Speaking on the rising intolerance in the country, Communist Party of India (Marxist) Lok Sabha MP Mohammed Salim says that the government cannot render a country intolerant, as they are custodians of the country only for a limited time. In an interview with Namrata Biji Ahuja, Mr Salim is of the view that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rise to power has ‘vitalised the Hindutva forces’.
Intolerance is not new to India. So why are we suddenly so outraged and worried about what has been happening after the Bharatiya Janata Party government came to power in 2014?
India has a heritage of being a tolerant society, a country where unity amidst diversity reigns supreme. It is a country where we do not “tolerate” diverse customs, culture, habits and ways of life, but embrace them. Our founding fathers also gave us a Constitution to uphold that heritage and protect the tightly-woven social fabric of our country. In the past, some fringe elements questioned and disputed this noble heritage in favour of a communally charged and divisive design for our country and society. Since the new government took charge, such fringe elements or such thinking have been repeatedly pushed into the mainstream. It is like a hub-and-spoke design, where the “hub” remains silent, while the “spoke” runs amok vitiating the society with communal hatred. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rise to power has vitalised these Hindutva forces who are having a field day.
Do you believe India has actually become more intolerant? Can’t the Congress and several non-BJP state governments also be accused of being illiberal?
Nobody is saying that the country has become intolerant. A single government cannot render a country intolerant, they are only the custodians of the country for a limited time and have the responsibility to uphold the democratic ethos and composite culture, which is the outcome of anti-colonial, anti-imperialist struggle. It is not a question of this govern-ment and that. What matters most is the role of the government in coun-tering irrational fanatics in favour of rational and secular values. The Centre is either silent, signalling tacit approval, or is pro-actively encouraging the spawn of obscurantists and bigots. In West Bengal, you see Mamata Baner-jee’s regime squeezing the democratic space and strangulating the voice of dissent. We oppose both.
If we go back in history, has India been really a tolerant country?
Every country that ever existed in human history has had events of both kinds — those exemplifying intolerance and also those promoting strength of unity. People with vested interests conveniently single out the kind of incidents that better suit their agenda. The Sangh Parivar is trying to push myths as history, while interpreting history as myth!
Would you call the Congress tolerant?
The Congress bared its intolerant fangs during the dark days of Emergency, as well as the anti-Sikh riots of 1984. Subsequently, they were forced to apologise.
On the Constitution issue how do you react to all political parties competing against each other to claim the legacy of Ambedkar?
Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar’s glorious role in ensuring social justice, rights of dalits and secular polity by overseeing the drafting of the Constitution is exemplary. It is only normal, that all the citizens of our country express their due respect and admiration for such a distinguished figure. But it is untenable when the very people who ran down Ambedkar’s vision of an egalitarian society and social justice, now suddenly try to claim his legacy.
Talking about the intelligentsia’s criticism of the ruling government, isn’t it similar to what happened during the last days of Left rule in West Bengal? More so after Nandigram…
Not only the intelligentsia, every person including political opponents have the right to criticise any government. It was the democratic principle of the Left government that all sections of society were allowed to dissent and protest. Now we see the intelligentsia being attacked, arrested and harassed for protesting, having an opinion, even sharing a cartoon! Elsewhere in the country, eminent scholars and social activists are being killed by fanatics and the government sits silent. Furthermore, elements within the governing party publicly back such events and worsen the situation by making incendiary statements. Thus, the scale of response is unprecedented from the intelligentsia, civil society and people from all walks of life. In the face of rising concern expressed by leading lights in the fields of science, technology, literature, culture, film-making, even business, the government is building walls to keep itself insulated from reality. They have to wake up and smell the coffee.
Don’t all parties play caste/vote-bank politics? In Kerala, for instance, the Left does indulge in caste politics. There are reports that the Sree Narayana Dhar-ma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP) and Ezhava community leader Vella-pally Natesan’s inclination towards the BJP has got the Left worried?
At the recently concluded local self-government elections in Kerala, the Left has come out with flying colour, despite the BJP trying its disgraceful best to play the caste card along with Hindutva card. The people of Kerala have soundly rejected such unprincipled, right-wing politics and placed their faith in the Left ideology.
Why do you think the Left has been on the decline and why the Aam Aadmi Party seems to be eating into Left space?
In places like Delhi, in the absence of any other credible alternatives, people have resorted to support the AAP in the face of Congress and BJP’s corrupt practices. Wherever the Left is organised and has a strong presence, organisations like the AAP could not emerge.
Elections are due next year in West Bengal. How do you think the Left will do?
West Bengal is a politically polarised state. It is too early to predict the outcome of elections. We have seen spontaneous participation and huge turnouts for the ongoing struggles on peoples’ issues led by the Left, defying terror tactics employed by Trinamul goons and biased role of the administration. In the coming days, we shall see more and more people coming out shedding their inhibitions and fear to further intensify the struggle to protect peoples’ interests and re-establish West Bengal on the development path.
Do you think the BJP will try to vitiate the atmosphere in the state?
They have already begun to spread communal enmity and divide the electorate. By now, their ways are exposed and have turned into clichés. People have begun to realise the gameplan, where various Sangh outfits on one hand and fundamentalist and communal organisations patronised by Ms Banerjee on the other hand are out to destroy the social fabric of West Bengal for narrow political gains. I am confident that the hate-mongers will not gain any footing here.
This is West Bengal.
Who is your main enemy in West Bengal? The BJP or the Trinamool?
Such is the secular socio-political heritage in West Bengal, that communal and divisive forces have never found a foothold here. Peoples’ resistance towards such politics means that the BJP is always going to be insignificant here. The people have also understood that the BJP-Trinamool Congress conduct a public shadowboxing exercise, while privately deals are being struck to allow looters of peoples’ savings escape justice in chit fund scams and reciprocated by easing anti-people policies and legislation through Parliament. As is evident, the BJP has no interest in uprooting the Trinamool Congress. The fight is between the Left and Trinamool Congress. The people of West Bengal have resolved to ensure the defeat of “Modi Bhai-Didi Bhai”.
Do you see a possible alliance between the Left and Congress for the Assembly polls in West Bengal?
The CPM adheres to a political-tactical line debated and discussed upon in the party congress, there is no room for unprincipled or ad-hoc approach, unlike other political parties. We have called for unity among the Left democratic forces and, already on ground, we have seen campaigns and movements together with such forces. Other secular, democratic forces are welcome to join the peoples’ struggle to regain the democratic space threatened by the Trinamool Congress’ “jungle-raj” in West Bengal.
