Mangaluru: Secular forces should come together to fight against the communal forces that are trying to destroy the secular nature of the country, Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary G.V. Sriram Reddy has said.

Inaugurating the 22nd district-level conference of the party here on Sunday, Mr. Reddy said the country is known as a place of diversity where people belonging to all religions and different languages live in a harmonious way.

Some communal forces were trying to break this diversity and bring in one religion and one caste, he added. Mr. Reddy said the secular-minded parties should come together and fight against the Hindu and Muslim communal forces.

Mr. Reddy said neo-liberal policies of the Centre was affecting lives of people and added that there was economic inequality with 1% of wealthy people holding the major share of the country’s wealth.

CPI (M) district committee member Krishnappa Saliyan said Sangh Parivar was actively working to bring the Bharatiya Janata Party to power in the State.

Though a small party, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) cadre will put in a fight to prevent such an eventuality, Mr. Krishnappa Saliyan added.

In a resolution passed during the conference, Communist Party of India (Marxist) said in the three-and-a-half-years the Narendra Modi-led BJP government has tried to create an atmosphere of communal hatred in Dakshina Kannada district.

The party will fight decisively against the BJP and save the secular fabric of the district, the resolution added.