This is the third episode of Pakka Politics, a podcast by The News Minute to make sense of politics and its socio-cultural impact. From local to national events and global issues, we will focus on everything in the political sphere. As disinformation wreaks havoc around the world, host Shabbir Ahmed will bring in varied voices and opinions of experts, politicians, activists, academics and journalists to delve deep into the heart of issues. 

In this episode, featuring political activist Mathur Sathya, we discuss how the BJP shapes its narratives by appropriating popular icons and why its attempts have not borne fruit in Tamil Nadu. 

Since the saffron party came to power in 2014, the BJP and its ideological fountainhead RSS have attempted to appropriate the legacies of prominent Indian icons. The Sangh outfits have tried to employ it in Tamil Nadu too. 

As part of its calculated strategy, the BJP has been attempting to highlight the contributions of lesser-known figures to bolster their influence in the state and appropriate the legacy of Tamil icons. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tribute to Rani Velu Nachiyar in Mann Ki Baat last month, exemplifies this effort to align with Tamil historical figures. 

We dissect how the BJP has been trying to resonate with the Tamil identity, from referencing Thirukural, to celebrating Sangam-era poets, and symbolically incorporating Tamil culture, such as the installation of Sengol in the new parliament building. 

Tune in.

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