Volume 57 No.
12 Fortnightly Organ of the SOCIALIST UNITY CENTRE OF INDIA (COMMUNIST) 8 Pages
February 1, 2024 Founder Editor-in-Chief : COMRADE SHIBDAS GHOSH
Thousands upon thousands gather to pay
revolutionary tribute to great Lenin
fountain of inspiration for the
oppressed people of India as well as
of the whole world. When all
pseudo-Marxists had conveniently
forgotten the illustrious life struggle
and invaluable teachings of the
greatest personality of 21st century,
the SUCI(C), founded by Comrade
Shibdas Ghosh, an outstanding
Marxist thinker of the era and worthy
continuer of Marx-Engels-Lenin-
Comrade Provash Ghosh, Stalin-Mao Zedong, which is holding
General Secretary addressing aloft the banner of struggling leftism,
If one were present at the took upon itself to observe the birth
Shaheed Minar Maidan, Kolkata, on centenary of great Lenin in a
21 January last, one could find at befitting manner. From 7 November
what a height of respect the toiling 2023 to 21 January 2024, campaigns
people hold great Lenin, the giant for the observance of the Death
Marxist authority, architect of first Centenary of Great Lenin were
socialist revolution in Russia who had going on, so as to commemorate and
given his whole life for the cultivate the life of this great
emancipation of the working class personality. For this purpose,
and toiling millions from the yoke of thousands of wall writings were
ruthless capitalist exploitation. His done, lakhs of posters had been
illustrious lifelong struggle is a displayed and crores of leaflets
Comrade Chandidas Bhattacharjee, Polit Bureau member and
West Bengal State Secretary, and Comrade Jaison Joseph,
Central Committee member and Kerala State Secretary, addressing
Page : 1 Price : Rs. 5.00
distributed throughout the country by doctors, lawyers, engineers,
the SUCI (C) activists. The huge litterateurs, journalists, small shop-
mass meeting on 21 January marked owners, van rickshaw drivers, white
the concluding programme of this collar employees—from every nook
observance. Similar concluding and corner of the state had
programmes were organized in other congregated at the venue well on
states also.
A large number of
Lenin Death Centenary
Committees were
constituted even at the
grassroots involving the
common people, and the
left-minded people. Even
cadres and supporters of
other left parties also
joined these committees.
Thousands of discussions
on the life and teachings
of Lenin and the relevance
of his teachings in deciding
the task incumbent on all
of us at present were
organized. The sole Comrade Saumen Basu, Polit Bureau
purpose for all these member, offering revolutionary tribute to
efforts was to let the great Lenin in front of his statue in Kolkata
uninformed masses be informed time. The whole Maidan decorated
about Lenin, his ideology and life. with fluttering red flags and portraits
Also, for the SUCI(C) leaders and of Lenin greeted them with
workers, this was a great opportunity revolutionary fervour. In a country
to intensify their struggle for where the ruling dispensation is trying
developing more and more to intoxicate the nation with
ideologically, politically, culturally and communalism-obscurantism-religious
morally and thereby build up higher bigotry, the other vote-mongering
revolutionary character. power-greedy parties are busy
Braving chilling cold and an calculating electoral arithmetic,
inclement weather, people from all people could have a glimpse of the
walks of life—industrial workers, alternative politics of struggling
poor peasants, teachers, students, leftism premised on higher culture-
youths, women, academicians, Contd. on page 2
PAGE TWO
Overflowing crowd at
Shaheed Minar Maidan
Contd. from page 1
ethics-morality.
Paresh Haldar from
Krishnanagar of Nadia district is an
organizer of peasants' movement. He
said that they were engaged in the
struggle for strengthening the
peasants' movements by forming
peasants' committees in various
areas based on the model of the
Soviets. We have come to know how
the problems of the life of the
peasants were resolved in Soviet
Russia. His friend, Biswanath
Mondal, also came to the meeting.
He had seen the prolonged
movement of SUCI(C) against
abolition of English language at
Comrade Amitava Chatterjee,
Polit Bureau member,
during his introductory remarks
primary level. He said that he is
amazed by the whole arrangement of
this huge event. Ashtami Pramanik,
a homemaker from Anara of Purulia
district, heard about the peaceful,
exploitation-free life of the women in
Soviet Russia. She said that it was a
dream society where women
workers got paid-leave during
pregnancy and even after delivery.
She wanted to know how such a
society could be established here.
Students from North Bengal Medical
College came to know how Great
Lenin had established the
exploitation-free socialist society by
defeating the pseudo-Marxists and
other reformist forces. They have
heard about well-equipped and
efficient healthcare system of Russia
which was available free to all. They
referred to the incident where a dying
soldier was saved both physically and
psychologically in a sanatorium and
after recovery, was again sent to the
battlefield to fight the fascists. They
wanted to know what needs to be
done to commission such a
healthcare system here. An eminent
doctor from neighbouring Nepal, was
fascinated with the brilliance of the
arrangement. Rahul Dey and
Chandan Das from Mugberia, East
Medinipur are agricultural labourers.
They said that they had come by bus
after raising funds through collection
Corrigendum: Please read Rs 18000 crores as Rs 1800 crores on the first page of P Era
dated 15 January 2024. Mistake regretted.
FEBRUARY 1, 2024 PROLETARIAN ERA
Revolutionary tribute to great
Lenin on conclusion of his
of donations and wanted to
understand how a state was
death anniversary
established by forming struggling
unity between the workers and
peasants. Kamal Babu living in
Jorasanko locality of Kolkata, said
that to attend this programme he had
cancelled a trip with his daughter's
family. Many such comments were
received from the assembled
masses.
Since Comrade Asit
Bhattacharyya, veteran ailing Polit
Bureau member, who was supposed
to preside over the meeting, was not
permitted by the doctors to attend the
meeting, the chair was taken by
Comrade Saumen Basu, Polit Bureau
member. At the outset, Comrade Comrade Asit Bhattacharyya, veteran Polit Bureau member, offering
Jaison Joseph, Central Committee red salute at Salt Lake Party Centre, Kolkata, on 21 January
member and Kerala State Secretary
spoke in the meeting. In his brief
speech, he touched upon how
imperialism-capitalism is running
amuck throughout the world in
absence of mighty Soviet Union.
Neither Israeli pounding of Palestine
nor imperialist Russia-Ukraine war
could take place if the socialist bloc
was in place. He further added as
the BJP is following a pro-monopolist
policy, so is also the CPI (M)-led
Kerala government. Thereafter
Comrade Chandidas Bhattacharjee,
Polit Bureau member and West Comrade K Radhakrishna, Polit Bureau member, offering red salute
Bengal State Secretary in his very at Bangalore on 21 January
brief but precise speech said that the
very name Lenin inspires one to all.
Whether it is Ram Mandir politics of
the BJP, or TMC's temple-masjid-
Gurdwara-Church rally or Nyaya
Yatra of the Congress—all are aimed
at reaping electoral benefits.
