For the past few years, BJP has been carefully structuring its political discourse in Tamil Nadu by priding over Tamil language and linguistic identity of Tamils. It has also been skirting key ideological issues like Hindi and Hindutva.
The change in strategy came after a realisation that language and culture are two vital tools that might help the party capture the hearts of Tamils, who have been unkind to it electorally, especially in the 2019 polls.
Kashi Tamil Sangamam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaking in Tamil and praising its rich literature at every given opportunity, and a host of Union Ministers air dashing to the state are an integral part of these efforts.
As the state BJP chief, former Karnataka-cadre IPS officer, K Annamalai, has also been attempting to embrace the Dravidian identity, a conscious move aimed at shedding the Hindi-Hindutva image of the party.
These efforts by the BJP might come to a naught if Governor R N Ravi continues to make controversial statements on the culture, linguistic identity and language, political analysts warn. Ravi’s recent utterances, especially his statement that Tamizhagam (home of Tamils) was more appropriate than Tamil Nadu (land of Tamils) has put the BJP in a tight spot.
The Governor’s attempt to normalise the word Tamizhagam and walking out of the state Assembly after skipping references to stalwarts who shaped Tamil Nadu and terms like social justice in his address to the legislature have only added to the woes of the BJP.
Ravi also indirectly bats for the introduction of Hindi in Tamil Nadu and calls politics in the state “regressive” -- issues from which even the BJP keeps a safe distance as raking them up only detaches it from the people.
Such comments are in direct contradiction with Annamalai’s attempt to get closer to Tamils with his statements like he was a “dark Dravidian”, and that he will oppose if Hindi is “imposed in Tamil Nadu.”
The state unit has been consciously avoiding sensitive topics and instead focusing on governance issues by taking on the ruling party and trying to make the political narrative, DMK vs BJP, rather than DMK vs AIADMK.
Prof Ramu Manivannan, who taught politics at the University of Madras, told DH that the Governor has “really knocked down” the BJP’s prospects in one day much more than the DMK could have done in six months or a year.
He (the Governor) has unbuilt everything that the BJP has been trying to build in Tamil Nadu. He has exposed the office of Governor in the most naked form, provoked Tamils, and is trying to play with their culture. He has done greater damage for the BJP and has single handedly exposed the real face of BJP and what they stand for,” Prof. Manivannan said.
Senior journalist R Bhagwan Singh, who covered Tamil Nadu for 40 years, said the Governor’s utterances could unsettle Annamalai’s plans to win a sizeable chunk of seats in the 2024 polls since they are seen as reflection of the principles or thought process of the Modi government.
“The Governor is holding onto a lame horse (Tamizhagam controversy) at a time the BJP leadership in Tamil Nadu is going the Dravidian path. In fact, the BJP is attempting to redefine the path by calling out the bluff of Dravidian parties. He has turned out to be an embarrassment for the BJP,” Singh told DH.