Senior CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat on Thursday lashed out against the Central government saying the RSS-BJP government's governance style reeks of anti-Hindu policies. “The RSS-BJP regime, which is currently ruling India, talks about making India a Hindu Rashtra. But if you closely look at their agendas and governance, you will see that their major policies are also against the Hindus,” Karat said in a webinar organised by the CPI(M) on account of 100 years of the Communist party in India.
Karat pointed out the Centre's handling of the lockdown to further substantiate his observation. “Just see the plight of the migrant labourers or farmers' distress. Are they all Muslims or belonging to other minorities? No, the majority of them are Hindus,” he said.
Apart from Karat, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and polit bureau member Nilotpal Basu were also part of the discussion moderated by their colleague Mohammed Salim.
The manner in which India went into an “unprepared lockdown” continues to be questioned by several policy makers—both in India and abroad. The economy, which contracted more than 23 per cent in the first quarter, emerged the real casualty of the unplanned lockdown.
Industrial output has hit record lows, while farmers' incomes and national consumption rate have dipped significantly, too.
The lockdown also revealed the dark side of glaring economic inequality as public data claim that while the rich have grown richer during the period, the poor and laymen, on the other hand, saw wealth erosion.
Hence, Karat’s remarks assume significance as the policies of the Modi government, which boast of a pro-Hindu image, backed by the Hindu Rashtra ideology of its parent, the RSS, hit the majority community at large scale.
Prominent Muslim leader and chairman of Imam’s Association in Bengal, Md Iyahiya, concurred with Karat's observations. “The Modi government has done nothing, at least in action. It hit the Muslim community hard. In fact, its decision has bled even Hindus a lot. By giving hate speeches against Muslims, the BJP and the RSS have shown that they are anti-Muslim and tried to appease Hindus in the country,” said Khan.
He pointed out that the NRC process in Assam has more Hindus in its ineligibility list than Muslims. “Bengali Hindus were having sleepless nights in Assam when they conducted NRC. If they do it across India, Hindus, more than Muslims, would be harassed,” he warned.
