Writing of the Communist Literature in the

Madras Presidency, 1917 - 1947

Madras Presidency was one of the most extensive provinces of
British India. The Government of India Act of 1919, popularly known
as 'Mont - Ford Reforms Act ' provided for ' dyarchy ' in the provinces
and it introduced limited responsible Government. Elections were
held in 1921 under this Act. The Congress boycotted the election,
where as the swaraj party contested and got defeated by the Justice
Party, a pro - British party in Tamil provinces and formed it
Government in the Madras Presidency. Against this political
background, the people of this presidency slowly gained political
consciousness land began to realize their role in the political and
economic spheres. The strategy of the people of the period was
divided in to three ideologies.
a) the elites and intellectuals wanted to mobilize the
people to the Indian National movement by enlightening
them to the Indian Nationalism.
b) recently emerged working class of the urban centres of
Madras Presidency, who served in the industrial sectors
in Madras, Coimbatore, Masalipatnam, Vizagpatnam,
Trichy etc., They wanted to strengthern the working
class section for their betterway.
c) The peasants who were widely distributed all over
Madras Presidency were truly downtrodden and the
British did very little to redeem their lot.
All these three sectors of the Indian society joined together and
worked for the removal by the British rule in India.
The concept of communist ideology, was not a novel to the
people of Madras Presidency Subramania Bharathi had expressed this
idea in his poems composed even before the October Revolution of
1917 in Russia, an ideology that was emphasized by V.I. Lenin
Bharathi stated that. Even if one man doest not have fred to eac we
will destroy the whole world, thirty crores of people will enjoy the
produce of the Indian society. This society will be novel example to
the present world."
The Janasakthi, a Tamil communist daily reproduced the
essence of the poem of Bharathi in its issue dated 16th September
1939, which expressed love and admiration Bharathi had for the
people of Tamil country. The dream of new world which materialised
in Russia gave Bharathi a great joy and he expressed this joy in the
following words.
" The masses have earned out a life dear to them; justice for the
people, The world has come to know this polity, the peoples' republic."
The Janasakthi further stated that the world was unable to
under stand and accept the great change Bharathi had dreamt of in
his national songs and writings. After the October and November
1917 Recountings of Russia, the Marxian idealogy was exheed in the
writings of Bharathi and Bharathi thus became a visualiser to the
people of this presidency to known much all out the Maxxiam
ideology.
Pillars of Communist Movement : Singaravelu
Singaravelu was the pioneer of the Communist movement in
souther part of India. He stated the Communist party in Tamil
province in 1925, he was a lawyer by his profession and he gave up
his practice and chose the path of Communism. He had a close
contact with Ganga Prasad of Goya and Gum Samayya of Bangalore;
and Dr. Manlal of Gayg. They worked together for the labour
organisation all over India on the Communist principles. Ganga
Prasad and Gum Samayya were deputed to Madras to guide
Singaravelu and to establish the labour Organisations in the Madras
Presidency on marx liness.
On 20th March 1923, Singaravelu met Kalyana Sundara
Mudaliar, E.L. Iyer, Chakkarai Chettiar, Dandapani Pillai, Natesa
Naicker and Adikesalu to discuss the issue of founding the
Communist movement in the South the reserved to start the
movement and work strenously among the labour community and the
poor. The motivated them to join the Communist party.
Kalyanasundaram became the General Secretary of the South Indian
Labour Union, Golden rock and he was considered to be one of the
underground communist organisers of Frich. He stoke not only the
confept of Indian Nationalism but also the essence of Communist
ideaology.
Sigaravelu had a close contact with the Russian revolutiraries
from early 1900's. The sufferings caused to the working class as a
result of the first work was increased his determination to struggle for
the betterment of the working class. Thus, the Octonber and
November revolutions of 1917, the aftermath of the word war I in
India and the consequent sufferings which were undergone by the
labour community made him got involved in the movement for the
working class. On 19th May 192/1 a meeting was organised by the
Choolai Mills workers where he addressed on the commuist ideology.
He emphasised that labourers should give a deep thought to the
questions. Why show there be a trade union ? What is its purpose ?
The workers must to try to understand the purpose of the various
unions that already existed and showed try to know what they stand
for. His speeches in the meeting identified himselt as the near trend
changer in the Indian Natinal politics.
The Navasakthi in its issue dated 17th Septermber 1921
published the speech of Singaravelu. The workers in Indian factories
suffered but to them this suffering had become a routine affair. Such
numress to suffering was because the Indian labourer had been kept
under ignorance. The remedy to this situation, he suggested, lay in
reviging the old handicrafts. Singaravely before taking up a definite
programme for the workers of Madras Presidency, analysed the
problem of labour in all its divensions. Infact, even before bringing
out his communist manifeste in 1923 he had clear basic ideas of
communism and he had his solution to the labour problem.
