On A New Voice Against Fascist Onslaught
We are passing through such a crucial time when the aggressive and attacking face of right wing politics is present throughout the country as a bitter reality. The severe attacks and oppression of the ruling capitalist class upon the lives and livelihoods of workers and peasants has been already continuing with more aggressiveness since the start of the 1990s when the liberalisation globalisation policies were adopted by the Congress government. Now added to it the assault of the right wing forces is also increasing unabatedly. The assault of rightist forces in the form of hindutvavadi fascists have acquired such a naked, dangerous form that not only the growing aspirations for more democracy of the oppressed masses but even the prevailing stunted, fragmented democratic rights are being sought to be smashed. History seems to be turning backwards. Repeatedly incidents of assaults in the name of gau-raksha, love-zihad, spreading of communal hatred, blind nationalist frenzy based on religious-communal ideology, torturing of dalits are taking place. But still there seems to be no real democratic force in society that is able to stand up against it and awaken and unite the masses on the ideology of equality and freedom opposed to all forms of discrimination and oppression. Even the working class with its glorious history of such a role is absent today from the scene. Its powerful, spirited force of revolutionary movement is dispersed and disunited.
Amidst such an extremely adverse situation a few months back, a new voice of protest was heard. Some newly arisen youth leaders were seen to be vociferous in protest against the mounting assault of the fascist forces. Some of them have come up in opposition to the assault of the fascist forces from certain students movement, some others who have been involved in some way with certain dalit sections or oppressed nationalities or some other sections of the masses have also started putting their foot forward in this direction. Coming forward in protest against the torture of dalits in Una or the killings of muslim minorities like Akhlaq and Junaid, or the intellectuals like Pansare, Dabholkar and Gauri Lankesh these young leaders have in their own way started to oppose the heinous assaults of the fascist forces. On January last these student and youth leaders came together to organise a protest rally in New Delhi, terming it "Yuva Hunkar Rally".
Undoubtedly it is a welcome move that these youth coming out of the boundaries of their universities, or leaving the beckoning of cushy lives and careers have started to stand in solidarity with the problems of the oppressed and their struggles in society. Generally, as a sensitive section of society a section of students and youth get stirred up and agitated on questions of oppressions and injustice in society because they are attracted by ideas of equality, freedom of expression and various democratic rights. Often in the process they get drawn into struggles for such democratic rights. It may be assumed that the recent appearance of these youth leaders of "yuva hunkar rally" displaying their consciousness through their opposition to the fascist attacks in society brings before us that urge for democracy and equality as against the blatant oppressions. Naturally such an effort is laudable and at the same time very much necessary for the struggle for progress of society.
What concretely are their points of contention? One of these prominent youth leaders Jignesh Mewani during the rally at Delhi said?"In the name of ghar wapsi, cow protection and love jihad, the government is trying to deflect attention from issues of roti, kapda, makaan, shiksha aur chikitsa (bread, cloth, shelter, education and health). A conspiracy to manufacture a fake enemy is going on these days. Let me tell the government ? that you keep taking the side of Adanis and Ambanis and we will keep talking about issues of Dalits, Adivasis, minorities and the poor?" [Delhi's 'Yuva Hunkar' Rally Only the Beginning, Say Youth Leaders Protesting Modi Govt Policies by Ajoy Ashirwad Mahaprashasta, 10-01-2018]. From this we get an idea of the issues that they are opposing.
Let us see some of the incidents about which they have come out in opposition. They have opposed the Muzaffarnagar riots. One of the organisers among them have made a documentary film on the Muzaffarnagar Riots?-"Muzaffarnagar Baki Hain". In this riot we have seen that starting from an incident of clash between two families after the misbehaviour of a muslim youth with a hindu girl in a village in the district it burst out into a big communal aggression spreading in large areas of Muzaffarnagar district and its adjoining areas. The hindutva fascist forces active for quite sometime in those regions of Western Uttar Pradesh promptly and planfully fuelled tremendous communal hatred and aggression against the age-old muslim population inhabiting there. Of course the then SP government and other political parties such as the BSP also played their roles in the interests of their electoral politics helping in the escalation of communal polarisation. After that numerous other incidents of attacks on minorities have occurred. As on the pretext of cow slaughter Akhlaq have been remorselessly beaten to death, similarly in a number of places the so-called gau-rakshaks are coldly assaulting, humiliating, killing people. Young Junaid's lynching just started from a small quarrel in a local train. Such attacks on muslims by the fascist forces have escalated unhindered in the recent times. The youth leaders of Yuva Hunkar seemed disturbed with this development and they are strongly opposing it.
