Two branch conferences – an industrial branch in Chennai and a rural branch in the Kaveri Delta – resolve:

“We shall mobilise workers and peasants in class struggles and make the Party strong.”

CONFERENCES from the branch level to the state have taken place in Tamil Nadu, with the state conference ending on January 5, 2025. These conferences have discussed the implementation of the tasks set by the 23rd Party Congress held at Kannur and the 23rd Tamil Nadu state conference held in Madurai, both in 2022. They have also determined their future tasks. The Kannur Congress determined the future tasks including those relating to the class struggles conducted by workers and peasants. In order to get an idea of how our Party branches have implemented these decisions, their experience and lessons learnt in this regard, I attended two branch conferences in the run-up to the Tamil Nadu State Conference. One was the industrial sector Party branch in Ashok Leyland in Chennai. The other was a rural branch in the village of Kanchivaay in Kuttalam block of Mayiladuthurai district.  I shall share below my experience in this regard.  

ASHOK LEYLAND BRANCH (ALB)

The ALB conference took place on August 25, 2024. The branch is under the north Chennai district committee. All eleven branch members took part in the conference. A discussion took place on the work report submitted by the secretary. In the last three years, Party branch met 25 times and all the Party members are buying Party organ, Tamil daily Theekkathir. The election of the branch secretary also took place. All aspects including the functioning of the branch, the present situation, problems faced by the workers and the approach of the trade union were discussed.

In 1981, there were 5300 permanent workers and 2500 casual workers. In this factory, the principle of one union for all workers was in force. In the election in 1982, Com VP Chinthan (CITU) was elected as the president. The administration started the practice of dismissing 100 casual workers every month. The union led by VP Chinthan (VPC) took firm action against this move, as a result of which all 2500 contract workers were made permanent. This led to an increase in the number of permanent workers to 7800. While VPC was president of the union in 1985, an agreement was signed with the management on the basis of increase in emoluments in accordance with the rate of price increase. With all this, the CITU gained the respect of the workers. The growth of the Party created a positive environment for us. Utilising this, our comrades effectively took our politics to the workers and built the Party. In gate meetings and workers’ general bodies, VPC spoke not only against the management but also criticised government policies, thus taking working class politics to the workers. Party membership rose rapidly.

The Party membership rose from 30 in 3 branches in 1982 to 65 in 6 branches in 1987. An intermediate Industrial Party Committee was formed. The number of Party branches rose to 12 in 1990 and the membership to 120. To take our politics to workers, a quarterly called Uzhaippor Urimai Kural (Voice of Workers’ Rights) was brought out. In some years, the magazine came out once in two months. The Party branches played an important role in building the class and mass organisations and the Party in such areas as Tiruvotriyur, Ennore and Manali. Even now, the work done by the Party members from Ashok Leyland is an important background factor in the active role played by our North Chennai Party.

With the implementation of neoliberal policy, more branches of the company were established. The profits of the company soared. At the same time, much of the work earlier done by permanent workers was outsourced. Further, Leyland company introduced new technologies and modernised production. Following this, the number of workers fell sharply.  Currently, only 1,244 permanent workers are employed at Leyland’s Ennore plant. There are 2,240 contract workers. As a result, Party membership has also declined greatly. There is now only one branch of the Party. Reports have come in that the management has declared 746 permanent workers as surplus. Whenever the union goes into the hands of the reformist leaders, agreements are signed accepting downsizing of the workforce. This is one reason for decline in the size of the workforce. This is not only in Leyland. Throughout the country, it is part of neoliberal policy in both public and private sectors to reduce greatly the number of permanent workers and employ contract workers.

The Leyland workers have waged many militant struggles in the past. In 1972, in one of such struggle, including AK Padmanaban (Party Central Committee member) and many workers were dismissed from service.

It was decided by the Party branch in Leyland that propaganda be conducted among the workers against downsizing. It was also decided to mobilise the 2,400 casual workers and make efforts for getting them made permanent. It was also decided to resume publication of the magazine Voice of Workers’ Rights that had been stopped during the Covid period. The branch has decided that Party members should function politically and ideologically among the workers and increase Party membership.

KAANCHIVAAY BRANCH CONFERENCE

The branch conference at Kaanchivaay in Kuttalam block of Mayiladuthurai district took place on September 3, 2024. The total voter population in this panchayat is 1,400 and the population is around 2,000. This has been traditionally a communist village. There are 33 members in this branch. 22 comrades participated in the conference.  Six Party members were below the age of 31 years. In East Thanjavur, besides Party members as such,  Party families identify with us as members of our movement. In the village of Kanchivaay, there were 63 such Party families (dalit 52, OBC 11). Though the opportunity thus existed for bringing women from these families into the Party branch as members, no such efforts have been made. This time the conference decided that women of Party families will be recruited into the Party as members and that a unit of AIDWA will be created.

There was discussion on the report placed by the branch secretary. The conference decided to bifurcate the branch into two branches. The two branch secretaries were elected by the conference. There is already a Party branch in ‘Road Kaanchivaay’, which is part of this village, with eight members. The conference of this branch had already taken place. The membership of AIAWU in Kaanchivaay is 400, that of AIKS 300 and that of DYFI also 300. But only two copies of Theekkathir (the Tamil daily of the Party) come to the village. The Party branch has met 16 times in the last three years. The Party members and families take part in all-India and state level movements. Further, movements have taken place in this village on demands such as distribution of good quality rice through the ration shops, road facilities, needs of disabled persons and MNREGS. Even so, the branch members reported self-critically that the branch did not discuss the possibilities of conducting class struggle on the demands of agricultural labourers and peasants.  

 The communist movement emerged in this village during the period of the freedom struggle. Communists led heroic struggles against untouchability. A branch of the CPI was formed in the village in 1948. When the Party was banned in 1948, its leaders in this village, Samba Ramasamy and Nallakannu were arrested, chained and taken to Tiruchy central jail by the police.  Samba Ramasamy’s back was infected when police attacked him with a bayonet. Prison guards helped to heal the wound.

 When the ban on the Party was lifted, Samba Ramasamy and Nallakannu were released. When they reached the village, the entire village, without any caste distinction, welcomed them. At that time, all the SCs and BCs were part of the communist movement. Com Nallakannu was from a backward caste while Samba Ramasamy was a dalit.

From 1956 to 1975, four comrades including Samba Ramasamy and Nallakannu won in four elections to the post of panchayat president. Because of the continuous struggles waged by our Party and the panchayat leaders, the primary school became a middle school. A primary health centre, government library and a ration shop have been built and are functioning in the village. Because of the efforts of our comrades, the paddy procurement centre, gram seva centre and two community halls are functioning as well.

Though our Party is a determining force in the village, only a section of OBC people are with us now. A section of dalits is also not with us. The relative eradication of untouchability in the village was made possible by the united struggles of all sections of the people transcending caste identities. We were able to bring many government welfare schemes to the village. The branch conference resolved with enthusiasm and confidence that, in the coming period, we shall mobilise people from all sections in our class and mass organisations. It also resolved that we will make the CPI(M)  powerful in the village just as the communist movement was in the 1940s and 50s. It has developed slogans relating to these tasks. The conference ended with hope and enthusiasm. Thanking all comrades, the two elected branch secretaries promised that all the three branches in the village of Kanchivaay will transform the village into a CPI(M) fortress.