A CONVENTION on ‘the Soviet Revolution and Effects of Neoliberalisation’ was organised in Gaya in Bihar on July 9. CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Prakash Karat addressed the convention at the Hasrat Mohani Auditorium. He spoke on the background of the Russian revolution and its successes in the fields of education, food distribution, health care and eradication of unemployment. He explained how this socialist revolution heralded a new era in the history of mankind, by giving equal rights to women in society. He described how the victorious socialist revolution influenced the whole imperialistic society. It also influenced the Indian freedom struggle.

Highlighting the relevance of socialism, Karat said that in this crisis period of capitalism, various divisive forces have come to the fore and social harmony is being disturbed. He called for close cooperation among workers and peasants to wage sustained struggle against these divisive forces and capitalism. Socialism is the ultimate alternative, he said.

CPI(M) Bihar state secretary Avdesh Kumar spoke on the current situation in the country and the task of the Left forces. Veteran Communist leader Ganesh Sankar Bidhayarthi also addressed the convention.

In preparation for the conference, a broad-based organising committee was formed comprising representatives from various trade and peasant organisations. Eminent educationist Afsah Zafar was the president of the committee. The committee carried out campaign, collected funds in the city.

In the run-up to the convention, members of the Bihar-Jharkhand Sales Representatives’ Union conducted a signature campaigning demanding that medicines and pharmaceutical industry be kept out of the purview of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).