Reported by Mrinal Banik
Agartala: CPI(M) National General Secretary MA Baby on Friday said the party was going through a period of decline and attributed it largely to the growth of identity-based politics, while asserting that the Left would continue to work among people regardless of its electoral fortunes.
Addressing a press conference after a meeting of the party’s state committee here, Baby said the CPI(M) was facing an unprecedented situation as it no longer headed any state government in the country.
“This is a new situation we are experiencing in the history of the last fifty years. We have had the experience when our leader was requested to assume the charge of Prime Minister. But after discussion in our party, we rejected the request,” Baby said.
He said the party would continue to engage with people irrespective of whether it was in power or in the opposition.
“No matter what kind of electoral result we encounter in the future, we shall be working with people. If we get the majority, we shall definitely solve the problems of people, while if we are given the charge of Opposition, we will raise our voice,” he said.
Acknowledging the party’s electoral setbacks, Baby said, “We have to admit that this is a time when we are facing a decline. In our opinion, one of the biggest reasons behind our decline is the reactionary operations of identity politics.”
He alleged that caste-based and community-based politics, along with efforts to create divisions between tribal and non-tribal communities, had adversely affected democratic politics.
“Caste-based politics, community-based politics, putting one section of people against another, creating a divide between tribals and non-tribals — we are consistently working on that and trying hard to rise above this challenge,” he said.
The CPI(M) leader also criticised the Centre over recent incidents such as the killing of Indian sailors and examination paper leaks.
Referring to the deaths of three Indian sailors, Baby alleged that the Union government had failed to respond adequately.
“Three Indian sailors had been killed recently, but the Government of India kept silent on the matter. The Prime Minister met the US President, but he didn’t mention the matter. He should have asked for an apology,” he said.
Targeting the Centre over examination-related issues, Baby said students preparing for competitive examinations were facing uncertainty due to repeated incidents of paper leaks.
“The future of students who have been preparing for different types of competitive examinations is facing a grave crisis. NEET and other examination papers are getting leaked,” he alleged.
Leader of Opposition and CPI(M) Politburo member Jitendra Chaudhury, who also addressed the press conference, welcomed the Supreme Court’s direction regarding elections to Village Committees (VCs) under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).
“The state committee welcomes the decision of the Supreme Court regarding the Village Committee elections. As per the direction of the Supreme Court, people living in the TTAADC areas will be able to exercise their franchise,” he said.
The VC elections have remained pending since the expiry of the tenure of the committees in 2021.
Commenting on the 2021 TTAADC elections, Chaudhury alleged that the polls were conducted in a politically charged atmosphere and claimed that issues relating to tribal identity and land rights were used as campaign themes.
“The poll planks of the party that won the TTAADC election were polarising in nature and tone. A fear psychosis was created among voters by reiterating narratives that tribal land and culture were under threat,” he alleged.
Chaudhury said the Left Front would intensify its political activities in tribal areas ahead of the VC polls and seek to make voters aware of what he termed the broader political situation.
On the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the CPI(M) leader alleged that the exercise could adversely affect voting rights.
“Our party will stand beside each and every citizen of the country to protect their voting rights,” he said.
Chaudhury also claimed that Tripura was experiencing economic stagnation and alleged that many people were leaving the state in search of employment opportunities.
Announcing future programmes, he said the party would organise mass deputations in district headquarters, block offices, zonal offices and other administrative centres across the state in the first week of July on issues concerning employment and public welfare.
He added that the CPI(M) would also launch protests against the new labour codes, including a civil disobedience movement on August 10.