New Delhi, Jan 14 (IANS) The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) does not bar people with religious belief from joining, but they should not let their faith intrude into the affairs of the state, party chief Prakash Karat said Thursday.
Troubled by former MP from Kerala, K.S. Manoj, quitting the party last week, the CPI-M general secretary said: “The party has no hesitation in joining hands with believers and those religious leaders who espouse the cause of the poor, or, act in defence of the rights of the working people.”

Manoj, who represented Kerala’s Alappuzha constituency in the previous Lok Sabha, had quit in protest against the party’s Rectification Document, which reportedly directs party members not to participate in religious ceremonies.

Clarifying the party’s stand on religion in an article in the latest issue of the People’s Democracy, the party mouthpiece, Karat said: “Marxists are atheists, i.e., they believe in no religion. But Marxists understand the origin of religion and the role it plays in society.”

“While the CPI-M upholds the materialist outlook, it does not bar people having religious faith from joining the party,” he said.

“The only condition for membership is acceptance of the Party Programme, the Constitution and the willingness to work under Party discipline in an organisational unit of the party.”

He went on: “The Communist party does not bar persons who have religious faith from joining the party. While they may practise their faith, they are expected to also uphold secularism and oppose the intrusion of religion into the affairs of the state.”

Karat said the rectification guidelines were designed to help Communist party members live by Communist norms and values.

“As far as the leading cadres are concerned, the Party expects them to behave like Marxists both in their public and private life,” he said.

While quitting, Manoj said he was forced to take the decision because he felt his religious beliefs stood above his party ideology. He said he was pained to see the recent Rectification Document which called on party leaders not to take part in religious functions.

“Dr Manoj is wrong in stating that the CPI-M guidelines for its leading cadres on religious practice is against the Indian constitution. The constitution provides for a secular state which guarantees the right to practise one’s religion to a citizen. It also ensures the right for a citizen not to practise religion. The CPI-M is an organisation in which citizens voluntarily join if they subscribe to its philosophy,” Karat said.