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Yashpal Suvarna, the BJP’s Udupi candidate and face behind the anti-Hijab campaign, has been campaigning in his constituency with the hope that people will vote for development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and him.
In an interview to News18, he said Hijab is not an issue in this election and was rather created as a distraction by ‘anti-social elements’ like the Popular Front of India (PFI). “Whoever is against nationalism, we don’t need to convince them to vote. Those who are happy being Indians will vote for the BJP,” he said.
Edited Excerpts:
As a fresh face for the assembly elections, even though you have worked on the ground in various other capacities, how do you see your chances?
Politics is not new to me. For the past 25 years, I have been working as a ‘karyakarta’ and have been a three-time councillor from Udupi. Now that I have been given a ticket from the BJP, I am requesting everybody to vote for the BJP and me.
What issues are you going to the people with while campaigning in this election?
Udupi has its history. In 1968, other than Delhi, the first municipality in southern India was formed in Udupi. The municipality played a major role in the growth of the BJP. Many leaders from the Jan Sangh have dedicated their lives to the party like VS Acharya among others.
How do you see the BJP performing in Dakshina Kannada?
BJP is a cadre-based party. For the past 25 years, we have been winning most of the assembly seats in the coastal region and all our coastal MLAs are from the BJP. The BJP has a strong base in coastal Karnataka. Udupi is well known for banking, education and other sectors. We will win big.
How much does the Hijab issue resonate in Udupi now?
See, being part of the management of Udupi Government PU Girls’ College, I must take good care of my students. It is my responsibility to ensure uniformity of education without any bias. In my college, we have introduced uniform since 2004 and there is no differentiation between rich or poor or on the basis of caste. We decided to treat every student as equal and not based on their caste or religion. Since 2004, all students have been wearing uniforms as per college rules. On December 31, 2021, some anti-social elements, PFI and CFI tried to divert the attention of students who come from economically weaker families.
Has the Hijab issue impacted your campaign?
Hijab is not an issue. Some groups do not want their girls to be educated. At the time of the Hijab issue, there were 67 Muslim girls, but after the ruckus, we had 97 Muslim girls joining us which means that the Muslim community wants good education for its girls. They did not want anything to do with the Hijab debate. Many parents came to me saying they want the best education for their girls and that many of them are treated like slaves. They do not have a personal life and that is something they don’t want for their daughters. Muslim girls in our college are happy and they are against Hijab. They want to be independent and free.
So Hijab, Halal, and Muslim reservation are not election issues in coastal Karnataka?
We (BJP) are into nationalism. We are part of an organisation to safeguard Hindutva. Hindutva is not an agenda, it is my duty. I am first a Hindu. Those who are against Hindutva and speak against my nation are not fit to be in India. Those people cannot digest our values of Hindutva and Hinduism. Those who are fanning the Hijab row don’t want their women to get educated because women will get to know what PM Modi and development are. They will get jobs and question their community and that’s what some people don’t want.
What answer do you give to the Muslim voters who ask you about the Hijab issue?
The application by the (Hijab) girls was pending in the high court. It is during this time that the CFI and PFI applied to the courts not to give the judgment on the issue until the elections conclude in Uttar Pradesh. That means the Muslim girls are in favour of development and PM Modi. The PFI thought if a decision comes in favour of the government, then the Muslim girls will vote for Yogi Adityanath and so they stalled it as it hurt their agenda. The anti-social groups PFI and CFI don’t want girl children to be educated.
What about the six girls who are fighting in the court to wear a Hijab on campus? We are being told they are facing isolation from the community?
The six students are young teenage girls and they do not have any knowledge about the IPC or the laws of the country. The PFI was behind instigating them and they would brief them on how to speak to the media and what statements needed to be made. As PUC students, how would they know how to come forth and speak to the media? How would they know how to approach the courts? They were being pushed by these anti-social elements. They created this to get the attention of people. Such is the quality of education in Karnataka that in the previous PUC examinations, the first rank student was from our college.
Has the Muslim community alienated themselves from the BJP? Do you need to take extra effort to convince them in this election?
There is nothing like that. Whoever is against nationalism, we don’t want to convince them. Those who are happy being Indians will vote for the BJP.
What about the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI)? They are contesting this time and campaigning aggressively with Hijab as an issue.
The SDPI and the Congress are two faces of the same coin. The Congress is indirectly supporting them. In the cooker bomb blast, Congress did not make any statement against them (SDPI and PFI) which means that Congress is indirectly supporting them.
DK Shivakumar has stated that if they come to power, they will roll back the anti-cow slaughter bill, anti-conversion bill and bring back the celebration of Tipu Jayanti. They do not have any agenda for development. They say they will provide guarantee cards with promises of ration etc. The Congress does not have an idea where they would get the fund for it. If they have to fulfill the promise they made in the guarantee cards, even India’s union budget will not be sufficient to provide such facilities. Unlike them, Modi-ji has taken along all communities on one platform and given development to all.
How much will the PM Modi and Amit Shah factors help you in the election?
PM Modi is a world leader and he is loved by all. His campaigning here will certainly boost the BJP’s chances. As for me, I have been closely associated with the Sangh Parivar and BJP and I am very happy that the party has allowed me to contest. Them coming here will give me a good push.
What do you have to say about Mallikarjun Kharge’s statement of calling PM Modi a poisonous snake?
I don’t want to comment on Kharge’s statement. It is a problem of age. He has no idea what is going on in the country and Karnataka. He is muttering due to his age. The Congress has no leader to lead the party. Kharge’s statement does not affect us. We are least bothered by him. The people will give a fitting reply to the Congress on May 10 and on the counting day.
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