Fifth August was observed across the country with due solemnity-revolutionary discipline-dignity-pledge
The exploited, the humiliated and the tortured have taken up the blazing torch of revolution.They have in their hands the fluttering SUCI(C) banner. The advance of its tide has made its presence felt throughout India, in altogether 22 states. This is the organized conscious mass-class struggle inspired by the nobility of communism, which the great leader of the proletariat Comrade Shibdas Ghosh developed on our soil. This historic movement encompasses people from the cross currents of society, from the poorest to the well-to-do, presenting an unparalleled bond which the capitalist class cannot fathom and cannot crush despite brutality on movements and savagery on culture.
On 5 August, these people, the vanguard of revolution,who are in the midst of struggles against life’s burning problems, busied themselves with aching heart to observethe 40th death anniversary of Comrade Shibdas Ghosh, one of the foremost Marxist thinkers of this age and the founder general secretary of our Party.
To a revolutionary every day is a day of dedication to revolution, but 5 August stands apart. On this day we recall with sorrow and firm determination the lifelong revolutionary struggle of Comrade Ghosh who painstakingly applied in his own life the revolutionary teachings, the noble proletarian culture and ethics, thus putting before human civilization the ideal of struggle today that makes a great leader. So on this day the communist revolutionaries in India take pledge anew to carry forward the tasks left to us by the great leader of the proletariat. Thus Fifth August is observed with all solemnity.
On this Memorial Day of Comrade Shibdas Ghosh, the Party has paid revolutionary tribute to our great leader all over the country and took pledge to intensify the Party’s battle against gruelling capitalist economic- political- social- cultural onslaughts. On that day comrades wore the badge with the portrait of the great leader, at Party offices, Party centres and communes, leaders and cadres garlanded the portrait of Comrade ShibdasGhosh; open meetings and hall meetings were held, book stalls and quotation exhibition were organized where comrades and unattached common people collected books by Comrade ShibdasGhosh and other Party literature. As was usual, at the outset of the public meetings the portrait of Comrade ShibdasGhosh was garlanded by leaders and leading comrades, folllowed by the rendering of the song on the great leader, that sent fresh surges of initiative and inspiration among the Party activists and leaders, and the programme ended with the rendering of the Communist Internationale, the glowing beacon of proletarian internationalism. In some states meetings were held defying inclement weather. The comrades, the students of the great leader of the proletariat, are undaunted by the vile and vicious attacks of capitalism and dedicated in carrying forward the struggle for revolution. That’s the pledge we took on 5 August.
A few words need be spent on the character of the state level Memorial Meeting this year organized by the West Bengal State Committee of the party in Kolkata. Since morning on that day, the sky was overcast, now and then there were heavy showers or nagging drizzles. But that could not prevent tens of thousands of party activists, supporters, sympathisers, even common people from joining the meeting at Rani Rashmoni Avenue at the heart of the city of Kolkata. An hour before the scheduled time, started the garlanding at the portrait of the great leader, Comrade ShibdasGhosh. Leaders of the Party units of different districts and different local units of Kolkata district, of the Party organs, of class and mass frontal organizations, West Bengal State Committee members, the Central Committee members present in the city, and finally the veteran Polit Bureau Member Comrade Manik Mukherjee, followed by General Secretary and the speaker of the meeting, Comrade ProvashGhosh, and by the President of the meeting and West Bengal State Secretary, Comrade Saumen Basu, paid respectful floral tribute to their beloved leader, teacher and guide, Comrade Shibdas Ghosh. Komsomol, the young Communists paid their Guard of Honour with red flags fluttering high on their shoulders. Comrade Provash Ghosh started his speech after a brief introduction delivered by the President of the meeting.
