E. SREEDHARAN could be the busiest 88-year-old in the country. On February 19, the “metro man” took many people by surprise by announcing that he had decided to join the BJP. Since then, his transformation from a technocrat to a politician has been quick and stark.
Sreedharan has been both blunt and sharp while attacking political opponents. He has also candidly expressed his aspiration to become the BJP’s chief minister candidate in the assembly elections in Kerala, due in May. Will he be able to change politics the way he changed public transport facilities across the country? In an exclusive interview, Sreedharan spoke to THE WEEK about his mission in politics. Excerpts:
Q In the past few days, you have transformed yourself from a technocrat to a true-blue politician. Was this change easy for you?
A I have entered politics, but that doesn’t mean I am a politician. I will continue to be a technocrat. I won’t play politics, but will work as a statesman to bring progress and prosperity to the state.
Q You had earlier refused to enter politics despite receiving many offers. What prompted you to take the plunge now?
Continue reading your story on the app
Continue reading your story in the magazine
SAFFRON ON RED
Can left veteran Ashok Bhattacharya overcome the BJP’s surge in Siliguri?
There is a pattern to the attack on Central forces in Bengal
Sunil Arora, who demitted office on April 12, chose THE WEEK for his last interview as chief election commissioner. He said he was anguished over the constant attacks the commission faced, especially from the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal. He also said that the attacks on Central forces in West Bengal was worrying and had a pattern.
INDIA ON GUARD
THE SECOND WAVE OF COVID-19 CAUGHT US LACKING AND SLACKING. REINING IN A RESURGENT VIRUS WOULD NEED BETTER ADHERENCE TO SAFETY PROTOCOLS AND A MORE NUANCED APPROACH TO VACCINATION
No value in vaccinating everyone at this stage
The second wave hit India despite the vaccine rollout. And, vaccinated people are now getting infected. The vaccine was never expected to stop any wave, second or otherwise. All the Covid-19 vaccines available in the world right now have this handicap, that they cannot stop transmission of the virus. This is unlike the vaccines for polio or smallpox, which can interrupt transmission and thereby eradicate the disease eventually.
Fit for the future
DRDO labs are being closed or merged to prevent duplication and to focus on futuristic technologies
BRINGING MANHAS HOME
THE WEEK brings you the inside story of how a nonagenarian social worker, a tribal leader and a group of local journalists secured the safe release of Rakeshwar Singh Manhas, a CoBRA commando captured by the Maoists of Bastar
Fighting our people
CoBRA is burdened by law, which demands that it upholds the Constitutional and human rights of civilians. Naxals have no such burden
Fallen star
With K.T. Jaleel forced to step down as minister, the Pinarayi Vijayan government suffers a big blow at the fag end of its term
Due procedure followed in case against activists
THE 2020 DELHI riots, which claimed 53 lives, the farmers’ protest at the Red Fort and the arrest of activist Disha Ravi on sedition charges have all taken place during S.N. Shrivastava’s tenure as commissioner of Delhi Police. He spoke to THE WEEK about the status of investigations in these cases, monitoring social media and terror threats to the capital. Excerpts:
Booster shot
Picking up the pace of vaccinations is not only a health and welfare concern, but also key for India’s economic prospects
India Election Body Struggles With Scale Of Fake Information
When India’s Election Commission announced last month that its code of conduct would have to be followed by social media companies as well as political parties, some analysts scoffed, saying it lacked the capacity and speed required to check the spread of fake news ahead of a multi-phase general election that begins April 11.
India At A Crossroads
India is known as the land of contradictions, and recent events do little to undermine that reputation.
Still on a Tightrope
For Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, the three bypolls on April 17—in Rajsamand, Sahara and Sujangarh—may be a challenge comparable in scale and complexity to the BJP-backed rebellion in July 2020 by party counterweight Sachin Pilot.
THE RIFT RUNS DEEP IN YADAV CITADEL
Akhilesh and shivpal were there in saifai, but for the first time, the yadav first family played holi separately.
अतीत और भविष्य
गत 6 अप्रैल को दुनिया के सबसे बड़े राजनैतिक संगठन भारतीय जनता पार्टी ने अपना 41 वां स्थापना दिवस मनाया. भारत के पश्चिमी घाट को मंडित करने वाले महासागर के किनारे खड़े होकर मैं ये भविष्यवाणी करने का साहस करता हूँ कि अंधेरा छंटेगा, सूरज निकलेगा, कमल खिलेगा. यह शब्द है अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी के, जो उन्होंने ठीक 41 वर्ष पहले 6 अप्रैल, 1980 को कहे थे. अटलजी जिस पश्चिमी घाट और महासागर की बात कर रहे थे, वह था मुंबई का समुद्री तट, जहाँ अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी के नेतृत्व में भारतीय जनता पार्टी की स्थापना हुई थी और वाजपेयी ने भाजपा की ओर से पहला भाषण दिया था. भाषण के अंत में वाजपेयी ने कमल खिलने की भविष्य वाणी की थी, जो ठीक 34 साल बाद 2014 में सही साबित हुई.
जल प्रबंधन
मुल्लापेरियार बांध 'रूल कर्व'
बंगाली नववर्ष पर ममता ने कोलकाता में किया रोड शो,किया जीत का दावा
बंगाल में परिवर्तन नहीं चाहिए : जया बच्चन
कोरोना के बढ़ते मामलों के बीच बंगाल में आगामी तीन चरणों के चुनाव एक साथ कराए जाएं: ममता
बंगाल में जारी चुनावी गहमागहमी के बीच मुख्यमंत्री व तृणमूल कांग्रेस सुप्रीमो ममता बनर्जी ने कोरोना के बढ़ते मामलों पर गहरी चिंता जताई है। उन्होंने कोरोना को देखते हुए चुनाव आयोग से आगामी तीन चरणों के चुनाव एक साथ कराए जाने की अपील की है।
आखिरी तीन चरणों की वोटिंग एक साथ नहीं
चुनाव आयोग ने बंगाल में कोरोना संक्रमण के बढ़ते मामलों के बीच अटकलों को किया खारिज
मैदान में नदारद
केरल में दुश्मनी, बंगाल में गलबहियां-क्या राहुल और प्रियंका गांधी वामदलों के साथ इन दोहरे रिश्तों के कारण ही ममता के खिलाफ चुनाव अभियान में शामिल होने से परहेज कर रहे?