April 1: Angry masses stop trains during Bharat Bandh
April 3 — For centuries, Dalits in India have been victims of daily physical violence, murder, rape and burning of their meager dwellings. The capitalist rulers in India realized that this horrific anti-Dalit violence can give rise to a mass revolutionary movement. In 1989 they passed a symbolic law, the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, which made it easier for a Dalit victim to press charges against an anti-Dalit perpetrator.
In a system riddled with anti-Dalit racism, this law was a cruel joke and was almost never enforced. The reality is that crimes against Dalits have increased while conviction rates have practically halved.
On March 21, 2018 the Supreme Court of India, in the face of evidence to the contrary, passed a judgment that this law was abused by the Dalits and that it unjustifiably victimized police, public servants and employers. This judgment makes it practically impossible for Dalits to file complaints against perpetrators. It also allows anticipatory bail which leaves victims open to further brutal violence.
The Supreme Court of India was able to pass this judgment with the tacit approval of the ruling, fascist, Hindu nationalist BJP. It should come as no surprise to the international working class.
Racism in Europe and US, xenophobia in Africa, fascist oppression in the West Bank and Gaza and anti-Dalit, anti-Muslim pogroms in India can’t be fought in bosses’ courts. We need a communist revolution to eradicate the very foundation that makes such barbaric oppression possible.
When tens of thousands of farmers led a 200 km long march culminating in Mumbai, early last month, it inspired the working class. As soon as the Supreme Court passed its judgment, the masses were determined to express their rage. Over 150 reformist Dalit organizations called for general strike (Bharat Bandh) in India. They understood that no other action would lead to radicalization of youth. April 1 was no joke; it was to be Bharat Bandh.
Tens of thousands of youth mostly in Northern Indian states armed themselves with sticks, stones and petrol bombs in anticipation of state violence. Police stations, trains, public transportation, district courts burnt as in many cases police were outnumbered. Police couldn’t contain the growing violence. The military was deployed in several places. As we write, at least 12 people have died, thousands injured, and many thousands jailed.
International Communist Workers’ Party (ICWP) has started an ideological struggle to show to the masses that only communism can eradicate the horrors of Dalit oppression. Bosses and their institutions relentlessly spread the lie that because the caste system which created Dalits is thousands of years old that it will continue even under communism. They want the masses to give up and accept capitalism.
The Hindu caste system originated in ancient India. Hereditary division of labor was assigned with violence and justified by unscientific faith in the Hindu religion. However, history is full of massive Dalit rebellions that have erupted almost every century for the past 3000 years.
Capitalism exploits any superficial differences in the working class into racist division to maximize profit. Modern anti-Dalit racism divides the working classes making it possible for the bosses to make super profits. This system has created millions of Dalit youth who have no meaningful work under capitalism.
ICWP is building a revolutionary movement to build communist society. As we win the masses to a communist future by uniting Dalits and non-Dalits, we will begin to tear down centuries-old Dalit oppression. Our goal is to eliminate the bosses’ state and their power.
In this revolutionary process we will destroy bosses’ courts, their police and win over industrial working class and soldiers to communism. Most of the bosses, their politicians and ideologues like the fascist judges will be eliminated. Communism will have no racist, sexist culture. All forms of misogyny will be eliminated.
Violent communist revolution will smash courts, police, politicians and that will make it possible to create communist society without money. Racism that persisted stubbornly under capitalism will collapse under the communist power of the masses.
Unlike capitalism where billions are left with no work, communism will have something for everybody. A new communist culture, music, language, will educate and inspire the masses to share everything.
The remnants of the bosses will try very hard to revive inhuman ideologies. Masses armed with communist ideology and weapons will violently deal with them. The struggle for producing according to ability will encourage the masses to produce for the need of all.
Recent events like the farmers’ march and Bharat Bandh have shown that the masses are in motion. We are transforming this mass movement into a fight for communism by inviting everybody to join ICWP.
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