<p>Over a year ago, <span class="bold">Sasikanth Senthil</span>, a 2009 batch, Karnataka cadre IAS officer, quit the civil services, saying that the “building blocks of democracy were being compromised” by the Narendra Modi government. On Monday, he joined the Congress in Tamil Nadu. He tells <span class="italic">DH’s </span><span class="bold"><strong>ETB Sivapriyan</strong> </span>why. </p>.<p class="Question"><strong>Q. Why is it that bureaucrats like you, who have quit in protest against the government, are joining politics? Is politics the only instrument that can bring about the change you envisage?</strong></p>.<p>A. I will not say politics is the only instrument that we possess to usher in a change in society. Ultimately, it is the people who matter in a democracy and governments should always be engaging with people by consulting them on every issue. I strongly believe people are the masters.</p>.<p>But right now, for us to dethrone the people who have captured power, of course through elections, politics is the only way. The country is now being ruled by a party that espouses a very wrong ideology that is against the basic tenets of the Constitution. What we need is a pluralistic ideology that believes in diversity. Those who are administering the country today neither believe in pluralism nor in diversity.</p>.<p class="Question"><strong>Q. Why have you chosen to join Congress, a party seen as being in decline? You could have joined a regional party and made a name for yourself.</strong></p>.<p>A. Joining Congress is a good indicator of what my intentions are. The Congress’ ideology served as the basis for the Constitution and the party has never deviated from its ideology despite transforming into a political outfit from being a movement that fought for India’s independence. The current leadership of Congress is completely people-oriented and they know the pulse of the people. Congress and its leadership have the right ideology and the necessary courage to fight the injustice that is being meted out to the people. And to reclaim the country is not just the responsibility of one political party, but of the people. So, I feel Congress is the only party that has the ideology, courage and reach to fight the BJP. There may be other parties which have good ideology, but none have the reach of Congress.</p>.<p class="Question"><strong>Q. Congress is not a major force in Tamil Nadu, the state in which you’ve said you want to work.</strong></p>.<p>A. The answer is that the BJP is trying to make inroads into Tamil Nadu. My home state is the last and final frontier for the BJP. Tamil Nadu does not know the hate that the BJP preaches all the time. The hate-mongering tactics of the BJP will not work here because Tamil Nadu has always stood for pluralism. And, I think this is the time to go to the people and tell them that they should remain rooted to their ideology that professes social justice and respect for fellow human beings.</p>.<p>Tamil Nadu is a state that has always stood against divisive forces and I, as a politician, will ask people to reject the forces that scoff at their ideology of peace and brotherhood.</p>.<p class="Question"><strong>Q. You are the second civil servant, after K Annamalai, to resign and take a plunge into Tamil Nadu politics in recent years. But you are now at different ends of the political spectrum. Why?</strong></p>.<p>A. Kannan Gopinathan and I resigned in protest against the policies of the Centre, and one more officer from Maharashtra also put in his papers. Annamalai, too, resigned from IPS, but the reasons were different. Only he knows the reason for his resignation. But it is a welcome move that people with good intentions are coming into politics.</p>.<p>Only thing is, the ideologies that we chose are different. I can say with conviction that there are a lot of bureaucrats who understand that there is something wrong with what is happening in the country. But they remain silent due to constraints.</p>.<p class="Question"><strong>Q. Is Sasikanth Senthil Congress’ answer to BJP’s Annamalai?</strong></p>.<p>A. Certainly not. The Congress did not invite me, I approached the party because I believe it is the only party that can challenge the politics of hate and<br />win over people. I believe it is the only party, even if we travel slowly, that will serve as an answer to BJP’s divisive politics. I approached Congress because they are already in the fight against these forces.</p>.<p class="Question"><strong>Q. How hopeful are you of Congress’ revival in Tamil Nadu?</strong></p>.<p>A. It is possible. There are a lot of people who are not members of Congress but their ideology is in sync with it. We will reach out to those people and tell them the importance of Congress in fighting the divisive forces. And a person like me can help Congress grow in the state by meeting people at their homes. Reaching out to people and gaining their confidence is not rocket science. People love politicians who talk to them, live among them, and find solutions to the problems that plague them. I want to be that kind of politician, who has his ears to the ground always.</p>.<p class="Question"><strong>Q. What is your opinion on Rahul Gandhi?</strong></p>.<p>A. First of all, he is a great human being. He completely understands the threat that the country faces, and he has the courage to take on those at the helm directly. He was a kind of an activist during his time as General Secretary in-charge of Youth Congress, voicing his support for people’s issues. Above all, he has the conviction and courage that are needed to reclaim the country and fight for people’s rights.</p>
