Anantapur: The CPI has called upon the public to ensure the grand success of its centenary celebrations scheduled to be held on January 18 in Khammam, Telangana.

As part of the campaign, centenary celebration pamphlets were released at the CPI district office, Neelam Rajasekhar Reddy Bhavan, in Anantapur on Wednesday.

The pamphlets were released by CPI district secretary P. Narayanaswamy, in the presence of assistant district secretaries Mallikarjuna Raja Reddy and other party leaders.

Addressing the gathering, Narayanaswamy said the CPI, which played a significant role in India’s freedom struggle, was founded on December 26, 1925, in Kanpur, even before Independence. As the party completes 100 years, a massive public meeting is being organised at Khammam with lakhs of people expected to attend. He appealed to people from Anantapur district to participate in large numbers.

He alleged that the BJP-led Union government was functioning in contradiction to the ideals of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and accused it of attempting to weaken the Constitution. He further claimed that public sector institutions were being privatised for the benefit of corporate houses, while the interests of common people were being ignored.

Narayanaswamy criticised the Centre over unemployment, economic inequality and electoral practices, and demanded the restoration of ballot paper elections. He also alleged that the State government had failed to question anti-people policies of the Union government.

Calling for united struggles against anti-democratic policies, he urged people to make the January 18 Khammam public meeting a historic success.

Several CPI leaders and representatives of allied organisations attended the programme.