Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06NEWDELHI8042
2006-11-29 11:46:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy New Delhi
Cable title:
A COMMUNIST LEADER DISTANCES THE CPI(M) FROM CHINA
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 008042
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR INR/B
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR ECON IN CN
SUBJECT: A COMMUNIST LEADER DISTANCES THE CPI(M) FROM CHINA
REF: A. NEW DELHI 8003
B. NEW DELHI 7796
C. NEW DELHI 7762
NEW DELHI 00008042 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Atul Keshap for reasons 1.4 (
B,D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 008042
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR INR/B
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR ECON IN CN
SUBJECT: A COMMUNIST LEADER DISTANCES THE CPI(M) FROM CHINA
REF: A. NEW DELHI 8003
B. NEW DELHI 7796
C. NEW DELHI 7762
NEW DELHI 00008042 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Atul Keshap for reasons 1.4 (
B,D)
1. (C) Much of the press coverage of the recently concluded
visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao commented on the frosty
nature of the visit and depicted the nefarious role of the
CPI(M) in working on behalf of Chinese interests in India.
One of the most outspoken CPI(M) critics was DNA columnist
Rajiv Desai, who accused the party of being Chinese
"lobbyists" who "worked overtime to ensure Beijing's agenda
was fulfilled"(Ref A). In a November 29 meeting with Poloff,
Sudhakar Reddy, the National Secretary of the CPI and a
senior leader of the CPI parliamentary delegation, commented
at length on these allegations. His comments, which allude
to private conversations between the CPI(M) leadership and
Chinese government officials, as well as debates raging
within the inner circle of India's Communists, shed light on
the typically hair splitting and suspiciously excessively
defensive Communist view on this issue. We provide these
insights for INR/B and others who study Indian Communist
leadership dynamics.
2. (C) Reddy disparaged the press reports alleging that the
CPI(M) is a stalking horse for China. He pointed out that as
long as Chairman Mao ruled China, the Communist Party of
China (CPC) refused to recognize it, preferring to maintain
relations with the more radical and Maoist Naxalite groups.
During those years, the CPC derided the CPI as a
"revisionist" party and the CPI(M) as a "neo-revisionist"
party. Reddy also denied that the CPI(M) has given a carte
blanche to China, has never criticized it, or wants to import
the Chinese political and economic system to India. Reddy
maintained that in their private interactions with the
Chinese leadership, the CPI(M) leaders, including General
Secretary Prakash Karat, and leading ideologue Sitaram
SIPDIS
Yechury, have criticized Chinese economic policies. The
CPI(M) leaders purportedly told the Chinese that they were
mistaken to make rapid economic growth their principal
economic goal, as growth that does not lift the poor out of
poverty is a betrayal of Communist principles. The CPI(M)
has also complained that the Chinese government has granted
virtual monopolies to firms that maintain good connections
with the CPC.
3. (C) Reddy conceded that the CPI(M) perceived closeness to
China has rubbed many in India the wrong way, especially
since China "committed aggression" against India in 1962 and
its troops "occupied the soil of the Indian homeland." This
reflects the ideological issue that resulted in the CPI(M)
split from the CPI in the aftermath of the Chinese invasion
(Ref A). According to Reddy, the Indian people are not as
"anti-China" as the media depicted during and after the Hu
Jintao visit. He ascribed the "slanted" reporting regarding
China to a cabal of anti-Chinese and anti-Communist
journalists, especially in the English language media. Reddy
urged poloff to look at the CPI(M) in a different light,
NEW DELHI 00008042 002.2 OF 002
arguing that the party does not take dictation from China,
has no interest in exporting a Chinese-style totalitarian
state to India, and is perfectly capable of standing up to
China on issues of principal.
4. (U) Visit New Delhi's Classified Website:
(http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/sa/newdelhi/)
MULFORD
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR INR/B
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR ECON IN CN
SUBJECT: A COMMUNIST LEADER DISTANCES THE CPI(M) FROM CHINA
REF: A. NEW DELHI 8003
B. NEW DELHI 7796
C. NEW DELHI 7762
NEW DELHI 00008042 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Atul Keshap for reasons 1.4 (
B,D)
1. (C) Much of the press coverage of the recently concluded
visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao commented on the frosty
nature of the visit and depicted the nefarious role of the
CPI(M) in working on behalf of Chinese interests in India.
One of the most outspoken CPI(M) critics was DNA columnist
Rajiv Desai, who accused the party of being Chinese
"lobbyists" who "worked overtime to ensure Beijing's agenda
was fulfilled"(Ref A). In a November 29 meeting with Poloff,
Sudhakar Reddy, the National Secretary of the CPI and a
senior leader of the CPI parliamentary delegation, commented
at length on these allegations. His comments, which allude
to private conversations between the CPI(M) leadership and
Chinese government officials, as well as debates raging
within the inner circle of India's Communists, shed light on
the typically hair splitting and suspiciously excessively
defensive Communist view on this issue. We provide these
insights for INR/B and others who study Indian Communist
leadership dynamics.
2. (C) Reddy disparaged the press reports alleging that the
CPI(M) is a stalking horse for China. He pointed out that as
long as Chairman Mao ruled China, the Communist Party of
China (CPC) refused to recognize it, preferring to maintain
relations with the more radical and Maoist Naxalite groups.
During those years, the CPC derided the CPI as a
"revisionist" party and the CPI(M) as a "neo-revisionist"
party. Reddy also denied that the CPI(M) has given a carte
blanche to China, has never criticized it, or wants to import
the Chinese political and economic system to India. Reddy
maintained that in their private interactions with the
Chinese leadership, the CPI(M) leaders, including General
Secretary Prakash Karat, and leading ideologue Sitaram
SIPDIS
Yechury, have criticized Chinese economic policies. The
CPI(M) leaders purportedly told the Chinese that they were
mistaken to make rapid economic growth their principal
economic goal, as growth that does not lift the poor out of
poverty is a betrayal of Communist principles. The CPI(M)
has also complained that the Chinese government has granted
virtual monopolies to firms that maintain good connections
with the CPC.
3. (C) Reddy conceded that the CPI(M) perceived closeness to
China has rubbed many in India the wrong way, especially
since China "committed aggression" against India in 1962 and
its troops "occupied the soil of the Indian homeland." This
reflects the ideological issue that resulted in the CPI(M)
split from the CPI in the aftermath of the Chinese invasion
(Ref A). According to Reddy, the Indian people are not as
"anti-China" as the media depicted during and after the Hu
Jintao visit. He ascribed the "slanted" reporting regarding
China to a cabal of anti-Chinese and anti-Communist
journalists, especially in the English language media. Reddy
urged poloff to look at the CPI(M) in a different light,
NEW DELHI 00008042 002.2 OF 002
arguing that the party does not take dictation from China,
has no interest in exporting a Chinese-style totalitarian
state to India, and is perfectly capable of standing up to
China on issues of principal.
4. (U) Visit New Delhi's Classified Website:
(http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/sa/newdelhi/)
MULFORD