Updates from CPI (ML) Red Star

1. Bihar Victory Makes Modi-Shah Led RSS Neo- Fascist Rule More Barbarous!

History teaches that with every new victory the fascists become more aggressive. Last year we have seen it. After the huge victory in 2019 Lok Sabha elections (which was beyond the expectations of even Modi),the Modi-Shah rule had become so aggressive and heinous that it went roughshod to crush the student agitations of JNU and Jamia, and unleashed a reign of terror and Geobelsian false propaganda to defeat the massive anti- CAA/NPR movement. Though it failed to achieve its goal, in spite of increasing police atrocities, the outbreak of Covid19 pandemic ultimately helped it to put an end to the movement. Then the horrific developments following the abrupt lockdown leaving crores of migrant workers stranded jobless and shelter-less and like Trump, Modi refusing to take any pro-active action to meet the pandemic challenge took place, which are still continuing in different forms. But has the parliamentary opposition has taken any lessons from these?

The BJP victory in Bihar elections show that the parliamentary opposition, especially the Congress, whose mis-deeds led, in the main, to the ascendance to power of the RSS neo-fascists, have not taken any lessons from BJP’s victory in 2019. If the parliamentary opposition who oppose or at least claim to oppose had come forward with a joint program, if Congress was ready to accept its weakening, if it was ready to accept the offer of alliance from SP-BSP in UP and was ready to make alliances in other states where mainly BJP-Congress contests take place the result would have ben different.

Since for last 4-5 years it had no election victory in any state, BJP desperately wanted to win in Bihar. But the odds were against it. But RJD’s immaturity and arrogance of Congress helped BJP to snatch victory from the grand Alliance, in spite of the enthusiasm shown by the people for a change. What is the result? In the last two weeks RSS/BJP is pursuing its fascist policies more aggressively. It has expanded the so-called conspiracy case falsely accusing the Muslims while leaving the real conspirators, the RSS men, scot-free. And in Delhi more Muslim youth are arrested charging UAPA,. In J&K, reducing the local bodies’ elections in to a farce, the people, especially women, are terrorized and assaulted. Now, BJP ruled states are in a hurry to enforce mew laws to stop Love Jihads! At the same time, Manusmrithi is in action attacking women, especially of dalits target of sexual assaults and murder, as a re-assertion of Savarna male hegemony. New Rathyatras like the Vetti Vel yatra in TN are organized to assert the Manuvadi Hindutua’s hegemony. And with all these diversionary tactics, the corporatization of Indian economy is speeded up further. Following the attacks on farmers and the working class, now the corporates are given permission to start banks, so that all the public banks can be gifted to them very fast. The increasing joblessness, inflation, intensifying pauperization of the masses, along with the miseries under Covid 19 to them do not bother Modi and his advisers. Now, when these lines are typed, to put down the 26-27 struggles of the working class and the farmers, Delhi is fortified so that no one from outside can enter the capital. Are we taking any lessons from these?

As the spiraling economic crisis and ecological degeneration threatens a catastrophe, the ascendance to power of neo-fascist forces in ever larger number of countries representing the most reactionary sections of the capitalist-imperialist system, it is very clear that a basic system change overthrowing these forces of reaction is possible only by overthrowing these forces and making a revolutionary system change. To overcome present setbacks and to create a new wave of revolutions, the Marxist-Leninists have to recognize this fact and speed up party building with this perspective. While concentrating on this revolutionary task, the CRs should take the present situation when they are very weak, and many of the groups/organizations are still not prepared to come out of their dogmatic frames to face the present challenge.

It is in this context, we are discussing the possibilities for the ruling class parties coming together with a common democratic program and defeating the BJP Rathayatra in the assembly elections next year, starting with the elections to Bengal assembly. BJP has launched its election campaign already with an outright move to whip up communal passions against the Muslims, who are a big forces in the state. It will go to any extent to win the elections. The TMC which is in power in Bengal is a corrupt ruling class party with petti-bourgeois exuberance. As it had put an end to the 34 years of continuous rule of the Left Front, the CPI(M) takes a subjective and strange stand that BJP can be defeated only by defeating TMC! That means, it is asking the people to vote for Left Front –Congress alliance to defeat the two main contestants! If the LF persists with this line, it will only help to defeat the TMC and to help the victory of BJP. In the present grave situation, helping the BJP to win in the Bengal assembly elections shall be absolutely suicidal. Recognizing this the revolutionary left forces should take the stand to defeat the BJP’s desperate moves to come to power in Bengal at any cost. Similar or more complex challenges are faced in other states also where elections are taking place next year. We appeal to all the revolutionary left forces to come together in these states, from a program based coordination, field candidates only where they have substantial mass base, and to support the party or alliance which has maximum possibility to defeat BJP, in all other seats, while propagating the program of people’s alternative put forward by the RLC. We appeal to all revolutionary left forces who are fighting for a revolutionary social change to come together and take initiative to help the defeat of BJP in all coming assembly elections.

