THE 23rd Assam state conference of the CPI(M) was held from February 15-17, at Silchar in Cachar district. It may be noted that after 35 years, a state conference was held in Barak Valley in an enthusiastic atmosphere. 313 delegates and observers from 27 districts participated in the conference. Among the delegates Rishad Bhuyan was the youngest (21 years) and Hemen Das was the oldest (91 years) and 52 were women.

The three-day conference was attended by CPI(M) Polit Bureau members Manik Sarkar, Brinda Karat and Nilotpal Basu. The Party flag was hoisted by veteran leader Hemen Das on February 15 amid enthusiastic sloganeering. Brinda Karat, Nilotpal Basu and other leaders of the state paid floral tributes to the martyrs column followed by the delegates, observers and members of the reception committee. The conference venue was named after Comrade Noorul Huda and the manch after Comrade Dipak Bhattacharyya. 

INAUGURAL SESSION

Due to Covid-19 restrictions the mass rally was cancelled. The inaugural session was presided over by Rajamond Ali Borbhuiya. Uddhab Barman delivered the presidential address. Manik Sarkar delivered the inaugural speech. Over a thousand people attended the inaugural session. 

In his inaugural speech, Manik Sarkar dealt at length the current political situation of our country and the tasks ahead. He said, "The BJP after coming to power for the second time, has redoubled its efforts to weaken the very foundations of democratic and secular Indian republic. By dissolving the state of Jammu and Kashmir, by abrogating Articles 370 and 35(A) of the constitution, it had withdrawn the special status of J&K without taking the concurrence of the state assembly". He added that with the passing of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the BJP government has blatantly violated the constitution. The proposed countrywide National Register of Citizens (NRC) is nothing but a grand design of the communal BJP-RSS to mount further attack on our secular democratic constitutional foundations. He further elaborated the growing miseries of the people so far as country's economy is concerned. He explained the growing communal-corporate nexus during the BJP rule. The condition of women has further worsened. Manik Sarkar explained that it is our central task to mobilise people against this anti-people, pro-imperialist and communal party called the BJP. It is our duty to work harder to increase the independent strength of our Party in particular so that we can effectively resist these fascistic Hindutva forces.

The inaugural session was also addressed by Brinda Karat and Nilotpal Basu. In her speech, Brinda Karat said, “the people of Assam have had the experience of NRC. More than 19 lakhs of people are excluded from the final list despite having the required documents. The legal opportunity available to them to get their names included has been denied by the BJP government on the pretext that the final list is faulty. BJP's design is to get maximum numbers of Muslim people excluded from the list. As they failed in their design they are now not willing to complete the process. As a result, these people are facing huge crisis.” She further stated that "CPI(M) is relentlessly fighting to safeguard the rights of citizens throughout the country and will carry forward its uncompromising fight to remove this anti-people, communal and fascistic BJP from the seat of power."

Nilotpal Basu in his speech explained that the 23rd Party Congress to be held in the month of April in Kannur, Kerala will discuss the challenges and chalk out the required plan of action for the days to come. He added that "the Party in Assam has a glorious past. But the present challenges posed by the RSS-BJP are much deeper. The socio-political and economic condition of the country is pathetic. How to mobilise people in a complicated state like Assam is the challenge before us and the Party will definitely be able to face the present challenges."

The inaugural session was also addressed by Hemen Das, Suprakash Talukdar, Central Commitee member of the CPI(M), and Manoranjan Talukdar, MLA.

DELEGATE SESSION

A six member presidium comprising Uddhab Barman, Hemen Das, Satyabati Bhuyan, Purna Boro, Rejamond Ali Borbhuiya, and Amiya Kumar Handique conducted the proceedings of the conference. It may be noted that the incumbent state secretary, Deben Bhattacharya could not attend the conference due to his prolonged illness. In the absence of the state secretary, Party Central Committee member Suprakash Talukdar placed the political and organisational report. 61 delegates (including six women) took part in the deliberations on the report. After the summing up, both the reports were unanimously adopted. The conference also adopted 18 resolutions.

Manik Sarkar also put forward his observations on the deliberations by the comrades and emphasised on expanding mass struggles on local issues. He stressed on the need to strengthen and streamline the mass organisations so that the mass influence of the Party can be expanded further.

The conference elected a 50-memer new state committee. Veteran comrades Hemen Das, Uddhab Barman and Satyabati Bhuyan will be the special invitees to the state committee. The new state committee elected a 14-member secretariat. Suprakash Talukdar is elected as the new state secretary. There are five women in the newly elected state committee and one in the secretariat. The three member control commission was also elected and Nirmal Ch. Gogoi is elected as its chairman. The conference elected 16 delegates and two observes to the 23rd Party Congress to be held in Kannur, Kerala on 6-10 April this year. The concluding speech was delivered by Hemen Das on behalf of the presidium.

The reception committee made excellent arrangements for the smooth conduct of the conference. A cultural night was also organised on February 16 where noted singer and activist Subha Prasad Nandi Mazumdar enthralled the audience with his revolutionary numbers. All together the 23rd Assam state conference of the CPI(M) was a conference of hope and enthusiasm.