A meeting of the veteran and senior leaders and workers of the Central, State service organisations and teachers was held today at Calicut Town Hall as a connected programme of the 20th Party Congress of CPI(M) to be held at Calicut from 4th 9th April 2012. The Town Hall of completely packed and there were much more in the verandah and in the compound who could not get any seat inside. Although the meeting was scheduled at 1500 hours, I reached there a bit earlier so that I could meet my earlier comrades in the service sector. I met a lot of comrades who were with me earlier and exchanged pleasantries with them.

The meeting started at about 1530 hours. Com. K. Chandran Master, who was state Secretary of the Teachers Union and at present a member of the Zilla Panchayat presided. Com. C.H.Asokan, former Secretary of Kerala NGO Union and presently organiser of the programme welcomed. Com. Sivadasa Menon, Secretariat Member ofCPI(M) and a veteran leader of the Teachers organisation inaugurated the convention or samgamam. In his humorous style he spoke about the serious struggle organised by the teachers and state service organisations in 1973 etc. and the origin of the teachers’ movement. Coms. V.V.Dakshina Moorthy, K.Varadarajan, K.P.Mary, all former veterans of the teachers and service organisations and presently state committee members of CPI(M) addressed. In my address, I spoke about my connection with Calicut for the long period from the sixties to the nineties and the struggles of the Central Govt. Employees in 1960, 1968, 1974 and also the Postmen Strike of 1946 and how the government tried to suppress them. The workers have learned from experience and they became stronger for many more struggles. Most of the persons were retired people. I tried to impress upon them the need to continue and support the struggle of the workers. I thanked the organisers for such a meeting and greeting all comrades present.

I could meet a lot of P&T comrades afterwards, who were with  me in the various struggles and suffered a lot in the process. It was a remarkable day for me.