Latest news with #D.Raja
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Telangana can be another Bihar if EC decision is not opposed: CPI
Hyderabad Communist Party of India (CPI) General Secretary D. Raja stated that the Election Commission was attempting to remove votes of certain groups from the Bihar voters' list under the guise of a special amendment, and such a practice could spread to States like Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and even Kerala. Speaking at the inauguration of the refurbished CPI office (Makhdoom Bhavan) in Hyderabad on Thursday, Mr. Raja said that there was a need to strengthen secular and democratic parties and forces to protect the Constitution and the country. 'Communal forces have seized power at the Centre and are using it as well as the government authority to change the Constitution and turn the secular, democratic and welfare State into a religious one. CPI National Secretary K. Narayana said that during the KCR regime, dharnas were banned, but Makhdoom Bhavan served as a platform for protests for all political parties. He was angry that 'Operation Kagaar' was continuing when all the democratic forces were asking the Centre to discuss with Maoists. He said that Naxalism cannot be killed. Former CPI National General Secretary Suvaram Sudhakar Reddy said Communists would exist as long as class exploitation continues in the world. TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud argued for Congress and Communist parties working together to protect a secular and democratic India. He said that this alliance is inseparable. CPI State Secretary Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao said that after the reconstruction of Makhdoom Bhavan, Communist leaders have decided to set up a Raj Bahadur Gaur Knowledge Centre and hoped that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy would extended support. CPI(M) State Secretary John Wesley was also present.
The Hindu
04-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Bihar polls can be held based on 2024 electoral rolls: D. Raja
Underlining the danger that several lakh voters could face exclusion from the electoral rolls under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) being undertaken in Bihar by the Election Commission, Communist Party of India (CPI) General Secretary D. Raja urged the panel to revisit their decision and postpone revision. Editorial | Careful curation: On Bihar's Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls Addressing a press conference at the conclusion of the three-day CPI National Council Meeting in Delhi, Mr. Raja said, 'The Election Commission has made it clear that they will stick to SIR despite several problems that we collectively flagged during our meeting on Wednesday. The Election Commission is a Constitutional body and I would urge them to act in accordance with the Constitution.' Mr. Raja said that migrant workers and poorer sections of the electorate are particularly in danger of losing their voting rights. 'There is very little time available ahead of the assembly polls scheduled for October-November. Several parts of the state are flooded. The EC would be well advised to postpone the revision. Elections can be held on the basis of the electoral rolls that were used for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls,' he said. Opinion: Socialism, secularism are the spirit of the Constitution Mr. Raja also hit out at the RSS in the context of General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale's remarks calling for amending the Preamble of the Constitution and removal of the words 'secular' and 'socialist' that were inserted during the 19-month National Emergency. 'There was tremendous pressure on B.R. Ambedkar to declare India a theocratic nation. He emphatically rejected the demand. The RSS continues with its fascistic agenda that sees India as a monolith. We call upon all social democratic parties to resist this attack on the Constitution,' Mr. Raja said.
The Hindu
09-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Five Left parties appeal to PM Modi to stop ‘extra-judicial killings' in Chhattisgarh
In a joint appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, five Left parties urged him to put an immediate halt to the 'extra-judicial' killings in the region around Chhattisgarh under Operation Kagar. The General Secretaries of the five Left parties- CPI's D. Raja, CPI(M)'s M.A. Baby, CPI(ML)'s Dipankar Bhattacharya, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) leader Manoj Bhattacharya and All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) leader G. Devarajan, in the letter, said there are reports that several senior Maoist leaders are currently in the custody of the security forces. 'We demand that they should all be produced in court and dealt with as per the rule of law,' they said. Also read: Seeking truth and reconciliation in Chhattisgarh Issue of militarisation The Adivasis in the region have long been complaining about the militarisation of the region. 'The Adivasi rights enshrined in the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution are being systematically violated and the forests and minerals of Chhattisgarh are being subjected to indiscriminate corporate exploitation with disastrous implications for environmental stability and livelihood of the local people. We urge upon you to stop this militaristic approach that treats the Adivasis with unmitigated hostility,' the joint appeal said. The leaders underlined that the government has been refusing to hand over the bodies to the families, denying them their right to give a dignified farewell to their family members. The repeated appeal from the Maoists for dialogue has also been ignored. 'The statements made by the Union Home Minister, reiterating the deadline and the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister's assertion that there is no need for talks, reflect a mindset unwilling to resolve issues through dialogue. The government should not be intransigent and celebrate the taking of human lives against the spirit of the law of the land and principles of democratic governance,' the leaders said. The Left parties urged the government to respond to the Maoist declaration of unilateral ceasefire and initiate a dialogue to resolve all issues. 'We reiterate the appeal and urge upon you to stop the extra-judicial killings and violence with immediate effect and order an impartial judicial enquiry,' they said.
