Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in New Delhi on Tuesday. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan speaks to The Indian Express on the CPM’s ideological war with the RSS, politics over beef and the LDF government’s initiatives in the state. Excerpts:
The BJP and the RSS often compare incidents of mob lynching with the violence in Kerala’s Kannur, where the CPM and the RSS have had many violent clashes. What do you have to say about the repeated incidents of violence in Kannur?
RSS is an organisation that is trained in spreading lies and creating communal clashes. In Kerala, the RSS has been into spreading lies that would provoke people communally ever since it decided to tighten its grip in the state. From the beginning, the RSS deliberately got into the act of hunting and killing CPM activists. One reason for this was the demography of Kerala — almost half of its population comprises of minorities. Due to its hostile attitude towards the minorities, the RSS never could get a hold over those sections in the state. Now they want to have a hold over the Hindu community, but the general population in Kerala does not accept or approve of the RSS. The CPM, with its strong ideology and secularism, has been blocking the RSS in the state and maintaining communal harmony. So, the RSS realises that it needs to defeat the CPM to have its way. That is why it started violence there. This is not something that happened after this government came into power or in the last one decade. However, they are disappointed that they could not have their way. Now, even the national leadership is desperate and is spending a lot of money and training people. There is a training to kill — something unheard in a democratic set-up. This RSS leads the BJP and that is the problem in Kerala.
But the RSS says the CPM indulges in violence in Kannur? BJP leaders, including Union Ministers, have said the violence increases when the CPM comes to power.
We do not want any kind of violence in our state. We have always taken an initiative in ending violence. We never hesitated to take any step. As far as the government is concerned, we organised talks to resolve this issue. But even during such talks, there have been such incidents. When it comes to taking legal measures against violence, the state government never lagged behind. But only legal measures won’t be enough to end the violence. The RSS should take a stand that it would stay away from violence. There have been political killings in Kannur earlier too. If Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) or (Finance Minister) Arun Jaitley really want to see an end to the violence, they should be able to rein in the RSS. The problem is that they cannot rein in the RSS. In fact, the RSS controls them.
In the recent past, there have been many occasions when Kerala came under severe criticism on the social media on issues like beef consumption.
This is part of the campaign by the RSS. Our country is secular and Kerala is one state where it plays out at its best. Such campaigns were to humiliate such a state. An individual can decide what he wants to eat, I can’t take a decision on what you want to eat. What is happening is a violation of that right. We see it as a deliberate move against minorities. But, when it comes to dietary issues, there is no difference between minority or majority. Everyone eats all kinds of food in Kerala. Kerala is one of the states where life span is the highest; and lifespan is closely linked to food habits. In Kerala, people are generally non-vegetarians. If it was bad for health, life expectancy would not have been so good.
RSS is an organisation that is trained in spreading lies and creating communal clashes, said Pinarayi Vijayan. (Source: Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)
In the recent Parliament debate over lynchings, the public slaughter of a cow by Youth Congress activists had been projected to show that a section in the state does not respect the majority’s sensitivities?
It was an incident that was condemned by that party. We cannnot justify such actions. But this is entirely different from one’s right to eat what he wants.
When the Centre’s notification on cattle trade rules came, the Assembly passed a resolution against it. You had also appealed to other Chief ministers to oppose it. What happened?
Then the court intervened. We learnt that the central government has decided to make some changes in that notification. I have decided to inform the state’s opinion on the rules to the Prime Minister and other states have backed my view on it. I will tell him that people should have the right to slaughter for food. It cannot be a crime. People rear cattle not to eat, but for milk and farming purposes. But beyond a point, you cannot keep them. In Kerala, people are already suffering with too many dogs, now we cannot afford cattle too on the streets.
But do you think it was an opportunity for Opposition parties to come together and the other parties missed it?
We say our nation is secular, but merely saying that won’t do. You shall have to be able to oppose communalism, only then can you say you are secular. Many political parties which claim to be secular show their weakness when it comes to the fight against communalism. But the Left has always had an uncompromising stand in opposing communalism.
“The government has launched four missions to address problems in key social sectors”, said Pinarayi Vijayan. (Source: Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)
When you became chief minister, you were projected as a strong leader. Some even compared you to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But what is your assessment? Are you a strong leader?
Others assess your personality. Sometimes, people brand some leaders with a particular image.
The opposition is still looking for a strong leader to bring everyone together? What’s your role in it?
My role would be in line with the stand of our party and of the front. We have been opposing many things that are happening. We will not compromise on that stand. We try to put forward an alternative policy and get people to support it. I don’t see any specific role for me.
CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury has been a strong voice of the Opposition inside and outside Parliament. Now there is a debate and the party’s top leadership is discussing whether Yechury should be back in Rajya Sabha. Whats your view?
