RANADIVE'S _ VIEWS _ON POLITICAL SITUATION IN INDIA oo
[B. I. Ranadive, the main “theoretician of the left-wing,- pei te pro- -~Peking Communist party of India, was recently released from prison. In ‘Bombay, he was: interviewed by. the Free Press. sovrmal (May 4 issue). The following is the text. of the interview. ]).--
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Shri B. t. Ranadive, top theoretician ‘of the Left Communist. 37 Party of India on Tuesday in Bombay ruled out the possibility of “unity" between Bis’ 3 party | and the "revisionist" Right CPI, Led. by Shri_ B ‘A. Dange. BELO, . be eros
“Discounting: newspaper reports about: a ‘likely rapprochement | petween the two CPIs, Shri Ranadive, who was released from jail last week-end after 3% years of detention under the DIR [Defence .. of india Rules], said in an exclusive interview:
"There is: ‘absoDdtely* no “chance: ‘of ‘unity between our party. and the revisionists “because the differences: between us are basic." "Differences," he elaborated, "relate to the very character of the present Government, necessity of mass struggles, conception of united - ‘front: and ‘the role: “Of: ‘the © working class."
Shri Ranadive is leaving: ‘for: Calcutta this “week-end to attend a policy’ reviewing: “meeting: ‘of. the-.Polit-Bureau, the highest... decision-making body of the-Left CPI. He gave an idea of how. the Left Communists viewed the contemporary political. situation in the country since their mass artests in 1962-643. He was replying to questions, . In a ‘strongly worded condemnation. of his erstwhile colleagues of the’ CPI’ Shri Ranadive said that "those who consider that the leadership of the bourgeoisie. is also. necessary for the develop- ‘ment. of the Indian revolution have nothing in common with us. Those who hold such a view are not a party of the working class but: another division of the capitalist class engaged in corrupting the Marxist-Leninist outlook of the working class. a
The Left Communists call for the creation of a "four-class bloc" called the "Peoples Democratic Front". under: the leadership.
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of the working class whereas the Right Communists call for the. creation of.a "National Democratic Front" Supposedly under the. leadership of the "national bourgeoisie" in what’ is considered in communist jargon.as' a "democratic struggle against imperialisn,,; feudalism and monopoly capitalisn. "
Shri Ranadive denied that there had been | any talks between Shri P. Sundarayya, General Secretary of the Left CPI (while he was in Moscow recently for an abdominal. operation) with leaders of | the Soviet Communist Party on the. question of Communist unity in . India. Nor was he aware of any move by his comrades to seek Lo “recognition of the CPSU" for the Left CPI.
He, however, said that despite political. differences, nis’ . party would like to keep unity in bodies like the AITUC [All-India - Trade Union Congress], the trade-union front of the communists, 7 "unimpaired on the basis of @ common policy and a fighting line.
Explaining the election strategy of his party he said: "It will be our aim to organise as big and as wide a common.front as possible. of different democratic forces to give an electoral defeat to the ‘Congress and weaken its monopoly of power. All those parties which honestly consider the rule of the Congress a menace to.our economic and political emancipation will have a place in this front."
While he included the Right CPI, SSP ([Samyukta Socialist party] and other left parties:in the proposed | electoral front, he was not prepared to consider the rightist parties like the Jan Sangh among the "democratic forces." About the Muslim League in Kerala he said the Left CPI sought electoral adjustments and not a "united front" with it in the last mid-term elections while.at the same time. fighting it in several constituencies. He could not say what exact type of electoral. adjustments -would:.be sought by his party with the Muslin. heague in Kerala in the coming. general elections.
‘Shri Ranadive termed the political situation in ‘the country as "a dangerous one" as the economic policies of the Government were leading to a "growing penetration of foreign capital, especially of American influence." He strongly criticised the fertiliser deal, the Indo-American Foundation and’ World Bank's "pressure on our policies." He added::"I am afraid that any day an anti-national deal ‘might take place." _ An eminent Marxist economist himself, Shri Ranadive said that the "internal economic. situation has brought the country to virtual ruin’ which is expressing in mass movements of unprecedented dimensions reminiscent of the last days of British rule."
About: India's foreign policy he said that "it is only in name a-policy of non-alignment, while in fact we are being drawn into . the American net of containment of communism in Asia." He said that "unprecedented mass agitations" would have to be resorted to in the coming period to solve the problems of food and livelihood as well as "to guard the economic independence of the country."
Shri Ranadive said that the. India-China conflict was a "screen in which the shift’ in our policy is taking place" and, therefore, it was necessary to "make the people aware that peaceful settlement of our border problems with China is a condition precedent to a: successful struggle against the growing danger of economic and political freedom at the hands: of American imperialists. " a Among the issues of Aonestic. and foreign policies that must’. occupy the attention of the people, ‘he said, "the total withdrawal. of the emergency and of the DIR should occupy a prominent place.".. He added: "Fortunately almost all political parties. in the: country and the entire press have demanded the withdrawal of emergency and criticised the Government's attempts to continue them under false pretexts. If the pressure continues, the Government and the clique of Chief. Ministers will not succeed. in continuing the: raconian ae legislation... We aa
Shri Ranadive declined ‘to discuss his attitude to international problems like the Sino-Soviet ideological conflict and developments in the USSR since the ouster of Khrushchev on the plea that the : party leadership was considering’ these questions. He, however,» said on some basic issues like peaceful-co-existence, etc., the party as a whole was” in’ agreement with ‘the. stand taken by the Chinese CP. - Pook Co,
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