Communists In India Need Introspection

Generally I should have no reason to question the integrity and patriotism of the Indian Communists. Rather, I should admire them when they talk of downtrodden and raise issues related to commonmen on the one hand, and express their confidence in democracy and its process on the other. But, when many a times, leaving aside the gospel of nationalism, which itself is the first and basic step of internationalism, and national interest, they, guided by external elements, talk of internationalism, they in fact flee from the national cause, or in other words keep at distance from the welfare of commonmen.

It was in 1942 when during the course of the Quit India Movement the role of the Indian Communists proved to be the most shameful. As the people familiar to the series of events of the contemporary Indian history know that formerly the Communists to accede to the call of Mahatma Gandhi declared their participation in that movement. It was in fact for the reason that there was a treaty betwixt Soviet Union, their guiding force, and Germany and Germany was involved in war with Britain and its allies. The cycle of time underwent change and Hitler, the Nazi dictator of Germany, by breaking the bonds of treaty, attacked Soviet Union. In such state of affairs, to counter the attacks of Germany a new alliance comprising of Soviet Union, Britain, America and France emerged at the international level. The Indian Communists, due to this new friendship betwixt Soviet Union and Britain [and its allies], started favouring the English on the one hand, and they began to oppose the Quit India Movement on the other. In support of Stalin, who himself was an ardent supporter of ‘Socialism in one Country’ or the theory of ‘Nation First’, by ignoring the basic tenet of internationalism, the Indian Communists like opportunists began to talk of internationalism; they forgot that without expressing devotion to nationalism, the talk of internationalism was baseless.

Again in 1948 when the whole nation was worried for the safety of innocent people facing atrocities in the State of Hyderabad, and its ruler, the Nizam, with the support of communal forces was willing of freeing the State by getting involved in anti-Indian activities, the hidden role of Communists was also filled with shame.

Simultaneously, the behaviour of one of the groups of the Indian Communists at the time of war betwixt India and China in 1962, and of the other during the declaration of emergency in 1975 was definitely grievous. At that time they neither gave a thought to the larger national interests nor they cared for the commonmen; rather they gave a thought to or cared for the interests of their guiding forces.

Now, again their behaviour in context of Indo-US Nuclear Deal is totally ungraceful. India has given a lot to the entire world including knowledge. Indians are wise; they know what their interest is. That is why; majority of them are in favour of this deal, and they wish for more economic and political cooperation with the US. So, it is high time that keeping the interest of the nation nucleus, the Indian Communists should introspect; they should realize and by learning a lesson from the past should come forward to care for their countrymen first instead of caring for the others, failing of which they will loose their political ground more than ever.

Universally renowned Gandhian scholar, Indologist and writer Dr. Ravindra Kumar is the Former Vice-Chancellor of CCS University of Meerut

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