CPM hits out at Gujarat Govt, seeks intervention by Centre

A thirteen-point circular issued by the Director of Police (Intelligence) in Gujarat directs district-level police officers to conduct a survey of all Christians in their respective districts and to compile dossiers on Christians involved in criminal activities and having a “criminal attitude”.

Describing the police circular as violative of the Constitution, the CPI(M) said it was “further evidence” of how the BJP government is trampling on the rights of the minority community.

“The Keshubhai Patel ministry is actively backing the RSS-VHP outfits in their anti-Christian drive,” the CPI(M) Politburo said. The state government is violating the Constitution and the law by utilising the state machinery against the Christian community.

“The existence of such a government is itself a flagrant breach of the secular principle which has been defined as a basic feature of the Constitution by the Supreme Court,” the CPI(M) said.

Emphasising that the Vajpayee government can no longer pretend to ignore what is happening in Gujarat, the party has demanded that the Centre intervene immediately to uphold the Constitution to ensure that the administration defends and protects the rights of all communities.