The Hindu : Kerala News : RSS wants BJP to fall in line: Karat

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Sunday, May 01, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

RSS wants BJP to fall in line: Karat

Staff Reporter

Congress stand on communalism not firm

KOZHIKODE: The CPI(M) general secretary, Prakash Karat, has said that the RSS wants the BJP to fall in line with it and work for Hindutva.

Addressing a public meeting organised as part of the reception accorded to Mr. Karat by the district committee of the CPI(M) here on Saturday, Mr. Karat said the RSS leadership would not mind changing the present BJP leadership if the latter did not fall in line with the former. He was referring to the recent statements of the RSS chief, K. Sudarshan, that the veteran BJP leaders, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L. K. Advani, should step down. The RSS had put pressure on the previous NDA Government to facilitate the handing over of the Ramajanmabhoomi site to build the Ram temple. The BJP Government tried to do it, but could not.

Commenting upon the Congress party, Mr. Karat said the Congress had not taken a firm stand against communal forces. Its vacillation on communal forces was indeed a threat to country's unity.

So, Mr. Karat said, the Left parties had sought an assurance from the Congress party not to retract in the face of communal forces.

This was the minimum responsibility the Left had sought from the Congress before supporting them to form the Government at the Centre.

Hinting that the Congress could not be trusted fully, Mr. Karat said all democratic forces should be vigilant to see that the UPA Government did not bow before communal forces.

Giving statistics of a large number of farmers who had committed suicides in the country, the CPI(M) leader said the scenario had not changed even after the arrival of the UPA Government.

Mr. Karat said there was no question of blind or unconditional support from the Left to the UPA Government. "Our party will judge the UPA Government by its actions.''

Mr. Karat said, "the UPA Government has adopted some of the Left proposals mentioned in the Common Minimum Programme, some they did not. Our first task now is to see that the UPA Government implement the pro-people policies, which are contained in the CMP. As far as we are concerned, this Government will continue.''

He also called for increased public expenditure in agriculture, health and education.

Mr. Karat said the Left parties which have 61 MPs had given `a cheque with a guarantee. "If they (UPA Government ) do not implement the CMP, they will lose public support. If they lose public support, nobody can save them,'' Mr. Karat added.

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