2. CPI(ML) Red Star supported the 26^th All India Strike Call by the Central Trade Unions with the following appeal to intensify Campaigns to politically mobilize the working class!

The central trade unions have called for an all India general strike on 26^th November against revoking all trade union laws won through numerous struggles from the colonial days, and replacing them with four orders taking away even all existing rights. And when the Covid19 pandemic started spreading, it was the tens of millions of migrant workers who had to suffer as Modi government announced the lockdown abruptly. In the name of the pandemic and lockdown almost all the employers have cut the number of workers drastically. In spite of court orders against it, 12 working day is imposed by most of the managements. Meanwhile, even while raising slogans like Self-reliant India, Make in India, the neo-fascist Modi govt is privatizing all remaining public sector undertakings, intensifying corporatization of all fields, throwing out more workers in its name also. While the strength of the working class in India has reached more than 400 millions, out of them only 5% are left in organized sectors while most of the remaining workers in the unorganized sectors are still not organized in the trade unions. It is helping the corporate forces to intensify their plunder of this cheap labour. All these factors have led unprecedented joblessness and pauperization among the working class.

At the same time, similar to what is happening in ever larger number of countries, the RSS neo-fascist forces are politically disarming the working class; they are engaged in saffronizing them and struggle fearing. It is in fact Manuvadi Hindutva in action. Forces of counter-revolution have succeeded to dieline the revolutionary workers’ movement, and has succeeded to divide them based on caste, communal lines.

Though the leaders of these central TUs have refused take up leadership of these struggles, still it is important for the revolutionary left forces to actively participate in the campaign for the strike and in the strike itself through mobilizing political action in support of it. Meanwhile they have tp carry forward the Party’s campaign for politicization of the working class , to make them capable, and prepared for taking political slogans for the changing the ruling system towards people’s democracy and socialist alternative. Our slogan is: Working class unite with all oppressed and exploited section, fight against the Manuvadi Hindutva offensive of RSS neo-fascism!

3. No to RCEP, No to Asia-Pacific Initiative of US! India needs independent initiative opposing both imperialist led blocks!

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Participation (RCEP) that came into existence on November 15, 2020, is one of world's largest trading blocs accounting for about 30 percent of global GDP and one-third of world population.  Despite strong opposition from Indian farmers and all concerned,  Modi was actively participating in the 6 years of long drawn out intense bi-partisan talks with 10 member- ASEAN and other 5 big players, namely, China, Japan, Australia, South Korea and New Zealand in the grouping.

 Today the explanation from New Delhi for not joining RCEP that the govt "moved away from trading agreement on account of  Atmanirbhar Bharat policy" and in  view of "comprehensive national power", is a sommersault.  Now Modi govt.says that "the effect of past trade agreements has been to de-industrialise some sectors? The consequences of future ones would lock into global commitments, many of them not to our advantage. If it is a fact, then why Modi was hobnobbing with Chinese leadership for so long to come out of the talks? Those who argue for Modi should understand that “stressing openness and efficiency do not present the full picture."  Because, when the RSS policy of partnership with the US led imperialist powers is very clear, this sudden boasting of self-reliance  lacks credibility and substance, at a time when Modi has been increasingly opening up the Indian economy to the diktats of US imperialism firmly adhering itself as the strategic junior partner of US imperialism in latter's Indo-Pacific geopolitical moves especially directed against China.  

For, before India's departure from the grouping on the eve of its finalisation by the turn of 2020, at every stage of the discussions, Modi could apparently resolve the economic conflicts with other members of RCEP, except China which was refusing to accept  India's demands on a host of issues pertaining to agriculture, industry and services. And the other members of RCEP have in fact acknowledged India's value as a market and are even ready to accommodate its concerns. 

As a matter of fact, with his far-right economic orientation, Modi's track record is that of a staunchest supporter of globalisation and liberalisation and full opening up of markets to foreign players.  Hence, the real reason on India's part for not joining RCEP is geo-political. For, being the biggest player in Asia, through RCEP, China has won the geo-political battleground of Asia-Pacific for global domination. The withdrawal of Trump, the outgoing US president from the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal three years ago,  and  his conspicuous absence from the ASEAN Summit since 2017 which the Washington Post recently characterised as a "massive unforced error", have already enabled Chinese imperialism to have its strategic say in the Asia-Pacific. 

