Darjeeling witnessed an impressive rally of the Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists (CPRM) on May Day. Thousands marched with red flags aflutter, with leaders of the CPRM and All India Left Coordination at the forefront. The rally was marked by the large and enthusiastic presence of youth and women.
The rally was presided over by Comrade LN Lama. The rally was the first major public gathering in Darjeeling since the GTA agreement, and the growing unrest against the State Government’s failure to honour the agreement and take it forward was palpable. Speakers at the rally included CPRM Chairman RB Rai, CPRM General Secretary Taramani Rai, CPI(ML) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, CPM Punjab Secretary Mangat Ram Pasla, Left Coordination Committee Kerala Secretary Comrade Kumaran Kutty, and Lal Nishan Party (Leninist) Secretary Bhimrao Bansode. CPI(ML) PB member Comrade Kartik Pal, as well as CC member Abhijit Mazumdar and West Bengal State Committee member Basudev Bose participated in the Rally.
On 30 April, an AILC Convention was held at Darjeeling, which adopted a political resolution, the full text of which is reproduced below.
Resolution adopted at the AILC Convention (Darjeeling, 30 April 2012)
The convention of fighting Left forces being held in Darjeeling on 30 April 2012 welcomes the growing countrywide unity of Left forces under the banner of the All India Left Coordination (AILC). The AILC which was launched in August 2010 in Delhi through a national convention convened by the CPI(ML)(Liberation), CPM Punjab, LalNishan Party (Leninist) of Maharashtra and Left Coordination Committee of Kerala has become stronger with the Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists (CPRM) joining the AILC as its fifth constituent.
The Darjeeling Convention of AILC supports the Gorkha people’s quest for self-determination. Demands for statehood and greater autonomy are being raised in different corners of the country, Telengana, Gorkhaland, the hill districts of Assam being the most prominent ongoing struggles in this context. The AILC supports the aspirations of various identities to secure greater recognition and opportunities in India’s federal democratic set-up and calls for the setting up of a Second States Reorganisation Commission for a speedy and sympathetic resolution of the statehood and autonomy demands.
The AILC convention resolves to intensify the battle of the Indian people against growing corruption and corporate loot and calls for enactment of an effective anti-corruption legislation and for reversal of the pro-liberalisation policies to ensure public control over all our precious resources. The AILC extends full support to the student-youth campaign for education and employment rights beginning from May 1 which will culminate in a March to Parliament on August 9. The AILC also calls upon the working people and Left ranks to prepare for sustained struggle against rising prices and unemployment and to secure people’s right to basic amenitiesand all-round development.
The Darjeeling Convention of AILC calls for withdrawal of all draconian laws and restoration and guarantee of democracy in every sphere. In particular the convention calls for repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and the sweeping provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, an immediate halt to the Operation Greenhunt, release of all political prisoners and withdrawal of false cases on activists and leaders of people’s movements.
This convention condemns the growing attacks on freedom of expression by supporters and leaders of the Trinamool Congress in various parts of West Bengal. The Mamata Banerjee-led regime came to power promising change and democracy, but with every passing day it is betraying the people and belying their hopes. This convention resolves to hold high the banner of democracy and development, stand by the people in distress and wage determined struggle against every assault and every act of betrayal by the new regime.
