People's Democracy

(Weekly Organ of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)

Vol. XXVII

No. 18

May 04, 2003


CPI(M) Collects Medicines For Iraqis

ON April 18, besides stridently condemning the Anglo-American subjugation of Iraq, the peace-loving people of Tripura showed their sincere compassion for the Iraqis affected by this barbaric aggression. Under the auspices of the CPI(M) state committee, they ran a drive statewide to collect money and medicines. The drive, that evoked massive response, was undertaken at the call of the party’s Polit Bureau.

From morning throughout the day, CPI(M) activists in every subdivision approached the drug stores as well as businessmen and other people in general, and thus collected anti-biotic drugs, dextrose, tubes for drip delivery, analgesics, pediatric drugs and the like. The CPI(M) state committee had fixed the date for this collection drive and issued the directive that the medicines and money thus collected must be deposited at the party’s state headquarters by April 25.

The popular response to the day-long drive of the party may be gauged from the fact that The CPI(M)’s Sadar divisional committee alone collected medicines worth about Rs 4 lakh. During this collection drive, party activists held placards in their hands and hung posters around their necks, asking the people to contribute whatever they could towards the treatment of Iraqi children and other people who have been injured in the Anglo-American imperialist aggression on Iraq.

During the daylong drive in the subdivisional town of Belonia in South Tripura, many party leaders including state secretariat member Narayan Kar took part. The drive yielded a collection of Rs 1875 here. As the programme in the subdivisional town of Khowai in West Tripura was marred by inclement weather after it got underway, it was deferred for April 19.

To recall, the entire state had witnessed massive anti-war marches on March 27. (INN)