Chandigarh, Sept. 23 -- Communist Party of India (CPI) general secretary D Raja on Monday called for a strong communist base to challenge the divisive politics of the present BJP-led central government. Addressing the 25th national congress of the CPI, D Raja said that under (PM Narendra) Modi's rule, public education and health are being dismantled and handed over to private profiteers. "Food security is under attack, with the PDS being eroded and hunger spreading. Farmers are being betrayed even after their historic struggle. Housing for the poor remains a dream. And inequality has reached shameful extremes, with a few billionaires richer than the entire population at the bottom half. This is not accidental. This is the direct outcome of the communal-corporate nexus represented by the BJP-RSS regime," Raja said, adding that unless the BJP is removed from power and the poison of their ideology purged from society and institutions, India cannot survive as a democracy. Outing the tasks for CPI, Raja said the party will have to work on forging a greater Left unity. "First, we must build the Communist Party of India stronger, deeper in the struggles of workers, peasants, women, youth, Dalits, Adivasis, and all marginalised sections. Second, we must overcome narrowness, forge greater Left unity, and present a clear ideological banner before the nation," Raja added. CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby emphasised the need for Left unity, while CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya highlighted the importance of joint initiatives to strengthen the communist movement. Forward Bloc general secretary G Devarajan and Revolutionary Socialist Party general secretary Manoj Bhattacharya also addressed the gathering. Earlier, the event began with the hoisting of the national flag and the CPI flag. The national flag was unfurled by Dr Jagmohan Singh, nephew of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and a distinguished scholar, while the CPI flag was hoisted by veteran communist leader Bhupinder Sambar. The delegates were welcomed by Dr Swarajbir, who recalled the role of the Ghadar Party movement, the Communist movement, the sacrifices made by Shaheed Bhagat Singh and other martyrs in the freedom struggle. Palestinian ambassador Abdullah Shahwaish also addressed the gathering and said Israel and America together are committing genocide in Palestine. "But primarily it is the United States which bears responsibility for this genocide," he said. The gathering was also addressed by Cuban ambassador Juan Aguilera, who said that despite the US trying to strangulate Cuba's economy, the Cuban people and the Communist Party of Cuba are resisting and carryingforward the legacy of Fidel Castro....