[lbo-talk] Re: Comments re caste & CP's of India

John Mage jmage at panix.com
Mon May 24 18:46:35 PDT 2004


Thanks, Hari Kumar. The material you forwarded was fascinating. It's been a long time since I've had in mind the Bukharin/Mao vs. Stalin line on the middle peasantry, and it's relevance to the Telengana struggle is clear. What it shows surely is the very interpenetration of class and caste analysis that my correspondent was so eager to emphasize.

As to the limited question of untouchability and the fight in Telengana, there's independent support for the claim made. In my copy of P.Sundaraya, _Telengana People's Struggle and its Lessons_ (Desraj Chadha on behalf of CPI(M) : Calcutta, 1972), there's the following on P.127 in reference to the achievements of the armed struggle in Telengana against the Nizam: ---- "ABOLITION OF UNTOUCHABILITY

Caste distinctions were deep-rooted in the villages. In the struggle against the Government all people were forced to work and fight collectively without any distinction of caste and creed and so after this fighting the evil of untouchablity became easier. In guerrilla squads, equality and mutual respect were strictly protected. And this changed the ideas of the people.

Belief in gods, demons, etc., had decreased to a great extent. Specially amongst the youth, it had disappeared noticeably." ----

And - Dennis Redmond - i *have* let my annoyance with Ulhas' one-liners get the better of me. We have our disagreements, and i've been often wrong in my life. The questions of caste and the history of the Indian CPs, and the role of US/UK imperialism in south Asia, are alike complex, interesting and important. They deserve detailed informed discussion, not one-liners (on any of the 5 or 6 sides of the questions).

john mage



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