So yesterday he came but talking was not about Indian wonders but about him and current political situation. You know writers are usually very interested in people and make for good listeners, so I allowed him to express himself. What was interested to me is the question - how he feel interacting with so many people and fighting for justice and better future. His views are revolutionary though he believes India is still in transitional state beween feudalism and capitalism. The aim of his party is to usher in an era of genuine people's democracy, not immediate building of socialist society which is the aim of Communist parties in developed countries. People's democracy is intermediate goal which will facilitate raising awareness of communist ideas in society and only then people will decide whether it's worth to undertake next steps towards socialism. Of course he believes these are worthwile ideas.

He views ruling Congress as purely feudal party and right wing BJP as capitalist party. A feudal is interested in maintaing his political power by false promises and benefiting only close circle of family retainers. In feudal party the power is inherited. There is some logic in his arguments as current chief minister of Himachal Pradesh Mr Virbhandra Singh belongs to ancient dynasty of rajas of Rampur Bashar, in fact 123rd raja of this petty princedom to the north of Shimla. Many but not exclusively local Congress legislators and mayors are feudals or their retainers, Sandeep said they are largest landholders in state. For example in Kangra valley 77% of tea estates belong to 4 families. In neighbouring states it's similar picture - till march Punjab was ruled by maharaja of Patiala Captain Amarinder Singh (Congress) before he was ousted by religious party Akali Dal in alliance with BJP. There are many maharajas in other states too who are prominent Congress politicians. What is the policy of maharajas - make promises. They used to reply to demands of workers - OK, just work, one month, two month, a year, we will see how to meet this demand. Time pass, nothing change.

BJP is about business, they do not waste many words, just tell - do this work I pay that much and no more. Not interested - there is a long queue of jobless outside, take it or leave it. It's philosophy of capitalists. Sandeep says this communal party is set to grow because capitalism replaces feudalism and Congress is on the downswing in historical perspective.

What about his party, Communists - I asked. His party says to people - fight for better future today with us and we will fulfill our promises once we will reach certain stage (I understood it means the capture of power on national and state level). Before we can be only pressure group, pressuring authorities for removing injustice and fighting for the rights of workers and landless peasants. Like Medha Patkar and Arundhati Roy? Yes. But they are very influential, they can organise campaigns in press and see to have needed decisions from power haves and judiciary. I told him about recent news (all but omitted by national media) that two Gujarat legislators complained that they discovered interaction of Medha Patkar with one American to see that necessary verdict in Supreme Court will be pronounced. He did not agree on this. (Left wing Academia and intelligentsia, NGOs etc are very powerful in India).

In short he drew clear picture, if Congress is about past, BJP is about today, Communists are all about future. So you are selling dreams to people, I noticed. I tried to caution him today. Though I admire his apparently noble revolutionary ideas and ideology I warned about impact of power - Russian Communists had held power for long 80 years and completely disintegrated both morally and politically. People blame them for all ills in Russian society. Do not fall in traps where they fell. I can observe that all Communist parties in the world are different, so be yourself, don't imitate others be they Russian, Chinese or Cuban Communists. He agreed.

Yesterday conversation was more about Indian Communists internal problems and perspectives. I was interested - whether intra-party democracy exists in his party. I asked whether there is any factionalism and to which faction he belongs. He said Communist party would not be Communist without internal discussions (I smiled), and he claimed there is no factionalism inside. What about Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, pragmatic West Bengal chief minister, who apparently wanted to make peace with Congress on nuclear deal with US despite strong opposition from his party boss, Prakash Karat? He said there are some elements in party who are only after power and for compromises with capitalists but let's wait one, two years and Buddhadeb will be thrown out of party and his chief ministership. So you support the justice Krishna Iyer, who recently urged Karat to politically finish Buddhadeb off as his views are no more reconciliable with Communist doctrine - I asked. He enthusiastically nodded.

There are many things we discussed yeaterday and today he has known about my views. I cannot support any particular party or ideology as sticking to one point would impair my objectivity as a writer in my opinion. I try to understand all people and treat them with sympathy. He was slightly disappointed. But he understood what I meant - I spent some years in Buddhist institute studying Buddhists philosophy - he said its Buddhist point of view. Well, I don't know whether it's Buddhist or not, but if almost all political parties in India are acceptable to me I cannot say that everything in the world is acceptable. Bush and Blair are not acceptable (he said with the host of other left-wing organisations - female, student, peasants, tea-garden workers etc - he organised many anti-Bush demonstrations), China policy towards Tibet is not acceptable, Myanmar crackdown and killing of Buddhist monks is not acceptable and so on.  

Sandeep in my room

I wished him well in his activities which for me constitute one of the greatest Indian wonders - largest in the world vibrant living democracy and extremely active civil society.