Comrade M. V. Prasad, the general secretary of the All India Platform for Peoples` Struggle (AIPPS) has been murdered on 18th June 05. His wife, a leading political activist, Com. Vasantha has also been killed in the same attack.
Com. Prasad, a person of Dalit origin, joined the revolutionary movement in his youth and had been working as a full time political cadre for more than two decades. Especially during last 10 years or so he gradually became a widely known mass-political leader in Andhra Pradesh (AP), particularly in coastal region of AP.
Com. Vasantha was a person of tribal origin, a competent woman leader of POW (Progressive Organisation of Women), AP. , and a full time political activist for nearly two decades.
At the time of Second International Assembly (SIA) of the ILPS, Prasad was the convenor of the organising committee of the AIPPS. He personally took maximum initiative so that AIPPS connects itself with the ILPS.
The AIPPS held its 1st Conference on 29th March 05 which was preceded by a huge public rally and meeting on 27th and an International seminar on 28th. These events were attended by several international guests from different parts of the world. Com. Manolis, deputy chairman of the ILPS and Com. Crispin Beltran, ex-chairman of the ILPS were to attend these events which finally they couldn`t due to some difficulties.
Com. Prasad was in charge of the hosting committee of these events and to disturb the same he was arrested by the police just after the press publication was made for the conference and the venue was declared. Only 3 weeks before the conference and rally etc. his bail could be secured after much effort by the democrats and civil liberties people.
The pre-conference rally and the public meeting was a resounding success. So were the seminar and the indoor conference. Prasad was elected as the general secretary of the newly elected committee.
Who killed Comrades Prasad and Vasantha? A so-called political group, headed by extortionist-mafia clique of Rajanna has shamelessly claimed the responsibility. Even if they didn`t do that, we knew who killed them. During last 3 years they attempted to brand Prasad as a police agent while during the same period Prasad has been harassed and arrested by the police again and again, last time in January this year. Actually Prasad led a big revolt of rank and file cadres against Rajanna clique 3years before and since then Rajanna was after his blood.
Since Prasad was a well known political figure, the news of his killing was flashed in all the important TV channels within an hour or so. M-L organisations like CPI(ML), CPI(M-L) Pratighatana, strongly came out to condemn this ghastly murder. Leading representative from CPI(M-L)New Democracy was there in the funeral procession and the first memorial meeting. More meetings are coming up where noted intellectuals, democrats, dalit leaders, human rights leaders will share the dais to condemn this barbaric act.
We call upon everybody to condemn this incident and stand by us in the time of deep sorrow. We are sure, martyrs blood never go in vain.
With warmest fraternal greetings,
Aloke Mukherji,
President, AIPPS
aipps04@yahoo.co.in
