Govt. pushing its communal agenda to hide failures: Yechury

'Opposing social repression along with agenda of economic freedom is at the top for the CPI(M)'

Mr. Yechury said opposing social repression along with agenda of economic freedom is at the top for the CPI(M).

General secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Sitaram Yechury on Tuesday said the threat of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) pushing its communal agenda across the country to hide its government’s failure to deliver on the promises of development was looming large.

Commenting on the one year of the Narendra Modi–led central government, the CPI(M) general secretary said this year has only seen government’s efforts to ‘pay back’ to its election sponsors by bringing Land Acquisition Bill.

“This government has three faces. The economic reforms to benefit corporate world, the communal vote bank politics by the BJP and utter disrespect to the democratic functioning are those three,” he said.

Mr. Yechury was in Mumbai for the first time after taking over the party reigns last month, to attend the first ever tribal rally in the State by any political party against the proposed land bill.

“The government has not been able to bring a single policy for the benefit of the people, which has given rise to discontent. It is possible that the communal politics of the BJP will be at play soon to distract from their failures,” he said.

Accepting the party’s failure to make its presence felt in North India despite its plans, Mr. Yechury said opposing social repression along with agenda of economic freedom is at the top for the CPI(M).

“Every well in every village must have red flag flying high, which will be the sign against discrimination based on caste. This will be our mission for the future,” he said.

He said the party has already taken up issues related to dalits and tribals which it will continue to do. “We need to build our strength by our struggle and bringing SCs and STs in main stream is a major part of our struggle,” he added.

Reacting to the developments in West Bengal, Mr. Yechury said that politics of terror has been institutionalised there under Mamata Banerjee’s rule. “The law and order has deteriorated to such a level that Kolkata may be named as India’s rape capital,” he said.