Tamil Association, CPM Suspect Hindutva Agenda Behind Kashi Tamil Sangamam

The first train from Chennai to Varanasi was flagged off by Tamil Nadu governor RN Ravi and Union minister of state for fisheries and animal husbandry L Mugurgan as part of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam in Chennai on Thursday. Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Mugurgan had announced the month-long programme on October 20. 

Organised by the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti (BBS), under the ministry of education, the programme will take around 2,400 members of 12 homogenous groups, including students, teachers, culture, heritage, spiritual leaders and entrepreneurs, from Tamil Nadu to Varanasi. 

Despite the massive publicity given to the programme, only the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is ecstatic about it. The state government seems to have no role in the programme but the official social media handles of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, union ministers, the Uttar Pradesh government and BJP leaders are hailing the programme. 

None of the concerned departments in Tamil Nadu, including culture, Tamil development or education, have published any details about the programme. Though the BBS and the ministry of education have claimed to organise the programme as part of the 75th anniversary of Independence and uphold the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat with special emphasis on the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

BJP CELEBRATING THE EVENT

The programme aims, according to the ministry of education, to bring the two knowledge and cultural traditions (of North and South) closer, create an understanding of their shared heritage and deepen the people-to-people contact between the regions. IIT Madras and Banaras Hindu University are the knowledge partners for the event. 

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) suspects the programme’s agenda. “The organising committee has claimed that the programme will bring to light the Tamil culture in other parts of the country. The selection of the participants is an attempt to intrude into different sections, including education,” the party said in a statement. 

During the flag-off ceremony, only BJP leaders and associated organisations were present. The state BJP president and a few party leaders have reached Varanasi. The capacity in which they are engaging, whether as participants or volunteers, is unknown. 

‘WORKING ON RSS AGENDA’

The Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists Association (TNPWAA) debunked the claims of strong cultural links between Kashi (Varanasi) and Rameshwaram cited by the BBS as merely spiritual.

TNPWAA general secretary Aadhavan Dheetchanya told Newsclick that a “few people from the state visit Kashi only due to religious beliefs and it has nothing to do with tradition. There is no cultural link between Kashi and Tamil Nadu”. 

“This is nothing but an attempt to boast their achievements on the Hindutva plank. The Union government is trying to propagate the Hindutva agenda among different sections of the population through such activities. The selection of participants is not transparent either, increasing the doubts about the programme,” Dheetchanya added. 

The CPI(M) statement also accused the Union education ministry of propagating and attempting to implement the Hindutva agenda and recruit people for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). 

“The RSS is desperate to make inroads into Tamil Nadu and Kerala through different ways. In Kerala, the organisation has been isolated on account of their violent activities. So, they are making an attempt to get a hold in Tamil Nadu,” Dheetchanya said.

“Besides, the programme is closely connected with the NEP, which is being opposed by several states. They are trying to create a support base for the programme by using public money,” Dheetchanya alleged. 

The office of the governor, IIT Madras, BHU and BJP leaders have been publicising the event. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked universities, colleges and educational institutions to telecast the inauguration by Modi on Saturday.

“The education and Tamil development departments of the state government should intervene by sending people from the state to participate in such programmes that have a communal agenda. It is surprising to see that the state government has not reacted so far to this,” the CPI(M) statement said. Major political parties, including the ruling DMK, are silent. 

The governor’s role in heading the event is also being criticised. “The governor is busy organising events based on the ideologies of the RSS and BJP, including on Ek Bharat Shresta Bharat for college students though several Bills passed by the Assembly are awaiting his assent,” Dheetchanya said.