Siraj Sikder
The Proletarian Party of East Bengal produced and published the original Bengali document on May 1972
The Communist Party Marxist-Leninist-Maoist Bangladesh translated the document in English and published online via www.sarbaharapath.com on 2 March 2014. The party slightly edited the translation on 6 January 2017
Marxism teaches us, ‘by discovering the law of matter, we can change it accordingly.’
Similarly, by discovering the law of clique, we can oppose clique, smash it and resist its repetition.
Consequently, we can use the knowledge about clique for our interest. Then it is transformed from matter-in-itself to matter-for-ourselves. [1]
We were acknowledged about the emergence of clique in revolutionary organizations of various countries of the world, and also the news, events and end results of formation of cliques in petit bourgeoisie organizations and Marxist-named bourgeoisie factions in East Bengal. In our party, the events of clique-formation happened like Sadek clique of Hazipur, and Abul Hasan-Shanti Lal’s clique.
But as those events were limited and less significant, it was not possible to discover the general law about clique.
We have had experience to closely review the activities, significance, range and end result of Fazlu-Sultan clique. Therefore, we are able to determine the general law of such type of activities.
Personal interest is the main point of all cliques
Dreamed of being country famous leader and party authority by quickly doing something, Sadek of Hazipur formed a clique and carried adventurist activities. Their aim of forming clique was to get name and fame and be party leader and authority.
Abul Hasan formed a clique to carry sexual wantonness, embezzle money and to be leader.
Fazlu, other than taking sexual interest under revolutionary interest, did opposite and worked for party post, name and fame. From the time of his joining revolution, he was criticized for that, and at last he was ousted from the party post.
Then he formed a clique.
Sultan failed to place sexual interest under revolutionary interest, and he worked for post.
As soon as he was demoted from post, he made a clique.
So, the basic reasons behind the formation of clique are sexual interest, post interest, name-fame interest, which means personal interest, that is, bourgeoisie class interest.
Conspiracy, rumor and slander is made to form a clique
The clique makers, by leaving the democratic path of unity-criticism-unity of resolving contradiction inside party, take the path of making conspiracy and spreading of malicious rumor and slander. They say nothing in the meeting or to related comrades or high command.
Sadek of Hazipur told nonsense baseless lies about party and leadership, secretly conspired with renegades, made hoax to people and presented themselves as party authority.
Abul Hasan adopted lies and presented himself as party authority.
Fazlu, by not saying anything in the meeting or to related cadres, spread lies and baseless nonsense talk, rumor about the party leadership and central committee to various comrades, forbade them to make report, made clique and conspiracy, stole money and arms of the party.
Sultan did the same thing by not saying anything face to face or in the meeting.
This is become if those rumor and slander are made in the meeting or with related comrades, will be banished as those are false and baseless. So, those can be made behind, not in front. Those are poisonous wind of night and are banished in daylight. Those are banished in front of truth.
Opportunists inside the party are the basis of making clique
Sadek of Hazipur gave line to the opportunists and renegades and formed a clique.
In the same way, Abul Hasan made a clique with the opportunists.
Fazlu gave line to Sultan who surrendered to sexual interest, is opportunist and degenerated. They gave line to those inside party who are opportunist and whom they think have discontent with party for personal or any reason and are criticized by party.
Thus, they formed clique with opportunist, degenerated and renegades and those who have discontent; the clique-makers deceived the general cadres and people and presented themselves as party authority.
The clique-makers are double dealers like Khrushchev
Sadek, when talking to party, showed obedience but conspired behind.
Fazlu showed himself as excellent actor when talking to comrades and leadership, even brought poetry written in praise of Siraj Sikder, said that he or she is not revolutionary who opposes comrade Siraj Sikder, but already he spread filthy lies, slanders and rumors against comrade Siraj Sikder. He asked comrades to write revolutionary letters while he hatched conspiracy to flee, say one thing to one and deny that to other. By praising in front, he hatched serious rivalry behind.
The Fazlu-Sultan cliques show serious obedience in word. No one even thought they could do any harm to party or not a little bit it was understood that they would flee; where as, they hatched conspiracy behind, stole fund and arms of party, formed clique and conspired of flying.
