FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION
Prepare for the Coming Revolutionary Storms
People's Voice
Organ of the Central Committee of the Communist Ghadar Party
Volume 29 – Issue 7
Condemn the Massacre at Nandigram!
No justification ever for state terrorism!
The brutal attack and cold blooded
killing of men, women, and children in
Nandigram on 14th March by the West
Bengal Police and private goons of the
ruling CPI(M) has torn the ‘progressive’
mask from the face of CPI(M) and the
regime it heads in West Bengal. They
stand exposed as instruments of the
brutal dictatorship of the capitalist
class. The CPI(M) has revealed itself as
Massive protests mark fourth anniversary of Iraq invasion – Report on p.2
Down with the Armed Forces Special Powers Act!
Withdraw occupation troops in Kashmir!
The Congress-People's Democratic
Party (PDP) coalition government in
Kashmir is currently going through
a crisis. The apparent cause is the
demand being raised by the PDP for
the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special
Powers) Act from areas of Jammu &
Kashmir, and for withdrawal of troops
from civilian areas of the state. In
addition, the PDP has sought an end
to army takeover and occupation of
Contribution – Rs. 5/-
a party of the ruling bourgeois class,
which uses the colonial laws and the
state machinery to drown the struggle
of the people in blood, in order to remain
in power and continue to serve the
imperialist bourgeoisie.
According to the report of the fact
finding team sent by the Kolkata High
Court, and corroborated by other
Continued on page 8
civilian public and private premises in
the state.
The PDP demands have been rejected by
the Congress both in the state and at
the Centre. The Chief Minister Ghulam
Nabi Azad of the Congress Party has
categorically opposed the demand,
saying that troop deployment in Kashmir
has to continue so long as “militancy”
Continued on page 10
April 1-15, 2007
Women raise their
voices against
oppression and
injustice
A one-day conference highlighting
the oppression of women under the
present system and the struggle for
their emancipation was organized
by the Mahila Shakti Sangathan, on
March 18 in Kanpur. Nearly 400 women
from different women’s organisatons
and mass organisations, such as
Purogami Mahila Sangathan, Jaagte
Raho, Jeene ka Adhikar, Vanangna, Vikas
Sadhana, Sankalp, Sagar Shahidi, and
others participated in the conference.
They represented women from Delhi,
Allahabad, Ramgarh, Lucknow, Agra,
and many other parts of Northern
India.
The Mahila Shakti Sangathan was born
out of the struggle of the working
women and residents of Vidyarthi
Market, Govindnagar, Kanpur, against
their exploitation and for the assertion
Continued on page 10
In this Issue
World 2-3
 US Imperialism must pay 2
 Private property law in China 3
 Students in Greece 3
Voice of Toilers & Tillers 4-9
 Condemn state repression in TN 4
 People's convention on judicial
accountability 5
 Election campaign of JPM 6
 Slum dwellers organize dharna 7
Letter to Editors 9
World
Fourth anniversary of US invasion of Iraq
US Imperialism must pay for its crimes
against humanity!
Four years have passed since the Anglo–
American coalition invaded and occupied
Iraq following a relentless campaign
of disinformation and slander against
the government of Saddam Hussein.
In these four years, it is estimated
that one million Iraqi people have lost
their lives, and innumerable atrocities
have been committed by the occupying
forces. While the brave people of Iraq
continue to resist the occupation and
fight for the withdrawal of foreign
troops from their land, it is necessary
for the peoples of the whole world to
step up their opposition to the criminal
occupation of Iraq by US imperialism
and its continued aggressive designs
against the people of the region and
the world.
Soon after the invasion and occupation
of Iraq, the very premises on which
the Anglo–American imperialists had
justified their aggression were shown to
be completely fabricated and a collection
of falsehoods. The imperialists, in the
manner of Hitler and other fascists
before them, had deliberately created
conditions to disorient opinion in their
own countries and among the people
of the world. It must be remembered
that for thirteen long years before this,
Iraq was subject to harsh economic
sanctions which had made life miserable
for the ordinary people of Iraq while
debilitating the governments’ power to
resist aggression.
The invasion and subjugation of Iraq
has been the linchpin of the US
imperialist offensive against the
peoples of the world which is being
carried out in the name of “war
against terror”. This offensive has
seen the occupation and destruction
of Afghanistan, the destabilisation of
Pakistan and other states in Central
Asia, the relentless pressure against
Iran, and the continued battering of
the Palestinians and other peoples of
West Asia and Northern Africa. The
2 April 1-15 2007 – Volume 29 – Issue 7
aim of this offensive is to establish
the dictate of the US imperialist
bourgeoisie in all corners of the globe,
and to crush through overwhelming
military force and terror any challenge
to its ambitions from any quarter.
After the occupation, the US imperialists
have tried to crush the resistance of
the Iraqi people by using the most
reprehensible methods known to
mankind. The US imperialists, touting
themselves as ‘defenders of freedom
and democracy’ have resorted to mass
murders, gassing of entire towns,
inhuman torture and rape to break the
resistance of the people. They have even
been guilty of using depleted uranium as
part of their arsenal, thus endangering
several unborn generations of Iraqi
people. Over four million people are
estimated to have fled their homes in
terror. Tens of thousands of Iraqis have
been murdered in cold blood, including
scientists, academics, intellectuals and
doctors. All prominent figures opposed
to the occupation including religious
leaders have been targeted by the
death squads of the US imperialists and
Massive protests mark
fourth anniversary of
Iraq invasion
People all over the world commemorated
the fourth anniversary of the US – led
invasion with massive protests in which
hundreds of thousands participated.
Protests were held all across North
America as well as in several cities