 The Communist Manifesto, 1923
Singaravelu and his fellow friends frend an organisation
know as " The Kisan (or) Agricultural and labourer's sectoion of
congress" for the people of Madras Presidency. Singaravelu was its
secretary and Dhandapani Pillai became its Provincial organiser. They
propagated the communist ideals to the people especially the working
class, section of the Indian society. The drafted a Communist
Manifesto that explained the Objectives of the Organisation. At this
juncture, M.N. Roy based in Berlin was appointed as the Chieft agent
of the Third International Comintern' launched by V.I. Lenin in
Russia, to represent India M.N. Roy was invited to be the guest from
to attend the conference in Task ant in Novembewr India 1920.
M.N. Roy had a close contact with Singaravelu of Madras and
S.A. Dange of Bombay, who took active part informing Communist
movement in India. Singaravelu is correspondance with M.N. Roy
made him a communist leader of the presidency. He expressed his
admiration for Roy is Communist pamphlets and Roy out lines the
way in which Singaravelu should work. Singaravelu contacted
Communist groups in Bombay, Calcutta, Lahore and he also
established contact with Mantal of Gaya.
In April 1923, a Communist Manifesto was issued which out
lined the programme for the Labour and Kisanparty of Hindustan and
this manifesto was circulated among the people of the presidency.
The chief aim of the party was "to bring economic relief to the masses
" and achieve labour swaraj by non-violent means" Singaravelu
adopted non-violence on Gandhian model. The party was to affiliate
itself with the Labour and Kisan section of the Congress and it
decided to adopt the method of non-violence M.N. Roy formed a
revolutionary school and imparted training to select some Muslim
residents as 'Muhajaris' literary known as the Communist agents.
After establishment of party in Madras, Singaravelu wanted
others to accept Madras as the head Quarters to direct Communist
movement in India. M.N. Roy endorsed his appeal to treat Madras as
the centre for the movement. He appealed to the labour community to
celebrate 'May Day ' on 1st May 1923. The Navasakthi of Madras
published his speech on 2 May 1923. He said, "The Labour and Kisan
Party of Hindustan (India) will celebrate the Labour Day more
commonly known as the May Day on Tuesday 1 st May 1923 in the
beach at Triplican Madras at 6.00 P.M. When the party's creed, aim
and programme will be explained to the workers". Thus the party
framed the rules and regulation at Madras on 1st May 1923.
Singaravelu took all efforts to bring about the Communist
Manifesto in the Welfare of the labourers. He fact that a co-ordinated
action was essential to make communism a mass movement not only
in Madras but also in other provinces of Madras Presidency. A
thousand copies of the Manifesto in English and Tamil were printed at
Kalanilayam press by K.A. Rajagopalachari at 2B, Govindappa naicker
street, George Town, Madras, They sent those copies of Manifesto to
all newspapers, Associated Press and England, America, Australia
based papers.
He called for a private conference at Natesa Mudaliar's house at
George Town, Madras in May 1923. P. Durai Sami Naidu of Choolai
Mills, Govindasamy, Murugesa Mudaliar of Peramtur workshop,
Govindarajuly of Aluminium factory, Sri Ramalu of Tramway Union,
Natesa Mudaliar, Gurusamy of Choolai Mills and Varadharajuly of
Printer's Union were the prominent labout union leaders attended the
meeting. Five resolutions were made to safeguard the interest of the
working class in the province. The manifesto of Sngaravely was
praised by Gulam Hussian, M.N. Roy and S.A. Dange.
The Navasakthi reproduced the letter written by M.N. Roy to
S.A. Dange regarding the manifesto of Singaravely. It reads, We have
received a project for the organisation of a legal mass party from Mr.
N. Singaravelu and it appears some progress has been made in the
right direction. His manifesto must have been published by this time
but we have not yet received it. It is therefore all the more urgent that
the few good comrades we have should get together and work in
coordination. Get in touch with M. Singaravely and plan for a
conference. He is very energetic and possesses a very splendid spirit.
He provides us with an access in to the ranks of the congress which is
very valuable. Through him we can lay our hands on the labour Sub-
Committee of the Congress.
The First Indian Communist Party's Conference :
The Labour unions of Madras Presidency gradually came to
understand the Communist ideology through the serious efforts of
Singaravely. The organised the first Indian Communist party's
conference at Kanpur in 1925 and it was presided over by him. In his
presidential address, he said that the communists though small in
Number formed the Vanguard of the future workers - State of India.
Therefore their main aim was to win Swaraj for the people of India and
to prevent exploitation of the workers and the peasants through land
and industrial legislation. The Communists helped to achieve their
aim through the unions of labourers and presents through
persuation, through propoganda and if necessary in cooperation with
other political organisations of the nation.
He propagated the ideas of Communism in Madras Province.
Later he made use of the Samadharma Party of E.V. Ramasamy
Naicker who after his tour of Moscow was attracted by the Soviet
Principles. At a meeting of the self respect workers in Erode, on 4
March 1934 two policies were adopted. 1) "To obtain lecurity of
services for workers in factories, workshops, railways and shipping"
2) " To got for the landless agricultural labourers a reasonable share
in the produces." E.V.R. Naicker invited M. Singaravelu, K.
