Statewise strategy needed against Hindutva forces: Sitaram Yechury (The Hindu)

Statewise political strategies need to maximise the unity of secular-democratic parties against the Hindutva fascist forces ahead of 2024 elections, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury has said.

Speaking on the ‘Challenges faced by Federalism’ at the EMS Smriti programme held at Regional Theatre here on Wednesday, he said the unity of secular-democratic parties was imperative to safeguard the country from transforming into a radical Hindu Rashtra.

“In India, every State has its own political situation. Strategies to unite secular democratic parties may be different in different States. The first priority is to stop the rise of the BJP, guided by the fascist RSS. If you do not stop the fascist forces as they are advancing, you are actually collaborating with them.”

And only post-elections, the front that will form the secular government will emerge. People would first elect their MPs not Prime Ministers, he said.

Mr. Yechury said the Centre had been rampantly violating federalism and attacking the rights of the States. The ED and the CBI entered the Tamil Nadu Secretariat and raided the office of a Minister without permission from the State government, which is a direct assault on the federal rights of the State. The Central agencies had been used as political tools of the Central government, he added.

“But what is the result of these cases? The ED has registered more than 5,500 cases in which investigations are proceeding. More than 95% of these cases are against politicians of Opposition parties. Of these cases, only 25 cases were put up to the judiciary and of them, 23 have been convicted. Total conviction rate of the ED cases is less than 0.5%. It is clearly a case of political harassment using the Central agencies.”

The country is witnessing a battle. The battle to safeguard the secular-democratic values of the country from transforming it to a radially intolerant Hindu Rashtra. The federal structure with multiple identities is against the interest of formation of a Hindu Rashtra. On the other hand, there has been pressure from global finance capital to form a unified market. These aspects trigger the attack on federalism.

“Both these aspects converge under the Modi government, which leads to the emergence of communal-corporate nexus. The Modi government managed to get the support of the Indian ruling class and the corporates like Adani and Ambani for establishing a fascist order.”

All the basic pillars of the Constitution such as secular democracy, economic sovereignty, social justice, and federalism are under threat. Former Twitter CEO recently noted that it is difficult to uphold freedom of expression in India…

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