Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi founder Thol. Thirumavalavan said on Friday that the CPI(M)’s decision to take part at temple festivals to counter the politics of the RSS and the BJP risked “diluting” the Left’s resistance to the Sangh Parivar. He, however, said this “strategy could not be completely rejected”.
He told The Hindu that the BJP and the RSS had turned the charge that they were a majoritarian and divisive force since the 1980s to their advantage by claiming that they were a party for the Hindus.
“They are attacking those who profess faith in progressive politics by calling them enemies of Hindus. We are being called anti-Hindu even when we are only attacking the inequalities within the Hindu religion and their politics of spreading hate against the minorities. We are also attacked on the pretext that we don’t wish people on Hindu festivals. To defeat this narrative, it is probably the right move [to take part at temple festivals],” Mr. Thirumavalavan said.
Contending that the Left and “secular forces” spoke about development, education and the rights of Hindus, he said the BJP and the RSS were professing “Hindu majoritarianism” and using the Hindu religious identity for political purposes.
“The question is how do we expose them? If we state that Hindutva is about Brahminical domination and focus on inequalities in Hinduism, we are portrayed as enemies of Hindus. The CPI(M) seems to have taken the stand that it will be with the Hindus and work against Hindutva. This strategy cannot be completely ignored or dismissed,” he said.
However, Mr. Thirumavalavan conceded that this approach ran the risk of diluting the Left’s agenda. “The resistance to the RSS and the Sangh Parivar and their politics of hate could be diluted [by this strategy]. We have to be with Hindus and politicise them in a progressive way,” he said.
Mr. Thirumavalavan said he had discussed the country’s current political climate and the CPI(M)’s sudden shift in stand with Left leaders in New Delhi. “We spoke about the VCK and the Left forces and how we could work together ideologically. We also discussed the CPI(M)’s stand and whether this sudden shift will be positive.”
Asked whether the VCK would follow a similar strategy, he said, “We have always participated at temple festivals. We often donate money for building temples. In my own village, I have given money for building a Shiva temple, though I don’t believe in religion. Even recently, transgenders at Perungundram wanted me to do ‘kumbabhishekam’ to their Muthu Mariamman temple. I don’t do it just because I will get ‘punyam’ (virtue) or to counter the RSS. I do it because I respect people’s wishes.”
