Its all but over for communism in India – “Religion is the opium of the people”. This statement by Karl Marx is not just a comment or an opinion on social mindset, but the premise on which communist propaganda fostered throughout the world. However, communism in India presents a conundrum as it views only the Hindus and Hinduism with great hatred, and other religions are closely integrated with Indian communism. As a matter of fact, missionaries have routinely extended support to communists.
However, going by a recent development it seems as if India is seeing a marked shift in the approach of the principle communist political party in India, the CPM. The CPM has decided to take out a rally on the eve of Ram Navmi, the day of Lord Ram’s birth. The Ram Navmi rally is to be taken out in Rampurhat in the state of West Bengal. The fact that CPM’s Ram Navmi rally is being taken out in Bengal shows how the CPM has given up in a state which once used to be its fortress. It must be noted that it is for the first time that CPM is going to participate in such a rally given that it usually strays away from religious activities and is also known for spewing hate against every Hindu festivity. The fact that this move has caught even the cadres of CPM by surprise shows the intensity of change in CPM policy.
What must be kept in mind is the fact that Bengal was the communist heartland for more than three decades. The Trinamool regime is no better, and its prejudice against Hinduism is as much if not more than the communists. The result is that Hindus have been made to feel like aliens in a state where Hinduism had witnessed some of its most glorious days. The land of Swami Dayanand Saraswati, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Swami Vivekananda and many such illustrious personalities deteriorated into a communist hellhole for decades. But things have started to change for the better. It is evidenced by the fact that the TMC and the CPM, which have both denied Hindus their fundamental religious rights of freely propagating and practicing their religion, are now forced to take out rallies to appease Hindus.
The Renaissance of Bengal must be attributed to the BJP-RSS combine which has managed to set foot in the state after a struggle of several decades. Not only them, the Hindu Samiti led by the charismatic Tapan Ghosh, has brought the repressed Hindus of Bengal back on their feet. The state where prohibitions on major Hindu festivals was routine in the name of preserving the secular fabric, finally saw fervent celebrations on the eve of Ram Navmi last year. It must be borne in mind that BJP has started from scratch post 2014 in adverse circumstances.
One of the premises on which Communism works is hatred for religion. In India, it presents a unique case where the left associates itself with missionaries and mullahs to garner electoral benefits, but spews venom against the Hindus and Hinduism. However, the Indian brand of Communism seems to be dying down, and this indicates that we might be finally getting rid of the violent and manipulative form of communist politics.