CPI(M) State secretary K. Balakrishnan on Tuesday said his party could say with pride that it had always entered the fray to fight for the victims of human rights violations and other forms of oppression even though it is not a major political force in Tamil Nadu now.
“We are not a ruling party. Neither had we ruled the State. It is not certain whether we will emerge as the (principal) opposition party. But we can say with pride that if there is a human rights violation in any corner of the State, we will stand by the victims. We have fought atrocities against Dalits, Adivasis, women and children and other weaker sections and have defeated oppressive forces,” he said.
Mr. Balakrishnan spoke at a function to unveil a bust of late leader P. Ramamurti and a hall in memory of former State secretary M.R. Venkatraman at the party’s TN headquarters.
He wondered who would fight for the people, but for communists. “We waged a legal battle for decades to get justice for the victims of Vachathi. It is an achievement of the Red Flag,” he said.
He advocated to bring together all secular forces in the country against the BJP even though the communists had differences with other secular parties. “The outcome of the Assembly elections in the five States this year should be a forerunner to the defeat of the BJP,” he said.
Mr. Balakrishnan said the party has decided to institute an annual memorial lecture in Mr. Ramamurti’s name to be held in Chennai, which would be organised on December 15 every year, the late leader’s death anniversary. There would also be an award of a labour studies fellowship by the New Delhi-based P. Ramamurti Trade Union Education and Research Centre, for which seed capital has been provided by his family.
The function witnessed the participation of Senior Advocate R. Vaigai, Mr. Ramamurti’s daughter, and other family members.
“By honouring leaders like PR and MRV, we are learning lessons from history and perspective to create our own history,” Mr. Balakrishnan added.
Senior leaders including T.K. Rangarajan, G. Ramakrishnan, P. Sampath and others recalled the contribution made by P. Ramamurti and M.R. Venkatraman, the longest serving State secretary of the party.
Mr. Ramamurti was particular about marrying a woman outside his community and had decided to wed only after his mother’s death, as she did not approve of an inter-caste marriage, said former State secretary and Polit Bureau member G. Ramakrishnan fondly recalling PR’s marriage to his wife Ambal in 1952, who was also a freedom fighter and a communist.
“He was the Leader of the Opposition of the composite Madras Presidency. He went to the Registrar’s office and registered his marriage before attending the Assembly session that very same day. E.V.R. Periyar, who knew about the marriage, organised a simple reception that evening,” Mr. Ramakrishnan said.
