals that this government is pursuing the preferred policy of the big bourgeoisie and finance capital under the slogan of reforms with a human face. Continuing on the course of the previous NDA government, it is opening the space further for finance capital and Indian and foreign monopolies to plunder the labour and natural resources of India, including her rich mineral wealth, her forests and rivers, her agriculture, and so on. Any blocks in the advance of these capitalist and imperialist vultures are being removed by the government. It is opening up space rapidly in the Indian economy for capitalism to flourish, leaving in its trail death and devastation for workers and peasants, and working people.

It is high time that the working class takes a proactive lead in bringing privatization to a complete halt and in reversing it. The working class must fight to ensure that not only the PSUs, but the land, the mineral resources under this land, the rivers and forests, belong to the peoples, and cannot be alienated from the people and handed over to private parties, Indian or foreign. It must fight to defend the peasantry and agriculture from the onslaught of finance capital and the monopolies. It must fight to ensure that education, health care, sanitation, electricity, transport, etc., do not become the hunting ground for private profiteers but that they are provided to people at reasonable cost. It must advance and fight for measures that restrict the flourishing of capitalism. Most importantly, it must fight for replacing the rule of the bourgeoisie with the rule of workers and peasants. For as long as the bourgeoisie continues to rule, it is the program and policies of the bourgeoisie and imperialism that will be implemented, and capitalist forces will inevitably flourish at the expense of the workers and peasants and working people.

Why should workers and trade unions and all communists not agitate on a single point across the country on the question of privatisation, and propose and organise a referendum on this issue. The opposition to privatisation must include the question of the society's responsibility to control wholesale internal trade as well as international trade in the interests of the workers and peasants, and that the land, the minerals, the water resources, the forests belong to society as a whole, and no government has the right to sell them to private profiteers. We must agitate on these questions inside parliament as well as most importantly amongst the people and rally the broad masses of workers and peasants and middle strata against privatisation.

To completely halt and reverse the privatisation program of the bourgeoisie, the working class has to clearly put on its agenda the overthrow of capitalism and the building of a socialist society wherein the well being of the human being, will determine the orientation of the economy, and not private profit.This is not only possible, but absolutely necessary. Let us build on the partial victory in halting the disinvestment of NALCO and NLC to take forward the struggle for the complete defeat and reversal of the privatisation program of the bourgeoisie, step by step, to its logical conclusion!

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Only the immediate establishment of worker-peasant rule can put an end to the misery of peasants!

Statement of the Communist Ghadar Party of India, July 10,2006

The Communist Ghadar Party of India condemns with great anger and disgust the “relief package” for the devastated peasants of Vidharbha that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has announced recently. The highly orchestrated visit of a top-level team to the district, the pompous unveiling of a relief package, the chicanery evident in the observations made on the suicides and indebtedness of peasants—all of them are a callous mockery of the millions of peasants of India, a sickening déjà vu that every government of the capitalists has been organizing again and again.

The Prime Minister “observed” that there was a cry all around for providing relief to peasants from debt, and, in many cases, the overdue interest exceeded the original loan. He also “declared” that “indebtedness is a national problem”. Exactly similar "observations" were made 2 years back, at the time the Congress came back to power, riding on a wave of peasant anger, in Andhra Pradesh, when he and Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy announced a relief package for the families of peasants who had committed suicide in that state. The erstwhile Vajpayee government had also conducted several such loan waiver melas during its tenure.

Over the years now, and more particularly after the anti-peasant reforms in the agricultural sector, millions of peasants have been ruined, and tens of thousands have committed suicides in various states of India, unable to return their debt or even pay interest on debt. What the bourgeoisie and their governments want to conceal from the people is that this widespread ruination, revealed most grotesquely in suicides, are the result of the capitalist orientation of the Indian economy and the course of privatisation, liberalisation and globalisation being pursued by the Indian bourgeoisie to become one of the most powerful imperialist powers in the world. Capitalist forces are in the process of extending their vice like tentacles over agriculture and the peasantry, through a set of policies and programs, assisting the monopolies, Indian and foreign, while leaving the peasant to fend for himself. The reforms have involved allowing the entry of multinationals in trade and marketing of agricultural commodities enabling corporations to grab agricultural land, allowing free imports of agricultural commodities by the trading monopolies, gradual withdrawal of state procurement of foodgrains and effective dismantling of the Public Distribution System, and many other measures. All these measures, which were touted as the second green revolution and implemented since the early nineties by both the BJP and the Congress, have resulted in the massive devastation of the peasants.

