Only by acknowledging diversity can India progress, says D. Raja

The Hindu

6 days ago

Senior CPI leader D. Raja said on Monday in Chennai that communists and followers of Periyar and Ambedkar should come together to oppose the BJP-RSS combine's attempts to undermine Parliament and parliamentary democracy.
Addressing a function organised to release the book Kaalamthorum Communists by writer Jeevabharathi, he said India could progress only if its tremendous diversity was acknowledged. 'India is a 'Union of States', not a unitary State. The BJP seeks to do away with parliamentary democracy. Democracy will die if Parliament becomes redundant. It happened in Germany during Hitler's regime,' he said.
Mr. Raja said it was the need of the hour for communists to work closely with Periyarists and Ambedkarists to liberate people from exploitation and inequality.
CPI(M) State secretary P. Shanmugam said communists, who had fought uncompromisingly for the uplift and rights of the people and spent many years in jail, had also campaigned for prison reforms.
'We still need many reforms. There are no doors on toilets. When I was in jail, I requested officials to fix at least half a door,' he said, urging State Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu to bring the issue to the attention of the government.
Mr. Shanmugam called upon members of the communist parties to read both volumes of the book and spread the message of their commitment to the people.
Mr. Thennarasu, who participated on behalf of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, said while times could change, the commitment of communists does not. 'Communists are constantly fighting for the people,' he said.
He also read out a message from the Chief Minister. 'Our leader Kalaignar (M. Karunanidhi) had faith in communism as an ideology because it was important for humanity, our people, and our land. His writings and approach were strongly influenced by communism. That was why he said he would have become a communist had he not met Anna (C.N. Annadurai),' the Chief Minister stated.
He added the Slum Clearance Board and the abolition of hand-pulled rickshaws were shaped by communist ideology.
'The pioneers of the Dravidian Movement firmly believed that political freedom should be accompanied by freedom from social oppression and class-based inequality,' he said, noting the book would serve as a guide for society.
CPI state secretary R. Mutharasan, lyricist Vairamuthu, and NCBH chairman Stalin Gunasekaran also participated.