Pinarayi plays down VS reaction

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPM is planning big to impart party education to its members starting from branch committee members to the State Committee members,  State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan has said. Addressing a ‘Meet the Press’ programme organised at Kesari Memorial Journalists Trust here following his re-election to the post of state secretary, Pinarayi said concerted efforts were needed to equip party cadres to counter the challenge from  communal and casteist organisations. He admitted that the CPM had not been taking the cultural sector seriously, though some of its frontal organisations were active in the field. Asked whether Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan comments at the public meeting on Friday was a reaction to the demand of one of the delegates that he be awarded ‘capital punishment’, Pinarayi said there was nothing to connect it with the discussion at the delegates’ session of the conference.“VS is aware that if something said at the delegates session is referred to in a public meeting, it will be a deviation from the organisational practice. And we all were listening to his speech. He  was  referring to our detractors’ efforts to  frame communist leaders in fabricated cases and threatening them with capital punishment,’’ he said.“You should not try to land him in trouble by misinterpreting his speech,’’ he told  mediapersons. Pinarayi Vijayan said that superstitions and social evils were bouncing back with a vengeance and pushing back social progress. To deal with the situation and to enhance  social awareness and scientific outlook of the society, party workers would be engaged to be active in conducting the anniversaries of the village libraries and organise various cultural programmes, lectures and seminars. Efforts would be made to  set up new libraries  also.‘No Shortcut to Reach Out to Minorities’Pinarayi Vijayan said there was no short cut for the party to reach out to the minorities. Instead of engaging with any  minority institutions, the party would reach out to the people belonging to the minority communities and take up their issues directly. Pinarayi said some of the Dalit  organisations were trying to  distance the Dalit community from the CPM. He said some of the retired officials were leading these organisations. The activities in the fishing sector will be strengthened, he  said. Asked why the minorities  has been taking an antagonistic stand towards CPM in spite of its pro-minority stance, Pinarayi said a section of the  priests who had clear political agenda was behind instigating anti-CPM sentiments among the faithful. “A section of priests in a particular church group are acting against us,’’ he said. He also said that there had been no reason to  kick up a row over the inclusion of  Christ’s  portrait at the history expo organised as part of the CPM conference.