The spate of suicides in Vidharbha and the continuing suicides in the rest of the country have reiterated the fact that just a change of government within the existing system cannot bring any solution to the agrarian crisis. They have also exposed the lie of the bourgeoisie that institutional lenders, as opposed to private moneylenders, are concerned about the well-being of peasants and that expanding the institutional credit network will solve the problem of indebtedness. Peasants have committed suicide, irrespective of whether they borrowed from individual or institutional moneylenders, since both of them operate on the principle of maximizing their returns on capital advanced. These facts have made it evident that the extension of institutional credit, both public and private, in the countryside, has only resulted in the further tightening of the vice-like grip of finance capital over the agriculture sector.

The Vidharbha “relief package” once more highlights the fact that the ruling class is not interested in solving the agrarian crisis by taking comprehensive measures to liberate the peasants from the stranglehold of the market forces of capitalism. All their efforts have been directed to fool the peasants again and again that they have to live with this system, where they will be subjected to devastation and misery year after year, and where the state of the capitalists will throw them some crumbs in the form of debt relief now and then.

The future of the peasants lies only in becoming an integral part of the broad united front of workers and peasants and fighting for the establishment of the rule of workers and peasants as an immediate objective. Only when workers and peasants of India wield political power can they ensure the reorientation of the economy in the interests of the vast majority of the people of India. Such measures demanded by the working class and peasantry such as the establishment of a universal public distribution system, state procurement of the produce of the peasant at guaranteed prices, supply of agricultural inputs at affordable prices, nationalization of wholesale internal trade and foreign trade in agricultural commodities, ensuring the security of tenure of agricultural land accompanied by gradual collectivization and many more are possible only under the rule of workers and peasants.

The Indian peasantry, just like the working class, is completely marginalised in the present political system and process without having any rights. All the militant struggles of the peasantry of different regions of our country have not led to security of livelihood or the enshrining of rights of the tillers, because the bourgeoisie remains firmly entrenched in political power. The Communist Ghadar Party of India calls upon the heroic and hardworking peasantry of our country to make a clean break with all the bourgeois parties. Building and strengthening peasant organisations and committees that take an irreconcilable stand against the capitalist and imperialist monopolies and the bourgeois parties, the peasantry must direct all its energies towards establishing the rule of workers and peasants as its immediate goal. With state power in the hands of workers and peasants, we can take immediate measures to halt and reverse the ruination of the peasantry and open the path to a secure and prosperous future for the tillers.

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Condemn the barbaric acts of war by Israel against the Palestinian and Arab peoples!

Statement of the CGPI, July 2, 2006

With great anger, the Communist Ghadar Party of India severely condemns the latest inhuman acts of war and provocation perpetrated by the state of Israel against the Palestinian and Arab peoples.

Yesterday, Israeli aircraft fired missiles at the Palestinian prime minister's office. The military forces of the US backed Zionist state of Israel began a large – scale military operation from the early hours of June 28, 2006 in the Gaza Strip using over 5,000 soldiers, hundreds of tanks and other military hardware. In the course of this operation, they caused large scale destruction by indiscriminately bombing the main electric station in the area, they destroyed several bridges, bombed the building housing the Palestinian Interior ministry, reoccupied parts of southern Palestinian territory, and detained many officials of the Palestinian Authority as well as elected members of the Palestinian Legislative Council. In addition, a few days ago, Israeli military aircraft violated the airspace of Syria with impunity and indulged in acts of provocation. These inhuman acts of war are but the latest in a long series of bestialities perpetrated with numbing occurrence by the Zionist authorities against the Palestinian and other Arab peoples with complete disregard for international public opinion.

