Former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam’s nephew APJ Syed Haja Ibrahim, a member of BJP till November 2015, launched his own party on Tuesday in Rameshwaram. The new party, the Desiya Jananayaka Katchi (DJK), is set to contest in 21 seats in the upcoming state elections.
“If Dr Kalam was alive, he would have encouraged the formation of my party. He knew of my ideals and sometimes, believed in me more than I did. Being his nephew comes with additional responsibilities. While the expectations that come attached with his name pushes me to work more diligently, I would never want to misuse his name or legacy,” said Syed Haja Ibrahim to The News Minute.
The DJK was launched with a promise to transform the education scenario prevailing in Tamil Nadu, and, in turn, providing ‘ample’ job opportunities for the 85 lakh unemployed young people in accordance with their qualifications, says Syed Haja Ibrahim. The party also aims to encourage young people to take up agriculture, and work for the welfare of the agrarian sector.
“Today, every second person in Tamil Nadu is an engineer. But the truth is that they are all mere technicians. Innovation is the need of the hour and that is absent in our system. Every seat is sold for lakhs, defeating the purpose of education itself,” said Ibrahim, who is an engineer himself.
Having travelled far and wide, and having studied the educational systems of countries such as Finland, the United Kingdom and Ireland, Ibrahim feels that the problem in Tamil Nadu stems from problems being ignored rather than from a ‘lack of awareness’. “I submitted a proposal to the Tamil Nadu government three years back listing some plausible ways to better the system. But the report never saw the light,” he said, adding that it prompted him to joining politics.
Ibrahim had joined the BJP in 2012 and was appointed as the state vice president for the minority wing of the party. Due to differences with the party high command over the conversion of Dr Kalam’s old house into a Knowledge Centre, Ibrahim quit the party in November 2015.
“Without political power, no good scheme can be implemented in Tamil Nadu and that was exactly why I joined politics. My aim is to serve the people and not throw statements around simply for political gain,” he said.
Desiya Jananayaka Katchi announced candidates for 13 seats for the upcoming state elections when the party was launched. The party will be contesting in Aathur, Thiruchengode, Erode, Ambasamudram, Karaikudi and Palani constituencies, among others. The DJK has also forged an alliance with the Samuga Makkal Katchi, India Makkal Katchi and Elai Makkal Katchi and the alliance will be contesting in a total of 110 seats across the state.