In fact, though economic factors and protest within India played their roles, rather than national interest, it is the political factor arising from lack of green signal from the US that prompted Modi, the junior partner of US imperialism, to exhibit a cold feet on RCEP.  With China's clout increasing several-fold and Modi being unable to play the inevitable second fiddle to China at  RCEP, had left no other option except to quit.

On the other hand, Modi regime will be planning to fully integrate the collapsing Indian economy with the crisis-ridden Western imperialist capital and markets and to the geo-political interests of NATO. As India did not join the RCEP, the peasants, and vast unorganised and informal sectors in India have a sigh of relief, which would have led to a massive flooding of vast Indian internal market with cheap Chinese goods. But, what is going to happen is that Modi will use this tactical retreat for intensified integration of Indian economy with Western imperialist powers including US. Indications are already there that Biden, the new US President, is devising the process of reversing Trump's so called "protectionist" policies towards an aggressive globalisation by reviving many of the regional trade agreements like Trans-Pacific Partnership abandoned by Trump.To be precise, in spite of much trumpeted Atmanirbhar, in view of  Modi's past record based on RSS positions, India's exit from RCEP is only a temporary relief for the Indian people. But, darker days are ahead as Modi in all likelihood will more closely ally India very soon with the Western markets.

In the present world situation, if the interests of Indian people have to be protected, India should come out of the whole neo-liberal, corporate policies which both the imperialist blocks advocate with their own interpretations, and develop its own independent line trying to win over at least the SAARC countries to its side. But it was too much to expect from the Congress governments of the past, and impossible to expect from the RSS led Modi government, who cannot think beyond keeping India as a loyal junior partner in strategic relationship with US imperialism. For achieving such an independent self-reliant, alternative the revolutionary classes should be mobilized for a system change.

CPI(ML) Red Star.

4. Observe 6^th December, the 28^th anniversary of the barbaric demolition of Babri Masjid by the RSS goons, as Black Day.

The Supreme Court which heard the case demanding the transfer of the disputed land to the very criminals who demolished it in a well-planned crime using the fig-leaf of a cover that it was constructed by demolishing an existing temple, is so much penetrated by the RSS men or terrorized by them that it did not face any difficulty to get it done. Similarly, the Special Court which heard the case against the RSS/BJP leaders who led the RSS hooligans to demolish the more than five century old Babri Masjid acquitted all of them claiming there are no witnesses for a crime committed in day light in front of more than a lakh military to local militia, more civilians of Ayodhya and tens of millions of people who saw it through TV channels. And, as per the Manusmrithi rules, the PM of India along with th RSS Pramukh conducted the Bhoomipuja for the Ram temple being constructed in the disputed land where the Babri Masjid stood, throwing out the secular principles enshrined in India’s Constitution.

All these happened within a year after Modi won the 2019 Lok Sabha elections with a bigger majority. All these horrific developments reminds all democratic forces and the affected people about the barbaric way the Babri Masjid was demolished in a well-planned conspiracy of RSS leaders at the culmination of a bloody campaign with a Rathyathra by L K Advani. If a large number of people died and the Muslim minority was subjected to all forms of suppression and lynching, presently it is open fascist offensive destroying all democratic values in the society. The CPI(ML) Red Star severely condemns the demolition of the Babri Masjid, and the intensifying saffronization of all walks of life subjecting the minority and oppressed dalits and Adivasis to all sorts of attacks, including public lynching and gang rapes and murder of dalit women. It also condemns the Supreme Court order handing over the disputed land entirely to the RSS and the Special Court’s order releasing all the criminal leaders responsible for the planned demolition of Babri Masjid. CPI(ML) Red Star calls for observing 6^th December as Black Day, and for further intensifying the ongoing campaign against Manuvadi Hindutva, the theoretical base of RSS neo-fascism. CPI(ML) Red Star.

5. CPI(ML) Red Star statement on Covid19 Pandemic: Modi Government: Stop Cheating the People, Be Transparent! People have the Right to Know the Facts, Give Future Plans!

