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New Democracy April 2019
New Democracy April 2019
50 Years of CPI(ML) the Indian revolution or in developing revolutionary struggles in the country,
for according to some both are to be developed prior to its formation, what
Fifty years back, on April 22, 1969, on the centenary of the birth of on earth would be the need to have a revolutionary Party. In essence,
Lenin, Communist Revolutionaries of India who came out of the CPI(M) these diehard subjective idealists denied the struggle inside the Party for a
formed revolutionary Communist Party CPI(ML). The formation of CPI(ML) correct line or in other words refused to recognize the two line struggle
was announced in a Rally held on 1st of May, 1969. Formation of CPI(ML) inside the Communist Party. CPI(ML) had to overcome these anti-dialectical
was the culmination of the struggle which has been going on in the theories which glorified the ‘historical inevitability of groups’ and the trash
communist movement in India, first in CPI and then in CPM. Breaking from of ‘pure party from below’ despite teachings of great teachers Marx, Engels,
revisionism and neo-revisionism, communist revolutionaries of India formed Lenin, Stalin and Mao. That such trash is still poured out only shows that
their Party based on Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought. They adopted idealism has lives more numerous than fabled nine feline lives and is amply
a programme of New Democratic Revolution and path of Protracted People’s nourished by the petty-bourgeois milieu of our country.
War. While struggle waged by Communist Party of China under the Last fifty years have also been years of two line struggle inside CPI(ML)
leadership of Com. Mao did provide the encouragement, it was the struggle reflecting the class struggle going on in society and the complexities of
of communist revolutionaries in India against Revisionism and Neo- the revolutionary struggles in India. In fact, this two line continued as earlier
revisionism and particularly their parliamentary path which led to their rupture and it could not have been otherwise. The struggle against revisionism,
from the anti-Marxist leadership of first CPI and then CPM. that subversion of revolutionary Marxism to subordinate the struggle of the
Communist Revolutionaries who formed CPI(ML) had come out of a working class and other revolutionary sections of society to the interests
Party i.e. CPI(M). It was not a formation of a communist Party for the first of ruling classes, has continued unabated and it could not have been
time but reorganization of the communist movement in the country. It was otherwise. While such struggle has been inevitable and continues to be so,
the Naxalbari armed peasant struggle which had galvanized the revolutionary the divisions in the CPI(ML) and the revolutionary movement were not
communists inside the CPI(M) to revolt against the neo-revisionist leadership inevitable and are a failure of the communist revolutionaries of India. It has
of that Party. They formed All India Coordination Committee of Communist brought up the task of uniting the communist revolutionaries of the country
Revolutionaries which united overwhelming majority of the communist into a single Party having common ideological basis and unity on the basic
revolutionaries from one end of India to another. Then AICCCR decided to points of the programme, tactical line and organizational principles. Basis
form the Party. It said, “The growing unity within the revolutionary ranks for such a unity exists in India. But achieving it needs both a correct approach
despite the obstacles created by the reactionaries of all sorts proves that towards unification of communist revolutionary forces as well as growth of
we have overcome the main impediment to the formation of a revolutionary the revolutionary movement under the leadership of the forces having such
party in India.” a correct approach.
Formation of the Party had to overcome some idealist deviations on On this occasion of fifty years of CPI(ML) formation we should
the question of Party formation. Several organizations and individuals even rededicate ourselves to the task of developing revolutionary struggles to
now keep on criticizing CPI(ML) formation from those idealist positions. take New Democratic Revolution to victory, should revigorate our struggles
These positions saw no role for the Party in developing revolutionary against all that is decadent and reactionary in society. Even while focusing
struggles i.e. these could be developed without Party, no role for the Party on the immediate tasks, we should wage all round struggle against
in developing correct line for the revolution in India for that was the condition reactionaries and revisionists. CPI(ML) was formed to take forward
precedent for the formation of the Party. Essentially their positions were revolutionary struggle breaking the shackles imposed by parliamentary
‘idealist fantasy’ and worse these were advocacy of Party less revolution. cretinism; to overthrow this anti-people system maintained by the armed
For if the Party had to have no role either in developing a correct line for might of the state of the ruling classes through revolutionary violence.
