Rich tributes were paid to Senior CPI (M) and prominent Kisan Leader, Comrade Bishan Dass who breathed his last recently at Jammu. A condolence meeting was organized by the State Unit of CPI (M) at Jammu which was attended by cross section of people. Those who paid tributes to the departed revolutionary leader included M.Y.Tarigami, CPI(M) leader and MLA, Sham Prasad Kesar, regional Secretary CPI(M), Jammu, Om Prakash, General Secretary J&K CITU, Kishore Kumar, President JK Kisan Tehreek, Banarasi Dass, Member State Committee J&K CPI(M) and Manjeet Singh, senior Congress leader and former minister. While paying tributes to late Comrade Bisahn Dass, Tarigami recalled his life-long contribution in voicing the grievances of the down trodden, peasantry and other exploited sections of the society who fought against injustice and inequality upto his last breath. Remembering his long association with the departed leader, he said that late comrade possessed the qualities of a great revolutionary who always fought the divisive and communal forces and stood for protection of democratic rights of the people.
Cautioning against the divisive forces that are hell bent to divide the people of the state on communal lines, he appealed the democratic and secular forces to unitedly protect pluralism, communal brotherhood and political unity of the state, adding that the unity of the state with empowerment at different levels is in the interest of all the regions and communities and exhorted upon the poor sections and oppressed people to unitedly struggle for the betterment of their lives.Paying homage to the departed leader, Sham Prasad Kesar, Regional Secretary, CPI(M), Jammu said since 1952, the late comrade tirelessly fought for the peasantry and working class people upto his death. In 1957 he came into contact with late comrade Hari Kishan Singh Surjeet and became member of All India Kisan Sabha, he said that in 1972 he became member of State Committee CPI(M) J&K and Regional Secretary, CPI(M), Jammu and remained on the said position upto 2004. Om Prtakash, General Secretraty CITU, J&K, highlighted his contribution towards strengthening of progressive and peasantry movement in the State particularly in Jammu region.Among others, Kishore Kumar, President, JK Kisan Tehreek, Banarasi Dass, Member State Committee, J&K CPI(M), Vaid Vickle, member, regional Committee CPI(M), Jammu also paid revolutionary tributes to the departed leader. Earlier, Tarigami visited the residence of the departed leader and expressed his solidarity with the bereaved family. (KNS)