December 25 : Venmani Martyrs Day

On 25 th December 1968, 44 agricultural workers including 20 women and 19 children were burnt alive. They were in the midst of a struggle for wage increase. Later part of nineteen sixties
saw struggles of agricultural workers in the whole of the then East Thanjavur District. Strikes took place in several hundred villages in this area. During these days the police shot dead Comrade Pakkiri of Poonthazhangudi village. Ramachandran of Kekkarai village and Pakkirisami of Sikkal village were attacked and killed by the goondas of landlords. Situation was thus tense in the district as a whole.

The landlords demanded that the red-flags hoisted in the villages should be brought down and that the flags of the landlords association should be hoisted in their place. Besides, they said any increase in wage will be given liberally, if they do this. The agricultural labourers organized under the banner of CPI(M) did not relent. They organized meetings in each village and declared that it was the red flag which brought them honour and recognition and they would never allow the red flags to be brought down – come what may. Keezha Venmani, a tiny hamlet in Nagapattinam taluk, was chosen to attack the agricultural workers by the landlords. Hired goondas of the landlords entered the village on 25.12.1968 at 8.30 p.m. with guns, petrol and other weapons. They shot at all people there and everyone ran away to protect their lives. Women, children and elderly men who could not run away took shelter in a small hut (measuring 12’ x 12’). These goondas finding that they were all inside bolted the door outside and set fire to it. They poured petrol all over and ensured every one inside was burnt to death. Totally 28 huts were burnt. This incident shook the conscience of the world.

After this incident, the government announced a commission for deciding wages for agricultural workers. A memorial has been raised in the same place where the hut was situated. This memorial looked like one at Jalianwalabagh. The people used to come and pay their respects to the martyrs. Since then, the CPI(M) has been observed a Venmani Martyrs Day each year stressing the peasant – worker unity. On this day, thousands of people from various parts of Thanjavur district and Tamilnadu used to come and pay their respects to the martyrs.

Left Rally on People's Issues

Press Statement

Leaders of the Left parties held a meeting today. They have issued the following statement:

The Left parties took stock of the joint campaign conducted in the states against price rise, on problems of drought and flood and for food security.

The government has totally failed to curb the continuing steep rise in the prices of food items. The problems of land and unemployment have become acute. Therefore, the Left parties decided to hold an all India rally during the Budget session of parliament in March 2010. The rally will be organised to highlight the problems of the people and to give a thrust to the all India movement.

Those who attended the meeting are: Prakash Karat & Sitaram Yechury from the CPI(M), A.B. Bardhan & D Raja from the CPI, Debabrata Biswas from the AIFB and Abani Roy from the RSP.

DYFI plans direct action against untouchability

CHENNAI: The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) will launch direct action against untouchability in 31 places in 21 districts on December 25, Venmani Martyrs Day, when 44 Dalits were burnt to death in 1968.

Talking to reporters, DYFI state secretary S. Kannan and president S.G. Ramesh Babu said untouchability was being practised in eight forms in the State. Besides being denied entry into temples, in some places Dalits were not allowed to use common roads.

“They can neither bathe in village tanks nor use water for other purposes. They cannot visit a barber’s shop or use footwear. In many places they are served tea in separate cups.”

Mr. Kannan said DYFI cadre would launch direct action in 21 places and organise demonstration in 10 others.

Mr. Babu said consistent efforts by his organisation had secured temple entry rights for the Dalits at Kokkarayanpet in Tiruchengode taluk. On Tuesday, the Iswaran temple authorities entered into an agreement with the DYFI for allowing all sections into the temple.

Mr. Kannan said the government should take all steps to ensure that all forms of untouchability were eradicated in the State. “Dalits should be allowed to participate in public events.”

Revamp PDS to control price rise: CPI(M)

Party workers stage dharna at civil supply office at Gandhinagar

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Poor and middle class bearing the brunt, says MP

New card holders not getting rations, alleges CPI(M) secretary

VIJAYAWADA: The CPI(M) on Wednesday staged a dharna demanding the government to take immediate steps to regulate the prices of essential commodities by revamping the public distribution system. Rajya Sabha member P. Madhu, who addressed the dharna at the civil supply office at Gandhinagar, expressed concern that the poor and middle class was bearing the brunt of the spiralling prices of all important commodities. He alleged that the government was playing the role of a mere spectator even as the prices of all the commodities were touching the sky. He demanded that the government extend a helping hand to the poor by distributing all the commodities through public distribution system free of cost.

“Instead of addressing the burning issue of price rise, the government is according top priority to the issue of separate Statehood to Telangana. The skyrocketing prices of essential commodities is the major problem of the poor now,” he said. The MP felt the need to revamp the public distribution system and take the initiative to regulate the prices.

CPI (M) city secretary R. Raghu said there were many poor families in the city that were depending on rice and other commodities being distributed through the ration shops. “Unfortunately, there is a cut in the quota of one or more commodities every month. In addition to this, the government is cancelling ration cards by claiming them as bogus ones,” he said.

Mr. Raghu alleged that the new ration card holders were not getting rations for the last one year and despite several complaints there was no action from the officials. Referring to the prices of vegetables, Mr. Raghu demanded that the government take steps to regulate the prices of vegetables too and distribute them on subsidy.

In a memorandum submitted to Assistant Supply Officer Krishna Rao, the party leaders urged the government to regulate the prices and ensure proper distribution of commodities through ration shops. They stressed the need for distributing two litres of kerosene each to those who had only single cooking gas cylinder. Distribution of ‘kandipappu’ at a price of Rs. 30 a kg though the fair price shops, distribution of sugar and dal on ration cards, distribution of 30 kg rice a month to white ration card holders were the other demands of the CPI(M).