Communists should strengthen democracy, says poet K. Satchidanandan

Poet K. Satchidanandan has said that Communist parties in India should strive towards strengthening democracy, but not as a strategy “till the arrival of the real revolution”. He was delivering a recorded speech at an event to mark the birth centenary of Mandakini Narayanan, a former Naxalite leader, here on Saturday (October 25).

Mr. Satchidanandan said that one of the important reasons for the diminishing influence of Indian Marxism was its refusal to have serious discussions on caste. He pointed out that democracy would be effective here only if the dissenting voices against the hegemonies perpetuated by caste, class, patriarchy, gender, race, colour, and language were stronger. “For that, the Communists need to really believe in democracy, not as a strategy till the arrival of the ‘revolution’... We need to teach the current generation real history. It should also be ensured that our liberal institutions are not manipulated by the ruling establishment,” he added.

Vibhuti Patel, academic and feminist, opened the event. Mandakini Narayanan, a collection of articles edited by her daughter K. Ajitha, and Kunnikkal Narayanan: Oru Communistinte Viplavachinthakal, edited by journalist R.K. Bijuraj, were released on the occasion. Later in the evening, feminist and activist Gita Ramaswamy delivered a lecture.