Below we publish reports from various states on the observance of the hundred years of our Party formation.

TRIPURA
The centenary of formation of the Communist Party of India was observed across Tripura on October 17. In the morning, red flags were hoisted in all Party offices. In most of the sub-divisional headquarters, hall meetings were organised adhering to Covid-19 restrictions. Party leaders in their address highlighted the most crucial situation under which some dedicated revolutionary youth formed the Communist Party of India in exile in Tashkent in then Soviet Union. The leaders referred to its contribution and immense sacrifices in the freedom movement of India, its activities being camouflaged inside the Congress party, it raising the demand of complete independence for the first time, and most importantly the innumerable heroic battles against feudal exploitations and for social justice etc.

On this occasion, a hall meeting was held at Agartala Town Hall which was addressed by CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Manik Sarkar and state secretary Gautam Das. It was presided over by Central Committee member Aghore Debbarma.

Sarkar, in his address, explained several twists and turns in the life of the Party. He said advancement of the Party was not a straight and smooth one, from the very beginning. Rather it faced sturdy wrath of the ruling class, both of British colonial rulers and of the Congress after independence. The communist leaders inside the Congress forced them to raise the slogan of complete independence for the first time in 1921. But though the Party had some strong pockets in several provinces, it was not strong enough to lead the freedom movement in the country. It tried its best to achieve freedom as a united India instead of divided India. But the Congress which was a key power of freedom movement at that moment fell in the trap laid by the British, Sarkar asserted.

Explaining the anti-people rule of the Congress since independence, Sarkar said that instead of accomplishing the democratic revolution which was left unfinished, the Congress formed alliance with capitalists and feudal landlords. Ultimately the change that was brought about was national bourgeoisie allied with feudal lords replaced the British rulers keeping the system of exploitation of millions by a few, intact. The Communists are still fighting for the radical change for exploitation-free system of state i.e., for socialism.

Describing the difference of opinion inside the Communist party on the issue of class character of the ruling Congress and its division in 1964, clamping of nationwide Emergency, dislodgement of Congress from central power for the first time in 1977 and the role of the subsequent governments at the centre, and the formation of Communist governments with alternative policies in three states, Sarkar said it is a fact that the span of 100 years of a Communist Party is not a short one. There are also instances in some countries where a Communist Party did not require so long time to accomplish socialist revolution. Naturally, many of our comrades may ask, how long should we wait for socialism. Though we are committed to socialist revolution, there is no timeline to decide when revolution would take place, he said.

Coming to the situation prevailing in Tripura, Sarkar said the day the RSS-backed BJP government assumed power in the state, democracy, human rights, fundamental rights, including right to life, are under peril. Secularism ceases to exist without democracy. Thus, we have to carry on the struggle for restoration of democracy, take up the burning issues of the people like food and job, provision of health care, housing, safe drinking water and universal education, etc and win over as many people including those who sided with the rival camp, with reasons and logic. We have to mobilise people on national issues and at the same time, discharge our duty on the state issues, Sarkar concluded.

Gautam Das, in his address, paid homage to the innumerable martyrs who made supreme sacrifice for the cause of the emancipation of toiling and suppressed sections of the masses. He briefly described the advancement of the Communist Party in the state since the king’s rule, resistance movement of the Tripura Rajya Upajati Ganamukti Parishad in the 1950s, formation of first Left Front government in 1978 and advancement of the Party foiling one after another machinations hatched by the ruling party at the centre and the imperialist agents.

Depicting the fascist character of the ruling BJP in the state, Gautam Das said those who were disillusioned with the Left Front, many of them have realised their mistake. The government has unleashed all-round attacks on the common people, including the media. The state is at the brink of bursting up. We have to channelise this popular anger in the right path making the people class conscious and enrich them ideologically.

ATTACKS ON CENTENARY
OBSERVATION EVENTS
The ruling BJP miscreants did not allow the centenary observation programmes to be held smoothly. In Dukli, while the Party comrades assembled at the sub-divisional office, which was just opposite the Amtali police station, for hoisting the Party flag on the occasion, BJP miscreants started pelting stones on them. While the Party comrades raised a strong resistance, the miscreants fled. Then they appeared again with lethal weapons and in stronger number in the presence of police. The miscreants raided the Party office and damaged it. About 50 Party leaders, including SDC secretary and other SDC members, saved their lives staying inside the closed office. At noon, the police in the name of providing safe passage to the Party leaders, took them to the police lines and they were released in the afternoon. A written complaint was lodged with the police. Not a single BJP miscreant has been arrested by police as yet. A similar attack was carried out at Rajnagar of Belonia sub-division in South Tripura.

(Haripada Das)

WEST BENGAL
Sitaram Yechury, Party general secretary, virtually addressed a public meeting which was organised at PDG Bhavan in Kolkata on the occasion of hundred years of Party formation. Surjya Kanta Mishra, Md Salim, Polit Bureau members also addressed the meeting. Biman Basu, Polit Bureau member presided over the programme.

ANDHRA PRADESH
On occasion of the hundred years of the Communist Party, flag hoisting took place at state party centre in Andhra Pradesh. Along with it, a book was also released. P Madhu, state secretary, Srinivas Rao, Central Committee member and others participated in the programme. B V Raghavulu, Polit Bureau member took part in the book release via video call.

JHARKHAND
On October 17, hundred years of the formation of the Communist Party was observed at Birsa Munda Chowk, Nuru Rahe in Jharkhand. A floral wreath was placed at the statue of Birsa Munda and later a public meeting was held at the spot which was addressed by Prakash Viplav, state secretariat member of the Party. Sufal Mahto, state secretariat member also spoke on the occasion about the immense contribution of the communists during the freedom struggle and narrated that the Andaman’s cellular jails speak volumes of the sacrifices made by the communists who were tortured there.

DELHI
Two web meetings were held on October 13 and 14 on the hundred years of the formation of the Communist Party in India, which were addressed by Sitaram Yechury and Prakash Karat, Polit Bureau member of the Party.