Finally, Comrade Provash
Ghosh, General Secretary, SUCI(C),
delivered his speech as main Bhopal, MP, on 14 January
speaker. He said that the rich-poor
divide was not in existence forever
nor will it remain forever. Lenin
proved that by establishing first
exploitation-free socialist state, Lenin
objectified Marx's prognosis. Lenin
not only exposed the pseudo-
Marxists but also showed the correct
process of forming a genuine
communist party. All inequality,
aberrations, maladies, malaises, and
injustice in the country are bred by
Nagpur, Maharashtra, on 21 January
the exploitative capitalist system
which all the vote-based bourgeois
petty-bourgeois parties are
subservient to. Crying need of the
hour is united struggling left
alternative to lead the mass struggles
and expose right-wing politics. After
final words by Comrade Saumen
Anantapur,
Basu, the meeting ended with
Andhra
rendition of the Internationale.
Pradesh,
on 21 January
PROLETARIAN ERA
Supreme Court Ruling and the Dubious Actions
of the BJP-led Governments
In the annals of India's legal
history, a recent pivotal judgment has
unfolded, wherein a division bench of
Supreme Court comprising Justices
BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan
quashed the decision of the BJP-led
Gujarat government to release 11
convicts implicated in the grotesque
gang-rape of Bilkis Bano and the
chilling mass murder of 14 of her kin
during the diabolic anti-minority
pogrom in Gujarat on 3 March 2002.
This verdict, delivered on 8 January
2024, not only marks a significant
stride toward justice for Bilkis Bano
but also casts an uncompromising
light on the actions of the BJP-led
Gujarat government. The bench has
ordered the convicts to surrender
within two weeks and return to jail.
The aftermath of the verdict has
witnessed widespread public
commendation for Justice
Nagarathna, with many extolling it as
a "masterclass" in holding states
accountable within the contours of a
democratic framework. Social media
platforms, including 'X' (formerly
Twitter), have become conduits for
an outpouring of support for the
judge, commending her for
privileging the rights of victims over
those of the convicts. What is
noteworthy is that within this legal
triumph, latent concerns persist
concerning the role of the BJP-led
Gujarat government and its apparent
disregard for due process and
jurisdictional propriety. The ruling
serves as a poignant reminder of the
judiciary's pivotal role in upholding the
sanctity of the rule of law, especially
when confronted with attempts from
the ruling quarters to manipulate legal
processes.
Praiseworthy struggle of victim
Bilkis to seek justice
At the outset, one must take
due cognition of the doggedness with
which Bilkis Bano, an ordinary
housewife having been the victim of
a ghastly crime by incensed
communal Hindutva hoodlums,
knocked the door of the judiciary and
pursued the case virtually against the
mighty establishment to elicit justice.
Because of her tenacity and support
of conscientious Indians including
some leading Human Rights Activists
and intellectuals, the 11 men were
convicted of the crime and sentenced
to life imprisonment in 2008 after the
Supreme Court decided to hand over
investigation of the case to the
Central Bureau of Investigation
following a complaint from the
National Human Rights Commission
that the Gujarat police—which
FEBRUARY 1, 2024
Bilkis Bano Case
reported to the then Gujarat chief convicts belonged to, had all opposed
minister Narendra Modi—was the remission. On 18 August 2021,
protecting the accused. The apex the additional director-general of
court also agreed with the NHRC's police, prisons and correctional
request that the case be tried in administration of Gujarat, vide his
Maharashtra since the Gujarat letter to the additional chief secretary
government could not be counted in the state's home department, did
upon to ensure a fair trial. The Times not recommend the premature
of India reported in 2010, how the release of Shah. The Union home
then Gujarat chief minister Modi in a ministry had okayed the remission of
"rabble-rousing speech" held that sentence to the guilty, issuing a letter
transfer of the case outside Gujarat to that effect on 11 July 2022. Finally,
"would be an insult to the state as on 15 August 2022, seemingly
well as its judiciary." obfuscating whatever "complicity" it
BJP-led Gujarat and Union had with convicts, the Gujarat
governments tweaked law to government—under the same BJP
grant remission of 11 convicts which was in power during the riots
But, when various steps were in —had announced the decision to
progress at various stages, grant the 11 men premature release
Radheshyam Bhagwandas Shah, one on 15 August, Independence Day, in
of the convicts, stealthily filed a 2022.
petition before the Supreme Court Court asserted that Gujarat
seeking a direction to the Gujarat government was an accomplice
government to consider his in transgressions of the
application for pre-mature release convicts
under its policy dated 09-07-92, But thereafter, over 6,000
which was existing at the time of people—including hundreds of
commission of his crime and his women's rights activists - have urged
conviction." Based on that petition, the Supreme Court to revoke the
an earlier two-judge bench of decision to grant the convicts
Justices Ajay Rastogi (since retired) remission of their sentence. There
and Vikram Nath on 13 May 2022, was also a clutch of petitions against
directed the Gujarat government to the premature release of the life
consider the premature release of the convicts. All these made the Supreme
convict on the basis of an earlier Court rethink the matter and directed
policy of remission dated 9 July 1992. that the matter to be referred to a
Thereafter, in December 2022, Bilkis new bench comprising Justices K M
once again filed a review petition Joseph and B V Nagarathna. After
stating, inter alia, that "The then retirement of Justice Joseph, he was
masse premature release of the replaced by Justice Ujjal Bhuyan in
convicts…has shaken the the bench to hear the case
conscience of society as earlier it challenging the remission decision.
was held such remissions cannot This new bench while reviewing the
be permitted and the case of each case based on existing laws and legal
convict needs to be separately procedures was explicit in saying that
examined before extending the the rule of law could not be
relief as it was one of the most compromised on the grounds of
gruesome crimes this country has political expediency as "to go by
ever seen". Narrating what a such consideration would be
harrowing experience she had, Bilkis subversive of the fundamental
said the premature release of the principles of rule of law and it
guilty has also "relived" her "trauma". would amount to setting a
But the Supreme Court dismissed the dangerous precedent".
review petition filed by Bilkis Bano In dissecting the Supreme
challenging the May 2022 remission Court's scathing indictment, one
order of the Gujrat government discerns the court's assertion that the
considered according to the 1992 state of Gujarat was an active
remission policy of the Gujarat accomplice in the transgressions of
government. the convicts, categorizing the
Later, it was revealed that government's remission of sentences
Convict Shah suppressed a slew of as an illegitimate exercise of power.
facts before the Justices Rastogi- The bench underscored the
Nath bench like that he had imperative of upholding justice,
approached the Maharashtra especially for victims of egregious
government for remission, the CBI crimes, with a particular emphasis on
as well as the Special judge of CBI, crimes against women. "A woman
SP and the District Magistrate of deserves respect howsoever high
Dahod district of Gujarat, the or low she may otherwise be
PAGE THREE
considered in society or to
whatever faith she may follow or
whatever creed she may belong to.
Can heinous crimes against
women permit remission? These
are the issues which arise..."
observed Justice BV Nagarathna
while delivering the judgment.
