CPI(M) demands Katheria's sacking

CPI(M) today demanded the Centre sack Union Minister Ram Shankar Katheria for his alleged hate speech in Agra and asked the Akhilesh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh to book him.
"The state government has a bounden duty to book Katheria and all others who incited communal violence in Agra. They should learn from lapses of administration in the build up to Muzaffarnagar violence (in 2013).
"As for central government, the demand raised in Parliament that the minister should be removed, has to be complied with if the minimum obligation towards the Constitution and the rule of law is to be observed," ex-CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat said.

In the editorial of forthcoming issue of party mouthpiece 'People's Democracy', Karat alleged that attempts were being made to undermine the Constitution and re-work the definition of law by some ministers in the Union Cabinet.
"So, incitement to violence against minorities becomes 'nationalism' and fealty to Bharat Mata, while defence of secularism and freedom of speech becomes 'anti-national' and seditious," he added.
Apparently referring to the Hyderabad Central University and JNU rows, the Communist leader accused Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani of branding Dalit and Left student-activists as "anti-nationals" while allegedly shielding elements who resort to goondaism and violence against those who express dissent.

Katheria had on February 28 attended a condolence meeting held for VHP worker Arun Mahaur, who was allegedly killed by some youths from another community in Agra, last Thursday.
At the meeting, Katheria had said "this conspiracy that is being hatched against the Hindu community, we have to be alert to recognise it and strengthen ourselves. We will have to fight it because if we do not do it now, today we have lost one Arun, tomorrow it could be another Arun...The killers should also go, we have to set such an example".