(We are publishing a resolution approved by the Central Committee of CPI(ML)-New Democracy on October 14, 2006.            -Editor)

Martyrdom of 13 tribals in Kalinganagar and the determined and sustained agitation by tribals has once again forcefully brought the issue of forcible displacement on the national agenda. Some other movements against such displacement too have been continuing and they have had their role in preparing the ground for Kalinganagar agitation to draw the attention of countrymen. Movement of oustees of SSP for rehabilitation has been continuing since a long time drawing wide media attention and attracting middle class elements in urban centres as well. Several other movements too have brought the issue into focus. At present the issue of displacement is on the agenda and is one of the main problems facing the people of the country.

The worst victims of displacement by the Govts. have been tribals. Though they constitute only one twelfth of the population, they are half of the people displaced. They have lost their land, means of livelihood and also their habitat, the milieu in which their culture prospered. Given false promises, they have been rendered homeless, landless, rootless, powerless and helpless. They have been robbed of their old world without any new world being given to them. Their daughters became housemaids in wealthy and middle class urban families, facing all sorts of exploitation. Their sons and daughters toil as menial labour in most inhuman conditions of working and living. In brief they became members of a large and expanding army of unemployed, occupying its lowest rungs.

Abysmal are the conditions of agricultural labourers who are not even in the reckoning, not even entering into consideration of those wielding power. Nonetheless they lose their means of livelihood and their homes, wandering in search of survival, adding to the army of menial labourers on hard and ill paid employments. Lacking rights even earlier, they are thrown from the frying pan into the fire.

Other important sections among displaced are poor peasants and even middle peasants. Getting pittance for their land, they are unable to resettle themselves. Share-croppers and tenants are not treated as owners of land for compensation and get next to nothing for losing their land. Land continues to be the cheapest means of production providing livelihood. They are thrown to the mercy of sharks of exploitation and plunder. They are deprived of their settled means without providing adequate alternatives. Many of them, particularly poor peasants, too join the army of cheap labour.

While forcible displacement had been continuing under British colonial rule and since then, two waves of displacement have been there since 1947. In 1950s and '60s, large number of people were displaced when large scale industries and projects were built under the patronage of imperialist capital. Second wave of displacement came with NEPs which is still continuing. Under this, one of the foci is on industries based on extraction of rich mineral resources of the country. With poor value addition, these minerals are being sold to MNCs and comprador business houses, all in the name of industrial development of the country. With stagnation and even decline in agricultural production largely due to failure to carry out land reforms and to pro-imperialist and anti-peasant agrarian policies, the ruling classes are propagating setting up of multiplexes and SEZs even in the areas of ‘green revolution’ and advocating alienation of agricultural land for the purpose and handing them over to MNCs and corporate houses.

The large-scale acquisition of agricultural land, avowedly in the name of industrial development, is being undertaken while large chunks of land acquired earlier are lying unutilized. Moreover the land acquired is far in excess of the need of the declared purpose of the land acquisition nor is there any requirement for the declared activity being carried on. This is unabashed land-grabbing through the agency of the Govt.

SEZs embody short-circuiting of the rights of the people whether it is land rights of the peasants, labour rights of the workers or the progressive taxation. At a stroke the gains of the people’s struggles are sought to be annulled. What could be a better symbol of it than China, which had registered big gains for the people under socialism. SEZs will not lead to industrial development, rather by shifting production to SEZ areas, they will lead to closures outside.

Besides there is increased clamouring for enlargement of port facilities and development of industrial parks in coastal areas jeopardizing the traditional occupation of a large population of fishermen. Such orchestrated campaign is to lull the people and is out of tune with the actual requirement of the country.

Development is the banner, attracting FDI is the motto and plunder of rich natural resources and cheap labour is the name of the game of the govts. who serve their imperialist masters and defend the interests of compradors. Big carnival of loot and plunder is on with reactionaries of the country teaming with imperialists to defraud the people and impoverish the country. Imperialist loot has become open and subservient rulers shameless.

Displacement has been mainly for three purposes, for establishing large-scale industries and for large irrigation projects, and of late land is also being made available for shopping malls, multiplexes, private market yards and SEZs. Large tracts of forest land are also being earmarked for national parks, sanctuaries, biodiversity zones and tribals and other traditional forest dwellers are being thrown out of these areas. While the first has shifted from public sector to private sector, the second continues to remain with Govt. though in these too the work is mostly privatized. The third one is meant for the benefit of MNCs and big business houses. While there are differences in the beneficiaries of the types mentioned above, the basic point is that they bring ‘development’ for some and ‘destruction’ for most others. The cost of this so-called national development is borne almost entirely by the poorest strata, the tribals, agricultural labourers and poor peasantry.

