The Hindu : National : BJP giving “communal twist” to blasts: CPI (M)

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BJP giving “communal twist” to blasts: CPI (M)

Special Correspondent

An opportunity for BJP to divide electorate on communal lines
CPI (M) plans to hold public meetings

JAIPUR: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Sunday criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party regime in Rajasthan for giving a “communal twist” to the recent serial blasts in Jaipur and accused it of exploiting the bombings for political gains by provoking the sentiments of the majority community.

The CPI (M) State Committee said at the end of its two-day meeting here that the BJP was building up an atmosphere against Muslims in the State with an eye on the Assembly elections scheduled this year. “The blasts have come as an opportunity for the BJP to divide the electorate on communal lines,” said Hannan Mollah, CPI (M) leader in charge of Rajasthan.

Mr. Mollah, MP and member of the party Central Secretariat, pointed out that the State government had instructed the police to hunt down terrorists allegedly associated with the outfits with Muslim names without paying any attention to collecting solid and clinching evidence in connection with the terrible incident.

“The plan to drive out alleged Bangladeshi infiltrators within 30 days forms part of the BJP’s ploy to communalise the atmosphere in the run-up to the Assembly polls,” Mr. Mollah, said expressed the fear that Bengali-speaking Indian citizens would be targeted in the government’s campaign.

The CPI (M), which plans to hold public meetings on the issue across the State on May 26, regretted that Opposition Congress had failed to take a tough stand against the BJP to defend the minorities. “With a soft communalism pervading in the rank and file of Congress, the party is hardly in a position to confront the BJP to uphold secular values,” said Mr. Mollah.

The May 26 public meetings to be held in all districts will throw light on the factors responsible for terrorism and communal divide in the country and expose the BJP’s designs to exacerbate communal tension to capture power even in the States, where it has no presence. Mr. Mollah said the speakers would also condole the death of serial blast victims, who belonged to both the communities. The State Committee also deliberated on implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, campaign against price rise before the nation-wide general strike planned on August 30 and the State government’s announcement of pension for the detainees during emergency, which the party said none of its members would claim.

Mr. Mollah said the party had launched an exercise to prepare dossiers of 30 Assembly segments in the State to find out the local issues, political situation and caste combinations. The party will select in the next State Committee meeting the constituencies where it would be fielding its candidates in the Assembly elections.

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