CPM continues in DMK-led alliance to fight BJP-RSS combine: Shanmugam

CHENNAI: CPM state secretary P Shanmugam on Tuesday said that the Left party continues to align with the DMK in the State to fight against the BJP-RSS combine.

"With the BJP continuing to be in power at the Centre, the DMK, at present, fully taking part in bringing together all the secular parties and fight against the communal forces in the State. DMK is the biggest party in the front in Tamil Nadu. Without its support, one cannot effectively fight the BJP-RSS in the State. One cannot overlook the differences between the DMK and CPM on certain demands without considering the larger political necessity to fight the communal forces," he told reporters here.

Shanmugam, accompanied by senior leaders G Ramakrishnan and K Balakrishnan, responded to a pointed question on why the Marxist party was continuing in the DMK alliance even as its key demands were not fulfilled by the ruling party. He noted that his party would continue to insist on fulfilling various demands concerning the public while fighting along with the DMK against the policies of the BJP government.

He also announced that his party would hold a protest against the UGC notification, which allowed the Governor to appoint the university's vice chancellor selection panel, taking away the rights of the State government.

Shanmugam said that they have planned to meet the Chief Minister to seek his intervention on the issue of the police denying permissions for the protests and demonstrations in the State. On the ‘undeclared emergency’ comment against the DMK government, he said that it was not made just because of the denial of permission for the procession for the party's 24th state conference at Villupuram. "For a while, the police have been denying permissions for the protests and demonstrations across the State. Holding a protest is a Constitutionally guaranteed right. The police cannot deny it. They should allow the protest and give protection to it," he said.

On why the CPM thanked the Chief Minister on the Samsung issue, he said that the CM played a key role in Samsung agreeing to the tripartite meeting. "Samsung Corporation was adamant about not sitting with the CITU leaders for talks," he said, adding that the State government did not act on registering the Samsung India Workers' Union even after the court directed it. "It will continue to fight for it as it will set a bad precedent," he said.