November 16 - 30, December 1-15, 2006

Let us build our own future

In the midst of the working class quarters of Delisle Road, a different kind of public meeting was organized on October 29, 2006.

What was different about the meeting? Was it that workers were participating in a meeting in the Mughal House, which has seen numerous small and large gatherings of textile workers in the past? No.

It was that workers themselves had organized the meeting. These workers have organized themselves under the banner of the Kaamgar Ekta Chalwal (Workers Unity Movement). They include not only textile workers of the few remaining mills like Century, but also garment export workers, house hold workers, muncipal school teachers, private school teachers, municipal hospital workers, workers in the IT sector, university and college teachers, bank employees, other working people, as well as employees of the so-called public sector. There were communists who have made it their mission of life to bring the working class to power, even if they themselves come from other classes. It was a truly a gathering of the advanced working class of Mumbai-Thane. Half the participants were women workers. The majority were youth. Over a hundred and fifty activists of the KEC had traveled from all across Thane and the city to discuss the question “let us build our own future”. They spoke without fear or favour about their immediate problems, about the problems confronting the country

This correspondent of the Mazdoor Ekta Lehar was privileged to participate in this historic meeting. It was chaired by a five member presidium consisting of the President of the KEC, Comrade Subroto, the spokesperson of the CGPI, the Secretary of the Maharashtra Regional Committee of the CGPI and two other leaders of the KEC and the party,

Comrade Girish presented a report on the consequences of the liberalization and privatization program on the workers and peasants and the way out of the situation. With a brilliant narrative, he involved the activists in a lively discussion on what is going on, and more importantly, what is the way out.

The interventions that followed this presentation of 15 minutes continued for over 1 hour before the next presentation began. Ten comrades, including two girls, spoke passionately in the interventions, enlivening the discussion.

Comrade Subroto, the President of the KEC, gave a rousing speech explaining why the working class needs to go for political power, and why the working class of India needs an organization like the KEC. A man from the working class, who has fought his entire active life in the cause of the workers, the activists unanimously applauded his presentation.

The youth comrades of KEC conducted a brilliant interview of two of the activists of the KEC in the TU movement. It was both serious as well as hilarious. Done in the style of talk shows, the young worker comrades – in their early twenties — posed some interesting questions to their comrades but a generation senior to themselves, also TU leaders and organizers.

Such a lovely cultural program of militant working class revolutionary songs, I as a reporter of MEL have not heard in a long time in a working class meeting.

It was amazing to me that hardly any one went out to smoke during the speeches, despite a long tiring day,

Comrade Prakash Rao of the CGPI concluded the meeting hailing all the activists and the work of the KEC and the party in the region.

It looks like the workers of Maharashtra have decided, it is time to decide our own future,