Sceptics in the mainstream

As fringe parties and groups, with their nimble tactics, have of late stolen the thunder from the mainstream parties over critical issues with major popular resonance, some leaders of the latter set of parties predictably feel that staging flash protests or linking political issues with sports may not be the right way to take forward a campaign.

Former Minister Thangam Thennarasu of the DMK contends that the IPL was an isolated issue and the small parties and groups had wrongly sought to link it with the core issue of constituting the Cauvery Management Board.

“A political party with some social responsibility cannot afford to organise sudden protests, which are likely to cause a lot of inconvenience and invite police action. These groups behave as if they are running a guerrilla war in the urban areas. One day they may target buses coming from Karnataka and there will be no end to it,” said Mr. Thennarasu, hinting that such a course can’t be adopted by the established political parties.

Of late the fringe groups are equally critical of the Dravidian parties, propounding a strong dose of Tamil Nationalism as an alternative to Dravidian ideology.

“Their primary target is the DMK. There are vested interests behind these groups. It may be the AIADMK government or the BJP at the Centre or the intelligence agencies. Why should the Commissioner of Police call on a person [a film director] who [was present when a protester] attacked the police force,” asked Mr. Thennarasu.

CPI (M) State secretary K. Balakrishnan feels circumstances played a role in the fringe groups gaining a degree of prominence during the Cauvery protests. “These small groups appropriated the Cauvery issue in Chennai since leaders of all the major political parties were participating in the Cauvery Retrieval Rally [led by DMK working president M.K. Stalin] elsewhere. In any case, shifting IPL matches from Chennai is unlikely to serve any purpose as far as the Cauvery issue is concerned.”

Tamizhaga Vaazhurimai Katchi leader Mr. Velmurugan felt that people were watching the activities of his party and may consider electing him and others of his ilk to power. But Mr. Thennarasu said they would have to remain content with the media attention. “They know they can never come to power and that is why they indulge in rhetoric and such activities,” he said.