Modi govt launching right wing offensive on people: Karat

Dubbing the Narendra Modi Government as a 'joint enterprise of the RSS and BJP", CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat today accused the Centre of launching a 'right wing offensive' on the country to serve the interests of corporates and Hindutva forces.

Addressing the opening session of the 21st state conference of the CPI(M) here, he also charged the Modi government with bypassing the Parliament by bringing in a spate of ordinances and "hiding" from the people the details of the defence framework agreement with the United States.

He also expressed concern over the attacks on minorities and growing intolerance towards freedom of expression in the realms of art and culture.

"Within the short period of nine months of the Modi Government it is clear that our country is witnessing a right wing offensive. This right wing offensive is driven by two major forces. One, the corporates and big business groups and the other RSS-led Hindutva."

While the corporates were pushing for aggressively pursuing the neo-liberal policies, RSS and the Hindutva forces were pushing their communal agenda, he said.

Holding that the Government's vital policies were being influenced by RSS,the CPI(M) leader said, "We have a government which is a joint enterprise of the BJP and the RSS" and this had become amply clear with the formation of a co-ordination panel between the two.

"We have a situation where the RSS is not only running and guiding the BJP, but also providing directions and guidance to run the Government", he said.

In a speech that targeted entirely the saffron outfits largely sparing Congress and other parties, Karat said the ordinances, including that pertaining to the land acquisition, promulgated by the government exposed its "right wing character."

While calling for strengthening Left unity, Karat avoided mention of the the flare-up in the feud between the party's state leadership and veteran leader V S Achuthanandan on the eve of the state conference.

However, the issue is expected to come up prominently during the deliberations during the conference, which will conclude on February 23.

For the CPI(M) state conference, held every three years, marks the culmination of an elaborate inner-party democratic exercise, staring from branch to the state level,ahead of the party Congress to be held in Vishakhapatnam in April.

Despite the wordy showdown between state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan and V S Achuthanandan, the latter hoisted the party flag marking the beginning of proceedings.