CPM to take up Muslim cause countering BJP's 'communal' plank

Kolkata, Jan 4 (UNI) In a counter to the BJP's "new found aggressive communal plank", the CPI(M) has decided to bring out a comprehensive charter for the advancement of the Muslim community in the light of the Sachar Committee report.

"The Sachar Committee report is a true reflection of the condition of the Muslim community in the country. We have decided to make a comprehensive charter for the advancement of Muslims in the socio-economic, educational and employment spheres," CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat said at the end of the one-day Polit Bureau and three-day Central Committee meeting of the party that concluded here today.

Flaying the BJP for adopting a "rabidly communal" platform at its national council session in Lucknow, Mr.Karat said its stand on terrorism, the execution of Afzal Guru or its attitude to the Sachar committee report were "motivated by a communal outlook".

"The BJP has a new found aggressive communal plank. The Sachar Committee report has effectively exposed the entire propaganda of the BJP about minority appeasement", he said.

The Central Committee observed that the hallmark of the BJP's stand was "minority baiting". The party decided to bring out a booklet exposing the "pernicious role" of the BJP-RSS combine so that all party units could utilise it for the anti-communal campaign, Mr.Karat said.

Criticising the BJP for insisting on early execution of Afzal Guru, who had been awarded death sentence for involvement in the Parliament attack, Mr.Karat it was a pointer to a 'dubious' attempt to create a communal divide on the issue when a mercy petition was pending with the President.

"When Mr.L K Advani was the Deputy Prime Minister there were 12 mercy petitions pending with the President and even after the murder of Rajiv Gandhi the death sentence of the convict was kept pending.

Why does the BJP now want to short circuit this case?" he asked.

Describing the execution of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein as a "judicial assassination", the Central Committee observed that the UPA Government at the Centre should have come out with a stronger reaction in protest taking a firm stand against the US that occupied Iraq to set up the present Iraqi Government.

"It is unfortunate that the UPA Government has only expressed disappointment at this act. The people of India expect the UPA Government to take a firm and categorical stand against the Bush administration that has become notorious for its gross violations of national sovereignty and illegal aggressive actions," it said.

UNI