Opinion Maoist attack

The editorial in the latest issue of CPI(ML) weekly ML Update discusses the Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh.

May 29, 2013 01:54 AM IST First published on: May 29, 2013 at 01:54 AM IST

The editorial in the latest issue of CPI(ML) weekly ML Update discusses the Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh. The CPI(ML) alleges that the Chhattisgarh government and the Centre are using the attack as a pretext to propose army deployment and even air force strikes and drone attacks,and argues that the governments cannot be allowed to dress up an unconscionable war on the adivasi people as a war on Maoists.

Instead,there must be an immediate scrapping of Operation Green Hunt,withdrawal of former SPOs from the Chhattisgarh police force and criminal action initiated against all those,including police personnel and Salwa Judum cadre,who stand accused of rape and killing, it says.

The CPI(ML) states that the Maoist attack cannot be condoned and asserts that the outfits militaristic actions,isolated from democratic movements and political assertion,are counterproductive in developing any mass resistance to the governments policies… At the same time,it asks whether the actions of Salwa Judum represent democracy. The Salwa Judum SPOs stand accused of burning entire villages,raping women and killing countless people. Yet Mahendra Karma and his extra-constitutional terrorist outfit got the backing not only of the BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh,but of the Union home ministry and the Congress party. Was this democracy?

BJPs FOREIGN POLICY

In AN article in Peoples Democracy,CPM general secretary Prakash Karat hit out at the BJP for its stand on foreign policy issues. The BJP,he says,has been taking a series of regressive and jingoistic positions on foreign policy and on relations with neighbouring countries. The thrust of the BJPs stand is to create a confrontation with Pakistan and China and to rouse national chauvinist feelings against these two countries. The approach of the BJP towards relations with Bangladesh is also governed by the same approach, he adds.

He argues that the BJP,as the main opposition party,can be expected to adopt critical positions about the perceived failings of the foreign policy of the UPA government. But the motivation for such attacks and criticism are suspect. They stem from a narrow worldview in which confrontation and conflicts with neighbours is sought to be fanned, he says.

Karat claims that this was designed to serve the RSS-BJP combines aim to make the Indian state into an authoritarian national security state. Referring to China,he says the BJP knows that cooperation between the two Asian giants is in the interests of both countries,but its narrow right-wing ideology and the need for rousing chauvinist feelings domestically clouds its vision.

UPA 2 TURNS 4

The editorial in CPI journal New Age focuses on the fourth anniversary of UPA 2,claiming its tenure will be remembered for its utter misgovernance and corruption. During these four years,it has [had to seek resignation of at least five ministers,mostly due to corruption charges. It changed ministers,particularly from the petroleum ministry,on the biddings of corporate sector and even under foreign pressure. Two of its allies left halfway and two outside supporters remained captive as the Congress blackmailed them by misusing the CBI.

The CBI itself came under sharp criticism from the apex court… The government got thoroughly exposed in the 2G spectrum and Coalgate scams,which put together has caused the loss of Rs 3.62 lakh crore to the public exchequer. In both scams,the prime minister himself came under cloud, it says.

Another distinction of the UPA 2,it states,was loss of working hours of Parliament. Almost all sessions of Parliament witnessed scenes of disruption and adjournments of proceedings. Of course,on some occasions the main opposition is responsible for the obstruction and adjournment,but the blame has to be equally shared by the ruling coalition.

Compiled by Manoj C.G.