With just a week left for the state to vote in the Lok Sabha election, what’s your assessment?
In 2019, the Congress had campaigned on the plank that the party should be voted to power, so that Rahul Gandhi can form the government. The majority of Keralites are against the BJP. That’s how the UDF recorded a major victory. However, the UDF MPs failed to raise Kerala’s concerns in Parliament.
The second Modi government has been blatantly executing the RSS agenda. The Citizenship (Amendment) Act was one such move. Kerala has always strongly reacted to such issues. The UDF MPs failed to raise their voice to protect the secular values that we stand for. When many Left leaders were arrested, the Congress was nowhere to be seen.
In Kerala too, the decision was to move ahead with a united protest. But, the Congress backtracked. Similarly on issues like special status for J&K, which too was based on the RSS agenda, the Congress remained silent. There are many Congress leaders with a Sangh parivar mindset.
The UDF MPs never raised Kerala’s issues like the state’s financial crisis and the much required assistance from the Centre. They always supported the Centre, and have never once stood with the state. In short the BJP has an anti-Kerala approach. The UDF backs this approach. People would be voting against this anti-Kerala approach. There’s a pro-LDF wave in all constituencies.
The Prime Minister in his recent speeches has been targeting you.
It’s not about targeting me. It’s part of a discriminatory approach towards Kerala. Kerala rejects the ideology of hatred. That’s the BJP’s basic issue. That’s why political parties that resist them are being targeted. It’s happening in other states too. We started our political life without hoping to get anything in return. We only have one purpose — what’s being done should be righteous. I can say with confidence that so far, there’s no blemish to that commitment. That’s why I am able to face any opposition. The PM should ponder whether such remarks are worthy of the position he holds.
Do you see this LS election as a referendum on the LDF government in the state?
Normally, Lok Sabha election is an assessment of issues at the national level. But it’s only natural that the state government’s deeds get mentioned in any election. We have no concerns about that. The primary focus is on the challenges faced by the country like threat to secularism, democracy, independence, unity and national integration. The country itself is in danger. In the face of such grave threats, UDF MPs never took the right approach. This is going to be an assessment on their performance and approach.
Why is it that in this poll, you have nothing but CAA as campaign issue. Congress says you have nothing to project as government’s achievements?
I spoke about government and administration during the Nava Kerala Sadas. That’s not what we should talk about now. Here, it is the issues that the country faces and the Congress’ approach to these issues. How attempts are being made to destroy our nationhood... It’s being done by the BJP, hence criticism is against the BJP. Criticism against the Congress is its failure to take a position against the BJP.
What is the general sentiment in this election?
Now the general sentiment across the country is that the BJP must go. What is best for the country once the BJP is ousted can be worked out after the elections. Based on the post-election scenario, appropriate decisions will be taken and leaders will emerge. The first priority is to defeat the BJP. That’s the approach taken in each state.
You have been consistently asserting on defeating BJP. Are you genuinely confident?
The BJP government is becoming more and more desperate day-by-day. It is doing anything and everything to continue in power. It is resorting to desperate measures that cross all acceptable limits. People will not approve of such acts. Naturally, the BJP has been facing major setbacks, even in places where they claim to enjoy tremendous support. If we look across the country, there’s a new found resistance against the BJP that stems from simmering resentment, protests and opposition towards such arbitrary acts. In short, there’s an anti-BJP movement cropping up at the national level.
Do you mean the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal?
Yes. The statement by Sarath Chandra Reddy is the only thing against Kejriwal. Usually when a businessman is involved in a case, he would be keen to be get out of it at the earliest. He was reportedly asked by the ED to name someone. Now two chief ministers are behind the bars. It’s a very strange situation. If these two suddenly decide to shift their allegiance to the BJP, they’ll be declared innocent overnight. We have seen several such instances. Can anyone recall such blatant abuse of the system and its machinery in the past?
If his arrest was unfair, why do the courts reject his arguments?
That’s an important point. Courts function as per the judicial system in place. But when there’s misuse of the judicial system, courts in our country, especially the Supreme Court, should intervene and examine. The CPM has raised this. Courts also have realised this. Some of their remarks indicate this. At times, courts have expressed their resentment to the ED in this regard.
You mean to say the courts have begun to realise that the judicial system is being misused?
The courts have realised how the system is being misused. Judges of the Supreme Court have openly come out against attempts to interfere with the judiciary.
At the national level, the CPM has been associating with INDIA bloc. Do you think the INDIA alliance will get a majority?