Kolkata had witnessed many a massive political gatherings. But the 40th Memorial Meeting this year was marked by its distinction. Right from the start the huge sea of members of audience waited anxiously for the proceedings to be carried through. The audience included intellectuals of the city, professionals, teachers and students of schools and colleges, office employees, workers, peasants, and middle class people. Rain came down almost incessantly; umbrellas had to be used, but largely to no avail. Yet the audience never faltered from listening to the speech of Comrade Provash Ghosh, the worthy successor of stalwart Marxist leaders , who conveyed the teachings of the great leader of the Proletariat, to the masses. It was no academic exercise: it was guideline for life struggle. It was meant to serve for providing direction for the oppressed exploited masses to prepare them ideologically-politically as well as organizationally against the menacing enemy of capitalism. The adversities of nature proved no match for their resolve, their eagerness for learning the right way to live a life of honour and prestige, amidst all wrenching sufferings inflicted by the ruling system. A professor of Medical Physics of the Jadavpur University of Kolkata had come at the request of one of his students. He confessed that he had expected to find a few intellectuals and some students attending the meeting. He could not hold back his disbelief : Such a massive gathering of common people were listening to the amply theoretical ideological discussions with rapt attention, purchasing books at a time when even students try to keep away from reading books, even the village womenfolk present there were trying to grasp the essence of the politics being catered to them. Unbelievable, had I not seen it: he exclaimed. Another professor of Hindi language submitted at the end of the meeting to the cadres present around that such a thing could not have been possible, had not these thousands of people been imbued with a minimum ideological consciousness and ethical urge. He minced no words to say that the parties which take politics as a means to earn and to dole out privileges can never even think of such a phenomenon. He confessed as a member of CPI(M) he knew it certain that his party can never hold such a meeting, cannot even imagine it. The meeting ended; thousands of legs turned around for going back. But they did not recede as a crowd dispersing after a show. They were carrying the clarion call of Comrade Shibdas Ghosh: Revolution will succeed only when worthy revolutionary cadres and leaders will emerge in large numbers from the families of workers and peasants and when under their leadership the entire workers-peasants of villages –towns-cities will be organized into an iron-strong army for revolution. Till then you will have to carry the revolution in your dreams, you will have to toil to your last to prepare for it. There would not be any revolution before that, revolution will remain afar from you.This realization, to the extent they could grasp on the basis of their understanding and consciousness, was coming out in vivid expression in their face –eyes- poses and movements. They all were clamouring , as it appeared : Long Live Revolution.
The Kolkata meeting addressed by the General Secretary was no doubt the central programme. We will publish the speech delivered by Comrade Provash Ghosh in some later issue. But as mentioned the Memorial Day was observed by the Party units all over the country.
Reports from different States
Bangalore, Karnataka
Fortieth Memorial Day of Comrade Shibdas Ghosh was organised on 5 August, 2016 morning at the Scouts and Guides Hall at Bangalore. Hundreds of Comrades from 14 districts of the state participated in the Memorial Day meeting. On the dais were present the following state committee members- Comrade K.Uma, also the president of the meeting and Comrades Diwakar, Shashidhar, H. G. Jayalakshmi.
Comrade K. Radhakrishna, Central Committee member and Karnataka State Secretary of the Party, present in the meeting said in his brief address: During the time since our beloved leader, teacher and guide Comrade Shibdas Ghosh passed away, socialist camp was dismantled and capitalism re-established in former socialist countries. Taking full advantage of the situation, the imperialists implemented the policies of globalisation – liberalisation- privatisation which, today have created a gulf between the rich and the poor. Foundations of capitalist economies are shaken from the deep economic crisis and recession. So questions are raised – Why is revolution not coming? Has Marxism failed?
Marx said that capitalism will not die a natural death, it will have to be buried through the conscious efforts of the working class by accomplishing the proletarian revolution. Lenin said : Revolution cannot be accomplished without the formation of a genuine revolutionary party, revolutionary ideology and alternative proletarian politics. World across, people’s movements are bursting forth in vain exposing the vacuum of leadership. We are reminded of Comrade Ghosh’s famous words “….revolution will not come, again and again it will recede, it will go astray, and reaction will again and again gain, by that — revolution will not see the light until the revolutionary party emerges, capable enough to lead revolution. ….”.
