Tributes paid to pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, who 'dodged' police for 60 yrs

By Harsh Thakor*
Jagjit Singh Sohal, known as Comrade Sharma, a pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, passed away on October 20 at the age of 96. Committed to the Naxalite cause and a prominent Maoist leader, Sohal, who succeeded Charu Majumdar, played hide and seek with the police for almost six decades. He was cremated in Patiala.

Sohal, from Shahpur village in Sangrur district, was active in the communist movement from a young age. Growing up during a period of intense global and domestic agitation against exploitation, Sohal was inspired by the communist ideology and joined the Communist Party of India (CPI) when it was based in Lahore. He relinquished his position as a primary school teacher to dedicate his life to revolutionary activism.
During the 1950s, Sohal became involved in the tenant-peasant movement in the Patiala and Eastern Punjab States Union (PEPSU), pushing back against feudalism. In time, he rose through the ranks of the CPI and, later, CPI (Marxist-Leninist) (CPI-ML), where he held key leadership roles. Following the death of CPI-ML founder Charu Mazumdar in 1972, Sohal became general secretary of the Central Organizing Committee of CPI-ML, beginning his life underground to evade state authorities.
Sohal’s contributions were integral to reshaping the direction of Naxalism in Punjab. In the 1970s, he and other leaders conducted a self-critical review to address left-sectarian tactics within CPI-ML, which led to greater cohesion among fragmented revolutionary factions. Commited to the cause he was attached to, he refused to follow the parliamentary path as an adherence to his revolutionary principles.
Earlier this year, the Central Organizing Committee of CPI-ML celebrated its 50th anniversary—a legacy to which Sohal was instrumental. His work, alongside leaders like Suniti Kumar Ghosh and Kondapalli Seetharamaiah, established a framework that allowed diverse Naxal groups to unite and continue resisting oppression.
Despite facing challenges and splits within the movement, Sohal’s influence continued to inspire Dalit and agricultural labourers. His ideological adherence to the New Democratic Revolution and People’s War underscored his steadfast belief in Maoism.
To honour his memory, a tribute gathering took place in Patiala on October 28. Activists, supporters, and leaders from across the communist spectrum joined in paying respects to Comrade Sharma. Democratic rights activist Buta Singh Mehmoodpur noted, “Sohal’s legacy is a treasure of struggle and resilience for future generations.”

His wife, Vimal, who had also gone underground with him in the late 1960s, remembered him as a lifelong champion for the oppressed. Gurmeet Singh Dittupur of the Krantikari Kisan Union, who worked alongside Sohal since 1967, expressed that with his passing, “the last link between the communist movement of undivided Punjab and the present has been lost.”
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*Freelance journalist

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