Socialist Party (India)
Delhi Office
11 Rajpur Road, Delhi – 110054
Phone/Fax : 110-23972745
Central Office
41/557 Lohia Mazdur Bhawan, Dr. Tufail Ahmad Marg, Narahi, Lucknow – 226001
Phone: 0522-2286423
Email: socialistpartyindia@gmail.com Web : www.spi.org.in
Blog: socialistpartyindia.blogspot.com
10 Oct. 2016
Press Release
Government must stop using army and martyrs for political gains
It is very unfortunate that the present government is using the Surgical strike of 29th September 2016 by the Indian army following the Uri attack on a army camp as an excuse for whipping up war hysteria. The Socialist Party denounces this deed of the government completely. What ought to have happened is that the government in keeping with its gravity and responsibility should have directed the media and war-mongers to desist from any war hysteria. Instead it is in cohorts with the media and war-mongers to promote war hysteria. This is the first instance of a government using the armed forces and martyrs so directly for vote politics.
The Socialist Party believes that this is the government’s ploy to distract public attention from its failures and ensure its victory in the upcoming polls in four states including UP. The other truth in this episode is also the fact that British sympathizers like RSS/BJP are keen to register themselves as patriots at the cost of the army and martyrs. Otherwise, Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself has often made objectionable comments about the Indian Army. In his last two years of service it has become very clear that he is basically the ‘pradhan sevak’ of big corporate houses and fanatical elements.
In this entire episode the government and the media together have weakened India’s position versus Pakistan at the international level. The irresponsible statements against the army’s Surgical strike by some opposition leaders and civil society activists have also further damaged India’s position and fueled war hysteria. Situations have been so turned that even to ask legitimate non-political questions about the episode is now an act of treason. This is a dangerous situation for democracy.
The army has its own way of functioning. The Socialist Party believes that the army’s job ought to be left to the army. The government, politicians and civil society activists, must do their job. Their job is to work towards alleviating deep rooted problems like poverty, ill health, hunger, malnutrition, illiteracy, unemployment etc. within the given framework of independent and self-reliant economic policies. War will claim many martyrs and also damage the country’s economy.
Socialist Party invokes the conscientious citizens of the country to come forward and use their discretion to neutralize the war hysteria of all the war-mongers including the government.
Dr. Prem Singh
Spokesperson and General Secretary
