CPI (M) releases its disastrous, anti-India Manifesto

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) released its manifesto for the ongoing Parliamentary polls last month. The manifesto turned out to be true to expectations. After going through the contents of the manifesto, it does not take much intellect to gauge that the CPI (M) manifesto is totally opposed to national security and the interests of India.

The manifesto has made several shocking promises. The manifesto makes particularly shocking promises on the foreign policy front. Among other things, it seeks to “reverse the pro-Israeli tilt in foreign policy”. As far as our terrorist neighbour is concerned, the manifesto promises resumption of dialogue with Pakistan on all issues including terrorism. However, it makes no mention of exerting pressure on Pakistan to curb terrorism. The manifesto also promises to address the concerns of Rohingyas but makes no mention of Pakistani Hindu refugees.

The CPI (M) Manifesto openly promises to compromise the interests of India on the issue of Jammu & Kashmir also. In one causal sentence, it promises, “Complete withdrawal of AFSPA”. One wonders how terrorism will be tackled if the security forces active in the valley are rendered powerless and ineffective. The manifesto also promises to ban the use of pellet guns and other weapons on “protestors” (read stone pelters and pro-terror elements). Therefore, the CPI (M) promises to ensure that the lives of the security personnel are imperiled and that they are made to remain mute spectators even as stone pelters and pro-terror elements go berserk. The manifesto also opposes “all the attempts to remove or review Article 35 (A) of the Constitution”. The manifesto takes a similar stand on Article 370. Moreover, there is no mention of the issue of terrorism or any strategy to tackle the menace. In fact, the manifesto looks for a ‘political solution’. However, it does not elucidate how a the issue of terrorism can be resolved through a political arrangement. As far as the issue of Jammu & Kashmir is concerned, the CPI (M) seems to have taken a stance similar to the controversial stance taken by the Congress. The only difference being that the CPI (M) Manifesto is an even more patent exercise in making anti-India promises.

The CPI (M) Manifesto is equally catastrophic when it comes to National Seucrity-related matters. The Communist outfit wants to “withdraw from the Defence Framework Agreement with the US”. It also seeks to end all military collaboration with the US. CPI (M) looks highly impractical on this subject and also seeks the “de-militarisation of cyber space’. It is shocking how a political outfit can even make such proposals. The CPI (M) is clearly overwhelmed by its ideology and does not understand the gravity of the dangers that the nation faces. In such circumstances, we cannot afford to let our guard down and become vulnerable to the terror groups operating right in our neighbourhood.

The CPI (M) Manifesto has not disappointed at all. One expected it to be a bunch of toxic promises threatening India’s interests and security. It has managed to achieve that to a large extent. Its contents on the two major fronts: Foreign Policy and Jammu & Kashmir have once again exposed the real intentions of the party which has already become politically irrelevant.