Meeting at Sukanta hall on immortal comrade Charu Mazumdar

By Harsh Thakor 

THE SPIRIT OF IMMORTAL COMRADE CHARU MAZUMDAR IS INEXTINGUISHABLE.SALUTE THE MEETING BY CHARU MAZUMDAR CENTENARY COMMITEE IN SUKANTA HALL IN KOLKATA RESSURECTING HIS SPIRIT AND REVIVING MEMORIES OF THE GREATEST TURNING POINT IN THE HISTORY OF INDIA.

A historic meeting at Sukanta hall on 27th of July paying homage immortal comrade Charu Mazumdar, on birth centenary was held. I was privileged to be present in the whole meeting which illuminated the sacred light of the legendary figure. Most diverse and lively speeches by comrades proving that Charu Mazumdar's spirit is inextinguishable and flame burns till today. Qualitative participation and most exuberant spirit in cultural songs by the students which was heartening belonging to United Students Democratic Front. Around 400 persons participated. A meeting of great relevance in the hour when pro-fascism has reached an ascendancy as never before. It also portrayed why Charu Mazumdar was such a legendary leader and how his politics is relevant even today with India still being a semi-feudal, semi-colonial society and agrarian revolution being principal. It was also a slap in the face to section in the Communist camp who slandered Comrade Charu as a terrorist. The hall was decorated with pictures and photos of Charu Mazumadr and legendary martyrs of Naxalbari revolutionary literature was displayed emblazing the spirit of Comrade Charu Mazumdar, Naxalbari and Maoism. One got the vibrations of Naxalbari being resurrected when hearing the cultural songs of the students and youth who echoed the spirit of the legendary comrade.

Every speech was followed by vociferous slogans upholding the path of Naxalbari. The meeting concluded with the singing of the Communist International. Overall a good achievement in the dark hour facing India today. Significant in defending the citadel of Maoism which is facing fascist repression as never before and defending the fundamental teachings of Comrade Charu Mazumdar. What was missed was participation of cadre and activists from other parts of India like Punjab, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra or Orissa as well as other constituents of the Communist Revolutionary camp in Bengal and India.

Virtually no participation from other streams of revolutionary groups. Nevertheless a spark was lit for seeds for sowing the seeds for the resurgence of Naxalbari politics .The students singing were reminiscent of new red roses blooming to revive the lost days of Naxalbari. A testimony how the youth will not accept Hindu or neo-fascism lying down. Comrade Kanchan Kumar was the convener of the committee as well as Siddharth Deb. Secretary of Virasam or Revolutionary Writers Association of Telengana and AP, Comrade Panni gave a lengthy historical summary of the legacy of CM and the significance of formation of the party on 1969 and how it was a major rupture from Kruchevite Revisionism and social-imperialism. Vividly he described how Charu Mazumdar was the pioneer of Maoism in India through proscribing path of Chinese protracted people’s war and upholding path of Chinese Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution. He summed up how Charu devised the first party political programme to hit revisionism in its very backbone by propagating politics linking agrarian revolution with capturing state power. Charu Mazumdar in his view was the first intellectual t in the Communist movement to expose the superficial nature of land reforms and propagate seizure of land to the tiller. Comrade Pani also explained link of Charu Mazumdar line with the later movement of the CPI Ml people's war group movement and later the formation of the CPI Maoist and movement in Dankatanya. He delved on the historical self -criticism of the line of the CPIML by Kondapalli See Taramiah and its subsequent historical impact. He also made an appraisal of comrade Kanhai Chaterjee and MCC. Most articulately he summed up the achievements in Dandakaranya today and its relationship with work and teachings of Charu. With great passion he recounted how genuine people’s power was created by the Jantana Sarkars. He also touched upon the fascist nature and monopoly of Brahman fascism. Intellectual Bernard de Mello reflected on the aspect of Leninist party and revolutionary violence in context of contribution of CM and summed up how Naxalbari was the greatest turning point in spite of gross errors of the leadership. He praised the achievements by the Maoists critically stating that he failed to understand how tactical differences were not resolved within a single Leninist party in spite of revolutionaries having the same strategy and the blunders committed in this regard.

He also was very critical of the concept of 'annihilation of the class enemy.' He briefly spoke how the Communist Party of India-Marxist formed in 1961 was Leninist in form but revisionist in essence and thus the Charu Mazumdar led party was a rupture from it. He praised the democratic conduct of peoples courts initiated in the Naxalbari period when landlords were tried and according punished giving the example of the big landlord Nagin Chowdhary Though short Bernard gave a relative and original dimension to the subject. Revolutionary Women’s Activist Anuradha spoke about how the distribution and production methods liberated women and how education system was totally revolutionized for tribal women by the Maoists. The produce was equally or accordingly divided evaluating the needs of different persons. She narrated how women cadre even knew about struggles in Philippines and wished to be in touch with liberation struggles world over. Family planning was also addressed .General schools as well as special schools to study MLM politics were set up. Hospitals or health clinics were also set up. She praised the great revolutionary democratic functioning with in the women’s revolutionary mass front and how democratic alternative women’s power was created by Maoists. Professor Amit Bhattacharya narrated the great humility of Charu Mazumdar and how his writings were so lucid. He summed up how logical the writings were of CM and how open minded he was. In his view Charu was not authoritarian but very conducive of the view of others. It was his great personality that made him tower over others. Comrade Varalaxmi of Virasam described how the revolutionary movement created different art and cultural forms reflecting on the movements of Srikakulam and Naxalbari giving the illustration of Comrade Subbarao Panigrahi. She spoke about how fascism had reached ascendancy and how all activists had to be soldiers with the pen. She summed up how cultural fascism was perpetrating every rung of society and how many youth are becoming victims of this trend by joining the RSS bandwagon. With great detail she explained what a genuine democratic revolutionary culture would be even recounting examples of colonial history when the anti imperialist struggles took place. She connected the politics of Charu Mazumdar with the formation and movement of Virasam as well as the overall movement of people's liberation. She gave great emphasis on the aspect of how the urban Naxalites were branded and how anyone expressing democratic dissent can be branded. It was touching the way she spoke about how Charu Mazumdar wished to create new man through the Naxalbari movement. Trade Union activist Comrade Baccha Singh from Jharkhand spoke about how Nepal fascism virtually suppressed all democratic resurgence of the working class by branding democratic struggle with that of Maoist terror.

He recounted how the democratic Mazdur sanghatatana samiti was banned in the pretext of being a Maoist front. Comrade Chandi Sarkar also spoke and a setback in health prevented Comrade Pruned Mukherjee from speaking, who was present but suffered a semi-stroke towards the end. Thus the Speakers upheld comrade Charu Mazumdar in relationship to the achievements of the CPI Maoist. Tooth and nail they defended the cutting edge of the Maoist movement in Dandkaranya. In deep depth they condemned the Saffron fascism prevailing and strengthening. Perhaps Bernard de Mello was the most critical but still vociferously condemned inequality and exploitation and Charu "s accomplishments in terms of laying a framework for the revolutionary movement. Pani and Baccha Singh also upheld the contribution of Kanhai Chatterjee placing his role in Communist Movement as being equally important with that of CM in context of Indian Maoism.