New Delhi, September 21
Joining the war of words over the Ram Setu controversy, CPM leader Sitaram Yechury accused the BJP of taking recourse to faith to authenticate mythology as history and communalising Sethusamudram and other issues to gain political advantage.

The CPM leader said the BJP, which had first sanctioned the Sethusamudram project while in government, had been thoroughly exposed in its "diabolical opportunism" by opposing the same project for "political benefit through disastrous communal polarisation".

In an article in the latest issue of its party organ People’s Democracy, he said the Constitution, while protecting the right of the individual choice of faith, also sought to encourage scientific enquiry and spirit. “These cannot be and should not be counterpoised,” he wrote.

Giving a “materialistic” interpretation to the ‘Dasavataras’, Yechury said this could be seen as "a remarkable recording of the evolution of human life and its civilisational advance."

“Thus, without entering into any dispute on matters of faith, this remarkable materialist interpretation of the 'Dasavataras', surely merits attention.

“Faith in its quintessential form must facilitate the pursuit of truth and acquiring the ability to recognise the truth..... Faith must encourage the adventure of ideas and promote scientific enquiry and not reduce itself to fanning communal passions for petty political and electoral benefits,” the CPM leader said.

Kolkata, September 21
The veteran CPM leader Jyoti Basu today came out openly in favour of the nuclear deal, when the party general secretary, Prakash Karat and the politburo leader, Sitaram Yechuri were shunning their swords for striking a final blow to the Manmohan Singh government for ‘protecting the nation against invasion of the Bush administration’.

Talking to mediapersons at the Alimuddin Street party office, Basu admitted they had differences with the UPA on the nuclear deal issue but he hoped all these differences would be resolved soon.

Basu denied the party differed on utility of the nuclear power in the development work, though there were some differences and disagreements persisting among themselves on the issue. But these differences would also be resolved at the forthcoming politburo and the central committee meetings beginning in Kolkata from September 28, the veteran leader hoped.

It is now known to all what has prompted us to support the UPA and the Congress also needed their support.

But it is unfortunate that the Congress has been deliberately violating their common minimum programme and some of our leaders also have been mishandling the situation, alleged the senior CPM leader.

Still he hoped their support from the UPA government would not be withdrawn and the country would not go to the snap poll now.

Incidentally, the Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee only three days ago at the CII's industrial forum in the city, publicly supported the nuclear deal and the need of the US investment in Bengal, echoing the views of the Prime Minister and the UPA leadership, which surprised Karat and his company.