"Justice encompasses not just the
rights of the convicts but also the
rights of the victims" and the
"primary duty" of the court is to
uphold justice and rule of law",
she added and emphatically said that
"rule of law must be preserved
unmindful of the ripples of the
consequences." The court's
observation that if convicts can
"circumvent the consequences of
their conviction, peace and
tranquility in society will be
reduced to a chimera". The bench
went to the extent of calling the
remission decision a "fraud act" as
"the State of Gujarat has acted in
tandem and was complicit" in one
of the convicts' petition for a
direction to the State government to
grant remission of the remainder of
his life term based on a defunct 1992
policy. The State of Gujarat lacked
jurisdiction to consider the remission
petitions because it was not the
appropriate Government within the
meaning of the related legal provision,
the bench remarked. This has no
doubt been an unequivocal indictment
of the Gujarat government. Apart
from reversing what was a grotesque
abuse of power that saw the rapists
being let off prematurely, it tore into
the Gujarat government that
perpetuated the hair-raising abuse in
the first place. The bench has of late
turned down the request of the
convicts to extend the timeline of
their surrender.
This verdict has indeed opened
a Pandora's box of political
intricacies and lingering questions
about the state of justice in India. The
apex court's commentary on the
state's fraudulent measures adopted
to secure a prior order in May 2022
sheds light on the manipulative
tactics employed by authorities to
reach out undue mercy to the guilty
of horrific crimes.
Eerie silence of BJP top brass
and eulogy of the convicts by
saffron brigade are
self-revealing
PM Modi, who speak so much
in public of crimes against women in
the opposition-run states and in his
independence day speech, respect
for women (Nari Bandan) featured
21 times, Home Minister, Amit Shah,
also an MP from Ahmedabad, the
Minister for Women and Child
Welfare, the BJP Mahila wing, senior
women minister—all have been
absolutely quiet on such an
Contd. on page 4
PAGE FOUR
Bilkis Bano Case
Verdict serves as a poignant reminder of
judiciary's pivotal role in upholding rule of law
Contd. from page 3
illegitimate, if not illegal, commutation
of punishment of some hard core
criminals who outraged modesty of
women with alacrity and then brutally
murdered two of them. None has
heard the Gujarat chief minister say
anything on the denouncement. For
that matter, none who matters in
Gujarat have said anything yet.
It is pertinent to recall that when
the 11 convicts were released from
jail on 15 August 2022, they were
greeted with garlands at the Vishwa
Hindu Parishad (a constituent of the
Sangh Parivar RSS-BJP are
affiliated to) office. Earlier, when
they walked free, visuals have
emerged of relatives greeting them
with sweets and touching their feet
for blessings, outside the Godhra jail.
It was so obnoxious an affair that
even Justice UD Salvi, who was the
trial court judge and had sentenced
all the convicts to life imprisonment
in 2008, was taken umbrage and
could not but say: "It is not correct.
Once they have been convicted
and the conviction has been
upheld by even the Supreme
Court, what does it mean? It means
that they have committed a crime.
And garlanding the criminals is
not correct and it is in bad taste I
would say." Even after their
remission decision was nullified by
the Supreme Court bench, BJP MLA
C.K. Raulji from Godhra who was
part of the Gujarat government's
panel that recommended releasing 11
convicts prematurely has hailed the
rapists and murderers as "Brahmins
and have good sanskar
(values)"— one of at least four
members of the committee with
affiliations to the BJP—made this
statement in an interview to the
media. Asked about the Union home
ministry's guidelines prohibiting
remission of sentence for prisoners
convicted of rape or terrorism, Raulji
said, "We don't know anything
about this. But the convicts'
behaviour— what their earlier
behaviour was like before they
were sent to jail, and now, their
family members, they are silent
and honest men, and someone can
be trapped in a communal
situation, there are people of two
communities, and innocent people
can perhaps be made a party. So,
it is clear that they had not done
any crime before, and what
happened [in 2002]—there was a
communal situation where there
were members of one community
and also the other. This was in the
past, and someone can also be
[unfairly] punished based on bad
FEBRUARY 1, 2024
autonomy of the judiciary and trying
to put in place a committed judiciary.
An attempt was made earlier by late
Indira Gandhi during emergency
intentions." There is no reason to period in the mid-1970s. But that did
believe that Raulji could make such not materialize. Now there is a
statement without having backing the renewed effort on the part of the
BJP top brass. And now that all the ruling BJP to tame the judiciary and
11 convicts are stated to be elicit judgments in its favour for
untraceable though many of them which it is also ready to lure the
are "not incommunicado" and some judges with attractive post-
of them are visiting relatives, Dahod retirement assignments. A former
superintendent of police Balram Chief Justice of India whose bench
Meena is on record to have said pronounced final judgement on Ram
recently. Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute
Crime against women are that was virtually a supreme denial
rising alarmingly of justice ignoring all norms of law
The fact that atrocities against and prescripts of jurisprudence and
women in India are on a steep rise is ethics and naturally caused serious
borne by the official data. The 2022 concern and agony among the
edition of the National Crime democratic, secular minded, saner
Records Bureau—released after section of the people of the country
months of delay—shows that the raising doubt about the neutrality and
rate of crime against women (number impartiality of the judiciary, is now an
of incidents per 1 lakh population) BJP MP of Rajya Sabha. Another
increased from 64.5% in 2021 to former CJI who scrapped a second
66% in 2022. Just a few days back, FIR or police complaint against Amit
women have been paraded naked Shah in a fake encounter killing case,
and reportedly raped in the gruesome saying it was linked to the bigger
ethnic conflict in Manipur; Olympic- Sohrabuddin Sheikh killing case, was
medal winners had been begging for appointed as governor of Kerala
justice after alleging sexual immediately after his retirement.
harassment by the former head of the Likewise, the hon'ble Justice B H
country's wrestling federation; a Loya who refused to accept a bribe
student of the Indian Institute of of Rs 100 crore to give an order
Technology-Banaras Hindu favourable to the prime accused, BJP
University was allegedly gangraped president Amit Shah, in Sohrabuddin
and a video shot of her after she was encounter case, was found dead in
forced at gunpoint to take off her mysterious circumstances. His
clothes by three men, at least two of successor discharged Amit Shah
them are alleged to be part of the concluding that he needed not stand
BJP's social media cell in Varanasi. trial. Hon'ble Justice S Muralidhar of
In fact, BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh Delhi High Court expressed 'anguish'
recorded 65,743 cases of crimes over Delhi Police's failure to register
against women, the highest number FIRs against alleged hate speeches
of crimes against women among the by 3 BJP leaders which propelled
28 states in the country according to murderous attack on minority
the National Crime Records community in the Jahangirpura area
Bureau's report for 2022. Data of Delhi claiming 34 lives. Before he
provided by the Union government in could give his verdict the next day, he
Parliament session showed a sharp was transferred to the Punjab and
increase in crime against women in Haryana High Court, late in the
BJP-run Gujarat. None has forgotten evening on 26 February 2020. Earlier,
that BJP legislators and leaders have in another hearing, Justice Muralidhar
been involved in a number of had observed that: "We cannot let
gangrape and murder in Kathua, another 1984 scenario happen in
Unnao, Hathras, Betul and other this city, not under the watch of
places. Even on a number of this court." Obviously, he incurred
occasions, they have expressed displeasure of the ruling dispensation
mysogenic attitude and affront and faced punishment. Many of the
towards the womenfolk. This shows honourable judges have been
how the BJP governments and leaders expressing wrath and disgust at the
"respect" women despite hollow way the juridical process is tampered
espousals by the PM and while talking with to give a stamp of legal approval
loud about Women's Reservation Bill, to the whims and dictates of the
another master deception which we Executive in the fascist autocratic
discussed in detail in Proletarian Era rule euphemized as democracy, a
dated 15-11-23. few judges, unfortunately, have been
Attempt to create sickeningly singing praise of the
a committed judiciary Executive just for receiving some
Another point is relevant for favours in this or that way like getting
discussion in this regard. For long, the plum posts after retirement etc.
