CPI(M) party congress in Madurai will be politically significant, says veteran journalist N. Ram

N. Ram, veteran journalist and Director of THG Publishing Group, with CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat and other CPI(M) leaders in Madurai on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: G. MOORTHY

“The draft political resolution of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)’s party congress, which notes that the Hindutva-corporate nexus displays neo-fascist characteristics, is a very important and new observation,” N. Ram, veteran journalist and Director of THG Publishing Group, said in Madurai on Tuesday.

Inaugurating exhibitions ahead of the CPI(M)’s 24th party congress (April 2 to 6) in the presence of CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat, State secretary P. Shanmugam and Madurai MP Su. Venkatesan, Mr. Ram said he believed that the various aspects of the observation would be discussed in the party congress and would create a debate among the public.

Though the Left parties seemed to be facing an electoral setback, Communists have set the agenda for discussion on several issues, Mr. Ram said.

“Some of the important issues like federalism, trade union rights, welfare schemes and issues pertaining to working class people are spoken about and raised only by the Communist parties,” he observed.

Recalling former CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat’s statement that the party should display its independence even when in an alliance with others, Mr. Ram said such views were important for the party to remain distinct from the other parties.

Noting that Madurai plays an important role in the event, Mr. Ram said that next to Kolkata — which had hosted the party congress four times, Madurai stood second by hosting the national event for the third time.

“While the third congress of the Communist Party of India (CPI) was held here in 1953, CPI(M)’s ninth conference was held in 1972,” Mr. Ram recalled. The 24^th congress held political significance and is much anticipated by everyone, he said.

In her address, Ms. Karat said, “Our former and late general secretary Sitaram Yechury always said that the CPI(M) works on two legs, one which fights against capitalist aggression and exploitation of the working class, and the other which moves forward against the toxic caste system and social oppression which exists even today.”

The fight against such systems continues even today when the new rulers of India want to build a country based on ‘Manuwadi’ ideology, which is against the spirit of the Constitution of India, she added.  

“The martyrs of the party who fought the British and, later, in Independent India representing the working class, students, Dalits have endured the tortures from the government and the ruling class,” Ms. Karat said.  

“The 24^th party congress in its intrinsic nature carries with it the sacrifice, the history of which our Tamil Nadu State committee and unit is so much a part of. The fight and sacrifices of the Tamil Nadu Communists will be there in spirit when we raise the red flag for the event,” she added.  

Mr. Ram, along with senior leader V. Parameswaran, inaugurated exhibitions on the party’s history, women in the Communist movement and on the archaeological findings at Keezhadi and other excavation sites. 

During the event, martyrs’ memorial torches were brought from five places in the names of ‘Thozhar Singaravelar’, ‘Salem sirai tyagigal’, ‘Kovai Chinniyampalayam tyagigal’, ‘Manavar tyagigal Somu Sembu’ and ‘Madurai tyagigal’ and handed over to the leaders at the venue.