People's Democracy

MAHARASHTRA

Aurangabad Workers Build Pandhe Memorial Chauk

                                                          P R Krishnan

VALUNJ in Aurangabad is now the first place in India to have a chauk in memory of late Comrade M K Pandhe who was a leader of the working class. Organised under the banner of Aurangabad district committee of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), workers made massive efforts to get built this chauk at Valunj junction in the MIDC area in the city in January this year. The leading role played in the construction of this chauk was played by workers of the Scoll Brewery Ltd, organised under the banner of  CITU affiliated Aurangabad Mazdoor Union. After the death of Comrade Pandhe on August 20, 2011, the workers in the MIDC area of Valunj in Aurangabad were strongly feeling the need of a memorial chauk in this locality.

The naming ceremony was conducted under the guidance of Udhhav Bhawalkar and Laxman Sakrudkar of Aurangabad Mazdoor Union in presence of more than 250 workers from different factories of Valunj area. Notable among those present on the occasion were Udhav Nagare, Raju Dhotre, Vijay Khare, Pradip Gadhve, Nagnath Bade, Ganesh Waghchaure, Satish Kulkarni and others of Scoll Brewery Ltd.

However, while the workers completed the work on January 13, the official inauguration of this chauk took place on May 30, which was the CITU Foundation Day. The workers in Aurangabad observed the Foundation Day by organising a well attended seminar in Bhagat Singh School at Bajaj Nagar in the heart of the city. Those who spoke on the occasion were CITU vice president  K L Bajaj, state CITU general secretary Dr D L Karad, secretary P R Krishnan and vice president Udhhav Bhawalkar. More than 250 activists and functionaries participated in the seminar. The participants included the CPI(M)’s Aurangabad district secretary Prof Pandit Munde, and Aurangabad Mazdoor Union office bearers Damodar Mankape, Laxman Sakrudkar, Bhagwan Bhojane,and Chagan Sabale. There were also a good number of women comrades amongst the participants.

After the seminar, CITU leaders visited the Valunj area where Comrade Pandhe’s Memorial Chauk was built, and paid floral tributes to the departed leader. The workers of Scoll Brewery Ltd and from other factories in the surrounding area assembled in a large number to greet them. The CITU leaders congratulated the workers for their efforts to construct the chauk in memory of Comrade M K Pandhe who was the CITU’s president and a member of the CPI(M) Polit Bureau.