Peoples and governments around the world have roundly condemned these latest acts of barbarism by the Israeli forces. Israel and its US imperialist backers are trying to justify these cold-blooded acts on the grounds that an Israeli soldier was captured by Palestinian resistance forces in the occupied territories. These resistance fighters have demanded that several patriots illegally imprisoned in Israeli jails be immediately released in exhange for the release of the Israeli soldier. However, this is but an excuse for the cruel war unleashed against the Palestinian Authority by the fascist Israeli forces. It is well known that the Israeli government is an aggressor, murderer and provocateur, committing acts of cold blooded murder and terrorism against the Palestinian people on a dalily basis. In the month of June 2006 itself, the Israeli army has cold bloodedly murdered over 52 Palestinians for the "crime" of being Palestinians!

The latest acts of barbarism and provocation, in complete violation of the principles of international law, come at a time when an agreement had just been reached among political forces in Palestine, contributing to the renewal of peace talks. They show clearly that the government of Israel and its backers, the US imperialists, are not interested in peace. They wish to keep the region in a state of turmoil, and continue to ride rough shod over the national and human rights of the Palestinian and Arab peoples.

The valiant Palestinian people have been struggling to regain their national rights for decades. They have been boldly asserting their inalienable rights, including the establishment of an independent, sovereign state. Their unflagging spirits have been an inspiration to freedom loving and patriotic people everywhere. Refusing to be cowed by the wanton acts of barbarism being committed by the Zionist forces, the Palestinian prime minister has declared that his government would not give in to force.

The Indian people deeply treasure their ties with the Palestinian and other Arab peoples and have been noting with great apprehension the strengthening of ties between the Indian government and the fascist, militarist Israeli government. The Indian working class demands that the government of India imediately cuts off ties with the perpetrator of these inhuman acts of war. We demand the unconditional withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip.

The Communist Ghadar Party of India calls upon all the freedom loving people of India to continue to stand by the valiant Palestinian people in this hour of crisis.

Down with the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian and Arab peoples!

Hail the valiant struggle of the Palestinian people for their national rights!

India must immediately break military ties with Israel!

The Communist Ghadar Party of India condemns the growing military and strategic ties between India and Israel. These ties are extremely dangerous and directed not only against the peoples of South Asia, but also against the friendly Arab and other peoples of Asia and Africa.

Israel, with the protection and encouragement of the most hated power on earth, US imperialism, has emerged as one of the most fascist, terrorist and warmongering powers in Asia, indulging in inhuman acts of brutality against the Palestinian and Arab peoples with numbing regularity. These acts have been condemned widely by peoples and governments the world over. Having military ties with such a power reveals the Indian ruling class's covert if not overt support for the fascist, warmongering, Zionist State of Israel, and exposes its pretensions to be a defender of peace, sovereignty and freedom.

For decades, the valiant Palestinian people fighting for their national rights have been fully supported by the Indian people. In deference to the wishes of the Indian people, ties between the governments of India and Israel were minimal. Disregarding the sentiments of the Indian people, the National Democratic Alliance Government under Vajpayee however started having military ties with Israel, which have been continued and extended by the present UPA government. Joint military exercises have been held by the Israeli and Indian armies, and the government has taken assistance from the fascist Israeli forces to “deal with” dissent in Kashmir and elsewhere.

The military ties between India and Israel constitute a threat not only to the peoples of India and South Asia, but also to the Arab and other peoples of Asia and Africa. Today, Israel is the second largest supplier of military hardware to India. In fact, the Defence Minister of India was on the verge of leading a high–level delegation to Israel to discuss further strengthening of the already strong military ties when the latest acts of war by Israel in Gaza and elsewhere forced the Indian government to postpone the visit or face complete exposure and condemnation by democratic forces in the world!

The working class of India demands that the government of India must immediately break its military ties with Israel. In fact, the government of India must put pressure on Israel to respect the principles of international law, cease its acts of war and provocation and withdraw immediately from the areas of Palestine, which it has occupied.

Break the military ties between the governments of India and Israel!

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Robbing the People, Paying the Rich!

The Editor,

PV.

