(Comrade Asit Bhattacharyya, veteran Polit Bureau member, SUCI(C), delivered an inspiring and educative speech in Assamese in Guwahati on 26 April last on the occasion of observance of the 74th Party Foundation Day. The original speech in Assamese and its Bengali translation were published in instalments in Ganamukti and Ganadabi, our Assamese and Bengali organs respectively. It has been felt necessary to publish its English translation in Proletarian Era in instalments. The first and second instalments were published in the previous two issues i.e., Vol. 56 No. 5 dated 15 October and Vol. 56 No. 6 dated 1 November 2022. This is the third instalment. Responsibility of translation error and inadequacy of expression, if any, lies with the Editorial Board of Proletarian Era.)
Fundamental contributions of Comrade Shibdas Ghosh
Both Comrades Lenin and Mao Zedong in course of correctly applying Marxism on their respective soils while accomplishing revolution, had developed and enriched the science of Marxism. Similarly, Comrade Shibdas Ghosh had concretely applied Marxism-Leninism in the concrete situation of our country with the objective of laying the roadmap of Indian revolution. He asserted that in whichever country revolution would take place following correct application of Marxism-Leninism, some enriched understanding of Marxism-Leninism would germinate in the thoughts of the architect of revolution. And that understanding would make some fundamental contributions in the treasure house of Marxism-Leninism. Comrade Shibdas Ghosh could not lead Indian revolution to victory because of his untimely demise. Yet, in the process of taking forward the revolutionary movement with all his might, he made some fundamental contributions to take the understanding of Marxism-Leninism to a new height.
Despite all attempts by bourgeois propaganda machine to stall eruption of people’s movement, the protests are bursting forth
The economic, political, social and cultural crises have immensely accentuated in our country. To what level has unemployment risen? To what height has inflation ascended? To what high proportion corruption of the bootlickers of capitalist class has assumed? In every sphere, the condition is precarious. In the absence of food, medicine and other basic needs of life, people are dying in large numbers, silently and without being noticed. Does any newspaper publish such news! Does any TV channel cover this harrowing spectacle? It occurs to me at times that the pompous TV programmes make people forget their hunger. Such is the power of the bourgeois media in spewing venom. Now smartphones and social media have also teamed up with print and electronic media to strengthen bourgeois propaganda machinery. In order to serve the class interest of the oppressive bourgeoisie, this machinery is working overtime to nip people’s movements in the bud. Yet it is true that despite this choreographed bourgeois propaganda and every possible vile effort by the servitors of the capitalist class, it has not been possible to suppress people’s movements. Oppressed people are organizing protest agitations in various places against brutal killings, crimes against women and developing movements including resistance movements.
In this connection, I would like to briefly refer to the situation of West Bengal. During the freedom movement, Bengal used to be called the land of revolution. At that time and even after independence, West Bengal was the citadel of leftist movements. Today, however, the self-styled leftist parties as well as pseudo-Marxists have shunned the path of democratic movement and are trying to anyhow be saddled in governmental power by capitulating to rule and dominance of the capitalist class. Thus, they are virtually following the rightist line. On the other hand, though our organizational growth is taking place amidst this adverse situation, we have not yet been able to muster so much strength as to provide leadership to the struggles of all sections of the toiling masses. Still I find that even if no party comes forward to build up democratic mass movement, people are coming out in the streets and themselves developing powerful struggle in demand for basic necessities of subsistence. They are sacrificing life, facing police onslaughts and courting arrests. This is not happening only in West Bengal or our country. In many countries of the world, such spontaneous protests are bursting forth almost in the form of mass upsurges. How explosive has been the situation of Sri Lanka? Thousands of people, unfed and unclad, are coming out on the streets and facing the bullets of the government. Government is meeting them with bullets. Still people there are in no mood to go back home since there is nothing to look back to. Today they have really turned destitute.
Oppressed people in many other countries are spontaneously building up movements to hold onto their lives. Correct realization has dawned upon only a limited section of the masses out of experience. The brutal repressive imperialist-capitalist rule is facing challenge everywhere including US and UK. But the intensity of challenge is not uniform everywhere. Meetings and protest rallies are taking place everywhere.
Same is the condition in other European countries. Why was the European Union formed once? The protagonists of European Union exuded confidence that once such an union was formed, problems of life would be over and economic progress would be spurred. What is the condition of that much-promised European Union? Cracks are occurring there also.
To befool the people, the imperialist-capitalist rulers had promised that they were uniting under one umbrella so that people would have nothing to complain about. Everyone would prosper. But after some time, conflicts broke out among the constituent countries. Great Britain, one of its founder members, exited the Union. But why? Because economic crisis, instead of being abated, accentuated over the passage of time and hence the aggrieved British citizens forced their government to come out of European Union. A few more member countries of the Union are also mulling over leaving the Union. Faced with acute crises, people of these countries are raising similar demand. You need to take note of the deceitful acts of the bourgeois rulers. They have been befooling people with fake promises that if voted to power, they would be doing this or that in people’s interest and all problems would be over. People are disgusted by such hoaxes. They are in no mood to have any faith in such fake assurances. Through experience, they are becoming conscious about futility of bourgeois vote politics. If any positive is to happen, that can only be through the path of movement. They are coming out in the streets based on that understanding. But the problem is that there is no reliable leadership other than our Party before them. People are desiring movement but how can that be channelized along the right track without proper leadership? How can the movement develop following a scientific process? That is why, Comrade Shibdas Ghosh had pointed out that democratic movements must be developed under the leadership of a correct revolutionary party. There should be a torrent of democratic movements of the workers, peasants, students, youths and women. But if such movements surge forth spontaneously and there is no correct revolutionary leadership, the bourgeoisie would either mislead the people with false promises or crush those movements with batons and bullets. It would never allow the common people to raise their heads. So Comrade Shibdas Ghosh repeatedly reminded the struggling masses that in the capitalist system, nothing tangible can be obtained through election. Only through united movements led by a correct revolutionary party, some of the justified demands of the people can be achieved. First, out of eight demands, three would be achieved. After realizing one demand, another movement would be built up. But neither through elections nor in any other way, by astrological predictions or performance of religious rituals like organizing oblation or giving ajans. To establish legitimacy of resolving burning problems as well as fulfilment of the just demands, leadership of the revolutionary party is a must.
Economic crisis is accentuating in all countries. In every country, movements under correct leadership ought to be developed against this capitalist crisis brunt of which is borne by the common toiling masses. If a revolutionary party is at the helm, such movements would pave the way for the establishment of socialism by overthrowing the capitalist state machine. I also want to point out that till now movement is not the main feature in every sphere of the society. How will that happen unless correct revolutionary movement is crystallized? So people are to be taught again and again that vote politics would not solve the basic problems of life, let alone emancipation from oppression and repression. Comrade Ghosh also taught that mere explaining the problems would be of no avail unless people are to be made theoretically equipped. People have become somewhat inured to the explanations. But the revolutionaries do not relent. They only work to intensify people’s struggle. I would once again urge upon you to imbibe the truth that with every passing day, the rich is becoming richer and the poor, poorer. Many wretched people are committing suicides. And those who have not yet opted for suicide have been finding life not worth leading. (to be contd.)
