HarshThakor
11th May 2013, 19:29
Our Beloved Comrade Tarimela Nagi Reddy
Introduction
On 28 th July this year the Indian Communist Revolutionary Movement dips its blood in memory on the 36th death anniversary of Comrade Tarimala Nagi Reddy. His contribution to the Indian Communist Revolutionary Movement was invaluable .` He was born in a wealthy family on February 11th 1917.His schooling was done in the Theosophical and Rishi Valley schools which were reknowned for their discipline and all –round development of personality. Here he learnt about the dignity of labour ,which was professed by the schools. This teaching set the trend for his revolutionary career. He meticulously studied Marxist –Leninist theory and moulded himself with revolutionary consciousness.Remarkably he launched a struggle against the landlord of is own family.
Comrade Nagi Reddy’s political ideas were not tolerated by the governing body of the Madras Loyoal college ,thus he moved to Benarus Hindu University,where he had greater avenues to express his political thought. Making untiring efforts he led the student masses towards nationalist politics, socialist ideas and proletarian revolution.Inspite of carrying the burden of leading the student’s movement and participating in the secret organization of the party, his upper-class background prevented him from attaining party membership early.In 1939,the Communist Party of India had full faith in Nagi Reddy’s proletarian revolutionary qualities ,a nd awarded him party membership.
Marge Grower ,the then vice-chancellor of Delhi University ,openly challenged the national slogan for the formation of a constituent assembly.Comrade.T.N,openly opposed this,being the leader of the Students Union.Fascinatingly,the Indian Congress leader Gandhi opposed himGandhi wrote a letterto the Vice –Chancelor of the B.H.U.to demand an apology from T.N.T,T.opposed it andw as thus failed in his law examinations.
Angered T.N.left the college and returned to his village. He started organizing students and youth into the Communist Movement. Several youth were attracted to Comrade T.N’s simple, down-to –earth style of explaining politics and economics. This made the Congress leaders helpless.(They opposed the Communists in the Freedom Struggle)
In 1949 T.N.published a booklet titled ‘economic effects of War’ which dealt with the effects of the 2nd world war on India when the government was imposing collection of levyfrom peasants for war efforts.At the same time it left the food grain stocks of landlords untouched.From underground,he charted out a programme to oppose the levy.He collected the details of fod grain stocks with the landlords and exposed it before the people.The government issued an arrest warrant on Com.T.N. and gave him rigorous imprisonment for 1 year.
In the TElengana struggle T.N.served as a member of the Rayalaseema Regional Committee,taking proper measures to save the secret organization and the families of several comrades which came uder repeated raids by the police.His wife Laxmikanthamma alo lived a rigorous underground life.
Comrade T.N.played a major role in the Telengana Armed struggle from 1946-51.He was arrested in 1951 .In 1952 he came out of underground life and contested the elections.
In 1957 he was elected to parliament.He became amember of the Public accounts committee ,he made a thorough study of the economic stranglehold of imperialism overall spheres.He proved that the Indian economic system is tied to that of the Imperialists.He combated the revisionist policies of the then Communist Party of India and refuted the claim of Nehru’s Congess to be Socialist and was also critical of the national chauvinist trend in the Communist party.In 1962 he was arrested for opposing India’s stand in the China War and propogating Sino-India friendship,under the National Security act.
In December 1964 he was again arrested during the Indo -Pak war.
He waged a major struggle within the Communist Party of India-Marxist,opposing the opportunism of the Madurai document in 1967.Here the C.P.M.bowed to Soviet revisionism.He opposed these trends within jail itself.
The state plenum of Andhra Pradesh Communist Revolutionaries was held in April 1969.It adopted the document”Immediate Programme”which was prepared with the orientation of agrarian revolutionary movement.Accordingly,Comrade T.N.moved the landless peasant of 28 villages in Ananthapur district to occupy the banjar lands which were in the hands of landlords for the last 30 years.Com.T.N.personally led the movement .All the 3000 acres of land were distributed to the peasants.In line with the immediate programme ,the Communist revolutionaries led movements in Kurnool,West Godavri and East Godavri districts to occupy forest banjars and lands undr occupation of landlords.
After the government foistyed the conspiracy case basing on the documents of Atlapragada Plenum in 1969.Com.T.N. took it as his political and moral responsibility to defend and own up the “immediate programme”
As one of the accused in the Hyderabad conspiracy case, he categorically stated in court that it is “impossible to implement land reforms by democratic methods without an armed revolution.It is sheer deceit to say that feudalism can be rooted out without giving a call or revolutionary practice.”It is inevitable that the masses would overthrow the ruling classes by means of class struggle and peoples armed revolution.”
In 1969 Comrade T.N resigned from the Assembly making a historic speech. Shortly after T.N.resigned from the assembly, the state plenum of the Andhra Pradesh Communist Revolutionaries was held /A Document titled ‘Immediate Programme ‘was prepared which threw light on the agrarian revolutionary movement.Com T.N organized the landless peasants of 28 villages to occupy the banjar lands which wee in the hands of the landlords for the last 30 years .All the 3000 acres of land were distributed to the landless peasants. On similar lines ,Communist Revolutionaries led movements in Kurnool,West Godavri and East Godavri districts to occupy forest banjars and lands under occupation of landlords.
T.N took great pains to defend the importance of building a revolutionary movement in the countryside with the agrarian question being the focal question in a semi-feudal and semi-colonial country. He resolutely defended the programme of Peoples Democratic Revolution and Peoples War.In the course of Struggle Comrade T.N and his comrades were arrested. A conspiracy case was launched on T.N based on the documents of the Atlapragada Plenum I 1969.In Hyderabad a conspiracy case was foisted on him and in court he staunchly defended himself by stating” It is impossible to implement land reform sby democratic methods without an armed revoluton.It is sheer deceit to say that feudalism can be rooted out without giving a call to revolutionary practice. It is inevitable that the masses would overthrow the ruling classes by mean sof class struggle and armed revolution.’In the cross Examination he exposed the landlords, police officers and corrupt elements.It was a virtual repeat of Com Dimitrov in the Reichstag fire case and the Indian Communists in the Kanpur and Meerut Conspiracy cases.