The CPM doesn’t see it as an alliance. It’s more of an arrangement of bringing together all secular parties who can unite against the BJP. Defeating the BJP in each state will be given priority. The regional parties will have a major role to play in this effort . In some places the Congress too will have to play the role of either as the lead partner or a junior partner.
The CPM manifesto says controversial legislations like the UAPA will be repealed. But one of the major criticism against you is that the LDF government has been widely imposing UAPA, despite the CPM’s position.
In general, the party position has always been against imposing UAPA. But when such a law exists, in some cases, it may need to be imposed. That cannot be avoided. So we need to ensure with utmost care that it’s not being misused. It is imposed only after review by a committee led by a judge. We have never rushed into slapping the UAPA.
The cyber attack against Vadakara candidate K K Shailaja has been widely discussed. How desirable is such a trend?
These — the cyber attacks and personal attacks — are two different things. The one against Shailaja teacher is personal attack. It is mere hooliganism. Such things cannot be accepted. No attempts should be made to justify such acts is what I want to tell the Congress leadership. Cyber attack is another thing. People make such random comments on social media. Necessary legal action should be taken. But we cannot effectively restrain such acts unless we take a collective call. When it comes to attacks against Shailaja, such low-level slander should be rejected outright. Going by reports, some prominent people in the Youth Congress were involved.
Is political violence making a comeback in Kerala? I’m asking this in the background of the Panur bomb blast.
One cannot say there’s such a major move...Peace prevails in these places. However, the recent blast shows that the tendency still exists. The government will take stringent action against those involved. There is no way we can accept ‘bomb culture’ in politics.
The BJP has been hopeful of making it big in at least five constituencies in Kerala. How do you assess the BJP’s chances here?
The BJP will not secure even second place in any of the 20 constituencies in Kerala. In many seats, they will face major setbacks.
The party is especially hopeful of Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur?
It’s certain that the BJP will end up a poor third in both these constituencies.
The ED has been persistently targeting both the CPM and you. They seem to be closing in on the party, Thomas Isaac and you. Are you worried of the ED ensnaring you? Have you got any such indication?
I haven’t got any such indication. So far, nothing has happened that could lead them to me. Earlier too there were apparent indications — as if the ED was right at the doorsteps, but they fizzled out (smiles).
What about Isaac?
The court itself asked why such a position is being taken. The Masala Bond was issued after clearance from the RBI. Their validity is over. The money has been repaid. There were no irregularities. The ED coming after such a matter itself is illegal. As state finance minister, Isaac had no special responsibility in the matter. It was decided by a board of experts. We don’t want to resist any probe agency. But its actions should not be politically motivated.
Is there any such politically motivated approach in the CMRL issue involving your daughter?
It’s a different issue. It’s a transaction between two companies. All details are available with the accounts of both these companies. All these details have been handed over to Income Tax officials. Investigation is being conducted into a legal transaction alleging lack of transparency. It’s obviously being carried out with vested interests.
Is there an attempt being made to target you personally?
(Laughs). Many people will wish many things. There has always been a section of people who think and act against me. There are some others who nurture such people. My hands are clean. People know that. So such wishes will remain wishes.
So you are certain that the probe agencies won’t come after you?
Under normal circumstances, there’s absolutely no ground for them to come after me.
But as you said these are not normal times.
If such an extraordinary situation arises, we’ll see what to do. We can now speak, based on the current scenario (laughs).
The ED has been after the Karuvannur scam.
The cooperative sector in Kerala has been functioning commendably. The government wants to maintain the sector’s credibility. In this particular case, some people may have erred. The government’s position is clear. There shall be no compromise with such people. Stringent action will be taken. But we won’t let this cooperative outfit be destroyed. We will protect the sector. In Karuvannur, the ED didn’t find anything new.They just gave it more publicity. That’s all. If we look at the cooperative sector in Gujarat, the BJP failed to protect the sector. Even the RBI has complained about it.
Congress says Rahul Gandhi has been emerging as the leader of INDIA bloc.
I don’t think that’s correct. As leader of the Congress, Rahul Gandhi is a prominent face. When it comes to being the leader of INDIA bloc, that will be decided later.
The other day there was a verbal duel between A K Antony and his son. Later, certain allegations were raised by T G Nandakumar.
In this, there are certain issues that would have an impact on A K Antony. I don’t want to raise it as an electoral issue. When such information gets leaked, and later, a few Congress leaders themselves attest it, naturally it gains credibility.