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MAY 2021 CENTRAL ORGAN OF CPI(ML) Rs. 25
COVER STORY
US Navy Violates India’s Maritime Sovereignty
The US navy has openly stated that it has violated India’s (and Maldives’) maritime sovereignty,
declaring in a statement “On April 7, 2021 (local time) USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) asserted
navigational rights and freedoms approximately 130 nautical miles west of the Lakshadweep Islands,
inside India’s exclusive economic zone, without requesting India’s prior consent, consistent with
international law. India requires prior consent for military exercises or maneuvers in its exclusive
economic zone or continental shelf…”
In justification for these violations, it has asserted Freedom of Navigation Operation (FONOP), arguing
that its actions are justified under international law. Such activities are however little else than bullying
and an attempt to force the Indian govt into military subservience. This also points to the policy of
surrendering Indian interests to Washington’s diktats that the Modi government has taken by joining
the so-called Quad alliance with Japan and Australia. By conducting such operations without prior
consent, Washington is signaling that it expects New Delhi to be a client state rather than an equal
partner in such an alliance.
The Modi government has always projected a muscular foreign policy as its major strength and has
sought votes on such a basis, while it has surrendered to such bullying by the US. On one hand BJP
has accused all opposition and protestors of being backed by foreign adversaries. On the other hand,
by amending the FCRA, BJP has made it easier for foreign contributions to flow unchecked into the
party coffers. Thus it remains open to speculation if Washington is buying influence in the BJP and
chipping away at India’s maritime rights.
Such violations are also a threat to India’s security as well as a threat to Indian fishing vessels that
operate on waters where the US seeks to expand its influence. The Indian government needs to
stand up to such acts of bullying and make the US navy apologize before it can claim to have ‘raised’
India’s global stature. .p
Resist Duterte’s Witch-Hunt in Philippines
The political situation in the Philippines continue to deteriorate under the fascist regime of Rodrigo
Duterte. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government continues to terrorise the people
through a spate of arrests and state sponsored violence. With the enactment of draconian Anti-
Terrorism Act of 2020, Duterte’s regime has now embarked on a full scale witch-hunting (red-tagging)
against labour rights and youth activists, peasant and indigenous leaders, and community organisations.
On April 15, 33-year old tricycle driver Pason, a member of urban poor group Kadamay and a member
of Pasil Homeowners Association from Negros Island was assassinated. In a series of military
operations between March 4-7, 2021, 9 labour and indigenous leaders and human rights activists
were executed, just two days after Duterte’s call to “kill” and “finish off” all “communist rebels” in
the country. In February this year, the police raided and arrested 19 children studying in a school
for displaced indigenous children in the Central Philippine city of Cebu on charges of being rebels.
Police and authorities regularly invoke Anti-terror laws to harass and threaten leaders and members
of indigenous communities in their movement for protection of their land against big corporate dam
and mining companies.
Furthermore, people’s initiatives amid the pandemic such as the Community Pantries, that look out
for each other’s needs through solidarity efforts and mutual aid have also come under attack by the
regime’s National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict and by the police. Despite the
red tagging and threats, Community Pantries across the Philippines continue to stand strong and
provide much needed support to the people who have been left to suffer and die of hunger by the
Duterte government’s ne-oliberal and anti-people policies.
Since Duterte came to power in 2016, tens of thousands, including women, children, and members of
people’s organisations have been summarily executed by government forces with absolute immunity
under the pretext of ‘War on drugs’ and ‘counter-insurgency’.
CPI(ML) expresses solidarity with the people of Philippines and their struggle against the Duterte
regime’s fascist repression! p
In lieu of Editorial
CPI(ML) Foundation Day
Call and Resolve
New Series Vol. 27 No. 01
Serve the Suffering People and
MAY 2021
Strengthen the People’s Movement
CONTENTS
for Democracy and Justice
COVER FEATURE
COVID Crisis 2.0: Modi Shrugs Off pril 22, 2021 marks the fifty-second anniversary of the foundation
Responsibility................................ 5
ARTICLE
Rohingyas:
A of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist). On this
solemn occasion, we pay our respectful homage to all our
martyrs and departed leaders and fondly remember comrades whom we
Genocide in the Backyard. . ............... 13 lost in recent past. We extend our warm revolutionary greetings to all our
FEATURE members and well-wishers and the people of India who are fighting hard
Assembly Elections..................... .17 to save the country, the democratic constitutional framework of our polity
REPORT FROM STATES ................24 and the rights of the people from the clutches of the fascist Modi regime.
INTERNATIONAL .........................28 We express our solidarity and support for the progressive sections of Indian
OBITUARY ..................................33 diaspora and the entire spectrum of anti-imperialist, anti-racist, anti-fascist
movements and organisations in all parts of the world.
Editor-in-chief
Dipankar Bhattacharya For the second successive year we are having to observe the foundation
Editor day of our party in the shadow of the Covid19 pandemic. In fact, even
Arindam Sen going by official figures which invariably underreport the incidence of cases
Editorial Board and even deaths, the second wave has already assumed more serious
Kavita Krishnan proportions than the peak of the first wave last year. In most places, the
V. Shankar healthcare system is reporting shortage of beds, medicine and vaccines.
Sanjay Sharma The government is trying to blame the people for the severity of the second
wave, but the government’s own utter lack of preparedness, complacency
Editors' e-mail: and selective concession for massive violation of Covid protocol (like the
liberation@cpiml.org Kumbh Mela and the road shows and mega rallies in
the carelessly scheduled eight-phased West
Art: V Arun Kumar Bengal elections) are the primary
reasons why India is
Manager having to pay such a
Prabhat Kumar heavy and prolonged
Phone: 7042877713 price on the Covid
Website: www.cpiml.net front.
