Document
Resolutions adopted at the central committee meeting of the CPI (ML)
(Delhi, 11 to 13 June, 1998)
1. On Pokhran and the Jingoism of the Sangh Parivar
The Central Committee of the CPI(ML) reiterates its total disapproval of the completely unwarranted Pokhran blasts carried out according to the Sangh Parivar’s aggressive agenda of nuclear weaponisation. This is an unaffordable drain on the nation’s scarce developmental resources and a serious economic crisis already stares the country in its face. Far from enhancing the country’s strategic security, the tests have only escalated a disastrous nuclear arms race between India and Pakistan, so clearly indicated by the prompt Pakistani reply in the form of six nuclear tests, and led to heightened imperialist intervention in the regional affairs of South Asia.
Rejecting the chorus of congratulatory commendation for the scientific community on its so-called signal achievement in Pokhran, the CPI(ML) expresses concern at the increasingly hawkish postures being adopted by some of our top scientists and science administrators some of whom have openly begun to advocate and an ominous military-industrial complex as their vision of national development.
The CPI(ML) Central Committee also notes with hope and satisfaction that the Pokhran blasts and especially the Sangh Parivar’s well-orchestrated attempts to whip up an ultra-nationalist or jingoistic frenzy on this issue have also met with widespread dissent from a whole range of quarters. It is significant that the high-pitched nuclear euphoria could not be sustained for a long time and if recent by-election results are any indication, it has certainly not translated into more votes for the BJP and its allies. We appeal to all democratic, progressive and patriotic forces to intensify their protests and thwart the saffron brigade’s sinister gameplan of militarisation.
2. On CTBT and Resumption of Indo-Pak Dialogue
The Central Committee denounces the offensive mounted by the world’s big nuclear and economic powers led by the United States on India and Pakistan in a bid to browbeat the two countries into signing the notorious and patently discriminatory CTBT. It is nothing but hypocrisy at its disgusting worst when countries who have all carried out hundreds of nuclear tests and are sitting on massive stockpiles of nuclear weapons start delivering dubious sermons of peace and selective disarmament to perpetuate their nuclear monopoly and the division of the world into nuclear haves and have-nots.
It is very clear that behind its new-fund rhetoric against big powers, the Vajpayee government has actually launched preparations for an eventual sellout and national betrayal on the question of CTBT. We reaffirm that the CTBT is not acceptable to the country and in our own national interests as well as in the interest of world peace, India must campaign for a fresh round of multilateral discussion leading to a meaningful treaty on time-bound global nuclear disarmament.
Also, to ward off mounting imperialist pressure on the subcontinent, India and Pakistan must immediately begin talks and find ways to enhance mutual economic and political cooperation. Improving bilateral ties between India and Pakistan is the only way to keep off third party intervention in the subcontinent on all issues including Kashmir. In opposition to the Sangh Parivar’s jingoistic gameplan, the CPI(ML) Central Committee appeals to all left, democratic and patriotic forces to uphold the banner of genuine nationalism directed against big power hegemonism, US imperialism in particular and working for closer friendly ties with Pakistan and other neighbouring countries.
3. On the Budgets and Economic Crisis
The Central Committee expresses its total opposition to the steep hike announced in the railway and general budgets in rail fares, postal rates and the prices of almost all commodities of mass consumption. Effective allocation for important social sectors remains virtually stagnant, and there is a major diversion of funds to military-scientific pursuits. While the fiasco over petroleum and urea prices has added an element of farce to the Vajpayee government’s first full budget, the privatisation moves signalled in the budget and other bills concerning crucially important sectors like insurance and power need be resisted by all with a concern for our national economy. There are no concrete measures in the budget to strengthen the agrarian and rural economy and increase public investment in critical infrastructural sectors. The studied silence of the budget over the issue of sanctions – its likely impact and how the government proposes to tackle it – is pregnant with threats of still bigger hikes in prices.
Moreover, the dwindling external value of rupee is causing a daily rise in our import bill and external debt burden and by all indications, the country is in for a serious economic ;crisis. Various sections of the working people have already begun to voice their indignation against this inflationary budget and members and supporters of the CPI(ML) will play their due role in strengthening this popular agitation.
4. On the Growing Threat of Saffron Fascism
The first three months of the Vajpayee government have clearly revealed its actual agenda of foisting fascism on India. The hawkish statements by senior ministers on sensitive defence and foreign policy related issues, Advani’s pronouncements on Kashmir and for switching over to a presidential form of government amidst sweeping constitutional changes, the well-planned attacks on Ghulam Ali and MF Hussein, the Pokhran blasts and the attempt to subject the nation to full-scale jingoistic frenzy targetted particularly against the Left, renewed attempts to build a Ram Temple at the Babri Masjid site – the writing on the wall is fairly clear for whoever cares to read it.
It is true that the new BJP-led dispensation is also facing a lot of internal hurdles; for example, it is faced with the defiant postures of its allies and growing divisions within the BJP itself at different levels. But this must not lead to an underestimation of the real fascist threat represented by the BJP and the Sangh Parivar. We must increase popular alertness and vigilance against this threat and organise vigorous popular resistance against every symptom of fascism. In this context, the CPI(ML) lays particular emphasis on mobilising the youth and women against the saffron scheme of things.
5. On Strengthening Left Unity
Following the collapse of the United Front experiment and the rise of the fascist saffron power, a united assertion of the left has become the need of the hour. There are certain encouraging developments in this direction in states like Andhra Pradesh, Assam and Bihar. In Andhra, all left-led peasant organisations are engaged in a joint movement around the issue of farmers’ suicides and other burning questions facing the peasantry.
Unfortunately, this welcome trend remains arrested at the national level with the dominant CPI (M) leadership continuing to pursue its own brand of sectarian arrogance in relation to the M-L stream while attaching primacy to building bridges of cooperation with the Congress in the name of uniting secular forces. In spite of this resistance from the CPI(M), the CPI(ML) will continue to work for a broad-based left confederation, promoting unity in action with other left forces against the growing fascist threat and imperialist armtwisting. With regard to state governments led by parties other than BJP, Congress (I) and their allies, we firmly oppose attempts by the BJP-led Centre to destabilise such state governments while maintaining our own opposition to the latter for their anti-people policies and activities.