AN intense campaign towards the AIARLA 6th National Conference was conducted in several district of Tamilnadu from 1-16 November. Along with the membership recruitment, a fund collection drive was undertaken in several forms. On 9th Nov, a 65 k m long two-wheeler march from Kacharayapalayam to Kallaakurichi of Vizhupuram district was held. AIARLA and sand-cart workers union (affiliated to AIARLA) activists and cadres enthusiastically participated with flags and festoons in the march. The march travelled through many panchayats and small towns. At 10 centres, street meetings were held and Sand Cart Union sign boards were installed. In some villages the party flag was also unfurled. Around Rs 10,000 was donated by the local units of sand-cart workers union to the conference fund of AIARLA.
The march was flagged off by Balasundaram, State President of AIARLA who charged the AIADMK Government with bowing to Modi’s diktats and ruining Tamilnadu’s agriculture and economy. He indicted CM Palanichamy for diverting the Gomuki Dam for his own lands to the detriment of thousands of peasants and farmers in the area. He condemned the Government’s silence on the beheading of a 13-year-old dalit girl Rajalashmi and the rampant rapes and murders of young tribal and Dalit girls in Tamilnadu. The AIADMK govt is unwilling to prevail over the TN Governor and Central Govt which are refusing to heed the just demand of the people of the Tamilnadu and the SC directive to release 7 detenus in the Rajiv killing case (they were in the prison for more than 27 years) – but the same Government is writing letters to the Governor demanding premature release of 3 AIADMK leaders involved in the heinous crime of burning a college bus and killing 3 young girl students of TN Agricultural University. He also appealed to the rural poor to ensure the success of the 6th National conference and 6th state conference of AIARLA being held in the 50th year of the Keezhvenmani massacre, where 44 Dalit agricultural labourers were killed by landlords in the year 1968. The march expressed its solidarity with the striking Pricol (82nd day), Enfield, MSI and Yamaha workers of Sriperumpudur SEZ.
The march was led by District Secretary of AIARLA, Gajendran, state deputy general secretary of AIARLA, Venkatean and other leaders of CPIML and AIARLA. More than 75 activists and cadres participated in the day long motor cycle March.
A similar van propaganda march was held on 11th Nov, from Gedilam to Madappattu via Ulundurpet covering many villages and small towns covering 55 k m. Meetings were held in 15 places.
On 12th Nov in Kandarvakkottai of Pudukkottai district a propaganda road side meeting was held in support of Nov 30th Delhi rally of peasants and farmers. District leaders Valathan, Rajangam, Natarajan, Asaithambi and other spoke in the meeting. The State Secretary of CPIML and party PBM Comrade Kumarasamy spoke at the meeting.
Leaflets for the AIARLA Conference were distributed in Thanjavur, Nagappattinam, Cuddalore, Tiruvallore and Madurai districts.
