Subhas Chandra Pattanayak
When the Government bans any organization of socio-political activism, it needs no proof to say that it has failed. By banning eight of the communist organizations alleging that they are ultra-communists, Orissa Government has only confirmed this.
The ban also throws light on lack of comprehension. If communists are right, how the ultra-communists, if such an epithet still sounds politically sound, are wrong?
Painted as Naxalite, these eight organizations, namely the Daman Pratirodh Manch, Chasi Mulia Samiti, Revolutionary Democratic Front, Kui Mulia Samiti, Kui Lawenga Sangha, Jan Natya Mandali, Krantikari Kissan Samiti and Bal Sangam, have been banned by the Government as per Cabinet decision, according to the Home Secretary Mr. Santosh Kumar.
Why a Government bans an organization? It is because it is afraid of the said organization. Why it fears? It is because it has erred. But if it is capable of correcting the errors and in fact takes corrective measures, it has nothing to be afraid of and there would be no necessity of banning any activist organization.
The ban was necessary to curb violence, it is claimed. Violence has never earned public cooperation in our land. Had it not been so, anarchists, who have no political philosophy, would never have been in power when the proponents of political economy of socialism with their enviable history of sacrifice for the society are far away from electoral success.
So as long as majority cause is not neglected, and deliberately so, there is nothing to be afraid of the so-called violent ultra-communists.
By banning these organizations the State Government has only shown that it knows that it has neglected majority cause and that it has no ability to correct the mistakes.
It is an admitted fact that the ultra-communists have expanded their support base beyond the reach of Police. But the hoarders and black-marketers, the profiteers and exploiters, the bonded labor exporters and the contractors who use machines to usurp food-for-work funds meant for the poor, the tax-evaders and scamsters and many such others who are out and out anti-people are also operating beyond the reach of the Police. The former being the offshoot of the later phenomena, how can one stop the former if the later continues? If majority is to choose between communists and commissionists, how should it sound if its Government supports or stays with the later?
The Home Secretary has clarified that the ban order will not lead to arrest of the office bearers of the organizations or any raid on their offices. But they will not be allowed to hold any more rallies or public meetings.
It is ridiculous. It makes it clear that the Government is not afraid of the ultra-communists, it is afraid only of the awareness they impart to the public through rallies and meetings.
So it is clear that the Government wants to continue to slough over starvation deaths, to continue to pamper contractors at the cost of the menial workers, to continue to support millers at the cost of farmers, to continue to support industrialists at the cost of Nature, to continue to support mines mongers at the cost of the helpless tribal, to continue to help the privileged at the cost of bonded laborers, to continue to support profiteers at the cost of the consumers.
Conscience and Constitution of the Country will not countenance this clumsy mindset of Orissa Ministry.
It should better know that till the ban persists, a feeling will persist in public mind, that the Government is incorrigible.