Murugesan of Nagapatinam and P. Jeevanandam of Trichi to attend
the meeting.
Government Action
The Government of India initiated stern proceedings against
Singaravelu for the Kanpur Conspiracy case. He was arrested in
Madras on 18th June 1925, but as he was sick and he was released on
fail. The reason for his arrest was that the Communist International
was Striving to establish its rulk in India with the help of Singaravelu
and that accused tried to establish a Labour and Kissan Party. The
charges against him could not be sustained and the warrant issued
was later withdrawn.
The Kudiarasu of Erode published the speech of Singaravelu.
It reads, "The living condition of India is very poor the death rate is
high and the country has only 8% of literacy. Those who are getting
higher education are lessthan 1% In order to improve the conditions
in India, Socialism though propaganda is very essential. The
propagandis shall avail of every platform to reach the millions of the
people of the country. The means by which socialist economy can be
created among the people - an awarness that will make the people to
establish a socialist order with a total faith in the socialist ideals.
Singaravalu did not stop with making lectures on the socialistic
pattern of society and its cherished goals. He also actively supported
the workers to form unions and participated in many of the Labour
Unions strikes. The workers and labourers therefore, were to unite
and more number of unions must join together to make a publich
demonstration which along would benefit them. In almost all the
labour strikes which were organised betweem 1920 and 1940,
Singaravely participated actively and guid4ed them not only in Tamil
province but also in other provinces of Madras presidency.
In August 1927, the Americal Labour Militants lite Nicholas
Sacco and Vanzetti were condemned to the electric chari Singaravelu
condemned this act and organised a demonstration in protest against
the police firing on the workers of the Burnah Oil Company. In May
1927, the kerosene Oil workers in Madras were on strike and about
105 boys were dismissed from the company. He stood for the workers
and protested against the actions of the government by staging
demonstrations. As a congressman, he wired to the AICC to support
the Oil wo5rkers on strike. The Hindu of Madras, in its issue dated
14th May 1927 published the AICC is resolution. It reads, The AICC
meeting condemns the unjust in human and illegal action of the
BurMah Oil Company authorities in taking the law in to their own
hands and the policy firing on the unarmed workers on strike,
expresses the full sympathy with the workmen and calls upon the
members of Madras Logislative Council to organised Civil
disobedience. As he was the President a case was launched against
him and the other workers involved in December 1927, the 42 nd
session of INCC took place in Madras, Singaravely actively
participated in it. He gave active support to the workers who
participated in the strike of Tato Iron Acct Company in the 1927 and
1928. Moreover he also actively participated in the Railway strike
which lasted from 20th to 30th July 1928. Singaravelu, Mukundlal Air
Car and Krishnasamy Pillai were arrested for leading the strike.
E.V. Ramasamy Naicker covered a Self-respect Socialist
convention on 19th December 1932, on the request made by
Singaravelu at Erode. Between 1935 and 1936, E.V. Ramasamy
edited and published The New World, a marxist journal from Madras.
Singaravely, Jeevanandam and A.S.K. Iyengar wrote frequent
communist oriented articles in it. Singaravely wrote artiles on
Dialecticed materialism, disarnament, was and peace and social
oriented topics. He also presided over a rally of workers under the
auspices of Madras Trade Union cCongress, Congress socialist party
and Madras Press Labour Union on March 27, 1938. He demanded
the fitting of the ban on the communist party of India.
Singaravelu wrote a frequent articles in the Kudiarasu of E.V.
Ramasamy. The content of these articles were covered his stand
against caste, religion, and superstition. He had ublished more than
fifty articles of scientific methods and superstition in the Kudiarasu
between 1939 and 1944. Singaravelu passed away on February 11,
1946 at the age of 86. He was given red burial by the All India Trade
Union Congress Workers. He strode like a colossus shaping the
destiny of the Communist movement in the Madras Presidency for
nearly 25 years. He first started the Labour and Kisan party and later
with the influence of Amir Hydar Khan wanted to unity the labour
force and so started the Labour Protection Party. He always focussed
on the formation of a New Indian Government and freedom for the
Indian labourers.
Singaravelu wrote a letter to Gandhi, published in the Hindu on
25th February 1921 that Independence without the real Independence
of the labourers and the peasants could not be considered as
independence of a nation. In order to safeguard the interest of the
nation, it is essential that industries and land should become a
common property not owned by any one group of people. "He worked
brelessly for the labourers of India unit his ripe age of 78. In 1938,
Singaravely spole aginast the ban on the Communist Party in India.
This shows the untiring efforts taken by hi, who was full of passion for
the freedom of the nation and the working class community.