Sir,

I thank you for your report carried in the June 16-30 issue of PV on speech delivered on behalf of the Spokesperson of the party at the “Working People’s Movement -- Challenges and Prospects” held in Lucknow in May 2006. The CGPI delegate, among other things drew attention to the fact that “The resources of the country – the mineral resources, forests and urban and rural land – are being handed over to Indian and foreign multinationals at throw away rates while the people are being forcibly evicted from their lands and deprived of their source of livelihood.”

This statement almost seems like an oracle, as reports have reached here today of the visit of the robber baron and acquisition, merger, hostile takeover artist Mr. Lakshmi Mittal to India and of the photo-opportunity with the Prime Minister Mr. Manmohan Singh. The BBC reports that Mr.Mittal will invest 6.5 billion US dollars in a steel plant to be set up in Orissa. The Chief Minister Mr. Naveen Patnaik is said to have welcomed the project stating that it will bring revenue to the state exchequer and employment to the people. Almost at the same time the flagship company of Indian capitalism, Tata steel has apparently taken steps to ward off the possibility of any hostile take over threat. All these events should send alarm bells ringing throughout the ranks of the working people of the country.

The second part of the statement of the CGPI delegate that I have quoted refers to the eviction of the peoples who inhabit the land where such projects are set up. The recent events in Kalinganagar are a mere tip of the iceberg of the events to come.

It should also be noted that the Congress led UPA Government and the Centre and the Biju Janata Dal Government in Orissa which receives support from the BJP are equally enthusiastic about the prospects of Mr. Mittal’s entry into the Indian steel industry. These landmark events should be noted by the CGPI and the working class to orient their struggles.

Sincerely,
A. Narayan,Bangalore

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State terrorism and blatant violation of human rights and international law—cornerstone of US imperialism's policy

On 29 June 2006, the US Supreme court ruled that imperialist chieftain Bush does not have the authority to order military trials for detainees in Guantánamo. On 5 July 2006, two Italian intelligence officials suspected of involvement in helping CIA kidnap “terrorism suspects” and transferring them illegally out of Italy were arrested. The US terror center of Guantanamo Bay and the web of state terror it has spread through many countries of Europe and Asia to illegally kidnap, arrest and torture citizens of other countries in violation of the laws of those countries and behind the backs of the peoples is being increasingly exposed. It is becoming clearer to the whole world that under the guise of "war against terrorism", state terrorism and the blatant violation of human rights and the sovereignty of countries and peoples is the cornerstone of US imperialism's policy today.

In the wake of the illegal aggression and occupation of Afghanistan in 2001, several Afghan patriots, people from other countries who fought on the side of the then Afghan government against the invading US forces, and many others were rounded up from Afghanistan and other countries. The US imperialists, in violation of all international norms concerning detention, created a new category following the example of Adolf Hitler in his dealings with Jews, communists, and certain others. They were not given the status of prisoners of war, since that status confers certain safeguards on the manner in which such prisoners could be incarcerated and interrogated, as specified by the Geneva Convention. Nor were they made to stand trial in Afghanistan or even in the US, since defendants in criminal trials too have certain legal rights. Instead, the Bush administration declared them “enemy combatants” who would have to face military tribunals, and transferred them to its base in Guantánamo, Cuba. They have been held there in the most barbaric of conditions, in violation of all international conventions. They have been tortured and most have been held without even being charged with any crime for almost five years! The atrocious conditions in this concentration camp have driven quite a few to suicide.

Following international condemnation of this illegal detention and torture of people in Guantánamo, now the US Supreme Court has been forced to declare that Bush does not have the authority to order military trials for detainees in Guantánamo. The ruling states that such trials would be illegal and in violation of both US law and the Geneva Convention. This ruling both reveals the internal crisis amongst the ruling circles in the US as well as a belated attempt to restore some credibility to the US imperialist system. Meanwhile, President George Bush has arrogantly declared that he would continue to see ways in which his fascist plans would be carried out any way!

