Temple at Ayodhya will end secularism: CPI
  By Our Staff Reporter

  PALAKKAD, JAN. 29. The State secretary of the Communist Party of
  India (CPI), Veliyam Bhargvan, has said that if the BJP Government at the
  Centre permits the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Sangh Parivar to
  construct the Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, it will end
  secularism in the country.

  Addressing a press conference on the deliberations of the ongoing State
  conference of the party here today, the CPI veteran said the growth of
  fundamentalism in the country was threatening its very existence. The
  people of the country were greatly concerned about the threat to national
  security.

  He said that the RSS chief, who was using every opportunity to foment
  communal extremism in the country, was now demanding the review of the
  Constitution. When the NDA Government came to power, nobody
  suspected that it would create such serious problems that would threaten
  the secular and democratic foundations of the country. Now, the BJP was
  pursuing its own policies making the NDA ineffective. Its constituents
  were opposing some of the policies pursued by the Government to suit the
  interest of the BJP and the RSS.

  Regarding the growth of communal extremism in a State like Kerala which
  was known for communal harmony, the CPI leader said extremism had been
  growing in Kerala in recent times. The BJP-RSS could not succeed in
  creating a communal divide in Kerala earlier because the Keralites had not
  permitted it. But with the entry of the NDF and the PDP, religious
  extremism started raising its ugly head in places like Pathanamthitta and
  Marad.

  Though the RSS and the NDF were fighting each other openly, in effect,
  they were helping each other. The recent communal flare-ups helped both
  the organisations to garner more support. This was a most dangerous
  situation, Mr. Bhargavan said.

  He said the Congress-led UDF Government under the Chief Minister, A. K.
  Antony, had failed to curb communal flare- ups as it had sought the
  support of communal forces like the RSS, PDP and the NDF to come to
  power.

  When the Pattanathitta incident occurred, the CPI wrote to the Chief
  Minister asking him to call an all-party meeting to discus the dangerous
  situation and take a firm united stand by all democratic and secular forces
  against it. But the Chief Minister did not bother to respond.

  The CPI secretary said the State conference had decided to conduct a
  powerful campaign in Kerala against communalism and religious extremism
  by uniting all Left, democratic and secular forces in the State.

  Answering questions on the CPI and CPI(M) merger, the CPI leader said
  the differences, which had resulted in the split of the Communist Party in
  1964, no longer existed. The CPI was striving for unity with the CPI(M) but
  their merger would take more time.

  The CPI wanted all the Communist parties and groups to unite to combat
  the situation where the WTO and the World Bank were imposing
  conditions resulting in more burden to the common man.

  He said the Congress-led Government in Kerala was following the same
  policies of the BJP Government at the Centre. The Government was
  withdrawing from social services sectors such as health, education and
  infrastructure.

  Thus, there was no difference between the policies followed by the BJP-led
  Government at the Centre and the UDF Government in the State.

  Both were challenging the people and had declared a war on them. The CPI
  had accepted this challenge and would unite all the Left and democratic
  forces to fight against the anti- people policies of the Centre and the
  Antony Government, he said.