E-mail: manager.liberation@gmail.com While failing
36 pages including covers to tackle the
pandemic, the
Annual Subscription Rates government has
India Rs. 300 however been
Abroad US$ 60 using the crisis
aggressively as
Send M.O. or Bank Draft
in favour of
Liberation Publications
Payable at Delhi to
U-90 Shakarpur, Delhi 110 092
LIBERATION - CENTRAL ORGAN OF CPI(ML) | MAY 2021 | 3
In lieu of Editorial
an opportunity to promote corporate power and erode privatisation is showing signs of becoming a bigger
people’s rights. New farm laws have been designed social agenda and political campaign. Struggles of
to hand over the reins of agriculture, especially scheme workers and other extremely ill-paid and
agricultural marketing and much of agricultural insecure women workers and informal and unorganised
production, to the Adanis and Ambanis, which has sector workers from Dalits and other deprived
popularly come to be known as Company Raj. Labour backgrounds are growing across the country. Millions
laws introduced since the times of the freedom of young Indians who are already fighting for education
movement are being replaced with labour codes that and employment are getting interested and involved
will worsen the working conditions and terms of work in the farmers’ movement and the anti-privatisation
and wages for workers and increase the powers of campaign. The change is beginning to get reflected in
employers. The government’s aggressive privatisation elections too and Bihar gave us a powerful glimpse of
drive is systematically weakening and destroying the this growing potential.
public sector and public property and handing over The success achieved by the party in Bihar
the entire national economy including the railways, elections and the bold and consistent anti-fascist
airports, ports, banks and steel plants to a few stand articulated by our party, especially in the
corporate houses. The new education policy seeks to context of West Bengal, has raised the party’s profile
make education more private, expensive and digital, in the Left movement and anti-fascist resistance.
thereby eroding the right to education for children from With bigger profile comes increased opportunity and
deprived and disadvantaged backgrounds. greater responsibility. We must prepare ourselves
The people of India are of course boldly resisting accordingly and respond to the challenges with all our
this relentless attack on their existence and rights. After strength. It is necessary and possible to bring about
the powerful equal citizenship movement, we are now a convergence of struggles of various sections as a
witnessing a historic farmers’ movement. The working unified and powerful people’s resistance that will defeat
class movement the fascist offensive of the Modi-Shah-Yogi regime
a g a i n s t and the Sangh brigade. Comrades responded
energetically to the challenge of elections last
year in Bihar and now in the ongoing round in
Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Assam and West
Bengal. We must also prepare well for
the coming rounds of elections in Punjab,
Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. We
stood with the suffering people during
the first wave of the Covid19 pandemic,
we must do the same to meet the
challenges of the ongoing second wave.
On the 52nd anniversary of the
party’s foundation, let us renew our
resolve and summon all our strength and
energy to rise to the occasion.
Long live CPI(ML).
Long live revolution.
Central Committee, CPI(ML)-Liberation
4 | MAY 2021 | LIBERATION - CENTRAL ORGAN OF CPI(ML)
COVER FEATURE
Modi Shrugs Off Responsibility
As India Gasps For Breath
L
ast year in the month of
March, when many leaders
of India’s opposition were
pointing out the Modi government’s
lack of planning and preparedness
to deal with the coronavirus, the
Union Health Minister accused of
them ‘petty politics’ and ‘spreading
fear’. He confidently and loudly
declared that the government is
fully prepared to deal with any
situation. While the Minister was
fuming against India’s political
opposition, the Health Ministry was
at the same time choosing to ignore
warning from its own scientists
from the ICMR who had already
published research papers warning
against a strict lockdown and a
top-down approach to dealing with
the pandemic. Not surprisingly, the hospitals, patients dying at the government has been trying to pass
government ignored the warnings. gates of hospitals, tests taking on blame for the havoc caused
This arrogant, callous, ignorant nearly a week to return a result and by the second wave to the state
and pompous response of the overflowing crematoriums. Many governments. This needs to be
Union Health Minster along with a have lost family, friends and loved called out at all levels. After taking
healthy dose of spin doctoring and ones and when questions have all the crucial decisions unilaterally
data fudging, has been the go-to been put to the government about – such as the decision to impose
method of the Modi government to its lack of preparedness, cabinet a lockdown, to dictate testing
deal with the Covid pandemic that minister Piyush Goyal tells us that policy and vaccine production and
has engulfed the globe for over a people are demanding too much distribution – Narendra Modi now
year now. oxygen! The Minister is essentially wants the States to bear the brunt
Exactly one year since the national saying that we are all supposed to of the second wave.
lockdown was announced, India is breath carbon dioxide to reduce our
National Lockdown:
in the middle of a deadly second oxygen consumption. Along with
Wasted
wave with no beds in hospitals, blaming people and their struggles
ambulances queuing up outside to live for the pandemic, the Modi On 20 April 2021, PM Modi in
another anodyne address to the
Worst-Hit Country nation said lockdown should be
the last measure for countering the
Officially, by mid-April, India became the country with the world’s
spread of the virus. But the same
second highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, second only to man said exactly the opposite a
the United States. However, it is widely held by experts that India is in year ago! On 23 March 2020, he
announced a national lockdown by
fact the worst hit – the real horror of the situation is being suppressed
giving a warning of just four hours.
by official numbers, by keeping testing low, and underreporting Covid-19 It was a decision taken without
deaths. consulting any of the states. It was
LIBERATION - CENTRAL ORGAN OF CPI(ML) | MAY 2021 | 5
COVER FEATURE
the hardest lockdown imposed by
any country, and left millions of Delhi HC Slams Modi Government Over Handling
workers hungry and without any of Covid-19 Crisis
means to survive. The lockdown, The Delhi HC repeatedly ordered the Modi Government to divert
as it soon became evident, was a all industrial oxygen towards hospitals, in view of the acute oxygen
colossal waste. The only tangible shortage in hospitals in Delhi and all over India. “Why is the Centre
outcome from it was the suffering not waking up to the gravity of the situation? We are shocked and
and destitution of millions. dismayed hospitals running out of oxygen but steel plants are running,”
An investigation by journalists said the HC bench, adding “The steel and petrochemical industries are
Nitin Sethi and Kumar Sambhav oxygen guzzlers and diverting oxygen from there can meet hospitals'
had revealed that Modi was told by requirements. This is the height of greed. Is there no sense of humanity
scientists at the Indian Council of left or not?”