In 1972 Comrade T.N.was detained under the Preventive detention act during the movement for separate Andhra.
In May 1972 T.N was granted bail .The veteran comrade plunged into the movement, opposing the governments policy of suppression against revolutionaries, killings I fake encounters of activists in the Srikakulam movement and illegal detention in concentration camps and emphasized the need of a democratic Rights Movement. He toured the Girijan areas of Srikakulam District with painstaking attention and gave morale support to all oppressed sections. His political campaign boosted the morale of the masses .The civil and democratic rights Movement also gained momentum. Com.T.N professed that all types of forces could be united against oppression on girijan and peasant masses, against encounters and for release of revolutionaries .A campaign for Defence Committee for the accused in the Parvathipuram Conspiracy Case.
From 1969-1972 Comrade T.N was arrested under the preventive detention act .
Comrade T.N .and Comrade D.V Were the architecst of the Unity Centre of Communist Revolutionaries of India. From 1975 he was editor of the party organ ‘Spark’ and organized legal party struggles and meetings. Comrade TN took the responsibility of guiding the Andhra Pradesh State Committee .He maintained a close link with the State Committee He
1.focussed on the task of political and organizational work of cadre at various levels
2.helped the SC in assessing the changed situation and in working out an organizational mechanismand method of work necessary to protect the organization and carry on work of the peole uninterrupted even in the condition sof emergency.
3.tried to develop proper committee functioning within the state Committee
4.strssed emphasis on building a proper students m,ovement.
5.closely studied the problem sof the comrades in Kondamudalu.6 guided the proper path to dealing wioth the 20 point political programme.The Commmunist revolutionaries in Andhra on the one hand tried to retain the organization nad carry on their activities and on the other hand, used the courts to carry on the political fight aginst the ruling classes and to propogate the revolutionary politics.Though the leadership was convicted in the conspiracy case ,they came out on bail.It opened up opportunities for open activity.A legal defence committee was organized by Comrade T.N.It not only organized legal defence for the comrades implicated in the Parvathipuram Conspiracy case,but alos carried on an extensive campaign in defence of the Srikakulam Movement.Co.T.N.extensively toured the agency of Sriakakulam as part of the move to rouse the people’s movement and revive the movement.A statewide and powerful democratic Rights movement had come up with the ireless efforts made by the Communist Revolutionaries.
Meticulously he studied various experiences and analyzed that it was not possible for he revolutionaries to come under a single committee and several problems would arise. In April 1975 the Unity Centre of Communist Revolutionaries was formed. Since his release and during the emergency Comrade T.N and Comrade D .Vworked tirelessly for democratic rights, for legal defence of revolutionaries and rebuilding the movements in the peasants, youth, workers ,literary and cultural fronts and training revolutionary cadres. few months before the imposition of emergency ,he warned in meeting of cadres about the possibility of imposti of emergency and explained people about how to build organizational forms of struggle .He encouraged he cadres to expose the ruling classes through leaflets on every problem and to gain skills to distribute them in any form of repression. The A P State committee made extensive propaganda under his guidance and circulated secret papers.T.N condemned the Congress leaders for their support of Sanjay Gandhi when he toured Andhra Pradesh. He published a leaflet exposing this. During the emergency, the Govt decided to build a heavy engineering plant at Vijayawada and collect levy from peasants and middle class traders for it’s construction .T.N mobilized cadre to oppose these events as it was a part of the move to loot the people in collaboration with Imperialist companies.T.N directed the district organization to take up a programme and the party cadre responded by mobilising the people’s opinion against it.In this period he toured Rajasthan, Punjab and West Bengal analyzing the political and economic situation.
In the night of July 26th,1976 Comrade T.N was taken ill and admitted to Osmani hospitalThe doctors immediately arranged the supply of oxygen to Comrade T.N. and after one hour he was put on the respiratory system.
However by July 28th morning his health worsened and ultimately he breathed his last between 5.30-6.00.a.m..
When the body of our beloved leader was being carried to his village Tarimela,the police vans blocked the cart and took the body to the government hospital in Anantapur by 10.30 p.m.Mrs Rama,com T.N.’s sister,and her maid servant was there in the car along with the body. The driver and the maid servant were taken into custody. The govt prevented the papers from publishing the editorials and life stories on the occasions of COM.Nagi Reddy’s death.
That night the police kept his body in a locked room. However the people enraged like a torrent emerging poured into the hospital and insisted that they should see the body. At first the police relented but ultimately they bowed down to the people..
For the funeral procession 30,000 people thronged and the atmosphere was reminiscent of a huge red flame being lit. The intensity of the expressions of the common people was indescribable.It literally appeared like a red flame was reverberating in the hearts of the masses.
Since TN had gone underground his family was subjected to prolonged harassment. They seized the property sold by Com T.N.and his wife .
When the news of Com.Nagi Redy’ s p[assing away spraed,the revolutionaries who were in Vishaka central jail in connection with the trail of Parvatipuram conspiracy case held acondolence meetingCondolence meetings were also held by those who were locked in spate blocks in Vizag jail under M.I.S.A.a nd those in Rajahmundry,Chanchalguda,Musherabad and Nellore jails.
In serious repressive conditions,various committees ,units and sympathizers of the UCCRI(M.L.) held secret meetings in several places of the state.
Com.Kanu Sanyal had stated”Earlier,when we had adopted many wrong political and ideological positions and as a result we had accused serious losses The Andhra comrades have carried on the political and ideological struggle with much patience and perseverance, especially ,Com.Nagi Reddy.His demise is an or reparable loss to the Indian Revolutionary movement and the building of a revolutionary party.
