Vasan, Left leaders to share dais

TMC will hold a conference on Gandhian values secularism on January 30, in which the two Left parties are all set to participate

With the two Dravidian parties entangled in their own troubles, the Tamil Manila Congress (TMC), led by G.K. Vasan, seems to have taken the lead in trying to put together a “secular formation” to check the “attempts by communal forces” to occupy the political space in Tamil Nadu. As a first measure, the TMC will hold a conference on Gandhian values and secularism on January 30 — the death anniversary of the Mahatma — in which the two Left parties are all set to participate. Mr. Vasan said that the attempts by Hindutva groups to project Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse as a patriot and undermine the legacy of the Mahatma forced him to organise the conference. “The TMC’s view is that praising a person like Godse will hurt the very idea of India,” he said. In December, the former Union Shipping Minister came down heavily on the BJP for its failure to condemn organisations that were hailing Godse and were involved in provocative activities such as reconversion.

In a scathing attack, he said the Hindutva groups were emboldened by the BJP’s ascension to power though the party fought the elections on the development plank.

CPI (M) Rajya Sabha member Sitaram Yechury told

The Hindu over the phone that time permitting, he would participate in the conference. Even otherwise, the CPI (M) would certainly be represented at the event by its State secretary G. Ramakrishnan.

“The Left is ready to work with all non-Congress secular organisations at a time when forces with communal agenda are asserting their position,” the Polit Bureau member said.

Confirming his participation in the conference, CPI national secretary D. Raja said there was an urgent need to recognise the danger posed by the far right and take action to counter it.

“Even in a State like Tamil Nadu, what is happening should worry those committed to secularism,” he said.