Medical Research (ICMR) in April The HC also held the Central Government responsible for “criminal
last year that the lockdown would wastage of vaccines.” Referring to instances of hoarding of antiviral
help in preventing infections only medicines, the HC said that if the Government failed to ensure supply
to the tune of 20-25%. In a study of such medicines to hospitals on the basis of needs, it would have
conducted by the ICMR it emerged “blood on its hands.”
that the best use of the lockdown
basically created a slush fund and no chance to declare victory with
would be to prepare for an eventual
called it PM CARES. There is no Modi as the General and snigger
surge of cases – which is exactly
transparency about how all the at scientists, doctors and public
what we are witnessing today.
funds collected have been utilized. health activists who warned against
What is clear now is that the Modi
Modi, who centralized all decision- declaring victory too early.
government, which unilaterally
making within the CMO, cannot On 7 March 2021, India’s Health
imposed the lockdown, totally
failed to build up medical facilities, now get away by saying that it is Minister Harshvardhan declared
testing capacities, ICU beds and the responsibility of the states. ‘We are in the endgame of the
oxygen facilities. An announcement The buck stops with him and his Covid-19 pandemic in India. While
was made with much fanfare in government. we know that he has been proved
October about the construction Modi’s Hubris, the Biggest spectacularly wrong, he cannot claim
of Oxygen plants in 150 districts Killer that the second wave ambushed
across India. An investigation by the government. By September
On 24 April 2020, V K Paul, a
the news website Scroll has found last year, scientists across the
member of the Covid task force of
that it took 8 months to just float world had started detecting variant
the government of India in a press
tenders. Out of a planned 162 such strains of the virus in different parts
conference released a bizarre
plants, only 33 have been built. of the world. Variant strains can
graph predicting India would flatten
Such criminal lethargy has cost be identified through a method of
the infection curve by 16 May
hundreds of lives in the second genome sequencing; but again the
2020. This was baffling to many
wave, where people are literally Modi government was completely
who simply could not figure out the
dying at hospital gates looking for lax in its approach in carrying this
science behind this outrageous
oxygen. In UP, a journalist Vinay out. It was only in January, when
claim. In the early days of the
Srivastava literally live tweeted his the spread of the UK strain was
epidemic, this attitude proved to
death, as he failed to get admitted revealed, did we scale up gene
instructive, as it was a telling symbol
in a hospital and get an oxygen sequencing in India. In February
of the government’s priorities. The
cylinder. The whole country is today of this year, Dr. Randeep Guleria,
Modi government’s first priority
paying for the carelessness of the AIIMS Director and member of the
has always been to declare victory
Modi government to prepare for Covid Task force of the government
and making ridiculous claims of
the second wave. While the spin of India, himself admitted in a
Modi being the hero of India’s fight
doctors in the media might tell us discussion at the Jaipur Lit Fest
against Covid.
that ‘all are equally’ responsible, that herd immunity is no guarantee
this is just a ruse to hide the failures The government was of course against newer strains and till the
of the Modi government. Let us helped in its triumphalist narratives population gets vaccinated there
not forget that the Prime Minster by many in the media who lost will always be danger of another
6 | MAY 2021 | LIBERATION - CENTRAL ORGAN OF CPI(ML)
COVER FEATURE
Ministers of the government are
Chest-Thumping today blaming ordinary people of
On 21 February 2021, the National Office Bearers meeting of the ruling lack of mask discipline and failing
BJP in Delhi passed a resolution which spoke of the pandemic in the to follow distancing norms. This
past tense, and declared: “it can be said with pride that India defeated is being cited as the reason for
Covid under the able, sensitive, committed and visionary leadership of the second wave. But is it really
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The party unequivocally hails its true? It is the Modi government
which has been claiming since
leadership for introducing India to the world as a proud and victorious
the end of last year that the virus
nation in the fight against Covid.”
has been defeated. Modi, at the
BJP’s and Modi’s chest-thumping of a few weeks ago seems to mock
World Economic Forum, claimed
the Indians gasping for breath today.
that India had defeated Covid. The
messaging from the Prime Minster,
wave. But instead of listening to its all practical purposes). It allowed the Health Minster, other minsters
own experts, the government and the Kumbh Mela to go on, a place and MPs from the BJP over that
its spokespersons were happy to where literally millions congregated last four months has been: we
gloat about the unique immunity for nearly a week and became a have defeated corona. In the face
of Indians against the virus, even veritable super spreader. Modi of such messaging, amplified by
though the science was saying cannot escape responsibility for the IT Cell and spokespersons
exactly the opposite. this by appealing to end the Kumbh in the Media, it is not surprising
when the main Shahi Snans have that the perception among the
Despite knowing the possibility of been completed. There are now general populace was that the virus
the outbreak of another round of reports galore from different parts of was a thing of the past and with
infections, the Modi government the country about pilgrims returning the vaccination program people
and the BJP plunged the state of from Haridwar testing positive in would be safe. Blaming people for
West Bengal into an eight-phase huge numbers. Let us also not demanding too much oxygen or for
election (there is no point taking forget the thousands of maskless not following precautions is totally
the name of the EC separately spectators that were allowed to see irresponsible. It was Modi and the
here because it has become an cricket matches in the ‘Narendra central government which has been
extension of the ruling party for Modi Stadium’ in Ahmedabad. announcing victory over the virus.
Graph Shown by VK Paul in April 2020
LIBERATION - CENTRAL ORGAN OF CPI(ML) | MAY 2021 | 7
COVER FEATURE
Turning around now and blaming
people when the Prime Minister Many Warned Of Second Wave
and the Home Minister attend Epidemiologists all over the world have been warning of a second
election rallies and roadshows wave of Covid-19, and also warning of mutations that may be even
without masks is pure hubris and more virulent than the original strain. In the first wave, India showed
arrogance. a relatively low death rate, which some sought to explain in terms of
Vaccine Mess higher immunity of Indians. But many experts had warned that new
strains might hit India harder.
