BJP respects minorities and welcomes Muslim leaders, says party candidate
Former vicechancellor of Calicut University M Abdul Salam, who is the lone Muslim face among about 405 candidates that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced so far for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, said he is a hardcore believer in the teachings of Prophet Muhammad and a patriot.
Salam has been fielded from Kerala’s Muslim-dominated Malappuram seat, which has been a traditional stronghold of Congress ally Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
In an exclusive interaction with the Hindustan Times at his constituency Malappuram, the 71-year-old agronomist, who has over 70 international research papers to his credit and is one of the most controversial vice-chancellors of Kerala’s prestigious Calicut University, spoke about various issues including the perception about the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, being the lone Muslim candidate of the party and the CAA row.
Talking about the recent controversy about him being allegedly denied permission to accompany Modi in his roadshow in Kerala last week, Salam said: “Before the beginning of the roadshow, I met the PM, and he offered me good luck. I reached Palakkad only to invite him to campaign in my Malappuram constituency, and the PM has yet to accept or reject that invitation.”
Asked why he chose to join the BJP, Salam said the BJP is not a Hindutva or a communal party, but a collective of nationalists who place all of their other priorities below the patriotic goals.
“I have no personal animosity with Congress, IUML, or CPI (M). My question is why they are not placing national interests first. Religion and faith are important but should not be placed above the country. To me, the country is the top priority. So I found Modi’s dedication to the country and its overall growth to be matchless,” he said.
“What are the Congress and CPI (M) pursuing in Kerala other than simply appeasing fanatic Muslim leaders? All 20 Lok Sabha constituencies in Kerala will go to the polls on April 26, a Friday. Kerala’s ruling and opposition parties are now requesting the Election Commission of India (ECI) to reschedule the polling date in the state as it coincides with a Friday, a significant day for the Muslim faith,” he said.
“If the country is the priority, any Muslim can vote on that day before or after prayers at the mosque. If this is the mentality, how would the community achieve progress and its youngsters occupy top slots?” he asked.
He said the adamant attitude of Muslim Orthodoxy towards trivial matters makes things complex for the community in the country.
“I feel honoured as the lone Muslim face so far among the BJP candidates at the national level. But it is also a limitation. The BJP respects minorities and welcomes Muslim leaders. But why are they not ready to join the party and help Modiji achieve his vision for the country? Muslim leaders must not be puppets at the hands of those elements that are jealous of India’s growth,” he said.
He said the BJP is not communal, and it would be happy to accommodate even IUML, the largest minority party in India, in the NDA if it approves Modi’s leadership and shares his national vision.
“Goa governor and former BJP Kerala unit president PS Sreedharan Pillai brought me to the BJP in 2019 and chose me as the party candidate in the state assembly election in 2019 at Tirur in Malappuram. Though I lost to IUML’s Kurukkoli Moideen and managed hardly 5.33 percent of the votes, the party has now deputed me to contest the Lok Sabha election. Even if I lose this election, I will not demand anything from the party. Instead, I will work as a disciplined functionary at the grassroots level,” he said.
When asked about Ayodhya and Babri Masjid, he said Muslims are not attaching so much importance to any geographical locality other than Mecca, and they can worship at any place by shifting mosques to convenient localities.
He said the Gyanvapi and other contentious issues can be easily solved if Muslim clergy shift the disputed mosques to more spacious and convenient locations identified by fellow Hindus.
He claimed that the protests against CAA in Kerala are false and that the law would not affect any Indian Muslims.
“We, the Muslims, must evolve as a constructive force, taking a bold position against terrorism and obscurantism. Those who chopped off the hands and heads must be singled out and handed over to the investigating agencies. The priority must be overall growth,” he said.
Salam said he has high faith in the Muslim women voters of Malappuram who are clad in `black burqa’ and are continuously victimised by triple talaq.
“They may be silent and unorganised. But they would vote for me en masse as a mark of solidarity to Modi, who improved their positions,” he said.
A native of Chadayamangalam in the Southern Kollam district, resides in Thiruvananthapuram.
Before retiring as vice chancellor of Calicut University, he was the head of the regional research station of Kerala Agriculture University at Vellayani in Thiruvananthapuram. In Malappuram, he is fighting IUML veteran ET Muhammed Basheer, who represented the nearby Ponanni Lok Sabha constituency in the outgoing Lok Sabha, and V Vaseef, the young leader of the CPI (M) youth wing DYFI.