All governments that follow anti-people policies often adopt the tactic of dividing people on religious and caste lines, Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) State unit joint secretary Mohammad Riaz said in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. Addressing a press conference here to announce the culmination on Monday of a State-wide rally launched by the organisation to uphold secular values, Mr. Riaz said a similar strategy was being adopted by the ruling government in the State.
On the significance of the timing of the march, federation district unit president B. Biju said when the youth wing began its rally from Kasaragod on January 4, the situation was different, but subsequently things changed and this made even Defence Minister A.K. Antony express concern over the assertiveness shown by religious and caste organisations in the State’s political arena.
The significance of the rally was all the more at present, he said. Recent events showed that religious and caste outfits were bargaining with the government.
The march would conclude on Monday, with nearly one lakh DYFI volunteers taking out a rally from Pattom to Putharikandam Maidan at 3 p.m. Communist Party of India (Marxist) State unit secretary Pinarayi Vijayan would inaugurate the rally. Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan and former Ministers Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and M.A. Baby would address the public meeting, he said.
