Convention of Rural Poor in Karnataka
A convention of agrarian labourers and small peasants (Raitha – Karmika Samavesha) was organized at Harapanahalli in Karnataka on 16 October against communal fascism, politics of opportunism and against imperialism and for secular democracy, better standard of living and for the right to land, house and employment.
Comrade Dipankar addressed the convention that was a culmination of an impressive rally against attack on churches in Karnataka and Orissa, anti-national nuclear deal and against the BJP government in the state. The rallyists also demanded nationalization of mining in the state that is the monopoly of few individuals who are ministers in the BJP government.
Comrade Dipankar said that the country is also importing American crisis along with nuclear deal. He also accused the state BJP government of trying to use Karnataka as its latest laboratory for its virulent anti-minority, anti-democratic political agenda after Gujarat and Orissa. In the name of stopping ‘conversion’, the Sangh is actually resorting to forcible conversion of Christians. People belonging to minority communities are being rendered homeless in their own land. He also demanded immediate ban on VHP and Bajrang Dal.
Comrade Dipankar said that, like elsewhere in the country, in Karnataka too, we are witnessing renewed struggles of rural and urban poor demanding regularization of ‘bagairhukum’ land and resisting the real estate mafia as in the case of Nandagudi and BMIC project. While talking about probing the deals signed by former CM Kumaraswamy the BJP is actually busy advancing the SEZ projects.
He came down heavily on the real estate and mining mafia who are increasingly calling the political shots in BJP-ruled Karnataka and demanded immediate revision of royalty rates on all minerals and introduction of ad valorem rates commensurate with the prevailing market rates of minerals.
Comrade Dipankar said that the gift of the BJP Chief Minister Yeddyurappa who claims himself to be a leader of farmers was the firing on farmers within weeks of assuming power in the state. Instead of controlling private corporate and multinational companies to provide sufficient seeds and fertilizers, he fired at innocent farmers. Reducing the rate of interest of institutional loans to farmers does not have any real effect on ground level but for benefitting some rich farmers and local powers of domination. He accused the government of havig no plan either to make agriculture profitable or to extend institutional credit to the needy in order to stop suicides. The business of private money lending, one of the major reasons for suicides continues to flourish.
Comrade Dipankar concluded his speech calling upon the genuine Left and democratic forces and to all struggling forces to come together on a common platform to advance the people’s struggles and the people’s agenda against corporate plunder and communalism and for secular democracy, dignity and people-oriented development.
The convention was chaired by Comrade Ramappa, state secretary of the party and was addressed by Comrades Rati Rao, Vice-President of AIPWA, J.Bharadwaj, state president of AIALA, Ranjani, Editor of Kannada Liberation and Javaraiah, state GS of AICCTU along with other functionaries.
A discussion with intellectuals was organized by IIMS at Mysore on 14th October and the session was chaired by the state convenor Dr.Lakshminarayana and was led by comrade Dipankar. An intense discussion on various issues ranging from the Great American Depression to the political line of Maoists was quite enlightening.
The Bangalore chapter of IIMS organized a discussion on the topic, ‘Communal Fascism: A Marxist Response’ on 15 october. The discussion was chaired by Mona Das, Ex-JNUSU President and a presentation was made by Comrade Dipankar on the topic. Many intellectuals, academics and dalit thinkers along with workers participated actively in the discussion.