135th Birth Anniversary of Muzaffar Ahmad: ‘Fight against Plunderers Shall Go On’
Subinoy Moulik
COMMEMORATING the 135th birth anniversary of Muzaffar Ahmad, affectionately known as Kakababu, the West Bengal state committee of the CPI(M) held a meeting on August 5, in Kolkata. Kakababu, revered as a stalwart among the early pioneers of the communist movement in India, was a dedicated Marxist, exceptional organiser, and an inspiring leader who fearlessly championed the ideals of socialism, confronting repression and enduring prolonged periods of imprisonment.
Biman Basu, chairman of the Left Front, addressing the meeting recalled that in the initial stages, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party was brought out under the name of “Langal”. The weekly Langal was started in April 1925 and later merged with “Ganabanee'' in August 1926. Both these periodicals propagated socialism and combated communalism. Kakababu wrote an article in “Ganabanee '' titled ‘Sampradayikatar Bishom Parinam ' (The dangerous outcome of communalism). Basu also shared his personal memory of Kakababu during Hindu-Muslim violence in Calcutta in 1964 when he was a student leader. He recalled how Kakababu had worked then to help restore communal amity.
Addressing the gathering, Surya Mishra, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member, recounted how in 1922, Muzaffar Ahmad was joined in his efforts by Abdul Halim. Among those instrumental in fortifying the Party's influence, particularly in West Bengal, two names stand out – Comrades Muzaffar Ahmad and Abdul Halim.
Mishra reminded the audience that Kakababu believed that the road to revolution, though thorny, must be traversed by communists. He emphasized that a revolution involves more than a mere change in governance; it necessitates a profound transformation in the institutions, agendas, and overall nature of the State, as well as its relations with society. He reiterated the CPI(M)'s stance that the present Indian State functions as an instrument of class rule by the bourgeoisie and landlords, led by the big bourgeoisie who are increasingly collaborating with foreign finance capital to pursue a capitalist development path.
Turning to the current scenario, Mishra highlighted that the intertwining of Hindutva and corporate interests over the past nine years has led to a "corporate-communal nexus," steering India away from its constitutional principles as a secular democratic republic. The BJP is making concerted efforts to alter the secular fabric of the nation, attacking all pillars of the constitution and attempting to rewrite history with communal biases. To counter this, the CPI(M) is determined to unite opposition forces against the BJP at the national level, he said.
Paying tributes to Comrade Muzaffar Ahmed, Party state secretary Md Salim underlined his “strict adherence to proletarian internationalism and Marxism-Leninism. Muzaffar Ahmed is a name that symbolises an undaunted spirit, clarity of conception and of having a vision true to the realities of life.”
Talking of the present situation, Salim said, Left forces are trying to unite all toiling people in the fight against neoliberal policies and communal polarisation. Salim also said that in order to save the constitutional structure of the country, BJP should be removed from the government and at the same time West Bengal has to be saved. That is what the Left is fighting for, he emphasised.
