Nashik: On the occasion of the centenary of the Communist Party of India, the CPI organised a grand conference on the topic ‘The Challenge of Fascism Before the Country’ at Aurangabadkar Hall. The conference, chaired by State Joint Secretary Com. Raju Desale was guided by well-known film director Varun Sukhraj and senior CPI leader Dr Ram Baheti.
Sukhraj, who is famous for his work 'Too Much Democracy,' said directly and bluntly, “I am an artist, but today the threat of fascism is so great that artists have to come to the political stage and speak. If art does not become political today, then art itself will cease to exist. Fascism does not come wearing a uniform; it has already reached our society, WhatsApp groups, and homes."
"Playing with emotions in the name of religion, deterioration of education and health, rampant unemployment, and the gap between the rich and the poor is increasing. People’s movements will have to be raised against this. The defeat of fascism is possible only with people's movement, this will be proven in the coming days,” Sukhraj added.
Dr Ram Baheti narrated the history of the party’s hundred-year struggle. “In 1925, the Communist Party was established in Kanpur and the RSS in Nagpur. This ideological struggle continues even today. We fought against the British, Portuguese, French, princes, and landlords. We got thousands of acres of land for the poor farmers. Even today, we are fighting against the fascist RSS, and we will definitely win this fight on behalf of the people!”
In his presidential address, Desale said, “Nashik is a city of revolution. The Communist Party has always been at the forefront in the fight for water, forest and land. B.D. Bhalekar saved the school, took to the streets against the cutting of trees in Tapovan. Even when not in power, we got RTI, MNREGA, and forest rights laws. The fight against fascism will continue until the rule of farmers and workers comes.”
In his introduction, Com. Manohar Pagare said that the administrator rule in Nashik is the embodiment of the fascist ideology at the centre. A signature campaign was also conducted against the cutting of Tapovan trees.
The program began with the collective reading of the preamble of the Constitution and concluded with the national anthem. Com. Devidas Bhopale proposed the vote of thanks, Com. Talha Sheikh moderated. Senior leaders Bhaskarrao Shinde, Meenatai Adhav, Padmakar Ingle, along with hundreds of workers, farmers, students, and teachers, were present.
