“Aggressive nationalism, uplift of the poor and needy, not communal appeasement”
The veteran BJP leader Kalyan Singh is being projected by the party as its chief ministerial candidate in the coming UP state election. Organiser correspondent Deepak Kumar Rath interviewed him to elicit his views on the party’s poll prospects and his plans to give good governance: Excerpts

“Muslims should also change their mindset. Sri Ram was the ancestor of not only Hindus but also of Muslims as change of religion does not change one’s ancestry. They should accept that this country’s hero is Sri Ram and not Babur.”

How do you see the BJP’s prospects in UP?
It was assumed by the people that the BJP had been pushed on the fringe of politics. The media and political analysts too had the same opinion, though I never concurred with them. But the recent results in the local bodies election have shown that now the wind is blowing in favour of BJP and today the BJP is not on the margin but has come on the centre-stage of politics. This has boosted the morale of the BJP activists as the people have reposed their faith in the party. I am confident that by the time of election, the mass base for the party will be further strengthened.

You are being projected as the chief ministerial candidate. How is it going?
Our national president Shri Rajnath Singh has made it clear that the election will be fought under my leadership. If the party gets the mandate, then we will form the government and in a way he has projected me for the post of chief ministership. We all want that first the party should secure the mandate and form the government. On the issue of chief ministership, there is no dissension within the party.

BJP is for 33 per cent reservation for women. In the election, what per cent of women candidates are you fielding?
Look, we are of the opinion that from every district, at least one woman candidate should contest the election. At the same time, it has to be seen that the constituency should be such that the woman candidate could win the election. It is our endeavour that all women candidates who can win election should be fielded.

Why is that only when the elections come, the BJP reverts to the issue of Ramjanmabhoomi?
We never abandoned the issue of Ramjanmabhoomi. The BJP is fully committed to build the Ram Mandir at Ramjanmabhoomi. Because of the compulsions of alliance politics, when we formed the NDA government at the Centre, we kept the issue aside but never abandoned it. The people had elected the BJP as the single largest party and mandated us to form the government. Therefore, to form the government we had to explore the option of constituting an alliance. In the alliance, it was not necessary that all the alliance partners should follow our policies and ideology. Therefore, a common minimum programme was adopted, on whose basis the NDA government was formed. But this does not mean that we abandoned the issue of Hindutva or construction of Ram Mandir at Ramjanmabhoomi. I would like to clarify that the issue of Ramjanmabhoomi is not related to politics or to votes. It is related to nation’s esteem, regard, asmita, prestige and identity. Ram Mandir is the symbol of crores of Hindus’ astha. Therefore, Ram Mandir will definitely be built. It would be better if the issue is resolved either through dialogue or by the judiciary. But I do not think both dialogue or the judiciary would be able to resolve the issue. There is only one alternative left that is—make a law in Parliament to facilitate the construction of Ram Mandir. Therefore, we exhort the people, who are committed to the cause of Ramjanmabhoomi, to make all efforts so that the BJP could get a clear majority to form the government at the Centre. We promise to the people of the country that by bringing a law, we will facilitate the construction of Ram Mandir at Ramjanmabhoomi.

Will BJP’s Minority Morcha play an active role on this issue?
The ASI in its report concluded that in the excavation on the site, they found evidences, which prove that there was a temple belonging to the 10th to 12th century AD. Babur through Mir Baqi destroyed the temple and built the mosque on that place. But that mosque was not for the purpose of worship. If the purpose had been worship, then there was abundant land for the construction of the mosque. But destruction of the temple to build a mosque means inflicting humiliation on Hindus that they were slaves. So now Muslims should withdraw their claim on Ramjanmabhoomi. I remember that Shahabuddin once said that if it was proved that there had been a temple, then Muslims would withdraw their claim on the site. Now ASI has said that there was a temple on the site and we also gave the same statement to the Librahan Commission.

But when you talk on this issue the BJP is dubbed as communal.
The other parties are resorting to the politics of vote-bank and appeasing the Muslims. For them, power comes first and country afterwards. When we talk about Hindutva and nationalism, we never distinguish on the basis of faith, culture and religion. I would like to tell the Muslims that they should also change their mindset. Sri Ram was the ancestor of not only Hindus but also of Muslims as change of religion does not change one’s ancestry. They should accept that this country’s ancestor is Sri Ram and not Babur. The source of inspiration should be Maharana Pratap and Shivaji, not Akbar and Aurangzeb. The change in Muslims’ mindset is needed because they are getting isolated from the mainstream. The difference between the BJP and the Congress, Communists, SP and BSP is that while they want to misguide the Muslims we want to be with them.

Have you prepared any formula for Muslim uplift?
We say that schemes should be implemented for the upliftment of all Dalits and backwards, whether they are Hindus or Muslims. But we are opposed to schemes that are aimed only at uplifting Muslims as the central government is doing. The government has decided to allot 15 per cent of the plan funds for Muslims. Why? Why are the schemes not formulated for the upliftment of all the poor sections of the society, irrespective of their caste, community and religion? Do not divide the society on the basis of religion, which the Congress, Communists, SP and BSP are doing. Aggressive Hindutva and cultural nationalism can fight appeasement policy of UPA government.

What are the party’s planning for the polls?
We are organising booth management—one booth, 20 youth. We recruited 20 youth for each booth. Likewise, we constituted shakti kendras keeping in mind one nyaya panchayat. Their meetings have already started in every Vidhan Sabha constituency. Training camps are being organised for the party activists. We are fully prepared for the elections.

It is said that BJP wins in urban areas but loses in rural areas.
Rural votes are with us too and that is why we came to power twice. First time we came to power by winning 222 seats and second time we had to form the government on the basis of an alliance, due to which we had to suffer a lot. Mayawati’s graph is falling. People are also getting disenchanted with Mulayam Singh Yadav. So much so that even Yadavs find themselves dissatisfied with Mulayam Singh. On the basis of samajik nyaya, we will bring in samajik samata and samajik samarasata in the society.

Will the party form any alliance for the election?
We suffered a lot by making alliance. We had an alliance with Ajit Singh and we suffered in the western UP. We formed alliance with Mayawati and suffered great losses. Therefore, we decided that there would be no alliance either before the election or after the election.

What about the NDA partners?
That is a separate issue. When I talk of not having an alliance, I talk of BSP and Lok Dal. As far as NDA partners are concerned, if they ask for some seats in UP election, then we will definitely consider it.

What would be the issues in the election?
We will raise the issues of price-rise, deteriorating law and order situation, mafia-raj, no development and disorder in the state. With these issues, we will tell the people that the country is faced with serious problems of terrorism, Muslim appeasement, casteism, etc.