‘Going by the rule of law on hijab, halal and azaan issues’
NEW DELHI: Ahead of the 2023 assembly elections, Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj S Bommai has said controversies for which the state was in the headlines -- such as hijab, halal, loudspeakers -- were the handiwork of fringe elements and those affiliated to extremist organisations. In an interview to Smriti Kak Ramachandran , he said the BJP wants to win on the basis of its performance. He also said the government is committed to bring an anti-conversion law, and is examining the issue of implementing a Uniform Civil Code. Edited excerpts
You are going to Davos and wooing international players to invest in Karnataka. What is being done to make the state an investment destination?
Karnataka has been a pioneer in (receiving) Foreign Direct Investment (FDI); in the last four quarters we have been number one in the country. Almost 40% of the country’s total FDI comes to Karnataka. We are number one in sectors of defence, R&D, semiconductors, electronics. In Davos, too, we are pitching Karnataka. As a prelude to Davos,we have signed MoUs for semi-conductors, Exide and Toyota.
Investments also need a conducive environment. Of late the state has been hurtling from one controversy to another. A lot of people are questioning the actions of the government.
These controversies are raised by fringe elements of extremistthinking organisations like PFI (Popular Front of India) but we have handled these efficiently, and these are no longer an issue on the ground. And these issues have not affected any investment that is coming. Last week, I signed three MoUs, almost ₹24,000 crore for semiconductor plant, ₹6,000 with Exide, and another ₹5,000 crore with Toyota. All these issues are not new to India. Pre- and post-Independence such issues were raised time and again, but our generation has felt it for the first time. But these have been dealt with different laws and judgments. I am going by the rule of law. In the hijab case, there was a rule that has been reiterated by a judgment. In the halal case and the issue of allowing Azaan, there are rules laid down by the then Congress government and I am just implementing these.
Do you think the government could have acted differently and not allowed the issues to snowball into a controversy?
It is not a big problem there. You see it as a problem here, there everything is under control and check and we are implementing the laws strictly.
You said these controversies are the handiwork of the fringe. But opposition says you have not been able to take action against them.
Fringe is fringe. They are motivated by extremist organisations and have been dealt with.
Have you recommended or suggested a ban on these organisations?
That call the Centre has to take. There are lots of circumstances that have been reported.
Who is the main challenger to the BJP in the upcoming polls and how will presence of parties such as AIMIM, SDPI impact politics?
The main challenger is the Congress. But as in the rest of the country, Congress is going down day by day. Their presence at the national and state level is dwindling and there is disillusionment among the workers and disharmony among the leaders. I don’t want to comment much, but even an opposition party has some responsibilities but they have failed as an opposition.
And I don’t know much about AIMIM; last time also they announced (that they would contest) but did not come up.
There is talk of factionalism in the BJP’s state unit...
I have not come across anyone saying they are not happy with the party. Some people might have suggested how to work, suggestions are welcome but we are are working together.
What is the status of the anti-conversion law and what is your stand on the uniform civil code?
It has been cleared in the assembly, but we could not get it cleared in the council. But we are very serious about it and committed to an anti-conversion law. As for the UCC, we are studying it and we are looking at the other states’ approach(to it). Once we get all the information then we will take it up.