Narendra Modi never loses any
Not just experts, Opposition politicians too had warned the government
chance to claim that India is the
vaccine maker of the world and that against complacency. Exactly a year ago, in April 2020 for instance,
we can produce enough vaccines Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had warned that the “Lockdown is
not just for our population but also a pause button, it won’t defeat Covid.” Left parties, including the
for other countries who do not have CPIML, have been demanding an effective increase in public health
similar infrastructure to produce infrastructure to cope with a fresh pandemic wave, as well as ensuring a
vaccines. Such claims today ring safety net in the form of economic support and food rations for migrant
hollow and feel a million miles away workers and rural poor. The Government did none of this.
as India is grappling with an acute manufacturers. In November, the with shortages being reported
vaccine shortage which is not going government announced a Rs. 900 from Maharashtra, Odisha, Kerala,
to go away anytime soon whichever Andhra Pradesh and many other
crore project for covid vaccines
way the government spins it. states. As a result even the so
but the actual manufacturers of the
By October last year, it was clear vaccines, the Serum Institute and called ‘Teeka Utsav’ was a damp
that by the end of the year the Bharat Biotech have yet to receive squib with average vaccination
world is going to have a number anything from this project. numbers actually falling during
of vaccines at its disposal. The that period. In the week the so
The time before the second wave
normal thing for any government called Utsav was held, the per day
hit us was the ideal period to average of vaccinations actually
to do would have been to invest
maximize vaccinations. This did not fell from 3.6 million to 2.7 million
in expanding production facilities
and making advance commitments happen because of two reasons. per day. Going by the current pace
to purchase vaccines. But not t he Firstly, the opacity surrounding the of vaccinations and supply crunch
Modi government which was busy clinical trials of Covaxin prompted it will be at least till October that
in a continuous PR exercise about a wave of vaccine hesitancy and the population above 45 years
its handling of the Coronavirus. secondly the eligibility criteria was will be fully vaccinated with two
It was only in January that the too narrow. As a result many who doses administered. As we write
government gave a purchase order were less than 45 years of age this, only about 1.5% of India’s
of 45 million doses, that too just and were willing could not get the population has been administered
five days before the start of the vaccine. As the second wave hit two doses and around 8% have
vaccination program on 17t January us, there was a surge of demand got at least one jab. Modi will keep
2021 and for another 100 million and unsurprisingly, we are faced spinning a tale that we are the
in March 2021; whereas even to with an acute shortage of vaccines fastest to vaccinate 100 crore of
vaccinate the whole population
Remember Dr Kafeel Khan?
above the age of 45 it would require
800 million doses. The Serum Dr Kafeel Khan was hounded for years by the Yogi Government in UP
Institute which produces Covishield for coming to the aid of babies and patients in a Gorakhpur Government
has a production capacity of 65- hospital where patients were dying for lack of oxygen. For raising the
70 million doses per month and
issue of corruption and callousness creating a chronic oxygen shortage
Bharat Biotech can produce around
in Indian hospitals, he was jailed, his family attacked.
5 million doses of Covaxin. The
numbers point towards only one Today, the whole country is going through what the Gorakhpur hospital
thing, India is staring down an did in 2017. Had the government heeded him instead of hounding him,
acute shortage of vaccines. Added Indians might be in a better situation today.
to this is a fund crunch for vaccine
8 | MAY 2021 | LIBERATION - CENTRAL ORGAN OF CPI(ML)
COVER FEATURE
the population compared to other deflect the blame for slack pace of India's counting of COVID dead”.
countries, but he will not tell us that vaccinations and shortages on to Crematorium staff from various
in terms of percentage of population the States, when the mess has been states are reporting that they are
– after all that is what matters in any all his creation caused due to inept being instructed to register deaths
mass vaccination program – we are planning and arrogance. Further a as caused by ‘bimari’ - illness - and
not even in the top 60 in the globe. two-tier vaccination structure will not specifically Covid-19. (See
After much criticism from opposition lead to greater exclusion. India is below the graph for the contrast
leaders and Chief Ministers, the the only country in the world to have between reported Covid-19 deaths
government of India has opened allowed private players to directly and Covid-19 site cremations.
up vaccination for 18 years and sell vaccines. Media commentators Remember this does not include
above. It has allowed States to buy have termed it a great move; but burials of those who died).
directly from manufacturers from 1 in effect Modi has give the State Even before the pandemic, as
May. But the devil lies in the details. governments a long rope to hang few as 21% of deaths in India were
All those who are 18 years and with! With vaccine manufacturing recorded by a medical professional
above have to pay for the vaccine nowhere near the required amount, along with a cause of death,
at a private hospital and the States the chaos that will follow will be according to the World Health
have to pay a higher price than the neatly deflected and Modi will be Organization. During the pandemic,
central government to buy these shrugging his shoulders from 1 May this problem is being made worse
vaccines. Those who are 45 and onwards! by the pressure by governments to
above will continue getting it for
free from the Central government.
Deliberate Suppression deny the scale of the crisis.
A total of 50% of the vaccines
of Covid-19 Cases and Likewise there are reports from
manufactured will be used for
Deaths Delhi and UP that there are informal
selling it privately and to the states. Reuters reported that “Non- orders to discontinue testing.
