Once, This Was My Party Too
By Annapoorna Karthika
19 March, 2011
Countercurrents.org
A kerala youth's letter to comrades of Communist Party of India - Marxist, in Kerala and Delhi
London
17 March 2011
Dear Pretentious Comrades,
Because I sense you are all communists as of today, I address my indignation to you-
It is with absolute conviction about the fact that I am a better communist than the present occupants/residents of CPI(M) office in New Delhi and Kerala that this letter is being written. Should you wonder what authority do I have to write this potentially criticizing mail, I owe an explanation because to many of you, including comrade Karat, would require an elaboration of who a 'comrade' is, what a 'prasthanam' is and what communism means to ordinary people who the party over the years have left to rot in the atrocities of despicable class and caste structures of Indian society.
Belonging to the fourth generation of a pro-leftist matrilineal family of Kollam district in Kerala I have all right to question the intentions of 'your' party which was once 'our' party too. In 1957 when the first communist government came to power democratically there is so much that my great-grandparents gave up for the party- their school and properties and above all other luxuries, their souls and lives struggling for a movement, the ideals of a movement that live within me even if I do not have a membership in 'your' party. Perhaps, the bourgeois party members are ignorant to this history of the party. This is not just my case but of many youth in my state.
It embarrasses me to address the members of Polit Bureau, the Central Committee and every occupant of the established hierarchies of this party as comrades since my mom, grandma and great-granny never taught me to address neo-liberals, pro-corrupt, pro-religious extremists, pro- sex abusers and finally anti-people as comrades.
I realize that my emotions will never get conveyed to a party that is owned by the 'intellectuals' who cannot define what humanity is. Congratulations to all of you for ensuring that in another decade the very name of the party will vanish from the hearts and minds of the people.
What provokes me to take time from my university classes in London is to warn, challenge and share my grief on the apathy of the party. Perhaps, the fact that I am writing from London might want to make you call me a hypocrite, but my roots are so strong that even as I breathe the air of this capitalist Big Smoke I see, feel, hear and taste the anguish of my fellow pro-leftists who have been betrayed by the party to which they remained committed all their lives.
For this party, agency of the individual is abominable, but it is this agency of the people that built ‘your’ party. Therefore, not an iota of doubt that the decision to deny a party seat to comrade VS to contest election is a matter of absolute shame on you all.
Why this decision comrades?
-because he acted against the land mafia of Munnar?
-because he did not support lottery mafia, which involved party well-wisher Santiago Martin?
-because he did not support the move to convert the party of the masses to that of capitalist venture run by CEO Karat?
-because he ardently resisted having a member like P. Sasi accused of sexual abuse?
-because he did not stand by an accused Abdul Nasser Madani?
What authority, autonomy or right do the members of Polit Bureau have to take a decision on comrade VS’ candidature?
-that they have a leader like comrade Karat who does not have any roots but enormous knowledge of Marxist theories?
-because the Polit Bureau does not have a ‘real’ communist like comrade VS who has tasted the edges of people’s dedication to the party ideology?
-that it has a member comrade Pinarayi Vijayan accused in SNC Lavlin case?
-that it has a member comrade Kodiyeri Balakrishnan whose family narrates to Keralites how marvellously power is manipulated for their self-interests?
- because Polit Bureau has neo-liberal, capitalist, anti-mass comrade Bhattacharya?
Because you all have memberships to the party you are at your liberty to dig your own grave, but it is a party that my family too has contributed toward. Many of us cannot let the movement that AKG, EMS, P.Krishna Pillai, M N, PKV, E K Nayannar and other great comrades have gifted us. You will be fought vigorously for those ideals that you claim to represent but have feigned to turn your face to.
Lal Salaam Sakhave!
Anna
Annapoorna Karthika is a Fledgling idealist, aspiring writer and humour and human-rights enthusiast.
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