New-look Left front identifies its enemy number 1: The BJP-RSS

The new United Left – a group of six Left parties– has zeroed in on the BJP-RSS combine as its strongest ‘enemy’, to be taken head-on in the days to come. While sticking to its Marxist line of fighting the bourgeois both on the national and international fronts, the new United Left has spelt out its main task ahead at the on-going 21st Congress of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Vishakhapatnam —to fight strongly against the BJP and the Modi government’s policies.

Prior to this conclave, the Left at the national level comprised four Left-wing parties –CPI (M), CPI, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and Forward Bloc (FB). Now, two more –the Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) and the CPI (Marxist-Leninist) have joined hands to form a new front – the United Left.

Discussing its political resolution on 16 April, the CPM has identified ‘Hindutva Project’ as a threat to the nation’s secular democracy.

A copy of the draft report on ‘Political Resolution’ accessed by Firstpost, on which the CPM and allies have had a daylong brainstorming, mentions: “The victory of the BJP in the Lok Sabha election was preceded by a systematic campaign on a communal agenda by the RSS and its front organizations… The year 2013 saw a significant rise in communal incidents… The RSS and its outfits went into action a year before the elections to create communal tensions and mobilise support through communal polarization.”

At the inaugural session, the outgoing general secretary Prakash Karat had launched a scathing attack on the BJP and the RSS. “They are running a joint venture government at the Centre. For the last nearly one year, we have witnessed the unfolding of the right-wing offensive in the country, which spans, the economic, political, social and cultural spheres.” Karat added that by glorifying Nathuram Godse, the BJP-RSS combine had been attempting to demolish “secular democratic foundation” of the Constitution.

The political resolution also noted that communal politics continued to pose a danger as the RSS and its political wing the BJP sought an opportunity to push forward the communal agenda. The resolution therefore called for fighting against both the Congress and the BJP.

“There has been a qualitative change in the situation with the BJP being in government and the RSS game plan being put into effect. There is close coordination between the RSS and ministers in key portfolios. To facilitate this, the RSS has set up six groups. The educational system is a prime target. The new education policy is in the offing with change of curriculum and text books to introduce communal content… From the Prime Minister downwards, obscurantist values are propagated and the scientific temper undermined. With government patronage, the network of RSS organisations in the field will be provided State support and funds,” the report mentioned.

The United Left has made clear to its comrades the approach it would adopt under its Political-Tactical Line (P-TL) to combat the growing influence of the Right-wing politics in the country and communal forces. The CPM’s P-TL underlines: “While the main direction of the struggle is against the BJP, the party will continue to oppose the Congress. It has pursued neo-liberal policies and it is the Congress-led UPA government’s anti-people policies and corruption, which helped the BJP to acquire popular support and win. The Party will have no understanding or electoral alliance with the Congress.”

Five tasks ahead

1. The party has to fight against the BJP and Modi government’s policies. This requires a concerted opposition to the Modi government’s economic policies and its Hindutva-oriented social and educational policies. The Party has to conduct a political-ideological struggle against the BJP-RSS combine. The fight against communalism cannot be conducted in isolation. It has to be integrated with the struggle against the neo-liberal policies and in defence of the people’s livelihood.
2. The fight against the rightwing offensive must be taken up squarely. The Modi government’s economic policies which are part of the neo-liberal drive should be stoutly opposed. All manifestations of the neo-liberal attack on the working people should be resisted by organizing and mobilizing different sections of the working people.
3. The Hindutva agenda of the BJP-RSS combine must be fought politically and on the ground by the Party and the mass organisations in the social, cultural, ideological and educational spheres. The broadest mobilization of the secular and democratic forces against the communal danger and in defence of secular values should be undertaken.
4. Fighting against the authoritarian danger posed by the rightward shift by a broad mobilization in defence of democratic rights, artistic freedom and opposing curbs on parliamentary democracy.
5. Develop the organisational work in the adivasi areas and among the dalits to counter the multifarious activities of the RSS outfits. The defence of minority (Muslim minority community) rights and the demand that special measures be undertaken for the educational and economic advancement of the minorities assume crucial importance.

“The biggest challenge before the country today is fighting the communal politics, which has got aggravated ever since the BJP has come to power. The main direction of our attack should be against the BJP, but this cannot mean having an electoral understanding with the Congress. There should be no dichotomy in our approach regarding the fight against communalism and the fight for people’s livelihood against the neo-liberal policies. The fight against the RSS and the BJP should not be reduced to merely election tactics. It is part of our fight against communalism which disrupts the unity of the working people,” a senior CPM leader said on condition of anonymity.