By doing this, Modi will simply stop cremations cast doubt on One Delhi resident reported his
LIBERATION - CENTRAL ORGAN OF CPI(ML) | MAY 2021 | 9
COVER FEATURE
experience of registering for the test volunteers helping to cremate for spread of infectious diseases’,
online and showing up three days in Hindus. Embarrassed by this, the published in Clinical Microbiology
the row to be turned away on one Mayor and an MLA from the BJP and Infection in 2015.
pretext or the other. On the last condemned this stand and thanked Fully aware of the risks of
day, the testing centre official told the Muslim community for being at holding the Kumbh Mela in the
him informally that the Delhi Police the forefront of volunteer efforts. midst of a Covid-19 second wave,
– which falls under the Central Why Was The Kumbh Mela the Governments of India and
Government) had instructed him to Advanced By A Year? Uttarakhand played with lives to
shut down tests! stage a religious spectacle and
Shuddhabrata Sengupta, writing
Clearly, the Modi regime appears appease the powerful lobby of
for The Wire, noted: “Kumbh Melas
to be following the formula that “Sants and Mahants”. Not only did
are held every 12 years. The last
Trump had suggested – if you do they fail to cancel the event, they
Haridwar Kumbh Mela was held
not test, you can show low Covid-19 actually advanced it by a year. The
in 2010. The actual due date for
numbers! Kumbh Mela is one of the biggest
the ‘current’ Kumbh at Haridwar
factors in the viral spread of the
Chronic Communal Hate was 2022, not 2021. So how did it
deadly virus that is claiming lives
get advanced by one whole lethal
The Modi regime, its pet media in India. But no media channel
year at a time India’s second Covid
houses, and the BJP-RSS will run hashtags blaming the
wave was expected? And when
responded to Covid-19 right from the #KumbhLobby or #SaffronLobby,
epidemiological studies indicate
start by communalising the issue, or even question the Government
that second waves of infection are
scapegoating the Tablighi Jamaat on why the event was advanced.
always worse than the first.” The
gathering and demanding that
answer was that the Governments Why Are Hindu
participants in the TJ’s Nizamuddin
of Uttarakhand and the Centre Supremacist Outfits
gathering be “shot dead.”
appeased some astrological Getting Foreign
Contrast this with the way these pundits! Funding In The Name of
same forces treat the Kumbh Mela
Sengupta notes that there is a
Covid-19?
attended by several lakhs and
well-documented history of the Five organisations with ties to Hindu
various huge gatherings celebrating
Kumbh Melas being linked to supremacist and religious groups
“Holi” where thousands throw water
epidemics and pandemics. Chinmay have received COVID-19 relief
and cowdung at each other. Several
Tumbe’s recent book, The Age of funding amounting to $833,000,
BJP leaders including a Chief
Pandemics: How They Shaped according to data released by the
Minister of Uttarakhand announced
India and the World, includes a United States’ Small Business
that Hindus were immune from
specific discussion of pandemics Administration (SBA), a federal
Covid-19. Had any Muslim leader
and successive Kumbh Melas. agency that helps small business
been so brazen, the media would
Also useful is David Arnold’s article owners and entrepreneurs.
have instigated violence against
1986, ‘Cholera and Colonialism in RSS-related outfits have been
them. But in the case of these
British India’ and Kama Maclean’s receiving similar funding in the name
super-spreader events blessed and
2008 book, Pilgrimage and Power: of earthquake relief and on other
promoted by unscientific rubbish
The Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, pretexts, for decades now.
by Hindu-supremacist leaders, the
1765-1954. The history of the
media remained silent. Modi called In 2014, South Asian Citizen Web
Kumbh Mela and disease has been
for the Kumbh Mela to be observed (SACW) released a report analysing
well documented over the years.
symbolically only in its last phase official tax records between 2001-
The World Health Organisation
when the largest gatherings had 2014, and showing how US-based
has a monograph about cholera
already taken place, thousands had charity groups sent millions of dollars
that has a section on the Kumbh.
tested positive, and the returning to RSS-affiliated organisations.
There is even an article in the Indian
hordes spread the virus deep into Between 2001-2012, both Ekal
Medical Gazette from 1895 on the
rural and semi-urban North India. Vidyalaya Foundation and VHPA
‘Natural History of Haridwar Cholera
The virus of communal hate is Outbreaks’, and a more recent sent $27m and $3.9m respectively,
so bad that in Vadodara, Gujarat, paper, ‘A comprehensive review of according to the SACW report.
BJP leaders objected to Muslim the Kumbh Mela: Identifying risks The RSS is fond of accusing its
10 | MAY 2021 | LIBERATION - CENTRAL ORGAN OF CPI(ML)COVER FEATURE
critics – feminist, anti-caste and anti- of the government is there for all a devastating second wave, the
Islamophobia groups and human to see, it cannot deflect any blame blame for this too must lie with him.
rights groups in particular – of away from itself. The whole pliant All of us are after all paying with
being “foreign-funded.” In fact it is media network built up a narrative lives of dear ones to satiate the
the RSS that gets millions of dollars that India beat corona exclusively megalomanic moods of one man,
of funding in the name of charity due to the leadership of Modi. Now he cannot escape blame.p
which it uses to further its Hindu when the country is in the midst of
supremacist politics.
The Buck Stops With The
PM
Fighting CoVID-19,
The hubris and arrogance of the
government has led to thousands
Fighting a Pandemic of
of lives being lost. The Govt knew
that the second wave was coming,
Cruel and Irresponsible
and did not do anything. Rather it
was busy in a huge PR exercise to
Misinformation
paint a picture of Modi vanquishing Fighting COVID has meant fighting to be waged. The battle against
the virus. There is an industry today several battles at the same time. widespread misinformation – cruel,
which is trying to tell us that all We are fighting for hospital beds, cynical and deeply irresponsible
citizens must do their part in tackling oxygen cylinders, ventilators, and damaging misinformation
the situation. The citizens of this injections and vaccines. We are campaigns targeting public health
country do not need any telling; they also fighting against distress measures.
are already stretched to the limits in migration, job losses and growing What does this misinformation
helping each other. But do citizens and crippling economic insecurity, campaign look like? For one,
have access to resources that the hunger and poverty. But there it is a sustained vilification of
government has? When the failure is another battle too that needs
LIBERATION - CENTRAL ORGAN OF CPI(ML) | MAY 2021 | 11COVER
COVERFEATURE
STORY
precautionary advice put out by public health officials. skepticism about masking and vaccines are peddled
Super spreader events are being called ‘celebrations’, during a raging pandemic, when people are literally
being ‘asymptomatic’ is being termed as just a nasty gasping to death in large numbers and struggling
word to describe what is actually a perfectly healthy due to lack of health infrastructure, it borders on the
person. The list goes on. As per a meme doing the criminal.
