People's Democracy

KARNATAKA

New Hopes and Enthusiasm Mark

the 20th CPI(M) State Conference

Karthika

THE 20th state conference of CPI(M) Karnataka unit was held in Chickballapur, around 50 kms from Bengaluru, during January 8-11, 2012. The conference began with a massive rally and public meeting that was attended by over 30,000 people and among whom included cadre supporters from across the state. The rally began from APMC yard and it took more than two and a half hours to reach Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet Nagar where the public meeting was held. The huge ground of Chikballapore  Junior College was not spacious enough accommodate the large gathering. Huge Red flags, slogan shouting processionists voicing the demands of the working class created a festive environment and inspired the participants and the cadres.

Among those who addressed the public meeting included CPI(M) Polit Bureau members Sitaram Yechury and K Varadavarajan; CPI(M) state secretary V J K Nair, CPI(M) secretariat member and ex-MLA G V Srirama Reddy and state committee member and CITU all India joint secretary Varalaxmi.  State secretariat members B Madhava, G N Nagaraj, S Y Gurushanth, G C Baiyya Reddy, K Neela, K Shrian, Prasanna Kumar, Shankar and Maruti Manpade were also present on this occasion.

Yechury’s initial remarks in Telugu was wildly cheered by the people participating in the rally as the local people of Chickballapur use both Kannada and Telugu in their day to day life. In his speech Yechury lambasted the neo-liberal policies being pursued by the Manmohan Singh government that were resulting in creation of two Indias, a ‘shining India’ of the rich and a ‘suffering India’ of the poor. Saying that the thinking of the Congress and the BJP was not different on economic policies he decried both parties for their anti-people policies and widespread corruption at all levels. He stressed on the need for massive peoples’ struggle to resist the neo-liberal onslaught on the working class and the rampage of communal forces in Karnataka. The global economic crisis, which is a product of the imperialist globalisation, has pushed the working class into a worst situation all over the world. He called for relentless militant struggles to be waged against such policies of the ruling class and pledged that the CPI(M) would play a leading role in those struggles.

On January 9, the proceedings began with K Shrian hoisting the Red flag, followed by the delegates and cadre paying homage to the martyrs at the Comrade Jyoti Basu hall in Comrade M K Pandhe Nagar. A presidium comprising K Prakash, Varalashmi, K Shrian  and Siddagangappa was elected to conduct the proceedings. Nityanandaswamy placed the martyrs’ resolution and condolence resolutions. CPI state committee conveyed a message to the conference emphasising the need for unity of the Left forces in the current adverse situation and the importance of joint action to face the oppressive policies of ruling classes.

S Ramachandran Pillai formally inaugurated the conference through his inaugural address which covered the international situation, the ongoing economic crisis and India’s socio and economic situation with relevant data and statistics. He underlined that the current international and national developments give an opportunity for expansion of the mass base of the Party if it undertakes wider struggles. “The Left and socialist governments in Latin America have shown the world that socialism is the real alternative to the degrading capitalism”, he asserted.

Addressing the delegates, K Varadarajan stressed on the need for integrating the economic struggle with the struggle for social justice and the need for eliminating social discrimination in all spheres of life. State secretary of CPI(M), V J K Nair placing the political-organisational report said that the task of Party building was going on in adverse circumstances where the communal forces are strong and in power. He mentioned about the Party’s many struggles despite its limited strength in the state. He highlighted about the Party’s best efforts for implementing the decisions of the 19th state conference that was held in Mysore in 2008.

A total of 349 delegates and 51 observers attended the state conference.  Among them 54 were women delegates and 11 women observers. In the discussion on the secretary report, 87 delegates from 29 districts, comprising of district committees, district organising committees and various fraction committees, took part. They shared their experiences in fighting oppression against dalits, taking up the issues of women and minorities, fighting against communalism and fighting against the Devadasi system. The Party’s intervention in the issue of illegal mining, BJP’s Operation Kamala, unhealthy developments in the state politics as a result of anti-democratic practices of the BJP to remain in power, and the failure of opposition parties JD(S) and Congress to counter the BJP, need for strengthening the Party, education for cadres etc were also discussed. The delegates also discussed about the ways to sharpen the struggle against the neo-liberal policies and capitalistic oppression as a whole and emphasised the need for a strong leadership grounded in Marxism-Leninism.  On the concluding day of the conference, on January 11, a new 33-member state committee was elected with 2 seats left for cooption later.  After that 10 delegates were elected to the Party Congress.  G V Sriramareddy has been elected as the new state secretary by the newly elected state committee.

The conference concluded with the concluding address of K Varadarajan who mentioned about the Party’s inevitable role in the present situation and necessity to further both the parliamentary and extra-parliamentary struggles, with more focus and importance to the latter. He mentioned about how the elections are dominated by cash and caste factors. He stressed on the importance of taking up local issues and gaining the confidence of the masses through local struggles. Only when we stand with the people and fight for their cause can we rally even those people who are behind the enemy camp, said K Varadarajan.

The newly elected state secretary G V Sriramareddy explained about the preparations done to make this conference a success. The influence and dignity of the Party in the district is so widespread that people belonging to other parties also came forward to support this conference, he said. The 20th state conference of the Party injects fresh blood filled with new hopes and enthusiasm. It energises the cadres to carry out their revolutionary responsibilities mentioned as future tasks in the report.