AP: Socialism is the Future
Tulasidas
CPI(M) Politburo member BV Raghavulu has said that respect and admiration for socialism is steadily increasing in society, and that the future of the country lies with socialism. He was addressing a seminar organised by the CPI(M) West Godavari district committee on August 8, in Bhimavaram, which was presided over by the Party’s district secretary JVN Gopalan.
Raghavulu explained that many of the country’s problems stem from caste and economic inequalities, and that without these divisions, nearly half of India’s problems would not exist. He stressed the need for constitutional changes to guarantee every family and individual the right to food, housing, education, healthcare, and water. He added that socialist countries, where these rights are enshrined, are on a path of steady development, and that true progress in India would only be possible with the eradication of the caste system and with equality between men and women.
Highlighting the growing appeal of socialism, he said that this rise is causing fear among US President Donald Trump, the BJP, and RSS leaders. He pointed out that surveys in the United States show that around 50 per cent of young people prefer socialism, while in India, the RSS chief and BJP ministers have openly spoken of removing the words “secular” and “socialist” from the Constitution – proof, he said, of their insecurity. He welcomed the fact that progressive thought on socialism is finding space in universities, and asserted that if not in this generation, socialism will certainly take shape in the next.
Raghavulu criticised the widening gap between the rich and poor in India, noting that industrialist Mukesh Ambani alone had increased his wealth by $16 billion in three years, largely by exploiting wars and global crises. He condemned the way democracy is being undermined, pointing to the removal of lakhs of voters’ names in Bihar. He recalled that after the Bashirbagh electricity struggle, governments could not raise electricity tariffs for a long period, but today, both central and state governments are burdening people in the name of smart meters.
On international developments, Raghavulu said that countries across the world are uniting to fight American imperialism, and cited the SCO Summit in China as evidence of this trend. He praised China’s scientific progress, contrasting it with the promotion of superstition by elected representatives in India. “Socialism,” he said, “is the compass for society’s development,” and called for intensifying struggles on public issues to make socialism a viable alternative in the future.
Addressing local concerns, Raghavulu criticised the tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump, which he said have had a devastating impact on aqua farming in West Godavari district. The steep 50 per cent tariffs on shrimp exports have led to a collapse in prices, causing heavy losses for aqua farmers. He demanded immediate intervention by the central government to protect their livelihoods.
The seminar was also addressed by CPI(M) state secretariat member B Balaram.
