'Govt. giving communal twist to anti-terrorism campaign'

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, OCT. 12. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party and the saffron brigade were prepared to sacrifice the unity and communal harmony of the country for partisan electoral gains and that the Hindu and Islamic fundamentalists were feeding on each other. It said the response of some Islamic fundamentalist organisations only added ``fuel to the fire''.

Referring to the situation after the September 11 attacks in New York and Washington, the CPI(M) said the U.S. was seeking to utilise the worldwide legitimate anger against terrorism to strengthen its ``hegemonic grip over the world and put in motion a more authoritarian domestic rule, where rights and freedoms are to be curtailed in the name of fighting terrorism''.

In an editorial comment in the latest issue of the party organ, People's Democracy, the party said a different type of ``sinister agenda'' was being furthered in India. It alleged that the RSS- led saffron brigade was making all efforts to channel the anti- terrorist sentiments among the people on communal lines.

``While the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, formally mouths that terrorism must be separated from religion, the RSS spokesman, Mr. M.G. Vaidya, goes on record saying `all Muslims are not jehadis, but all jehadis are Muslims'', the editorial said. The party said the country continued to pay a heavy price for terrorist activities, with thousands of lives, including that of two Prime Ministers, having been lost.

It said the main aim of the Vajpayee Government seemed to give a communal twist to the current campaign against terrorism, rather than eliminate terrorist groups. The campaign was showing its affect, it said citing reports of communal tension and attacks in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka and elsewhere. Referring to response of Islamic fundamentalist organisations, it said provocative statements by the Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid that the U.S. attack on Afghanistan was a ``war against Islam'' could only inflame passions further.

Meanwhile, CPI(M) Rajya Sabha member, Mr. Nilotpal Basu, today sought the Union Home Minister, Mr. L.K. Advani's intervention seeking withdrawal of cases against six members of the Democratic Students Union and All India People's Resistance Forum, arrested by the Delhi police on Thursday for campaigning against the U.S.

In a letter to Mr Advani, he said the reason for their arrest was ``bizarre and misplaced'' and also a direct infringement on the fundamental right of Freedom of Expression.

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