THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress party, which itself is playing the communal card, is raising charges of communalism against the Left parties, LDF convenor and CPM state secretary in-charge A Vijayaraghavan said here on Friday.
He was referring to the criticism by the Congress that the CPM was using communal card ahead of the assembly elections. “Instead of explaining why it is pursuing a politics based on religion by forging a pact with Jamaat-e-Islami and helping BJP secure more votes, the Congress is calling CPM communalists,” he said.
He further said the CPM has always opposed BJP which propounds Hindutva ideology, and hence the Congress cannot portray CPM as a communal party. “Jamaat-e-Islami opposes CPM - the party under Pinarayi Vijayan which had tried to unite all sections of society to take a bold stand against Centre’s Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). This explains there is a clear agenda to portray CPM as communalists.”
Though Jamaat-e-Islami has not gained wide acceptance even among the Muslims of the state, the Congress party is trying to gain petty political gains by joining hands with it, he said. “It may be noted that a silver brick for the construction of Ayodhya temple was in fact gifted by Congress party leader and then Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath.
In Puducherry, a large group of Congress leaders joined BJP. Similarly, there are so many examples to prove that Congress plays the communal card. On the contrary, CPM is a party rooted in secular values. CPM has always fought against the fascist governance of BJP,” he said.
Pointing out Congress’ soft approach towards BJP, Vijayaraghavan said Congress had fielded a weak candidate in Nemom constituency in the 2016 assembly elections to facilitate an easy victory for BJP’s O Rajagopal. “The recent local body elections also exposed the understanding between Congress and BJP. So, blaming the CPM for playing communal politics is mere farce,” he said.