Comrade T.N was arrested on numerous occasions
1.1940-for publishing booklet,’economic effects of war’
2.1941:re-arrested on the same grounds from Tiruchirapalli.
3..1946arrested by the Congress government under the Prakasham ordinance act.
4.1951-detained before 1st general elections
5.1955-arrested in mid-term elections for defiance of section 144
6.Arrested under defence of India rules
7.1964arrested again under defense of India rules
8.Arrested under preventive detention act.
9.1969 again arrested inder preventive detention act
10.arrested on Dec 19th under rigorous conditions from Dec 19tyh 1969 to May 1972.
Below are some important points compiled from the 1970 document of the Andhra Pradesh Co-oordination Committee of Communist Revolutionaries(A.P.C.C.C.R.)
1.The Peoples revolutionary armed struggle is not itself the guerilla warfare.
:Even if armed struggle is the main form of struggle in the country.In the vast areas, where due to uneven development of the revolutionary movement ,the revolutionary movement has not yet taken the form of armed struggle ,other forms of struggle should be adopted and they should be co-ordinated with armed struggle. The armed struggle that the people carry on against the ruling classes is by itself an offensive struggle.Yet,when compared to the armed forces of the ruling classes ,the numbers,arms as well as skill of the people’s guerilla forces would not only be inferior but would continue to remain so for a long time. In this period we have to advance the revolution defending our guerilla areas and raise the slogan of self-defense for the revolutionaries. Without the slogan of self defense the broad masses would never be mobilized to overthrow the ruling classes.
2.Armed Struggle:The main form of Struggle
The C.P.I.(M.L.) failed to launch a mass movement or understand it’s importance.
Wherever the poeasnt struggle has not reached the stage of armed struggle,the peasnt struggle should be carried on there adopting the form of armed struggle.
Wherever the revolutionary peasant movement has reached the stage of armed struggle, the peasant struggle should be carrie3d on there adopting the form of armed struggle.
Appropriate form sof mass struggles have to be combined with the armed struggles.
3.Importance of slogan of defence.
The peoples armed struggle would begin with the defense of the revolutionary movement, the revolutionary gains,the revolutionary organization etc,from the attack s of the armed forces of the ruling classes. But in the primary stage, the strength and skill of the armed forces of the ruling classes would be many times greater than that of the armed forces organized by the people.The form of armed struggle adopted by the people at this stage is the guerilla warfare.As the people’s armed forces grow in number,and the strength of arms and skill at a certain stage become favourable to the revolutionary masses,armed struggle would reach a higher stateg.Then the armed struggle would take the form of mobile warfare and later the form of positional warfare.
4..Co-ordination between struggle areas and other areas
Our cadre is working in the areas of armed struggle as well as other areas.The leadership of the C.P.I.(M.L.)which is not adopting any other form of struggle excepting the armed struggle does not have an understanding of the tasks that should be carried in these areas. In these areas ,our cadre should carry on extensive propoganada among the masses of peole of our programme,the betrayal of the revisionists and the necessity to prepare for armed struggle.Masses should be mobilized into struggles on political and economic demands wherever,whenever and on whatever issue there is preparedness among themThrough these struggles,they should mobilize the masses to take up the form of armed struggle.
Today our cities are the centres of Imperialism,big bourgeoisie and rich classes.It is in these cities that the government machinery as well as the armed forces of the ruling classes are concentrated
However the working class,students and middle class are concentrated in the cities.These classes would march in the fore-front of anti-imperialist struggles.
The leadership of the C.P.I(M.L) has no programme whatsoever for fulfilling this task.They direct studenst and youth to go to the villages and integrate themselves with the peasantry.This leadership have performed anarchist actions like throwing bomb son schools colleges and primary health c entres etc.Such actions would not be useful to mobilize the discontented masses into the revolutionary mass struggle.They would not be a support to the rural peasnt struggle
Militatnt workers and students should be sent to the areas of armed struggle.
Although there is a revolutionary situation in India,the guerilla warfare takes a tortuous path of development owing to the uneven development of the revolutionary movement,the disunity among the revolutionary ranks and the ability of the ruling classes to concentrate large numbers of their armed forces against the gueriilla warfare.Only when we have a correct and realistic assessment ,woulkd we be in apposition tp prepare ourselvesand overcome these difficulties.
If we have to fulfil the main tasks which should be fulfilled in order to succesfuly carry on armed struggle for achieving the people’s democratic Revolution,we should base ourselves on this kind of base areas.Base areas cannot be established by conducting sporadic raids hee and there.Mao called this tendency”roving rebels.”Mao said the guerilla forces would begin to build the base areas only when a struggle is carried on against this tendency and is rooted out from among the guerilla forces.
In the beginning,these armed forces would only be in the form of guerilla squadsAs the struggle gets intensified ,the guerilla squads grow increasing in the number.We should gradually buil;d the regular army.Thus we would be in a position to establish base area only when we could build th armed force s capable of defeating the army in the area.This task cannot be fulfilled by forming a few squads with afew people drawn from the petty-bourgeoisie,the poor and landless peasant classes.
The second condition is that the peoples armed forces ,should with the support of the masses ,be capable of defeating the enemy.
This means defeating the enemy’s armed forces but not annihilationof class enemiesThis would become possible only when the majorty of the enemy’s armed forces attacki ng the guerilaa forces are annhilatd.
The third condition is the rousing of masses into the struggle.The mass organizations should be built in the course of the struggle.In our country, where a regular army is not present ,the revolutionaries should build the base areas by building the guerilla armies through peoples struggles,in that mainly the peasnt struggles by building the revolutionary mass organizations ,by rousing the masses through revolutionary programme and by defeating the enemy’s armed forces.
