BJP on "vote yatra", TMC not serious in facing it: CPI(M)

The CPI(M) on Thursday dubbed the BJP's proposed rath yatra as "vote yatra" and wondered if the ruling Trinamool Congress in the state is serious in facing the challenge of the saffron party.

CPI(M) state Secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra said this at a rally organised by the Left parties in the city on the 26th anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition.

"The BJP's proposed rath yatra is actually a vote yatra aimed at dividing people along communal lines in the run up to the Lok Sabha elections next year," Mishra alleged.

Ahead of the parliamentary election next year, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is organising three "rath yatras" titled 'Save Democracy Rally', in West Bengal this month.

Mishra wondered if the ruling Trinamool Congress in state will hit the streets to face the challenge of the BJP "as the Left workers is doing in the real sense" and whether the TMC was really serious in facing the challenge of BJP.

He claimed that the country was facing a serious situation due to the communal and hate politics of the BJP which believed in polarising people and creating a situation of hatred.

The senior CPI(M) leader called upon the Left and other secular and democratic forces to come forward and protect the Constitution and other pillars of democracy.

"We are living in an era of lawlessness when democratic traditions are facing danger under the communal BJP at the Centre and the undemocratic TMC in the state," Left Front chairman Biman Bose alleged while addressing the rally.

The youth, students, women and others should work together to defeat theses two forces, Bose said.

Leaders and activists of 17 Left parties like the CPI (M), the CPI, the CPI-ML (Liberation) and and their various wings took part in the rally.