of South America, in Sweden, Spain,
Greece, Italy, Hungary, the Czech
Republic, Australia, Japan, Turkey and
other countries.
There were many actions leading up to
these protests as well, such as the
January 27, 2007 demonstration in
Washington DC calling for a withdrawal
their collaborators. After farcical trials,
former President Saddam Hussein and
his aides were judicially murdered-
acts which were condemned round the
world.
While people belonging to various
ethnic groups and religions have
been living in Iraq for centuries in
harmony, the occupying forces have
deliberately tried to induce divisions
along communal lines and splinter
their resistance. The so–called “Iraqi
Governing Council” set up by the US
imperialists after the occupation in
2003 was itself a blatant attempt to
divide Iraqis according to their religion
and ethnicity. The US imperialists
have tried to formalise this division
with the fraudulent “constitution”
imposed on the country, while the so-
called “federation” is a precursor for
the planned division of Iraq. From all
accounts, the occupying forces and
the government they have imposed on
Iraq have not even been able to restore
basic civic necessities, power or health
care to the people.
It is increasingly clear to all that the US
imperialists are stuck in a quagmire. All
their efforts over the last four years
to overcome the resistance to the
occupation have not been successful.
Continued on page 4
of all US troops from Iraq, the February
24, 2007 action in which 100,000
people marched in London, UK with the
same demands and also to oppose the
replacement of the Trident system,
the UK’s submarine-based ballistic
missile nuclear weapons system, and
demonstrations throughout US on March
14, 2007 when the British Parliament
was to debate the matter. The March
17, 2007 demonstrations in Korea
were preceded by demonstrations in the
days before opposing the joint US – ROK
military exercises. People everywhere
voiced their strong opposition to the
wars launched by the US and other
imperialists in Afghanistan and Iraq
and also the belligerence against other
countries such as Iran.
World
China passes law to protect private property
China's National People's Congress,
its highest legislative body, passed a
new law that gives protection to all
“lawful” forms of private property,
on a par with state and collective
property. This is the first time since the
Chinese Revolution of 1949 that such
a comprehensive law legitimizing and
protecting private property has been
proclaimed in China.
This new law reflects the reality in China
today, where in the name of a “socialist
market economy”, capitalism has been
vigorously flourishing, making China the
envy of the imperialist bourgeoisie of the
whole world. Both foreign and domestic
capital have been rapidly extending their
sway over the Chinese economy. Private
capitalist enterprises today account for
over 65% of China's GDP and 70% of
its tax revenues. The state and party
structures are also very closely linked
with the capitalist elements in the town
and countryside. Together, the party
and state officialdom and the private
capitalists have seen to the dismantling
of the huge state industries that were
set up after the Revolution, and the take
over of their assets by thinly disguised
loot and robbery. Overnight, businessmen
and top cadres have become millionaires
through this process. The new law
will undoubtedly give a boost to this
process of wholesale privatisation of the
resources and enterprises of China. It
will provide legitimacy to the claims of
the local and foreign carpet baggers and
give state protection to the Chinese
bourgeoisie and the foreign imperialist
bourgeoisie in plundering the land and
labour of the Chinese people.
The current developments are a logical
consequence of the whole flawed process
of building socialism in China. Although
the Revolution of 1949 liberated the
Chinese people from feudal and imperialist
oppression, and although measures of a
thoroughgoing democratic and even
socialist character were undertaken,
socialism was never established in
China. After the reforms to launch China
on the path of capitalist globalization
and privatization were launched by the
leadership of the Communist Party in
1978, China has proceeded steadily
in the direction of total integration
with the global capitalist economy. The
trajectory China has pursued has been
to emerge as a world class imperialist
power in rivalry with the US and other
imperialist powers.
The 1988 constitutional amendments
to the Constitution of the PRC
legitimised the existence of the private
economy as a "complement" to the
public economy, while in 1999, the role
of the private sector was upgraded
to make it an "essential part" of the
“socialist market economy”. In 2002,
the ruling Communist Party went so far
as to open its membership to private
capitalists. This just shows the extent
to which capitalism has entrenched
itself in the economy, state and even
the party in China.
The course of development on which
China has headed has received praise
from the bourgeoisie around the world
for having accelerated “growth”. In
India, the Chinese "model" is often
quoted by the ruling class as something
Students in Greece fight against
privatisation of education
Students in Greece have been fighting
vigorously against plans to privatise
education. On March 8, 2007, more
than 30,000 students who marched
through the streets of Athens in a
demonstration were brutally attacked by
police with rubber bullets, fire grenades,
tear gas and more. Dozens of students
were arrested under the provisions of
the anti – terror law and not allowed
to meet their lawyers or families for
several hours.
Though the ruling elite tried to criminalise
the students’ protest in connivance
with the mass media, the students
were undaunted. They organised another
demonstration late the same night
in another town, as well as next day
in Athens itself. Thousands of people
April 1-15 2007 – Volume 29 – Issue 7
to emulate. However, this course has
been revealed as being completely
against the interests of the Chinese
working class and peasantry who had
fought and sacrificed so long and hard
for their emancipation.
Lakhs of Chinese workers have been
thrown out their jobs, while others toil in