5.The Importance of terrain:
The leadership of the C.P.I.(M.L.) concluded that there was no need for a favourable terrain,mass movement,mass organization .etc. Our task would not be over merely with launching the guerilla warfare.It should be able to sustain and develop over a long period of time and be useful to build the base areas which is our strategic aim.WE have to select the areas which are politicallu,economically and socialy weak.Hillsmforests and plains without roads arte such areas.
6.Need of the mass Movement:
There is hardly any emphasis on the mass movementThea nihilation of class enemies is the only aim..Masse shave to be mobilized into revolutionary strugglesto make them realize the need for armed struggles.The revolutionary Girijan movement was already prevalent in Srikakulam before the armed struggle was launched.
7. Agrarian revolutionary progamme:Without building of agrarian revolutionary programme a revolutionary peasant movement is not possible.The feudal system will be abolished only after the establishment of the peoples democratic government.Distribtion of landlords land is the main iem of the agrarian revolutionary programme.Thus the question of land as a revolutionary demand would have oimmense importance in the agrarian revolution.Only by implementing the agrarian revolutionary programme would we be able to mobilize peasnt masses into armed struggle.
8.Party organization;revolutionary mass movement :
The C.P.I.(M.L.) makes no use of legal opportunities.A pary has to be kept secret but open struggles have to be carried out.Class enemies hould be tried in peoples courts with arevolutionary mass movement and not simply annihilated by armed squads.Thee is a defect in the technique where they remain as mere groups acrryiong out limited propaganda.
9.The Revolutionary peasnt movement is the foundation for the revolutionary mass movements:The leadership of the C.P.I.(M.L.)do not believe in revolutionary mass movements or mobilizing the masses on partial economic demands.Only when the revolutionary movement reaches the higher stage,it would take the form of armed struggle.
10.Extension of the Revolutionary Movement.
The leadership of the C.P.I(M.L.)does not recognize the necessity of revolutionary movement as well as the necessity of extending it to new areas of launching armed struggle.On the contrary,they think that the extension of the programme of annihilation of the class enemy itself is the extension of the armed struggle.
The peasant movement should not be confined to any one area.Our organizational strength would also grow while building the revolutionary movement in an area
If the peasnt movement is expanded and the armed struggle is launched in the vast areas ,the guerillas could in the face of the enemy’s attacks escape from one area to another and resist the enemy armed forces.
Once an armed struggle is launched,it should never be confined to any single area.It should be continuously extended to new and adjacent areas.
11..India is divided into several nationalities.However we do not support the C.P.I.(M.L.)’s demand of a sepertae TElengana state.-,which matches the sepertae Telengana movement with the Telengana peasnt armed struggle.They are hiding the fact that peasants and workers oif Telengana have not participated in the revolt.True,the peole in some towns fought heroically facing even the bullets from the police.
The peasants and workers have not participated in the separate Telengana movement.They remained neutral.Without the overthrow of the ruling class the “Peoples Raj’ in Telengana is inconceivable.
13.The Revolutionary Authority of the party is established only when correct leadership is provided toi the revolution.The leadership of the C.P.I.(M.L.) has failed in leading They are still trying to establish their’revolutionary authority.” The Naxalbari armed struggle.They have also failed in Srikakulam.
14..Rejecting the role of th negated the historic role of the Telengana armed struggle.e Telengana armed Struggle-The C.P.I.(M.L) led by Charu Mazumdar . n 1946 a red Letter was written in the history of the Indian Communist Movement. This event was the Telengana Armed Struggle led by the Andhra Pradesh Unit of the Communist Party of India.Thousands of acres of land were redistributed.Mass revolutionary line was practiced. The relationship between the agrarian revolutionary Movement and the armed struggle and formation of the peoples army was established and the issue of armed revolution and the principle of forming a people’s army based in the agrarian mass revolutionary programme and movement. was formulated.
Charu’s C.P.I.(M.L.)stated:Naxlabari represents the first ever application of Mao’s thought on the soil of India.It was in Naxalbari that the peasants for the first time ,launched their struggle for power.For this reason,Naxalbari symbolizes the path of liberation for exploited masses of the Indian peopleThus ushering in a new era in the political history of India.”
The Naxalbari leadership could have avoided the mistakes they made had they correctly grasped the experiences of the Telengana armed struggle.They could have redoubled he organsied strength of the Naxalbari peasants with the distribution of land,establishment of the village Soviets and building of peoples armed forces and be in position to carry on the protracted war.Instead they deny that the Telengana armed struggle relied on Mao’s thought.Inspite of their loud talk on relying on the masses ,they are not in actual fact prepared to undertake the revolutionary mass mobilization.They formulate that the Naxalbari struggle is not a struggle for land but for political power.”
The struggle suffered political defeat, not because of class enemies and the state ,but at the hands of the revisionist policies of the general staff of the C.P.I.
The C.P.I.leadership withdrew the Struggle and veered it towards the parliamentary path. The foundation for the Struggle was the meticulous mass work carried out between the years 1941-1946 ,similar to the launching of the Chinese peasant armed revolutionary struggle.
In 1948 a historic letter was written in Andhra on 9th July called the Andhra thesis., which highlighted that the Indian revolution would follow the Chinese path of ,of protracted peoples armed struggle with the peasants being the main force. The Indian economy was characterized as semi-colonial and semi-feudal., the peasant question as the core of Indian revolution, and the stage of revolution as ‘New Democratic’.
When the document was written the Telengana Struggle was at it’s peak. The concept of the united front with the middle and rich peasants was advocated. Resistance bases of the Chinese Type were to be formed The guerilla Warfare was deployed to defend the land and the village Soviets. Land was distributed in 3000 villages and the guerilla squads launched significant armed struggle against the Nizam’s army and the Razakars.The police sided with the Razakars and in retaliation the guerilla squads began to attack the police. The police used to attack in the day, while the people would retaliate at night.
