West Bengal Democratic Writers Artists Association
Manifesto
1. Man’s physical and mental endeavor, has, in the 21st century, achieved extraordinary success in science, technology, rational thinking, literature and culture—touching mountains and seas, desolate deserts and the huge sky. It has been an era of glorious progress. At the same time, it is also an era of a deep crisis. The socialist system has broken down in many countries, the empire of capitalism has made sinister moves towards a unipolar world. Preparation for a nuclear war is on, while the lives of thousands of millions of people in the counties under capitalism and underdeveloped economy are suffering from a polluted environment, poverty, fundamentalism, racial prejudice, moral degradation and what not. These are veritable sores on the body of the earth in this century. The supremacy of capitalism and mercantile economy has perverted the print and electronic media, and created a crisis for man’s mind and consciousness.
West Bengal Democratic Writers Artists Association Manifesto
Man’s physical and mental endeavor, has, in the 21st century, achieved extraordinary success in science, technology, rational thinking, literature and culture—touching mountains and seas, desolate deserts and the huge sky. It has been an era of glorious progress. At the same time, it is also an era of a deep crisis. The socialist system has broken down in many countries, the empire of capitalism has made sinister moves towards a unipolar world. Preparation for a nuclear war is on, while the lives of thousands of millions of people in the counties under capitalism and underdeveloped economy are suffering from a polluted environment, poverty, fundamentalism, racial prejudice, moral degradation and what not. These are veritable sores on the body of the earth in this century. The supremacy of capitalism and mercantile economy has perverted the print and electronic media, and created a crisis for man’s mind and consciousness.
The socialist camp, covering about one-third of the world, existed side by side with capitalism and imperialism, and maintained a balance of power. With the disappearance of socialism in the Soviet Union and other east European states, however, the latter have inclined towards imperialism. In these erstwhile socialistic states, ideological deviation, onset of capitalism assisted by economic anarchy are rampant, and these are not threatening the stability of these states only, but are also creating confusion in people’s struggle in other nations of the world. Such reaction have temporarily made the United States of America more powerful, and it, along with its cohort nations, has swallowed up the Security Council and is moving towards a role of dominance in world affairs. They have not stepped back on their nuclear war-preparation even after the fall of Soviet, nor stopped building up military bases in various countries, nor put an end to intervening in the internal or bilateral affairs of nations. The American imperialism has established its supremacy also by binding the weaker countries in bonds of debt. It has succeeded in making the United Nations a silent witness to the immoral and undemocratic acts and human rights violations in various countries. The United States is also guiding the UN to violate internationally validated laws. While instead, charges of human rights violations against China, North Korea and Cuba are being concocted. In spite of all these, in countries all over the world, democratic and anti-imperialistic movements and those of national resistance, have made great progress in recent times. Contemporary events amply demonstrate that capitalism cannot solve the basic problems that confront mankind. It can hardly be the final chapter of human civilization. The belief that this is the time of the transition from capitalism to socialism is true and supported by science. Let the thousands of millions of people of the world chime it together that this is the time for peace in the world, not that of atomic or star wars.
Although the US domination is evident in the capitalist countries, the conflict of its interest with various such countries is also quite noticeable. One can see that movements by workers have made remarkable progress in countries like the US, Great Britain, France, Japan, Germany, South Korea, Italy etc. The highest of pressure is being exerted on the countries of the (erstwhile) Third World. Poverty is on the increase there. The conflict and confrontation of the people and the rulers of countries treading the capitalist path are gaining momentum. In such a world-context imperialist pressure on India is also mounting. Indian market has been thrown open for plunder by the foreign and multinational capital. Indian economic independence is imperiled by conditions imposed by the IMF and the World Bank. Globalization through the capitalistic means stands in the way of economic independence and self-reliance of countries like India. The World Trade Organization acts just as a mask under which economic imperialism is spreading its tentacles
In the economic sphere, no visible progress has been made in India after Independence, while, instead, it has weakened gradually. The pre-capitalist economy had not been properly demolished, and the rulers made moves for a so-called capitalistic system, which has gone against the interest of the people and progress. Indian economy has relentlessly succumbed to imperialist and corporate economy, which has resulted in people’s impoverishment and distress. A new political alignment has arisen in the Indian government at the Centre. In such a context, the preservation of national unity and solution of the basic problems facing the citizens will be the major objective of the struggle of the people.
