COMRADE R Umanath’s centenary was held on April 25, 2023 at Pudukkottai district. CPI(M) state secretary K Balakrishnan, Central Committee member,  U Vasuki, state committee members S Sridhar, IV Nagarajan, M Chinnadurai MLA, M Jayaseelan, R Raja, Sami Natarajan, Sinnai, Pandiyan, S Kavivarman, district committee leaders and around 1000 comrades participated in the centenary celebrations.

Comrade R Umanath who is affectionately remembered as RU was one of the most important stalwarts of the Communist movement in Tamilnadu state. His work had deep imprints beyond Tamilnadu also. As a Polit Bureau member of CPI(M) and all India  president  of CITU, he contributed in a very rich way to the trade union movement and the Party. To commemorate his centenary, a souvenir was released on April 25, by CPI(M) state secretary, K Balakrishnan at Pudukkottai.  Pudukkottai is the parliamentary constituency which Com RU represented twice as the member of parliament during 1962-1967 and 1967-1971.

The meeting was attended by hundreds of people not only from Pudukkottai district but also from neighbouring districts like Trichy, Tanjore, Tiruvarur etc. Many leaders of the Party have penned their memories in the form of rich articles in the souvenir including Polit Bureau members Prakash Karat, G Ramakrishnan and also AK Padmanaban, TK Rengarajan, Vasuki and many others. Notably one leader from DMK trade union wing and also an erstwhile general manager of Kothari group have given their account about Com RU.

COMMUNIST NORMS IN PARLIAMENTARY WORK
Vasuki who also is the daughter of RU highlighted the happy environment in the family despite the difficult times a family of whole timers had to endure. She recounted how both RU and Pappa Umanath gave confidence to their children to join active politics of the Party. She also pointed out the parliamentary work of Com RU who always adhered to communist norms.

The maiden speech by RU in parliament was an exposure of CIA activities in India which received wide coverage in national media. Many of the speakers remembered how as an MP of Pudukkotai, RU fought relentlessly for the genuine demands of the people. His uniqueness lied in that he was always in the forefront of the struggles of both farmers and workers of the constituency. His leadership of land struggle is remembered even now by the rural people. In fact in their perception, the Party is being remembered as Umanath Party. Likewise, his indefinite hunger fast for workers’ cause was first of its kind in this part, in which his health took a big toll. Thus he championed the demands of both the basic classes of workers and peasants.  In fact, Pudukkotai was carved out as a separate district from the united Tiruchirappalli district due to RU’s efforts. For this, he confronted none other than Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in parliament during his first tenure as an MP.

He was also elected twice as an MLA representing Nagappattinam constituency during the period 1977-80 and 1980-84. In the second tenure, the Party decided to move a no-confidence motion against the MGR government. Com RU was chosen to move this no confidence motion. It is to be noted that the Party fought the assembly elections with the AIADMK under MGR. But due to anti-people policies of the MGR government, the need arose for a no confidence motion. Com RU who used to prepare extensively even for a public meeting, made considerable efforts and spent time for his speech on the motion. He took the floor of the assembly for 150 minutes moving the motion. MGR was compelled to reply for six hours. Even though the result of the motion was foretold, it made a big impact among the people. The Indian Express wrote about RU’s speech as “The learned Politician roared like a thunder.”

In both terms of the assembly, he was able to raise maximum number of questions and sub-questions on people’s issues. No important development inside Tamilnadu escaped his attention especially during assembly proceedings. Immediately the issue would be raised by him either in the form of a main or a sub-question or adjournment motion or special mention during zero hour.  Such was his mastery over the assembly proceedings. It is important to note that his work both in parliament and assembly, strictly conformed to communist norms. He never deviated from this. Not even a small parliamentary illusion or mistake cropped up in his work. Thus it will not be exaggerating to point out that his work became a model for a communist parliamentarian.

STEADFAST IDEOLOGICAL AND ORGANISATIONAL PRINCIPLES
Many speakers including Vasuki pointed out that RU never demanded or wished for any post in the Party. But he also never refused any type of responsibility and work assigned to him by the Party. He always thought that Party was supreme and he was duty bound to be part of the Party. This communist ethics always guided him in his entire political life. In the Party organisational issues, he always adhered to democratic centralism principles.  He never used to discuss organisational issues outside of the committees. He also never tolerated if somebody else violated this principle.

The speakers and also contributors to the souvenir remembered the importance given by RU to gender equality. Inside trade union movement also, he exhorted the trade unions to work for inclusion of women employees in the executive committees and office bearers. He gave importance to creating working women forums in Taminadu.  He was instrumental in promoting women office bearers in Trichy BHEL CITU in which he was a president for long time.

Releasing the souvenir, K Balakrishnan exhorted the Party cadres to learn important communist aspects from RU’s Party life. The Party has been celebrating the centenaries of towering figures like A Nallasivan,                          N Sankaraiah, and now R Umanath and others to learn from their life. He recounted the life of RU wherein though he was born in Kasargode in Kerala state, he came to study at Annamalai University. There he came into contact with communist movement and its leaders. It was a big turning point in his life. Without completing his studies, he jumped into the communist movement immediately. He was imprisoned many times. He also underwent underground life for more than nine years. From Chennai, he was sent to Coimbatore for Party work. He along with leaders like Com Ramani led many trade union struggles in the pre-independence period.    Com RU did not know Tamil but he learnt the language very quickly. He later became one of the best orators in Tamil in the state. Balakrishnan pointed out that this was an example of dedication which present day cadre should try to emulate from RU’s life.

Balakrishnan also pointed out how RU consistently stuck to the ideological stand of the Party. Based on this ideological conviction, RU did not hesitate to throw his lot with CPI(M) when the Party emerged in 1964. The ideological depth of RU was highlighted by Prakash karat also in his article in the souvenir. During the inner-party debates on updating Party Programme, RU played an important role. Being one of the best communist parliamentarians and also staunch leader of trade union struggles and peoples’ struggles, RU was able to give valuable opinions during these discussions. Balakrishnan stated that in facing the twin challenges of corporate communal nexus, we have to draw inspiration and guidance from RU’s life. Both Balakrishnan and Vasuki and also many article contributors pointed out that RU’s life was inevitably linked with Pappa Umanath’s. Both were towering personalities in Tamilnadu politics. Not only in political life but also in family life, both were dedicated to each other. Balakrishnan pointed out in his speech that both were not only anti-caste activists in words. But also they practiced it as is evident from the fact that all their three daughters had inter-caste marriages.

Earlier, young artists group called "comrade gangsta" enthralled the crowd with their songs and dance based on modern music tracks.