RICH tributes were paid to Comrade Benoy Konar in a memorial meeting organised by the CPI(M) West Bengal state committee on September 24 in Kolkata. Speakers at the meeting recollected his struggling life and his contribution to the development of the Party and peasants’ movement in Bengal.

Speaking on the occasion, Nirupam Sen, Polit Bureau member of the Party, recalled the exemplary courage of Comrade Benoy Konar with which he faced the brutal attacks of landowners and police in sixties and seventies and developed powerful land movement in Burdwan. He was jailed under false cases. Nirupam Sen recollected that Comrade Benoy Konar always emphasised the need to organise agricultural workers as the spearhead of the peasant movement. “The agricultural workers of Bengal lost their best friend in his death”, commented Sen.

Suryakanta Misra, Polit Bureau member and leader of the opposition, said that Benoyda left us in a situation when there are all round attacks on democracy, livelihood and unity of the people. The only way to forge ahead is to fight with determination. The peasant movement in Bengal will face this challenge.

Madan Ghosh recalled his long association with Comrade Benoy Konar and said, the fight on class issues would have to be linked with the fight for democracy. That was a teaching of Comrade Benoy Konar.

Biman Basu, Polit Bureau member who presided over the meeting said, Comrade Benoy Konar fought against imperialism, feudalism and capitalist exploitation all through his life. We have to carry this fight forward. He said there are signs of stronger protests from the people against the TMC government. The next stage is to transform these protests into resistance. The Left movement in Bengal will have to be very vigilant against communal designs too.

CPI(M) leaders, including Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee were preset in the meeting. Left Front leaders also paid floral tributes to Comrade Benoy Konar.