New Delhi: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) decided to intensify its campaign against what it called BJP’s attempt to “politicise” the Pulwama militant attack on a CRPF convoy to “deepen communal polarisation” ahead of the upcoming general elections.
Recently, the organisation was also a signatory of the joint opposition statement that criticised the saffron party for using the attack for electoral reasons.
In its latest central committee meeting on March 3 and 4 in New Delhi, the CPI(M) discussed a range of issues that it will raise against the Narendra Modi government.
Pulwama and other issues
Stressing that India should build diplomatic pressure on Pakistan to “purge terror outfits and cross-border terrorist activities”, the party said that “the post-Pulwama developments are seeing an orchestrated effort by the BJP and Sangh parivar outfits to rouse jingoistic nationalism.”
General secretary Sitaram Yechury said, “The whole of India is united against terrorism. But this unity is being disrupted by the BJP to garner electoral benefits. They (BJP) is converting it into Indian versus Muslims and Indians versus Kashmiris.”
Also read: In Pulwama, Narendra Modi Has Found the Trigger He Needed Before 2019 Elections
In a central committee communique, the party said, “During the course of this Modi government, the number of terrorist incidents saw a rise of 176%. The number of security personnel and civilians killed in such attacks has grown by 83%. On an average eleven terrorists infiltrated every month between 2014 and 2018.”
Yechury also pointed out that there has been a “sharp rise” in local Kashmiri youth joining militant groups – from 16 in 2013 to 164 in 2018. He said that the “deepening alienation of Kashmir youth is a consequence of the Modi government reneging on its promises to initiate a political process of dialogue with all the stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir.”
Also read: No Mr Modi, ‘Terrorism’ and ‘Militancy’ Are Not the Same Thing
“Brushing issues under the carpet”
Yechury said that the the BJP is tactically whipping up jingoism to “brush the real issues under the carpet”.
The Left party said that the GDP growth under the BJP-led Union government has been really poor. “Even by the changed methodology adopted by the Modi government for GDP calculations, 2018-19 GDP growth at 7% is the lowest in the last five years. 2018’s last quarter growth rate was even lower at 6.6%.”
Yechury said that this has led to a “sharper growth in unemployment and a further deterioration in the living conditions of the vast majority of our people”.
Also read: Why India’s ‘Modi-fied’ GDP Math Lacks Credibility
He added that agricultural distress has also aggravated in the last few years, leading to increased number of farmer suicides.
The CPI(M)’s central committee said in its statement that crony capitalism – in Yechury’s words “favouring the favourites” – also increased massively.
“…the Modi government has handed over five major public airports to the Adani group,” it said, adding that Adani group received the award despite having no “experience in managing airports”.
The party also criticised the Union cabinet’s ordinance on February 28 that allows “private companies to use the Aadhaar database for profits in the absence of a data protection law.”
Yechury said that the ordinance is also “a constitutional outrage” as the Rajya Sabha has not passed this legislation and the Lok Sabha sessions have already ended. The party urged the President of India not to sanction this ordinance.
The party also took aim at the subversion of social justice under the Union government. It cited two examples to back its allegation. The party is of the view that the Modi government’s notification to introduce a new (13-point) roster system for reservations in teachers appointment in public-funded universities and colleges would deny “socially and educationally backward classes” equal opportunities. Over the last few months, Dalits and OBCs have been protesting widely against the Centre’s move.
Watch | Explained: Will The 13 Point Roster Kill The Faculty Reservation System
The CPI(M) demanded an ordinance to restore the 200-point roster system for appointments. Earlier, the Congress too had demanded that the old system be restored.
The party also criticised the “deliberate” absence of the Centre’s counsel in the Supreme Court hearing of the case “challenging the Forest Rights Act”. The SC recently ruled the eviction of lakhs of adivasis who could not prove their ownership of forest land. However, the Union government then moved the apex court to stay the eviction, and the order has been stayed until July 2019.
