The Communist Party has a major political presence in five countries as the sole ruling party, including in China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea and Vietnam, which are considered ‘Socialist States under Communist party leadership’, rather than as fully communist nations. Within India, however, the history of the Communist movement presents a mixed bag. Most people recognize that its contribution to labour and peasant mobilisation was substantial. It was, after all, among the first to demand ‘purna swaraj’, from the British

The Communist Movement in India was first conceived by Indian émigrés in Tashkent, (then part of Soviet Russia and now in Uzbekistan), in 1920. Later, Communist groups from India met in Kanpur on December 26, 1925, to make the first concerted effort on Indian soil, towards forming an All-India Communist party, the day that is now considered s the party’s founding date.

The Communist Party of India (CPI), and its splinter group, the CPI (M), have strong historical and ideological grounding in proletarian internationalism and principles of Marxism. Deriving from Marxism – Leninism, their ideology advocates a socialist society free from class exploitation. Viewing the world in terms of the fundamental contradictions between the forces of socialism and imperialism, it advocates for a ‘new democratic revolution’.

The two parties have established friendly relations with their counterparts and other working parties as well as progressive and democratic movements in many countries; relationships based on the principles of mutual respect and non-interference, which have provided consistent assistance to national liberation movements against imperial powers, to establish democracies. The position taken by CPI, such as labelling World War II as a ‘people’s war’, in the wake of involvement of the Soviet Union, had a crucial influence on its national strategy. In modern days, the two parties have maintained international dialogues and coordination with like-minded parties in the world.

The Communist Party has a major political presence in five countries as the sole ruling party, including in China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea and Vietnam, which are considered ‘Socialist States under Communist party leadership’, rather than as fully communist nations.

Within India, however, the history of the Communist movement presents a mixed bag. Most people recognize that its contribution to labour and peasant mobilisation was substantial. It was, after all, among the first to demand ‘purna swaraj’, from the British. Easily the most significant impact of the movement was the establishment of the India Trade Union Congress (ITUC) and the establishment of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), apart from organising strikes and movements like the 1928 Bombay textile strike and the Telangana armed rebellion.

However, despite the highly vocal opposition to British imperialism, and evils such as feudalism and caste discrimination, CPI’s opposition to the Quit India movement and, in what was to be termed as an ‘extra-territorial’ loyalty, its alignment with the Allied Forces in Second World War and the withdrawal of support for the Nationalist Movement were tactical mistakes which eliminated them from the mainstream of national sentiment.

Despite the controversy over their stance on certain issues, the party’s sacrifices and contributions to mass movements played major part in eroding the moral basis of the British Raj and hastened the process of Independence.

At different stages in my life, both professionally, and personally, I have had interesting experiences with CPI and CPI(M).

I recall, for instance, travelling to Coimbatore by train in 1951, with my mother escorting me, while I was to debut as a child actor in the trilingual movie ‘Manohara’. I had heard that a couple of days ago, a train had been derailed on account of sabotage by some anti-British elements, alleged to be Communist sympathisers. I spent a sleepless night worrying that something similar may happen to us. In 1975, after being posted as Deputy Commissioner Commercial Taxes at Kurnool, my nephew, Sitaram Yechury, had to go underground for some time, on account of a warrant of arrest issued against him, following his suspected involvement in anti-government activities. My parents sent him to stay with me for a while, so that I could disabuse him of his political inclinations and persuade him to pursue a normal life, pursuing a career outside politics. After a month or so, however, I had to call my parents and tell them that, far from being able to succeed in my mission, I was in danger of being indoctrinated into Communist philosophy, if he continued with me!

Sitaram, on his part, not only continued in his profession of Communist philosophy, but was to rise to national and international importance.

Much later, in different capacities in the Union Ministry of Agriculture, I had the privilege and honour of working with leaders from different political parties of the country, as they had joined the coalition of the United Front government at the center. I have fond memories of working with Chturanan Mishra, who was the Minister in charge. I found him to be the very personification of affection and gentlemanly behaviour.

Another person who was a great friend and a college contemporary, was Chand Joshi, son of P C Joshi, the first General Secretary of CPI, Chand continued the family’s legacy of journalism and was famous for his authorship of ‘Bhindranwale: Myth and Reality’.

I remember fondly how he came to our house in Hyderabad in the 1980s. We spent an evening reminiscing about good old college days and the state-of-affairs of the country.

Another person for whom I had great regard and respect was C V K Rao, a prominent figure associated with Communist politics. A respected Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), Rao was greatly admired for his honesty and upright posture in the Assembly.

Yet another person, known for his close connections with CPI was Vavilala Gopalakrishnaiah, the legendary member of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly. A bachelor, he was an ascetic, and only a choir bag containing a dhoti and kurta were his known earthly possessions. I recall with great pride and happiness when he dropped in for lunch, in the 1980s.

I was posted as Collector of Krishna district when I first had the honour and privilege of moving closely with the respected Communist leader, Puchalapalli Sundarayya, an MLA from the district.

And to round off this week’s article, here is a joke I heard about Communism, which circulated in Russia in 1992. “What takes five years to build, is the size of a bus, takes four men to operate and cuts an apple into three pieces”?

A Russian machine designed to cut an apple into four pieces!

(The writer was formerly Chief Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh)