Arjun Sampath is the founder of Hindu Makkal Katchi, a nationalist Hindu party based out of Tamil Nadu. He was an RSS pracharak in the 1980s and part of the Hindu Munnani, a cultural organisation that was founded in 1980, and vows to protect Hindu rights. Over the years, many of their members have been accused in several cases dealing with communal violence.
Sampath himself has been arrested several times for his controversial remarks and activities like wrapping the statue of Thiruvalluvar in a saffron shawl. His party is supporting the BJP in Tamil Nadu and he believes that the time is up for Dravidian politics. He says Coimbatore is the gateway for the saffron party to enter Tamil Nadu, a bastion of social justice politics led by the Dravidian parties.
In an exclusive interview with Outlook, he speaks about the Coimbatore district and why its history of communal violence matters in this election.
Chinki Sinha with Romanapreet
#LokSabhaElections2024 #TamilNadu #RSS #HinduMakkalKatchi #ElectionWithOutlook #Coimbatore
Sampath himself has been arrested several times for his controversial remarks and activities like wrapping the statue of Thiruvalluvar in a saffron shawl. His party is supporting the BJP in Tamil Nadu and he believes that the time is up for Dravidian politics. He says Coimbatore is the gateway for the saffron party to enter Tamil Nadu, a bastion of social justice politics led by the Dravidian parties.
In an exclusive interview with Outlook, he speaks about the Coimbatore district and why its history of communal violence matters in this election.
Chinki Sinha with Romanapreet
#LokSabhaElections2024 #TamilNadu #RSS #HinduMakkalKatchi #ElectionWithOutlook #Coimbatore
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NewsTranscript
00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:04 I just wanted to know about Coimbatore.
00:06 It used to be a leftist bastion.
00:08 And from there to now, it's become very interesting,
00:11 this election time, also because the BJP might have its--
00:15 I mean, you had one BJP MP before, but in alliance.
00:18 This time, BJP goes solo.
00:19 It's also symbolic.
00:21 If you can tell a little bit about Coimbatore's journey
00:23 itself, with the communal situation.
00:26 You are from RSS.
00:27 How do you see this?
00:29 Our Coimbatore, Congo region, it was
00:33 affected by this Dravidan movements and communists.
00:36 Because this Congo region in Tamil Nadu state, we give,
00:42 we earn, we pay a lot of tax, and we are the very big--
00:52 very big participants of Tamil Nadu government.
00:56 But in this Dravidan rule, this Congo region is always--
01:02 they avoid us.
01:05 Particularly after DMK come to power,
01:08 DMK has always supported communal organizations,
01:12 like Alluma.
01:14 And these communist people-- see, you know,
01:17 Coimbatore is an industrial area.
01:20 Coimbatore means-- they called Coimbatore
01:23 as South Indian Manchester.
01:25 Coimbatore had a very big textile industries.
01:28 Coimbatore textile mills, NTC mills.
01:32 So that some leftists also elected from here.
01:38 Because of this leftists, our mills, entire textile mills,
01:43 are all closed.
01:45 Because their policies, they always against our industries.
01:51 They always put a flag in front of industry.
01:56 They always doing sound.
01:59 They try to destroy the industry.
02:02 So our Coimbatore development, these Dravidan peoples
02:07 supporting communal organizations,
02:11 terrorist organizations, they encouraging them.
02:14 These communist peoples always, because of their policies,
02:19 anti for our Coimbatore development.
02:22 So that in Coimbatore, people want a change.
02:29 We all already-- we already, we enjoyed our--
02:38 we experienced about this DMK rule and ADMK rule.
02:42 For 60 years.
02:43 For 60 years.
02:45 Now people's all are want to be a change.
02:49 No Dravidan movements.
02:51 How all India level, our BJP take a very big campaign
02:58 without Congress.
02:59 Congress, la Bharat.
03:01 India without Congress.
03:05 Anti-corruption.
03:08 So BJP come to power.
03:10 Now BJP doing all states.
03:14 But in Tamil Nadu, we adopting a strategy
03:17 without Dravidan movements, without ADMK, DMK.
03:21 Again the national model.
03:23 In 1967, our great leader, national leader,
03:28 Mr. Kamaraj, Bharat Ratna Kamaraj,
03:31 he was defeated by this Sinema peoples, Dravidan peoples.
03:35 After that, the national parties not growing here.
03:38 The national parties always made alliance with DMK or ADMK.
03:43 In their shoulders, how they came power.
03:47 Last four elections, we will try to give an alternate.
03:54 We are alternate.