On this occasion, Comrade Radhakrishna called upon all to take pledge to strengthen the revolutionary Party, taking the noble struggle of following Comrade Shibdas Ghosh thoughts in our personal life forward with renewed spirit.
Comrade Asit Bhattacharya, Polit Bureau Member, SUCI(C) addressed the meeting as the main speaker. We will publish his speech shortly.
Madurai, Tamilnadu
The Tamilnadu State Organising Committee of the SUCI (Communist) held a state level public meeting on 13 August, 2016 at Gouripalayam in Madurai to observe the 40th Memorial Day of Comrade Shibdas Ghosh, the Founder General Secretary of SUCI(C) and one of the foremost Marxist thinkers of the era. Members and friends of the Party came from different districts of the state to pay homage to this great leader of the world proletariat.
Comrade A Rengasamy, Secretary, TNSOC, presided over the meeting. Comrade C K Lukose, member, Central Committee, SUCI(C), and Secretary Kerala State Committee of the Party, was the main speaker. His speech, which was in English, was translated into Tamil by Comrade A Anavarathan, member, TNSOC. Comrade T C Satyamurthy, Secretary, Madurai-Dindigul-Theni District Oganising Committee, also addressed the gathering.
Patna, Bihar
40th Memorial Day of Comrade Shibdas Ghosh was observed in Patna, Bihar by the Bihar State Committee of the Party at IMA Hall in the city on 5 August evening, after the Party flag hoisting by the State Secretary Comrade Shiv Sankar in the morning at the Party office. There as well as at the IMA Hall, floral tributes were placed at the portrait of the great leader of proletariat, respectively in the morning and evening by the Party leaders. In the latter case they included Comrade Satyawan, member, Central Committe and Haryana State Secretary, Comrade Arun Singh, member, Bihar State Secretariat and president of the Memorial meeting, Comrade Pratibha Nayek, AIDYO, General Secretary and other State Committee members.
Comrade Satyawan, main speaker of the occasion elaborated the piercing crisis inflicted upon people by the crisis-ridden Indian capitalism, as an inalienable part of the moribund world capitalist- imperialist system. Experience of 69 years of independence amply demonstrates that development has not been the same for monopolists like Tatas-Birlas, Adanis- Ambanis and their henchmen on one hand and toiling poor common people on the other. When people’s wrath is mounting against this discriminatory growth, the rulers, the political managers of the ruling class namely the government at the Centre are fanning up divisive traits of religious funda-mentalism, so-called nationalism, ethnic or regional sentiments, to shatter people’s stand against the capitalist system. Comrade Satyawan emphasized that it is by strengthening the SUCI (C) the revolutionary Party by acquiring and assimilating the invaluable teachings of Comrade Shibdas Ghosh in our life, that we can pay genuine respect to the great leader. In his brief presidential address Comrade Arun Singh highlighted the anti-people policies of the Nitish-Laloo led state government and BJP-led Union government.
Lucknow, UP
40th Memorial Day of Comrade Shibdas Ghosh was observed on 7 August at GP Verma Memorial Hall at Aminabad Lucknow. A meeting held for the purpose was presided over by Comrade VN Singh, the UP State Secretary who in his brief address urged the Party activist to propagate Shibdas Ghosh Thoughts across the state. The main speaker Comrade Gopal Kundu, member, Central Committee pointed out that the acute crisis recession in the entire capitalist system of world lies at the root of crisis in people’s life. Comrade Kundu said that Shibdas Ghosh Thoughts are acting as the beacon on the edifice of which our Party is triving to make people conscious and organize their struggles. Elaborating the life struggles of Comrade Ghosh as the beacon Comrade Kundu outlined the methods of party formation and development as well as those of developing good communist characters. Comrade Vijay Pal Singh UP State Secretariat Member also spoke, while state Committee Members Comrades Swapan Chatterjee, Pushpendu Bishwakarma, Ravishankar Maurya were present in the meeting. Memorial meeting was also held at Jaunpur of UP.
