Communal Violence in Kandhamal District

On 23rd August around 8.p.m Laxmanananda, the leading figure of Hindutva brigade in Orissa along with his four associates was shot dead by a group of unidentified gunmen at his Jalespeta Ashram in Kandhamal District. He was a member of VHP’s Kendriya Margadarsaka Mandali and widely known for his anti-Christian activities in Kandhamal. 

            Soon after his murder the Govt. officials declared that they are suspecting the role of Maoists behind this killing. But the Sangh leaders instead of waiting for an enquiry immediately alleged that Christian community was behind the killing of Laxmanananda. In a pre-planned manner this anti Christian propaganda was carried out. Even the local media particularly the Oriya T.V channels propagated the same rumour repeatedly. On the same night itself the RSS activists started violent protest in several areas. On 24th also as part of their ongoing protest several vehicles were burnt, churches were ransacked. In some places houses and other properties of Christian community were targeted. On 25th August the VHP called Orissa Bandh against the killing. In the name of observing the Bandh Sangh goons carried out large scale violence against Christian community and common people throughout the state. Beside Kandhamal, in districts like Gajapati, Ganjam, Rayagada, Koraput, Sundargarh, Jajpur, Baragarh, Churches, houses and educational institutions of minority community were either completely burnt or ransacked and looted by Hindutva mob. Several incidents of murder and rape were also reported in different places. Even a Hindu tribal lady teacher of an orphanage run by missionaries in Baragarh district was burnt alive along with the orphanage and its caretaker. While the naked dance of death and destruction by these communal forces was going on through out the state, the police and administration, under the instruction of the state Govt., remained mute spectators to these inhuman crimes against innocent people. Even despite curfew the administration allowed the 200 km dead body procession of Laxmanananda in the district knowing well that it will incite communal violence. While Bandh was going on and the administration had imposed curfew in the area, the VHP leader Pravin Tagodia who is well known for his provocative speeches was allowed to enter Kandhamal in the name of attending the last rites of Laxmanananda. During his visit he openly called in presence of Govt. officials for revenge against Christians. Throughout his visit he was allowed to instigate the Sangh activists with his aggressive anti minority speeches, which aggravated the situation very badly.

Veteran Communist Revolutionary leader Com. K. Ramachandran passed away in Mumbai on August 31, 2008. CPI(ML)-New Democracy pays homage to the revolutionary memory of this veteran communist revolutionary leader, remembers his contributions to the communist revolutionary movement and vows to carry forward the struggle for New Democratic Revolution for which he had worked through all his active life. We are here reproducing the statement issued by Com. Pravin Nadkar on behalf of the Maharashtra State Committee of CPI(ML)-New Democracy.

Maharashtra State committee of CPI (M-L)-New Democracy, honours the memory of veteran revolutionary communist leader Com. K. Ramachandran. He died of lung cancer in Mumbai on 31st August 2008. He was active as all India party secretary of CPI (M-L) Janashakti. The passing away of Com. Ramchandran has been a great loss to the revolutionary communist movement in India.

Comrade has been a product of a militant left trade union movement in Mumbai. He has played a significant role in organizing the workers in the textile and engineering industrial belt in Saki Naka, Andheri. He was actively involved in the historic railway strike in the year 1974. The Hotel Labour Union ( Red Fag) in Mumbai was formed under his leadership and it scored many victories for the unorganized  restaurant and canteen workers. The work in the Airport area in Mumbai has been his most outstanding contribution to the trade union struggle under the banner of IFTU in Maharashtra. The main feature of the work in the region was that it has been a united movement of the workers from organized and unorganized sections. Thousands of contract workers could win their right to permanency as a result of this united struggle in the area. Comrade took initiative in organizing CPWD workers in Mumbai and remained a Zonal President of the Employees Union for many years. He has been the most experienced working class leader in the trade union movement associated with the ML movement in the State.

The Naxalbari struggle inspired Com. Ramchandran to break away from the movements associated with the established left in the state. He was among those very few individuals from the communist ranks who chose to demarcate from the revisionism in the communist movement in Maharashtra and came out in open support of the revolutionary character of the Naxalbari movement in India. He did not join the CPI(ML) under the leadership of  Com. Charu Muzumdar immediately after parting ways from the revisionist organnizations. He was at that time influenced more by the stand taken by com. T .N. Reddy  of  Andhra Pradesh state committee which had not merged with the newly floated outfit of the communist revolutionary organization under the banner of CPI(M-L). Later on, as the AP state committee under the leadership of Com. C.P. Reddy merged with the CC, CPI (M-L) led by Com. S.N. Singh, he joined this united organization during the period of emergency in the country.

Com. Ramchandran had refused to get bogged down by any family responsibilities. He set a good example to the party cadres by adopting a working class lifestyle of a revolutionary communist. He was leader of CPI(ML) Resistance and became General Secretary of CPI(M-L)-Janashakti after several CR groups merged to form that organization.