ruling autocratic bourgeois leaders A tussle is now on to change the
have been trying to subvert relative collegium system which comprises 5
PROLETARIAN ERA
senior most Judges including the
Chief Justice of India and decides
elevation of Chief Justices, Judges of
High Court to Supreme Court,
elevation of Judges of High Courts
as Chief Justices and elevation of
Judges. The government wants to
include its representative, preferably
the law minister, in the panel and
thereby makes its say count in the
selection. In that event, the
government would be able to appoint
its yes-men in the key judicial
positions and influence the juridical
process. This, the government seems
to be insisting on, because a section
of the judges and jurists are refusing
to bend before the government's
wishes and following the due course
of law to pronounce justices. Of late,
the government has passed a
legislation in which the CJI has been
removed from the three-member
panel to select the Chief Election
Commissioner (CEC) and Election
Commissioners. CJI is replaced by a
cabinet minister to be chosen by the
PM. This skirmish is yet another
instance of how the Executive is
encroaching upon the domain of the
Judiciary to make the latter pliant to
government decisions—a feature of
fascist autocracy.
Bilkis case reverberates not
just in courtrooms but in
collective conscience of the
country
As the country engages in
contemplation spurred by this
momentous legal episode, profound
questions emerge regarding the
broader implications for the justice
system, the role of the bourgeois
governments, and the imperatives of
establishing a robust legal framework
that privileges justice over
expediency and manipulations. The
Bilkis Bano case, with its intricate
legal dimensions, emerges as a
touchstone for discourse on the
nexus between justice, power-
politics, and the rule of law in the
country. Within the labyrinth of legal
intricacies, judgment of the Justices
Nagarathna—Bhuyan bench
acquires immense significance that
transcends the contours of this
particular case. It is testament as to
how the judiciary, if it so desires, can
overcome uncalled for executive
overreach and deliver justice
particularly to the most vulnerable
members of society.
The echoes of the Bilkis Bano
case should reverberate not just in
courtrooms but in the collective
conscience of the country. Let the
conscientious democratic-minded
people including eminent jurists close
their rank, raise voice against
travesty of justice and dilution of the
judicial process and thwart any
attempt to tamper with judicial
autonomy.
PROLETARIAN ERA FEBRUARY 1, 2024 PAGE FIVE

How are the Kashmiri people Media houses who show the
courage to expose the reality in the
valley are forcibly closed down on

after abrogation of article 370 charge of sedition. Detention of

The BJP-led NDA after being
elected for the second consecutive
terms in the month of May 2019,
started vigorous implementation of
the crass communal agenda
Hindutva and anti-minority hatred by
adopting one after another measure.
On 5 August 2019, it passed a bill
abrogating Article 370 and clause
35A of the constitution in
Parliament and divided the province
of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K, the
only Muslim majority province ) into
two Union Territories i.e. Jammu
and Kashmir and Ladakh. This is
for the first time in Independent
India a full-fledged province or state
has been divided into two Union
Territories (UTs). Pertinent to
mention that while a state is having
an elected government, Union
Territories are run by the central
government.
What had PM and HM said on
abrogation of article 370
On 8 August 2019, PM Modi in
his address to Parliament said,
''Article 370 was the main cause
for slowing down the pace of
development in the region."
During his address he reiterated his
government's stance that J&K will
not remain as union territory forever
and will be reinstated to statehood
once the situation returns to normal.
He said that the people of J&K will
soon be able to elect their
representatives. and so and so.
Amit Shah, the Union Home
Minister (HM) in his address to
Parliament said that "...everyone
knows how the article 370 is
hampering the development of the
people of the state". Shri Shah held
that after repeal of article 370, doors
to private investment in J&K would
be opened, which in turn would
increase the scope for development
there. Increased investment would
lead to increased job creation and
further betterment of socio-
economic infrastructure of the state.
Avenue for buying of land which
was hitherto restricted to the
inhabitants of J&K only will also
now be opened to others including
corporate houses and multinational
companies and thereby give boost to
the local economy. He went on
saying that absence of economic
competition had so far prevented
development of the state and
enhanced corruption. Land prices
were at rock bottom. No industry,
including tourism, was allowed to
flourish there. "The moment...
article 370 is removed, each child
will get the right of education and
each patient would get free health
care under Ayushman Bharat".
Going further he said, "We want to
embrace the youth of J&K and
give them flourishing
opportunities for employment".
Again, he added, "I assure the
youth of J&K that give this
government 5 years and it will
become the most progressive
region in the country". (Press
Information Bureau, GOI, 05-08-19)
What is the reality
Now almost four years and a
half have passed since article 370
was annulled. So, as per the
versions of the PM and HM the
main hurdle before the development
have been removed. But has that
brought a slew of developments in
the Kashmir valley? Facts speak
and speak eloquently.
The experience of public life is
indeed horrific. For 70 lakh
inhabitants of the valley, the Union
Government has deployed 7 lakh
military and para military forces
since 1st week of August 2019. i.e.
one para military personnel per ten
citizens. Are these defence
personnel arrayed there meant for
giving fillip to development? Only
the PM and HM can answer. No
pre-paid mobile is allowed there.
Only post-paid mobiles are
permitted. Practically, there was no
internet for more than 2 years after
abrogation of article 370. Only 2G
connection (extremely slow) was
available in limited areas. Any time
one's cellphone can be checked by
the police or military. One can find
police or military check posts almost
everywhere. Any time one can be
interrogated at any of these check
posts. Police or military empowered
by draconian Armed Forces Special
Powers Act (AFSPA) can search
anyone's house and pick up anyone
they like at any time without any
warrant. 'Now you can say Kashmir
valley is beautiful but largest open
air Jail in the world', commented one
in the media.
People are at the mercy
of Military and
Paramilitary forces
On 21 December last an
encounter took place between the
military forces and the militants
during an ambush at Dera ki Goli in
Poonch area, where four soldiers
had died. In retaliation, military
rounded up the entire area and
detained 8 villagers for questioning.
Three of them were found dead
next day. Five were admitted in the
hospital with grievous injury. This
incident created serious commotion
in the area because of the widescale
allegations of torture of the civilians
by the security forces. According to
the local news and social media
posts, it was found that the
detainees were beaten throughout
the day. "After severe torture
troops also put salt and chili
powder on the wounds, so long
we were conscious", said Farooq,
one of the victims who was
recovering in a hospital. Farooq told
The Hindu: "I can't move due to
the injuries all over the body. I'm
battling for my life. I am not sure
that I will survive." To pacify the
situation, Defence Minister Rajnath
Singh along with the army chief
General Manoj Pandey and Lt. Gen.
