The silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the face of incidents of violence during the Ram Navami celebrations in four States is an “eloquent testimony” that forces behind these incidents enjoy official patronage, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said in an interview to The Hindu.
Mr. Yechury, relected to lead the CPI(M) for a third term, said the violence “is a very ominous sign” recalling that the rise of fascism under Hitler had been preceded by the “night of long knives” when private armies had gone on the rampage. “The conditions back then and now are entirely different but the direction is similar,” he added.
Speaking about his party’s organisation and decline, Mr. Yechury said efforts will be go to the grassroots and organise agitations at the local level for tangible results.
He also said that the Opposition will put up a joint candidate for the upcoming presidential election. The question is not whether the said candidate will win or lose, because the BJP-led NDA are comfortably placed. “It is the question of whether India wins or India loses,” he said.