But what is the solution to this? That is the main question. In what way are they thinking of really putting up a resistance and removing these oppressions? Blind religious faith, superstition is deeply entrenched in society. The history of communalism has also continued in this country. And utilising that numerous religious fundamentalist and communal organisations have been fanning up communal hatred and division for a long time. That communal divide and hatred has flared up in the recent years with the increasing dominance of the communal fascist forces. The development of capitalism has occurred in this country in such a fragmented and superficial way through slow reforms at the top that all these kinds of backwardness and on its basis communal division and hatred has continued to prevail within the remnants of various feudal socio-economic relations at the base. Using these communal divisions among the masses for electoral gains all the established political parties are continually involved in an opportunist, heinous game for power. The ruling classes are utilising these parties for their ends. Proceeding in this course for a long time the situation has turned out to be extremely volatile now. The masses are in a desperate situation. On one hand they are distressed by the mounting problems of their livelihood and on the other hand they are disgusted with the opportunist, power-hungry electoral politics of all these parties. And in the midst of this, there is not even the movement of worker and peasants which could have aroused among the masses the hope of freedom from all these problems. The dangerous thing that is happening as a result is, using this hopelessness among the masses the influence of communal-fascist politics is being spread involving the masses by the fascist organisations. The big question is, what can be the real way out of this? In such a situation can any attempt to free society i.e. free the large sections of masses from communal hatred be successful without challenging the ruling class policies and politics and also without dislodging the remnants of old, backward relations which is the basis for these oppressions and discriminations? Can it be successful without a struggle for a revolutionary change to establish a truly democratic society?
These youth leaders have been seen to be very vocal in protests against the absolutely condemnable incident of flogging of half-naked dalits in public view in Una. In reaction to it the dalits burst into strong protests and one among these youth leaders Jignesh Mewani was seen in the front of it. Even regarding the attack by hindutva forces on the dalits assembled at Bhima-Koregaon another student leader Umar Khalid was quite vocal in his protest. But once again the important question is, what is the path away from the humiliation, oppression, and torture of dalits, towards freedom and equality? Many are seen to express the opinion that this oppression exists just because of the caste discriminatory mentality still prevailing among upper caste people who are in the higher echelons of power and society. According to them the division of labour on the basis of castes and their segregation and oppression in social and economic relations have become a thing of the past and does not exist anymore. But is it really so? Just by opposing this mentality or in other words this consciousness of old society, just by spread of education and consciousness to counter it or enacting acts against this can this society get rid of this oppression? Once again a recent government study proved that reality is not that as thought by some. The recently published report of census has revealed that till now 71% dalits are landless poor peasants. Compared to any other section of society, even the scheduled tribes or adivasis, the proportion of landlessness among dalits is much more. 85% of dalits of Haryana, Punjab and Bihar do not possess land. [Dalit farmers may fail to benefit from agricultural sops announced by govt, Harry Stevens,Hindustan Times, New Delhi Feb 13, 2018] Time and again through numerous incidents of humiliation and repression unleashed upon the dalits it is repeatedly being revealed that the oppressors are mostly the powerful, upper caste people of the villages who dominate on the basis of their land ownership and also control the court, police, administration by this influence of theirs in the socio-economic reality. The incident of indifference and utter disregard demonstrated against the Supreme Court's warnings by the upper caste khap panchayats related to diktats issued by these bodies against the law of the land is also due to this power that they as landlords or rich peasants command in the rural areas. We are repeatedly witness to incidents of caste oppression, torture of women, (of course capitalist society is also unable to fully solve the problem of oppression of women), prohibitions on intermixing on youth, boys and girls of different castes in the form of diktats issued by khap panchayats, shalishi sabhas (sulah committees) or panchayats of self-styled mukhiyas in different rural regions. Even mahapanchayats are now defying the orders of administration and organising violent communal or caste mobilisations at will. Undoubtedly there cannot be any way out of these oppressions, denying the fact that all this still prevails on the basis of the remnants of the old, feudal socio-economic reality, on the basis of powers wielded by these upper caste sections based on their rights over land.
Looking further ahead into another issue of these youth ?the brutal murders of Gauri Lankesh, Kalburgi, Pansare?about which these youth leaders have come out in strong protests also, the main origin of this consequence of those intellectuals is also the same contradiction in society. These intellectuals have also become target of assault by the fascist forces as they were critical in various ways about the dangerous manifestations of communalism, caste oppression, blind religious faith and fanaticsm. Through this it is not difficult to understand that not only in the backward rural environs but to a big extent this reality prevails throughout society in social life and how alarming a strength and posture has been acquired by the reactionary forces utilising this situation. To such an extent that they are now able to muffle any voice of opposition or criticism. It is evident that there is only one way to eliminate all this?preparing for a fundamental, thoroughgoing change towards total democratisation of society.
