HarshThakor
23rd May 2013, 19:23
The erstwhile Central Team of the C.P.I.(M.L) was one of the theoretically soundest grops in the history of Indian Maoism.Below is a polemic compilation.
On December 8th 1977 Central Team of the Communist Party of India(Marxist Leninist) was formed. By no means do I claim that they completely developed or implemented a mass line but in certain states, particularly Punjab their work was of great significance. It's formation was the culmination of a historic 2 line struggle waged 30 years ago against the line of SaytaNarayan Singh and Chandra Pula Reddy that supported the participation of Elections by Communist Revolutionaries.Infact it is 35 years since he opportunist line of participation in elections was introduced. The change and toppling of the Socialist Government in China played a great role in this stand.(Hua Guofeng toppled Mao's followers).
The major struggle for the formation of the new organsiation occurred in Punjab .Comrades such as Mahendra Singh from Uttar Pradesh and Sunder Navalakar for Maharashtra also played a historic role.4organisations merged,namely
1 Punjab-Himachal Comitee,C.P.I(M.L)
2.West Begal State Organising Committee
3.Maharashtra SateOrganising Comitee
4.Provisonal Centre,C.P.I.(M.L)
In the view of he new organization
"The Central Leadership of the C.P.I(M.L)failed to resolve correctly certain questions of policy regarding mass line ,military line and style of work. Instead of devicing correct CT Marxist Leninist policies in the light of objective analysis, the cental leadership started divicing such policies subjectively. Consequently our revolution receive setrbacks.The Central leadership gradually deviated from the very ideological foundation of the party. They revealed a sectarian, individualist and bureaucratic trend. The failed to mobiles all the sincere C.R's in he party,through ideological persuasion and political struggle. Although the 8th Congress of the C.P.I(M.L),boldly drew a clear line of demarcation between Marxism and Revisionsism, upheld the correct general orientation and path of Indian Revolution, yet adopted certain left adventurist policies on the questions of mass and military line.It asserted that mass struggles and mass movements wee indispensable and that the principal contradiction was that between feudalism and the broad masses.
It is significant that later in their April 1993 issue of Liberation they wrote, 'The C.P.I(M.L) had failed to understand the significance of consistent struggle of ideological, political nature within the party and outside for further quantitative and qualitative consolidation of revolutionary forces in and around he C.P.I(M.L)Early success led them to sectarian politics and organizational authoritarianism.They failed to realize the significance of consistent struggle in each and every activity of party leadership brought forth from C.PI.and C.P.M. Revolutionary broadness and flexibility was replaced by authoritarian principles .The leadership failed to realize the dimension of the converging process of revolutionaries in and around the party. Opportunist onslaught within the party gave rise to organisational centralism.
The Central Team however upheld the formation of the C.P.I(M.L)in 1969.Quting their journal, "The heroic ideological struggle through concrete actions leading to armed agrarian upsurge by the peasntry ,the main force of revolution gave birth to the re-organised Communist Party-the Communist Party of India(Marxist Leninist)In 30 years the party has split into several fractions.Some of them claim to be he party while othrs operate as part of the paty.Many Communist evolutinaries are divided inj these gropups.There has been failure of Communist Revolutionaries to evaluate correctly the original/correct formulation on which the structure of he party was built.The time is most suited for the true communist Revolutinaries to merge with he whole.i.e.with the "C.P.I.M.L". and form the centre to take up the responsibility of the Indian Revolution which is New Demoratic and principally an armed agrarian revolution.We must establish the monlolithic Centre of democratic Centralism which was lost after 1972.9When the original C.P.I.M.L disintegrated)The All India Revolutionary Centre(re-esatablish the 8th Central Committee) of the party must be re-established."
The above document is significant as there was once a conflicting viewpoint on thr formation of the party in 1969.Groups like Peoples War Group,Party Unity or C.R.C upheld it unchalengingly,while factions like Maoist Communist Centre ,Chandra Pulla Reddy Group,U.C.C.R.I.(M.L0' OF Nagi Reddy opposed it. Today the C.P.I.(Maoist) concludes that there were 2 founding parties the Maoist Communist Center and the Charu Mazumdar led C.P.I(M.L).
On coming into Existence the organization published 2 major documents.One was on their political line while the other was their organizational criticism of all the revolutionary Groups.It also produced a document on the life history of the martyrs in Punjab of the Naxalbari period.
