The RSS-backed BJP government is taking India back to the darkness of the past, said CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury during a digital seminar hosted by CPI-M West Bengal on India’s 75th Independence Day.
The CPI-M got drawn into speculations after the announcement that the party will celebrate the 75th Independence Day. Dispelling “RSS theories” that the communists abstained from participating in India’s freedom struggle, Yechury clarified that the role of communists in the Indian struggle was of paramount importance, compared to the “treachery of the RSS pioneers” who gave out strict instructions to its workers against participating in the freedom struggle.
“Communists mobilised all the oppressed sections of the society and made them part of the freedom struggle.” He sought to remind, it was in the 1921 Ahmedabad session of the AICC where the communist party advocated complete independence from British rule and offered full support to the struggles of the working class and peasantry.
Commenting on what the future holds for India, he said “Since RSS was banned by Sardar Patel after the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi they had to form a political arm to further its fascist propaganda which aimed for a ‘Hindu Rashtra’ than a secular constitutional order. This dream was realised in 2014 when BJP came to power with a majority. Since then all four pillars of the constitution-secular democracy, social justice, federalism and economic sovereignty-have come under attack.”
“The farmer struggle reflects the crony capitalism while the BJP government’s constant attack on the federal structure is a reminder of their deep penchant for unitary rule- a fascist characteristic trait. Draconian laws are being passed which aim to decimate the poor by violating their rights. The Dalits and tribals are victims of it. People are being thrown into prison through sedition laws and are tagged anti-national for dissenting from the government’s decisions. They are taking India back to the darkness of the past” said Yechury.
The veteran CPI-M leader and former Tripura CM, Manik Sarkar questioned, “If India is free today then who are the people that are enjoying the freedom when the apparent picture is poverty, starvation, exploitation of fundamental rights and inequality? With RSS-BJP at the helm of power, the gap between the rich and the poor is further widening while black-marketeers, corporates, landlords are getting richer every day. Is this mockery of freedom?
“The BJP government has put on a mask of democracy. Bhima Koregaon case was an example of the excess committed by a government. Stan Swamy was the victim of BJP’s ‘black laws’ which also include the Citizenship Amendment
Act.”
CPI-M leader Prakash Karat highlighted how downtrodden sections have borne the brunt of inequality at the time of pandemic and were cornered by “rapacious bourgeoise” with alleged cooperation from the Modi government that has been violating all the directive principles of the Indian constitution.
Md Salim, Bengal CPI-M leader highlighted that it was the communists who were able to unite people during freedom struggle to fight for real causes, irrespective of their religion or caste, and once again after 75 years of India’s independence, the party needs to unite people when RSS-BJP is allegedly polarising masses through its ‘Hindutva Project’.