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What The Country Needs From CPM: A New Programme Of Action

By Dr. Vivek Kumar Srivastava

19 April, 2015
Countercurrents.org

There is a happy moment in the CPM .New leader assumes charge of the party as Sitaram Yechury is appointed as the new CPM general secretary. Sadly a party which once had a strong sway over the common people, is now a spent force.

After the collapse of USSR on 25th December 1991, the party failed to reconcile with the changes. It could not appreciate the changes which new development force was destined to bring at the global level. Within India its adverse impact was never estimated by the party. During the first decade of globalization in India, the political situation in the country was fluid. The party had golden time since its inception to share the political power.

First time a great communist leader Indrajit Gupta (CPI) was appointed as home minister. The great blunder was caused when Jyoti Basu was disallowed to assume the top political position of the country. This was a historical blunder. Party was wrapped in the ideological stiffness, a wrapper which yielded no results. A chance to present a viable alternative at the political level at the centre was lost. The major understanding from this action show that party was living in a dream land, that political fluidity will continue and country will live with the thoughts of socialism.

In fact non appreciation of these developments proved costlier to the party. NDA government advanced the agenda of globalization. Its overemphasis on the fast changes like the present government proved its nemesis. The result was a return to a socialist model oriented system in the country. Though UPA also wanted to speed up the process of LPG model but the communists played a sincere and appreciable role in moderating the actions of the government. This is their appreciable contribution but they again failed to appreciate that they were being outclassed by the other parties with almost similar form of ideological base. Samajwadi Party emerged their rival at the ideological front. Communists got themselves confined within their boundaries, that was workers movements in a capitalist-factory system. Samajwadi party like organizations expanded their base. They attracted the minorities, worked for the cause of farmers, looked the problems of young ones. They appeared better choice whereas communists lost the ground even in their strong areas, West Bengal.
Thus to remain within the domain of industrial relations proved a mistake. They could not understand that they had no audience among young ones who had gone to work in IT sector where they had work pressure, exploitation but still younger ones was working with happy face. They also failed to understand that their only identity was that once their ideology had ruled the half world. Now they only carried the name of communism. As a party they had almost lost the ground at the national level.

They also forgot that political power emerges from the ground works. Look Kejariwal’s rise. He worked at the local level. He outclassed the BJP even during its glorious days. Communists talked about workers but lived in comfort zone. Communists had no infrastructure at the local level. They had introduced the concept of cadres. They used to be a cadre based party but at the local level, their presence was nullified. They had only worker based trade unions. No relations with the common masses was attempted to be established at the national level. They worked in pockets. Result is every one to see.
They did not concentrate the youth. They became part of old gene ratio people. They even could not produce a charismatic leader after Jyoti Basu who was restricted to play a national l role.

How can they no aspire to reach on the top?

The present conditions although suits them. There are problems at the level of farmers, at the level of youth due to non availability of the jobs. Women are under stress due to insecured status. Several other social issues haunt the middle class. Party can make use of all these. For this they will have to leave the rigid ideological stand and will have to move outside of workers-industries relationship mode.

They must learn from the other political parties with almost similar ideological base. They may not be strict communists but they share ideas of the communists. These parties have reached on the pinnacle but real ones have left behind.

New the change in leadership is welcome. The party needs to adopt following line of action:

Not to be too rigid in ideological matter; be flexible

Attract young ones by raising their issues as recent one is UP students’ agitation on the PCS Pre paper leak

Attract minorities by looking at their specific problems

Do not raise unnecessary issues as demand for reservation in private sectors, a demand which distances young ones from the party

Look at the problems of women and children in continuous manner; why no agitation on the issues fo women at national level

Work hard for the farmers and landless people, a group which can follow the party easily

Develop a charismatic leader,Sitaram Yechury has all the qualities for the same, Brinda Karat can be another ideal choice

Finally and the most important- work at the local level, engage the people, and raise the issues with strong agitations.

The role of communist party is crucial in the Indian democracy. They must but try to refashion themselves by being a modernised and active party.
They need to survive as globalistion now shifts into a phase of post globalistaion and sharp neo liberal order.

The major point is that poor, farmers, deprived people need them. Indian poor people have got not much from the parties at centre in recent time. They must exhibit a political metamorphosis and lead the struggle of powerless. They are among the most honest politicians, now they need to activate themselves in more effective manner.

Dr. Vivek Kumar Srivastava has twenty years University level teaching experience, presently Assistant Professor in CSJM Kanpur University[affiliated college],Vice Chairman CSSP, recent work- Ambedkar and Constituent Assembly, Mainstream Weekly,17th April 2015, email: [email protected]

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Vivek Kumar Srivastava
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