Sitaram Yechury interview: 'INDIA bloc is very viable and strong alternative'

so sir uh you have said several times over that this is going to be a or rather this is a very important election for the country and uh you have given your own reasons for the SC and uh you have said that it's quite critical because democracy may not be there if the same government comes back to pass so is the India Alliance uh strong enough to give a proper alternative because the bjp's propaganda is basically uh around the argument that there is no proper alternative being given to given by the India Alliance well you see there's no proper alternative or there's no real alternative to the Prime Minister nendra Modi who's the personality etc etc these are arguments of a very vintage variety which I've been hearing for the last half century when we had the same argument in 2004 saying what is the alternative to watch B what is this mly Crow that is coming here Kushi in Kerala and D in Delhi how can that be left so but despite all that alternative government came in 2014 for 10 years it lasted so the point is there are two narratives that are that are currently on in India one is a Modi sponsored of the BJP sponsor media narrative that is majorly taken over thanks to corporate media except for very honorable exceptions like like you all but but but the overall the atmosphere is to create a media narrative that is completely diverse from the people's narrative and and which is what is happening if you say that does India have that alternative that alternative has emerged already through the understanding and seat adjustments in most of the states at the state level which was always the declared objective it's not going to be a great Indian all India funfair you know division of seats Etc it is going to be BR stack down down the line at the state level and that has been worked out in a vast majority of states in some states deliberately it is not worked out because that is more advantages to actually keep the BJP out like in Kerala the ldf UDF contest is what they forget an MP not even an MLA BJP can get and like in Bal the anti-al Congress anti- incen that should not favor the BJP so therefore the Congress and the left being together and so in each state things have got a different footing but overall I would say all over the country the understanding between the partners of the India block has been achieved and I think that is a very very viable and a very strong alternative but there is also this argument that this tends to weaken the India Alliance because you are in competition with Congress here in Kerala and you are in Alliance with Congress elsewhere say West Bengal Rajasthan other places so how does it weaken how it gives out a Missy that you are not together who's perceiving that message that is what I said by two narratives the people on the ground perceive a different narrative from what the media is is propagating people on the ground say it is only because of the UDF ldf confrontation that the BJP is marginalized in Kera you are saying the opposite or the media narrative says the opposite but the reality is what the people's alternative has actually people's narrative has actually proven the fact the last elections or last eltion or whatever it is despite all the Sound and Fury that the BJP makes and the prime minister's regular visits I mean what was the net result for them in Ora I mean in Kerala that all of us know we've seen the things so therefore I think that this is only a media generated BJP sponsored narrative the real people's narrative realizes there's no such problem at all uh CPM was a party which went to court against the Electoral bones uh why is it that it hasn't now the the data is available for the people to study and understand but why is it that it has not become a PO issue across the country again the two narratives are at it has become a PO issue at the local level it is be a PO isue at the local level and in fact everywhere that we've been going campaigning it it is it is such an issue that people saying that we never knew that Modi or this government could actually loot the country in such a way and they've used all the tools available in the in the dictionary extortions I mean proo sweetart deals money laundering threats threats of actions for and and they collecting 10,000 so I mean what is all I mean you think people are just not realizing all this they are realizing it from their own day-to-day experience they're saying they can amass so much money by these methods and you have the highest unemployment the highest continuing inflation particularly your food St household savings are the lowest ever in our history household indebtedness is the highest ever in our history what is the all the show but are these issues being discussed by the people at the Grassroots more than discussed they fa and and it is that that that makes a decisive difference discussions can be Abra many of them but it actually lived experience of the people but there was a study done recently which said BJP has been able to create a perception that it was returning to par in Delhi and so people although they feel all these things they still what the BJP again again building up the media narrative that is that is what it is all about perception man perception management and building up of the alternate narrative they can be also the other other nature of surve also that we can give which came out recently B published it and later it had to R never say why it had to that's a different point but in about 10 states the India block will get over 200 seats and the and overtaking the BJP and importantly the states where BJP Maxim it position already so I mean States like up up ran so yeah it is the whatever be the perception management of mind control games that they play but eventually people have to survive people have to see whether their children survive or not and people unfortunately what the BJP doesn't want to be known to the public is India Today tops the in terms of the largest net worth individuals and their families leaving the country why they don't find themselves safe here most unfortunate part 75 years of Independence