Business Standard

Identity politics no means to end caste oppression: Karat

Image

Press Trust of India Kollam (Ker)

Inaugurating the state convention of the Scheduled Caste Colony association, launched by the CPI(M), Karat said here that pursuing identity politics would only help perpetuation of caste system.

The task of Communists and their Left allies was to root out caste system that dominated the country's social and political order for centuries. This could be achieved only by bringing the depressed sections to the mainstream social and political through an organised movement, Karat said.

"Narrow identity and caste politics would only end up in perpetuating the present caste system. This barrier has to be broken by bringing Scheduled Castes and other Dalit sections to the mainstream democratic society," he said.

 

The CPI(M) leader said this truth was realised by none other than B R Ambedkar and he had made fervent calls for bringing the depressed sections to the mainstream.

Stating that bourgeois political parties were keen to promoting identity politics for perpetuation of the exploitative order, Karat said "it is the duty of the Communists to break the oppressive and pernicious caste system entirely."

Holding that the socially and economically under privileged were the worst victims of the neo-liberal policies being implemented in the country, Karat said it was due to pressures from the corporate sector that the government was unwilling to introduce job quota in private sector.

He said it was important for the Communist now to think how to build a vibrant and well-organised platform for bringing the depressed sections to the left democratic mainstream.

CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan said though the social and economic situation of Dalits in Kerala was better compared to other states, they continued to lag behind other communities even in a progressive state like Kerala.

  

Don't miss the most important news and views of the day. Get them on our Telegram channel

First Published: Dec 09 2012 | 3:05 PM IST

Explore News