rounds on Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp, holidays
should not be vilified as ‘non-essential’ travel; meeting For example, let us take the example of vaccines. Yes,
family and friends should not termed ‘non-essential’ we need studies on exactly how effective vaccines are.
contact and quarantine is nothing but house arrest. But let us suppose for a minute that two years down
We are being told that the scare around COVID is the line, we get to know after extensive studies that
a manufactured and unnecessary one. All this is the Covishield vaccine is not 70%-90% effective as we
apparently an elaborate conspiracy hatched by Big are assuming now; but is rather just effective in 50% of
Pharma, with the connivance of politicians who are in the population who take it. So, it is not as effective as
their pockets! If we were to believe this campaign, it is predicted initially. Does that mean that as responsible
Big Pharma which is selling us lies us that a) COVID citizens, we spend all our time and energy convincing
is a serious scare, b) they have the solution, and c) people not to take any vaccines at all? And to just
we will need “booster” doses of vaccines at regular exercise, eat well and build ‘natural’ immunity? Is it not
intervals. In other words, what is being touted as a the height of irresponsibility to vilify and demonise a
medical model and public health advice is merely a solution that, while not perfect, at least helps to save
business model to boost profits.
some lives?
Most dangerously, we are seeing a wholesale
Similarly, let us talk about masking. Yes, the scientific
vilification of simple public health measures such as
community is constantly evolving its understanding
universal masking and vaccinations. We are being told
of how effective masking is, and which masks are
that to remain healthy, all we need to do is to expose
more effective that the others. Yes, we might come to
ourselves to germs and build immunity, eat a healthy
diet, maintain healthy interactions, exercise regularly know some months later that N-95 masks are not as
and reduce stress. The narrative is that Big Pharma and effective as we thought they more. We might come to
politicians are inverting decades of medical knowledge know that cloth masks need to be supplemented with
by now claiming that one needs to isolate and stay in surgical masks to be truly effective against new variants
a sterile environment to stay healthy, one needs to of the virus. There is always the space for expanding
constantly live in fear and not meet basic social needs our knowledge. But that does that in the here and
of a human being. In fact, in this campaign, masks have now, we spent all out energy telling people to expose
been derogatorily termed as “face diapers”! Another themselves to germs and build natural immunity, when
meme proclaims: “Science and neutral reporting are the risk is that doing so could well kill them?
increasingly being oppressed”. This, apparently, is
Let us ask ourselves what is most needed right now.
the result of an atmosphere of panic and fear foisted
What is needed is the ability to process ever-growing
on us by Big Pharma and politicians, World Economic
Forum and the World Bank. We are seeing an overt and and yes, ever-changing information about coronavirus
covert propaganda against vaccines and masking. This and its variants. What is needed is to help people deal
propaganda promotes data on how people die even with it, protect themselves from COVID. What we do not
after getting vaccinated; how masks are ineffective. need is a campaign that could well and truly endanger
people, with literally death. We need to equip ourselves
What do we make of all this? To begin with, the fact
with findings from the latest studies, and counter the
remains that part of the reason for this skepticism
misinformation campaigns doing the rounds. Some of
is the well-documented nexus between scientific
research and powerful funding agencies. We know, for these campaigns come from well-known misinformation
example, how cigarette manufacturers influenced and mongers – the likes of right-wing trolls telling us that
even suppressed research on the impacts of nicotine a cow is a source of oxygen and as effective as an
consumption on human health. However, what we are oxygen cylinder. But what is infinitely more dangerous
seeing now is a concerted attempt to derail the work is misinformation and vilification coming from so-called
of public health officials; an effort which is laughable at meaning people; misinformation against masking and
best and downright dangerous at worst. And when such vaccines that has the potential to endanger people. p
12 | MAY 2021 | LIBERATION - CENTRAL ORGAN OF CPI(ML)ARTICLE
Rohingyas: Genocide in the Backyard
Ujjaini Chatterji
O
n April 8, 2021, a Supreme Court Bench Rohingya refugees have been hosted in camps by
headed by the Chief Justice of India, CJI Bangladesh. Bangladesh has done a tremendously
Bobde refused an interim order for a blanket commendable job in hosting and protecting these
stay against the deportation of Rohingya refugees in refugees. Yet, despite repeated appeals, India
Jammu and Kashmir. The Court observed that since has refused to share any of this refugee burden.
India is not a party to the Refugee Conventions, they In fact, India has validated the Myanmar claim
do not have an obligation towards the fulfilment of that the Rohingya refugee people are not citizens
the principle of non-refoulement. This observation of Myanmar and a threat to their internal security.
was very problematic from the perspective of the Simultaneously, several mainstream journalists
human rights jurisprudence within the Constitution continue to support the hateful treatment of the
of India as well as it was a flawed reading of the Rohingya people with their emphatic masculine roars
very basic principles of International Law and the every evening. The question however remains that
commitments of India therein. The Supreme Court of who are the Rohingya refugee people and why must
India, in this extremely shallow interim order refused India, at all, be bothered to protect them? As a nation,
to comprehend the complicated history of South Asia. what stakes and obligations do we have towards this
The order overlooked the manner in which nearly Bengali speaking community from Myanmar?
every major issue like the Rohingya Refugee crisis
Even though International Law is extremely clear
dates back to our shared colonial history. Therefore,
about the right to protection of refugees, nations often
it is not only cruel but also impossible to forget history
dispute their status and refuse to grant them refugee
and deny legal obligations from the crisis.
status. The reasons behind such denials are strongly
There are approximately 79.5 million refugees rooted in the geo political, social and historical
across the world today. Amongst them, the background of the nations and their international
Rohingya community from Myanmar is one of the relations. Therefore, in order to comprehend the
most vulnerable and endangered communities. refugee protection policies of a nation, it is also
Over 900,000 Rohingya people have already been important to observe the political strategies that
displaced from Myanmar while many remain within direct them. International refugee law is the most
the nation as Internally displaced persons. Several politicized topic within International law. And South
LIBERATION - CENTRAL ORGAN OF CPI(ML) | MAY 2021 | 13ARTICLE
Asian politics continues to premise British Colony, migration of low- a challenge, Lord Mountbatten,
itself around the partition. With skilled Bengali workers happened the Supreme Allied Commander
several layers of history, politics, into the region. Mostly poor Muslim of the South East Asia Command,
diplomacy and legality, the answer and a few Hindus migrated to this overruled that. In 1947, the Great
about India’s position regarding region. Therefore, the Arakan Partition happened.
the Rohingya crises, therefore, is region gained a significant Muslim
The British, as reward for
extremely layered. Bengali population. These were the
the Rohingya support against
Rohingya people.
