People's Democracy

AKG Bust Unveiled At Party Headquarters

Surjeet along with other PB members and CPI leader D Raja after unveiling Comrade AKG's bust

“ALWAYS ready for action, a model inspiration to future generations, and a toiler for the common masses”. This is how the CPI(M) general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet remembered one of the leading pillars of the communist movement in India, A K Gopalan, at the CPI(M) headquarters in New Delhi on October 1, 2004.

As Party workers, students and an amalgam of trade unionists, and kisan leaders chanted Comrade “Gopalan Ko Lal Salam”, a bust of “AKG” as he was universally known, was unveiled near the entrance of the AKG Bhavan on the occasion of his 100 birth anniversary. Among those present on this occasion were Party Polit Bureau members M K Pandhe, Sitaram Yechury, S Ramachandran Pillai, and CPI leader D Raja.

Later at a meeting presided over by Polit Bureau member, E Balananadan, Surjeet brought to life various facets of AKG – the humble teacher, the Kisan Sabha leader, his role in the freedom struggle as a Congressman and later as a Communist. Surjeet recalled affectionately about the 22 days in Bhatinda when AKG went underground. He recalled too the Parliamentarian who ruthlessly championed the cause of the common man both inside and outside the Parliament. His penchant for exposure of corruption was noted.

Giving flashbacks of his days with Gopalan, Surjeet remembered how AKG used to scan the newspapers to get his daily insight into  key areas of exploitation, and how in a flash he could reach the spot where any struggle was taking place without having to get ready like modern leaders. He reminded the audience “of the humble man with no ego, always ready to learn and expect criticism. His life is a guide to action, to struggle for the common people”, he said. (INN)