In the last few years, religious fundamentalism has shown a steady increase. Its emergence as an organized force has created a deep crisis in the power structure of the Indian society. Such fundamentalists have often seized power at the Centre and in several states, thereby making various moves that are detrimental to democracy. Communal riots are being organized and communal hatred is being spread in a most heinous manner. The imperialist conspiracy is evident in the smuggling of arms in various Indian states where individual killing, terrorism, and 2massacre are being carried out with abandon. There is direct encouragement of the imperialist forces for subversive activities in Kashmir and other states by the Pakistani ISI spies, which is harming the life and livelihood of the people and the integrity of Indian polity. In this context, our patriotic duty is to maintain people’s unity, irrespective of party creeds. We want a secular nation and a secular politics. In this unprecedented crisis that our country faces now, the writers and artists must take a frontline role in the battles against fissiparous tendencies, religious fundamentalism, regionalism and terrorism.
We carry on ourselves a great legacy of struggle, national as well as international, for independence and democracy against capitalistic exploitation, imperialism and colonialism. The struggle for freedom of the Indian people, movements by students, youth and women, the revolt of the tribes and peasants in the British India, and the struggle of the toiling masses have a glory of their own. Alongside with that, the Bengal Renaissance of the Nineteenth Century, prompted by Western education, has created another great legacy. The similarity between the renaissance of the free states of Europe and that of colonial India is, however, not much there. As India of the time was under colonial and feudal bondage, so a conflict between the ideas received from the West and the pride of the East was almost inevitable. All the great leaders of Indian Renaissance display this conflict in them, yet spread of education, social reforms, a rationalistic movement and that for the liberation of women, humanism and other such positive actions have been supported and enriched by their contribution. The legacy that had begun with Rammohan Roy, Derozio and members of the Young Bengal, Vidyasagar, Akshay Kumar Dutta, Madhusudan Dutta etc. and continued through Bankim Chandra, Rabindranath Tagore, Abanindranath Tagore, Sarat Chandra, Nazrul Islam and others—has, along the way, shown a preference for ideas of historicity, and judging traditional ideas in the light of reason. They took notice of the malpractice, injustice and blind superstitions prevailing in the traditional society. As an inevitable outcome, they revolted against the practices of burning of the ‘Suttee’, widowhood till death, the ‘kulin’ system of polygamy, child marriage and others which robbed women of their personal freedom. The question of human dignity became more prominent than the so-called spiritual liberation. In the social superstructure prevailing in Bengal, the far-reaching influence of the Renaissance took deeper roots and therefore this state, irrespective of caste and creeds, is mostly free of the politics of caste and community, compared to others of India. But we have no scope for being complacent, as the reactionary forces—mostly communalists and the Hindutvavadis, have become active here too. Devilish efforts are being made to create disunity among the struggling masses by fanning the emotions of the neglected sections of people of the so-called lower castes, thereby deflecting them from the path of economic independence and human rights. There are intellectuals who are raising this strange and unscientific claim of ‘Literature and Culture by the Dalits for the Dalits.’ Our task is to dispel this confusion and bring back all the writers and artists, united, no matter what their race, caste, religion, language etc. are, to the mainstream of creative activity. Let the identity of the writer and artist be determined, not by his or herbirth, but by an assertion of life and its struggle for free expression.
Alongside with this valuable national heritage, we solemnly remember the historical role of the writers, artists and other intellectuals in their struggle for democracy and independence against imperialism and fascism in the international arena. During the First World War in the Twentieth Century, a new and openly barbaric onslaught on democracy began. And it began in the birthplace of democracy, Europe, where fascist and military despots indulged in demonic barbarism and a murderous revelry. The intellectual heroes like Ralph Fox, Felicia Brown, Christopher Caudwell had sacrificed their lives then in their fight against fascism. The ceaseless efforts for world piece by Henri Berbusse, Maxim Gorky, Earnest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso, George Bernard Shaw, Romain Rolland, Rabindranath Tagore etc. will be ever remembered. The young Bengali author Somen Chanda had died as a martyr when he led a popular protest against Fascism. The progressive artists and authors of Bengal and the whole country assembled under the banners and on the platforms of Anti-Fascist Writers and Artists Association, Progressive Writers Association, Indian Peoples’ Theatre Association in the context of the Second World War, for the struggle for Indian Independence, the fight for life and livelihood initiated by the farmers and industrial labourers, against the Bengal Famine, and the communal riots. This tradition has, in fact, enriched the stream of the present literature of the progressive mark. And the struggle against the cultural policies that are anti-people in the age of neo-liberalist and fully imperialist aggression in Latin America, Africa, Asia and other countries of the world goes on in full force.
