Interview with Com Gaurav for The Next Front
(Chandra Prakash Gajurel, popularly known as 'Gaurav' was born in April 29, 1948. Now he is a member of the Standing committee and Secretary of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist). Before this, he was the Head of the International Bureau of the Party.
He is from Sindhuli district of Eastern Nepal. His contribution is always remembered for spreading and developing the revolutionary politics in Sindhuli. He has been contributing relentlessly for almost four decades as a professional revolutionary in developing the Maoist movement in Nepal. Since his early political life, he has always presented himself in the revolutionary camp and fought against wrong lines in all the line struggles in the Party's history. In the Fifth Congress, 1985, he eloquently pleaded against M.B. Singh's right opportunist line document, which argued that the Party was falling back due to the majority's centrist weakness. Comrade Gaurav's stand in the Fifth Congress played an important role in safeguarding the revolutionary spirit of the Party and navigating it safely from M.B.'s eclectic and opportunist positions. He is one of the main leaders in defeating opportunism of different shades and establishing a correct Maoist line until now. He stood against the rightist opportunism and centrist eclecticism line in the Kharipati and Palungtar plenum. We all know him as one of the senior leaders of the revolutionary camp.
He has written many theoretical and political writings on various issues in the national and international field concerning economic, social, political and literary questions. He is also known as a short story-writer. His writings are collected in various books. His proletarian internationalism has made him a popular leader among the entire Party and the revolutionary Nepalese people across the country.
On his way to do Party work abroad, the Indian expansionist rulers arrested Comrade Gaurav at Chennai airport and allegedly charged him for "conspiracy against India". After the CPN(M) and the government of Nepal signed a Comprehensive 'Peace Agreement', India dropped charges against him. He was released on November 28, 2006 and returned to Nepal.
In current politics, we all know that things are not moving towards correct direction. There is a sharp two line struggle within the party. Revolutionaries are fighting against the rightist opportunism and centrist utilitarian tendencies - Now they are in the same boat. At present, safeguarding the achievements of ten years People's War and marching forward to achieve the goal of New Democratic Revolution is the main task of the revolutionaries. But the situation is very complicated. We are at crossroad : liquidation or revolution?
The Central committee meeting of UCPN–Maoist is concluded. And We all know the official line of People's revolt, which was passed by the Palungtar extended meeting and the CC meeting which was held immediately after the extended meeting, has abandoned by numerical decision . The 'centrist' and rightist groups within the party are united in the name of 'Peace and constitution' . They have adopted the line of bourgeoisie democracy. Comrade Mohan Baidhya 'Kiran, who had presented separate document of the revolutionary line, wrote a note of decent.
Concerning to the present situation within the UNCP(Maoist) and national–international issues, we had put some questions to Comrade Gaurav. Here are the answers. We believe it will be beneficial to the viewers and readers abroad and across the country.
What will be the future plan, policy and program of revolutionaries is a matter of wait and see. But Comrade Gaurav says :" It is widely felt that if the party was sincerely unified in the correct line the 'people's revolt' would have been succeeded. But the wrong lines at the level of leadership sabotaged this golden opportunity. Our party is the party of heroes who have shed their blood and sacrificed everything for the revolution. This quality of the party still prevails at different levels. We hope that the revolutionary line will prevail and party will be able to lead the revolution." Rishi Raj Baral)
Question: It's been almost five months since the sixth extended meeting or the plenum of the party was held in Palungtar of Gorkha district. It has been widely felt that things are not moving towards correct direction. No change has taken place and no sense of newness has been felt in the party. Only stereotype of working style exists. What is your view about this situation?
Ans : Yes. Five months have been elapsed after the Sixth Expanded meeting of the Central Committee of Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) held in Palungtar of Gorkha district. High level of polemic in the midst of around seven thousand leaders and cadres was a very significant event in the history of our party and whole political movement of Nepal as well. There were many new things to be noticed in the expanded meeting. One peculiar event was that none of the three documents among that of Chairman Com Prachanda, which the press likes to call 'the Supremo' of UCPNM was passed in the historic meet. However, 'there is no option to unity', 'there is not option to the people's revolt' and 'there is not option to transformation' were agreed as the catch words of the historic meet.
