Attempts to create demographic imbalance needs to be opposed: S Sudhakar Reddy

Thiruvananthapuram: CPI general secretary Mr S Sudhakar Reddy said attempts being made to create a demographic imbalance in Kerala needs to be opposed strongly. Mr Reddy told DC that while CPI stood firmly for secularism, there was no question of appeasing minorities or the majority community for electoral gains. Attempts are being made to create demographic imbalance in some places including Kerala which required to be looked into seriously, he added.

The CPI general secretary’s comments need to be read in the context of LDF raising a hue and cry over block panchayat delimitation especially in Malappuram district. The opposition had accused UDF and particularly Muslim League which holds the panchayat and municipal portfolios, of creating a demographic imbalance in many block panchayats ahead of local bodies poll.

Last week CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran had stirred up a hornet’s nest alleging that Left’s stand on secularism was being misconstrued by many among majority community as appeasement of minorities. He had also referred to a demographic transition taking place in the state. On Tuesday, BJP state committee had come out with a statement that minorities had overtaken majority community in population size in Kerala.

Mr Reddy, however, said that CPI and the Left would not move an inch away from its stand on secularism. “We will continue with confidence building measures among minorities, take steps to get justice for them and fight discrimination against them,” the CPI boss said and added that he was not aware of the context in which Kanam Rajendran had made the statement on minorities.

Following the huge shift in Left’s traditional votes to BJP during Aruvikkara by poll, the LDF leaders including V S Achuthanandan had stressed on the need for having an effective strategy to check saffron surge. Though the LDF has reiterated its commitment to secularism, statements made by a section of top leaders clearly reveal that they are trying to woo the Hindu community in a big way.

The LDF believes that there isn’t going to be any change in pro UDF stand of Muslim League and Kerala Congress, in the near future. And with BJP now making major inroads into traditional Hindu vote of the Left, the LDF will have to send across positive signals to the community to arrest the trend.