KANNUR: A day after the CPI(M) called for unity of secular and democratic forces to 'isolate and defeat' the BJP, party General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Thursday blamed the Congress for showing no interest in putting up a joint fight against the saffron party.
Talking to the reporters here on the sidelines of the 23rd Party Congress of the CPI(M), Yechury said his party called for a broadest mobilisation of secular forces to defeat the BJP and safeguard secularism and the country's Constitution.
Yechury was responding to a query on reports of non-inclusion of the Congress in a proposed anti-BJP front.
"We want maximum broadest mobilisation of secular forces. We have invited Congress leaders to take part in our seminars but they were denied permission. The seminar is on secularism. If they refuse to attend a seminar on secularism, what does it mean? It doesn't require a lot of common sense to understand why they are not participating. This front is for safeguarding secularism," Yechury said.
His statement comes in the wake of the Congress denying permission to its senior leaders Shashi Tharoor, Mani Shankar Iyer and K V Thomas to take part in seminars organised by the left party as part of the Party Congress on various topics including secularism and federalism.
However, defying the edict of the Congress high command, K V Thomas today said he would take part in a seminar being organised by the ruling CPI(M) as part of its ongoing party congress in Kannur, but made it clear that he would not quit the party and remain as a Congressman till his last breath.
Yechury further said the party has appealed to all secular forces to join hands, including those Left parties which are not in the Left front, to defeat the BJP.
Stressing on the importance of Left unity, he said, "We have appealed to all parties. That's why we have mentioned in our political resolution that we will have to patiently work out and iron out our differences. That's why Left unity is important."
The veteran left leader refused to comment on the Congress party's statement that action may be taken against Thomas if he participates in the seminar organised by the CPI(M) on April 9 in which Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his Tamil Nadu counterpart M K Stalin will be participating.
"We don't know what Thomas will do and what will be the reaction of the Congress party. It's their decision. We are committed to safeguarding the Constitution and the Indian secular democratic republic. Safeguarding secularism, federalism and the Indian Constitution are the most important things to be done. We want maximum unity of all Indian patriots," he added.
The CPI(M) has been organising over two dozen seminars as part of its Party Congress and Iyer was supposed to participate in a seminar on March 24, Thomas on April 7 and and Tharoor on April 9.
Yechury had on Wednesday urged all secular democratic forces to come together to fight against the BJP and save people's rights.