Though Sitaram Yechury is trying to put on a brave face, there is no denying the fact that communism has run out of steam in India. (‘The Wednesday interview – Sitaram Yechury’, June 28). The Indian economy has transformed itself for the better in the last few years. It is strange that the Communists relish ‘issues’ that find few takers, especially when India is on the development path. The fact that the Left submitted meekly to the nomination of Meira Kumar as the Opposition’s presidential candidate, solely because she is counter to the Dalit candidate put up by the BJP, exhibits their position vis-à-vis caste politics. While the communists are still respected because of their impeccable record as being honest and straightforward personalities, they would do well to change their stance from taking on the BJP. The shift must be away from the communal angle to one of development-oriented criticism.
V. Subramanian,
Chennai
It is clear that Mr. Yechury is reluctant to acknowledge the way the Right has ascended to power using the democratic institutions of the country, which are open to any political force in India including the Left. The Left often takes recourse to agitations but fails to develop a counter-narrative with an alternative model. The absence of a proper national economic agenda or a wish list if elected to power is what eludes the national Left. It has been successful in its stronghold States only because of its presentation of an alternative to the people.
Jithin Varghese,
Ernakulam, Kerala