When PM Modi has told the people in his brief address that his government has done everything possible to confront the pandemic and there is nothing more to be done now except waiting for the Vaccine to come, there are many serious questions we have to ask him. The Covid19 was declared a pandemic on 12^th March by the WHO. Before that the first case was detected in India on 30^th January. Nothing was done to check the international passengers at airports, to test and quarantine them, So, during this period 15 lakh passengers reached India without checking. On 24^th March, just after closing down all means of transport, without announcing plans for preparing the people to face the pandemic, abruptly the Lockdown was announced, with Modi claiming that in three weeks’ time it will be contained. Now after many Lockdowns, followed by continuing series of Unlocking lasting over 7 months, the number of Covid19 patients has increased from 500 to nearly 79 lakhs and the number of dead is already 1,18,000. Nobody believes these numbers, including the WHO. Since the state governments are asked by the center to cut down the testing, the actual figures Covid19 patients in India, already in second position, may have crossed the figures of US, 88 lakhs, the first in the list long back. Except calling upon everyone to use masks, clean the hands and keep physical distancing everywhere, the only thing the PM and his HM are doing nothing except repeating let us wait for the vaccine. And in the Bihar elections, the BJP has made free supply of vaccine as one of its election promise, clearing the message it is going to be charged! Meanwhile what is happening in the country? Nobody knows the actual number of patients died of Covid19, as well as through other diseases and accidents, during the exodus from cities following 24^th March Lockdown, due to starvation and malnutrition. As almost 30 crores contract/casual workers were thrown out of jobs, and most of them are not yet rehabilitated, the number of jobless people has sky-rocketed. Meanwhile even all existing workers’ rights are also cut, economy has further contracted, opened units are also cutting down number of workers, and as a result they are impoverished further. The Modi govt. has refused to ask the managements to pay wages for the lockdown period or provide allowances to the unemployed, free rations, free testing and treatment to all, while announcing a series of assistances to the corporates. Even the medical staff is not paid wages regularly, forcing them to strike at many places. As the number of tests are drastically cut, and in the festivals and political rallies as in present Bihar elections all restrictions are violated, the number may jump up in the cases at any time creating catastrophic conditions. Already there are reports from Europe, Africa nd Latin America about a second wave of increase in the number of Covid19 patients. In this situation, once again the CPI(ML) Red Star is putting forward the following urgent demands:

1. Remove restrictions on tests, provide free tests for 3 or 4 times more, hospitalize those affected and make quarantine compulsory. It will help to locate the patients and prevent uncontrolled spreading. Continue necesary restrictions on festivals, meetings, and providing safety kits to all those who need it. Provide unemployment allowances to all jobless, fre family ration and free treatment for all.

2. BJP is the ruling party at the center. In Bihar it has announced that it will provide free vaccines to all in Bihar if it is voted back to power. Other parties are also announcing such promises in different states. The vaccine should not become an issue in Election Manifesto of any party. The central and state governments should ensure that the vaccine is made available free of charge to all citizens.

3. Contrary to Modi’s claims, the testing, treatment and quarantine is not provided free of charge in many states. As a result, more and more people have to depend upon private hospitals. From the beginning it was demanded that the private hospitals should be brought under the control of the government. Now many reports are coming out from practically all states that they are fleecing the patients enormously and some of them are even running ‘organ trade’. The central and state governments should be asked to bring them under control, and a campaign should be launched, especially focusing on those running mafias for organ trade etc. for bringing them under government control till the Covid19 subsides. Take stringent action against private hospitals who used Covi19 pandemic to loot patients and indulged in unlawful activities. Organize agitations against corrupt hospitals to compel government to take action.

4. On the question of unlocking of transport sectors there should be a uniform policy. Now airways, taxis, buses, metros and even some special trains and in Mumbai some of the local trains have started operating. But from some states not even essential long distance trains are not started. In the special trains tickets are very costly. At the same time Railways privatization process is taking place fast. A policy should be worked out according to concrete conditions in each state to run essential trains which is the only long distance transport available for the common people taking necessary precautions based on discussions with people’s representatives.

5. AIRWO’s Call: Observe International Day on Violence against women.

AIRWO Central Committee has called for observing the International Day on Violence against Women on 25^th November in as many places as possible, In a press statement it has explained that as RSS neo-fascist onslaughts based on Manuvadi Hindutva is intensifying day by day using state power, the attacks on women in general, and dalit women in particular are intensifying day by day, so is these violence at work places. Even girls are children are not spared. Under neo-fascist regimes this is the general pattern at all India level also. AIRWO calls on all AIRWO committes to observe 25^th November International Day call in on all women to get united and mobilized to resist these Manuvadi attacks.

6. All India Revolutionary Women's Organisation - AIRWO

Laws against So-called 'Love Jihad'? Resist the Fascist Attack on Women's Choice

The All India Revolutionary Women’s Organisation (AIRWO) considers it a dangerous portent that at least three BJP-ruled states are talking of enacting laws against 'love jihad', a derogatory euphemism for inter-faith marriages. This is not only an insidious attempt to criminalise an individual's choice in case of marriage but also to demonise the minority community.

