Even enemies acknowledge selflessness of Communists: Mutharasan

CHENNAI: Refuting the DMK deputy general secretary A Raja's remarks about the communist leaders' selfishness led to the failure of communism, CPI state secretary R Mutharasan on Wednesday said that even class enemies would be willing to acknowledge the communists' honesty, simplicity, selflessness, desire for the common good, and fighting spirit.

Calling Raja’s speech irresponsible, Mutharasan, in a statement, said that Raja has stated that the faith of the leaders in the communist ideology has diluted.

“After the fall of the Communist regime in the Soviet Union in 1989-90, the regime changes in Eastern European countries following this are important global events. The Communist Party of India and other Communist parties have made a detailed study of this and scientifically published the reasons for it. Raja should read it without bias and speak,” he said.

He recalled how, during a time when ideological opponents were declaring that "Communism died where it was born" and insisting that "There is no alternative to capitalism," the late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi remarked that the defeat of communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe was merely a temporary setback. Mutharasan challenged Raja to provide a list of the communist leaders he claimed had become selfish.

The CPI leader criticised Raja for shifting to the Nilgiris Reserved Lok Sabha seat after his Perambalur seat became a general seat.

Mutharasan pointed out the irony of rationalists seeking reserved seats while accusing others of irresponsibility, especially when communists have historically created leaders from the Scheduled Caste community and elevated them to national prominence during a time when there were no reservations in local government bodies.

He concluded by stating that Raja should refrain from making such irresponsible comments.