<p>Over a year ago, <span class="bold">Sasikanth Senthil</span>, a 2009 batch, Karnataka cadre IAS officer, quit the civil services, saying that the “building blocks of democracy were being compromised” by the Narendra Modi government. On Monday, he joined the Congress in Tamil Nadu. He tells <span class="italic">DH’s </span><span class="bold"><strong>ETB Sivapriyan</strong> </span>why. </p>.<p class="Question"><strong>Q. Why is it that bureaucrats like you, who have quit in protest against the government, are joining politics? Is politics the only instrument that can bring about the change you envisage?</strong></p>.<p>A. I will not say politics is the only instrument that we possess to usher in a change in society. Ultimately, it is the people who matter in a democracy and governments should always be engaging with people by consulting them on every issue. I strongly believe people are the masters.</p>.<p>But right now, for us to dethrone the people who have captured power, of course through elections, politics is the only way. The country is now being ruled by a party that espouses a very wrong ideology that is against the basic tenets of the Constitution. What we need is a pluralistic ideology that believes in diversity. Those who are administering the country today neither believe in pluralism nor in diversity.</p>.<p class="Question"><strong>Q. Why have you chosen to join Congress, a party seen as being in decline? You could have joined a regional party and made a name for yourself.</strong></p>.<p>A. Joining Congress is a good indicator of what my intentions are. The Congress’ ideology served as the basis for the Constitution and the party has never deviated from its ideology despite transforming into a political outfit from being a movement that fought for India’s independence. The current leadership of Congress is completely people-oriented and they know the pulse of the people. Congress and its leadership have the right ideology and the necessary courage to fight the injustice that is being meted out to the people. And to reclaim the country is not just the responsibility of one political party, but of the people. So, I feel Congress is the only party that has the ideology, courage and reach to fight the BJP. There may be other parties which have good ideology, but none have the reach of Congress.</p>.<p class="Question"><strong>Q. Congress is not a major force in Tamil Nadu, the state in which you’ve said you want to work.</strong></p>.<p>A. The answer is that the BJP is trying to make inroads into Tamil Nadu. My home state is the last and final frontier for the BJP. Tamil Nadu does not know the hate that the BJP preaches all the time. The hate-mongering tactics of the BJP will not work here because Tamil Nadu has always stood for pluralism. And, I think this is the time to go to the people and tell them that they should remain rooted to their ideology that professes social justice and respect for fellow human beings.</p>.<p>Tamil Nadu is a state that has always stood against divisive forces and I, as a politician, will ask people to reject the forces that scoff at their ideology of peace and brotherhood.</p>.<p class="Question"><strong>Q. You are the second civil servant, after K Annamalai, to resign and take a plunge into Tamil Nadu politics in recent years. But you are now at different ends of the political spectrum. Why?</strong></p>.<p>A. Kannan Gopinathan and I resigned in protest against the policies of the Centre, and one more officer from Maharashtra also put in his papers. Annamalai, too, resigned from IPS, but the reasons were different. Only he knows the reason for his resignation. But it is a welcome move that people with good intentions are coming into politics.</p>.<p>Only thing is, the ideologies that we chose are different. I can say with conviction that there are a lot of bureaucrats who understand that there is something wrong with what is happening in the country. But they remain silent due to constraints.</p>.<p class="Question"><strong>Q. Is Sasikanth Senthil Congress’ answer to BJP’s Annamalai?</strong></p>.<p>A. Certainly not. The Congress did not invite me, I approached the party because I believe it is the only party that can challenge the politics of hate and<br />win over people. I believe it is the only party, even if we travel slowly, that will serve as an answer to BJP’s divisive politics. I approached Congress because they are already in the fight against these forces.</p>.<p class="Question"><strong>Q. How hopeful are you of Congress’ revival in Tamil Nadu?</strong></p>.<p>A. It is possible. There are a lot of people who are not members of Congress but their ideology is in sync with it. We will reach out to those people and tell them the importance of Congress in fighting the divisive forces. And a person like me can help Congress grow in the state by meeting people at their homes. Reaching out to people and gaining their confidence is not rocket science. People love politicians who talk to them, live among them, and find solutions to the problems that plague them. I want to be that kind of politician, who has his ears to the ground always.</p>.<p class="Question"><strong>Q. What is your opinion on Rahul Gandhi?</strong></p>.<p>A. First of all, he is a great human being. He completely understands the threat that the country faces, and he has the courage to take on those at the helm directly. He was a kind of an activist during his time as General Secretary in-charge of Youth Congress, voicing his support for people’s issues. Above all, he has the conviction and courage that are needed to reclaim the country and fight for people’s rights.</p>