In the recent times, a phrase imported from the West keep titillating the educated elite. The phrase is ‘postmodernism’ or uttar-adhunikata. It is such a theory, they claim, that by applying this one can explain every matter of the late capitalism. In the post-World War world, particularly after the demise of the Soviet Union, a group of sociologists and philosophers have built up such abstruse theories which strive to reject or ‘deconstruct’ almost 3everything achieved in the past. Post-modernism rejects the basic human entity, a total objective, the revolutionary thought, the absolute reason, even progress, science, class struggle, socialism—such long established notions. However, whatever meaning post-modernism may carry to the people of the West, to us, the people of underdeveloped economy and former colonies, this is nothing but a neo-colonialist theory. A notion of multinational globalization is being imported, replacing the nationalism-based idea of modernity. This theory peddles an idea of tolerance about the world capitalism, and is slyly induces the people of the world to accept it. The capitalists and the multinationals are united in the world today against the toiling masses, and most of the postmodernists support the former. In the environs of globalization, the postmodern colonialism has almost holds the third world in chains. Therefore, the postmodernism of arts, literature and sculpture does not comfort us, but makes us apprehensive instead, and this Western waste product of philosophy confuses our minds, rather than spreading a new message for our struggles for existence, culture, or arts and human endeavor. It’s not depression, nor the ideal of consumerist capitalism, but the modernism we will embrace, the change we must dream of now, will be dictated by the reality of the present time.
In the globalized context, the theory of ‘Post-Truth’ has followed that of post-modernism, which actually is nothing but a novel trick of passing unalloyed falsehood as Truth, in the interest of the corporate sector under the capitalistic imperialism. It is a ruse that the ruling class is taking resort to, in order to remain in power. There are ample instances of this in the recent history of the developed countries of America and Europe. Our country, as our State, are not safe from the threat. It is imperative that we ourselves remain alert to this menace and sensitize others too.
The socio-economic crisis has cast its arching shadow also on the cultural sphere. On the one hand, the positive aspects of the pre-capitalist values, norms and cultural heritage are being rejected and their retrograde remnants are being revived, while, on the other, the dark agonies of the European capitalist culture have been being imported since the third or fourth decades of the last century. That is why the capitalist rulers of this country revel in religious superstition. The capitalists build up everything at the same time —temples, mosques, churches and science museums. The cultural lackeys of capitalism are now making all-out efforts to malign those who want to changethe direction of the national progress. Evil attempts are visible everywhere to cover up established truths by religious superstitions and blind ignorance. Mythology and baseless gossips are being presented as scientific history. The struggle, therefore, is ideological, that between the creators of life-supporting culture, the democratic writers and artists, and the forces of darkness, the peddlers of base and rotten culture. This struggle of the forces of progress is going to be a long-drawn one, as one of the sides does not see the way the time moves on, or the unfolding of the emerging truth. This ideological struggle is connected with the struggle for the victory of the patriotic spirit, as well as for the final liberation of mankind. And the struggle for ideology can never be taken lightly or postponed for a time. The progressive writers and artists must remain alert and without illusion about the culture of mercantile consumerism. Or we cannot escape selling and, eventually, destroying ourselves.
The latest technology and its multi-directional tentacles have tied up the whole world in such a manner that the world is now a ‘Global Village’. In addition, a more developed, super-active and highly organized media has taken up a strong anti-people stand, in the interest of the rulers. So presentation of baseless facts and spreading of confusion have become much easier. One notices that attempts are afoot to discard the basic truths and discoveries of science. Alongside with this, we need to be more attentive to the rational utilization of the revolutionary change that has taken place in science and technology (the internet and the extensive use of the social media).