Public opinion throughout the world has been against these inhuman and illegal activities of the US imperialists. However, many governments have been covertly collaborating with the US imperialists, even though the force of public opinion has made them deny this. Since the laws of many European countries and the US itself do not permit torture of prisoners, the imperialists and their allies have been transferring “terrorism” suspects illegally and clandestinely to countries where they could be subjected to torture to force them to confess. In one particular case in 2003, a Muslim cleric was kidnapped by CIA agents in Milan and transferred to Egypt. An Italian judge has charged 26 Americans, believed to be CIA agents, among others, in this crime. The US imperialists have made clear their intention of protecting their agents and not allowing them to face trial. However, with the arrest of two Italian intelligence officials suspected of involvement in the CIA – masterminded kidnap, more unseemly revelations may take place as the trial progresses.

US imperialism and its allies, covert and overt, are getting caught in a web of intrigue and illegality which they have spun. It is becoming clearer day by day that the US imperialists are the greatest terrorists, the most barbaric violators of all international norms and conventions that mankind has enacted.

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Nepali residents in India demand unconditional release of activists held in Indian jails

Hundreds of Nepali residents in India marched from Jantar Mantar to Parliament in New Delhi on June 30, demanding immediate release of more than 50 Nepali activists, who are currently being held in jails in various parts of India, including two senior leaders of the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M), Mohan Baidya (Comrade Kiran) and C.P.Gajurel (Comrade Gaurav). The demonstrators also demanded full information about the over 1000 Nepali prisoners who are claimed to have 'disappeared' while in Indian government custody. They demanded punishment of the Indian authorities responsible for the arrest and deportation of over 70 Nepali citizens in India. Holding aloft bright red banners highlighting their demands, the demonstrators raised slogans denouncing this gross injustice by the Indian government and reiterating their determination to carry on the struggle for the release of their comrades and for democracy in Nepal.

This demonstration was part of a worldwide 'international day of protest' organised by the World People's Resistance Movement, Europe and South Asia, who have issued a call to protest the continued detention of Nepali prisoners in India and China. It is reported that demonstrations and protest rallies are being organised in Chennai and in many countries of Europe and North and South America, as well as in Kathmandu.

The participating organisations included the Nepali Janadhikar Suraksha Samiti Bharat, Pravasi Nepali Sangh Bharat, Nepali Jan Sampark Samiti Bharat, Nepali Loktantrik Andolan Sahyog Samiti Bharat, Prabasi Nepali Chaukidar Shramik Samiti, South Asia Studies Centre, India-Nepal Solidarity Forum, World People's Resistance Movement, South Asia and the Communist Ghadar Party of India.

The protest march culminated in a mass rally, which was addressed by representatives of the participating organisations.

Addressing the rally, Laxman Pant, president of the central committee of the Nepali Janadhikar Suraksha Samiti said that the Indian government had no right to continue to detain their comrades in jail, at a time when the new Nepali government has officially withdrawn all the "red corner" notices against the leaders and activists of the CPN-M and released most of them from jail in Nepal. He emphasised that "With the historic 8 point agreement of June 16, 2006, the CPN-M has decided to join the interim government along with the other parties of the Seven Party Alliance. Both comrades Mohan Baidya and C.P.Gajurel are held in high esteem as leaders of the people's movement in Nepal, by millions of Nepali citizens in India and Nepal", and demanded their immediate release.

Speakers also denounced probable attempts of the Indian government to use the imprisoned CPN-M comrades as "political hostages" and "bargaining chips" in the current negotiations in Nepal, as interference in the internal affairs of Nepal.

Spokesperson of the Communist Ghadar Party of India, comrade Prakash Rao denounced the Indian government for continuing to detain the Nepali comrades and other Nepali citizens in jail, even after the present Nepali government has made formal requests to the Indian government for their release. Hailing the valiant revolutionary struggle of the Nepali people, which has led to the overthrow of the monarchy in Nepal and brought to the fore the question of people's power, he declared that only the Nepali people have the right to determine the future political course of their country. The vision of people's power, with which the Nepali people have come forward so boldly, must be enshrined in the future Constitution that the Nepali people will write. He cautioned the Nepali people against the attempts of various imperialist powers, including the Indian state, to interfere in the internal affairs of Nepal. "These forces are desperately trying to prevent the emergence of a real people's power in Nepal and to impose on the Nepali people the kind of multi-party 'democracy' that exists in India, which, as we all know, is the most brutal violator of the rights and freedoms of the people", he said.

