After the shock loss in the Assembly elections, the Congress is looking to revive its electoral fortunes in Chhattisgarh in the Lok Sabha polls. It is also hoping to better its 2019 performance, when the party won just 2 of the 11 seats in the state.
One of those two seats was Bastar, from where the Congress has fielded its six-term MLA Kawasi Lakhma this time, and which votes on April 19. He speaks to The Indian Express on the upcoming election, the poll issues, and rights of tribals, among other things.
Excerpts:
What are the three biggest issues in Bastar?
Firstly, there is no railway line connecting Bastar with Raipur. There should be two – one connecting the seven districts which the Lok Sabha seat covers, and another connecting it with Bhadrachalam and Warangal in neighbouring Telangana. I want Bastar to be connected with all major cities in India.
On the lines of Ayodhya, we need an airport in Dantewada so that people can come here in huge numbers to visit the Danteshwari temple.
The second issue is Naxalism. Be it at the hands of the police or Naxals, tribals are being killed. Young tribals are sent to jail or migrate. I tried to solve the issue when we were in power and succeeded. The (Bhupesh) Baghel government worked on the principle of ‘vishwas, vikas and suraksha (trust, development and security)’, but since the BJP has come to power, they have started killing and sending tribals to jail again… sai sai (quickly, a play on the name of BJP CM Vishnu Deo Sai). Tribals are being threatened.
Since they are less educated, they are being beaten and threatened… We need to bring them into the mainstream. When we were in power, except the Silger incident, where three tribals were killed, no other incident occurred. There have been 10 incidents of police firing since the BJP took over four months ago.
Today, even ordinary tribals going to the market or fairs are seen as Naxals by the government. I will fight this issue in Delhi and bring peace to Bastar. Tribals need to get land rights, food and water.
The third issue is reduction of the height of the Polavaram dam on the Godavari river. This must be done to ensure villages in Chhattisgarh are not inundated and villagers are not displaced.
Neither the BJP nor Congress is speaking about the tweaking of provisions in the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 which is meant to protects tribals’ rights on jal (water), jungle (forests) and zamin (land)?
We formulated the PESA, but after assuming power, the BJP is suppressing it and stealing the rights of tribals. We need it to save the Bailadila range and Nagarnar Steel Plant from Adani (Group). I have spoken about these issues in my 25-year career in Chhattisgarh and now I will take them to Delhi.
In fact, I will also get a lead in Chote Amabal, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held rallies…
The biggest fraud in the world today is electoral bonds… You have sent (former Jharkhand CM) Hemant Soren and (Delhi CM) Arvind Kejriwal to jail, but who will be sent to jail for this?
Do you think the Nagarnar steel plant will be privatised?
When I was the state industries minister, I floated a proposal that the Chhattisgarh government will run the plant if the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) cannot. I will fight till my last breath to ensure it is not privatised.
What are your chances of winning?
I am 101% sure I will win… The BJP is saying it (the NDA) will win 400 Lok Sabha seats but I am not sure they will cross even 200. The Congress-led INDIA bloc will win and Rahul Gandhi will become the PM. This time, even the RSS is not with Modi, so how do you expect the country to support him?
In the 2019 polls, the CPI, BSP and NOTA collectively polled over 1 lakh votes even as (the Congress’s) Deepak Baij won from Bastar by a margin of 39,000 votes. Do you think you can get the 1 lakh votes in your favour?
The STs and SCs are united this time and know neither the BSP or CPI will win. I am the BJP’s only competitor. People know I am a six-time MLA and former minister, and can raise their voice in Delhi.
The BJP thinks it can get votes by using a car and a speaker but I am entering the hearts of people. We have worked for all communities. I come from a humble background and have worked my way up, hence people do not call me neta (leader), I am popular as ‘dadi (brother)’.
How do you perceive your BJP rival?
Who knows the BJP’s candidate (Mahesh Kashyap)? The BJP gets votes only due to Modi, and this time there is no Modi wave. Look at him… he looks upset. He guaranteed Rs 15 lakh to each person but did not give even 15 paise. What guarantee is he talking about?
How big is the issue of religious conversions?
Kashyap is the one making an issue out of it. The issues I mentioned earlier are the real ones. In India, we believe in all religions.
Congress has fielded its six-term MLA Kawasi Lakhma from Chhattisgarh's Bastar. (Express photo) 
Share
