‘Hindutva is a bogey created by Congress for many years’: Rajeev Chandrasekhar

Interview/ Rajeev Chandrasekhar, BJP state president

Q/ The Congress in Kerala has consistently alleged a “secret pact” between the BJP and the CPI(M). They say that despite several high-profile cases and central investigations against the chief minister, there has been no action against him.

The Congress’s strategy is to try and make fools out of people. They try this in every state that goes to elections. The first thing they do is allege that their opposition party has an alliance with the BJP, to somehow make that party untouchable for the Muslim community.

Look, this is a silly political strategy that the Congress believes will work. If that is the case, then can the CPI(M) not argue that since Rahul Gandhi is not in jail in the National Herald case, the BJP-led government at the Centre is going slow on prosecuting him?

Whether it is Pinarayi Vijayan’s alleged corruption or the allegations involving Rahul and Sonia Gandhi, there is no question of anyone being let off. Eventually, the law will catch up.

Q/ There is an observation that you have moved the state BJP away from its hardline hindutva path. This is said in the context of your emphasis on ‘Vikasitha Keralam’.

In 2014, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was elected with a strong mandate, he said that we are a party that believes in Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. He said that every Indian has an equal right to opportunity, welfare and progress because the Constitution is his guiding book. That is exactly what I am saying today in Kerala—that development must be the sole purpose of anyone in politics.

As far as hindutva is concerned, this is a bogey that has been created by the Congress for many years. What is hindutva in what we are saying or doing? There is nothing to be ashamed of in being proud of who we are. We are proud of our faith, and we have absolutely no reason to be shy about it. At the same time, we respect every vishwasi—every believer—and everybody’s right to practise their faith. There is no contradiction between what we have said in the past and what we are saying today.

We are also saying that... Kerala has a long tradition, a deep culture and a rich history. We want to celebrate that. That is why we worked to ensure that the name of our state reflects Keralam. This is the Keralam we want to celebrate—a land that has brought together people of different faiths and communities.

Q/ During the Sabarimala women’s entry controversy, the BJP led major agitations in the state. Yet it did not yield any electoral gains. Now, with the Sabarimala gold theft controversy, how will you ensure the BJP reaps the political dividend?

We do not see Sabarimala as a political dividend issue or as something to be encashed for electoral gains. What happened there was an insult; it was sacrilege. It was about harming people who have no other demand in life except to practise their faith in the way it has been practised for centuries in this very sacred temple of Lord Ayyappa.

When people in positions of political power try to disrupt that and harm people who simply want to practise their faith, the BJP steps in to protect them. We do not do that because we want votes from the people we protect.

A journalist asked me the same question when we launched the Muslim outreach programme: “Why are you doing this when you have never received significant Muslim votes?” My answer was that this is not the reason we do outreach. When we reach out to people in Kerala, we do it to tell them who we are, what our vision is, and what the prime minister is doing for them.

This becomes a problem only for those who practise politics solely for the sake of seeking votes.