January 16-31, 2007

Towards the rule of workers and peasants

We communists are working towards organizing the workers and peasants, women and youth, all the exploited and oppressed to establish the rule of workers and peasants, in place of the rule of the bourgeoisie. Elections are a time when the workers and peasants and middle strata, all those marginalized from political power, actively discuss politics. In this connection, the Communist Ghadar Party of India organized an important, well attended seminar in the town of Mansa in the Punjab on January 6, 2007. The theme of the Seminar was “strategy of communists in elections”. The theme had been decided earlier on December 21, 2006, at a meeting organized by the local branch of the Party in which activists of other communist parties and groups also participated.

Braving one of the coldest mornings at sub zero temperatures, communist revolutionaries and activists from the region of Mansa, Bhatinda and Sangrur gathered excitedly for this seminar. This correspondent of People's Voice experienced the joy and warmth with which old comrades, youth of the time of the Naxalbari uprising, embraced each other, even though today we are in different parties and groups, or without a party or group. This is a region which is known as the red belt of the Punjab, and this is where so many peasant struggles are taking place today. There is growing recognition amongst us communists that we should work together. We also recognise that theory must illuminate the road to revolution. This was reflected in the interventions in the Seminar.

The Seminar was chaired by Comrade Prakash Rao, Spokesperson of the Communist Ghadar Party of India, Comrade Duni Chand from Haryana and Comrade Hanuman Prasad from Rajasthan. Comrade Modan conducted the proceedings.

Punjab is a state rich in communist traditions. Leaders of workers’ unions, peasant unions, teachers’ unions, students’ unions and hospital karmachari unions, vigorously participated in the proceedings. There were communists from the majority of parties and groups active in the region.

The inaugural speech in the Seminar elaborated the problems facing people in Punjab and India, and the tasks of communists. It demanded that speakers not just describe problems, but concentrate on the solutions. Why do communists participate in elections? Is it to become an MLA or MP and advance one’s own individual or factional interest? Or do we participate to advance the cause of revolution? How should we intervene in elections to advance the struggle to establish the rule of workers and peasants in India? These were the questions discussed in the seminar.

The participants debated how we must ensure that the movement of workers and peasants does not get sabotaged, as nearly always happens, during every election. That is, how communist parliamentary and election tactics should advance revolutionary unity, not assist the bourgeoisie.

The issue of the bankruptcy of representative democracy, the vehicle of the rule of the bourgeoisie, came up for much discussion. Many speakers expressed the view that merely boycotting the elections at this time would serve no purpose. On the other hand, we cannot expose representative democracy and enlighten the people if communists merge themselves in the parliamentary process and become just yet another oppositional force, like the bourgeois opposition parties. In this connection, the point was forcefully made that communists must dare to put forth the vision of a new political process and system. They must agitate and organise for selection and election of peoples’ candidates. These candidates may be members of a communist party or they may not, but the main thing is that they should be selected in mass meetings of people in the constituency.

The meeting was conducted in a warm comradely atmosphere. It concluded with the determination of all to continue the discussion that had begun, both during and after the elections, so that the movement of workers and peasants to establish their rule is strengthened. Comrade Prakash Rao made the concluding remarks.

Those who addressed the Seminar included Comrade Shivcharan, a leader of hawkers of Mansa, Comrade Duni Chand, Convenor, Lok Raj Sangathan (Haryana), Comrade Hanuman Prasad, President of the Rajasthan Shikshak Manch (Pragatisheel), Comrade Sikandar Karana, from the Lab Technicians Union, Nukka Singh, the Subha Pradhan of AISA, Santosh Kumar, the leader of the Hind Naujawan Ekta Sabha, Comrade Atma of the CPI, Comrade Sukhdarshan Nathu of the CPIML (Liberation), Comrade Shiv of the CGPI, Comrade Sajju Ram Rishi of the CPM (Punjab), Comrade Manohar Das of DTF, Comrade Rudru Singh of the Punjab Kisaan Sabha, Comrade Jagdev Singh Baji of the DTF, Comrade Sikander Singh Karana of the teachers union of Haryana.