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IN MEMORY OF COM.SONI The news of sudden demise of Comrade Yeddanapudi Soni on Feb 19, 2018 in a hospital in Vijayawada, AP has thrown all the Party comrades in AP in general and the Comrades and people in Krishna district into an intense grief and sorrow. Next day morning, ie; Feb20, 2018, from morning to the time of last journey, an unending stream of people belonging to various political parties, leaders of left parties, mass organisations, cadre, family members and relatives, workers of various unions, colonies and people from the surrounding villages went on flooding in thousands Bandar ( also called Machilipatnam ) town in AP to have a last glance and pay their tearful and floral tributes to the departed Comrade. Many cried recollecting the memories of Com. Soni who always stood by them. The working and toiling women were present in large number. They wept as if they lost one of the most affectionate member of their own family. They turned emotional 20 recollecting the tragic fact that a just 20 days back Com. Soni’s younger brother Srinivas, a Comrade too has died of illness. A Good bye to A Peoples’ Leader The funeral rally began from the NGO’s Colony to the place of burial. With a heavy heart, the people walked all the way. They carried the body on their shoulders. The people of Bandar town were astonished to witness the way the toiling people have spontaneously responded and acted to the death of their affectionate leader. Money, caste loyalties, status, power and influences associated with the ruling classes were worth for nothing here. Com. Soni enjoyed a genuine affection of the people because of his dedication to their cause. Custom-wise, the presence of women is not liked by many on the occasions like the funeral rally and the funeral process. However, hundreds of working and toiling women have poured in the funeral rally of Com. Soni. With all respect and affection towards their leader, the women volunteered to carry his body all along theway on their shoulders. The people on their own have set up the flexes of Com. Soni at a number of the places in the town. Flowers were showered on the body at almost all centres of Unions affiliated to the AIFTU(N). The slogans of “Lal Salam” were raised on the top of their voice. On their own initiative, the people have conducted the rally as well as the funeral process. Perhaps, this kind of ‘good bye’ was never witnessed in the history of Bandar town earlier. Com. Soni (Yeddanapudi Someshwar Janakiram) took birth in a theist traditional family. He was attracted towards atheist ideas when he was a student in the college. Then, he came into contact with a students’ organisation (DSO). In this course, he adopted Marxism as his ideology. By 1980, he became a professional revolutionary and decided to dedicate his life to the revolutionary politics. He, together with other comrades, made efforts to develop the revolutionary activities in and around Bandar town. He organised the students and workers in Unions and moved the poor for house sites and build the colonies. He carried on a consistent political and organisational work to move the coastal people and peasants into struggles on their problems. The efforts to combine the cultural and creative work had greatly helped to move the people extensively and win the victories. Com. Soni was abided by the discipline of the Party till the last moment of his life. He was firm in his ideological convictions. He never allowed the personal intimacies to come in the way of his convictions and practice. He maintained correct political positions in the face of ideological confusions in the internal struggles. He effectively contd. on page 19 Class Struggle