Madurai, Apr 2 (UNI) The country has seen the consolidation of Hindutva-authoritarian

regime under the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government during the last 11 years,

CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Manik Sarkar said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the 24th Congress of the Communist Party of

India (Marxist), which began here today, he took a dig at the BJP government at the

Centre and said 11 years have elapsed under the Modi government and it has seen

the consolidation of the Hindutva-authoritarian regime.

At no time has the axis between the big corporates and the RSS-BJP been so strong

and blatant and the result has been subversion of democracy, secularism and federalism,

he charged.

Noting that the Party Congress has, on its agenda, how to enhance the independent strength

of the Party by expanding the political, ideological and organisational activities, Mr Sarkar

said waging the multi-faceted struggle against Hindutva ideology and communal forces has

to take centre-stage.

For the vast mass of the ordinary people of the country, it spells suffering from unemployment,

rising prices, agrarian distress and corruption, he said, adding, Minorities are being systematically

persecuted and reduced to second class citizens.

Observing that the resistance to the Hindutva-corporate regime has been going on, Mr Sarkar said

every section of the working class are coming out to defend their rights.

"In this connection, I salute the workers of the Samsung India factory, who conducted a successful

38-day strike in Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu braving all sorts of repression", he added.

Stating that the 24th Congress will discuss and show the way for uniting all secular and democratic

forces to take on to fight, isolate and defeat the BJP-RSS, Mr Sarkar said it will discuss how to widen

and intensify the struggles of the working class, peasantry, urban and rural poor and champion the

rights of the dalits, adivasis, women and minorities.

Mr Sarkar said the Congress is taking place at a time when American imperialism is becoming

more assertive after Donald Trump took over the Presidency.

"The coming days will see tumultuous developments and we must be prepared to step up our

anti-imperialist campaigns and struggles", he said.

UNI GV 1818