Rohtak, Haryana
On 7 August at Chhoturam Park in Rohtak, Haryana, 40th Memorial Day of Comrade Shibdas Ghosh was observed by the Haryana State Committee. The meeting held for the purpose was presided over by Comrade Anup Singh, veteran member of the State Committee, and was addressed by Comrade Satyawan, the Haryana State Secretary and Comrade Ramphal, member, State Committe, while Comrade Sankar Saha, member Central Committee of the Party and President All India United Trade Union Congress was the main speaker. Comrade Saha brought out how with his immense love and compassion for exploited people Comrade Shibdas Ghosh had joined the independence movement at his tender age of 13 years, then took Marxism-Leninism as his life philosophy and waged his life-long struggle for building up the revolutionary Party SUCI (Communist). Comrade Saha outlined the horrible all-out crisis that the capitalist system of the country is bringing down on people, while in the international scene, the attacks the imperialist power headed by the war-monger US imperialists are coming down on world people. Along with that, the latter are fomenting heinous fundamentalist forces that have ultimately grown into the deadly outfits of ISIS. Comrade Saha concluded with the call to prepare for struggle for people’s emancipation on the strength of Marxism- Leninism- Comrade Shibdas Ghosh Thought to bring end to the prevailing gruelling situation. In a resolution adopted in the meeting, the Party announced a protest demonstration to be held on 4 October 2016 at the Chief Minister’s residence at Carnal, against the anti-people policies of the BJP governments in the state and and Centre.
Thiruvalla , Kerala
The 40th Memorial Day of Comrade Shibdas Ghosh, the great leader of the proletariat and an outstanding Marxist philosopher of the era, was observed in the state of Kerala in a solemn and befitting manner with Red flag hoisting on 5 th morning and a memorial meeting held at the municipal open auditorium, Thiruvalla. Comrade Chhaya Mukherjee, Central Committee member of SUCI(C), was the main speaker. Comrade CK Lukose, Central Committee member and Secretary, Kerala State Committee, SUCI(C), presided over the meeting. Comrades V. Venugopal and Jaison Joseph, Kerala State Secretariat members of the party, and Comrade S.Rajeevan, Secretary, Pathanamthitta District Committee, also spoke.
Comrade Chhaya Mukherjee discussed elaborately on Comrade Shibdas Ghosh’s contribution in formation and building up of the only genuine communist party SUCI(C) on Indian soil. She said that Shibdas Ghosh at his very early age realised that the fruits of freedom struggle, in absence of real revolutionary party, was going to be usurped by the bourgeoisie. Taking the lead from the teachings of Great Lenin that there can not be a revolution without a revolutionary party, he along with his few colleagues conducted a very painful struggle to built up SUCI(C) which now has been working in 25 states in the country. And everywhere SUCI(C) is organizing democratic mass movements on burning issues of people’s life. Through these movements party is educating the masses, organizing them in their own struggle committees aiming to give birth to instruments of people’s alternative political power, a pre condition along with a correct revolutionary theory and a genuine revolutionary party with adequate strength. She added that Comrade Ghosh has given us the right political line of anti capitalist revolution of our country. With growing price rise, unemployment, and deepening of cultural crisis the objective condition is also ripe for revolution in our country. Now it is our task to strengthen SUCI(C) dedicating ourselves for building up democratic people’s movement on higher proletarian culture conducive to anti-capitalist socialist revolution, as shown by Comrade Shibdas Ghosh. This is the call of the hour to pay real tribute to Comrade Shibdas Ghosh.
