An Observation :
23 rd Congress of CPI ( M ) in Kannanur , Kerala
It is only a Ritual of the Party , its Leadership and the Cadre where the Causes of Decline of the Party were not Sincerelly and Honestly Reviewed
The 23 rd All India Congress of CPI ( M ) is concluded at Kannanur of Kerala . According to Prakash Karat the polit-bureau member of CPI ( M ), this conference has concentrated only on one aspect . That is as to how to develop its strength politically and organizationally . That it had worked out long term strategies to realize that goal of revitalizing the party that has reached to one of its lowest ebbs with an erosion of its mass base in West Bengal and Tripura adding to its rout else-where . In its bid to rebuild and strengthen itself nationally , the delegates of the 23 rd Congress have discussed the draft political resolution prepared by the Central Committee . This exercise is praised to be the particularity ( specialty ) of CPI ( M ) itself in maintaining the internal democracy in the party .
The draft political resolution prepared by its CC states that “..... there has been a further erosion of our party ’ s independent strength and our political intervention capacity ( 2.147 ). It narrates that in West Bengal the party had to face severe repression through fascist attacks . It informs that between 2011 and 2021 , it had lost 229 comrades and that during this period more than 1,02,000 of the party members and sympathizers are driven away from their homes . More than 1,30,000 of the members and sympathizers are subjected to false cases ( 2.154 ) and that in Tripura the party has been at the receiving end of fascist attacks . 22 party members have lost their lives 47 of the party offices across the state were attacked and vandalized . Hundreds of homes of the members and sympathizers including books and
August - 2022 furniture were destroyed . Many comrades were injured ” ( 2.156 ).
The draft resolution also stated that “ since the 16 th Party Congress we have been noting the need to strengthen the party ’ s independent strength and influence ( 2.164 ) and while chalking out future direction the main concern should be how to strengthen independent role and influence of the party ” ( 2.165 ).
But no where either in the draft resolutions or else where , the causes or reasons for loosing the party ’ s strength or influence is explained . No where it is explained as to why the party cadre in West Bengal and Tripura were attacked , harassed , intimidated and repressed by fascist forces ’. It is unknown whether these fascist attacks etc had occurred due to some other reason like election disputes or other electoral machinations and violence practiced by CPI ( M ). It is surprising that has the CPI ( M ) held state governmental power for decades in West Bengal and Tripura had not made arrangements for the defence of its cadre and party organization in the time of adversity . There is no indication that the party its leadership and cadre have sincerely and honestly reviewed the causes of party decline based on self criticism basing on Marxist-Leninist orientation and class perspective .
But it is apparent from the draft resolutions that the assessment of the party strength was done basing on the election results during the period since 22 nd party congress and that the party felt imperative that this decline must be arrested and reversed ( 2.167 ).
However the decline of the strength of CPI ( M ) party could not have caused because of its failure in winning elections , but it out since it failed to be a working class party by abandoning the path of people ’ s democratic revolution and failed to build mass movements and organization to over-throw the existing semi-feudal and semi-colonial system and the state , for the success of revolution .
But the leadership of CPI ( M ) adamantly refuses to draw this lesson and correct their practice under the guidance of Marxist-Leninist ideology and building up of party on those lines and perspective . They merely wish to show themselves and the party as communist and at the same time pursue the part of parliamentary elections to attain governmental power and to impress people that such a government itself is the people ’ s democratic state .
This generation of CPI ( M ) is more into a legal and constitutional party , pursuing parliamentary path as its sole purpose and goal is neither unexpected not unforetold .
In 1964 , during 7 th Congress in Kolkata the struggling section of CPI formed a separate party which was later named the CPI ( M ) to satisfy Election Commission regulations in1967 .
From the beginning it took the stand of equidistance in the international ideological struggle , The Great Debate , between Marxism and revisionism .
As corollary , in the Programme , there was equivocation on the path of revolution between armed struggle and peaceful transition .
“ We ( CPI ( M )) failed because we have been nursing illusions that parliamentary democracy would
21