Comrade Basavaraju Is Immortal! - TKP-ML propositionof a joint declaration

 

Comrade Basavaraju Is Immortal!
We learned with sorrow that Namballa Kesava Rao, “Comrade Basavaraju,” General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) and one of the vanguard forces of the international proletariat, lost his life along with 27 guerrillas in clashes with the fascist Indian military forces. In the same clash, another valued cadre of the CPI (M), Saija Naeswara Rao, also gave his life.

The immortalization of Comrade Basavaraju, above all, and our other comrades is a great loss for the Indian working class, the peasantry, and the people, as well as for the CPI (M), the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), and the world communist movement. But we know that dozens of Indian communists will fill Comrade Basavaraju’s place and take up the task of carrying out the democratic people’s revolution.

Comrade Basavaraju Was a Communist Leader!
Comrade Basavaraju began his struggle at a young age by organizing within the student movement and later took on various assignments given to him by his party. He was especially instrumental in the creation and development of the PLGA. He made significant contributions to the unification of Indian Maoist forces, and when the CPI (M) was formed in 2004, he joined the Central Military Commission and the Political Bureau, leading those bodies.

At age 65, in 2018, Comrade Basavaraju assumed the role of General Secretary of the CPI (M), and at age 72 he fell in battle on May 22. Despite his advancing years, he led the party and commanded the People’s War against the fascist Indian state’s assaults.

Likewise, Comrade Basavaraju was a leader who worked for and contributed to the common struggle of the international proletariat. Despite all of the enemy’s encirclement and annihilation attacks, Indian comrades maintained relations with many communist parties around the world, and he made important theoretical contributions toward establishing a central unity of Maoist parties.

If the Enemy Is Attacking, Things Are Good!
Comrade Mao said years ago, “If the enemy is attacking, things are good.” Today, the fascist Indian state under Modi continues a comprehensive assault on the Maoist movement, which strengthens People’s War, under “Operation Kagar.” Within this operation, there are widespread attacks on indigenous peoples, villages are evacuated, the resisting are slaughtered, and they are tortured. This offensive, carried out to hand India’s underground and surface resources to the imperialists, will be thwarted by the struggle of Indian communists and the contributions of international solidarity.

The International Proletariat Will Not Forget Comrade Basavaraju!
Comrade Basavaraju, who struggled for fifty years from his youth for the establishment of New Democratic India and fell in battle against the enemy, will live forever in the hearts of the international proletariat and the oppressed peoples.

Below, as communist parties and organizations from many countries around the world, we extend our deepest condolences to the CPI (M) and the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army. Once again, we affirm that we will keep Comrade Basavaraju alive in our struggle.

Comrade Basavaraju Is Immortal!
Long Live the Struggle of the Indian People!
Long Live Proletarian Internationalism!

Signatories: