Jana Jagratha Yatra Starts in Kerala: 'The RSS Cannot Destroy Kerala’s Secular Fabric' Says CPI(M)

The Jana Jagratha Yatra, a statewide march organized by the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front in Kerala against the anti-people policies and communalism of BJP-led Centre, commenced on Saturday evening.

The Yatra which is progressing as two legs in Kerala, one that kick-started from the northern end of the state and other from the southern end of the state, sketches the welfare policies of state government and communal agendas of RSS.

The Jana Jagratha Yatra (People’s Vigil March) is being piloted by CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan in the Northern region of the state and CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran in the Southern region of the state.

Kicking off the southern leg of the Yatra led by Kanam Rajendran, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan unveiled the pseudo-democratic face of the RSS and BJP. In his speech, Vijayan asserted that Sangh Parivar’s plan to convert Kerala into a communally polarized state would not succeed.

"The BJP is trying to play the communal card and the RSS is leading it. People are being divided in the name of religion and caste. The Sangh Parivar is peeping inside people's kitchens. That's how Akhlaq was killed," said Vijayan. Uttar Pradesh resident Mohammad Akhlaq was beaten to death by a mob in September 2015 on suspicion of consuming beef.

Even, the CM divulged the views of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on minority communities. RSS, the ideological parent of BJP, frequently uses the term “Jihadis” to refer to minorities.

"Mohan Bhagwat sees people from the minority community as jihadis. The people of Kerala and the Kerala government do not support this," Vijayan said.

Again, the CM lambasted BJP by saying "they are not ready to accept the federal structure. They follow policies of the RSS; there is no democracy, no federal structure and no secularism. They are not ready to discuss issues with states."

The northern leg of the Yatra which led by Kodiyeri Balakrishnan was inaugurated by CPI national general secretary D Raja in Manjeswaram in Kasaragod, the northernmost district of Kerala.

“The RSS cannot destroy Kerala’s secular fabric. That is the message it got at the end of its Yatra,” he said. BJP-RSS started the Yatra by targeting CPM, but soon descended into an anti-Kerala campaign”, Kodiyeri said during the northern leg of Yatra.

Portraying the Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Ordinance, 2017, promulgated by the Vasundhara Raje-led BJP Government in Rajasthan, he pointed out the anti-democratic, anti-secular and autocratic traits of BJP.

Yet again blasting at the BJP and RSS, Kodiyeri said, they have realized during the “Jana Raksha Yatra” that Kerala would never embrace them. During the first week of October, BJP had demonstrated the Jana Raksha Yatra to propagate their communal agendas and hatred against Kerala. For that, they have paraded a dozen national leaders including BJP national president Amit Shah, UP chief Minter Yogi Adityanath etc. Rather than the participation of national leaders, the yatra made headlines for importing marchers from other states and rubbish statements from leaders.

Meanwhile, the twin Jana Jagratha Yatras which have been receiving a massive response from all the sections of the society will confluence and conclude in Ernakulam on November 3.

Along with Kanam Rajendran, A Vijayaraghanvan (CPI (M)), George Thomas (JD-S), Babu Karthikeyan (NCP), Uzhamalakkal Venugopalan (Congress-S) and PM Mathew (Kerala Congress-Scaria) are leading southern leg of the yatra.

In the northern leg of the yatra, Sathyan Mokery (CPI), PM Joy (JD-S), PK Rajan (NCP), EPR Vesala (Congress-S) and Scaria Thomas (Kerala Congress) are taking part along with Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.