National

"I'm A Believer. I Don't Follow Any One Religion."

Ex-cricketer Sreesanth, now a BJP candidate, on politics, religion and controversies

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"I'm A Believer. I Don't Follow Any One Religion."
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S. Sreesanth, ex-cricketer and now BJP candidate from Thiru­van­an­thapuram, speaks to Out­look about politics, his syncretic religious beliefs and the BCCI ban following a betting controversy.

Why did you join politics?

My father-in-law wanted me to join politics when the Madhya Pradesh election was going on. But I wanted a clean chit before I joined politics and now everything is looking good. The BJP is ruling amazingly well at the Centre. I want to be part of a family which wants to improve Indian democracy.

In your family, your father is a Comm­unist and your cousin Dr T.N. Seema is the Left candidate in Vattiyoorkavu?

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My personal life is different and my fat­her respects my decision. Yes, my father is still a Communist. But he knows that I have the perseverance and he is happy about my decision to contest elections to serve the people in Kerala.

You have been called an outsider by your political opponents. How do you respond to that?

I am a Malayali, and I represented Kerala. I played for India, so how can I be an outsider? A lot of people love me and I am confident.

Even if the court has exonerated you, the BCCI ban on you playing cricket for life is still in place.

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The court has given me a clean chit. The BCCI is a private firm and my playing cricket depends on a private firm. I am not worried about that because I got my respect back. The BJP has given me a much bigger responsibility. I hardly think of the game right now. I am really not interested in the game right now. I don’t even get to watch the game now. My focus is on bringing the BJP into the state.

How close are you to the BJP leadership? How well do you know Arun Jaitley, who is also part of the cricket fraternity?

On a personal note I am not close, but on a professional note, yes.

You used to cross yourself before your run-up. And you visited the Vettukadu church in Thiruvananthapuram at the beginning of your campaign. What are your views on the Sangh parivar’s anti­-Christian, anti-Muslim stance?

Yes, I did go. I am a firm believer. I don’t follow any particular religion, that’s the way I was brought up. My mother goes to St Anthony’s church (in Kochi) on Tuesdays, my whole family goes to church, even my father goes though he follows Hinduism. The way I look at things, every religion is the same.

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There have been reconversions of Christians to Hinduism in Kerala and the Sangh parivar frowns on Hindus converting to Christianity. What are your comments on this?

I don’t want to get into this conversation, because it will become controversial. Those are decisions which are already there. I am sorry, but I don’t want to answer this one.

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