Protection of secularism is essential to ensure the nation’s unity, especially in the backdrop of the divisive politics being followed by parties such as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Communist Party of India (CPI) State secretary Kanam Rajendran has said.
Mr. Rajendran was inaugurating a delegates’ meeting held as part of the 41st State meeting of the Joint Council of State Service Organisations at Adoor on Friday.
According to him, those who have managed to secure 31% vote share are ruling the remaining 69% of the people and it is the responsibility of the pro-people parties to unite and create an effective alternative to the BJP.
The CPI leader said it had been a trend to divide and rule the people of India, in the name of religion and caste, right from the colonial times. What India needed at this juncture was a people-friendly government and not a pro-corporate one backed by capitalist forces, he said.
Mr. Rajendran alleged that the BJP-led government at the Centre was trying to privatise even the Employees State Insurance Corporation and the Left Democratic Front government had to take extra care to ensure social security.
The CPI leader stressed the importance of making the functioning of the Civil Service people-friendly. The situation in the State appeared to be that `influential’ persons could avoid posting in the northern districts such as Kasaragod and this should change for the better, ensuring equal justice to all, he said.
Mr. Rajendran said the government had to take appropriate decision on increasing the pension age of government employees, as it was included in the LDF election manifesto.
Joint Council chairman G. Motilal presided over the meeting.
Women’s meet
National Federation of Indian Women general secretary Annie Raja will inaugurate a women’s meeting on Saturday. Forest Minister K. Raju will be the guest of honour at the function.
The four-day meeting will conclude on Sunday.
