Callaghan in cosy chat with Gandhi

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icant action yet taken in opposition to the Janata's policies, many other strikes and major demonstrations have already emerged. In Maharashtra, one million teachers and state government employees have recently voted to continue their strike for higher wages and 'economic justice' , despite the passionate pleas of Prime Minister Desai.

In all this turmoil there is no principled political leadership to unite the struggle of workers and peasants. This leaves the field wide open for bourgeois politicians such as Gandhi to make huge gains by using populist methods to exploit the spontaneous hostility and activity of both the proletariat and, particularly, the peasantry.

Opportunism

Having split the Congress Party Gandhi now seems ready to continue in the wellworn paths of opportunism by initiating a campaign of civil disobedience against the Janata.

The first step in this direction was taken last week when she appeared before the Callaghan Shah Commission of Inquiry into abuses of power during the emergency.

Gandhi has previously refused to testify, correctly analysing the commission as the instrument of a political frame-up of her administration. When she used her appearance to express this denunciation, Gandhi was promptly charged with what amounts to contempt of court, and now faces the distinct possibility of a prison sentence.

All this notoriety did not prevent Callaghan from having a cosy chat with the ex-dictator on his trip to India.

Staunch supporters of the Emergency administration up to and even beyond the bitter end, the Labour cabinet clearly recognise Gandhi's potential for regaining power.

But these intimacies were not allowed to jeopardise the crucial talks with Desai on ways to rivet the Indian economy more firmly to the British section of international imperialism.

As a further indication of