WHY I TRY TO BE A COMMUNIST????

In the beginning, I would like to make it clear that I don’t consider myself a Communist. I cannot be a Communist until I know what being a Communist means, and I can’t say that I know it.

First of all, I am a supporter of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). But, why?

I spent my childhood and early teenage in a place called Kandi in Murshidabad District, which was, at that time, an out and out Congress dominated district. When I was in 8^th standard, I started to take interest in the political situation of the town as we used to be in company of Chhatra Parishad(CP) leaders all the time.

Student Politics, at that time, was dominated, mainly physically, by CP boys. There was virtually no existence of SFI in the colleges. The supporters of SFI were more keen to save themselves during elections rather that publicizing their candidates. There was a small office of SFI at the end of small “gully” which was inhabited only by mosquitoes and flies.

But, there was this young man, his name was probably Naseem or something, who always used to visit our school and the college just beside it. Almost everyday I heard that,”aaj Naseem hebby kal kheyeche” and still I saw him the very next day outside the college gate with leaf-lets in his hand about some protest or other issues, or for the publicity of SFI candidate.

My friends used to talk about Naseem without any respect and from these discussions it was clear that there was absolutely no chance of SFI whatsoever inside college politics.

That gave rise to the obvious WHY??? And this why guided me towards knowing SFI, and further more, Communist Party of India.

7 years earlier, I moved to Durgapur, which is by the way what is said to be a ‘BAAMDURGO’!! For a boy, like me, who can be influenced by CPI(M) inside a complete Congress environment, it was a boon. This is the place where I started my ‘adventure’ towards Communism. I started reading books which I only heard of. Came in contact of people from whom I learnt about Communism, Karl Marx and of course, Che Guevara.

Knowing about Che Guevara is the most influential thing I have come across in life until now. I started to read Ernesto che Guevara by I. Lavretsky 3-4 years back which fascinated me very much. I was deeply influenced by Sodderberg’s films, Che 1 & 2.

But still, I am not a communist. Communism is about theory and practice, both happening simultaneously. And I am still learning………………………………….

FOR NOW, HARMAD.M SAYS………….LAAL SELAM!!!!