CPI(M) today dubbed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reply to debate on Constitution as "lecture, full of meaningless platitude" that offered no assurance on taking action against law-breaking individuals.
Taking a jibe at the Prime Minister, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury likened Modi's speech to a "sermon". He expressed fears that Modi allegedly not giving any assurance on "intolerance" could also be a "license for continuance of activities driving deeper communal hatred".
"The PM could have at least assured the House that the law will be pursued and all those who have broken it, by deeds, action, instigation or urgings of 'Go to Pakistan' will feel the full force of the law.
"Even that basic assurance was not given. Instead, we got a lecture, full of meaningless platitudes," Yechury said in a post on Facebook while referring to Modi's reply in Rajya Sabha.
"Dangerously, this could also be a licence for continuance of such activities to drive deeper the communal hatred and divide that this BJP-led government has been patronising so far," he said.
The CPI(M) general secretary said Modi addressed none of the specific issues raised by 50 MPs who participated in the debate and added the same reflected "disconnect" between reality and government's response in this regard.
"There could be two reasons for this. First, that they are living in a bubble and an ivory tower from where they cannot even see ground-level concerns about what is happening to Constitutional values and social fabric and voices raised by all manner of citizens, in their own ways," he claimed.
The second, Yechury said he suspected, is the "real" reason that the ruling party leaders will continue to deliver sermons "like this" and paper over at times when they are pulled into react.
"But on the ground, their people, Ministers, MPs, MLAs and 'fringe' groups will continue to do as they please and spread ill-will, to polarise," he charged.
Amid the 'intolerance' debate, Modi today said any incident of "atrocity" is a "blot" on the society as well as nation whose "pain" should be felt by all and asserted that unity and harmony is the only way to take the country forward.
He said no questions can be raised over patriotism of any of the 125 crore Indians and nobody needs to produce a "certificate of patriotism".
Modi also underlined the 'mantra of ekta', saying there can be "many excuses for disintegration" in a diverse country like India but ways should be explored to keep the country united.
