Javed Hussein | IMGpapers

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they were still regotiating with the milway officials, more than a week before the strike. From this decJaration of war it was clear that the only way for the working class to halt this capitalist offensive was to meet the challenge head-on, by mobilising and organising the whole working class and its allies. But the CPi and CPI (M) simply prevaricated.

After talks with the railway officinis had broken down, the NCCRS leadership voted to call an indefinite general strike from 5 May. But nothing was done politically to prepare and organise the railworkers and other sections of the working class for such a step.

MASS MEETINGS

The most effective way of orgunising would have been to hold mass meetings of railworkers so that all workers could be inolved in democratically discussing the way to win th strike, Preparations should have been made to counter the political offensive of the ruling class, and overcome the problems thrown up in any prolonged struggle. Other sections of workers should have been Involved through the establishment of broad struggle committees, But hone of this was done. In particular, no selfdelence measures were taken to counter the inevitable police violence against the strikers.

Yet despite this the response of the mass of railworkers was almost total. Apart from the Government-controlled press, all the newspapers admitted that the strike had brought the railways - and with them a substantial part of the coomy - tou CPI (M) no doubt talked at the same time about a general strike of the entire working class. But they did notling to prepare theit trade union federations for such a struggle. Not, for instance, did the CPI put the whole Kerala state administration at the disposai of the strikers, as it could have done.

PROGRESSIVE ?.

Indeed the CPI in particular having previously snuggled up to the Congress Party as the representatives of the progressive national bourgeoisie barrassed by the whole business. By 15 May they were openly saying that it would he better to call off the strie.

The defent of the railworkers ARGENTINA: