The Communist Party of India urged the Union government to declare March 23 — the martyrdom day of Bhagat Singh and his comrades — as ‘inquilab diwas’ to be marked with a national public holiday.

This year is the 90th anniversary of martyrdom of freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru. In an appeal to his party CPI general secretary D. Raja has asked all the party units and the students bodies to observe the day as ‘inquilab diwas’ to honour their memory and to take their ideas to the people of the country.

“The India of their dreams is under threat today and it would be befitting to observe their martyrdom anniversary in great numbers taking their ideas of socialism, secularism and equality to the people by organising various kinds of activities,” Mr. Raja said in a statement. He added that it was long since India gained independence from British, but now it was facing another kind of “subordination in front of corporate finance capital and communal fascism”.

In this context, he said that the coming Assembly elections for four States (Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal) and the Union Territory of Puducherry assume much significance. “The BJP is looking at these elections as the gateways to the Southern and Eastern parts of the country while the people of the States and all secular-democratic forces see BJP as a threat to the Constitution, communal harmony, social justice and the culture of their States,” he said. Mr. Raja said that the defeat of the BJP and its allies in these elections would re-energise the struggle to reclaim our republic and its socialist, secular and democratic fabric.