03:56 Alternate politics means DMK is not alternate for ADMK.
04:01 ADMK is not alternate for DMK.
04:03 Both are corrupt.
04:05 Both of corrupt similar parties.
04:08 So the real alternate is national model parties is,
04:13 very good national party is our BJP.
04:18 So BJP now trying, particularly after our Annamalai,
04:26 take presidentship of BJP,
04:29 he traveled everywhere in the name of Enman Enmakal Yatra.
04:34 He created a very big awareness in our peoples.
04:39 Those who are all want to be a change in Tamil Nadu.
04:42 Now a magic is going here.
04:46 Peoples all are waiting for a very good leader.
04:50 Now MGR is no more. Jalil Dha is no more.
04:53 Karnadutti is no more.
04:55 Some political vacuum is here.
04:57 Our Rajinikanth said this word,
04:59 political vacuum is in Tamil Nadu.
05:01 So that I come into politics.
05:03 We try with Rajinikanth also.
05:06 We want a change.
05:08 But now Annamalai fill up the political vacuum here.
05:12 And sir, another thing is you said,
05:14 Coimbatore obviously, you know,
05:16 there was a history of communal riots.
05:18 Yes.
05:19 20 years ago we just spoke about it.
05:21 The BJP has obviously used that in the road show.
05:24 Modi ji comes and pays the homage, the memorial, the big shift.
05:27 What is wrong in that thing?
05:29 No, no, I am just asking you why that…
05:31 See, Modi ji is against terrorism.
05:36 See, terrorism, we are all victim of terrorism.
05:41 They try to ruin this Coimbatore.
05:44 How they ruin Mumbai?
05:46 After Mumbai serial bomb blast,
05:49 they try to destroy our Coimbatore also.
05:52 So that 98, election time,
05:56 they try to kill our Advani ji.
05:58 They planned, they ruined our Coimbatore.
06:02 From there, we know about our Muslim peoples.
06:06 Their entire Muslim peoples are not terrorists.
06:11 Now, because of our Modi ji's approach,
06:15 Modi ji's government,
06:17 lot of Muslim peoples change their views.
06:21 We want to separate terrorism from Muslim peoples.
06:26 Who are the bomb blast victims?
06:29 They are all victims.
06:31 We are always against terrorism.
06:34 So, our Modi ji came here and he paid the homage to,
06:40 on that bomb blast day, February 14th,
06:43 he paying homage to them.
06:45 And sir, last question is that you have been associated with Hindu, Munani…
06:49 Hindu, Munani, BJP, I am also full-time of BJP, RSS.
06:53 So, what do you think about, in terms of religion,
06:57 and how that becomes a force in Tamil Nadu,
07:00 which actually has, you know this whole language, politics, all of these politics,
07:05 now religion emerges as a force itself.
07:08 See, Tamil Nadu never being a religion politics.
07:14 Because Hinduism, it is not a religion.
07:17 It is a way of life.
07:19 Hindutva, it is a cultural nationalism.
07:23 Hindutva is not against Muslims and Christians.
07:27 Whatever Savarkar says,
07:30 whatever Dr. Hedgewar, RSS founder says,
07:35 those who are all born and brought up of,
07:38 who are all following our Sanatana Dharma,
07:41 they are all Hindus.
07:43 Worshipping is difference.
07:45 Worshipping is, Islam is, it is a way of worshipping.
07:49 They mean it is a religion.
07:51 Religion, the word is not fit for our Sanatana Dharma.
07:55 It's a Dharma.
07:57 Dharma, it means very big thing.
08:00 Religion, it is another meaning.
08:04 So, these Dravidan people and Communists, always,
08:07 they try to, Sanatana Dharma is a religion.
08:11 No, it is not a religion.
08:13 It is a way of life.
08:15 Sarvojana sugino bhavantu.
08:19 Unre kulam urvane devan.
08:21 Yadum ure yavarum kelir.
08:24 This is our Sanatana Dharma.
08:26 Our Tamil peoples, Kongu peoples,
08:28 all are following our Sanatana Dharma only.
08:32 We have no any difference between,
08:36 or hater between the Muslims and Christians.
08:41 All our peoples.
08:43 Mr. M.K. Stalin, Chief Minister,
08:45 in his last three years ruling,
08:48 Tamil Nadu was totally damaged.
08:52 Fully corrupted government.
08:56 His minister, his financial minister,
09:01 he tell this Karunanidhi family, M.K. Stalin family,
09:08 within two years, earning 3000 crore,
09:13 through the commission corruption collection.
