Red Volunteers take out march on concluding day of CPI(M)‘s 24th party congress in Madurai

Red Volunteers of CPI(M) march in Madurai, honoring martyrs and leaders, during the party's 24th congress.

The Red Volunteers of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) took out a march from ELCOT near Pandi Kovil to Mastanpatti, the venue of the party’s public meeting, in Madurai on Sunday.

On the concluding day of the CPI(M)’s 24th party congress in Madurai which began on April 2, the ring road was a sea of red with volunteers of all ages, young and old, from far and near participating in the ‘Red Volunteer March’ clad in red shirts and khaki pants and wearing Khaki caps along with the band members.

The Vachathi ‘poralis’ (fighters), about 30 CPI(M) functionaries from the place, flagged off the Red Volunteers march. The volunteers carried the party flag, banners and posters with images of martyrs and leaders who played a major role in the freedom struggle and labour movements in the country.

The volunteers under various battalions named after the martyrs such as Leelavathi, ‘Tyagi’ Balu, N. Sankaraiah, K.P. Janaki Ammal, P. Ramamurthi, N. Nanmaran, Pothumbu Ponnaiah and other senior leaders of the CPI(M) raised slogans such as ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ and ‘Veera Vanakam’ as they marched towards the venue paying homage to the leaders. The volunteers also raised slogans in support of the party.

The 24th CPI(M) party congress in Madurai began on April 2 with hoisting of the party flag that was brought from Keezhvenmani amid slogans praising the martyrs of the Keezhvenmani massacre. The party flag was hosted by veteran leader Biman Basu.

Apart from the delegates conference, cultural programmes and other events were held at the Tamukkam Convention Hall. A life size statue of Karl Marx installed at the venue proved to be a huge hit among the visitors and party functionaries as they clicked pictures and selfies with the statue.

Martyrs memorial torches from five places in the State: ‘Thozhar Singaravelar’, ‘Salem sirai tyagigal’, ‘Kovai Chinniyampalayam tyagigal’, ‘Manavar tyagigal Somu Sembu’ and ‘Madurai tyagigal’ were brought to the venue on the inaugural day. Exhibitions on the party’s history, women in the Communist movement, the archaeological findings at Keeladi and other excavation sites and anti-fascism photo exhibition were held as part of the event.