|
The movement to
oppose US war on Afghanistan is developing into a broad-based action against US
imperialist domination over the country. Processions, demonstrations, bandhs,
pamphlet and postering campaigns, boycott of TNC goods are gathering momentum
throughout the country.
The most significant
event was a rallyin Patna in early November in which the peasant organisations
of the MCC and the PW participated, together with a number of other independent
mass organisations. Over 8,000 people belonging to the peasant organizations of
both the parties, together with workers, intellectuals, students from various
organisations, held a joint rally to oppose US aggression on Afghanistan, and
against the WTO. The American flag was burnt at a main cross-roads, while the
procession wound its way round the main roads of Patna. Shouting slogans against
US aggression of Afghanistan, and against Vajpayee, Advani and company for
collaborating in the US war, the rally finally ended in a public meeting. It was
a significant follow up to the joint statement issued earlier by both parties to
cease hostilities against each other and to jointly fight the enemy.
In a significant step
up in the anti-US movement, the PW Party has blown up a bottling plant of the
Coca Cola Company in Andhra Pradesh. This action on one of the chief symbols of
US imperialism has sent shock waves amongst the TNC big-wigs within the country.
In fact, in distant Gurgaon, on the outskirts of Delhi, the TNCs have demanded
greater protection from the authorities and have stepped up their security.
It was well past
midnight on Oct. 21, when a jeep drove up to the Coca Cola bottling plant at
Atmakur in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. The security personnel,
thinking it to be a company vehicle, opened the gates to let them in. The eight
to ten PW guerrillas immediately overpowered the personnel and tied their hands.
While two stood guard over them, the rest went and planted gelatin in the plant.
The plant, worth about 4 to 5 crores, was blown to pieces, as were three
vehicles parked outside. While leaving the guerrillas raised slogans hailing
people’s war and the Party. A note, left by the Guntur district secretary of the
PW Party, com. Mohan, stated: "we are opposing the war being led by the USA,
which is the biggest terrorist in the world and also bossing over other
countries in the garb of war against terrorism. Make the State bandh, called by
the PW, on Oct. 22 against the war, a grand success".
This sensational
action of the PW has shown the way to the people of the country of the necessity
to launch militant actions against the TNCs operating in the country in order to
kick them out. These companies are siphoning out crores each year both legally
and illegally. Coke and Pepsi, having monopolized the cold drink market of the
country, and even swallowed up the bulk of the local brands, are charging
monopoly rates to fleece the Indian public. And in order to dupe the people of
our country, Coca Cola and Pepsi have been fraudulently claiming losses for its
Indian operations. This is being widely propagated by the Indian media. This is
a fraud. What actually happens is that the parent company in the US has been
charging exorbitant rates to the Indian subsidiary for its (secret) concentrate,
thereby illegally transferring vast sums to the US and showing losses for the
Indian branch. Coca Cola’s supposed Rs.650 crores loss and Pepsi’s supposed loss
of Rs.250 crores, means that at least twice this amount — or Rs.2,000 crores —
has been siphoned out of this country through over-invoicing of its concentrate
to their Indian branch.. The agent comprador government is not only allowing the
country to be fleeced in this manner, it also reduced the excise duty for these
companies in the last budget so that they could increase their loot.!!
But this was only one
of the numerous actions against US imperialism throughout the country.
The newly formed
Forum Against Imperialist Globalisation (FAIG) held a rally and Convention at
Delhi on Nov.2 against the government’s sellout to the WTO. The police banned
the rally, which was to proceed from Raj Niwas Marg to the Red Fort. The police
detained the demonstrators for half an hour. The day-long Convention, which was
attended by 1,500 delegates from 16 States, demanded the withdrawal from the WTO,
a boycott of the Doha round of negotiations and an end to the US bombing of
Afghanistan. The Convention also passed resolutions against the Doha round of
WTO and the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance (POTO). It decided that the Forum
would conduct mass protests all over the country during the Doha round which
would be in session from Nov. 9 to 13.
