Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh – August 2, 2025:
I. Introduction: A Clarion Call for Constitutional Defense
The Comrade Shailendra Shyli Memorial Lecture, held today in Bhopal, served as a pivotal platform for progressive voices, drawing a significant audience of students, activists, and intellectuals. The event’s provocative theme, ‘Who is Afraid of the Constitution?’, immediately set a tone of urgency, sparking critical discussion on the perceived threats to
Comrade Shailendra Shyli Memorial Lecture
Who is Afraid of the Constitution?
Key insights from the keynote address by Brinda Karat in Bhopal
A Vision, Not Just a Document
Brinda Karat emphasized that the Constitution of India is not merely a legal text but a living vision for a just and equitable society. Its core principles represent a promise to every citizen.
"The Constitution of India is not just a legal document — it is a vision for justice, equality, and secularism."
The Three Pillars of the Constitutional Vision
Systematic Threats to Constitutional Values
The lecture warned of a systematic undermining of the Constitution's foundational values. Key rights and principles are facing significant challenges from forces seeking to silence dissent and rewrite history.
A comparison of Constitutional Ideals vs. Reported Threats
Protecting the Vulnerable
A key message was the urgent need to safeguard the constitutional rights of marginalized communities and the working classes, who are most affected by the erosion of democratic values.
Marginalized Communities
Working Classes
Social Activists
Students & Intellectuals
Legacy of Comrade Shailendra Shyli
The event honored the memory of Comrade Shailendra Shyli, a respected trade unionist and CPI(M) leader in Madhya Pradesh, remembered as a fearless voice for social justice.
Fearless Voice
An untiring advocate for the working class and their rights.
Trade Unionist
A pivotal figure in strengthening the trade union movement in the region.
CPI(M) Leader
Served as the secretary of the CPI(M) Madhya Pradesh state committee.
A Call for Unity
The lecture concluded with a call for unity among all democratic and secular forces, highlighting the role of mass organizations in the struggle to defend the Constitution.
DYFI
Youth Wing
SFI
Student Wing
CITU
Labour Wing
AIDWA
Women's Wing
II. Brinda Karat's Scathing Critique: Undermining Democratic Values
Karat delivered a sharp indictment of the prevailing political climate, articulating concerns about a “systematic undermining of constitutional values by those in power.” Her address transcended mere political rhetoric, delving into the philosophical underpinnings of India's constitutional framework. She powerfully asserted, “The Constitution of India is not just a legal document — it is a vision for justice, equality, and secularism”. This statement frames the Constitution not merely as a set of rules but as a living ideal under threat, emphasizing its aspirational rather than merely prescriptive nature.
Karat directly linked the perceived attacks on the Constitution to a fear of its core principles. She asserted, “Those who fear this vision are the ones seeking to silence dissent and rewrite history to suit their ideology”. This assertion points to a direct connection between ideological opposition to constitutional values and efforts to suppress opposing voices. A specific concern in this regard is the continued application of laws such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). This legislation, a legacy from the colonial era, has been criticized for its role in quashing dissent and leading to widespread political imprisonment even decades after India gained independence. The persistence of such legal instruments, originally designed to curtail movements against colonial rule, suggests a deep-seated resistance to fundamental liberties within the state apparatus. The use of such laws is seen as directly undermining the constitutional promise of liberty and tolerance, thereby eroding foundational rights like freedom of speech and expression, which are cornerstones of a liberal democratic framework. This indicates that the apprehension Karat describes manifests in tangible legislative and executive actions that curtail civil liberties.
Karat further challenged the simplistic notion of India as “the mother of democracy,” pointing to historical instances of "cruel rule of unequal societies communities cause gender". She emphasized that true democracy extends beyond mere forms of governance to encompass economic and social democracy. This perspective suggests that a nation cannot claim true democracy if deep-seated inequalities persist across caste, gender, and economic lines. This directly connects to her subsequent emphasis on marginalized communities and the working classes, framing their struggles as central to the realization of constitutional democracy. This broader understanding of democracy, she argued, necessitates a renewed commitment to collective action, calling for forces to "re-gather, re-mobilize and come together with a renewed strength to take a struggle for democracy forward". This implies that the threats to the Constitution are not solely political or legal but are deeply intertwined with socio-economic disparities. The struggle for constitutional values, from the CPI(M) perspective, is a holistic one that demands addressing systemic injustices to achieve a truly equitable and democratic society.
III. Safeguarding Constitutional Rights for the Marginalized and Working Classes
Karat's speech underscored the critical importance of safeguarding constitutional rights, particularly for marginalized communities and working classes. This emphasis aligns with the CPI(M)'s core ideological tenets of social justice and equality, which prioritize the upliftment of the most vulnerable sections of society.
The discussion around marginalized communities gains profound depth when viewed through the lens of historical injustices. The legacy of colonial laws, such as the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871, which branded entire communities as “criminal by birth” and subjected them to surveillance and violence, continues to cast a long shadow. Despite India's constitutional republic being established in 1950, these communities faced "double discrimination" – from the existing caste system and the new legal order. The Constitution, particularly the "golden triangle" of Articles 14, 19, and 21, explicitly aims to correct these historical wrongs by guaranteeing equality, liberty, and dignity for all, including Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and even the Hijra communities. The fact that these communities still face challenges demonstrates that the constitutional promise is an ongoing, active struggle against deeply embedded societal and legal biases, rather than a fully achieved state. The apprehension Karat speaks of could manifest as a deliberate reluctance or active effort by certain forces to undermine or dilute these protective and affirmative constitutional provisions, thereby perpetuating historical injustices and maintaining existing power structures.
