Always opposed communalism, reason why we are target of govt: Yechury

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Wednesday said the Left parties had always opposed communalism and that was the reason why they were the "target" of the government in recent times.

Addressing a press conference on the 100th year of the formation of the Communist Party of India, he said the relevance of the Left could not be measured through the spectrum of how many seats they had in Parliament.

"We are the principal target of the government today because of our constant fight against communalism," Yechury said, adding that communists had traditionally fought against communalism in all forms.

He further said the "unity of struggle" was the only "antidote" to communalism.

Crediting the CPI with fighting for land reforms, Yechury said it was this battle which eventually led to the birth of the middle class.