Amir Hyder Khan - A Trade Unionist
Amir Hyder Khan, a native of Punjab province and one among
the founders of communists in the Madras Presidency. He had his
connection with Communist ideology since 1925, after getting training
in Moscow. He stayed Moscow upto 1928 and landed Bombay to
extend his support to the workers of textile factories there. He was to
backbone for the importation of Communist literature to India from
abroad. In march 1929, his house was searched by the Biritish Police
in connection with the Meerus conspiracy case, a large number of
communist literature and a number of letters were seized.
Khan came to Madras in May 1931 and established a local
branes of the young workers league as a necless of the communist
party. Further, he established study wings in the campur of the Mills.
He wrote many articles on the ideology of Communist party and
circulated among the will workers between 1931 and 1932. The
British Police arrested and persecuted him for distributing those
pamphlets among the workers. In the trial he confessed that he was a
Communist and said that his main motive was to demoralize the
English government. He was convicted on November 14, 1932 and
sentence to two years of R.I.

In 1934, he came forward from the underground and openly

focussed the significance of Communism among them. The British
traced him in Madras on 11th August 1934 after suffering his sentence
for sedition in a room at Triplicane, Madras. V.K. Narashimhan,
Rajavadivel, Russia Manickam, K.S. Bashyam, and Venugopan and
C.S. Subramanyan were the contemporaries of Khan is Madras. The
Madras Police seized the pamphlets such as " A letter to the
Communist Comarades in Tamilnadu" and "How to organised the
Peasants of Tamilnadu" and were prohibited Amir Hyder Khan was
arrested for introducing these pamphlets among the workers. He was
kept in Madras jail for again two years. His health condition was
affected to a great extent. He was medically examined at Madras
Government Hospital. The Hindu in its issue dated 18th November
1935 said "Amir Khan, a Punjabhi Communist, state prisoner who
was under medical observation in the Madras Penitentiary for the last
two weeks has now been declared to be much imporved in health and
fit to taken back to the Raja Mundry Jail where he was under
detention.
At a public meeting that was organised on November 18 th 1935
at the High Court bench under this banner of the Labour Protection
League, a resolution was passed demanding the release of Amir Hyder
Khan. With the support of labourers and peasanto, he wanted to
overthrow the capitalish and the Zamindars. He had a close contacts,
with the senior communist leaders. Even when thrown in to the
prison, he was underterred and he established contacts with men
inside the Raja Mundry Jai. Thus he was ask to train many men who
became his ardent followers and who later emerged as the promisent
leaders of Communist party. As a team all these men furthered the
cause of commnism. Though Amir Khan himself was not physically
present amidst the men, the camed out the plans of the communist
party in the Madras Presidency. He was the source of inspiration and
guiding factory to leaders like P. Sundarayya, P. Srinivas Rao,
Jeevanantham and A.S.K. Kyengar.
S.G. Ghate was an another Note working Communist leaders of
Madras Presidency, who was one of the pioneers of Communist
movement in the Bombay region. Ghate, who rendered siggal service
for the emergence of the communist party in Tamilnadu. Ghate also
involved in the Meet at conspiracy case and he came to Madras and
stayed for a period of four years from 1936 to 1940. He was helped by
C.S. Subramanyan, who had just then returned from England. He
was known as the train behind the party in Tamilnadu. He helped
Ghate as a member pf the editorial board of the Janasakthi. He
belong to an orthedox Brahmin family of Mangalore. Later, he went to
Bombay and met S.A. Dange. He attended as a representative from
Bombay for the Conference of 1925 at Kanpur. Ghate was also the
editor of a monthly New Age.
Ghate involved himself in the establishment of trace unions like
the Press workers Union. Tramway Electricity Workers Union, Toddy
Tappers Union etc., His all along carrier was supported by
jeevanantham, the editor of the Janasakthi. He met Singaravely in
Madras in 1936 and the latter asked him to build a powerful brade
union movement and a strong communist party in Tamilnadu. Ghate
was also contacted of the Press Union, Railway Labour Union,
Corporation workers union to explain the functioning of a Trade union
and a Political movement. Through his initiative within a year in
1938, the Jesus Press printed 17 books of which deal with the several
aspects of Communism.
Ghate's four years of stay in Madras was the most fruit ful
period of his life and it was during that period he contributed solidly
to the growth of the Communist Party in the Madras Presidency. On
his part, it was an all around effort to meet the leaders like
Singaravely, Amir Hyder Khan, Srinivas Rad, Jeevanantham. A.S.K.
Iyengar, P. Ramamoorthy, K. Kurugesan and other. his internment in
Mangalore in 1940, he was again arrested and taken to Vellore jail.
Later he was transferred to Deoli along with A.S.K. Iyengar. Then they
were back in Vellore Jail and remained there till 1944.
P. Jeevanantham
'Jeeva' @ Jeevanantham was born at Bhoothapanid in
Kanyakumari area. In his youth days, he was religions man but later
turned out to be an atheist. His association with Gandhism made him
a Sympathism of the Harijans. Ar Karaikudi, je founded the Gandhi
Ashram In 1927, Gandhi visited the Ashram. He involved himpelt in
the Samadharma movement and left the Gandhi Ashram and there
after he fully involved in the Indian National Movement.
