People's Democracy

PUNJAB

 Anti-War, Anti-Imperialism Day Observed In Punjab

 Charan Singh Virdi

ON September 1, big rallies and demonstrations were organised in every district of Punjab against war and imperialism as part of observing ‘Anti-Imperialist Day’.  These rallies and processions got tremendous response all over the state. More than 25,000 people took part in these actions. A brief district-wise response is given below:

Garh Shankar: The district committees in Hoshiarpur and Nawan Shehar jointly held a impressive rally at Garh Shankar where CPI(M) is contesting the assembly by-election. Nearly 2,000 peasants, agriculture workers, industrial workers, youth and women took part in this rally. The rally was addressed by Party state secretary Professor Balwant Singh and state secretariat member Raghunath Singh apart from state committee members Darshan Singh Mattu, Party candidate for the by-election, Maha Singh Rori, and district and other local leaders.

Sangrur: Over 3,000 people held a rally at Sangrur which was addressed by district secretary and secretariat members. After the rally a demonstration was held in the city.

Patiala: More than 1,000 industrial workers, peasants, youth and women held a rally in the city. Later the rallyists were addressed by CPI(M) district secretary Inderjit Singh and CITU state vice-president Tarlochan Singh, apart from local leaders.

Ludhiana: Over 1,500 joined the rally which began from Chattar Singh Park. Those marching were carrying anti-war and anti-imperialism festoons and banners in their hands. The rally was addressed by CPI(M) state secretary Balwant Singh, state secretariat member Rachhpal Singh, district secretary Sukhminder Singh Sekhon and CITU leaders like Jatinderpal, Jagdish Chand and Dalijit Gaur.

Amritsar: A rally was held at Khadoor Sabhib in which about 800 people took part. The Party did not hold a rally in Amritsar city because the 400th anniversary celebrations of the installation of Guru Granth Sahib were going on in the city. Vijay Misra and other district leaders addressed the rally.

Jallandhar: A big rally was held at Noor Mahal. More than 1,000 people took part in the rally. They were addressed by state secretariat member Lehambar Singh Taggar, state committee members Gurchetan Singh Basi and Gurmeet Singh Dhadda, and leaders of various mass organisations.

Chandigarh: A well-attended hall meeting, presided over by Randhir Singh, was held in Chandigarh to observe the anti-imperialist and anti-war day. The meeting was addressed by state secretariat member Charan Singh Virdi, district secretary Mohammad Shahnaz Gorsi, Balkishan and A S Washney, amongst others. The speakers congratulated the brave people of Venezuela, particularly its president Hugo Chavez for their victory in the referendum. They noted how the US-backed efforts to depose a democratically elected regime were successfully thwarted by the highly conscious people of Venezuela. The speakers also expressed solidarity with the ongoing heroic resistance being offered by the Iraqi people. The meeting demanded that US imperialists should get out of Iraq immediately.

Nangal: Over 500 peasants, industrial workers, youth and women took part in a rally and procession. This rally was addressed by state committee member Gurdial Singh Dher, the CITU’s Ropar district convenor Rana Balbir Singh, and other leaders.

Rallies and demonstrations against imperialism and war were organised in districts like Ferozpur, Gurdaspur, Manas, Bathinda and Muktsar also. In each of these rallies, hundreds of industrial workers, peasants, youth, students and women took part. The media also gave due coverage to these programmes.

Earlier at the call of the CPI(M) central committee, the Punjab state committee of the CPI(M) observed a week long campaign from August 25-31, 2004. The campaign started with a state level convention at Chandigarh which was attended by more than 1,000 Party activists from all over Punjab. During the campaign more than 300 public rallies and meetings were organised all over the state; jatha marches were also organised in the districts. About 30,000 people joined in the rallies at different places. In the public rallies, meetings and jatha marches, Party leaders highlighted the 13-point demands charter of the people of Punjab, apart from the 11 demands mentioned in the charter prepared by the Central Committee. Almost all state committee and district committee members actively took part in this week-long campaign. The CPI(M) and the Left’s approach to the UPA government and the importance of the Party’s independent political intervention through stepping up of its independent activities to utilise the favourable situation for expanding the Party was explained in detail.