Revolutionary Socialist
Party
Revolutionary
Socialist Party is a Marxist-Leninist political party in India. The party was founded on March 19, 1940 and has its roots in the Bengali liberation movementAnushilan Samiti and the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army. The party got around 0.4% of the votes and
three seats in the Lok Sabha elections in 1999 and 2004. It is part of the
state government in Tripura (as of June 2011).
History of RSP, Revolutionary Socialist
Party
Development of Anushilan
Marxism
A
major section of the Anushilan movement had been attracted to Marxism during
the 1930s, many of them studying Marxist-Leninist literature whilst serving
long jail sentences. A minority section broke away from the Anushilan movement
and joined the Communist Consolidation, and later the Communist Party of India. The majority of the Anushilan marxists did however, whilst
having adopted Marxist-Leninist thinking, feel hesitant over joining the
Communist Party.[2]
The
Anushilanites distrusted the political lines formulated by the Communist International. They criticized the line adopted at the 6th Comintern congress
of 1928 as 'ultra-left sectarian'. The Colonial theses of the 6th Comintern
congress called upon the communists to combat the 'national-reformist leaders'
and to 'unmask the national reformism of theIndian National Congress and oppose all phrases of the Swarajists, Gandhists, etc. about
passive resistance'. Moreover, when Indian left-wing elements formed the Congress Socialist Party in 1934, the CPI branded it as Social Fascist.[3] When the Comintern policy swung towards Popular Frontism at its 1935 congress, at the time by which the
majority of the Anushilan movement were adopting a marxist-leninist approach),
the Anushilan marxists questioned this shift as a betrayal of the
internationalist character of the Comintern and felt that the International had
been reduced to an agency of Soviet foreign policy.[4] Moreover, the Anushilan marxists opposed the
notion of 'Socialism in One Country'.
However,
although sharing some critiques against the leadership of Joseph Stalin and the Comintern, the Anushilan Marxists did
not embrace Trotskyism.
Buddhadeva Bhattacharya writes in 'Origins of the RSP' that the "rejection
of Stalinism did not automatically mean for them [the Anushlian Samiti]
acceptance of Trotskyism. Incidentally, the leninist conception of
international socialist revolution is different from Trotsky's theory of
Permanent Revolution which deduces the necessity of world revolution primarily
from the impossibility of the numerically inferior proletariat in a semi-feudal
and semi-capitalist peasant country like Russia holding power for any length of
time ans successfully undertaking the task of socialist construction in hand
without the proletariat of the advanced countries outside the Soviet Union
coming to power through an extension of sociaist revolution in these countries
and coming to the aid of the proletariat of the U.S.S.R."
Anushilan
marxists adhered to the marxist-leninist theory of 'Permanent' or 'Continuous'
Revolution. '...it is our interest and task to make the revolution permanent'
declared Karl Marx as early as 1850 in course of his famous address to the
Communist League, 'until all more or less possessing classes have been forced
out of their position of dominance, the proletariat has conquered state power,
and the association of proletarians, not only in one country but in all
dominant countries of the world, has advanced so far that competition among the
proletarians of these countries has ceased and that at least the decisive
productive forces are concentrated in the hands of the proletarians.'"[5]
By
the close of 1936 the Anushilan marxists at the Deoli Detention Jail in Rajputana drafted a document formulating their political
line. This document was then distributed amongst the Anushilan marxists at
other jails throughout the country. When they were collectively released in
1938 the Anushilan marxists adopted this document, The Thesis and Platform of Action of the
Revolutionary Socialist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist): What Revolutionary
Socialism Stands for, as their political
programme in September that year.[6]
At
this point the Anushilan marxists, recently released from long jail sentences,
stood at a cross-roads. Either they would continue as a separate political
entity or they would join an existing political platform. They felt that they
lacked the resources to build a separate political party. Joining the CPI was
out of the question, due to sharp differences in political analysis. Neither
could they reconcile their differences with the Royists. In the end,
the Congress Socialist Party, appeared to be the sole platform acceptable for
the Anushilan marxists. The CSP had adopted Marxism in 1936 and their third
conference in Faizpur they had formulated a thesis that directed the
party to work to transform the Indian National Congress into an
anti-imperialist front.