Who are the Rohingya the Japanese gave significant
people and what is their By the Third Anglo Burmese War, administrative posts to the Rohingya
crisis? Burma became a part of British people in Arakan. However, they
India. And therefore, the migration could leverage little of these
The United Nations organization
of Bengali people multiplied in the positions to consolidate their
has called the Rohingya refugee
region to the extent of threatening autonomy. Therefore, the partition
crisis, a textbook example of
the majority Buddhist population. came as a hope to the Rohingya
ethnic cleansing. More recently, in
This even lead violent agitations Muslim people to join East Pakistan.
the case of Gambia v Myanmar,
amidst the two communities. Then, Yet, pre occupied in the existing
the International Court of Justice
by 1937, Burma became a separate challenges of the partition of
took note of the ongoing genocide
crown colony. Within a few years, Bengal, Jinnah chose to disregard
against the Rohingya population
the British had to launch their the Rohingya appeal to integrate
in Myanmar.(The Supreme Court
longest military campaign of the in the pretext of not interfering
interim order also records this).
Second World War in that very into the internal matters of the
The Myanmar government and region. And this was the root Rohingya people. The Burmese
military have justified their actions, of several political and military became independent in 1948 and
which include burning down repercussions. thus began the persecution of the
Rohingya populated villages and
Then, the Burma Campaign in Rohingya people by the Burmese
drastic killing of the Rohingya
1942 was the turning point of the military. Many Rohingya people
population, as necessary internal
geopolitical history of South Asia. fled to the Bengali populated East
security measures. Journalists
It was potentially a conflict between Pakistan, where they found a
in Myanmar, who reported such
two colonial powers- Britain and friendlier population with more
persecutions were jailed and the
Japan. While Britain struggled to acceptance of their ethnicity. By
civil society of Myanmar has also
protect their control over the colony, 1982, the Burmese government
maintained a careful distance
Japan promised independence passed the Citizenship Act through
from the issue. However, the
to the Burmese. However, the which the Rohingya people lost their
systemic hatred and this operation
Rohingya people supported the very recognition within Myanmar.
to obliterate the ethnic group is
British as guerrilla fighters and with For this Act, the Rohingya people
not a very recent development.
intelligence against the Japanese. were expected to prove their
The source of this alienation dates
They hoped to gain administrative citizenship in order to remain in
back a very long time from the
control over Arakan if the British Myanmar. The implementation of
politics of the Colonialists, the
won. The British lost the war in this law is grossly selective and
World Wars and the Partition.
1942. And retributive communal arbitrary in implementation. The
History of the Crisis violence broke out against the Rohingya people could not get
The Arakan region (of present- Rohingya Muslim population. their citizenship and the first batch
day Myanmar) was a key part of of Rohingya to Bangladesh arrived
By 1944, Burma was disillusioned
the Silk route, which hosted Arab in 1992.
by the Japanese. They regained
traders since the 8th Century their allegiance to the British and Today, the Rohingya people
A.D. Later, a Buddhist kingdom even attempted to strengthen an have no citizenship, no rights.
emerged in the region. The Bengal ethnically homogenous military. The Burmese Military thereby
Sultanate also continued in the Yet, ethnic representation within have pursued an ethnic cleansing
close neighbourhood. Later, after the administration remained mission in response to which, over
the First Anglo Burmese War, when ignored in Burma. Even though the 200, 000 Rohingya people fled to
the Arakan region came under the British administrators found that neighbouring East Pakistan, which
14 | MAY 2021 | LIBERATION - CENTRAL ORGAN OF CPI(ML)ARTICLE
by then was Bangladesh. The a worry for these nations. Without communities. However, no solution
migration continues till date as it stability, economics shall not at all is indeed complete, until there is
has become increasingly difficult succeed in Myanmar. Besides, in accountability from the perpetrators
to establish Rohingya citizenship response to the persecution, the who caused the crisis in the first
in Myanmar. Arakan Salavation Army (ARSA) place. Therefore, the solutions
Why India? is also a reason for worry. They need to constantly interact with one
do have links with terror outfits another, and this interaction needs
The Partition of India created and without more attention to the to be facilitated by host nations.
two new nations. However, the situation, stability in the whole of There are two primary reasons
scattered effects of this bloody South Asia can go out of hand. for which India should assert
operation destabilized every little Instead of spreading hate through themselves more in the facilitation
corner of South Asia. Our lives fake news on WhatsApp about of these durable solutions. Firstly, in
changed forever and so did our the Rohingya people by labelling order to seek accountability through
identities. In the past 70 years, them all as terrorists, India must the International Criminal Court, the
we have endured crises in most pay attention to the neutralization Security Council must play a very
borderlands including Balochistan, of the problem. If refugees have crucial role to pass a resolution
Northwest Frontier Province, no place and are persecuted by against Myanmar as Myanmar is not
Kashmir, Chittagong Hill Tracts, all nations, children born to them a state Party to the Rome Statute.
