The memorial meeting

On march 20, a memorial meeting was held attended by PGA fighters, Party leaders and members of the militia. The meeting was chaired by Com. Mahesh, Eturnagaram Party Area Committee secretary.

Paying homage to the 8 martyrs and Com. Saranna, he said that we must turn our tears into anger against the enemy. He praised the martyred comrades for their heroic resistance, which saved the rest of the members at the camp. He said the enemy’s action was unimaginably massive and the loss has been great. But, the party, he said, has endured even bigger attacks. He said, " We must take a programme to attack the enemy and break the claws that hit us. To carry the aims of the martyrs forward, we must determine the principal task, and implement it thoroughly. The enemy is thinking to finish off the people and the party. We have to foil their attempts and march forward. In this endeavour every single comrade has an important role to play."

The next speaker was LGS commander Bharati, a local tribal who has been in touch with the movement since 1985, she recounted Devendra’s last words, "the enemy is making a flank operation towards the headquarters; sister, all will die, fire, fire". She then recounted, that even when LMG and AK bullets were raining on them and grenade explosions were taking place all around, Devendra refused to retreat and died firing. She said even Benjamin showed considerable courage. Both, she said, held up the police forces and allowed the camp to escape. She added that com. Swarna came from afar to work in the Mangur area, living the hard life of a guerrilla for over a decade. Finally she clarified "people are saying that only tribals are getting killed. This is utter nonsense. Comrades from all sections are dying. We must remove this misconception from the minds of the public, which is being widely propagated by our enemies. Adivasis are one of the most exploited sections of society, so it is they who need our party the most. Naturally, like others, they too die at the hands of a cruel enemy". She added "there is also a feeling that only we are dying and not the police. This must change. We must attack more effectively. We have to be very serious in correcting our technical mistakes. We also have to make a proper estimation of the enemy forces. If we do all this and successfully attack the enemy, we can once again raise the people’s morale. The CM, Naidu, after returning from America has got extra aggressive against us. He keeps saying ‘talks, talks’, but has been launching cruel attacks on us, including the recent fake encounter of two unarmed women comrades who had just returned from hospital. He has get full backing from the US for all this. We have to consider how to more effectively expose him. If we have to increase our strength, we must analyse all this. We must learn from our martyred comrades how to dare to fight the enemy. However many surrender, we must discard the poisonous temptations of the government and carry the aspirations of our martyred comrades forward."

The next to speaker was comrade Ganesh, secretary of the Khamman District Committee of the party. The Etunagaram forest belt, though part of Warangal district, comes under the jurisdiction of the Khammam DC. Com. Ganesh began " our March 8th programme was just over. We had gathered at the camp for political discussions on the SZC circulars. Also to consider how to strengthen the PGA, to discuss the new tactics of the enemy and how to change our methods in the light of this. We had just begun the discussions, and within a few days there was this attack. The enemy claims a big victory. Due to betrayal by informers and covert operation, and the concerted attack of the JOC under direct command of DGP, Ramulu, they were able to murder 8 of our valuable comrades. In an immediate sense, it was their victory, and so their arrogance. But it is just one event, and they have in no way hit our main strength. Those who were martyred died in order to allow the others - leaders and PGA fighters - to escape. This, in a way, is also the victory for the PGA fighters."

Then com. Ganesh went on to recount the individual histories of all the martyred comrades. Having worked in this region form its very inception, he knew each intimately. He added " they were all senior comrades with experiences varying from 4 to 13 years. Each was an important comrade with a great spirit of self-sacrifice. All played an important role in the history of the party. We must learn from their positive points. And any real homage to these martyrs is to carry their hopes and aims forward."

He then went on to politically analyse the massacre at Tupakallaguddam. He said, "this event has taught us some lessons and the necessity to change our work methods; her the enemy attacked us with a far greater level of planning. It was not the work of local police officers, but a JOC operation. Their detailed plans and massive mobilisation of forces, was aimed to totally finish us off. What does this teach us? It tells us that in future there will be more such big operations. For this we have to enhance our vigilance."

He added " the government is making much ado about ‘talks’ for the last four months. This is a gimmick. To attract a section of people towards it, it is making a show of ‘talks’. There is no real discussion or ‘talks’ but a gimmick. After the Tupakulaguddam massacre, any one, even with eyes closed, can now understand this gimmick. The people too are now clear that this ‘talks’ business is a mere gimmick. It is quite clear that there is no interest in ‘talks’. After the Tupakulaguddam massacre, those crows who continue to kaw about ‘talks’ are total agent for the enemy."