Another important theoretical aspect brought out by the party was that of open functioning. "Some forces, in the name of taking opportunity of open activity make the whole party apparatus work openly I the name of the party, and organize mass programs and movements under the party banner. They fail to understand that the task of the party is to lead the masses in the path of protracted Peoples War. Only when masses come to realize the party politics through day to day movements. class struggles under the revolutionary leadership of the party, then only the party forces, can move like a fish in water of masses, even when they have become completely exposed. Any short-cut system of building closer association with the people by presenting the party banner and identity will open the whole party forces to the enemies. The reaction ill remain superficial. The revolutionary party presents itself directly and openly to the masses in it's own ways and actions but dose not expose it's cadres to the enemies. Revolutionary methodology must be adopted to lead the masses and present the party.Consistent work must be done in leading the masses in their struggles and organizations."
Another important analysis was the understanding on Armed Struggle. "In the present struggles of Dandkaranya and Telengana armed struggle has developed as principal content of people's struggle .While crushing the authorities of the reactionary state it is acting as a pivot to enhance the peoples revolutionary struggles. In Bihar armed squads are intervening in the struggle of peasants and backward masses. Armed squads are being developed in interaction with the development of mass organizations. Armed Struggle is reaching a much higher stage in Telengana ,Dandkaranya and Bihar.
In the period of setbacks several so called C.P.IM.L)Groups paid lip service to armed struggle ,in the name of mass line and mass struggle. They abandoned armed struggle as the principal form of struggle. Their armed bands remained to serve the sectarian interests of some party or some leaders. Inspite of having armed struggle their agenda,they kept delaying or deferring their task. They even condemned others for prematurely taking up arms. Armed development of peoples Movements was deferred.
We are not pleading armed actions here and there. Actual launching of armed actions depends on the tactical assessments of position of the enemy forces, preparedness of the masses and position of the laeding forces.i.e.the party at the very particular time and situation. To face armed counter-revolution we can sustain peasant struggle only through force and armed developments."
"During the last 30 years, peoples Movement in India continued in zigzags and ups and downs. There had been failures in the leadership in resolving the developing problems of armed struggle, developing problems of sustaining the authority of peasants and people, developing problems of strong mass mobilization, developing problems of work in the cities and amongst the workers, developing problems of conglomeration of work in and around the party and bring them to a single centralism, Armed struggle was compromised with armed actions and only armed activities went on without centralization. Peasants and workers associations found no let out through associations and Unions. Authoritarian principles came from revisionist culture. Whole of the party and it's activists gradually became isolated, decentralized and became easy prey to reactionary assaults. The revisionists and opportunists utilized this and helped split the party into fractions."
The Central Team condemned participation in elections "It has been proved time and again that participation in Indian elections has failed to boost revolutionary struggles, on the other hand it has counterposed the revolutionary development of peoples Movements. The movements of Satya Narayan Singh and Vinod Mishra are the best example. Even the treacherous diversion of the Telengana Armed Struggle to parlaimentarism was a historic lesson. Forces today that oppose participation plead for participation in the future."
Other aspects the organization profoundly defended were defending the principal contradiction as between feudalism and the broad masses of the people and against all trends opposing the fundamentals of Marxism -Leninism and Mao Tse Tung Thought.
"Some people in the Communist Revolutionary Camp find fault with Marx,Lenin-Stalin-Mao and advocate petit-bourgeois formulas.( like Maoism or New Left ideas.)They put forward new concepts above the shoulders of Mao Tse Tung.Such people fail to understand that their partial knowledge of social development and revolutionary struggle can be developed only through practicing the teachings of Marx.Lenin-Stalin-Mao."
"Without sharpening the contradiction between the broad masses and feudalism, the contradiction between Imperialism and the broad masses cannot be strengthened. We must ideologically combat those who place Imperialism as the principal contradiction. Such people advocate an anti-Imperialist Front ,patriotic Democratic Front Etc.They dilute the significance of anti-feudal struggle. Groups like the C.P.IM.L(Red Flag) and the Indian Peoples Front (Vinod Mishra)are the best Examples.Such Groups have changed the principal contradiction as between " alliance of imperialism and feudalism on the one hand and the broad masses on the other",or between " imperialism and the broad mases."We have to defend the formulation that the contradiction of feudalism with the broad masses is the principal contradiction with tooth and nail."
