Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections | Tamil Nadu is heading towards a change of regime, says Mutharasan

CPI State secretary says the BJP’s campaign, projecting the DMK-led alliance as anti-Hindu, will fail

March 18, 2021 12:59 am | Updated December 02, 2021 10:53 pm IST - Chennai

CPI State secretary R. Mutharasan.

CPI State secretary R. Mutharasan.

CPI State secretary R. Mutharasan is confident that the DMK-led front will win the Assembly election since it has both “political strength and strength of the alliance”. In an interview, he said people would reject the point that the DMK-alliance was anti-Hindu, as they had done in the 1971 election. Excerpts:

How do you see the prospects of the DMK-led alliance in Tamil Nadu?

An electoral outcome is decided by the political strength and strength of the alliance partners. Both are in our favour in this election. I could see tremendous response to the campaign of DMK leader M.K. Stalin, particularly. In his campaign in Tiruvaur, which was undertaken at short notice, I could witness the participation of not just workers from alliance parties but also the general public in huge numbers. It is a clear indication that Tamil Nadu is heading towards a change of regime.

 

But there is a view that there is no anti-AIADMK wave in the State...

This is a campaign run by the ruling party itself. They spread the message that there is no public anger against the government. But the truth is different. If you take into consideration the Delta districts, coconut farmers who bore the brunt of Cyclone Gaja are yet to recover from the damage. They have not been able to remove the trees, so far, in several places. Though the Chief Minister has announced compensation, it is yet to reach the farmers. They also could not get crop insurance in full. When O. Panneerselvam was the Chief Minister, he declared the State drought-hit. During a protest over the issue in Tiruvarur, a farmer died. The protesters refused to remove his body. Mr. Panneerselvam constituted a committee of four Ministers to deal with the issue and declared the State, barring Chennai, as drought-hit. Though he announced a waiver of loans, this has not been implemented yet.

During the pandemic, our alliance demanded ₹5,000 in aid per family and hoisted black flags in houses, in support of the demand. The government distributed just ₹1,000. Now the DMK has promised to distribute ₹4,000 per family. The anger against the government is palpable.

Though the DMK has called its manifesto ‘the second hero of the election’, the issue of prohibition is missing...

When Kalaignar (Karunanidhi) was alive, the DMK promised to waive crop loans and distribute 1 kg of rice for ₹1 [initially he promised it at ₹2/kg]. He also promised eggs in noon meals for students. When then AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa said it was not possible to give 1 kg of rice at ₹1, the then Union Minister, P. Chidambaram, had come out in support of the announcement. After winning the election, he immediately implemented the three promises [the third one being free colour TVs].

There is a belief that the DMK will fulfil its electoral promises. Jayalalithaa promised prohibition in a phased manner. But her government, instead of reducing the number of liquor shops, has been increasing it. It fixes revenue targets for Tasmac shops during festivals. We have been fighting for prohibition. It is possible and can be implemented in a phased manner.

The BJP has launched a campaign accusing the DMK alliance of being anti-Hindu. How are you going to face it?

We have already responded to the campaign. In the 1971 election, Rajaji and Kamaraj formed an alliance against the DMK. A similar campaign was unleashed against the DMK alliance, which included the Indian National Congress led by Indira Gandhi, then. Periyar [E.V. Ramasamy] supported the DMK alliance. It was said that people who have faith in religion would not vote for the DMK. Kamaraj even launched a personal attack on Indira Gandhi. All newspapers predicated a defeat for the DMK alliance. People, however, rejected the campaign and the DMK won the maximum number of seats in that election. It will happen again in this election. The BJP took out its ‘Vetrivel Yatra’. Lord Muruga is a Tamil god, who has married from other communities. Does it mean that the BJP approves of Lord Muruga’s inter-caste marriage?

The communists are in the company of the Congress in Tamil Nadu but oppose it in neighbouring Kerala. Will it not send the wrong signals?

In Kerala, there are only two fronts — one led by the Left and another by the Congress. But the Left and the Congress had come together to adopt a resolution against the farm laws in the Assembly. When it comes to opposing the BJP, there is no difference of opinion between the Left and the Congress.

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