Marx and religion
It is said when someone is helpless and reaches the end of his/her tether, he or she turns to religion. The same apparently applies to political parties. Godless Communists, in this case of the CPI(M) variety, appear to be gradually moving towards religion.
This may be to mobilise the masses, but the very notion of godless Commies seeking divine intervention, as it were, is enough to send Karl Marx and his ilk spinning in their graves. Whatever would Mao, Stalin or Lenin say?
But then, Mao and others never had to fight elections. After its electoral massacre in West Bengal and Kerala, the CPI(M) is desperate to find ways to woo voters and, as we all know, the proletariat loves the religious opiate. Some party worthies always knew this, and along with worshipping Marx never forgot to pay obeisance to Ma Durga, particularly at Puja time, unmindful of the ridicule they attracted from Leftist comrades. Now they are the ones laughing.
But praying to the gods has limitations. There is no guarantee that this will pay off at election time. Ask the BJP, which found the Lord blesses parties but once. Also, the CPI(M) would do well not to limit itself to any one religion, but play safe wooing every divinity. In a country where Hindus pray to millions of gods, minor and major, this can be a little complicated. How simple life was when the only book to read was Das Kapital and Marxist slogans the only holy text to memorise.
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