INDIA AND TSARIST RUSSIA 31 stagnation that arises from the present moribund socio-economic order, the bourgeoisie of some of the nationalities often resort to separatist movements, such as the DMK in Tamil Nadu or the so-called Telangana movement in Andhra Pradesh. In certain states, even sections of the proletariat and the petty-bourgeoisie rally around the disruptive slogan of reservation of job opportunities for the ^sons of the soil5. These moves are essentially forms of accommodation sought by dispirited and demoralized forces within the present crisis-ridden system. They divert the attention of the proletariat and the toiling masses from the root cause of all the basic problems, namely, the social order, and disrupt the revolutionary unity of the popular forces. Hence, the revolutionary proletariat and its allies must oppose these reactionary strivings tooth and nail. The above is only a sketchy outline of the related issues and Marxist approach to them. Within this broad framework, the national question in India needs further examination, particularly in relation to the problems of the outlying regions like Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, or Sikkim, as well as those of the Santhals, Girijans and other smaller tribes in central and peninsular India. It is to be hoped that Marxist analysts would treat those problems with the importance that they really deserve. 1 Marx and Engels frequently used to illustrate this point with reference to the Irish question. Marx, for instance, wrote to Kugelmanni: "I have become more and more convinced—and the only question is to drive this conviction home to the English working class—that it can never do anything decisive here in England until it separates its policy with regard to Ireland most definitely from the policy of the ruling classes, until it not only makes common cause with the Irish but actually takes the initiative in dissolving the Union... And this must be done, not as a matter of sympathy with Ireland but as a demand made in the interests of the English proletariat. If not, the English people will remain tied to the leading-strings of the ruling classes, because it will have to join with them in a common front against Ireland. Every one of its movement.-, in England is crippled by the strife with the Irish, who form a very important section of the working class in England. The prime condition of emancipation liere—the overthrow of the English landed oligarchy—remains impossible because its position here cannot be stormed so long as it maintains its strongly entrenched outposts in Ireland.'•' (Karl Marx, Letters to Kugelmann, Lawrence & Wishart, 1941, pp 95-6. 2 J V Stalin, Marxism and the National and Colonial Question, Burmon Publishing House, Calcutta, p 15. 8 Ibid. 4 VI Lenin Collected Works, Vol 6, Foreign Languages Publishing House, Mocow, p456. 5 Ibid., Vol 21, p403. e ibid., Vol 6, p 328, 7 Ibid., Vol 20, p 22, 8 Ibid., p 34. » Ibid., pp 34-5. 1® 7W.,pp411-12. 11 Ibid., Vol 20, p 22. 12 Ibid., p 32. 1 s Ibid., p 24.