Karnataka being turned into communal laboratory, says Pinarayi Vijayan

Bengaluru

Expressing concern that communal forces are bringing a bad name to Karnataka as the society is being communalised, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday said that Karnataka is being turned into a communal laboratory like some North Indian States.

“It is dangerous to the State. Sangh Parivar is bringing different agendas to the forefront and is in the process of saffronising the next generation through saffronisation of textbooks. Progressive thinkers have been sacrificed in the textbook revision process,” Mr. Vijayan, speaking extensively on communal forces in Karnataka and the country, said at the State-level convention of Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Bagepalli, about 100 km from here.

Mr. Vijayan earlier met Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in Bengaluru to discuss rail connectivity issues between the two States. “History is being changed. Sri Narayana Guru and Periyar Ramaswamy have been dropped while Bhagat Singh has been sidelined. Sara Abubacker’s writing has been dropped. RSS ideologue Hedgewar has been added. Why are such things being done? Minds are being communalised,” he alleged.

Without naming any party, Mr. Vijayan said that though some political parties are claiming to be fighting for the welfare of minorities, they are actually helping Sangh Parivar’s agenda. Stating that only a people’s movement can bring down communal polarisation, he said that political organisations such as PFI, SDPI and Jamaat-e-Islam are only strengthening communal polarisation. “It should be understood that minority communalism cannot defeat majoritarian communalism. Otherwise, it will lead to clashes and divide people.”

“Since 2014 after BJP came to power at the Centre, attacks on minorities have only increased, and right to food and clothing has been trampled upon by the prescription of Sangh Parivar,” he said. Egg in midday meals for children has been opposed by the Sangha Parivar. Unfortunately, he said, Karnataka has been experiencing hijab issues in Coastal Karnataka. “Communal polarisation is the focus and those in power are promoting it. In Udupi and Mangaluru, Muslim girls are being denied education in the name of hijab. This is part of Sangh Parivar’s nation-wide agenda. Currently, there is politics of hate,” he said.

The Kerala Chief Minister said that democratic traditions and ideologies are being stifled and those who are creating awareness about communal forces are being attacked. “Those speaking up for freedom and liberty are being branded as anti-nationals. Writers M.M. Kalburgi and Gowri Lankesh were shot dead. Writers K.S. Bhagawan, Huchangi Prasad, Chethan Thirthahalli and Yogesh Master have faced threats. RTI activist Vinayak Baliga has been murdered. It is a shame that the BJP sent air ticket to Pakistan to Jnanpith awardee U.R. Ananthamurthy after 2014 election and even celebrated his death.“

The Kerala Chief Minister said that fake nationalism is being peddled to destroy democratic ideals, culture, language and communities by those who did not play any role in freedom movement.