IN order to take the message of the Left and democratic forces of Tamil Nadu to the people of the southern-most districts in the state, the fifth edition of Theekkathir was launched from Tirunelveli (Nellai) on September 22. CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Prakash Karat inaugurated the edition. This edition is aimed to serve the people of Tirunelveli, Thenkasi, Thoothukudi and Kanyakumari districts.

Theekkathir, which is about to complete 60 years, is already being published in Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore and Trichy in Tamil Nadu.

Launching the edition, Prakash Karat quoted Lenin, “A newspaper of the Communist Party is not only a collective propagandist and a collective agitator. It is also a collective organiser”  and said that Theekkathir is fulfilling its responsibilities as a newspaper of CPI(M) in Tamil Nadu and had done yeoman service in its 60 years of existence as the voice of democracy, secularism and socialism in this part of the country.

While dwelling on the current political situation, Karat said Tamil Nadu has become the forerunner in organising secular and democratic forces in the state to achieve the goal of defeating the Modi-led government in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. This secular democratic front had defeated the AIADMK-BJP combine in consecutive elections in the state. It is essential to develop such a powerful alliance across the country to isolate and defeat BJP- RSS in the coming elections, he said. To this end, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) is going forward with the active support of CPI(M), he said. He also emphasised the crucial role of Theekkathir in the ideological struggle against the BJP and its cohorts.

Inaugurating  the office of the Tirunelveli edition of Theekkathir, CPI(M) state secretary, K Balakrishnan said that the newspaper has always stood by the oppressed sections of the society. He emphasized its role as a catalyst, prompting ruling parties, especially the DMK, to take remedial actions for the betterment of people's conditions.

DMK minister for dairy development, Thiru. Manoj Thangaraj  said that freedom of press is facing a severe crisis under the Modi rule. Despite that, Theekkathir, as a newspaper of the masses, is courageously highlighting the violations of human rights by officials, that too in a nuanced manner, without any sensationalism, to improve the lives of the people. He also hoped that Theekkathir would be at the forefront of the struggle to drive out the BJP-RSS combine from power in the next Lok Sabha elections.

Former editor of Desabhimani and press secretary to the chief minister of Kerala, PM Manoj recalled that it was only Theekkathir which exposed the atrocities on the people of Vaachathi and conveyed his wishes to spread its wings to educate the people further.

On this occasion, Madhukkur Ramalingam, special editor, Theekkathir, CPI(P) state committee members KG Baskaran and P Sungathi also spoke about the service rendered by Theekkathir during its 60 years of existence to educate the oppressed sections of the society and appealed to the people of southern districts to support and strengthen the newspaper.