During
the summer of 1938 a meeting took place between Jayaprakash
Narayan (leader of CSP), Jogesh Chandra Chatterji, Tridib Chaudhuri and Keshav Prasad Sharma. The Anushilan marxists
then discussed the issue with Acharya Narendra Deva. The Anushilan marxists decided
to join CSP, but keeping a separate identity within the party.[7]
In the CSP
The
great majority of the Anushilan Samiti had joined the CSP, not only the Marxist
sector. The non-Marxists (who constituted about a half of the membership of the
Samiti), although not ideologically attracted to the CSP, felt loyalty towards
the Marxist sector. Moreover, around 25% of the HSRA joined the CSP. This group
was led by Jogesh Chandra Chatterji.
In
the end of 1938 Anushilan marxists began publishing The Socialist from Calcutta.
The editor of the journal was Satish Sarkar. Although the editorial board
included several senior CSP leaders like Acharya Narendra Deva, it was
essentially an organ of the Anushilan marxist tendency. Only a handful issues
were published.[8]
The
Anushilan marxists were soon to be disappointed by developments inside the CSP.
The party, at that the time Anushilan marxists had joined it, was not a
homogenous entity. There was the Marxist trend led by J.P. Narayan and Narendra
Deva, the Fabian socialisttrend led by Minoo
Masani and Asoka Mehta and a Gandhian socialist trend led by Ram Manohar Lohia and Achyut Patwardan. To the Anushilan marxists
differences emerged between the ideological stands of the party and its
politics in practice. These differences surfaced at the 1939 annual session of
the Indian National Congress at Tripuri. Ahead of
the session there were fierce political differences between the leftwing
Congress president,Subhas
Chandra Bose, and the section led by Gandhi. As the risk of world war loomed, Bose wanted to utilize the weaking of
the British empire for the sake of Indian independence. Bose was reelected as
the Congress president, defeating the Gandhian candidate. But at the same
session a proposal was brought forward by G.B. Pant, through which gave Gandhi veto over the formation of the
Congress Working Committee. In the Subjects Committee, the CSP opposed the
resolution along with other leftwing sectors. But when the resolution was
brought ahead of the open session of the Congress, the CSP leaders remained
neutral. According to Subhas Chandra Bose himself, the Pant resolution would
have been defeated if the CSP had opposed it in the open session. J.P. Narayan
stated that although the CSP was essentially supporting Bose's leadership, they
were not willing to risk the unity of the Congress. Soon after the Tripuri
session the CSP organised a conference in Delhi, in which fierce criticism was directed against their 'betrayal'
at Tripuri.[9]
The
Anushilan marxists had clearly supported Bose both in the presidential election
as well by opposing the Pant resolution. Jogesh Chandra Chatterji renounced his
CSP membership in protest against the action by the party leadership.
Soon
after the Tripuri session, Bose resigned as Congress president and formed the Forward Bloc. The Forward Bloc was intended to function as a
unifying force for all leftwing elements. The Forward Bloc held its first
conference on June 22–23, 1939, and at the same time a Left Consolidation Committee consisting of the Forward Bloc, CPI, CSP, the Kisan Sabha, League of Radical Congressmen,Labour Party and the Anushilan
marxists. Bose wanted the Anushilan marxists to join his Forward Bloc. But the
Anushilan marxists, although supporting Bose's anti-imperialist militancy,
considered that Bose's movement was nationalistic and too eccletic.[10] The Anushilan marxists shared Bose's view that
the relative weakness of the British empire during the war should have been
utilised by independence movement. At this moment, in October 1939, J.P.
Narayan tried to stretch out an olive branch to the Anushilan marxists. He
proposed the formation of a 'War Council' consisting of himself, Pratul Ganguly,
Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee and Acharya Narendra Deva. But few days later, at a
session of the All India Congress Committee, J.P. Narayan and the other CSP
leaders pledged not to start any other movements parallel to those initiated by
Gandhi.[11]
One
of the members Dr MADHWI KANCHAN SINHA and true follower of RAM MANOHAR LOHIA
was one of the very famous and selfless servant of the Samyukt Socialist Party
[1952-1968]and went to great extends to serve people. Majorly known for his
deeds and service to people in Barabanki district and Gonda district Uttar
Pradesh, he made great efforts and died serving them. He could not serve the
party for a longer period due to sickness and died on 13 August 1975.
