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Journalism of Courage
The stand-off between the CPI(M) and New Labour and Employment Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao is not just over the proposed state of Telangana. It is also over Rao’s decision to hold a puja before taking charge today. Rao had been without a portfolio for six months, till Saturday’s mini-expansion, when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gave him a proper assignment.
Soon after news spread that a puja had been performed at Shram Shakti Bhavan, seat of the Labour Ministry, CPI(M) put out a strong statement. The party said it ‘‘disapproves of the manner in which K. Chandrashekar Rao took charge as the Union Labour and Employment Minister.’’
The statement added that Rao ‘‘performed a public religious ceremony in a government office. Each individual is entitled to freedom of conscience and the right to freely practice and propagate religion. But to convert a government office into a place of public religious ceremony is violative of secular principle.’’
Asked if the CPI(M) politburo was making a mountain out of a mole hill, Left leaders said they would have reacted more strongly had the person been a BJP minister.
They felt the CPI(M) toned down its outburst as, after all, the TRS is a part of the ruling UPA coalition.
But in view of the CPI(M)’s stand against the bifurcation of states and a separate state for Telengana, this statement is only going to further alienate Rao from the Left. Already, Rao has dropped enough hints that it is easier for him to deal with the Left in the labour sector than on the separate state issue.
