BJP inciting religious tension for vote bank, says Sitaram Yechury

Supporters participate in Dharam Sabha, being organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to push for the construction of the Ram temple, in Ayodhya, on Sunday. Pic/PTI

Slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his remark that the Congress had threatened the judges of the Ayodhya dispute case, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Monday said the BJP government in the country was "inciting religious tension" to secure vote bank. The saffron party was fuelling communal polarisation in the country by making "unacceptable statements", he said.

On Sunday, Narendra Modi alleged that the Congress had threatened Supreme Court judges with impeachment when they tried to hear the Ayodhya dispute cases earlier this year. Without naming anyone, the Prime Minister claimed that the Congress party's Rajya Sabha members, who are also lawyers, had tried to scare away the apex court judges to ensure the hearing in the cases is delayed until after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing a press meet at Town Hall here on Monday, Yechuri said, "The allegation that the Opposition was interfering with court proceedings is completely unacceptable. Modi, through this statement, has given rise to a fascism trend, undermining democracy in our country." Modi has realised that the public no longer favoured his government and that was the reason he was indulging in "hate speeches", the CPI(M) general secretary claimed.

"This is clearly a panic reaction on the part of the PM. He has clearly realised that people no longer support his government. Inciting religious passion is the only way for the BJP to consolidate the Hindutva vote bank," he said.

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