The 22nd Congress of the CPI(M) began in Hyderabad on Wednesday with the Left parties calling for a united approach to defeat the BJP in the upcoming elections.

Freedom fighter and veteran Communist leader Mallu Swarajyam hoisted the party flag marking the beginning of the conference, which was inaugurated by CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury.

In his inaugural speech, Yechury said the BJP government, controlled by the RSS, is pursuing policies that have imposed misery on the people, while also threatening the unity and integrity of the country’s social fabric.

“The dehumanisation of our society is seen in the chilling incidents of rape in Kathua and Unnao recently. It is shameful to see rape being used as weapon for communal polarisation. This must be resisted and defeated,” he said.

‘A new direction’

Yechury said the conference will give a new direction to the CPI(M). It will strengthen the party’s independent efforts at intensifying people’s struggles and political interventions. It was also aimed at strengthening the unity of the Left forces, he said. Yechury added that the answer to the country’s challenges is the policy alternative that can only be provided by the Left and democratic forces.

“The assault of neo-liberal economic policies has assumed unprecedented dimensions. The sharpening of communal polarisation is tearing asunder the unity of our social fabric as never before. The assaults on institutions of parliamentary democracy and constitutional authorities have unleashed an anti-democratic onslaught and India has been reduced to the status of a junior partner and a subordinate ally of US imperialism,” he said.

CPI General Secretary S Sudhakar Reddy, who was also present at the conclave, said the Modi government had brought disaster to the nation, with “naked communalism, intolerance, pro-corporate, anti-people economic policies and tilting the independent foreign policy towards US, Isreal and other such forces”. “Modi government is authoritarian, dictatorial and leading to fascist take over. RSS with its fascistic ideology is in direct control of Modi government, which is turning to be fascistic. Hence Left needs to unleash more massive and militant struggle to bring relief to different sections of people in the country and counter the fascistic offensive,” he added.

CPI(ML-Liberation) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said the focus of the Left must also be on the extra-parliamentary struggles to resist and defeat fascism.

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