Comrade CK Lukose in his presidential address said that SUCI(C) led by Marxism-Leninism-Shibdas Ghosh thoughts is striving hard to hold aloft the banner of left politics in the state joining forces with two other left parties in a situation when CPI(M) led LDF follows pro monopoly and anti-people policies and the BJP reaps the advantage. He called for united movement of people.
Comrade V. Venugopal called upon the people to make success the programme of movement announ-ced by Left United Front comprising SUCI(C), RMP and MCPI(U) on 26 August as also the All India General Strike on 2 September called by the joint platform of Trade Unions against the anti-labour, anti-people, pro-monopoly policies of Central government.
Vadodara, Gujarat
Comrade Shibdas Ghosh Memorial Meeting at the state level was organised at Vadodara, Gujarat on 8 August 2016. Comrade Meenakshi Joshi, State Organising Committee member presided over the meeting. Comrade Chhaya Mukherjee, SUCI(C) Central Committee member was the main speaker here too. She placed her address, after Comrade Tapan Dasgupta, State Organising Commi-ttee Member, welcomed all with his brief address, and Comrade Dwarikanath Rath Secretary, Gujarat State Organising Committee presented his short speech condemning the atrocities on Dalits in Una, Gujarat, among other issues.
Cuttack, Odisha
A state level meeting on the occasion of 40th Memorial Day of Comrade Shibdas Ghosh, the great proletarian leader, one of the outstanding Marxist authorities and founder General Secretary of SUCI(C), was held at Shaheed Bhawan, Cuttack on August 7, 2016 under the auspices of the Odisha State Committee of SUCI(C). Comrade Dhurjati Das, Secretary, Odisha State Committee presided over the meeting and Comrade Saumen Basu, Central Committee member of the Party and West Bengal State Secretary addressed the gathering as main speaker. Comrade Saumen Basu in his deliberation said that this historic day is observed with a view to renew the pledge to cultivate and hence realize the invaluable thoughts of Comrade Shibdas Ghosh further and to engage ourselves in accelerating the struggle for emancipation of exploited people with the establishment of a society free from all sorts of exploitation.
Apart from other proceedings, KOMSOMOL, the young contingent of SUCI(C)gave Guard of Honour to Comrade Shibdas Ghosh.
Nagpur, Maharashtra
The 40th Memorial Day of Comrade Shibdas Ghosh, the great leader of the proletariat, one of the foremost Marxist thinkers of this era and the founder General Secretary of SUCI(Communist) was observed at the Nagpur District office of SUCI(Communist) at Pandhrabodi, Ramnagar, Nagpur. The meeting was presided over by Comrade Vijendra Rajput, Secretary, Nagpur District Organizing Committee, SUCI (Communist). Comrade Dhurjoti Dash, Secretary of Odisha State Committee, SUCI (Communist) was the main speaker. He discussed in his speech how Comrade Shibdas Ghosh launched a relentless struggle to build up a true communist party in India from his boyhood to resolve all types of problems of the people. He further said that today, it is urgent to assimilate the thoughts of Comrade Shibdas Ghosh in life in order to save humanity from all types of problems through revolutionary transformation of the society. Comrade Pratibha Nayak, General Secretary of AIDYO and the member of West Bengal State Committee, SUCI(Communist) was also present in the memorial meeting.
Mumbai, Maharashtra
Mumbai Organising Committee of the Party SUCI (Communist) observed 40th Comrade Shibdas Ghosh Memorial Day in the form of public meeting on 6 August evening, at Janata Kender, Mumbai Central (West), Mumbai. The meeting was presided over by Comrade Anil Kumar Tyagi, Secretary, Mumbai Organising Committee and the main speaker on behalf of the Central Committee was Comrade Dwarika Nath Rath, Secretary, Gujarat State Organising Committee. Comrade D N Rath exposed the politics of communalism particularly against the Muslim minorities and casteism against Dalits by BJP/RSS and their different sister organisations. He brought out clearly that the reactionary and decadent capitalism of today foment these divisive traits to shatter unity of exploited people which they are mortally afraid of. He called for people’s movement in the line of historically determined anti-capitalist socialist revolution. Dwelling on the issue of demanding Vidharba as a separate state, Comrade Rath referred to the earlier movement for united Maharashtra before the year of 1960 and the role of different parties in it.
