Opinion Talk under pressure

The editorial claims this confusion was reflected when New Delhi all of a sudden proposed the resumption of dialogue. It goes on to attack the US’s motives: “We must realise that American imperialists have their own agenda for this region. The growing difficulties in Afghanistan for the occupying forces have forced the Obama administration to drag in new allies… The USA needs both India and Pakistan. That should explain American interest in a resumption of dialogue,” it argues.

It,however,adds that for peace and political stability and to fight terrorism and religious fundamentalism,“a sustainable peace process between India and Pakistan is inevitable.” It calls for de-linking dialogue with prosecution of the “presumed culprits” of 26/11.

Pushing for pensions

The editorial in the CPM’s People’s Democracy says the government’s decision to allow 26 per cent FDI in the pension sector was made under pressure from capital. “If approved by Parliament,this will give international finance capital access to roughly $12 billion of assets today…” The article claims that even the “ineffective measures” undertaken by the government to tame inflation — like increasing interest rates — have come under attack from India Inc: “They seek cheaper and more ready access to funds… to maximise their profits through speculation rather than allow such funds to be spent through public investments to build our much-needed infrastructure and generate jobs in the economy,enlarging the purchasing power of the people.”

Although the article says the Left would oppose the pension bill in Parliament,it fears that “the UPA 2 government may well get the pension funds legislation passed through Parliament with the able and vocal support of the BJP.”

CITU on OWS

Another article in People’s Democracy talks about a possible all-India general strike. The central trade unions are to meet this week,and the article asks all state units of CITU — the CPM’s union arm — to start preparations at once to make it a resounding success.

CITU feels the Occupy Wall Street movement can find an echo in India. The article quotes its president,A.K. Padmanabhan,as saying that there was a need for the working class to be made aware of the true character of capitalism and prepare it to change the exploitative system.

“Capitalism is seeking to come out of the present crisis by intensifying the onslaught on workers’ and peoples’ livelihood. At the same time,the struggles of the working class against this onslaught were also intensifying. Europe and the US witnessed a greater frequency of strikes and protests by the organised working class supported by the mass of the people. People were raising their voice against the rising inequalities under the neo-liberal economic order and also against capitalism,” it says. Within India,UPA 2’s credibility is at rock bottom,it argues,but in the absence of any credible alternative the government is is pushing through a similar agenda of neo-liberal globalisation.