Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 04 November 2024
The 5th South Andaman Rural Area Conference of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI (M)) took place at Shaheed Bhavan in Anarkali, Port Blair. The event opened with the hoisting of the party flag by Dr. Gouranga Majhi, Secretary of the South Andaman Rural Area Committee, followed by floral tributes at the Martyrs’ Memorial Column.
Inaugurating the conference, D. Ayyappan, Secretary of the CPI (M) A & N State Organizing Committee, addressed the gathering with sharp criticism of international conflicts and domestic policies. He warned of a potential global war, citing recent escalations in the Middle East, where thousands of civilians have died amid Israel’s attacks. He alleged a shift in India’s stance, accusing the Modi administration of supporting Israel, a departure from India’s historic support for Palestine. Ayyappan attributed ongoing conflicts, including the Russia-Ukraine war, to U.S. influence, though he highlighted China’s emergence as a formidable counterforce.
Ayyappan also criticized the Modi administration’s domestic policies, particularly in its third term, for allegedly favouring corporate interests at the expense of common citizens. He pointed to inflation, rising unemployment, and unchecked corruption under the BJP-led central government as key concerns. He argued that these issues were particularly visible in BJP-ruled states.
The conference also addressed the unique challenges facing the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Ayyappan expressed disappointment in the central government’s inability to address fundamental issues faced by island residents over the past decade. He condemned the lack of action by central agencies against corrupt officials and accused the BJP government of enabling such corruption. Ayyappan emphasized that the CPI (M) remained the only political organization actively challenging what he described as anti-people policies both at the national level and within the islands’ administration.
Dr. Gouranga Majhi presented a report summarizing the party’s activities in rural South Andaman over the last three years. Party members engaged in discussions on the report, passing resolutions on a range of issues. The conference concluded with the election of an 11-member committee, with D. Laxman Rao appointed as the new Area Committee Secretary. Rao, in his address, urged members to build a stronger CPI (M) presence in South Andaman’s rural areas in the years ahead.
The conference concluded with a condolence resolution, presented by senior leader P. Banerjee, honouring the memory of party members who had passed away.