JALLIANWALA BAGH : A LIGHT situation of post war crisis people’s struggles were coming up in a big way
and the British government had only one response and that was brutal
HOUSE FOR FIGHT FOR REAL repression. For this British government appointed a Committee under
Sydney Rowlatt. The purpose of this Committee was to find out the causes
INDEPENDENCE of the conspiracies and was linked to the proposal for making some laws
for solution of those problems. Committee submitted its report to the
Sardara Singh Mahil Government of India on 15th April 1918. One of the proposals of the
committee was to enact a new law. Acting on the proposal of Rowlatt
Hundred years back, on 13 April, 1919 Punjab bled profusely at the committee two bills were prepared. One was called “Amendment bill, Indian
hands of British imperialists in Jallianwala Bagh at Amritsar. It was a heinous penal code and Indian criminal procedure code amendment bill”. This was
massacre, unparalleled in the history of India, where 379 persons were known as Rowlatt Act. This bill provided that in case of some document or
killed and more than1200 were wounded, according to the figures given by literature containing matter provoking revolt against the British crown or
the British rulers, but unofficial figures of casualties are much more. any other rebellious matter, the accused could be sentenced to prison for
According to Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya 971 people were killed, the a period of two years or internment for a definite period. Any writing against
number of dead given by Swami Shradhanand was 1500. An enquiry some official, employee or representative of the government shall be
committee appointed by Congress said that more than 1000 were killed considered as rebellious literature. The Court was entitled to ask for a
and the number of injured was much more. General Dyer, a brigadier of bond, even after the person had undergone the punishment and could order
British army, leading a contingent of soldiers ordered the firing on unarmed, to not to move outside a prescribed area for a definite period of time. The
innocent people and continued firing till the stock of ammunition was second bill was titled as “Criminal law emergency powers bill “. This law
exhausted. Firing was not to control some unruly mob bent upon rioting, as provided that any person could be arrested without any arrest warrant, and
the assembly was completely peaceful and within four walls. It was intended any premise could be searched without any search warrants. It provided
to teach a lesson to the Punjabis. Later on, deposing before the Hunter for imprisonment and fine up to rupees two thousand. This bill empowered
Commission of the British government, General Dyer said he wanted to the Viceroy to bring any part of the country or the country as a whole under
break the morale of the people of Punjab. This massacre was a turning this law by notifying it in the Gazette. Any act committed even before such
point in the freedom struggle of Indian people and a milestone. area was notified, could be tried under this law. The Court was empowered
to ban the public hearing of any case and could ban the publication of court
Jallianwala Bagh massacre was not an isolated incident it was at the proceeding.
zenith of a wave of people’s struggle unleashed after the introduction of
Rowlatt bill. Moreoverwave of struggle in Punjab was perceived as A wave of anger and resentment spread across the country against this
somehow,a continuation of the Gadar party movement. Let us analyze the law. Protests erupted throughout the country. A strike call at all India level
trail of events preceding the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. was given on 30th March, 1919 but this Call was later postponed to April 6,
1919. But this postponement had no effect on Punjabis, they did not relent
CONTEXT OF THIS MASSACRECONTEXT OF THIS and observed strike on March 30, 1919. Punjab remained completely shut.
MASSACRE In Amritsar a complete strike was observed and all enterprises remained
closed. A public meeting was held in Jallianwala Bagh. According to the
British imperialism was badly shaken in the first imperialist war, 1914- reports 35 thousand people attended the public meeting. Dr. Saifuddin
1919. It was rising imperialist power America, which mostly benefitted from Kitchlew was the main speaker apart from others. This meeting adopted a
the war. Invincibility of British imperialism came under question and resolution, urging the King of England not to give assent to the Rowlatt
hollowness and degeneration of British imperialism was exposed. In the bills.
Most of the documents, concerning the most volatile period of the Indian The records narrated the story of newly married Rattan Devi who had
freedom struggle, not only showed the Britishers brazenly flouting spent the night of April 13-14, 1919 by the side of her husband. Only, he
democratic norms, indulging in barbarism while suppressing the mass was dead, lying amid the hundreds strewn all over the Bagh. The place
Jallianwala Bagh — Some encourage hatred among Hindus and Muslims and deepen communal and
also other divisions in India.
