Date:18/10/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/10/18/stories/2005101807861200.htm

National

Iran: It's surrender to the U.S.

Special Correspondent

Ensure distance between party, government does not grow: Anil Biswas

KOLKATA: "All strategy minus tactics leads to sectarianism. All tactics minus strategy leads to opportunism. We will have to stay alert both against sectarianism and opportunism in our future struggles," Communist Party of India (Marxist) Polit Bureau member and West Bengal state secretary Anil Biswas said here on Monday on the occasion of the 86th foundation day of the Communist Party of India.

He recalled the founding of the country's first communist party in Tashkent in the erstwhile Soviet Union by a group of 10 persons and the struggles faced by the party as it evolved. (The CPI(M) was formed in 1964 after breaking away from the CPI.)

"The times have changed as have the demands of the emerging situations in the course of the party's history. While the fight against both opportunism and sectarianism will have to continue, we will have to keep a watch to ensure that the distance between party and government [wherever the CPI(M) is in power along with its Left allies] does not grow. That will only benefit our class enemies," Mr Biswas said.

Even though the CPI(M) was supporting the United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre, it was wrong to assume that it was a "friendly one" under which the party would progress, Mr. Biswas said. It also should be remembered that "the Common Minimum Programme is not the Left's programme, it is the UPA's."The Left parties successfully prevented the Centre from going ahead with disinvestment in the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited as well as other `navratnas.' But the Centre was surrendering to the United States on the Iran issue and a conflict between the Left and the Centre on this matter was inevitable, he said.

On the Left Front's moves towards industrialisation and initiatives to attract foreign direct investment, Mr. Biswas said there was no conflict on the matter as investments were welcome only if they increased job opportunities, ensured greater production and benefited the common people. "Our movement is not against industry but is for a guarantee of proper industrial wages and for the protection of the workers' interests without endangering the economic sovereignty of the country," he said.