Saurabh Mukherjee
The centenary celebrations of the formation of the Communist Party of India (CPI) commenced on Thursday (December 26) with a public meeting in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, the city where the party was founded on December 26, 1925.
The event marks a significant milestone in the history of the CPI and India’s freedom struggle.
Senior leaders, including CPI General Secretary D. Raja, National Secretaries Amarjeet Kaur and Girish Sharma, and Uttar Pradesh State Secretary Arvind Raj Swarup, addressed the gathering.
During his speech, D. Raja emphasized the CPI’s integral role in shaping India’s independence movement and its subsequent contributions to the republic’s foundation.
“The history of the CPI is intertwined with the history of our republic. The communists were at the forefront of the struggle for freedom and social justice,” he said.
He also highlighted the founding of the party in Kanpur (then Cawnpore) as a pivotal moment in India’s history, where committed revolutionaries united under the banner of the CPI to demand Purna Swaraj and fight against imperialism.
Today, the CPI has limited national representation, with two MPs each in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, and 22 MLAs across four states. The party aligned with the INDIA Bloc to challenge the BJP-led NDA in the 2024 General Elections. The party remains committed to its foundational ideals of secularism, equality, and social justice.
Raja voiced grave concerns over the sustained attacks on constitutional values by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its affiliates.
He accused the RSS of promoting an exclusivist vision of Hindutva nationalism that directly challenges the Constitution’s pluralistic ethos, which ensures equality and rights for all citizens, irrespective of religion, caste, or creed.
"The Constitution guarantees justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity to every citizen, but the RSS seeks to replace this with a divisive agenda that undermines the social fabric of our republic," Raja said.
Origins of CPI and its Journey
The CPI traces its origins to Tashkent in 1920, where exiled Indian revolutionaries formed the party under the influence of the Comintern’s anti-imperialist agenda. By 1925, communist ideologies found fertile ground in India, leading to the formation of the CPI at Kanpur.
The founding members included notable figures such as M.N. Roy, Evelyn Trent Roy, Abani Mukherji, and others. Early CPI movements targeted British colonial exploitation and sought to address social inequities rooted in caste and patriarchy.
At the Kanpur Conference, chairperson M. Singarvelu condemned untouchability, reflecting the CPI’s commitment to social reform alongside anti-imperialist struggle. The party was also the first to reject communalism outright, disallowing membership to those affiliated with communal organizations.
The CPI’s role in key movements like the Telangana Rebellion and Punnapra-Vayalar uprising showcased its commitment to land reforms and economic justice. It mobilized workers, peasants, and intellectuals through platforms like the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) and All India Kisan Sabha. These efforts were integral to the larger nationalist struggle against British rule, blending class struggle with the fight for independence.
After independence, the CPI championed social equality, land reforms, and workers' rights. In 1957, it formed the first non-Congress government in independent India in Kerala, led by EMS Namboodiripad.
However, the party’s influence waned after the 1960s due to electoral setbacks and ideological splits, notably the formation of the CPI(M) in 1964 over Sino-Soviet differences and India-China border tensions.
The event marks a significant milestone in the history of the CPI and India’s freedom struggle.
Senior leaders, including CPI General Secretary D. Raja, National Secretaries Amarjeet Kaur and Girish Sharma, and Uttar Pradesh State Secretary Arvind Raj Swarup, addressed the gathering.
During his speech, D. Raja emphasized the CPI’s integral role in shaping India’s independence movement and its subsequent contributions to the republic’s foundation.
“The history of the CPI is intertwined with the history of our republic. The communists were at the forefront of the struggle for freedom and social justice,” he said.
He also highlighted the founding of the party in Kanpur (then Cawnpore) as a pivotal moment in India’s history, where committed revolutionaries united under the banner of the CPI to demand Purna Swaraj and fight against imperialism.
Today, the CPI has limited national representation, with two MPs each in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, and 22 MLAs across four states. The party aligned with the INDIA Bloc to challenge the BJP-led NDA in the 2024 General Elections. The party remains committed to its foundational ideals of secularism, equality, and social justice.
Raja voiced grave concerns over the sustained attacks on constitutional values by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its affiliates.
He accused the RSS of promoting an exclusivist vision of Hindutva nationalism that directly challenges the Constitution’s pluralistic ethos, which ensures equality and rights for all citizens, irrespective of religion, caste, or creed.
"The Constitution guarantees justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity to every citizen, but the RSS seeks to replace this with a divisive agenda that undermines the social fabric of our republic," Raja said.
Origins of CPI and its Journey
The CPI traces its origins to Tashkent in 1920, where exiled Indian revolutionaries formed the party under the influence of the Comintern’s anti-imperialist agenda. By 1925, communist ideologies found fertile ground in India, leading to the formation of the CPI at Kanpur.
The founding members included notable figures such as M.N. Roy, Evelyn Trent Roy, Abani Mukherji, and others. Early CPI movements targeted British colonial exploitation and sought to address social inequities rooted in caste and patriarchy.
At the Kanpur Conference, chairperson M. Singarvelu condemned untouchability, reflecting the CPI’s commitment to social reform alongside anti-imperialist struggle. The party was also the first to reject communalism outright, disallowing membership to those affiliated with communal organizations.
The CPI’s role in key movements like the Telangana Rebellion and Punnapra-Vayalar uprising showcased its commitment to land reforms and economic justice. It mobilized workers, peasants, and intellectuals through platforms like the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) and All India Kisan Sabha. These efforts were integral to the larger nationalist struggle against British rule, blending class struggle with the fight for independence.
After independence, the CPI championed social equality, land reforms, and workers' rights. In 1957, it formed the first non-Congress government in independent India in Kerala, led by EMS Namboodiripad.
However, the party’s influence waned after the 1960s due to electoral setbacks and ideological splits, notably the formation of the CPI(M) in 1964 over Sino-Soviet differences and India-China border tensions.
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