if you don't find your motherland safe for living then what is the message that you given how do you see or assess the CPM uh performance or CPM uh show in the elections in West Bengal uh in tripura Rajasthan and Kerala you see in Bal and Tria the cpm's performance will be much better if the elections are held free and fair and that is a challenge you hold a free and fair election you'll find the cpm's performance been vastly improving trur and B particularly yeah and and that is where I mean for the last few elections I mean the complete distortions have been taking place and which unfortunately could not be controlled and also there's an interest for the BJP in Bengal to portray as a TMC BJP binary and that is again the media perception saying that this is the alternative to that and in in that projection they got thoroughly when roundly defeated in the assembly elections B the BJP but then BJP is the ruling party inur so they again I mean to Sham of election so we hope the election commission when Rises to the occasion so do you think that the uh the move by uh it Department to raid the DC office in Tru and to raise some allegations of fund misappropriation and all that so that is also part of this electoral game you tell me these these accounts are up on the election commission website and on the I it database website for the last one year why haveen now even supposing I want to say that they are they do doing their job I mean when when you file the return after one year you wake up and that to the midst of the relation and that along with all the other things that are happening C arrest arrest and then attack of all the opposition leaders dividing parties Etc why does it happen now that's that is enough to to show that malif intention now if there's anything is that we have on the basis of the usage of the C pan card every single account that has been used all over the country all of them Consolidated submitted annually and in fact time the election commission and the other authori say on record that we are the one who actually fulfills that in time and now even the ruling party does not do that but there no questions are there no but you tell me another that this timing is you have clearcut cases of money laundering in the Electoral Bones the various firms that have bought electoral bones multiple times the profits they made there many firms who bought electoral bones who have gone to losses where did they get this money isn't this an open and shut case of money laundry and prevention of money laundering at pmla is that Ed is empowered with it why is it not using the pmla on these cases but CPM is of the view that pmla along with the uapa should be struck down because it's Draconian in nature no the drai aspects of it must be struck down must be but what I'm saying is now you're using the same others and and saying there no need for me to give you any charet I can put you in jail till you prove yourself to be innocent that's me they just reversed the principle of J that I'm innocent till proven guilty now I'm guilty till I prove my own innocence know that Rous Ian that we want to go but if that is being implemented in other places why not this open and shut cases money laundry in the Electoral B that is stet forward giveway Mr Modi was here yesterday and he raised a lot of allegations against the state government saying that there was this new in which the party was involved he also cited the case against cm's daughter then uh the uh the The Raid by income tax department all that so I mean how is the CPM the central agency gold smuggling thing is been going on for how many years now 2 and a half years under who under whose liit is that whole subject in central government why they not doing anything if that is the case so either this prime minister is inaccurate or his agency is incompetent and here it is the prime minister who's actually inacurate not only inacurate deliberately spreading FAL false information so so the point is always the boot is on the other foot for Mr Modi he makes this Reckless Reckless allegations whereas his he is singularly responsible as heading the central government for having conducted these investigations earlier but the same allegations are also repeated by the Congress and the Congress also says that I mean you're in you have joined hands with the Congress elsewhere where you happy as a partner and here in Kerala I mean the government is totally corrupt that is well otherwise what what is the local standard they have to say something what is the local standard I I want I want them to answer one question why is it the largest number of people going in joining BJP Are Congress leaders why so before Hing charges look into yourself why is this happening I mean people with I mean half a century is standing in the Congress have gone to the BJP all across the country not here and even here I don't want to name them because because these are all when people I worked with in the Parliament and been ministers Etc but their children Etc don't if they don't want to join politics that's fine I have no problem but if they want to join politics but and they want join the Congress and then leave to go to the V what is happening so stop Hing unary charges and just look Inward and see but the allegation is that most of these cases are not pursued because the M has some sort of understanding with the BJP if they had to be pursued you think after all that Modi said yesterday that he said here he's not pursuing because of some understanding he's not pursuing he's unable to pursue because he's unable to find substantial what basis of material on the basis of which he can act that is that is the reality so what are the major B issues raised by the CPM is it different in each state or there is a national narrative as shown in the manifesto there is a national narrative and of course in each state there are certain specific variations and there are some very important issues that come up to the Forefront like the question of Law and Order and Bengal or I mean a Level Playing Field in the free and fair election when these are the issues that are important so like this in state to state there will