The latest in technology and mass-media are casting a wide net, and the world is gradually becoming a colony. Economy is globalized, and so is culture. Behind this there is a menacingly powerful multinational capital. The sky is littered with satellites, cable channels creating riot, and the snare of internet connectivity has enslaved the people of the world. Very little of these unprecedented achievements of science is being used for human welfare. This empire of consumerist culture, which follows market capitalism, is now quite successful in creating colonies in the minds of men at every corner of the world. The sense and the consciousness of men to them is only a market, and there are ceaseless temptations to the human urge for consumption. Even the peoples of the developed countries are tired and confused in this rat-race of consumerism. When consumerism becomes the ultimate goal, human qualities fall apart. And that is now blatantly evident in politics, religion, education, legal system and science—in every one of these fields,–as in the gangsterization, utter degradation of values, in the careless onslaught of corruption, in murders, terrorism and the open market for prostitution. The responsible writers and artists will, against this totalizing situation, assume their proper role. Science and technology will inevitably claim their own place. So long that does not happen, so long the electronic medium is not made to serve people’s interest, the writers and artists, along with the other sections of the society, must consider deeply how people can be kept out of 4the total aggression of this culture that is a bastard product of this technological explosion, and keep themselvesabsorbed in the free exercise of creativity. What is most damaged by the consumerist and market culture is the mind of the child and the young. A society could not be built in which the young could have a free growth. What is more, they are directionless by the impact of the competition that leads towards an uncertain future. Child labour, addiction to drugs, allure of consumerism and crime, cultural degradation, revival of various types of superstitions, beliefs and rituals that had been abandoned, are now contaminating the lives of the young. A culture that is perverted, and an education that is lifeless and unscientific, have poisoned their mind and life. Here the writers and artists have a crucial role to play. We must be committed to build up a movement for the desired development of the young in an unpolluted environment.
The latest in technology and mass-media are casting a wide net, and the world is gradually becoming a colony. Economy is globalized, and so is culture. Behind this there is a menacingly powerful multinational capital. The sky is littered with satellites, cable channels creating riot, and the snare of internet connectivity has enslaved the people of the world. Very little of these unprecedented achievements of science is being used for human welfare. This empire of consumerist culture, which follows market capitalism, is now quite successful in creating colonies in the minds of men at every corner of the world. The sense and the consciousness of men to them is only a market, and there are ceaseless temptations to the human urge for consumption. Even the peoples of the developed countries are tired and confused in this rat-race of consumerism. When consumerism becomes the ultimate goal, human qualities fall apart. And that is now blatantly evident in politics, religion, education, legal system and science—in every one of these fields,–as in the gangsterization, utter degradation of values, in the careless onslaught of corruption, in murders, terrorism and the open market for prostitution. The responsible writers and artists will, against this totalizing situation, assume their proper role. Science and technology will inevitably claim their own place. So long that does not happen, so long the electronic medium is not made to serve people’s interest, the writers and artists, along with the other sections of the society, must consider deeply how people can be kept out of 4the total aggression of this culture that is a bastard product of this technological explosion, and keep themselvesabsorbed in the free exercise of creativity. What is most damaged by the consumerist and market culture is the mind of the child and the young. A society could not be built in which the young could have a free growth. What is more, they are directionless by the impact of the competition that leads towards an uncertain future. Child labour, addiction to drugs, allure of consumerism and crime, cultural degradation, revival of various types of superstitions, beliefs and rituals that had been abandoned, are now contaminating the lives of the young. A culture that is perverted, and an education that is lifeless and unscientific, have poisoned their mind and life. Here the writers and artists have a crucial role to play. We must be committed to build up a movement for the desired development of the young in an unpolluted environment.
The majority of the people of our country live in villages and in the forest areas. Peasants, farm-labourers, craftsmen of tribal and non-tribal communities have been toiling from time immemorial and created great cultural wealth. This huge and various store of folk and tribal art is a matter of pride for us. It still contains the joy of life, the endless treasure of human existence, although threatened by the changes of time and taste, struggling with the modern commodity culture. The people who are absorbed in folk culture are our comrades-in-arms, and they have to be cultivated with deep respect in our common pursuit of creating a healthful urban culture. The cultures of a locality and that of a community will be allowed to retain their character, while they will be accommodated within the broader culture of the society. For this, we may join in common programmes with like-minded organizations.
