People's Democracy

Nasik Now Has Big Kamgar Bhawan

Shridhar Despande

THOUGH the communal BJP led regime stands defeated and a secular government has been formed at the centre, it is necessary to unite and struggle to achieve the goals set in the Common Minimum Programmes. So said CITU general secretary Dr M K Pandhe while speaking at the inaugural function of the CITU’s Kamgar Bhavan at Nasik (Maharashtra) on June 5. J P Gavit was in the chair. Pandhe further said we need to be equally alert, for, though thrown out of power, communal forces have not been eliminated. However, for real emancipation from exploitation by the ruling classes, the working class must unite and struggle to form its own regime.

In the end, Pandhe congratulated the CITU workers of Nasik and greeted them, on behalf of 35 lakh CITU workers in the country, for having erected the Kamgar Bhavan.

The grand function started when M K Pandhe unveiled the marble plaque of Comrade Narendra Malusare Sankul. Ahilya Rangnekar unveiled the plaque of Lokshahir Annabhau Sathe open air theatre and Prabhakar Sanzgiri unveiled the plaque of D T Jaybhave Sabhagriha & Marriage Hall. On this memorable occasion, thousands of enthusiastic workers, peasants and tribals distributed sweets to one and all, burst crackers and raised loud slogans reverberating the entire premise. Leaders of the AITUC, SKP, SP, India Sec Press, NMKP, HAL and state government employees also attended the function and extended greetings.

State CITU president Prabhakar Sanzgiri said that apart from erecting such a huge building, Nasik comrades also ensured 45,000 more votes in the recent Lok Sabha election for the CPI(M) candidate J P Gavit.

It will be noted that the Nasik workers get inspiration from late Comrades Narendra Malusare, Annabhau Sathe and D T Jaybhave who devoted their lives to championing the cause of the toiling people. It is to commemorate their memories that their names have been given to the Kamgar Bhavan, its open air theatre and its auditorium and marriage hall.

On the occasion, Nasik workers’ union general secretary Dr D L Karad explained the CITU’s policy of welcoming new industries while fighting tooth and nail for the just and legal rights of workmen. At the end, with humility, he described how the entire fund for the Bhavan was raised by CITU workers.

The huge rally that took place immediately after inauguration was preceded by revolutionary songs by Jagar (Mumbai) and Janam Group (Nasik). Here, Pandhe, Sanzgiri, Ahilya Rangnekar, Ashok Dhawale, K L Bajaj, Kumar Shiralkar, Smt Anuradha Malusare and Smt Shakuntala Jaybhave were greeted with shawls and bouquets. The rally also felicitated Advovate Jayant Jaybhave on his election to the Bar Council of Goa & Maharashtra and for the untiring support he and his colleagues have been giving to the COTU in legal matters. Architect Sunita Jaybhave, engineer Magar, landowner Burkula Yogendra Mishra and others were also felicitated for their cooperation in the whole project.

In his concluding speech, J P Gavit referred to the recent riots the BJP engineered at Surgana in connivance with the police, adding that it was the BJP which was frustrated over the elections results, and not the CPI(M) that well knows how to deal with such divisive forces. He expressed hope that the Bhavan would become a centre of movements in this part of the country and live up to the toiling people’s aspirations.

Others who addressed the rally included Ashok Dhawale, Shiralkar and Narsaiyya Adam. Sitaram Thjombare made the introductory remarks, Jayant Jaybhave conducted the proceedings and Shridhar Deshpande proposed the vote of thanks.