He was arrested and imprisoned during the Civil Disobedience
movement in 1930 and 1932 and while he was in jai, he met
Bhuthakesvara Dutt and Kundanlal, who were close associated of
Bhaget Sing. He read the books on Communism and socialism. The
prison thus became freeding ground of the future of Communist
leaders. He realised the people's movement would could the public
together to achieve the immediate goal of overthrowing the British.
In 1935, the first socialist Congress Conference was held under
the Presidentship of Director Metha, Jeevanantham was elected as its
General Secretary. Theit first taske was to organise the workers as
they formed the backbone of the movement. In 1936, the Madras
Presidency Trade union congress, a wing of the All India Trade Union
Congress was formed and it made Jeeva as its President. On October
29, 1939 Jeeva was arrested for his anti was speeches. The British
officials thought that Jeeva Should not be allowed to be the President
of the union. On September 12, 1939, Jeeva spoke in the meeting of
the Press Workers Union at Madras. He stated that Indias
contribution to the First world war infterms of men and money who
12,00,000 (men) and Rs.210,-00,00,000. This war a great loss and
therefore, he urged non-participation in the second world ward.
On September 25th 1939 he addressed the Workers at Madras
on the need to over throw the british on September 27 th 1939 he spole
at Dindigul meeting that when the British removed their Military
might from India to fight the war, it would be easier to over throw
imperialism. Between October 1, 1939 to October 30, Jeeva spoke a
number of antiwar propagananda in Madras, Trich, Tirunelveli,
Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, Madurai, and other prominent places of
Tamilnadu, the theme of specches of Jeeva were purely, anti-was
propaganda messages. The Whirl wind tour was undertaken of Jeeva
to impress on the working class people in the reed to over throw the
British imperialism The Hindu, in its issue dated 10th November 1939
expalined the reason for his arrest. Jeeva was bound over to keep
peach and be of govd behaviour for one year in jail. The Magistrate
observed that he made seditious speeches with the intention to
promote feeling of slated between classes and communities and if he
was not bound over, he would carry on with his seditious speeches.
In 1942, though all communists were released as a result of the
changed attitude of the British government, Jeeva was sent to
Travancore in 1945, he became the president of Tamilnadu
Communist Party. soon 1945 to 1947, Jeeva participated in almost
all the strikes organised by the Communists in Tamilnadu In 1937,
Jeeva started the Janasakthi, a Tamil weekly amidst stiff pressure
from British Police. The Jesus press of Madras published the issues
of the paper up to 1939. The Janasakthi was revived in 1942, under
the editorship of Jeeva. He was a regular contributor to the
Kudiarasu the Puratchi, the Pahutharivu and etc., Moreover, Jeeva
translated 'Why am I am Atheist ? of Bhagatsing in to Tamil in 1934,
published by E.V. Ramasamy. The Tamil version 'Nan Yen Nathikkam
Amer ? was proscribed by the Government of Madras in 1914. Jeeva
was also a verse writer, he published a number of Tamil verses on the
concept of Communism. He became a Member of Madras Legislative
Assembly in 1951. He visited Russia in 1962. Jeeva passed away in
1963. He was a staunch supporter of communist ideology till his
death.
Other Prominent Communist Leaders.
The Communist party of Madras Presidency has produced a
number of active leaders. Who cam from different parts of Madras
Presidency Srinivasa Rao, who hailed from South Rannara, extended
his full support to the peasants of Tamilnadu. Jeeva encourages him
in all aspects of his life in the party. He was the main leader of Kisan
movement in Tamilnadu, Likewise Jeeva, he himself was not
interested in his religion and participated in the struggles against the
British imperialism. He was atracted by the success of Communism
in Russia many times, he was imprisoned by the British Police. After
his release from Salem jai in 1934, joined the Labour protection
league with P. Sundaraya He founded the Snuff workers union in
Madras in 1935 when the congress socialist party was formed, he
joined the party and became its secretary in Tamilnadu.
Srinivasa Rao addressed several meetings of the Communist
party at Tondaiyarpet, Madras (04-07-1938) Veppsy, Madras ( 27-01-
1939 ) i, Sulaimedu, Madras (28-02-1939 ) and High Court Beach
( 01-03-1939 ) In these meetings, he appealed to the Congress
Ministry to settle the strike of labourers and rasied the slogan "Down
with Police atrocities, Down with British impenialism" under the
advice of Ghate, he went to the interior village of Tamilnadu where he
brought peasants to the Communist Party. Basically he was a
kanadian, he spoke to this pearants in Tamil efficiently and collected
them to the Communism. He was the anchorperson of staging many
Communist dramas in various places of Tamilnadu. He raised strong
slogan against the landlords at Watrap by orgenising protest - meeting
on August 22, 1946 for which he was convicted.
Other prominent communist leaders like A.S.K. Iyengar, K.
Muurgesan of Nagapatinam, P. Ramamurthy, Ilango, G.S.
