'Time To Break Hindutva-Corporate Nexus Aligned With USA': Prakash Karat At CPM's 24th Party Congress

Madurai: Senior CPI(M) leader and party convenor Prakash Karat on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government represent a 'Hindutva-corporate nexus' closely aligned with the imperialistic USA.

"This BJP-RSS and Hindutva-corporate alliance is what must be fought and defeated. From this straightforward conclusion arises the complex question of how to effectively combat the BJP-RSS coalition. We, the people, know that the political dominance exercised by Hindutva forces today is not merely through electoral means," Karat said at the 24th All India Conference of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Madurai.

He continued, "It is a dominance achieved through the influence exerted by Hindutva forces in the ideological, cultural, and social spheres. It is a dominance implemented through authoritarian attacks on democracy and the constitution."

He also said the Left parties have been fighting against Hindutva forces to protect the people who are facing livelihood crises. The leader criticised the BJP-led central government's neo-liberal policies.

Giving a call to combine similar-minded forces in their fight against communalism, the Left party stalwart said Left parties are mobilising all secular forces against the BJP as the Left remains the only consistent force capable of firmly and uncompromisingly opposing all manifestations of Hindutva and majoritarian communalism.

The Modi government, in its third term, is advancing with an RSS-driven Hindutva agenda, aggressive neo-liberal policies, and the strengthening of authoritarianism. In this process, it is exhibiting neo-fascist characteristics, he added. Prakash also paid tributes to late Sitaram Yechury, ex-general secretary of CPI(M), remembering the leader's contribution.

'RSS targets Muslims'

According to him, the implementation of the RSS's fascist agenda requires the continued targeting of the Muslim minority. "They are being persecuted through communal violence conducted by Hindutva organisations with the aid and complicity of the state machinery in BJP-ruled states. The perpetual state of violence and intimidation against the Muslim community is part of a drive to create a permanent communal divide and establish Hindutva consolidation. The central government is attempting to privatise new sectors and offer new areas for profit to large monopolies. As a result, we are witnessing unprecedented inequality, with one per cent of the population possessing 40 per cent of the country's total wealth. There is high unemployment, especially among the youth, increased labour exploitation through contract work, and a decline in the share of wages in the net value added in the industrial sector. The situation of farmers and agricultural laboruers has also worsened due to the severe agrarian crisis," Karat said.

The 24th All India Conference of the Marxist Communist Party (CPI(M)), underway in Madurai at Seetharam Yechury Nagar (Tamukkam Grounds), is attended by prominent Leftist leaders, administrators, and party members from across the country. The All India Conference of the CPI(M) is being held in Madurai after 53 years.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, senior party leader and Brinda Karat were among those who were present. The event began at 10.30 am at the Kodiyeri Balakrishnan Memorial Hall. Manik Sarkar, ex-CM of Tripura, presided over the event. K. Balakrishnan, Head of the Conference Reception Committee and Member of the Central Committee, delivered the welcome address.

Other prominent leaders present included D. Raja, national secretary of the Communist Party of India, Dipankar Bhattacharya, general secretary of the Communist Party of India (ML) Liberation, Manoj Bhattacharya, general secretary of the Revolutionary Socialist Party, and G. Devarajan, general secretary of the All India Forward Bloc.