CS June 2022 | Page 20

55 years of Historic

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Naxalbari Revolutionary Struggle !

The 1967 Naxalbari uprising still acts as a guiding light to the construction of revolutionary movement and to achieve revolution even today . However , it was in 1968 / 69 that disputes , differences / splits arose about the path to be followed . We need to have clear understanding about those differences / splits .

The first steps to build the Naxalbari movement were taken in the early 1950s . In building that movement - the Telangana armed struggle that came to a standstill in 1951 – acted as an inspiration for the then comrades . From the beginning of the movement until his arrest in 1968 , Com Kanu Sanyal was a leader who won the admiration and support of the people , and the rank and file of the party .

The undermentioned comrades were considered to be the leaders of the Naxalbari uprising- Kanu Sanyal , Jangal Santhal , Kesab Sarkar , Khudan Mallick , Khokhan Majumdar .

All the party ranks in the Darjeeling district were united in working among the oppressed masses , tribals and tea plantation workers , as well as in opposing the CPSU & Dange politics and supporting the ML party . Due to that reason the ranks in the district , the people who followed the party , all the DC members stood with CPI ( M ) in the 1964 party split . Ratan Lal Brahmin continued as District

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40 thousand , and were thus unable to build a powerful mass base during April and May , 1967 .

Therefore , during the second stage of our struggle we have resolved , we must link ourselves with the needs and wishes of the people , go to the people with boundless love and respect in our heart and integrate ourselves with the people . We must learn from them and take the lesson back to them again through practice . In other words , we must not impose 20

Secretary . ( He was the MLA of Bengal in 1946 and the Darjeeling MP in 1971 ). There are differences regarding the revolutionary path within Darjeeling DC of CPI ( M ) Party . The DCMs decided to work as a set ( team ) - not leaving the things to the leadership and continued to work with the aim of peoples ’ armed struggle . Com Charu Majumdar ( CM ) is a teacher for the party ranks of the district and the leader of this set . As a result of discussions in and out of the jails during the 1964-65-66 period of imprisonment , the DC Comrades decided that the CPI ( M )’ s top leadership had no revolutionary line and decided to move forward with the mass line . The DCMs ( two-thirds of the district committee ) have an understanding of armed struggle and the CPI ( M )’ s effective leadership position . Differences arose on mass movement- armed struggle ; between the agrarian revolution and the armed struggle ; and on building and leading mass organisations . Some Comrades argued that people would follow enthusiastically if squads are formed and revolutionary politics is propagated and landlords and class enemies are annihilated . Com Kanu Sanyal and others - said that only through our continuous work of organisation and by building the movement can the masses be united against the

anything from above . Mistakes may be made owing to this , but it is possible to correct such mistakes . The most important thing is- never to allow the initiative of the masses to be suppressed . Our duty is to develop their initiative . ( From pages 672-674 )

( These extracts are taken from Terai report , from “ Historical and Polemical Documents of the Communist Movement in India ”, Vol-2 .) published by Tarimela Nagireddy Memorial Trust .) �

Vijay Kumar

landlords and the government and take the higher form of struggle , and that ’ s why we have to organize mass organisations , agitations and advance the agrarian revolutionary politics among the masses . Though these differences were serious , still they all wanted to continue with the same team and practice the two lines in different areas . In March 1967 Kanu , Jangal and others in their practice - harvested crops in Naxalbari , Kharibari and Phansidewa areas ; occupied lands ; distributed among the toilers ; people attacked bungalows of the jotedars ( landlords ) and burnt the debt documents , handed over the mortgaged belongings to the respective peopleall these programmes continued throughout March , April , and May . The programme made headlines in North Bangla and across Bengal . In today ’ s terminology it has gone viral . What is remarkable is — Bighul Kishan ( tenant farmer ) protected his harvest with united strength of masses from the former minister and local MLA Tidke ( won over Jangal Santhal ); one side seizing land and crops , distribution of lands were continuing , the government started to file cases and attempted to restrain the party ranks . The then Chief Minister Ajay Mukherjee was himself the Home Minister !

Com CM was also arrested and detained in Siliguri . CM was released within 48 hours due to pressure from CPIM and others in the Front . On May 24 , SI Wangdi was killed in a scuffle between people and police team that went to arrest and disperse the crowd . The next day , on May 25 ^th , armed police took position on unarmed crowd in Prosadu Jote who gathered for a general meeting . People snatched some weapons from the police . The police officer , made people believe of retrieving back but

Class Struggle