CPI (M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury. (Files)
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Wednesday urged all secular, democratic and Left parties to combine their forces to take on the challenges posed by Hindutva and communal forces.
Launching a scathing attack on the BJP-led Centre for imposing miseries on the people, Yechury said: “The BJP threatens the unity and integrity of the social fabric. The dehumanisation of our society is seen in the chilling incidents of rape in Kathua and Unnao. It is shameful to see rape being used as weapon for communal polarization. This must be resisted and defeated. Muslims and Dalits are being targeted in the name of cow protection.”
“Moral police impose on our youth what to wear, what to eat, whom to befriend. Those not following such instructions are assaulted. These private armies are seeking to control our social order, under the patronage of RSS and BJP,” he said, while also accusing the RSS and BJP of targeting Left cadres in West Bengal, Tripura and Kerala.
Yechury, who is seeking a second term to head the party for three more years, was speaking at the inaugural session of the five-day 22nd Party Congress, which will also decide on the CPM leadership.
The veteran Left leader pointed out the failures of the BJP-led government in arresting agrarian crisis and creating jobs for the youth. Yechury also claimed demonetisation and Good and Services Tax have economically uprooted crores of people dependent on the cash economy. “It decimated the small-scale industry, which provides largest employment in the country,” he said.
He also stressed that policy alternatives to confront the communal forces could only be provided by the Left and democratic forces.
Earlier, the national conference was inaugurated in Hyderabad by veteran leader Mallu Swarajyam. Former Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, Kerala Chief Minister Pinyari Vijayan, former party chief Prakash Karat were also present at the congress along with leaders from Communist Party of India, Forward Block, Revolutionary Socialist Party and SUCI-C.
The meeting will discuss and approve the party’s draft resolution besides charting its course of action ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.