Salma interview: ‘Tamil Nadu a mature state, BJP will never win it’ | Culture Vibes

Celebrated Tamil poet, novelist, and Rajya Sabha member Salma has spent decades challenging patriarchal norms through her writing and activism. Born Rajathi in the village of Thuvarankurichi near Tiruchirappalli (Tamil Nadu), Salma is one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Tamil literature. Growing up in a conservative Muslim household, she was pulled out of school at the age of 13 and kept in strict seclusion until her marriage at 19.

Despite these restrictions, her love for books fuelled her desire to write. Using the pen name ‘Salma’ (picked from a poem by Kahlil Gibran), she began secretly composing poems that spoke of women’s desires, frustrations, and inner lives, slipping them out to editors without her family’s knowledge. Over time, her poetry and fiction, unafraid to address themes like sexuality, patriarchy, and the everyday negotiations of women, made her both a controversial figure and a sough-after literary talent.

Her debut poetry collection Oru Malaiyum Innoru Malaiyum (2000) shook the male-dominated Tamil literary world with its bold depiction of female subjectivity and longing. Salma went on to write acclaimed novels like The Hour Past Midnight, Women, Dreaming, and The Door Latch, as well as the short story collection The Curse. Her works often depict women living within the suffocating confines of orthodox communities, capturing both the quiet rebellions and compromises that shape their lives. At the same time, she has been an active political voice, serving as the chairperson of the Tamil Nadu Social Welfare Board and advocating for women’s and transgender rights, domestic violence awareness, and gender equality.

The Dark Hours of the Night (Simon & Schuster India), a translation of her first novel Irandaam Jaamangalin Kathai by GJV Prasad, is set in a conservative Tamil Muslim family and follows the intertwined stories of Rabia, her friends, and her cousin Wahida. Through their lives, Salma explores questions of education, marriage, autonomy, and the shifting boundaries of tradition and change. True to her style, the novel is unflinching yet deeply empathetic, illuminating how patriarchy adapts to changing times while women continue to navigate a complex terrain of duty, desire, and selfhood. It stands as another example of Salma’s remarkable ability to turn the private spaces of women’s lives into powerful, resonant literature.

In this candid interview, Salma reflects on her journey, the Dravidian movement’s influence, her desire to do more for women’s education , her hopes for a more equitable India, why she thinks the BJP will never be able to make inroads in Tamil Nadu, and how the Dravidian movement gives her the chance to fight injustice, and more. Excerpts from the interview:

You are a freshly minted Rajya Sabha member. What are your thoughts on this new role?

It’s a happy moment for me. My chief minister gave me this opportunity, and as a field worker, I’ve always had commitments as a politician. Now, as a Rajya Sabha member, the responsibility is greater. I feel a bit of fear—I must do this job well. The commitment is with me, and I’ll give my best.

As a writer representing marginalised women, what responsibility do you feel?

Women’s lives haven’t changed much in rural areas, regardless of religion. Recently, I saw a photograph where village men were smashing women’s phones with stones. This is women’s freedom in India? We must fight for equality and against discrimination. Gender is always the problem in our country. My books and poetry speak about this—not religion. Religion is secondary. The real issue is our male-dominated society. Changing mindsets is difficult, but necessary.

In Tamil Nadu, there’s talk of BJP’s growing influence. How real is this threat?

BJP has no chance here. They never protest for people’s issues—only religion. Tamil Nadu is an educated, mature society. The Dravidian movement has ruled for over 50 years; we’re developed. BJP only exploits religion. They don’t address real problems. People here see what’s happening in BJP-ruled states—they won’t let it happen here.

Your early life was marked by confinement. At 13, you were forced to stop studying. How did you cope?

Our village tradition dictated that girls couldn’t study beyond a certain age. I wanted to continue through correspondence courses, but my parents feared backlash. The village would have shamed them. I fought, cried, but realized breaking these rules wasn’t easy. So, I turned to writing. My mother said, “Do anything inside the house, but don’t go outside.” So, I wrote—channeling my anger into poetry.

What books influenced you during those years of isolation?

I was lucky—a small library in my village had Russian literature and Periyar’s works. Russian novels spoke of love, equality, and a world without poverty. Periyar’s writings taught me women aren’t slaves. They shattered the lies I’d been fed: that women must obey, stay silent. I realized the world was bigger than my village.

Your poetry was groundbreaking—bold, unapologetic about women’s desires. How did it reach readers?

My mother smuggled my poems to publisher Kanan Sundaram. The response was unprecedented. No Tamil woman had written like this before. My poems spoke of sexuality, anger, and the silent suffering of women around me—my sisters, aunts. Great writers like Sundar Ramaswamy praised them, giving me courage to keep writing.

Your husband opposed your writing, yet later pushed you to contest panchayat elections. Was that liberating?

It was ironic. They’d hidden my name, my photos—then suddenly, for elections, they plastered my face on billboards. I was angry but thought, “If they can use me, I’ll use this chance.” Winning the election became my first step into public life.

Your novel The Dark Hours of the Night draws from your life, including a scandal over watching an adult film. Why this story?

It’s semi-autobiographical. A girl watches her society—the pain of women, the hypocrisy. Cinema was forbidden for girls, but I sneaked in once, not knowing it was an adult film. The village turned it into a scandal. The novel reflects how society polices women’s curiosity and freedom.

How has the Dravidian movement shaped you?

It gave me the courage to fight injustice. Leaders like Karunanidhi and Stalin have pushed for equality—women’s property rights, 33% reservation. But today, BJP’s divisive politics threatens India’s unity. Our economy is falling, hate is rising. Regional parties like ours must save democracy.

Do you see opposition uniting against Modi in 2029?

People are waking up. This government could fall anytime—Nitish, Chandrashekar, others might shift alliances. The next election will show their rejection of BJP’s anti-people policies.

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