PRAGOTI

Genuine honesty is not particularly evident in quoting partially and that too selecting portions beyond their contexts. So before the High priest of honesty preaches more through partial quotes and half-sentences i quote from the original document the whole statement of comrade VM analyzing the political reasons associated with the anti-mandal protests.

All interested comrades should see for themselves what Comrade VM had to say about reservations from the original document. I am just posting a portion of the speech along with the High Priest's misplaced quote in order to place the quote in the correct perspective for your honest perusal in order to expose a much propagated lie against a great revolutionary by both the SFI- CPI M and DSU- CPI-MAoist.

"Meanwhile, students in different parts of the country are all up in arms against reservation and the Mandal Commission recommendations. Some have even resorted to the extreme step of self-immolation. We are aware that some high priests of Brahmanical reaction are desperately trying to cash in on this popular resentment of the students to take the country back into medieval darkness. We are also aware of the vested political interests of the Congress, the BJP and the Devi Lal faction of the Janata Dal behind this anti-reservation uproar. Still, we believe that it is the students' widespread indignation against unemployment and worries about their frustrating future which have driven them into the anti-reservation agitation. Till yesterday, these middle class youth were all captivated by the moral appeal of VP Singh, the messiah, but now that they have realised that he too is only another politician in the mould of the shrewd Chanakya, there can be no containing their resentment.

Just as we do not approve of those politicians who want to take revenge on the present-day progeny of Babar, we also reject those theoreticians who would punish the present-day offsprings of Manu for the crimes of their ancestors. We would again say that the government should have first fulfilled its own pre-election commitment of recognising "right to work" as a fundamental right and announced large-scale schemes of employment generation which could have inspired some hope among the students and youth. If the Mandal report were adopted against such a different backdrop, these young people could then have very well been mobilised in the fight for social justice and freed from the clutches of the Brahmanical high priests and the forces of political reaction. But this government failed miserably in inspiring any confidence in its seriousness in tackling the problem of unemployment or in promoting social justice. The Mandal exercise of VP Singh was nothing more than a calculated manoeuvre in his narrow factional game and it was exposed as such.

We would also say that the student-youth agitation has taken a negative turn. They should have spearheaded their movement not against the scheme of 27% reservation for the backwards, but for the recognition of their right to employment. That is why we have organised this rally around the slogan of 'Kam do' (give jobs) and we would appeal to the student-youth community to join the struggle for this fundamental right with all their strength.

We are definitely for reservation of jobs for dalits and backward castes. But this support of ours is not a support for VP Singh's shrewd political moves. Neither is it a support for the Lohiaite theory where the concept of socialism has been degraded to the politics of backwardism.

Our support for reservation does not mean rallying the dalits behind the aggressive backward castes in the latter's caste war. Neither does it mean subordinating the red flag to the green flag, the hammer-and-sickle to the wheel.

We stand for the independence of the red flag, we subscribe to the dream of hoisting the red flag on top of the Red Fort. We have made all sacrifices for fulfilling this mission and in the future too, we shall be never found wanting in making any number of sacrifices for this great cause of the Indian people. We have a formidable base among the dalits but it is a base developed also through a relentless struggle against the 'dalitism' of Kanshi Ram and Co. Our base is growing among the backward castes, but it is growing in struggle against the backwardism of Mulayam Singh and Laloo Yadav. The neo-Brahmins emerging from among the dalits are as much a target of our movement as the forwardised backwards. On the other hand, enlightened segments and poor people from among the upper castes are also joining our movement in large numbers.

We are not at one with those so-called progressives who hold that thanks to Nehru's reforms our society has already been freed from feudal-casteist divisions and transformed into a modern society and that reservation will simply put the clock back. This is just not the reality of India.

We support reservation because we believe that through a lot of initial tension it will ultimately have a diminishing effect on the existing forward-backward schism, give a blow to the feelings of backwardness and forwardness and will bring about an element of equality among the forwards and backwards in their economic and political life as well as in the bureaucracy. And corresponding to the development of intra-elite cohesion in different castes, there will also grow a matching class solidarity among the people below. Any blow to feudal, obscurantist traditions, any measure of bourgeois-democratic liberalisation, however superficial, will definitely accelerate the process of class polarisation in the society, and as communists, as champions of class struggle, we welcome any such class division in the society.

It is our earnest appeal to all pro-reservation left forces that instead of trailing behind some VP Singh, some Ramvilas Paswan or Sharad Yadav, Mulayam Singh or Laloo Yadav, let us assert ourselves as an independent power; let us make the battle for reservation a part and parcel of our struggle for employment. It is at such critical junctures that we communists, revolutionary-democrats, have always found ourselves defeated in the Hindi belt. Either in the name of practicality we have fallen inactive before Lohiaites or casteists of different hues or just reduced our role to playing second fiddle to these diverse centrist currents. This is the reason why we have still not been able to strengthen the Communist, Left trend in this part of the country. Some of our friends are just repeating this good old mistake. Through IPF the left movement has reached a new height in Bihar and neither the dalitism of Kanshi Rams nor the backwardism of Lok Dals has succeeded in checking this remarkable advance. On the basic foundation of class unity and class struggle we have also started developing a new fighting coalition of dalits and backwards against the traditional Brahmanical hegemony. Let all the left forces make the most of this firm foothold we have secured in Bihar."

