THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the Left front finding itself in an ideological dilemma over CPM leader MV Govindan’s remark on dialectical materialism, several senior leaders have come out explaining the Left stance while essentially rejecting the remark. Govindan, a CPM Central Committee member, had said on Saturday that it was impractical to implement dialectical materialism in India.
His remark kicked up an ideological debate not just within the Left but across political circles. In the backdrop of the Sabarimala issue, the debate has forced the Left to explain its stance. Opposition Congress and the BJP have pointed out that the remark shows the real state of the Left in the state.
While CPI state chief Kanam Rajendran rejected the remark, CPM Politburo member S Ramachandran Pillai said: ‘’Dialectical materialism is not a mantra. It’s a constantly evolving theory and forms the basic tenet of Marxism,” he said.
Pillai told TNIE that Govindan’s remarks were misinterpreted.
“Dilalectical materialism is the basic perspective of Marxism. Govindan was saying that it wouldn’t be imposed upon anyone forcibly. In our society, we have religious freedom—the freedom to believe and worship. Similarly, we have the freedom to not believe too. But none of these will be imposed on anyone,” he said.
The senior CPM leader pointed out that dialectical materialism per se has been a developing school of thought. “Marx and Engels developed this theory keeping in mind the growth of mankind till then. Later, all Communist parties and leaders, and even non-Communists who believe in dialectical materialism, contributed in further developing the concept. After Marx and Engels, it was developed by Lenin, and further by almost all Communist party leaders.
Currently, we too are involved in taking it forward. It’s a science and it develops like any other science. Govindan was merely saying that we Communists will not try to impose our beliefs on society. He was mentioning about the necessity of a cultural background for further development of dialectical materialism,” he elaborated.
Ideology not irrelevant: Kanam
T’Puram: CPI state chief Kanam Rajendran indicated that he doesn’t agree with M V Govindan remarks. “I don’t think M V Govindan would make such a statement,” he said adding that the ideology has not become irrelevant. The Communist party has always tried to support believers,” he said. The UDF thinks it can reap some benefits from Sabarimala. But Sabarimala is not an issue in the election, he said. CPM politburo member M A Baby too came out explaining, “M V Govindan didn’t say that it’s impractical here. It should be implemented based on the peculiarities of each country, its rate of socio-political, economic and cultural growth. In India, the ideology should be implemented keeping in mind the level of awareness also,” Baby said.
Communist leaders HAVE accepted the failure of their ideology: BJP
T’Puram: The admission by Communist leaders that their ideology has become irrelevant points to the total decline of Left parties, BJP state president K Surendran said. Surendran was referring to senior CPM leader M V Govindan’s comments on dialectical materialism in the Indian context. The BJP leader told reporters in Thrissur that Left leaders should disband Communist parties and become a part of the nationalist movement. “Communism has failed as its leaders have shied away from accepting the ideals of nation,” he said.