The National Council of the Communist Party of India, which held a four-day meeting in Delhi on November 6-9 adopted the following resolution:
The National Front government has been brought down by the combined vote of the Congress (I), the BJP and the split-away group of the Janata Dal.
The Congress(I), which had earlier demanded that the rath yatra be stopped by the NF government, nevertheless chose to join with the BJP in order to pull it down.
The downfall of the government was initiated by the BJP after the NF government had refused to yield to its blackmail not to stop the rath yatra.The govt fell because it firmly upheld India's secular values and defended the status quo on the Ram Janamabhoomi-Babari Masjid issue.
This unfortunate development has given a blow to the consolidation of the secular democratic forces at this critical juncture.
The growing monster of communalism assumed diabolic proportions after the BJP, VHP, RSS and Bajrang Dal undertook their aggressive campaign throughout the country.
The BJP brazenly mixed religion with politics, exploiting to the full the religious sentiments of the people for serving its political ends.
The issue was whether a mosque should be demolished or forcibly shifted or not. It was a full-scale offensive against India's secular polity, its glorious national traditions, its secular democratic values, enshrined in the constitution. It was an all-out attack against the sanctity of the courts and the rule of law.
It was an assault on the age-old harmony and brotherhood prevailing among all communities, irrespective of religion and faith. It was a calculated move to divert attention from and frustrate certain steps taken to give social justice to the downtrodden.
Against this left forces and mass organisations had launched a campaign in defence of secularism and communal harmony. The campaign grew into a powerful joint political movement in UP with the active participation of the Janata Dal and its chief minister.
However, the poisonous seeds of communalism have been sown deep and widespread in our social life by the vicious communal campaign of the BJP and its allies.
A grim harvest of riots in several parts of the country has been reaped in recent months resulting in a heavy toll of death and devastation. Places of worship have been attacked and desecrated.
The communal offensive and attacks on places of worship have generated a feeling of insecurity among all minorities.
The VHP and Bajrang Dal, aided and abetted by the BJP, are now talking of taking on hundreds of other mosques as their next target and seeking to further inflame passions by carrying the ashes of those killed in Ayodhya from village to village.
The CPI is of the view that a government formed by a small breakaway group in parliament and holding on to power with the support from outside by the Congress(I), in a sort of opportunist gang-up, can hardly meet the political and economic challenges posed by the present situation.
The priority task today is to rally together all secular and patriotic forces, all peace-loving citizens and men of goodwill, all truly and deeply religious people who are moved by feelings of humanism, tolerance and compassion, in a mighty struggle against the monster of communalism.
The priority task is to heal the wounds inflicted on the country, to preserve the character and secure the future of our great country as the national movement had visualised and as our constitution has enshrined.
All efforts have to be directed towards a negotiated settlement of the Ram Janambhoomi-Babari Masjid issue, which is agreeable to both sides and takes into account the religious sentiments of both Hindus and Muslims.
Failing this, the court verdict should be respected by all and, meanwhile, the status quo has to continue.
The CPI along with the other left (parties), groups and mass organisations, should immediately launch joint campaigns on the above issues, drawing in all other parties and forces wherever they may be, including the JD, the Congress and the masses.
Electoral considerations and exigencies of political combination should not inhibit and narrow down the broad, all-out character of such a campaign in the present bleak situation.
The Council calls upon all secular and democratic forces to rise to the occasion and meet the challenge.
BJP: MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS IN RAJASTHAN
| No. of Municipalities | 138 (32 others stayed) |
| No. of Seats | 2157 |
| BJP Votes | 38% |
| Cong(I) | 24.3% |
| Independents | 29% |
| Janata Dal | 8.7% |
*(Source: The Organiser, 9 September, 1990)*