A seminar on Challenges to Secularism was organised in connection with the Party Congress at C H Kanaran Nagar (Town Square). Inaugurating the seminar CPI-M Politburo member Prakash Karat said that Congress leader Shashi Tharoor MP had agreed to attend the seminar but the Congress party has prohibited it. `Everyone with a secular and democratic mind will say that it is necessary to discuss this subject. I have seen the statement issued by Shashi Tharoor on this matter. He wrote that it was an important seminar and he was eager to attend the seminar. But his party leadership in Kerala and the AICC leadership has asked him to not attend. So he is abstaining.' Prakash pointed out that this stand of Congress leaders would further damage and destroy their credibility among people.
We have emerged as Indians irrespective of religion or caste they belong to. State has no religion. But the present ruling party BJP which is run and controlled by the fascistic RSS is trying to destroy the secular nature of our country. This is the fundamental challenge the country and people facing-Prakash Karat said.
CPI General Secretary D Raja and Congress- S state president Ramachandran Kadannappalli MLA also spoke. CPI-M Central Committee member E P Jayarajan presided over the seminar.