Upendra Dwivedi had to rush to the
spot shortly after the incident and
promised to the victim's family that
"expeditious probe of alleged
civilian torture by security forces
will culminate in justice". At the
same breadth, while addressing the
troops in Rajouri Rajnath Singh said,
"We will eradicate terrorism.
Indian Army is not an ordinary
army. The soldiers are our
protectors. It's their duty not only
to safeguard national interests,
but also 'to win the hearts of the
people' to sooth public
resentment." The duty of the
military is to protect the country
from foreign aggression. But military
in J&K is alleged to be torturing,
harassing and even killing people
with impunity on the pretext of
fighting terrorism. What a without even giving them a chance to
'democratic' way of serving 'people's
interest'. In other words,
'development' is being imposed at
gunpoint and people are terrorized to
refrain from protesting against any
injustice or exercising right to
dissent.
The facade of normalcy
Every time, the government is
asked about the situation in J&K,
there is a routine answer,
"everything is normal". The facade
of this 'normalcy' is maintained by
extracting a heavy price from the
people of J&K. Kashmiri
youngsters are packed off to jails in
and outside J&K on trivial grounds.
Businessmen and even small
entrepreneurs are raided day in and
day out just to instill fear within the
common people lest they should
dare to raise voice of protest against
atrocities of the armed forces.
Journalists whose duty is to gather
and bring to the fore the truth are
recklessly put behind the bars.
journalists no longer comes as a
shock, with the State apparatus
increasingly brazen in assaulting
press freedom and cracking down
on any form of civil society dissent.
The prominent features of the
State's strong-arm tactics are raids,
look-out circulars, denial of passports,
use of anti-terror laws, and sweeping
surveillance of journalists and their
families. On 19 August 2023, access
of Kashmir Walla, a Srinagar based
independent news outlet, to the
website and social media accounts
has been blocked by the Indian
Ministry of Electronics and
Information Technology under the IT
act 2000, The website's founding
editor, Fahad Shah, was arrested by
Indian police under an "anti-terror"
law last year. The media house and
its editor were accused of "glorifying
terrorism" and "spreading fake
news". When BBC, renowned
international media house had
reported with documents of the day-
to-day harassment and intimidation
other journalists have been facing
from security forces, the
Enforcement Directorate had
suddenly initiated an inquiry into the
house under the Foreign Exchange
Management Act (FEMA) for
suspected violations. Thus, there is an
intensifying crackdown on press
freedom in the valley.
Not just press. Even
government employees are gagged
through official orders to prevent
them from articulating their demands.
By the Union Home minister's own
admission, countless properties of
common people too have been sealed
defend themselves. Even religious
heads like maulvis and imams are
told what to include in their weekly
sermons. The masses cannot protest
peacefully even about day to day
issues like grueling power cuts that
affect their lives. Even the Union's
claims about getting huge investment
in J&K is a patent lie. All major
government recruitment schemes
since 2019 have been marred by
scams, one after another.
Surge of development in
Kashmir!! ... ...
Unprecedented power crisis
Secondly, advent of
'development' is marked by severe
power crisis in the J&K UT. This UT
is producing a record low 50- 100
MW of electricity per day as
compared to 200-250 MW in the pre-
abrogation period. During winter
when mercury dips down to 5-8°C,
the daily requirement of electricity in
Kashmir valley for round the clock
Contd. on page 6
PAGE SIX
Kashmir
'Development' is being imposed
at gunpoint
Contd. from page 5
power supply is 2200-2300 MW.
Sensing mounting discontent brewing
among the people, Kashmir UT
government led by a central BJP
government-appointed Lieutenant
General (LG) is purchasing around
1000-1100 MW electricity daily from
the Northern Grid now at an
exorbitant rate of Rs 42 per unit
whereas the rate of Hydel power in
Kashmir valley is as cheap as Rs 3
to 4 per unit.
As a result the 70 lakh odd
valley are facing power-cuts for 12
to 16 hours every day—the longest
in the last 2 decades. This has
severely affected the public health
system and health services also.
Gulam Mohammad Mir, an 85 year
old resident of Srinagar is a chronic
COPD patient. Very recently he has
revived from a critical lung problem.
He was practically on the verge of
death. Now, round the clock he
needs oxygen supply to survive.
Like him hundreds of patients are
there in Kashmir valley who need
continuous oxygen supply during the
winter. Power cut for even half an
hour can be fatal for this type of
patients. But then the UT
administration is unfazed. May be it
is under instruction from the Centre
that there ought not to be any
interference in the 'internal matter of
the residents'!!
So, the suffering residents are
to make their own arrangements for
survival. So, Sami Mir, son of
Gulam Mohammad Mir, who is
doing business in Chennai, had to
purchase a generator for continuous
power supply to make the oxygen
concentrator machine for his father
functioning. Another person Imtiyaz
Khan, a shop owner from Srinagar's
Lal Bazar told 'The Hindu': "My
father, who is in his 70s, is a
critical COPD patient. We had to
buy a generator so that his
oxygen concentrator machine
runs without disruptions. I don't
think all families can afford
generators. Prolonged power cuts
are a death knell for such
patients." Another serious COPD
patient M Y Qureshi has been
shifted from Srinagar Lal Bazar
residence to the plains of Jammu
which is comparatively warmer than
Kashmir. The power crisis has
affected the public hospital services
also. Students appearing for their
year-end examinations are also
facing great difficulty. "This crisis
didn't happen overnight. There
was a prolonged dry spell for all
of us to observe. If there was an
elected government such a crisis
FEBRUARY 1, 2024
tall promises of the PM and HM
being mega-bluffs?
