CPM should clarify its stand on religion, which might be helpful to regain support

By Harasankar Adhikari
‘Religion is truth, truth is religion'. It is the fundamental philosophy of religion. India cannot survive without religion. It is the sole accreditation of people in India. Marxism never supports religion as a determinant of a progressive society because it is just like opium and it is age-old orthodox. It is the cause of all sorts of societal division and discrimination. India's unity in diversity is always a burden so far as religious conflict between different faiths and believers is concerned. This prime hindrance is primarily bound up in a threadless garland. Indian history without religion is unimaginable. History reminds us that its religious history is particularly for a greater humanity. Different sects used to publicise it for the sake of people's benefits. But politics destroyed its significance for the sake of politics or people's support. After independence, it became prominent.
Nowadays, religion is the driving force of India's democratic politics. The BJP-led government of India now bats for Hindutva and Hindu patriotism as its central agenda. It is trying to justify it in many ways. In India, people were divided in terms of their religious identity. So, if one part of its division is a Muslim country, then why should Hindu dominance not be recognised as a Hindu nation?
So, secularism is only a myth. Here, people of all religions live together with their own religious identity and behaviour. It is an emotional attachment rather than divinity. The main purpose of religion is out of reach. There is always competition among different faiths.
The secular or non-religious stand of CPM is not the right way to ensure the support of religious people. When there are no restrictions on the Muslim minority, the CPM is biased. Even leaders have no authority to criticise the ugly sides of Islam while they delibarately criticise the Hindus (in spite of their identity as Hindus). It has long been assumed that there are no restrictions on the religious behaviour of Muslims, regardless of whether they are CPM leaders or general supporters. But those are from the Hindu community. They are desperately stigmatising their own faith. They never follow the religious rules (whether they are scientifically based or not). They criticise fellow Hindu followers very nakedly. It is surprising to note that they carry their religious identity proudly in their surnames and other places where religious identity is a mandatory option. There are discrepancies in their religious behaviour because their immediate family members follow the rules of the Hindu religion in their daily lives.
The leaders and think tanks of the left know very well that people or voters are polarized. The majority of Hindu voters are silent or violent supporters of the BJP. In the most recent West Bengal assembly election, Hindus overwhelmingly supported the BJP. So, the BJP in West Bengal ranked second in the election. Minority votes are split among the TMC, CPM, and Congress. So, the ultimate gainer was the BJP. At present, the TMC government is in a crisis of corruption, especially in school jobs. The CPM leader is advocating all the cases. But CPM is unable to make a political profit from this. In the future, it will be repeated because of its religious significance. This is a need for urgent thinking and consideration. Secular is constitutionally purified. But this term is not enough to win people's support.

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