Press Statement
On Lok Sabha Speaker
The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:
The BJP has chosen to nominate Shri Manohar Joshi belonging to the Shiv Sena for the Speakership of the Lok Sabha. The Shiv Sena is a party which challenges the secular principle of the Indian republic. Its leader has been disqualified by the Election Commission from exercising his franchise for indulging in blatant communal propaganda. The Shiv Sena’s inflammatory communal stance in Maharashtra and its consequences are well known. The question is not about the individual chosen. At a time when the entire country is seriously concerned about the ongoing pogrom against the minorities in Gujarat, the choice of the Speaker from the Shiv Sena sends disturbing signals and will adversely affect the image of parliament which is a vital institution in the democratic system. While the BJP has shown contempt for secular-democratic values, its NDA partners have shown themselves to be willing accomplices.