Left ready to support govt in fight against communalsim: Karat

New Delhi, Oct 18 (UNI) The Left is willing to work together with the UPA government in the nation's fight against the forces of communalism despite its differences with it on economic and foreign policy matters, CPI(M) top boss Prakash Karat said today.

Mr Karat assured the Manmohan Singh government of full support of all the secular forces in the country if the latter intervened effectively to rein in the RSS-VHP-Bajrang Dal combine blatant attacks on the religious minorities in Orissa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and other parts of the country.

Mr Karat made these remarks here at the 'Convention against communalism and assault of democracy,' which was addressed by among others, former Prime Minister and JD(S) chief HD Deve Gowda, CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan, TDP leader Yerran Naidu, Jamia Millia Vice-Chancellor Mushirul Hasan, eminent journalists Kuldip Nayar and Seema Mustafa, Archbishop Vincent Concessao and former Finance Ministry Secretary S P Shukla.

The CPM leader observed that the Congress-led coalition is hesitant about invoking constitutional provisions to take action against the Orissa and Karnataka governments fearing about the negative impact in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls." But if the government keeps to remain a silent spectator,foundations of democracy and secularism will be weakened." Mr Deve Gowda, Mr Bardhan and Mr Naidu wondered what prevented the Central government from taking action against the Bajrang Dal when even the latter had admitted about their involvement in the attacks against the religious minorities.

Mr Karat said now when the Parliament polls are just about six months away and the pre-poll alliance was not possible among the secular parties, the fight against the monster of communalism had to be fought on a war footing.

Mr Bardhan asked the government as to why it had organised the meet of the National Integration Council if it had not to evolve a strategy to fight against the " fascist outfits." Mr Deve Gowda, Mr Bardhan and Mr Naidu, while asking the government to take concrete measures to protect the minorities in the country, also raised the demand for a judicial probe into the Jamia Nagar encounter.

Mr Hasan observed the present situation was akin to the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992 and latter 2002 Gujarat genocide. He deplored that the definition of patriotism and nationalism was sought to be changed by the Sangh parivar." But this is our country.. We have the same legal and constitutional rghts as enjoyed by other citizens." Bishop Raphael Cheenath who came from Bhubaneshwar to narrate the horrible situation in Kandhamal said," the situation is still volatile. As many as 20,000 affected people, now putting up in relief camps, are refusing to return for fear of forcible reconversion by the Hindutva forces or getting killed." Social activists and academicains Ceno Mitra, Kamla Bhasin and DUJ president S K Pande also addressed the Convention.

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