Farewell to Comrade Nagbhushan Patnaik,
Bold Voice against the Guns of Power!

 

No quaver ever shook

Your bold voice

You spent over a decade

The best moments of life

In a cell where

Neither the sun’s rays

Nor any free breeze could reach

Such stifling confinement was your portion

Even in this atmosphere

You remained fresh as ever,

Although in those years of torture

Your frame

Wasted away steadily

From your ebbing frame

You yourself gave the call

For revolutionary forces to unite

We responded with warmth

In this dark and cloudy night,

Stars kept bursting

One after another

When we couldn’t see

Our hands before us

You kept seeing dreams

Kept scattering the colours of the rainbow

In this hour of your last living journey

We want

To assure you

In defence of your dreams

We’ll remain ever alert as the pupils of the eyes

Today in this hour of farewell

Accept our united salute

We’ll spread in a bold voice

Your message for change.

 

 

[Poem by Comrade Mahendra Singh translated from his collection of poems Keemat Chukati Zindagi]

 

 

Condolence Letters

From Socialist Perspective, Australia

To:

Speaker,Lok Sabha
somnath@sansad.nic.in

Chief Election Commissioner, India
cec@eci.gov.in

Chief Election Officer - Jharkhand, India
ceo_jharkhand@eci.gov.in

Secretary General, National Human Rights Commission, India
covdnhrc@hub.nic.in

Director General (Investigation), National Human Rights Commission, India
skumar_55@nic.in

 

Dear Sir/Madam, The Democratic Socialist Perspective of Australia condemns most strongly the outrageous murder of Mahendra Singh (MLA), a CPI(ML) elected member of the legislative assembly in Jharkhand. We add our voice to the demand of the CPI (ML) and its general secretary Dipankar Bhatticharya that:

1. The SP of Giridih District be arrested immediately and tried for the murder of Mahendra Singh.

2. A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry be instituted to determine the BJP Government's political conspiracy of getting Mahendra Singh eliminated through bullets if not ballot, especially the role of BJP Minister Ravindra Rai in the killing.

3. The Election Commission of India take cognisance of the murder and order dismissal of SP Deepak Verma, as well as send a team of central observers to ensure the conduct of free and fair elections in constituencies of Giridih, particularly the sensitive constituency of Bagodar, since Mahendra Singh had not only been a most popular legislator, winning 3 consecutive terms, but had been the voice of democratic opposition in Jharkhand.

4. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) send a high-level team to the area to investigate the cases of human rights violations at the hands of this notorious SP and forces which have been actively patronising his activities in the region to throttle the voice of democratic protest against oppression of the common people that was represented by Mahendra Singh.

With anger and outrage at this atrocious act, Yours sincerely, John Percy, National Secretary Democratic Socialist Perspective Australia intl@dsp.org.ay  

 

From Socialist Party, Malaysia

Dear Comrades,

 

Our heartfelt condolences to the family and all party members of CPI(ML) on the marthydom of their beloved leader -- Comrade Mahendra Singh. The Socialist Party of Malaysia condemns the coward killing of Comrade Mahendra Singh. We share your sorrow while we salute your courage to fight on!

 

In Solidarity
S.Arutchelvan
Secretary General
Parti Sosialis Malaysia