After EC recognition, VCK uses victory rallies to reiterate importance of ideological commitment

After getting the status of an Election Commission-recognised political party, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) has been organising ‘victory celebrations’ and rallies to drive home the importance of the achievement. With successful rallies in Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai and, more recently, Chennai, VCK president Thol. Thirumavalavan, party general secretary D. Ravikumar, and DMK Ministers M.R.K. Panneerselvam and S.S. Sivasankar, among others, are set to participate in a public rally to be held in Chidambaram on May 6.

Mr. Ravikumar said the party cadre, mostly comprising young people, needed to understand the history of the movement and its journey over the last 25 years. The party currently has four MLAs and two MPs

“In the 73 years of Tamil Nadu’s electoral history, a political party founded by a Dalit has not received such a recognition despite the presence of big Scheduled Caste political leaders. They (other similar parties) couldn’t sustain the momentum. Many of the cadre who join us today are young and new to the party. We are seeing the third generation of party cadre (over 25 years), and they have to understand the significance of the movement. Also, it is an opportunity to popularise the party’s ‘pot’ symbol across Tamil Nadu,” he said.

Mr. Ravikumar said the VCK can earn the trust of the electorate only by exhibiting a strong ideological commitment to social justice and secular values. “Non-Dalit leaders such as Vijay [Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam] or Seeman [Naam Tamilar Katchi] don’t have to work hard to win the trust of the larger electorate. But Dalit leaders have to win the trust of everyone,” he said. “Ideological commitment and shunning of opportunism are necessary (for us) to earn the trust of the people. Only by gaining trust can we gain acceptance in society,” he said.

While the significance of a grassroots movement of the Scheduled Caste community-turned-political party getting recognised by the EC 25 years after it began contesting elections is not lost on anyone, and perhaps justifies these public celebrations, the party leaders, however, say these rallies are to reiterate to its cadre that the fight is as much ‘ideological’ as it is ‘electoral’.

VCK Assembly floor leader Sinthanai Selvan admitted that there was now an added impetus for the VCK to continue its journey towards ‘power’, but said it had to be done cautiously.

“There is great pressure on us to keep these gains we have made electorally and improve on them. However, we must also keep in mind that we live in extraordinary times,” he said.

“It is an ideological war: it is a 2,000-year-old ongoing conflict between Varnashramam and Thiruvalluvar’s ‘Pirapokkum Ella Uriyukkum’. At this time, we cannot make compromises for electoral gains and allow the ideological sluice gates to be broken open,” Mr. Selvan added.