Several Left parties came together for a rally in support of the Constitution and against the RSS and BJP’s brand of politics on Thursday, which marked the death anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution.

Carrying out a march from Mandi House to Parliament Street, the Left parties demanded justice for the families of victims of mob lynchings and cow vigilante violence.

Raising slogans like “Inquilaab zindabaad” and “Gai Gobar ki rajneeti band karo”, the protesters demanded an end to majoritarian politics. Among those who participated were Communist Party of India (Marxist) leaders Brinda Karat and Sitaram Yechury and Communist Party of India leader D. Raja.

The leaders as well as student representatives of the parties demanded restoration of secularism, speaking about incidents of mob violence like the lynching of Mohd Akhlaq on suspicion of cow slaughter in Dadri in 2015 and the murder of Pehlu Khan in Alwar by vigilantes in 2017.

Highlights irony

Mr. Raja said, “It is an irony that members of the Sangh Parivar are out on the road to challenge the Constitution which is a republican and secular constitution. They want to change the character of the Indian state into a Hindu Rashtra.”

He condemned the attacks on Dalits, Adivasis and women in the country and asked if this was the reflection of a “Ram Rajya”.

“The BJP cannot dictate to the Parliament to pass an ordinance to build a temple. The Indian state is not a theocracy and the right-wing cannot subvert the Constitution,” he added.

While the Left parties carried out their march, which was organised by the CPI, CPI(M), CPI (M-L), RSP and AIFB, a rally by the United Hindu Front was held to mark the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition in Ayodhya. The right-wing group demanded the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site.