Interview: Congress’ Sasikanth Senthil wants people to step up and fight for the next generation

A. I have always been saying that in this country, we are going through an ideological fight. This fight is crucial for our families and the way this country is going to function.

It is particularly important to those who have struggled over the past 70 years and made progress in terms of the economy, social issues, and other aspects. So, my pitch to them is that we have to step up and fight for the next generation.

Second, Tiruvallur is a unique constituency. It’s a suburban area and it requires a lot of prospective planning. Somebody who understands the problems in the area would be valuable in addressing its needs.

I have 10 years of experience in the field, and I might be the right candidate for you.

Q. From a bureaucrat to Karnataka Congress war room head, and now a candidate, could you tell us a little bit about your journey?

A. I started as a software engineer but soon realised machines were not my passion. I can’t spend my entire life working with machines.

So, I transitioned to explore whether I could thrive in a social setting and became a lecturer at a semi-rural college.

I realised that I excelled in the role and enjoyed it. I then moved on to working with NGOs, focusing on issues like bonded labour for another two-three years.

Afterward, I pursued civil service, successfully passing the exam and serving as a civil servant in Karnataka for the past 10 years.

When I realised that this country was taking a different direction, I decided to take action. Initially, I engaged in grassroots people’s movements to fight these changes.

I vehemently opposed the CAA, NRC, the abrogation of Article 370 and many others. After the Delhi riots, I switched to political activism and joined a political party to make sure we fight these forces politically. That’s how I ended up fighting an election to the Lok Sabha.

Q. How important are war rooms and digital tools in campaigning today?

A. There is a big misunderstanding about a war room. It is basically a coordinating space.

You have a disaster; you have 10 departments working in different directions. So, you bring them all together and on to one table and they take decisions there and implement them, review the progress and then proceed accordingly.

So, war rooms are generally formed during events that require coordination. Election itself is an event. When conducting a campaign, or managing various activities, we set up a war room.

A war room is not just digital and for me especially, I am a big believer in the organisation. For me, social media is second. But what I really believe is the power of the people in the organisation. So, I do a lot of organisational work from the war room.

Our war room communicate with the cadre, make them feel good, train them, help them when needed and stuff like that. So, that’s the war room that we look at in Congress. It has really helped us a lot in terms of outreach, the way in which our cadre feels about the party, and is connected to the party. That’s what our war room is all about.

Q. When you travelled across Tamil Nadu in 2023, did it mark your entry into the state politics?

A. By being in this space, you are already in that culture and society and everything it entails. But I had a long break from Tamil Nadu —  around 11 years. I had to reconnect with the people, their lives and what was happening with them in various dimensions.

That bike ride helped me understand the exact present situation and I feel more connected. However, there’s still a lot of travelling to be done to fully understand.

I think even in that ride, I realised that one needs to understand first, then comes the idea of providing solace or solution or whatever. We generally jump into solutions. There’s a lot of travelling I need to undertake even after the elections.

Q. The selection of TNPCC President and candidates for the Lok Sabha election has left many in the party miffed. Will that impact the Congress’s poll performance?

A. I don’t think anybody is happy with what has happened. In fact, very refreshing things have happened. Many youngsters have got a chance. The TNPCC chief is a seasoned person. He is an organisational man.

So, I think it’s more of a refreshing (experience). It depends on who we talk to. If we talk to the cadre, you will realise there are a lot of new faces who have come in.

The party is making efforts to invest in building assets for its future. I wouldn’t agree with that perception.

Q. Will PM Modi’s frequent visits to Tamil Nadu have an impact on the way people will vote?

A. I don’t think so because Tamil people are different. I understand this place well and what Modi is doing to Tamil Nadu, like these frequent visits and its constant focus, is more of an image-building in North India than in Tamil Nadu.

The reason is in Tamil Nadu, there’s nothing significant happening for him. But in North India, I have seen him showcasing pictures of progress.

The perception is that the South is gradually moving towards Modi. So, I think that’s more about building a perception in North India rather than South India.

Q. The Congress and DMK are being blamed by both the AIADMK and BJP over the Katchatheevu issue. What do you have to say about this?

A. Nobody is denying the fact that we are fighting for the rights of the fishermen. We are with the people who get affected in that space but it is not a burning issue.

It was a diplomatic settlement, much like many other settlements that have occurred during the formation of the country. Even between princely states and India, there have been numerous settlements. So, it is an extension of that period at the moment.

What is truly burning? I will tell you what is burning. It is these 2,000-plus square kilometers which the Chinese have taken in Galwan, in Siachen and in Leh Ladakh. Just last month, our people rearing sheep and goats were beaten and chased back.

What is burning is that China has now even renamed around 200 of villages in Arunachal where they have occupied and they are inching into our country.

I feel ashamed. It’s happening right in front of my eyes and nobody is talking about it. For me, that’s what’s truly burning — not Katchatheevu which has been settled diplomatically since the seventies for whatever context it might have.

International water boundaries are always problematic. Our fishermen are mostly assaulted when they cross (into) Sri Lankan waters.

It is not only about Katchatheevu. It’s about fishing interests and many other factors. To portray it as the burning issue is a mockery of the intellectual capacity of this entire country.

Q. How will this now impact our relations with Sri Lanka?

A. Haven’t we lost it completely? The entire diplomatic, entire foreign affairs hold that we had, China has now entered our borders.

They are building a very big port in Sri Lanka. They are now surrounding us from the South. They have already surrounded us from the North and the West and the East. Now, we have to discuss this daily and there is no discussion on this.

India’s relationship with Sri Lanka and many other border countries has always been the primary focus of any government.

Here, perception-building is happening, narrative-building is happening, even with foreign affairs. That’s how damaging one can be to their own security situations.

I can understand the political drama that unfolds within the country, but to play with international boundaries and relationships is ridiculous.

I think the whole country has to stand up and ask this question: What is happening in Siachen and Galwan? I think that’s the primary focus and Katchatheevu has backfired on them.

(Edited by Shauqueen Mizaj)