The 3rd district convention of the CPI (ML) was held in Gorakhpur on 20 March 2016 at the Commissioner Court Bar Association hall. Senior leader Com. Hari Prasad hoisted the Party flag, following which a minute’s silence was observed to pay tribute to departed comrades. The outgoing district Secretary Com. Rajesh Sahani presented the annual report on which the delegates expressed their views. He said that Gorakhpur district continues to remain a stronghold of communal forces. He pointed out that there was a deep dissatisfaction among the people with the working of the SP government; in the current situation the CPI (ML) has become the focus of hope for the marginalized and oppressed sections of the society. We must strengthen and expand the Party and sharpen the struggle on issues relating to Gorakhpur.
Convention observer and CCW member Com. Sudhakar Pathak said that the Modi government has totally failed to keep its promises to the people and is bent on murdering democracy. Democratic institutions are being attacked. Students and intellectuals questioning the government’s anti-people policies are being attacked and being sent to jail under the sedition Act which is a relic from the British Raj; at the same time Vijay Mallya is allowed to flee the country after embezzling 9,000crors of the country’s hard-earned money. He called on Party workers to strengthen people’s struggles. The convention announced a dedicated struggle against the Central and State governments’ anti-farmer, anti-worker, anti-poor, anti-women, and anti-youth policies. The convention passed a 17-point resolution relating to encephalitis, AIIMS, crop loss compensation, sugar mill closures, weavers’ distress, forest people’s rights, river pollution, failure of MNREGA and PDS, rising crime rate, non-payment of Dalit and OBC fellowships in Gorakhpur University, and other issues. The convention strongly condemned the assault by the Modi government and RSS on HCU, JNU, and other institutes for higher education, and resolved to strengthen the struggle against these assaults.
The convention elected a new 17 member district committee which unanimously re-elected Com. Rajesh Sahani as district Secretary.