In addition there is large-scale displacement even in cities where the bustees of poor and small industries and establishments are being removed to beautify the cities; for ‘lean and green’ cities. Work and living places of a large number of people are under attack to pave the way for shopping Malls, residential apartments, freedom from ‘pollution’ and broad roads for uninterrupted drive of cars.

The direction of industrial development taken by the ruling classes from 1947 onwards has been one of imperialist dependent development. Telengana armed struggle, which epitomized self-reliant and people-oriented development based on liquidation of feudalism and unfettering of productive forces, was crushed. The ruling classes, comprador big bourgeoisie and big landlords, took to preserving semifeudal agrarian system and embarked on imperialist dependent industrialization. Without developing the home market and based on exploitative dependence on imperialist powers, this direction was bound to come a cropper. The lot of the people continued to worsen while ruling classes continued to gloat over their development strategy. Further deepening of imperialist penetration is taken as the way out of the economic crisis of their making, but this can only make the crisis deeper and more thorough-going.

The question of industrialization has to be understood in the context of self-reliance in terms of technical know how, machines and also markets. For significantly developing the home market, liquidation of semifeudalism was and continues to be essential to developing the purchasing power of the peasantry, the bulk of Indian people. Even now three fourth of Indian people live in villages and over three fifth of them are directly dependent on agriculture. The direction taken by the ruling classes has been one of rendering the peasantry destitute and hence their so-called industrialization has remained and will remain unproductive. On the other hand, common land, panchayat land, grazing land, govt. land, even the assigned land is being leased to forest dept. as well as being given over to corporates thereby preventing landless and poor peasants from using them as well as getting them. The question of displacement is linked to condition of peasantry who suffer the most. Depressing their conditions cannot lead to the path of industrialization but only to increasing indebtedness of the country under its burden.

Important question about industrialization is, for whom it is? Exploiting our natural resources with low value addition leaving high value addition to imperialist countries will only deplete our natural resources and will be harmful to the interests of our country. Our own resources will be turned into tools for our exploitation. The subservient rulers are selling these resources dirt cheap to MNCs, which cannot lead to progress and development. Extracting natural resources should be carried out strictly in national interest and not for the benefit of MNCs. Hence we must oppose all agreements entered into with MNCs and corporate houses. Further we must lead struggles against alienation of agricultural land for industrial purposes as it further accentuates food insecurity of our country with a large population. Ruling classes have already turned our country into importer of edible oils, pulses and now even cereals.

The question of irrigation projects also raises the question of development for whom and destruction for whom? Indian rulers have neglected the small and medium irrigation projects, laying one-sided emphasis on mega-projects. We already know that it is the tribals and agricultural labourers and poor peasants who suffer the most from displacement while it is the landowners, mainly landlords and rich peasants, who directly benefit from it. For other sections it is the same trickle down effect! Industries have been one of the main beneficiaries of these projects though these projects are always portrayed as solely in the interest of peasants and agriculture. A good part of the water from SSP has been for industries while most parts of Gujarat have remained thirsty. Water from Hirakud dam is being given to steel industries while it was not part of the objectives of this project. Govt. of Andhra Pradesh has decided to supply water from Dewaleshwar canal to SEZ even before it comes into being. Central Govt. has announced making an industrial corridor along East Coast and building of dams and coastal highways in this region should also be viewed in this light.

The question of hydel power generation should be viewed in the background of alternative models available for it with a strong scientific opinion holding that the same could be generated through a series of small dams. In our country with a huge population and scarce uninhabited areas, we should formulate a development strategy suited to our conditions.

Ruling classes have pursued forcible displacement i.e. acquisition of land by govts. (as distinguished by displacement due to economic causes like drought, famine and the like). Land Acquisition Act was enacted by colonial rulers for their interests. Central Govt. enlarged its scope by substituting “public purposes” with “public interest”.  Ruling classes, these advocates of ‘free market’, forcibly take over land for private companies through Govt. intervention, even subsidizing them with public money. This must be stopped immediately.