It’s the people who remain at the centre of our struggle against social and cultural degradation. Our struggle will be against those who ridicule and distort the social and community consciousness of the people and sing the praise of indulgence and gratification of the individual in art and literature. The task is quite difficult, as there are all-out attempts, supported by an inordinate amount of money and the great media houses, to confuse and misguide human intelligence, which has taken up a great and positive role in the social and political arena. The quality of journalism has been brought down by depriving the newspapers of their freedom and neutrality. The protesting journalists and newspapers are being increasingly persecuted. A big section of this culture, generally patronized by the state and big capital, is often accommodating pernicious ideas and practices of religious superstitions, retrogressive and feudalistic notions, regionalism, communalism, fundamentalism, racism and fissiparous tendencies. In this time of degenerating capitalism, humanistic principles are being abandoned, and human beings are being portrayed as sinners, criminals, contemptible, helpless and expendable entities. That this reactionary onslaught is a conspiracy from abroad, is no longer a secret.
It has been long that we gained independence, but the country has not declared any policy of language and culture yet. Just a fragment of the central budget is, of course, assigned to culture. Whatever is spent, a state government has even less control on that. A state has no proper representation in the affairs of Akashvani, Door Darshan or films. The act of Prasar Bharti has not been framed in the interest of the people. The central organizations of culture and the Akademis act at their will, plainly ignoring the states. Therefore there is a planned shrinkage of opportunities for the development of regional languages and cultures. We must guarantee the use of Bangla and other locally important languages at all levels of administration in this State. One of our duties is to organize all culturally alert people of this State to claim the declaration of language and cultural policies by the Centre and their proper execution in the states.
It is of course a difficult task to take the democratic and progressive culture ahead in the face of the capitalistic aggression in the area of culture. Still, we must win this battle. We must secure a place in the mind of the people by various ways and means. In this tough ideological fight, it is the people who are our only support. The open fountain of creativity of the people is the source of all progress, economic, social and cultural, and all future possibilities of social development is rested in it. The only duty and responsibility of the activists in art, literature 5and culture is to glorify the people and their spirit of struggle in today’s art and literature. The democratic artists and litterateurs will, on the one hand, try to respectfully understand the stresses and conflicts that take place in the people’s mind and how they are overcome, and, on the other, will also reflect the deep significance of the fine sentiments, artistic and cultural life of them. It is not just having contact with the people, but we must identify with the people’s struggling life with deep love and respect. The people’s democratic culture has to be built up through the comradeship in arms between them and the intellectuals. We must also acquire the language and style that the people appreciate. The cultivation of style and form is quite important to us, but it is the subject-matter that is more important. In addition, art must also be popular. So our objective is to refine our art.
As we all know, people are compelled to drink polluted water in the absence of that is fit to drink, particularly in a society where polluted drink is much easily available than what is clean. Therefore it is our duty to present and spread a culture that is clean and healthful, as an alternative to that which is degenerate. We know that the struggle for a vigorous culture cannot move ahead without the education of the masses. So we must remain steady in our objective of educating the people. We must give importance, in particular, to the creation of appropriate literature for the neo-literates. We believe that the artists, authors, educationists and intellectuals with goodwill for the people outnumber those who are without it, and the former are playing their appropriate role in the crisis that faces the national culture. We must take up the challenge of competing with the capitalist culture. Related with that is the problem of individual creativity and livelihood of the creative artists and authors. Our organization should assume the responsibility of standing by them in the struggle for life and livelihood of the artists and cultural workers connected with films, theatre, jatra and such other pursuits. Secondly, the tendency of privatization in all spheresof education is visible all around, which will narrow the educational opportunities of the poorer section of Indians. We demand a wider role of the state in education.
