CHENNAI: In a point-by-point response to a three-part series published in the DMK mouthpiece Murasoli, senior CPM leader K Kanagaraj, writing in the party organ Theekathir, defended the party's decision to support the TVK government and responded to what he described as personal attacks on CPM state secretary P Shanmugam.

In his latest article, titled "Murasoli's slander poured out in anger", Kanagaraj alleged that the DMK organ had abandoned political debate in favour of defamatory attacks. He said the newspaper should continue its engagement with the CPM through reasoned discussion, as dialogue would contribute to progress while slander would only deepen bitterness.

Arguing that the BJP and the Sangh Parivar were attempting to amend the Constitution, implement "One Nation, One Election", weaken the Opposition, centralise institutions, erode federalism and turn the nation into a "field of hatred", he said all political parties committed to democracy, secularism and federalism must unite against what he described as the growing threat of neo-fascism.

At the same time, Kanagaraj said larger parties should not expect smaller allies to endorse every one of their political positions. Branding parties as enemies merely because they differed on certain issues, he said, would not help defeat the ideological challenge posed by the BJP and the Sangh Parivar.

He urged the DMK and Murasoli to engage in constructive political criticism through dialogue instead of resorting to personal attacks and defamatory campaigns.