Janata Coalition Lurches from Crisis to Crisis

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Among those celebrating the election of the new Pope will no doubt be Italian Stalinist leader Enrico Berlinguer. As can be seen from this recent photo, Berlinguer has got on famously with the reactionary new figurehead, as part of the Communist Party's historic compromise' with Italian capitalism and all its most anti-working class institStarving, oppressed and rebellious, the masses of India are forced to pay dearly for a melodramatic production of bourgeois politics on a scale that rivals the glories of Indian cinema.

The themes of corruption and nepotism may be stale-the dazzling intricacies of the plot are tedious-but ham acting and crudely-painted face-masks cannot conceal the real crisis of An end the recent spate of internecine struggles within the Palestinian Liberation OrganisJanata leader Desai the ruling Janata coalition.

Janata leaders "resolved' their latest bout of internal strife by redistributing power between their factions. But prime minister Desai has salvaged his position and fragile unity only be creating fertile conditions for future conflict.

Main force

The main force holding the coalition together is at the same time working to shatter it for good and all.

Desai can argue plausibly that, without his leadership, the Janata would fly apart, leaving Gandhi free to re-assert her power.

With the coalition publicly divided on how to deal with the charges of: corruption against Desai's son, Gandhi scented blood. As the majority in the Rajya Sabha (the upper house of parliament), her Congress (Indira) party demanded an enquiry.

Seeds of defeat

In the lower house (Lok Sabha), it was clear that the Janata would not split, for ali the resignations and furore that had gone before. The 'victory' of the Janata contained all the seeds of future defeat.

Charan Singh-Desai's main rival -has been rewarded for his loyalty with the presidency of the party. This move will undoubtedly provoke further desertions from the Janata, as small-time opportunists scurry for safety.

Singh is well to the right in the coalition, and dedicated to preserving the privileges of the Hindu caste system. This means ruthless suppression of the masses-in particular the "untouchables"

Contradiction

The gross contradiction of the coalition is seen in the latest measure put forward by George Fernandes, Socialist Party leader and Minister for Industries.

The coalition has banned any expansion in the capacity of the cotton miils and powerlooms. At the same time, subsidies are to be given to encourage handloom weaving, and the cloth market is to be regulated by state controls.

Fernandes ciaims that these measures will 'create employment' ', and provide cheap material needed for basic clothing by millions of the Indian masses. In reality they will sharpen the crisis of the textile industry, throw thousands of mill workers into unemployment, trap sections of the peasantry further in debt, raise the price of cloth, create shortages, and hurt the cotton-growing industry into chaos.

But this is one of the Janata's 'progressive' measures. It has also been active in em. ploying, or sanctioning and encouraging, violence against strikers, and against 'untouchables' and landless labourers who have occupied land for cultivation.

The Janata's support hangs by the thread of the memory in the masses of the even more vicious repression by the Gandhi dictatorship.

Singh's new authority will undoubtedly bring about a further alienation of the workers, poor peasants and unemployed millions whose votes swept the Janata to power two years ago.

United only by their opposition to Indira Gandhi, even divided over how best to defend capitalism in India, the Janata leaders are doomed by their own alliance to see their every act pushing. Gandhi nearer to power.

Violent But Gandhi has not restricted her populism to left demaIn towns throughout India violent crowds have assembled in recent months to demonstrate around aspects of Janata policy or to declare a firm position on Gandhi.

Desai has of course used police brutality to disperse them.

Some have been organised utions. by Singh supporters; most forces concerned to restore former dictator.

Already another scandal has risen to prominence with the alleged kidnapping of Suresh Kumar.

Opportunist

Kumar is son to Jagjivan Ram, perhaps the most blatant opportunist of the whole Janata crew.

Now Defence Minister and immensely powerful within the coalition, Ram was apparently Gandhi's most dedicated supporter until the 11th hour before the 1977 election which swept her out of office.

Ram's power base lies among the "untouchables" and this brings him into constant tactical conflict with Charan Singh.

Now his son claims to have been kidnapped by elements in the Janata very closely bound up with Singh's political interests.

"Already the arrests have begun.