Muslim perception of Modi slowly changing. Has Modi hurt any… why should they fear him: BJP LS candidate Abdul Salam

* The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)’s implementation ahead of the Lok Sabha polls has turned into a major campaign issue in Kerala. What is your take?

We are facing the anti-CAA campaigns of Congress and CPI(M). They have depicted this issue as discriminatory towards Muslims only to win community’s votes. A large number of people go by the version given by pseudo intellectuals. CAA is meant to do justice to the minority people who were affected by Partition. Muslims are not among the persecuted minorities in Pakistan and Bangladesh. They are not minorities in those countries and do not face any persecution there. The CAA is a promise to the persecuted minorities in Pakistan at the time of Partition. Even after seven decades, successive governments in the country could not deliver that promise. If it is not done even now, it would be a grave injustice to the persecuted minorities. Muslims should understand why they were dropped from the list of such migrants eligible for citizenship.

* Are CAA and other such issues becoming a hurdle in winning over Muslims for the BJP?

It is a hurdle to get closer to the community. Congress and CPI(M) have kept the community tied up to the settled issues of Babri, Gyanvapi and now CAA. But there is a relief that educated Muslims, particularly women, are aware of the ground situation. I am sure young Muslims would realise the folly of milling around these issues. IUML’s Kerala president Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal has recently said there was no need to protest against the Ram Temple. The Muslim community should think about the future instead of such issues.

* Has Muslim perception of PM Modi and BJP changed?

Their (Muslim) perception of Modi is slowly changing. Has Modi hurt any Muslim in the last one decade? Why should they fear Modi? I have met several Muslim mothers who support Modi for having abolished triple talaq. They have realised that Modi has saved their daughters. Young women have now started supporting Modi after the triple talaq (abolition). We have scores of women who are enjoying freedom from triple talaq.

* In Kerala, the CPI(M) and the Congress seem to be battling for Muslim votes while targeting Modi and BJP?

The CPI(M) and the Congress are cheating Muslims over secularism. Modi’s concept of one nation is much above secularism and encompasses all people. How long Muslims can keep away from BJP? Modi and the BJP government are going to stay in the country for not just another five years, but for more terms to come. Modi’s development is inclusive. If Muslims keep away from Modi, it would be a loss for them on the development front. They should come forward to join the mainstream by supporting BJP rather than voting for CPI(M) and Congress, who are walk-out teams in Parliament.

* In Kerala, BJP’s focus is on development, not Hindutva. Why?

In Kerala, the sentiments of Hindutva among Hindus is very low. They form 55% of the state’s population. If they had stood together and Hindutva feelings were high, the situation in Kerala would have been much different. Minorities should feel lucky that Hindus in Kerala are not united. Many Hindus now feel that they are being persecuted, neglected. In the future, if they develop Hindutva thoughts, we cannot find fault with them. Muslims and Christians cannot prevent such a consolidation if it happens.

India is not a Hindu Rashtra despite Hindus being the majority. If Muslims were strong here, the country would have been a Muslim country much before and if Christians were the majority, the country would have been a Christian nation.

* The BJP is trying to get closer to Christians in Kerala. Is the Muslim community concerned about it?

There are people among Muslims who look at this BJP-Christian bonhomie with anxiety. No doubt that Christians should be brought closer to the BJP. People are asking why there were no such efforts to win over Muslims. There could be contradictions if such efforts are made. There could be many reasons. We see that Muslims in the Middle East love Modi. But Muslims in Kerala, who have close links with the Middle East, are reluctant to get closer to Modi.

* Senior BJP leader C K Padmanabhan recently said that those who join the BJP from other parties get undue prominence while party workers who have toiled get neglected. Your comments?

One has to be very cautious while reacting to such issues. BJP is a growing party in Kerala. We have several weaknesses here. At this growing stage, nothing wrong in BJP accommodating new leaders from other parties at various levels. Once the party grows further, such inductions would get smoother.

* A controversy recently broke out over your absence in PM Modi’s Palakkad roadshow. What is your response?

There was no invitation for me for this roadshow. Apart from BJP’s Palakkad candidate C Krishnakumar, the party’s Ponnani candidate Niveditha Subramaniam joined the roadshow because her constituency comprises parts of Palakkad district. I went to meet PM Modi to invite him for a campaign in Malappuram. He said good luck, but did not say anything regarding coming to Malappuram for campaigning. Media announced that I was dropped from the roadshow and CPI(M) took it up. There was a clear protocol. My name was not there. CPI(M) attempt is only to exploit the situation.