Introduction
On 28 th July this year the Indian Communist Revolutionary Movement dips its blood in memory on the 36th death anniversary of Comrade Tarimala Nagi Reddy. His contribution to the Indian Communist Revolutionary Movement was invaluable .` He was born in a wealthy family on February 11th 1917.His schooling was done in the Theosophical and Rishi Valley schools which were reknowned for their discipline and all –round development of personality. Here he learnt about the dignity of labour ,which was professed by the schools. This teaching set the trend for his revolutionary career. He meticulously studied Marxist –Leninist theory and moulded himself with revolutionary consciousness.Remarkably he launched a struggle against the landlord of is own family.
Comrade Nagi Reddy’s political ideas were not tolerated by the governing body of the Madras Loyoal college ,thus he moved to Benarus Hindu University,where he had greater avenues to express his political thought. Making untiring efforts he led the student masses towards nationalist politics, socialist ideas and proletarian revolution.Inspite of carrying the burden of leading the student’s movement and participating in the secret organization of the party, his upper-class background prevented him from attaining party membership early.In 1939,the Communist Party of India had full faith in Nagi Reddy’s proletarian revolutionary qualities ,a nd awarded him party membership.
Marge Grower ,the then vice-chancellor of Delhi University ,openly challenged the national slogan for the formation of a constituent assembly.Comrade.T.N,openly opposed this,being the leader of the Students Union.Fascinatingly,the Indian Congress leader Gandhi opposed himGandhi wrote a letterto the Vice –Chancelor of the B.H.U.to demand an apology from T.N.T,T.opposed it andw as thus failed in his law examinations.
Angered T.N.left the college and returned to his village. He started organizing students and youth into the Communist Movement. Several youth were attracted to Comrade T.N’s simple, down-to –earth style of explaining politics and economics. This made the Congress leaders helpless.(They opposed the Communists in the Freedom Struggle)
In 1949 T.N.published a booklet titled ‘economic effects of War’ which dealt with the effects of the 2nd world war on India when the government was imposing collection of levyfrom peasants for war efforts.At the same time it left the food grain stocks of landlords untouched.From underground,he charted out a programme to oppose the levy.He collected the details of fod grain stocks with the landlords and exposed it before the people.The government issued an arrest warrant on Com.T.N. and gave him rigorous imprisonment for 1 year.
In the TElengana struggle T.N.served as a member of the Rayalaseema Regional Committee,taking proper measures to save the secret organization and the families of several comrades which came uder repeated raids by the police.His wife Laxmikanthamma alo lived a rigorous underground life.
Comrade T.N.played a major role in the Telengana Armed struggle from 1946-51.He was arrested in 1951 .In 1952 he came out of underground life and contested the elections.
In 1957 he was elected to parliament.He became amember of the Public accounts committee ,he made a thorough study of the economic stranglehold of imperialism overall spheres.He proved that the Indian economic system is tied to that of the Imperialists.He combated the revisionist policies of the then Communist Party of India and refuted the claim of Nehru’s Congess to be Socialist and was also critical of the national chauvinist trend in the Communist party.In 1962 he was arrested for opposing India’s stand in the China War and propogating Sino-India friendship,under the National Security act.
In December 1964 he was again arrested during the Indo -Pak war.
He waged a major struggle within the Communist Party of India-Marxist,opposing the opportunism of the Madurai document in 1967.Here the C.P.M.bowed to Soviet revisionism.He opposed these trends within jail itself.
The state plenum of Andhra Pradesh Communist Revolutionaries was held in April 1969.It adopted the document”Immediate Programme”which was prepared with the orientation of agrarian revolutionary movement.Accordingly,Comrade T.N.moved the landless peasant of 28 villages in Ananthapur district to occupy the banjar lands which were in the hands of landlords for the last 30 years.Com.T.N.personally led the movement .All the 3000 acres of land were distributed to the peasants.In line with the immediate programme ,the Communist revolutionaries led movements in Kurnool,West Godavri and East Godavri districts to occupy forest banjars and lands undr occupation of landlords.
After the government foistyed the conspiracy case basing on the documents of Atlapragada Plenum in 1969.Com.T.N. took it as his political and moral responsibility to defend and own up the “immediate programme”
As one of the accused in the Hyderabad conspiracy case, he categorically stated in court that it is “impossible to implement land reforms by democratic methods without an armed revolution.It is sheer deceit to say that feudalism can be rooted out without giving a call or revolutionary practice.”It is inevitable that the masses would overthrow the ruling classes by means of class struggle and peoples armed revolution.”
In 1969 Comrade T.N resigned from the Assembly making a historic speech. Shortly after T.N.resigned from the assembly, the state plenum of the Andhra Pradesh Communist Revolutionaries was held /A Document titled ‘Immediate Programme ‘was prepared which threw light on the agrarian revolutionary movement.Com T.N organized the landless peasants of 28 villages to occupy the banjar lands which wee in the hands of the landlords for the last 30 years .All the 3000 acres of land were distributed to the landless peasants. On similar lines ,Communist Revolutionaries led movements in Kurnool,West Godavri and East Godavri districts to occupy forest banjars and lands under occupation of landlords.
T.N took great pains to defend the importance of building a revolutionary movement in the countryside with the agrarian question being the focal question in a semi-feudal and semi-colonial country. He resolutely defended the programme of Peoples Democratic Revolution and Peoples War.In the course of Struggle Comrade T.N and his comrades were arrested. A conspiracy case was launched on T.N based on the documents of the Atlapragada Plenum I 1969.In Hyderabad a conspiracy case was foisted on him and in court he staunchly defended himself by stating” It is impossible to implement land reform sby democratic methods without an armed revoluton.It is sheer deceit to say that feudalism can be rooted out without giving a call to revolutionary practice. It is inevitable that the masses would overthrow the ruling classes by mean sof class struggle and armed revolution.’In the cross Examination he exposed the landlords, police officers and corrupt elements.It was a virtual repeat of Com Dimitrov in the Reichstag fire case and the Indian Communists in the Kanpur and Meerut Conspiracy cases.