The clique-makers break the discipline of the party
The clique-makers abandon party discipline, present resolutions of various levels distortedly and disrupt secrecy; they cross own level. They do so to make cadres misunderstand various levels and mistrust on them and the security of the cadres and ranks are hampered.
The clique-makers distort history and Marxism
Khrushchev distorted history and Marxism to justify their power-seizure.
He completely denied the role of great Stalin in Soviet revolution, spread filthiest slander and bad name against him, and by saying that Marxism-Leninism has become outmoded, abandoned that and presented his own counter-revolutionary theory.
The Fazlu clique too, distorted history, produced reactionary theory and tried to justify own conspiracy of counter-revolutionary seizure of power.
He completely denied the role of comrade Siraj Sikder in the East Bengal Workers Movement, the great Payrabagan and the Proletarian Party. Thus, by distorting history, he spread filthiest slander and bad name against comrade Siraj Sikder.
The clique-makers weave net of intrigue, defend each other and establish another center inside party
Sadek and all others have not reported party about each other’s activities and they defended each other.
None among Abul Hasan & Co. have reported.
None of the Fazlu-Sultan clique have reported about other’s activities, but defended each other. Fazlu hided a letter of Sultan (containing the evidence of his opportunism) other than submitting to party.
Fazlu-Sultan broke party-discipline, illegally called some cadres (which only the central committee can do), funded them, gave line of conspiracy; thus they presented themselves a parallel center in opposition to the only center in party the central committee.
They send message each other via Telegram-letter and made caution about party’s step against them. The Fazlu-Sultan clique said the traitor renegade Nurul Hasan good and added that party’s decision against him was incorrect.
Thus they gave line to the traitor renegade Dipu and Mahbub. In this way, they degenerated themselves to the ranks of the renegade traitors.
Matured conspirators like Khrushchev and Liu Chao Chi work secretly, stay as authority behind curtail, slowly throw net of intrigue. They, from behind curtail, very much secretly weave net of intrigue.
Khrushchev succeeded through seizing power.
Liu Chao Chi’s clique was exposed and he was overthrown.
Our conspirators are very much foolish. Their tricks are exposed and easily they are caught.
The clique-makers steal party possessions and use party fame
To carry the clique-work, its makers steal money, arms and possessions of the party, make fake account and steal money.
By using the prominence of the party, they present themselves as party authority and say that party is good but leadership is bad, so they are the leaders etc.
Without informing the party, Fazlu-Sultan destroyed the trust of the party; and by betraying with the party, stole party-fund. Their wish was to steal the total amount of money. Fazlu planned to flee with the money of the party-operation.
Their aim was to make party-work stop by stealing money of the party, make the party surrender to them; carry on work of their clique and establish themselves as the party authority in exchange of money.
The clique-makers establish bastion
The clique-makers try to form bastion separate from the central committee and the party in their own areas. They work in such a way that cadres will not have confidence on the party and the central committee etc. but have confidence on them only.
In Khulna, Fazlu was trying to form such a bastion. In that objective, he wanted to have huge arms, cadres, he wanted to spread leaflet in own personal name, took the opportunity of party-fame, and tried to recruit men on the basis of feudalist blood relation.
He opposes his transfer by the central committee, and even he wished to be under certain cadre. That means, he tried to stay in Khulna by hook or crook.
If the central committee had not ousted him from Khulna, he would like to make the whole area a solid bastion, he would make non-confidence about the central committee and certain comrades by spreading rumor, slander, lies among the cadres about them and in that way he would try to keep the cadres in his favor.
For that, he would take help from the opportunists and chancers. Example of that type of bastion-formation is Motin-Alauddin of Pabna, who formed bastion through their own personal influence. Toha and Co. are the same. He (Toha) also made bastion by personal influence. That means, this area belongs to Motin and that area belongs to Toha.
In Chinese history, Peng Chen had made a bastion in Peking municipal area. Tau Chu had made a bastion in South China. Therefore, we have to keep caution against the formation of such type of bastions by the conspirators, clique and opportunists.
The clique-makers impose own fault on others and they pose themselves as clean
The Fazlu-Sultan clique impose all faults on the leadership of the central committee and other comrades while they pose themselves as clean.