AIRWO unequivocally condemns the Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana Chief Ministers' recent tirade against 'love jihad', which is not only an unveiled attempt at discouraging inter-religious marriages but also unabashed degradation of women to puppet-like beings with no agency. The UP Chief Minister's open threat that those who wage 'love jihad' would be killed is in itself a criminal offence, and his declaration of bringing in a 'strict law' to curb 'love jihad' is nothing but a majoritarian, fascist warning to the minority community to keep themselves isolated and not mingle with the majority community. With the Haryana and Madhya Pradesh Chief Ministers echoing the UP Chief Minister's sentiments and talking of enacting similar laws in their respective states, it is clear that BJP-led state governments are baring their fascist fangs and fast ripping apart the social fabric of communal harmony.

First of all, to denounce inter-religious marriages as 'love jihad' is to deny women any agency. It is synonymous with denying women the right to love and marry the person of her choice irrespective of caste or religion. The very concept of 'love jihad' assumes that a woman never marries a person of another religion out of choice, but is invariably hoodwinked into doing so. Such an assumption infantilises woman and relegates her to the status of an object with no will of her own. In doing so, it also goes against the fundamental rights of equality and liberty as enshrined in our Constitution.

Secondly, earlier this year the Union government (home ministry) had itself admitted before Parliament that the term 'love jihad' is not defined under the extant laws. This is only natural because 'love jihad' as an organised conspiracy by men of the minority community to seduce and marry women of the majority community, in order to humiliate and overpower the latter, simply does not exist. Rather, 'love jihad' is nothing but malicious fascist propaganda aimed at instigating the majority community to regard the minority community with suspicion and mistrust and create a fertile ground for communal flare-ups.

Thirdly, a law against this so-called 'love jihad', though constitutionally untenable, would be one more weapon to hound, harass and even kill (as Adityanath threatened) youths of the minority community who are already facing unbound persecution at the hands of the fascist forces.

Independent India has been a secular State, at least by name, and has never institutionalised segregation among religious communities. Inter-faith marriages have a long and glorious history in our country, right from Aruna Asaf Ali to even BJP leaders like Muqtar Abbas Naqvi. The attempt to bury this rich legacy in saffron supremacist legislation is as disgraceful as it is evil.

Marriage hinges upon the consent of two individuals; all attempts to communalise and crimininalise this consent in the name of 'love jihad' need to be staunchly resisted.

According to the National Crime Records Bureau, Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of crimes against women in 2019, accounting for 14.7 per cent of cases across the country. Madhya Pradesh led the list of states in female foeticide. Haryana came third from the top in rate of crimes against women with 110.4 such crimes reported per lakh population. Thus, when the governments of these states turn a blind eye to such deplorable realities and prop up the bogey of 'love jihad' it becomes ruthlessly clear that they have an insidious agenda.

This agenda is to terrorise and torment the minority community, trigger riots and orchestrate pogroms -- all in the name of 'protecting' women from 'love jihadists'.

Thus, this is an agenda that all democratic forces must unite to foil. Women do not need protection from imaginary 'love jihadists'. Women need liberty and enabling conditions to savour and exercise that liberty. Let us unite to thwart all propaganda and possible legislation against inter-faith relationships and marriages, uphold communal harmony and defend women's freedom of choice.

7. On India Getting Out of RCEP

P J James

Regional Comprehensive Economic Participation (RCEP), world’s largest Free Trade Agreement (FTA) ever, comprising 10 ASEAN countries and other 5 big players, namely, China, Japan, Australia, South Korea and New Zealand formally came into existence Bangkok on November 15, 2020. It accounts for about one-third of world population, 30 percent of global GDP and 28 percent of world trade among them. The scope of further strengthening of regional value chains among RCEP members is comparatively large since 44 percent of their total trade is already intra-RCEP.

Till its disengagement from RCEP negotiations by the dawn of 2020 mainly on account of China factor, amidst widespread protests across India from farmers, lakhs of medium, small and petty producers and millions of informal workers, the Indian government was having an active role in RCEP negotiations and since his ascendance in 2014, Modi has his personal attention in the past 6 years of long drawn out intense bi-partisan talks with ASEAN, the precursor of RCEP. In fact, India’s signing of the final agreement was almost certain even during the 2019 India visit of Chinese president Xi leading a 90-member delegation including Chinese foreign minister. Though the content of Modi-Xi talk was almost covered up and doled out to media as “informal talks”, external affairs ministry had characterised the interaction between two heads of states as “productive”, “pleasant conversation over a long dinner”, etc. Obviously, being the biggest economic power (on PPP basis) but still second to US in military prowess, and as the leading partner in RCEP, the fact that China would be the biggest gainer from this FTA was already recognised. Therefore, Xi’s arrival at Mamalapuram, near Chennai at that time was also interpreted as a tactical move to pressurise his Indian counterpart to bow to Chinese diktats, in continuation of the success on the part of US led Western imperialist bloc in using the Kashmir issue as a tool for blackmailing the Indian regime to pry open more avenues of plunder in India.