In 1972 Comrade T.N.was detained under the Preventive detention act during the movement for separate Andhra.
In May 1972 T.N was granted bail .The veteran comrade plunged into the movement, opposing the governments policy of suppression against revolutionaries, killings I fake encounters of activists in the Srikakulam movement and illegal detention in concentration camps and emphasized the need of a democratic Rights Movement. He toured the Girijan areas of Srikakulam District with painstaking attention and gave morale support to all oppressed sections. His political campaign boosted the morale of the masses .The civil and democratic rights Movement also gained momentum. Com.T.N professed that all types of forces could be united against oppression on girijan and peasant masses, against encounters and for release of revolutionaries .A campaign for Defence Committee for the accused in the Parvathipuram Conspiracy Case.
From 1969-1972 Comrade T.N was arrested under the preventive detention act .
Comrade T.N .and Comrade D.V Were the architecst of the Unity Centre of Communist Revolutionaries of India. From 1975 he was editor of the party organ ‘Spark’ and organized legal party struggles and meetings. Comrade TN took the responsibility of guiding the Andhra Pradesh State Committee .He maintained a close link with the State Committee He
1.focussed on the task of political and organizational work of cadre at various levels
2.helped the SC in assessing the changed situation and in working out an organizational mechanismand method of work necessary to protect the organization and carry on work of the peole uninterrupted even in the condition sof emergency.
3.tried to develop proper committee functioning within the state Committee
4.strssed emphasis on building a proper students m,ovement.
5.closely studied the problem sof the comrades in Kondamudalu.6 guided the proper path to dealing wioth the 20 point political programme.The Commmunist revolutionaries in Andhra on the one hand tried to retain the organization nad carry on their activities and on the other hand, used the courts to carry on the political fight aginst the ruling classes and to propogate the revolutionary politics.Though the leadership was convicted in the conspiracy case ,they came out on bail.It opened up opportunities for open activity.A legal defence committee was organized by Comrade T.N.It not only organized legal defence for the comrades implicated in the Parvathipuram Conspiracy case,but alos carried on an extensive campaign in defence of the Srikakulam Movement.Co.T.N.extensively toured the agency of Sriakakulam as part of the move to rouse the people’s movement and revive the movement.A statewide and powerful democratic Rights movement had come up with the ireless efforts made by the Communist Revolutionaries.
Meticulously he studied various experiences and analyzed that it was not possible for he revolutionaries to come under a single committee and several problems would arise. In April 1975 the Unity Centre of Communist Revolutionaries was formed. Since his release and during the emergency Comrade T.N and Comrade D .Vworked tirelessly for democratic rights, for legal defence of revolutionaries and rebuilding the movements in the peasants, youth, workers ,literary and cultural fronts and training revolutionary cadres. few months before the imposition of emergency ,he warned in meeting of cadres about the possibility of imposti of emergency and explained people about how to build organizational forms of struggle .He encouraged he cadres to expose the ruling classes through leaflets on every problem and to gain skills to distribute them in any form of repression. The A P State committee made extensive propaganda under his guidance and circulated secret papers.T.N condemned the Congress leaders for their support of Sanjay Gandhi when he toured Andhra Pradesh. He published a leaflet exposing this. During the emergency, the Govt decided to build a heavy engineering plant at Vijayawada and collect levy from peasants and middle class traders for it’s construction .T.N mobilized cadre to oppose these events as it was a part of the move to loot the people in collaboration with Imperialist companies.T.N directed the district organization to take up a programme and the party cadre responded by mobilising the people’s opinion against it.In this period he toured Rajasthan, Punjab and West Bengal analyzing the political and economic situation.
In the night of July 26th,1976 Comrade T.N was taken ill and admitted to Osmani hospitalThe doctors immediately arranged the supply of oxygen to Comrade T.N. and after one hour he was put on the respiratory system.
However by July 28th morning his health worsened and ultimately he breathed his last between 5.30-6.00.a.m..
When the body of our beloved leader was being carried to his village Tarimela,the police vans blocked the cart and took the body to the government hospital in Anantapur by 10.30 p.m.Mrs Rama,com T.N.’s sister,and her maid servant was there in the car along with the body. The driver and the maid servant were taken into custody. The govt prevented the papers from publishing the editorials and life stories on the occasions of COM.Nagi Reddy’s death.
That night the police kept his body in a locked room. However the people enraged like a torrent emerging poured into the hospital and insisted that they should see the body. At first the police relented but ultimately they bowed down to the people..
For the funeral procession 30,000 people thronged and the atmosphere was reminiscent of a huge red flame being lit. The intensity of the expressions of the common people was indescribable.It literally appeared like a red flame was reverberating in the hearts of the masses.
Since TN had gone underground his family was subjected to prolonged harassment. They seized the property sold by Com T.N.and his wife .
When the news of Com.Nagi Redy’ s p[assing away spraed,the revolutionaries who were in Vishaka central jail in connection with the trail of Parvatipuram conspiracy case held acondolence meetingCondolence meetings were also held by those who were locked in spate blocks in Vizag jail under M.I.S.A.a nd those in Rajahmundry,Chanchalguda,Musherabad and Nellore jails.
In serious repressive conditions,various committees ,units and sympathizers of the UCCRI(M.L.) held secret meetings in several places of the state.
Com.Kanu Sanyal had stated”Earlier,when we had adopted many wrong political and ideological positions and as a result we had accused serious losses The Andhra comrades have carried on the political and ideological struggle with much patience and perseverance, especially ,Com.Nagi Reddy.His demise is an or reparable loss to the Indian Revolutionary movement and the building of a revolutionary party.
