CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Prakash Karat has underlined the need for supporting the “Left democratic programme” to put an end to the neo-liberal and communal authoritarian policies of the NDA Government.
“The right-wing forces are using the discontent arising due to neo-liberalism to push forward their communal agenda,” Mr. Prakash Karat said. He was delivering a memorial lecture on ‘Neo-liberal, communal authoritarian policies - an alternative’ organised in commemoration of the birth centenary of CPI (M) leader Moturu Hanumantha Rao here on Sunday.
“Neo-liberalism is in a crisis and is on the death bed all over the world. Countries such as the U.K. have raised their voice against neo-liberalism, and efforts are on to revert to policies that had existed prior to neo-liberalism,” Mr. Karat said.
In contrast, India had been pushing forward the neo-liberal policies for the last two-and-a-half decades. The “big capital” had extended its support to the Hindutva forces to implement the neo-liberal policies in the country, he said.
Neo-liberalism had been constricting democratic space and homogenising all bourgeois parties, hollowing out parliamentary democracy. The democratic institutions such as the Parliament and the State Assemblies were there, but without any effective intervention in policies, he said. The regime led to narrowing down of democracy and was buttressed by the Modi Government’s growing military cooperation and strategic ties with the U.S. Unfortunately, there was no scope for parliamentary scrutiny of policies, which were undermining the nation’s sovereignty, Mr. Karat said.
The present regime led to communal authoritarianism. The right-wing forces such as the BJP and its mentor, the RSS, had already made headway in many parts of the country. They were promoting national jingoism and ultra-nationalism to thrust their communal agenda. The fight against the BJP-RSS combine was thus more complex and multi-dimensional than a black-and-white struggle between fascist and anti-fascist forces, he said.
“How to counter this offensive is the primary concern of the Left, democratic, and secular forces today. Supporting the Left democratic programme is the only way out. For which it is necessary to integrate and coordinate all struggles — peasants, working class, students, and employees. We require a broader platform, and we need to broaden and widen our movements,” he added.
CPI(M) State secretary P. Madhu and Moturu Hanumantha Rao’s daughter Usha were present.
