Forward Pulitika #1 - Forward Bloc
> At 19th West Bengal State Meet, Barasat, West Bengal, India
Author's Note :
Before I begin writing, I must state that this is a political writing, unbiased as per my views. Forward Media Group only upholds truth, and has no political stand.
Subhas Chandra Bose and Chittaranjan Das have been political enough for a majority of their lives. Infact, some of his followers believe that this political history overshadowed his own identity as a human, a devoted-spiritually disciplined individual. Subhasji, in his broad political career, took a stronghold against Congress on 1939 by forming Forward Bloc. The name coincides with this media team (although Forward Media Group has no connection with Forward Bloc), and I, an ardent follower of Netaji and a person often writing for this media team, found it a mission, to discover what the remnants of what Subhas's own party are doing now.
In his Mahakal Stage, (after the staged plane crash, it is believed that he was very much alive and had a significant number of communications, some of which are compiled in "Hail the Magnanimous one" / "Ai Mahamanab Ase"), Netaji is said to regret Forward Bloc, saying he felt betrayed and backstabbed by them. Subhasism or Indic socialism, differs a lot from Communism, and thus a possible collaboration with the CPI disheartened many. Although the Forward Bloc readily realises this and acknowledges it (Ref:- https://forwardbloc.org/history/ ....Forward Bloc workers, along with the radical Congress workers, the socialists and other left forces, except communists, took part in the historic ’42 Movement which was one of the biggest revolutionary mass movements after the Great Revolt of 1857).
I attended their 19th West Bengal State Meet, at Barasat, to see what the ground workers and party leaders think.
Needless to say, they are still an opposition party. The speeches make it clear that they want to embrace a clearer Subhasbad, or a form of socialism which is not derived from Marx, but from Subhas. The speakers also unanimously mentioned how the Congress, both the original party, and the bifurcated Trinamool Congress have betrayed or used Netaji as a face but indeed betrayed. The slogans were all mostly nationalistic, which was unexpected for me. Unfortunately, they still form coalition with the CPI, as they are unpopular. As I have been a student activist in a political party, I know what an informed student wing looks like. The students wing for All India Forward Bloc is, The All India Students Bloc (AISB), with the words "Socialism, Peace, Progress" in their flags. They are, indeed, heavily inspired by Netaji. But when enquired about JMCI (Justice Mukherjee Commission Inquiry) or Mahakal period of Netaji, they tend to avoid it. The students wing needs to be a bit more organised, and the youth wing, the All India Youth League, needs to provide some leadership and guidance and the local levels. There is a communication gap between Local Committees of the party.
For the day, the attendance was quite spectacular. People from all districts seemingly attended this West Bengal State Meet. The Band Entrances with "kadam kadam badhaye ja" and "subhasji subhasji" reverbed the ground of Rathtala, Barasat. The Meet is said to be for the delegates of the Local Committees and area committees, regarding organization and development. The students are indeed talented, and know about the INA Anthem, surprisingly using it at par with Jana Gana Mana. Now for any Netaji fan, it is a norm to stand up to this, and the comrades were no different. What I felt was, there is a sense of appreciation and love towards Netaji amongst the youth and young members of this opposition party, created by the great leader himself. It lacks, however, a direction, and proper stand about it's leader, and the ideology of the party itself aswell. Seeing that the survival of the party is crucial in West Bengal and funds flow in not from outside, but from within West Bengal and from the Southern states of India, which safely suggests that the CCP has no linkages with them.
6/10 INA medals awarded; organization wise. They rejected the communists outside India, and the Congress within India, and have a more open outreach towards Vivekananda's Indic Socialism and spiritualism. As good comrades, I can't rate them, but can only wish them luck for their endeavours. Our country has its political freedom, and the one ideology coming from a individual who paved the way for it's independence, has to have a place in it.
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