If one does not participate in the wider struggle of the people, one cannot fulfill the objective of supporting the spread of creative art and literature and standing by the artists and cultural workers in their battle for life and living. We therefore are aware of the moral duties and responsibilities of the artists and authors in their moves for keeping and expanding the acquired democratic system and its rights. Not in artistic activities alone, the workers in the fields of arts and cultures should, individually, and with their organizations, take part in democratic movements. One of the duties that awaits us is to place all our efforts towards the development of people who are neglected and oppressed, as also for the maintenance of national unity and solidarity. This organization of ours, which had begun as ‘Ganatantrik Lekhak Shilpi Kalakushali Sangha in the seventies of the last century, has always remained with the people and played its appropriate role , as situation demanded, in uniting the authors artists and cultural workersin our fights against tyranny and national emergency.
The authors and artists have been enriched by this continuous struggle, and, in consonance with the spirit of democracy, they will fight for the lives and livelihood of all minorities and tribes, people who are marginalized and left backward, for their equal rights as for their basic human rights, as they will also fight for the progress, rights and liberation of women. Our organization will always be vocal in protest whenever there will be attempts to impose oppression , prejudices colonial or racial, degenerate culture, religious fanaticism and imperialist war, on people, and will mobilize the widest popular opinion for eradication of poverty, a healthy, enlightened and polished life as well as for peace in the world. It will also consider the fascistic attack and terror, let loose against democracy and acquired rights, religious fanaticism and communalism as the gravest dangers, and will make the struggle for democracy, secularism and people’s unity all-pervasive by uniting people at all walks of life.
As we declare this manifesto of our ideals, objectives and programme, we at the same time believe that total victory is impossible without a change of this social structure. Against the culture of the exploiting class and that of the propagandists of an exploitation-based society, we want to build up a cultural platform that will support the interest of the majority. We look forward to forming a united front and joint movement of organizations in the cultural arena who differ in ideologies but share a common belief in democracy, social progress and change. We, therefore call out to the innumerable artists and performers, writers, cultural organizations spread over towns and villages—‘please come and assemble on the spacious platform Democratic Writers’ and Artists’ Association, come all, irrespective of race, religion, colour, language, and unite to uphold the flag of progress and that of the glorious tradition of national and international culture, sing the song of liberation and of our advance from darkness to light, and our stepping forward on the path of progress as directed by history’.
West Bengal Democratic Writers Artists Association
Prelude: The organisation is basically a Cultural Association that invites into its fold all Cultural Organisations those are engaged in the practice of promoting and propagating Aesthetic Art and Culture. It strives to be a platform of progressive intellectuals encompassing writers, artists, journalists, researchers who voice the democratic concerns and rights of the underprivileged ones and work to preserve the indigenous culture of the people and all those who work against the divisive forces that conspire to fragment people on the lines of caste, creed, language and religion. Those who enterprise to demolish the barriers of creativity, social just, healthy culture and scientific temperament are eligible to the membership of the organisation.
- Name: The name of the organisation will be:Paschimbanga Ganatantrik Lekhak Shilpi Sangha (West Bengal Democratic Writers Artists Association)
- Central Office: The Central Office of the Association will be located at Kolkata.
- Symbol & Flagi) Symbol: A writing hand (up to wrist) holding a pen, shaped as flying white pigeon having red eye balls.ii) Flag: Rectangular Maroon or White Flag embedded in it the symbol in white/maroon paint.The length-breadth ratio of the flag will be 3:2.
- Objective and Programmes: The Association shal
- Extend all possible support to all persons and associations engaged in promotion of Democratic Aesthetic Cultural Activities.
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Form a platform to unite various cultural organisations to stand upon for the people at large in their struggle for life and existence.
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Support all movements of the people against the imperial designs of monopoly capital within the country as well as across the world.
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Mobilise public opinion against imperial onslaught, dominance and aggression and unite people to fight for a multipolar universe, independent foreign policy of the Nations and promotion of World Peace and Harmony.
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Promote united affront to all reactionary ideas and belief that exist in the forms of feudal or capitalist values and practices, patriarchy and decadent neo colonial culture. It shall strive to unite people against communalism, nationalist jingoism, separatist forces and all others that try to divide people on grounds of race, religion, caste, creed or language. To unite masses for development of people across all such barriers shall be a major objective of the Organisation.
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Assist practice, preservation, development and promotion of rural folk culture. It shall also stand by the folk artists in their day to day struggle for livelihood.
