NAGPUR, June 23: In the city, where Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose formed the Forward Bloc 57 years ago, some socialists, on Sunday assembled to give a clarion for unity among Left forces.

It was on June 22 in Nagpur, that Netaji announced the formation of the Forward Bloc, then merely a platform for socialists and gave a call for consolidation of Left forces. It was also here at Nagpur, that he had given the slogan of ``sari satta janata ke haath'' (power to the people).

Today, several leaders of the Forward Bloc and other Left parties assembled to commemorate the occasion and remember Netaji and his contribution to the freedom struggle.

Some speakers felt that had the Left forces fought British rule unitedly, the British would have been forced to hand over power to the Left forces in India.

Chitta Basu, MP and secretary general of the All India Forward Bloc, said it is no use blaming anyone for the lack of unity among the Left. We should take a lesson from history and work towards consolidating the Left force so as to meet the challenges facing the country. He lamented that the slogan of ``sari satta janata ke haath'' had not been realised, despite the fact that the Left democratic forces were in power in the states of West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura.

Delving on the life and times of Netaji, Chitta Basu said it was Netaji who stressed upon socialism. He had said, to solve the nation's economic woes, a comprehensive plan for industrial development under state ownership and state control was the need of the hour. The then Congress Party too had acknowledged this fact and under Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the Planning Commission had moved in this direction. But, the present Congress leadership has reversed the development process because of its policies of liberalisation, he said. ``The present Planning Commission is actually involved in de-planning''.

Basu also lamented that the country was passing through a critical phase. The anti-people policies will intensify the crisis and the Left forces will have to launch a struggle against this. Anil Mukherjee, the Deputy Speaker , said the people are still in doubt about Netaji's last few years.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.