RSS allegations are out of frustration, says CPM

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPM on Friday rubbished the RSS charge that it was preventing it from functioning in the state and said their communal agenda has been rejected by the people. CPM central committee member E.P. Jayarajan said the people of Kerala have a secular outlook and a secular mindset. This is because of the high social consciousness and the rich tradition of peaceful coexistence. "RSS is a communal and fascist outfit. They will never be able to polarise the people of the state. The people here uphold high social, cultural and secular values thanks to the social reform movement," he said.

The CPM leader said the RSS was spreading lies to hide their rejection by majority people.  "The RSS has always claimed that it has the highest number of shakhas in Kerala. So where is the question of preventing them from functioning here. It's part of a propaganda against CPM," said CPM Ernakulam district secretary P. Rajeev. He said the RSS was finding it difficult to implement its agenda in Kerala because of the strong ideological and political fight put up by CPM.  The Sangh's attempt to polarise people on communal lines is being countered by mobilising people cutting across caste and religion.

"The allegation against the CPM is out of frustration. They are functioning even in Kannur. We are rallying all democratic and secular forces to expose the sinister design of these forces," he said. The CPM alleges that RSS is trying to influence people on caste lines and communalise them. There have been attempts to appropriate Ambedkar's legacy and depict him as a champion of Hindutva and someone who was against Islam.  It is in this backdrop that the party was mobilising dalits and other weaker sections on the platform of social justice. Left leaders say the RSS had stepped up its attacks on the CPM cadres since LDF government came to power in May 2016.