Modi was actively participating in the 6 years of long drawn out intense bi-partisan talks with in the grouping composed of 10 ASEAN, the precursor of RCEP. However, in the context of the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic and consequent Sinophobic propaganda by US and the eruption of Sino-Indian border dispute in March, the Modi regime took a somersault and retracted from all further discussions pertaining to RCEP.

Of course, regional FTAs (such as ASEAN, NAFTA, MERCOSUR, EFTA, half-baked and aborted SAFTA, etc.) are to be evaluated as complimentary to neoliberal globalisation. Both WTO and the Bretton Woods institutions, the pillars of imperialist plunder today are propagating regional trade agreements among countries as effective tools towards global integration of distinct economies into bigger markets for capital flows as well as trade in consumer items with tariff and non-tariff barriers. According to WTO provisions regional trade agreements are “gateway” to internationalisation or globalisation of market and investment. RCEP encompassing South and East Asian countries is also in accordance with this neoliberal dictum. Generally, on account of closeness and proximity, RCEP-like FTAs will lead to full market access within the free trade area as far as members are concerned, and consequently will be more threatening, than even WTO, to those members who are lack comparative cost advantage.

Now Modi’s retraction from RCEP has given rise to many arguments for and against it. The main argument by those who criticise Modi regime for not joining RCEP is in terms of the usual logic always upheld by “free traders”. According to the standard liberal economic theory, free trade among countries increases the economic size of the free trade area as a whole, as it allows goods and services to be produced more efficiently and at the least cost. Free trade encourages productivity as production will move to those locations where natural resources, infrastructure, or skills and expertise are best suited to production. Greater competition and less red tape within the FTA will make goods and services available consumers at lower prices and ultimately, will result in increased GDP growth for the members of the FTA. So neoliberal experts and free trade theorists always argue in favour of a free trade area.

However, experience has been on the contrary. Traditional agriculture and informal/unorganised industries which cannot withstand competition from cheap products within the FTA will collapse altogether leading to unemployment and pauperisation of the broad masses of population. Cut throat competition will lead to a massive deindustrialisation wiping out the domestic industrial base in economically backward members of the FTA. It will prohibit governments in backward economies to protect domestic agriculture or industries with adequate price support programs. For instance, take the case of the 25 provisions finally adopted by the RCEP. These terms were in fact dictated by the two leading members, viz., China and Japan, of the union. The immediate effect of RCEP on India, which today faces the biggest-ever economic collapse on record, would be an immediate transformation of India as dumping ground for the almost all agricultural and industrial products from China and Japan which enjoy a clear-cut technological superiority over India.

In fact, as part of India’s erstwhile agreement with the ASEAN, cheap agricultural products have already been entering India with devastating impact on its farm sector. Now the RCEP which is an expanded version of ASEAN, on account of their higher productivity and comparative cost advantage will enable China and Japan also to dump their cheap industrial and agricultural goods in India.

Meanwhile, a section of the Indian ruling classes and their economic experts have interpreted Modi’s disengagement from RCEP as a historic blunder, as it has lost a golden opportunity of economic integration especially with the less developed ASEAN countries. According to them, the economic disadvantage arising from Chinese and Japanese goods flooding Indian market would have more than compensated by India’s growing market access to developing economies of the 10 ASEAN members of RCEP. They also argue that RCEP will result in enhanced technology transfer and inflows of FDI into India. According to them, turning away from RCEP, a grouping which is also in conformity with Article 24 of WTO, is autarchic, protectionist and isolationist and will make India uncompetitive and inefficient, thereby making India unable to reap the fruits of economic integration among countries.

