People's Democracy

MAHARASHTRA

CPI(M) Led Campaign Reaches  Remote, Backward Areas Of The State

Rajan Kshirsagar

THE campaign organised by CPI(M) and Left parties has received tremendous response in the interior parts of Maharashtra, specially in Marathwada region. Big public meetings and gatherings were organised at Kinwat in Nanded district, Parbhani, Parli in Beed district and Latur which witnessed enthusiastic response for the campaign against nuke deal. These public meetings were addressed by CPI(M) Polit Bureau member, Sitaram Yechury.

The Maharashtra state committee planed a state level campaign against the nuke deal, price rise, disastrous crisis in agriculture and communalism. The district committees made the preparations for campaign.

Kinwat, the tribal belt of Nanded district on the border of Andhra Pradesh witnessed huge public meetings organised by CPI(M) and CPI on August 16, 2008. Red Flags adorned the city everywhere. Tribal people marched tens of kilometers to participate in the public meeting. The rural poor, youth and students, women and labourers, peasants and employees, professionals and small traders participated in the huge gathering in the Kinwat city.

Kinwat is a part of the Hingoli Lok Sabha constituency where the ruling NCP minister makes hollow claims of rural employment every day. But the people of Kinwat were very eager to fight against the hollow claims of the ruling party. Sitaram Yechury explained the anti-people character of the ruling class policies and appealed the people to rise against the imperialist offensive. He also explained the communal game plan of BJP �RSS for dividing the people. He underscored the role of Left parties and achievements of the Left movement. He stressed the need and urgency of the third alternative to the UPA and NDA based on pro-people policies. Yechury also spoke about the Telangana movement links of the Left movement of Marathwada region. Dr Bhalchandra Kango also addressed the meeting and explained the anti people role of Maharashtra state government. He spoke about the fascist nature of RSS-BJP and Shiv Sena combine. Vijay Gabhane from CPI(M) talked about the struggles in the Nanded district. The meeting was presided by Arjun Ade, Nanded district secretary along with Mr Isaq Khan and Uttam Rathod of CPI. Shankar Sidam, Manoj Kirtane, Dr Dakhore also took part in the meeting. Nearly 5000 people participated in the meeting.

Parbhani is a district located in the Godavari basin having fertile land and huge cotton production. It has seen hundreds of suicides of distressed peasants under the burden of debts due to rising cost of cotton cultivation. This district has been placed as a last priority for any kind of industrial development. Neither NDA nor UPA governments made any effort to develop the backward district.

The city welcomed Sitaram Yechury with full enthusiasm. The workers and toiling masses had made huge preparations for the public meeting. Tens of Thousands of leaflets were distributed explaining the disastrous impact of nuke deal and liberalisation policies. The Left movement in the district is in the forefront to fight communalism and work for people�s cause.

A huge gathering was organised in the biggest hall of the city on August 16 evening. Sitaram Yechury received a warm welcome by the Mahatadi Workers� cycle jatha at the entrance of the city. The agricultural workers and peasants travelling in trains and jeeps reached the venue. Employees, women, youth and students participated in a big way. Many of them were attending the public meeting organised by the Left for the first time. Sitaram Yechury explained the imperialist game plan behind the nuke deal. He strongly criticised the horse-trading for the trust vote in the parliament. He appealed the people to rise for safeguarding democracy, secularism and work for pro people policies. He warned about the communal danger that India is facing. Rajan Kshirsagar attacked the collaboration of Congress party and communal forces in the local politics against the working class and people.

The meeting was presided over by RamKrishna Shere. Madhuri Kshirsagar from CPI(M) Kodrikar, Syed Azam from CPI, Laxmanrao Golegaonkar led the meeting.

Parli city located in Beed district has a thermal power plant. Sitaram Yechury addressing a public meeting said that the natural resources of our country are enough to fulfill the energy needs of the country. The UPA government was trying to hide the Hyde Act provisions, but in vain. He also explained the under development of Marathwada region as the result of capitalist path of development. The Polit Bureau member spoke of the inspiration and spirit of Telangana movement which attracted the youth of Marathwada region to Communist movement. This tradition of struggle should be followed in the fight against American imperialism too, he said.

Datta Dake of CPI(M) and Namdev Chavan of CPI explained the disastrous policies of the state government and BJP�s game plan to communally divide the people. The heroic struggle of Beed district in the Hyderabad Mukti Sangram against the Nizam regime was also remembered on this occassion. The meeting was presided over by Ghadge. Babasaheb sarvade of CPI(M), Bhai Gangabhishan of PWP were among the other leaders present.

Latur, the educational centre of Marathwada region gave a warm welcome to Sitaram Yechury. A huge gathering was organised in the city. All the top intellectuals, lawyers, teachers, youth and students, farmers and political activists participated in a big way. Colourful hoardings and red flags were present everywhere in the city. All the Left organisations worked unitedly to make the meeting a big success.

Sitaram Yechury explained the imperialist game plan behind the nuke deal and said that the strategic alliance with USA sabotages the cause of Non Aligned Movement. The Left with its firm stand on the nuke deal issue is in the forefront for safeguarding the national interests. The Congress party betrayed the Common Minimum Programme to fulfil its promises to the US imperialism. He appealed the people to rise in the interests of the country, in the interest of toiling masses. He also spoke about the communal game plan of the BJP and RSS and put forward the policy alternatives before the people.

Dr Vitthal More of CPI(M) explained the anti-people policies of the state government and the communal agenda of Shiv Sena-BJP combine. Manohar Taksal of CPI spoke about the struggles organised by the Left forces in the state. The meeting was presided over by Kishanrao Deshmukh, former minister.

The campaign led by CPI(M) has gathered huge momentum against the disastrous policies of UPA government and communal agenda of NDA. Thousands of People outside the influence of Left movement participated in the campaign aspiring for a Third alternative.