Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi’s chief secretary, Aloor Sha Navas, has been making a series of sharp criticisms about the three-month rule of the T.V.K. government. In this context, we put forward our doubts as questions...
"You say you have been raising criticisms because the T.V.K. government is functioning under BJP control. Even in the previous regime, there were criticisms that the DMK had a behind-the-scenes alliance with the BJP, weren’t there?"
"There were no accusations against the DMK government of that time such as having abandoned its principles or compromising with the Governor!
The Governor says the national anthem should be sung twice in the Assembly. The T.V.K. government accepted that and says, "In return, our speech must be read exactly as it is." The Governor has also said okay to that. Did any Vice-Chancellor at that time say, "I will only listen to what the Governor says"? Has our Chief Minister condemned that Vice-Chancellor even now... or stopped that convocation ceremony? Isn't "NEET exemption" the policy of today's Tamil Nadu government? Weren't the students protesting on that very basis? Why did this government want to suppress it?
During the DMK regime, did the government of that time deny permission to those who protested against the NEET exam, or did the police push the protesters away? So, these are the policy contradictions I am pointing out."
"There have also been criticisms that the then DMK government, following the Central BJP's 'New Education Policy' and 'Vishwakarma Scheme,' introduced 'State Education Policy' and 'Modern Industrial Training' schemes, right?"
"Just because the central government is bringing in a scheme, it cannot be said that it will be 100% against our interests. Therefore, in the new education policy, we must remove all the things that could go against our state policies and bring in a new state education plan ourselves. For example, although both of the above two plans emphasize 'mother-tongue education,' we must clearly understand the difference between the two and the intent of their content."
"Why do you refuse to accept the validity in Vaiko's argument that when in a coalition government, 'we should debate internally in accordance with coalition dharma'?"
"Then, such principles should never be spoken about publicly. In the past, the DMK had also asked VCK to 'contest under the rising sun symbol.' But we fought and secured our right to contest under our own symbol, and we faced the election. MDMK should have done the same, shouldn’t it? But why is Vaiko, who remained silent then with his mouth shut, coming out now and talking about all that? Even if we go by his own statement, 'Is this what coalition dharma is?' how is this fair?"
“Our leader himself has said in public, ‘We can speak about justice anywhere; that is what will reveal the uniqueness of our party.’”
“Then why did Thirumavalavan, who should have questioned the government by asking, ‘How can those who accepted Periyar as their ideological leader appoint an astrologer as a government official?’ say, ‘That is the Chief Minister’s choice-right’?”
"Many of us in the VCK did criticize that appointment from one angle. At the same time, he had made that remark by seeing our leader Rathan Pandit not as an astrologer, but only as the Chief Minister’s friend. That is a small matter. But the criticisms I have been making of the TVK government over the past three months are major issues at the level of ideology!"
"During the controversy over the name of the Social Justice Department, Minister Vanni Arasu initially expressed a conflicting opinion, but later changed his stance to say, 'The VCK leader's view is my view too.' But what about you?"
"It should not continue as the Social Justice Department; it should be changed to the Adi Dravidar Welfare Department. That is our party's position. That is why Minister Vanni Arasu also said, 'Whatever the party's position is, that is my position too.' But the questions I am raising are different... Is it the party's position that 'the national anthem should be sung twice, and the Tamil Thai Vazhthu should be pushed to third place'?"
"The BJP, which recently said that 'the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department should be abolished,' is now praising the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department. The TVK government has extended the tenure of the Chief Secretary appointed by the Election Commission. Rather than quietly watching all this, isn’t it the VCK’s position to ask why? That is exactly what I am doing."