THE communist movement that grew out of the independence movement in India is the real alternative to the ideology of hatred and communalism spread by the RSS-BJP in the present era. These were the emphatic words of Prakash Karat, former general secretary of CPI(M), while speaking in a seminar observing 100 years of the formation of the Communist Party in India.

The seminar was held in Jasbir Smarak in Rohtak on Febraruy 9, 2020. Prakash Karat said that the communist party was formed in Tashkent on October 17, 1920, where a group meeting was held and decided to build it in India. There were seven participants in the meeting and they came from different background. The main objective of the formation of the Party was to liberate the country from British rule and to work for socialism. It is because of this reason that the CPI(M) considers this date as the day of  formation of the communist party.

Prakash Karat elaborated on the activities of the Party. He said the first influence of the Party was witnessed in the Ahmedabad session of the Congress where the slogan of complete independence was raised by the communists. In 1929, in Lahore session of the Congress Maulana Hasrat Mohani placed a resolution of Swaraj in it. Since the formation to 1933; this period saw massive attacks and repression on the communists in India and the Party had to face many difficulties in its functioning. During this period, from 1921 to 1929, several conspiracy cases were registered against the Party leaders; some of them include the Peshwar, Kanpur and Meerut conspiracy cases.

During that period the communists started the formation of mass movements and struggles of workers and peasants. Some of the prominent leaders of that period were M N Roy, Avni Mukherjee, Maulana Hasrat Mohani. The communists had a very important role in introducing and raising the slogan of complete independence in the freedom movement. The leadership of the communist party was responsible in the formation of all India organisations, like the All India Kisan Sabha, all India workers organisations and organisations of writers etc.
This period also saw active intervention of the communists in raising movement against the feudal oppression, caste system, obscurantism and various other forms of exploitation.
The communists have played a pivotal role in shaping the post independent India as far as the secular, federal Republic character of the State is concerned; the struggles for the formation of states on the linguistic basis is one of them.

Prakash Karat also dwelled on the present day challenges faced, especially after the formation of a RSS backed BJP government at the centre. While explaining the character of the RSS, he said that the Sangh never participated in the freedom movement, and instead were abetting tension amongst the Hindus and Muslims, and when the Constitution of India was adopted, they decried it as anti-Hindu. The BJP, today, is imposing anti-constitutional laws like the CAA on the people because of its majority in the parliament. The BJP government, instead of listening to the echoes of the movement getting developed and churned in the country, is trying to further polarise the people on communal basis.
Prakash Karat appealed to all the citizens and the secular people and democratic forces to come together to bend the haughty Modi government. Unable to mitigate the woes of the people following the economic slump being witnessed in the country, the BJP is targeting the protesters as ‘anti-national’. The CPI(M),  along with other Left parties is making all efforts to build a mass movement against these polices, and build it at the pan India level.

The seminar was chaired by Inderjit Singh, former state secretary of the Party and Vinod was the moderator. Surender Singh, state secretary of the CPI(M) was also present.