January 1-15, 2007

Sir,

I am writing to express my delight at the statement released by the CGPI on the eve of the All India General Strike of December 14, 2006, where the support of the Central Committee of the Party was extended to the strike and to all its sponsors, participants and supporters. A noteworthy feature of the statement which expresses the great maturity of the party is the non-partisan tone of the statement, with the sole preoccupation of the CC being the unity of the working class the the advancing of its aims. I commend the CC on this achievement.

Reports of the strike indicate that it was a success. The strike is supposed to have been near total in the CPI(M) ruled states, with normal life being paralyzed. However, it was pointed out that in West Bengal, the IT sector was exempted from the strike by the CPI(M) which was among the main sponsors of the strike through its trade union federations. As a member of the revolutionary camp, I find these contradictory approaches very confusing indeed. It would be interesting to know on the basis of what theory can such a state of affairs be justified. Even worse is the profound disorientation such a move is likely to cause in the minds of an average member of the working class. It may also be said that the CPI(M) would very much like to have the cake and eat it too. On the one hand they would like to be the fountainhead leading the Indian working class [to what end, it is not clear], while on the other hand continuing to reassure the venture capitalists and big players of the IT sector that West Bengal is a favourable destination for their investment. They would very much like to blunt the revolutionary zeal of the working class on the one hand and have the rapacious capitalist class make some concessions on the other hand to pave the way to capitalism with a human face. However, the working class should learn through its own theory and experience that it is not possible for any sector of the economy, manfacturing, service, or IT (fashionably known as the 'knowledge') sector to be independent of the laws of capitalist development.

The working class should be conscious that it should not be led astray by a compromising and vacillating leadership.

Sincerely,|
G. Rajan, Chennai