People's Democracy

Homage Paid To Comrade Prabhakar Sanzgiri

Vivek Monteiro

FROM noon onwards on March 10, people from all walks of life began to gather at the Sangharsh office of the Bhandup CITU centre to pay their last respects to Comrade Prabhakar Sanzgiri who had passed away the previous night. When the mortal remains were brought to the hall at around 2 pm to the full throated slogans of �Comrade Sanzgiri ko Lal Salaam� and �Comrade Sanzgiri Amar Rahe,� several hundreds had already arrived. The hall was full, the mandap which had been constructed outside in the maidan was also filled, and many more stood outside.

Over the next two and a half hours, the numbers swelled. A disciplined line of comrades and well wishers queued for the last glimpse. It continued unbroken till it became time to proceed to the cremation ground. More were still arriving, many in large groups. Men, women, young, aged, people from all walks of life, from all political affiliations, but mainly working people from both the city and the rural areas. Tall and hefty tyre industry workers from CEAT Bhandup and Nasik, Goodyear Aurangabad, from distant JK Tyres Rajasthan; thin, undernourished women domestic workers from the nearby jhopadpattis, workers from Unideritend, SU Motors, Bullows, and many other private sector companies, contract workers from BPCL, HPCL, RCF and BARC, bank, insurance and railway employees, anganwadi workers, Sugarcane cutting agricultural labour, adivasi activists, autorickshaw drivers, roadside stall owners and street vendors, local residents and members of Bhadekaru Kruti Samiti, a tenants organisation led by Comrade Sanzgiri, management representatives from various companies, veteran trade union leaders..� all waited patiently in the queue for their turn to place their floral tributes.

When the funeral procession began its journey to the Sonapur crematorium, headed by red flag carrying volunteers from DYFI, CITU, SFI, and other mass organizations, it had become a mass rally the like of which Bhandup has rarely seen, yet moving in a disciplined manner causing no disruption of traffic.

At the cremation ground, the condolence meeting was presided over by Dr Ashok Dhawale, Maharashtra state secretary of the CPI(M). The introduction was by Mahendra Singh, Mumbai party secretary. K.L. Bajaj, CC member and state CITU president, recalled his 35- year association with Comrade Sanzgiri. He said that in his last conversation with him, Comrade Sanzgiri had told him that he wanted to write two more books, the first, a Marxist perspective on caste and communalism, and the second, a Marxist history of modern Maharashtra. He expressed his admiration for the indomitable spirit of Comrade Sanzgiri who, though seriously ill for the last several years, continued to make important contributions till the end.

Dr MK Pandhe, member of the CPI(M) Polit Bureau, said his association with Sanzgiri began in the student movement in the 40�s. As a CC member, MLA and MLC, Comrade Sanzgiri had made significant contributions to all the burning questions of the times. He was both a Marxist thinker and a practical trade union leader who played an important role in establishing CITU in Maharashtra. He recalled how Sanzgiri had proposed with Comrade Dinen Bhattacharya to form a national federation of tyre industry workers, thus building working class unity on a wider scale. He commended Sanzgiri�s skills in explaining difficult questions of ideology, science and materialist philosophy in simple yet accurate language understandable by the workers and common people, both as a lecturer as well as in books like Manavachi Kahani (The Story of Humankind) and Anuchya Antarangat (Inside the Atom). He said at the present time when it had become all the more important to strengthen the workers ideologically we will miss Sanzgiri�s skills. He recalled that Sanzgiri was a person of conviction who did frank and clear speaking in CC meetings. His passing away was a loss not only to the trade union movement but for the entire party.

Prakash Reddy, speaking on behalf of the CPI, described Sanzgiri as a representative of idealistic and committed youth who stood steadfast to his ideals all his life. He recalled happy years spent together as a child in companionship with Sanzgiri�s children at the party building Rajbhavan, in Khetwadi in the years before the split in the party. Sanzgiri represented a communist tradition that we must carry forward. Prof. S.V. Jadhav of the Peasants and Worker�s Party said Sanzgiri�s study classes had deeply influenced him and were unforgettable. Vasant Shirali of the JD (S) said that he knew Sanzgiri as a leader of the Samyukta Maharashtra Movement in 1960-61. That was also when he read his book Manavachi Kahani. Working together to build a socialist society was the best way to remember him.