Subramaniam, G. Parthasarathy, M. Kalyana Sundaram, M.R.
Venkataraman, A. Balasubramanian and M. Sankaraiah were also
contributed very much to the communist activities in Tamilnadu.
The Hindu in its issue dated 7th October 1936 stated that a
Notice was issued to P. Ramamurthy, to be bound over for the
speeches made at various public meetings in and around Madras in
1936. But he was released on bail. The Government said that P.
Ramamurthy was an active member of the Madras Congress socialist
party and Secretary of the Madras city youth League and under the
auspices of the socialist party and Trade unions, he delivered
objectionable speeches in the city. they were inflamatory and
calculated to excite disaffection towards the government.
The Hindu published an article on 'P. Ramamurthy's case on
10th November 1936, it stated that P. Ramamurthy, who was bound
over and was asked to execute a bond for Rs.500/- and to furnish two
sureties for the like sum and he executed the bonds required. He got
the support of the labourers in various strikes organised by him. He
got legal assistance from M.R. Venkataraman. By 1939, when the
world war brokeout Ramamurthy was interned in his village in
Veppattur. But he went underground and did his work among the
people.
All these communist leaders urged the people to over throw the
British imperialism. They stressed the need for labour and peasants
unity. However, the communists had to remain in jails until 1942,
when the war took a different turn which resulted in the release of
the communists. But they were once again arrested on various
charges and put behind the bars. On August 15, 1947 the cases
against the Communists were withdrawn and they were freed from
jails.
Political Writings on Labour Movement
Singaravelu was the pioneer of Communist Labour movement in
the Madras Presidency. It could be stated that the Communist labour
movement founded before 1931 led to the foundation of the
Communist Party in the Madras Presidency. Dr. Annie Beasant stated
that an All India Labour Organisation was necessary in India to make
the European capitalists respect Indian Opinion. She told this
statement on October 18, 1918 in as private meeting organised by
young Men's Indian Association in Madras. A Central labour Board
was formed in Madras in 1918. It led to the formation of the Madras
Labour union on April 27, 1918. B.P. Wadia became the President;
Kesava Pillai and KalyanaSundara Mudali were its Vice-Presidents.
The Madras Labour Union organised a labour meeting on May
2, 1918 of Perambur Barracks. It was the first organised attempt of
the labourers in Madras. They discussed various aspects of labour
problems and issues. On 22 December and 28 December 1918,
meetings were organised at the Buckingham Carnatic Mills
respestively and appointed a secretary for each 19 departments and a
General secretary for each mill. It was attended by 800 workers. On
January 6, 1919, a labour meeting was held by the workers of the
Madras Tram way union at Madras. A meeting was conducted at the
Perambur Railway workshop and 400 workers were present in that
meeting. On 12th February 1919, about 4000 workers, and general
public gathered on the Marina beach. V.O. Chidambaram Pillai and
Subramania Siva were delivered speeches on the Rowlatt Bills. On
March 09, 1919, V.O.C. and Subramania Siva took the lead of the
Labour movement in Madras. On March 19, Gandhi met the Labour
unions of Madras. The Labour movement had its progress when the
workmen of various printing Presses met on April 13, 1919 and
resolved to form a " Madras Printing Press Men's Union. Gandhi was
made its Honorary President and Subramani Iyer of Tramway Union
became its Vice-President.
The first Labour Conference was held on March 21, 1920 at
Madras and 3000 labourers attended the meeting. Madras based all
labour unions were represented the meeting. The proposed to start a
newspaper for labourers. The first issue of the Navasakthi, the new
labour daily was released on October 22, 1920. Thereafter, the Labour
unions of all concerns started organising strikes. The popular strikes
of the periods like the Buckingham - Carnatic Mill strike ( October 29,
1918); Madras General hospital (19 November 1918); The Burma Oil
Company strike (February1, 1919); the Oakel and Company strike (16
March 1919); and the Madura Coats strike (January 17-19, 1920)
were important ones.
The Hindu in its issue dated January 29, 1920 reported the
reason for the Madura Mills strike, that the depromotion of a Maistry
to the position of a coolie. It was the first of its kind in Madurai region.
The District Collector of Madurai wrote to the Chief secretary that the
workers had gone back to work unconditionally after the advice made
by George Joseph. The Hindu also reveated the fact that the union
unrest was stoped because of the efforts of George Joseph. From 1920
onwards, the Labour movement become very popular in all the
districts of Tamilnadu. In the meantime, the newspapers started
publishing frequent articles on the Labour movement in Tamilnadu.
They are as follows:-
S. Name of Paper Date of Issue Title of News Item
No.
1 New India 3-6-1918 A letter and an aspce.

The Government of India pointed out that certain objectionable

literature had crept in to India and notification was issued to the
Presidency Governments to forfeit them. These were considered as
Instrumental aiding the cause of labour unrest. In terms of the
Government Notification, all copies of the book entitled " India in
Transition " by M.N. Roy, published at Geneva and extracts of the
same were ordered to be forfeited. They were considered to be
containing materials, in contempt of the Government. From this
Government ban on Communist writings written by M.N. Roy and
others; it could be inferred that Communism was gradually filtering
down into the labour movement in the Madras Presidency.
