[Reader-list] anti-imperialism

[A. Mani]

From: http://www.pragoti.org/node/4378

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Woolly eyed ex-Naxalite fellow travellers and anti-imperialism
Tue, 2011-04-26 12:37 — srinir

There are two varieties of anti-left bashers from among the ultra-left
or more charitably what is called the "left of the left". One is a
stream that is nostalgic of the ex-Naxalite past, condemning of the
adventurous turn of Naxalism into present day marauding version called
Maoism, but is not willing to give into opportunism. The other - also
firmly entrenched in the dustbin of history called supporters of the
failed Naxalite past - has no such concerns; it has no shame in tying
up and supporting the traditional party of the jotedars and
opportunists - for this section, any stick to beat the Left is a good
one.

The former is exemplified by the likes of Naxalite sympathisers and
commentators like Sumanta Banerjee, who not long ago, called for a
(nonexistent) "third front" in West Bengal, unable to digest that the
opposition from the left of the left ..to the left .. has been
hijacked by the likes of Mamata Banerjee and her cohorts which include
an umbrella rainbow coalition from the right, the identarians (the
likes of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha), the blatantly neoliberal (FICCI
chief Amit Mitra) and not to mention the ultra-left (personified by
the murderer Kishenji). The latter is exemplified by the cussed
commentator Sankar Ray, who replied in no uncertain terms to Sumanta
Banerjee's proposition when it first came up that he disagreed with
his view on Mamata Banerjee. The commentator is at it again - this
time questioning the anti-imperialist credentials of the Left, in the
deliberately anti-Left site, Kafila.org. The argument advanced by this
person is that the pro-investment "phase" of the West Bengal
government during 2005-2006 was tantamount to tarnishing the
anti-imperialist credentials of the CPI(M).. nay even to say that
there exists no such credentials at all. And to make this point, he
quotes David Mulford, then American ambassador to India. He then
juxtaposes this against the wikileaks revelations that unambiguously
mentions that the Americans are very keen on "cultivating Mamata
Banerjee" owing to her strong presence as opposition to the Left Front
in the state.

Only in the phantasmagoria that is the thought process of certain
woolly-eyed ex-Naxalite sympathisers would there be a equivalence
between stray statements from the Americans acknowledging a turn
toward a pro-investment regime and explicit enunciation in diplomatic
cables of a strategic support for the opposition in the state of West
Bengal because of the possibilities of weakening the Left (even
nationally). Why at all, are (and were) the Americans interested in
cultivating an utter opportunist such as Mamata Banerjee (bolstered by
none other than the Maoists) if it suited them that the West Bengal
state govenrment was keen on a pro-investment climate? Surely that is
the first question that should concern an "anti-imperialist"? Or
indeed, why did the CPI(M) make the nuclear deal the cornerstone of
the Indo-US strategic relationship, ultimately withdrawing support to
the UPA on the very issue, if at all its anti-imperialist credentials
were under question? Why would the party make the Indo-US defense
framework agreement such a major issue, going forward to even mobilise
people from West Bengal (yes..West Bengal) to protest against Indo-US
joint defense exercises in the Kalaikunda base in 2005? Or to organise
another massive protest against Indo-US joint defense exercises in
Vizag mobilising people in the form of two jathas from West Bengal and
from Andhra Pradesh in 2007? Were all these measures done to be in
"the good books of George Bush" as Sankar Ray ridiculously and
abominably claims?

To expect ex-Naxalite Mamata-worshippers to answer such questions or
even understand reality better is asking for too much. After all,
these venerable (or not) gentlemen endorsed the deliberate killing of
CPI(M) supporters and sympathisers at the hands of Maoist frontmen,
explicitly provided backing by the Trinamul chief and did not even pay
lip service to condemn the assassination attempt at chief minister
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, for which the Maoists very proudly claimed
responsibility for. They had not a word to say about the Maoist front
organisation PCAPA organised derailment of the Gyaneswari Express
sometime last year.We don't hear a word about the Trinamul's
re-cultivation of arch neoliberals such as Amit Mitra or his candidacy
from these Mamata-worshippers. It speaks to their utter irrelevance
and inability to articulate a politics of progressivism that they have
tied their bandwagons to the apron strings of crass opportunism as
personified by the Trinamul Congress.

Lest we forget, there is also another significant section of former
Naxalite sympathisers. Comprising of activists like Azizul Haque and
other intellectuals, they have criticised the support for Mamata
Banerjee and have questioned the understanding of those who have done
so. They have explicitly pointed out to the class character of the
Trinamul Congress' leadership, its aims and the core of its support
base. They have also endorsed the Left Front in the polls, arguing
however for the continuation of pro-poor policies and articulating the
need for a genuine alternative to the neoliberal trajectory adopted
mostly elsewhere in the country.

Finally, let us not mince words. Certain ex-Naxalite fellow travellers
who have no qualms in joining hands with the likes of Amit Mitra to
uproot the Left Front government can kindly keep their opinions on
anti-imperialism to themselves. The ex-Naxalites of West Bengal had
their chance to foment a revolution from Naxalbari in the late 1960s.
They failed - mostly because of their inability to understand Indian
conditions and also because their movement was doomed from the
beginning. The Left Front succeeded in West Bengal despite tremendous
repression from the Congress and managed to achieve substantive rural
reforms and deeper democratisation in West Bengal. Sections of
ex-Naxalite sympathisers have always resented this. From woolly eyed
romanticists buying into claims of the spread of the prairie fire of
"Naxalite revolution" across the country, they have either been
reduced to endorsers of marauding criminals of the ex-MCC variety or
palanquin bearers for the opportunist Mamata Banerjee pontificating
now and then on anti-imperialism. What a fall or is it a fall at all?.



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A. Mani



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A. Mani
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