Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that religious faith and communalism stand at opposite ends and that criticism of communalism should not be misconstrued as an attack on any particular community or its believers.

He said communal forces often attempt to portray criticism of communalism as criticism of faith, a tactic that should not be accepted. The Chief Minister was speaking while inaugurating the reception ceremony of the Centenary Message Yatra led by Samastha president Sayyid Muhammad Jifri Muthukoya Thangal on Saturday.

The Chief Minister further said there should be no compromise with the view that growing majoritarian communalism can be effectively challenged through minority communalism. "Criticism of such communalism is not criticism of any particular religious community. Both these communalism are complementary to each other. Religious faith and communalism are two opposing poles. This must be clearly understood," he said.

In this regard, Samastha, the outfit, has a significant role to contribute, he said. Since its formation in 1926, the movement has focused not only on imparting religious discipline and knowledge among Muslim communities in Kerala, but also on upholding peace and coexistence in society, he said in a Facebook post later.

Pinarayi said the greatest strength of democracy lies in its ability to accept differences and understand dissent. However, this perspective is currently facing severe challenges, he said.

"The great tradition of unity in diversity is being eroded every moment, with the discourse increasingly moving towards the ideas of one nation, one religion, one language, and one culture," he said in an apparent attack against the BJP-led Centre.

Stating that violence against minorities was not merely an attack on any one community, he said it is also an assault on the country's secularism, democratic thought, and diversity itself. "Therefore, resisting all such attacks is a collective responsibility of each one of us," he said and urged everyone to act together to protect the democratic and secular spirit of the nation.

Protection of minorities is the Left policy, and it was not done with an eye on elections, the Chief Minister added.