2024 polls very critical for India's future as secular democracy is under attack: D Raja

New Delhi: The 2024 Lok Sabha elections are very critical for India's future as secular democracy is "under attack", and defeating the BJP is necessary to save the Constitution and democracy, Communist Party of India General Secretary D Raja said.

In an interview with PTI, the CPI general secretary downplayed the suggestion that the Ram temple consecration will have a decisive impact on the upcoming general elections, and said the BJP's understanding of 'Ram' is different from the people's understanding of the lord.

He also dismissed the BJP's "Modi ki Guarantee" slogan as one devised for electoral gains ahead of polls and dubbed it as a "jumla" (empty rhetoric).

PM Modi has failed to fulfil his promises on jobs, bringing back blackmoney and tackling price rise, he said.

"The 2024 elections are very very critical for the country and its future. For the past 10 years what we witnessed is a disastrous rule...Mr Modi claimed maximum governance, minimum government, but the governance has become minimum, even minus...democracy is in peril. Parliament is becoming redundant," he said, noting that it was "unprecedented" that more than 140 MPs were suspended from Parliament during the last winter session.