Make in India

It is ironic that India after 66 years of Independence is saddled with a villainous regime with exactly the same number of ministers and the Prime Monster(PM) heading it, is none other than a person who successfully engineered and abated a series of blood letting communal pogroms, and yet whitewashed himself and his party with democratic pretensions of wining a majority.

The political situation in India today is one of increasing communal polarisation with the assertion of right-wing, Hindu fundamentalist RSS and BJP all around. The advent of Modi in the general election of May’14 giving his party a comfortable, if not an absolute majority has emboldened the communal politics which hitherto remained relatively dormant.

The Congress, reduced to double digits from the glory of being the traditional party of power for almost seven decades, signals a new situation as for as the big business is concerned. It is with full glee that the captains of Indian Industry, as well as multi national companies have welcomed the newly elected, unabashed votary of aggressive Capitalism; the Narendra Modi led BJP.

BJP, unlike its predecessor Congress has no social democratic pretensions or for that matter any of the poorer constituents to appease. It has unapologetically built itself as a Baniya (Businessmen) Party, right from its inception, combined with it, it has the opium effect of virulent Hindu Nationalism feathering its cap.

Given the utter failure of Congress party, which toyed with left of center politics for some time soon after the independence from the British, abandoned its pro-poor exercises and went over to embrace the neo-liberal policies, that way jettisoned its long lasted, loyal constituents of poor, downtrodden, exploited castes and religious minorities from its fold.

Its not without reason and more importantly not without major class interests that the Indian big business overwhelmingly shifted their preference to Modi and BJP. Unlike during the regime of Vajpayee there was no dilly-dallying on the part of the capitalist class to choose their representatives this time. Make no mistake, they are reaping their rewards in abundance.

 The series of pro-rich economic and labour reforms which have been initiated within the very few months of Modi and BJP coming to power will have far reaching effects on the lives and livelihoods of the people in this landmass called India.

Is the conspiracy complete?

Abrogating the concept of Planning is a disaster that is coming to hit the poor very hard. Yes, the word Planning in the Indian economy stood on its head and did everything opposite what it was supposed to do.

Mind you, the earlier Indian policy makers, greatly influenced by the spectacular economic strides that were being made by the former Soviet Union, through Soviet Five Year Plans (however bureaucratically mismanaged) in tackling poverty, famine and the after effects of war with the 21 armies of Imperialist countries, did choose to emulate the same concept with a Planning Commission, to tackle the enormous economic and social disparities in this society.

Yes, along the way it not only lost its focus but was purposely derailed and given a bad name, so that a future unabashedly blatant, right wing govt. can throw it away, lock-stock and barrel. It is a conspiracy dreamt by Indira & Rajiv, shaped by V P Singh & P V N Rao, agressively introduced and pursued by Manmohan Singh, Montek & P. Chidambaram and now perfectly and brutally executed by BJP’s Narendra Modi and his rabid right wing followers. Of course, it need not be mentioned that the United States Of America’s imperial agencies such as World Trade Organisation (WTO), IMF & World Bank have “ably” supervised this long drawn conspiracy.

This is a challenge to all those who dream and tirelessly struggle for an equal society, a Socialistic Pattern of economy. This is the beginning of transfer of all that we think is in our hands to the rich and the super rich.This has to be met with a dogged 

fight-back, by all sections of the working poor, women, waged middle classes, farmers and peasants, Daliths & down trodden, vulnerable religious and other minorities which includes Muslims, Christians and Sikhs.

The new, totally funded by the top business houses, which is showcasing Modi’s glittery P R exercise sloganeering called ‘Make in India’ is a well thought out schema of transfer of resources and profits to the national and multi-national capitalist class.

As it has become already evident with the example of $1 billion easy loan from State Bank of India to Adani for a mining project in Australia, the natural resources, public assets and labour power will be made subservient to the interest of capital under the bogey of national interest.

Build a right earnest revolt now!

The Trade Unions have to wake-up now! All that was fought and won over a period of several decades is at stake, the working hours, conditions, safety & security in employment, everything, every single pro people reform is in danger of getting revoked or annulled. It is high-time that the Trade Unions take the lead to rally round all and go for the offensive.

Trade Unions should immediately call for a 24 hour General Strike as a starting point to say no to:

* Abrogation of Planning Commission and Five Year Plans.

* Bring in a Democratically Planned Comprehensive 5 year Plans under the supervision and management of Working Peoples’ Organisations, Peoples Movements and the Organsiations of the Dalits and Down Trodden.

* Demand Re-Nationalisation of all Public Sector Industries, Services and Utilities.

* We oppose the dilution of the fundamental statutes of Indian Constitution by the right wing govts. in Power.

* Only a genuine Left Govt. comprising of all fighting People’s Organisations and Movements can guarantee the advance of all peoples interests.

* WE have had enough of all Capitalist Parties – Build a New Mass Party of the Working People now!

Jagadish G Chandra,

Bangalore