CPI veteran R Nallakannu counters economic views of Congress, BJP leaders
Chennai: Political leaders who participated in the panel discussion on ‘Political Awareness for Youth’ came out with divergent views on the country’s economic growth and political system, with Congress and BJP leaders sharing similar views and CPI veteran leader R. Nallakannu countering it.
TNCC president E.V.K.S. Elangovan said students during the period of freedom struggle were active in politics to fight for the country’s freedom, while the next generation had worked to preserve the freedom. He said the country had grown after former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi laid the blueprint to it in 1989. “There was a time when a few can afford telephones, but 90 per cent of the people have mobile phones now. Once, having a television was a luxury and now there are many satellite channels available”.
BJP leader H.V. Hande said students should not lose any chance to serve people and he was able to rise in politics due to his service to people. He said the country’s economy started growing only after the introduction of the new economic policy in 1991. Till the disintegration of the Soviet Union and fall of Berlin wall, the nation was following a socialist economy, he said and growth was possible only after the nation started following market economy. He also supported a bipolar politics between the BJP and the Congress. He said both parties should be strong and one party should take the place of the ruling party if the other is defeated.
Challenging both the views, veteran CPI leader and freedom fighter R. Nallakannu said “There is growth, but for whom? Education has developed, but the affluent people can afford the study of their choice. Dalits are still being oppressed and women are not able to live freely”.
Citing the Nirbhaya rape incident, he said even after such a brutal incident people are advocating dress code for women.
The suicide of student Rohith Vemula showed that the dream of leaders who fought for freedom had not been realised, he added.
Initiating the discussion, G. Viswanathan, Chancellor VIT, Vellore and president of Loyola Alumini Association
VIT Chancellor criticised the culture of giving money for votes. He said 22 per cent of people in the country still lived in poverty and asked the students to work for poverty eradication.
