Letter from India:
I am a new member of ICWP. I am 21 years old, a college student. I started reading Red Flag about two years ago.
My parents were in the old communist movement. When I was a child, I saw their commitment to change the world. They were very down-to-earth and had lots of friends. Our house was always open to anybody. However, they were very disappointed when they realized that the Communist Party of India had long abandoned the path of revolution in favor of peaceful democratic revolution.
In my childhood years I agonized over their pain. I wanted to fight for revolution that would destroy our oppressors forever. I wanted a real communist party that would never compromise on total and complete destruction of capitalism. I had seen horrendous atrocities in my village by the landlords. From raping women to murders, they were ruthless, powerful. I decided I wanted to end this system. This is when I found the Red Flag and ICWP.
I am writing to you, comrades, today because I want to let you know that ICWP is alive and growing in the midst of fascism. We are organizing in the area where women labourers work in the tea plantations. After the re-election of fascist Modi, the owners have unleashed their sexist terror. Female workers are bodily searched to enter the plantation. This is done by a sadistic foreman.
We decided to organize workers to refuse this humiliating practice. We started talking about communism and how we will not only end the bosses but any form of sexism. We told the workers that our path is difficult, but we must not stop fighting. We saw that many women workers were ready to fight. Some were afraid of more repression. But our words spread like a wildfire.
When the bosses found out that we were ready to confront them, they brought their armed goons. We found out about their plans as well. We decided to spread our ideas deeper and farther.
Now hundreds of workers, women and men, Hindus and Muslims, identified with us. They pledged to defend us. The fascist goons have retreated now. But we expect counterattack. Our answer is to mobilize the masses for communism. Join us, comrades, in numbers! NOW!
—Young comrade
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