Maharashtra: Sunder Navalkar a tribute by Harsh Thakor

 

Maharashtra

Democracy and Class Struggle are please to publish this tribute from Harsh Thakor for Sunder Navalkar who we know has a teacher of Kobad Ghandy one of India's 21st Century heroes and revolutionary communist thinkers.

 

 

No comrade, let alone woman comrade has arguably contributed more to the Communist revolutionary movement in Maharashtra as veteran comrade Sunder Navalkar.

The author can't express his admiration for the tenacity of the this veteran woman comrade who is active till this day,inspite of crossing 90 years in age.

In spite of so many journals being discontinued 'Jasood' continues till this very day.

This journal illuminated the flame of Marxism Leninism Mao Tse Tung thought in the hearts of cadres.This year is the 40th anniversary year of the journal' Jasood'. which was innauguarated in  May.1973.No journal ever in Mumbai has so consistently defended the polemics of Marxism-Leninism-Mao Tse Tung Thought as Jasood.For 40 years it has defended Mao Thought in every aspect-be it trade union movement.,peasant movement,essays on Lenin,Marx,Stalin and Mao,exposing communalism,exposing state repression in Kashmir etc.

The writer particularly appreciates the tribute of Jasood to Comarde Mao Tse Tung on his 100 th birthday on December 23rd.

He also admired the essay published defending Stalin and Socialist U.S.S.R in 1991, document opposing the communal riots in 1992-93 after the demolition of the Babri Masjid,the 30th year commemoration of the Naxalbari movement in 1997 and the recent articles defending the struggles of the C.P.I.(Maoist).memorable reports  were posted on the railway workers strike of 1974,the Mill workers strike of 1982 ,the bus workers

(BEST),sweepers,securitymen,construction works,students ,doctors and the peasantry.Other notable articles were those on the 1982 solidarity movement in Poland,the critique of the Denist regime in China and article on the cultural revolution in China,on the arab-Israeli conflict.

Publications were brought out of Mao's red book and of Lenin and Stalin.Finally reports have also been posted on martyrs from the Air India workers.

No political journal in Maharashtra so staunchly defended the line of Naxalbari ,re-organization of the Leninist party and the formation of the C.P.I.(M.L.) in 1969.

It stood like a rock when Marxist Leninist positions were attacked in 1989 and 1991 after the fall of regimes in East European countries and the fall of the U.S.S.R.

The journal brilliantly refuted the ideology of 'Perestroika' and tooth and nail defended the Socialist U.S.S.R regime from 1917-56 .

It also defended the armed movements of the erstwhile C.P.I.(M.L.) peoples war Group in Andhra Pradesh and Dandkaranya.

No Comrade refuted the revisionist trends of the Vinod Mishra or Satyanarayana Singh groups as Comrade Navalkar who combated the tactics of participation in elections relentlessly.

Today the journal although it opposes the C.P.I.(Maoist) adoption of formulation of 'Maoism' and differs with the party on urban work and nationality question, but staunchly defends the struggle of the Maoists.

On the urban front is consistently brings out reports on the struggle of Air India Workers.

It was the veteran comrade Sunder Navalkar who played a leading role in the Air India workers winning their right to permanency.

Few comrades have been as inspiring as Comrade Navalkar in her speeches defending the Naxalbari Movement.Comrade Navalkar had played an invaluable role in the formation of the Central Team of the C.P.I(M.L) in December in 1978 which at that time defended the polemics of 'Mao Thought' more than any revolutionary party.

She did meticulus work in educating workers with study classes and never became let economism replace political struggle.'Jasood' became a weapon in the hands of cadres and played a meticuluos role in educating political workers.

In 1998 Comrade Suniti Kumar Ghosh wrote a compliment to Jasood,stating it consistently defended revolutionary theory of Marxism-Lenism -Mao Tse Tung Thought. more than any magazine in Maharashtra.'

In it's 40 th anniversary this year let us salute 'Jasood' and the great contribution of Comrade Sunder Navalkar.

Hope an English translation of articles in 'Jasood 'can be made available,which would be a treasurehouse for revolutionary cadres.

In 1998 a special 25th anniversary commemorative issue was published which I hope is one day translated into English and Hindi.

Notable writers who contributed to Jasood were Comrade Shashi Shekhar Pradhan,Com Haridas,Com Sudhakar Sheikh,Com Radhakrishnan Kariyiketh,Com P.N.Khere and Com Damodar Ahire.Sashi Shekar Pradhan made a monumental contribution to the 1992 edition on 25 years of Naxalbari.Some of the others contributed inspite of facing poverty.