The party’s Central Committee flags authoritarian drift nationwide and RSS chief’s attempts to incite communal passions; continued Israeli aggression in Gaza condemned
NEW DELHI – The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has sounded an alarm over what it calls a “deepening assault” on democracy and secularism under the BJP-led Union government. In this regard, it cited repression in Jammu and Kashmir, targeted harassment of Bengali-speaking Muslims, and a broader erosion of citizens’ rights across the country. The party also condemned RSS chief’s attempts to incite communal passions in the country.
On the international front, the CPI(M) severely criticized Israel over its continued aggression in Gaza.
Issuing a detailed statement after its Central Committee met in the national capital from September 13–15, the CPI(M) accused the government of combining authoritarian governance, communal polarisation, and pro-corporate economic policies in ways that are “tearing at the fabric of the republic.”
The party said Jammu & Kashmir remained a vivid example of the shrinking democratic space. According to the communique, the Lieutenant Governor’s administration has been “systematically undermining” the functioning of the elected state government, putting hurdles discharge of its mandate.
“The democratic rights of the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh have been trampled,” the CPI(M) said, warning that discontent is rising across the region. “The only way to regain the people’s confidence is the immediate restoration of statehood.”
Since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, J&K has been under direct central rule, with elected representatives sidelined and civic freedoms curtailed, the party said. It also linked the political impasse to the continuing security squeeze and curbs on local media and associations.
The communique expressed alarm over “targeted attacks on Bengali-speaking people, particularly Bengali Muslims,” in the wake of “Operation Sindoor” launched against Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack. The CPI(M) alleged that police and local administrations in several BJP-governed states were branding Bengalis as “Bangladeshis” without due verification of their documents.
“Many are being detained, tortured, or even forcibly pushed back across the border, including Indian citizens,” it said, calling the drive “a direct outcome of the Union government’s xenophobic politics.”
Party units, it said, had intervened on the ground to prevent arbitrary deportations, pledging to “stand by every citizen subjected to such communal witch-hunts.”
The CPI(M) linked the campaign against Bengali Muslims to a pattern of polarisation it sees in Assam’s eviction drives and elsewhere, where citizenship or land disputes are framed in communal terms.
Economic, Social Fault Lines
Beyond civil liberties, the party’s Central Committee highlighted what it termed an economic “crisis aggravated by pro-corporate concessions.” It pointed to stagnating wages, unemployment and widening inequality, noting that the Union government’s response had been to shower tax breaks and incentives worth ₹1.5 lakh crore on corporations while neglecting workers and state-owned enterprises.
It criticised the Draft National Telecom Policy 2025 for privileging private firms and warned that US tariffs on Indian goods – dubbed “Tariff Terrorism” – were threatening agriculture, fisheries, MSMEs and textiles. The CPI(M) demanded that New Delhi resist pressure from Washington and consult stakeholders before signing free trade deals that might hurt farmers and small entrepreneurs.
Attacks on Women, Dalits and Adivasis
The communique condemned rising violence against vulnerable communities, noting a spate of attacks on women, Dalits and Adivasis, especially in the BJP-ruled states. It voiced solidarity with protests demanding justice for victims in the RG Kar and Kolkata Law College incidents in West Bengal, and the Dharmastala case in Karnataka.
Electoral Rolls and ‘Authoritarianism’
The party warned that democratic institutions themselves were being bent to suit the ruling party’s political ends. It cited the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls in Bihar – allegedly marred by irregularities – and plans to extend it nationwide. The CPI(M) said linking Aadhaar to voter registration must not become a pretext for mass disenfranchisement.
Other laws, including Maharashtra’s Public Security Bill and a set of controversial federal bills allowing for the removal of ministers after 30 days in custody, were described as measures that could be “weaponised against political opponents.”
Polarisation and RSS Rhetoric
The CPI(M) also criticised incendiary speeches by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who recently suggested Muslims “give up” mosques in Mathura and Kashi to promote “brotherhood”. Such remarks, the party said, were meant to inflame passions and push the country toward a Hindu rashtra (nation) in defiance of constitutional secularism.
Evictions in Assam
In Assam, where evictions from fertile land have escalated, the party accused the state government of using the issue for communal mobilisation while clearing ground for private exploitation of mineral resources beneath those lands.
Global Solidarity and Foreign Policy
On the international front, the Central Committee condemned Israel’s ongoing bombardment of Gaza and attacks in the West Bank, as well as its strike on Qatar during ceasefire talks, calling Israel a “rogue state.” It announced a Palestine solidarity campaign to counter what it termed the Narendra Modi government’s pro-Israel tilt.
The party also expressed condolences over the deaths of young protesters in Nepal, urging vigilance against pro-monarchy and Hindutva groups exploiting the unrest.
Opposition Unity
The CPI(M) lauded the success of the July 9 general strike by workers and farmers, calling it proof of growing resistance to the government’s “anti-people” policies. It welcomed the unity displayed by opposition parties during recent parliament protests and in the vice-presidential election, in which INDIA bloc candidate Justice (Retd) Sudarshan Reddy challenged the BJP-RSS nominee.
“The struggle to defend the Constitution, democracy, and federalism requires closer coordination among all secular and democratic forces,” the communique said.
The party announced an extensive campaign later this month against US tariff pressure and a countrywide drive highlighting livelihood issues and demanding an end to communal persecution. It urged citizens to join mass meetings planned in support of Palestine and against the “corporate-communal nexus.”
By knitting together grievances from Kashmir to Assam and Bengal, and economic discontent to foreign-policy criticism, the CPI(M)’s statement paints a portrait of an India where, in its words, “authoritarianism, corporate plunder and communal hatred are converging.”
The party central committee’s call to intensify the struggles for democratic rights, social justice, and secularism positions it as a voice linking bread-and-butter issues with the defence of India’s pluralist democracy.
