People's Democracy

CPI(M) Greets KKE on its Nineteenth Congress

The following is the text of greetings sent by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) to the Communist Party of Greece on April 3, on the occasion of its 19th Congress held from April 11-14.

Dear Comrades,

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) extends its heartfelt greetings to the 19th Congress of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE). On this occasion, we greet the leadership and all the members of the Party and express our heartfelt solidarity. We also take this opportunity to reiterate our solidarity with the struggling militants of the KKE, KNE, PAME and the people of Greece.

Comrades,

Your Congress is meeting at a time when the whole world and your country in particular are still reeling under one of the severest economic crisis the world has witnessed in the recent past. The present crisis is not an ordinary crisis as some of the 'world leaders' want us to believe. It is a systemic crisis that is exposing the limits of the capitalist system. All the efforts of the ruling classes to stem this crisis are bound to fail as they do not address the basic root of the issue – the system itself. As Karl Marx had shown us, capitalism is an exploitative and inherently crisis ridden system. Unless the basic contradiction in the capitalist system – between the social nature of production and the individual nature of profit maximisation – is resolved the occurrence of such crises cannot be ended. This contradiction can be resolved only in a socialist society.

Imperialist military intervention in Libya, Syria and now Mali are a reflection of its aggressive attempts to come out of the crisis. It desires to control all the regions that are rich in natural resources and markets. In order to maintain and retain its hegemony over the entire world, imperialism employs all the means at its disposal – economic, political and military – to wriggle out of the economic crisis.

The people of your country, under your leadership are waging a heroic struggle against the attempts of the ruling classes to ride roughshod over the livelihoods of the working class and common people. In other parts of the world too people are coming out in protest against the attacks launched in the name of 'austerity'.

Dear Comrades,

The CPI(M) too is in the midst of an intense struggle resisting the onslaught of the ruling classes on the livelihoods of the people of India. Recently the Party had organised a massive outreach campaign and the leadership had criss-crossed the country travelling over 11,000  kms, met the people, heard their problems and called upon them to intensify the struggles against the neo-liberal policies of the government and for an alternative. For the first time in the history of our country, the working class had organised a successful 48-hour general strike. The ruling classes are trying their best, even to the extent of launching physical attacks, to ensure that the Left does not gain strength. More than 500 of our comrades are martyred in West Bengal since 2009.

Comrades,

On this occasion of the 19th Congress of the Communist Party of Greece, we once again reiterate our solidarity to your struggle for socialism. This path might be long and arduous, but guided by the principles of Marxism-Leninism, we are confident of emerging victorious.

Central Committee

Communist Party of India (Marxist)