CHENNAI: BJP leaders are terming the Opposition parties as “anti-nationals” only because they have done nothing good for the people under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule, says R Mutharasan, state secretary of CPI in an interview to Express. Excerpts:
You have finished one round of the campaign. What were your observations during the campaign?
We have witnessed an anti-incumbency sentiment, especially in the Delta region. This will favour our alliance.
The AIADMK-led alliance seems to be a strong alliance in terms of vote shares of the individual parties. How are you going to face this challenge?
Their alliance is formed out of compulsions. To avoid isolation, the BJP has joined hands with AIADMK. But our alliance is formed out of mutual understanding and as a result of need of the situation.
BJP and its alliance parties have claimed that Narendra Modi is the only leader who has the capability to safeguard the nation. How do you see this?
It is a humbug that only Modi can safeguard the nation. Jawaharlal Nehru was the tallest leader of the country. When he died, the entire country was in the fear as to how the big country would sustain.
But, Lal Bahadur Shastri became the next Prime Minister and we defeated Pakistan in war. Now also we have so many leaders who have the capability not just to safeguard the nation, but preserve its secular nature also.
You say that your alliance is a secular force. But there is no fair space given to minority candidates in your front?
In our alliance, the IUML was given one seat and the DMK has given a seat to a Christian. Besides, we have pledged to protect the welfare of minorities as the minorities in the State are feeling insecure presently. They know very well that we are the only force that can secure their welfare. Securing their rights is more important than merely offering a seat in the election.
Left parties have always been stressing on welfare schemes, rather than populist ones. Would Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s promise of direct cash transfer to the poor not affect the other developmental schemes?
If the scheme is implemented in a proper way, it will not affect the developmental schemes. We have enough resources for such direct cash transfer schemes for the poor.
BJP has been targetting your alliance as anti-Hindu. How are you planning to counter this during the election campaign?
The BJP government has nothing to say as achievements of their five-year rule. Hence they are using religion as a tool to get votes. Voters know how many Hindus were affected by the anti-people policies of the BJP government like NEET.
Taking up the minority cause
Regarding the representation of minorities in the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, Mutharasan says that the IUML is given one seat and the DMK has given a seat to a Christian. “Besides, the alliance have pledged to protect the welfare of minorities as the minorities in the State are feeling insecure presently,” he adds