the sweatshops of the big coastal cities
with hardly any rights and protection.
Thousands of coal miners have died
in horrific mine disasters which are a
consequence of the drive of the Chinese
ruling bourgeoisie to grow rich at the
fastest possible pace at the expense of
the working class and people. Agriculture
is in a deep crisis and rural unrest has
been steadily mounting. According to the
government's own statistics, there were
more than 87,000 recorded protests
in China last year. The passing of the
new property law itself took over 14
years because of the strong objections
raised from various quarters. A leading
professor of Beijing University denounced
the government for “copying capitalist
law like slaves”. As the current leadership
of China sends the country hurtling down
the path of capitalist development, the
opposition and protests are likely to
mount. 
participated in the protests organised
to show solidarity with the arrested
students and even the media which tried
to criminalise the students’ protests
earlier was forced to be more careful
in reporting these fresh protests. The
students have vowed to continue their
struggle and have appealed to the
workers and people to support them.
3
Voice of Toilers & Tillers
Condemn the state repression on struggling people in Tamilnadu
According to reports we have received,
the police and district administrations
in several districts of Tamilnadu,
have stepped up harassment and
persecution of activists and supporters
of organisations working amongst the
people.
As is well known, following the elections
to the Panchayats and town councils
in September 2006, wherein Lok Raj
Sangathan had spearheaded a program
of active intervention in the elections
by organising selection and election
of peoples candidates, the candidates
sponsored by the Lok Raj Sangathan were
viciously targeted by the Kanyakumari
District Police and Special Branch
immediately following the elections. The
Lok Raj Sangathan immediately launched
a campaign to bring to light the fact
that the Indian state does not want any
political force to expose the flaws in the
present political process and strive to
bring people to power.
Now we have received reports that
in the very North of Tamilnadu, in
Kanchipuram District, the police and
state administration has been behaving
in extremely fascist manner with the
activists of another organisation
working for the rights of the people.
Fourth anniversary of US invasion of Iraq...
Continued from page 2
Not only do they and their puppet
government have no credibility in the
eyes of the people of Iraq and the world,
the patriotic people of Iraq are making
life hell for them. The opposition to the
occupation and the war in Iraq has also
been staunch in the US and Britain, just
as in other countries around the globe.
Growing numbers of people have made
their disgust with the war mongering
policies of the US imperialists abundantly
clear through massive street protests.
They have also shown their strong
disapproval through the ballot box but,
4 April 1-15 2007 – Volume 29 – Issue 7
Kancheepuram People’s Forum or Makkal
Mandram is based in Kancheepuram
and has been actively working since
2000, among marginalized sections
of people like Tribals (Irulas), Dalits,
Women, rural and urban poor in more
than 60 villages. Makkal Mandram
takes up issues of gross economic
inequalities faced by these people.
Makkal Mandram considers the social,
cultural & political repression of
these people as violations of their
basic human rights; Makkal Mandram
conducts campaigns for bringing
such awareness among the people;
It works to get central and state
laws implemented in favour of the
marginalized people.
Makkal Mandram has got tribals
working as bonded labourers (who
are Irular tribals) released from the
clutches of their owners and conducted
long struggles for their rehabilitation
to ensure basic rights for them, like
livelihood, housing and security/safety
from their erstwhile owners.
Makkal Mandram has also taken up
environmental issues like sand quarrying
in the river beds, most of which takes
place illegally. This also becomes a very
sensitive issue for the administration
the fraud of representative democracy
being what it is, the ruling elites in USA
and Britain have been able to ensure
that the overwhelming popular disgust
notwithstanding, the war goes on.
The Anglo-American imperialists have
used the veto power in the Security
Council of the United Nations to ensure
that the world body is powerless in
converting the widespread resentment
against their actions into any kind of
action against them.
Despite all attempts over the last
four years to subdue them, the
as a lot of corruption and big money is
involved.
According to a report received from the
Makkal Mandram, in its work in defence
of the rights of the people, it has faced
severe problems at the hands of the
District Adminstration, revenue and
the police departments.
In June 2006, Makkal Mandram organised
a novel form of protest involving donkeys
to highlight the anti-poor attitude of the
District Administration and its refusal to
give land to the tribals. The people came
in a queue to give their representations
and memos concerning their requests/
demands to the ‘District Administration’
and the donkey kept on eating these
promptly! It was a symbolic protest,
which was peaceful and democratic.
On the collector’s orders, 8 leading
activists of Makkal Mandram (4 men and
4 women) were booked under Section
124A (sedition/conspiracy against the
state). They came out on getting bail
from the Chennai High Court after about
13 days.
According to the report received
from the Makkal mandram, the state
repression on activists of the Mandram
Continued on page 10
patriotic forces of Iraq have shown
their iron determination to fight for
their goal of freeing their country
from foreign occupation. The anti–war
movement around the world has
similarly sustained its opposition to
imperialist war. No matter how hard
and how long the struggle may be, the
patriots of Iraq and the peace loving
people around the globe are clear
that they must persist undaunted. It
is the imperialists who have to fear
the wrath of the peoples, who will one
day hold them to account and make
them pay for all their crimes against
humanity. 
Voice of Toilers & Tillers

