Revisiting the left politics in Subcontinent during 1940s
Some more thoughts
Working in popular parties, ,Question of Muslim Majorities, weak position of Congress in the Punjab and Bengal, Impact of WW2, Support for Pakistan Movement, Adhikari thesis, Cabinet Mission Plan, fear of communal-ism, transfer of population on the basis of religion demanded by Congress in the Punjab and Bengal and 3rd June Plan
Entryism or Supporting popular parties by the communists remains part of the strategy and in this regard they worked in Congress, Muslim League, they supported nationalists and PPP but still we did not have any analysis to understand weaknesses and strengths of the phenomenon i-e Entryism. In his recent book Abid Manto told us that Azad Pakistan Party of Mian Iftikharuddin was the first open front of CPP . Itwas a time when CPP was not banned but it had many pressures and there were many powerful groups against it. If you read the booklet "Mustabal Hamara hai" you will find many fatwas against progressive politics in 199. I donot know why Mian sahib had formed APP in 1950. At that time he had left PML. APP was formed in the presence of CPP and it had a progressive manifesto too but in reality very few communists joined it. Was there any difference of opinion? Similarly some communists from East Pakistan joined Awami league and both examples are among initial efforts of entryism in Pakistan. In 1954 CPP was banned and after that many communists tried to build their independent groups cum parties since late 1960s but they too could not get success due to numerous reasons. An article published in TNS Left behind by Mr Dr Himayatullah Yaqubi tried to unfold the alliance of communists with ML yet it has many gapes too. The article is largely based on his research article Leftist Politics in British India: A Case Study of the Muslim Majority Provinces but it too has many missing things. He claimed that C R Aslam was president of AIML Lhore but he had no reference in the support of his claim. In the search to understand background of Adhikari thesis i read many hings including Mian Iftiqar u din famous book edited by Abdullah Malik, selected editorials of Sajjad zaheer penned between 1943-6 edited by Ahmad Saleem, Mustaqbil hamara hai by Abdullah Malik, travels and the road by indian bengali communist Mohit Sane, Selected articles of M D Taseer published by majlis e Tarqi Adab, lhore, Interviews of Khwaja Masood, C R Aslam, Har Krishan singh Surjet published in Left journal Awami jumhori Forum edited by me etc. In past I also read an article How far left of Partition? Friday Times by Ishtique Ahmad but both Mr Yaqubi and Ishtique, failed to challenge official versions of CPI.. kamran Asdar Ali too wrote a book "Surkh Salam" but largely we still have gapes in these narratives about pre-partition left politics. It needs little attention.
In 21st century we better leave 20th century biases, prides and prejudices either related to Congress Muslim League confrontation or linked with pro-moscow & pro-china politics. It is important to discuss shortcomings, strengths and limitations of numerous parties especially Congress, Muslim League and CPI while analyzing pre-partition era politics. Interestingly entryism often attributed to Leon Trotsky but in our part of the world anti trotsky left too used entryism extensively not only in pre-partition times but also in post partition times.
""The French Turn refers to the classic form of entryism advocated by Leon Trotsky in his essays on "the French Turn". In June 1934, he proposed that the French Trotskyists dissolve their Communist League to join the French Section of the Workers' International (SFIO) and that it also dissolve its youth section to join more easily with revolutionary elements. The tactic was adopted in August 1934, despite some opposition".
From Congress, Muslim league till PPP, NAP and ANP we can easily map achievements and shortcomings of entryism yet author did not touch it due to his reliance on old narrative. But it was not a single missing area.
The author failed to explain question of Muslim majorities and largely reproduced Congress thesis. It was President of congress in the Punjab who raised question of Muslim majorities in the Congress and Left circles much before Adhikari thesis.of 1943. He was not alone but have 15 members in the working committee along with Raja ji, Rajgopal Acharya. The demand had nothing to do neither with religious segregation or transfer of population on the basis of religion nor with the division of the Punjab and Bengal. But author failed to understand it mainly due to his pro-congress/pro-Gaffar Khan point of view. It was a time when British Indian administration had lifted the ban on CPI and the party was running independently yet it used entryism and few communists joined AIML. The party and its organs supported Pakistan movement which was a demand of readjustment of territories. Interestingly at that time Congress and her cronies spoke against communists extensively but author did not mention it. Sardar Patel's infamous remarks are on the record in which he compared communists with a running dog who thinks himself master of the cart. Author had very less information about Punjabi communists. What British communist RP Dutt did in late 1946 is also missing in the narrative. It was CPI that supported Cabinet Mission Plan CMP in late 1946 yet after its rejection by the Congress CPI rightly felt communal violence and it proved right. it was congress who demanded partition of the Punjab and Bengal on religious basis in March 1947, three month before 3rd June Plan. But these facts are missing in the narrative.
In 21st century we better leave 20th century biases, prides and prejudices either related to Congress Muslim League confrontation or linked with pro-moscow & pro-china politics. It is important to discuss shortcomings, strengths and limitations of numerous parties especially Congress, Muslim League and CPI while analyzing pre-partition era politics. Interestingly entryism often attributed to Leon Trotsky but in our part of the world anti trotsky left too used entryism extensively not only in pre-partition times but also in post partition times.
""The French Turn refers to the classic form of entryism advocated by Leon Trotsky in his essays on "the French Turn". In June 1934, he proposed that the French Trotskyists dissolve their Communist League to join the French Section of the Workers' International (SFIO) and that it also dissolve its youth section to join more easily with revolutionary elements. The tactic was adopted in August 1934, despite some opposition".
From Congress, Muslim league till PPP, NAP and ANP we can easily map achievements and shortcomings of entryism yet author did not touch it due to his reliance on old narrative. But it was not a single missing area.
The author failed to explain question of Muslim majorities and largely reproduced Congress thesis. It was President of congress in the Punjab who raised question of Muslim majorities in the Congress and Left circles much before Adhikari thesis.of 1943. He was not alone but have 15 members in the working committee along with Raja ji, Rajgopal Acharya. The demand had nothing to do neither with religious segregation or transfer of population on the basis of religion nor with the division of the Punjab and Bengal. But author failed to understand it mainly due to his pro-congress/pro-Gaffar Khan point of view. It was a time when British Indian administration had lifted the ban on CPI and the party was running independently yet it used entryism and few communists joined AIML. The party and its organs supported Pakistan movement which was a demand of readjustment of territories. Interestingly at that time Congress and her cronies spoke against communists extensively but author did not mention it. Sardar Patel's infamous remarks are on the record in which he compared communists with a running dog who thinks himself master of the cart. Author had very less information about Punjabi communists. What British communist RP Dutt did in late 1946 is also missing in the narrative. It was CPI that supported Cabinet Mission Plan CMP in late 1946 yet after its rejection by the Congress CPI rightly felt communal violence and it proved right. it was congress who demanded partition of the Punjab and Bengal on religious basis in March 1947, three month before 3rd June Plan. But these facts are missing in the narrative.
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