The Fortnightly Report of May, 1922 reported that a few well-
known extremists like Subramania Siva and Singaravelu had
published a scheme named after ' the Hindustan Panchayat '. It
contemplated the organisation of a system of parallel government in
selected villages. It propose to have a village executive incharge of
separate departments, village courts and schools, a monthly budget
and taxation and a yearly meeting of all the inhabitants as October 2
every year, on ' Gandhi Day '. It was spelled out in a pamphlet entitled
' A challange ', issued under the authority of the Communist Federal
League of India. It was widely circulated amoung the villagers secretly.
The Government of Madras prescribed the said pamphlet, which was
written by Neelakanda Brahmachari, one of convicts of the Ashe
Murder case. The extremists sponsored him for its publication.
Enforcing the sea customs Act, 1878, a copy of the pamphlet
entitled " India's problem and its solution", by M.N. Roy was also
prohibited entry into British India. Before 1924, the Communists in
Tamilnadu wanted to follow a path of non-violent struggle. At the
same time, they wanted the labourers to put a united front for the
redressal of their grievances against the capitalists. The
Government's fear of Communist activities, could be seen from the
following order issued by them; " Political letters M.N.Roy and all other
documents containing copies of translations of, or extract from the
said publication in as much as it contains seditious matter, the
publication of which is punishable under section 124-A of Indian
Penal Code". The trend was continued upto 1933. A large number of
Communist Writings were prohibited, its entry into India.
Many newspapers wrote in a tone strengthening the cause of
Tamilnadu labourers. They stated after the Meerat Conspiracy case
action was launched by the government against many Communists,
extremists, trade union leaders and peasants. The Government of
Madras sinply acted on the information produced by the C.I.D. and a
number of labourers and peasants were made to undergo
imprisonment for atleast four years. The Gandhi in its issue dated
September 3, 1933 stated; " Will the Government learn a lesson
atleast from the case and refrain from believing the words of the secret
police to be gospel."
 The Vedigundu (The Bomb) of Madurai published an article on
the condition of working class people in India which it said had
became deplorable. Every where there was reduction of wages and
retrenchment of staff. These were done on the prefect of trade
depression. The socialist movement had not solved the problem of
labourers and so the paper urged that the labourers should remain
united and strive for their advancement. This Comment of the paper
was made because the socialists were not given a free hand in solving
problems of the workers.
In the Madras Presidency, the following organisations intended
to or were likely to promote the Communist spirit:-
1) The Free Thinkers Association
2) The Sept- Respect League @ the Samadharana Party
3) The Madras Young Workers League
4) The Indian Workers Equality League
5) The Hindustan Samayavadi Sangam
6) Labour organisation
7) Ryots' Association.
The Chief Secretary of Government of Madras stated that
Communism had already gained its footing in the Madras Province
and though it was not dangerous in the immediate future, it might
develop in the dangerous dimensions. The National Literary
Publishing Co-functioned Ostensibly for the collection of books on
international problems but in reality it worked for the collection and
dissemination of Communist literature. Inspite of strict vigilance, the
Communists became more and more active and they even started an
English Monthly paper the New Age in April 1933. The first issue
contained contributions from V.K. Narashiman of the Young Workers
League, H.D. Rajah and N.S. Srinivasa Iyer, an associate of
Mukundlal Sircar. The Government of Madras brought the Madras
Conspiracy case against the Communists and arrested many leaders
of communism. Once they came out of the jail, they wanted to kill the
British officers and bring about India's Independence.
 There was a vigrous Communist Propaganda and activities all
over the Madras Presidency due to Singaravelu and Others in 1935.
Therewere non-Communist leaders with strong leftist tendencies like
V. Chakkarai Chetti and Kalyana Sundra Mudaliar. They too vigrously
involved in the labour movement in Tamilnadu. before 1942, the
Communist Party was an anti-Britis and the British Government was
anti-Communist during the second world war. In 1942, the ban on
the Communist party has lifted and the party was permitted to involve
in the active politics. They extended to support the British
Government. Later, the communists took up the cause of the Indian
national movement when Gandhi", Nehur and other leaders of
Congrees were put in the prisons.
The Government of India Act of 1935 encouraged the Congress
party to form the Government in Centre and also in the Provinces.
Madras Presidency, C. Rajagopalachari formed his ministry in 1937.
The Congress did not care about the issues of labourers. Hence, they
shouted slogan against the Congress ministry. Between 1937 and
1940, total number of labour sprites and lockouts doubled and the
number of workers who involved in strikes increased morethan five
times before. This led to the misunderstanding, between the Congress
and the Communists. Anti-Congress sentiments were common in
Tamilnadu from 1937, the New Age and the Janalathi the
Communist Journals took the issue and propagated the anti-
Government stand.
