The 21st Congress of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Friday adopted a “mince-no-words” resolution on the effort to impose a “monolithic” Indian culture defined by a single religion.
Likening the assault on Indian plurality and syncretism to the actions of the Taliban and drawing parallels with the suppression of difference, dissent and free thought in Pakistan and Bangladesh, the resolution on “Culture and a scientific outlook” noted with concern that “such retrograde fundamentalist and communal forces operating in the region mutually reinforce each other.”
While condemning “majoritarian vigilantism,” the CPI(M) “vehemently” spoke out against the “offensive of fundamentalist forces within minority communities to impose strict codes of dress, behaviour and cultural expression — particularly on women.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Stating that Indian “plurality is under a concerted and vicious attack, mainly from the Hindutva brigade — which manifests itself in myriad forms,” the resolution accused it of peddling all sorts of “anti-scientific ideas,” imposing “Taliban-like dress codes on women and indulging in vigilantism against various forms of sexual expression,” conducting aggressive moral policing against expression of love by young people with the “abusive” campaign against “love jihad,” and opposing inter-religious and inter-caste marriages.
The resolution flags the Hindutva brigade’s desire to declare the Gita India’s “national book,’’ the recent beef ban, the silencing and exile of Tamil author Perumal Murugan, and the “ghar vapsi” campaign.