“THERE is a commonality between the British rulers and the present Sangh Parivar ruling dispensation; both were/are inherently anti-communists and cannot digest their(communist’s) presence,” thus spoke Sitaram Yechury,  while placing the first booklet on the hundred years of the formation of the Communist Party in India. Brinda Karat, Polit Bureau member of the CPI(M) was also present in the press conference, which was held on December 4 at Delhi. The booklet is titled, “Communist Party @ 100 with the People, for Freedom 1920-1947.”

placing the contents of the booklet, Yechury said that this is the first booklet released in a series; the others will be out shortly. The first one covers period from the formation of the Communist Party in Tashkent in October 1920 to 1947, when India got independence.

He said, apart from the glorious role played by the Indian communists in the freedom movement there are four major agendas that they were able to set in. Firstly, the slogan of complete independence was given by the communists in the country in 1920s, which was not accepted by Gandhiji then. However the communists continued to push for it and finally were able to get it adopted in the Karachi session of the Congress in 1931.

Secondly, the issue of communalism was dealt in the early days of its formation by the Communist Party. In the year 1922 there were communal riots in the country and the communists passed a resolution that the antidote to combat communalism is through the unity of all toiling sections of the people. The same antidote remains relevant even today.

Thirdly, the issue of land reforms was one of the most important agendas that were set along with the freedom movement. All the major land struggles; Telangana, Warli, Punnapra Vaylar, Surma, Tebhaga etc., were led by the communists. This eventually led to the enactment of the Zamindari Abolition Act. Fourthly, the issue of linguistic reorganisation of the states was an important issue raised by the communists. This led to the formation of states on the linguistic basis.

On the litany of abuses hurled by the RSS and the Sangh Parivar on the role of the communists in the freedom movement, Yechury said that while celebrating the 50th year of Quit India movement during a midnight session the then President of India, Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma spoke about the classified report of the then(1942) Bombay Home department which termed the communists as inherently anti-British revolutionaries. While in the same report he said, it was explicitly mentioned that the RSS and the Sangh remain loyal to the British raj.

Brinda Karat while mentioning about the ferocious attack that the communists faced at the hands of the British said that they(communists) were filled with ‘death defying patriotism’. While sharing the credential report of the 1st Congress of the Communist Party, said that out of 138 delegates who attended it, the cumulative jail period was 414 years which is remarkable and unmatched-showing extreme form of resistance of the Communists towards the British raj.

Brinda Karat also brought the anti-caste struggle movements built by the Communists to the fore. She said that the women Communist members were also in the lead though their struggles have not been well documented.

On the citizenship amendment bill(CAB), Yechury said that it is to further polarise the citizens in the country.