THE exploited, deprived and suppressed people all over the world are striving for a real alternative to the existing exploitative capitalist system set up by the most reactionary forces. The Indian masses would also certainly choose their alternative in the same process, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Manik Sarkar told a hall meeting on the occasion of 103rd anniversary of the Great November Revolution at Agartala Town Hall on November 7.

The hall meeting, presided over by Central Committee member Rama Das, was also addressed by Tripura state secretary Gautam Das. As the sitting was arranged adhering to Covid-19 restrictions, a large number of participants had to sit in veranda, lawn and even on the road in front of the hall. November Revolution Day was observed throughout the state. In all the Party and trade union offices, red flags were hoisted by Party leaders in the morning, amidst sloganeering. Floral tributes were paid to the portraits of Karl Marx, Fredrick Engels, Lenin and Stalin, in many places. Party offices were illuminated with red lights and flags. Daily Desher Katha has brought out a special edition containing articles of Party leaders regarding the significance of the November Revolution and its present day relevance. More than 9,000 extra copies of special issues of Daily Desher Katha were sold by Party workers on that day. Hall meetings were held in most of the sub-divisional headquarters in the afternoon.

Referring to the historical events, Manik Sarkar said that from its infantile days, the socialist system in the erstwhile USSR had to march forward combating machinations hatched by capitalist world and the communists worldwide are continuing to confront these conspiracies even today. A new situation has emerged with the worldwide spread of Covid-19 pandemic. Apart from health crisis and a huge number of pandemic deaths, economic recession, unemployment, retrenchment, dearth of work and food, etc are so acute that the crisis has posed to be a threat to the survival of millions of people. The working class, students, youth and middle-class in various countries are striving to get rid of this crisis in an alternative system of governance. On November Revolution Day, we must vow to stand in solidarity with those fighting people worldwide, Sarkar said.

Coming to the national situation, Sarkar said the RSS-led BJP government at the centre is taking one after another anti-people measures. About 15 crore people have lost their jobs due to the Covid-19 pandemic and abrupt lockdown. To add salt to the wound, the BJP government enacted three farm bills that may convert the peasantry into bonded labourers on their own land, and labour laws are so amended that may make the working class slaves of the factory owners. Nobody knows what would be the consequences of prevalent joblessness, scarcity of food, starvation, etc.

Referring to the assault on the constitution, Sarkar said the BJP is out to completely paralyse the constitution. Fundamental rights, democratic rights, parliamentary system, federal feature and secularism which are the essence of our constitution are being denied by the government. No matter whether the BJP wins or loses any election, only the BJP will form the government. Is it democracy, will only money and muscle power reign supreme, Sarkar quipped.

This is not the sign of strength of the ruling forces, rather it is their sheer weakness, Sarkar continued and said the struggle for food, work, health services and education, etc are not different from the struggle for protecting the constitution. Both the struggles complement one another. It is expected that, if waves of movements could not be suppressed by denying democratic rights, the ruling force may more and more resort to spreading religious and anti-dalit hate campaign, he said. On the occasion of the Great November Revolution, the working class peasantry, the agricultural workers and middle class have to take a vow to give a big blow to the ruling force on the November 26 countrywide strike day, called by ten central trade unions and other mass organisations, Sarkar concluded. 

Explaining the worldwide impact of the November Revolution, Gautam Das said the transfer of State power through November Revolution was not like the transfer of power from Trump to Biden in the US, which hardly matters to the change of system in favour of the working class. This was the first ever grabbing of State power by the so long exploited working class from the exploiters. The socialist society had accomplished radical reformations in agriculture, industry, nationalisation of private capital and set an exemplary advancement in all sectors that astounded the entire world. Simultaneously, various races and small groups of people including women so long suppressed by others, were ensured to exercise their rights, enrich their culture and languages. The most splendid achievement of the erstwhile USSR was to defeat the Nazi invaders in the Second World War and thereby save the world from becoming a colony of imperialist war-mongers. This great victory inspired common masses in many countries to spearhead freedom movement against colonial rule and establish socialism in East European countries, China, Cuba, etc. Observance of November Revolution Day, Das concluded, is not a day of formal observance. It is a day to take vow to cement the unity of the oppressed people who are being lynched by multipronged attacks of the divisive BJP government.  

Presiding over the meeting, Rama Das said that following the dismantling of socialist countries including USSR in Eastern Europe, aggressive campaign of the imperialists that ‘socialism’ had no relevance, has proved to be false and now it has been established that to get rid of the crisis inherent in capitalist system, socialism is the only alternative.