CHENNAI: CPI state secretary M Veerapandian on Wednesday condemned Union Minister Piyush Goyal for describing the DMK-led alliance as anti-Hindu, calling the remarks divisive and politically motivated.
Referring to the Tiruparankundram issue, Veerapandian said attempts by Sangh Parivar organisations to light a lamp on a survey pillar near the Sikandar dargah were aimed at disturbing communal harmony ahead of the Assembly election.
He expressed shock over a recent court verdict permitting the lighting of the lamp and said it undermined the constitutional principle of secularism and violated the spirit of the 1991 Places of Worship Act.
Accusing the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh of rejecting the Constitution, Veerapandian said its promotion of Sanatana Dharma perpetuated caste hierarchy, patriarchy and social inequality. He stressed that opposing Sanatana Dharma meant opposing caste oppression, not Hinduism.
He said the firm stand taken by the Tamil Nadu government had helped preserve communal harmony and welcomed the State's decision to appeal against the verdict.
Veerapandian alleged that BJP leaders, angered by the DMK government blocking sectarian politics in Tamil Nadu, were attacking the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and its secular progressive alliance by branding them anti-Hindu.
He argued that the BJP and Sangh Parivar organisations were opposed to reservation, social justice and equality, and were in fact divisive forces among Hindus.
He said the DMK and its allies stood for the abolition of caste discrimination, protection of reservation, equal temple entry rights and appointment of archakas from all castes. Calling the charge of being anti-Hindu "laughable", he urged Sangh Parivar leaders to stop using religion for political mobilisation and warned of protests if such attempts continued.
He added that the CPI and the secular progressive alliance would continue to fight to protect communal harmony, people’s unity and worship rights.