BJP using ‘twin engine’ of communal, caste mobilisation in the run up to UP polls: CPI(M)

The CPI(M) on Thursday accused the BJP of using the ''twin engine” of “communal and caste mobilisation'' in the run up to the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls due early next year.

Taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his recent speech at the foundation laying ceremony of Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh State University in Aligarh, the Left party mouthpiece ‘People's Democracy’ stated that the underlying theme of the speech had made it clear what 'double engine' actually meant.

''It is a combination of communal and caste appeal,'' it said.

The editorial in the party mouthpiece also said that the PM used his ''favourite analogy of 'double engine growth' delivering 'double profit' in Uttar Pradesh''.

''With the Uttar Pradesh assembly election drawing nearer, the BJP, under Modi and Adityanath's leadership, has embarked on the twin engine of communal and caste mobilisation. Narendra Modi's speech must be seen in the background of the farmers' struggle in west Uttar Pradesh.

''He did not fail to remind the audience of a time four to five years ago when families used to live in fear in their homes and ‘sisters and daughters were afraid to step out’. This atmosphere of fear led to many people running away from their ancestral homes. This was an echo of the false claim made by a BJP MP, Hukum Singh, in 2016 that hundreds of families had left their homes in Shamli district because of the fear of Muslim criminals,'' it claimed.

The Left party also said that the setting up of the Mahendra Pratap Singh University was hailed as a tribute to a “Jat Shiromani” in the posters announcing the event, which the editorial said was an ''absurdity''.

''It is an absurdity to reduce Mahendra Pratap Singh into a Jat leader… But then the BJP is desperate to earn some goodwill among the Jats when the whole Jat peasant community is up in arms against the farm laws,'' it said.

The editorial also condemned Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for his ''Abba Jaan'' remarks.

''This crude Muslim-baiting is utterly false. All data in Uttar Pradesh go to show that Muslims are among the most deprived in the matter of delivery of essential services.

''While isolating and demonising the Muslims, both the Uttar Pradesh government and the central government wax eloquent about how they are working for development for all (sabka vikas) and all sections of people are beneficiaries of the government's welfare schemes. It is this approach which has led the BJP to hijack government schemes in the name of the prime minister and the party,'' it said.

The CPI(M) also criticised the saffron party over celebrating Modi's 71st birthday by distributing 14 crore ration bags with his photographs.

''A government scheme of providing foodgrains is appropriated by the ruling party to glorify the leader. With the feudal mindset of the BJP, the people of India are seen as only beneficiaries of government largesse; they are not to be treated as citizens with equal rights,'' it added.

PTI ASG SRY