‘Social resistance needed to combat fascism' : CPM general secretary M A Baby
KOCHI: Launching a scathing attack on the RSS and the BJP-led government at the Centre, CPM general secretary M A Baby on Saturday, said that a parallel social resistance alongside direct political struggles is needed to combat fascism. The fight must be carried forward not only through political alliances, but also through activities like arts, literature, drama, and even songs of artists like Rapper Vedan, he said, stressing that cultural expressions are vital to confronting fascist forces and regimes.
Baby was speaking after releasing the Malayalam translation of the book 'Being Muslim in Hindu India - A Critical View' by Ziya Us Salam.
'The RSS is spreading false propaganda of cultural nationalism to infiltrate and influence public minds. Even their leader, Madhav Golwalkar, once admitted this in an interview. Those who oppose the RSS and fascism, and those who uphold secular ideals, must come together to engage in efforts of detoxification, particularly through struggles rooted in socio-cultural activities,' said Baby. He also emphasised the need to prevent India from heading toward danger, echoing the concern once expressed by writer Khushwant Singh, who had warned that 'India is in danger.'
'There is a growing alienation of a particular religion, which carries significance both within India and internationally.' He added that Ziya Us Salam's book will help readers understand the realities unfolding around them in a better way. The event was attended by GCDA chairman K Chandran Pillai, Professor M K Sanoo and others.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
39 minutes ago
- Mint
‘Stop the war on Iran': Mass protests rock New York after US strikes Tehran; netizens ask ‘Do they have permit'
Anti-war protests erupted as demonstrators marched through the streets of New York to condemn the recent US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities amid heightened security measures across major cities in the US. Meanwhile, netizens asked whether they have permit to march on streets. Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of New York, waving Palestinian flags and carrying signs that read "Hands Off Iran" and 'Stop the War on Iran', in response to Operation Midnight Hammer, a US-led military strike targeting Tehran's nuclear sites, namely Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan. Voicing the criticism toward Israel, protestors accused it of instigating the conflict with Iran and condemning its military actions in Gaza. One of the users commented, 'Do they have a permit to march in the street like that? If not, why is it tolerated?' Another stated, 'Do they have permits? Then arrest them. Charge them. Repeat.' A third remarked, 'Expected'. 'Nobody cares', 'Sad. Ignorant. Deviant.', 'Amazing. Preprinted signs carried by the unemployed. Where oh where do they get the money to print all of those signs? Hmmm' were some other reactions. Earlier in the day, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) mentioned that it was increasing its presence at key locations throughout the city to closely monitor any potential repercussions as the situation in Iran evolves. More resources would be deployed to religious, cultural and diplomatic sites throughout the city, it added, stressing the coordination with federal partners as part of precautionary measures. 'We're tracking the situation unfolding in Iran. Out of an abundance of caution, we're deploying additional resources to religious, cultural, and diplomatic sites across NYC and coordinating with our federal partners. We'll continue to monitor for any potential impact to NYC,' it said. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke of the success of the operation carried out by the US in Iran on Sunday. "Last night, on President Trump's order, the US Central Command conducted a precision strike in the middle of the night against three nuclear facilities in Iran - Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz - in order to destroy or severely degrade Iran's nuclear programme. As Chairman of the Joint Chiefs will demonstrate, it was an incredible and overwhelming success," Hegseth stated.
Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
Ludhiana West bypoll result: Vote counting begins; 14 candidates in fray
NEW DELHI: Voting counting for the Ludhiana West assembly bypoll in Punjab commenced Monday at 8 am, following the June 19 election that was necessitated by the death of AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi in January. The election saw 14 candidates competing, with a voter turnout of 51.33 percent. The counting process, which will consist of 14 rounds, is taking place at Khalsa College for Women under strict security arrangements. The voter participation marked a significant decline from the 64 percent turnout recorded in the 2022 Assembly polls. The main political parties contesting the bypoll were the Aam Aadmi Party, Congress, BJP, and Shiromani Akali Dal. The Aam Aadmi Party nominated Sanjeev Arora, a 61-year-old Rajya Sabha member and Ludhiana-based industrialist known for his social welfare activities. The Congress party fielded former minister and Punjab Congress working president Bharat Bhushan Ashu, 51, as their candidate. The BJP's candidate was senior leader Jiwan Gupta, a member of the party's Punjab unit core committee. The Shiromani Akali Dal chose Parupkar Singh Ghuman, a lawyer and former president of the Ludhiana Bar Association, as their representative. Officials have implemented comprehensive security measures at the counting center at Khalsa College for Women to ensure a smooth counting process.
New Indian Express
41 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
None should think they can speak as they like: CM Pinarayi Vijayan
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Apparently disapproving of CPM state secretary M V Govindan's bypoll-eve remarks related to CPM's association with the RSS at the time of Emergency, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan issued a stern warning against loose talk in front of the mike. The strong words from the party's most senior politburo member came at a review meeting on Sunday, with CPM state committee and district secretariat members in attendance, ahead of the local body elections. The reprimand came at the end of his speech. 'No one should think they can say anything as they like in the next six months,' Pinarayi said while looking back at Govindan who was seated on the dais. However, speaking after the chief minister, Govindan never mentioned the criticism. Pinarayi also reminded the party leaders that CPM's stand against religious extremism has been accepted widely by the people. 'There is no need to cover up our open objection against parties like Jamaat-e-Islami, SDPI and the banned Popular Front of India. We have taken that stand withstanding much pressure. And it has been widely received, with acceptance from within the Muslim community. A section of the Muslim League has also objected to the UDF-Jamaat-e-Islami association. The CPM had openly declared that we don't want the extremist force's vote. Likewise, the Hindutva forces have also strengthened their activities. They have been carrying out their work around temples and believers. We should not view it as trivial,' he said. The chief minister also said that, in certain local bodies, there had been flaws on the part of officials and the ruling council. 'The LDF has a favourable situation politically. Hence, we should use it in favour of the LDF,' he added. Govindan, who presented the organisational report, pointed out that party workers have to visit houses and form committees at ward levels.