If anything has changed after
the abrogation of article 370, is that
J&K which was ahead of the model
would not have happened, and states in terms of development
the responsibility would have indices is now lagging behind. The
been fixed… It's a collective local economy has been battered
punishment The L-G should go to and even development contracts are
Delhi and seek help from the being outsourced to outsiders who
Centre", J&K APNI Party sublet it to the locals after extorting
president Altaf Bukhari told The a monumental commission. A
Hindu. (The Wire, 24-11-23) Examples beautiful prosperous state like J&K
are galore. But fact is that most of is being torn apart psychologically,
the people are unable to make financially and socially. All this is
alternative arrangements like being done in the name of
Qureshi, Gulam Mohammad and integrating J&K with the rest of
Imtiyaz Khan. So, they are India. (The Wire 24-12-23)
consigned to their fate and left to Brief recap of historicity
fend for themselves. of article 370
Battered economy and alarming Article 370 was inserted in
unemployment situation Indian constitution in a particular
in J&K and Ladakh context in recognition to a particular
During the parliamentary necessity. J&K was not a part of
debate on abrogation of article 370 British India but an independent
and 35A, both PM Modi and HM princely state where the common
Amit Shah promised to create people mostly professing to Islam
flourishing employment for J&K were fighting for Kashmiriat, a kind
people and make it the most of Kashmir identity sense that
progressive region within 5 years. developed in them, against the
But how far has the reality feudal autocracy of ruling Hindu
conformed to such bragging? PM king. This feeling was neither similar
Modi said not only the Indian to the sense of Indian nationalism
business houses even the foreigners nor compatible with the so-called
are also eager to invest here. He two-nation theory based on religion
declared that they were ready to put forth by the proponents of
invest Rs 44,000 crores in the region Pakistan. Rather it used to bear an
which would generate a huge admiration for the ethos underlying
number of jobs. But after four years Indian freedom movement. When
and a half, only Rs 2,844 crores the question arose whether J&K
including a meagre FDI inflow of Rs would continue to be an independent
58 crores of investment has come. state, or get merged with Pakistan
Even FDI in Ladakh has been or be accessed to India, Sheikh
minimal till date despite the central Abdullah, the legendary leader of
government's claim that there are Kashmiriat movement and a man of
excellent opportunities for democratic principles and secular
investment. Obviously, the values persuaded Kashmiri people to
employment scenario is grim. give consent to accession to India
Two years back, for J&K which unlike theocratic Pakistan
Service Selection Board promised to be a secular democratic
advertisement for 8,000 class IV state. "There is no Hindu or
posts, as many as 5.4 lakhs Muslim question in Kashmir. We
aspirants had applied for that. In the do not use such language", said
year 2021, 3 lakh post graduates and Sheikh way back in 1948.
PhD holders registered their names Detailed history apart,
in the Directorate of Employment. Maharajah of Kashmir (that
With every passing year, the number included Jammu as well) finally
is going up. According to a senior signed the 'Instrument of Accession'
government official, "Since for the under which the state was granted
last few years the tourism sector complete autonomy in deciding all
of J&K too is dull due to post—5 areas except areas of defence,
August 2019 situation". All these external affairs and communications
corroborate to aggravation of the which were vested with the Indian
unemployment problem in the two government. In order to safeguard
UTs. the special status and autonomy of
According to the Ministry of J&K as envisaged in the 'Instrument
Statistics and Programme of Accession' to the fullest extent,
Implementation (MOSPI) allow the valley people to build up
unemployment rate in J&K in their state according to their best
March 2023 was 23.09%. traditions and culture, offer fullest
Unemployment rate in Ladakh was cooperation to and seek all
26.5% in 22-23, which is much necessary assistance from the
higher than officially published Indian Union reflecting true spirit of
national average of 8.7%. What do federalism, Article 370 was
all these data prove other than the subsequently incorporated in the
PROLETARIAN ERA
Indian Constitution. The special
status became synonymous with
azaadi to the valley. But the trail of
events that followed had, instead of
honouring the special status in right
earnest by providing equal
opportunity to the valley people to
develop their culture and language
and putting in motion the correct
scientific process of gradual
development of sense of identity
with Indian nationality, which was in
embryo at the time of accession
among the valley people, to facilitate
voluntary integration with Indian
nation, reversed the direction
altogether.
The provisions of Article 370
were being eroded systematically.
As trusted representative of the
ruling class, the Congress, then the
ruling party, was not free from
communal bias and that among other
things worked behind dilution of the
special status of Muslim-dominated
Kashmir as contained in Article 370.
Obviously, this caused grave
resentment among the valley people
who began to think of having been
let down and betrayed.
A trail of events that followed
thereafter only made the valley
people started being disillusioned
about credibility of the Indian
government and a process of
alienation set in among them. And
now the BJP government,
discernibly communal to the core, is
trying to shield the historicity of
Article 370, the systematic flouting
of promises made during accession
time, and trying to mislead the
Indians by indicating as if J & K
belonged to India just like any other
state and the accumulated
grievances among the valley people
are only fuelled by anti-Indian
militant groups and are not having
sprouted from bona fide reasons.
Has it not further accentuated the
sense of betrayal of the valley
people?
Otherwise, why the armed
forces with special power are
needed to bully them? Further, with
economy tumbling down and
development being a far cry—a
clear subversion of the tall promises
made while repealing Article 370—
is not the sense of betrayal getting
deep-seated? Do the common
Kashmiri people deserve this
treatment? Did they commit any
crime by agreeing to be accessed to
India by discarding the claim of
Pakistan to occupy that land on
religious consideration?
All right-thinking people should
seriously ponder over this question
and come forward to safeguard the
rights and life of the valley residents
by foiling all bourgeois conspiracies
to the contrary.
(Other sources: The Hindu,
The Telegraph, Al Jazeera)
PROLETARIAN ERA FEBRUARY 1, 2024 PAGE SEVEN

The myth of economic growth and hollow claim of prosperity

It may be recalled that just
before the G20 meeting in India in
2023, billboards displayed an annual
GDP (Gross Domestic Product)
growth of 7.8% in the first quarter of
the financial year (April-June 2023-
24) projecting India as the world's
fastest-growing major economy in
the world. It was based on the Indian
National Statistical Office's first
quarter report (April-June 2023-24)
which showed that the income from
production increased at an annual
7.8% rate in April-June, while
expenditure rose by only 1.4%. The
NSO nonetheless treats income as
the right one and assumes that
expenditure must be identical to
income earned. This is an obvious
violation of accepted international
practices. Further agriculture which
is a major contributor to GDP, is
predicted to be less than 2%.
Secondly, the very method of
calculating GDP after a slew of
changes brought in by the Modi
government has been under
controversy for the last 4-5 years. In
Proletarian Era dated 1 August
2015, taking into account all the
available facts and logical fallacies
put forth by the ruling quarters, we
had shown how by a sleight of hand
and riding on fabricated theories and
statistics, the 'manipulation brigade'
assigned the task of anyhow inflate
the GDP figures, GDP could be
shown to have grown by 6.9 per cent
in 2013-14, as against 4.7 per cent
calculated per older method. Basing
on market price, as against cost price,
inflated GDP figure. So, the
clamoring for 'spectacular economic
growth' by the BJP government is
flawed on many counts.
GDP calculation issues
It is known to all that GDP is a
broad measure of overall domestic
production and that gives country's
economic health can be calculated by
using expenditures, production, or
incomes and adjusted for inflation and
population to provide deeper insights.
Real GDP takes into account the
effects of inflation while nominal
GDP does not. In the Production
method (at factor cost meaning the
cost of an item of goods or a service
in terms of the various factors that
have played a part in its production
or availability, and exclusive of tax
costs) GDP is calculated as the net
change in value for each sector over
a given period considering mainly the
main sectors such as agriculture,
forestry, fishing, mining and
quarrying, manufacturing, electricity,
gas and water supply, construction,
trade, hotels, transport, and
communication, finance, insurance,
real estate, and business services,
community, social and personal
services. In the Expenditure Method,
what is measured is how much is
spent on goods and services, i.e. the
consumer spending by individuals
(Personal Consumption Expenditure)
plus Net Expenditure by Central and
Local Governments, plus all Capital
Spending (such as buildings and
machines) plus Net Export (Export
minus import). Generally, rising prices
tend to increase a country's GDP, but
this does not necessarily reflect any
change in the quantity or quality of
goods and services produced.
