Communist Party of India (CPI) leader D. Raja on Wednesday said all secular democratic forces should rise to the occasion in order to isolate the communal forces to save the unity, integrity of the country and social harmony among the people and secular fabric of the Indian republic.
Raja said the convention against communalism at Delhi's Talkatora stadium is a very good day for all the secular democratic parties and forces because we consider that communal fascist forces are emerging as a threat to the unity of the country and harmony of the people.
"This is time that all secular democratic forces should rise to the occasion in order to isolate the communal forces to save the unity, integrity of the country and social harmony among the people and secular fabric of our Indian republic. With this objective, this convention has been called," said Raja.
"I think there is a good response and it is going to be a big success. It will send a great message across the country. The secular democratic forces are coming up and they are taking up the genuine cause in the interest of the nation," he added.
The CPI leader, however, downplayed the speculation about a possible re-grouping of a Third Front.
"We do not perceive like that. But after the convention when the situation emerges, it may pave a kind of ground for new political alignment or new political combine to emerge. That possibility is there and will be there. But right now, we are not discussing anything like Third Front or anything like Political Electoral Front. We have been taking up this issue with a genuine concern that communal forces really are becoming aggressive and becoming a threat," said Raja.
"They will have to be isolated and defeated. So, this is the genuine concern. In the future, yes, the country is fast approaching to the general elections to Lok Sabha and there is a possibility for realignment of political forces. If this convention, this initiative paves some kind of ground for new political combine. We will have to see," he added.
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Today's meeting at the Talkatora stadium here has been organised by the Left and 14 parties have confirmed participation, among them the Janata Dal (United), the Samajwadi Party (SP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the Asom Gana Parishad and Janata Dal (Secular).
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