Now let us examine these arguments in relation to concrete facts. Free trade arrangements are not new for India. Except China, India already has some form of bilateral free trade agreements with all constituents of RCEP such as ASEAN, Japan and South Korea, while discussions for free trade deals with New Zealand and Australia are in the final stage. While all such trade agreements have led to surge in India’s imports from these countries, there has been no perceptible growth in Indian exports to them, leading to a steady growth in trade deficit with them. Over the past years organisations of both farmers and medium and small scale industries as well as petty producers have been strongly opposing India aligning with ASEAN; but the Modi regime was not even willing to hear their genuine concerns. And, if India becomes a constituent of RCEP, then in view of the existing trend, its outcome will be a further intensification of this negative trend and further worsening of the country’s historic economic collapse. Obviously, it will be due to the superior position of China in RCEP. For instance, in spite of India having no free trade agreement with China, the latter has been India’s biggest trading partner. From a meagre $1.8 billion worth of trade in 2000, the trade volume between the two rose to almost $90 billion in 2018. In this, since India’s exports to China are worth only $14 billion, the deficit in India’s trade balance with China was $76 billion. According to preliminary estimates, in the event of India becoming a member of RCEP which shall inevitably be led by China, the former will be duty-bound to eliminate tariffs on around 80 percent of the imported Chinese goods either fully or partially, resulting in unforeseen consequences for the economy. That is, India’s adverse trade balance and harmful impact on its agricultural and industrial production arising from its erstwhile pact with ASEAN (for instance, India’s trade deficit with ASEAN was $24 billion in 2018, in spite of Modi regime’s aggressive export-push approach under the cover of self-reliant postures such as ‘Make in India’ and the latest ‘Atmanirbhar’) are bound to accentuate further in the event of India joining RCEP.

Obviously, the real reason behind Modi regime’s abrupt turning away from RCEP at the last moment, is geopolitical and not economic. On account of its extreme servility to imperialist capital and in the course of fulfilling the commitments to neoliberal market obligations, the Modi government has shown little consideration to the sustenance of millions of domestic produce or their genuine sentiments. In accordance with that, till last year, Modi was systematically propping up India’s close trade integration with China in continuation of what he did during his long tenure as chief minister of Gujarat. And in spite of the much trumpeted ‘Make in India’, it was under Modi that Indian market became flooded with cheap Chinese goods. For, during the first four years of Modi rule, bilateral trade between China and India rose by around 25 percent from almost $65 billion in mid-2014 to $ 90 billion in mid-2018, with trade balance highly unfavourable to India, as already noted. As a matter of fact, Modi’s participation in RCEP talks in which China has the key role till the end of 2019 was inseparable from India’s growing bilateral trade with China. Therefore, any reversal in this adverse trend in India’s trade with China would at least have a cushioning effect on India’s trade deficit and on the domestic economy. To that extent, India’s move away from RCEP is to be welcomed.

On the other hand, Modi’s sudden disengagement from the mega trade deal RCEP was not motivated by any economic consideration, and not at all based on the obvious economic logic behind it, but is purely dictated by geopolitical factors. For, unable to economically compete with China which already had acquired the technological capability to challenge the US, the latter, with its protectionist approach under Trump and with whom India has a strategic military cooperation, was compelling Modi regime to withdraw from the RCEP from the very beginning. Together with this sharpening inter-imperialist contradiction between US and China, it was the eruption of the border dispute with China that compelled Modi to have a U-turn on RCEP along with the imposition of many rounds of tariff and non-tariff barriers and other import controls on many Chinese products. Now this is done under the cover of ‘Atmanirbhar” in the place of the worn out ‘Make in India’ which had already ended up as ‘made in China’.

However, turning away from the China-led RCEP, in tune with RSS’ time-tested, historical allegiance to US imperialism, along with strengthening India’s position as a strategic junior partner of US in latter’s geo-political contradictions with China and by signing many military-to-military partnerships with Washington, Modi is laying red carpet for US finance capital’s biggest-ever plunder of India by resorting to a series of ‘investor-friendly’ measures such as aggressive liberalisation of labour, tax and environmental laws along with many digital deregulations as required by US MNCs. Now the outcome is like that of ‘jumping from the frying pan to the burning fire’, as involvement in a US-led military and economic arrangement is more vicious in degree compared with the RCEP grouping, which too led by another imperialist power. Today, when world market is dwindling and negative growth trends are a ubiquitous phenomenon, India with its continental size and with a population of 137 crore richly endowed with immense natural and human resources, there is vast scope for pursuing an independent, self-reliant and self-expanding path of development pursuing friendly relations with other countries and peoples. What requires is an immediate overhauling of the existing foreign market-oriented neoliberal, pro-corporate model and the adoption of a pro-people, pro-nature, domestic-market oriented development strategy ensuring livelihood and sustenance of the vast majority of working and oppressed masses.

8. Observe 103^rd anniversary of great October Revolution

We are observing the 103^rd anniversary of the first successful proletarian revolution, the great October Revolution on 7^th November, when the whole world is in the grip of the most severe crisis the humanity have ever witnessed which is taking menacing proportions all over the world.

It does not mean that the Covid19 pandemic created this unprecedented crisis. It is more true to say that the Covid19 aggravated the already intensifying crisis, and that the Covid19 itself is the creation of this capitalist imperialist system, which is leading the earth to an ecological catastrophe.

