In an interview with The Hindu in Chennai, Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) chief coordinator Seeman on Friday shared his thoughts on his party’s assembly election manifesto, his leadership style and other aspects. Edited excerpts:
Your party’s program talks about reorganizing the economy around agriculture. Are you talking about closing industries and factories over time or finding a balance between industrial growth and agricultural growth?
I’m not saying we should close it. But there are toxic industries that poison the soil, water and air. These cannot be operated. If we want to provide jobs for everyone and build a stable economy, we need to move to an agriculture-based economy.
We must achieve self-sufficiency in food production. Today, many countries have collapsed because they abandoned agriculture. Meanwhile, even basic foodstuffs such as onions are imported from countries such as Egypt. What is the pride of exporting cars? I’m not saying close the factories. Let them exist. But I will also create government-run industries based on local resources. These will create jobs without high wages but with a low cost of living. Today engineers are unemployed. Highly educated people apply for the job of security guard.
Why not work in agriculture-related industries instead? Managing dairy logistics, production, processing – isn’t that work? Is an IT job the only thing that matters? Why is it that only if the job is in an American company is it considered a “real job”? Isn’t it work?
The NTK manifesto talks about the decentralization of power, but at the same time it talks about “benign authoritarianism”. Doesn’t that seem contradictory?
Authoritarianism is not tyranny. Hitler was not a true authoritarian leader – he was oppressive. Extremism means a strong commitment to an idea. Terrorism eliminates people who disagree. A true benevolent authoritarian leader enforces discipline for the greater good. Like a doctor giving a painful injection to save a child. Here, people follow the rules abroad, but not at home. Why? Because of excessive freedom without discipline.
To effectively implement minimal democracy, we need maximal authority. Decisions must be democratic, but implementation must be strict. Like a mother forcing a child to eat – it may seem harsh, but it is love. This is benevolent authoritarianism.
Without discipline there will be no order. That is why we see lawlessness and social decay.
Why didn’t you join an alliance or were you unable to form an alliance that accepts you as leader despite having more than 8% vote share?
The reason is our goal and ideology. When (actor and TVK founder) Vijay entered politics, he declared EVR (EV Ramasamy) as his ideological leader. I am fighting to defeat the Dravidian ideology.. but he is trying to plant it again.
He talks about defeating DMK and AIADMK but accepts Dravidian ideologues as his role models. I feel that parties have taken advantage to deceive people. Tamil Nadu’s debt has almost climbed to ₹10.5 crore, but the quality of healthcare and education has not improved. So all these parties are more of the same.
Have you asked CPI(M), CPI, VCK and PMK for an alliance?
They will not stand for Tamil nationalist politics. None of them will come… they have accepted the idea that it is impossible to win without giving money to get votes.
They have also immersed themselves in Dravidian ideology and the association with caste clothing does not work for us. We are a party for all… we follow politics for all. So who can I form an alliance with here? Only Vijay…. but he has the same line as Dravidian parties. I’ll take my time… but I won’t be back. These are the people who should choose to support us. You tried DMK and AIADMK.. why don’t you vote for us now? How bad can we be – worse than DMK or AIADMK?
If voted to power, what would the first six months of the NTK government look like?
I will start implementing a 10-year green plan — employ people to plant trees, just as we have sanitation workers (to remove garbage).
I will start properly removing obstacles, cleaning, desilting and maintaining water bodies. I will create new water storage systems – fast, fast, on a war footing.
We need to build health systems – public hospitals that can compete with private hospitals. I have seen Arvind Kejriwal (former Chief Minister) do it in Delhi and (Chief Minister) Pinarayi Vijayan in Kerala.
We need to establish ‘green’ schools, ‘green’ roads and at the same time remove invasive trees like seemai karuvelam and eucalyptus. At the same time, I will create jobs in areas of people’s lives, improve education and the quality of healthcare.
You refuse direct cash transfers to people. You want educated people to adapt to “village-centric” economic growth. We have people who work in the industry and earn a good salary….
When they are given for free, there is no work, no wages for work and no development. This is dangerous.
What I’m saying may be funny now, but people forget how to work (hard). We know how people suffered when tomato prices rose.
We all consume milk, ghee, butter…we eat meat…we all want organic food…but we feel that raising sheep and cows is beneath us.
So when we move to a self-sufficient, village economy, we can aim for a bigger market for milk. When we provide quality free education, quality healthcare and clean drinking water, economic needs are drastically reduced. This means that people do not need high wages.