Sitting MLA from Bhandup, Sanjay Patil offered condolences on behalf of the NCP. He stated that a fitting memorial to Sanzgiri must be built at Bhandup and offered his services to make that happen. MLC Kapil Patil from the Lokbharati party said that at a time of aggressive imperialism and communalism ideological mass educators like Sanzgiri were needed to take the progressive ideology forward in Maharashtra.

Prof. Arjun Dangle, veteran leader of the Dalit movement, paid glowing tributes to Sanzgiri as a thinker and writer. His writings on Dr Ambedkar, his recent book From Charvaka to Marx, and numerous articles and forwards written for books like the biography of R.B. More had influenced him deeply. His passing away was a loss to the Dalit and democratic movement of the nation. Milind Ranade, trade union leader and representative of the Lal Nishan Party, said that Sanzgiri�s writings in Jeevan Marg after the collapse of the Soviet Union had impressed him. Sanzgiri never lost faith in Marxism and communism even after the setbacks. Madhu Mohite of the Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh praised Sanzgiri�s Marxist analysis of the question of caste. He said Sanzgiri and his party played an important role in the namantar movement, and the 1988 mass mobilisation of the oppressed classes in Maharashtra.

Sunil Chitnis of the Municipal Kamgar Sena described Sanzgiri as more than an individual- he was an ideological platform. He commended the Left for its role in defending the public sector at this conjuncture. Mohanrao Adsul of the Lokjanshakti Party said that Sanzgiri gave leadership to an entire generation of workers, dalits and toiling masses. Prashant Kadam of the Navnirman Sena praised the lectures he had attended as a student by Sanzgiri against superstition, blind faith and �buwabaji�.

Shri Jagannath Bawa of the BSP said that Sanzgiri had always encouraged him to be active and treated him as a son.

P.R. Menon described Sanzgiri�s contribution in guiding the trade union movement on all issues and educating many TU activists including the railway workers and activists of NRMU. CC member and Agricultural Workers Union general secretary Kumar Shiralkar said Sanzgiri had closely guided those working among the rural poor --- the agricultural workers, dalits, adivasis and nomadic tribes. He remembered his critical role in guiding the organising of the State Parishad at Parbhani against social atrocities against these sections. He said that hundreds of rural activists had been inspired by Sanzgiri�s classes. We must remember him by being active on these issues today. CITU state general secretary Dr. D.L. Karad said that the leadership that Comrade Sanzgiri provided to both the organised and unorganised sector was comprehensive. His guidance was not only theoretical but active and practical. He was a university by himself --- an intellectual authority on the subject of caste, women�s issues, in fact all issues on the agenda of progressive change.

CPI(M) MLA J.P Gavit said, with tears in his eyes, that it was by attending study classes by Sanzgiri that he began to understand politics. Sanzgiri knew how to speak to the most oppressed, in the most backward areas, and bring them into the forefront of the movement for change. His lectures against superstition had enlightened hundreds of adivasi youth, including himself. Sayeed Ahmed said that it was his good fortune to have had Comrade Sanzgiri as his guru and guide for 40 years. His guidance was invaluable on every question. Suman Sanzgiri�s speech moved everyone present, as she described how Comrade Sanzgiri was always optimistic even in the most difficult circumstances. He lived life as a communist and he died as he had lived with courage and a smile on his face.

Ashok Dhawale concluded the meeting, describing Comrade Sanzgiri as a Marxist thinker and an all-round communist who was a teacher not only through his writings, but also through leading struggles and workers strikes at the CEAT gate and building struggles of agricultural workers and adivasis in Beed and Pune. His was a constant effort to build the worker-peasant unity. Under his guidance the Bhandup trade union center each year contributed a substantial amount towards paying the wages of fulltime organisers of agricultural workers. He concluded by communicating the condolences of the Polit Bureau of the party and the personal phone messages of four PB members --- Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechury, K. Varadrajan and S.R. Pillai --- to the Maharashtra party and the family members.

What was common and remarkable in all the speeches was that each and every person had spoken from his personal experience and personal interactions with Comrade Sanzgiri. Listening to the speakers one could get a panoramic vision of the wide arena of Comrade Sanzgiri�s life and influence. One was reminded of Marx�s favourite saying: �Nothing human is alien to me.