The CC meeting which was held immediately after the historic meeting approved a plan of action based on the general line of 'people's revolt'. But this plan was completely aborted and there was no progress in implementation of this line. It is true that no significant change has taken place even after that. It caused a new debate in the party, who was responsible for the failure of this line? Many opined that it was the main leadership which was mainly responsible for the failure of implementing this plan of action. It was one of the main points of debate in the historic CC meeting held at the last week of April.
Ques: Who is responsible for this inaction? Who do you think is responsible for this—the main leadership or the entire team of leadership or the existing circumstances?
Ans : Well, it was one of the most confronting issue of the recently held CC meeting. There were three different opinions regarding the question of which factor and who was responsible for the failure of implementation of this line. One, it was the leadership which was mainly responsible for this. Two, it was not implemented because the general line of people's revolt was wrong due to which it was not implemented. Three, it was due to the lack of discipline in the party and factional activities that prevailed in the party, was the main responsible factor.
Ques : The party adopted the political line of People's Revolt. But the political activities of your party do not seem to be compatible with the party's official political line. Is the relevance of Palungtar meeting is now over or is it just the result of opportunistic and compromising attitudes?
Ans: Yes, 'there is no alternative of the People's Revolt' was a catch word of the Palungtar meeting. And the CC meeting held immediately after the expanded meeting, worked out a plan of action based on the same line. But the same plan was aborted in different excuses. So conclusion cannot be drawn that the general political line and plan of action were irrelevant. Still I believe that the political line adopted by the plenum and plan of action worked out based on the same line were correct. This plan of action and the line was deliberately sabotaged due to the line bias.
Ques :The party has a barrage of problems and challenges especially in the ideological field, party's political line and its organizational set up. How can you believe that the present party organization—mass party organization—could successfully launch the people's revolt in order to achieve the goal of New Democratic Revolution?
Ans : Definitely, we have been facing hosts of problems and challenges. Now the size of the party has become very large, but the quality has been reduced considerably. The party of the advanced proletariat is losing its character and seems to become a mass party. It is obvious that if the character of the party is not back in the track, if the party is not rectified, it is simply impossible for this party to lead a people's revolt. We cannot carry on the rectification movement isolated from the class struggle. So, there is no doubt about the fact that the party should be rectified. But the way party is rectified is to carry the class struggle and once again it has to be tested in the class struggle. It requires that the leaders also have to come under the test. Passing test once in life is not enough. Even the leaders have to pass the test time and again. I am confident that it is only the Maoist party which is capable to lead the New Democratic Revolution, but not exactly at the present condition. The party should undergo through a test, should enter into the furnace of class struggle based on correct ideological-political line and correct tactics and correct plan of action.
Ques :You, one the one hand, are talking about People's Revolt while there has been marathon bargaining in the party for posts and positions like ministers. Do you not think it is contradictory?
Ans: Yes, many selfish and bourgeois tendencies have emerged in the party right from the most top level to the bottom. People even at the central level, are showing their greed for the ministerial post and other posts of profit. This type of character which is emerging and developing slowly in the party reflects the sign of the party changing the colour. This change is naturally effecting the line of the party, different deviations like centrism and rightism, reformism are being emerged in the party and the struggle against these wrong tendencies have been developing. The two lines struggle which was clearly manifested in the 'Kharipati National Convention', 'Sixth Expanded meeting' and CC meeting concluded last week, reflect the real situation of the party.