People’s convention on judicial accountability

and judicial reforms
Over 200 participants from all over
the country participated in a two–day
convention in New Delhi on making
the judicial system accountable to
the people and to discuss how to
“reclaim and reinvent” it to serve
the needs of the common man.
Among the sponsoring organisations
which initiated this convention were
Committee for Judicial Accountability,
Centre for Media Studies, Action Aid,
Lok Raj Sangathan, Hazards Centre,
Parivartan, National Alliance of Peoples’
Movements, Transparency International
and several others. This convention was
held at a time when the judiciary is being
used ever more often as repressive arm
of the state of the big bourgeoisie, to
carry out the anti–people agenda of the
big corporates and monopolies, Indian
and foreign.
bribes in lower courts alone would not to acquire land of poor peasants for
It was pointed out during the inaugural be less than 25,000 million Rupees, setting up Special Economic Zones and
session of the convention that the while the amounts known to be paid by the judicial system ensures that order
judicial system in India, by its very big corporate clients even to settle a is maintained in the country so that the
nature, excludes over 70% of the single case in their favour could each big corporates, Indian and foreign, can
population who cannot afford to pay run into hundreds of millions of Rupees! carry on with the plunder of the land,
lawyers from even trying to get justice While it is obvious that the judiciary, resources and labour which actually
through it. Most of those who do as an institution which is supposed to belong to the people of this country.
approach it to sort out their grievances serve the people is not accountable “Judicial activism” is a readily available
or who are enmeshed in it on account to them in any way, it is certainly means towards unpopular ends at
of being accused of some crime, usually very accountable to the super rich the disposal of the powers that rule
petty, are faced with several years of whose interests it so loyally serves. the country. It is necessary to arm
delays, disillusionment and despair. The law of contempt has been used people with the idea that justice is
The procedure of appointing judges, to silence all criticism of the actions their right and the concept of justice
especially to the higher courts is not of courts. A supporter of a people’s inherent in Indian thought needs to be
open to scrutiny and it is practically movement pointed out that in earlier rediscovered and adapted to the needs
impossible even to bring charges times peoples’ movements may have of our people. Why is it not possible for
against judges who openly abuse their tried to use courts to enforce laws judges and public officials to be elected
powers or are corrupt. But the most promising justice, but today it is the by the people in a modern state? The
despicable aspect of the judiciary is courts which are increasingly used to struggle to reclaim the judicial system
the manner in which it is being used attack activists of these movements is part of the struggle of the people
to carry out the unpopular agenda of themselves. for empowerment.
the ruling class which the other arms
of the state, such as the legislature While analysing the reasons why the The convention resolved to encourage
and the executive, are loath to do for judiciary is coming out so forcefully people’s organizations all over the
fear of popular disapproval. Common against the people, the speaker of county to initiate a sustained public
people, being stakeholders in the the Lok Raj Sangathan pointed out campaign to reclaim the judiciary
judicial system, have every right to that the judiciary was set up by the for “we the people” of this country.
demand that the system actually work British to ensure their supremacy It exhorted people to ignore the
to provide justice to them and not to in India and to maintain “order” so threat of “contempt of court” while
suppress them. that colonial plunder could be carried exposing the judiciary, and several
out unhindered. The laws enacted more meetings in other cities as well
According to a research study to protect British colonial interests as other actions were planned as part
presented, the amount collected as are today being used, for example, of this campaign. 

April 1-15 2007 – Volume 29 – Issue 7 5

Voice of Toilers & Tillers

Delhi Municipal Corporaton elections

Election campaign of Jan Pratinidhi Manch candidates echoes

among the residents
The past week has witnessed hectic
election campaigning by various
candidates all over Delhi, for the coming
Municipal Corporation elections. A
correspondent of People’s Voice/Mazdoor
Ekta Lehar has sent the following
interesting report on the election
campaign of the candidates supported
by the Jan Pratinidhi Manch.

