(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) 'Today, I see a leader who has elevated the nation's reputation around the world...'
'In Kerala, it is clear that a single man is in charge of a hypocritic system rather than a democratic one...'
'Every Indian should be delighted with the advancements and expansion of their nation...'
Shortly after joining the Bharatiya Janata Party, Major AK Ravindran (retd) aka Major Ravi, a former NSG commando and Malayalam actor, spoke to Asianet Newsable's Aishwarya Nair. During the free-wheeling interview, Major Ravi (Retd), who was awarded the President's Gallantry medal in 1991 and 1992 for his contributions to fighting terrorism in Punjab and Kashmir, speaks at length about what led him to join politics and eventually the Bharatiya Janata Party. Read on...
Why did you decide to take the plunge into politics?
Even though I was handling several
public complaints and difficulties, I was unable to provide a solution without access to a power platform. I can therefore readily assist the people when I have power. It shocked me that leaders in Delhi were paying attention to my social work when I received a call about it. Previous news stories claimed that I had moved to another party, such as the Congress or the CPI (M). Being a star myself, I accepted their invitation to attend their events. However, I never held an official position in any political party. I then concluded that to
put an end to these kinds of stories, I would join a specific party, and that way, no other party members would contact me for their events going forward. It's pretty clear what "political ethics" is. And now that I have the capacity, I think that I can support ordinary people as a full-fledged leader with Delhi's support.
Why the Bharatiya Janata Party? What drew you to the party?
I had always thought that the BJP stood with nationalism, that is, those who were proud of their country and its flag. The Marxist party backed China during the previous war between India and China. I have never witnessed any other party placing such a high value on matters of national concern. I belonged to the RSS because I went to the shakhas for two years while I was in school. Back then, KSU or the SFI were the only options; there was no ABVP. Thus, I was also present at KSU. KSU used to be a group of like-minded individuals, but these days things have changed and there is violence.
Today, I see a leader who has elevated the nation's reputation around the world, and whenever my prime minister visits any nation, he is greeted with admiration from all sides, even the US president. So why shouldn't I be a member of the same party as my idol, Prime Minister Modi? I have no desire to receive anything from the party. I can attempt to strengthen his hands so that the nation can benefit.
How do you perceive the current political scenario in Kerala?
Looking at Kerala's current political scenario, it is clear that a single man is in charge of a hypocritic system rather than a democratic one. The actual communist leaders will concur that what is occurring in the state of Kerala goes against their ethical principles. The Communist Party had some ethics in the past. This is just a "one-man
show," nothing more. Not even the opposition is harshly criticising the ruling party's governance. The ruling party can behave as it pleases and according to its whims while the opposition is weak. Although V D Satheesan, the leader of the opposition, is making an effort, it is insufficient.
The state has two sets of rules: one exclusive to the Chief Minister and another to the Governor and the people at large. Black flags, for instance, will result in your arrest and the booking of many cases if you wave them at the Chief Minister. In the meantime, there is no repercussion for raising black flags in front of Kerala's governor, who represents the President.
How do you plan to contribute to the party's overall objectives in this position?
Now that I am a politician, I would like to use this chance to inform the public about the initiatives of the central government and the advancements achieved under PM Modi's leadership. Furthermore, having served in the armed forces, I possess a variety of army-related skills. I will thus give my all to any service the government wants me to perform for the good of the nation.
Looking at the NDA-led BJP government's governance, will the Modi govt retain power in 2024?
Of course. You shouldn't give it any more thought. Whatever the Kerala government says in opposition to the Modi government, it is only valid up to the Kerala
borders, such as the Walayar checkpoint. The developments taking place outside of Kerala are not being realised by the public.
The chief minister of Kerala claimed that the roads leading from Thrissur to Palakkad were superior to those in New York. The route has just four lanes. Simply travel beyond the state, like as through UP and Bihar, or take one of the several six-lane, spacious routes that lead to Arunachal Pradesh, Dehradun, Himachal, or Jammu. That's the trend that we are witnessing.
Furthermore, it is admirable how respected Indian passports are abroad. When I visited
other nations, such as
the UK and Dubai, I
witnessed it. Furthermore, India paid in Indian rupees for a million barrels of crude oil that it bought from the United Arab Emirates. What else do you expect from the Prime Minister of India? Every Indian should be delighted with the advancements and expansion of their nation. The opposition, on the other hand, is just critiquing to garner support and regain power, allowing them to plunder like they did a decade before.
Will the BJP open its account in Kerala?
I think that we will win two seats definitely, although the BJP is currently aiming for five seats in Kerala. We have begun working on it, beginning at the booth level, with a good plan.
How do you see the indigenous or Make-in-India agenda of the Modi government as far as defence buys?
India had been bringing in weapons and ammunition from overseas. We didn't have any PSG1s or sniper rifles or any indigenous weaponry when I was a commando. These days, all across the nation, Infantry Battalions are armed with INSAS 5.56 rifles, which are manufactured in India. Soon, indigenous tanks will also be available to the armed forces. Corruption used to occur when the Indian government purchased weaponry from abroad before 2014. However, since everything is now manufactured in India, corruption cannot occur. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, the Defence Minister will not dare engage in any corruption. Additionally, we are seeing mobile phones produced and exported from the nation. This is the distinction that the Modi administration has brought about.
How do you see the Modi govt's approach when it comes to tackling terrorism and internal security?
Recognising the consequences of terrorism, nations such as the US never engage in negotiations. Rather, we used to negotiate with the terrorists in India. That has victimised me. Because I had the chance to lead an operation to neutralise the terrorists and rescue Dr Rubaiya Sayeed, daughter of former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, after she was abducted in January 1989. Unfortunately, the then government's
negotiation strategy took the opportunity from me. India freed four dreaded terrorists as a result of the negotiations. The same terrorists later hijacked
the flight to Afghanistan's Kandahar. We had to negotiate once more. The policy is now different. Under PM Modi's policy, we will retaliate if you strike India.
Your entry to the saffron party comes at a time when some celebrities quit it. How do you view this?
Yes, I did enter the saffron party at the same time as some people from the film industry left. I would like to ask you a question. How can you claim that the party must take care of you if you work as a public servant? To take care of your fellow citizens, you must take care of yourself. The true politics is that. I told the secretary that I didn't want a position, even though the party offered me the vice president position. However, they pushed me to accept the role so that we could communicate honestly and work through several
problems to resolve the crisis. I merely joined
the party to
help the
people.
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