“That even defenders of secularism have joined divisive forces on Sabarimala is sad”
Pinarayi Vijayan is the man in the hot seat. Known for standing by his convictions rather than compromise, the Kerala chief minister has weathered many challenges since assuming power in 2016. But nothing perhaps of the scale and intensity of the Sabarimala temple controversy. The entry of a few women into the hill temple under police cover may have won over liberal hearts, but the violent protests that followed suggest a potential Hindu backlash in the forthcoming Lok Sabha election. The shrill campaign unleashed by the Sangh Parivar has only exacerbated the situation further. In an exclusive interview with Jeemon Jacob, Vijayan explains his stand on the controversial issue and his party’s preparations for the Lok Sabha battle
QThe Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress accuse you of dividing Hindus by allowing the entry of women of menstruating age into Sabarimala.
A. We have insisted on abiding by the Constitution and the rule of law. We have only fulfilled our constitutional obligations by implementing the Supreme Court verdict on Sabarimala. It is clear that we are uniting everyone while some others are trying to divide us on the basis of faith and gender. That even the so-called defenders of secularism have joined such divisive forces is sad.
Q. Do you anticipate a Hindu electoral backlash on the issue? A. Keralites don’t think on communal lines. We have a rich history of renaissance and secularism. The Sabarimala issue has helped people identify those out to build tensions in the name of faith. We have taken extra care to ensure that Sabarimala remains a peaceful place of worship, have extended assistance to pilgrims for smooth darshan and thwarted attempts to incite violence on the premises and across Kerala.
Q. The Sabarimala crisis has hampered post-flood rehabilitation. How are you going to turn the focus back?
A. The advisory council for the Rebuild Kerala initiative has met and set the rebuilding efforts in motion. Our aim is to create a ‘Nava Keralam’ that cannot be put down by natural disasters. International experts are being roped in. Our demand for Rs 5,000 crore relief is yet to be met [by the Centre]. We are working towards rebuilding damaged roads
and houses before the end of this financial year. Within 90 days, an assistance of Rs 10,000 was granted to 687,000 families. The homes of 13,311 families were completely destroyed. Of them, 8,881 families have decided to rebuild on their own, with government funding. Accordingly, 6,546 families have received their first instalment. Some 2,000 houses are being rebuilt by the cooperative sector. The rebuilding process will take 2-3 years and require detailed project reports from various departments. We have already ensured there is no delay in the major works, and projects are being expedited accordingly.
Q. How are the Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI(M), and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala preparing for the Lok Sabha election?
A. This Lok Sabha election will be a decisive one for our democracy. We have seen how the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) and BJP have been trying to undermine every positive element of modern India, through the government machinery at their command. Our autonomous bodies have been jeopardised, our constitutional institutions have been interfered with. Four seniormost sitting judges of the Supreme Court came out in the open against the attempt to interfere with the apex court’s functioning. We’ve seen how they (the BJP) tried to bring the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) under their influence. That another autonomous body, the Central Vigilance Commission, sided with the government in its bid to take over the CBI is a matter of grave concern. Higher education institutes and research bodies have also been compromised. The forthcoming election is an opportunity for all Indians to uphold the idea of an India that belongs to all Indians. Minorities, Dalits, farmers, students, writers—all have faced the brunt of the Narendra Modi government and risen in protest. Public sentiment is against the RSS and BJP, and this was evident in the recent assembly election and the bypolls held earlier. The LDF government’s performance has been exemplary. Our welfare measures speak for themselves. We’ve been able to ensure that Kerala society remains unaffected by the challenges posed by communal and vested interests. Our unity has helped overcome natural and man-made challenges. The people of the state realise that it’s the presence of the CPI(M) and the Left that has preserved our unity.
Q. The Left is fighting the BJP at the national level, but in Kerala, it’s also up against the Congress. How do you rate your chances in the Lok Sabha election?
A. We are fighting the BJP and the Congress at both the state and national levels. People know them to be two sides of the same coin. However, our primary goal is to defeat the BJP as it is led by the RSS, and they exhibit fascist tendencies. Both the BJP and the Congress use communal tactics for electoral gains. People look up to the Left as the only alternative.
Q. What makes you confident of a victory in Kerala?
A. Our government’s performance has been outstanding— national highways, national waterways, the GAIL pipeline project, Kochi metro, water metro, Kannur airport... these are just a few of our successes. We have focused considerably on the IT sector, turned around our public sector units and strengthened the traditional industries. We were able to provide the highest welfare pensions in the country, implement gender budgeting and even present a policy for transgenders.
Q. Can the CPI(M) regain its base in West Bengal and Tripura or win seats in other states with regional parties? A. Our political line is clear—to resist both the BJP and the Congress and forge alliances best suited to the realities in each state. In West Bengal and Tripura, violence has been unleashed on our cadre. But ours is a battle of ideas—and ideas cannot be killed.
Q. How do you rate Rahul Gandhi as a national leader? You shared a platform with him in Chennai. Can he lead the Congress effectively against Prime Minister Modi? A. Positioning one leader against another is not necessarily how our democracy functions. We do not directly elect the president or the prime minister. We choose parties based on their policies, and their efficacy depends on how well they implement their policies. The people realise that the BJP and the Congress pursue the same economic policies and both use communal tactics to suit their interests.