Aspects In the beginning of 20th Century, Bengal and Punjab had emerged as
important regions of struggle against British colonial rule. The division of
Massacre of unarmed Indians at Jallianwala Bagh is an important Bengal by Viceroy Curzon had led to widespread anger among the people
milestone in the history of the struggle of the people of India against British of Bengal. Congress Party, formed by British official A.O. Hume with the
colonial rule. This year 13th April marked a centenary of that barbaric act of blessings of the then Viceroy Dufferin, had its first taste of participating
colonial rulers. It reminds every Indian who upholds the legacy of that and leading a mass movement. Many forms of struggle were put into practice
heroic sacrifice of people of Punjab that the ideals for which our ancestors in the course of this movement like boycott of foreign goods, mass
braved bullets on their bodies have remained unfulfilled. In this issue of demonstrations and strikes etc. These forms became a regular feature of
ND there is an article by Com. SS Mahil on Jallianwala Bagh massacre people’s struggle against British colonial rulers. This movement had its
which, besides narrating the details of that heinous act of terrorizing the repercussions in the Congress with the rise of the demand for Home Rule.
people of Punjab, also deals with the political context of that massacre From the increase in the participation of Indians in the administration, this
and the continuing imperialist exploitation of the country. In this issue there new slogan of self-rule emerged. Congress suffered division into moderates
is also a write-up by Com. Shamsul Islam which brings out facts of the (Naram Dal) and hardliners (Garam Dal) i.e. those sticking to earlier position
brutal repression from the documents from the National Archives. of increase in the participation in the Administration and those favouring
It is the struggle of Indian people against British colonial rule which self-rule respectively (termed Swaraj by Tilak, the most prominent leader
forged unity among the people of India and brought them together in their of hardliners). This division came to a head in the Surat Session of the
common struggle. Though there were a number of struggles of the people Congress in December 1907. The British responded with the heavy repression
against British colonial rule including struggle of tribal peasantry and also in Bengal on the one hand and Morley Minto Reforms on the other. Agitation
valiant Vellore uprising, it was the Indian people’s revolt against British against division of Bengal spurred people’s sentiments against colonial
colonial rule in 1857 which was the first pan India uprising of the Indian rule and found support in different parts of the country. Many Congress
people and initiated the process of forging their identity. While many Indian leaders developed all India name and following owing to this upsurge.
feudal kings resisted the advance of British colonial rule over India, the Though Congress reach and following increased due to this struggle, Bengali
decline of Mughal empire and feudal disunity prevailing after that was utilized youth were drawn to militant organizations advocating all out struggle against
by the British colonial power to enslave the country. While some feudal colonial rule. British colonial rulers were alarmed with this. British colonial
forces sided with the people in 1857, it was essentially a peasant revolt rulers were forced to annul the division of Bengal in 1911. Though British
and first 'indpendent' assertion of the Indian peasantry on the Indian political rulers tried to couch this decision within the larger plan for reorganization
scene. It was essentially a “National revolt” of Indians so termed by the of old Bengal province, but the success of the people’s agitation was
then leader of opposition in British Parliament, Disraeli, who also called unmistakable and strengthened the hardliners within Congress.