"In this incident, newspapers reported the area as a War Zone. In other such cases firing went on for hours, but it was never called a war zone. The intensity of this fight was like a war. Though they finally managed to kill many of the leading comrades of PL1; the main police goon, Sanjeev, was also killed."

Com. Ganesh then went on to outline the lessons that could be taken. He said, "Unless we have a correct estimation of the enemy and adopt new method of work, there will be more such losses. The Tupakullaguddam event brings out not the enemy’s strength but our weakness. We have not thoroughly analysed the weakness in our work - so the losses. We have not taken our shortcoming seriously, so we repeat the mistakes again and again. Also the enemy has come with new tactics. We have to study both the enemy and ourselves and evolve new tactics. We should also educate the public in this. We have to challenge the enemy and advance, smashing his offensive."

Com. Ganesh continued "this class war is ruthless. The enemy is ruthless. There is no place for compassion here. There will be losses; may be even bigger ones, like Kaukanda. Our tears must tear to rage against the cruel enemy. We should not get dejected or vacillate with these losses doubting whether we will live or die. When we opted for revolution, we knew it would entail hard work and the possibility of death. Sacrifice is inevitable. Our blood is like the oil of revolution. We must remove all weakness and hesitation within ourselves and avenge the death of these martyrs.

"We must go amongst the masses and mobilise the masses to annihilate the enemy. We must bring the public into the war. Every tree, every stone and anything in the hands of the people must be turned into weapons against the enemy. Only if we do this is it a real homage to our martyrs. Their attack on us through their informer network is built on money, not public support. Their fight is from the air, ours is on the solid ground of people’s support. So, we shall win. To build the Guerrilla Base we must vow to increase the attacks on the enemy - this will be a true homage to our fallen martyrs."

PL1 had fought many a brilliant battle. The enemy was terrified of it. It has a list of successful attacks in its history as at Sirpur, Karkuguddam, etc. For the establishment of Base Areas PL1 has played a major role. They never retreat. On this occassion too, they fought and died. All the martyrs of Tupakullaguddam were products of PL1. We must not be afraid on seeing their death. Some lose confidence. This is not good. We must learn from their courage and advance forward. Their death has allowed us to live, to continue the revolution. We must pay homage by carrying on the revolution forward.

To do so we must first and foremost overcome our weaknesses and estimate the enemy politically. Legalism and liberalism is resulting in big losses. If all - leadership and cadre - do not come out of this there will be more losses. This we must do quickly. We also have to refine and develop our tactic. If we do all this, we shall definitely advance.

Com. Azad is the Chief of the North Telengana Eastern Command. He concluded the memorial meeting with a small speech and many poems.

He said, "The PL1 martyrs have upheld the heroic traditions of the Party. By defending the camp and the leadership, it is, in a sense a victory for the PGA. The Party was saved, to further analyse the movement, rectify mistakes and take action to smash the enemy.

But, we have two serious weaknesses — legalism and liberalism — which is resulting in severe losses. Legalism comes from the easy-going habits of normal life; while liberalism stems from ideological weakness. As NT is the mother of the PGA and heart of Indian revolution, the enemy is putting in special effort to finish off the movement here. If we are to successfully counter the enemy offensive, we have to, first and foremost, rid ourselves of legalism and liberalism."

A fortnight earlier section commander, com. Saranna, was martyred in an ambush in the Madhevpur area, about 3 to 4 hours from the camp site. Having gained information that meetings were on in this region the police had stepped up their combing operations. A small batch of 5 comrades was ambushed on Feb 26. Com. Saranna was injured, and went and hid in a haystack. The police traced him from the blood marks. He was then brutally tortured for information, and shot dead in cold blood.

Saranna, a tribal from Kantapalli village of Etuunagaram mandal, was active in the village since 1993 and joined the local squad in 1995. In 1997 he was transferred to PL1 and since a year has been section commander of PL15. He also influenced his younger sister, Sammakka who got recruited in 1997 and is at present a member of PL1. She cried for 3 days inconsolably on getting the news. For, he had an ideal relationship with his sister — was not just a brother but a close friend.

Saranna, in fact, had excellent communist values — he was hard-working and selfless. There was no task that he would not take up, however difficult or dangerous. He was always jovial, with a continuous smile on his face. He had no ego what-so-ever, and would happily accept a fault before all — not just superficially, but with a sincere effort to change. He was always a pleasure to be with — emanating warmth and bondage.

He was from a middle-peasant background and had studied till the 5th standard. A month earlier he had a miraculous escape, when the bullock-cart they were accompanying was ambushed. Taking cover behind the cart and firing back, they made a successful escape. He has been snatched away from his comrades at the young age of 25.