Com VK Thakur mourned by Bihar, comrades across country
Com VK Thakur, former state secretary breathed his last on August 12, leaving a void in the party. Born in an orthodox brahmin family in Kansi village of Darbhanga district in Bihar, in 1933, Com VK Thakur was the epitome of dedication and sacrifice for the cause of the oppressed and downtrodden . He lived an eventful life espousing the ideology of Marxism and Leninism. His untiring zeal to live among the masses remain unshaken, till he breathed his last.
Com Thakur got his school education in his village and went ahead to graduate from Darbhanga CM College. Later, on he joined LS College for post graduation where he joined the ‘Samajwadi Yuvjan Sabha’ and met with many stalwarts of socialist movement. He was particularly influenced by the radical socialist Shri Suraj Narayan Singh who was in the forefront in fighting against the feudal tyranny of the old Darbhanga district.
Com Thakur’s father who was a congressman, was opposed to his radical views and once thrashed him black and blue for acting against his will and breaking the brahmanical norms. This incident did not deter him from joining student politics and championing the cause of the poor and oppressed.
In the 50s he joined the CPI and later on became the district secretary of Darbhanga district which comprised of Madhubani and Samastipur. His tenure saw the powerful growth of CPI in the district. The district used to send 7 to 8 MLAs during the 60s and 70s. During emergency, Com Thakur developed strong reservation about the Party line pursued by the CPI and voted against supporting Congress party, in the State Council meeting.
In 1975 he joined CPI (M) and remained underground till the emergency was lifted. From 1977 onwards, he relentlessly worked among the masses in different capacities. First as the district secretary of the Party and then as the State general secretary of Bihar chapter of AIKS. He was elected as the party secretary in 2005 and remained at the helm until 2014. He was elected to the central committee in 20th and 21st party congress.
His elevation as the State general
secretary of AIKS marked the beginning of a powerful peasant movement in
the state that brought land reform agenda to the fore. About 40,000
acres of land were liberated and distributed among the landless and the
homeless people, particularly in the northern parts of Bihar. More than
hundred comrades, including legendary peasant leaders like Com Ajit
Sarkar and Ram Nath Mahto laid down their lives during 90s till the down
of 21st century.
Com Thakur was very particular about the
class orientation of peasant movement and was quite insistent on the
issue of distribution of land as the core issue of the agrarian reform
in Bihar. A man of struggle and mass actions, he loathed sitting idle
and used to spend most of the time among the masses.
He led a very Spartan life, wore simple clothes and never demanded anything special for himself. He also spent six years in jail. A voracious reader and abreast of the latest development in political and intellectual arena, he used to interact with the professors and academicians of Mithila University and was received by them with respect and awe.
Leaders of all political parties paid their last respects to this great son of Mithilanchal. The huge turnout of the masses on the way to his village, for cremation, is the testimony to his popularity and the love and affection of the masses for the departed leader.
Condolence messages were received in torrents. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also sent his condolence message.
Party State Committee, while paying tributes to the dearest comrade, lowered the red flag half mast. The entire leadership of the party joined his last journey. The party has decided to organize condolence meetings in Darbhanga and in his native village, Kansi. State Committee will organize a condolence meeting at Patna on August 27. Long live Com VK Thakur, long live his revolutionary legacy.
Source: http://peoplesdemocracy.in/2018/0826_pd/com-vk-thakur-mourned-bihar-comrades-across-country
