Culprits behind Sabarimala gold theft will not be spared: Binoy Viswom

Q. Women’s entry into Sabarimala is once again becoming a discussion point. What’s your take?  
A. A major crisis today is the spread of communalism within religions. Nothing should be done that distorts the true essence of faith and creates confusion among believers. Attempts to even evict God from religion and turn belief into a shield for hatred must be opposed. Hopefully, true believers will join that effort.

Q. The debate on anti-incumbency is common before every election. This time, there are issues like the Sabarimala gold theft case. Isn’t the LDF forced to respond to all these?
A. Normally, anti-incumbency would be the greatest challenge for any government that has been in power for 10 years. However, that is absent in Kerala. We carried out a political programme without microphones or crowds: house visits. We asked every household whether they faced any problems. People had no criticism of this government.

Housewives, not influenced by politics, told us they were impressed by 10 years without power cuts and the changes in schools. Youngsters spoke about improved roads. While the Centre funded national highway development in other states, it withheld funds from Kerala for political reasons. Yet, the state government did not freeze.

The same approach applies to SilverLine. High-speed transport is essential for Kerala. As for Sabarimala, devotees can be assured that anyone who has stolen even a fragment of God’s gold will face punishment. That is a guarantee only we can give. The High Court is convinced that even if all the accused get bail, the investigation will not go off track. Only the BJP and Congress remain unconvinced.

Q. Will the CPI demand more seats this time? Is there such a discussion within the party?
A. The party has considered it. However, seat discussions in the LDF have not yet begun. They will start once the jatha concludes. At that point, we will raise our demands. There will be no disputes in the LDF. No decision will be taken without mutual consensus.

Q. The Union Minister has said that SilverLine will be considered if Kerala needs it.
A. No one will believe that. It is an attempt to reap political dividends by creating confusion. What Kerala needs is a high-speed transport system. Land is scarce here. We need such a facility with minimal loss of agricultural land.

The government is not adamant that it must be SilverLine. An elevated path is a potential solution to reduce land loss, and that alternative is being explored.

Q. LDF’s political discussions seem mostly focused on Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan. Ministers and others appear to target him.
A. Satheesan hardly poses a challenge to the LDF. What matters is Kerala’s future and a third term for the LDF government. Satheesan imagines himself as the focal point for everyone, but we are not looking at him.

Even within Congress, many do not see him as the leader. Kerala knows of at least four or five people in that party who want his chair. He may be anxious about that. Let him deal with his own anxiety. Satheesan once said everyone fears him. He is in the psychological state of a character who imagines that all are scared of him and then urges those who are afraid to stand around him.

Q. The LDF is accused of appeasing majoritarian communalism. Are you able to convince people that you are not criticising Muslims but the Muslim League and Jamaat-e-Islami?
A. We fully trust true believers in every religion. We consider them our relatives. Some people are poisoning the minds of believers, and we know who they are. Corporate bandits profit by dividing people. They know the easiest way is to create divisions within religions. They are spreading extremism within every religion simultaneously. That is no coincidence.

Q. Nair–Ezhava unity has become a major discussion point.
A. That is far from reality. Progress is possible only by respecting Kerala’s social relations. SNDP, NSS, Pulayar Mahasabha, and Dheevara Sabha all have rich traditions of renaissance. These institutions would undo their past good by abandoning those values.

We seek dignified discussions with NSS and SNDP, not surrender. There is no political opportunism behind this. We have no intention of creating conflicts. SNDP only needs to remember its rich legacy and that of Sree Narayana Guru. NSS once held a procession under Mannam’s leadership for the right of movement of Ezhavas—that is its tradition. We will maintain friendly relations with these organisations as long as they uphold those values.

Q. NSS General Secretary’s criticism of ‘unwelcome visits’ was directed at the UDF. But leaders of the LDF and BJP also make such visits.
A. Our relationship with them is transparent and dignified. They are a social reality. We wish for continuity in that relationship based on their past good deeds. It is not driven by dubious intentions. It is not a relationship we want to keep under wraps.

Q. After Satheesan, Kanugolu seems to be the next major target of the LDF. Is something similar happening within the LDF?
A. There is no secrecy in the LDF’s functioning. We have political as well as personal relations. We know the people’s pulse. House visits have been our biggest survey. Who else has visited every household in Kerala as part of a survey?

One thing surprised me: at the Bathery meeting to discuss Congress strategy, the star was not Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, or Priyanka Gandhi, but Kanugolu. What a pitiable state. Kanugolu’s services are available to anyone willing to pay more than Congress. Should a trader of ideas decide matters in Congress?