Repression of FAIG action on the 15/5/02 New Delhi in India
posted by editor – 15 May, 2002
aiprf writes FAIG (Forum Against Imperialist Globalization) was formed to wage a broad and decisive struggle against the increasing offensive of imperialism and the ruling classes as well as against the Fascist Hindu forces of the country. An urgency was being felt to politically orient the ongoing people's struggles and develop them into a powerful people's movements to challenge the very policy of imperialism.
After several rounds of deliberations by the representatives of different mass organizations of the country a public meeting and a rally was planned on 10th May, 2002 in Delhi. It was tipped as a beginning of a concerted and protracted struggle of the common people in the country, the preparation for which was going on for a month. The meeting started off exactly at 11 a.m. in the morning with a brief welcome address by an organizer in Delhi. The speakers were unanimous in their condemnation of the anti – people policies of the government on the dictates of the US led imperialist powers and the total sell-out of the country by being a part of WTO and shamelessly pursuing its policy framework. It also equivocally condemned how Indian government has betrayed and surrendered to their Imperialist Master in WTO meeting at Doha. Disinvestment, privatization and retrenchment have become the order of the day and to fulfill the commitment the government is up in arms by introducing draconian laws like POTA. Agricultural sector too is facing unprecedented crisis as subsidies is being drastically reduced. The minimum support price for agricultural produce is coming down heavily where as large numbers of items are brought in the open general license giving free hand to foreign MNC's particularly in the agricultural sector to flood the Indian market. The government has phased out all the restrictions and handed over the research in agriculture to the corporate sector and private agri-business clinic. The mood of the people in the meeting was electrifying. It was on of angst and deep sense of betrayal as well as of commitment and dedication to carry out the struggle and snatch victory from these imperialist monsters. Beating the scorching heat the people listened patiently and attentively with slogans rendering the air profusely. There was no letting down of the enthusiasm and commitment as one could witness. The people seemed made up their mind that it is a long drawn process of struggle and there cannot be any compromise – bear whatever the cost may be.
The conveners of the All India Co-ordination committee of FAIG spoke eloquently about the imminent danger before the nation in particular and the working class in general.Com. Savithri of PMS (Maharashtra) spoke about how the people were pushed to the wall by the government by shamelessly pursuing the destructive and divisive policies and programmes and thereby negating even the basic right “the right to life” of the people. She has also pointed out how the ruling class in order to divert the attention of the people from these pressing problems are creating fissures among the people in the name of religion and playing the age old card of “divide and rule” policy. She called upon the people to understand this divisive ploy of the government and to wake up and give a befitting reply.
G.N.Saibaba (Secretary, AIPRF) stressed that Globalisation is nothing but an eye -wash to tighten the grip of Imperialist over the poorer nations and its people. Globalization is widening the gap between the poor and the affluent. On the country it should have mitigated the divide. He called upon the people to understand the nature of Independence that it has achieved with so much of sacrifice from the British yoke, and the character of the subsequent ruling class of independent India. He asked upon the people to find out why and what are the reasons that the people are being forced to face such unprecedented crisis in an independent Nation like India ! He draws a parallel between then British Rulers and the present ruling class. He also dealt on how Globalization is being used as a tool to unleash a reign of fascist terror in the country and Gujarat is a classic example. The BJP led NDA government at the centre is inciting national chauvinism, Hindu communalism and saffronising society and anybody daring to oppose its agenda are fraught with dire consequences. The minorities and the liberal sections of the society are being charged as traitors for daring to criticize its brand of nationalism. In the guess of Nationalism they are spreading communal and fascist venom and led to butchery of more then thousand innocent Muslims in Gujarat in a state sponsored genocide. The pogrom is continuing unabated and the centre has given a clean chit to the Narendra Modi government without making any effort to check it, whereas the democratic movements and the Nationality movements in different parts of the country be it North-east, Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh or elsewhere are being ruthlessly suppressed by the state forces where thousands of innocent people and revolutionaries are getting killed every day. He charged the opposition parties like Congress or CPI (M) as well as the NDA allies like TDP, Samata etc., as the sailors of the same boat. Given a chance they too show their true colours that they are no different to the BJP, which is today tipped as essential qualities to satisfy their imperialist masters and thereby to stick to power. He concluded his speech by singing a phrase “Sarfaroshi Ki Tamanna ab hamari Dil mein hai” and urged upon the people to be prepared to wage a long battle against these diabolical and divisive policies and to free the Nation from these monsters.
