THE unfinished agenda of the heroic Telangana armed struggle -- land reforms -- must be taken up with new vigor, said CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat in Palakurti town of Warangal district in Telangana on September 10. She was addressing a public meeting after the unveiling of a statue of Chakali Ilamma, the heroic Telangana armed struggle fighter. The statue was unveiled by veteran CPI(M) leader and armed struggle fighter Mallu Swarajyam in the presence of state secretaries of CPI(M), CPI, RSP, MCPI and Forward Bloc parties.
Addressing the gathering, Brinda Karat called for waging of struggles around land issue with the spirit of Chakali Ilamma in the present times. “As I garlanded the statue of Ilamma, I was overcome with strong emotions. Even as the struggles against British rule were going on in the country, the heroic people of Telangana people fought for land and liberation”, she said. As the present day rulers intensify the attacks on poor and snatch away their lands for the sake of corporate bigwigs, there is a need to take forward the unfulfiled land struggle of Telangana armed struggle. She questioned the state government about its pompous promise of distribution of 3 acres of land to dalits and tribals. Not even a fraction of it was distributed while the chief minister granted four posts to his kith and kin. She called upon people to join the struggles against such rulers.
CPI(M) state secretary Thammineni Veerabhadram, CPI state secretary Chada Venkat Reddy in their speeches lambasted the chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao for his autocratic rule. They said the people are being reminded about the tyrant Nizam by KCR’s rule. Like Nizam, KCR is also targeting the communists. The insensitive comments of few ministers in KCR cabinet about the spate of farmer suicides in the state were strongly denounced. The Left leaders advised the Maoists to realise that people’s rule can be established through ballots also and not through bullets only. They appealed to the people of Warangal to vote for Left parties’ candidate in the ensuing bye-election to Loksabha seat. The TRS MP Kadiam Srihari has resigned and joined the state cabinet as deputy chief minister.
Mallu Swarajyam said the Left parties must wage struggles on people’s issues across the country and prepare to hoist the Red flag on Red fort. She reminded the audience that Chakali Ilamma fought not just for her right to land but also against exploitation of the poor in general. Another armed struggle veteran, Bandi Narsimhulu in his address underlined that an exploitation-free society can be made real only by communists. Therefore they must all unite and launch struggles towards that end, he felt. The veteran demanded that the title of ‘Captain’ must be conferred on Ilamma. Another veteran Jani Mallaiah and grandson of Ilamma, Ramchander also spoke.
Telangana Telugu Desam Party leader Errabelli Dayakar Rao demanded setting up of a women’s university in the name of Chakali Ilamma. He expressed support to the struggles of Left parties against TRS government in the state. Former minister and Congress leader B Saraiah, film director Madala Ravi, and many others participated in the meeting. Social activist Pasham Yadagiri chaired the public meeting.
(INN)
