CPI(M) in Kerala accuses BJP of using SNDP as a political tool, says trying to saffronise it

Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 22 (PTI) In response to a significant shift of its traditional vote-base to the BJP in certain areas during the Lok Sabha polls, the ruling CPI(M) in Kerala on Monday accused the saffron party of using the SNDP, an influential organisation of the numerically strong Ezhava community, as a political tool and attempting to saffronise it.

Addressing the media after the state committee evaluated the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan also attacked the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a powerful ally of the Congress in Kerala, and said the Left party would expose its communal agenda.

Govindan said the CPI(M) will continue the ideological campaign against "the BJP's stance favouring a religious state in the country." Strongly criticising the saffron party, Govindan said the RSS and the BJP attempt to communalise various sections of society and said the Left party will strongly oppose this.

"The BJP's policy is to divide along caste lines. The Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP), a movement founded by renaissance leader Sree Narayana Guru, is now being communalised by the BJP using the BDJS as a tool," Govindan alleged.

BDJS, founded by SNDP general secretary Vellappally Natesan and headed by his son Thushar Vellappally, is an ally of the BJP-led NDA in Kerala.

Govindan expressed hope that the SNDP will prevent the saffronisation of Sree Narayana Guru's movement.

His statement comes after the CPI(M) reviewed the performance of the party-led LDF in the Lok Sabha polls, which saw it gaining only one seat out of 20, and the BJP eating into its vote share in constituencies like Alappuzha and Attingal, where people belonging to the Ezhava community used to be its backbone.

Govindan alleged that before the elections, the BJP promoted the idea of adhering to Manusmriti.

"They attempted to change the constitution based on Manusmriti. The Muslim League is also supporting the concept of a religious state," Govindan said, adding that the CPI(M) aims to expose these positions.

The senior Left leader said the communal forces were supporting each other. He attacked the Congress-led UDF, alleging that it was aligning with the communal forces.

The CPI(M) state secretary said minority protection was a crucial aspect of secularism, contrary to the RSS's portrayal of it as minority appeasement.

"It's the Left party's commitment to stand up for the minorities in a country with a diverse population," he said.

The Left leader also expressed concern over the rise in anti-Left propaganda going on in social media and attacked the mainstream media, saying it would use anything as a weapon against communism.

Govindan pointed out the examples of cyber attacks against Thiruvananthapuram Mayor Arya Rajendran, who led the rescue attempts at the state capital's Amayizhanchan canal where a sanitation worker was swept away.

The Left leader also criticised Congress workers who allegedly targeted IAS officer Divya S Iyer, the Managing Director of Vizhinjam International Seaport, who had praised Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during the inauguration of the seaport recently.

"There is a clear attempt to target women through cyberattacks," Govindan said, adding that this was evident because while Iyer highlighted the government's achievements and was attacked, Chief Secretary V Venu, who did the same, faced no such attacks. PTI RRT RRT SS