Karl Marx wrote, “Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions… it is the opium of the people.” The German philosopher, considered the father of communism, denied the existence of a divine being and predicted that communism would eventually eliminate the need for religion. Yet, more than a century later, we have a situation where India’s main communist party, the CPI(M), is being pushed to deviate from its long-standing policy and adopt a liberal stance on matters of faith. With its survival at stake, the CPI(M) in Kerala has reportedly decided to offer legitimacy to religious belief among its members, allowing them to practise rituals and visit places of worship. Not just that—the party is encouraging its members to take the reins of temples.
This change of stance, a major turn in the history of communism in India, reverses the resolutions adopted at the party’s 2013 Palakkad plenum. The plenum had restrained leaders and cadres from performing religious rituals and visiting temples. It had also banned party members from being part of temple committees. But the debacle in two successive parliamentary elections was a reality check. The leadership is now certain its historical rigidity on matters of faith had cost the party a serious erosion of support base, especially among the Hindu votes it had banked on for decades.
The shift in policy is both necessary and timely. It could help the party fight the onslaught of the BJP and ensure continued political relevance. The fact is that faith has a tight grip on Indian society and a vast majority of people are believers. Accepting this and adapting itself gives any political organisation a chance to survive. What happened in the 2024 election is an indication of what is in store for communist parties in Kerala, the only state where they are in power. The CPI(M) witnessed a mass erosion of its traditional vote bank, especially in the Ezhava support base. Atheism has been central to communist policy, but sticking to militant atheism can prove fatal when the party is fighting for survival after losing ground nationally. However, in its attempts to regain strength, the party must not pander to communal sentiments and shed its secular character. Inclusiveness can ensure longevity, but turning to communalism could end the communist cause completely.