The election results from Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly polls and byelection results across various Indian States reveal a mixed picture. The decisive victory of the BJP in Maharashtra, amidst allegations of EVM manipulation, was facilitated by a host of factors such as RSS-led grass-root level social engineering dragging together many lower castes belonging to SC/STs and OBCs in to the Hindutva bandwagon, consolidation of both Maratha and non-Maratha votes and above all the full administrative backing of the well-oiled fascist double engine. While Assembly result is a boost for BJP that confronted serious setbacks in Maharashtra during the General election, it is a serious reversal for the MVA led by Congress, thereby exposing the political bankruptcy of the non-fascist opposition in putting forward a credible alternative before the voters.
In Jharkhand, on the other hand, in spite of Modi regime’s political vendetta on JMM leadership, venomous majoritarian polarisation, widespread hate-campaign and opportunistic tribal appeasement rhetoric on the part of Modi-Shah duo, the victory of JMM reaffirmed the coherence of the India Alliance and is a blow to RSS/BJP. Amidst the RG Kar Medical College issue that sparked widespread public outcry, especially against the manner in which the Mamata government handled it, the total rout of fascist forces and their allies of all hues in the byelection is commendable. Meanwhile, in UP, the fascist double engine has managed to keep its hold despite its reverses in the General election.
Of course, that fascism can be overcome solely through the electoral process is a wishful thinking. In the present neoliberal context where all the non-fascist ruling class parties, on account of their firm adherence to pro-corporate policies, lack a political alternative such that the threat of fascist come-back is still there even if the BJP, the political tool of RSS, is weakened in the election. And, as we are experiencing, in spite BJP lacks a majority-mark in parliament, Modi regime is still capable to unleash the RSS’ fascist dictatorship over Muslims and Dalits without any let up. Even after the General election that drastically reduced BJP’s membership in parliament, the latter being a spectator or edifice under neofascism, corporate-saffron fascism is advancing with intensified vigour. This is so in a context where the entire administration including civil and military and even judiciary are already saffronised coupled with RSS stranglehold over the micro and macro spheres of India.
Coming to the Assembly polls, closer examination reveals that in spite of a comfortable majority for BJP in Maharashtra, there is little increase in the vote share got by the fascist forces compared to the Lok Sabha election. Hence the result is the outcome of the success of the RSS/BJP in dividing and disaggregating the opposition votes though appropriate micro-planning using the immense grass root level/street power wielded by Sangh Parivar through its innumerable open and secret outfits. In this context, as it is self-evident that, if the opposition such as India Alliance can do the necessary groundwork for gathering the votes of minorities and oppressed and thereby abort the fascist manoeuvres of deconstructing the opposition, it is easy to defeat inflict a severe electoral defeat to BJP.
However, as is proved time and again, Hindutva fascist roots are well-entrenched in society such that an electoral victory alone is insufficient to overthrow fascism of the RSS, world’s biggest and longest-running fascist organisation. Moreover, even without a majority-mark for BJP in parliament Modi regime is intensifying its fascist dictatorship all over India. Therefore, while utilising parliamentary forms of struggle, a country-wide anti-fascist movement against both the ideological and material bases of Indian fascism is urgently needed. Therefore, a country-wide offensive against Manuvadi Hindutva rooted in Manusmriti and Islamophobia whose roots lay deep in RSS prognosis on Muslims as number one enemy are indispensable. Together with it, no holds barred struggles against neoliberal corporatisation in all its manifestations are to be strengthened. To be precise, only a sustained all India anti-fascist movement comprising the working class and all oppressed upholding their independent position uniting with all progressive, democratic, secular and anti-caste movement can wipe-out RSS fascism in India.
[Resolution adopted at the All India Plenum of CPI (ML) Red Star]
