The Hindu : Karnataka News : Karat: defeat twin challenges of terrorism, communalism

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Wednesday, Dec 24, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Karat: defeat twin challenges of terrorism, communalism

Special Correspondent

Terms BJP’s concurrence with Congress on more FDI ‘hypocrisy’

“Congress has no courage to take on communal forces”
Says anti-terror war cannot be fought on U.S. shoulders

Bangalore: “Terrorism can be defeated only if fought alongside the “twin challenge” of communalism,” said Prakash Karat, general secretary, Communist Party of India (Marxist).

Addressing a public rally here on Tuesday, which was the culmination of a State-wide jatha organised by the CPI(M) against communalism and terrorism, Mr. Karat said both these forces “challenge the concept of India as a secular democracy.”

‘Cover-up’

The BJP was “covering up its communal designs as nationalism,” but just scratching the surface revealed its colours as “the enemy of the common people,” he said. Citing an example, he said the BJP’s agreement with the Congress on allowing more foreign direct investment in the banking and insurance sectors exposed the “hypocrisy” of the BJP’s claims of nationalism. This amounted to “promoting anti-national policies” when the global financial meltdown had clearly demonstrated what disasters it could lead to.

Mr. Karat said that while the BJP was using communalism as a “tool of political mobilisation,” the Congress had “no courage to take on communal forces.” It had not banned organisations such as the Bajrang Dal by using the same laws used to ban the Students Islamic Movement of India, he said. The Centre was making a mistake in seeking the help of the United States rather than the U.N. Security Council in tracking the terror network behind the Mumbai attacks. “We cannot fight our battle against terrorism on the shoulders of America that has spread terrorism in several countries.”

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