Karat’s critique also resonates with recent legislative actions that have raised alarms regarding the constitutional principles of secularism and equality before the law. The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), for instance, has been widely criticized for offering an expedited pathway to Indian citizenship based on religious identity, explicitly excluding Muslims, thereby challenging the constitutional guarantee of equal protection to "any person". This legislative move is seen by critics as a direct violation of India's secular fabric. Karat's warning of "systematic undermining" finds a clear and recent example in the CAA, which is described as challenging "core constitutional doctrines of equality before the law and equal protection" and violating "the constitutional principle of secularism" by discriminating based on religion. This is a direct, tangible instance of a legislative act that, from the perspective of Karat and her party, actively erodes the very values the Constitution embodies. This legislative erosion creates widespread anxiety and division, particularly among minority communities, and underscores the urgency of the "Who is afraid of the Constitution?" question.
The urgency of protecting marginalized communities is further amplified by specific incidents reported from Madhya Pradesh itself. Reports of unlawful demolitions of properties belonging to religious minorities as a form of "extrajudicial punishment" and the tragic burning to death of a 19-year-old Dalit woman after reporting sexual harassment serve as stark reminders of the acute vulnerabilities faced by these groups in the state. These incidents ground Karat's broad statements about undermining constitutional values and protecting marginalized communities in the immediate reality of Madhya Pradesh, providing concrete, verifiable instances of constitutional violations. They underscore Karat’s warning about the "systematic undermining" and highlight the immediate, tangible consequences of a weakening constitutional framework, reinforcing the call for greater unity among democratic and secular forces to resist such trends. This connection makes the "threat to the Constitution" more immediate and impactful, demonstrating that the erosion of constitutional values has direct, often violent, repercussions for vulnerable populations within the state where the lecture was held.
IV. The Enduring Legacy of Comrade Shailendra Shyli
The memorial lecture served as a significant tribute to Comrade Shailendra Shyli, remembering him as a fearless voice for the working class and an untiring advocate for social justice. The event was organized by local left-leaning cultural and political groups to honor his profound legacy and contributions to the progressive movement.
For accuracy, it is important to clarify that Comrade Shailendra Shyli, the subject of this memorial lecture, was the late secretary of the CPI(M) Madhya Pradesh state committee, who passed away on August 7, 2001. His cremation in Bhopal was a significant event, attended by senior CPI(M) leaders, including Brinda Karat and Prakash Karat, underscoring his stature within the party and the region. This clearly distinguishes him from other historical communist figures named "Shailendra" or "Shyli" who may appear in broader historical records, such as the figure mentioned in historical archives related to the Kanpur Communist Conspiracy Case of 1924, who edited "Langal" and "Ganabani". The memorial specifically commemorates the Madhya Pradesh leader's dedication to the working class and social justice in the state, emphasizing his localized and regional importance within the CPI(M) framework.
V. The Organizers and Broader Left-Democratic Movement
The event was organized by "local left-leaning cultural and political groups". The context of Brinda Karat's keynote address and the nature of the memorial lecture strongly suggests alignment with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)), a major national political party in India. The CPI(M) operates through a robust and extensive network of mass organizations that champion social and political causes across various segments of society. These include the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), its youth wing, which actively participates in protests and social work, including initiatives like "Red Volunteers" and "Sramajibi Canteen". The Students' Federation of India (SFI), the student wing, engages in protests against education policies, fee hikes, and leads social campaigns such as "Bleed Without Fear, Bleed Without Tax" advocating for sanitary napkin tax abolition and access. The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) serves as its labour wing, advocating for workers' rights, while the All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) addresses issues pertinent to women's rights and gender equality. Furthermore, the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) and the All India Agricultural Workers Union focus on the rights and welfare of farmers and agricultural laborers. These organizations collectively represent the broader "left-leaning" ecosystem that supports and extends the CPI(M)'s ideological work and activism, providing a strong base for events like the memorial lecture and demonstrating a sustained commitment to social change.
It is imperative for accurate reporting to clearly distinguish these legitimate, national left-leaning organizations, particularly the CPI(M) and its affiliates, from banned militant organizations like the Communist Party of India (Maoist) (CPI(Maoist)). The CPI(Maoist) is explicitly designated as a terrorist organization and an "unlawful association" by the Madhya Pradesh government, aiming to overthrow the government through armed rebellion. In contrast, the CPI(M) is a recognized national political party with an ideology that includes "Secularism" and operates through legal mass organizations. This crucial differentiation ensures the report maintains journalistic integrity and provides readers with an accurate understanding of the diverse spectrum of "left-leaning" political activity in India, preventing the conflation of democratic, constitutional activism with violent extremism.
Speakers preceding Karat, including academics, lawyers, and grassroots organizers, collectively reinforced the call to resist constitutional subversion and defend India's democratic soul. This highlights a united front of diverse voices, transcending narrow party lines, in defense of shared constitutional values and principles.
VI. Conclusion: A Call for Unity and Continued Vigilance
The Comrade Shailendra Shyli Memorial Lecture served as a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggle to uphold India's constitutional ideals. It provided a crucial forum for open discussion on the multifaceted challenges facing democracy, secularism, and the rights of marginalized communities in the country. The event's conclusion with a cultural performance themed on resistance and solidarity was a symbolic act, reinforcing the message that the defense of the Constitution is not merely a legal or political battle, but a profound cultural and societal imperative. It underscored the call for collective action and unity among all democratic and secular forces to safeguard the nation's foundational values.
