Left forces to form new platform: Karat

A new broad political platform bringing together all shades of the Left will emerge in two months, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat said here on Wednesday.

“This is the outcome of the lessons learnt in the aftermath of the Lok Sabha elections, and reflects the need for having a strong front to fight neoliberal, communal, retrogressive and divisive forces that are out to ruin the socio-economic and cultural institutions,” he said.

He was speaking on the “Need for the Left movement in the Indian Polity” organised by the journal

Marxist on the occasion of its silver jubilee.

The platform would unite all progressive as well as democratic parties, individuals and would include the CPI (Marxist-Leninist) denominations, he said.

“We have begun the efforts to bring together the groups. We need to widen and deepen Left unity,” he said, underscoring the need for a potent democratic force to deal with the emerging political situation. The CPI(M) was also introspecting on, and trying to grasp, the changed ground realities that impacted various sections of society, he said, stressing that Marxist ideals had retained their relevance.

“We will be adopting newer methods to pursue our struggle against divisive communal forces,” the CPI(M) leader said. The Left would chart its own independent political path, unaffected by the neoliberal corporate policies.

Mr. Karat said his party always advocated dialogue with Pakistan, because only through talks could all outstanding issues be solved.

He came down heavily on the Narendra Modi government’s plan to abolish the Planning Commission, saying the move would pave the way for market forces to determine the course of economic planning.

Arguing that the RSS and the BJP represented reactionary viewpoint and people with such ideals were coming to occupy important positions in socio-cultural organisations, Mr. Karat said the fight against sectarian, casteist and communal elements must be intensified in the coming days.

He also lashed out at the BJP for ushering in “flexible labour laws” that would deprive the working class of its major rights and would expose it to social and economic vulnerability.

CPI(M) State secretary G. Ramakrishnan and Shashi Kumar, chairman, Media Development Foundation, were among those who spoke.