6 March, 2007

To,

The Editor,

The Mainstream,

145/1D, Shahpur Jat (First Floor),

(Near Asiad Village),

New Delhi – 110049

Sir,

Apropos Shri Chaturanan Mishra’s article on the possibility of Left expansion in the Hindi speaking region, I have noticed the causes of stagnation mentioned by the writer. But behind it lies the fundamental lacuna in the approach of the Left movement which fails to recognize the primordial importance of religion and caste as deeply rooted social factors particularly in this region. To the Left this may appear to be a sign of ideological backwardness. But no progressive idea is likely to get across the inbuilt barriers in this region. At least it will fail to attract the support of those sections of the people which feel that either the problem does not effect them or the leadership is confined to other groups and does not have their representation.

                I endorse the suggestion of Shri Mishra that the Left should take up the cause of the people living below the poverty line. Similarly, in my view, the Left should clearly differentiate between the small land holders/cultivators and the landless and take up the cause of the landless on a priority basis. Today all parents wish to educate their children and therefore proper implementation of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and universalization of primary and secondary education should be taken up by the Left. In the same way, the Left should struggle at the level of panchyats, blocks and districts for distribution of the benefits of all government programmes of welfare and development which target individuals, among identifiable and conscious groups proportional of their population and not reject this approach as communalism or casteism in the zone of distribution.

                People have become used to the system, to prevalent nepotism  corruption, judicial delay, and criminalisation and they are not likely to be moved by agitation at the national or state level on such national issues. However, like education, every village wants to have potable drinking water and electricity supply or post cum telephone facility. Such universal demands can also be taken up by the Left in order to build its capability as a force that seeks to serve the whole community at the level where such services are missing. Shri Mishra has correctly stated that the Left parties pass resolution, issue statement, organise rallies but there is no sustained struggle. If the Left, instead of taking up international or national issues of general concern focus on social demands of the people at the grass root level, it will be able to build up its cadre as well as its credibility.

                If the Left parties engage in introspection, they will find that by emphasizing ideology and merit and standing in the party, they have allowed a monopoly by people who belong to specific social groups, for example, Brahmins in West Bengal, Bhumihars in Bihar, Ezhavas in Kerala.  A deliberate effort must be made by the Left parties, through struggle on issues of benefit to all sections of the people, so that its cadre in the long represents every segment of the Indian society and its multi religious, multi caste and multi language face is reflected in the party hierarchy. It does not today. Syed Shahabuddin

Yours faithfully,

                                                (Syed Shahabuddin)