‘Those who want Gandhi’s India will not vote against DMK-led INDIA bloc’

CHENNAI: The Papanasam constituency MLA said though there is a difference of opinion among the leaders like Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejirwal, they are firm on uprooting Narendra Modi-led BJP government that destroyed the democratic fabric of the nation in the name of development in the last 10 years and infused fear among the minorities.

How the DMK-led INDIA bloc is gearing up for the LS polls? What is the role of your party in it?

For TN concern, the DMK front remained strong and none of the constituents left the alliance since 2019. We have been with the DMK front since 2014 LS polls. We have a collective objective of protecting the preamble of the Constitution and federalism. DMK leader and CM M K Stalin is heading the front in an efficient manner and confident of winning all the 40 seats, including Puducherry. We wish the DMK led INDIA bloc model should be replicated in other states to remove the Narendra Modi led BJP government to save the nation.

But there is visible fracture in the INDIA bloc. For instance, TMC leader Mamata Banerjee’s decision to go solo in WB. And the AIADMK leaders in TN are saying that the INDIA bloc in TN will face the same fate?

Those who speak or express such views should understand one thing that the INDIA bloc’s sole objective is to uproot the Modi government that destroyed and dismantled every fabric of the nation in the name of development.

There are differences of opinion when it comes to seat-sharing, resulting in a war of words. But INDIA bloc’s objective and leaders like Mamata Banerjee, and Arvind Kejriwal have no difference of opinion from removing the BJP from power.

According to you, what will be the major poll plank for the LS?

The 10 years of BJP government’s misdeeds will be the major poll plank. We fear that if BJP comes to power again, then democracy in India will be a big question mark. Even now many democratic ethos shattered and the Parliament, which is considered as the temple of democracy, has been overridden. The BJP’s economic policy favoured 1% of the population of the country, which looted 45% of the nation’s resources. If we want to say in a single line that they are against the India that was imagined by Mahatma Gandhi and the freedom fighters.

What is your opinion on the BJP leaders’ claim of massive victory with the support of minorities?

Not only minorities, the people of the state, who wish and want social justice, and social harmony to continue and thrive in the state, will not vote for the BJP. If BJP leaders are confident of their strength and sure of a massive victory in the LS polls, why do the BJP leader (Amit Shah) say that their doors are open for the AIADMK.

As AIADMK quits BJP alliance, is it possible a significant section of minorities will vote for AIADMK?

Definitely, it is not possible. There are several reasons for that. Being the Chief Minister in the past and leader of the AIADMK, Edappadi K Palaniswami supported the BJP government and its policies. He did not register any objection even though the policies were against the state interest and autonomy.

The minorities, in particular, will not forget the AIADMK’s role in the safe passage of the Citizen Amendment Bill in the Rajya Sabha in 2019. It had a majority in the Lok Sabha, but it did not have a majority in RS. If the 11 MPs of the AIADMK voted against the Bill in the RS, it would have ended there. But they voted in favour of the Bill. When then opposition leader M K Stalin raised the issue and urged the AIADMK regime to pass a resolution against the CAA in the assembly, EPS rejected it categorically and said no one was affected due to this Act.

Moreover, the DMK government withdrew the cases against the CAA protestors and passed a resolution asking the Union government to repeal CAA.

EPS made it clear that AIADMK will not permit any harm towards the minorities?

The law (CAA) is discriminatory on the face of it. How can the AIADMK support such a blatant discriminatory law towards minority and Sri Lankan Tamils? Anyone who wants secularism, social and religious harmony to continue, will not vote for the AIADMK. Same applies to any alliance against the DMK front.

Does Ram Mandir have an impact in the LS poll?

It is a bygone issue and the BJP had already reaped benefits for it, according to many scholars and columnists. Therefore, it will not add anything new to the BJP and it will not have much impact in the general election. Being Ram devotees does not mean that they will vote for the BJP.