People's Democracy

EXTENDED CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEETING

 

Welcome Address

 

Below we publish the text of the Welcome Address delivered by the Reception Committee’s chairman, Paturu Ramiah, at the extended meeting of the CPI(M) Central Committee.

 

MY dear Comrades Prakash Karath, general secretary of the CPI(M), members of the Polit Bureau, members of the Central Committee and comrade delegates, we extend revolutionary greetings to all of you on behalf of the Reception Committee and on my own behalf. We thank the Polit Bureau and Central Committee for giving us opportunity to host the extended Central Committee meeting at Vijayawada.

 

Both Vijayawada and the two districts, Krishna and Guntur, on either side of Krishna river have played an important and critical role in the national and communist movements in the country.

 

All of you know the importance of Telengana Armed Peasant Struggle. Both Krishna and Guntur districts, adjoining the struggle area, had extended support to the struggle in all possible manner. Hundreds had become martyrs from these two districts in this struggle. Many had been tortured. Just in one small Divi island area, 43 had become martyrs. With inspiration from the sacrifices of this struggle, anti-zamindari struggles were conducted. Specially, several comrades from these districts grew and contributed to the expansion of party. Comrades Makineni Basavapunnaih, Moturu Hanumantha Rao, Nanduri Prasad Rao, L B Gangadhara Rao, Gunturu Bapaniah, Koratala Satyanarayana, Chandra Rajeswara Rao, Maddukuru Chandrasekhara Rao, Chalasani Vasudevarao and several other leaders were born in these districts and became important leaders of the communist movement. These districts became launch area of political activities for Comrade P Sundaraiah.

 

This city successfully hosted the 6th conference of the All India Kisan Sabha in 1944, 11th congress of CPI(M) in 1982 and national conference of the SFI in 1986. Thus, this city has also become a landmark for many political activities. Both the Communist Parties jointly got elected and conducted Vijayawada Corporation affairs in such a manner that they showed the way how to solve urban problems in areas inhabited by the poor people. This has earned goodwill from the people at large. Andhra Pradesh has become the laboratory for testing the World Bank policies. During this period, natural resources worth lakhs of crores of rupees and 20 lakh acres of agricultural and non-agricultural lands including forest lands, have been garnered by a few persons in the name of projects, SEZs, aerodromes etc. At least 1000 villages simply got disappeared. On the other hand, poor people have been hounded, shot at and driven away from their homes, when they asked for a few yards for living or banjar lands for cultivation. The CPI(M) maintained its solidarity even at a time when the world socialist camp faced a severe setback. At a time when ordinary people are forced to bear heavy burdens due to imperialist globalisation policies, the Left governments of West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura have followed alternative policies, which is noteworthy. Specially, the Left Front government of West Bengal is continuing its glorious 33 year rule. It has become a model in the country by distributing 13 lakh acres of surplus land under the Land Ceiling Act. It has provided legal protection to 14 lakh tenant farmers. It has strengthened the panchaythi raj set-up at the grassroots level. It is now engaged in providing employment to the youth through industrialisation. Imperialist, big bourgeoisie of the country and other anti-progressive elements are unable to tolerate this. They are dreaming of destabilising the Left governments through creating lawlessness. Efforts being made by the West Bengal CPI(M) state committee to thwart these conspiracies are inspiring us and we are happy about these.

 

The CPI(M) is concertedly fighting against deteriorating the law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the nationwide growing communal forces, and separatist elements. It is also struggling against the rising prices, which are making the lives of common man miserable, by uniting with the other Left, democratic and secular forces.

 

At a critical time when the Indian ruling classes are becoming the junior partner of America, the CPI(M) and other Left forces are fighting to protect the interests of the worker and peasant classes and against the privatisation of public enterprises and concentration of wealth in the hands of a few. We are happy that at such a crucial juncture, this extended meeting of the Central Committee is taking place at Vijayawada to show the struggle path to the people. We are confident that the deliberations and decisions of this meeting will be fruitful and rewarding. We have made arrangements for the meeting within our capacities. We are hoping that small inconveniences that might be faced will be understood in the right spirit. The Reception Committee is thanking the people of Vijayawada and Krishna districts for extending all help in organising this meeting.

 

Extending warm welcome once again and thanking each one of you for participating in the meeting.