He was seriously ill for the last few years of his life but never shunned his responsibilities in the movement. He will continue to inspire the revolutionary ranks in the country to make greater sacrifices for the cause of revolutionary trade union movement and New Democracy in India.

Press Release

New Delhi 10.9.2008.

“Real Democracy in India, includes Freedom for Kashmiris” was the topic of a discussion at a public meeting at Rajendra Bhawan on 9th September 2008, organized by Janahastakshep, PUCL, PUDR and Dr. Rajendra Prasad Academy. It was attended by intellectuals, students, human rights activists, political activists and working class leaders. The presidium consisted of Gautam Navlakha (PUDR), George Matthews (PUCL) and Pankaj Singh (Janhastakshep).

Noted Columnist Prem Shankar Jha insisted that the economic blockade of the Valley  and the complicity of the Indian state in failing to protect the rights of Kashmiris, was an act of war against the people of the Valley and he held Manmohan Singh and NSG advisor MK Narayanan responsible for the terror and horror of armed occupation of Kashmir. Former Chief Justice Delhi High Court and former President of PUCL Rajendra Sachar insisted that there have been repeated human rights violations in the Valley and the only solution to the Kashmir issue is by allowing the Kashmiri people to handle their own affairs. Noted Journalist Jawed Naqvi said it is a important to expose the myth that freedom for Kashmir would lead to a backlash on Muslims elsewhere in India, since it has never taken a Kashmir for pogroms against Muslims to happen, mere accusations are enough and he affirmed that the only way to protect minorities is to strengthen the progressive forces of resistance. Dr. Aparna [secy., Delhi Committee CPI(ML)New Democracy] held that Indian rulers have refused to uphold the commitment given by Nehru Govt. for a referendum to settle the future of J &K and in fact the Govts. of India have ruled this region mainly through the army for past 61 years. GN Saibaba of RDF talked about the historicity of the Kashmiri struggle and the need to support and respect it as a national liberation struggle away from the discourse of “autonomy” or “terrorism”. Filmmaker Sanjay Kak lamented the absence of any serious consistent media coverage of the Valley and he decried the layers of censorship being imposed by those in power and by those who control the media. Writer Arundhati Roy, spoke about the blatant genocide being committed in the Valley while the government and Human Rights activists quibble about what constitutes a “genocide”. Academician, SAR Geelani spoke against the systematic disinformation campaign against Kashmir which has been spread by the government in collusion with the media; that Kashmir is an integral part of India, which it never was, while calling the movement for Azaadi a “separatist” movement.

This meeting was held against the background of over two month long agitation and counter agitation in Kashmir and Jammu which brought home the Indian state's precarious hold over J&K. In just four days on August 11-14  Indian security forces shot dead thirty two people  in Kashmir valley. The Valley saw lakhs of people coming out to protest against the blockade and for their inalienable right to exercise the right of self-determination. The people of the state groan under draconian laws like AFSPA, Disturbed Areas Act, PSA etc. and unarmed people are fired upon. Despite the unprecedented violence against the protestors in Kashmir their quest for ‘azadi’ from Indian Union remained non-violent. 

The speakers unanimously exposed the agitation in Jammu, spearheaded by BJP and Congress which conducted an essentially an anti-Muslim agitation while the two leading parties competed with each other in harnessing majority Hindu chauvinism. Their top leaders in Jammu participated in blockade while the Congress led UPA went into a denial mode on the fact of blockade despite extensive proof of the same. The economic blockade which severely affected the life in the valley imperiled the right to life of people in the valley and the message conveyed was that Indian State was unmindful of even the physical well-being of the people in Kashmir.

The speakers also held that the agreement reached between the Jammu based agitation and the Indian government, through its Governor, is an appeasement of the Hindutva forces. This appeasement was compounded by the blood-letting in the Valley resulting in death of 50 and injury to more than 2000 persons. Moreover, repression is back in vogue and security forces are singling out local leaders in the villages with arrests, beating, booking some under PDA of J&K, Public Safety Act and filing of more than 250 cases. In contrast, as part of the agreement with the agitators in Jammu persons charged with various violent acts have been allowed to go scot free and may in fact, as part of the deal struck, be provided with compensation. The speakers condemned the Indian state’s approach of military suppression accompanied by politics of manipulation and empty promises or though an election process which severely lacks credibility.

The speakers stressed that erosion of Article 370 along with India and Pakistan back tracking from their commitment to refer the matter to the people of J&K has been a major reason for the irresolution of the dispute for over 61 years. They also opined that massive and peaceful outpouring on the streets of Srinagar and elsewhere in Kashmir ought to be met with meaningful political dialogue. For this dialogue to be meaningful it ought to revolve around the right to self-determination of the people of J&K. The meeting unanimously passed a resolution holding that respecting the democratic aspirations of the people of J&K  including their right to self-determination is the only way forward.

 JANHASTAKSHEP      PUCL     PUDR      Dr. RAJENDRA PRASAD ACADEMY