Intro : Jettisoning its ideological baggage, CPI (M) is now celebrating the traditional Hindu festivals which were once rejuvenated by the consistent efforts of RSS.
CPI (M)’s fascist plot to unleash murder politics on Janmashtami Day turned out to be futile in Kerala, thanks to the discipline and self control of the nationalist organisations and its leaders. This time the conspiracy was to organise party programmes for countering the Janmashtami celebrations run by Balagokulam and RSS associated bodies. Kerala witnessed thousands of Shobhayathras in the State in connection with Sri Krishna Jayanti on September 5. Such Shobhayathras have been thrilling the enthralling the streets and busy thoroughfares of both urban and rural Kerala since late 1970s. Balagokulam, the world’s largest children’s movement has been organising the celebrations since its inception in 1975. Until then Janmashtami was confined to special poojas and rituals within the four walls of temples in the state. CPI (M) and the Congress have been blaming the Janmashtami celebrations as recruiting grounds for RSS and BJP. Few days before the Janmashtami day, CPI (M) leaders declared that Balasangam, their self-styled children’s movement, would celebrate Janmashtami this time; the festival is not RSS’s monopoly! And, CPI (M) had obtained the police permission, well in advance, to conduct processions through the same routes and spots Balagokulam has been carrying out Shobhayatras for the last several decades in Kannur, district known for CPI (M)’s notorious attacks against RSS and BJP activists.
Though CPI (M) agreed to change the route and venue of their Balasangam programmes in the last moment, they exploited the available opportunity to insult Hindu Gods, spiritual leaders etc. The worst of them was in the form of a tableau portraying the crucified posture of Sree Narayana Guru. The tableau stirred a storm in the state. Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam, the powerful community organisation of the OBC Ezhavas took to the streets to protest against blasphemous treatment against the Gurudeva. Even though Gurudeva’s life was of a Hindu monk, he led the social reformation of the Hindu society, particularly of Ezahava community in particular. His activities did prevent Ezhavas and different divisions of Dalits from joining Christianity. For the last few months, SNDP General Secretary Shri Vellappally Natesan and other leaders have been cultivating good rapport with BJP and VHP.
Now, SNDP and RSS associated organisations are conducting protests throughout the state against CPI (M)’s shower of insults on Gurudeva. Whereas CPI (M) is trying to explain that it was not Janmashtami celebrations, but Onam celebrations. But, their claim crumbles miserably as Onam fell on August 28 where as CPI (M) selected Janmashtmi Day, September 5 to celebrate Onam! Political observers wondered why CPI (M) cadres included the pictures of Swami Vivekananda, Sree Narayana Guru and Netaji Bose who were personae non gratae for CPI (M) leaders till recently. At last CPI (M) central leadership admitted that all happened due to the lapse of party’s local leaders. Party Polit Bureau (PB) member S. Ramachandran Pillai told that Sree Narayana tableau incident took place due to local leaders’ carelessness. But, RSS-BJP leaders along with other political bodies and political observers do not buy this version. They point out the recent Ganeshotsavam CPI (M) conducted in some places. The Party’s state leadership found it difficult to explain the recent incidents in the backdrop of the central committee’s decision to keep away from the religious celebrations. BJP State President V Muraleedharan stated that CPI (M) resorted to these sorts of tactics to prevent further erosion of their rank and file and to keep the workers with them by engineering physical clashes and creating the atmosphere of terror. State General Secretary AN Radhakrishnan said that since CPI (M) has “recognised” Sri Krishna, now they can campaign for the construction of Sri Rama temple in Ayodhya. Kanam Rajendran, state secretary of CPI, the second largest party in the Left Democratic Front (LDF), stated that it was not clear where CPI (M) was heading for! Spirituality and revolution cannot go together.
The murder politics, Ganeshotsvam, Janmashtami, etc, are the CPI (M) tricks to save the party from the BJP. But, now, all tricks proved fruitless. Besides all, more supports and votes got to BJP’s bags. This situation will be fatal for CPI (M) in the local governing bodies’ election due in November, hardly 50 days away!
—T Satisan from Kerala
