Socialism: CPM looks at Indian option

Though it draws from the recent "anti-imperialist" developments in Latin America, the CPI (M) is looking at conditions within India to achieve socialist goals. The party also referred to "caste-based political mobilisation" and communalism, saying these factors were being increasingly used by the ruling classes in India to perpetuate exploitation and maintain their hegemony through social oppression.

Two months ahead of the 20th Congress of CPI(M), its top leaders, including Prakash Karat and Sitaram Yechury, released the draft resolution on "some ideological issues" for inner-party and public debate.

Besides casteism, communalism or exploitation in the name of gender, regional, ethnic or tribal issues will have to be taken into account alongside the struggles against 'neo-liberal' economic policies pursued by the government in India, politburo member Yechury said.

Yechury said CPM would "not emulate" China, Latin America or any other country in its pursuit towards establishing socialism in India but draw important lessons from the developments there and in other nations like Vietnam or even North Korea.

"Left-wing coalitions, including communist parties that have emerged (in Latin American countries) are providing an alternative to imperialist globalisation and neo-liberalism within capitalism," Yechury told a news conference here.

Party general secretary Prakash Karat and politburo members Ramachandran Pillai and Brinda Karat were present.