02-06-2025
Kolkata: PM politicising Op Sindoor for poll gains, charge Left & Congress leaders
Demanding a special Parliament session to discuss the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed, the Congress and Left leaders on Monday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of politicising Operation Sindoor, and alleged that his government was misusing the military operation for electoral gains while avoiding accountability in Parliament.
Taking part in the 'Save the Constitution, Save the Country' convention here in Kolkata, CPI(M) state secretary Md Salim said: 'The Constitution guarantees equal rights to all, yet the government is politicising the Pahalgam attack along religious lines, effectively advancing the terrorists' aim of inciting communal unrest. Meanwhile, workers from Bengal are being targeted in various states, falsely labelled as Rohingyas or Bangladeshis.'
The participants also criticised the recent statements made by Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir, saying they rejected religious nationalism in all forms. 'We strongly oppose communalism, religious extremism, and terrorism that arise from such ideologies,' the joint statement released following the conclusion of the convention said.
Prominent civil society leaders, political activists, and intellectuals took part in the convention, raising concerns about alleged 'attacks on the basic structure of the Indian Constitution'. The gathering reiterated a collective commitment to the ideals enshrined in the Preamble and called for urgent political and judicial intervention to address what it described as a 'constitutional crisis.'
'If you can speak, then raise your voice. If you can write, then put it into words. If you can gather, then stand with others in solidarity. Or simply display the words of the Constitution on the walls of your home. Do whatever it takes to safeguard the Constitution,' Congress leader and NSUI in-charge Kanhaiya Kumar appealed.
CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya added, 'We want a republic of freedom.'
Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar made an appeal to citizens, saying, 'If you can speak, then raise your voice. If you can write, then put it into words. If you can gather, then stand with others in solidarity. Do whatever it takes to safeguard the Constitution.'
The convention also denounced the passage of the Waqf Amendment Act, describing it as unconstitutional and part of a broader campaign to erode minority rights. The statement also called for the repeal of the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019, and the law revoking Article 370, and appealed to the Supreme Court to strike them down.
The ruling TMC in the state also came under fire for alleged electoral malpractice, law and order failures, and widespread corruption. The organisers cited the Murshidabad riots, the school recruitment scam among others as examples of the state government's failure. The convention concluded with a five-point resolution, urging citizens to stand with secular, progressive forces and defend the constitutional values of sovereignty, socialism, secularism, and democracy.
(Adrija Datta is an intern at The Indian Express' Kolkata office)