The significance of taking lessons from the great October Revolution at such a juncture is that it reminds us that only a mighty revolutionary wave sweeping across the continents, starting from the revolutionary hotspots, the countries where the objective conditions are most favourable and the subjective forces are ideologically, politically and organizationally more advanced, capable of overthrowing the barbarous imperialist system, its lackeys and junior partners, can lead the humanity towards an egalitarian, people oriented socialist path of development and to the blossoming of the people’s democracy. That is we are reaching a phase in human history when either devastation or revolution confront humanity face to face as only alternatives before the world people.. So, it is an occasion when we have to learn from the great October and all other revolutions and all upsurges of the toilers and oppressed to advance our revolutionary movement.

Long Live the Spirit of October Revolution! Down with the capitalist imperialist system, its lackeys and junior partners! Advance along the path of World proletarian Socialist Revolution!

9. Support struggle for right of self-determination of J&K people.

In J&k one year after scrapping of Article 370 , reducing the state to two Union Territories, and turning Kashmir valley in to an open jail where mainstream leaders of the ruling class were put under detention apart from thousands of others, the Modi government has started planned moves to change the demography of Jammu-Kashmir through the new land laws imposed. People are forced to sell land to outsiders under these laws which are brazen attempts to destroy the collective culture of Kashmiris, Dogras of Jammu and Ladakhis. Instead of hearing the opinion of the people, the administration needs to pressurize them into submission through aggressive tactics using the military forces. But the people who have undergone various forms of cheating and brutal suppression for more than last seven decades are not going to sell the land to non-state people. In order to terrorize the people and to stifle their voice even peaceful demonstrations are not allowed. When the neo-liberal/corporate fascist rule of Modi has internationalized the border dispute with China t serve US to use it as another weapon in its contradiction with China for world hegemony, the real international question, the subjugation of the real subjugation of the independent J&K which is now put under military boots for the only mistake of trusting the Indian political leadership during these post 1947 years. The struggle for democracy in India is integrally linked with supporting the struggle for the right of self-determination of the people of the J&K.

10. The month of November going to witness big mobilizations of the farmers and the working class at all India level.

*All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee, (AIKSCC)

Press Statement

| New Delhi,  27 October 2020

MASSIVE COORDINATION OF FARMERS FEDERATIONS LAUNCHED TO FIGHT the 3 ANTI-FARMER, ANTI-PEOPLE FARM LAWS & ELECTRICITY BILL 2020.

COORDINATION BODY ANNOUNCES ALL INDIA ROAD BLOCKADE ON 5TH NOVEMBER & “DELHI CHALO” ON 26-27 NOVEMBER 2020*

Major Farmer Federations with over 500 constituent organizations, including the entire Working Group and state chapter representatives of All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) and the federations led by farmer leaders Sardar Balbir Singh Rajewal and Gurnam Singh Chanduni met today at Gurudwara Rakabganj, New Delhi and announced the following historic decisions:

There shall be a massive coordination of farmer federations to spearhead the fight against the 3 anti-farmer, anti-people Farm Acts 2020 and Electricity Bill 2020. This shall be led by the newly launched Program Coordination Body.

An All India Road Blockade shall be organized on 5th November 2020.

A “Delhi Chalo” protest shall be held on 26-27th November 2020. The demand shall be focussed on withdrawal of recently passed 3 Farm Acts and Electricity Bill 2020.

The protests will include huge state-wise/region-wise build up of mass mobilizations and movements focussing on these demands.

All over India farmers will protest before govt offices including central govt offices and offices of BJP leaders and their allies as well corporates. The meeting condemned the Central Govt’s. decision to stop operation of goods trains to Punjab unless passenger trains start plying - this is blackmail of the people and famers of Punjab and is most unbecoming of a democratic govt.  

These decisions taken by a huge meeting of the General Council of the more than 500 organization within the Struggling Farmers Coordination Committee just two days after the struggling farmers of Punjab and surrounding areas showed their anger by burning huge effigies of Narendra Modi on the occasion of the Vijay dasami day in the center of the Highways and other major roads has great significance.

MASA has started an all India campaign to oppose the the change in the labor laws and to put forward their urgent demands from 1th October, the martyrs day of com. Ashafikhulla Khan up to 19^th December. MASA is participating in the All India Strike called by the central trade unions on 26^th November and it has called on the working class to make it a great success.

The Central Committee of the CPI(ML) Red Star has extended revolutionary greetings to the working class and the farmers are on the path of struggle against the neo-liberal/corporate fascist Modi rule.

It has extended full support to all the important demands put forward by the organizations/ coordination committees.