CPM leader Prakash Karat on Sunday urged the Supreme Court to ensure that local courts don't entertain petitions against a 1991 law that forbids one religion’s sites to be converted to another’s.

The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, which stands as a bulwark against a flood of petitions before lower courts that seek a handover of the sites of several mosques and dargahs to Hindus on the claim that these had been built by demolishing temples, should be enforced in letter and spirit, the CPM politburo coordinator reminded the Supreme Court.

“Mosque-temple disputes are raked up again. We all know what happened in Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh and the court has entertained the petition on Ajmer Sharif Darga. People are going to the courts and the local courts are entertaining these petitions, violating the ‘Places of Worship Act – 1991, which says that all places of worship that existed during independence, (and) no disputes can be raised against it,” Karat said in Calcutta.

Karat’s political objective to bring the Opposition on a single platform was evident when raised the issue of a constitutional amendment bill to enable simultaneous elections at the central and state levels.

“The party strongly opposes this bill, viewing it as a direct assault on state legislatures and federalism, leading to an undesirable centralisation of power. Most opposition parties share this stance, and the ruling coalition needs the two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha which they don’t have and so they have sent it to the JPC (Joint Parliamentary Committee),” the CPM veteran said.

Pointing out the authoritarian attitude of the central government, the 76-year-old leader said the central government is trying to bring changes in regulations of UGC which grant governors or chancellors unilateral authority to appoint selection committees for state-run universities, undermining the state governments’ roles in managing education.

“Education is on the concurrent list but what the BJP government is trying to do is against the federal structure of the country. There are a total 481 state-run universities and if this happens then all the vice-chancellors will be of their choice. In a way they are trying to snatch the constitutional right of the states,” he said. Speaking about the recently concluded central committee meeting, the CPM leader stated that preparations for the 24th Party Congress in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, are on in full swing, with a strong emphasis on critical political and national developments. The draft political resolution for the congress, which has been discussed and finalised, will be released on February 1. It will be distributed for discussion at the party congress and made available in the public domain.

Responding to the verdict on RG Kar, CPM state secretary Md Salim, who flanked Karat, said: “The TMC and the BJP are hand in glove. Kolkata police and CBI have lost their credibility. They are working on the instructions of their political bosses. The doctors are being humiliated and the people who wanted justice are being threatened. We know how to get justice. We will do that.”

April Brigade rally

Four frontal organisations of the CPM, including the Citu and the All India Kisan Sabha, have given the call for a rally at the Brigade Parade Grounds on April 20. Announcing the decision in Calcutta on Saturday, leaders of the four frontal organisation said that workers, farmers and the poor people of the country and state were affected by the "anti-people" policies of the central and state governments. Citu state general secretary Anadi Sahu said the rally would be held in April to demand change in the policies of these governments as those continue to affect the lives and livelihoods of the country's underprivileged and working class.