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Mainstream, Vol XLV No 48

Blackmail Again

Sunday 25 November 2007, by Nikhil Chakravartty

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It is characteristic of the Johnson Administration that it should impudently interfere again and again in the ordering of India’s internal economy. The primary blame for this situation rests with those in the Union Government who have repeatedly given in to American pressure, the most glaring example of such abject surrender of our sovereignty being the shameful decision last year to devalue the rupee to please Washington. For some time now the Americans have used food as a lever to prevent the will of the people of this country in regard to the direction of economic advance from prevailing. The latest attempt in this sinister game of keeping India tied to America’s apron-strings is Johnson’s diktat about the abolition of food zones. This is being made a “condition” for allowing India to make purchases of wheat under PL-480.

The impertinent suggestion has been made at a time when this country, after two years of crisis brought about by drought, is awaiting a bumper harvest of more than 95 million tons, and expects a deficit of not more then seven million tons. Of this quantity the US is “offering” only half for 1968, and that not as a gift but on the basis that India buys it in the American market. Even normally India cannot permit interference in its internal affairs by any foreign power; in today’s circumstances there should not be even an appearance of hesitation on the part of the government in rejecting out of hand the conditions sought to be imposed for the sale of American wheat.

What the American Administration means by asking the Government of India to abolish the food zones now and allow unrestricted free trade in foodgrains is that the government should ignore the overwhelming popular demand for ending hoarding and profiteering and for ensuring the availability of food for all at equitable prices. The intention is to strengthen the hoarders and profiteers who form the backbone of the reactionary forces in this country and thus to subvert possible advance of the people along the road to equality and well-being. The intention, again, is to help the reactionaries fight the massive popular demand for State trading in foodgrains so that the people may not be at the mercy of blood-suckers who fatten on their misery. The Americans want that the vested interests should continue to remain on top in this country, for it is through these that Washington can exercise pressure on the Indian Government and ultimately destroy the nation’s independence and sovereignty.

That the Americans consider food to be a major instrument for imposing their will upon other peoples in need of additional supplies is no secret. A year ago Orville Freeman, US Secretary of Agriculture, openly said that “food is power”. He meant precisely that the US Administration was bent upon using its surplus food as an instrument of power against nations seeking to purchase grains from American traders, together with other variations of the American policy of subverting national governments on the one hand and utilising stooges to thwart the people’s aspirations and efforts on the other. It was this same Freeman who successfully led former Food Minister Subramaniam astray in Rome in November 1965. Arm-twisting has been an almost continuous process since then. By its totally ill-advised decision to succumb to pressure and devalue the rupee the Government of India laid itself open to increased pressure.

Despite inspired reports in a section of the Big Business Press that the government is considering Johnson’s “condition” and that the Union Food Ministry is “keeping its opinion reserved” on the question, there are indications that important sections in the government are in no mood to accept dictation from Washington on what is purely a matter for the representatives of the people of India to decide. So far as food needs are conerned, the gap this year is marginal unlike in the last two years. In addition, the harvest in the USA has also been good this year, so that Washington will find a sizeable surplus on its hands. It is open to the Americans, in keeping with their tradition, to destroy much of the surplus rather than give it to peoples who will not be subservient and accept their overlordship.

So far as India is concerned, it is now in a much better position to bargain than in the recent past, and there is obvious need to make this clear to all concerned, including the spokesmen of Wall Street and the Pentagon within this country. If the US prefers to be saddled with a huge wheat surplus and does not want to sell it except on its own terms, we are today in a position to tell it that we will not buy it except on our terms which are purely commercial and have no political or other overtones. If New Delhi adopts a firm attitude, the Johnson Administration will either have to climb down as gracefully as possible in the circumstances or choke under the weight of its surplus. The choice is entirely Washington’s.

In the coming period the Prime Minister will come under organised pressure mounted by certain top Union Government officials whose fascination for America is stronger than their loyalty to the people of India. Some officials of the Finance Ministry may assist these elements using the argument that under PL-840 cash will not have to be forked out immediately, thus easing the strain on the nation’s resources to some extent. Certain political leaders, including those responsible for making the country addicted to PL-480, will undoubtedly exercise their influence to the maximum to make the Prime Minister accept Johnson’s humiliating condition.

Continuance of the food zones for the time being was decided upon at the Chief Ministers’ Conference only recently, after they had taken into consideration all aspects of the problem. It is open to them, and to Parliament, to consider in good time whether any modification of the scheme is called for on the basis of the situation prevailing within the country. Elected representatives of the people cannot allow their judgment to be questioned by foreign governments and others, and in any case cannot permit attempts to interfere with their decisions.

On Tuseday next the nation will be remembering Jawaharlal Nehru on his birthday. The nation and its leaders will also do well to remember the firmness with which our great leader rejected external interference in our domestic affairs. It is this great tradition that the nation’s leaders are today called upon to uphold with all their strength. In recent weeks the Prime Minister has shown a refreshing capacity to act in the Nehru tradition. It is to be fervently hoped that she and her colleagues in the government will now courageously tell Johnson and his agents within India where they get off. It must be made clear beyond doubt that blackmail in any form will not be tolerated for a moment by our people.

The people, for their part, must be constantly vigilant and voice their feelings without restraint. The progressive parties have the responsibility of organising a mass campaign against American blackmail.

(Mainstream, November 11, 1967)

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