People's Democracy

P R Krishnan

THE staff of the famous Shanmukhananda Hall in northeast Mumbai are unable to recall a crowd of the magnitude which gathered on December 20, 2004. The employees of this institute have witnessed and handled hundreds of gatherings and meetings organised in this large meeting hall during their service tenure but they say this meeting had no parallel. The difference is between the earlier meetings and the current one is in their words "unimaginable".

The occasion for such a massive gathering in Mumbai was the closing function of the year long birth centenary celebrations of the revolutionary working class leader, Comrade B T Ranadive on December 20. Another significant aspect was that most of the audience comprised of ordinary people - agricultural workers, poor farmers, tribals, beedi workers, powerloom workers, industrial workers, students, youths, women, school, college and university teachers who came with flags and banners of their organisations. They all came to hear more about the legendary leader Comrade B T Ranadive. Having come in groups and in procession from far off villages, they were sitting and wandering outside the hall from the early hours of the day till the hall gates were opened for their entry at 4.00 pm. And when the gates opened they entered with full throated slogans "Com BTR Zindabad" "Working Class Unity Zindabad".

The entire surroundings of the hall were decorated with banners, flags, arches and photos of Comrade BTR. The three thousand seating capacity hall began overflowing minutes after the gates were opened and yet hundreds were still waiting outside for their chance to enter. But having seen that the hall was overflowing, the security guards on duty and police closed the gates. This resulted in a scuffle between the police and the workers. Hundreds could not get entry and had to go back disappointed and furious. The galaxy of speakers on the occasion were long time close comrades of BTR. The function was chaired by Maharashtra state CITU president Prabhkar Sanzgiri. The state general secretary K L Bajaj welcomed the gathering. Veteran freedom fighter Captain Lakshmi Sahgal garlanded Comrade BTR's photo.

The CITU president Dr M K Pandhe, delivering the inaugural speech, referred to various aspects of the life and teachings of Comrade BTR He said that at a time now when the working class is under continuous attack by the the MNCs and big bourgeois landlord rulers, the teachings of Comrade BTR assume greater importance in the resistance to such attacks. Pandhe further said that Comrade BTR had to wage bitter and long ideological struggle within the undivided CPI and AITUC against revisionist, reformist and collaborationist tendencies to lead the communist and working class movement in the true Marxist-Leninist revolutionary direction. His example must be emulated by trade union functionaries today, exhorted Pandhe.

Prabhakar Sanzgiri in his presidential address referred to the caste and feudal systems prevailing in the society and recalled how Comrade BTR could lead the communist movement in organising the people against this system. Sanzgiri thought that the deliberations in this meeting will go a long way to inspire the young generation to carry forward the legacy of Comrade BTR in the struggle for a society free from exploitation. K L Bajaj in his welcome speech earlier referred to the three previous occasions when Comrade BTR had conducted the proceedings from this hall. These three occasions were all India meetings after the formation of CITU. The first was in April 1975 during 3rd all India CITU conference, the second one was on June 4, 1981 for the formation of a National Campaign Committee and the third time was in May 1987, again for the all India CITU conference.

The CITU general secretary, Chittabrata Mazumdar in his speech recalled how Comrade BTR could influence the minds of young people and equip them with Marxist ideology so that they would fight against the onslaughts of capitalism and its oppressive machinery. He also pointed out the guidelines laid by Comrade BTR in the direction of formation of the First National Campaign Committee and later on the formation of National Platform of Mass Organisations and said they were very important and relevant even today. So also was Comrade BTR’s contribution in the formation of industry-wide federations. Majumdar also pointed out how Comrade BTR stressed for correct organisational methods and democratic functioning of trade unions and mass organisations.

Others who spoke on the occasion were Capt Lakshmi Sahagal , CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and former CITU president E Balanandan, CPI(M) Control Commission chairman Samar Mukherjee and Comrade BTR's sister and the state CITU vice president Ahilya Rangnekar. The state Kisan Sabha vice president Krishna Khopkar, Agricultural Workers Union general secretary Kumar Shiraklkar and AIDWA vice president Kalindi Deshpande also addressed the gathering.

E Balanandan in his speech pointed out that Comrade BTR's contribution in rousing communist consciousness in the fight against colonialism, capitalism and feudalism was a great inspiration to all those seeking to transform the society. Samar Mukherjee in his speech referred to Comrade BTR's insistence to develop the ideological consciousness in the communist functionaries and trade union activists. Captain Lakshmi Sahagal in her speech said that anybody who came in contact with BTR even once would not only go fully satisfied of having got the correct advice but also go with added courage.

One of the items on the agenda of the programme was the release of the Marathi edition of Comrade BTR’s book India’s Freedom Struggle and India After Independence. It was translated by Krishna Khopkar and Prakash Choudhary. Another book authored by Liu Shao-ch'i How to Be A Good Communist, translated by Meena Kolalkar into Marathi was also released. Two more books, one by Prabhakar Sanzgiri Charvak To Marx, Shiv Varma’s Marx Parichaya Mala and M K Pandhe’s book about The Life and Teachings of BTR were also released. A calendar brought out by the CPI(M) state committee Marathi organ Jeevan Marg was also released on this occasion.

CPI(M) central committee member and general secretary of Maharashtra state Kisan Sabha, Dr Ashok Dhawale, made introductory remarks about these publications. The meeting honoured Dr Ramesh Chandra Patkar, Mahesh Ravanne, D R Harish Chandra Zegade, Prakas Viswasrao etc. The programme concluded with a a video show on Comrade BTR prepared by Dr Vivek Monterio.

The proceedings were preceded by presentation of revolutionary songs by Jagar Ladhau Lokkala Agahadi and Awami Idara.