On December 8th 1977 Central Team of the Communist Party of India(Marxist Leninist) was formed. By no means do I claim that they completely developed or implemented a mass line but in certain states, particularly Punjab their work was of great significance. It's formation was the culmination of a historic 2 line struggle waged 30 years ago against the line of SaytaNarayan Singh and Chandra Pula Reddy that supported the participation of Elections by Communist Revolutionaries.Infact it is 35 years since he opportunist line of participation in elections was introduced. The change and toppling of the Socialist Government in China played a great role in this stand.(Hua Guofeng toppled Mao's followers).
The major struggle for the formation of the new organsiation occurred in Punjab .Comrades such as Mahendra Singh from Uttar Pradesh and Sunder Navalakar for Maharashtra also played a historic role.4organisations merged,namely
1 Punjab-Himachal Comitee,C.P.I(M.L)
2.West Begal State Organising Committee
3.Maharashtra SateOrganising Comitee
4.Provisonal Centre,C.P.I.(M.L)
In the view of he new organization
"The Central Leadership of the C.P.I(M.L)failed to resolve correctly certain questions of policy regarding mass line ,military line and style of work. Instead of devicing correct CT Marxist Leninist policies in the light of objective analysis, the cental leadership started divicing such policies subjectively. Consequently our revolution receive setrbacks.The Central leadership gradually deviated from the very ideological foundation of the party. They revealed a sectarian, individualist and bureaucratic trend. The failed to mobiles all the sincere C.R's in he party,through ideological persuasion and political struggle. Although the 8th Congress of the C.P.I(M.L),boldly drew a clear line of demarcation between Marxism and Revisionsism, upheld the correct general orientation and path of Indian Revolution, yet adopted certain left adventurist policies on the questions of mass and military line.It asserted that mass struggles and mass movements wee indispensable and that the principal contradiction was that between feudalism and the broad masses.
It is significant that later in their April 1993 issue of Liberation they wrote, 'The C.P.I(M.L) had failed to understand the significance of consistent struggle of ideological, political nature within the party and outside for further quantitative and qualitative consolidation of revolutionary forces in and around he C.P.I(M.L)Early success led them to sectarian politics and organizational authoritarianism.They failed to realize the significance of consistent struggle in each and every activity of party leadership brought forth from C.PI.and C.P.M. Revolutionary broadness and flexibility was replaced by authoritarian principles .The leadership failed to realize the dimension of the converging process of revolutionaries in and around the party. Opportunist onslaught within the party gave rise to organisational centralism.
The Central Team however upheld the formation of the C.P.I(M.L)in 1969.Quting their journal, "The heroic ideological struggle through concrete actions leading to armed agrarian upsurge by the peasntry ,the main force of revolution gave birth to the re-organised Communist Party-the Communist Party of India(Marxist Leninist)In 30 years the party has split into several fractions.Some of them claim to be he party while othrs operate as part of the paty.Many Communist evolutinaries are divided inj these gropups.There has been failure of Communist Revolutionaries to evaluate correctly the original/correct formulation on which the structure of he party was built.The time is most suited for the true communist Revolutinaries to merge with he whole.i.e.with the "C.P.I.M.L". and form the centre to take up the responsibility of the Indian Revolution which is New Demoratic and principally an armed agrarian revolution.We must establish the monlolithic Centre of democratic Centralism which was lost after 1972.9When the original C.P.I.M.L disintegrated)The All India Revolutionary Centre(re-esatablish the 8th Central Committee) of the party must be re-established."
The above document is significant as there was once a conflicting viewpoint on thr formation of the party in 1969.Groups like Peoples War Group,Party Unity or C.R.C upheld it unchalengingly,while factions like Maoist Communist Centre ,Chandra Pulla Reddy Group,U.C.C.R.I.(M.L0' OF Nagi Reddy opposed it. Today the C.P.I.(Maoist) concludes that there were 2 founding parties the Maoist Communist Center and the Charu Mazumdar led C.P.I(M.L).
On coming into Existence the organization published 2 major documents.One was on their political line while the other was their organizational criticism of all the revolutionary Groups.It also produced a document on the life history of the martyrs in Punjab of the Naxalbari period.
