Tamil Nadu: CPI(M) Meet Vows to Fight Divisive Forces, Protest Forceful Eviction of Poor

The 23rd state conference of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) was held in Madurai during March 30 to April 1. The CPI(M), which is a part of the ruling secular democratic alliance in Tamil Nadu, reiterated the need to strengthen class struggles against the divisive, communal policies of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruling in the Centre.

‘FIGHT THE TOTALITARIAN CENTRE’

Inaugurating the conference on March 30, M A Baby, polit bureau member of the party, said: “Our Constitution guarantees individual freedom, democratic rights, secularism and scientific temper. But the BJP and the fascist RSS are seeking to change this and build a communal nation. The fields of culture and history play an important role in fighting the policies of BJP”.

Notably, a resolution was passed on the first day of the conference to strengthen class struggle against the divisive policies of BJP.

Addressing a public meeting, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, said : “In every state the secular democratic forces will come to an understanding for the sake of saving India and saving the interests of the states, and from that will emerge the national alternative. The role of the coming together of the Left and the DMK becomes very crucial, we will have to strengthen this process in every other state of India, so that post general elections, a secular democratic government is formed at the Centre”.

Incidentally, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the ruling party in Tamil Nadu, is preparing for the inauguration of its Delhi office where significant leaders of opposition parties, who have been vocal about BJP’s authoritarian politics, will be present.

Communist Party of India (CPI) state secretary Era Mutharasan, who attended the public meeting, said: “There is an authoritarian government in the Centre which is forcefully imposing language, education, anti-farm laws, the labour codes and others. In this context, both the CPI and CPI(M) acknowledge the need to strengthen and expand the communist movement in the country. There is no second thought on this”.

K Balakrishnan, the state secretary, who spoke at the end of the public meeting, criticised the changing colours of the judiciary and BJP’s push for an anti-conversion law.

The public meeting had cultural activities, the Left music band Comrade Talkies performed songs on contemporary socio-political issues routing for Marxism. The city also witnessed a two k- long rally of 4,000 red volunteers.

RESOLUTIONS PASSED

CPI(M) in Tamil Nadu has led movements opposing the forceful eviction of poor people, particularly without providing proper alternative livelihoods and habitat. The state is witnessing large scale evictions of slum dwellers, people from unused water bodies and also from temple lands.

In this context, the party conference passed a resolution to demand pattas for people living in unused water bodies.

It resolved to safeguard small and tiny industries at war footing, which was affected since the onset of the neo-liberal policies. These industries faced continuous attacks from demonetisation, GST and the poorly handled COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, the party conference resolved to struggle for increased employment and livelihood opportunities in the state. It also stressed on the need to fight for the betterment of the minorities. 

The conference reiterated the need to ensure the rights of the differently abled. It demanded that the state and union governments must come forward to provide a dignified life for them.

The 23 state conference of the CPI(M) took place on the centenary year celebration of the Communist leader N Sankaraiah.

It was held at Madurai, a city in the heart of Tamil Nadu known for its vigorous people’s movement led by P Ramammurthi, Janaki Ammal and others. It is also known for communist martyrs Mari Manavalan, Balu, Subbaiah.

The conference elected an 80-member state committee with one vacancy and a 15-member secretariat. K Balakrishnan was re-elected as the state secretary for the next three years. 

S Kannan, a trade union leader organising workers in the Kanchipuram industrial belt, and Samuel Raaj, leader of the TN untouchability Eradication Front were elected into the secretariat. 

Former MLA K Balabharathi and present MP of Madurai Su Venkatesan were also taken into the secretariat.

Overall, there has been an expansion of the number of youth in the state committee. The conference had 508 delegates and 43 observers from across the state, out of which 98 were women.

This is the last of the state conferences of CPI(M) in the run- up to the 23rd party Congress which would held in the first week of April in Kannur, Kerala