Chennai: Attempts to capitalise on the legacy of former President and ‘missile man’ A.P.J. Abdul Kalam continues with his grand nephew A.P J. M. Haja Syed Ibrahim announcing the launch of a political party, but his family has forbidden him from using the name of the late President in any manner in his political adventure.
Ibrahim, who quit Tamil Nadu BJP as vice president of its minority wing in November last after the Centre refused to convert Kalam’s official residence into a kn-owledge centre, has named his new outfit as Desiya Jananayaka Katchi (National Democratic Party).
The name of Kalam, who was apolitical throughout his life despite serving as President for a five year term, was dragged into politics for the first time in February when his long-time aide V. Ponraj launched a political party in the name of the late scientist-President despite strong objections from Kalam’s family.
Abdul Kalam Vision Party, whose flag bears the portrait of Kalam, is contesting the Assembly elections. However, Ibrahim says his party will never use the name of Kalam to “further their political interests”, but would take every effort to ensure that the goals of the late President are achieved and his dreams are fulfilled in the near future.
Since a major controversy broke out after Ponraj launched the party after Kalam, the family of Ibrahim told him in no uncertain terms that his political venture should not claim the former President as its own.
“Our party’s agenda is to ensure quality education for students in the country. Kalam always stood for his cause and we plan to take it forward from where he left. The current education system only allows students to develop something, not discover. Kalam wanted to change this system and we would fight for this. Another area where we want to bring change is the health sector,” Ibrahim told Deccan Chronicle.
While welcoming Ibrahim’s move to launch a new outfit to propagate the ideals of Kalam without dragging him into politics, another grand nephew of Kalam, A. P. J. M. Sheik Saleem, who is a BJP member, hit out at Ponraj for claiming the legacy of the former President.
“Dr Kalam is a national asset. He belongs to 120 crore people of this country. He was quite popular among the people, especially youth, and if he had wished he could have launched a political party after his tenure as President. But he wanted to work for the youth, but now people who worked with him are trying to use his name for their gains,” Saleem said.
He also said the move to claim the legacy of Kalam is “against democratic principles” of the country for which the late President stood for. “We told him (Ponraj) several times not to use Kalam’s name. He is too big to fit into a small outfit. He lived for the country and every party should try to fulfill his dreams,” he said.
However, Ponraj has disregarded the protests from the family and said there was nothing wrong in using Kalam’s name and propagating his ideals. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a close aide of Kalam denounced any moves to politicise his name in any manner. The aide, who had worked with Kalam when he was President and even after he demitted office, says the former President, was apolitical to the core.
