Last year on July 31, communist revolutionary movement lost a valiant fighter when a leader of the Godavari Valley Resistance Movement, Com. Linganna was killed by police in the forest near Rolgadda village in Gondala Mandal of Bhadadri-Kothagudem district of Telengana.

The cause for which Com. Linganna laid down his life of liberating the people and making New Democratic Revolution in India remains valid. He sacrificed his life in the course defending the lands and means of livelihood of Indian people, a cause which has gained urgency in view of the attacks against the tribal people by the Central and State govts. In fact such attacks have been intensified as the Govts. intensify their attempts to forcibly displace tribal people from the forest areas in order to hand over these areas to foreign and domestic corporate. Forest Rights Act has not been implemented properly and Modi Govt. has diluted various provisions to facilitate corporate exploitation of these areas.

Com. Linganna was a member of Telengana PC of CPI(ML)-New Democracy and one of the main leaders of Godavari Valley Resistance Struggle. He had made big contribution to the movement particularly its continuation under adverse circumstances.

Resistance Struggle is facing serious challenges. Central and State Govts. have made it a target of attack. They want to render tribal and other traditional forest dwellers defenseless. Hence they are intensifying their attacks – political as well as through security forces- against the movement.  Present situation is challenging for the resistance struggle. Intensifying offensive of ruling fascist forces has made this task even more challenging as well as necessary. Govt. attempts to stifle all protest in the name of Corona pandemic have rendered the situation more complex. Present situation calls for renewed efforts to preserve and develop resistance struggle.

Learning from the experience of Com. Linganna and drawing inspiration from his life and sacrifice, we should be steadfast in our practice. Com. Linganna was totally devoted to the Party and its revolutionary orientation. We should all learn from his life and work to rededicate ourselves to make New Democratic Revolution victorious.

We are here publishing the homage paid by the Central Committee on the martyrdom of Com. Linganna.

Red Salute to Com. Linganna!

CPI(ML)-New Democracy

July 31, 2020

Long Live Martyr Com. Linganna

Leader of the Godavari Valley Resistance Movement and a member of Telengana State Committee & North East Telengana Regional Committee and Kothagudem District Secretary of CPI (ML)-New Democracy, Com. Linganna was martyred today, the 31st of July 2019. He was killed by police in the forest near village Rolagadda in Gondala mandal of Bhadadri-Kothagudem district.

Police in Telengana has launched a serious offensive against the revolutionary movement, CPI (ML)-New Democracy in particular. TRS State Govt. in conducting serious offensive against tribals to forcibly dispossess them from their podu lands which they have been cultivating for decades, even for generations. CPI (ML)-New Democracy is in the forefront of this struggle and hence, KCR Govt. is targeting CPI (ML)-New Democracy in its attack. Com. Linganna was one of the main organizers of tribals and other traditional forest dwellers and has been organizing their resistance against the Govt. offensive. Targeting of Com. Linganna and other CPI (ML)-ND cadres is a calculated move of the Govt. This is part of the fascist drive of the Govt. targeting tribals and the organizations defending their rights.

A large posse of police in four batches had launched an offensive against Party activists today. They surrounded a team of Party activists led by Com. Linganna.
Com. Linganna, one of the principal leaders of the resistance movement and of the Party, has been a consistent adherent of revolutionary mass line. He has been an epitome of Party discipline and revolutionary commitment. He staunchly defended people’s right to resist and fiercely opposed revisionist and rightist trends as well as ultra-left trend in the revolutionary movement. Consistent in practice of revolutionary struggle, he was very articulate in his opinions and clear in his vision about the revolutionary movement. His martyrdom is a glorious addition to those who offered supreme sacrifice in the course of revolutionary movement and a big loss to the Party and the revolutionary movement at present.

Born in a tribal family in Rolgadda village in Gundala mandal, Com. Linganna got associated with the revolutionary movement from an early age. He never hesitated to take difficult tasks demanding sacrifice, offering supreme sacrifice in the process. His life has been one of simplicity, commitment and sacrifice. He had revolutionary daring and astuteness in full measure. Whenever the revolutionary movement placed any arduous task before the Party, Com. Linganna had been among the first to offer himself for the same. He lived and ultimately died for the people and the revolutionary movement.

Com. Linganna lived all his life for the people and gave his life for the cause of the people. He has given the supreme sacrifice for the revolutionary movement. Central Committee of CPI (ML)-New Democracy pays its homage to the revolutionary memory of Com. Linganna and vows to carry revolutionary movement to victory, the unfinished task bequeathed to us by Com. Linganna. We grieve his loss and vow to convert this loss into strength.
Central Committee of CPI (ML)-New Democracy calls upon all Party Committees to observe martyrdom of Com. Linganna, to pledge to devote themselves to the task of intensifying revolutionary movement. CPI (ML)-New Democracy calls upon all Party Committees to build a strong protest movement against fascist repression being launched against the revolutionary leaders and cadres.  CPI (ML)-New Democracy also calls upon the tribals and other traditional forest dwellers to intensify their struggle for the defense of their lands and means of livelihood which are being attacked by the Govt.

(Issued by the Central Committee of CPI (ML)-New Democracy on July 31, 2019)