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Stand by the artists working in movies, plays, music, dance and other forms of performing art in their fight for decent living and associate their struggle with all sort of democratic movements for a better living.
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Resist attacks of all forms on progressive Art, literature, culture and the media, perpetrated by forces with vested interests and the ruling class.
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Organise activities and programmes to promote and achieve the aforesaid objectives.
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Publish Bulletins, books, booklets and a regular organ of the Organisation.
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The Association shall not have any Musical or Theatrical troupe of its own. It shall however promotevarious cultural organisations of all levels and shall aid and assist artists to promote and profess their creations and performances.
5. Membership:
i) There shall be dual system of membership, individual or organisational. Writers, Artists, Journalists, Cultural Activities and Cultural Organisations who subscribe to the declared objectives of the Association shall be considered eligible for individual membership as well as membership of the organisation to which he/she belongs. Individuals belonging to member organisations are also eligible for individual membership of the Association. Individual members shall have one voting right each. Up to every hundred members of a member-organisation, it shall be entitled to cast one vote.
ii) Membership for both individuals and organisations shall ordinarily be allowed at its lowest tier. However, in very special case, the State Committee may allow membership at the state committee subject to discussion with the concerned district committee. Individual members shall pay Rs.20 yearly as membership fee. The folk artists shall pay Rs.5 as yearly membership fee, while the yearly fee of a folk-artists’ troupe shall be Rs.40. Others who take membership as a group shall pay Rs.100 annually as their membership fee. Out of the membership fees thus collected 50% of the same shall be deposited to the account of the state Committee and the rest 50% shall be deposited to the District Committee. The District Committee may out of its share of membership fees pay a certain amount to the committees under it. Membership has to be renewed every year and the State Committee may, if necessary, revise the membership fees from time to time.
iii) For new membership recommendation from two members is mandatory.
iv) Membership is subject to the approval of the higher committee. Every year the District committees shall share credentials of the members, details of contributions payable, names of the members with addresses, emails and phone numbers (whatsApp & others) to the State Committee. In matter of granting membership and renewals thereof the
District Committee shall strictly adhere to guidelines by the State Committee.
v) Any act of derogation from the ideals of the organisation or any act in variance with the Constitution of the Organisation shall make an individual or a member-organisation liable for expulsion. The local committee may either through the District Committee or directly through the executive committee of the State or the State committee recommend expulsion of an individual or a member-organisation. The decision of the State Committee on such recommendation shall be final.
vi) In consultation with the lower committee, the higher committee may effect transfer of membership of its members.
6. STRUCTURE OF THE ORGANISATION
The organisation shall extend from the State to the Districts, sub division and where necessary, to blocs, municipal and local areas.
7. STATE ORGANISATION
7.1 State Conference:
i) State conference shall ordinarily be held at an interval of every four years, a year being counted from the month of January onwards.
ii) The procedure of conducting the conference shall be formulated by the outgoing State Committee.
7.2 Advisory Committee:
An Advisory Committee shall be formed from amongst eminent writers, artists, intellectuals and
journalists associated with the Organisation. The Secretariat may, if it feels necessary invite the
members of Advisory committee to any of its committee meetings.
7.3 State Committee:
i) In between two conferences, the State Committee shall be the ultimate decision making body.
ii) The State Committee shall be elected from the conference.
iii) The State Conference shall decide on the number of members of the State Committee.
iv) The State Committee shall hold at least two meetings in a year and presence of one fourth of the total members of the committee shall be required to constitute quorum for the meeting.
v) The first meeting of the State Committee shall be convened either by the President or any of the Vice Presidents of the outgoing committee.
vi) In the first meeting of the State Committee, the Executive Committee of the State Committee, the President, the Vice Presidents, the General Secretary, the Treasurer and the strength of the Secretariat shall be decided upon.
