THRISSUR: Pitching for an alternative policy, Yechury underlined the need for strengthening the unity within the Left forces, as well as alignment of the Left and other democratic forces.
Yechury said the BJP has been making all efforts to unseat the Left government in Tripura. “They have brought together all the anti-Left forces. But when the results are declared on March 3, Tripura is definitely going to hail its eighth Left government. In Bengal, it is competitive communalism.
Between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP, there is an attempt to squeeze out the CPM. The Left is determined to tackle such an attack head-on. That is the major agenda that we will discuss at the party congress. The CPM will take a stance to counter the BJP-RSS attack. The Left is trying to put forth an alternative policy and bring together people in a democratic manner,” he said.
Slamming the RSS, Yechury said the organisation has occupied the office of the President, Vice-President and the chairs of both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. Yechury came down heavily on the Modi government for its economic policies and “attempts to support communal polarisation”. The Left should bring people together with alternative policies, he said, adding that communal forces cannot be defeated through elections alone. In an apparent hint at reports of differences between leaders regarding the draft political resolution, Yechury said inner party democracy is the CPM’s biggest strength.
Taking a dig at Modi for keeping silent on major issues, including the scam involving Nirav Modi, Yechury said the Prime Minister has become ‘Maunendra Modi’. Earlier, when Manmohan Singh was the PM, Modi had termed him ‘Maunmohan Singh’. Now, by maintaining silence on major issues, the PM has become Maunendra Modi, he said. With the BJP government at the Centre, the country is facing four major challenges - aggressive perusal of neoliberal policies, communal polarisation, fascist move to change the characteristics of Indian nationalism along with efforts to undermine constitutional bodies, and foreign policies that make India a junior partner of US imperialism.
US-Israel-India axis
The foreign policies followed by the Modi government is aimed at making India a pole of the US-Israel-India axis. The attempt is to make India a junior partner of US imperialism. He also referred to the joint military exercises with the US at South China Sea.
At the same time, India is not able to maintain good ties with neighbouring nations. Not just Pakistan and China, ties with Nepal and Maldives have deteriorated, he said.