08, Jan 2016

Jan 08 2016 : The Economic Times Vasudha Venugopal
New Delhi:
`TOGADIA OF SOUTH’ K Rajasekharan says Hindus most marginalised in Kerala
The BJP will fight the 2016 Kerala assembly election “to reinstate the position of Hindus“ in a state where they have been “massively exploited“ for over half a century by governments led by the Congress and Communists, the party’s new state president, Kummanam Rajasekharan, said.
“In all these years, just once, and that too for a very short period, did Kerala have a Hindu education minister.Hindus of Kerala are the most marginalised. They get no social justice from the country . The state doesn’t feel responsible towards them as they are not a political force,“ Rajasekharan told ET in an interview.
Rajasekharan, an RSS pracharak for more than 35 years, has often been referred to as the `Togadia of South’ for his hardline Hindutva stand and firebrand style. He was handpicked by BJP national chief Amit Shah last month to lead the party in the state where it has never won an assembly or Lok Sabha seat. The appointment was considered strange, as Rajasekharan has never been a functionary within the BJP , and it was seen by many as aimed at tackling factionalism within the party.Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Rajasekharan during his Kerala visit last month to convince him to take up the responsibility , sources said.
“I am just an RSS missionary trying to rescue the state from antinational elements,“ he said. “Hindus in Kerala have never been a political force. They have no bargaining capacity . They are disintegrated. They have to be united.“
Political patronage given to minorities by the Congress-led United Democratic Front and the Left Front has resulted in much resentment among Hindus, Rajasekharan said. “Hindus make up around 52% of the population in the state, but the land they occupy in Kerala is only around 40%. When it comes to building businesses, there are no opportunities for the Hindus. They are all eaving the state.“
The party’s campaign for 2016 will be called “Samshuddha Kerala“, which means “Clean Kerala,“ he said. “The leadership of both Communists and Congress is tainted. Only the BJP can bring in clean governances and positivity in the State now.“
The BJP will promote research and development in the state and open as many closed factories as possible, and also give boost to Ayurveda and investments, Rajasekharan said. “Kerala is gifted with a lot of ancient knowledge but whatever material, agricultural, spiritual progress we made in the past is getting ruined now, because the Communists and the Congress are destroying traditions for politics.“
Actively involved in agitations to “protect“ temples, Rajasekharan said the need of the hour is to have dedicated squads across Kerala to enlighten Hindus against conversion. “Hindu ideals mean welfare of people, society and nature. Being committed to Hindutva is being committed to country’s welfare.“
Though the BJP is not a strong player in Kerala politics, it emerged as the single largest party in the prestigious Thiruvananthapuram Corporation in recent civic polls, and is hoping to do better than in the past in the assembly election.