Chennai: Political parties, including the Congress, have become "family private limited" companies and hence, a new platform is needed for Tamil youngsters seeking a political career, P Chidambaram's son Karti has said.
"They (youngsters) do not have space in any party. They cannot join any traditional party, be it the Congress, DMK, or AIADMK, and come up. There is a need for a platform for them in Tamil Nadu," he said here on Monday.
Karti was addressing a meeting of 'G-67', a youth collective launched by him two years ago to mark 50 years of Dravidian rule in Tamil Nadu, alternately by the AIADMK and the DMK after dethroning the Congress, which was in power for 20 consecutive years in the state till then.
"All political parties have become private family properties...the existing parties are family private limited (enterprises). There cannot be any alternative view there. You have to sing peans to the supreme leader and if the leader wishes, one may get some position," he said.
In a couple of tweets on Tuesday, Karti said, "Yesterday (March 6) marked the 50th year since @INCIndia lost power in TN. We should ponder about this...Every party from the NC, PDP, Akali, SS, RJD, SP, TRS, TD, DMK, AIADMK, BJD and the BJP now with the proliferation of heirs.#G67."
Karti alleged that the "culture of a supreme leader" was being followed by all the political parties. "You cannot criticise the supreme leader or their children or family. Opportunities will be given (by a party) only to the heirs of a local, state or national-level leader. Newcomers will not be given opportunities (election tickets). Has any political party ever said that they are giving ticket to a gold medal winner of the IIT?" he asked.
"There is no scope for dissent on a political platform. You cannot criticise the policies or leadership on a political platform," he added.
Karti, son of veteran Congress leader and former Union minister P Chidambaram, said educated persons moving away from politics and the evolution of supreme leaders were the "big changes" witnessed over the last 50 years.
"After the demise of a supreme leader, his family capturing the party is what is happening," he said, adding that this was the "reality of politics" in India today.
Under such circumstances, he referred to the ascendance of a "new breed" of leaders in the US, Europe and in Delhi, who used the social media effectively to connect with the people, sans the trappings of a hierarchy-bound traditional party set-up.
Karti added that US President Donald Trump won the trust of Americans in spite of opposition from the "traditional media and the traditional party".
Trump's party "had to accept him as the people accepted him". He even banned the traditional news outlets from White House as he was confident of connecting with the people directly through social media, Karti said.
Referring to the recent pro-jallikattu protests in Tamil Nadu, he said it signified the anger of the educated, aspirational youth over several issues, including the introduction of the NEET examination for medical admissions.
Similarly, the ongoing protest at Neduvasal in Pudukottai district against the hydrocarbon project also symbolised "people's activism, (upholding) farmers' rights and (protecting) the ecology", he added.
Karti said social media played a big role in the protests and added that he was confident of reaching out to the protesters, sans the trappings of hierarchy of parties.
On the acronym 'G-67', he said it might sound like a "bus number", adding that probably "this bus" will go "somewhere".
It stood for a generation that was born after 1967 and it was a "platform" intended to reflect the views of such a generation on the progress made by Tamil Nadu since then.
Recalling the dramatic turn of events since the hospitalisation of late chief minister J Jayalalithaa till the swearing-in of Chief Minister K Palaniswami, Karti said "none had expected it".
Similarly, it was not possible to spell out the path his initiative will follow, he added.
"As far as I am concerned, there is a need for a platform, a forum for this generation. I do not even know if I am the appropriate person to lead such an initiative."
Citing the examples of Donald Trump and a few European countries, he said the collapse of the traditional political parties has begun thanks to the social media and added that in Tamil Nadu, the current "vacuum" will only quicken the collapse of the traditional parties.
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