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CPM-RSS nexus proposal raises eyebrows

The Sangh Parivar suggestion for alliance with bitter political rival, Communist Party of India — Marxist (CPM), has raised eyebrows in political circles in the state, where its political arm, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is yet to make an electoral breakthrough.

The suggestion was put forth in an article in the Sangh Parivar publication Kesari. The article written by Hindutva ideologue T G Mohandas says an alliance with the Sangh Parivar will be electorally advantageous to both.

The article has identified the need to fight the rising ‘minority communalism’ as the common ground for the alliance. It has pointed out the strong stand taken by the CPM against minority radicalism after breaking off People’s Democratic Party led by Abdul Nassar Madhani as the driving force for the alliance.

The article says branding the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as a communal outfit will not hold as it had no history of attacking any Christians or Muslims merely for their beliefs. It opposed only the stands taken by some of their organisations. Hence the author finds no reason for the CPM to consider the RSS as communal in the name of the Gujarat riots 10 years ago.

Mohandas has called for breaking the shackles of the past when the cadres of the two outfits engaged in violent face-offs that claimed over 150 lives in the northern districts in the past four decades. Interestingly, there have been no clashes between RSS and CPM cadres in the last one year.

Instead, the two have been involved in violent clashes with the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Muslim organisations like the Popular Front of India (PFI). The police have found the role of CPM cadres in two recent sensational killings of IUML student leader Abdul Shukkoor and Fazal of the PFI.

CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan denies any bonhomie with Sangh Parivar. He said the reports in this connection were part of a deliberate attempt to alienate his party from minority communities.

The IUML and Congress, which heads the ruling United Democratic Front, are not ready to accept the denial. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Ramesh Chennithala views the denial as only a bid to keep the tie-up under cover.

He pointed out the Sangh Parivar refusal to condemn the murder of Marxist rebel T P Chandrashekharan and the recent visit of senior CPM leader P Jayarajan to the house of Sangh Parivar activist who was killed allegedly by PFI activists and the reciprocal visit of RSS leaders to the CPM office at Pannur allegedly ransacked by Muslim extremists as a sign of the growing camaraderie between the Sangh Parivar and the CPM.

Though RSS and BJP leaders have clarified that the article does not convey the Sangh Parivar’s official view, senior leaders said there was no point in treating each other as “untouchables.” Former minister and BJP leader Rajagopal said there was always scope in politics for parties to join hands at least on matters of their common interest. He says there were no permanent enemies in politics. news@khaleejtimes.com