CPM govt on backfoot as hate speeches, incendiary sloganeering go unchecked in state

The Left Democratic Front at the Kerala state helm, led by Communist Party India (Marxist), is beleaguered by the allegations of communal appeasement for electoral gains. The CPM-led LDF is being accused of maintaining a soft approach against those caught hate-mongering.

The accusations come in the light of the communally inflammatory speeches and sloganeering incidents occurring across the state over the past several weeks. The most notable among these was the recent hate speech by political veteran P C George at a meet organised by Sangh Parivar outfits, and the inflammatory sloganeering by a boy during a march by the Popular Front of India (PFI).

The LDF is being accused of going soft on the perpetrators of hate-mongering and that it is in nexus with the communal outfits. The LDF, in its defence, is trying to counter it by alleging that the main opposition party, Congress, is the one maintaining nexus with fundamentalist outfits.

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Political commentators in Kerala have lambasted the communal appeasement politics of CPM as well as Congress for electoral gains. Both the mainstream parties have often faced allegations of making electoral arrangements with outfits such as the RSS and PFI’s political wing Socialist Democratic Party of India.

George, former MLA of regional Kerala Congress, made a hate speech targeting the Muslim community at a Hindu meet organised in Thiruvananthapuram. Even though he was arrested, it was alleged that the police and the prosecution helped him secure bail by not opposing it in court. After his release, George delivered a similar hate speech. Even though the police registered a case, he was not arrested; the police claimed he was absconding. George got an interim bail on Monday.

These developments triggered the allegations that the LDF was being lenient on those stirring communal trouble because it was colluding with the RSS and other Sangh Parivar outfits that were backing George.

Amidst this political drama, footage of a boy shouting inflammatory slogans targeting Hindu and Christian communities went viral on social media. The sloganeering was done during a march organised by the PFI in the Alappuzha district on May 21.

The incident triggered strong criticism from various quarters—the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council expressed their resentment openly—but the police did not register a case till Monday evening, triggering allegations of the LDF government’s collusion with Muslim communal outfits as well.

Congress leader V D Satheesan alleged that the LDF government was unable to take a stern stand against fundamentalist outfits as it had made electoral adjustments during the last Assembly election.

CPM party State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan countered it by asking why the Congress leadership hadn't openly stated that the party did not require the support of communal outfits like the RSS or SDPI.

Political commentator M N Karassery recently told DH that since both ruling and opposition parties were seeking support for electoral gains, stern actions against such forces could not be expected.