UNLF advocates socialist transformation-I
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 23 2020: The proscribed UNLF has asserted that the ongoing revolution should proceed to the second stage, that is, socialist transformation which is the main direction of the outfit's revolutionary line.

A lengthy statement issued by the UNLF Central Committee on the occasion of the outfit's 56th anniversary gave a detailed account of its revolutionary line apart from dealing with several key issues.

In the 71 years of Manipur under Indian occupation and the existence of remnants of feudal society, the revolutionary line of the UNLF is, first, to conduct a "National People's Democratic Revolution" for restoring the sovereignty and independence of Manipur, establish a people's democracy and free 'our entire people' from the oppressive and exploitative relations of alien rule and the outdated remnants of feudal society (that is to implement a democratic programme) .

This is the fundamental stand of the UNLF.

The specific conditions of the society, particularly the distinct difference between feudalism in the society and the feudalism in other societies (in Manipur's tenancy rule the peasant tills the land with his own equipment and other inputs but pay only one fifth of the produce to the landowner which makes the class contradiction between the landowners and the peasants less antagonistic than elsewhere in other societies) and the backward stage of the economy in capital formation are the reasons for the blurred class contradictions in the society, said the outfit.

Taking all these factors into account, the UNLF believes that there is distinct possibility of moving directly towards the path of socialist transformation bypassing the stage of capitalist development.

Basing on this belief, the people's democracy, to be established on completely new foundations, will implement a democratic programme to consolidate both internal and external conditions.

Thereafter, the revolution shall proceed to the second stage, that is, socialist transformation.

This is the main direction of the UNLF's revolutionary line, asserted the Central Committee.

Therefore, the line that the revolutionary struggle shall of necessity pass through two distinctly different, but inseparable stages, is determined by the objective reality of the National and social conditions.

In the first stage, the "National People's Democratic Revolution" shall be completed, and in the second stage Socialist Revolution shall be launched.

The objective of the first stage is to restore Manipur's sovereignty and independence from foreign occupation, and establish a truly people's democracy (not the kind of 'democracy' under alleged Indian occupation).

The objective of the second stage is to achieve the goal of socialist transformation in accordance with the specific conditions of the society and build a society of coexistence and collective development.

Categorically asserting that democracy is not possible without socialism, and socialism cannot sustain without democracy, the Central Committee maintained that democracy and socialism are inseparable two sides of the revolution where one is not complete without the other.

Democracy is the system of governance while socialism is the socio-economic formation which the Government shall build.

Vindicating its belief in socialism, the Central Committee recalled that when the Soviet Union (USSR), one of the two super powers then, disintegrated in December 1991, those who are diametrically opposed to socialism in their euphoria claimed that it was the defeat of socialism and that 'socialism is dead'.

But it was the mistake of introducing Perestroika and Glasnost simultaneously at a time when the Soviet economy was in a state of acute crisis and the widespread grievances of the working peoples against the Communist Party which ultimately led to the explosion of the internal contradictions.

However, this does not mean that the capitalist block did not play a big role in bringing about the disintegration of the Soviet Union, read the statement.

On the other hand, in China, two years after the death of Chairman Mao Zedong in 1976, when the "50 Years Socialist Modernization" was launched, the first step China took was to attract international investment taking into account China's specific conditions and introduced the 'socialist market economy'.

This programme catapulted China's economy with GDP shooting up to 20% within 20 years and became the fastest growing economy in the world.

That China has acquired the strength of Economic Super Power has been displayed by achieving the fastest economic recovery from the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic.

China is also the first country to overcome COVID-19 in a disciplined manner and to return to normal life.

Other countries, including India, are still at a loss in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic and its shattering effect on their economies.

In a few years' time, China's economy is set to overtake that of the US and become the largest economy in the world.

By then, China will have achieved the goal of "50 Years' Socialist Modernization" and become a Super Power in all aspects, it said.

Actually the problems in the US and other capitalist countries are the inevitable result of the inherent contradictions of capitalism.

That these contradictions will sharpen is an objective law of contradiction.

Therefore, the theory that 'Capitalism, when it has reached its highest stage of development, will automatically transform into socialism' is baseless and as such an attempt to mislead the exploited classes.

Therefore, peasants and working peoples should not allow themselves, to be-influenced by this untenable ideology, added the outfit.

Socialism being the correct course of development of human society is taken to be the logical corollary of the dialectics of social development, the UNLF also has all along reposed firm belief in democracy and socialism, the Central Committee asserted.

Ever since the 'Dominion of India' forcibly annexed Manipur on October 15, 1949, the entire people of Manipur have been allegedly subjected to colonial subjugation.

The people have relentlessly resisted the repression, exploitation, military oppressions and gross violations of human rights, it continued.

Some effects of the alleged occupation of Manipur by India are; India's captive market and dependent existence; massive influx of foreigners from and through India threatening the very existence of indigenous peoples; policy of Indianisation and assimilation undermining our distinct National identity; Indian Constitution disrupting the age-old relationship of oneness among fraternal indigenous communities by imposing artificial divisions (such as SC, ST, OBC, etc.) that is inconducive to the society, culture and the spirit of coexistence; India's 'multi-party Parliamentary democracy' creating animosities, conflicts, and bloodsheds by fragmenting the communities, all in the name of democracy and corruption (particularly political corruption) exported by India's politico-economic system which has been weakening 'our National character', the Central Committee alleged.

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