RSS using BJP to pursue ‘fascist’ agenda, says CPI

Raigad/Mumbai, May 15 (IANS) The Communist Party of India (CPI) On Monday accused the RSS of using the Bharatiya Janata Party governments at the centre and states to pursue its "fascist" agenda.

Against this backdrop, the CPI also signaled a major shift in its policy by announcing plans to mobilise and unite "all secular, democratic and Leftist forces in the country" to combat the RSS-BJP.

The CPI said that following the BJP victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and capturing power "through manipulation" in Goa and Manipur, it is clear that the RSS is directly behind the "fascistic offensive" using the Modi Government and the BJP-led governments in different states.

UP is almost burning since the government of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took over without a single day free of attacks on Dalits, minorities and women, it said.

CPI National Council Secretary Atulkumar Anjan claimed that gangrapes and molestations are so rampant that women generally fear traveling in buses or trains even with their families in UP.

"All the organisations of the RSS have been given a free hand to launch any type of offensive to hasten the caste and communal polarisation. The administration and police either remain mute or extend help to RSS outfits in their offensive," he said.

Anjan's statement came after an intensive weekend two-day CPI National Executive Committee meeting held at Karjat in Raigad, followed by a daylong CPI Mumbai Executive Committee brainstorming meeting here on Monday.

By distracting peoples' attention through such divisive agenda, the centre is pushing through the remaining agenda of disastrous course of economic liberalization, with prices soaring while healthcare and education going out of reach of the masses, he added.

"The CPI NE feels that all secular, democratic and left forces, not merely the political parties but mass organizations, have to come together to counter the intensified offensive of the Modi Government and RSS Parivar," Anjan urged.

For building a secular, democratic, left platform, the CPI said all other parties and mass organisations should organize mass agitations and struggles on the socio-economic agenda of the people, workers, farmers, peasants, youth and women.

Among other matters, the party's National Executive strongly condemned the central government's support to Genetically Modified foodstuffs which have disastrous effects on human beings and said the people "are shocked" by the recent GEAC clearance given to GM mustard.

Taking note of the farmers agitation against the proposed Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway project, the it called upon Maharashtra government to reconsider the project.

State executive committee member Vishwas Utagi said that the deliberations will be taken further at the three-day CPI National Council meeting in New Delhi from June 16-18.

"It will chalk out a detailed programme for the two-pronged initiative to counter the fascistic offensive and the anti-people economic policies of the Modi Government," he said.

The meet in Raigad was presided over by the party's Maharashtra secretary Bhalchandra Kango while top office-bearers including General Secretary S. Sudhakar Reddy were present.