Foundation of RSP
The
Left Consolidation Committee soon fell into pieces, as the CPI, the CSP and the
Royists deserted it. Bose assembled the Anti-Compromise Conference in Ramgarh, Bihar, now Jharkhand. The Forward Bloc, the Anushilan
marxists (still members of the CSP at the time), the Labour Party and the Kisan
Sabha attended the conference. The conference spelled out that no compromise
towards the Britain should be made on behalf of the Indian independence
movement. At that conference the Anushilan marxists assembled to launch their
own party, the Revolutionary Socialist
Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) severing all links to the CSP. The first general secretary of the
party was Jogesh Chandra Chatterji.[12]
The
first War Thesis of RSP in 1940 took the called for "turning imperialist
war into civil war". But after the attack by Germany on theSoviet Union, the line of the party was clarified. RSP meant
that the socialist Soviet Union had to be defended, but
that the best way for Indian revolutionaries to do that was to overthrow the
colonial rule in their own country. RSP was in sharp opposition to groups like
Communist Party of India and the Royist RDP, who meant that antifascists had to support the Allied war
effort.
After Independence
In
October 1949 the Kerala Socialist Party passed through a split. A section of its cadres, like N.
Sreekandan Nair, Baby John and K. Balakrishnan, joined RSP and built a branch
of the party in Kerala.
Ahead
of the 1952 general election, negotiations took place between RSP and the United Socialist Organisation of India. USOI, a coalition of socialist groups, wanted
RSP to join its ranks. RSP declined, but a partial electoral agreement was
made. USOI supported RSP candidates in two Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal, but in other
constituencies USOI and RSP candidates contested against each other. In the end
three RSP candidates were elected, 2 from Bengal and 1 from Kerala.
|
1952 Lok Sabha election
|
|||||||||
|
State
|
Constituency
|
Candidate
|
Votes
|
%
|
Elected?
|
||||
|
Quilon-cum-Mavilekara
|
Sreekanthan Nair
|
220312
|
21.42%
|
Yes
|
|||||
|
Mainpuri District (E)
|
Putto Singh
|
19722
|
14.15%
|
No
|
|||||
|
Allahabad Dist. (E) cum Jaunpur Dist. (W)
|
Badri Prasad
|
18129
|
3.01%
|
No
|
|||||
|
Gondi Dist. (E) cum Basti Dist. (W)
|
Harban Singh
|
4238
|
3.61%
|
No
|
|||||
|
Ghazipur Dist. (W)
|
Balrup
|
22702
|
13.37%
|
No
|
|||||
|
Birbhum
|
S.K. Ghose
|
20501
|
4.07%
|
No
|
|||||
|
Berhampore
|
Tridib Chaudhuri
|
82579
|
46.17%
|
Yes
|
|||||
|
Calcutta North East
|
Lahiri Tarapado
|
5801
|
4.05%
|
No
|
|||||
|
Calcutta North West
|
Meghnath Shah
|
74124
|
53.05%
|
Yes
|
|||||
|
Total:
|
9
|
468108
|
0.44%
|
3
|
|||||
In
1953 Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee left the party and rejoined theIndian National Congress. Tribid Kumar Chaudhuri became the new general secretary of the
party.
In
1969 RSP sympathizers in East Pakistan formed the Shramik Krishak Samajbadi Dal. RSP and SKSD maintains
a close relations from that moment onwards.
Ahead
of the 1977 elections, a section of the party in Kerala broke away and formed
the National Revolutionary Socialist Party. The NRSP contested the election in alliance
with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)).
Recent history
In
2000 a severe split affected the Kerala branch, when the regional party chief
Baby John broke away and formed Revolutionary Socialist Party (Bolshevik). The RSP(B) joined the Congress-ledUnited Democratic Front.