Comrade T.N was arrested on numerous occasions
1.1940-for publishing booklet,’economic effects of war’
2.1941:re-arrested on the same grounds from Tiruchirapalli.
3..1946arrested by the Congress government under the Prakasham ordinance act.
4.1951-detained before 1st general elections
5.1955-arrested in mid-term elections for defiance of section 144
6.Arrested under defence of India rules
7.1964arrested again under defense of India rules
8.Arrested under preventive detention act.
9.1969 again arrested inder preventive detention act
10.arrested on Dec 19th under rigorous conditions from Dec 19tyh 1969 to May 1972.
Below are some important points compiled from the 1970 document of the Andhra Pradesh Co-oordination Committee of Communist Revolutionaries(A.P.C.C.C.R.)
1.The Peoples revolutionary armed struggle is not itself the guerilla warfare.
:Even if armed struggle is the main form of struggle in the country.In the vast areas, where due to uneven development of the revolutionary movement ,the revolutionary movement has not yet taken the form of armed struggle ,other forms of struggle should be adopted and they should be co-ordinated with armed struggle. The armed struggle that the people carry on against the ruling classes is by itself an offensive struggle.Yet,when compared to the armed forces of the ruling classes ,the numbers,arms as well as skill of the people’s guerilla forces would not only be inferior but would continue to remain so for a long time. In this period we have to advance the revolution defending our guerilla areas and raise the slogan of self-defense for the revolutionaries. Without the slogan of self defense the broad masses would never be mobilized to overthrow the ruling classes.
2.Armed Struggle:The main form of Struggle
The C.P.I.(M.L.) failed to launch a mass movement or understand it’s importance.
Wherever the poeasnt struggle has not reached the stage of armed struggle,the peasnt struggle should be carried on there adopting the form of armed struggle.
Wherever the revolutionary peasant movement has reached the stage of armed struggle, the peasant struggle should be carrie3d on there adopting the form of armed struggle.
Appropriate form sof mass struggles have to be combined with the armed struggles.
3.Importance of slogan of defence.
The peoples armed struggle would begin with the defense of the revolutionary movement, the revolutionary gains,the revolutionary organization etc,from the attack s of the armed forces of the ruling classes. But in the primary stage, the strength and skill of the armed forces of the ruling classes would be many times greater than that of the armed forces organized by the people.The form of armed struggle adopted by the people at this stage is the guerilla warfare.As the people’s armed forces grow in number,and the strength of arms and skill at a certain stage become favourable to the revolutionary masses,armed struggle would reach a higher stateg.Then the armed struggle would take the form of mobile warfare and later the form of positional warfare.
4..Co-ordination between struggle areas and other areas
Our cadre is working in the areas of armed struggle as well as other areas.The leadership of the C.P.I.(M.L.)which is not adopting any other form of struggle excepting the armed struggle does not have an understanding of the tasks that should be carried in these areas. In these areas ,our cadre should carry on extensive propoganada among the masses of peole of our programme,the betrayal of the revisionists and the necessity to prepare for armed struggle.Masses should be mobilized into struggles on political and economic demands wherever,whenever and on whatever issue there is preparedness among themThrough these struggles,they should mobilize the masses to take up the form of armed struggle.
Today our cities are the centres of Imperialism,big bourgeoisie and rich classes.It is in these cities that the government machinery as well as the armed forces of the ruling classes are concentrated
However the working class,students and middle class are concentrated in the cities.These classes would march in the fore-front of anti-imperialist struggles.
The leadership of the C.P.I(M.L) has no programme whatsoever for fulfilling this task.They direct studenst and youth to go to the villages and integrate themselves with the peasantry.This leadership have performed anarchist actions like throwing bomb son schools colleges and primary health c entres etc.Such actions would not be useful to mobilize the discontented masses into the revolutionary mass struggle.They would not be a support to the rural peasnt struggle
Militatnt workers and students should be sent to the areas of armed struggle.
Although there is a revolutionary situation in India,the guerilla warfare takes a tortuous path of development owing to the uneven development of the revolutionary movement,the disunity among the revolutionary ranks and the ability of the ruling classes to concentrate large numbers of their armed forces against the gueriilla warfare.Only when we have a correct and realistic assessment ,woulkd we be in apposition tp prepare ourselvesand overcome these difficulties.
If we have to fulfil the main tasks which should be fulfilled in order to succesfuly carry on armed struggle for achieving the people’s democratic Revolution,we should base ourselves on this kind of base areas.Base areas cannot be established by conducting sporadic raids hee and there.Mao called this tendency”roving rebels.”Mao said the guerilla forces would begin to build the base areas only when a struggle is carried on against this tendency and is rooted out from among the guerilla forces.
In the beginning,these armed forces would only be in the form of guerilla squadsAs the struggle gets intensified ,the guerilla squads grow increasing in the number.We should gradually buil;d the regular army.Thus we would be in a position to establish base area only when we could build th armed force s capable of defeating the army in the area.This task cannot be fulfilled by forming a few squads with afew people drawn from the petty-bourgeoisie,the poor and landless peasant classes.
The second condition is that the peoples armed forces ,should with the support of the masses ,be capable of defeating the enemy.
This means defeating the enemy’s armed forces but not annihilationof class enemiesThis would become possible only when the majorty of the enemy’s armed forces attacki ng the guerilaa forces are annhilatd.
The third condition is the rousing of masses into the struggle.The mass organizations should be built in the course of the struggle.In our country, where a regular army is not present ,the revolutionaries should build the base areas by building the guerilla armies through peoples struggles,in that mainly the peasnt struggles by building the revolutionary mass organizations ,by rousing the masses through revolutionary programme and by defeating the enemy’s armed forces.