According to bourgeois
economists, in principle, expenditure
should be equal to income earned,
because producers can earn incomes
only when others buy their output.
This economic growth, which is
expressed by a rise in GDP, as we
said many times earlier, does not
reflect the distribution of the wealth
produced. By looking just at an
economy's Nominal GDP (the value
of all the final goods and services at
current market prices), it would be
difficult to tell whether the figure has
risen because of a real expansion in
production or simply because prices
rose. For example, if prices rise by
5% since the base year, then the
deflator (a figure expressing the
change in prices over a period of time
for a product or a basket of products)
is taken to be 1.05. Nominal GDP is
divided by this deflator, to arrive at
the real GDP figure. GDP growth is
normally termed as economic
growth.
GDP does not reflect the
distribution pattern of wealth
But the fact is a mere statement
of the percentage of GDP growth or
fall does not give an idea about the
pattern of distribution of wealth. True
perspective of actual GDP growth
should lead to a rise in the income
share of the common people, creation
of higher employment, increase in
real wages, and corresponding
improvement in expenditure on
consumable items and the social
sectors i.e., education, health, and
welfare expenditures. If that was so,
then how could the lion's share of the
produced wealth be concentrated in
the hands of a few super-rich i.e.
giant monopolists and their close
associates remains undisclosed? Just
the other day, it came to light that
while 5 per cent of Indians own more
than 60 per cent of the country's
wealth, the bottom 50 per cent of the
population possess only 3 per cent of
the wealth. (Oxfam) This inequality
in the distribution of wealth is neatly
camouflaged by the textbook
bourgeois economists who always
try to project GDP growth based on
income on the production of goods
and services and not on the
expenditure, i.e. consumption of
goods and services by the people. So,
NSO (National Statistics
Organization) while calculating GDP,
conveniently removed the
inconvenient data, that exists
between "income on production and
expenditure." Though the economists
and columnists on the pay-roll of the
ruling monopolists and their
subservient governments boastfully
claim that India's economy is
booming and positioning the country
to become the great success story of
the twenty-first century, looking past
the illusion created by headline GDP
numbers, nothing could be further
from the truth. GDP growth as
projected by the official quarters
does not mean that the income from
production and services is being
equally distributed among the people
of the country nor does it
automatically confirm that the
common people of the country are
getting the benefit of it. Hence, the
mere statement of the GDP growth
figure has no meaning if it does not
lead to an increase in household
income which makes people spend
more on health, education food, and
shelter.
Anomaly in GDP figures
of India
Anomaly in India's GDP figures
is also glaringly manifested. India's
official GDP figure takes into
account, what is known as
'discrepancy' which is defined as the
difference between domestic income
(earned by producing goods and
services) and expenditure (what
residents and foreigners pay when
buying those goods and services).
Secondly, India's GDP growth rate
was 3.87 % in 2019, before falling
sharply during COVID. It slowed
down again to an average of 3.5%
since then. The latest data not only
confirms the slowing of growth but
also alerts us to the underlying
causes: rising inequalities and job
scarcity. Even NSO in its latest
report of July-Sep 2023-24 could not
but contradict the official claim of
7.8% growth in the first quarter of
2023-24 and put it at 7.6%. IMF
report published in January 2023,
predicted: "India's GDP Growth set
to decline from 6.8 percent in 2022
to 6.1 percent in 2023 before
picking up to 6.8 percent in 2024."
The economy worsened during
the last nine years of BJP rule
Our PM and the BJP high-ups
boast about how the Indian economy
has progressed during its 10-year
rule. PM is also speaking loudly about
India becoming a 5 trillion economy
within 2/3 years. But what is the
reality during the BJP's rule of nine
years? As per the data available GDP
growth in India was 7% in 2022,
9.05% in 2021, –5.83% in 2020,
3.87% in 2019, 6.45% in 2018, 6.8%
in 2017, 8.26 % in 2016, 8% in 2015,
7.41% in 2014, 6.93% in 2013 and
8.5% in 2010. This kind of GDP
growth in India was also seen during
2007, 2009, and 2010. So, there is
nothing novel in it.
Secondly, unless economic
growth stimulates job creation,
reduces unemployment, and boosts
the income of the toiling millions, can
one be eulogetic about it? During
2004-05 and 2011-12, the economy
was creating 7.5 million new non-
Agri jobs every year (52 million new
jobs over seven years). However, the
number of non-Agri jobs being
created has fallen from 7.5 million
per annum to 2.9 million between
2013 and 2019. Open unemployment
has risen sharply from 2.2% in 2012
to 6.1% in 2017-18 (NSSO data), the
highest in 45 years. Youth
unemployment (15-29 years of age)
doubled or tripled between 2012 and
2019 and 2021. (The Wire-17-02- 23)
As per the latest Periodical
Labour Force Survey, the
unemployment rate in urban areas for
15-year-olds and above people
decreased by one percent as
compared to last year. It stands at 6.6
percent in April-June 2023, which
was 7.6 percent earlier. However,
according to CMI, the overall
unemployment rate in India is 7.95
percent as of July 2023. Last year
(2023) the labour force participation
rate (LFPR refers to people with jobs
or those seeking jobs) in 2023 is
48.8%, compared to 47.5% in the
same quarter of the previous year
(2022). According to CMI data
unemployment rate in India was
10.05% in October 2023, 7.33%
(2022),5.98% (2021), and 8% (2020).
In the age group 20-24, the rate is
over 40%. The acute employment
crisis is once again corroborated by
the fact that over 25,000 individuals
are set to take exams on 6 and 7
January for just 15 superintendent
posts in the commercial taxes
department in Karnataka's Kalyana.
Over and above, lakhs of vacant
posts are not filled up even in the
government sector.
On the contrary, prices are
soaring sky-high. Here also, one can
find an anomaly in published figures.
Normally, by inflation, one
understands a rise in price. The
Consumer Price Index—which is
what the Reserve Bank of India uses
to measure inflation—falls woefully
short of truly measuring the impact
of rising prices on the people. The
weightage for food is too high, while
that of fuel and services such as
health, education, transport, and
communication are too low. So, we
have a situation where the overall
inflation rate gets affected by a
change in the price of wheat, even
though 80 crore Indians currently get
it for free. Or we have a situation
where fuel prices shoot up
Contd. on page 8

PAGE EIGHT
GDP
GDP growth figure does not reflect
distribution pattern of produced wealth
Contd. from page 7
astronomically to augment the
revenue earning of the government
to, but the overall inflation rate barely
registers it. And, while the middle
class increasingly prefers private
hospitals and private schools (do not
forget tuition classes), this increased
spending on health and education is
not getting captured. Moreover, the
economic census is nine years old, is
the base year of the Index of
Industrial Production is 12 years old.
The input-output tables, critical to
measuring the relationship between
the production and use of various
items in the economy, are 15 years
too old. So, how can the objective
reality be captured in the GDP figure?
Moreover, the approach to
calculating the GDP, as per classical
bourgeois economy, is to recognize
both income and expenditure as
imperfect macroeconomic
aggregates and then combine them to
assess the state of the economy.
