Where is CPI(M) taking Kerala?
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What is happening to the CPI(M), the leading party of the Left Democratic Front in Kerala? This is a concern increasingly being expressed in recent times by humanists in Kerala who have long regarded the Marxist party as synonymous with left political consciousness. Even when it earned a bad name for fierce party-political clashes and incidents of violence, Keralites continued to view the Marxists as standing with secularism and opposition to communalism, and firmly against sectarianism and racial hatred. Not only in politics, but also in literature, art and culture, the acceptance the Left enjoyed stemmed from this sense of responsibility and vigilance. The CPI(M) has never missed an opportunity to loudly proclaim its uncompromising stand against communalism. Most recently, the CPI(M) Party Congress in last April in Madurai concluded with a call for a determined fight against Hindutva communalism. The Party Congress called for providing a sense of security and support to minorities in the face of Hindutva attempts at othering Muslims by branding them with various labels of “jihad”. It resolved to formulate strong initiatives to counter the influence of the RSS in the political, cultural, economic, and social spheres. The party pledged that it, along with mass class organisations, would launch a campaign against the lethal propaganda of Hindutva forces by deploying all intellectual resources at its disposal. The Madurai congress also announced that it would promote secular, scientific thought in opposition to Manu-vadi, reactionary ideas and organise broad-based cultural activities.
However, even as party cadres were enthused and the general public held out hope following this declaration of war against Hindutva communalism, statements and actions emanating the CPI(M) leadership have instead plunged them into confusion and anxiety on many occasions. Not only do these repeatedly betray a slippage in the party’s stance against communalism and racial hatred, but the statements and actions of the leadership, including the Chief Minister, also end up making such right-wing reactionary politics appear acceptable within the party's structure. A recent remark by State Culture Minister Saji Cherian stands out as a prime example of the party’s rightward drift. “Read the names of those who won in Kasaragod municipality and the Malappuram district panchayat elections. If a community does not have a majority, there will be places where winning becomes impossible. Do not try to turn Kerala into Uttar Pradesh or Madhya Pradesh,” the minister said, in a statement steeped in racial hatred. It takes no great intelligence to grasp the mindset behind a minister singling out a municipality and a district panchayat and asking people to scrutinise names to identify communities. And this from a person who occupies a constitutional office and has sworn to uphold the Constitution and the law by delivering justice to all sections of the people without fear, favour, affection, or prejudice and that too as a member of a Left government. How does the CPI(M), which lays claim to the legacy of the Kerala Renaissance, view this statement that has brought shame upon secular Kerala? As the embarrassment over the communalism that slipped through his words refused to fade, the minister came out on Monday with a bizarre explanation in an apparent attempt to cover up the same.
Statements that sought to identify communities by looking at names and clothing were earlier heard by Keralites from Sangh Parivar leaders, from Narendra Modi to Sreedharan Pillai. Has the CPI(M) leadership now consciously decided to follow in their footsteps? Neither the Chief Minister nor the party leadership has disowned the communal statements made by ministers and leaders. On the contrary, they appear to have adopted an approach that validates them. It later transpired that the meeting with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, held to seek his blessings for the Ayyappa Sangamam at Sabarimala organised at the Chief Minister’s initiative, was not a mere coincidence. The message sent out by the Chief Minister by retaining, at the helm of the Renaissance Committee, a person who persistently berates the Muslim minority in the state and by honouring him with a ceremonial shawl is being faithfully followed by other leaders and ministers as well. The party in Kerala once used to raise slogans like there is no Hindu, Muslim or Christian blook in us, we have only human blood, but now the party's megaphones go around loudly claiming that if the UDF comes to power there will be Muslim dominance and that Marad-like incidents will be repeated. In this context the question is whether there is none left in such a party or its affiliated organisations untainted by Communist infantilism which Lenin had warned against.