They pose in such a way as if they are struggling politically and ideologically, they are innocent and ousted from post unjustly. Thus, they act like Khrushchev.
The cliques and conspirators commit secret killing on comrades and make them arrested. They become agent of the domestic and international enemies
The Fazlu-Sultan clique wanted to make arrest certain sick comrade by the government and later conspired to kill him secretly.
They conspired to kill the party leadership, important members of the central committee and the genuine revolutionaries of the party.
Thus, they did not hesitate to adopt filthiest way to capture the power of the party.
In the history of the Soviet Communist Party, the clique inside the party had killed comrade kirov (the party leader of Leningrad) in 1934.
In the party history of Burma, the revisionist clique killed Chairman Thakin Than Tun in 1967.
In the Chinese party history, the cliques became enemy-agent in many cases, and made hundreds of comrades arrested.
Lin Piao had conspired to kill Chairman Mao.
Thus, many of the cliques and conspirators became the agent of the domestic and international enemies.
The opportunists take the opportunity of the anti-party activities of the cliques
Some opportunist party-cadres, by taking the opportunity of the anti-party activities of the conspirators and cliques, personally try to achieve party facilities and leadership.
Some reflect and defend the positions of the conspirators and clique.
If the later ones are not cautious, there are enough possibilities that they may be trapped by the cliques and opportunists and become one of them. The Cliques and opportunists instigate some naïve comrades to fight for them. Thus, some may become victim of the conspirators.
The final aim of the cliques and conspirators is to capture party-power
By spreading filthiest lies, rumor and slander, the Fazlu-Sultan clique tried to create public opinion against the party leadership, central committee, obedient and honest comrades, and tried to secretly kill them, clean the way by making those comrades arrested who can be their obstacle, take some of the remaining comrades under control through giving them some opportunity or making pressure upon them. Then, they tried to capture party-power through forming their directed central committee of party through making actually a quo-de ’tat by organizing a so-called meeting of the leading comrades.
First they gave line to the opportunists and deceived some genuine cadres.
As next step, they stole money of party so that work of central committee led by comrade Siraj Sikder and genuine revolutionaries may stop and they, on the other hand, may freely move to different places of organization, be able to spread slander and rumor about leadership, central committee and pure comrades everywhere, and public opinion may be created against them. With that view, they sent their running dogs to different places.
They prepared the list and blue print of secret killing. They demanded for meeting of leading comrades – the next stage of their plan.
Their conspiracy was caught due to caution of leadership, sincerity of comrades and confidence of comrades on leadership and revolution. Their entire reactionary plan collapsed like the house of cards. Some of them fled while some are trying to justify to save themselves.
Khrushchev had captured power of the Soviet party in the same way. In 1934, they secretly killed comrade Kirov of Leningrad party committee.
Liu Chao Chi made effort, but finally failed. Lin Piao failed in the same way.
Our conspirators have also failed to capture power of the party. On the other side, they have been hated and condemned to comrades and people.
The conspirators and cliques are actually the agents of the feudalism, bureaucratic capitalism, Indian expansionism, US-led imperialism and Soviet Social Imperialism
If Fazlu-Sultan clique was able to capture power in their-followed hated way, would that party remain revolutionary? Not at all. It would become the interest-protector of the domestic and international enemies.
The Fazlu-Sultan clique tried to unify the opportunist, renegade betrayers and conspired to kill or overthrow genuine cadres. They are the ones who give prime importance on personal interest. As a result, all of their party would transform party into one that give prime importance to personal interest. That means, they would do whatever they need for sexual wantonness, leadership, post, money and name. That means, they would have nothing as Marxism or principle.
The end of that would be subservience to the domestic and international enemies.
The proletarian party of East Bengal is the number one danger for the domestic and international enemies. At present, a wonderful situation exists for the development of the party.
At this time, Fazlu-Sultan clique’s party-destruction activities are nothing but the best presentation for the enemies.
The collapse of the clique-makers is inevitable
Cadres at last came to know all the crimes of the Fazlu-Sultan clique. They (Fazlu-Sultan clique) could not hide those.
To all the cadres, they have been familiar as thief, conspirator and clique. It has been clear to all that they have falsified. At last, they abandoned organization by fleeing.
