KOCHI: Chief Minister and CPM politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday said that it has been proved that in places where the Leftist forces are strong, communalism does not flourish. “Tripura and Kerala are the shining examples for this,” he said addressing the South-Asian Communist-Left Conclave which began at Bolgatty island here on Saturday. Ironically, Mr Vijayan did not mention West Bengal which was under the Marxist rule for long under Jyoti Basu where the CPM is in tatters now and the saffron forces are surging ahead.
He said that people in South Asia were facing common issues. In India, anti-people economic policies were being inflicted on the people by making them mere spectators after dividing them on the lines of religion, region and language. He said his state government was investing in social security schemes.
CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury exhorted the people to resist the neo-liberal economic policies of the Union Government. CPM politburo members Prakash Karat, M.A. Baby and S. Ramachandran Pillai, CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and senior leader V.S. Achuthanandan also attended the meet on Saturday. The delegates’ sessions being held on the two days of the conference will have special reference to SAARC issues. Threat from imperialism, threat to national sovereignty, communalism and casteism in the South Asian nations are being put under the lens. The meet will conclude with a red volunteer march and general meeting at Marine Drive at 3.30 p.m. on Sunday.