be variation but there is a general National National narrative and the theme and a national program which we want to implement that is you don't think that there is any anti-incumbency existing in no no no you see anti-incumbency Also may if it all it there may reflect in the assembly AB that incumbency against home if there is an anti-incumbency in k then it is against Congress 19 or the 20 how the ud so any an incy the Congress fav us how do you rate your chances of succeeding in places like Rajasthan where you are contesting one seat and in Tamil Nadu you're in Alliance withu just been there completed my campaign they tamad is going to do very well I don't think the BJP all it allies are going to get even a single seat there so therefore we should be winning both our seats that we are contesting in Rajasthan actually for the me historically never happened the Congress and the CPM came together we M contenders in that that whole area where your state Secretary is now can so now that that has happened because of the National Developments I think it should uh it should give us positive results but you must remember that last time the BJP which won that seat won with 58% of the voting support so it's 8% more than the half so it's a formidable contest so we have to see now there whatever in bear I think we have a good chance in we having CH in Assam there's a lot of ground pressure against the Congress to withdraw their candidate in where we so we have to see what happens there so likewise I think there will be new areas in which we'll be able to breach get members of parliament but the staying away of parties like gdu rld uh then prash Ed's party is been the historical Ro play in the last few elections always finally objectively help the BJP even last election L Assembly Election Parliament ele the RO that he play the split in NCP and JD and rlb staying a I mean they done all this in order to gain BJP but I think it is actually splitting NCP and Sh has given both the NCP leader and a tremendous ground of support pleas through the simple they've been red and and that is why I mean they could not BJP with all the Splinter Alliance they could not hold the local body elections they sure to lose they didn't want that to happen before the parliament election we are in canu where the CPM is being accused of forting violence uh is that anything new no but because of the reent I entered politics 50 years ago the same charge cence who are the best judges of that two or not people look at where the people are voting and what is the ver they're giving so the blast ahead of the elections are not going to affect the impact the outcome which the the blast which happened recently just about 2 weeks ago no no they won't impact but definitely it is an indication that there are desperate forces who are trying to make inroads but the people of G are mature enough they won't all but some CBM workers have been accused and the guy who got killed also part of the party that I me it always anything happens in K there will always be acquisition CPM is involved in it I mean that's because of the popular Mass support we have so so so that likely come but in most of the cases finally when the court finally given their vers it is all been that we been but all all these cases have actually we've been cleared of them why do you think this Mr Modi making frequent visits to Kerala saying that we'll get two digits what is desperation from theate desperation on the one hand you go around boasting around the country you will get more than 400 on the other hand he he knows fully well more than anybody else that he's already maximized in those areas where the sharpening of communal polarization works for them he can't get more seeds than what he got last time from Raj because there no more seeds so but those are reducing where does he make up from split the parties in Maharashtra split nsh Kumar from the India blog you go and align with in Karnataka so trying to cut your losses and that is what and then coming here hoping the more he comes that they will get some gains here in Tamil Nadu is continuously been traveling I think he visited Tamil Nadu at least a dozen times but then unfortunately he doesn't learn from his own experience he did the same in kataka before the assembly elections the more he travel there more decisively the Congress were so so that is what is likely to happen here also what do you think will happen in Kerala like last time was a poor throw by the CPM and the left for the parliament yeah for the parliament that's what I said for the parliament you ask me about anti that should favor the this is but this time after seeing the Congress the Congress leaders so easily defecting to the BJP Etc the people also in Kera I think come if not they have already come they're coming to the conclusion that it is a safer bet to have the left which is unlikely to defect of this nature in order to strengthen the BP than the Congress rely more on the left than the Congress the left also face the same situation in West Bengal and trur no party leaders when and join very very rarely never that is the thing I mean West Bal and we are getting killed but our leaders don't turn Cod but that sort of character you require in the party the Congress doesn't have to K people have I think already come to the conclusion that it is a much safer bit to have the CPM and the left involvement because about the Congress even if they win we don't know how many will remain with the Congress so are you happy with the way the India Alliance has been doing its work well it is been fairly satisfactory at the moment at the State levels which is what we plann anyway and uh there is going to be a meeting in uh in rachi 21st and also in issuance what we decided earlier of the basic fundamental points of our agenda what we'll do to the people that will also be reled

Channel: The Hindu

Views: 1,294

Keywords: Lok Sabha elections 2024, Sitaram Yechury interview, Communist Party of India, Lok Sabha elections 2024 Kerala, Anti-cumbency in kerala elections, Communist party kerala lok sabha elections

Id: bsH_o-M7wMQ

Length: 25min 2sec (1502 seconds)

Published: Wed Apr 24 2024