CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury today alleged that "private armies" were taking over the country and called for united efforts to face the challenges posed by "political polarisation".
"Who will eat what, who will dress up in which manner, who will befriend whom -- all these are going to be decided by private armies.
"You have private gaurakshak (cow protection) committees which are targeting the Dalits, Muslims, the Left even as the private armies are taking over the country," he said.
Yechury was speaking at an event organised by the DMK here to celebrate the 94th birthday of party patriarch M Karunanidhi and the completion of his 60 years as a legislative assembly member.
The CPI(M) leader slammed the BJP-led government at the Centre on issues such as farmer suicide and unemployment and alleged that "political polarisation" was being done to "benefit one political party".
"No relief for the farmers or the youth and only creating these tensions and divisions for political polarisation for the petty benefits of one political party," he said.
Stating that this was "destroying the unity and integrity of the country", Yechury termed it as a "challenge."
"We have to face the challenge by coming together and strengthening the people's struggle against the policies of this government," he said, adding that the "advice and guidance" of Karunanidhi was required for that.
He heaped praise on the DMK patriarch, saying he stood for secular democracy, social justice, economic self-reliance and federalism -- "the four fundamental pillars of the Constitution".
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