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The Harkishan Singh Surjeet Chat

Ryan: The situation in Punjab is very critical. Only a few years back it faced terrorist activities organised from the soil of Pakistan where 25,000 people lost their lives. The Akali leaders were conniving with them at that time. The BJP and Akalis have remained quiet at opposite ends. One advocating Hindutva and other the Sikh state. This combination is an unholy alliance of two communal forces. It goes agaisnst the tradition of Punjab which unitedly fought for national freedom making tremendous sacrifices. Similarly, the Congress is very much discredited today. The corruption has engulfed this party so much that its appeal has become very narrow. To arouse the patriotic feeling of the Punjabi people we have formed a four party front. We are aware of the limitation of this front. But at the same time we know fully that it will serve as a catalyst.

Mr Singh: What is the position regarding India's bilateral relationship with China . Has it improved or worsened under your rule?

Sir:You said the Government of the day is moving the exposes on corruption, while the facts are that it is the Supreme Court, INSPITE of the efforts of your multi-hued 'government' that has actuall done so. Comment? Or silence?

Mr Singh: If you were to chose between socialism and secularism what would you chose? You speak about communalism but what about your alliance with casteist parties like Janata Dal?

Thank you, Mr Singh, for your eloquence. I would like to know if your party will withdraw support to the UF if it enters into an arrangement with the Congress as is being hinted in some Indian newspapers? Don't you think it is better to have such an arrangement rather than allow an election and the BJP to come to power?

Mr Surjeet, I have a flight to catch. If you would just answer my three questions, I can be on my bike and outta here: 1. Why have you asked your cadres to get ready for elections in 1997? 2. What is your stand on foreign equity participation in the civil aviation sector? 3. Why did your party not push for the PM's post and install the world's first Communist prime minister? Tata everybody in advance. I'm splitting in 10 minutes.

Why are the CPM unions in Mumbai so ineffective? Why has it so run down in the last 30 years?

Pillai: There are many factors for that. Undoubtedly it has grown only in Bengal, Kerala and Tripura. It has expanded its base to an extent in the rest of the country. But in Bombay when it was a strong force in the pre-Independence period it has slowly got weakened. The reasons are many. But we do claim that in the country as a whole the Centre for Trade Unions led by our party commands maximum influence among the working class in the country.

Surjeetsinhgji, why was the Left unable to exploit the forces of social change in North India? Is this not an admission that caste is a more potent force in India than Communism?

Mog: That is not true. But the Supreme Court has played a role which has to be recognised. But it cannot negate the role of the government.

Surjeetsinghji, you condemn the Congress for its corruption, yet you turn a blind eye to the gonndaism of your admirer Mulayam Singh Yadav and the corruption in the West Bengal faction of your party. Is this not double standards? I believe a statesman of your standing -- I believe you are the finest leader our Punjab has produced -- should be willing to point out mistakes when they are made and correct them.

Comrade, if an election is held this year, what are the issues that will dominate it? The BJP has reiterated its belief in Hindutva this week, so will it again be a contest between faith and secularism? Don't you think the failure of a colaition will encourage coters to vote for the BJP and its claim of strong governance?

Mr. Surjeet, one naive question. How much Communist is CPI-M?

Mr Singh: Do you believe in God?

Do you believe coalition governments in India have come to stay? DDo you agree with our friend Mursaoli Maran's assertion that one party will never rule India again?

This sanjay is lagaoing goli...questions answered in turn please? Sir, you are the sarkar, mai-baap, big convoys of cars keeping us masses off the roads... do you agree with this Delhi pestilence of your brethren marauding all over the roads in their role of sarkar/mai-baap/saviours, etcetc??

What is the CPI-M's position on Laloo Prasad Yadav? Do you believe he is involved in the animal fodder scam? Should he resign if he is chargesheeted?

How would communism answer the problems facing the nation? After all, every other country which was once a communist bastion - except maybe China and Cuba - have rejected it totally as a form of governance. What makes you think it will work here?

Tareek:It will be wrong to conclude that Communism has failed. In fact what has failed is the distortions and deviations which resulted in the break-up of the Soviet Union. Drawing lessons from that, China, Vietnam, North Korea and Cuba are building socialism keeping in mind complete conditions prevailing in their countries. Even its opponents have to agree that the Chinese development is immense in the sphere of economy. Communism is a science to be concretely applied in the concrete conditions prevailing in each country. There cannot be a single model. Capitalism cannot provide any answer to the ills of society. It is only the socialism which has a future.

Sir:Are, or were, you ever connected in anyway with a company called CHINAR EXPORTS? And if so, in what capacity? (If not CHINAR EXPORTS, then any other group company therein...)Are you aware of this company, Sir?

Will socialism work in India? Where, in order to move even the smallest wheel, you need to grease it? How do you plan to change that mentality? In fact, a recent experiment in Bombay that involved letting the workers themselves run the factory failed miserably because of rampant corruption.

Surjeet Singhji: I recently read a report that CITU and AITUC have lost their preeminent position in the nation's trade unions. I was told that Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) of BJP has gained that position, atleast in terms of memberships. Your comments on the decline of the Communists in yet another sector of Polity??????

Subarto: I don't know what is the basis of your understanding of the role which the CPI-M is playing. In fact its growth shows that it has maintained its revolutionary character and for 20 years it has commanded the confidence of the people of West Bengal. And the mass organisation has spread all over the country. It cannot be called a centrist party because it believes in class struggle and revolution.

Mr Singh: What must be the average age of the CPI (M) politburo. If it is above 70 please answer as to why. Do you keep the young away or are they not coming?

What is your party's position on judicial activism? Do you believe judges may exceed the boundaries imposed on them by the Constitution?

Mao and Lenin, also Marx, maybe Stalin, all are in heaven and smiling at us. Engels? Too. Sir, do you believe in reincarnation? Do you believe in heaven? Do you still go to places of worship?

Mr Singh: DO YOU SEE CHANCES OF CONGRESS JOINING HANDS WITH THE BJP IN THE FUTURE?

Good evening, Sardarsaheb.As a Communist, why did you persevere with the symbols of the faith that you were born with? I believe EMS too conducted the thread ceremony of his son. Is this not hypocrisy?