It is clear from the words of the Yuva Hunkar youth leaders that they also want to stand up against all these old forms of discrimination and oppression in society. Their main object of opposition is the alarming increase of fascist attacks on the democratic rights of different section of the masses. Occasionally they have been seen to oppose 'corporate loot' i.e. the unbridled loot by big capitalists but the question of democracy is their main bone of contention.
But as it is seen, to struggle for establishment of democracy implies adopting the path of fundamental transformation i.e. building up a struggle for such a fundamental transformation that will wipe away all the backwardness, the vestiges of old society. If they are ready to accept and adopt that aim and path of struggle then in order to implement that in real life they will have to confront with certain truths. As the religious-communal fanaticism, the attacks, the assault on dalits, the basis of such oppressions prevail on the basis of the old economic and social property relations, within the remnants of feudalism and further the present ruling class, the rulers of this system in their interests of rule has kept those in tact hence the masses, its oppressed sections have to be awakened, made conscious against this whole system. Without making them conscious about building up a struggle for overthrowing these rulers and along with it without wiping away the remnants of old society held intact by them, these oppressions can never be eliminated from society. Of course the struggle for freedom from exploitation in the arena of livelihood of the workers and peasants is linked with this but let that be kept aside for the moment, for that is a separate topic for discussion. In other words, the fate of the struggle against those oppressions, discriminations against which these students and youth have come down on the streets or are preparing for it, is in reality dependent on building up a struggle for a fundamental transformation. And that fundamental transformation is in fact the struggle to establish real democracy by sweeping away the basis of the old society, its remnants and along with the protectors of these remnants. In short that is a democratic revolution. About this they cannot remain unaware and unconscious. Rather on the other hand, whether they are proceeding in the correct direction or not will be determined by this very fact that whether they are advancing in the direction of preparation of a democratic revolution. This is the most important issue before them at this time.
What else can be the path for them? It can be building up pressure on the government to compel some laws to be passed or compelling it to implement some existing laws. Then it will mean adopting a path of some reform within the present system. Trying to oppose oppressions or take steps against it by sending some elected representatives or even forming a government. Although it may be possible through some governments or certain laws to take steps against some incidents of oppression but there is no guarantee for elimination of that oppression. This is as clear as daylight now, as we see the strengthening of reaction in all spheres of life by undoing all sorts of earlier reforms and its attempts that were made during the past decades. Until the relations of old society, its remnants, are done away with, the masses are awakened for democracy and freedom, they living in the midst of backwardness present in reality will continue to be used by the fascist and reactionary forces with support by the ruling classes and the blatant attacks will continue. On the other hand, if the vestiges of old remain within the socio-economic reality of society then it is certain that that forces representing those will be reflected in the higher echelons of political power. Hence it is quite natural that the forces of dominant upper castes, the communal forces of communal-religious divisions, hatred, the khap panchayat representatives have their influences spread in the upper tiers of society, the government, the bureaucracy and various wings of the state. This is the stark reality of our country. Hence can any path of reforms within this very system bear any fruit for carrying out a real fight against casteism, communalism, torture of women and all kinds of discrimination or in other words for standing for democracy in its totality? Even Ambedkar who was part of government during British rule and who also tried to introduce some semblance of democracy in the constitution after independence failed in his attempts. And during making of the constitution in independent India he had to face the wrath of conservative hindus to such an extent that he had to resign and leave the government. On the other hand the leftists over the years have not only been compelled to abandon their reformist role but in the process being a part of this system transformed themselves into obedient servants of the ruling classes and got thrown out of power. The oppressed masses who once relied upon them have discarded them. There are ample of such instances within our country and abroad that show that oppressions cannot be eliminated in this way.
Have the new leaders of Yuva Hunkar forgotten all this history? It is being seen that these new student and youth leaders are in different ways putting more trust on the possibility of changes through reforms within this oppressive ruling system. Jignesh Mewani practically won the recently held Gujarat state elections with direct support by the Congress Party. At the Yuva Hunkar rally in Delhi Jignesh Mewani mentioning about his electoral symbol the sewing machine said excitedly?" I believe in a sewing machine. I am here to unite the people who have been left scattered because of 22 years of BJP's divisive politics in Gujarat. They (Hindutva activists) talk about love-jihad. I talk about only love." [Ibid] The Yuva Hunkar leaders expressed that they would be starting a campaign against the anti-people policies of Modi prior to the elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and in different parts of North India. According to them Yuva Hunkar rally was the starting point to it.
