Can the Working Class Shape Indian Democratic Politics?

Let us begin by paying homage to the labour leaders in whose memory this annual lecture has been instituted. I have personally had the honour of working with Comrade A.D. Shastri, who was a leader of my union CITU. He was a real fighter on behalf of the working class. I pay homage to Brother A.P. Kulkarni, another indomitable fighter on behalf of workers who left us last month. Two years back this month, a great intellectual and national leader of the working class Comrade Govind Pansare was martyred by the bullets of communal terrorists. And 71 years back today hundreds of patriotic workers of Mumbai fell to the bullets of the British when they struck work and came on the streets to support the Royal IndianNavy mutiny. Along with them a young communist activist Comrade Kamal Dhonde was also martyred. Let us salute the memory of Comrade Pansare, Comrade Kamal Dhonde and the hundreds of working class martyrs of 22 February 1946