- Rajesh Tyagi/ 11.10.2018
"In India today, neither has fascism been established, nor are the conditions present- in political, economic and class terms- for a fascist regime to be established", wrote Prakash Karat, the leader of Stalinist CPM, in his article titled "Know your enemy", published in Indian Express on Sept 6, 2016.
Opposing the line advocated by Sitaram Yechuri, the then General Secretary of CPM, for an alliance with Congress, Karat wrote this article two months ahead of Assembly polls in West Bengal.
Invoking the characterisation of fascism by Stalin, way back in mid 1930s, Karat argues that the trappings of a fascist regime are absent and the political regime under Modi is “right-wing authoritarian”, not “fascist”. He also termed the RSS-ideology as “semi-fascist”.
From this, Karat deduced that “The political struggle against the BJP cannot be conducted in alliance with the other major party of the ruling classes”.
Obviously, far from being a principled position, this was only a petty maneuver in the factional fight inside CPM, in so far as Karat himself was suggesting a third front poll alliance with rightwing bourgeois parties of all description, except BJP and Congress.
Opposing the line advocated by Sitaram Yechuri, the then General Secretary of CPM, for an alliance with Congress, Karat wrote this article two months ahead of Assembly polls in West Bengal.
Invoking the characterisation of fascism by Stalin, way back in mid 1930s, Karat argues that the trappings of a fascist regime are absent and the political regime under Modi is “right-wing authoritarian”, not “fascist”. He also termed the RSS-ideology as “semi-fascist”.
From this, Karat deduced that “The political struggle against the BJP cannot be conducted in alliance with the other major party of the ruling classes”.
Obviously, far from being a principled position, this was only a petty maneuver in the factional fight inside CPM, in so far as Karat himself was suggesting a third front poll alliance with rightwing bourgeois parties of all description, except BJP and Congress.