Thus they decided to launch a campaign targeting the Modi government. Are they failing to see how the basis of the politics that they are opposing lay in the reality of this society? They haven't said anything about the other opposition parties whose bankrupt politics have also used this prevailing reality to fulfil their ends, preserving these communal, casteist and other kinds of oppressions. They have also said that if these opposition parties are ready to speak on any issue raised by them in their favour they would be welcoming it, and even accept their support, if those parties do not intend to control and get hold of their movement. They are even ready to set up relations with NGOs if those NGOs are not in any way related to the RSS. Thus it is clear that they do not see any wrong in getting entangled with the opportunist electoral politics of these opposition parties which are hell bent on wresting power by any and every means whatsoever, and whose opportunism has bred the rise of this forces of reaction.
It is undeniable that the opposition to the fascist onslaughts by these students-youth cannot be just shrugged off as some publicity stunt meant to dupe the masses. In their language?"our unity is a natural, spontaneous unity?.through this understanding different 'people's movements' will be united in one platform. As with various incidents or attacks some or the other sections of masses have awakened in protests to a certain extent, some sort of revolts are seen to emerge. In a number of instance these youth leaders have been seen to get involved. New names of youth have been added to their list. Along with Jignesh Mewani names of Bhim Army's Chandrasekhar 'Ravan', Assam's Akhil Gogoi have been added. Hence it cannot be denied that even in such an adverse and confusing situation they have raise a voice of opposition to the attacks.
But resolving the problem of the path adopted by them is very important. They have taken a path of opposition to this influenced by presently prevailing ideas. These new leaders have to decide that if they really seek to uproot and eliminate the oppressions with its roots in the reality of the base of this society, then which path they will take and what should be their standpoint. If they are unable to identify this oppressive system, if coming under the influence of prevalent ideas they nurture their trust on the possibility of change through reforms within this very system, then inevitably they will get trapped within the blind alleys of election, change of governments and parliamentary politics. By hook or by crook the various opposition political parties starting from the Congress party to the others will be trying to use them for their interests of government formation and vote-bank politics, indications of which have already started appearing. So it is they who must decide whether they want to run after the illusion of solving these problems through reforms in this system or they want a complete elimination of these oppressions. At the same time they also have to understand that elimination of this basis i.e. the remnants, means taking the course of revolution, a revolution in which the workers, peasants, the toiling masses awakened to rise up against oppression and exploitation will play an active role to establish a real people's democracy. Repeated attempts in the past by various parties for superficial, paltry reforms and gimmicks have led to such futile exercises that the masses have been further pushed into frustration providing with fertile land for the rise of fascist forces. Owing to these reasons, the necessity of digging up the main roots of oppression is once again the serious demand present before the conscious masses. And once again, preparation for revolution not reforms, revolution for a real people's democracy is the sole path. It is time that such youth leaders become conscious now and now only about this and also about the utter futility and betrayal of reforms and parliamentary politics.
In fact these youth leaders have to pass through various conflicts and contradictions of reality. They have yet to assimilate those lessons of reality in a proper direction. They carry with them admixtures of various streams of thought, inexperienced spontaneous currents of thought. Among these thoughts in its natural course there is dominance of the prevailing reformist, parliamentary politics. On the other hand the revolutionary working class movement capable of fighting for real democracy is also dispersed and absent at present. The spontaneous movement of the masses against these oppressions is at a low level. In such a situation the churning among a section of students and youth is a result of the some sort of ferment that has started among different sections of masses?dalits, students, peasants, intellectuals and sections of the middle class against the fascist onslaughts, and may be also workers in society. It can only be expected that these student and youth leaders will be able to overcome and rise above their illusions of eliminating the oppressions from society through various reforms utilising parliamentary politics as they encounter various conflicts and contradictions and gather experience in the course of advancement. At least a section among them, even though small, will realise that what is demanded by society is not reforms but revolution and for that the awakened role of the masses of oppressed, the exploited workers and peasants is absolutely necessary. In the mean time as a result of intensifying conflicts and contradictions in society it is expected that the advanced section of the working class will also be able to rise up from its dispersed and directionless condition and play a positive role in drawing the other oppressed sections of society, including also the students and youth in the direction of revolution and assemble bigger sections of masses in that path. Then the truth will arise with more clarity and strength within society that revolution only revolution is the path to transform this degenerated society.
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