Mangaluru: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan tore into RSS, holding the saffron organisations responsible for targeting, eliminating minorities and communists with its communal divisive agenda in a tirade which lasted for more than hour at the Communal Harmony Rally in Mangaluru on February 24. He did not even spare local BJP Member of Parliament Nalin Kumar Kateel, by alleging his involvement in the killing of a right wing activist.

Addressing a massive Communal Harmony Rally in Malayalam organised by the CPI (M) at Nehru Maidan, the septuagenarian leader said, RSS with its hidden ideology had silenced the voices of progressive thinkers and writers over the years, referring to the killings of M M Kalaburgi, Govind Pansare and Narendra Dhabolkar.

Their threat to secularism has lasted for decades and its excesses has taken toll of its own activists, reminding the killings of Pratap Poojari, a Hindu Jagarana Vedike activist, Vinayak Baliga and Praveen Poojary and alleged the involvement of local MP Nalin Kumar Kateel in one of the killings. The incidents in Dadri, Gujarat and Haryana which included even dalit atrocities exposed the hidden agenda of RSS threadbare, he scorned.

Progressive thinkers, writers, actors including late Dr. U R Ananthmurthy, Girish Karnad, Prof. Bhagwan, actors Sharukh Khan and Amir Khan received extradition threats every time they aired their personal views which didn’t go well with the saffron brigade. Even young writers and poets like Chethana Teerthahalli, Hucchangi Prasad and Murugan in Tamilnadu received threats on life when they failed to toe the RSS line. In every situation, free thinkers are made to think, where none can dare to cross the line set by RSS, a strange strategy which endangers free speech and secularism constantly, he said.

RSS compromised on their own ideology to embrace British, fascists and Nazi culture as and when it suited it and always worked on implementing those on Indian soil to wipe out communists, minorities including Muslims and Christians. Fascism, Nazism was all about eliminating minorities, he explained recalling the mass killing of Jews by Hitler’s army during Second World War.

RSS distanced itself from independence struggle when the freedom movement was at its peak and tried to appease British viceroys when the entire nation backed “quit India” movement, CM Vijayan said referring to the “secret pact between Savarkar and the then Viceroy.” RSS cheated the nation in the freedom struggle, CM Vijayan added.

Finally RSS stood exposed with the killing of Gandhiji by Godse, who became an instrument in the hands of the organisation, which later rejoiced over the killing of the Mahatma by distributing sweets, CM Vijayan alleged.

Showing scant respect for secularism, RSS wanted to change the National flag and “India” to be renamed as “Hindustan” and more recently, the union home minister wanting the word “secularism” which he considered a threat, removed, clearly shows the hidden agenda of saffron organisations, CM Vijayan continued. The July 17, 1947 issue of “Observer” made a mention of RSS targeting secular fabric of India then, Kerala CM recalled.

Social reformer Brahmashri Narayan Guru who made a great impact on Kerala found reverence in Dakshina Kannada too and held RSS directly responsible for killings of 205 men who supported the likes of the religious leaders like Guru and secularism.

Every decision of the prime minister hinges on RSS dictum which knows to propagate lies and implement its dangerous agenda from root to fructification,since it has “no real ideology of its own”, CM Vijayan ridiculed.

The Kerala CM thanked the Karnataka government for extending total support and security during his visit and dared the saffron brigade to stop his progress by recalling his youth days as a Marxist youth leader when he walked in the midst of knives and daggers without fear.

Overwhelmed by the large gathering, he thanked the CPI (M) workers for their presence in “Mangalapuram” to express their solidarity for communal harmony rally.

Taking over from Kerala CM, G V Srirama Reddy, former MLA and State CPI (M) Secretary endorsed Vijayan’s remarks and expressed satisfaction at the party workers’ turnout in large numbers for the rally despite the threats, bandh and attacks.

G V S Reddy challenged the right wing leaders led by the BJP for an open debate than work from behind. The BJP rally held to halt the march of red brigade failed to elicit any response, with only 2000 people in attendance, Reddy said taking a jibe at BJP-led rally on February 24 to stop Kerala CM’s visit to the city.

Certain CPI (M) workers taking part in the rally felt the “support” of saffron organisations through their “propaganda of opposition” which worked in CPI (M)’s favour in making the communal harmony rally successful beyond their own imagination.

Many Marxists leaders from Kerala and Karnataka including Kasaragod CPM MP, MLA from Kerala Assembly and district level secretaries of the CPI (M) were present on the dais during the public meeting.

CPI (M) workers from different parts of state and Kerala come in large numbers in support of the rally. Cops on duty were no different, as they too had come from distant places to provide security and prevent untoward incidents on a day when “Red overtook saffron”!