Indian soldiers of the British Army as uniformed peasants. 1857 shook the Soon came the First World War, a war among imperialist powers over
British colonial empire in India to the core and it was mainly the feudal redivision of the world among them, Congress gave a call for participation
kings and princes, particularly in the critical arena of war against the East in the War and tried to mobilize the people with the hope that British rulers
India Company, who helped British to re-establish their rule over India, a will grant self-rule after the conclusion of war. British colonial rulers also
fact admitted by the then Governor General and Chief Commander of the kept up such an illusion. Congress leaders like Gandhi, who had come
British forces. After 1857 followed cementing of the alliance of British back to India from South Africa in January 1915 and Tilak campaigned for
colonial rulers and feudal forces in India, a period of brutal suppression of assisting British in the war. This hope or illusion led to unity among different
Indian people, systematization of the policy of British colonial rulers to factions in the Congress in 1914-’15 with ‘hardliners’ gaining in strength
Politics of Formation of CPL (ML) despite the obstacles created by reactionaries of all sorts proves that we
have overcome the msin impediment to the formation of a revolutionary
— Response to Criticism party in India. The Co-ordination Committee has thus served as the first
indispensable link in the chain- the process of forming a Marxist Leninist
Amit Chakraborty Party in India". The Coordination Committee concluded that “the political
and organizational needs of the fast developing revolutionary struggles
[Fifty years ago, CPI (M-L) was formed on 22 April in 1969. CPI (M-L) can no longer be adequately met by the Co-ordination Committees. These
occupies a glorious place in the liberation struggle of the Indian people. struggles have to be led and coordinated in an effective manner." To
The CPI (M-L) was formed as a party of the revolutionary communists in consolidate and expand the existing 'areas of struggle', the entire
opposition to the left-wing parliamentary parties. After many major errors revolutionary forces must be fully roused and organized.’ ‘Without a
and mistakes, today CPI (M-L) continues to be a prominent political revolutionary party there can be no revolutionary discipline and without
movement in India.One may differ with CPI(ML) but cannot ignore its revolutionary discipline, the struggles cannot be raised to a higher level. .
presence. The presence of CPI (M-L) in the realm of politics, economy, But the Coordination Committee cannot fulfil the complex political &
culture and ideology is felt every moment. On the 50 years of the foundation organisational tasks arising out of the present stage of revolutionary
of CPI (M-L), let’s try to understand the criticism confronting CPI(M-L) struggle.“
formation.] 2
"All India Co-ordination Committee of Communist Revolutionaries "At a time when Communist revolutionaries all over the country have
(AICCCR), which met in a plenary session from 19 to 22 April 1969, given priority to the task of building revolutionary bases in the rural areas,
announces the formation of a revolutionary party, Communist Party of India at a time when the slogan of revolutionary class struggle is rending the
(Marxist Leninist) based on the thought of Mao Tse Tung, on 22nd April sky, it is our immediate duty to form a revolutionary party without which
1969, the one hundredth birthday of Great Lenin- a task it had set itself the advance of revolution is sure to be impeded.’ While taking the decision
eighteenth months ago, in November 1967- and also announces its own to form a party, the Coordination Committee warned against idealist deviation
dissolution after setting up a central organizing committee to hold Congress on the question of formation of a party- “Refusing to accept the inner
at an appropriate time." This announcement of Party formation was made struggle of the party is an idealist deviation which hinders party building. A
on April 22, 1969. CPI (ML) formation has been facing many debates, party should be formed after eliminating all opportunistic antiproletarian
questions and criticisms since its birth. Fifty years after, the debates are tendencies and unwanted elements through class struggle, such an idea is
still going on. In the current article, attempt is made to understand the nothing but a subjective idealism . "To conceive a party without
formation of CPI (M-L) and the controversies surrounding its political contradictions, without the struggle between the opposites", in other words,
positions in the light of Marxism-Leninism. the idea of a pure and perfect party, is indulging in mere idealist fantasy.”
In this context, CPI (M-L) declared clearly in its political resolution that
'It is time to form the Party'
Indian society is semi-colonial semifeudal. Its political proposal stated that,
On 8th February 1969, the Co-ordination Committee of the All India ‘At this stage, the Indian revolution is a new type of democratic revolution
Communist Revolutionaries took this proposal ‘It is time to form the party’. –the peoples democratic revolution- whose main content is agriarian
This proposal stated that – "It is a heartening fact that within the last one revolution, the abolition of feudalism in the countryside.’ In our country the
year, revolutionaries from Assam to Maharashtra have united under the two main pillars of imperialism are feudalism and comprador bureaucratic
banner of All India Coordination Committee and all the centres of capitalism. It is said in clear words, “The Indian people will be liberated
revolutionary peasant struggles are linked with one another through this from the yoke of imperialism and comprador bureaucratic capital by liberating
committee...... The growing unity within the ranks of the revolutionaries themselves from the yoke of feudalism because the struggle against
Communist party of India (Marxist-Leninist) & Com. Asit Sen Com. SNS in his reply said that the first and the foremost task of forming
a proletarian party is its political and ideological character. It is not very
One of the eminent leaders of AICCCR, Com: Asit Sen criticized CPI much clear that on what basis, without any thorough analysis of the political
(M-L) on certain questions in his book, ‘An Approach to Naxalbari’ (Chapter organizational draft documents published after formation of CPI (M-L), Com.