I have worked as a party secretary in Kerala. I had been assigned the responsibility while I was a minister in the state government. I had not resigned from the Assembly during that period. I could not do justice to the role of a legislator during that period. My role as a legislator had become confined to occasional visits to the assembly. From my experience, I can tell you, a party general secretary naturally cannot take care of the responsibilities of a parliamentarian. Because he has to travel across the country to play his role. Those who are seeking his presence in Rajya Sabha want it because he is efficient. It’s true that he is efficient, but he cannot compromise on his other role. The party does not intend to make any compromise on his role as the general secretary.
But there is a view that Yechury’s presence in the House is crucial at a time when the Opposition should be united against the BJP like in 2004.
The CPM had to back the Congress at a time when the country faced misery after (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee ran a government of RSS-led BJP. The country could not afford to see another five-year term for that government because it would have damaged India’s parliamentary democracy. We had to avert that danger and the CPM decided to support the Congress-led UPA on the basis of a common minimum programme. However, we know what happened and we know what kind of a stand the Congress adopted. It was the anti-people stance of the Congress that led to the return of BJP to power. We are not ready to have any kind of political alliance or friendship with such a party. Accepting the Congress support to send our party general secretary to the Rajya Sabha would be against and not in accordance with the political stand we have been adopting.
At the time of the election, the LDF gave the slogan that everything will be alright if it comes to power. How far have you been able to keep the word?
We have given our progress report to people on the first anniversary of our government. People have responded positively. In a short span of time, we could initiate a number of positive initiatives. There are very few things we could not initiate. We have been very frank in our report card.
CPI, an ally of CPM in the LDF, has been playing an Opposition party’s role in Kerala for a while. Comment?
I don’t think it is proper to comment on it.
Two ministers in your government were forced to resign after allegations of impropriety. Has it affected your government’s image? (E P Jayarajan quit as industry minister after he was accused of nepotism, while A K Saseendran stepped down as transport minister following allegations of misconduct with a woman)
No. People have seen that only LDF could take such strong stance. In the past, governments waited for charges to be proved. (But in this case) when there were serious allegations, both leaders decided to quit.
The SNC Lavalin case (a financial scandal pertaining to a contract between the state government and a Canadian company) is often raised against you. Are you concerned about its outcome?
I was never worried about it.
The LDF government has already relaxed restrictions on bar licenses. Would you consider further relaxation?
I don’t think so. It has already been relaxed enough.
The state government’s fiscal position is weak, with the treasury’s closing balance at its lowest in a decade. What are the measures being taken to bolster it?
It is true that Kerala has financial constraints, but our position has been that this should not affect development activities. That is why we brought the KIIFB act (Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund (Amendment) Bill) to raise funds from outside and take up infrastructure projects. With development activities, we also mean to enhance production capacity and revenue. We will be able to take the state forward with it. Reverse immigration from Gulf countries would be an issue, but we will be able to face it with this resource outside the budget.
Kerala has been facing the burden of militant labour — at least there is such an image. People are facing issues like ‘gawking wages’. How do you plan to tackle this?
There are many industrialists in Kerala and none of them complain of many labour union issues. No one wound up their business because of that and many have praised the general healthy atmosphere. But these things do not get marketed outside. So, I have asked those industrialists to be ambassadors for the state in this aspect and they have agreed. There is another issue, people demanding wage for work they have not done. We have strong actions against such acts. Unfortunately, such complaints come long after the incidents happen. We make strong interventions. Recognised trade unions do not support it, but those who want to establish themselves as trade unions indulge in such activities.
“We do not want any kind of violence in our state. We have always taken an initiative in ending violence”, said Pinarayi Vijayan. (Source: Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)
Unlike the usual Left practice, your government decided to go for some lateral entries into the administration? How did the experiment go?
It has been good and successful.
You have introduced a Life Mission project and the CII has expressed its willingness to take partnership
The government has launched four missions to address problems in key social sectors. Life Mission is one of them – a mission for housing for all. There is a section of people which does not have house or land. The government is planning to construct a colony for them. Since they are very poor, we want to see that at least one family member gets employment. We will also provide skill training, health services to the elderly, education for children and prepare them for community living. We want to do it within four years. Some have come up expressing readiness to take over the responsibility of 100 houses. The government will provide land and specifications for construction of the houses. The CII representatives have also responded positively.
Another serious crisis Kerala has been facing is waste management
Haritha (Green) Kerala mission was launched for this. We have realised that we will not be able to manage waste successfully with the same set up. We decided to change our approach. The urban areas generate the maximum waste and we need to have a centralised system to manage it. We have invited people and firms from this field across the world to make presentations in August.
