New Delhi: CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan
has not ruled out the possibility of merger of his party with
CPI(M) but gave ample indication it would not happen in the
near future because parties develop a "vested interest" in
remaining separate.
"I think it will eventually lead in that direction. But
once the parties are separate, they continue to be separate.
You may even say that they may develop a vested interest in
being separate," Bardhan said when asked about the possibility
of the merger of the two parties.
Bardhan, who will step down from the post of CPI General
Secretary during the party Congress in Patna March next, said
he was happy that both CPI and CPI-M share "same perception"
on both international and national issues and working
together.
"Left unity and Communist unity are two separate things.
When we say left unity we mean broadly parties that are left
inclined. Communist parties have the ideology of Marxism which
the Left parties do not have," he told Doordarshan in an
interview.
He also sought to dismiss suggestions that the CPI in
particular and the Left in general have "weakened
considerably" in the past few years.
"I don`t think weakening is a permanent phenomenon, its a
temporary phenomenon. Elections sometimes are lost, that`s
quiet a different issue, but the base organisation of the
party, mass organisations that it leads, the moment which it
conducts are all there to show that it is still a vital force
in our party`s life and it is recognised by all other
parties," he said.
Bardhan also said "communal and casteist forces" eroded
to a "great extent" the section of the backing of people who
were behind the Communist party. To a question on his party being ideologically opposed to
Congress and Mahatma Gandhi, Bardhan said: "We were never
against Gandhi as a person. In fact the greatest contributor
in the Indian freedom movement was Gandhi himself who took it
to the masses".
He said the party differs with Gandhism and "very frankly
and openly" believes in Marxism.
"Gandhi was a truthful man, never hid his ideas, openly
expressed them. We were never against Gandhi as a person. In
fact the greatest contributor in the Indian freedom movement
was Gandhi himself who took it to the masses. He took it to
the villages, farmers came up and took part actively in there
freedom movement because of Gandhi.
"So, therefore, we were the first to give him the title
of Father of the Nation, but we never agreed with Gandhism as
an ideology. P C Joshi gave him the title of father of the
nation, in his letter..." he said.
He said his party differentiated between Gandhi`s role in
the freedom movement and Gandhism as an ideology. "We differ
with Gandhism, very frankly and openly we believe in
Marxism. To a question on his party being ideologically opposed to
Congress and Mahatma Gandhi, Bardhan said: "We were never
against Gandhi as a person. In fact the greatest contributor
in the Indian freedom movement was Gandhi himself who took it
to the masses".
He said the party differs with Gandhism and "very frankly
and openly" believes in Marxism.
"Gandhi was a truthful man, never hid his ideas, openly
expressed them. We were never against Gandhi as a person. In
fact the greatest contributor in the Indian freedom movement
was Gandhi himself who took it to the masses..he took it to
the villages, farmers came up and took part actively in thre
freedom movement because of Gandhi.
"So, therefore, we were the first to give him the title
of Father of the Nation, but we never agreed with Gandhism as
an ideology. P C Joshi gave him the title of father of the
nation, in his letter..." he said.
He said his party differentiated between Gandhi`s role in
the freedom movement and Gandhism as an ideology. "We differ
with Gandhism, very frankly and openly we belive in
Marxism. But Gandhi`s role in the freedom movement is
undeniable," he said.
To a question about forging alliances with other parties,
Bardhan said BJP continues to be untouchable and the Left
thinks it is a "reactionary communal party".
"When we supported the UPA-1 we gave our support from
outside and there was a view, whether we can influence it by
joining, that view got rejected the same day," he said. At Gandhi`s role in the freedom movement is
undeniable," he said.
To a question about forging alliances with other parties,
Bardhan said BJP continues to be untouchable and the Left
thinks it is a "reactionary communal party".
"When we supported the UPA-1 we gave our support from
outside and there was a view, whether we can influence it by
joining, that view got rejected the same day," he said.
PTI