09:19 His finance minister, D.M.K. finance minister,
09:23 Mr. Padanivel Tyagarajan from Madurai,
09:28 he is speaking about M.K. Stalin's family.
09:33 What he says,
09:35 what earning his forefathers through politics,
09:39 his father is M.K. Stalin,
09:41 his forefather is Mr. Karunanidhi,
09:45 what they earning in entire life,
09:48 within two years in his ruling,
09:52 this Udayanidhi and the son-in-law of Mr. M.K. Stalin,
09:57 they earning 30000 crores,
10:00 through the corruption.
10:02 It's a corruption government.
10:04 His charges was made by his finance minister also.
10:08 After that, his minister, Mr. Sendhil Balaji,
10:15 is that liquor minister,
10:19 that minister, he was in jail.
10:22 In jail also he enjoying minister position.
10:27 And one minister, Mr. Ponmudi,
10:30 he is punished by, because of corruption, he punished.
10:35 Now, some legal reason he is in out.
10:39 All the minister,
10:42 they are doing corruption for corruption charges,
10:46 pending cases in court.
10:48 They facing trial.
10:50 So, this Stalin running a corruption government.
10:54 And in this election, he giving seat to his minister's son.
11:02 So, Kannimudi, Stalin's dynasty,
11:07 Dayanidhi Maran,
11:09 and all, wherever you see.
11:12 So, family politics, dynasty politics,
11:16 corruption politics,
11:18 and in his ruling,
11:22 wherever you see drugs,
11:26 the drugs culture,
11:29 the drugs mafia,
11:32 is under the fold of, under the safe of this government.
11:38 The drug mafia in DMK,
11:40 the DMK, officially DMK leader,
11:45 in DMK lot of wings,
11:49 foreign wing, Ayala Gani,
11:52 he is Jaffar Sadiq, he was arrested,
11:54 and now he is under the enquiry, ED enquiry.
12:01 1200 crores, he smuggled,
12:05 he financed DMK.
12:09 So, this drug money,
12:12 lottery money, lottery mafia, Mr. Martin,
12:14 he is also one of the supporter of DMK alliance,
12:19 and liquor money.
12:21 This is playing major role.
12:24 This DMK government with the support, help of government machinery,
12:31 he is doing politics, he is facing election,
12:34 he is giving money to peoples,
12:39 distributing money to peoples and he is buying our votes.
12:44 So, now we have to save the Tamil Nadu,
12:49 from this DMK government.
12:54 So, BJP take a stand,
12:57 our BJP leader Annamalai,
13:01 doing Enman Enmakkal Yatra,
13:04 and release DMK files 1, 2, 3,
13:09 how they are corrupt people.
13:11 And Annamalai, he,
13:16 our Modi, our central government schemes,
13:20 lot of schemes,
13:22 from central government only,
13:25 our Tamil Nadu peoples get lot of developments here.
13:33 Comparing to all over India,
13:36 the Mudra bank loans,
13:39 lot of, number one,
13:43 and our Ujjwala schemes,
13:46 our Jaljeevan schemes,
13:49 and job schemes,
13:53 more than 2 lakh,
13:56 the defence carrier,
13:58 job opportunities,
14:00 and developing roads,
14:04 expressways,
14:06 and railways,
14:08 infrastructure,
14:10 ports,
14:12 these are all from our central government also.
14:15 So, people want our Modi ji,
14:19 in Tamil Nadu, Modi's good governance,
14:22 we need Modi's good governance.
14:24 Now, this luckily,
14:28 we are somehow away from ADMK alliance also.
14:32 We lead an alliance,
14:34 BJP lead an alliance, NDA,
14:37 so that we have a chance to defeat the
14:41 corrupt government, dynastic government,
14:43 and definitely,
14:46 we win in all 40 seats.
14:51 This is our work.
14:53 Okay, thank you.
14:54 Particularly Annamalai,
14:56 his victory is sure.
14:58 Sure, sure, sure, sure.
15:00 His victory is sure.
15:02 From here, Annamalai,
15:05 from Kanyakumari, our Ponn Radhakrishnan,
15:08 from Nellai, our Nayanar Nagendran,
15:12 see in Coimbatore, already we have an MLA,
15:15 Mr. Vanathi Srinivasan,
15:17 he is an MLA,
15:19 but Kamal Haasan was defeated by our Vanathi,
15:24 my sister,
15:26 and after that,
15:28 in Vellore, AC Sanmugam,
15:31 and Mr. SRM, that Parivendor,
15:35 in Perambalur,
15:36 these are, surely we are all in here.
15:39 (dramatic music)
15:42 (dramatic music)