AT a critical juncture in Indian politics, which has witnessed a temporary setback to the Left and democratic forces in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, a meaningful two day debate pointed out the responsibilities the Left has to take up. At EMS Smriti, a national debate programme organised on June 19 and 20 by the COSTFORD at Thrissur, there was a threadbare discussion on the role of the Left in the new circumstances, and on how to overcome the challenges. The programme, organised to commemorate the late Comrade E M S Namboodiripad, former general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and a beloved leader of the Indian communist movement, stressed the need of sharpening our theoretical weapons and also of launching vibrant struggles of the working masses to counter the communal and corporate designs of the ruling classes. Inaugurating the two day debate, CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat urged the participants and audience to take up the challenges and responsibilities cautiously while amending their political approach. The Left alone has been fighting against the anti-people policies of the new government, he said. Karat said there had been alienation of sections of the people from the Left and it would have to be introspected in the coming days. At the all-India level, the political line the Left had been pursuing has not been able to attract several sections of the people. We have failed to make the people understand the necessity of a viable non-Congress non-BJP alternative sufficiently and comprehensively. Despite our movements and struggles launched to highlight the grievances of the masses, the Left failed to rally the working masses including the peasants, agricultural workers and unorganised sector labourers under its banner. The CPI(M) would examine the causes of this process leading to our electoral debacle, Karat said. The speaker stressed that the Left always had and will have its relevance in Indian politics. It has staunchly stood against the neo-liberal policies as well as communalism. Narendra Modi is trying to push ahead the policies of big corporate forces, along with the Hindutva agenda, with a vengeance. The sudden spurt in communal violence in different part of the country indicates the real agenda of the Modi government. The Lok Sabha elections have witnessed the second coming of Hindutva forces to power while a big industrialist termed Narendra Modi as the chief executive officer (CEO) of India. Media hype and money power helped the BJP to get into power. The magnitude of money used by Modi was larger than the money which Barak Obama used in his elections. The Left has always demanded a check on the money power in electioneering. The ongoing economic crisis, spiralling unemployment, excruciating price rises and huge corruption scams during the UPA government caused the decay of the Congress and it helped the BJP to come to power, Karat said. CPI(M) state secretariat member Baby John presided over the function. Presenting his paper on the theoretical relevance of the Left, Aijaz Ahmed said that liberal democracy in India has temporarily surrendered to communal Hindutva. Talking on Indian Nationality, History and Cultrue, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member S Ramachandran Pillai said the base of the working people’s movement should be strengthened to counter the challenges posed by the BJP government. CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury said the joint movement of the people who are oppressed socially and economically should be strengthened in order to take up the challenges faced by the nation. It is difficult to create class unity unless we defeat the communal forces, he said. CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat, Prof Prabhat Patnaik, Vijay Prashad, Dr Rajan Gurukkal, member of parliament P Rajiv, Dr P V Yasir, Dr P V Narayanan, CPI leader Binoy Vishwam, Dr M P Parameshwaran, A C Moideen, U P Joseph, N R Balan, P K Shajan, Prof Muralidharan, A Ziyauddin and K S Senthil also addressed the gathering. ARREST OF STUDENTS CAUSES PROTEST IN a move to appease the communal forces led by the RSS, Kerala police arrested on June 20 several SFI leaders including its Thrissur sistrict president and the student union office bearers of Sri Krishna College in Thrissur. This has invoked widespread protest all over Kerala. The arrest of nine SFI leaders including its district president, K S Anoop, was made on the ground of a reference made to the prime minister, Narendra Modi, in the magazine published by the college. It is mostly the college students who run and contribute to the college magazine. As it was, the police acted on a complaint lodged by some BJP-RSS leaders but without examining its authenticity. The Guruvayoor police then arrested the magazine’s editor Vibin Raj, subeditors P K Shihad (Kunnamkulam area president of SFI), U S Sajil, Lenin Vishnu, Sahil Girish, Alwin K Benny, N B Sajeesh, and Anoop. They were later released on bail. A case was also registered against principal D Jayaprasad, Staff editor Prof Santhosh, and SFI central committee member P G Subidas. The BJP leaders’ complaint was that an article in the magazine portrayed Modi as the symbol of vices. The said magazine was released before Narendra Modi became the prime minister. Previously, similar arrests were made in a polytechnic college at Kunnamkulam in Thrissur district where students and SFI leaders in charge of the college magazine were hauled up on the basis of a complaint lodged by RSS-BJP leaders. The campus magazine of the polytechnic had featured Modi in the list of "negative faces" along with Adolf Hitler, Osama Bin Laden and a few other internationally known figures. CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan termed the police action as the blatant violation of freedom of expression. Many of those who believe in secularism take Modi as the symbol of many negative features of our society, even though the Sangh Parivar may not agree with this depiction of Modi. The Sangh Parivar, however, has always been of the opinion that whatever is against their interest must be dubbed as anti-national and should not be allowed. Publication of an article in a magazine involves freedom of expression, and the people and academic community should come forward to oppose the police action against the students, Pinarayi said. In the legislative assembly, home minister Ramesh Chennithala replied to a submission seeking withdrawal of the cases registered against the students and others. He pontificated that while the Kerala government respected the freedom of expression, it was not proper to portray a person in such a manner as may lead to "social tension." He then added that his government would take a decision on the matter after getting the report of the IGP of Thrissur region, who has been asked to look into the issue. The submission was made by Babu M Palisseri of the CPI(M). KOOTHATTUKULAM MARY PASSES AWAY VETERAN freedom fighter and communist leader Koothattukulam Mary passed away in a private hospital in Kochi suburban area on June 23. She was 93. Born at Thodupuzha in Idukky district on September 24, 1921, Mary involved herself in the freedom struggle in her student days. She spearheaded the students’ struggles in her area against the British regime. Well known writer C J Thomas was the guide in the political life of his niece Mary. He guided her to the path of revolution. Mary became a member of the Communist Party in 1948. She married C S George while leading an underground life in 1949. Two years later, she was caught by the police and subjected to severe torture and subsequent prison life of six months. She worked as the CPI’s Thodupuzha local committee secretary and division committee member and district committee member in Kottayam and Malappuram. She also served as the special invitee to Kottayam district committee of the CPI. Five years ago she started the life of a painter at the age of 87 and an exhibition of her 70 art creations was organised in Kochi. Recently her autobiography Kanaleriyum Kalam was published. She is survived by four daughters --- Girija, Shyla, Aisha and one more. Her sons-in-law are Justice K Balakrishnan Nair (chairman, Kerala Administrative Tribunal), former minister and CPI leader Binoy Vishwam, A V Rajan (MD, Kerala State Textile Corporation) and Babu Paul (writer and painter). In a condolence message, CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan termed Mary as a valiant warrior of the communist movement. She was subjected to in her life. Her long political life, which experienced severe police torture and brutal attacks from the police, is an inspiring book for the coming generations, Pinarayi said. Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan said Mary combined her thought and struggles in her seven decades long political life. CPI state secretary Pannian Raveendran said Mary, with her will power and courage, has got a place in every revolutionary’s heart.