BJP Chennai South Lok Sabha constituency candidate Tamilisai Soundararajan, who recently resigned as Governor of Telangana and Lt. Governor of Puducherry to return to active politics, is confident of winning. In a candid conversation with Organiser Special Correspondent Nishant Kr Azad and Sub-editor Yatharth Sikka, in Chennai on April 14, the former BJP State President and a gynaecologist by profession, Tamilisai Soundararajan, said that the BJP workers are toiling and sweating hard, and we are hopeful that under the leadership of PM Modi we will contribute our share in the Lok Sabha polls.
Ms Soundararajan also criticised the DMK for its contradictory stance on Sanatan values, accusing its leaders of practicing it while publicly denouncing it. Excerpts:
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seems determined to make it big in Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu, and Chennai South constituency is a crucial seat here. How is your preparation?
The preparations are very good. We are doing our best at both campaigning and the booth work levels. Since I was the state unit president for a long time, I know the organisational setup of the party in Tamil Nadu. As far as Chennai South is concerned, yes, it is a seat with lots of hope for BJP. Many prominent leaders like R Venkatraman, Murasoli Maran, TR Balu, and others have represented this constituency in the Parliament. It has remained a DMK seat for years. Still, I am sorry to say that the development conditions are pathetic. The civic amenities and municipal development are at their worst; be it garbage clearance, dumping yards, drainage, or sewage, all are in bad condition. I have been a voter here for four decades now. And I feel sorry that such a cosmopolitan and historic city was left to ruination during floods. How did that happen? It is a saga of DMK’s misrule and complete negligence of infrastructure development. Therefore, in my campaigns, I am highlighting what has not been done by DMK, and what I could deliver as a BJP candidate. We as a party are campaigning in the scorching heat throughout the day because the great toil in the hot sun will prove to be a new rising sun for BJP in the state.
From being a Governor of Telangana and Puducherry to the active battlefield of Lok Sabha. How does this transition happen? What inspired you to jump in the electoral battlefield?
It is only the passion and dedication for serving the people. Personally, politics is not a profession for me. It is a passion. I was a dedicated doctor running two clinics and an Assistant Professor in a Medical College. Additionally, I was a special consultant in 4 to 5 college hospitals. From being a medical practitioner dedicated to the service of people, I expanded my horizon by joining politics. Your reader may know that I was the longest serving state unit President of Tamil Nadu BJP. When the Union Govt gave me the responsibility of Raj Bhawan, I discharged the responsibilities to the best of my abilities. But my longing for the direct connection to people didn’t go away. My party and Hon PM Modi understood and respected this zeal and they asked me to be a soldier in the parliamentary battlefield.
“NEET, for the first time in India, ensured a level-playing field for all the medical entrance exam aspirants, be it poor or privileged. Yes, it has harmed the interest of private players, and therefore we are witnessing a loud opposition in Tamil Nadu because many political leaders own private medical colleges in the state”
There are certain reports in the media that you have opposed DMK’s move of free bus ride for women and Rs 1000 scheme. Is it true? And what are your plans towards social benefit schemes for women of the state?
No, I did not oppose it at all. I made a bigger point which goes beyond the petty politics of vote catch. I asked people why the DMK Govt has kept the women in bad condition. When the State Govt could have utilised many social welfare schemes launched by PM Modi, be it MUDRA, Start-Ups, SHGs, and entrepreneurship, why does DMK want to limit our Nari Shakti to just Rs 1000? Even INC in its ‘Manifesto’ has talked about giving 1 Lakh per annum to women. But why not think big and work towards an arrangement where many women can earn 1 Lakh per month. When they earn on their own, it bolsters their self-respect, their identity. Why do these INDI Alliance parties are crushing the dignity of women by offering a petty sum as if women are weak and worthless? Even as the Lt Governor of Puducherry, I was aghast when a Minister took a dig at women saying now, they are all happy because they are getting “free rides” in buses. Is this how we want to treat our Nari Shakti? I say No! I want to plan for empowerment and self-reliance by implementing the schemes of the Modi Government and adding more beneficiaries to the fold. We want our Nari Shakti to be also Aatmanirbhar!
National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) has become a big issue in Tamil Nadu. DMK has been opposing it since 2017. Why do you think that is? What is your view?
From the first day, I have endorsed NEET. Unlike many politicians in Tamil Nadu, I am a doctor who studied at a Govt Medical College. And then, I taught at a Medical College too. I am a witness to the contradictions and inequalities in the medical stream and admission process. It was never a level-playing field because of the differences in entrance exam score and admission intakes between Government Medical Colleges and Private Colleges. How did the whole concept of “donations” come into being? NEET, for the first time in India, ensured a level-playing field for all the medical entrance exam aspirants, be it poor or privileged. Yes, it has harmed the interest of private players, and therefore we are witnessing a loud opposition in Tamil Nadu because many political leaders own private medical colleges in the state. It’s pure politics, there is nothing on policy or educational debate in the opposition. Look how DMK played dirty politics on an unfortunate suicide. The deceased had appealed to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister a few days before she killed herself. Couldn’t the CM secure a seat for her in many private colleges they have? And when she died, they politicised the issue. Then they tried making it a North-South divide with Tamil Nadu CM asking Telangana CM for support in opposing NEET which the latter refused. More than 16 lakh aspirants are taking the national exam, but one State Government has all the problems. Even DMK’s national ally Congress has said in its ‘Manifesto’ that every State Govt can make a choice on NEET. How can they? Isn’t it a Union Govt issue? People are not fools that they won’t see it.
