M. K. Pandhe
Madhukar Kashinath Pandhe (11 July 1925 – 20 August 2011) was a Politburo member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) from 2002[1] to 2011 and was also the General Secretary of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), one of the largest trade unions in India.
Early life
M.K. Pandhe, was a brilliant student, who got scholarships throughout his studies, which covered his educational expenditure. When his parents were transferred to Solapur in 1939, where Pandhe's family stayed next to a textile mill, he for the first time, got opportunity to confront with the problems of workers. At the age of 13, Pandhe got involved with the activities of the organization "Prakash Mandal", which tried to create awareness among people by writing political news on the roadside walls.[2] Pandhe got master's degree from Pune University and then got a PhD in Politics and Economics. His Principal in Pune University, Prof. D.R. Gadgil inspired and supported him to become M.A and PhD. He was attracted to the left politics and became the Student Federation secretary of Sonapur.
Communist and Trade Union Politics
In January 1944, Pandhe became a full-time Communist Party member. When Communist Party was banned, he worked in underground during 1948-1951 period for nearly 27 months. He was elected as the secretary of Goa Liberation Forum. In 1952 Pandhe became Joint Secretary of Lal Bawata Girni Kamgar Sabha (which was headed by R K Kum Khum who became
During China war, M.K. Pandhe went underground once again for 14 months from 1965 to 1966. He was elected as the secretary of CITU in 1990. He was elected to Polit Bureau of CPI(M) in its Party Congress held in Calcutta in 1998. He was elected as CITU President in 1999.
Struggle Against Neo-Liberal Deviation
Dr. M.K.Pandhe was a dedicated Marxist–Leninist. He strove consistently to equip the working class movement with the ideology of socialism and to develop the political consciousness of the workers to enable them to discharge their revolutionary role in social transformation for a better world. He stood for Leftist Ideological Stands when the Neo-Liberal group led by Budhadeb Bhattacharya, Nirupam Sen (politician), Gautam Deb and Thomas Isaac got upper-hand in CPI(M) leadership [3][4] and tried to reform CPI(M)'s economic policies in the line of Chinese Communist Party.[5][6] His was the rare saner voice in CPI(M) who time and again warned its leadership about the folly of bowing down to the pressure of Neo-Liberal Politics. In 2009, M.K. Pandhe admitted that Budhadeb Government committed mistakes in Bengal.[7][8] Pandhe refused to accept the Development Model put forward by various Institutions echoing the voice of International Finance Capital interests, and repeatedly pointed out that, it would be a mistake to go against the interest of poor farmers in West Bengal and to work in connivance with Corporate interests. However, it is pointed out that, CPM's new middle class leadership, paying little heed to Pandhe's suggestions led the CPI(M) to ruins.[9][10] Pandhe also was supportive of the ideological struggles led by VS Achuthanandan in Kerala's CPI(M). It was widely perceived that, as CPI(M) top leadership is embroiled in bitter power struggle as the Bengali Neo-Liberal groups want to replace Prakash Karat with Sitaram Yechury,[11] there was a likelihood of Dr. Pandhe emerging as a consensus General Secretary Candidate, in the Party Congress scheduled in April 2012. M.K. Pandhe also was one among the CITU leaders who proposed Prakash Karat to take over as General Secretary, in accordance with the Communist tradition that, General Secretary should be representing the Party Line, when Harkishen Singh Surjeet's proposal to participate in the Coalition Government at center was rejected by Central Committee of CPI(M). This move had the backing of Left Communist leaders like E.M.S. Namboodiripad, E. Balanandan and others. However Prakash Karat refused to take the mantle from Surjeet at that point. Nevertheless, Pandhe, as party spokesperson, on several occasions, shielded Bengal Govt from public criticisms.
Contributions
Dr. M.K. Pandhe as a Secretary of the
M. K. Pandhe has got many feathers in his cap. He was the member of the Ramanujan Committee on Industrial Relations, and was the Vice chancellor of the National Safety Council Board. In 1979, Pandhe became the president of the Steel Workers Federation of India and in 1982, he was elected as the president of the All India Coal Workers Federation. Pandhe became a member of the National Shipping Board in 1984.[2]
Protagonist of Public Sector Industry
M K Pandhe as the leader of
Death
He died at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi at the age of 86 on 20 August 2011.
References
- ^ List of Politburo members Archived 7 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b "CEC-Labour File". Archived from the original on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
- ^ "The Telegraph - Calcutta (Kolkata) | Nation | Power & protest fault line". Archived from the original on 8 April 2008. Retrieved 12 October 2011.
- ^ Roy, Rajat (18 April 2011). "Ashok Mitra, Prabhat Patnaik express solidarity with the Left". Business Standard India.
- ^ "Will Buddhadeb reinvent himself? | the Asian Age". Archived from the original on 6 April 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
- ^ "Ideological reorientation". 6 October 2011.
- ^ "CPI-M admits committing mistakes in Bengal, Kerala".
- ^ "The Telegraph - Calcutta (Kolkata) | Nation | "Mistakes" worry CPM". Archived from the original on 31 March 2009. Retrieved 12 October 2011.
- ^ "Buddha's remarks anger Left intellectuals - India News - IBNLive". ibnlive.in.com. Archived from the original on 10 July 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
- ^ "West Bengal polls: Prakash Karat admits failure at all levels".
- ^ "Assembly Elections 2011 |National News|MSN India". Archived from the original on 15 May 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
- ^ "Comrade M K Pandhe". 20 August 2011.
- ^ "The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Visakhapatnam News : Pandhe calls for ban on export of iron ore". www.hindu.com. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
- ^ "May 08, 2011". Archived from the original on 30 March 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2011.