Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 1 (PTI) Veteran CPI(M) leader and former Keralam Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday alleged that the questionnaire given to states and Union Territories by the demographic panel, HLCDC, is a continuation of the Sangh Parivar’s “divisive agenda”.
Urging the ruling UDF government to be vigilant, Vijayan, in a Facebook post, termed the questionnaire a planned move to implement the alleged communal interests of the RSS.
The High-Level Committee on Demographic Changes (HLCDC) under the Union Home Ministry has sought from the states and Union territories (UTs) the details regarding “visible changes” in religious demography in districts, industrial clusters and border districts for the last 15 years.
Vijayan, state Leader of Opposition, claimed that by demanding such religion-based data, the central government was creating a platform to keep a particular section of the society under suspicion.
“This is a malicious attempt to divide the people, alienate minorities and destroy the secular nature of the country. The information collected through such questionnaires is likely to be used as a weapon for hate politics,” he alleged.
He said that the state government should be careful not to succumb to such central directives that are against constitutional values.
The former CM also expressed concern that the UDF government has not made a single statement against the HLCDC questionnaire.
The Marxist veteran contended that the panel was asking for information about birth and vehicle registrations, school admissions and land transactions of the last few years on the basis of religion.
“The questionnaire is a planned move to implement the communal interests of the RSS,” he alleged.
He further alleged that the committee has been formed to create a false narrative of “unnatural demographic change” in border states and metro cities to gain political advantage.
“The Sangh Parivar is using this deliberately created apprehension as a basis for imposing and justifying discriminatory policies like the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens,” he claimed.
“This questionnaire should be seen as part of the practical implementation of that ulterior motive,” Vijayan added.
He urged those who believe in secularism to collectively resist these moves to “create communal polarization in the society.” PTI HMP SA
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