8th Party Congress of the Revolutionary Workers’ Party of Bangladesh (RWPB)
A three-member delegation of the CPI(ML)(Liberation had been to Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, to attend the 8th Party Congress of the RWPB held on and from 1st April to 3rd April, followed by a grand meet with the leaders of the left and democratic parties/formations of Bangladesh on 4th April evening, including Comrade Saiful Haque, General Secretary, RWPB. The CPI(ML) delegation was led by Politburo member Comrade Swadesh Bhattacharya, and included PB Member Comrade Kartick Pal and Tripura State Secretary and CCM Comrade Mrinmoy Chakravarty. The delegation met with warm welcome, communist fraternity and comradely hospitality. The Party Congress symbolised proletarian simplicity, commitments and bold and tireless struggles towards reorganisation and rebuilding a revolutionary communist party.
RWPB came into existence in 2004 with a split in Workers’ Party of Bangladesh. RWPB leaders it is said, revolted against the class collaborationist opportunist line, parliamentary cretinism and abject surrender to ruling class parties adapted by the WPB leadership. As of now the WBP is a partner of the ruling Awami League led ‘grand alliance’. On the contrary, the RWPB is consistently striving to adapt Marxist-Leninist ideological-political positions, provide revolutionary orientation to workers, peasants’ movements, focusing on agrarian movement as the axis, develop joint forums of trade unions and anti-imperialist political forum with other left parties and democrats, etc. The 8th Party Congress of RWPB reasserted their opposition to the Government’s abject surrender to imperialist forces, especially US and to the domination and dictates of the Indian ruling classes, sway over of free market economy leading to severe agricultural and industrial crisis, price hike and unemployment, and above all, establishing a reign of terror, insecurity – and autocratic rule, and posing of serious threat to country’s sovereignty, national interest, national wealth and security. The Party Congress also noted the danger of growing threat of religio-fascist forces and their militarist terror under direct and indirect patronisation of the ruling elites. The Party Congress outlined policies and programme to combat all such threats, the central slogan being, “Strengthen people’s struggling unity against imperialists, lootera rich-classes” and and religio-fascism”. The Party Congress not only updated and adopted ideological-political resolutions, programme and constitution, but also discussed and adopted two other policy resolutions viz. 1. Policy of financial resources of the Party, focusing on “rely on the members and the masses and ensure transparency”; and 2. Guideline for the Party members, depicting organisational principles and tasks. Finally the councillors (delegates) elected (i) a Central Committee, (ii) Presidium (re-named Politburo) (iii) Central Control Commission, (iv) Alternate members and (v) a batch of central organisers.
The inaugural session deserves special mention as it witnessed on the one hand, popular and powerful peoples’ revolutionary culture, Tagore songs to folk songs to Sukanto- Nazarul recitals and dances by children on the theme of “red sun in the eastern horizon embracing the red flag”. On the other, the session figured the presence of leaders from nearly one and a half dozen parties/formations who greeted the RWPB Congress. Most of them share common political platform with RWPB.
All these parties, added with some other nationalist parties/forums, left and democratic personalities, graced the 4th April Dhaka Press Club lounge talks and exchanges with our neighbouring comrades and friends. Most of them appreciated our views and concerns about the US design in the sub-continent, regional hegemonistic ambitions of the Indian ruling classes as well as the growing prospect of extended resistances, solidarity and united peoples’ movement. All were unanimous for further urgent move in this direction.
Attack by Congress goons on CPI(ML) Supporters in Pilibhit
On April 3, Congress leader B M Singh and his supporters forcibly began erecting a dais on the land of Madhu Mandal, a peasant who is a supporter of CPI(ML) in the workers' colony of Rahul Nagar, Pilibhit. When Madhu Mandal objected, Congress goons entered his house and beat him up. Villagers then gathered to protest and Congress goons beat up other CPI(ML) supporters too.
B M Singh’s mass meeting took place the same evening. Hundreds of residents of Rahul Nagar showed black flags to B M Singh and expressed their anger and protest. The Congress supporters unleashed a pre-planned attack on the CPI(ML) supporters, and dozens were injured on both sides. When CPI(ML) activist Sayeed was at the hospital attending to the wounded, B M Singh arrived and threatened to abduct and kill him. B M Singh was arrested following a written complaint by the CPI(ML) in the police station. But in retaliation, the administration sent PAC into Rahul Nagar, which entered the homes of CPI(ML) supporters as identified by Congress supporters, and severely beat up people. CPI(ML) supporters immediately began a dharna at the DM’s office demanding an end to the PAC terror. The PAC-sponsored violence then stopped but various serious criminal charges including the Seventh Criminal Amendment Act were invoked against CPI(ML) CC Member Krishna Adhikari and several other leaders, activists and peasant supporters. Five CPI(ML) activists including AIALA leader Devashish were arrested and jailed.
Most residents of the Rahul Nagar workers’ settlement are dalits, extremely backward or peasants and workers of the migrant Bengali community – most of whom are CPI(ML) supporters. This village is now being branded a ‘Maoist’ haven in a systematic campaign of misinformation and slander by media.
The village came into being under a government ‘colonisation grant scheme.’ Later the Forest Department laid claim to the village but could not prove it. The dispute over the land is now in the Court and the peasants have got a stay from the HC in their favour. The present conflict is a ploy to evict the villagers and facilitate landgrab.
The CPI(ML) held a dharna at Shahid Smarak in the UP State Capital of Lucknow on April 5 in protest against the assault by Congress supporters led by Congress leader BM Singh and police on party supporters in Rahul Nagar, Pilibhit.
Chidambaram Greeted with Protests in West Bengal
Home Minister P Chidambaram visited and toured West Bengal on April 3 – and in protest against Green Hunt that day was observed by CPI(ML) and mass organisations like AISA and AIPWA as a Black Day all over the State. to protest against Chidambaram's tour of West Bengal. His effigies were also burnt in many places like Kolkata, Howrah, Siliguri, Naihati etc. Processions were taken out and there was large scale postering against operation Green Hunt throughout the state.
CPI(ML) Team Visits Cyclone-Hit Purnea and Araria
The CPI(ML) Bihar State Committee sent a 3-member fact finding team comprising of State Committee comrades SK Sharma, Pankaj Singh and Araria District Secretary Naval to asses relief work in 35 villages under 8 village panchayats of 3-blocks in Purnia- Kaswa, Jalalgarh and Vayasi and 18 villages under 5 village panchayats of two blocks in Araria District- Forbesganj and Raniganj.
The 3-member team, after meeting thousands of affected victims found out that as long as 90 hours since the cyclonic storm, no relief material or food-grain had reached the people and the victims were left to perish under the open sky and blazing sun, braving acute hunger. Compensation and relief have not been given to all the families of those who were killed by the storm. Hollow promises are being made by the ministers concerned. The number of families affected by the storm is over one lakh. Corn, sunflower, banana and mango crops lie flattened and devastated. Roofs of the huts in more than a lakh homes have been blown away, and the damage to the small peasants, share-croppers etc. is to the tune of Rs.6 billion. The number of injured is in thousands and no arrangement has been made for their treatment. Hundreds of cattle and other animals have perished, thousands are injured and no arrangement has been made for veterinary treatment either. Thousands of trees have been uprooted and those still standing are badly damaged.
The CPI(ML) has launched a series of protests and initiatives to force the Nitish Govt. to urgently speed up the relief effort. Several demonstrations have already taken place to force the officials to do everything necessary.