Veteran communist revolutionary, All-India Vice-President of All India Kisan Mazdoor Sabha (AIKMS) and secretary of Maharashtra State Committee of CPI(ML)-New Democracy, Com. Laxman Pagar, passed away at 9:30 PM on October 12, 2001. Com. Pagar was not keeping well for some time. Com. Pagar was 72 years old.

Born in a poor peasant family in Khadkojar village of Chandwad talluka of Nasik district in Maharashtra, Com. Laxman Pagar joined the Communist Party of India in 1957. During the split in CPI in 1964, Com. Pagar became part of the CPM. Enthused by the Great Naxalbari Peasant Armed Struggle, Com. Laxman Pagar left the CPM and joined the Communist revolutionary movement. He was one of the founders of CPI(ML) in Maharashtra.

In CPI(ML) he went to work among tribals in Peth taluka of Nasik district. Soon he came to realize the ill effects of the ‘left’ line pursued by the leadership and upheld revolutionary mass line. He came in contact with APRCP and started working among tribals in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra bordering Andhra Pradesh. His work among tribals endeared him to tribals. Once when he was arrested there tribals attacked the police station and released him. He was highly wanted with a reward on his head.

He was arrested during emergency and severely tortured. Even his tongue was cut off. He was released after lifting of emergency in 1977.

He was a pioneer of the peasant struggle for remunerative prices. He initiated and led the onion growers struggle for remunerative prices and mobilized vast number of peasants. This was before the likes of Sahrad Joshi took up this issue. A number of mass actions including blockading the highway with thousands of peasants were taken up.

Later Com. Pagar organized the tribals in Ahmednagar district including Puntable village where recently tribal struggle took place and police fired on protestors. Four years back he was brutally attacked and suffered head injury as he victoriously led the struggle of plain area tribals for land in his home district. Com. Pagar was a very good orator and leader of mass agitations.

He recognised the importance of struggle of dalits against the caste system and tried to link it successfully with the ongoing class struggle.

Com. Pagar was imprisoned on several occasions for his revolutionary activities. He underwent long jail life and underground life in the course of his revolutionary activities.  

He was elected Vice-President of All-India Kisan Mazdoor Sabha at the founding conference of AIKMS held in December 2000 at Rajahmundry (AP).

Central Committee of CPI(ML)-New Democracy pays its homage to the revolutionary memory of Com. Pagar.