Earlier on Oct.30 a
large number of students and intellectuals participated in an anti-war march
under the banner of the newly formed Coalition for Peace and Democracy (CPD).
The march, which proceeded from Red Fort to Feroza Shah Kotla, comprised student
organizations, teacher’s organizations, women’s groups, democratic rights
organizations, and several prominent individuals. Each organization distributed
their independent handbill, with anti-war sentiments being the common theme. The
CPD condemned the US assault on Afghanistan and also the government’s role in
whipping up communalism and attacking democratic rights.
Then a number of
Muslim organizations have called for an active boycott of products made by US
and British companies. On October 24 the Jamat-ul-Ulema issued the boycott call,
which has since been widely propagated from mosques around the country.
Pamphlets have been distributed asking the people to educate their community
against the use of foreign goods. Already, it has been reported that in areas
with large Muslim populations Coke and Pepsi are no more to be seen.
As part of this, in
Jaipur, 25,000 people affiliated to the Rajasthan Muslim Forum burnt American
flags and called on the people to boycott American and British products
including Coke and Pepsi.
But it was in
Malegaon, Maharashtra, which saw the fiercest attack by the State and Hindu
communalists on Muslims distributing pamphlets calling for a boycott. Ironically
a Congress-led government in the State did this. As Muslim youth began
distributing pamphlets on the boycott, they were attacked by the SRP (State
Reserve Police), and the pamphlets aggressively snatched out of their hands. The
youth defended their right to propagate against the US. Without much provocation
the police fired leading to the death of three. They then went on a rampage
attacking Muslims and their property. Pitched battles occurred, with Hindu
communalists joining in on the side of the police. The violence spread to
numerous villages in the neighboured, and as far as 50kms away to the town of
Kalwan. As the battles raged, and curfew was clamped for nearly a week, roughly
20 Muslims had been killed (the official figure was far less), numerous injured,
property worth crores destroyed, and 650 people arrested. Ironically, the
pamphlet that ignited the anti-Muslim pogrom by the police, gave a call to "Be
Indian, Buy Indian". It went on to explain that "every paisa gained from
the sale of products by 4,000 non-Indian companies went to fund mischief by the
US against innocents in Somalia, Bosnia, Iraq, Palestine, and now Afghanistan.
Buying such products meant collaborating with the US/Britain in killing
innocents". To suppress this propagation against TNCs, besides the 7
companies of the SRP posted there, eight army columns were called in, and
flag-marches were taken in the entire region in a bid to create terror. But,
with such brutal attacks, the people’s anger will only increase and the boycott
call is gaining ground, particularly amongst Muslims.
In Mumbai, the Muslim
Hotelier’s Association gave a call to boycott American and British goods. They
already have 500 members, who have stopped serving Coke and Pepsi. They have
also opposed banking (and using credit cards) with British and American banks.
They plan to increase their membership to 800, and have also appealed to
non-Muslim business to join the boycott.
Also trade unions and
mass organizations of even the establishment parties, particularly of the
‘left’, have been demonstrating against both, the US war on Afghanistan and also
the WTO. In fact, it is the great champions of ‘swadeshi’ who have been
noticeable by their silence. On the contrary, these outfits have gone all out to
call for alliance with the US in its ‘war on terrorism’. The so-called
swadeshiwallas are thoroughly exposing the hollowness of their fake slogan
mongering. The establishment ‘left’ also confines their opposition to nominal
routine actions, and do not build the anti-imperialist movement progressively to
take it to greater heights.
But the
anti-imperialist sentiments within the country are strong, and are growing more
intense each day. Workers, peasants, students, intellectuals and vast sections
of the people are rising in opposition to the rapacious policies of the WTO/IMF/World
Bank combine, acting through their comprador agents within the country. It
requires a revolutionary leadership to raise this tempo and give it a direction.
Under these conditions, the joint MCC/PW anti-imperialist rally in Patna gains
enormous political significance. |
