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Yes. There are rightists everywhere. There are also Hindu fanatics across the country. This support will not translate into enough votes and make them win. ? Is the 'Tigers' problem coming in the way of Congress & allies when they think of any arrangement with MDMK or PMK? Not really. There are issues, problems. At the same time, it is not correct to say, that just because they support the LTTE, no relationship with these parties is possible, ever. There is a difference in the way the PMK and the National parties look at the issue of support to the LTTE and Eelam, but as far as the MDMK is concerned, there are severe differences. It is one thing to support the cause of Tamil Eelam; but the issue is MDMK's unequivocal support of BJP - Vaiko is probably the only person, in the country, who supports the BJP so wholeheartedly! One tends to doubt Vaiko's secular credentials too, when you find that he makes speeches in Gujarat, after all that has happened there, supporting the BJP. His blind support to the BJP, just because two of his MPs are ministers in the Vajpayee cabinet, is alienating him from the National parties. ? A Cong-DMK alliance, in the next elections, may be scuttled because of the LTTE problem? May be so. I'm not talking about Lok Sabha elections. I'm talking about the TN Assembly elections. Is it possible to create an alternative to the DMK and AIADMK, by 2006? My aim is to work towards making this happen. I am not able to predict anything regarding the Lok Sabha elections. ? Are you feeling sad that the reactions in TN, for the Godhra incidents have been rather muted? True, the response has been muted, because it did not happen here. In a way it is good that it has not affected the people here. Imagine if a set of Hindu fanatics and Muslim fanatics get on to the streets and slug it out! The Godhra incidents have affected everyone deep inside, particularly the Muslims who feel terribly hurt. Just because they have not made a big hue and cry about this, we cannot infer they are not hurt. College students are thinking about this. They discuss about this issue.
Looking back I'm convinced we did the right thing. It should have been pursued with more vigour. We should have pushed faster for reforms. Unfortunately there were political road blocks. Still the path we chose in 1991 is the right one. Even the Congress leaders were not sure; they were skeptical. But I never had any doubt in my mind. ? But there is a social angle to this, isn't it? Foreign investment is going to only the developed States and the other States are affected because of this. Will this imbalance not create a social upheaval? All of us know of the classic question, whether the egg came first or the chick. States like Gujarat, Maharashtra, AP, Karnataka, TN (to some extent) are able to attract foreign investment because of a stable government, clear policies, transparent governance, for the most part, and an efficient bureaucracy. Investments go to these States because of all these factors. It is incorrect to say that these States are like this because of the investments. The futile arguments about the cause and effect goes on.. People of Bihar and UP have to understand this cold logic. If the people of Bihar keep electing Laloo or his wife as the CM, that State is not going to be able to attract investments. What is the point in blaming the people of Karnataka or Gujarat for this? The people of Bihar and UP have to ask themselves why their States are unable to attract investment. They should answer why they elect rowdies and criminals to their assemblies. They should think why the bureaucracy is in a shambles. The backward States have to wake up from their slumber. Both MP and Rajasthan are backward, but because they woke up, investments have started flowing in. It is for the individual States to get their act together. ? Why is there a delay in implementing projects like the Jayamkondan Lignite project, in TN? Whose fault is it? It is the State Government's fault. NLC was born when Kamaraj was the CM. The Jayamkondan project could not be commissioned by either the DMK government .or the ADMK government. It is not as if the lignite in Jayamkondan was averse to being dug out! If only the rulers were capable, by now this project would have been completed. ? Despite TN boasting of eminent leaders like you, Maran, Kalaignar and Jayalaithaa and all decidedly pro-reforms in their thinking, why is TN, yet to become an attractive investment destination, vis-a-vis some of the other States?
Even during my election campaign, in the last elections, I pointed out there haven't been any fresh investments after the above. The reason for this is the scant attention paid by the DMK, in their last two years of rule. Even today (despite slow down, etc.) States like Haryana, Maharashtra and Gujarat continue to attract investments. Only because the TN government has not given enough importance for this aspect we have not been able to get investments in. ? Do you think it is correct to privatise the Transport sector, which has the scope and potential to be managed profitably, without making an attempt to revamp the sector? All I can say is whether it is the DMK or ADMK, the government keeps saying that it will make sweeping changes in the transport sector, arrest the losses and put the sector on the path to profits. They keep saying this, but so far nothing has been done. There have been about a dozen ministers of transport. I can't understand why it is not possible to make the sector profitable. The government cannot make profits in certain sectors. The transport sector is one such. This is an internationally acknowledged fact. What is the point in behaving like a fire fly? It is not necessary to privatise companies or sectors that are profitable. The reason why I am against NLC privatisation. Will any one privatise Mettur Dam? Units that continue to tote up losses, units that are beyond any hope of becoming profitable, units that have been marginalised by competition are the right candidates for disinvestment/privatisation. ? Your views on dual citizenship for Indians living abroad? Dual citizenship is dual passport. What is their expectation? They need two passports. Indian passport helps for travel to India and back. For travel to other countries the foreign passport (for example an American passport) helps. The question is whether some one can hold two passports. Why should this be called dual citizenship? (I can't understand). I cannot accept if some one says he/she will vote in India and also in their country of residence. Voting in both countries is not acceptable. The controversy is over if some one can hold two passports. My humble opinion is there is nothing wrong in allowing any one to hold two passports. ? Your comments on some people saying that the Tamil diaspora should come back and set up industry, business? It is not correct to look at this from an emotional point of view. It is a pure and simple commercial/business decision. There is no place for sentiments. If the conditions and the environment for business are right, they will come here voluntarily to set up businesses. Since the conditions are less than ideal, investors are hesitant. The Dravidian parties have not really created a conducive atmosphere for investment. On the contrary, by providing the right environment, AP and Gujarat targeted their people living abroad and succeeded in getting them back for starting businesses. This has not happened in TN; the government is responsible for this state of affairs. ? Though the government may not really have distinguished itself (!) isn't it true that Tamilians in general are more inclined to go for employment, in any part of the world, rather than...? That is all old hat. Today there are are any number of Tamilians in US who are business and industry owners. I don't deny that they went for employment when they migrated out of India, long back. Today, however, like many other immigrants Tamilians are also founders and owners of industry and business.
It is a long and bitter history of 20 years. Our wish is both sides should bury their differences, forget the bitterness and live in peace as one Nation. India is a land of plurality. So is Sri Lanka. If the Tamils in Sri Lanka are given a separate country, what will our answer be if each of our States demand a separate country? So we cannot support the idea of any country being split into parts on the basis of caste or language. Our (country's) policy is that Tamils should be treated as equals and be able to live without any fear of exploitation. I cannot espouse a different policy or approach. The concerned parties have to settle the issue between themselves, through dialogue. Published on 20th June 2002 (concluded) Met by: Vikramdarma & Saravanan
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The BJP does have the support ( a small base, may be) of a section of the middle class?
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Our economy was in a precarious situation back in 1991 and that was the time the government of the day decided to go ahead with lberalisation and globalisation. You had a major role in this. More than a decade later, looking back, what are your current thoughts?
Firstly it is not fair to compare all four on equal terms. Both Kalaignar and Jayalalithaa have been CMs. Maran is a Union Cabinet minister. I was a minister in the Union Cabinet. We have so far not been in power, in TN, so please do not include my name in the list. As far as I am concerned, on two occasions I was a Union Minister, as Commerce Minister and later Finance Minister, I took lot of interest and made efforts to get quality investments for TN. A number of investments did take place, too, for example, Sterlite, Ford Motor Co., Saint Gobain, to name some.
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About the Eelam issue?
