Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana have demonstrated continuing trend of collapse of Congress and decline of caste based regional parties resulting in BJP getting a majority in Haryana and emerging as the single largest party in Maharashtra. With little to separate the ruling class parties in terms of economic policies and on the issues affecting the common people, money power and support of corporate media became decisive in favour of BJP. BJP openly sold its tickets to highest bidders fielding a large number of super rich candidates. However, the hope with which BJP had snapped ties with Shiv Sena to form a single party govt. in a large state like Maharashtra has been belied and only an alliance can assume power which would not be difficult given the rank opportunism of ruling class parties.
In the months after May 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Modi Govt. has focused on showcasing its ‘achievements’ in foreign policy and ‘increasing’ India’s standing on global scene. What Modi Govt. has specifically done is to draw India deeper into US embrace. Tensions with neighbouring countries Pakistan and China have been escalated to justify this embrace in public opinion. Modi’s visit to Japan, Australian PM’s visit to India and Modi’s visit to USA have all been hailed as successes irrespective of the specific agreements forged or Indian interests secured while Chinese President’s visit was continuously bogged down in border tensions during the days of his visit. Modi chose to meet Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in New York but spurned efforts for a meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Of particular significance has been noting of tensions in South China in US India Joint Statement, generally such third country reference being avoided in such communiqués. Through this madness unfolds a design to escalate tensions in the region and draw closer to US imperialism.
As soon as votes for the elections of two assemblies, Haryana and Maharashtra, were cast, Modi Govt. on 16th October unveiled its anti-worker labour reforms further dismantling and emasculating labour law machinery already quite is ineffective in ensuring implementation of labour laws. One only has to look at the figures of implementation of minimum wages, ESI and PF to find out the state of implementation of labour laws and now even this machinery is to be further eliminated from action increasing difficulties for workers’ agitations to force implementation of labour laws. The only inspectors Modi likes to see in industrial areas are police inspectors with labour inspectors’ role to be ended as ‘inspector raj’. Labour is to be made ever cheaper and insecure to lend a helping hand to Modi’s “Make in India” pitch.
Modi Govt. has also deregulated diesel prices thereby dealing a serious blow to agricultural operations. It has increased the prices of gas and fertilizers. Earlier it had made steep increase in railway fares. On the other hand it has curtailed MNREGS and changed rules of FRA and Land Acquisition law to favour corporates’ taking over of peasants’ and tribals’ land.
In a glaring volte face, Modi Govt. communicated to the Supreme Court that it could not disclose the names of holders of accounts in foreign banks which it secured from other countries in pursuance of DTAA. It took the same stand as that taken by earlier UPA govt. and then criticized by BJP. The champions of unearthing black money have fallen silent having been propelled to power by the owners of the black money. In a single stroke, BJP has proved that all its talk against corruption was only for electoral purposes and the corrupt and the black money owners are as safe under BJP rule as they were earlier.
Over the past few months, RSS-BJP have unleashed a massive campaign against Muslims through the length and breadth of the country. They have tried to use every incident to fan communal trouble, launched a campaign against so-called Love Jihad fanning hate under its label. They have tried to saffronize education particularly at basic level, packed historical research bodies with their followers and have tried to spread obscurantist and communal ideas among the youth of the country. Coming to power of Hindutva forces is particularly ominous given the deep communalization of police and administrative machinery.
Modi Govt. represents corporate, communal and corrupt. These 3 Cs define the character of its rule and as well as the challenge. Modi Govt. will now intensify implementation of pro-MNC and pro-corporate reforms thereby hugely increasing the burden on the people. To divert attention of the people and to subvert their unity, it will also intensify its communal polarization. And hand in hand will go suppression of people’s struggles and denial of democratic rights. Already Modi Govt. has announced increased outlay of forces and money to suppress the revolutionary struggles.
The situation calls for intensifying resistance to these anti-people measures, to unite all those who can be united for the purpose of such a resistance and to wage a broad and determined struggle to further people’s movements. Coming days are days of struggle.