Now I pose certain questions to the High priest of genuine Honesty-- I hope he will honestly answer.
1. Why have you ignored portions from the same speech-- "We would also say that the student-youth agitation has taken a negative turn. They should have spearheaded their movement not against the scheme of 27% reservation for the backwards, but for the recognition of their right to employment." and "We are definitely for reservation of jobs for dalits and backward castes. But this support of ours is not a support for VP Singh's shrewd political moves. Neither is it a support for the Lohiaite theory where the concept of socialism has been degraded to the politics of backwardism.

Our support for reservation does not mean rallying the dalits behind the aggressive backward castes in the latter's caste war. Neither does it mean subordinating the red flag to the green flag, the hammer-and-sickle to the wheel."

2. Are you trying to propose the Lohiaites and other casteist landlord parties with whom CPI-M hobnobs in every elections are the agents of radical socialist transformation of the society and that their political line which CPI-ML proudly calls "backwardism" should be toed by communist parties.

3. Do you mean to say that the struggle for "right to work" is irrelevant and fighting the two struggles, reservation for backward sections along with the struggle for right to work in the face of shrinking job opportunities, are not mutually indispensable for communist parties.

4. Are you trying to propose that as a communist party it is not your responsibility to expose the reforms initiated by bourgeois formations while fighting on the ground to implement them. if the CPI-M wants to be a mouth piece of bourgeois parties while turning a blind eye to their class politics it is free to do it but CPI ML will humbly eschew that path even if it means not getting spectacular electoral advantages.

Lastly, misquotes, half truths, lies and slander are neither good tools for genuine honesty nor for self criticism.
Waiting in anticipation of slightly more genuine criticism of AISA...
(I hope the administrator will not delete this reply)

And if SFI is so pro-reservation, why did SFI abstain from voting in favour of the Mandal recommendations in a UGBM in JNU in 1989?

AISA much later came to change its views on reservations? AISA was formed in 1991, and in 1993, the very first AISA-led JNUSU restored deprivation points in JNU, including for OBCs.. that is a fact.

And before accusing us of lying, please provide proof that AISA ever used the slogan Mandal Kamandal... one cannot and should not make allegations without proof. I should have though SFI would have learnt this bitter lesson in JNU after repeatedly trying to ask people to believe this lie!!!

Please do not make uninformed comments in the name of "debate".. if you were really debating, you would have read a few lines ahead in the same piece and come across this line, "

"We are definitely for reservation of jobs for dalits and backward castes. But this support of ours is not a support for VP Singh's shrewd political moves. Neither is it a support for the Lohiaite theory where the concept of socialism has been degraded to the politics of backwardism.

Our support for reservation does not mean rallying the dalits behind the aggressive backward castes in the latter's caste war. Neither does it mean subordinating the red flag to the green flag, the hammer-and-sickle to the wheel."

Please debate on facts, and DO NOT mischievously misread nuanced arguments! For years, SFI has tried to tell students in JNU that AISA is anti-reservation, has the tactic worked?? Students in JNU preferred to believe what they saw happening - AISA working hard to implement OBC reservations, AISA fighting for deprivation points in 1993, and ALSO SFI abstaining from a resolution supporting Mandal Commission recommendations in toto!! We have not forgotten that for two long years, SFI refused to say ONE WORD about the wrong cut-off criteria which was resulting in the scuttling of OBC reservations.

You see, spreading slander and lies will not work. Wonder till when SFI and CPI(M) will continue with this absurd Mandal Kamandal lie! Actually, maybe they should continue with the lie, after all it exposes their style of politics better than anything else!!!!

Maybe you have forgotten that the AISA-led JNUSU had called for a protest demonstration in JNU immediately after the firing in Khammam happened...a firing where CPI(M) supporters were killed... is that an example of "sectarian" behavior?? It is not surprising that CPI(M)/SFI supporters do not remember this, after all SFI chose to boycott this protest.. now who was being sectarian?

When the left front put up Comrade Lakshmi Sehgal as presidential candidate, ML wholeheartedly supported this move and even voted for her with their limited electoral presence.. yet another instance of "sectarian" behavior perhaps??

Pragoti's editorial team must be really intrigued at this response from AISA. While their point is well taken, it is also to be noted that the AISA now feels it mandatory that Pragoti should provide a platform for their views.

Pragoti's history as a website should be noted. It was started as a broad left forum on the internet at a time when there was widespread criticism and derision reserved for the mainstream left parties - particularly the CPI(M). Over time, Pragoti has offered a constructive critique when it mattered, and a supportive voice as and when necessary for the left movement in the country. It has taken a proactive stance for all kinds of left forces and progressive voices in the country including those who have been wrongly accused of being Maoist fronts such as Binayak Sen or Arun Ferreira.

This is in sharp contrast to the stances adopted by sites like Kafila and Sanhati who have continued with rabid CPI(M) bashing as their USP. Have we seen a word in appreciation about the efforts of the CPI(M) against untouchability, efforts for land reforms, peasant issues, women rights etc in these websites? AISA/ CPI(ML)'s positions have been trumped up quite well there.

And AISA/CPI(ML) has also got to introspect. What have they to say in the name of left unity about the achievements of the CPI(M) and its hardworking cadre beyond criticism of its right revisionist trends alone?