WB: 103rd Anniversary of the Foundation of Communist Party of India Observed

The 103rd Anniversary of the foundation of the Communist Party of India was observed with elan in Kolkata. Programmes were held in Kolkata and other districts to mark the occasion.

In the central programme at Kolkata's Promod Dasgupta Auditorium, the website of the Bengali Marxist periodical, Marxbadi Path, was launched by CPIM general secretary Sitaram Yechury in the presence of Md. Salim, editor of Marxbadi Path and state party secretary, and Santanu Dey, assistant editor of the periodical.

Later addressing a public meeting in the same venue, Yechury called out the misguided priorities of the Election Commission of India (ECI), which is ignoring the issue of corruption through electoral bonds, while lecturing political parties regarding freebies. It must be noted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is the biggest beneficiary of electoral bonds; Yechury recalled how BJP has successfully toppled governments in Maharasthra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Goa.

Furthermore, Yechury talked about India's poor rank in the recently-released Global Hunger Index, adding that when the government should focus on hunger and the economy, it is trying to find an internal enemy in the minority section to consolidate the political Hindutva. He detailed how everything that the Independent Indian state was based on, such as land struggles, secularism, and the linguistic basis of state formation, are being decimated by the current regime.

"The basic tenets of the Indian constitution, like economic sovereignty, social justice, federalism and secularism, are being destroyed by this government. We must ask why there have been no electoral successes despite multiple struggles throughout the country. We need to promote reason, scientific temper, and rationality among the masses."

Yechury also used the event to call for Left Unity, highlighting that the broadest unity of secular forged should be forged on a state-to-state basis.

"In West Bengal, corruption, like the teacher recruitment scam, has taken place. An attempt must be made to maximise anti-BJP and anti-Trinamool votes. During my stint as a parliamentarian from West Bengal, I had approached central ministers for a probe into the Sarada scam, which went to deaf ears. It happened because the Trinamool Congress (TMC) had platformed BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in the state; hence, Central BJP ministers have been cooperation with TMC," Yechury said.

Yechury further urged the participants to help revive CPIM in West Bengal, adding that Bengal's opinion remains the fulcrum of regime change in India.

"Even the news about your state through social media about the probable revival of the party is enthusing people throughout the country. In 1920, during the party formation, the primary task was to have an independent India and move towards economic independence; now, the task is to save India and change the Modi Government."

CPIM state secretary Md. Salim also addressed the gathering and talked about how the communists need to be both partisans and artisans in the present scenario.

"In the history of Bengal, during the freedom movement, there were vital movements, like the Rakhi Bandhan Movement, started by Rabindranath Tagore against the separation of Bengal in 1907."

Elaborating on the recent part played by the leftists, especially by the literacy movement activists in Bengal, to re-popularise that movement, he said that in many places, this programme had been organised on October 16. He also commented that the party's condition in the state had improved eight months after the state conference.

However, he cautioned people not to celebrate this improvement as a lot is yet to be done. He also called out the state TMC government for handing a fishing harbour in Tajpur to Adani on a platter when the state needs a deep sea port.

Salim also commented that knowledge-based movements should be increased, enthused with creativity and driven by technology.

He also outlined the next programmes that the party has in the pipeline in the state. The party will now take a tough stand against the false cases filed by the police against party organisers at the village level. Salim said that the party would demand the freedom of all persons languishing in jail on false charges.

"In November, the party will try to cover every square meter of the rural area with the red flag, and what is happening won't be allowed to happen," he said.

In his speech at the start of the Programme, CPI(M) Politbureau member Suryakanta Mishra said that we are living in strange times, not seen by him since independence.

"Throughout the world, neo-fascists are gaining ground. RSS is leading the neo-fascist movement in India."

He also traced the gurus of fascism, like Julius Ebola, Steve Bannon, etc. He said that the mingling of corporate and governance as seen in India is a fact that sanguine the presence of fascism in India.

The programme, which saw renditions from IPTA artists at the start, ended with the International song being sung by all the participants, including the public.