However, the BJP government's
main contention is that the method
used by it to calculate the relatively
strong 7.8 percent growth rate—the
income side approach. This has been
deliberately chosen because it yielded
a higher growth rate than the
alternative, the expenditure side
approach. Hence, all the claims of
the BJP government are hollow, its
policy is simply, as one columnist puts
it, "selling the failure as the
spectacular success." India's GDP
numbers are visibly vitiated due to
methodological and data-related
deficiencies. This suits the ruling
BJP's political narrative of a well-
functioning economy. By continuing
to harp on these incorrect numbers
and hiding the facts, it adds to the
non-transparency in the
government's functioning.
The country's economy is,
in fact, on a downslide
It does not require too much
intelligence to understand that
escalating unemployment,
burgeoning job loss, large-scale wage
cuts and wage freezes, and depriving
the peasants of minimal remunerative
price are robbing the toiling masses
of their purchasing power and
thereby are squeezing the market for
the ruling capitalists. The recession
has set in long back. Swelling inflation
is reflected in the spiraling price line.
So, the standard of living of common
people is going down rapidly. About
60% of India's nearly 130 crore
people live on less than Rs 250 a day,
the World Bank's median poverty
line. And 21%, or more than 25 crore
Edited & Published by Asit Bhattacharyya from 48 Lenin Sarani, Kolkata 700 013 and printed by him at Ganadabi Printers and Publishers Private Limited,
52B, Indian Mirror Street, Kolkata 700013. Phone : 2249-1828, 2265-3234 E-mail : cc.sucicommunist@gmail.com, proletarianera@gmail.com, Website : www.sucicommunist.org
RNI No. 13932/67
FEBRUARY 1, 2024 P. R. No. KOL / RMS / 145 / 2022-2024
SUCI(C) strongly condemns sending unemployed
youths from UP to Israel as labourers
Comrade Provash Ghosh, General Secretary, SUCI(C), issued
people, survive on less than Rs 166 a the following statement on 25-01-24:
day. 20 crore Indians sleep on empty The whole world is to leave the country. Furthermore,
stomachs and 25 lakhs die every year unequivocally deploring the most nearly one-fifth of Israel's
out of hunger. Around 100 crores savage military attack by US workforce, are currently
poor in India, according to UNO, "are imperialism-backed Zionist Israel unemployed due to evacuations,
unable to afford even basic on Palestine killing thousands of school closures, or army reserve
necessities to survive". Demand for innocent Palestinians including duty call-ups for the war. Now the
buying items of personal need has children and women, demolishing BJP government has come to the
dipped by almost 100%. As per RBI residential buildings, hospitals and rescue of the despotic Zionist
report dated 23 January 2024, bank other movable as well as regime by supplying cheap labour
deposits have plummeted by 3.4 lakh immovable properties and thereby from UP and Haryana. On being
crores meaning people have no buttressing their most heinous lured of a job, hundreds of
surplus fund to save. The growth of agenda of ethnic cleansing of a unemployed youths and retrenched
private final consumption expenditure nation legitimately fighting for workers are making a beeline for
fell from 11.2 per cent in 2021-22 to liberation of their motherland for going to Israel even by risking their
7.5 per cent in 2022-23. A whopping years. lives.
3.3 crore people have been pushed
It is pertinent to mention that We severely condemn this
out of the middle-class economic
after more than 100 days of most atrocious indulgence by the
bracket. It means a number of
Israel's war on Gaza, a labour BJP government to such an
middle-class families has shrunk to
crisis has emerged in that country, inhuman act and call for surge of
6.6 crores from 9.9 crores meaning
that 3.2 crore people were pushed rooted in its decision to block tens a united voice of protest by all
into poverty. National Crime Bureau of thousands of Palestinians from right-thinking democratic-minded
report (2022) says on an average 154 working in Israel. The war has patriotic people to thwart this
farmers and daily wagers die by forced nearly 5,00,000 Israelis and migration of Indian labourers
suicide every day. In 2021, it stood at more than 17,000 foreign workers immediately.
144. Industrial development Index
and statistics to suit its class needs only the economy but all activities are
drops to 2.4% in November from
and interests. directed towards the benefits of a
11.7% in October last year. Growth
It is learned that estimates have handful of ruling monopolists, what
of manufacturing has fallen
been arrived at by simply can be expected other than mega-
drastically in the year 2022-23
extrapolating indicators from the deceptions, lies, manipulations,
compared to the previous year. It
formal sector in the post- distortions, and ploys to flummox
suffered a contraction in the second
demonetization scenario. It is like the people? It brings to mind the caption
and third quarters recording a growth
age-old riddle of the unitary method of the famous book, "Illusion and
rate of -3.8 and -1.4 respectively, and
in arithmetic. If 4,000 workers take Reality".
then the growth in the fourth quarter
1,000 days to build a house, 40, 00,000
was 4.5 per cent. Public Sector [Major sources:https://www.project-
workers can build that house in one syndicate.org/commentary/india-growth-
Banks have written off loans worth
day. Absurdity par excellence! One rate-flawed-accounting-ignores-growing-
Rs14.56 lakh crores of bad debts in problem s-by-ash oka-m ody-2 0 23 -0 9 , ,
is reminded of the way some
the last nine financial years starting h t t p s : / / w w w. p r o j e c t -s yn d i c a t e . o rg /
unscrupulous vegetable vendors
2014-15. Net write-off loans by commentary/india-economy-boom-is-a-
cheat the customers by holding the myth-actually-failin g-most-people-by-
private sector banks stood at
scale in such a camouflaged way ashoka-mody-2023-03?barrier=accesspay,
Rs.73,803 crore (RBI provisional data)
that the side containing the sold stuff https://blog.lukmaanias.com/2023/11/11/
in FY 2022-23(Economic Times- 07-08- topic-problems-of-gdp-calculation-in-india,
tilts downward so as to appear to be
23). Most of these debt defaulters are World Economic Outlook, IMF Jan 2023,
much more than the weights put on Hindu Business Line 30-05-22, The Wire- 02-
rich corporate houses. Concerning
the other side. There cannot be 01-23, 13-01-23, 18-08-23, 10-01-24,
figures are not in short supply.
anything otherwise. Because in a Newsclick-15-01-23, The Print 22-08-23,
Illusion vs Reality
capitalist country like ours where not ABP 13-01-24]
Present India is marked by rising
poverty, falling income, dwindling Revolutionary tribute to great Lenin on
purchasing power, plummeting
consumer spending, mounting conclusion of his death anniversary
recession, downing shutters in one
industry after another, a slump in
credit off-take from banks by 
investors because of progressively Madurai,
shrinking market, virtually shut down Tamil Nadu,
of informal economy—in a word a 21 January
virtual gloom in economic activities.
Then how could a country's
economy as per the 'discovered'
upswing of GDP be on such a
stupendous ascent? The answer lies 
not in the performance of the Ghatsila,
economy but in the sleight of hand of Jharkhand,
the 'fertile' brains, the ruling class 21 January
employs and maintains to run
workshop of fabrication of theories
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF : PROVASH GHOSH