KOCHI: Amid the talk of likely political cooperation between the CPM and the Congress at the national- level to stall the BJP's march, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday outrightly rejected the idea.
Taking a stand diametrically opposed to the line taken by CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, Pinarayi, who is also a member of the party's PolitBuro, said the neo-liberal policies pursued by the Congress had made them a political pariah for the Marxists.
He was speaking after inaugurating the valedictory function of the CPM district conference here on Thursday.
"Congress chief Rahul Gandhi is asking why the CPM is not joining hands with the Congress during the elections. However, the CPM had already made it clear it is not possible. The reason being, the Congress is pursuing neo-liberal policies which are patently anti-people. These policies are one of the major reasons which pushed the country into a severe economic crisis. The Narendra Modi Government at the Centre also is following the same policies. So taking the Congress along again will be like punishing the people. The Congress must realise it is the party's policy shift which has distanced it from the voters," he said.
Pinarayi said the country is going through a crucial phase now.
"One of the Union Ministers had indicated the Centre has plans even to amend the Constitution. The RSS' anti-secular attitude is not a new thing. The religious minorities and Dalits are attacked here. Even priests are not being spared. Here poor people are killed. In Rajasthan, a man was burnt alive in the name of 'love jihad'. Cow vigilantes have already killed many people in Northern India. The RSS agenda is they do not want anyone here who opposes them and those who are not ready to follow their diet. The first martyr of the RSS' intolerance was Gandhiji. Godse, who killed the Father of the Nation, is hailed by the RSS," he said.
According to him, even the allies are not safe within the Sangh Parivar. “ RSS leader Deen Dayal Upadhyaya died under mysterious circumstances and 70 MPs had demanded a probe into the death. BJP leader Haren Pandya( former minister in the Gujarat Government led by Modi ) was killed.The latest name in the list is Praveen Togadia who said it is a 'boss' in New Delhi, who is behind the attempt on his life," he said.
Meanwhile, several thousand CPM supporters attended the rally which marked the conclusion of the CPM district conference. The rally began from Rajendra Maidan and Goshree Chathiyath Junction. The newly- elected district committee members and leaders led the rally which concluded at the Fidel Castro Nagar at Marine Drive.