BJP is trying to push polarisation and its communal agenda: D Raja

The Communist Party of India (CPI) on Wednesday accused the ruling BJP-led dispensation of “consciously” trying to push polarisation by aggressively pursuing their “communal” agenda through contentious decisions like banning sale and purchase of cattle for slaughter.

“The notification (to ban cattle trade) is not isolated ...They are speaking of ‘one nation, one culture, one religion, one language and even one election’. They don’t respect the diversity that exists in the country,” CPI national secretary D Raja said.

“They are consciously trying to push polarisation by aggressively pursuing their communal agenda to create a civil war-like situation so that they can establish an authoritarian and fascistic system,” he said.

Maintaining that the notification “impacting the private lives of the people” was issued bypassing the Parliament, Raja said the BJP was trying to “undermine and curtail Parliament and making it redundant. Issuing such directives, which also affect the powers of the states, is an assault on parliamentary democracy”.

He also lashed out at Uttar Pradesh CM Adityanath for visiting Ayodhya and “raking up the issue of the (Ram) temple and Hindu Rashtra, while there is no condemnation from the PM. Both of them took oath under the Constitution, the provisions of which they are flouting.”

After the Madras high court stayed for four weeks the enforcement of the notification banning sale and purchase of cattle at animal markets for slaughter, the government said it was examining “issues” raised by some state governments.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said, “The rights of the state are being encroached upon. This (the issue cattle/cattle slaughter) is a subject under the state list of the Indian Constitution. The Centre cannot promulgate any law or legislation on this.” Politburo member Brinda Karat observed the main act concerning animal protection does not ban slaughter for consumption.