In
2004 RSP supported, along with the other Left Front parties, the presidential
candidature of Lakshmi Sahgal.
Saghal, who challenged the main candidate A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, got around 10% of the votes.
Current situation
RSP
has always had its stronghold in West Bengal,
but has branches in a total of 18 states. In Kerala, it is concentrated to theKollam area, with support amongst fishing communities. Its Kerala branch
originates from a split in the Kerala Socialist Party. K. Pankajakshan, general secretary until 2008, was a KSP member.
The
party has 7 seats in the West Bengal state assembly, and 2
each in Kerala and Tripura. RSP is part of the Left Front in West Bengal and Tripura. In Kerala the party
is part of Left Democratic Front.
Principal mass organizations
Publications
Lok Sabha
election results
|
State
|
No. of candidates 2004
|
No. of elected 2004
|
No. of candidates 1999
|
No. of elected 1999
|
Total no. of seats from state
|
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
14
|
|
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
40 (2004) /54 (1999)
|
|
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
21
|
|
|
11
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
80 (2004) /85 (1999)
|
|
|
4
|
3
|
4
|
3
|
42
|
|
|
Total:
|
17
|
3
|
5
|
3
|
543
|
State Assembly election
results
|
State
|
No. of candidates
|
No. of elected
|
Total no. of seats in assembly
|
Year of election
|
|
3
|
0
|
126
|
2001
|
|
|
4
|
0
|
324
|
2000
|
|
|
6
|
2
|
140
|
2001
|
|
|
1
|
0
|
230
|
2003
|
|
|
2
|
0
|
147
|
2004
|
|
|
1
|
0
|
200
|
2003
|
|
|
1
|
0
|
234
|
2001
|
|
|
2
|
2
|
60
|
2003
|
|
|
23
|
17
|
294
|
2001
|
Results
from the website of the Election Commission of India.
References
2.
^ Saha, Murari Mohan
(ed.), Documents of the Revolutionary Socialist Party: Volume One
1938-1947. Agartala: Lokayata Chetana Bikash Society, 2001. p. 20-21
3.
^ Saha, Murari Mohan
(ed.), Documents of the Revolutionary Socialist Party: Volume One
1938-1947.
4.
Agartala: Lokayata Chetana Bikash Society, 2001. p. 21-25
5.
^ Saha, Murari Mohan
(ed.), Documents of the Revolutionary Socialist Party: Volume One
1938-1947. Agartala: Lokayata Chetana Bikash Society, 2001. p. 28
6.
^ In Saha, Murari
Mohan (ed.), Documents of the Revolutionary Socialist Party: Volume One
1938-1947. Agartala: Lokayata Chetana Bikash Society, 2001. p. 34
7.
^ Saha, Murari Mohan
(ed.), Documents of the Revolutionary Socialist Party: Volume One
1938-1947. Agartala: Lokayata Chetana Bikash Society, 2001. p. 29
8.
^ Saha, Murari Mohan
(ed.), Documents of the Revolutionary Socialist Party: Volume One
1938-1947. Agartala: Lokayata Chetana Bikash Society, 2001. p. 35-37
9.
^ Saha, Murari Mohan
(ed.), Documents of the Revolutionary Socialist Party: Volume One
1938-1947. Agartala: Lokayata Chetana Bikash Society, 2001. p. 37, 52
10.
^ Saha, Murari Mohan
(ed.), Documents of the Revolutionary Socialist Party: Volume One
1938-1947. Agartala: Lokayata Chetana Bikash Society, 2001. p. 38-42
11.
^ Saha, Murari Mohan
(ed.), Documents of the Revolutionary Socialist Party: Volume One
1938-1947. Agartala: Lokayata Chetana Bikash Society, 2001. p. 43-45
12.
^ Saha, Murari Mohan
(ed.), Documents of the Revolutionary Socialist Party: Volume One
1938-1947. Agartala: Lokayata Chetana Bikash Society, 2001. p. 44-46
^ Saha,
Murari Mohan (ed.), Documents of the Revolutionary Socialist Party:
Volume One 1938-1947. Agartala: Lokayata Chetana Bikash Society, 2001. p.
46-47