In 10 wards of Delhi, candidates

supported by the Jan Pratinidhi Manch
are contesting the MCD elections.
These are Ms. Reena Luke from
Madanpur Khadar (ward no. 207),
Lokesh Kumar from Harkesh Nagar
(ward no. 200), Amarjeet from Tekhand
(ward no. 199), Sanjay Gautam from
Kalkaji (ward no. 196), Ms. Ranjoo
Minhas from Shahpurjat (ward no.
191), Ms. Kumkum Talwar from Vasant
Vihar (ward no. 165), Sqn. Ldr. Krishan
Mitroo from Hauz Khas (ward no. 164),
Dwarka (Satpal Singh from Palam-ward
no. 145, B.S. Yadav from Matiala-
ward no.136 and Ms. Pratibha from
Kakhrola-ward no. 135) and Sunil Jain
from Pitampura (S) (ward no. 53). In
most of the cases, these candidates
have been selected by the residents
of the ward, in the ward committee
meetings, in accordance with the
established procedure of the Jan
Pratinidhi Manch. They have signed a
declaration in public, agreeing to work
in the interests of the community they
are representing and also agreeing to
step down if the ward committee is
dissatisfied with their work. All the
candidates, except the ones from
Dwarka ward, have been assigned the
election symbol ‘TORCH’.
The election campaign for the Jan
Pratinidhi Manch candidates has taken
off in full swing in all the wards. The
candidates, together with groups
of supporters, are approaching the
residents in the different pockets of
their wards, going house to house and
explaining how they are different from
the candidates standing on tickets of
the various established political parties.
They are appealing to the residents
to vote for their own selected Jan
Pratinidhi, who will put the concerns
of the residents first, and will be
accountable to the residents, unlike
the candidates of the established
political parties that we have seen
so far. They are also appealing to the
residents to contribute funds towards
the campaign and election expenses of
their Jan Pratinidhi, and the residents
are responding enthusiastically to the
appeal.
In Kalkaji ward, hundreds of youth,
women and men have been organizing
a series of spirited rallies in support
of their candidate, Sanjay Gautam,
through the blocks of Transit Camp,
every Sunday and also every evening.
Holding aloft banners of Jan Pratinidhi
M a n c h , Tr a n s i t C a m p B a c h a o
Sangharsh Samiti and ‘Transit Camp
Bachao, Sanjoo Layo’, they brought
freshness, colour and hope to the
residents, amidst the drab, worn-
out campaigns of the political party
candidates, full of false promises that
our people have learnt to see through.
The slogan ‘Jan Pratinidhi Manch ne
dee chunauti, khatam ho party netaon
ke raajniti’ is on everyone’s lips, as
they recount how all the party leaders
were nowhere to be seen when they
had to face the bulldozers of the
MCD last year, and how Sanjay led
their struggle with the help of the
Lok Raj Sangathan and organized
the Transit Camp Bachao Sangharsh
Samiti. Residents generously
contributed to the campaign, through
funds and other forms of support.
Enthusiastic campaigning is also going
on in Girinagar, within the same ward,
where a large contingent of students
and youth are going around the
various Khands of the colony with the
candidate, carrying colourful banners
and sporting T-shirts, each bearing
the name of Jan Pratinidhi Manch and
the symbol TORCH.
In Madanpur Khadar ward, a 150 strong
team accompanied the candidate, Ms.
Reena Luke in marching through the
lanes of J.J.Colony, Khadar Vistar.
Banners of J.J.Colony, Khadar Vistar
Sangharsh Samiti and Jan Pratinidhi
Manch heralded their approach,
together with full-throated slogans
such as ‘Dillivasiyon ki yeh lalkaar, Ab
jitayen apnaa ummeedvar!’ and ‘Nikle
Continued on page 7

