‘Muslim perception of Modi is slowly changing ... why should they fear him?’

FORMER VICE-CHANCELLOR of Calicut University M Abdul Salam is the lone Muslim face among the Lok Sabha candidates the party has announced so far. The BJP'S minority morcha national vice-president, Salam has been fielded from Kerala's Malappuram seat, which has been a traditional stronghold of Congress ally IUML.

In an interview, Salam speaks on a range of issues including the CAA row, Hindutva and the Muslim community's approach towards PM Narendra Modi. Excerpts:

CAA has turned into a major campaign issue in Kerala.

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.

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

It is a hurdle to get closer to the community. congress andcpi(m) have kept them 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 real is ethe folly of milling around these 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).

In Kerala, the BJP'S focus is on development, not Hindutva.

Why is it so?

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.

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 Bjpchristian 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.

A controversy recently broke out over your absence in PM Modi's Palakkad roadshow.

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, butdidnotsayanything 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.