Gadwal: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has called upon people to imbibe the fighting spirit of Chakali Ailamma and strengthen struggles for their rights. On Wednesday, CPM District Secretary A. Venkataswamy issued this call while addressing a gathering at the old bus stand in the district headquarters during the 40th death anniversary commemoration of Chityala Ailamma.

Speaking on the occasion, he hailed Ailamma as the woman who laid the foundation for the world-renowned Telangana Armed Peasant Struggle. He recalled how Ailamma cultivated four acres of land, but then Visunur Deshmukh Ramachandra Reddy tried to illegally seize her produce. Instead of yielding to feudal exploitation, she not only resisted but also mobilized fellow laborers, preventing landlords from looting the hard-earned produce of peasants.

Though her family faced immense hardships, Ailamma never stopped her struggle against the atrocities of the landlords, Venkataswamy said. Despite being a woman, she organized oppressed masses against feudal exploitation and inspired them to participate in the armed struggle. He noted that Ailamma united people across villages to fight for land, freedom from bonded labor, and liberation from hunger, instilling a revolutionary spirit in them.

He emphasized that Ailamma’s life should not be viewed merely through the lens of caste but rather through the class perspective, as she actively participated in the communist-led armed struggle and played a crucial role in establishing village republics. “She was a warrior who organized people against the exploitation of landlords, zamindars, and deshmukhs,” he said, adding that her fight against economic, social, and cultural oppression continues to inspire.

Calling on people to revive the same fighting spirit, Venkataswamy urged the public to continue struggles against exploitation and injustice. He demanded that both the central and state governments prove their commitment to the poor by distributing land to the landless. “Until every poor person receives land, people must continue their land struggles,” he asserted.

Several CPM district committee members and workers, including Upper Narasimha, Balakrishna, Majjiga Anjaneyulu, Vishnu, Tirupatanna, Babanna, Bhaskar, Mahesh, and Krishna, participated in the program.