6 April 1-15 2007 – Volume 29 – Issue 7

Voice of Toilers & Tillers
Delhi Municipal Corporaton...
Continued from page 6
chor sab party pratinidhi, Ab ki baar
sirf Jan Pratinidhi!’. The residents here,
especially the youth and women are
eagerly coming out in large numbers
to support their own Jan Pratinidhi,
who is herself a college student and
a social activist associated with the
Hind Naujawan Ekta Sabha. Several
such actions are being carried out
every day.
In Harkesh Nagar ward, residents of
Sanjay Colony, led by the women and
youth, are vigorously campaigning for
the success of their Jan Pratinidhi.
The candidate here, Lokesh Kumar, a
youth activist of the Hind Naujawan
Ekta Sabha, a street-theatre artist
of the Rangbhoomi Natya Samooh
and an active organizer and leader of
the Sanjay Colony Niwasi Sangharsh
Samiti, is extremely popular. This is
evident from the response that his
campaign is drawing from the residents.
Disgusted with the candidates of the
political parties, who have betrayed the
residents of this J.J.cluster time and
again, people here are full of joy and
hope this time, as their ‘own son’ is
the candidate and they are determined
to make him win. Hundreds of women
and youth, donning T-shirts and holding
aloft banners and flags, bearing the
symbol TORCH and the name of Jan
Pratinidhi Manch, are accompanying
the candidate in marching through
the colony and in the neighbouring
slum clusters in the same ward, loudly
declaring ‘Ab janata ka sach ho sapna,
ab janata ho maalik apna, jitayen jan
pratinidhi apna’ and ‘Shashan satta
apne haath, apne jan pratinidhi ke
saath’.
In Haus Khas ward, the candidate
Sqn. Ldr. Mitroo and his supporters
are addressing the residents during
their morning walk in the parks. They
are also organizing marches and sit-in
campaigns around the markets and
other public spaces in the ward.
Vigorous door-to-door campaigning
by groups of residents is being
carried out in the different residential
clusters of Shahpurjat ward, where
the candidate Ms. Ranjoo Minhas
is the general secretary of the
Residents Welfare Association of her
colony, Masjid Moth, and a popular
social activist.
April 1-15 2007 – Volume 29 – Issue 7
In the colonies of the Vasant Vihar ward,
such as Hill View Apartments, Indian
Airlines Colony, Vasant Enclave, etc,
ordinary people very vocally expressed
their disgust with the Congress and
BJP and other established parties
which are part of the political system.
They voiced their support for the Jan
Pratinidhi Manch candidate KumKum
Talwar since she promised to be owe
her allegiance to the people of the
ward rather than the high command of
a political party.
A colourful feature of the election
campaign in many of these wards has
been the performance of the street play
“Faisla aapke haath mein” by the young
artistes of the Rangbhoomi Natya
Samooh. Enacting real life situations
with humorous interludes, the play
brings out how the established political
parties fool the people and divide
them, and poses before the audience
the alternative – that by selecting
and electing our own candidates from
amongst ourselves, we the people
can challenge the domination of the
political parties and exercise control
over our elected representatives.
Reports of enthusiastic campaigning are
coming in daily from all the wards. Every
where, the campaign of the candidates
of Jan Pratinidhi Manch is marked by
high spirits and wide participation of the
residents of the ward, in stark contrast
to the hackneyed and lack-lustre
campaign of the disorganized bunches
of 15-20 cadres of the political party
candidates. 
7
Voice of Toilers & Tillers
Massacre at Nandigram...
Continued from page 1
independent investigations, it has
become clear that the ruling CPI(M)
launched a pre-planned massacre
of the people of Nandigram on 14th
March. According to the allied parties
in the ruling coalition in West Bengal,
they were kept in the dark about
this.
Over 5000 armed personnel attacked
men, women and children who had
gathered in prayer meetings in a
maidan. People were shot at in cold
blood with intent to kill, as evident from
the bullet wounds. It is reported that
women were mutilated, children cut into
pieces and dead bodies thrown into the
nearby river. It is corroborated by many
reports that leaders of CPI(M), including
its Member of Parliament from Haldia,
led the violent attack on protesters
in Nandigram. In some respects, the
massacre at Nandigram is reminiscent
of the massacre of Sikhs in 1984 in
Delhi and the massacre of Muslims in
2002 in Gujarat. It is an act of terror
organised by the party in power.
Buddhadev Bhattacharya, Chief Minister
of West Bengal, claimed in a statement
to the state assembly on 15th March
that “the police had to open fire in
self-defence”. The basic premise of
the justification he offered is that the
developments in Nandigram posed a
‘law and order’ problem. The main party
leaders of the CPI(M) have all argued
that there was a need to “restore
the rule of law” in Nandigram. They
are acting in the style of the British
colonialists and all the Indian bourgeois
parties that defend the colonial legacy.
They claim that anybody who tries to
block the drive of the big capitalists for
maximum profit poses a ‘law and order’
problem; and that it is allegedly justified
to suppress them with force.
The Chief Minister argued that organized
resistance in Nandigram was not
justified as his government had not
yet made the final decision on land
acquisition. Just because people took
pre-emptive action, to defend their
8 April 1-15 2007 – Volume 29 – Issue 7
land from being seized, he claims it was
just fine to have sent the police and his
party goons to “restore order”.
The nature of the problem in Nandigram
is not different from the problems being
encountered all over India, wherever
the big capitalists are out to grab
precious land and are having state
governments acting in their interests.
There is a clash taking place between the
interests of the big capitalists, Indian
and international, and the interests of
the peasants and other working people
whose livelihood is under threat. The
CPI(M) is acting in the interests of
the capitalists, and claiming that this
is in the best interests of all classes!
It is branding anyone who opposes
this program as an enemy of the
industrialisation of West Bengal. It is
declaring, in George Bush style, that
“either you are with us or you are a
terrorist”!
The point is that the question of
acquiring cultivable land for industrial
use is a problem of economic and
political nature. It must therefore be
approached in a political manner. It
cannot and must not be turned into a
‘law and order’ problem.
The British colonial rulers enacted
the Land Acquisition Act to legitimize
seizure of land from the peasantry. They
too claimed that this was being done
for the economic development (meaning
plunder) of India. They unleashed brute
force to crush anyone who dared to
prevent their land from being grabbed
by the colonial state.
The CPI(M) led Left Front Government
is guilty of resorting to the use of force
to deal with a problem of political and
economic nature. It is guilty of state
terrorism. It is guilty of threatening
peasants with forcible alienation of
their land, backed by the colonial Land
Acquisition Act, and then unleashing
brute force against those who blocked
the way.
The leaders of CPI(M) are refusing to
admit guilt. They are brazenly trying
to justify what cannot be justified.
They are also trying to create the
false notion that the massacre in
Nandigram was an ‘aberration’, which
is ‘unfortunate’. Nothing can be farther
from the truth.
The fascist conduct of the CPI(M) led
West Bengal Government is the logical
consequence of being a trusted party of
the Indian big bourgeoisie, which is on
an aggressive imperialist course at this
time. The big bourgeoisie entrusts state
power in the hands of CPI(M) precisely
because it is a party that serves their
interests, while deceiving workers and
peasants into believing that it works for
them. When deception fails to pacify the
people, such a party inevitably resorts to
brute force to crush their resistance.
The developments in Nandigram and the
entire history of CPI (M) rule in West
Bengal shows that this party is like a
wolf in sheep’s clothing. Its leaders
say one thing and do the opposite.
They keep repeating that no peasants
will be deprived of land without their
consent, and then unleash brute force
against those who do not give their
consent. They oppose the SEZ policy of
the bourgeoisie wherever they are not
in power, and champion the same policy
where they are in power.
Most importantly, the developments
in Nandigram reveal the fear that
the CPI(M) has of the workers and
peasants questioning the “law” and
”order” of the bourgeoisie, and taking
steps towards deciding their own
future. CPI(M) is deadly opposed to
the workers and peasants coming to
power, and is ever willing to drown the
revolutionary struggle of the workers
and peasants in rivers of blood. It
cannot be trusted by the workers
and peasants. This is the lesson of
Nandigram.
Those guilty of the Nandigram massacre
must be punished. Progressive forces
cannot apply one standard to one
party and another standard to another
party. Those guilty of state terrorism
must be punished – no matter to which
party they belong and what label they
wear. 
Letters to Editor