Chairman Mao said, “Dishonest mentality brings fall”
The fall of the Sadek clique has been due to their dishonest mentality.
The fall of Abul Hasan and Shanti Lal has been due to the same reason. The fall of Khrushchev-Liu Chao Chi has been for the same reason. The fall of Lin Piao was also for the same reason.
The fall of the Fazlu-Sultan clique too will be for the same reason. They act and become double dealer and liked to pose themselves as good men but time has exposed their real ugly and reactionary character. One cannot pretend whole life. Their real character must expose.
Then, history will throw them to dustbin. Thus, in the course of the movement of the society, the filth and dirt will go and the pure and genuine revolutionaries will sustain to carry the social movement forward.
Party gets stronger by purging the opportunists, conspirators and degenerated elements
Sadek and the Abul Hasan-Shanti Lal clique themselves left party. The Fazlu clique also voluntarily fled from party.
Consequently, party got some losses. Some cadres left party and in some areas, work suffered losses or was destroyed due to the anti-organizational activities of the conspirators; some general cadres got some reaction, enemies became happy and new contacts were lost through them.
But it has a good aspect too. Those conspirators would create frustration, vacillation and instability among the party-cadres. They would create separate center inside the party by weakening or breaking the party discipline, remain as time bomb inside the party, exist as the cause of secret killing and betrayal inside the party and make huge losses for future.
Stalin said, the meaning of fighting with taking this type of allies is throwing the party in front of firing from both sides: one, from the external enemies, and the other from the internal enemies. As a result, it is impossible for the party to achieve victory.
From the event of the Fazlu-Sultan clique, party achieved a very important and valuable negative example and teaching, the value of that is vast. This experience is very much necessary to fight against the future clique, conspiracy and intrigue.
When the clique-makers’ conspiracy is defeated, some of them become pro-unity and pretend as good to save themselves
As their conspiracy to capture power of the party has failed, the Fazlu-Sultan clique are very much shocked. The Fazlu clique fled. Among others, some have pretended as pro-unity and good to save them. They shed crocodile’s tear for the party unity and welfare.
This is their-a deceit only. Now, they speak of interest of party and party unity by doing severe damage to the party. It is easy to imagine, how much cheat a person can be who does such things.
They unity-interest they speak is actually party unity with or work for the interest of the opportunists, conspirators, factionalists, secret killing schemers, money-arms embezzler etc. reactionaries.
That means, they want mercy for the time being, want to stay inside the party so that they get one more chance to destroy the party more efficiently.
This type of conspirators, having chance to stay inside the party, killed comrade Kirov, and comrade Thakin Than Tun of Burma.
This is why Stalin said, “Party can do nothing in face of attack from two directions of enemies both inside and outside the party.”
In this situation, it is the responsibility of the party to remain firm in principle of disunity with the conspirators, clique, opportunists and traitors, unconditionally expel them, give no more chance to them, find out those who are hiding inside the party and give them punishment.
Thus, it is the great duty of the party to constantly strengthen the party by expelling the opportunists, conspirators, cliques, killers and degenerated elements; that means, to remain firm in the principle of beating the mad dog, even when it fells in water, to carry class struggle against them till the end and to unify pure revolutionaries in that process.
Conclusion
Party cadres should very much attentively study the law we can discover from the above mention cliques. The meaning of taking those steps is making clique, conspiracy and deception. So, cadres should refrain themselves from taking those steps. They should be just, sincere and free minded, follow the method of democratic struggle inside party, resolve contradiction through unity-criticism-self-criticism-unity and develop party as united, disciplined and single-centered. The one who breaks the discipline, he or she serves the enemy. Therefore, cadres should be cautious against the discipline-breakers and carry on struggle against the opportunists, conspirators, clique-makers, actors and double dealers till the end.
Note
1) The cancer disease exists in the world. It exists regardless of we think of it or not. That means, cancer exists independent of our thought. This is called that matter exists itself. But people are trying to know the law of cancer through research. That means, how does it originate, how can it be cured. When people will succeed then cancer will be transformed into matter for ourselves. The materialists believe in such type of transformations. The idealists say that we cannot know the nature, bring it under our control and transform it into matter for ourselves. ■