Ques : Imperialist and expansionist countries, especially Indian expansionism are active to create political disturbances and turmoil in the country. The comprador forces and Indian lackeys including Madhesi parties and some armed groups backed by India are talking of a 'democratic front' in Nepal. In addition to this, the Nepali Congress party and Indian lackeys within the left parties are also collectively echoing Indian voice. They are dancing to the Indian tune. Against this backdrop, progressive and nationalist forces in Nepal are facing a big challenge to safeguard national sovereignty and national independence. What type of plan and programs you have to cope with this challenge?
Ans: What has been described regarding the role of Indian expansionism and role of comprador bourgeoisie and bureaucrat capitalism is basically correct. It has been realized by the party since quite a long time back. Therefore party has identified that the principal contradiction has been changed. The contradiction between comprador and bureaucrat capitalism and remnants of feudalism and that of Indian expansionism is principal contradiction. The policy of united front has been changed accordingly. Basic policy of the party is to forge united front between Leftist, Patriotic and Democratic forces. It has been recognized that struggle for national sovereignty and national independence has became major form of struggle. But the major problem in implementing this line is the wrong line of thinking especially at the highest level of party leadership and sabotaging the plan of action to implement the line. Major causes of emerging the two lines' struggle are all these factors.
Ques : How can you fight against these reactionary forces without strong unity within your party? Analyzing from the revolutionary perspective, you are exercising opportunistic line and advocating eclecticism in practice in the name of party unity. Undermining and minimizing the two line struggle in the party is tantamount to avoiding the class struggle. Do you agree?
Ans: Party unity should have to be seen in two ways. One, the stage of People's War has reached to the concluding stage in which insurrection is decisive. To achieve this aim we should have a strong party and unity among all communists who want revolution is necessary. On the other hand, unity of the opportunists is also felt necessary to bring down the revolutionary forces in minority position. As explained above signs of opportunism, one of them is eclecticism has been noticed in the party and two lines struggle has been waged against all wrong tendencies erupted in the top level of the party. We are not minimizing the lines' struggle which has been repeatedly reflected in the practice. It is true that strong unity in the party is the precondition for the success of the revolution. But the unity should have to be based on correct line, which the revolutionaries within the party are striving for.
Ques : The Maoist revolution is rapidly growing and accelerating worldwide. But UNCP (Maoist) appears to be a passive and mute spectator of this revolution. What do you say about the recent activities of CCOMPOSA and RIM? And what do you think would be the role of UNCP (Maoist) in future?
Ans : Yes, communist movement is an internationalist movement. As most advanced party of the proletariat we were discharging our revolutionary duty by contributing in International Communist Movement. What Lenin has taught us is that one can best serve the ICM by making revolution in one's own country. Based on this principle we were playing very significant role within the RIM and also in the CCOMPOSA. But when line problem has been emerged within the leadership of the party our role has been limited. The leading role of our party was established during the time of PW, but unfortunately right at this moment communist revolutionaries are looking our party with suspicion, whether this party will change colour and will become the vehicle of reformism. In this situation, it is very difficult for out party to play leading and substantial role. One important point is that Maoists of the world are keenly looking towards the ongoing two lines' struggle of the party. If this lines' struggle would not have been emerged, Maoists of the world would have severed the tie with our party and the fraternal relation would have been broken. They are hopeful of the result of the two lines' struggle. We still hope that we will be able to revitalize the RIM and CCOMPOSA and will enhance our role.
Ques : Can you elaborate more on Nepalese Maoist Revolution? And also anything about The Next Front ?
Ans : Well, our party is now facing two different problems: problems of inner struggle and problems of class struggle. It is widely felt that if the party was sincerely unified in the correct line the 'people's revolt' would have been succeeded. But the wrong lines at the level of leadership sabotaged this golden opportunity. Our party is the party of heroes who have shed their blood and sacrificed everything for the revolution. This quality of the party still prevails at different levels. We hope that the revolutionary line will prevail and party will be able to lead the revolution. Therefore, I see a bright future of Nepalese revolution.
The next front seems to me as a new initiative to propagate revolutionary line and revolutionary activities at the international level. So, it is appreciable and seeks support from the Maoist revolutionaries. Thanks!
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