Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet

Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet was born on March 23, 1916 at village Ropowal, District Jullunder, Punjab. He joined the national movement at the age of 15. Owing to his political activities he was jailed several times and had to spend 10 years in prison -- 8 years during the British regime and 2 years under Congress rule, after the country became independent. Apart from this, for a period of 8 years he remained underground. He joined the Naujawan Bharat Sabha in 1931; was imprisoned in March 1932 for hoisting the national flag on the district courts at Hoshiarpur (Punjab); joined the then illegal Communist Party in 1934 and became one of its pioneers. From 1935 to 1938 he took keen interest in building the Congress organisation alongwith the Kisan Sabha. He was elected Secretary of the Punjab State Kisan Sabha in 1938. Joined the Congress Socialist Party in 1935. Externed from Punjab in 1938 and started a monthly organ `Chingari' (spark) from Saharanpur (U.P). He was one of the first batch against whom detention warrants were issued at the outbreak of the War in September 1939. Went underground during the War. Again arrested in December 1940 and remained in detention till 1944. After release worked to strengthen the Kisan Sabha.

During partition, worked for communal harmony. Again went underground during 1948-52. Led the historic anti-betterment levy movement in Punjab in 1959. Worked as President and General Secretary of the All India Kisan Sabha. Worked in the Agricultural Workers Union. Led Party and Kisan Sabha delegations to many countries.

Edited many papers and Party organs in Punjab such as "Dukhi Duniya", daily Lok Lehar from Jullundur in 1966. Currently, editor Hindi organ of the Party -- Lok Lehar weekly. Wrote innumerable pamphlets on current political issues. Books -- Land Reforms in India, Future of Kashmir, Happenings in Punjab and the Outline History of the Communist Party.

One of the founders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). Elected to the Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India in January 1954 at the third Party Congress. Elected General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in 1992 at the 14th Party Congress held at Madras. He was re-elected to the Post of General Secretary of the Party at the 15th Party Congress held at Chandigarh in April 1995, at the 16th Party Congress held at Calcutta from October, 1998 and at the 17th Congress held at Hyderabad in April 2002. Currently, he is special invitee to the Central Committee.

It is from cpim.org