New Delhi: Highlighting the dangers of communalism, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury on Wednesday warned against creating a "Hindu Pakistan" out of India.
He was speaking in the Rajya Sabha while participating in a special discussion to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement.
While talking about the freedom struggle, he said the country's Independence also had the painful episode of partition attached to it.
Yechury, whose term as Rajya Sabha member is coming to an end with this session, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has mentioned that communalism must quit India.
"The question is -- are we doing anything to make it quit?" Reciting a couplet about communal harmony, he said a 'Hindu Pakistan' should not be created.
The CPI(M) leader recounted the contribution of several communist leaders in the fight against British rule. He said a lot of people in the cellular jail were communist leaders from Bengal and Punjab.
He, however, emphasised that attempts should not be made to appropriate the freedom struggle.
Yechury said there were two communist leaders – a maulana and a swami - who had moved a resolution for complete independence at a meeting of the Indian National Congress in 1921.
The Quit India movement belonged to the people and is a common heritage, he said.
He said the divide between the rich and poor was widening. From 49 percent earlier, the amount of the country's GDP held by 1 percent of the country's population has risen to 58.4 per cent.
The need is to eliminate neo-liberal policies and communalism, Yechury said.
Participating in the debate, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (Trinamool Congress) recalled the contribution of freedom fighters in the country's Independence.
However, he regretted that there were some traitors at that time also, who did not participate in the movement at that time.
There were parties at that time which sided with the British to derail the Quit India movement, Roy said.
"Even today, there are some traitors who threaten our brotherhood," he said, adding that Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would launch 'BJP Bharat chhodo andolan' (BJP Quit India movement) from today.
At this juncture, Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien said politics should not be brought into this discussion which has to be at a higher level.
Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also said that at least for today, criticism should be left aside. Congress leader Anand Sharma, however, said that if something is a fact of history it must remain in record.
Prasanna Acharya (BJD) said the need is not create a Congress-free or BJP-free India but a corruption and communalism free India.
Veer Singh (BSP) spoke against the inequality in the society while Majeed Memon (NCP) spoke about mountains of hate being created and emphasised on the need to counter poverty and unemployment.
Kanimozi (DMK) said an atmosphere prevails today that not speaking Hindi or eating some food were seen by some as being less India. "Why have we become this?".
She said that 50 percent of the population -- the women -- were still not being given their due and there were incidents like stalking and honour killings, a reference to the Chandigarh stalking case.
She said it was a sorry state of affairs that leaders were questioning the victims of stalking etc, asking why they were out late.
The DMK MP regretted that Parliament had been unable to pass the Women's Reservation Bill and half of the population did not get proportional representation in the passing of laws.
Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena) said the Quit India movement was not the monopoly of any one party. He mentioned the contribution of Veer Savarakar and mill workers in the struggle.
Naresh Gujral (SAD) spoke about the sacrifices made by his family and the people as a whole. He said the need was to reflect collectively and not indulge in blame game.
D Raja (CPI) mentioned about the role played by communist leaders along with the Congress.
Union minister Ramdas Athawale, Rajni Patil (Congress) and AV Swamy also spoke.