5.The Importance of terrain:
The leadership of the C.P.I.(M.L.) concluded that there was no need for a favourable terrain,mass movement,mass organization .etc. Our task would not be over merely with launching the guerilla warfare.It should be able to sustain and develop over a long period of time and be useful to build the base areas which is our strategic aim.WE have to select the areas which are politicallu,economically and socialy weak.Hillsmforests and plains without roads arte such areas.
6.Need of the mass Movement:
There is hardly any emphasis on the mass movementThea nihilation of class enemies is the only aim..Masse shave to be mobilized into revolutionary strugglesto make them realize the need for armed struggles.The revolutionary Girijan movement was already prevalent in Srikakulam before the armed struggle was launched.
7. Agrarian revolutionary progamme:Without building of agrarian revolutionary programme a revolutionary peasant movement is not possible.The feudal system will be abolished only after the establishment of the peoples democratic government.Distribtion of landlords land is the main iem of the agrarian revolutionary programme.Thus the question of land as a revolutionary demand would have oimmense importance in the agrarian revolution.Only by implementing the agrarian revolutionary programme would we be able to mobilize peasnt masses into armed struggle.
8.Party organization;revolutionary mass movement :
The C.P.I.(M.L.) makes no use of legal opportunities.A pary has to be kept secret but open struggles have to be carried out.Class enemies hould be tried in peoples courts with arevolutionary mass movement and not simply annihilated by armed squads.Thee is a defect in the technique where they remain as mere groups acrryiong out limited propaganda.
9.The Revolutionary peasnt movement is the foundation for the revolutionary mass movements:The leadership of the C.P.I.(M.L.)do not believe in revolutionary mass movements or mobilizing the masses on partial economic demands.Only when the revolutionary movement reaches the higher stage,it would take the form of armed struggle.
10.Extension of the Revolutionary Movement.
The leadership of the C.P.I(M.L.)does not recognize the necessity of revolutionary movement as well as the necessity of extending it to new areas of launching armed struggle.On the contrary,they think that the extension of the programme of annihilation of the class enemy itself is the extension of the armed struggle.
The peasant movement should not be confined to any one area.Our organizational strength would also grow while building the revolutionary movement in an area
If the peasnt movement is expanded and the armed struggle is launched in the vast areas ,the guerillas could in the face of the enemy’s attacks escape from one area to another and resist the enemy armed forces.
Once an armed struggle is launched,it should never be confined to any single area.It should be continuously extended to new and adjacent areas.
11..India is divided into several nationalities.However we do not support the C.P.I.(M.L.)’s demand of a sepertae TElengana state.-,which matches the sepertae Telengana movement with the Telengana peasnt armed struggle.They are hiding the fact that peasants and workers oif Telengana have not participated in the revolt.True,the peole in some towns fought heroically facing even the bullets from the police.
The peasants and workers have not participated in the separate Telengana movement.They remained neutral.Without the overthrow of the ruling class the “Peoples Raj’ in Telengana is inconceivable.
13.The Revolutionary Authority of the party is established only when correct leadership is provided toi the revolution.The leadership of the C.P.I.(M.L.) has failed in leading They are still trying to establish their’revolutionary authority.” The Naxalbari armed struggle.They have also failed in Srikakulam.
14..Rejecting the role of th negated the historic role of the Telengana armed struggle.e Telengana armed Struggle-The C.P.I.(M.L) led by Charu Mazumdar . n 1946 a red Letter was written in the history of the Indian Communist Movement. This event was the Telengana Armed Struggle led by the Andhra Pradesh Unit of the Communist Party of India.Thousands of acres of land were redistributed.Mass revolutionary line was practiced. The relationship between the agrarian revolutionary Movement and the armed struggle and formation of the peoples army was established and the issue of armed revolution and the principle of forming a people’s army based in the agrarian mass revolutionary programme and movement. was formulated.
Charu’s C.P.I.(M.L.)stated:Naxlabari represents the first ever application of Mao’s thought on the soil of India.It was in Naxalbari that the peasants for the first time ,launched their struggle for power.For this reason,Naxalbari symbolizes the path of liberation for exploited masses of the Indian peopleThus ushering in a new era in the political history of India.”
The Naxalbari leadership could have avoided the mistakes they made had they correctly grasped the experiences of the Telengana armed struggle.They could have redoubled he organsied strength of the Naxalbari peasants with the distribution of land,establishment of the village Soviets and building of peoples armed forces and be in position to carry on the protracted war.Instead they deny that the Telengana armed struggle relied on Mao’s thought.Inspite of their loud talk on relying on the masses ,they are not in actual fact prepared to undertake the revolutionary mass mobilization.They formulate that the Naxalbari struggle is not a struggle for land but for political power.”
The struggle suffered political defeat, not because of class enemies and the state ,but at the hands of the revisionist policies of the general staff of the C.P.I.
The C.P.I.leadership withdrew the Struggle and veered it towards the parliamentary path. The foundation for the Struggle was the meticulous mass work carried out between the years 1941-1946 ,similar to the launching of the Chinese peasant armed revolutionary struggle.
In 1948 a historic letter was written in Andhra on 9th July called the Andhra thesis., which highlighted that the Indian revolution would follow the Chinese path of ,of protracted peoples armed struggle with the peasants being the main force. The Indian economy was characterized as semi-colonial and semi-feudal., the peasant question as the core of Indian revolution, and the stage of revolution as ‘New Democratic’.
When the document was written the Telengana Struggle was at it’s peak. The concept of the united front with the middle and rich peasants was advocated. Resistance bases of the Chinese Type were to be formed The guerilla Warfare was deployed to defend the land and the village Soviets. Land was distributed in 3000 villages and the guerilla squads launched significant armed struggle against the Nizam’s army and the Razakars.The police sided with the Razakars and in retaliation the guerilla squads began to attack the police. The police used to attack in the day, while the people would retaliate at night.