The People’s Rights Convention hosted by the CPIML Liberation at Vijayawada on 04 Dec 2024 evoked a lot of interest and enthusiasm among the public and the political circles in the state. The convention was the first ever initiative to represent the interests of the people since Chandrababu Naidu led NDA assumed political power in the state. Despite tall claims, the state government has not implemented any of its promises but for Rs 1000 increase in the old age pension. The promises of free bus, three gas cylinders and Rs 1500 per month for women, Rs 15000 for girls education, Rs 20000 for farmers, etc., are not implemented while Chandrababu Naidu is only interested in launching seaplanes and in saffronising Laddu. He is more focussed on making Amaravati as Singapore by taking loans from the World Bank and cares the least for the inequality and poverty of people of the state, particularly the people of the poverty-ridden Rayalaseema and North Andhra. Mr Pavan Kalyan, the Deputy CM, is more vocal about and by articulating Sanatan Dharma and its protection more than his own party and the plight of the people of Andhra. BJP is busy taking roots and spreading its wings across the state by capturing temples and by transforming temples into centres of political power. The politically naïve Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan have become vehicles of the BJP and RSS to carry them across the nook and corner of the state. It is in this context that the People’s Rights Convention was organised by CPIML Liberation to bring the people’s issues to the center-stage of state politics.
The convention gave a clarion call to build the people’s movement as a real opposition in an opposition-less state of Andhra Pradesh. The convention resolved to root out the saffron fascism from the soil of Andhra. Not just Super SIX (as promised by the Chandrababu Naidu led NDA government) But a People’s SIX (land, housing, education, employment, unemployment allowance, health, minimum wages and NREGA and extension of the same to urban areas) was the major theme of the convention.
The convention was addressed by the General Secretary of CPIML comrade Dipankar along with the Polit Bureau members Swadesh Bhattacharya and Shankar V, the Incharge of the state. Comrade Bangarrao, the state secretary of the party, presided over the convention.
Comrade Dipankar demanded the arrest of Adani who was issued a warrant and scrapping of all solar power related agreements in Andhra entered into with the Adani’s Solar Energy company which is accused of corruption by the US Court. He also cited the continuing protests by the opposition MPs in the parliament and exposed the Modi government for shielding the corrupt Adani and his company. Thus, the nexus between the corporate bosses, corruption and the Modi and BJP was exposed which is not even willing to order a probe. He elaborated on how the RSS–BJP–Modi are conspiring to replace the secular, socialist, democratic, sovereign constitution with the Manu Smriti. He also explained the ongoing “Save the Constitution” Campaign from 26 November, the day of the 75th year of adoption of the constitution to 26 January, the day of 75 years of the Indian Republic. He also underlined that 100 years of CPI in 2025 is the 100 years of the communist movement in India. The communist movement in the last hundred years has worked towards strengthening democracy and secularism whereas the RSS in the last hundred years has worked towards destroying the same. He contrasted the hundred years history of the communist movement with that of RSS and Hindutva.
A colourful rally by thousands of people with red flags and festoons, led by state leaders Comrades Ramdev, Sattar and Satyanarayana preceded the convention. Workers, farmers, adivasis, women, youth and students joined the rally from all over the state. The rallyists marched on the streets of Vijayawada marking a beginning of the struggle against saffron fascist forces in power. The convention began with the flag hoisting by the comrade Swadesh Bhattacharya and the floral tributes to martyrs by comrade Dipankar.
Comrades of Jana Samskriti Manch, AP unit, led by Comrade Sanyasi Rao, electrified the convention with their revolutionary songs and dances. As a mark of re-launching of publication of the state party organ, Telugu Liberation, it was released by Comrade Dipankar. Ch Bhaskar Rao, all-India president of OPDR (Organisation for Protection of Democratic Rights) and Venkat Reddy, state leader of MCPI, Andhra Pradesh received the first copies.
Central Committee members Nagamani (AIPWA) and N Murthy (In-Charge of Telangana) addressed the convention while Arjun Rao, Standing Committee member of the party paid tributes to martyrs with a condolence resolution. Comrade Prabhat Kumar, CCM and the party Headquarters Incharge, also was present. D Harinath, Standing committee member, introduced the theme of the convention while B Vasudeva Rao presented the resolutions. Uday Kiran delivered the welcome address and Aruna thanked the guests and the rallyists. The convention concluded with reverberating militant slogans of the spirited participants.
Andhra has been a glorious centre of the communist movement
I found that Andhra Pradesh has changed. You had the YSRCP government and now its Chandra Babu Naidu’s. Chandra Babu Naidu is not the old Chandra Babu Naidu. This is a new Chandra Babu Naidu who is helping Narendra Modi in Delhi and taking Modi’s support for Andhra Pradesh. TDP today is an ally of the BJP. This is a backdoor or indirect entry for the BJP into Andhra Pradesh. In neighbouring Orissa, we had Naveen Patnaik government for decades and now suddenly we have a BJP government. We have a BJP government in Chhattisgarh. On the other day when there was an election in Jharkhand, The BJP thought of capturing Jharkhand after Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Andhra, to complete the Adani Triangle. Because, they want all the resources of the country, the land, the water, our forest, our mineral resources, everything to be handed over to Adani. But, the people of Jharkhand won a big victory by stopping the BJP, by rejecting the Adani triangle and we, the left, played an important role in ensuring such a defeat of the BJP in Jharkhand.
Andhra is one state which has been a glorious centre of the communist movement. Over the last hundred years, we have witnessed a strong communist movement in Andhra and Telangana. It has inspired the workers movement, the peasant movement, the adivasis, the Girijans, the women and everyone. That’s why I request all our Andhra comrades to take initiatives to commemorate the 100 years of the communist movement.
I pay my respects to all the great martyrs of Andhra Pradesh and the entire communist movement and thank you all for today’s successful people’s convention.
- Dipankar Bhattacharya
