Kerala ruling LDF to launch ‘Satyagraha’ on Jan 12 against Centre’s ‘anti-people’ policies

Thiruvananthapuram: The ruling LDF in Kerala will hold a 'Satyagraha', led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, on January 12 to protest against what it calls the Centre’s “anti-people” policies, CPM state secretary M V Govindan said on Saturday.

Govindan added that the LDF will also organise three zonal-level marches from February 1 to highlight the developmental initiatives undertaken by the government. The northern march will start from Kasaragod and end at Palakkad, the central march will run from Pathanamthitta to Ernakulam, and the southern march will move from Thrissur to Thiruvananthapuram.

He further said that CPM’s student, youth and women’s organisations will conduct protests at all district headquarters on January 30, the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, to counter attempts by the opposition UDF and BJP to “communalise” society.

Reiterating the party’s stance, Govindan said, “The CPM will equally oppose the majority communalism of the RSS and Sangh Parivar and the Islamic State idea propagated by the Jamaat-e-Islami.”

He criticised the UDF for allying with groups it had previously opposed, noting that the Oommen Chandy-led UDF government in 2014 had filed a court affidavit describing Jamaat-e-Islami as an extremist organisation aimed at forming an Islamic State.

Addressing concerns over religion and communalism, Govindan said, “The CPM does not believe in mixing faith with communalism. The religious groups and a section of the media are spreading the lie that while opposing communalism, we are opposing religion and faith.” He added, “Opposition to RSS does not mean opposition to Hindu religion and the criticism of Jamaat-e-Islami is not against Muslims as a whole.”

On the Sabarimala gold theft case, he stated that the party has consistently held that all involved should be punished.

Asked about the possibility of former Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran’s arrest, he said it would be for the Special Investigating Team (SIT) under High Court supervision to decide. “The CPM had already made it clear that it will not protect anyone involved in the case and the gold stolen from the temple will be recovered,” he added.

PTI