S. Jha

21st October, 2019  is the 36th death anniversary of  Com. Satyanarayan Singh (SNS), one of the founder members of CPI(ML), Central Committee and Politburo member of undivided CPI(ML) and General Secretary of Revived CC of CPI(ML) formed in the course of struggle against ‘Left’ deviation and later of the PCC, CPI(ML) formed after merger of CC CPI(ML) and Unity Committee, CPI(ML).

Com SNS was born on 30th January 1923 in Dhamar village, Arrah District of Bihar and he died on 21st October 1984 due to renal failure in Vishakhapatnam of Andhra Pradesh when he went there to hold unity talks with CC, CPI(ML).

Com. SNS made great contribution in Indian Communist movement. He joined communist party during Second World War while he was working in air force of British India. While he was in service in 1946 he refused to salute British Union Jack. On this charge he had to serve two years of jail punishment. After coming out from jail he became a professional revolutionary in Communist Party of India (CPI). As party work he was made in charge of Shahabad dist. organization of Bihar and later was deputed to the organizations of south Bihar districts.

In 1952 Com SNS led historical struggle of workers in  Jamshedpur against Tatas. For that he along with three other leaders of CPI was arrested in 1952 in Jamshedpur Conspiracy case and remained in jail for 8 years. In 1962 he was again arrested as he opposed war with China and remained in jail for 4 years. In the split with Dange revisionists in CPI he remained with CPI(M). When historical Naxalbari upsurge occurred he firmly stood with Naxalbari struggle and severed ties with CPI(M) neo-revisionists.

After Naxalbari he led the historical Mushahari peasant upsurge in Mazaffarpur district of Bihar. He was Convenor  of Bihar Unit of AICCCR, predecessor of CPI(ML). In CPI(ML) he staunchly fought for Marxism-Leninism-Mao Tse tung thought as guiding ideology, played pioneering role in rectifying ‘left’ deviation in CPI(ML) led by com Charu Majumdar. By fighting against both ‘left’ and right deviation he upheld the line of ‘Revolutionary mass line’. Realizing the damage due to split among communist revolutionaries in India he from the beginning earnestly tried for and played a prominent role in uniting communist revolutionaries in India into a single party.

He was among the few persons among Indian Communist revolutionaries who realized before 1975 emergency declaration, the danger of fascism in semi-colonial semi-feudal India and supported the Jayprakash Narayan led movement in 1974.  In practice along with fighting for a revolutionary line beside organizing peasant struggles as in Mushahari, Surajgoda, Karpi etc. he led many exemplary struggles of working class and other section of the people which general masses still remember like struggle in Sindri Fertiliser, struggle of CISF jawans in Bokaro, struggle in Rakha Copper mines of Singbhum, struggle in Uranium mine workers in Jadugoda etc. He was a very capable leader in organizing working class (not only in small factories but in big Industries).

He was a very popular leader loved by the people in wherever he went and came in touch with the people. In personal life he had a simple life style with communist ideals, very agile, open hearted, fearing no sacrifice, he never hesitated for open self criticism whenever he realized any of his mistakes e.g. for the political line underlying 1980 split. On the occasion of death anniversary of Com. SNS let us pay tribute to this great revolutionary communist leader.

Red salute to Comrade Satyanarayan Singh (SNS)