Another important theoretical aspect brought out by the party was that of open functioning. "Some forces, in the name of taking opportunity of open activity make the whole party apparatus work openly I the name of the party, and organize mass programs and movements under the party banner. They fail to understand that the task of the party is to lead the masses in the path of protracted Peoples War. Only when masses come to realize the party politics through day to day movements. class struggles under the revolutionary leadership of the party, then only the party forces, can move like a fish in water of masses, even when they have become completely exposed. Any short-cut system of building closer association with the people by presenting the party banner and identity will open the whole party forces to the enemies. The reaction ill remain superficial. The revolutionary party presents itself directly and openly to the masses in it's own ways and actions but dose not expose it's cadres to the enemies. Revolutionary methodology must be adopted to lead the masses and present the party.Consistent work must be done in leading the masses in their struggles and organizations."
Another important analysis was the understanding on Armed Struggle. "In the present struggles of Dandkaranya and Telengana armed struggle has developed as principal content of people's struggle .While crushing the authorities of the reactionary state it is acting as a pivot to enhance the peoples revolutionary struggles. In Bihar armed squads are intervening in the struggle of peasants and backward masses. Armed squads are being developed in interaction with the development of mass organizations. Armed Struggle is reaching a much higher stage in Telengana ,Dandkaranya and Bihar.
In the period of setbacks several so called C.P.IM.L)Groups paid lip service to armed struggle ,in the name of mass line and mass struggle. They abandoned armed struggle as the principal form of struggle. Their armed bands remained to serve the sectarian interests of some party or some leaders. Inspite of having armed struggle their agenda,they kept delaying or deferring their task. They even condemned others for prematurely taking up arms. Armed development of peoples Movements was deferred.
We are not pleading armed actions here and there. Actual launching of armed actions depends on the tactical assessments of position of the enemy forces, preparedness of the masses and position of the laeding forces.i.e.the party at the very particular time and situation. To face armed counter-revolution we can sustain peasant struggle only through force and armed developments."
"During the last 30 years, peoples Movement in India continued in zigzags and ups and downs. There had been failures in the leadership in resolving the developing problems of armed struggle, developing problems of sustaining the authority of peasants and people, developing problems of strong mass mobilization, developing problems of work in the cities and amongst the workers, developing problems of conglomeration of work in and around the party and bring them to a single centralism, Armed struggle was compromised with armed actions and only armed activities went on without centralization. Peasants and workers associations found no let out through associations and Unions. Authoritarian principles came from revisionist culture. Whole of the party and it's activists gradually became isolated, decentralized and became easy prey to reactionary assaults. The revisionists and opportunists utilized this and helped split the party into fractions."
The Central Team condemned participation in elections "It has been proved time and again that participation in Indian elections has failed to boost revolutionary struggles, on the other hand it has counterposed the revolutionary development of peoples Movements. The movements of Satya Narayan Singh and Vinod Mishra are the best example. Even the treacherous diversion of the Telengana Armed Struggle to parlaimentarism was a historic lesson. Forces today that oppose participation plead for participation in the future."
Other aspects the organization profoundly defended were defending the principal contradiction as between feudalism and the broad masses of the people and against all trends opposing the fundamentals of Marxism -Leninism and Mao Tse Tung Thought.
"Some people in the Communist Revolutionary Camp find fault with Marx,Lenin-Stalin-Mao and advocate petit-bourgeois formulas.( like Maoism or New Left ideas.)They put forward new concepts above the shoulders of Mao Tse Tung.Such people fail to understand that their partial knowledge of social development and revolutionary struggle can be developed only through practicing the teachings of Marx.Lenin-Stalin-Mao."
"Without sharpening the contradiction between the broad masses and feudalism, the contradiction between Imperialism and the broad masses cannot be strengthened. We must ideologically combat those who place Imperialism as the principal contradiction. Such people advocate an anti-Imperialist Front ,patriotic Democratic Front Etc.They dilute the significance of anti-feudal struggle. Groups like the C.P.IM.L(Red Flag) and the Indian Peoples Front (Vinod Mishra)are the best Examples.Such Groups have changed the principal contradiction as between " alliance of imperialism and feudalism on the one hand and the broad masses on the other",or between " imperialism and the broad mases."We have to defend the formulation that the contradiction of feudalism with the broad masses is the principal contradiction with tooth and nail."