Criticising Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s comments that the return of awards by scientists, filmmakers and writers was because of their worry that the space of the Left had reduced, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said the BJP was merely branding people than understanding why they were doing what they did.

“No one in the past has ever politically bracketed scientists,” Yechury said, adding that the Sangh Parivar was unleashing a war on intellectuals. “At least try to understand why they are doing this,” Yechury said. “This is a pseudo-Hindu government giving the people pseudo governance,” he added.

Yechury termed “petty” the BJP’s argument that writers did not protest when the 1984 anti-Sikh riots happened. “It’s a shameless defence. I mean it’s like saying why was I not born 10 years ago. This is ridiculous. Scientists, we all maintain, they have no political orientation,” he maintained.

He said the returning of awards was a very bold gesture. “They have, in a sense, resonated with the general public mood in the country, which is determined to safeguard the secular democratic foundation of our country. We are telling the government to listen to what the eminent minds in our country are saying. Filmmakers, they are literally on the streets returning their awards and government refuses to even hear them, hear the point of view they are raising,” Yechury told reporters here on Friday after a two-day meeting of his party’s Politburo.

“The Politburo salutes these eminent personalities who have shown the courage and taken this extraordinary expression of protest in the defence of the unity of the Indian people and in defence of the syncretic civilisational ethos of our country. Such action by Indian intellectuals, scientists and creative artists strengthens the resolve of all Indians who cherish the secular democratic foundations of our Republic to defend our country and people’s unity,” a statement added.

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