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7.4 State Executive Committee:
i) The newly elected State Committee shall in its first meeting elect the State Executive Committee
of the Organisation. The State Executive Committee shall constitute the State Secretariat members
and all the District Secretaries. A District Committee having joint Secretaries, any one of the Joint
Secretaries shall be elected to the State Executive Committee.
ii) The State Executive Committee shall conduct all the programmes of the Organisation.
iii) In case of vacancies arising in the State Executive Committee due to death or resignation of any
of the members, the State Committee may nominate any one of its members to the State Committee
to fill up such vacancy.
iv) Presence of one fourth of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.
v) If necessary, the State Executive Committee may constitute sub committees to discharge its
function.
vi) The State Executive Committee shall, subject to ratification of the State Committee, formulate
policy as to how the funds of the Organisation shall be used for.
vii) Any expenses incurred beyond twenty thousand rupees shall require the approval of the State
Executive Committee.
7.5 Office Bearers of the State Committee:
i) President, Working President (if necessary), Vice President, General Secretary, Departmental
Secretary, other Secretaries and the Treasurer shall be elected from the first meeting of the State
Committee.
7.6 State Secretariat:
i) The State Secretariat shall constitute of the President, Working President (if necessary), Vice President,
General Secretary, Departmental Secretary, other Secretaries and the Treasurer
ii) The State Secretariat shall conduct the day to day functions of the organisation.
7.7 State Fund:
i) The State Committee shall maintain one or more bank accounts in its name with Nationalised Banks. The
General Secretary/President and the Treasurer shall operate such accounts under their joint signatures.
ii) Apart from the Membership fee collection, fund may be raised by way of one time donation, contributions
and collections from organising programmes and exhibitions from time to time.
7.8 Organ of the State Committee:
The State Committee shall have an organ of its own. The Secretary and the Secretariat of the Organ shall be
elected by the State Committee.
8. District Committee:
i) Keeping in consonance with the objective of the programme of the Organisation, District Committee shall
be set up at the District levels through conferences. The State Committee on its own may set up a preparatory
committee for a district.
ii) Normally, District and Local conferences shall be held prior to the State Conference. In special cases,
however, District and Local conferences may be held later with prior approval of the State Committee.
iii) Executive Committee and Secretariat — The District organisation shall be formed on a two-tier structure.
The District conference shall decide on the strength of various committees under it. If necessary, it may also
constitute an Advisory Council.
iv) The District Committee my raise its own fund and may have an account in its name at any of the nationalised
banks.
v) The District Committee shall grant a portion of the funds to sub division, bloc and municipal committees.
The portion of such grant may be reimbursed to the lower bodies upon mutual discussions.
vi) The State Committee may disband a District Committee, if it is found to act in variance with the aims,
objectives and declared programme of the Organisation.
vii) A District Committee may publish an Organ of its own.
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9. Sub Division/Bloc/Municipality/Local Committee:
i) The District organisation may also set up organisation at the subdivisions/blocs/Municipal/Local areas. The
District Committee shall determine the strength and other modalities of functioning of these units.
ii) The District committee shall determine the regulations for conducting conferences of the committees at the
subdivisions/blocs/Municipal/Local level.
iii) In the event of any action of the committees at subdivisions/blocs/Municipal/Local levels which may be at
variance with the declared programme of the Organisation, the District Committee may disband such
committee with the prior approval of the State Executive Committee.
iv) Apart from the funds received from the District Committee, the Committees at the subdivisions/blocs/
Municipal/Local levels may collect funds of its own.
v) The Committees at the subdivisions/blocs/Municipal/Local levels shall be formed through conferences. At
the first instance the District Committee may prepare a committee. Two delegates of every member
organisation shall attend the conference.
vi) A minimum of 50 members is required for formation of a local committee. If the members of a local
committee exceeds 250 members, the District Committee may, if it deems fit, form a new local committee
so as to ensure that the number of members in a local committee do not exceed 250.
10. Regulations:
The State Committee may, keeping in consonance with the broader principles of the constitution may
formulate regulations for easing the day to day activities of the Organisation.
11. Amendments to the Constitution:
The provisions of this Constitution may be altered and/or amended at the State Conference with the approval
of two third majorities of the delegates present at the conference.
12. Audit:
The accounts maintained at the State and District Committee shall be audited and an auditor shall be appointed
and an auditor shall be appointed for the purpose.
13. Exigency:
In the event of any exigency that may arise at the National level where the normal functioning of
the organisation may not be possible, the State Executive Committee may take any such decision
as it may deem fit to meet such exigency