- ‘The revolutionary war led by Party’). In the fifteenth year (third-fourth) of Sen marked it as a petty-bourgeois party. Petty bourgeois class origin of
the Jalark magazine, it was published under the title of the ‘Revolutionary leadership can be an organization’s weakness, but it is not understood
war led by the party’. While speaking about the formation of CPI (M-L), Asit how it plays a decisive role in evaluating its political ideological position.
Sen wrote: ‘Despite all these inconsistencies, this confusion and The difference between weakness and deviation is not mentioned by Com.
contradiction, things were taking a specific form and it was formed on April Asit Sen in his article.
22, 1969. The political and organizational draft that was adopted on this
Com. Asit Sen wrote an article ‘A dangerous line’, in which he highlighted
day and what has already been mentioned several times clearly shows
some important points regarding the formation of the Communist Party,
that Charu Majumdar succeeded in establishing his political organizational
but he has been a victim of idealist deviation on party building and interaction
line on leadership ‘. He also wrote, ‘The first two documents left behind all
of political work among the working class. The vast areas of India where
the elements of factionist and extremist trends, or in different languages,
Communist revolutionaries are working are rural and there is no industrial
such a wetland, where soon the party will be submerged. Most of the
proletariat. They are the vast majority in terms of population. In these
formulations of those two documents were contrary to Marxism-Leninism
regions poor peasants, landless agricultural labourers, unorganized
and Mao Zedong Thought.’ But sadly, Com. Sen failed to enlighten us
workers, are strong allies of industrial proletariat. If the revolutionary agrarian
about how ‘most of the formulations were against Marxism-Leninism and
struggles in rural areas is to be formed in that case the rural areas will be
Mao Zedong thought’. Com Asit Sen further said, ‘In fact, Satyanarayan
the centre of gravity for revolution and naturally poor landless peasants
Singh was the chief commentator of the drafts’. As per his opinion Com:
and rural workers will be involved in larger number than the industrial
Satyanarayan Singh made few new formulations in the name of Marxism-
workers. Com. Asit Sen is self-contradictory on this question.
Leninism, which are nothing but a mockery of his former ideology’. In
response to the writing of Com. Asit Sen, Com. Satyanarayan Singh At one place Com. Sen says: ‘That is why the main thing of Marxism is
published ‘Building up the Proletarian Party & Agrarian Revolution’ that struggle for socialism and labour movement are bound by inseparable
(Liberation, November 1969.) In his article Com. SNS argued against Com. thread, one cannot go far beyond another’. In Communist Manifesto, Marx
Asit Sen, “The real intention is to abandon the rural areas, abandon guerrilla speaks not only of workers movement but also of the working class to
struggles that are breaking feudal fetters in 7 states. ...in the name of stand in front of the nation. Struggle for socialism cannot progress by
building-up proletarian party these gentlemen want to drag us back to the separating workers’ movement from the National Liberation Movement in
revisionist road of class collaboration.” the era of Leninism. So the slogan has become ‘Workers of the world and
oppressed nationalities unite’. Thus, the struggle for socialism cannot be
In his article Com. SNS answered a few questions raised by Com. Asit
compartmentalised in this sectarian way.
Sen. Although Com: Sen supported the notion of armed struggle and building
of rural base areas but he criticized the policy of sending petty bourgeois Shortly after this, Com. Asit Sen writes- ‘The task of building a
cadre to the rural areas. He identified CPI (M-L) as a petty-bourgeois party revolutionary party is involved in two things in an integral way, One - planning
not a party of the working class. He demanded that the proletarian party armed struggle; Two - to unite all revolutionary classes to develop this
should be formed from the working class. Com: Asit Sen criticized the CPI armed struggle and to lead to a fixed goal (p.6). Then it is said that “so the