Kerala: CPI(M) criticises Amit Shah's march

New Delhi: The CPI(M) on Sunday criticised the 'Jan Raksha Yatra' being led by BJP chief Amit Shah over the political killings in Kerala, saying it was aimed at diverting public attention from the "growing discontent" against the Modi government.

Soon after Shah led a march to the CPI(M) office here, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury addressed a press conference there, claiming that the BJP campaign was a "flop show".

He said the BJP protest near the office of CPI(M) was "unprecedented" in Indian democracy and a reflection of "tendencies of fascism" coming to the fore in Indian politics with BJP ruling at the Centre.

Responding to Shah's charge that the Left workers were killing and terrorising BJP and RSS workers in Kerala, Yechury alleged that the Sangh was "responsible for starting political violence" in Kerala.

The 'Jan Raksha Yatra', the BJP's ongoing campaign to highlight "left atrocities" in Kerala, was launched by Shah from Kannur district on October 3 and it will conclude on October 17 at Thiruvananthapuram.

"The BJP president had to flee from Kerala as there was no response from the people. Here (in Delhi), he just flagged the protest march at Connaught Place but did not arrive at the (protest) meeting venue which is an indication that he himself realises that it is a flop," Yechury said.

Factors such as "communal polarisation", "failures" of Modi government to fulfill its promises, are the reasons behind the BJP's protests, the CPI(M) leader said.

"They (BJP) want to divert attention from the growing discontent of Indian people against Modi government's performance in last three years. It has betrayed every single promise. The Modi government says they are the ones who are anti-corrupt. Today an exposure has come.... Is this fight against corruption," Yechury said.

He alleged that without resorting to violence and communal polarisation, the RSS and BJP can never expand their social base.

"It is this that they are seeking in northern Kerala having strong Muslim population," Yechury alleged.

"The politics of communal polarisation has completely disrupted social harmony in the country...The private armies of 'Gau rakashaks' (cow vigilantes), targeting dalits and Muslims, moral policing...This is generating discontent among the people," he said, adding the BJP was seeking to divert public attention from it through the campaign.

Referring to today's BJP march to the CPI(M) office, Yechury said, "We are not going to be cowed down by these sort of threats and will raise democratically our voice against their violence, communal polarisation and anarchy."