Initially people accepted displacement swayed by the promises of rehabilitation by the rulers, though at places they had resisted evictions even earlier. But nearly fifty years of rehabilitation experience has convinced them that these anti-people rulers are not only unwilling but incapable of proper rehabilitation. Rehabilitation has been a hoax, a ploy to ‘peacefully’ occupy their land and deprive them of the means of livelihood. Govt. has been offering them a pittance, even making money in the process. Govts. have not bothered about what happens to the displaced after they are dispossessed of their land and means of livelihood. Unemployment and destitution has been their lot. At best they have been casual and contract labourers in the industries established on their own land. With new economic policies, more and more workers are losing their jobs. Even where they got jobs (one per family), their children are without jobs. If they had land, that would have been the source of their livelihood for generations.

Based on their experience people are increasingly opposed to accepting displacement. It is not the people but the ruling classes that are responsible for this situation. Their anti-people rehabilitation policies and practices are responsible for the present situation. People do not trust the promises of the rulers. They are willing and ready to fight against it. Kalinganagar tribals have been blockading national highway to Paradeep since January 2, 2006. The importance of their sacrifices and resistance lies in the fact that they have changed the agenda of such movements from rehabilitation to rejection of displacement. There has been revival of such movements in different parts of Orissa. People are resisting POSCO, not permitting POSCO officials or Govt. officials to enter the area. These struggles are a concrete challenge to the new economic policies and drive of the Central and state govts. to accelerate the pace of these policies.

There has been widespread opposition to the acquisition of land for multiplexes, SEZs, ports, private industries etc. in all parts of the country. Dadri in UP, Singur in West Bengal, Gangavaram in AP, Sangrur in Punjab and many other places in different parts of the country have seen the resolve of the peasantry in opposing Govt.’s efforts to displace them from their land. Faced with the resistance of peasantry the ruling class parties are talking of not acquiring ‘fertile’ land or ‘two crop’ land. This camouflage will lead to manipulation of records besides putting an end to efforts to improve the fertility of land, making one crop land to two crops.

While considering the question of rehabilitation, we should not fall into the error of treating it similarly under a people’s govt. and the present anti-people govt. as if it is just a matter of pronouncements and the class character of Govt. makes no difference. We should be forthright in holding the ruling classes responsible for the present situation where the people, particularly tribals, do not trust the govt. People will hold and do hold the rulers responsible for their problems and lack of development, despite rulers' attempt to throw the responsibility on to the shoulders of struggling forces. We should link the question of development with the question of struggle against the present ruling classes. While we may and do struggle on the development issues, these are not unrelated or opposed to the tasks of revolutionary movement.

The present development strategy of the ruling classes should be viewed in the context of globalization, the current offensive of imperialism against third world countries. Globalization is another name for unbridled rights for imperialist capital for exploitation of the entire globe. It is not for the development of third world countries but for further obstructing their national development. It is to make them as zones of further exploitation by imperialist capital. The present development policies and the resultant displacement must be viewed in the context of this imperialist offensive. They may result in a handful of low paid jobs while destroying employment on larger scale and obstructing the path of development suited to the conditions of individual third world countries including India.

We should be clear on the argument by the apologists of the present development strategy that tribals need development and their present lives need to be improved. While it is true, displacement has not led and does not lead to such improvement. For their development they need not be deprived of their land and means of livelihood. In fact many tribals are landless and need to be given land. They should be and could be provided all facilities- roads, communication, education, health etc. without dispossessing them of their land. The ruling classes who make these promises are not their friends but enemies. We should expose the development strategy of the ruling classes that calls upon the poor to make all the sacrifices while rich get all the benefits.

Ruling classes and their parties uphold and implement the imperialist sponsored development strategy. That is the reason behind their unanimity on the new economic policies. They see the question of displacement only in terms of rehabilitation and rehabilitation only in terms of enticing the people to leave their land and homes. Where they are in opposition they may appear to take different stand but that is only to hoodwink the people and manipulate them into accepting rehabilitation. We should educate the people not to have any illusions about them.

The role of judiciary, particularly higher judiciary has been of facilitating the implementation of new economic policies. Often, the higher judiciary has come forward to be the main gendarme for these policies. Its role in Balco, Enron, Telecom etc. showed how they are leading the way for suppressing the struggles against new economic policies. NBA case is a pointer to their attitude towards rehabilitation. They have allowed the dam height to be continually raised while their own orders on rehabilitation have been flouted. They even changed their order of prior rehabilitation to facilitate raising the height. Experiences of the struggles of displaced people show that their struggles could not be advanced relying upon ruling class politicians and Supreme Court.

