Africa posed the European Governments with the problem of the absorption of the former white 'Childien"
Scleyer has met with anobe licile serback, Last woek a Frentanside the West Cerian anis!
Eight to ten officin apparent hed ap al the time by pa. two-top airborce general e sickal after in to visit a tighlet Granwhile the West German Coverment has poded futcher meaning to ite ponsepe di dem tronch Parliament which cir bles theip to cur off mpriso aucuide world, The worried car roomany defence or is the alage landed to the cualtion putty, the Prer Being SE, is in turmed after Is gout aiDed approcal to be Kall He Chief Federal Prosci so Suppe to the Come GEORGE FERNANDES led the Eumous ruilway workers' strike in India In 1974. He was a counsgeous opponent of the State of Emergency Imposed by Indira Gandhi in 1975 und wes impriSocialist Party into the predominantly right-wing Juneta Party and joined the new GoyHe was recently In London. Tariq All spoke to him, G.M. Conkson took the photographs. You're best knowa for your tol IN BIC EVEN WINCES SWILCD 1974. In retrospect why do you think it was smashed?
Because of our own inade quate organisation. Most of 1b leadership was not prepared to visualse the kind or reoression chat would be let loose. This neant that ways of counterin link up with the rest of the trade portantly with the mass of the peaple. It became a pure an simple Industrial action by rallworkers. overlooked its revolutionary GEORGE FERNANDES: "Vanata hes accepted the socialist.idaa/.
potential.
throw of the regime mus possible:
her regime. hot devel Secondly our fallure li coalition?
We completely Did you bellere when you were in brison thal un decioral over Ladira Gandhi did not believe it.
1 thought there was chance of a free election under Most people were surprised at case our ripid iratelden from HOUSE THE imprisoned trade union leader io a minister in a bourgeois goversment, way did you join lau Well, in the circumstances in which we found ourselves, had aloof at first as I wanted to worl for the mass organisations of the HENCE WerE people who felt thai my not joining the Government would and probles. They insisted chat we had all got rid of the dictatorshiD topether i shoud serve in the Government, In any Janata has acopted the But the strongest pole within Juista is the night-wing, comme nalist Jung Sangh. This organise ton has always opposed an been opposed by socialists and communata. Do you really so inquiry into the mysterious death of a dissident carlier this cate one dead an ein ed circumstances. A statement by the Workers Defence Com mustee reports that his bod was found Boating in an artificial lake. show that the waite populion ZIMBABWE: Latest tion, ar a rate of 9.000 a veer. If this continues, there will he no bet it's unlikely that the black WHICH I BY TIC CAE ME population wants to wait that jong believe that Jean Saugh leader have chunged their spots?
Politicians keep changing everywhere and especially India In our conditions thi right-jell split doesn't maki much sense. Caste and language are more important than class State repression is contimuing In the towns and the coentryside. What would It taice to get you out oF the Goveranent?
lifticult to fors crent of future cinshes. I thi sorkers appeciate the probler facing the country nd I don chink we'll see the same sort of Struggles that we've seen in the . I don't visualise the situa ton you anticipate.
A mumber of Maoists have been released, bet what about th Nugas? Do sopport the right to self-determination?
Certainly not. No one in India Hans Ba smog 10c 1982 Jeaders tbemseives.
So George Fernandes, like his counterparis in the British Labour Party, has rapidly to the right. As Minister for Industry he is widely res pected by Indestrialists becaus he is a Ture satanal: no is so corrupt.
But moral fervour cannot dea with Indian capitaliom either SEne indentlons are thai Fernandes and his sapporters wil be squeezed eat of office over the coming years, unless of cours they accept all the necessities' office such as olling workers ant pessoats, Imprisoning students and banning trade anioes.
Socialist Challenge, & October 1977, p14
----- pull-quotes -----
"HITLER'S CHILDREN"
This as the dies inalistics sympathies Vest Germir arma. Dal a year