The Hindu
30-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
LDF will return to power in Kerala, says D. Raja
Communist Party of India (CPI) general secretary D. Raja has expressed confidence that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) will retain power in Kerala in the upcoming Assembly elections, stating that the people of the State will once again stand by progressive and secular governance. He was addressing the valedictory session of the CPI's birth centenary celebrations in Thrissur on Friday. Challenging the ideological foundation of the ruling BJP and its parent organisation Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Mr. Raja said: 'I dare the RSS to show evidence of its role in the Indian Freedom Struggle. Those who had no part in India's Independence are now ruling the country. Just as India once rose in unison to defeat British Raj, it should now unite to resist the authoritarianism of the RSS and the Modi Raj.' Referring to the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Mr. Raja noted that the CPI was among the first to condemn the incident. 'Yet while the sovereignty of our nation is under threat, the Prime Minister remains silent, even as the U.S. President claims credit for mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. Mr. Modi is silent, obsessed only with winning elections and holding on to power, even if it means dismantling the very foundations of the Republic,' Mr. Raja alleged. He praised Kerala for setting an example to the rest of India by defending democracy and federalism. 'It was the communist movement in Kerala that broke the monopoly of single-party rule in India. At a time when communal and fascist forces are trying to divide the country, it is the youth who must rise with the spirit of 'Inquilab Zindabad' to defend the Constitution,' he said. Before delivering his speech, Mr. Raja was greeted by a parade of over a hundred youth volunteers from the Red Volunteers Army. The event was presided over by Revenue Minister K. Rajan. Many CPI leaders took part.
The Hindu
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
CPI demands independent judicial probe into killing of Maoists
The CPI on Wednesday (May 21, 2025) demanded an independent judicial probe into the killing of 27 Maoists, including top Maoist leader Nambala Keshav Rao. Taking to X, Communist Party of India (CPI) general secretary D. Raja quoted Home Minister Amit Shah's post where he said security forces have neutralised 27 dreaded Maoists. Among them was Nambala Keshav Rao, alias Basavaraju, the general secretary of CPI-Maoist. CPI strongly condemns the cold-blooded killing of a senior Maoist leader along with several Adivasis in Chhattisgarh. It is yet another instance of extrajudicial action carried out under the guise of counterinsurgency operations. The repeated use of lethal force instead of… — D. Raja (@ComradeDRaja) May 21, 2025 Mr. Raja said the killing of the Maoist leader "instead of lawfully arresting him" raises serious concerns about the State's commitment to democratic norms. "CPI strongly condemns the cold-blooded killing of senior Maoist leader along with several Adivasis in Chhattisgarh. It is yet another instance of extrajudicial action carried out under the guise of counterinsurgency operations," Mr. Raja alleged. "If the authorities had credible intelligence about the whereabouts of the leader, why was a legal arrest not pursued? Why was due process guaranteed by the Constitution so blatantly ignored," he said. The CPI demanded an independent judicial inquiry into the incident and the entire Operation Kagar. "The people of Chhattisgarh and India at large deserve to know the truth. A democratic society cannot allow the State to become the judge, jury, and executioner," he said and urged "all democratic and progressive forces to raise their voices against this injustice". CPI-Maoist general secretary Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju, the topmost leader and backbone of the Maoist movement, was among the 27 dreaded Maoists killed by security forces in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday, Mr. Shah announced. He also said this is for the first time in three decades of India's battle against Maoism that a general secretary-ranked leader has been neutralised by the security forces.
