Kannur, April 6 : CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Wednesday urged India to move away Quad to show its independence from the US and also called for a broader national political ty to battle and defeat the BJP. Delivering the inaugural speech at the 23rd Party Congress here, Yechury asked the Congress and regional parties to set their houses in order and take a clear stand on the secular and democratic character of the Indian republic. Left ty, he said, was vital to meet the current political challenges, and he urged all Left, secular and democratic forces to come together to isolate the BJP. He said Hindutva can only be combated by championing uncompromising secularism. On economic disparity, he said the top 10 per cent of people in India hold 57 per cent of the country’s wealth while the bottom half shares only 12 per cent. He accused the Modi government of cementing India as a subordinate ally of the ted States. India should now seriously consider distancing from alliances like the Quad. The Marxist accused the Modi government of pursuing a fascist agenda and assaulting the four fundamental pillars of the Constitution: secular democracy, federalism, social justice and economic sovereignty. Parliament, judiciary, the Election Commission, the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate are also being undermined, he added. “It is essential that the BJP is isolated and defeated,” he said, adding that the current CPI(M) Congress will discuss the concrete steps that need to be undertaken to strengthen the struggle against Hindutva. AK/DS MR