Agartala, Tripura
On 5th August the 40th Comrade Shibdas Ghosh Memorial Day was observed at Agartala in Tripura in a befitting manner through hoisting of Red Flag and garlanding the portrait of Comrade Shibdas Ghosh at the Party offices in the morning and then a memorial meeting at T.B.Association Hall in the evening. The meeting was presided over by Comrade Arun Kumar Bhaumik, Secretary, Tripura State Organizing Committee, who appealed to people to strengthen SUCI (C) for the cause of people’s movement.
Comrade Shankar Dasgupta, Member Odisha State Committee, SUCI(C) was the main speaker at the meeting. He spoke at length on the role of Comrade Shibdas Ghosh in the freedom movement and also the arduous struggle Comrade Shibdas had led to build up SUCI(C) as a genuine communist party on Indian soil which has now spread over the country and beyond it through struggles of its leaders and cadres. He then urged the cadres and supporters to grasp the teachings of Comrade Shibdas Ghosh and carry onward the task of organizing anti capitalist socialist revolution.
Sagar, Madhya Pradesh
On the 40th Memorial Day of Comrade Shibdas Ghosh, a state level memorial meeting was held in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh on 5 August. Hundreds of party supporters, sym-pathisers and activists from Bhopal, Sagar, Indore, Gwalior, Guna, Ashoknagar, Dewas, Vidisha, Raisen, etc. joined the meeting. Besides, at the venue, Rabindra Bhavan a well decorated Quotation Exhibition of Comrade Ghosh’s teachings was inaugurated by the office secretary of State Organising Committee of the party Comrade UP Biswas.
Speaking on the occassion Comrade Swapan Chatterjee, member of UP State Committee of the Party, said that the teachings of Comrade Shibdas Ghosh are all the more neccesary and inspiring not only for the Indian communist movement but for the world communist movement. He made appeal to intensify the struggle to acquire higher proletarian culture and ethics so as to become a good communist. Comrade Pratap Samal, State Secretary of MP, elaborated the devastating attacks that the BJP government was bringing down on people. He urged to develop mighty peoples movement on burning issues of people conducive to anti-capitalist socialist revolution. The meeting was presided over by Comrade Ramavtar Sharma, member State Committee, MP.
Dehra Dun, Uttarakhand
Memorial Day of Comrade Shibdas Ghosh was observed at Panchayati Mandir at Dehra Dun, Uttarakhand on 7 August 2016. Comrade Pratap Samal, Secretary, MP State Committee of SUCI(C) and the deputed speaker on the occasion indicated the great role Comrade Shibdas Ghosh played in founding and developing SUCI(C) as the genuine communist party of the country which has played vital role in the national and international struggle of masses and pledges to play on. Comrade Samal stressed upon the unity of left forces on face of the impending danger posed by the present BJP government at the centre. Comrade Mukesh Semwal, the coordinator of the meeting highlighted Comrade Ghosh’s struggle for building the revolutionary Party in India.
Budhlada , Punjab
Comrade Pratap Samal also spoke at the memorial meeting held on 9 August, 2016 at FCI hall, Budladha, Punjab. Comrade Aminder Pal Singh, Incharge, Punjab State Unit of SUCI(C) presided over the meeting and Comrade Jagtar Singh conducted the proceedings.
Memorial meetings were also held at Ghatshila with Comrade Ranjir Dhar, veteran Polit Bureau Member as the speaker, Guwahati where Comrade Asit Bhatacharyya, Polit Bureau Member addressed, Hyderabad, Delhi, Durg, Jaipur and elsewhere. Reports from these are awaited.
