Civil society is bringing anti-BJP parties together on the issue of secularism.
Civil society is bringing anti-BJP parties together on the issue of secularism. While the role of the Samajwadi Party and the BSP in this fight is not clear, at least five parties — the Congress, JD(U), RJD, Trinamul Con-gress and the Left — cannot go with the BJP.
On the other hand, the BJP cannot take the support of the AIADMK, DMK, BJD, TRS and even the TDP and the PDP for granted. The TDP and PDP are sharing power with the BJP in Andhra, Jammu and Kashmir respectively. The civil society raised its voice against growing intolerance in the country after the regime change at the Centre. While writers, film and theatre personalities are returning their awards in protest, scientists, industrialists, even the RBI governor have disapproved of intolerance.
The civil society is demanding political parties to be proactive but some of the CMs who are friendly with the BJP after the 2014 Lok Sabha elections are maintaining silence on this issue after realising that a debate on secularism versus communalism may not affect their political constitu-ency in their states.
Meanwhile, the Congress on Saturday faced criticism of pursuing “reluctant and apologetic secularism” from activists and academicians who asked it to shed its “defensive” approach towards communalism. Activist Sh-abnam Hashmi said that if the CM of BJP-ruled Goa can say that beef cannot be banned there, why can’t Congress CMs barring Karnataka, not take the same stand. “How many of us have challenged the Sangh terror. It has beco-me a habit to play defensive politics. Why be defensive ” she said. Academician Ram Puni-yani stressed the need for the coming together of secular forces, saying, “Fascist forces are few, but they are together while those fighting them are totally divided.”