Hundreds of copies of People's Voice were distributed at the rally. The consistent support that the Communist Ghadar Party of India has given to the people's struggle in Nepal, through the pages of People's Voice/Mazdoor Ekta Lehar, was warmly appreciated by the participants.

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Protest Action against the attacks on the right to life, livelihood and dignity

People's Voice interviewed activists of of the Lok Raj Sangathan, who were participating in a protest rally in front of the Supreme Court on July 3, 2006 in which thousands of workers, women, youth and intelletuals participted. The Lok Raj Sangathan, together with other organisations has been spearheading a broad campaign in defence of the right to livelihood and housing of the working people of Delhi. The activists of the Lok Raj Sangathan spoke about the aim of the campaign as well as its broad contours. The following report has been based on these interviews.

In recent months, vicious attacks have been carried out on the right to livelihood and shelter of the people of Delhi. People living in slums have been ruthlessly evicted and rendered homeless, with no proper alternative plan for their resettlement. Other slum clusters and resettlement colonies have been threatened with immediate eviction. Middle class housing colonies have been attacked in the name of 'removing illegal constructions', while small shopkeepers and traders have been forced to close down their premises, in the name of 'removing commercial establishments in residential areas'. Hawkers and vendors have been forcibly removed and declared illegal. Cycle rickshaws have been banned in various parts of the city. Meanwhile, big Indian and foreign monopolies are being given all kinds of concessions to take over land and build massive shopping malls and complexes. These attacks have been carried out in the form of orders of the Supreme Court and Delhi High Court, executed by the Delhi Development Authority and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. The ruling class and authorities have sought to justify these attacks, by claiming that they are implementing the Delhi Master Plan and 'cleaning up the filth and congestion'.

The residents of Delhi, particularly those directly affected, have been valiantly resisting these attacks and in some cases have managed to temporarily stall the plans of the ruling class. It is due to the persistent struggle of the people that the government has been forced to declare a one-year moratorium on demolitions and evictions in Delhi.

This demonstration of July 3, in front of the Supreme Court on the opening day afters its summer recess, is part of the campaign to defend the rights of the working and poor people of Delhi. For over a month, LRS and various other organisations have been working together to develop ways to organise the residents in various colonies under attack to take up the struggle for their rights, and the demonstration on July 3 is one step in this struggle. Prominent lawyers, human rights activists, academicians, social workers, trade unionists participated in the action revealing the broad, developing opposition, to the demolition drive. The protestors condemend the attacks on the working poor of Delhi in order to benefit the big capitalist monopolies and demanded that people's concerns should be at the centre of any master plan made for the city.

Addressing the protestors, the representative of LRS declared that "We, who constitute over 70% of the population of Delhi, must refuse to be treated as "garbage". India belongs to us - the workers and peasants, the women and youth. We have built this city, we run this city and we will decide its future course of development. We are fighting to build a just and humane society, wherein the well being of each is the condition for the well being for all."

Explaining the goal of the struggle, he said that "We are waging a just struggle for the affirmation of the human right to life, livelihood and dignity. Our goal is to ensure Constitutional guarantees of human rights with enforcing mechanisms, including the right to life and livelihood – which includes the right to housing. It is the duty of the state to guarantee security and prosperity to all members of society. Secure livelihood and housing are essential conditions for security and prosperity."

He insisted that people, their concerns, both immediate and long term, must be at the center of all planning, including urban planning. Denouncing the attacks on the working people in the name of the 'Master Plan', he boldly declared that “Master Plans for the development of our cities cannot be designed to fulfil the aspirations of finance capital and multinationals. They cannot be premised on the destruction and violation of the rights of the working people. The Master Plan for the development of Delhi must reflect our concerns and respect our rights. During the coming year, we will mobilize the entire working population of Delhi to demand that our visions and suggestions for alternatives be the basis for the Delhi Master Plan."

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