By Krishna Jha
The national freedom movement, both through its successes and failures, greatly deepened the national consciousness. This consciousness went through the stages of evolving new strategies and methods of struggles, creation of new traditions of resistance, of secularism, of democracy and egalitarianism. Among its great successes and achievements was the emergence of a powerful trend of socialism and communism.
The end of the First World War and the accomplishment of the great October Socialist revolution in Russia brought about a qualitative change in the national consciousness. The revolutionaries and the radical leftwing forces were searching for ways to attain freedom. As the struggle for freedom was at its zenith in form of the non-cooperation (NCO) movement of the early 1920s, the Communist consciousness spread rapidly. Scattered groups of revolutionaries and Communists came into being abroad, with their centre in Soviet Russia. More importantly, strong and active Communist groups emerged in the industrial centres within India, such as in Bombay, Calcutta, Madras etc, inspired by Marxism and nationalism.
They decided it was time to found a Communist Party of India, which they did in Kanpur on December 26, 1925. CPI was born not in opposition to but as part and parcel of the national freedom struggle combined with the ideology of the Russian revolution led by workers and peasants. The revolution was a firm ally of the national liberation struggles. Hence its appeal to the Indian labouring masses.
The Kanpur conference issued a brief Program, declaring its intention to drive out the British colonial rule, and at the same time to move towards socialism after that. It was a declaration of the combination of the national and class tasks. The Party Constitution adopted at the Kanpur meet clearly stated its intention to work with the national movement.
The foundation of CPI was warmly welcomed by the freedom fighters and underground revolutionaries. The Communists guided by the CEC elected at Kanpur decided to work as part of the premier organization of the nation, the Indian National Congress, to form independent Workers and Peasants’ Party (WPP), to work in various parts of the country, and to move towards forming mass and class organizations. Consequently, a powerful leftwing emerged within the Congress. At the same time, by the 1930s, powerful mass organizations of the peasants, students, writers, artists and other sections and classes also emerged.
Startled and alarmed, British colonialists launched the Meerut Conspiracy Case (1929-33). The top leadership, the cream of the working masses, was arrested. It underlined the fact that the British colonialists had become aware of the ‘threat’ from the Communist ideas. The struggles of the working class, the trade unions, peasantry, all against the feudal lords and the British rule, student upsurge, intellectuals: they all were on the rise. The Communist movement was spreading, engulfing vast sections of the national movement, which was being looked at from a class point of view.
The Congress adopted the objective of full independence in 1929, a culmination of consistent efforts by the Communists since 1921, when Maulana Hasrat Mohani, a Communist, first moved the resolution for full independence at Ahmedabad session of the INC. Though defeated, the Communists kept on pressing for it at the subsequent Congress sessions, garnering increasing support. At Madras session, it was KN Joglekar who moved it, supported by Nehru, and at Calcutta session, it was Nehru, supported by Joglekar, who called for full independence resolution. More than 50 thousands of working people came out at the pandal, led by WPP and CPI. Gandhiji assured acceptance of assertion of full freedom within one year. January 26, 1930 was celebrated as Independence Day all over India.
By 1936-1947, several countrywide independent and class based mass organizations came up. The AITUC had already been formed in 1920, with Lala Lajpat Rai as its president. All India Kisan Sabha and All India Students Federation along with Progressive Writers’ Association came up by 1936. Indian People’s Theatre Association came up in 1943. It was a period when the finance capital had spread its wings quite wide. As the masses were growingly organized, repression was also going up. It was in this period when in 1943, first Party Congress took place on May 23, 1943.
Those were the days of rising freedom struggles; they also were the days of rising fascism. CPI led by PC Joshi gave a composite slogan to fight them: that of the National Front!
Of course, nobody can forget Tebhaga, Telangana, Kayyur, Punnapra-Vayalar, anti-feudal, anti-British mass struggles in Bihar, UP, RIN revolt, Garhwal Regiment revolt, etc. Communists were in the forefront of the anti-princely states upsurge.
India won its freedom on the cusp of massive post-War upsurge, in which the CPI played no mean role. The party simultaneously prepared for post-independence by demanding, since 1928 itself, a Constituent Assembly based on the Universal Adult Suffrage. Communists fought the 1937 and 1946 elections bravely despite restrictions on franchise. They contributed their own to the making of the Indian Constitution, which they are defending today.
The CPI consistently fought for multi-party electoral system and a democratic, secular, republican and socialist Constitution, which is the foundation of the modern Indian nation. It emerged the largest opposition in the first general elections (1952) itself. And it formed a government in Kerala through democratic electoral means in 1957, establishing its democratic credentials.
CPI, along with democratic and left forces, laid down policy perspective for a democratic, people-oriented economy, with public sector as its commanding heights. It welcomed the positives of the ‘Nehru Framework’.
The CPI supported the abolition of Privy Purse and played a critical role in the nationalization of banks. The movements that it built up contributed significantly in the expansion of public sector and distribution of land to landless peasants.
All through the party has stood up in the defense of the Constitution of India. It has fought against the caste system and caste discrimination, the violence of which has only increased in the recent decades. In fact, the fight against caste oppression, which the party has fought since its inception, is still continuing.
The rise of Hindutva forces in recent years have posed serious challenges to the emancipatory struggles led by the CPI and have created schisms in the working-class movement. In a broad coalition with other secular and progressive forces, the CPI has remained in the forefront defending the lives and rights of minorities in India.
Today we are all together in our struggle to defend the heritage of the freedom struggle, democracy and the Constitution. (IPA Service)