People of India and
Pakistan want peace
Editor
I am very grateful to the Central Committee
of the Communist Ghadar Party of India
that it released its statement on
the terrible attack on the Samjautha
Express; the statement released on 25th
February was most timely.
It has been reported that about 70
innocent lives were lost in the terrible
tragedy on the night of February 18.
Speculation in the media was rife that
this was connected with the visit of
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister to India.
Many officials were also claiming that
this incident will not affect the talks
in any way.
It is the ordinary people of India and
Pakistan, who want to live at peace
with each other, who fall prey to such
calamities. Among the victims are
many families whose members were
separated in 1947. Many of them were
unable to realize their aspirations to
meet with each other due to the war-
like situation that prevailed between the
two countries.
It is a fact that while the peoples
of our two countries would benefit
from mutual peace, the reactionary
bourgeoisie in the two countries want
exactly the opposite, because it serves
them to keep the mutual tension and
antagonisms alive, in their game of
furthering their respective ambitions
to become powerful. Even as the
attack took place, the peoples of the
two countries helped the victims,
while their governments did very little
to extend any help, as your statement
points out.
Every such incident should be thoroughly
investigated and the guilty should be
punished. The Indian and Pakistani people
are fed up with the war-mongering
of their rulers. The attempts at
peace between the peoples of the two
countries should not be derailed by such
events, because those who organize
them are enemies of the people. The
CGPI will have to play a decisive role in
establishing peace between the peoples
of the two countries.
A. Narayan
Banglore

Slum dwellers organize dharna demanding homes

Slum dwellers who were evicted from
their homes in Vikaspuri, Delhi are
sitting on an indefinite protest dharna
at the zonal office of the DDA in West
Delhi from March 6th, 2007. These
slum dwellers were evicted from their
pitiful homes in Sant Ravi Das Camp
and Indira Camp No.1 on May 4th last
year. They were relocated in Bawana, a
desolate area in the outskirts of Delhi
wherein there is neither schooling or
health care facilities, opportunities of
livelihood, or transport facilities. To add
insult to injury these workers have not
yet been allotted plots after living over
10 months without a roof over their
heads.
The Dharna is highlighting that
1. The draw and allotment of plots have
not been done by DDA for the last
10 months
2. The families who are eligible for 18
sq mtr plot have been given 12.5 sq
mtr plot
3. More than 100 families who are
having documents for their stay
prior to 31.12.98 have still not been
given demand letters.
The protestors point that in this period Numerous petitions have been filed
of ten months more than 1000 children with the DDA, the Ministry of Urban
of these families who were studying in Development and all the concerned
Government schools in Vikaspuri have state officials to no avail. They are
dropped out. Due to non availability asking “Where are our Fundamental
of proof of residence, the children Rights; Right to Education & Right to
have been deprived of schools. Thus life with Dignity? There is ample land
the children have been denied of their for the Malls, Hotels, PVRs, Shopping
fundamental Right to Education. Plazas & that too without taxes but
there is no land for the poor even in
The families were drawing their food the outskirts of Delhi where there is
grains through the public distribution no employment opportunity & basic
system in Vikaspuri. But due to non amenities for these displaced urban
availability of proof of residence, the workers.”
families have been deprived of the right
to food. People"s Voice fully supports this
just struggle of the workers and
The protestors are openly questioning working people for housing and livelihood
the kind of democracy in place. rights. 
Request to Readers
We request our readers to send in reports/articles on
the life and struggles of workers, peasants, women,
youth and every section of the working people.
This will contribute to strengthening the political unity
and struggles of workers and peasants for the renewal of
Indian society

