Waqf a tool to erode India's diversity: Pinarayi lashes out at Centre

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, speaking to a massive gathering, framed the controversy as part of a broader, sinister agenda by the Sangh Parivar and its political arm, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), to divide communities and suppress dissent.

“Those in power are spewing communal venom and fanning hatred throughout our society. The latest attempt in this effort is the Waqf issue, which is being discussed all around the nation at present,” Pinarayi Vijayan declared. “This is not an isolated incident, but a part of a design — a larger game plan to wipe out diversity, step by step.”

He emphasised that the Waqf, deeply tied to Muslim faith, tradition, and history, should only be altered if the demand arises from within the community itself. “Without waiting for any such demand, direct intervention is being made in the matters of that religion, so as to single them out and fan hatred between communities,” he added.

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Beyond Muslims

Pinarayi Vijayan alleged that the strategy extends beyond targeting Muslims. He cited a now-deleted article from the RSS mouthpiece The Organiser, which claimed the Catholic Church holds vast tracts of land, as evidence of a broader intent to pit religious minorities against each other.

“Muslims and Christians come together under the same banner as religious minorities. To break this unity, first the Muslims are sidelined and isolated from the Christians. Then Christians are turned against Muslims. The Waqf issue is a weapon to effectively carry out the plans of the Sangh Parivar,” he charged.

Held in Tamil Nadu, a state Pinarayi Vijayan hailed as a “revolutionary land of glorious struggles”, the Party Congress underscored the CPI(M)’s commitment to counter what it sees as rising communal and authoritarian tendencies under the BJP-led government.

Championing spirit of federalism

The event, attended by thousands, marked a significant moment for the Left, with Pinarayi Vijayan drawing parallels between Tamil Nadu’s DMK-led government and Kerala’s LDF government, both of which he said are resisting the Centre’s overreach in the spirit of federalism.

“The struggles we wage together to secure what is rightfully owed to the states will certainly become models for the entire country,” he predicted.

The speech also placed India’s political situation in a global context. Pinarayi Vijayan criticised the United States under Donald Trump for expanding its “stranglehold” over nations through financial coercion, while praising the rise of progressive forces in Latin America, Europe, and neighbouring Sri Lanka, where the Left has recently come to power.

“All this denotes the rising acceptance scientific socialism is gaining around the world,” he said, contrasting this with India’s ruling dispensation, which he accused of aligning with regressive politics and ignoring liberation struggles, such as that in Palestine.

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Domestically, Pinarayi Vijayan painted a grim picture of rising unemployment, price hikes, and crony capitalism under the BJP. He accused the government of impoverishing people while stoking communal passions to distract from its failures.

“If it is the Muslims that are being attacked in Gujarat and UP, in Odisha and Madhya Pradesh, it is the Christians. In Chhattisgarh, tribals who are not Hindus are targeted. In Kerala, it is the Communists. Manipur continues to burn,” he said, urging unity among those facing oppression.

“What happens to others today could happen to us tomorrow,” he warned.

Silver lining

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The CPI(M) leader also highlighted the party’s role in resisting controversial policies like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the Electoral Bond scheme, and the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir, all of which it challenged legally and politically.

He praised the LDF government in Kerala as a “silver lining” amid India’s “dark social and political scenario,” citing its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty, strengthen public education and health, and maintain communal harmony despite financial hurdles imposed by the Centre.

In a nod to Tamil Nadu’s shared heritage with Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan called for solidarity in the fight against injustice. “Standing here in Madurai, a land renowned for its heroic struggles, it is important to loudly affirm this,” he said, concluding his speech with revolutionary greetings to the gathered comrades.

The 24th Party Congress, he promised, would be etched in history as a beacon for secular and democratic resistance.