Do you believe India has actually become more intolerant Can’t the Congress and several non-BJP state governments also be accused of being illiberal Nobody is saying that the country has become intolerant. Other secular, democratic forces are welcome to join the peoples’ struggle to regain the democratic space threatened by the Trinamul Congress’ “jungle-raj” in West Bengal. So why are we suddenly so outraged and worried about what has been happening after the Bharatiya Janata Party government came to power in 2014 India has a heritage of being a tolerant society, a country where unity amidst diversity reigns supreme. They have to wake up and smell the coffee. The Centre is either silent, signalling tacit approval, or is pro-actively encouraging the spawn of obscurantists and bigots. Wherever the Left is organised and has a strong presence, organisations like the AAP could not emerge. The fight is between the Left and Trinamul Congress. In an interview with Namrata Biji Ahuja, Mr Salim is of the view that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rise to power has ‘vitalised the Hindutva forces’. Communist Party of India (Marxist) Lok Sabha MP Mohammed Salim Speaking on the rising intolerance in the country, Communist Party of India (Marxist) Lok Sabha MP Mohammed Salim says that the government cannot render a country intolerant, as they are custodians of the country only for a limited time. The people of West Bengal have resolved to ensure the defeat of “Modi Bhai-Didi Bhai”. In the past, some fringe elements questioned and disputed this noble heritage in favour of a communally charged and divisive design for our country and society.Don’t all parties play caste/vote-bank politics In Kerala, for instance, the Left does indulge in caste politics. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rise to power has vitalised these Hindutva forces who are having a field day. People have begun to realise the gameplan, where various Sangh outfits on one hand and fundamentalist and communal organisations patronised by Ms Banerjee on the other hand are out to destroy the social fabric of West Bengal for narrow political gains.On the Constitution issue how do you react to all political parties competing against each other to claim the legacy of Ambedkar Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar’s glorious role in ensuring social justice, rights of dalits and secular polity by overseeing the drafting of the Constitution is exemplary. This is a fact asserted by the recent survey conducted. In the face of rising concern expressed by leading lights in the fields of science, technology, literature, culture, film-making, even business, the government is building walls to keep itself insulated from reality.Do you see a possible alliance between the Left and Congress for the Assembly polls in West Bengal The CPI(M) adheres to a political-tactical line debated and discussed upon in the party congress, there is no room for unprincipled or ad-hoc approach, unlike other political parties. As is evident, the BJP has no interest in uprooting the Trinamul Congress. But it is untenable when the very people who ran down Ambedkar’s vision of an egalitarian society and social justice, now suddenly try to claim his legacy.If we go back in history, has India been really a tolerant country Every country that ever existed in human history has had events of both kinds — those exemplifying intolerance and also those promoting strength of unity. Intolerance is not new to India. Subsequently, they were forced to apologise. It is like a hub-and-spoke design, where the “hub” remains silent, while the “spoke” runs amok vitiating the society with communal hatred. It is definitely to the credit of successive Left governments, where discrimination based on caste, creed, religion or social status has been rooted out of the society. I am confident that the hate-mongers will not gain any footing here.Don’t you think Ms Banerjee has successfully consolidated the Muslim vote bank in West Bengal, which had been your core strength First of all, if you follow the electoral history of West Bengal, there has been nothing called a Muslim vote bank, or a Hindu vote bank, or a dalit vote bank, or anything of the ilk. How do you think the Left will do West Bengal is a politically polarised state. Thus, the scale of response is unprecedented from the intelligentsia, civil society and people from all walks of life.Who is your main enemy in West Bengal The BJP or Trinamul Congress Such is the secular socio-political heritage in West Bengal, that communal and divisive forces have never found a foothold here. It is a country where we do not “tolerate” diverse customs, culture, habits and ways of life, but embrace them. It is too early to predict the outcome of elections. This is West Bengal.Talking about the intelligentsia’s criticism of the ruling government, isn’t it similar to what happened during the last days of Left rule in West Bengal More so after Nandigram Not only the intelligentsia, every person including political opponents have the right to criticise any government. What matters most is the role of the government in countering irrational fanatics in favour of rational and secular values. We oppose both. It is not a question of this government and that. There are reports that the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP) and Ezhava community leader Vellapally Natesan’s inclination towards the BJP has got the Left worried At the recently concluded local self-government elections in Kerala, the Left has come out with flying colour, despite the BJP trying its disgraceful best to play the caste card along with Hindutva card. By now, their ways are exposed and have turned into clichés. end-of. A single government cannot render a country intolerant, they are only the custodians of the country for a limited time and have the responsibility to uphold the democratic ethos and composite culture, which is the outcome of anti-colonial, anti-imperialist struggle.Why do you think the Left has been on the decline and why the Aam Aadmi Party seems to be eating into Left space In places like Delhi, in the absence of any other credible alternatives, people have resorted to support the AAP in the face of Congress and BJP’s corrupt practices.|
NAMRATA BIJI AHUJA Published: Dec 6, 2015, 5:55 am IST Updated: Dec 6, 2015, 5:55 am IST Spandex Fabric wholesale Speaking on the rising intolerance in the country, Communist Party of India (Marxist) Lok Sabha MP Mohammed Salim says that the government cannot render a country intolerant, as they are custodians of the country only for a limited time.Elections are due next year in West Bengal. It is only normal, that all the citizens of our country express their due respect and admiration for such a distinguished figure. Peoples’ resistance towards such politics means that the BJP is always going to be insignificant here. People with vested interests conveniently single out the kind of incidents that better suit their agenda. Now we see the intelligentsia being attacked, arrested and harassed for protesting, having an opinion, even sharing a cartoon! Elsewhere in the country, eminent scholars and social activists are being killed by fanatics and the government sits silent. In an interview with Namrata Biji Ahuja, Mr Salim is of the view that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rise to power has ‘vitalised the Hindutva forces’.Do you think the BJP will try to vitiate the atmosphere in the state They have already begun to spread communal enmity and divide the electorate. Our founding fathers also gave us a Constitution to uphold that heritage and protect the tightly-woven social fabric of our country. In the coming days, we shall see more and more people coming out shedding their inhibitions and fear to further intensify the struggle to protect peoples’ interests and re-establish West Bengal on the development path. Furthermore, elements within the governing party publicly back such events and worsen the situation by making incendiary statements. The people have also understood that the BJP-Trinamul Congress conduct a public shadowboxing exercise, while privately deals are being struck to allow looters of peoples’ savings escape justice in chit fund scams and reciprocated by easing anti-people policies and legislation through Parliament. In West Bengal, you see Mamata Banerjee’s regime squeezing the democratic space and strangulating the voice of dissent. We have seen spontaneous participation and huge turnouts for the ongoing struggles on peoples’ issues led by the Left, defying terror tactics employed by Trinamul Congress goons and biased role of the administration. Since the new government took charge, such fringe elements or such thinking have been repeatedly pushed into the mainstream. It was the democratic principle of the Left government that all sections of society were allowed to dissent and protest. The people of Kerala have soundly rejected such unprincipled, right-wing politics and placed their faith in the Left ideology. We have called for unity among the Left democratic forces and, already on ground, we have seen campaigns and movements together with such forces. The Sangh Parivar is trying to push myths as history, while interpreting history as myth!Would you call the Congress tolerant The Congress bared its intolerant fangs during the dark days of Emergency, as well as the anti-Sikh riots of 1984
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