IT is a difficult proposition for people like me to accept the reality that M.H. is no more. Though it is known that the principles of nature apply to every one, grief engulfs us depending on the value of those whom we lost.

My intimacy with Comrade M.H. was very long. It was a relationship of nearly six decades. It was a long-term companionship with an admixture of ideological commitment, responsibilities of the movement and personal intimacy. That is why it is very difficult to say anything about him in this period of grief. Several experiences and reminiscences come to mind and move me.

It was a highly appreciable fact that he had written a book on his political experiences. Several details and dates were incorporated in that. Without going into all those details of his life, I will try to share some of the important aspects which are in my mind.

Our companionship started when he worked as Guntur district Secretary after Comrade Basavapunnaiah. He was elder to me in age and shouldered greater party responsibilities. However, he always used to encourage me with love and affection and move me forward. We used to have the same approach in fighting against some disruptionist tendencies that cropped up in the Party in the initial days. At that time I became the Secretary of Students Federation. M.H. was leading an underground life. Subsequently, as arrest warrant was issued against me, I too, had to go underground. Both of us and one of the senior leaders of the Guntur movement, Pulupula Sivayya, spent underground life in a den. During that underground period itself my marriage with Sarojini took place. M.H. and M.B. made arrangements for that. M.H. performed our marriage.

During the Telangana struggle period he was arrested and imprisoned in Cuddalore jail. In view of political requirements, the Party ordered me to go to Nallamala forest area. Writing a letter to me from jail, he expressed concern that without both of us there, the Guntur district movement would get affected. However, due to the decision of the Party and requirements of armed struggle I had to go to Nallamala.

Later on he was elected to the Legislative Assembly and was deputy leader of the Party. Almost at the same time he also took charge as editor of Visalandhra. Though born in a poor and illiterate family, gradually improving his linguistic and literary potential, along with political consciousness, M.H. performed his duty as editor efficiently and created a new trend.

When Kruschev attacked Stalin all of us in the Guntur district Party expressed strong resentment. M.H. translated the book 'Stalin Yugam'. When it was reprinted after a long time he had shown that to me . I told him about the book of reminiscences of Marshal Zhukov and handed over a copy of it to him. Later on he not only wrote a foreword but also added an annexure to 'Stalin Yugam'.

He used to be very strong and sharp on ideological issues in all stages starting from exposing Kruschev's revisionism to making mincemeat of Gorbachev's treachery. Though personally very soft, he never used to compromise on political and organisational issues. From initial days also he used to be very firm towards those who sought to disrupt the movement, and displayed organisational hollowness. Actually, proving his assessments to be true such people came out as backstabbers of the movement. Those names and examples are not required here. He used to be very firm in matters of organisation and training. He used to take disruptionist tendencies seriously.

His role was important in fighting against right revisionism and extremist disruption and keeping the Party intact in the State. After the formation of CPI(M) when Sundarayya and Basavapunnaiah were at the Party centre, he had to take leadership of the Party directly as Secretary of State Committee for 18 years. After extremist disruption, a situation had arisen when the Party had to be rebuilt. The role of M.H. was important for the Party, as he not only stood firmly facing those attacks but expanded the Party to its present position. It is not at all an exaggeration to say that he discharged two-pronged responsibilities giving ideological inspiration to the Party through his writings, besides leading the Party organisationally. At the same, needless to say how good a speaker he was!

In his life, M.H. withstood several repression's. His wife Comrade Udayam not only cooperated very much with that, but also courageously struggled in very difficult situations. She was not only a leader of women, but also a good Burrakatha artist (a folk form) in the initial days. Her present deteriorated health condition also caused mental agony to him. M.H. always used to pay special attention to the development of women's movement. In his autobiography also he wrote about the importance of educating and organising women in view of many problems women face socially.

M.H. used to do any work, small or big, without being supercilious, in the Party. He used to personally take care of everything in the Office. Once we had decided to do all works personally in the Guntur Office. In implementing that he did all things taking more care than all others. He always had that quality.

He not only used to show high respect for the martyrs, but also paid special attention to their families. He collected photographs of martyrs and colleagues, Kantamneni Venkataratnam and Moturu Venkataratnam, who gave him inspiration, and specially kept those besides his table.

Personally speaking, M.H. used to treat me very affectionately. As I was younger to him age-wise and in the movement, I used to take several times pieces of advice and cooperation . His pieces of advice were very useful to me. I always used to treat him as my teacher. Anytime if he had subjective tendencies, he had the maturity to receive criticism and respect the collective decision.

He used to say that the life of revolutionaries was not a bed of roses but a path of thorns. The life of Comrade Hanumantha Rao, who dedicated himself till the end to the cause withstanding innumerable trials and tribulations, hindrances, repression's and hardships, is an ideal example to future generations. My red salute to that longtime colleague who left us and I convey my deepest sympathies to the members of his family. I believe that the youth would dedicate themselves to achieve his aim.