Many speakers of different organizations has spoken on the occasion. Prominent among them are V.Venkataramaiah (AIKMS), Dr.Jagat Singh of Nepal Intellectual writers forum, Raj singh Khandela of (BKU), Anup Singh of (CMM), Paltu Sen of (IFTU), P.P.Arya (KMAS) and many more. Dr.Jagat Singh who was the only foreign dignitary spoke about the need far a co-ordinated struggle between the people of Nepal and India. Then only the imperialist penetration and hegemony in the sub-continent could be dealt a decisive blow. He spoke on how the Nepali govt. using repressive measures and unleashed a reign of terror on the struggling people of Nepal led by the Maoists. He said whenever wherever any movement gains ground by taking inspiration of Marxism, Leninism and Maoism the Ruling classes along with their imperialist mentors becomes restless and put all out effort to crust that democratic moment. He cited Nepal as a classic example in this regard. He charged that US intelligence along with their Indian counter part has proposed sending troops to Nepal as they fear it could go out of their hand if things are not checked immediately. He asserted that if this happens the situation is rife for a civil war which in turn will culminate into a National Liberation Moment led by the Maoists. He dealt on how the government in the garb of ceasefire has killed thousand of innocent civilians in the country side. He urged upon the Indian people to come in support of the ongoing people's struggle in Nepal.
V.Venkataramaiah (AIKMS) criticized the government far its failure to provide the basic necessities to its people. He pointed out that the increasing economic hardship of the people is due to the government unrestricted dependent on the policies of WTO. He emphasized particularly on the agricultural front, how due to its destructive policies the back bone of the farmers were broken resulting in the suicide of large number of farmers in the country side. The godowns of FCI are full with food grains but the government is not making these available to the people. On the contrary it is importing food grains at cheap rate to fulfill the obligations of GATT and WTO. He stressed that this kind of unbridled smacking of imperialist policies and programmes and thrusting it on the toiling masses of the country will ruin the country and its people. He urged the people to be alert and resist this impending catastrophe.
In order to break the lull of continuous speeches the cultural activists of different states sung revolutionary numbers and enthralled the capacity crowd. The crowd got rejuvenated and started shouting anti -imperialist and anti -fascist slogans. The crowd couldn't believe their eyes and criticized the government far delaying in giving permission for the meeting and subsequent denial of permission to carry out the rally. But the mood was upbeat and the passion was running high with the people as one could see despite all the hardships and sultry heat conditions. The protest meet was by and large peaceful and somber. Several book stall came up in the site of the venue of the meet containing books, magazines, periodicals, posters and cassettes. The people glued through the books with utmost zeal and the overall response was favourable. Prominent among the stalls are: Nishant Natya Manch book stall, Jagruk Chatra Morcha (Haryana) book stall, New Democracy Book stall etc.,
The overall attendance in the meet was around twenty five thousand and many more were detained by the police in several parts of the country preventing them from reaching Delhi. The people were vociferous in condemning this kind of despicable act by the state where people are being prevented from raising their voice of concern against the diabolical act of the government. This they termed as an infringement on the democratic rights of the citizen and vowed with vengeance to march ahead for the struggle and fight back these kinds of state repressions. But the silence and the peaceful protest had same other things in store- when the Delhi police led by the DCP north-central district barged on to the venue and mercilessly started assaulting the rallyists with lathi charge and water canons, which was totally un-provoked and un-called for. The incident in the venue was reminiscent of Jalian Wala Bagh massacre. All the entry and exit points of the ground were locked and the police with full force and riot gears mercilessly beaten up the people even women, children and handicapped were not spared. The people ran helter-skelter for cover but could not find any as the police thrashed the crowd one kilometer from the venue resulting in the injury of lots of people and loss of personal belongings. Many women and children were lost in the ensuing milieu; the whereabouts of those are still to be ascertained. The two Masjids near the venue has rendered valuable help in tracing some of the lost people by announcing in their public address system about anybody finding any kids lost in the milieu to report about them in the Masjid. The incident reached its nadir when the police did not stop at this brutal onslaught and arrested many people and sent them to jail. The incident started when the Delhi police didn't let the people carry out the rally and give a memorandum to the President of the Indian Republic. At this the crowd raised slogans against the police. The organisor then courted arrest and decided to settle down. There was not a slightest provocation by the people in the venue as claimed by the Delhi police which could be used as an alibi to use such blatant force on the peaceful protestors. On the contrary it was all pre-planned and pre-conceived by the police to thwart any attempt to organize and protest against the governments policies and programmes.
On 11th May, FAIG held a demonstration at Jantar Mantar demanding enquiry of the police excesses on the people on 10th May, in the Ram Lila ground. More than 150 people turned out in the protest dharna condemning such act .In the evening there was a Press Conference where the conveners called upon the media to be more alert on these kind of fascist terror and give a favourable coverage in the media.
On May 14th, a delegation of the Forum Against Imperialist Globalization (FAIG) submitted a memorandum to the President of the Indian Republic Mr.K.R. Naraynan, demanding that India withdraw from the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The members also sought immediate dismissal of the Narendra Modi Government in Gujarat and punishment to those responsible for the communal violence and scrapping of Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA).
The delegation comprised of members of 62 organizations who are part of FAIG – including its conveners, V.Venkatramaiah, G.N. Saibaba and Savithri accompanied by human rights activist Prashant Bhushan, also met the chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, J.S. Verma. They sought an inquiry into the brutal lathi-charge on participants of the FAIG's ‘Delhi Chalo – Kisan Mazdoor Bachao, Desh Bachao’ meeting, last week.