DMK leader Dayanidhi Maran called your fellow party man K Annamalai a joker. He also called other BJP leaders in Tamil Nadu as “keyboard warriors”. How do you respond?
This is cheap and uncivil politics. K Annamalai, born in a village, coming from a humble beginning, grew as a karyakarta in BJP because of which he has succeeded in his public life. Annamalai’s talent and dedication ensured his elevation in BJP. What is the qualification of Dayanidhi Maran? If he was not the son of Murasoli Maran, who would know him? And which civil person will call his fellow-traveller a “joker”? Is it the language of political discourse? DMK people and others who oppose BJP are making tall claims that a “Governor” is contesting, a “Minister” is contesting polls in the state, and BJP doesn’t have any cadre here. But should we then also turn back and name Dayanidhi Maran, Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, and many others to say that only “Dynasts” are contesting elections in Tamil Nadu? And unlike Maran’s jibe and below the belt remark, our “Dynasts” remark will be a fact. Think about Maran and his ilk’s performance in the Parliament, their career, their activities, and when we access them objectively, we will know who is what. The people of Tamil Nadu will answer them.
We have seen that DMK leaders have been consistently targeting the Sanatan Dharma. Sometimes they call it a menace. Sometimes they talk about its eradication. How do you see this development?
They have misunderstood Sanatan Dharma. Unlike what the DMK claims, Sanatan Dharma is not inequality and discrimination. It is a way of life, all-inclusive and encompassing. Think of a simple instance. The emphasis on auspicious “mahurat” while filing nomination and releasing manifestos. I openly challenged Stalin that why is he filing nomination on a day which is considered auspicious according to the Sanatan Dharma, and why not any other day. He and his ilk cannot answer it because most of them believe in our sacred rituals. What is startling is the fact that how they deceive the Hindus of Tamil Nadu by living two different lives! Outside they claim to eradicate and abolish it but all of them are fearful of some “Rahu Kaal” and its bad fortunes. They go on preaching their half-baked rationalism and depict it as their assault on Sanatan.
There has been a consistent effort to create a divide between North and South. Leaders from DMK, Congress and others commenting on what they describe as natural division between North and South India. How do you see these statements?
This is not new. Historically, certain parties like DMK and Congress have grown dividing people of this great country. DMK started with Anti-Brahmanical and Anti-Hindi agitations. Congress, when in power, has allowed these divisive tendencies and gave divisive agendas a free hand. We are a country that respects plurality and diversity. Our PM Modi wishes the people of this country on Ramzan, Christmas, and Diwali. We should ask Stalin why he does not wish Hindus on Diwali? He is not only a party president, but also a CM. Why does he discriminate against one religion?
There is a perception that BJP is only a Hindu party. Is it true? How are you reaching out to non-Hindu voters?
We are telling our voters that we are not pseudo-seculars. We are true seculars! Stalin claims that he is not anti-Sanatan. Fine, but then what has stopped him from visiting Hindu Mandirs. He is seen at Christian and Muslim events, then why not Hindu events? In December 2022, Dalit residents of Vengaivayal, a village in Tamil Nadu’s Pudukottai district, discovered that the drinking water in their community was contaminated with human waste. Still today, this DMK Government has not brought culprits to justice. What social justice they talk about! The lip service to social justice by DMK won’t do anymore. Let me ask them if they can make a Dalit leader of DMK the next CM candidate. Everybody knows Udhaynidhi Stalin is the CM candidate waiting. The people of Tamil Nadu can see now how they have been cheated by DMK over decades.
Katchatheevu has become a talking point in Tamil Nadu politics after K Annamalai filed the RTI and PM Modi raised the issue. How do you see it?
Stalin is asking why are you raising the Katchatheevu issue during the election? I ask, are you not interested in getting back our Tamil land? Secondly, why did you give away Katchatheevu without the wish of the people, without any Parliament resolution? They were afraid at that time because DMK was under corruption charges and Indira Gandhi as the Prime Minister was threatening to act against the DMK Government. Now, the DMK remained in power for a decade with Congress under UPA. Can DMK tell the Tamilian people what action they take to reclaim Katchatheevu for 10 years? And if they didn’t do anything on their own, what makes them stop BJP from making it an issue?
How many seats BJP is expecting to win from Tamil Nadu?
No, I cannot state the number of seats because my work is not predicting but working on the political ground. I can assure you that the BJP state unit as a team is toiling and sweating hard, and we are hopeful that under the leadership of PM Modi, we will make our contribution in Lok Sabha polls 2024.
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