People's Democracy

Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha

Flagged Off from Kanyakumari

Vijoo Krishnan

& N S Sajith

WITNESSED by the roaring waves at the confluence of three oceans in Kanyakumari and thousands of people assembled in the Gandhi Park, the Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha of CPI(M) began its journey across the country to spread the message of struggle and put forward the slogans of downtrodden and toiling masses.

CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat handed over the jatha flag to S  Ramachandran Pillai, Polit Bureau member and the leader of the South Jatha in an impressive flagging off ceremony on February 24. This is the first of the four jathas that the CPI(M) is conducting. Speaking on the occasion Prakash Karat explained the reasons for organising the jathas covering the entire length and breadth of the country. He explained how the ruinous policies of the Congress-led UPA government are leading to all round depravement of the common people. He said that through these jathas, CPI(M) will mobilise people to fight for the right for food, employment, education, health, rights of the oppressed sections such as dalits, adivasis and minorities etc. He announced that all the four jathas will culminate in Delhi, where a mass rally will be held on March 19. After asserting that it is only the Left and democratic forces that can give a real alternative to the disastrous policies pursued by the successive governments at the centre, Karat called upon the people to join the struggle for their rights and strengthen the fight for alternative policies.

S Ramachandran Pillai, the leader of the jatha, thanked the people of Kanyakumari for the reception they had accorded to the jatha. He said that there is a need to unleash massive struggles against the anti-people policies of the UPA-II government and that these jathas are part of that effort.

M A Baby, Polit Bureau member and member of this jatha said that the two day countrywide strike by the working class heralded a new chapter in the history of struggles and reflected the anger of the people against the anti-people policies of the UPA-II government. He highlighted the pro-people policies of previous Left governments in Kerala and Bengal and the incumbent government in Tripura and stressed that only the Left governments have been successful in addressing the issues of the common people.

Noor Mohammed, Tamilnadu state secretariat member gave the welcome address while K Varadarajan, Polit Bureau member presided over the meeting. Southern Sanghash Jatha members V Srinivasa Rao, central secretariat member and Sudha Sundararaman, central committee member were also present.

After the public meeting, the jatha moved northward for the first destination of the day, Nagercoil, the district headquarters of Kanyakumari, where it received a massive reception. Hundreds of two wheelers and other vehicles accompanied the jatha till it reached the public meeting venue. Thousands of people waved at the leaders from both sides of the road.

K Varadarajan, Sudha Sundararaman, members of Jatha also addressed massive gathering assembled in Nagaraja Tidir in Nagarcoil.