We should also consider the question of the role of World Bank and imperialist institutions in this regard. Over the decades foreign-funded and Govt. funded NGOs have spread their tentacles among the struggling people, particularly tribals. Their aim is to absorb the anger of the people and keep their struggles away from challenging the basic orientation of these policies. In this regard their role is complementary to the role of ruling class parties. While World Bank and imperialists fund these projects, the NGOs apparently oppose them trying to insulate each opposition and atomize the struggles. The NGOs work not to thwart but to ultimately facilitate the execution of the policies they pretend to oppose. We should expose NGOs’ real character and designs and lead the people’s struggles. NGOs must be opposed and isolated and the struggles should be built under the leadership of revolutionary forces.

We should boldly lead the struggle of the people including tribals against displacement. These struggles are part of the struggles of Indian peasantry against the onslaught of imperialists and reactionaries. As stated above we should expose the anti-people and anti-national character of pro-imperialist industrialization. Our battle cry should be no agricultural land for industry and no land to imperialists and MNCs.

On the issue of irrigation projects, we should expose the reactionary nature of the ruling classes and their shabby treatment of poor people and tribals responsible for their opposition to displacement. In no case we should support the forcible displacement against the wishes of the people. We should stand for the people and not with the reactionary ruling classes in the name of development. We should support the struggle of the people.

For every project, we should make a clear appraisal of costs and benefits. Costs should include economic and social costs, short and long term ones. It is a question of uprooting people and in no case it should be taken lightly. There should be open discussion on this involving both scientists and experts as well as the organizations of affected people. All aspects of the problem must be explored. Reappraisal of many projects has proved how experts had been manipulated by the MNCs and big business.

If any project is in the interest of the people, if there is no other alternative and if people agree to the project and its effect on their lives, we should lead affected people’s struggle for rehabilitation which is proper, adequate and prior to their displacement. It should be proper in the sense that it should fit in their social, economic and cultural life. It should be adequate in the sense of the standard and quality of their lives. We should fight for land for land qualitatively and quantitatively. It should be prior to their displacement. They should not have to wait for it. It is reiterated that people must agree to the project and in no case they should be forced.

In cases of irrigation projects we should take up the question of enforcing new ceiling for irrigated land and distribution of excess land among rural poor.

Struggle against displacement is unfolding with unprecedented militancy. We should lead these struggles and build wide support for these struggles. They are part of the peasants’ struggle for land and livelihood, a struggle which is the key struggle for new democratic revolution.

Punjab AIKMS Rally against Displacement

On the call of AIKMS its Punjab unit held a rally at Chandigarh against displacement and on other peasant demands. Thousands of peasants from Ludhiana, Moga, Amritsar, Nawanshahar, Kapurthala, Gurdaspur and Sangrur participated in the protest march from Parade Ground to Mataka Chowk, the venue of the public meeting.

Addressing the public meeting Com. H. S. Sandhu, President of AIKMS, said that Indian ruling class parties are implementing anti-people policies in the name of people. In the name of development, peasants are being forcibly displaced in Orissa, Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand, UP, AP, Haryana, Punjab and even in West Bengal ruled by so-call Left Front. There is no money for waiving off the loans of peasants, but subsidy of crores of rupees is being given to MNCs and big industrialists. The Govt. is not utilizing the land previously acquired in different states.

On SEZs, he said this is also deception of the toiling people. Agricultural land used for SEZs poses threat of increasing food insecurity. According to Finance Ministry the project is of 1,00,000 crores while tax exemptions amount to 90,000 crores. They will divert their products to Indian market, leading to increased closures of industries elsewhere. 

State President Com. Nirbhay Singh, Gen. Secy. Com. Satbir Singh and other state leaders also addressed the peasants. They stressed the importance of all India peasant struggle to save land of peasants and to overturn the anti-people policies. The speakers lauded the anti-displacement movement of Kalinganagar (Orissa) where tribals have given their lives but not their land.

A memorandum was submitted to the Chief Minister to stop displacement, waive loans, guarantee govt. purchase of all crops and fulfil other demands of small peasants. Due to struggle of the peasants Govt. had to announce that the fertile land will not be acquired. Punjab CM was also forced to announce that Govt. will not acquire land for private purposes.