On October 30, 1936, S.A. Dange, the editor of the socilaist,
paper published an article, "why Land Lordissm and Private
Ownership of Industries should go.?" In this article, his analytical
survey on the position of Labourers and their involvement in the
national struggle were critically analysed. Thus Dange's analytical
study brought a clear view of the aim of socialists and their role to be
played in the national movement. In the meantime, the Government of
Madras searched at the Madras Provincial Co-Operative union Library
without any proper warrant and seized the following communist
literature, on February 8, 1937.
1) The Nature of Capitalist Crisis
2) Nationalism in Soviet Union
3) What we saw in the Soviet Union
4) Russia - Today and Tomorrow
5) Condition of working class in England.
The Indian Express, in its issue dated February 10, 1937 stated
that an enquiry should have been made with the Libranian regarding
poeression of proscribed books. It said that a little more intelligence
was required on the part of C.I.D. of Madras. The seized books against
serial No.3 to 5 were returned to the Librarian, and the others were
prohibited by the Government. An another book " Sidney and Beafrice
webb " was a treatise on Communism. It contained a lengthy analysis
of the Soviet Union, and its political Organisation. It dealt with
subjects like man as a citizen, Man as a producer, Man as a
Consumer and Man in the vocation of leadership. Further, it analysed
the Industrialisation of Russia and its agricultural developments
through collective farms and Co-operative marketing, Russian
administration, Russian Industrial and military potential and also
Russia's Cultural and other state wide organisations. Publications of
this kind and pamphlets and Newspapers dealing with communism
were ever watched by the Government of Madras vigilantly.
Between 1936 and 1938, there were a number of strikes
organised in the different mills of Tamil province such as ' Coimbatore
spining and wearing Mill strike (1936); the Buckingham & Carnatic
Mill strike (June 1936); the Madura Mills strike (September 1937); the
Saradha Mill Strike (Non 1937); Papanasam Mills, Trinelveli
(Nov.1937); the Choolai Mills strike (Dec.1937); the Madura Coats
strike (January 1938); and the Saroya Mills strike, Coimbatore(Jan,
1938). About 10,000 workers were found guilty, for participating in
these mill strikes of the period. The Police took severe actions against
the Communist leaders and labour union leaders of these mills.
Commenting on these mill strikes, the Hindu dated February 16, 1938
said that the strikers were lathicharged and that several labourers
received severe injuries. Some were treated in the hospitals of
respective regions, Leckouts were pronounced and the Police guarded
the mill premises. The Madras Mail in its issue on the same date
made a similar comment on the labours strikes. The Indian Express
dated February 17, 1938 commented that in a clash two sub-
inspectors and many workers were injured,The Vahins", a Telugu
Newspaper dated March 27, 1938 gave a statement of P.
Ramamurthy, Secretary of District Ryots Association, "Police
constable outraged women's modesty and beat ryots and workers
black and blue". Further, the editor insisted that the excess
committed by the Police on Coolies at Coimbatore should be heard by
Rajagopalachari by conducting an enquiry, For this comment the
editor was warned by the Government The Sentinel of Bombay on
March 29, 1938 commented "Horrible taks of Lathi charge, men fatally
beaten and women outraged in Coimbatore. The press of the period
uniformly published the ourtrages on the women workers in
Coimbatore in 1938 to Sepatember 1938, a strike was took place in
the Government press against the promotion of an Anglo-Indian
worker. About 1800 workers went on strike. About 46 Workers of
Madras publishing House were arrested for a strike. On February 28,
1939, a driver of a motor car carrying the workers not striking to
Madras publishing House ran over a striker. The strikers took out
processions with anti-capitalist and Police slogans.
R. balan published a leaflet, printed at Jesu Press, under the
authority of Varadha Rajalu, the President and A.S.K. Iyengar, the
General Secretary of the Madras Press Workers union. It narrated the
incident of the worker run over by the car and said that the nan on
whom the car was driven vomitted blood and was admitted to the
Hospital in a very serious condition. The workers were asked to go to
people's park and from there in a procession to the High Court Beach
infront of the Secretariat to attend the public protest meeting. But the
processionists were not prosecuted on that day.
The Hindu dated May 8, 1939 published an artick related to the
strikes in the East India Sugar Company at Nellikuppam and Ranipet.
The paper said:" unnecessary lathi charge on peaceful procession of
150 labourers; 50 wounded seriously leader arrested position pitiable
intervere immediately". The Janasakthi dated May 13, 1939 writes the
issue;" We wish to remind the Government of Madras of the resoltuin
passed recently by the Tamilnadu Congress working Committee,
requesting the Government to see that workers who went on strike are
not victimised." The paper further said that since the Premier
intervened and the situation was peaceful, the workers and their
leader who were sentenced to imprisonment should be released
unconditionally. During the strike, the police had resorted to violence
and morethan 40 workers received lathi blows. Finally, the strike was
withdrawn and the ban was removed by the Government.