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Newsletter of the Indian Progressive Study Group, Los Angeles
August 1996
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For information on our upcoming activities:
call: (310) 391-0692
email: ipsg@ucla.edu
web: www.columbia.edu\cu\ipsg
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In less than a year, India will mark the fiftieth anniversary of the end
of the British Raj. This historic occasion forces us to reflect and
elaborate on the future direction of India. It is become apparent that
India cannot afford to carry on in the old way. An alternative must be
found that can profoundly change the economic and political lives of
people, and end the cycle of violence and the denial of rights.
It is against this backdrop that IPSG, LA is appealing to everyone to
come forward and work towards finding a collective solution. This
requires paying attention to the context of the changed world. This also
requires summing up the experience of people not only in India, but all
other countries that have the parliamentary system of government, the
market-based economy, a political system based on an 18th century
conceptions of civil liberties, rule of law and private property etc.
India cannot become a country of free peoples, if it fails to chart its
own path that is determined and implemented by its own people. No
borrowed model or program will help.
The recently concluded eleventh Lok Sabha elections have once again shown
that the ruling circles of India - the main beneficiaries of the last
half a century - have no plans to change the main direction of India. If
they continue to have their way, it will be more of the same. The rich
will continue to get richer, the crises facing India will worsen, and the
problems of the working people in the cities and villages, women,
minorities, or of those fighting for their national rights will not be
taken up for solution. This newsletter is being published as part of the
effort to engage people in discussing what the urgent tasks are for
renovating India's economic and political life. It is our first attempt
to pose some of these questions. We want to hear from you.
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