NEW DELHI: CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday over incidents of communal violence during Ram Navami, alleging that his silence on the issue is an "eloquent testimony" that those who perpetrate such incidents enjoy official patronage.
Yechury said incidents of communal violence on such a wide scale during Ram Navami were "never seen and heard of", and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party-led (BJP) Centre of working with the "sole agenda" of sharpening communal polarisation in the country.
The Left leader said his party will raise the issue with the Centre and also make efforts to bring all the Opposition parties together on the issue.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) will also organise protests on the streets against the "rising communal incidents".
"The communal violence during this Ram Navami was something that was never seen and heard of on such a wide scale. And the prime minister has maintained a complete silence, not a word of condemnation has come from him so far," Yechury said at a press conference here.
He described the incidents of communal violence during Ram Navami in various states as "very ominous and dangerous" and said, "The prime minister's silence is an eloquent testimony that the forces who perpetrate violence enjoy official patronage."
Expressing concern over such incidents, Yechury said while his party will raise the matter with the Centre, it will also try to bring the Opposition parties on board.
"Unemployment, poverty, hunger, livelihood, jobs, rising fuel prices -- there is no concern of this government on these issues. What we hear from the prime minister is hijab, halala, azaan," he said.
"The only agenda is sharpening the communal polarisation -- that is the only agenda of this government. It is destroying the foundations of this country," the Left leader alleged.