Assam, Nagaland and elsewhere. may even be recruited in these However, China, having their
Ethnic complications, population, fatal organizations and hence strong economic and interests in
culture, self-determination are all expose the entire world to a serious Myanmar, shall not let the Security
extremely intertwined issues that crisis. We need to find sustainable Council take that step. And thus,
bleed us and continue to seek solutions and protect childhood, it is very important for India, an
answers. As we look for solutions, people and lives. important South Asian nation, to
it is extremely important that we raise the issue of accountability
no longer disregard these issues Durable Solutions, India
within the International community.
as internal conflicts and engage in and the International
Such engagement shall give India
addressing them. Community
a chance to stand up to China and
India is particularly a crucial nation The United Nations High position themselves as a protector
in addressing these problems. Commission for Refugees suggests of Human Rights and a leader of
The secular democracy, and a three possible durable solutions developing nations for promoting
strong nuclear power, India has to any refugee crisis. The most democratisation and secularism.
the significant edge of exercising commonly referred solution is the This strategic benefit shall lead
regional influence. solution of voluntary repatriation, India to the second advantage,
which is the process by which which is, a stronger claim for a
India’s response both in diplomacy refugees lose their well-founded Permanent Seat of the United
and humanitarian assistance shall fear of persecution in their home Nations Security Council.
mean tremendously in taking some countries. Therefore, with resolution
significant steps towards easing of the crisis, refugees safely return to The Politics and refugee
these exposed, unattended wounds their homelands willingly. However, legacy within India
of Partition. If India truly intends the most important component of Post-Independence, India
to participate with a leadership this solution is that of voluntariness. forwarded a foreign policy for the
capacity towards their international Refugees must voluntarily return promotion of decolonization and
relations, India must assist in when they have no more fear in democratization in the world. With
finding durable solutions to the their minds. The second and third the Non-Alignment Movement, India
biggest humanitarian crisis in their durable solutions are assimilation approached a vision to emerge as
neighbourhood. within the host community of the a leader of the developing nations.
One of the reasons for which India country in which the refugees take Thereafter, India also rejected the
and China do not want to engage shelter and and resettlement in any unequal representation of nations
with Myanmar are their immense third country. This assimilation is within the United Nations Security
economic investments in Myanmar. often a result of sustained stay and Council and sought to lead United
However, that should precisely be regular interactions within the two Nations reforms.Yet, crises in
LIBERATION - CENTRAL ORGAN OF CPI(ML) | MAY 2021 | 15ARTICLE
South Asia continued and the of the political party were founded in terms of treating displaced
effects of colonialization and the upon the premise of Hindu communities in India.
Great Partition was far from being majoritarianism as professed
However, the State refused to
diminished. Through the several by the doctrine of Rashtriya
accept all the stated arguments.
crises that emerged within South Swayamsevak Sangh. Their politics
Instead, the government asserted
Asia, India hosted several refugees is also an outcome of similar
that since the displaced Rohingya
from across Asia. From 1945 till ideologies. Therefore, most of the
people were not citizens of India, they
2016, India hosted millions of policies and statements of BJP
were not entitled to the enjoyment
refugees from Afghanistan, East is premised around the view that
of the fundamental rights or the
Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, India should position themselves
constitutional guarantees. About
Tibet etc. During the 1971 East as a Hindu State. This assertion
the applicability of International
Pakistan war alone, Bangladesh is quite different from the image
Law, the Respondent Counsels
hosted over 1 crore people from of a constitutional democracy,
declared that since India is not a
East Pakistan. Many of these secularism and unity in diversity
part of the International Convention
migrants gained Indian citizenship that India has created in the past
for Refugees 1951, they were
and became scholars and years. In fact, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi has significantly not bound by it. And therefore,
entrepreneurs. Famous migrants
worked to alter many of the foreign according to the government, they
included acclaimed intellectuals
policies that India followed so far. had no obligation to confirm to any
like Professor Amartya Sen,
His regime has noticeably changed international laws in the given case.
Mahashweta Devi, Ritwik Ghatak
and several others. India’s former the Indian policies towards refugee It is rather disappointing that the
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan protection in the recent years, Supreme Court of India, despite
Singh was also a refugee who had particularly regarding the Rohingya the strong jurisprudence of refugee
migrated from Lahore to present refugee crisis. Apart from the fact protection within India, accepted
India in 1947. It would therefore not that India has substantial economic these rather shallow arguments.
be improper to suggest that India interests in Myanmar, religion is The observation that the Rohingya
comprises of a major immigrant also a major factor for which the crisis was an internal matter of
population. Our social fabric is BJP is denying asylum to the Myanmar was rather absurd. Under
founded upon the very basis of Rohingya refugees. There have international criminal law, genocide
migration. Several Indians have been reports of hate crimes and forms one of the core crimes and it
lived through the traumatic partition propaganda against the Rohingya is therefore a responsibility of India
and their memories of bloodshed people in India and even those to not be complicit to genocide
remain fresh. Therefore, despite refugees who were recognized by taking place in their very own
the existing complexities within the the UNHCR have been rejected neighborhood.
Indian society, refugees always had by India.
It is important to understand that
a place here. And accordingly, the Most surprisingly, the Indian irrespective of whether a State
Courts in India, always delivered Supreme Court has also accepted
recognizes displaced people as
extremely favourable judgements this position of the Indian
refugees, they shall be deemed as
towards refugee protection. government in defiance of all
refugees if they fulfil the necessary
Indian support in all humanitarian existing Indian precedence and
ingredients to be refugees.
crises of South Asia gained International directives. The
Therefore, despite being a Non
significant recognition from the Petition before the Supreme Court
Party to the Refugee Convention,
United Nations High Commission. argued on the grounds that not only
India is bound by Customary
António Guterres, during his visit was the policy of deporting the
International Law to protect the
to India in 2013, had stated that Rohingya violative of International
rights of displaced people.
the Indian refugee policy was an Human Rights Law regime, but
example for the world to follow. also a clear contradiction of the The foremost rule under customary
Indian Constitutional provisions. international law is that of the rule
India and the BJP Simultaneously, the decision of the of non-refoul ment. U nder the
In 2014, the Bharatiya Janata government was also a deviation doctrine of non-refoulment , no
Party (BJP) formed the Indian fro m th e di recti ves that have state in the world is permitted to
government. The primary values emerged out of strong precedents force refugees or asylum seekers
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