April 1-15 2007 – Volume 29 – Issue 7 9


Voice of Toilers & Tillers
Down with the Armed...
Continued from page 1
exists, and accusing the PDP of “playing
politics”. The Congress government at
the Centre and Manmohan Singh have
expectedly taken a softer tone, but
have also refused to budge on the core
demands. The time-honored methods
of defusing such demands – including
lengthy “discussions” and constituting
committees to look into the issue – are
being explored by the UPA government
to get over this crisis.
The demands for withdrawal of the
AFSPA, for troop withdrawal from civilian
areas and for ending the army takeover
of various civilian premises in Kashmir,
are all absolutely just and necessary
demands. These are the demands being
voiced for years by the beleaguered people
of Kashmir and by democratic forces
around the country and internationally.
The military occupation of Kashmir must
end! Continuing for decades with no end
in sight, it has pervaded all aspects of
Women raise their voices...
Continued from page 1
of their rights. Working women
from different sectors spoke at the
conference about the humiliation and
atrocities they have to face at the place
of work and in the society. The social
pressures that girls in our society have
to face, the lack of proper education
and health facilities, collapse of the
public distribution system as well as
the poverty and hardships faced by the
women in their homes were important
topics of discussion. Many women’s
organisations roundly condemned the
state for not fulfilling its responsibility
of providing a dignified existence and
rights to the women in our society.
The activists of Purogami Mahila
Sangathan addressed the conference
and clearly explained that the main
roadblock to the emancipation of women
lies in the present political system,
in which ordinary women and men do
not have the political power to change
their conditions. Political power in this
system, they pointed out, is in the
Lok Awaz Publishers & Distributors,
E–392, Sanjay Colony, Okhla Phase-II, New Delhi - 110020
life in Kashmir like a dreadful cancer and
choked the pores of everyday life. It has
been responsible for the brutal torture,
slaying and engineered “disappearances”
of countless Kashmiris, as well as for
the suffering of innumerable parents,
widows and young children. Far from
being the solution to the problem of
escalating violence in Kashmir, it is the
problem itself.
The issue is not whether the PDP, which
headed the state government till last
year and is still a partner of the ruling
coalition, is “playing politics” or not as
the Congress alleges. The very fact that
it has seen fit to raise these demands
loudly now only reflects the extent and
depth of public anger in the state on
these issues. The recent revelations
about how the occupation forces
have been systematically killing off
ordinary civilians and passing this off as
encounters with terrorists for monitory
profit and promotions have only further
fueled this anger. The PDP-Congress
government in Kashmir came to power
hands of the big capitalists, who rule
through their political parties. While
the masses of working women and men
have no mechanism by which they can
determine the course of the economy
or what kind of development they need,
the ruling class imposes its agenda
on the people through its political
party representatives, an agenda
that only helps to increase manifold
the profits of the exploiters. They
pointed out that in the forthcoming
Municipal Corporation elections in
Delhi, residents in many localities were
selecting their own candidates from
amongst themselves and rejecting the
party candidates. The movement to
select and elect Jan Pratinidhis was
aimed at bringing people forward to
participate directly in governance and
challenge the domination of the agenda
pursued by the political parties of the
big capitalists. Only with political power
in our hands can we hope to change our
conditions and those of millions of our
toiling sisters and brothers all over the
country, they asserted, much to the
appreciation of the audience. 
with the promise of providing the
“healing touch”. The people know very
well that there can be no healing of the
grievously wounded state without the
complete dismantling of the apparatus
of repression that has been entrenched
there over so many decades.
The same demands for withdrawal of
the AFSPA and other repressive laws,
and for a complete end to military and
paramilitary deployment in civilian areas,
are being voiced by lakhs of people, men
and women, young and old, from Manipur
and all the states of the north east to
Kashmir. These demands are finding an
echo even among the legislators and
politicians in these areas. The Centre
is trying to turn a blind eye to the
strength of the people's sentiments in
these areas, and is using a combination
of denial, deception and increased
repression. However the movement
against state terrorism cannot be
suppressed so easily and is steadily
gaining momentum, not just in these
regions but across the country. 
Condemn the state...
Continued from page 4
has reached a new height following
a militant agitation in front of the
Collector's Office in February 2007. The
attacks on the activists including using
of goondas to terrorise women activists,
physical harassment of activists as well
as arrests and police cases.
The unleashing of state terror on peoples
activists by the Tamilnadu police, Special
Branch as well administration deserved
unreserved condemnation. Peoples
Voice calls upon all the fighting people
to stand united and firm in defence of
rights against state terror, upholding
the principle that “An Attack on One is
An attack on All”! 
Internet Edition of
Mazdoor Ekta Lehar &
People's Voice at
http://www.cgpi.org,
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