BJP is trying to replace a democratic state with a theocratic one, says CPI

Hitting out at the BJP and RSS for what she claims their divisive and fascist ideologies, national secretariat member of Communist Party of India (CPI) Amarjeet Kaur has said that the CPI shall emerge strong to take on the BJP-RSS combine effectively.

Speaking to The Hindu on the sidelines of the CPI’s three-day State-level conference here on Monday, Ms. Kaur accused the Modi-led BJP government at the Centre of attempting to replace a democratic republic with a theocratic state.

She criticized the Central government over the appointment process for the posts of Election Commissioner and Chief Election Commissioner and also for what she said misusing the office of Governors to obstruct elected State governments.

The Modi-led BJP government at the Centre is making all-out efforts to subvert the Constitution without changing it but by merely changing the form of administration. If the BJP government’s systematic dismantling of federalism continues unchecked, it can pose a grave threat to democratic tenets, she claimed.

“Hinduism is a great and vast term. It is derived from multiple roots, including the Indus Valley Civilization, having a diverse culture, diverse languages and a great tradition of Sufism and a rich heritage that attracts people world over. Sidelining all these aspects, efforts are being made by the BJP and the RSS to create a monolithic system and homogeneous society in the name of Hinduism and Hindutva,” Ms. Kaur claimed.

Replying to a question, Ms. Kaur said that the Central government has found out new ways of implementation of its will by asking all States to make the necessary amendments to the existing labour laws to align them with the provisions of the new codes. “So, what they are not able to implement directly, they are finding new ways to bring in amendments indirectly,” she said.

The CPI will discuss all these issues during its 25th Congress at Chandigarh from September 21 to 25, Ms. Kaur said.

Ms. Kaur said that the CPI will urge the State government to establish special fast-track courts to try the murder cases of editor Gauri Lankesh and scholar M.M. Kalburgi. She said that there is a common link in the killings of Gauri Lankesh, Kalburgi, CPI leader Govind Pansare and rationalist Narendra Dabholkar.