People's Democracy

 

Comrade Krishna Khopkar

 

The general secretary of the  Communist Party of India (Marxist), Prakash Karat, sent the following condolence message to Ashok Dhawale, secretary of  Maharashtra state committee of the  Communist Party of India (Marxist) on September 15

 

Dear Comrade,

 

I was deeply grieved to hear the news of the passing away of Comrade Krishna Khopkar. Comrade Khopkar was a veteran leader of the CPI(M) who had served with utmost dedication the cause of the Communist Party and the working people for nearly six decades. His role in building the Communist Party and the kisan movement in Maharashtra is significant and will always be remembered.

 

On behalf of the Polit Bureau, I pay homage to his memory.

 

Please convey our heartfelt condolences to his family members.

 

The following is the text of the condolence message of the AIKS

 

The All India Kisan Sabha expresses its heartfelt condolences at the passing away of senior Kisan Sabha leader Comrade Krishna Khopkar. He was eighty seven years old. A veteran of many struggles, Comrade Khopkar has been associated with the peasant movement for the last six decades having been initiated into it in 1952. He served for long years as a member of the Central Kisan Committee and the All India Kisan Council. He was presently a state committee member of the Kisan Sabha. He provided leadership to the Kisan Sabha in the state as an office-bearer for a long time.

 

He was associated closely with the struggles of the peasantry in Maharashtra and also the struggle for the rights of the tribal people of the state. He was a close associate of Comrade Godavari Parulekar, the legendary leader of peasantry, the Worli tribal struggle and former president of All India Kisan Sabha. He was a sharp critic of the neo-liberal policies and also was in the forefront of the efforts to mobilise the peasantry against such policies especially in the wake of the unprecedented suicides of the peasantry in Maharashtra. In the recent years, his booklet against special economic zones has been an important document in taking forward the campaign against indiscriminate land grab in the name of SEZs and against the land mafia. Comrade Khopkar spent a long time in jail and underground fighting against feudal landlords and the policies of the ruling classes. He was also a former member of the Control Commission of the CPI(M). The AIKS dips its red banner in tribute to Comrade Krishna Khopkar, a tireless fighter for the rights of the agricultural workers, tribal people and the peasantry and extends its heartfelt condolences to his family members.