National Committee Treasurer of Indian Federation of Trade Unions and member of UP state committee of CPI(ML) New Democracy, Comrade Ram Naresh Tyagi died on July 28th at around 7.30 pm. He accidently slipped with his motor cycle while trying to save small children who ran on to the road after sparking on electricity cables. He was 63 years of age. Born on in village Sainthli, Muradnagar, Disrict Ghaziabad in a peasant family, Com. Ram Naresh did his high school and joined the Ordnance Factory Murad Nagar as a worker.
As a conscious young man he came in close contact with the party before Emergency and after participating in some activities he soon became a party member. He started working in ordnance factory trade union and participated as a delegate in the founding conference of IFTU in 1978 in Gauwahati. In 1993 IFTU national conference in Hyderabad he was elected to the National Committee and later made its Treasurer, a post he held till his unfortunate end.
He participated in the National Conference of PCC CPIML in 1984. He was also a delegate in the 1992, 1996 and 2004 Party Congresses. He was a member of West UP regional committee of the Party since 1980 and later a member of its UP state committee from 1988 onwards.
He participated and led several struggles of industrial workers in Ghaziabad district. First he was associated with formation of IFTU in Ghaziabad in 1978 which began with a struggle in Harig India for implementation of labour laws. Thereafter in 1987-88 he worked hard along with Com. Than Singh to build several militant struggles of workers in some big industries in Ghaziabad. In 1988 an indefinite strike took place in Sri Ram Pistons and Rings where more than 800 workers struck work for more than 6 and a half months. The struggle saw some sharp clashes with goondas of the owner in the face of a strong police clamp down. Thereafter in 1989-90 there were struggles in Century Laminating Hapur which had 400 workers and in Ajanta tubes which had 500 workers. In both these several rounds of clashes took place with hired goondas and in each of them the workers en mass replied militantly to beat back the owners’ offensive. In Ajanta tubes the goondas even fired on the workers inside the premises of the factory. One worker died in the firing and another was injured. In Century also two workers lost their lives. Then there was a struggle in Noida in which the president of the workers’ union was killed by hired goons. The workers fought back against the owners. There were several struggles under IFTU leadership in industries in Meerut Road and Sahibabad including that of Paharpur industries. Each of these struggles lasted several months. Thereafter in 1993 he led the workers of Sardar Industries, Hapur in waging a struggle for their dues which was precipitated by the owners dividing up their assets. This struggle saw the workers keep 17 owners captive inside the industry premises for more than 9 days.
In the process of these struggles Com. Ram Naresh also developed skills in conducting legal disputes of workers in courts. During his last years he was involved in struggles of several industries in NOIDA particularly for regularizing contract workers and with helping the registration of a bidi union in Allahabad and Kaushambi, a general workers’ union in Uttarakhand and some workers struggles in Kashipur area of Uttarakhand including that of Surya Tubes.
During his early school days itself he took keen interest in wrestling and rose to contest in several inter factory tournaments, winning in many.
He was also a capable Ragini writer and exponent and though he could not devote much time to it he continued to be reputed for his skill particularly in the area and within the party circles. His famed writings include those on Bhagat Singh’s life particularly Bhagat Singh’s reply to his mother who was weeping on his hanging and a satire on parliamentary democracy.
Com. Ram Naresh conducted himself with a lot of consideration for his fellow workers and was held in high personal esteem amongst them. He could easily keep workers interested and involved with his several anecdotes and story-telling abilities.
His strongpoint has been that for 35 years he stood by with the revolutionary movement and party withstanding hardships to him and his family. He was well versed with party’s line and continuously read and explained its position. He remained upright and honest all through and committed to the cause of Indian communist revolutionaries to liberate people from the yoke of imperialist exploitation and feudal stranglehold. To this end stood by the working class struggles, including the unorganized sections, remaining ever vigilant not to allow a bad compromise to pass through. Amongst his personal contacts and family members also he enjoyed a reputation of remaining committed to the cause of liberation of Indian people and of working hard for it to the very end. His loss will be extremely difficult to overcome and is only possible with the party members and workers who came to be associated with him advancing along the path he had chosen and working with ever increasing dedication to this end.
UP State Committee of CPI(ML)-New Democracy pays its homage to the revolutionary memory of Com. Ram Naresh Tyagi and rededicates itself to the task of intensifying New Democratic revolutionary movement in Uttar Pradesh.