People's Democracy

Fourth Print Edition Of Peoples Democracy Launched In Chennai

 Yechury releasing the first copy of PD Chennai edition at a public meeting

THE forth print edition of People's Democracy, the central weekly organ of the CPI(M) was launched on April 3, 2006 from Chennai in a public meeting held at Saidapet, in which more than 5000 people participated. The editor of People's Democracy, Polit Bureau member and MP, Sitaram Yechury, released the first copy of the issue dated April 2, 2006 and the same was received by the CPI(M) Tamilnadu state secretary, N Varadarajan.

Speaking on this occasion, Yechury called upon the people of Tamilnadu to dislodge the authoritarian forces who are supported by rank opportunists. By their verdict, the people of Tamilnadu must help integrate the state in the national mainstream for building a modern, secular and democratic republic, he said. Yechury outlined the approach of the CPI(M) in the five states which are going to polls.

The role of the Election Commission, its high handedness and discriminatory attitude also came in for sharp criticism in his address. Revealing the secret of success in West Bengal continuously for six terms and the impending success for the seventh time in a row, he said land reforms, among other things, had been a significant factor that made the people steadfastly support the Left. More than 23 lakh acres of land, worth Rs 1300 lakh crore, had been transferred from landlords to the landless agricultural labourers in the state. He underlined that this had not taken place anywhere in the world. Similarly thirty lakh share croppers were registered and their interests were protected by the Left Front government over the years. The police never interfere in democratic protests of the people nor do they trample upon their rights. The cumulative effect of all such measures is the secret of success and this time too no force on earth can stop the seventh victory of the Left Front in West Bengal, he declared.

He also explained the position of the Left vis-à-vis the Congress party in various states and at the centre. It is the threat of communalism, which is waiting on the wings to come to power, that has been the central reason for the Left rendering outside support to the UPA government. He underlined this support is also conditional to the implementation of the Common Minimum Programme.

He concluded by calling upon the people of Tamilnadu to support the DMK-led front, which is supported by the Left parties in the general elections. He introduced to the audience C R Bhaskaran of the PMK, who is the candidate of the Saidapet constituency.

N Varadarajan state secretary addressed the meeting earlier.  T K Rangarajan, A K Padmanabhan, U Vasuki, all central committee members, V Meenakshi Sundaram, G Ramakrishnan, P Selvasingh and N Srinivasan, all state secretariat members took part in the function.

T Nandagopal, district secretary, presided over the meeting which was attended among others by S P Agathiyalingam, Chennai copy editor, Theekkadir, Kalyanasundaram, manager, Theekkadir, D Gopalakrishnan, manager, Chennai edition of People's Democracy, and all important leaders of the state committee.